---
title: "Exploring Inner Growth: Chuck Dunning on the Power of Contemplative Practice in Freemasonry"
url: https://staging13.perseusarcaneacademy.com/post/exploring-inner-growth-chuck-dunning-on-the-power-of-contemplative-practice-in-freemasonry/
date: 2024-10-18
modified: 2026-07-03
lang: en
author: "Perseus Arcane Academy"
description: "Introduction Chuck Dunning, a dedicated advocate for contemplative practices, brings a unique perspective to Freemasonry through his integration of mindfulness and inner work. His journey, rooted in early experiences with..."
categories:
  - "Interviews"
  - "Western Traditions"
tags:
  - "Contemplative practices"
  - "Freemasonry"
  - "Meditation"
  - "Rosicrucianism"
image: https://staging13.perseusarcaneacademy.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/331533564_1370516160399551_6142441948264424597_n.jpg
word_count: 8581
---

# Exploring Inner Growth: Chuck Dunning on the Power of Contemplative Practice in Freemasonry

## Introduction

Chuck Dunning, a dedicated advocate for contemplative practices, brings a unique perspective to Freemasonry through his integration of mindfulness and inner work. His journey, rooted in early experiences with prayer and meditation, blossomed into a lifelong pursuit of spiritual and personal growth. His approach weaves together esoteric philosophy, mental health principles, and Masonic traditions, emphasizing contemplation as a transformative tool. His work highlights the importance of cultivating self-awareness and insight, offering Freemasons a pathway to deeper understanding and connection with the Divine through reflective practices.

Many thanks to Chuck for spending the time to answer our questions. If you enjoy this post please head over to Chucks blog (see his about page [here](https://chuckdunning.com/index.php/about/)) and also let us know your thoughts in the comments.

---

![](https://staging13.perseusarcaneacademy.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/350921753_576391654686119_3590953708776833463_n.png)[Chuck Dunnings website](https://chuckdunning.com/)

## Introduction to Chuck Dunning and Contemplative Practice

**PAA: Can you share your journey into contemplative practices and how it has shaped your understanding of Freemasonry?**

Having been raised in a religious family, my earliest contemplative practice was ordinary prayer. I always sensed that prayer was a way of communing with the Divine, not just speaking to God. When I was in my late teens I began reading about meditation and trying to practice, but I wasn’t getting formal instruction or guidance from someone more experienced than me. In that place and time, practitioners were very rare and not very outspoken. Then, in my mid-20s, one of my philosophy professors taught a course on esoteric philosophy and seminars in contemplative practice. That’s when my experience and insight with contemplation really began to develop. Later, while working on a graduate degree in counseling, I started learning how various methods of inner work are used specifically for improving mental health.

When I entered Freemasonry, I brought this background with me. In fact, in that esoteric philosophy course my term project was an investigation of Freemasonry. As I read exposures of the ritual and some of the more well-known Masonic authors, it seemed clear to me that the Craft was, at least theoretically, an initiatic society in which contemplation was recognized as an important element of personal and spiritual transformation. That was exciting to me because I had grown up in a Masonic family and many of our family friends were Masons, and they were all very tightlipped about it. I began to wonder if all these men were intentionally doing contemplative practice but not speaking about it outside of their private meetings. 

Once I was initiated, I discovered that they were not doing anything contemplative beyond ordinary prayer, learning catechisms, and performing rituals from memory. Yet, I also realized that I wasn’t the only one who had come to the Fraternity with hopes like mine. That’s when I decided that my Masonic career would be about serving as an advocate, facilitator, and consultant for contemplative practice in the Craft.

**PAA: How do you differentiate between contemplation and meditation in your teachings, and what are the key elements of each?**

For most of us, these words are somewhat interchangeable. In the academic world, *contemplation* is typically a kind of umbrella term used for a broad and diverse field of methods for intentionally shifting consciousness into different kinds of awareness. Typically, it involves focusing on something the practitioner wants to experience and understand in deeper ways, which may also be aimed at the development and application of various skills for wellbeing and service to others. Contemplative practices include meditation, but also things like prayer, ritual, dialogue, reflection, journaling, and study. When I speak of meditation in this context, I am usually referring to quietly sitting still, usually with eyes closed, and the mind withdrawn from external awareness to be used in a particular way. Meditation can include very active elements like breathwork, imagery, or chanting. But it may also be aimed at states in which awareness intentionally does not pursue thoughts, emotions, and perceptions, but attempts to remain as open and unattached as possible. Of course, meditative states of consciousness can also be combined with external awareness, as in viewing art, symbolic images, and in movement, as we see in walking labyrinths, Tai Chi, Hatha Yoga, and performance of ritual.

