‘Exploring Plato’s Cave’

    

thoughtco

Maryland Masonic Research Society just announced a change of format for its meetings. Starting next month, the speaker-at-a-lectern program will be replaced with group discussion. Plato’s “Allegory of the Cave” will be examined. From the publicity:

Maryland Masonic

Research Society

Saturday, March 16 at 11 a.m.

Silver Spring Lodge 215

RSVP here

As we start our 45th year, we are changing our meeting format. In discussion with others, it was mentioned that a lot of Masonic events focus on a presentation but were light on discussion. This year, we will meet as a “book club” or “study group.”

There will be a reading, or selection of readings, of Masonic interest with a discussion leader. The goal is to have full participation with a group of knowledge-seekers discussing Masonic topics.

Our first meeting will focus on Plato and be led by Ed Johnson, Past President of MMRS. Suggested reading: Plato’s Republic, Book VII. Topic: “Allegory of the Cave.”

On occasion, this allegory has been said to be analogous to the three degrees of Freemasonry.  

     

‘Possible Influence of Plato’s Works in Masonic Ritual’

   

Maryland Masonic Research Society will do it again next month. From the publicity:

Possible Influence of Plato’s Works

in Masonic Ritual

Edward D. Johnson, 32º, is Past Master of Pentalpha Lodge 194 in Germantown, Maryland and Past President of the Maryland Masonic Research Society. He also is a member of the Scottish Rite Valley of Washington, Orient of District of Columbia; and the Maryland College of SRICF. He actively pursues and stays abreast of the latest in Masonic scholarship through his memberships in Quatuor Coronati Correspondence Circle, Scottish Rite Research Society, the Philalethes Society, and the Masonic Society. He has been published in the SRRS’ Heredom and The Plumbline on multiple occasions.

This meeting will be March 18 at the Odd Fellows Lodge, located at 6 Ingleside Ave. in Catonsville.

I’d love to hear this, but the meeting is too far away. I believe Plato does influence Masonic ritual somewhat, but I think his influence is felt almost everywhere, so don’t listen to me.

     

‘The Great Escape’

     
Every day is Plato Day for Magpie Mason readers, but October 13 especially is Plato Day, thanks to the School of Practical Philosophy. From the publicity:

Plato’s dialogue “Crito” enables us to listen in on a dramatic conversation in an Athenian jail cell in 399 BC. The great philosopher Socrates’ execution is set for the next day, and his closest friend Crito arrives offering a foolproof plan of escape. The question is can he convince Socrates to flee?

Socrates makes it clear that he will only consent to escape if he can be shown that it is the right thing to do—the just and virtuous course of action. Crito, convinced that he has excellent reasons for escape, eagerly presents them one after another. How does he fare? What does Socrates decide? What is his reasoning?

Join us to discover why Socrates said the “unexamined life is not worth living,” and enter into a conversation involving life’s most important questions. In giving serious consideration to these, you may well discover answers for yourself that will positively impact your daily living.

The day includes an opening presentation, group study sessions, a great Greek lunch, light entertainment, and closing reception. Family and friends are welcome and no prior study of Plato is required.

Sunday, October 13

Registration opens at 8:30 a.m.

Program: 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Wine reception to follow

12 East 79th Street, Manhattan

Fee: $50: includes materials, refreshments, lunch, and wine reception, or $25 for people enrolled in a full-time course of study (i.e. high school, university, etc.)


I enjoyed this discussion one day a couple of years ago, so I’m going to sit this one out, but you should go. Click here to book seat. Enjoy.
     

‘The Last Day’

     

If it’s fall, it must be time for a Socrates Sunday at the School of Practical Philosophy.

Doing the good work that Masonic lodges ought to be doing, the school pours philosophy out of the urn where most people merely observe it as a subject, and instead makes love of wisdom urgent so its students may add it to their lives. From the publicity:

Socrates’ Last Day

Sunday, November 11

9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

School of Practical Philosophy

12 East 79th Street

Manhattan

$50 per person—click here

If today were the last day of your life, what would you do? What would you say, and how would you feel as the destined hour approached? What would the wise man or woman do in this situation?

