Adapted from a paper created by W.Bro. Myles Makortoff, Past Master Langley Lodge #184 Grand Lodge of BC&Yukon (Canada)
I want to draw to you attention something that we all seem to do, yet take little time to reflect on the consequences, and cause and effect aspects.
To start, I get a regular daily e-mail quote on self improvement from a spiritual organization that will remain nameless.
Recently the particular daily topic was “Save a Headache” and the accompanying phrase was.
“Speaking bad about someone can seem so harmless, yet be so dangerous, on so many levels. Save yourself a headache today. Change the topic. Exit the conversation. Put your spirituality where your mouth is.”
What started me down the road of this particular article, and my desire to write about it, was its similarity to a particular lesson in the Craft.
None of us like to be spoken about by others in a negative, sarcastic or poor context, yet all too often we talk about others in this manner in their absence.
The Volume of the Sacred Law encourages us to “ Do Unto Others As You Would Have Done Unto You “ a simple statement on any subject of life. However, we take little time to reflect on how our simple words can impact not only the person we are talking about but also on another level, Ourselves.
Almost everyone is afraid of being judged, criticized, and rejected as unworthy. Cultivating the mental habit that sees our own and others’ beauty not only brings happiness to ourselves and others; it enables us to feel and to extend Brotherly Love.
After reading this daily note I reflected on how the Craft teaches the same lesson which lead me to research why humans talk poorly of others.
Briefly there are four key reasons we talk poorly about others.
1) Being insecure about yourself
2) You are angry with someone
3) Jealousy towards others
4) Psychoanalyzing others implying you have some authority or knowledge of the subject or person
Simplified they are aspects of Ego and represent the Rough Ashlar in each of us. In our journey to the Perfect Ashlar and Knowing Thy Self we begin to understand that by judging and hurting others we judge and hurt ourselves.
Touching on the Hidden Mysteries of Nature and Science, Words and Thoughts are living energy. Comments flowing out of our mouth do not simply disappear into thin air. They remain always with each of us, hindering or helping the journey from the Rough to Perfect Ashlar.
When we speak positively and refrain from negative speech, we surround ourselves with more and more positive energy, smoothing our rough edges. Conversely, speaking negatively about others, our words stay with us wherever we go thus roughing the Ashlar.
Therefore it is important to cultivate the habit of seeing what is beautiful, endearing, vulnerable, brave, struggling, hopeful, kind, and inspiring in others. If we pay attention to that, we won’t be focusing on their faults. The actions of our joyful attitude and tolerant speech will enrich those around us nourishing contentment, happiness and Brotherly Love.
Seeing faults in others is missing Brotherly Love. It also reflects lack of skill to nourish ourselves with heart-warming interpretations verses feeding ourselves a mental diet of poison.
The habit of mentally picking out the faults of others is also a reflection that we do this to ourselves. It is important to keep things simple and our ability to listen, to smile, to forgive, to help out in small ways will bring back ordinary beauty to the world.
Veiled in Allegory “Hand over Back” does not just imply defending someone literally it also alludes that we must focus on the positive in others and always express that in positive action and word to those around us.
If beauty is the promise of the future stop talking about people in darkness and make an effort to shed positive light for future harmony.
W.Bro. Myles Makortoff
Using Various Web References