X-Oriente

In the world of politics and the permanence of the Internet, many in society believe the phrase "a leopard doesn't change its spots." we often regard changing our minds as a sign of weakness, of waffling or flip-flopping. But the truth is, changing our minds is ESSENTIAL to personal growth and progress in society. Changing our minds is exactly what Freemasonry empowers us to do. Rather than a mark of weakness, it is instead a mark of wisdom, a mark of strength and a sign of beauty. In this episode, Eric and Jason are joined once again by brother of the show, Nicky Sampogna. Nicky was with us some episodes back, and had a change of heart about what he said. Rather than sweep it under the rug like we so often do in Masonry, Nicky agreed to share his perspective so that we could all benefit from his experience—and courage—in changing his mind.

Jason was watching The Vow...the documentary about the NXIVM cult, and started wondering if Freemasonry could be considered a cult. So we pulled out our instruments and did the math. What constitutes a cult anyway? 

Masonic writing and Masonic Research are different things: in this episode, Eric and Jason talk about Masonic writing, why it's important, and how to get started. October is Masonic Writing Month, so let's all get started!

Back in July, we began (or re-began) some very uncomfortable conversations about race in America. Freemasonry's own story in the United States is woven from the threads of race relations among our people. In this episode, we talk with the Reverend Professor Quadricos Driskell, who among his many talents is a health care policy expert, a Baptist minister, a professor who teaches courses on race relations at George Washington University, and is Worshipful Master of his Lodge. It's the beginning of a series of uncomfortable conversations about race and Freemasonry, and Q helps us navigate through it with candor, compassion and courage. It's a conversation that no matter what the pigmentation of your skin happens to be, we all need to be a part of. Originally, we lost Q's audio track, but thanks to some time-consuming forensic reconstruction we were able to restore the damaged file. It's the least we could do.  

Each year, the Grand Masters of all the Grand Lodges in North America get together to discuss issues of importance to all regular Freemasons in their jurisdictions, and build consensus. Jason, because of his day job, was privileged to attend the conference. In this episode, Eric and Jason discuss what was discussed there, and talk about why the Grand Lodge of Eric and Jason (our fictional hypothetical GLs) will never be allowed anywhere near COGMINA.

Back in February, before all this pandemic nonsense, Eric and Jason sat down with Bro. Josef Wages to break some bread and talk about all things Illuminati, and the ritual that Joe helped locate, translate and edit, The Secret School of Wisdom: The Authentic Rituals and Doctrines of the Illuminati. It was appropriate that we met at the historic Gadsby's Tavern in Alexandria, a place that, given the topic of conversation, was the perfect atmosphere. Join us, for a conspiracy in the making.

The Scottish Rite Northern Masonic Jurisdiction has been creating advertising media for free use by Grand Lodges, Lodges and individual Masons to help spread awareness of Freemasonry to a generation of men who barely know what it is. Is this a good thing? Eric and Jason explore and debate the merits of advertising Masonry in the 21st Century.

Associations with the infernal have always plagued Freemasonry, even from its earliest days. But what is exactly "The Devil" anyway? Is Lucifer, Beelzulbub, Satan, Mephistopheles and Baphomet all the same thing? Does it matter what religion you are? What is Hell anyway? And why does Freemasonry always seem to demonized by Popes and Fundamentalists throughout history? In part 2 of a multipart series, Eric and Jason open the X-Oriente Department of Infernal Affairs and tease apart the origins and meanings of Baphomet and Lucifer.

Associations with the infernal have always plagued Freemasonry, even from its earliest days. But what is exactly "The Devil" anyway? Is Lucifer, Beelzulbub, Satan, Mephistopheles and Baphomet all the same thing? Does it matter what religion you are? What is Hell anyway? And why does Freemasonry always seem to demonized by Popes and Fundamentalists throughout history? In part 1 of a multipart series, Eric and Jason open the X-Oriente Department of Infernal Affairs and tease apart the personification of Evil. It's a diabolically good time.

Every once in a while we find something in our past that electrifies the present. Lessing's Ernst & Falk, Dialogues for Freemasons is just such an essay. Written by Gotthold Lessing, a German Freemason in 1776-1777, the Dialogues get at the heart of the true purpose of Freemasonry—well, one interpretation of it. What makes Lessing's essay so compelling is that it addresses many of the questions we ask of the Craft today: what is the value of Freemasonry in civil society? What is holding us back as an institution? Who gets to be called a Freemason and on what basis? It is interesting to see that they were struggling with these very questions back in 1776. In this episode, Eric and Jason read the Dialogues aloud and comment on the salient parts and how a voice that is as old as the United States can shed insight and light on today. In part 2, they read the final two dialogues.