Fortunately, Plato’s dialogue Phaedo provides us with a first-hand account of Socrates’ final day in 399 B.C.—one that ends with Socrates, surrounded by his followers, drinking a cup of hemlock in an Athenian prison.

Join us as we immerse ourselves in the wisdom of Socrates and experience his calm confidence in the face of death. Discover what he meant in saying “The true disciple of philosophy is ever pursuing death and dying.” Come to appreciate how Socrates’ words can help us live happier everyday.

The day includes an introductory presentation, catered luncheon, and wine reception. Family and friends are welcome. No prior knowledge of Plato is required. Enjoy the power of group study, delight in philosophical entertainment and engage in stimulating conversation.

Coffee available at 8:30. Wine Reception at end of day.

Fee: $50 ($25 for full-time high school or college students), which includes refreshments, lunch, wine reception, and reading materials.
     

‘Practical Plato studies next month’

     
One of the most apt complements to Masonic studies that I can endorse is the School of Practical Philosophy’s regular course load, and its special events and lectures—to wit:

Plato Study Day

Sunday, May 20

8:30 a.m. registration

9 a.m. day’s program

3:30 p.m. wine reception

School of Practical Philosophy

12 East 79th Street, Manhattan

Register here

The Study Day program comes from Plato’s “Alcibiades I,” an imagined conversation between the great philosopher Socrates and the 18-year-old Alcibiades, an ambitious and talented youth who would later play a major role in Athens and on the world stage.

In this dialogue, Socrates takes the lead in trying to awaken Alcibiades to the ignorance that prevents him from understanding the true qualifications for achieving his enormous ambition, and, more importantly, from realizing his own true nature.

As we watch Socrates’ intelligence at work, it becomes apparent that we, like Alcibiades, will benefit from examining our beliefs, priorities and actions in light of the issues raised in this dialogue.

• What are the most damaging ideas to hold?
• How can ignorance be removed?
• What are the success factors for a happy life?
• What is self-knowledge?

Join us for a conversation that addresses some of the most important questions a human being can consider.

The day includes an opening presentation, group study sessions, a Greek lunch, light entertainment, and closing reception. Family and friends are welcome, and no prior study of Plato is necessary.
     

‘Sunday: The Great Escape’

     

The Great Escape! No, not the mass exodus of Masons from the “Grand Lodge of New Jersey,” I mean the School of Practical Philosophy’s Plato Study Day on Sunday! From the publicity:

The Great Escape:

A Day with Plato

Sunday from 8:30 to 4:30

School of Practical Philosophy

12 East 79th Street in Manhattan

$50 per person

($25 for full-time students)

Fee includes reading materials,

refreshments, lunch, and wine reception

22 seats remaining

as of Wednesday morning

Plato’s dialogue Crito enables us to listen in on a dramatic conversation in an Athenian jail cell in 399 BC. The great philosopher Socrates’ execution is set for the next day, and his closest friend Crito arrives offering a foolproof plan of escape. The only question: can he convince Socrates to flee?

Socrates makes it clear that he will only consent to escape if he can be shown that it is the right thing to do—the just and virtuous course of action. Crito, convinced that he has excellent reasons for escape, eagerly presents them one after another. How does he fare? What does Socrates decide? What is his reasoning?

Join us Sunday, November 19 to discover why Socrates said the “unexamined life is not worth living” and enter into a conversation involving life’s most important questions:

• What is our true nature?
• How do we attain real happiness and freedom?
• What is the "price we must pay" to attain these?

In giving serious consideration to these, you may well discover answers for yourself that will positively impact your daily living.

The day includes an opening presentation, group study sessions, a great Greek lunch, light entertainment, and closing reception. Family and friends are welcome and no prior study of Plato is required.
     

‘Living in the Know’

     
I always recommend the School of Practical Philosophy for both its coursework and its special lectures, and, if you don’t believe me, make time June 3 to enjoy a lecture on Plato. No previous knowledge of the philosopher or his books is required; the talk will give you an appetite for them. From the publicity:

Plato’s Divided Line: a How-To Guide

A talk by Preethi Gopinath

Saturday, June 3 at 7 p.m.

