Post by phil on Jul 8, 2005 20:33:07 GMT
Ritual is good for you.
In this presentation I would like to give you an impression of my own views about rituals and in their relationship in giving a meaning to our lives, strengthening the brotherly bond and love between people.
So, what do we mean by the word ritual?
Well, apart from the dictionary definition, I am sure that if you asked three different people what the word ritual meant for them, you would probably get three different responses. If there were also some confusion between the words ritual, practice or rite then you would get far more. Then there is that other word; ceremony.
Albert Mackey, in his book “Encyclopaedia of Freemasonry” describes a ritual in relation to Freemasonry as:
“ .. the mode of opening and closing a lodge, of conferring the degrees, of installation, and other duties and constitute a system of ceremonies which are called the ritual. Much of this ritual is esoteric..”
This definition is far too limited for me because it is only related to Freemasonry.
If you were to ask me what the definition of a ritual was, then I would give a more general definition, such as:
A ritual is a prescribed series of words and/or actions, for an individual or group of individuals, which usually attempt to achieve a specific goal or goals.
A ritual is sometimes cloaked in a ceremony.
I hope to substantiate this definition for you.
I will also try to make a distinction between a ritual and a habit or a routine because, while they all may be considered to be ritualistic, a ritual is meant to be a stimulating, conscious event. A habit or routine is actually something that has become boring and is consequently often carried out without too much conscious effort.
I hope to also make it evident that rituals are a part of man; that people actually need rituals. That they can have a positive influence on us and are good for us. They add value to our lives.
Let us, first of all, consider the history of man.
Primitive man had to use his brains to be able to survive and was always on the look out for further knowledge. He learned to make fire and to fabricate implements. He leaned to satisfy his basic needs. That meant hunting.
Because the primitive hunters came into direct contact with their prey during the hunt, they could not help but establish a bond with them.
Through hunting, man learned to understand nature and the animals which, they realised, were not so different from themselves as far as instincts were concerned. Even the animals had a sense of logic and manipulation. They could demonstrate affection, strive for their own advantage and protect their young and their sort.
All of that was reason enough for primitive man to feel uncomfortable about killing and eating the animals. That is why the primitive cultures developed rituals to absolve themselves of their guilt feelings about having to kill to survive.
These rituals often consisted of sacrificing animals to imagined/invented spirits or gods. The spirits or gods which were above or greater than themselves.
Consequently, in the beginning, those gods were the sun and the wind and those powerful storms and the earth, which also supplied sustenance. With these primal discoveries of nature, man began to think about, or is the expression yearn for, the spiritual aspects; searching for what we call enlightenment or insight.
How ever far we go back in the history of mankind, we always discover the remains of rituals once enacted. Not only cave drawings but also carvings have been preserved, which depict people in ritualistic poses.
In every society, all over the world, traditions and techniques are used within rituals to transfer knowledge to others, such as the next generation. Many ancient rituals are still in use today. Superstitions are also closely related to them.
I will not now approach the subject of “Is G-d a superstition” except to quote Voltaire who said, “If G-d never existed, we would have had to invent him”.
Having said that, many people today consider the word ritual to have a negative connotation apart from, perhaps, some powerful, cultivated ceremonies carried out at times of marriage or death and, a few others that are all carried out within the religious circles. For example, take the baptism of a baby.
The origin of baptism lies in the Jewish Mikvah, a purification ritual prescribed in the Torah. A total submersion in water combined with prayers, in order to cleanse the individual spiritually as well as physically. This is still carried out today by strict, orthodox Jews.
A Mikvah can also be seen as symbolising the death of the old entity and the resurrection of the new. We see this when a child, born in "the original sin" is baptised so that the new "Christian child" is cleansed, absolved of guilt and accepted by the church and its followers.
Apart from these religious rituals, others today are often regarded as being primitive. We must admit that some of those rituals from the past really were primitive, if we stop and think about sacrifices, rain-dances and so forth but that does not necessarily mean that they have all died out. What is considered by us, today, as being primitive is considered by other cultures in others lands a question of continued and cherished traditions.
In our present day culture, those creepy clubs, like Freemasonry for example are viewed with a degree of abhorrence and their rituals are considered by many to be no better than those of the primitive cultures or, even witchcraft or heresy just as the Roman Catholic Church declared it to be in 1738. We all know that such a perception is really only a question of ignorance. Ignorance, if you didn’t already know, is that strange land where prejudice reigns and knowledge is on permanent vacation.
