THE QUIETS: DISCIPLINE OF FREEMASONRY

Control emotion. Use reason. Doing this allows a man to be in charge of his thinking, to use reason rather than succumb to decisions based on and effort to be happy.  According to Henry Kissinger, as a Professor he sought truth. As a diplomat he sought decisions based on contingency.

Listen. Watch. Be silence.  Sharpen perception by learning to listen. The school of Pythagoras made much of this aspect. New students lived in silence for their first 2 years.  Afterall, one was there to learn.  How often do we hear a man speaking not because he has anything to say, but because he feels compelled to say something. Most of us do this, moreso as we get older.  Once mastered these tools, observance, listening and silence produce an insight that man must learn for himself. Initially, prepare to fail. Those who are diligent will pass through this stage.  This teaches as much about self, as it does about others.

Be compassionate toward your fellows.  Be a gentleman. Debate but don't argue. A man who lacks the ability  to reason is not worth debating.  Critique is the step toward perfect curiousity.  Criticism is about curiousity, seeking to define and understand. If you mistaken this for an attack on your ego, you will remain lost forever.  Remember, there are many ways to describe the same thing. What makes you a capable judge to determine you are always speaking truth while others are false?  

Be as generous with yourself as you are with others. Forgiving a friend is much harder than forgiving an enemy.  A generous nature does not mean the world changes. It simply means you live as a man of character.  The choice is yours.