School of Practical Philosophy

12 East 79th Street, Manhattan

$25 tickets here

The Divided Line, which appears in Book VI of Plato’s Republic, is a simple yet magnificent illustration of the various levels of knowledge, indicated as sections on a straight line. This elegant structure provides us with a guide for conscious seeing and learning, enabling us to uncover what and how we know anything.

Plato divides the world into the Realm of the Senses which is ever-changing, and the Intelligible Realm which is constant. He presents these Realms as existing on two sides of a divided line:

• The Visible World of opinion and belief, lit by the Sun, perceived by the senses.
• The Intelligible World of knowledge and understanding, authored by the Good, realized by the faculty of reason.

Join us for this presentation as we walk the line from the dark shadows into the light of the Good. Through the process of studying Plato’s Divided Line, we will find answers to some big questions:

• What do we know?
• Is it knowledge, or is it opinion?
• Is it true?
• How do we know?

And further, discover how we can use our understanding of the Divided Line to make our way to the Good in our own daily living.
     

‘Masonic March madness!’

     
There are so many great things for the thinking Freemason to do this month! Check out some of these events within the apartments of the Temple and without.

Thursday, March 2 – Washington Lodge 21 in the First Manhattan District will meet at 7 p.m. in the French Doric Room on the tenth floor of Masonic Hall (71 West 23rd Street in Manhattan). Program: A lecture on American Talmudist and Washington Lodge Brother Israel Baer Kursheedt given by the lodge’s own W. Bro. Tessler.

Friday, March 3 – New York Open Center will host an open house with a discussion of Esoteric Quest at 7:30 p.m. Free admission. 22 East 30th Street in Manhattan. From the publicity:

The Open Center’s Esoteric Quest conferences have now run for over 21 years and are some of the world’s leading events on the Western spiritual paths. We invite you to join us for an informative and engaging evening in which we will briefly review the remarkable history of the Quests and look forward to the upcoming Esoteric Quest in the Western Isles of Scotland in August. The Outer Hebrides in the North Atlantic are where Celtic and Norse cultures mingled, where megalithic standing stones dot the landscape of the isles of Lewis and Harris, and where big skies, mountain vistas, and the ever present rolling sea provide the context for our thirteenth Quest. Join us for a convivial and entertaining evening. All are welcome.

Friday, March 3 – The Gurdjieff Foundation of New York will hold a new introductory session at 6:30 p.m. in the lecture hall at Quest Bookshop. Details here:

Click to enlarge.

Sunday, March 5 – The School of Practical Philosophy will present a new Plato Study Day titled “Plato’s Path to Prosperity.” Click here.

Sunday, March 5 – Anthroposophy NYC will present Anne Keller-de Wild, who will present “The Five Temperments: An Open Secret, Continued.” Details here.

Tuesday, March 7 – My favorite chapter of Piers Vaughan’s latest book concerns the Archangel Raphael, and on this night the Scottish Rite Valley of New York City will host Piers (33°, MSA, PMWM, etc.) for a reading of this very chapter and a book-signing. Details here:

Click to enlarge.

Wednesday, March 8 – Mariners Lodge 67 in the First Manhattan District will meet at 7 p.m. in the Doric Room on the eighth floor of Masonic Hall (71 West 23rd Street in Manhattan). Program: Voyage into Mystery Chapter X: “Secret Origins of the Illuminati” presented by Josef Wages. From the publicity:

Who were the Illuminati? Why was it formed? Is there a connection to Freemasonry? Does it still exist, and is it behind the “New World Order?”

Bro. Josef Wages is a famed Masonic author who is one of the principal editors of the book The Secret School of Wisdom: The Authentic Ritual and Doctrines of the Illuminati. (Copies of the book and Illuminati jewelry will be available for sale.) Open to Apprentices and Fellows.

Program will be followed by Mariner’s legendary maritime-themed Festive Board at 9 p.m. Reservations are a must. Click here.

