The Pavement and the Void
Download MP3In this episode, we conclude our series on The Book of Five Rings with the final chapter: The Book of Emptiness. Paired symbolically with the Pavement—the Masonic emblem of duality—the Void reminds us that mastery is not accumulation, but release.
Where the Earth Book grounds us and the Fire Book activates us, the Void calls us to stillness. To operate within the Void is to move without attachment, think without fixation, and hold symbol and self in equal clarity.
🔑 Key Takeaways
- Emptiness is not absence—it’s freedom from fixation.
- The Pavement reminds us that duality exists only until we transcend it.
- Masonic mastery requires letting go of symbolic clinging, not adding more.
💬 Featured Quotes
“And in Masonic parlance, probably the most appropriate symbol for us to reflect on when it comes to the Book of Emptiness… is actually the pavement, believe it or not.” — [00:00:41]
“But that non-dual perspective… is central to the Book of Emptiness, where you don’t lean too far in one direction or the other.” — [00:01:52]
“You don’t leave your mind vaguely at awareness… It’s not peripheral, it’s not focused. All of those things kind of fall at the same time.” — [00:02:07]
“You’ll study it for the rest of your life perhaps—but a sitting or two should get you through.” — [00:04:07]
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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
