Officers of the Lodge – Senior Warden

Who is the Senior Warden – Your very essence ?

 

This is a 5 of 6 part tutorial series on the Officers of the Lodge

Each part published monthly in The Square

Lodge Officers:  The Tyler, Inner Guard, Deacons, Junior Warden, Senior Warden, Worshipful Master

Senior Warden – Your very essence

What is it that drives you? What is it within you that makes you feel alive? Your essence is that indispensable quality that determines your character, who you are, your very SOUL.

In Listingdock.com dated November, 13th, 2017, the question was asked “What is the true essence of life?”

They argued that “happiness is the true essence of life”.

They went on to say that it was “the small things in life that brought happiness” and “that happiness is far more important than anything else in the world”

if you plant abundance thinking you get abundance in life

The Cambridge dictionary defines your soul as “that part of you that experiences deep feelings and emotions”.

In Hugh Curley’s Blog he says that “if you imagine yourself fit and wealthy, it will happen, if imagine yourself fat and broke, it will happen – if you plant abundance thinking you get abundance in life …..  You can control what you think”.

If your very essence, your character, your soul is the pursuit of happiness then happiness should be the focus of your inner thoughts.

When I teach Tai Chi I tell my students, when they meditate, that the inward breath is the calming breath and the outward breath the smiling breath.

That is why you always see holy men smiling. Calmness and good thoughts should be your very essence.

In W. L. Wilmhurst’s book The Meaning of Masonry he states that the Senior Warden represents your Soul. Let us look more deeply into the duties of the Senior Warden and apply them to your very essence – your Soul.

Duty 1

Placed in the West to mark the setting sun to close the lodge by my command (Your Spirit) after having seen that every brother has had his due.

As the Junior Warden (Your Mind) tells you when it is the right time to rest, the Senior Warden (Your Soul) tells you when to stop your labours for the day.

To reflect upon and reward your achievements, as the moon reflects the goodness and light of the sun.

You need to reflect in order to develop and grow a deeper understanding of yourself.

There are many ways in which you can reflect on your life. They include meditation, writing a diary, taking a walk in the country, breathing exercises, reading and goal setting are but a few.

Whichever method you try or use remember that it is just a tool to focus the mind. Be positive in your thinking as it is beneficial to your mental well-being as well as your personal development.

Mark Twain said, “Good judgement is the result of experience and experience the result of bad judgement”.

The only way to know the quality of your judgement is to reflect upon it. It is OK to get things wrong as long as it is recognized, taken ownership, learnt from and not repeated. In the educational field it is known as “Kolb’s experiential learning cycle”.

Duty 2

The Level an emblem of equality points out the equal measures you are bound to pursue in conjunction with me (your Spirit) in the well ruling and governing of the Lodge (your whole self).

It is your spirit and your soul, in equal measures, that drives and controls your mind in the pursuit of your goal.

Your goal, to be the best person you can be; mentally, physically, morally, spiritually and have that deep feeling of peace and happiness within.

Duty 3

The column of your office represents the moon which reflects the light of the sun (the mind) and is to be erect when the Lodge is engaged in Masonic business.

Your spiritual consciousness, your capacity to engage in virtuous thoughts and behaviour, is reflected onto your soul, your very essence, your character, that spiritual part of you that drives you to be the person you want to be.

Duty 4

In your hand I (your Spirit) place this gavel, as an emblem of power, to enable you (your Soul) to assist me (your Spirit) in preserving order in the Lodge, especially in the West.

The gavel represents the force of conscious that should keep down all unbecoming thoughts. Thoughts that take you away from that inward focus on happiness.

Action,

As you take a moment to reflect, list three things that have made you smile today

Conclusion

Your SOUL is your very essence, your inward nature and true substance.

It is that spiritual part of you that identifies who you are and drives you to be who you want to be.

There are no limitations to the mind
except those we acknowledge..

– Napoleon Hill.

continue reading next chapter
Officers of the Lodge - Worshipful Master
Footnotes
Resources

The Meaning of Masonry by W. L. Wilmshurst. 1920

 

Listingdock.com dated 13 November 2017, A10K45

 

https://hcurley.wordpress.com  Emotional Intelligence. Hugh Curley’s Blog. March 1st 2010

 

Experiential Learning: Experience as the Source of Learning Development. David A. Kolb. 1984

 

Think and Grow Rich – Napoleon Hill. 1937

 

Cambridge Dictionary dictionary.cambridge.org

 

Lodge of Union No. 38 (UGLE) Ritual Book

Article by: Stephen J. Goulding

Stephen was initiated into Freemasonry in 1978 in Tylney Lodge No. 5856 (UGLE). He was Master in 1989 & 2004.

He was Master of the Lodge of Union 38 (UGLE) in 2018. He is also a PZ in the Holy Royal Arch and PM in the Mark Degree.

