Death: An End and a Beginning

By: Wor. Jason E. Marshall

                                                                                                              Photo Credit: Wor. Matthew D. Anthony

(Originally Published in the March 2012 Edition of Living Stone's Magazine)

This piece will explore Dr. Elisabeth Kübler-Ross’ five stages of death (denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance), in order to explore how the Masonic system prepares us for our current physical and spiritual state of existence, while simultaneously preparing us for whatever awaits us after we shed our mortal coil.

Death and resurrection, “your last great change- your transition from Time to Eternity”[1], are prominent themes in the Masonic system. On the physical and material level, the Masonic system  provides valuable lessons and tools to each brother so that he can live a full life, as well as prepare him for the inevitable death of his physical body.  In the Entered Apprentice degree because your old self must begin to wither away and die so that you can leave the world of darkness and ignorance in order to pursue the path of light and knowledge. The spiritual world, where we each go after death, is present in the Fellowcraft degree because the brother must leave the material realm in order to undertake intellectual, philosophical and spiritual pursuits during the staircase lecture, only to once again re-enter the material world in order to apply that knowledge for further work and refinement. Finally, both physical and spiritual death and resurrection take center stage in the Master Mason degree, where the Master must complete his spiritual transformation by dying in the material realm, so that he may be resurrected in the spiritual realm.

The first stage of death in Kübler-Ross’ model is “Denial”, during this stage the person does not want to admit that they are dying, so they tend to try and will themselves back to good health.[2] This sense of denial could come from the fact that many people don’t ever think about death until they actually have to confront it. So when someone finds out that they are terminally ill, this might be the first time that they have been confronted with the reality of their own mortality. Part of this uneasiness and fear about death could be caused by the fact that many of us wrap ourselves up into our occupations and material possessions to such an extent that these things become our identity, they become our earthly treasures. When we spend all of our time focusing on our earthly treasures, we neglect our spiritual treasures, and therefore tend to avoid thinking about the fact that our earthly treasures will be useless to us when we die.

Just as we first entered the Lodge poor and destitute as an Entered Apprentice, we will leave this world poor and destitute, without any material possessions. According to the Gospel of Luke Jesus taught, “Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will never fail, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys”.[3] By gaining an understanding of our mortality, and using the working tools provided in the degrees, we can focus on living a full and productive life, as well as develop our spiritual treasure in heaven.

The second stage of the Kubler-Ross model is that of “Anger”. The person who knows that he is about to die becomes angry at himself, his current situation, those around him, and sometimes the entire world.[4] This anger could often be the result of his own feelings of a wasted or unfulfilled life, or a feeling that his life has been too short. According to Bro. Albert Pike, “We think, at the age of twenty, that life is much too long for that which we have to learn and do; and that there is an almost fabulous distance between our age and that of our grandfather. But when, at the age of sixty, if we are fortunate enough to reach it, or unfortunate enough, as the case may be, and according as we have profitably invested or wasted our time, we halt, and look back along the way we have come, and cast up and endeavor to balance our accounts with time and opportunity, we find that we have made life much too short, and thrown away a huge portion of our time.”[5]  The key to not looking back at our life and being remorseful, is to live our life to the fullest, which includes spending time with friends and family, as well devoting time to earnest study and reflection. The working tools of an Entered Apprentice allow us to make the most of our life by “divesting our minds and consciences of the vices and superfluities of life”, as well as teaching us to correctly divide our time.[6]

The third stage of the Kubler-Ross model is that of “Bargaining”. During the bargaining stage the individual may try to bargain with God to extend his life somehow by doing good deeds, reforming his life, or helping others.[7] This could be the result of either a selfish desire to continue living, or a fear of what happens after death. The well prepared Mason, like our Grand Master, will not need to bargain for the extension of his life, because he will have already lived a full life, helped others, and become comfortable with the journey that he will take after his physical death.  The working tools of the Fellowcraft degree assist us in living a moral, just, and fulfilled life, no matter how brief, by instructing us to live and act virtuously, morally, and uprightly in our interactions with God and man, as well as reminding us that we are each constantly, “traveling upon the Level of Time, to that undiscovered country, from whose bourne no traveler returns."[8]

The Fourth stage of the Kubler-Ross model is that of “Depression”. After the person realizes that they are going to die and that they cannot extend their life, or somehow bargain their way out of death, they become depressed.[9] This can be caused by their belief that they are abandoning loved ones and friends, or that loved ones and friends have abandoned them. The Master Mason’s use of the trowel, which spreads the “cement of brotherly love and affection”, can ease this stage during physical death because his brothers will not only support him during his transition, but he has the assurance that his brothers will be there to support his family after his passing.[10] On the Spiritual level, the brother can use the bonds (the mystic ties) created by the trowel in order to learn spiritual Truths from his brothers, as well as share his own wisdom, which will not only help his current spiritual development, but will continue to help others after his passing.

