From the Cave to the Lodge: Escaping the Shadows of Superstition
Download MP3From childhood superstitions to unexamined beliefs in adulthood, our development follows a one-way path. Drawing on the Platonic allegory of the cave, this episode explores how we move from the shadows of illusion toward the light of agency — and why, once we’ve stepped into that light, we can’t truly return to the darkness.
Through a Masonic lens, we consider how the lodge becomes a place for examining the beliefs we’ve outgrown, and how to recognize the ones still holding us back.
🔑 Key Takeaways
- Growth is directional — once we advance in understanding, we can’t fit back into earlier beliefs
- Superstition often persists in hidden areas of life, even after we’ve gained agency
- The work of the craft is to uncover and refine the beliefs we still carry unexamined
💬 Featured Quotes
“Human beings develop and grow in a directional way.” [00:00:29]
“You grow through the belief in things like Santa Claus… and you don’t go back.” [00:01:02]
“You will no longer rely on superstition for your basic needs.” [00:01:12]
“Your brain won’t fit in the same spot.” [00:01:42]
🔗 Explore Related Episodes
- “The Hoodwink Within: Uncovering the Patterns We Can’t See”
→ Looks at the hidden frameworks shaping our perception, resonating with the theme of escaping illusion. - “The Trowel and the Limits of Patience”
→ Explores the active and deliberate shaping of conduct, similar to refining beliefs over time. - “The Pavement We Stand On: History as Context, Not Completion”
→ Examines how the ground beneath us provides orientation, but not the full measure of our growth.
Creators and Guests
Host
Brian Mattocks
Host and Founder of A Mason's Work - a podcast designed to help you use symbolism to grow. He's been working in the craft for over a decade and served as WM, trustee, and sat in every appointed chair in a lodge - at least once :D
