Masonic Articles and Essays
What Secrets Does Freemasonry Hold?
Bro... Fahim Ahmed
Date Published: 4/1/2020
The real secrets of Freemasonry remain hidden to many, regardless of how many degrees they may have taken. One’s career, age, religion, caste, sect, or wealth will not grant access to these mysteries. What secrets does Masonry hold, and how are they unveiled?
Freemasonry is indeed a secret society, but the secrets, which Freemasonry holds, is often misunderstood by many people and religious leaders throughout the world. It is, in fact, a symbol, and it has its symbolic significance has a hundred perspectives from which to view. Thus, I will endeavor to explore the secrets of the Fraternity through three major categories, and you are absolutely free to hold your opinion of any of the statements described below.
Freemasonry has a long history; it existed before many major religions, and the workings of this institution was different in the past – when as an organization of builders it held trade secrets and procedures of the Craft.
However, Masonry has evolved throughout thousands of years, and the word “secret” was something that sparked interest in those who were curious to know that secret – such as those who were curious to know and understand more about themselves their religions. So, the word “secret” was a symbolic invitation to those seeking the truth. It was a catalyst for the curious to join and learn to become better individuals, while others who weren’t able to understand it wanted to destroy the holy order.
A “secret” is something that is unknown to us; and if viewed from an individual level, our whole life is a mystery. It is indeed a secret to be alive and remain breathing. We never say “why” it happened to me or them; instead many question: “Why does God give us troubles and difficulties?”
Perhaps the most famous question is “Why has God made others rich while I am poor?” You have one hundred percent right to ask that question; many don’t see that, but, if you know the secrets of a rich man's life, the effort and sacrifice it takes to get that, you may have already given up on that goal. It is the secret which helps you keep going until you achieve your goals. This is the symbolic significance of secret for an individual.
The lodge, or your brother masons, can teach you how to view situations differently, and to improve the various aspects of your life with the help of different rituals. The rituals, or moral plays, stand in as substitute secrets until the Mason is able to view his whole life as a one big ritual, in which the Master Mason evolves into a Great Architect for his own life. Little by little, the Great Architect unveils the real secrets to you, by his own hands, through the good or bad experiences in your life.
Universally, everything around us is a secret, and it will be a secret forever. Perhaps, we will never understand the nature of reality, and its hidden mysteries, which stretch into eternity. But, there are a wide variety of tools we may use to gain an understanding, to some degree, about that secret. In our modern world, popular tools include science, mathematics, religious philosophies, history, and magic.
Certain individuals choose to follow right-hand paths, while others explore the realms of what many consider the forbidden, left-hand paths. Some methodologies, such as magic, are banned by different religions due to the past destruction brought to society and to the practitioner himself.
The universal significance what is secret, however, does not end, even if we remove certain tools or practices. IF we look up towards the seemingly endless sky, is God up there? If not, then where is he? Has he gone on vacation? Perhaps. Maybe, it depends on his choice. If the Ineffable, chooses to remain a mystery to most, then his secrets may be beyond all but the most diligent seekers. To find God, and to learn his secrets, can only be achieved with indefatigable exertion and stalwart dedication to preserve throughout our earthly existence.
I know it is difficult to go against our nature. Humans are often trapped by the impulse to view the mysterious, or the truly abstract, through a binary lens. To limit our understanding of the wonder of Creation, and our Creator, with the labels of “good” and “evil” or “right” and “wrong,” may seem rational behavior to many. However, some things, secrets and mysteries, demand to be viewed from angles beyond our binary mindset, which can create difficulties in true comprehension. In some cases, we may neglect the truth because it contradicts our belief system or because it may be incongruitous with what we are doing. As humans, peace will ever allude us when we remain blinded by our desires and our animalistic tendencies.
Let me explain it that way – what’s inside of you, your past life experiences, your personal talk within yourself, your thoughts, your dreams – all these are secrets known only to you. The rest of world will remain in the dark as to these secrets, unless you choose to open up and share these with another person. Then, when you tell something, it isn’t a secret anymore.
The same is true regarding Freemasonry. For every Mason must travel his own path and undergo a uniquely personal experience provided by a series of different rituals. What he uncovers or discovers often remains his knowledge alone, for such wisdom often defies explanation and seems nonsensical to those to which he may try to communicate with. To find out the secrets of Masonry, or in simple words, to gain true understanding of oneself, is unknowable to the other Masons of the same Lodge. It is the individual Mason’s treasure alone to grasp a vision of his true nature and his relationship with God. Freemasonry is not about world domination or a new world order; it exists in a realm far removed from politics and worldly matters. Rather, it is a journey within to discover incommunicable truths about this grand design in which we live.
Whenever a Mason has attempted to share the secrets of the Craft to others, in form of a book or a story of morality, the truths have remained elusive and hidden from the unworthy. One must work towards these secrets himself. Libraries and bookstores contain numerous examples of Masonic writings, such as Morals and Dogma by Bro. Albert Pike, available for anyone to read. Yet, such works may consist of nothing more than gibberish and nonsense to the uninitiated.
The real secrets of Freemasonry remain hidden to many, regardless of how many degrees they may have taken. One’s career, age, religion, caste, sect, or wealth will not grant access to these mysteries. These secrets are personal to every human, which is a fantastic notion and almost impossible to explain to a person who is not in the mood or incapable of understanding the abstraction of the concept.
