Following are some excerpts from the book, Family Masonic Education Workbook: Using Masonic Symbolism in Daily Life, by Burt Prater:
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Masonry and its allied groups promote the essence of the teachings of the Ageless Wisdom, adapted and made relevant for the present time.
Masonic rituals portray the visible and invisible forms in the kingdoms of nature and the outward manifestation of the divinity within humanity.
The practice of Masonic principles in daily life is a means for attaining the highest levels of human development.
Using symbolism and working in a spirit of altruistic love, members can develop and fulfill their greatest potential.
Realizing that right action is the basis of all constructive living, Masonry teaches those great principles that have sustained human society for thousands of years: love, truth, and unselfish service.
We present this book as a practical study guide and reference for Masonic Education Programs and for introducing Masonic concepts to family members and friends.
In the first two chapters, "Introduction" and "A Historical Perspective" we introduce Masonry to people who may be learning about it for the first time. These chapters present an overview of Masonic teachings and discuss the origins of Masonry.
The chapter on "Ritual and Symbolism" outlines symbolic principles and gives detailed information on each of the major Masonic symbols and legends. We discuss geometry, explore initiation, and talk about the esoteric meaning of the Masonic working tools and how to apply their meaning in our lives.
In the Proficiency Symbology sections, we describe the special symbols associated with each of the three Masonic degrees. Then we provide information on ancient symbolism and tell about the Masonic legends.
People have built entire Masonic Education Programs upon the content of "Ritual and Symbolism," using symbols, allegories, and keywords alone and in combination for individual study and group discussion.
The chapter on "Values and Philosophy" discusses some of the philosophical concepts of Masonry, translating them into values that Masons subscribe to and attempt to live by. This chapter emphasizes that Masonry should be a living, vital influence in our lives and introduces ways in which we can use Masonic teachings.
In "Applications," we go into the details of using the ethical principles of Masonry in our lives. The separate sections for major human qualities and their applications can provide seed thoughts for personal study and meditative work, or for organized programs and discussion groups.
Next, in the chapter on "Masonic Education Programs," we share some of the programs that have already been developed and presented to Masons and to family and friends groups. Use any or all of these programs and feel free to copy the certificates in the back of the book for your own awards. If you use this workbook as a text, you can sign the certificate in the back of the book when the course is completed.
Finally, the chapter, "For the Masonic Lodge," describes how you can implement these programs for Masonic Education in the lodge.
In three appendices, we provide a list of allied Masonic groups, show information on Masonic philanthropies, and give you a bibliography of selected books on Masonry. We also include an extensive index, as an aid to students.
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Source Publications publishes high quality and carefully researched books on the Ageless Wisdom teachings. We (Carole Beckham & Rick Prater) founded Source Publications to make some of our interpretations of these teachings available to the world.
Spiritual Paths for the Evolution To Higher Consciousness
Our new site describes the spiritual and life empowerment traditions that we have studied, lists some of the books that we have read, and provides summaries and links to other sites that we feel exemplify these paths.