What people do not seem to realise is that in our so called civilised society, we all follow learned and cultivated patterns. Some of these are also routines that we call rituals; correctly or incorrectly. Take for example what we call our "morning ritual":
Get up, bathroom, dress, breakfast (that delicious orange juice, toast and coffee), kick the wife, kiss the dog, jump in the car, drive etc. etc.
How many of those activities are carried out automatically simply because it has become a routine? Do you know if that last traffic light was red or not? I don't. Who was it you kissed??
This is a good example of something that started out as a ritual and became a routine. Nevertheless, it can be classified as ritualistic according to my definition because it is always the same, prescribed order of activities that try to achieve a set goal. We enacted our morning ritual and we reached our goal. We arrived safe and sound at our destination.
The rituals of Freemasonry are also a method whereby we try to achieve a goal. Try to reach our destination. However, the rituals of Freemasonry should never become boring routine, carried out in the absence of conscious effort. Just the opposite; it must continue to be stimulating for all of us and, in particular, for the candidate.
Every Brother can take full advantage of our rituals by intensely concentrating on the enactment. That can lead to an esoteric feeling of the ritual; each time a renewed, spiritual experience.
The modern Western enlightenment is more materialistic instead of spiritual. Man seeks more enlightenment about the movements of stocks and bonds instead of those of the trees in the wind or our emotions during our own spiritual storms. This trend threatens to banish many of the good rituals from our lives.
The idea that our actions can have a positive influence on our mental, emotional and spiritual well being for ourselves in particular or of the community in general, is considered by many to be not only ridiculous but also dangerous. You only have to surf on the internet to find all those website that preach the devilish dangers of Freemasonry.
In relation to those negative theories about Freemasonry, J. Billings in his “Encyclopaedia of wit and wisdom” wrote:
“The difficulty with people is not that they do not know
but that they know so much that is not true."
As already said, the modern scientific and technological developments results in the tendency to abandon rituals. The society is getting less spiritual conscious and, even worse, loses a sense of what is considered holy. Even the existence of a higher power is brought into doubt together with religion. The churches are becoming empty. Many valuable rituals in our society are weakening and threatening to disappear altogether. We are simply too busy and the financial market has slumped. Thereby, the values of family, respect, mutual tolerance and self-control are also being eroded. The social market has also slumped.
There is less personal communication. Today, you can send an e-mail to auntie Elsie to give her the impression that you are thinking of her and, you do not even have to talk to her. Easy, isn't it? You can read in the newspapers how the mobile telephone is being used primarily for SMS’s while the e-mail traffic is increasing. So, social conversation and personal contact are also rituals that are reducing. People are becoming more isolated. Yet, these rituals are so essential in society in order to enrich our lives; to give them value.
Albert Schweitzer wrote:
“In everyone's life, at some time, our inner fire goes out.
It is then burst into flame by an encounter with another human being. We should all be thankful for those people who rekindle the inner spirit.”
In my opinion, rituals help the individual to come in contact with their "inner spirit" and can therefore, indirectly help the whole of society. Whatever ritual it is, such as: the family gathering around the table for the evening meal or, the Sunday community in the church or, tucking in the (grand) children at night or, the T evening meeting at the Lodge. I believe that rituals, the familiar actions and patterns give life structure, order and meaning and, thereby create positive energy. Good rituals can even posses a healing quality.
I purposely emphasize "good rituals" because this coin does have another side to it.
For example, Adolf Hitler misused rituals in his speeches, his spectacles and his meetings to promoted negative energy in such a superb way that the whole world suffered under the negative influence.
Let us return once again to good rituals. Good rituals are also extremely important for the young. The youth has to discover and further develop their relationships with their relatives, their friends, with strangers and with nature. If this is insufficiently realised then they will lack the necessary harmony in their lives and that leads to a lack of identity, hope and goals. This all causes frustration and the associated repercussions. I do not have to mention all the consequences that are derived from such a situation. They are reported daily in our newspapers and they have a negative influence on the total society. Unfortunately for those individuals, the positive goals are never scored.
So, talking about goals, what in Freemasonry is the goal or destination? What are we really looking for? Naturally, every Freemasons responds with the answer "to be a better person!" but, does that say enough?
