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
Appears in 283 Episodes
The Power of Naming the Fear
In the conclusion of our series, we strike the "final death blow" to the shadow's control by giving it a name. By identifying the specific fear driving your patterns, ...
Slaying Dragons via Responsibility
When we catch the shadow in action, it often speaks the language of blame. Today, we discuss the "outrageously uncomfortable" but essential technique of reclaiming age...
Why the Shadow Exists
Shadow work can feel heavy and strenuous, but the reward is the difference between "freedom and slavery". We examine the mechanics of how the shadow forms as a rationa...
Identifying the Shadow
We introduce a central concept of Jungian psychology: The Shadow. This represents the parts of our behavior that have become invisible to us—the "rough parts of the st...
Building Capacity in the Mundane Middle
We begin the week by challenging the idea that strength is built during a crisis. Just as you wouldn't wait for an emergency to start going to the gym, the capacity to...
The Force Multiplier for Gratitude
Internal gratitude is a powerful force, but it remains incomplete until it is expressed. In our final installment for the week, we discuss how moving gratitude from an...
The Perfectly Imperfect Foundation
Today we address the "alluring problems" of gratitude: toxic positivity versus perpetual cynicism. Using the Masonic symbols of the Rough and Perfect Ashlars, we discu...
Surrender-Gratitude
Moving from the "shallow end" of appreciation, we explore the "deep end": Surrender Gratitude. This is a profound, heart-centered experience that emerges when the ego ...
Appreciation and Appreciative Inquiry
Gratitude exists on a spectrum. In this episode, we dive into the "shallow end"—which isn't a negative term, but rather the essential starting point: Appreciation. Thi...
The Business Case for Gratitude
We kick off the week by threading together our recent topics through the lens of gratitude. While often dismissed as a "soft" concept, gratitude has measurable, object...
Surrender and The Level
In our week-long journey from outcomes to process, we arrive at the ultimate goal: the present moment. This episode defines the state we are trying to achieve through ...
The Art of the Start (For Groups)
Everything we’ve discussed so far assumes you are in control of the variables, but things change the moment you add other people. This episode focuses on how to lead a...
The Minimum Viable Environment
Think back to building a pillow fort or a backyard clubhouse as a kid. There was no Kanban board or agenda, yet you disappeared into the work for hours. This episode e...
The Preparing Room—Sharpening Your Axe?
This episode builds on our conversation about creating space by shifting from mindset to the physical and ritualistic preparation required for deep work. We explore th...
Creating Space for Play and Flow
In this episode, we explore the vital shift from being outcome-driven to process-focused. We often think of work as a series of tasks to be checked off, but meaningful...
Emotional Weather Patterns
The Big Idea: Emotions are transitory data points—like weather—that inform our physiology and can be influenced by changing our internal environment.Key Highlights:The...
Recalibrating Your Instrumentation
The Big Idea: Our bodies provide a constant stream of vital data through our senses, yet we often shut it off in service of chasing outcomes.Key Highlights:The depth o...
Do or Don't Do (The Yoda Mindset)
The Big Idea: "Trying" is often a cognitive hedge against full commitment; true progress requires 100% engagement in the present moment.Key Highlights:Revisiting Yoda’...
The Art of the Start
The Big Idea: Success comes from detaching from specific outcomes and mastering the "art of the start" through small, repeatable daily actions.Key Highlights:How focus...
The Trap of Secret Knowledge
The Big Idea: True wisdom isn't a "magic pill" hidden behind esoteric doors; it’s only valuable if it can be applied to solve real problems in your life right now.Key ...