Masonic Muscle

Why do Dwight L. Smith’s warnings still sound so relevant? In this episode of Masonic Muscle , Past Master Jeff Bayer and I continue reading Part 2 of Whither Are We Traveling? by Dwight L. Smith, Past Grand Master of Indiana. Smith was writing in 1964 about the condition of Freemasonry in Indiana, but his questions reach far beyond one state and one time period. What did he say? Why did he say it...

Where is Freemasonry going? In this episode of Masonic Muscle , Past Master Jeff Bayer and I begin reading through Whither Are We Traveling? by Dwight L. Smith , Past Grand Master of Indiana. Smith wrote this document decades ago, but the questions still hit hard today. As we read through Part 1, we ask whether his warnings still apply to modern lodges, modern Masons, Masonic education, lodge meet...

How was the Grand Lodge of California organized? In this episode of Masonic Muscle , Past Master Jeff Bayer and I continue digging into the early history of the Grand Lodge of California. We read from the four-volume series One Hundred Years of Freemasonry in California , published in 1950 to celebrate the one-hundredth anniversary of the Grand Lodge of California. As we finish the chapter titled...

Can Freemasonry help a man lose weight and rebuild his life? In this episode of Masonic Muscle , I talk with Brother Jason E. Reichenberg from Texas, Senior Warden of Victory Lodge . Brother Reichenberg reached out to me on January 17, 2024, and shared something powerful: he lost 55 pounds and credits Freemasonry as part of what helped him make the change. Life happens. You get a new job. You get...

Why was the Grand Lodge of California formed? In this episode of Masonic Muscle , Past Master Jeff Bayer and I begin digging into the origins of the Grand Lodge of California and ask the basic questions every California Mason should care about: Who formed it? What was happening at the time? Where did it begin? Why was it necessary? How was it organized? And what authority made it legitimate? This...

Did Freemasonry begin with the Patriarchs? In this episode of Masonic Muscle , I return to the exploration of the origins of Masonry and begin looking at one of the oldest and most expansive origin claims: the idea that Masonry traces back to the ancient Patriarchs. But before we get there, I also talk about the current condition of my lodge, the fact that our charter is still suspended, and why m...

What is Old Masonry , and why does Rain Man keep asking questions? In this episode of Masonic Muscle , Rain Man and I sit down after eating homemade Mexican chili beans and have one of those wide-ranging Masonic conversations that starts in one place and ends up everywhere. Rain Man wants to talk about Shangri-La and Old Masonry , but the conversation opens into bigger questions about the state of...

What happens when Masonic politics hit a lodge rebuild? In EP 135 of Masonic Muscle , Rain Man does what Rain Man does: he tells the story straight. This episode gets into what we call “The Midnight Move” — when an appendant body tried to make a move on us during the rebuilding of Palm Springs Lodge No. 693 and got caught. This episode asks: What happens when a Blue Lodge is trying to rebuild itse...

Why was the Grand Lodge of California formed? In this episode of Masonic Muscle , we begin asking hard historical questions about the formation of the Grand Lodge of the State of California and the early ritual life of California Masonry. How many California Masons have actually studied the formation of their own Grand Lodge? What was the impetus? What motivated Masons at that time to form a Grand...

Who gave Grand Lodge its authority? In this episode of Masonic Muscle , Rain Man asks a series of direct questions about Grand Lodge authority , Masonic charters , lodge powers, Prince Hall lodges, making Masons, and why lodges feel pressured to post everything they do on social media. These are not small questions. They go straight to the foundation of Masonic government, lodge legitimacy, jurisd...

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...