Friday, March 10 – The Fourth Manhattan District (my home) will host a Grand Lecturer’s Convention. These are amazing happenings. Bro. Richard Kessler, the Right Worshipful Grand Lecturer, will discuss a certain aspect of the meaning of Masonry. A real treat, especially for those of us new to New York Freemasonry and are unaccustomed to knowing Grand Lodge officers who can discuss Freemasonry brilliantly. At Masonic Hall: 71 West 23rd Street in Manhattan.

Saturday, March 11 – New Jersey Lodge of Masonic Research and Education 1786 will host the Magpie Mason! A Past Master of the lodge, I will tender my first presentation to the brethren in a really long time. Titled “Question Everything (And Answer as Best You Can),” I’ll recount the history of Masonic education, and explain how attainable an advancement in Masonic knowledge really is, even for the timid seeker.

We meet at Hightstown-Apollo Lodge 41 in Hightstown.

Thursday, March 16 – The inimitable Andrew Hammer, president of the Masonic Restoration Foundation and author of Observing the Craft, will present the 2017 Wendell K. Walker Lecture, hosted by Independent Royal Arch Lodge 2 in the First Manhattan District. All info on this flier:

Click to enlarge.

Thursday, March 16 – The Mythology Roundtable of New York will meet for Mesopotamian Mythology Class at Brooklyn Brainery at 8:15 p.m. From the publicity:

Mesopotamia, the ancient “Land Between Two Rivers” in present day Iraq, was home to many different gods. Though less-well known today than the pantheons of ancient Greece, Rome, and Egypt, the gods of Mesopotamia had just as many grand adventures, big personalities and poignant observations on the human condition. We know them today thanks to a rich ancient literature, including the famous “Epic of Gilgamesh,” the first example of written epic poetry in world history.

In this class, we’ll meet the most important gods of Mesopotamia: tempestuous Inanna (the original femme fatale), wise Enki, monster-slaying Ninurta, and many more. We’ll hear the story of the great “two-thirds divine” hero Gilgamesh and uncover the original context of familiar names like Ishtar and Lilith. We’ll also learn how these gods were worshipped, and how the worship affected history, up to and including the modern world.

This class is a general introduction to the myths and legends of Mesopotamia. No previous knowledge of the subject matter is required.

Friday, March 17 – Atlas-Pythagoras Masonic Lodge 10 in New Jersey will welcome back Past Prestonian Lecturer (2014) Michael Kearsley, who will speak on “1814 Consolidation and Change: The First Year of the United Grand Lodge of England.” Details here:

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Saturday, March 18 – The Rose Circle Research Foundation will bring renowned scholar, author, Freemason, Fama translator, etc. Christopher McIntosh back to the lectern to present “New Light on the Golden Dawn.” From the publicity:

In the founding of the 19th century English occult society the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, a key role was played by an alleged German Rosicrucian adept named Fräulein Anna Sprengel, who had the magical motto Sapiens Dominabitur Astris (the wise person overcomes their stars). In this lecture, historian Christopher McIntosh reveals a sensational discovery he made about Fräulein Sprengel, and speaks about its significance for the history of the Golden Dawn.

Ticketing information is still to come.

Saturday, March 18 – A great day is in store at the Pennsylvania Academy of Masonic Knowledge in Elizabethtown. The publicity:

Click to enlarge.

Monday, March 20 – The Rosicrucian Order will host a celebration of the Spring Equinox. If you’ve ever wondered about your harmonious relationship among your fellow man, nature, and deity, here’s a great opportunity to learn from the Grand Master. 6:30 p.m. at the Rosicrucian Cultural Center at 2303 Adam Clayton Powell, Jr. Blvd. in Manhattan.

Saturday, March 25 – The C.G. Jung Foundation will present a daylong seminar led by Michael Conforti, Ph.D. titled “Time of the Forgotten: Trauma, Memory, and Healing.” Details here.

Monday, March 27 – The Mythology Roundtable of New York will meet to discuss the new issue of Parabola magazine, “The Search for Meaning,” at 6:15 p.m. in the Kristine Mann Library at the C.G. Jung Foundation. 28 East 39th Street (fourth floor) in Manhattan. A mandatory reading assignment to prepare for the discussion.

