Hon. James McCallion, 32° KCCH
Venerable Master, Director of Education
In last month’s issue, we explored the wisdom of “Looks Far” and her prophetic medicine. We unveiled the wisdom of manifesting outcomes in our lives through Seeing the Truth. We spoke of Dreamtime, described as the “crack within the universe,” offering a glimpse into the soul of Truth. We explored shamanic techniques for accessing this realm, such as vision and healing quests, as well as lucid dreaming and astral projection. We observed parallels between Dreamtime, and the first apartment of the 31st degree, concluding that when we adjust our perception, the vastness of truth reveals itself to us in greater, and more enlightening ways.
In May 2024, during the 5th Moon Cycle, we direct our attention towards the wisdom of clan mother “Listening Woman,” who guides us in embracing silence and hearing the Truth.
As the guardian of discernment and introspection, her spirit guides us to discover the stillness within, to find our heart’s voice, to honor the voices of others, and to embrace the voice of Truth in all its forms—whether it speaks to us directly or indirectly. Through these profound teachings, we realize that true harmony emerges when we respect and honor the sacred perspectives of all life forms.
By this practice, we discover the art of listening with our hearts. By attuning to the unspoken desires and fears residing within others’ hearts, we recognize that sometimes, their words may be untrue or incongruent with their inner truths due to
past wounds or fears of judgment. We are charged with showing compassion, and responding to them with grace, dignity, and patience, as this leads us to spiritual maturity.
Additionally, we will never grow if we don’t listen. We should remember that when we are talking, we are not listening, and when we prohibit others from telling us what we don’t want to hear, we are inadvertently stopping our own growth, perhaps even delaying our course.
In the teachings of the 6th degree, the Confidential Secretary, we find echoes of moral guidance. Here, Masons are instructed to embody the role of peacemaker, reshaping their thoughts and actions with principles of charity, self-control, and pursuit of success.
When Zabud inadvertently overhears a private conversation between two arguing kings regarding the condition of promised land, he finds himself caught and hastily accused of “eavesdropping at best and spying at worst.” Eventually, we observe that resolution is formed and Zabud is relieved of any charges, but not first without contemplating the virtues of patience, compassion, and being the peacemaker. The Degree demonstrates that wrong thinking leads to wrong results and from this, we learn that decisions should not be made solely on appearances.
According to the synopsis of the 6th Degree, “The essence of our Scottish Rite teachings is healthy thinking. These words are used in the sense of signifying a state of mind with a philosophical belief from which flows a confident approach to life.”
There’s an axiom I’ve been saying for years, I’m not sure exactly where I picked it up, but it sustains a lovely truth that “When you quiet the mind, it has much to tell you.” I don’t think we realize how loud our minds are until they’re quiet… and when they are, it appears to be everything we need to hear.
I ask that in the month of May, you meditate on how you can work towards hearing the truth and framing your responses accordingly.