Every once in a while we find something in our past that electrifies the present. Lessing's Ernst & Falk, Dialogues for Freemasons is just such an essay. Written by Gotthold Lessing, a German Freemason in 1776-1777, the Dialogues get at the heart of the true purpose of Freemasonry—well, one interpretation of it. What makes Lessing's essay so compelling is that it addresses many of the questions we ask of the Craft today: what is the value of Freemasonry in civil society? What is holding us back as an institution? Who gets to be called a Freemason and on what basis? It is interesting to see that they were struggling with these very questions back in 1776. In this episode, Eric and Jason read the Dialogues aloud and comment on the salient parts and how a voice that is as old as the United States can shed insight and light on today. In part 1, they read the first three dialogues.

Freemasonry has a rich and storied past. But is living in the glories of the past holding us back from the future? Eric and Jason discuss.

Eric and Jason are joined by our good friend, Nicky Sampogna, who is arguably one of the best-dressed Masons around, and punchy from jet-lag. It’s a spirted discussion on Masonic dress codes you won’t want to miss. Wear a tie. Or at least some pants.

Public mass shootings are all too common in our society. Conspiracy theories have become the gasoline on the fire of mass violence toward Jews, racial and ethnic minorities and yes, even Freemasons. Eric and Jason are joined by preparedness expert Bro. Adam Tager to talk about how to keep lodges safe during these difficult times. Adam’s Links: Ready.gov: Federal preparedness website filled with tips, tricks, and templates for a number of different threat types. Active Shooter Preparedness: Two-page FEMA guide on prepping for an active shooter. Active Shooter Response Guide: DHS guide for planning the response to an active shooter. Active Shooter Training: Free FEMA online active shooter training Other tips: Locate all points of entry and/or exit in your Lodge building Assign someone to lock the door of the building before going into the meeting Create a plan for dealing with a hostile intruder and practice the plan Contact your local police department to see if they do physical security walkthroughs Contact your local/county Emergency Management Agency to see what stakeholder resources they have  

Eric and Jason review their book recommendations for Freemasons: The Queen’s Conjurer: The Science and Magic of Dr. John Dee, Advisor to Queen Elizabeth I by Benjamin Wooley The Masonic Magician: The Life and Death of Count Cagliostro and His Egyptian Rite, by Philippa Faulks and Robert L.D. Cooper How To Change Your Mind by Michael Pollan A World Lit Only by Fire, by William Manchester Jewish Pirates of the Caribbean, by Edward Kritzler The Clockwork Universe, by Edward Dolnick

"Esprit d'Escalier" literally means "The Spirit of the Stairwell" and refers to that feeling when you realize what you should have said after the fact. Eric and Jason discuss an article that appeared in the Atlantic Monthly, called "What It's Like to Join the Freemasons," and discuss what was good and what we wish had been said.

Chris Hodapp, (the AP Wire service of Freemasonry) wrote an opinion piece in his blog linking the decline of Freemasonry to the discontinuation of the McGuffey Reader. We’re joined by guest host Jason Richards (of the Masonic Roundtable) to talk Eric off a ledge. Here is the link to Bro. Hodapp's article

We are joined by our special guest, Nicky Sampogna, a brother who runs social media marketing for a large entertainment brand. In this episode, we discuss marketing, brands and how younger men might be relating to freemasonry through the brands that they adopt.

Appendant Bodies are the groups one can join once a man is raised to the Sublime Degree of Master Mason. And there are a lot to choose from, each with distinctive rituals, hats, activities and bling. But is so many groups that compete for Masonic attention good for the Craft? Eric and Jason discuss appendant bodies, their purpose and explore whether we have too much of a good thing, or not enough.

The "Manbox" has recently been identified by sociologists and social psychologists as a set of social expectations surrounding masculinity. These attitudes and resulting behaviors are at the roots of toxic masculine behavior and make it more difficult for men to cope with a society that is embracing female empowerment. What's worse, these attitudes are responsible for a shocking range of male behaviors, from depression, to violence to suicide. Companies and brands have started to look at the negative impacts of the Manbox and its effect on their target market— young men. But Freemasonry has, embedded in its DNA, a robust set of tools, rituals and traditions that can empower us to break out of the Manbox, and live lives that are our own, free from male stereotypes and unrealistic expectations. Jason and Eric discuss two interesting studies, one from Unilever and the other paid for by Harry's (the shaving company) that illustrate the global extent of the problem.

Do people have a right to an opinion, or do they just have them? Eric And Jason discuss the semantics of rights opinions and critical thinking as they relate to Masonry and reasoned debate. This is a good toolbox for keeping discussions relevant and civil, especially online.