Stephen served 30 years in the Metropolitan Police Service (London, England) before going into education in 2000, where he became a college lecturer and a mentor for both the college and the University of Greenwich (London, England). Now retired, he teaches Tai Chi and Qigong in the community.

Facebook: Steve Goulding-Tai Chi West Sussex–Chi at Chi

 

The Meaning of Masonry

By W.L. WILMSHURST

Although the Freemasons number over six million members worldwide, they are a very secretive organization. the general public today thinks of them as a social fraternity like the Rotary Club, but that is hardly the whole truth.

By mysterious coincidence, it seems, many Masons have been major figures in modern history. many of the Founding Fathers of the United States—including George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, and Paul Revere—were Freemasons.

Giuseppe Garibaldi, the Italian freedom fighter, was also one, as were the composers Franz Joseph Haydn and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and writers François Marie Arouet de Voltaire and Johann Wolfgang von Goethe.

The Meaning of Masonry explores the beliefs behind the order, its cryptic rites and symbols, and uncovers its ultimate purpose.

 

Recent Articles: in this tutorial series

The First Degree Lecture - P7

William Preston (1742 – 1818) gives his lectures in the form of a Catechism – questions and answers - and broken down into seven bite size chunks. This article is the first of the seven part series presented by Steve Goulding
 

The First Degree Lecture - P6

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The First Degree Lecture - P5

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The First Degree Lecture - P4

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The First Degree Lecture - P3

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The First Degree Lecture - P2

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The First Degree Lecture - P1

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The ‘Old Charges’ have come down to us, containing the rules and regulations by which Lodges should be run and the moral and social standards to which each Lodge member should adhere.
 

The Winding Staircase

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Jacob's Ladder

On the First Degree tracing board the most dominant feature is Jacob’s Ladder stretching from Earth to Heaven. Being straight, it is the shortest and quickest way to reach heaven, and being straight you can see the end goal.
 

The North East Corner: A Lesson on Charity

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Perambulations

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Vows of Fidelity

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Morality veiled in allegory and illustrated by symbols

A phrase that immediately comes to mind when describing Freemasonry – Morality veiled in allegory and illustrated by symbols. Let us have a look at what this phrase actually means.
 

Officers of the Royal Arch - The Principals

The Principals' role in the Royal Arch, representing the pinnacle of spiritual leadership. Their esoteric significance lies in the unity of the three aspects of the divine, emphasizing the importance of harmony and balance in attaining spiritual enlightenment. The Principals embody the ultimate goal of the Royal Arch journey - the realization of divine wisdom.
 

Officers of the Royal Arch - Scribe Ezra

Scribe Ezra is portrayed as a crucial figure within the Royal Arch, responsible for interpreting and teaching divine laws. The significance of his role lies in the pursuit of understanding and applying sacred knowledge, emphasizing the transformative power of wisdom when applied to one's life.
 

Officers of the Royal Arch - Scribe Nehemiah

Scribe Nehemiah's responsibility within the Royal Arch, is that of preserving the sacred teachings. Scribe Nehemiah symbolizes the importance of maintaining accurate records and upholding the integrity of divine knowledge, thus reflecting the value of safeguarding spiritual wisdom for future generations.
 

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The Sojourners, are seekers of truth, their journey symbolizes the spiritual path to enlightenment. Their role in rediscovering lost wisdom highlights the esoteric concept of regaining divine knowledge through perseverance and self-discovery.
 

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Officers of the Royal Arch - The Janitor

The Janitor, is a crucial officer in the Royal Arch. Symbolically, the Janitor represents the guardian of sacred knowledge, ensuring only worthy individuals gain access. This function emphasizes the importance of maintaining spiritual purity and safeguarding the mysteries of the Royal Arch.
 

Officers of the Lodge - Worshipful Master

Worshipful Master: the highest-ranking officer in the lodge, is the embodiment of wisdom and authority. The Worshipful Master guides the brethren on their spiritual path, representing the divine light that illuminates the Masonic quest for knowledge and self-discovery.
 

Officers of the Lodge - Senior Warden

Senior Warden: embodies the essence of strength and stability within the lodge. As the pillar of support for the Worshipful Master, the Senior Warden symbolizes the fortitude required on our spiritual journey, inspiring us to persevere in the face of adversity
 

Officers of the Lodge - Junior Warden

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Officers of the Lodge - Deacons

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Officers of the Lodge - Inner Guard

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Officers of the Lodge - Tyler

Tyler: The significance as the protector of the lodge's secrets and harmony. Tasked with guarding the entrance, the Tyler symbolizes our spiritual and moral boundaries, ensuring only worthy candidates are allowed into the sacred space of Freemasonry's teachings and rituals.
 

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