The Fifth and final stage of the Kubler-Ross Model is that of “Acceptance”. During the acceptance stage the dying person will have come to accept their fate.[11] The acceptance stage is the most critical stage because it allows the person to die peacefully. If the person does not come to the stage of acceptance before their death, the process of death might be harder not only on themselves, but the loved ones who will be by their side. Again, reaching the stage of acceptance is much easier if the brother has already spent time contemplating this inevitable moment, lived life as fully as possible, and is comfortable that his spiritual house is in order. Brother Ben Franklin conveyed this well when he wrote his own epitaph, although it was never used, “The Body of B. Franklin, Printer, Like the Cover of an Old Book, Its Contents Torn Out and Stripped of Its Lettering and Gilding, Lies Here, Food for Worms, But the Work Shall Not be Lost, For it Will as He Believed, Appear Once More In a New and More Elegant Edition Revised and Corrected By the Author”.[12]

The Kübler-Ross model can also be applied to the drama of the Master Mason Degree, which instead of being interpreted as the physical death of our Grand Master, can be interpreted as the completion of the spiritual transformation that we each began to undertake as an Entered Apprentice. When viewed in this light, the actions of the three ruffians represent the last vestiges of our old self desperately clinging for control. The denial and anger stages are represented by the ruffians as they commit their acts out of anger and frustration, because they cannot be a part of the Master’s transformation, because they are the final rough edges that must be cleaved from the Master’s ashlar. As the Master’s transformation becomes more eminent, the ruffians enter into the bargaining stage as they try to bargain and even threaten our Master in an attempt to gain that which they seek. However, their attempts are useless because the Master does not fear death, and if need be he is even prepared to embrace death. After their deeds have been committed, the ruffians know that the final stages of transformation have begun, so they flee and enter into the depression stage, hence the recital of their lamentations, which leads to their capture. Finally, when brought before King Solomon, they enter into the acceptance stage, and receive punishment for their crimes. After the three ruffians (the remnants of the old self) are permanently dealt with, the Master can be resurrected in his new form, thus completing the spiritual transformation.

Almost every religion teaches that the soul will be resurrected either in a spiritual realm, of one form or another, or reincarnated into another form after the death of the physical body. Death is also present in our spiritual transformation, because parts of our old self (our old psyche) must die so that we can continually resurrect ourselves into higher states of consciousness (awareness). Since death always has a resurrection aspect associated with it, it is not an end, it is a beginning. Death is merely a transformation from one state into another.  The beauty of the Masonic system is that it provides teachings and support that will aid the brother during physical and spiritual deaths, as well as the brother’s subsequent resurrections, so that the brother will continually evolve as a living stone, and even a spiritual stone, until his work is ultimately completed. This is accomplished because the Masonic system provides spiritual Truths that aid the brother in this current material realm, as well as in the spiritual realm, where all resurrections ultimately take place.

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Thank you for reading The Laudable Pursuit!

If you enjoyed this piece, please feel free to share it on social media sites and with your Lodge.

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[1] Shaver’s Masonic Monitor – E.A. Preparation Room Language

[2] Kübler-Ross, Elisabeth. On Death and Dying. New York: MacMillan Publishing Company, 1970. Page 51

[3] Luke 12:33, NIV

[4] Kübler-Ross. Page: 63

[5] Pike, Albert. Morals and Dogma. Washington D.C.: Supreme Council, Southern Jurisdiction, 1872. Page 115.

[6] Shaver’s Masonic Monitor – E.A. Working Tools Lecture

[7] Kübler-Ross. Page: 93

[8] Shaver's Masonic Monitor–F.C. Working Tools Lecture

[9] Kübler-Ross. Page: 97

[10] Shaver’s Masonic Monitor –M.M. Working Tools Lecture

[11] Kübler-Ross. Page: 123

[12] Mapp, Alfred J. The Faith of Our Fathers. Lanham MD: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, 2005. Page: 31.

Masonic Introspection

By: Wor. Jason E. Marshall

Freemasonry, as with all initiatic traditions, takes its members on a journey of personal and spiritual transformation. In order to accomplish this, our fraternity encourages its members to undertake serious introspection, because without introspection the working tools and teachings of our fraternity are useless.