We talk about Masonic Light, but what does it actually mean? Jason and Eric explore the notion of Masonic Light from a practical as well as an esoteric standpoint.

Special Guest, W.'. Bro. Robert H. Johnson. Religion and Politics are the two things we don't talk about in lodge as Freemasons. But we do discuss philosophy and morality. And often the ideas in both are informed by religion and bleed into politics. In his excellent article, "The Problem With Banning Politics and Religion" Robert Johnson (Of TMR Fame) laid out a pretty compelling case that in our desperate attempt at appearing unified, we are avoiding the sorts of difficult conversations we should be having to remain relevant in the world, and what's worse, as Freemasons we are not developing the skills necessary to have difficult discussions, even though our rituals and lectures provide a toolbox for doing just that! In this episode, Eric and Jason talk with W.'. Bro. Johnson about the article and its implications for the Craft.  

Masonry creates real and lasting friendships--if it doesn't you're doing it wrong. We enjoy fellowship and the social aspects of Masonry. On the other hand if that were all we were, we'd be merely a social club--and we go to lodge to work. All work and no play, however, makes Jack—and his lodge—a very dull place to be. In this episode, Jason and Eric discuss the fine art of balancing Masonic work and play to make sure that our lives as Masons are enjoyable AND productive. Apologies for Eric's "hot" mic— the audio distortion is not you.

In this episode, Eric and Jason discuss the five things every new Mason should know, but they don't tell you.

Too much of a good thing isn't good. That includes the Craft too. In this episode, Eric and Jason discuss Masonic burnout: how to recognize it, how to avoid it, and what to do about it if you find yourself experiencing burnout.

King Gillette, the inventor of the safety razor was a Freemason. Today, the company that bears his name, has released a 60 second commercial about toxic masculinity that is sparking some debate and controversy. In this episode, Eric and Jason explore the commercial, the whys and wherefores, and talk about toxic masculinity in the context of Freemasonry. What does the Craft have to say about the best in a man? 

X-Oriente is back after its unintentional technical hiatus! In this episode, we discuss a couple of well-written and well-intentioned Masonic essays. Lance Kennedy wrote a two part series "The Decline of Freemasonry: A Data Analysis" and "Two Trajectories For American Freemasonry: Consolidation Or Implosion." Greg Stewart wrote "The Death of Freemasonry: When Change Changes You." Both essays contemplate American Freemasonry's demise and offer up some interesting prescriptions for saving the patient. Jason and Eric discuss the essays and our take on these arguments.

Are academic and affinity lodges a good way to reach out to specific communities, or are they a way to highlight inequality in the craft? Eric and Jason discuss the pros and cons of specialty lodges.

Eric and Special Guest Host Mike "The Intern" Hambrecht of The Masonic Roundtable discuss the idea of the gentleman and how it informs ideas in the Craft.

If you haven't seen it yet, Lodge 49 is AMC's newest show that features a fraternal organization that is something between the Freemasons, The Odd Fellows and the Elks. In this episode Jason and Eric use the venerable PARDES method to critique the show. If you like TV, and you like esoteric Masonry, you'll want to have a listen. THIS EPISODE CONTAINS SPOILERS. YOU'VE BEEN WARNED! We only talk about episodes up to ep4. You can catch Lodge 49 on Monday nights at 10pm ET, on AMC, or on the AMC app.

Eric and Jason discuss the benefits of traveling as a Freemason. How to do it right, the benefits, and what to expect.

We are back from our technical difficulties (knock wood!) In this episode, Eric and Jason discuss the new show Lodge 49, the decision by UGLE to allow Transgender women to remain masons and the concept and meaning of the term "unmasonic."

Eric and Jason imagine what they would do if they could be Grandmaster of American Freemasonry. Who is more hard-core? Jason or Eric? Who will be the first to withdraw recognition from the other? The Grand Lodge of Diamond, or the Grand Lodge of Van Dyke? Listen and see! It is an action-packed episode full of Millennial insights, crazy edicts, and hopelessly naive conclusions. We may not be the Grandmasters you need, but we are the Grand masters you deserve. Or something like that.

Jason and Eric are joined by special guest, M.: W.: Joe Crociata, Past Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Washington, D.C. and Masonic scholar to talk about Table Proceedings, aka The Festive Board. They talk about the background of these proceedings, The Seven Toasts, why they are important and some tips to insure that your Festive board is a memorable Masonic event.

Jason and Eric discuss the idea that there are winners and losers in Freemasonry and how that might help and hurt the Craft as a whole.

One way to lessen the effect of ego and improve well-being is through meditation and the practice of Mindfulness. Visit the show notes at www.xoriente.com to access a bunch of useful tools and resources to help you get started or get better.