A well-defined goal is important and each of us must define his own goal or goals for himself. We all know from experience that we are more effective, happier and more enthusiastic in what we do when we have a well-defined goal. That means that even a negative situation can transformed into a positive one through our own positive disposition. At least in our own minds.
This is what the rituals in Freemasonry can help a candidate develop. They can help him find the path where he can continue is search for his own enlightenment. His own goal. Naturally, he must be ready for this before he takes part in the ritual. His preparation takes place, in the first instance, not in the preparation room but much earlier; in his hart and soul. He needs to be ripe for this.
The rituals of Freemasonry use powerful symbols. They present positive messages and instructions and, can reinforce the psyche of the individual. This is made more effective by the fact that the candidate is the central figure during the ritual. Because of this, the complete candidate in his entirety, spiritually as well as physically, is involved in the ritual whereby he is confronted with his inner self and his own fears.
Freemasonry helps every member, young and old, in his personal development, his refinement and spiritual health.
In the so-called blue degrees, the rituals are a complex combination of text, myths and symbols accompanied by instructions. Together, they present a basis for further personal development and self-knowledge.
"KNOW THYSELF"
Freemasonry is a worldwide movement that has a positive influence on its members so that they may become more useful within their family circle as well as society as a whole.
The Masonic rituals supply the instruments and the instructions for their use. How much the members actually put those instruments and instructions into practice is for the individual to decide for himself. "IT IS UP TO YOU".
The candidate makes a number of journeys, during the ritual, which actually take place at different levels. The physical journey with its tests and teachings is very obvious. However, there is also something that happens at a psychological, emotional or spiritual level. Typically speaking, it is an experience that is difficult to describe and for everybody it is different but, that it happens is undeniable.
During these rituals, we learn about the myths of Freemasonry. These are based on Biblical and historic stories about well-known heroes. There is also often a hint of Alchemy, Hermetism, The Kabbalah, Astrology and Astronomy with their concealed messages and symbols.
While the candidate journeys through this landscape of myths and symbols that has been painted for him, he can reach a more intense contact between his spiritual self and, that which is for him, the "Higher Power", however unconscious that may occur. This will all lead to that esoteric experience that I mentioned before.
You are not obligated to believe in the instructions and symbols presented during the ritual. Masonry is not dogmatic. They are just presented to you. Nevertheless, they do seem to be automatically recognised and accepted by your primeval instincts. It is particularly through our subconscious that the myths and symbols speak to us.
Carl Gustaf Jung spoke about “.. the unconscious psychic life of mankind.” and said the following about symbols and rituals:
“While the deepest levels of the psyche can never be understood in the ordinary way, they are nevertheless accessible to virtually everyone at all times.
You are already connected to this place; however, understanding it, takes practice and commitment to learning its language, the language of symbolism.
This language is powerful and primal, capable of unlocking and opening the deepest levels of intuitive awareness.
While ordinary language helps us to make sense of the outer events of our lives, it is only by means of the symbolic language that we can achieve a deep spiritual understanding of who we are and our life's purpose.”
Despite the fact that you may have experienced the journeys of the ritual often before, you still tend to perceive new elements each time. Just like the reoccurring ritual of the evening meal in family circles is never boring but enriching for all participants. It strengthens the bond between them just like the bond between Brothers is strengthened in the Lodge.
It is therefore, my opinion that the first concern of our brotherhood is a healthy mind and a healthy body. Spirit and material. The amplification of the harmony between body and soul. All to bring us into balance so that we may tread the Holy path, the happy medium between the two (extreme) columns. The linea sacre. The middle column of the Kabbalah. Beauty.
The more we bring into practice, what we learn during the rituals, the better we can achieve that harmony to the advantage of ourselves and society.
"Return to the West and be recognisable there as a Freemason" is the instruction at the end of every ritual in Dutch lodges.
So, what is the goal of this journey, our quest in Freemasonry?
The goal is to help us discover who we are. What our place is in the great plan of things and what the meaning is of our lives. So that we may become better people.
There, now I have also said it.
We are naturally never alone in our quest because we also carry our own personal experiences with us. We are also accompanied by the other Brethren who also carry their own personal experiences with them. This mutual solidarity of goal and dedication, together with the shared experiences of our Brethren, are the power and strength of our brotherhood.
Just like our breakfast of that delicious orange juice, toast and coffee is good for our physical health, so is the regular participation in a good ritual important for our spiritual health.
It gives meaning to our lives.
