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Contemplative
Masonry by Brother Chuck Dunning
I am often asked, not only by the
public at large but even by some Masons, how does Masonry make good men
better? A large proportion of Masons, after a lot of errs and ahs, will
finally come out with something like, “Well we do a lot of charity.” A more
sophisticated answer would be that Masonry has a peculiar system of morality
which, if followed, cannot help but make good men better.
The problem is that after being raised
to the sublime degree of Master Mason many Brothers are left on their own to
figure out how to exactly accomplish this improvement.
Has anybody set up a school to teach
Masons on how to apply the virtues of Masonry to their daily lives? Maybe
sporadically here and there, there is such instruction but nothing large
enough or popular enough to be noticed by the majority of Masons on a
nationwide basis.
Into that vacuum has exploded C.R.
(Chuck) Dunning, Jr. with his book “CONTEMPLATIVE MASONRY,” Basic Applications
Of Mindfulness, Meditation, And Imagery For The Craft.
Originally starting out as
contemplative exercises or practices like prayer, meditation, breath work,
chanting, and visualization, Dunning expanded his concept into a primer for
those seeking to utilize Masonic symbolism and teachings in a way that is
practical, accessible, inspiring, and profoundly transformative.
CONTEMPLATIVE MASONRY is a much-needed
resource for Masons seeking to undertake the challenging and rewarding work of
deep self-knowledge and self-improvement. Dunning provides Masons with a
unique system of practices derived directly from the Degrees of Craft Masonry,
without reliance upon other religious, spiritual, or esoteric traditions. He
also shares the valuable wisdom and insights that come from decades of
personal experience with contemplative practices.
Chuck Dunning has been a Master Mason
since 1988, and his mother lodge is Haltom City-Riverside #1331, in Haltom
City, Texas. He is also a member of Albert Pike #162 in Guthrie, Oklahoma, and
also belongs to a number of Masonic research societies. In the Scottish Rite,
Chuck is a Knight Commander of the Court of Honor, Director of Education for
the Guthrie Valley in Oklahoma, and a Class Director for the Fort Worth Valley
in Texas. In 2012 he became the
founding Superintendent of the Academy of Reflection, which is a chartered
organization for Scottish Rite Masons wanting to integrate contemplative
practice with their Masonic experience.
Chuck has been engaged in various
forms of contemplative practice for over three decades. In his career in
higher education and mental health, in Masonry, and with other groups and
individuals, he facilitates and teaches mindfulness, meditation, and imagery
to enhance peoples’ experiences of life in many ways. Chuck holds a master’s
degree in counselor education and a bachelor’s degree in psychology, both from
the University of North Texas.
Dunning tells us that Masonic ritual
steers Masons into becoming contemplative.
He says early on in the book:
“Our tradition tells us that Speculative Masonry ‘leads the contemplative to
view with reverence and admiration the glorious works of creation, and
inspires him with the most exalted ideas of the perfections of his Divine
Creator.’ It should be recognized that this passage distinguishes the
contemplative Mason as one who is guided by the Craft to be more reverent,
admiring, and inspired than one might otherwise be.”
“A true contemplative uses the faculties of the psyche as a collection of fine
working tools. One learns to employ those tools with the proper measures of
force and precision in order to more fully reveal the wisdom, strength, and
beauty in whatever matter is chosen. One thus makes of oneself a true
philosopher, a literal ‘lover of wisdom.’”
Later he goes on to explain the
importance of contemplative practice in making good men better.
“There can be no doubt that a comprehensive and functional psychology is
inherent to Masonry. We have seen that our tradition provides us with profound
clues and useful information about the structure, dynamics, and health of the
psyche, as well as guidelines for holistic maturation and rich rewarding
relationships. All of this has been to expand upon the realization that
Masonry’s greatest purpose is to assist its members in transforming their
lives into wiser, stronger, and more beautiful reflections of the Great
Architect’s designs for the human soul and society.”