Jason said, "Masonry's biggest problem is Ego." Eric wanted to know more. In this episode we talk about how ego can get in the way of the Craft.

We talk about the need to change all the time, but HOW should we innovate in Freemasonry? What is permissible to innovate? Eric and Jason discuss ways to framing the problems and an approach to iterative innovation that preserves what is essential about the Craft. This episode was damaged when our systems crashed during the live broadcast. We've spliced together nearly all of the content. We apologize for the inconvenience.

"The map is not the terrain, we are told." In this episode, Jason and Eric (and our Live audience) explore the importance of symbols, how symbols work, and finally banish the word "symbology" from the lexicon.

In this episode Jason and Eric are joined by Chris Hodapp to discuss his recent blog entry The Decline of Men, and what Freemasons Need to Do About It. We had some technical issues with Chris' audio, we apologize for the difficulty. We think it is worth the listen.

While Jason is still completing his invasion of the European continent, Eric is joined by special guest host Juan Sepulveda. In addition to being one of the hosts of The Masonic Roundtable and host of The Winding Stairs podcasts, Bro. Sepulveda is an accomplished artist, and creator of a unique Masonic education program called Applied Freemasonry. In this episode we explore how we can make the tools of Masonry more applicable to everyday life.

Join special guest host Jason Richards from the Masonic Roundtable and Eric Diamond as they discuss that we as Freemasons should expect but don't get, and what we shouldn't feel entitled to.       

Eric and Jason discuss the elements of Enlightenment thinking and what we need to do to get better at it.

Jason and Eric discuss two paths in Freemasonry: The path of Enlightenment philosophy and the path of Esoteric philosophy and why both are critical to Freemasonry's survival. We reference Antoine Faivre's excellent paper "The Two Lights: Thoughts On Two Constituative Lights of Masonic History" published in A Path to Freemasonry: the International Review of Villard DeHonnecourt, the Research Journal of the GLNF.

Why is it so important that a Freemason believe in a Supreme Being? In this episode, Jason and Eric take the First of the Old Charges apart using PARDES to see why this requirement is so important and so misunderstood.

This was supposed to be episode 93, but we had a bit of a snafu with the show numbering. So while it says 93 on the title, it is really No. 95. You'll get over it. In this episode, recorded back in January, Eric and Jason reflect on their Masonic New Years resolutions.

During Masonic Week, Eric and Jason met up on Friday for a cookout lunch at the Grand Lodge of DC, where we were joined by Pete Normand. We thought it would be fun to do an episode about "Masonic Pet Peeves," and while we started with those intentions, the conversation went much deeper. If you don't know who Pete Normand is, you should. He's one of those super-Masons, up there with guys like Rex Hutchens, Art DeHoyos, and S. Brent Morris. Bro. Normand hails from College Station, Texas, and we won't make you read his Masonic CV with all the accolades and honors he's received, but Eric at least is convinced that he has received all of them. But Pete is more than a bunch of lapel pins and titles. He's a maker--for years he published American Masonic Review, a Masonic newsmagazine in the days before blogs. He is a founder of St. Albans Lodge, one of the finer brotherly establishments in the Lone Star State. He is the Editor of The Plumbline, the newsletter of The Scottish Rite Research Society. He is an expert on the history of Freemasonry in Texas. He is truly committed to the betterment of the Craft and he has spent many years not just serving the Craft, but making stuff that makes Masonry better. But to us, Pete is a friend and a mentor. Pete is one of the reasons that Eric travels to Masonic Week each year. Eric remembers his Masonic week discussions with Bro. Normand as a primary inspiration to start X-Oriente. He is generous with his insight and a dry wit, and completely down to earth. We're glad he agreed to share his time with us. We thought it made for good radio.

In this episode, Eric has breakfast at Masonic Week with several podcasters including Mike "The Intern" Hambrecht, Jon "Big Data" Ruark, and Jason "The Mason" Richards of The Masonic Roundtable, and Frater O of Whence Came You? We talk about Masonic media in general, learn about how we approach things differently in Masonry, eat some eggs and bacon, and drink a lot of coffee. Pour yourself a cup and join us. Jason Van Dyke could not join us due to a massive hangover. (Kidding! He was having a well-deserved break from the brethren.)

Jason & Eric discuss an interesting post by Bro. Greg Starr, courtesy of Chris Hodapp's excellent Freemasons for Dummies blog. They also wish their listeners a very Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy New Year, and a Rockin' Kwanzaa!

Jason & Eric discuss science fiction and Masonry as we review "If This Goes On" by Robert Heinlein.