The only real way to find Truth is to question everything. This is true in our daily lives in the external world, as well as in our inner personal and spiritual development. Introspection is a powerful tool that allows us to truly explore and examine our thoughts, feelings, emotions, and even our religious beliefs in a thorough manner, which can lead to surprising insights and positive changes.

In the external world, we should always seek to question and verify the things that our political leaders, news sources, and especially social media (Facebook, Twitter, etc.) tells us. I am constantly surprised by the amount of misinformation, contextual exaggerations, and even outright lies and hoaxes that circulate on a weekly basis in digital news sources, and especially in social media sites like Facebook. What is really sad and disheartening is that almost all of this disinformation could be proven false with a simple Google search; however, people are so eager to buy into the misinformation, because it confirms a belief or opinion, that they fail to take a few seconds to verify the authenticity.

In my professional life as an attorney, the first thing I do when someone, even someone I trust or work with, tells me that the state of the law is ____, I check their sources and read it for myself. I don’t do this out of a lack of trust, but since my professional life and credibility depends on accuracy, I need to ensure that what I believe to be correct, is actually correct. In the same way, if I receive a spiritual teaching, or interpretation of scripture, I read the scripture for myself to see if the interpretation given to me jives with the original context of the scripture, as well as my own beliefs and understandings. If we fail to examine all of our beliefs, including our prejudices, then we can easily become prisoner to our false beliefs.

The beauty of our fraternity is that it provides a system that allows for us to undertake serious introspection and transformative work among friends and brothers that are also undertaking that work. Also, pursuant to our oaths, we can discuss almost any topic in strict confidence, which in today’s world is a true rarity. This allows us a safe space to be vulnerable, a place where we can drop our persona mask and show our true selves. The Lodge also provides a place to have frank and open dialogue between members, which strengthens the bonds of brotherhood and allows us to better work through and navigate the trials of life. In fact, some of the best and easiest education sessions for Lodge consist of merely picking a discussion topic for the members to reflect on and discuss.

I know that our fraternity has played a huge role in my own personal and spiritual development. Freemasonry has allowed me to have a safe place to contemplate not only the mysteries of our fraternity, but the mysteries of life. It has also allowed me to meet and interact with brothers who force me out of my comfort zone, and who challenge me almost daily.

The labor of a Mason does not end when he becomes a Master Mason, it is a continuous process that only ends when we lay down the working tools of life to enter the celestial lodge above. Therefore, may we each continue our own journeys of introspection and discovery, and may we aid others along their path. While we each hold a lantern of light on our individual path, when we walk with our brethren our collective light illuminates the pathways of all craftsmen, as well as the world.

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Thank you for reading The Laudable Pursuit!

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In Defense of Fraternity

By: Robert G. Davis, 33*, Grand Cross

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I am a Freemason. I am also a Baby Boomer. In my generation that would make me a bit of an anomaly because most men in America born after WW II have not been joiners until very recently.

But my father was a Freemason; as was his brother. They owned and operated adjoining farms on the great wheat and cattle producing plains of Oklahoma. For as long as I can remember, my dad would come in from his work every Wednesday afternoon, take a shower, and put on his Sunday suit My uncle would come by and pick him up and they would go to the Mason’s Hall together. They did this for 50 years. I can’t remember a time when I was not going to be a Freemason.

I also knew the men in my community. It was a small place of only about 2,500 people. It was where we celebrated the festivals of our lives, went to church, and participated in social conversations outside our home. I knew the most respected men in my town. I can’t remember when I did not know them.

I entered the fraternity of Freemasonry during the summer of my 21st year. When I arrived at the lodge for my first degree, or stage of joining, all these men I had known and respected in my childhood were there. They were my father’s friends. I can remember to this day standing in the ante-room of the lodge, duly prepared in a garment provided me for the occasion, waiting for someone to return my knocks on the door, and thinking to myself: Tonight, I am going to be initiated into Manhood.

Although at the time I didn’t realize it, through my initiation into the world’s oldest secret society for men, I was participating in one of the most ancient traditions of manhood. In every culture the world has ever known, men have yearned to be initiated into manhood. It is fundamental to man’s understanding of his own process of growth. And we have always known it even if we have not defined it for ourselves.

There are many examples of such initiation. The first kill in the hunt is as old as humankind. It is an initiation. Men have always taken their sons hunting. And the stakes are high. It is important for the boy to have a kill. It is a mark of success.

Other examples include basic training in the military; the Bar Mitzvah in the Jewish tradition; and our own high school graduation. The commencement exercise is classic initiation in every detail, right down to the change in clothing. Moving away from the home of our childhood is another example.

