Masonic Muscle

What does beer have to do with Freemasonry? In this episode of Masonic Muscle , we look at the Masonic charge to adopt “a prudent and well-regulated course of discipline” and connect it to Brotherhood, culture, self-control, and yes — beer. Masons are taught to discipline their conduct, hone their talents, and use their abilities for the glory of God, the improvement of themselves, and the good of...

What does charity really mean in Freemasonry? In this episode of Masonic Muscle , I talk about changing my exercise routine, staying strong as we get older, and the deeper meaning of the word charity inside Freemasonry. I also discuss Gray Hair and Black Iron: Secrets of Successful Strength Training for Older Lifters by Brooks D. Kubik , and why older men still need discipline, effort, commitment,...

What is good about Freemasonry? In EP 130 of Masonic Muscle , Bill and Ted share their thoughts about several Palm Springs Lodge No. 693 events, especially one of our favorites: Man Cave Night . Man Cave Night is more than just hanging out. It is Brotherhood. It is conversation. It is fellowship. It is freedom. It is food, fire, laughter, and the kind of time men need but often do not make room fo...

Why does a lodge need an Assistant Grand Lecturer ? In EP 129 of Masonic Muscle , we discuss the visit of the Grand Master of California to Palm Springs Lodge No. 693 during our January stated meeting as the lodge continues working toward restoring its charter. After lodge business was conducted, the Grand Master was given the floor and answered questions from the Brethren. Once the questions were...

What is really happening at Palm Springs Lodge No. 693 ? In this episode of Masonic Muscle , we continue A Lodge’s Journey with Part 9. More Brothers come forward to have a frank conversation about the state of Palm Springs Lodge, what the Masonic experience has been like since 2017, and what has changed inside the lodge over time. This is not just a local complaint session. This is a case study i...

Why should Entered Apprentices study the Trivium and the Seven Liberal Arts and Sciences ? In EP 127 of Masonic Muscle , I speak directly to our EAs and review material from the Peace Revolution podcast, especially Episode 7, where we learn about the origins of Rhetoric and what it was meant to teach. Freemasonry presents us with the Seven Liberal Arts and Sciences , but too often nobody explains...

Challenge accepted. In EP 126 of Masonic Muscle , an Entered Apprentice from Palm Springs Lodge No. 693 is challenged to draft a paper on Hermeticism and the possible similarities it may have with Freemasonry . That is how a man improves in Masonry. Not by sitting quietly. Not by waiting for someone else to educate him. Not by drifting through lodge life. By accepting the challenge. This episode a...

What does it mean to become a living stone ? In EP 125 of Masonic Muscle , the only conversation worth having continues as Brother Jesus Marquez shares what he is learning while studying for his Entered Apprentice degree proficiency . We focus on the Common Gavel and what this working tool teaches a Mason about self-discipline, correction, transformation, and the rough work of becoming a better ma...

Were the old days of Masonry really that good? In EP 124 of Masonic Muscle , our resident Curmudgeon, Jeff Bayer, Past Master , returns to talk about how his journey in Freemasonry began, how the Craft was practiced when he came in, and how we eventually created something “not-so-new” at Palm Springs Lodge No. 693 before he left for Tennessee. This episode asks: How can Masons learn from the past...

The Entered Apprentice Charge is not just something we hear once and forget. It is a standard for conduct, judgment, self-control, and the way a Mason should move through the world. In this episode, I use the EA Charge as a filter for current events, emotional reaction, media noise, and the need for disciplined thinking. The point is not to tell you what to think. The point is to ask whether you a...

What does a Brother interested in Hermeticism find inside Freemasonry? In EP 122 of Masonic Muscle , I sit down with Jesus Marquez , an Entered Apprentice from Palm Springs Lodge No. 693 , for a free-flowing conversation about Masonry, Hermeticism, mystery, education, Man Cave Nights, and his experience entering the Craft. Jesus had been attending our lodge since September 2021 . After about 12 mo...

Why do Masonic lodge rebuilds create so much conflict? In this episode of Masonic Muscle , we continue A Lodge’s Journey with Part 8: the episode where we start naming names, reading the situation more directly, and asking why so many Brothers and lodges reached out to ask what was really happening. This episode looks at the hard side of rebuilding a Masonic lodge: feedback from earlier episodes,...