Echoing my earlier complaint, and I am
not the only one Coach John Nagy concurs, that Freemasonic Institutions need
to take a bigger part in the life application of its virtues and peculiar
system of morality, Dunning has this to say:
“It is one thing to grasp the philosophical basis of an esoteric approach to
Masonry, but as with other esoteric pursuits, there should also be a practical
dimension. In other words, in order to fully engage Masonic esotericism, we
should include practices that are especially fitting in the Masonic milieu.
It is therefore interesting, and perhaps frustrating to some of us, that our
tradition encourages such things without offering much explicit technical
guidance. This fact has undoubtedly contributed to the somewhat popular
notion that Masonry is meant to lead to another system of esoteric thought and
practice. However, it can be argued that there are elements of our ritual and
its teachings that strongly suggest actual practices which require no special
knowledge of other traditions or specific systems.”
Half of the book is devoted to the
philosophical foundation for contemplative Masonry and the other half is
actual contemplative exercises Masons can perform. These exercises are the
basis for the life application of Masonry, that sought-after explicit
technical guidance. And they are transformative.
But what really sent me into
contemplative bliss was the conclusion that Dunning comes to. That is the
answer to the question where does this all lead. What will be the end result
of this transformation?
It all starts with one of the best
quotes from the book:
“It is the position of this book that the Lost Word is indeed the deepest and
most profound mystery of the Masonic art, as well as the greatest wage of a
Master Mason.”
And then the conclusion:
“Through the practice of Freemasonry, and particularly through a contemplative
practice of Freemasonry, we can become more aware of the presence of the
Divine within ourselves, and in our lives and around us and become a more
capable servant because of that awareness.”
“The most important way that this manifests in the life of a Mason is in how
loving he becomes once he recognizes that the Divine is in himself, the Divine
is all around him, that the Divine is in his Brothers, that the Divine is in
every human being. That is one of the most powerful catalysts for a life
transforming experience of love.”
“Love is at once the prime motive force, the most desirable sentiment the most
admirable action, and the worthiest product of our work.”
Chuck Dunning founded the Academy of
Reflection within the Scottish Rite and is its first leader. This newest
addition to Scottish Rite practice was chartered by the Guthrie Valley in
Oklahoma and is now spreading to other Valleys throughout the United States.
It is a place for the formal practice of contemplative Masonry.
The Book CONTEMPLATIVE MASONRY is
published by Stone Guild Publishing -
http://stoneguildpublishing.com/
Available for sale at:
And the book can be ordered here:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/search/ref=sr_adv_b/?search-alias=stripbooks&unfiltered=1&field-publisher=Stone+Guild+Publishing&field-p_n_condition-type=1294423011&field-dateop=During=&sort=relevanceexprank&Adv-Srch-Books-Submit.x=25&Adv-Srch-Books-Submit.y=12
Anyone interested in contacting Chuck
about speaking engagements or contemplative workshops may do so at
chuck@thelaudablepursuit.org.
"Finding
El Dorado"
Authored By Worshipful
Brother Mason Pratt
This novel is a careful attempt to introduce
Freemasonry, in an indirect way, to people that normally would not entertain
something attached to our fraternity. Whether it is from a generational
prejudice or a false impression of Freemasonry, it is meant to portray our
order as worthy of consideration.
Looking back on your life, have you ever wished
there was a path laid out to help you grow as a person spiritually, morally
and philosophically into a better person. Most people are surrounded by mixed
messages of what is needed to make them happy. Most are false and empty
promises. What if there was a path that would lead you to an unbelievable
richness of growth and self-fulfillment as a member of the truly gifted. On a
mission to make the world, and yourself, better.
Searching my entire life to find this place, I finally have seen the path that
was there all along. So I wrote a book that tells a story. This story is a
fiction novel, with underlying truths. It was written to pass along to those
who really want to find this path and are willing to read into the novel the
message there that will find the inner treasure that is El Dorado.