**PAA: What do you believe are the most significant benefits of integrating contemplative practices into daily life, particularly for Freemasons?**

For me, the fundamental working tool of the Builder’s Art is the thing that makes it possible for us to use any of the other working tools. That most basic tool is the mind itself. Our standard educational systems teach us to use the mind in various ways, yet they do very little to help us more directly attend to and experiment with the complex interplay of our thoughts, emotions, and sensory perceptions. But through contemplative practice, we can become more aware of these internal dynamics, and we can even focus on attending to and understanding them. That kind of inner work directly relates to the idea of perfecting the ashlar, which represents the psyche or soul of the individual Mason. We’re tasked with removing the vices and superfluities of ourselves, which requires more of our attention to be turned inward in self-awareness and self-assessment. Also consider the Cardinal and Theological Virtues. Each of them is much more than just a way of acting. In fact, our actions cannot be genuinely virtuous if we’re not managing our thoughts and emotions to make good choices for good reasons. To manage them well, we must be looking clearly into our own motives, intentions, and desires, and discovering our own assumptions, blind spots, biases, and habits of thought and behavior. Finally, Masonic ritual repeatedly encourages us to develop our relationship with the Great Architect of the Universe, to see the GAOTU’s handiwork in nature, and realize our inner bond or union with the Divine. Contemplative practices can help us do the work of Masonry in all these ways.

## Contemplation and Rosicrucianism

**PAA: In "A Rose Croix Oratory," you discuss the connection between Rosicrucianism and Masonic practices. How does contemplation enhance this connection?**

At the most basic level, both traditions are about improving ourselves and having a more beneficial impact on the world around us. Each has its own literature, rituals, symbolism, and other practices to facilitate that work. And I assert that in certain places the two traditions overtly intersect, such as in the Knight Rose Croix of the Scottish Rite and with the Masonic Societas Rosicruciana. One thing contemplation can do is help us understand their similarities and differences with greater depth, and thus appreciate their uniqueness and their complementarity.  

> In all these methods, one reverently seeks to directly receive internal guidance and other kinds of assistance that the mind cannot access by ordinary means.
>
> Chuck Dunning

**PAA: Can you explain how contemplative techniques can deepen one's understanding of Rosicrucian principles?**

Everything I wrote about contemplative practice in Masonry is also relevant here. So, for now I will focus on the issue of developing one’s relationship with the Divine. I see that as a more obvious aspect of Rosicrucianism than of Masonry, at least in the Blue Lodge. In this context, a very important kind of contemplative practice is making ourselves more available to different kinds of knowing, like intuition and inspiration, perhaps even divine revelation. Such experiences can occur through the careful disciplined use of imagery techniques in which we attempt to communicate with spiritual beings. In Christian terms, we might do so with Jesus, Mary, angels, or saints. But the work might also involve connecting with the intelligences associated with the sefirot and paths of the Kabbalistic Tree of Life, which usually include planetary and zodiacal identities. In all these methods, one reverently seeks to directly receive internal guidance and other kinds of assistance that the mind cannot access by ordinary means. And then there is energy work, which is learning to identify, amplify, direct, and harmonize the subtle energies of the body, mind, and soul. In the process, we can make ourselves better able to serve as a conduit for spiritual influences in the material world, better instruments for the Divine.

**PAA: What advantages do you see in self-initiated contemplative practices within Rosicrucianism, and how can one effectively engage in them?**

My view is that working with a suitably qualified teacher or mentor is nearly always best, but that working independently may be a good way to get started in traditions like Rosicrucianism. It’s also true that some people who only work independently still benefit greatly from their efforts, and so I’m not one to say it’s always a foolish choice. In fact, getting started on one’s own can often be logistically easier and feel safer. 