It’s important to understand that these examples are never meant to teach anything. They are done to convey one most powerful idea to the young person; that he has left one life and is entering another. He is putting away an old life and taking on a new one.

Now, in the case of males, it is inherent to the nature of manhood that males be assimilated into it by other males. Men have to be initiated into manhood by other men. This is true across every culture.

And this is why I firmly believe Freemasonry to be an essential institution for men. The truth is that women do not have to be initiated into womanhood, as men have to be initiated into manhood. Unlike women, there is no defining moment that proves for a boy that he has become a man, or that he is entering manhood. His mind does not mature at the same rate with his body, nor does his body take on immediate physical changes that are observable to the outside world.

Even in societies where there have always been initiatory rites for women, such ceremonies have related to menstruation, pregnancy and childbirth. Thus, girls’ initiations are determined by a mystery natural to the female sex itself. Such rites have never been based on an “origin myth.”

Conversely, in the case of men, initiation ceremonies are always focused on “invisible” realities. We learn a sacred history that is not evident; i.e., it is not known to have existed in the physical experience. In the ritual ceremonies of Freemasonry, for instance, we observe that everything happens because certain events took place in some historical or mythical time which changed the human condition. For us, initiation represents an introduction into a world that is not immediate. It is a world of spirit and culture. Ours is not a rite of puberty, but a rite that incorporates us into society as responsible adults; a collective consciousness—a society of men.

Being initiated into manhood means that the initiate is consciously aware he has entered onto a path toward mature masculinity. And the journey to manhood begins with this awareness. A man’s awareness begins with understanding who he is, how he feels, what makes him feel, and how his feelings have been effected by outside attitudes and influences in his life. He has to know what “doing the right thing” means. His perceptions and enforcement of responsibility must come from within. There is not supposed to be an internal competition between reasoning and impulses, where the outcome of this balance determines his status as a man.

Rather, the path to mature masculinity starts with his becoming consciously aware that he is accountable for his own actions—that he alone bring responsibility to his work, his relationships, his behavior, and the choices he makes in life. Mature masculinity also implies that he is consciously aware of how he represents himself to others.

A man’s integrity is clearly within himself, to himself, and for himself what it is to others. To claim our manhood, we have to take charge of our life.

And for young men, this process is always best facilitated by other responsible and mature men. One of the key ingredients of a man’s growth and development is making friends and maintaining friendships with other men. It is as vital to our health and happiness as believing in ourselves. We need older men as mentors in our life. We not only need the stamp of approval from our fathers; but from other men in our life.

Manhood does not come from our mothers. We can be nurtured, comforted, educated, sang to, and nursed by our mothers. But mothers cannot teach us how to be men. That is the role only men can play for each other.

And here is where Freemasonry has been so critically worthy to the culture of men for so many generations. To be sure, there are certain rites of manhood which connect young males with the collective masculine soul, to the spirit of being a man, and to the community of men—sports, college, military, sex, bars, occupation, to name a few. But there are few that teach what a good society expects of men. There are even fewer which give him the lasting standards of male responsibility. There are still fewer that teach the magic of manhood. There are fewer yet which can affirm a sense of belonging to a traditional male brotherhood. There are few institutions which eliminate the generation gap by the very act of belonging. There are few that facilitate an understanding of true fellow feeling—that feeling which is at the heart of Masonic ritual, symbolism and lodge space.

Freemasonry exists first and foremost to transform men. And that transformation takes place because one is initiated into a fellowship of men. It is within that fellowship that he is introduced to his own path to self improvement—the journey which enables him to harmonize his individual need for fulfillment with a collective well-being. This pathway is nothing less than the road to mature masculinity.

The corporate task of freemasonry is to not only erect this path, but to make sure that its members are on it themselves; and those who come after them will also be on it.

The inherent role of any morally based male-only organization is to take on the virtues of manliness, to enhance and extend the male tradition; and to embrace that tradition irrespective of how formidable the demands any present society may place upon it.

Freemasonry’s strength lies in the fact that it offers the right model by which men can grow and achieve balance in their human and spiritual lives. It tenders a medium for collective dialogue in the ways of virtue and ethics. It offers the role of patriarchy to men—male role modeling, if you will—which guides younger men from a sort of boyish impetuosity to mature and manly judgment. It does this by leading them back to timeless, ethical, and spiritual traditions which facilitate their own transformation and rebirth into manhood.

And it has done this for every generation of men for more than 400 years.

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Thank you for reading The Laudable Pursuit!

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