Wednesday, March 29 – I don’t know what is going on with The American Lodge of Research. It hasn’t published a book in about six years. I haven’t received a mailing in two or three years. The website is gone. The Yahoo! Group is effectively shut down. At Masonic Week a couple of weeks ago, a past officer confided the lodge is basically dead, and yet its Faceypage still hints at activity. A meeting on this evening with RW Pierre de Ravel d’Esclapon, a Fellow of the lodge, presenting “The Vatican and Freemasonry: A History of Misunderstanding?” Eight o’clock in the Jacobean Room in Masonic Hall.

Thursday, March 30 – The Chancellor Robert R. Livingston Masonic Library’s lecture series will continue with DeMolay International Grand Master Bill Sardone speaking on Jacques DeMolay. 6:30 p.m. at Masonic Hall in NYC.

And in April…

Saturday, April 1 – QUEST XXXVII at Scottish Rite Masonic Hall in Rockville Centre, New York. 9 a.m. “A Way of Life.” See flier below:

Click to enlarge.

Wednesday, April 5 – RW Hammer returns to New York City for a great Table Lodge:

Thursday, April 6 – The Scottish Rite Valley of New York City will host its annual Feast of the Paschal Lamb, with Ill. Richard Kessler, 33° delivering the address. This Past Most Wise Master will be there! Details here:

Click to enlarge.

     

‘Why the soul is immortal’

     
Another great opportunity at the School of Practical Philosophy has been announced. A day-long class on Plato’s Phaedo, replete with an outstanding Greek lunch and wine reception, is scheduled for a Sunday next month. No previous knowledge of either Plato or Phaedo is needed, so just go and enjoy, especially if you are a Freemason who ponders the immortality of souls.

This seems to me to be a follow-up class to the one I told you about two years ago.

From the publicity:

Socrates’ Last Day

Plato Study Day

Sunday, October 23

8:30 a.m. - coffee and registration

9 to 3:45 p.m. - program (wine reception follows)

School of Practical Philosophy

12 East 79th Street, Manhattan

$50 per person ($25 for full-time students),

which includes materials, refreshments,

lunch, and wine reception

Tickets available here.

Join us when we will explore Plato’s Phaedo, considered to be an accurate recounting of Socrates’ last day. In our study, we will be present with Socrates and his followers in an Athenian jail in 399 BC. He has been sentenced to death by hemlock and, when the sun sets, so will his life on earth.

Philosophy becomes alive and dramatic as we participate in the conversations that take place from dawn until dusk. We witness Socrates’ courage and compassion as he implores his friends not to fear death, and shows them how to live their remaining days more richly and happily.

Throughout, Socrates makes clear that the unexamined life is not worth living. He does not ask us to accept his views, only to honestly examine our own beliefs, values, and actions. How can we be happy, what prevents us from being so, and how can we lead useful and productive lives? We trust that as the day proceeds you will come to recognize that the counsel he offered on his last day is directly applicable to how you live your life today and tomorrow.

The day will include an opening presentation, group study sessions, light entertainment, a great Greek lunch, and more.

You are encouraged to invite family and friends. No prior knowledge of Plato is needed.
     

‘Emerson and Spiritual Knowledge’

     
Ralph Waldo Emerson, as a topic at least, will return to the School of Practical Philosophy next month in another lecture to be presented by Barbara Solowey. From the publicity:

Emerson and Spiritual Knowledge

with Barbara Solowey

12 East 79th Street

New York City

Thursday, July 21 at 7 p.m.

$25 per person

The teaching of Ralph Waldo Emerson is an expression of the highest spiritual knowledge, the philosophy of Unity known as Advaita. Drawing on the wisdom of Plato and the Eastern spiritual traditions, he proclaims the Supreme Reality: the Oneness of God, the Soul, and the Universe.

Emerson knew from direct experience and observation that realization of this Unity is possible. His call to humanity was for a new consciousness “to restore that bond by which their own self was linked to the Eternal Self; to recover that unity which had been clouded and obscured by the magical illusion of reality, by the so-called Maya of Creation.” (The Orientalist notebook)

Join us to discover how Emerson’s transcendental teaching to discover “the infinitude of the private man” can inspire us in our own journey to be Self-reliant, to awaken Reason, and to follow Divine Law.