Whether it be a ritual of a healthy society, or a ritual in Freemasonry, "Ritual is good for you"
In this presentation I would like to give you an impression of my own views about rituals and in their relationship in giving a meaning to our lives, strengthening the brotherly bond and love between people.
So, what do we mean by the word ritual?
Well, apart from the dictionary definition, I am sure that if you asked three different people what the word ritual meant for them, you would probably get three different responses. If there were also some confusion between the words ritual, practice or rite then you would get far more. Then there is that other word; ceremony.
Albert Mackey, in his book “Encyclopaedia of Freemasonry” describes a ritual in relation to Freemasonry as:
“ .. the mode of opening and closing a lodge, of conferring the degrees, of installation, and other duties and constitute a system of ceremonies which are called the ritual. Much of this ritual is esoteric..”
This definition is far too limited for me because it is only related to Freemasonry.
If you were to ask me what the definition of a ritual was, then I would give a more general definition, such as:
A ritual is a prescribed series of words and/or actions, for an individual or group of individuals, which usually attempt to achieve a specific goal or goals.
A ritual is sometimes cloaked in a ceremony.
I hope to substantiate this definition for you.
I will also try to make a distinction between a ritual and a habit or a routine because, while they all may be considered to be ritualistic, a ritual is meant to be a stimulating, conscious event. A habit or routine is actually something that has become boring and is consequently often carried out without too much conscious effort.
I hope to also make it evident that rituals are a part of man; that people actually need rituals. That they can have a positive influence on us and are good for us. They add value to our lives.
Let us, first of all, consider the history of man.
Primitive man had to use his brains to be able to survive and was always on the look out for further knowledge. He learned to make fire and to fabricate implements. He leaned to satisfy his basic needs. That meant hunting.
Because the primitive hunters came into direct contact with their prey during the hunt, they could not help but establish a bond with them.
Through hunting, man learned to understand nature and the animals which, they realised, were not so different from themselves as far as instincts were concerned. Even the animals had a sense of logic and manipulation. They could demonstrate affection, strive for their own advantage and protect their young and their sort.
All of that was reason enough for primitive man to feel uncomfortable about killing and eating the animals. That is why the primitive cultures developed rituals to absolve themselves of their guilt feelings about having to kill to survive.
These rituals often consisted of sacrificing animals to imagined/invented spirits or gods. The spirits or gods which were above or greater than themselves.
Consequently, in the beginning, those gods were the sun and the wind and those powerful storms and the earth, which also supplied sustenance. With these primal discoveries of nature, man began to think about, or is the expression yearn for, the spiritual aspects; searching for what we call enlightenment or insight.
How ever far we go back in the history of mankind, we always discover the remains of rituals once enacted. Not only cave drawings but also carvings have been preserved, which depict people in ritualistic poses.
In every society, all over the world, traditions and techniques are used within rituals to transfer knowledge to others, such as the next generation. Many ancient rituals are still in use today. Superstitions are also closely related to them.
I will not now approach the subject of “Is G-d a superstition” except to quote Voltaire who said, “If G-d never existed, we would have had to invent him”.
Having said that, many people today consider the word ritual to have a negative connotation apart from, perhaps, some powerful, cultivated ceremonies carried out at times of marriage or death and, a few others that are all carried out within the religious circles. For example, take the baptism of a baby.
The origin of baptism lies in the Jewish Mikvah, a purification ritual prescribed in the Torah. A total submersion in water combined with prayers, in order to cleanse the individual spiritually as well as physically. This is still carried out today by strict, orthodox Jews.
A Mikvah can also be seen as symbolising the death of the old entity and the resurrection of the new. We see this when a child, born in "the original sin" is baptised so that the new "Christian child" is cleansed, absolved of guilt and accepted by the church and its followers.
Apart from these religious rituals, others today are often regarded as being primitive. We must admit that some of those rituals from the past really were primitive, if we stop and think about sacrifices, rain-dances and so forth but that does not necessarily mean that they have all died out. What is considered by us, today, as being primitive is considered by other cultures in others lands a question of continued and cherished traditions.
In our present day culture, those creepy clubs, like Freemasonry for example are viewed with a degree of abhorrence and their rituals are considered by many to be no better than those of the primitive cultures or, even witchcraft or heresy just as the Roman Catholic Church declared it to be in 1738. We all know that such a perception is really only a question of ignorance. Ignorance, if you didn’t already know, is that strange land where prejudice reigns and knowledge is on permanent vacation.