Most of us live overly complicated lives and have so many obligations and pastimes that we are already challenged with giving ourselves basic self-care, like getting enough sleep, eating well, exercising, and receiving proper health care. If we’re going to add contemplative practices to the mix, then determining for ourselves about when and how often that happens might be less challenging than trying to accommodate the expectations of an order, school, or teacher. Also, there are people living in areas where such groups, mentors, or teachers are not readily available for in-person contact. Under these circumstances, one may have to choose between working with others at a distance or working independently.

Furthermore, many people have natural concerns about opening their inner lives to a group or teacher, especially when one considers the risks of cult-like behaviors and groups or so-called teachers who are driven by motives other than serving your best interests. Even in perfectly ethical circumstances, mentors, teachers, and co-members understandably need deeper levels of personal knowledge about you in order to help support your spiritual growth, and that can understandably feel very dicey to some people. Getting started on one’s own might help one prepare for that kind of intimacy by developing greater awareness, understanding, and competence with oneself and the history, concepts, and practices of Rosicrucianism.

## Contemplation and Freemasonry

**PAA: As a Knight of the Eagle and Pelican, how have contemplative practices influenced your Masonic journey? **

Speaking specifically of the Rose Croix Degree, contemplative practices have assisted me with developing deeper insight into its symbolism and instructions. Importantly, this kind of insight is not limited to historical information and philosophical ideas, but how its teachings speak to me in more personal ways, how they are relevant to my soul, the things that drive me, my relationships, and my actions in the world. While I’ve given that degree more attention than most, the same is true to some extent for every degree or initiation I’ve ever received in Masonry, Rosicrucianism, or other tradition.

As an example, one of the most significant teachings of the Knight Rose Croix for me is about the alchemical idea of the resolution of contraries or harmonization of opposites. In the degree as I received it, that lesson was illustrated through the problem of good and evil, analogized as the light and dark threads of a tapestry, the tapestry of the created world being woven through time. Contemplating this imagery helps me appreciate how limited and narrow our judgments can be about right and wrong, good and evil, and other apparent binaries. The degree emphasizes that love is the third element that brings about the resolution we need. It helps us be more open to the mysterious and complex interplay of an incomprehensible number of factors in every person’s heart and mind, and therefore in the decisions they make. So, meditations on this lesson, and reflections on my attempts to incorporate it in my life, have helped me become less judgmental, less arrogantly certain of the superiority of my own preferences and choices. I am more open to learning and changing, more tolerant and compassionate toward others.

**PAA: From your experience, how receptive are Freemasons to the idea of incorporating meditation into their practices? What challenges do you face in promoting this?**

Most seem at least open to learning more about such things and even trying them. In my experience, the overwhelming majority of Freemasons who actually participate in a well-facilitated contemplative activity absolutely love it and want more of it. I can’t begin to count the number of times someone has said they had their doubts, but after such an event reported they could then understand and support contemplation as being a worthwhile part of the Builder’s Art. 

One of the challenges is that it can be easy to assume that this is something totally foreign to Freemasonry, even irrelevant to it. Connected with this attitude are sometimes other misunderstandings, like the mistaken belief that such practices are all from Asian cultures and therefore unfitting for a Western tradition, that they somehow aren’t things that masculine men should do, that not everyone has the ability to do them, or that there is no real practical benefit to them. A small percentage of Masons seem to resist the possibility of including contemplation in Masonic experience simply because it doesn’t fit with their view that the Craft is “just a fraternity” or a community service organization. Some are worried that it might become an unsanctioned addition to the traditional rituals they so firmly believe should be preserved without modification. Unfortunately, desires for political power and an egoic sense of personal ownership over what does and does not happen in an organization can also occasionally be impediments. And it’s also true that fears associated with risks I mentioned earlier can get in the way. Even people with no experience in contemplative practice can sense that it might lead to them seeing things about themselves that they would prefer to avoid, let alone reveal to anyone else.

As an advocate for contemplative practice in Freemasonry, I feel a responsibility to be prepared to welcome such challenges with empathy, understanding, personal authenticity as a practitioner, and reliable information. The importance of these matters was a significant factor in why I wrote my second book, *The Contemplative Lodge: A Manual for Masons Doing Inner Work Together*, which has a lot of material about preparing for the demands and developing the skills of contemplative leadership.