Tickets at $25 which includes refreshments may be purchased here.
     

‘Plato and Emerson just off Central Park’

     
The School of Practical Philosophy on 79th Street offers two great programs next month characteristic of its mission to show how philosophical concepts can be applied to our daily lives. Tickets are selling out, so don’t delay. From the publicity:


All are welcome to attend the School’s special events program, which draws from a broad spectrum of disciplines in the arts and sciences. The programs are organized and presented by senior students in the School who speak from direct experience in seeking to make philosophy practical within their chosen field. Each event offers good food for the mind, body and spirit and is open to school members, their family, friends, colleagues as well as the general public.

Plato Study Day

Alcibiades I

Sunday, November 8

8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

$45 (includes materials, refreshments,

lunch, and wine reception)

The Study Day program comes from Plato’s Alcibiades I, an imagined conversation between the great philosopher Socrates and the 18-year-old Alcibiades, an ambitious and talented youth who would later play a major role in Athens and on the world stage. In this dialogue, Socrates takes the lead in trying to awaken Alcibiades to the ignorance that prevents him from understanding the true qualifications for achieving his enormous ambition, and, more importantly, from realizing his own true nature.

As we watch Socrates’ intelligence at work, it becomes apparent that, not only Alcibiades, but we ourselves will benefit from examining our beliefs, priorities and actions in light of the questions raised in this dialogue:

• What are the most damaging ideas to hold?
• How can ignorance be removed?
• What are the success factors for a happy life?
• What is self-knowledge?

Our active participation and self-examination during the day will make it abundantly clear that philosophy works!

Emerson and Spiritual Knowledge

with Barbara Solowey

Saturday, November 14

7 p.m.

$25 (includes refreshments)

The teaching of Ralph Waldo Emerson is an expression of the highest spiritual knowledge, the philosophy of Unity known as Advaita. Drawing on the wisdom of Plato and the Eastern spiritual traditions, he proclaims the Supreme Reality: the Oneness of God, the Soul, and the Universe.

Emerson knew from direct experience and observation that realization of this Unity is possible. His call to humanity was for a new consciousness “to restore that bond by which their own self was linked to the Eternal Self; to recover that unity which had been clouded and obscured by the magical illusion of reality, by the so-called Maya of Creation.” (The Orientalist note-book)

Join us to discover how Emerson’s transcendental teaching to discover “the infinitude of the private man” can inspire us in our own journey to be Self-reliant, to awaken Reason, and to follow Divine Law.
     

‘Can Light Be Golden?’

     
I’ve been awake all night (long story) and had the chance to read. I selected Owen Barfield’s novella Night Operation, a science fiction story published in 1975 that, among other things, comments presciently on cultural collapses we are experiencing today. It is a kind of allegory of the cave—clearly it acknowledges Plato’s lesson—as subterranean humans venture toward the light of day to experience what life might be like above ground. It’s a good story, and short enough to read in one sitting, if you’re so inclined. And reclined. Actually, reading Night Operation as dawn approaches enhances the tale’s ambience. Furthermore, to read it during the opening hours of August causes the mind to wander and ponder.

August of the zodiac sign Leo: Leo’s ruling planet is the sun; its element is fire; its color gold. (A slain lion named Cecil so prevalent in the world’s news this week.)

Can light be golden?

Owen Barfield, Anthroposophist extraordinaire, has three characters in Night Operation: Jon, based on himself; Jak, based on his dear friend C.S. Lewis; and Peet, inspired by another close friend and fellow Anthroposophy leader Cecil Harwood. The three young men protagonists endure a hellish existence, but their spiritual longings prompt them to undertake their Night Operation—a determined search for a place of enlightenment in a totally unknown atmosphere above ground. They behold dawn for the first time.

Anyway, the story triggered a memory of this Barfield poem, which I share with you:

CAN LIGHT BE GOLDEN?

