what happens once i join?

[louise evans]

Hi everyone on here, I have very recently been looking into becoming a freemason.

What has inspired me to do so is the brotherhood and fellowship of the community. I am also very much into self and spiritual growth that's another thing I think is great about freemasonry the spiritual growth that one learns.

Once I become a freemason, will I be able to get to know other freemasons who are in my field of work so I can learn from them, how to be better at what I do?

I'm exited and nervous at the same time.

Looking forward to your answers

Louise

 

[Warrior1256]

Once you enter the Craft you will meet and interact with brothers from all walks of life as well as, I am sure, some of those within your field. You will learn about all manner of things simply from associating with so many different people. Simply a great bunch of guys "Making Good Men Better".

 

[louise evans]

@warrior its strange because my name also means warrior...

Thank you for your response

 

[Roy_]

Louise, I am a co-Mason myself. I have a few suggestions for you and then I will answer your question.
When you are a man and you are well informed, your first choice is between a 'regular' or 'irregular' (or 'clandestine' as they say here) organisation. Depending on what country you live, the regular usually consists of the most lodges. Now when you are a woman, there is no opting for 'regular', but there can still be something to choose. In my country for example (Netherlands), there are four mixed orders (Le Droit Humain, the largest, the NVVV a smaller spin-off, the NGGV another small spin-off) and the Grand Orient of Luxembourgh. Additionally there are the Vita Femininae Textura, a similar organisation that works with weaving rather than building symbolism. In some countries there is female only Masonry too. Next up is a choice for the Rite. To name Le Droit Humain as example, there are three different rites that lodges can work in. The biggest is a Scotish Rite, smaller is the rather Theosophical English Rite and the smallest the atheistic French Rite. Take your time to look and ask around and find a lodge that fits your needs best.

I have only been a member for a few months, but 'what happened' is that I landed in a massive family. On my initiation there were people from other lodges of our order, but also people of other orders present. Within a month I had visited two lodges of Le Droit Humain (I'm in another order myself) and it all like family, since everybody has at least something incommon. As for the 'real work', you will work in a very formal ritual which uses symbolism that you apply to your inner self. I usually say that you have to be a 'ritual fetishist' for this type of organisation; that is the way such organisations work. You will meet people from different walks of life, with partly similar interests and with the common goal to perform the rituals as good as possible. What you will learn will in the beginning be: be a good Freemason (or whatever term the organisation uses) and later: to think independantly.

 

[louise evans]

Thanks @Roy

 

[Jraiford]

Its funny. When i was petitioning, I was trying to find people to sign my petition. I knew all the old timers that sat in lodge with my father, but most of them are gone. I had one come into my office and signed. Never had a clue. He pointed me out to a bunch more, and so on and so forth. I didnt realize how many people were in the lodge here. However, how many show up is always far from actual members. I can say that once you get your petition signed, and turned in, masons will come out of the woodwork to attend your initiation. Some you never imagined, some you know and alot more you dont. Masons love a good initiation, (and the meal that preceeds it) Just relax, and know no one is going to harm you in any way, and there will probably not be a goat there. Might be but most likely no goat.