Who audits Grand Lodge? In this episode of Masonic Muscle , we continue the A Lodge’s Journey case study and ask one of the hardest questions many Brothers think about but rarely say out loud: Who holds Grand Lodge accountable? This episode gets into accusations of disloyalty, lodge conflict, discipline, authority, accountability, and the tension that appears when Brothers ask uncomfortable questi...

What was the original intent of Freemasonry? And what was the original intent of the first strongmen? In EP 119 of Masonic Muscle , I introduce a website every Mason should visit and explore: the Masonic Restoration Foundation . The MRF describes itself as an educational organization providing news, research, and analysis connected to Freemasonry’s heritage. This episode asks: How can Masons resto...

What is the basic principle of exercise? In EP 118 of Masonic Muscle , I return to the foundation: effort, consistency, hard work, and doing things the right way. I recently watched a short video from the YouTube channel Natty Life , called “Modern Lesson from Early Bodybuilders.” It was only 6 minutes and 13 seconds long, but it hit the main point hard: Great results come from effort and consiste...

Who owns the history of Freemasonry? In EP 117 of Masonic Muscle , I argue that the origins, history, traditions, customs, and symbols of the Craft belong to all serious Masons willing to study, question, compare, and do the work. Masonic history does not belong only to scholars, academics, or self-appointed experts. It belongs to the Brothers willing to read. This episode asks: How can Masons str...

      Did the Ancient Mystery Schools shape Freemasonry? In this episode of Masonic Muscle , we examine the connections people often make between Freemasonry, ancient mysteries, pyramids, sacred geometry, ancient temples, Atlantis theories, the Eye of the Sahara, and the deeper question of where Masonic symbolism may have come from. This is the kind of topic that attracts curiosity fast — but it a...

What is the real cost of rebuilding a Masonic lodge? In EP 115 of Masonic Muscle , we continue Part 6 of the Palm Springs Lodge No. 693 rebuild story. This episode takes us to August 2022 , right before one of our regular Executive Committee meetings, and explains why we wanted to record these conversations in the first place. Some points repeat because the issues overlap. That is what happens whe...

What does it mean when a Masonic lodge gets its charter suspended? This episode turns a serious lodge crisis into a case study about standards, authority, leadership failure, responsibility, and what can happen when problems inside a lodge are not handled properly. This is not gossip. This is a warning. Write to masonicmuscle357@gmail.com with your questions about lodge leadership, standards, or M...

Is the skull and bones an evil symbol? In EP 113 of Masonic Muscle , Darkness and I get a good workout while watching Monday Night Football between the Buffalo Bills and the Denver Broncos , and that somehow leads me to an article on the skull and bones. That is how Masonic Muscle works. Training, football, symbolism, and Freemasonry. I read an article titled “The Symbol of the Skull and Bones and...

Why do Masonic lodge rebuilds fail? In EP 112 of Masonic Muscle , we continue Part 5 of the Palm Springs Lodge No. 693 rebuild story and move into one of the biggest disruptions any lodge had to face: Covid-19 . On March 18, 2020 , our lodge leadership held an emergency meeting after hearing that New York lodges were locking down and that other jurisdictions would likely follow. Soon after, the Gr...

Were any of the early strongmen from the 1900s through the 1950s Masons? In EP 111 of Masonic Muscle , I ask listeners to help investigate whether any of the old-time strongmen, physical culturists, lifters, and Iron Game pioneers had Masonic connections. If you know something, send it to me. Then I read a small portion of the Catholic Encyclopedia article on Freemasonry from 1910 and share what i...

What is the hidden work required to rebuild a Masonic lodge? In EP 110 of Masonic Muscle , Rain Man and I continue Part 4 of the Palm Springs Lodge No. 693 rebuild story. This time, we get into the work most people do not see: meals, officers, meaningful degrees, member experience, financial responsibility, and the problem of wearing too many hats. Rain Man explains how many roles he carried durin...

What happens when Masonic lodge leadership breaks down? In EP 109 of Masonic Muscle , Rain Man and I continue Part 3 of the story of Palm Springs Lodge No. 693 and the hard work a small group of Brothers took on when we committed to helping the lodge get back to health. This part of the story gets rough. A microburst hits Palm Springs. The lodge floods. Activities stop. The Grand Lodge project man...

How do five Masons begin rebuilding a struggling lodge? In EP 108 of Masonic Muscle , Rain Man and I pick up where we left off in the story of Palm Springs Lodge No. 693 and the fight to rebuild Masonic culture from the inside. After a stated meeting, we have a serious conversation in the lodge library. Rain Man tells me that no one wants to serve as an officer if the current Master is nominated a...