Can light be golden? That can never be,

The well-informed assure us, because light

Is what we see by, never what we see.

But are the well-informed, I wonder, right?

Those painters of the old Italian school

Seem almost to condense it into sight.

I doubt if Cimabue was a fool,

Or faked the background, or the aureole.

Perhaps they worked to some more secret rule

That light observes—not light through Newton’s hole

(The force we see by when we are not blind),

But light inbreathed by man’s adoring soul.

Can light be golden? Now recall to mind

That seeding whereof Perseus was the flower:

How sad Acrisius’ daughter was confined

In Argos long ago—the brazen tower—

Then Zeus, the Light of Day, with godlike stride

Descending on it in a Golden Shower,

Breaching its walls to glorify the bride.

Can light be golden? Now the truth comes clear:

It is, when wonder meets it open-eyed—

As I am to the light that streams from her,

When she at last is near, and these old walls

Invading, overwhelms their prisoner:

The light that, condescending, disenthralls!

For now the pagan myth’s inverted: she

(Look up, and see how smilingly it falls!)

The Shower of Gold; I, wondering Danäe.

If you registered for the MRF symposium in Philly, I’ll see you in three weeks. Otherwise, I hope you’re enjoying this incredibly kind summer weather. I will be the guest speaker at Inspiratus Masonic Lodge No. 357 in New Jersey on September 28—presenting again “Come to Your Senses!”—so maybe I’ll see you there.
     

‘A Day with Plato’

     

I had a great night Saturday at the School of Practical Philosophy on East 79th attending a lecture titled “The Meaning of Meaning,” an exploration of some of the various ways one finds the mean of arithmetic (as the middle of a difference), geometry (proportional measure), harmonics (an average of numbers found in music), and by other, uh, means. It was an one-hour lecture, so there wasn’t time to delve too deeply into a subject that spans four pages of explanation in the Oxford English Dictionary, but the talk was fluid—save for the outbursts of some rude woman in front of me who thought we all paid to hear her speak.

To illustrate a basic definition of a mean in geometry, our lecturer shared a symbol that happens to be found in alchemy, astronomy, and Freemasonry: the point within a circle. With the point as Cause, and the circle as Effect, the mean is a line that connects that point to any part of the circumference. In the parlance of most Masonic lodges, “the Point within the Circle represents an individual brother; the Circle is the boundary line beyond which he is never to suffer his passions to betray him,” so I found it interesting how our speaker likened this symbol’s message to the fundamental philosophic question: Who am I? Borrowing from the Gospel of Thomas, he quoted “He who knows the all, but fails to know himself, misses everything.”

And speaking of interesting, we pondered the meaning of the word interest: inter (between) and est (being). To be between. Like a mean.

We also got into Pythagorean mean, even employing a monochord to match number to tone, and the lecture concluded on the high note of the Golden Mean, an aspect of Sacred Geometry that every thinking Mason should know.

I highly recommend studying at the School of Practical Philosophy. If enrolling in the classes is not feasible, then stay current with the schedule of these lectures. There is one coming in a few weeks that continues the theme of last November’s “The Trial of Socrates.” From the publicity:

The Great Escape

A Day with Plato

Plato’s Crito records a dramatic conversation in a damp Athenian jail between the great philosopher Socrates and his dearest friend, Crito. The stakes could not have been higher. Socrates is to be executed the following day, and Crito stands ready to implement a foolproof plan of escape.

Socrates consents to leave if reason proves this to be the right course of action. Crito has to make the case. How does he fare? What is true freedom worth?

Join us on Sunday, June 7 in a conversation that covers some of the most important questions a human being can consider.


The day includes an opening presentation, group study sessions, a Greek lunch, light entertainment, and closing reception. Family and friends are welcome and no prior study of Plato is necessary.

Reserve a place by purchasing tickets on-line or at the Registration Office on the first floor of 12 East 79th Street.

8:30 a.m.—Coffee and Registration
9 to 3:30 p.m.—Program, and Wine Reception to follow

$45 - Includes Materials, Refreshments, Lunch and Wine Reception
$25 - For full-time students