TenMinuteMasonry

  How Leaders Learn” – A Masonic Reflection As you know masonry is dedicated to the principles of light, truth, and continual improvement. Tonights topic is inspired by the book How Leaders Learn by David Novak. While not written for Masons, it echoes many of our core beliefs—that true leadership begins within, and that wisdom is something we must continually seek. 1. Learn from Your Upbringing Our journey starts with self-awareness. Each of us was shaped by our upbringing—our families, communities, and early life experiences. The values we inherited form the foundation of who we are today. But being a leader requires us to pause and ask: What beliefs do I hold? Where did they come from? And are they helping me grow or holding me back? As Freemasons, we are taught to “know thyself.” This is where leadership begins. 2. Learn from Change Change is rarely comfortable. But it is always rich with opportunity. Novak identifies four sources of opportunity: new knowledge, ne...

    “Top Time Wasters and How to Fix Them” The 24 hour gauge shows us that we only have so many hours in the day.   We need to balance our time with all the things important in our lives.   The issue can become that you look back at how much of that time was wasted.   Once, it has passed, you cannot get it back.   We only move forward.   (As far as we know at this point.) I have a list of things I know I need to get done, but it is so easy to procrastinate or find fun things to do.   I had to sit down and force myself to produce this talk.   Sigh. So, How can we improve productivity, reduce stress, and use our time wisely? ⏱️ Here is a list of some of the top 10 time wasters in our lives today. 1. 📱 Excessive Social Media Mindless scrolling steals hours.   Between Facebook, Tik-Tok, Instagram, Youtube, we have so many ways to find mindless entertainment.   Heck, even the TV can cause ...

  Appendant Bodies, So many Hats and Symbols If you want to delve into some further masonic teaching or social gatherings, there are many, so called, appendant bodies to look into.   All of these require you to be a master mason in good standing.     Scottish Rite consists of degrees from 4 th thru 32 nd degree.   They have an honorary 33 rd degree also.   Each of the degrees is presented in dramatic presentations that teach moral lessons and personal growth.   Many Scottish Rite temples do some of the degrees as power point presentations however.   They seek to: ·          Aid mankind's search for identity and destiny in God's universe. ·          Produce wiser men in a wiser world, happier men in a happier world, and therefore better men in a better world. ·          Promote the dignity o...

  Today, we’re going to talk about one of the most significant figures in American history: George Washington , focusing particularly on his involvement with Freemasonry, along with a few fun facts that you might not know about the man behind the legend. Introduction to George Washington George Washington, born in 1732, was not just the first President of the United States—he was the commander-in-chief of the Continental Army during the American Revolution, and a leading Founding Father. But, apart from his public role, Washington had a deep personal connection to Freemasonry, a fraternal organization that has long been associated with secret handshakes, moral teachings, and an awful lot of symbolism. Washington and Freemasonry Washington became a Mason in 1752, when he was just 20 years old. He joined the Fredericksburg Lodge in Virginia, cost was 2 pounds 3 shillings, and from that moment, Freemasonry became an integral part of his life. Washington’s Masonic journey was ...

  The Weird words of Masonry As an adult, a strong vocabulary is invaluable as it significantly improves your ability to ·          communicate effectively, ·          understand complex information, ·          express nuanced ideas, ·          build credibility in professional settings, ·          and navigate social interactions with greater confidence, essentially acting as a key tool for personal and professional success in life. Key benefits of a strong vocabulary as an adult: Enhanced communication: Precisely choosing the right words allows you to convey your thoughts and feelings clearly, leading to better understanding in conversations and written communication. Professional advancement: A rich vocabulary can make you appear more knowledgeable and articu...

  The Most Dangerous Talk in Masonry This talk was given at our annual holiday dinner for widows and family members.   How often have you asked your husband or boyfriend what they did at the Masons that night?   And the reply was “nothing much”.    Then you wonder why they go? Tonight, I am going to share with you what we are really learning and doing at some of our lodge meetings.   This is not secret information; in fact, it is information that can easily be found by search engines. First a little story.    A new dating app was created.   Instead of swiping left or right, this one lets you have only one chance to pick the right man.   Each group of men are on a different level of the app.   But there are only 6 levels. Each level up costs another $100.00. So, a lady decides it must be a good app if it costs so much and pays her $100.00.   It says, “Welcome to level one men.   These men all have jobs and wor...