Synopsis: Drew Wyatt wanted to help make the world a better
place. Unfortunately, he saw himself as an average person with an average
life. After his father’s death, he encounters a secret society called the “Strykers,”
a network of like-minded people that possess seemingly amazing abilities, the
basic elements of which can alter the course of society. Their direction is
accomplished by forming new leaders using several ancient arts and sciences
that move their initiates past the petty struggles of money and power. In this
knowledge, Drew discovers a "worldwide"' unity of humanity which is held
together by these constructive ideals. Who are these people? Where did they
get the ability to do these mystical events? Lastly, why are they inviting him
to join their ranks? Follow Drew on his journey of growth and discovery while
pursuing enlightenment. Be a witness to his introduction into the mysterious
world of "Finding El Dorado"....
Available for sale at:
https://ganxy.com/i/107364/mason-pratt/finding-eldorado
The
Blue Lodge and Holy Bible Reference Guide
Compiled by Herbert M. Ware, PGM
The
Hour Glass
Authored By Ezekiel M. Bey
Read the Book Review by Worshipful
Fred Milliken
http://phoenixmasonry.org/the_hour_glass_ezekiel_bey.htm
Available for sale at:
http://blue-lite.com/the-hour-glass/
On
Holy Ground
Authored By Karen Kidd
Read the Book Review by Worshipful
Fred Milliken
http://phoenixmasonry.org/book_review_on_holy_ground.htm
Available for sale at:
http://www.amazon.com/Holy-Ground-Honorable-American-Co-Masonry/dp/B0054YQZ88/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1324272758&sr=8-1
The
Extraordinary Catalog of Peculiar Inventions
Authored by Julia Suits
Read the Book
Review
By Worshipful Brother Fred
Milliken
http://phoenixmasonry.org/book_review_the_extraordinary_catalog_of_peculiar_inventions.htm
Available for sale at:
http://juliasuits.net/
Haunted Chambers
by Karen Kidd
These women aren't supposed to have existed.
But they did.
"Haunted Chambers", for the first time ever, presents not only the most
complete list of early women Freemasons but also as much detail about their
lives as can still be found. Here are their stories, long suppressed, ignored
and marginalized. They include medieval women stone cutters; so-called
"adoptive" women Freemasons; an aristocrat; a countess; an early New Brunswick
settler; a war hero; a writer of women's rights; an immigrant Irish girl; the
famed sculptress of Abraham Lincoln's statue in the US Capitol Rotunda and
many whose names are now lost.
Some will find this book a challenge. Some would rather it never had been
written, let alone published. "Haunted Chambers" is highly recommended to
anyone who wants the actual history of these early women Freemasons and aren't
afraid to read it.
Published by Cornerstone Book Publishers.
http://cornerstonepublishers.com/chambers.html
Dictionary of Masonic Terminology
Edited
and Compiled by
W. Bro.
Ravinder S. Channey
This wonderful little book is packed full of
Masonic definitions and terminology to aide the Brethren in their
understanding of Freemasonry. It can be ordered in bulk purchases of 25
books minimum for your Lodge and you'll receive a 25% discount. The book is
priced at $18.00 US, but is offered at a 25% discount to brethren at the
price of $13.50 which includes shipping and handling by Airmail. To get
your copy please contact W. Bro. Channey at his e-mail address:
ravichanney@hotmail.com
God
Loves Masons Too
The
First Defenders of Human Rights
By David
A. Roach
Click on
the back cover above to read the Authors Bio
This is one book that needs to
be in every Masonic library! Brother David does a wonderful job of
defending Freemasonry against the claims of many anti-masonic ministers and
layman who are intent on destroying the reputation of our Fraternity. This
book is intended to give the Christian Freemason information to use as
ammunition to defend his membership in our gentle Craft. To get a copy for
yourself and one for your Lodge please contact the author David A. Roach at:
daroach06@peoplepc.com