What people do not seem to realise is that in our so called civilised society, we all follow learned and cultivated patterns. Some of these are also routines that we call rituals; correctly or incorrectly. Take for example what we call our "morning ritual":
Get up, bathroom, dress, breakfast (that delicious orange juice, toast and coffee), kick the wife, kiss the dog, jump in the car, drive etc. etc.
How many of those activities are carried out automatically simply because it has become a routine? Do you know if that last traffic light was red or not? I don't. Who was it you kissed??
This is a good example of something that started out as a ritual and became a routine. Nevertheless, it can be classified as ritualistic according to my definition because it is always the same, prescribed order of activities that try to achieve a set goal. We enacted our morning ritual and we reached our goal. We arrived safe and sound at our destination.
The rituals of Freemasonry are also a method whereby we try to achieve a goal. Try to reach our destination. However, the rituals of Freemasonry should never become boring routine, carried out in the absence of conscious effort. Just the opposite; it must continue to be stimulating for all of us and, in particular, for the candidate.
Every Brother can take full advantage of our rituals by intensely concentrating on the enactment. That can lead to an esoteric feeling of the ritual; each time a renewed, spiritual experience.
The modern Western enlightenment is more materialistic instead of spiritual. Man seeks more enlightenment about the movements of stocks and bonds instead of those of the trees in the wind or our emotions during our own spiritual storms. This trend threatens to banish many of the good rituals from our lives.
The idea that our actions can have a positive influence on our mental, emotional and spiritual well being for ourselves in particular or of the community in general, is considered by many to be not only ridiculous but also dangerous. You only have to surf on the internet to find all those website that preach the devilish dangers of Freemasonry.
In relation to those negative theories about Freemasonry, J. Billings in his “Encyclopaedia of wit and wisdom” wrote:
“The difficulty with people is not that they do not know
but that they know so much that is not true."
As already said, the modern scientific and technological developments results in the tendency to abandon rituals. The society is getting less spiritual conscious and, even worse, loses a sense of what is considered holy. Even the existence of a higher power is brought into doubt together with religion. The churches are becoming empty. Many valuable rituals in our society are weakening and threatening to disappear altogether. We are simply too busy and the financial market has slumped. Thereby, the values of family, respect, mutual tolerance and self-control are also being eroded. The social market has also slumped.
There is less personal communication. Today, you can send an e-mail to auntie Elsie to give her the impression that you are thinking of her and, you do not even have to talk to her. Easy, isn't it? You can read in the newspapers how the mobile telephone is being used primarily for SMS’s while the e-mail traffic is increasing. So, social conversation and personal contact are also rituals that are reducing. People are becoming more isolated. Yet, these rituals are so essential in society in order to enrich our lives; to give them value.
Albert Schweitzer wrote:
“In everyone's life, at some time, our inner fire goes out.
It is then burst into flame by an encounter with another human being. We should all be thankful for those people who rekindle the inner spirit.”
In my opinion, rituals help the individual to come in contact with their "inner spirit" and can therefore, indirectly help the whole of society. Whatever ritual it is, such as: the family gathering around the table for the evening meal or, the Sunday community in the church or, tucking in the (grand) children at night or, the T evening meeting at the Lodge. I believe that rituals, the familiar actions and patterns give life structure, order and meaning and, thereby create positive energy. Good rituals can even posses a healing quality.
I purposely emphasize "good rituals" because this coin does have another side to it.
For example, Adolf Hitler misused rituals in his speeches, his spectacles and his meetings to promoted negative energy in such a superb way that the whole world suffered under the negative influence.
Let us return once again to good rituals. Good rituals are also extremely important for the young. The youth has to discover and further develop their relationships with their relatives, their friends, with strangers and with nature. If this is insufficiently realised then they will lack the necessary harmony in their lives and that leads to a lack of identity, hope and goals. This all causes frustration and the associated repercussions. I do not have to mention all the consequences that are derived from such a situation. They are reported daily in our newspapers and they have a negative influence on the total society. Unfortunately for those individuals, the positive goals are never scored.
So, talking about goals, what in Freemasonry is the goal or destination? What are we really looking for? Naturally, every Freemasons responds with the answer "to be a better person!" but, does that say enough?
A well-defined goal is important and each of us must define his own goal or goals for himself. We all know from experience that we are more effective, happier and more enthusiastic in what we do when we have a well-defined goal. That means that even a negative situation can transformed into a positive one through our own positive disposition. At least in our own minds.
