top of page
Writer's pictureRon Katz, PM

From the East

By Andrew Hawes —Master



A gust would be good.

Perhaps even a small breeze?

It’s hot in August.

 

I recently visited an underground house in Santorini, Greece.  It was more of a “shaped cave” than a house – there were stairs into the ground, and various rooms had been dug out below to make the house.  The earth in Santorini is apparently especially well suited to this task, since it is a loosely compacted composite from past volcanic eruptions, that is both porous (for airflow) and easy to dig into, while also structurally stable enough to support itself above any such artificial caves that might be dug into it.  The air temperature inside was dramatically cooler than the outside temperature, which was part of the point – natural air conditioning, if you will, using the insulation of the earth to keep the temperature of the underground rooms at a comfortable temperature year round, disregarding the vagaries of whatever inclement weather might be prevailing without.



Speculative Masonry is not unlike that underground house in some ways.  It is something constructed by hand.  The person who wishes to dwell in such a home must of their own will and accord take on the effort of digging into the metaphorical earth on which they stand – their presumptions and preconceptions about the world, their passions and opinions – and carve out a place to live that is sheltered from them.  Using metaphorical tools such as the trowel and compass, they must excavate a room in which to live, in which the tempestuous winds and temperatures that lie without are subdued and controlled.  We are, in effect, excavating our own rooms adjoining the larger underground home of Masonry, in which we can dwell with our brethren in peace and comfort, supported by them and protected against outside forces by the stone walls into which we have dug.


Let us remain cool, and comfortable, within the due bounds we have dug out for ourselves in the lodge – but let us also share that feeling with others outside the lodge room.  When we are feeling heated, let us reach into our core and recall the coolness that pervades our underground room, the stable earth walls that shelter us, and filter our reaction to that source of heat through the porous rock – cooling and calming us as we first consider what response we should make, and then make one that is rational and reasonable, free from the fire that may have begot it.

To state this a bit less metaphorically: “Keep calm, and carry on.”


Rationality rarely co-exists with rage, and calmness fosters careful consideration.  As Masons, I feel we should all think before we speak, and especially before we act. 


Ironically, we should not take speculative actions, but base our actions on operative facts.  In that way at least, we can all strive to be operative masons.

 

12 views0 comments

Recent Posts

See All

Comments


bottom of page