For many, sitting through the opening and closing of the Lodge is just something 'we do.' It's something that just has be done in order to get onto the work of the evening, be it a degree or the regular business meeting.
For those, they miss out on some of the more interesting and important lessons of the craft. One such lesson, from our first degree, is the simple question of why we came to Lodge. While the ritual includes more, the phrase, 'to subdue my passions,' is among the most important.
That simple phrase is often overlooked or misinterpreted. It's not referring to those items in our lives that we are passionate about, those inner workings that drive us to accomplish our goals and dreams or maybe to take up a new hobby or trade. No, that phrase is referring to our emotions.
How many times have you heard the phrase, "don't let your emotions get to you," and respond without thinking? How many times have you let the base emotion of anger or jealousy worm its way into the very fabric of the decision that you need to make? That's the lesson we're trying to learn here. It's not about those things that you find enjoyable, it's about learning to control the extremes of our emotions.
So often we all look at life from that extreme, the worst case scenario, and then dwell on it. We worry all the time about the 'what ifs' in life and then forget to enjoy the journey we're on. We let our emotions dictate our responses, which often lead to outcomes we weren't looking for or wanted.
To avoid those things, 'subdue your passions,' and take another look at the situation. Yes, what may be happening is beyond your control and it might have a outcome you don't want, but that doesn't mean you need to let those emotions you feel determine how you respond. It's not about the event, it's about how you respond to the event that determines who you are. It's about realizing that the emotions that you are feeling are yours, the event or individuals you are interact with aren't creating those emotions, you are. They may control the event, but they don't control how you respond to it.
By taking that moment before responding to check yourself, by taking that extra breath to center your being before responding, you very well might defuse the extreme you initially felt and be able to see beyond the moment. What you fear may not be as bad as you think or, the experience is something you need to go through in order to grow as an individual.
So remember to enjoy life, and when it throws a something unintended, breath, and realize that while it may be something you were meant to encounter for good or bad, you get to choose how you respond to it.