This is what the rituals in Freemasonry can help a candidate develop. They can help him find the path where he can continue is search for his own enlightenment. His own goal. Naturally, he must be ready for this before he takes part in the ritual. His preparation takes place, in the first instance, not in the preparation room but much earlier; in his hart and soul. He needs to be ripe for this.
The rituals of Freemasonry use powerful symbols. They present positive messages and instructions and, can reinforce the psyche of the individual. This is made more effective by the fact that the candidate is the central figure during the ritual. Because of this, the complete candidate in his entirety, spiritually as well as physically, is involved in the ritual whereby he is confronted with his inner self and his own fears.
Freemasonry helps every member, young and old, in his personal development, his refinement and spiritual health.
In the so-called blue degrees, the rituals are a complex combination of text, myths and symbols accompanied by instructions. Together, they present a basis for further personal development and self-knowledge.
"KNOW THYSELF"
Freemasonry is a worldwide movement that has a positive influence on its members so that they may become more useful within their family circle as well as society as a whole.
The Masonic rituals supply the instruments and the instructions for their use. How much the members actually put those instruments and instructions into practice is for the individual to decide for himself. "IT IS UP TO YOU".
The candidate makes a number of journeys, during the ritual, which actually take place at different levels. The physical journey with its tests and teachings is very obvious. However, there is also something that happens at a psychological, emotional or spiritual level. Typically speaking, it is an experience that is difficult to describe and for everybody it is different but, that it happens is undeniable.
During these rituals, we learn about the myths of Freemasonry. These are based on Biblical and historic stories about well-known heroes. There is also often a hint of Alchemy, Hermetism, The Kabbalah, Astrology and Astronomy with their concealed messages and symbols.
While the candidate journeys through this landscape of myths and symbols that has been painted for him, he can reach a more intense contact between his spiritual self and, that which is for him, the "Higher Power", however unconscious that may occur. This will all lead to that esoteric experience that I mentioned before.
You are not obligated to believe in the instructions and symbols presented during the ritual. Masonry is not dogmatic. They are just presented to you. Nevertheless, they do seem to be automatically recognised and accepted by your primeval instincts. It is particularly through our subconscious that the myths and symbols speak to us.
Carl Gustaf Jung spoke about “.. the unconscious psychic life of mankind.” and said the following about symbols and rituals:
“While the deepest levels of the psyche can never be understood in the ordinary way, they are nevertheless accessible to virtually everyone at all times.
You are already connected to this place; however, understanding it, takes practice and commitment to learning its language, the language of symbolism.
This language is powerful and primal, capable of unlocking and opening the deepest levels of intuitive awareness.
While ordinary language helps us to make sense of the outer events of our lives, it is only by means of the symbolic language that we can achieve a deep spiritual understanding of who we are and our life's purpose.”
Despite the fact that you may have experienced the journeys of the ritual often before, you still tend to perceive new elements each time. Just like the reoccurring ritual of the evening meal in family circles is never boring but enriching for all participants. It strengthens the bond between them just like the bond between Brothers is strengthened in the Lodge.
It is therefore, my opinion that the first concern of our brotherhood is a healthy mind and a healthy body. Spirit and material. The amplification of the harmony between body and soul. All to bring us into balance so that we may tread the Holy path, the happy medium between the two (extreme) columns. The linea sacre. The middle column of the Kabbalah. Beauty.
The more we bring into practice, what we learn during the rituals, the better we can achieve that harmony to the advantage of ourselves and society.
"Return to the West and be recognisable there as a Freemason" is the instruction at the end of every ritual in Dutch lodges.
So, what is the goal of this journey, our quest in Freemasonry?
The goal is to help us discover who we are. What our place is in the great plan of things and what the meaning is of our lives. So that we may become better people.
There, now I have also said it.
We are naturally never alone in our quest because we also carry our own personal experiences with us. We are also accompanied by the other Brethren who also carry their own personal experiences with them. This mutual solidarity of goal and dedication, together with the shared experiences of our Brethren, are the power and strength of our brotherhood.
Just like our breakfast of that delicious orange juice, toast and coffee is good for our physical health, so is the regular participation in a good ritual important for our spiritual health.
It gives meaning to our lives.
Whether it be a ritual of a healthy society, or a ritual in Freemasonry, "Ritual is good for you"