Freemasonry as a way of life

The fraternity of Freemasons have often been perceived as a secret society indulging in mysterious rituals that have been the subject of folklore for centuries now. But on a very fundamental level, the Freemasons could be described as a secular group of men who are united only by their belief in a Supreme Power, irrespective of their religious inclinations. The simple goal that this ‘way of life’ aims for, is improving the quality of human character by instilling spiritual and moral values.
Freemasonry is a global movement based on the guiding principles of Fatherhood of God and Brotherhood of Man. In simple terms, this means that the members of this group are drawn together by their belief in a single supreme power devoid of religious classification. In fact, eminent Indians like Swami Vivekananda, Motilal Nehru and C Rajagopalachari were Freemasons as well. The motto of this group encompasses relief i.e. charity, truth i.e. honesty and brotherly love i.e. tolerance. The core idea of Freemasonry is to improve the quality of human nature through their teachings, which are inspired by the stonemason’s tools like squares and compasses.
For instance, the square is representative of the good conduct, which is to be maintained by a Freemason at every juncture of his life. Similarly the two ends of a compass are illustrative of the extents of good and evil, within the confines of which a Freemason must conduct his life.
There is a beautiful symbolism attached to these teachings whose origins can be dated back to the time when King Solomon constructed a temple to honour God. The act of building that temple can be likened to the construction of one’s own inner sanctum — replete with a moral and spiritual consciousness. It’s an act of submission to the understanding that there cannot be a better architect than God who created the entire universe from scratch.
By inculcating a certain level of discipline in one’s life through his acts guided by morality, the Freemason sets out on a journey of self discovery — which is also referred to as aatma gyaan. After passing through several levels of realisation, transcending materialistic desires and worldly temptations, he takes his steps into the spiritual domain.
The Freemason also believes in the immortality of the soul. And goodness is an integral part of this set-up. It’s only through good deeds that one’s name becomes immortal. Which is where charity and honesty come in. You need to be true to yourself as you are accountable to none but your self.
In short, Freemasonry is nothing but a simple way of life aimed at making human beings better and in turn making the world a happier place to live in.

(As told to Bijoy Bharathan)

The writer is a Freemason and the Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of India