**PAA: How do you see the relationship between contemplative practice and the initiatic journey within Freemasonry?**

A great deal of what I have already written is relevant to this question. At this point, I will simply say this: Initiation can be thought of as turning one’s life in a different direction. If I want to be different, then I need to act differently. If I want to act differently, then I need to think and perceive differently. If I want to think and perceive differently, then I need to learn to tune consciousness differently. Contemplative practice refines our ability to tune consciousness. 

> There are two fundamental skills that everyone needs to develop for progressing in contemplative practice, regardless of any tradition, school, or system they follow – relaxation and concentration.
>
> Chuck Dunning

## Contemplative Techniques and Practices

**PAA: Can you describe some core contemplative techniques you recommend, such as breath awareness or visualization? How can these be integrated into everyday life?**

There are two fundamental skills that everyone needs to develop for progressing in contemplative practice, regardless of any tradition, school, or system they follow – relaxation and concentration. Unfortunately, some schools or teachers do not emphasize these skills, or students fail to take them seriously enough. Then people try to jump straight into more complex forms of inner work and either wonder why they struggle, or they delude themselves that they’re doing better work than they really are. 

There are many ways to relax the body and ease thoughts and emotions into a calmer state. Taking a few slow deep cleansing breaths is always a good start. One of my favorite next steps is attending to the sensation of gravity pulling down on the body. Slowly progressing from the feet to the top of the head, the practitioner feels gravity pulling down on specific muscle groups – feet, legs, abdomen, chest, shoulders, arms and hands, neck, face, scalp – noting and releasing any tension in those muscles that isn’t needed to remain in a healthy posture.  That process alone might be enough, but there are other relaxation techniques that can be added in, such as various breathing techniques. In any case, the importance of proper relaxation cannot be understated, especially for those who are relatively inexperienced with contemplative practice. Relaxation is an essential skill that begins tuning consciousness by shifting the body, thoughts, and emotions into a quieter and calmer state in which other kinds of work can be done more effectively.

Relaxation of this sort can be easily worked into our daily lives in many ways. For example, you can occasionally remind yourself to take a deep breath, feel gravity pulling down throughout the body, and let go of unnecessary muscle tensions. With repetition, and especially if it is routinely supported by the more extensive practice given above, this can be done quickly. It is very beneficial to our physical health and comfort, which in turn improves our emotional and mental state. You can even make this practice habitual by pairing it with common moments, like just before you leave home for work, just before you eat a meal, and just before you leave work to return home. It’s a great response anytime you feel the discomfort of tense muscles, such as in your brow, jaw, neck, shoulders, back, or anywhere else.

Concentration, the ability to hold a consistent mental focus, is also crucial. Almost everyone, even very experienced contemplatives, including myself, can be challenged to keep our awareness centered on one thing for a prolonged period. Our ordinary ways of thinking involve automatically noticing sensory perceptions and making associations between them and memories or other thoughts and feelings. We can then go off on a tangent of thought and completely forget how it even started. In many ways, society rewards this habit, and we also learn to rely on external factors to help us focus, like clocks, calendars, checklists, outlines, or the watchful eye of a teacher, supervisor, or coworker. Some people swing between a lack of focus and hyperfocus, but with little control. In fact, intentionally maintaining focus can be so difficult for some people that they assume they can’t do it at all. There do seem to be some neurophysiological differences that affect people’s ability to concentrate, but it is also true that most people can develop greater ability. And, like building muscular strength and flexibility, it takes practice.

One time-tested method for building this strength is counting the breath. Close your eyes, relax, and begin mentally counting each cycle of inhalation and exhalation, such as, “In one. Out one. In two. Out two. In three. Out three.” Many people find it difficult at first to get to 10. From my early experiences, I recall getting lost in thought many times before reaching 10, or I went past 10 and didn’t wake up to what was happening until I was at 12 or 13! In either case, the practice calls for simply starting over at 1 each time you realize you have lost focus on the count. Once you can consistently get to 10, then work on getting to 10 sets of 10. When you can do that, if you want to take it up another notch, then add staring at a candle flame while doing so. 

When struggling with concentration, it can be tempting to feel disappointed and frustrated, but those feelings don’t help. They arise from unrealistic and unfair expectations of ourselves. Instead, it helps to start with the understanding that such distracted moments are very common because part of us just works that way. So, it’s very good practice to simply accept them, relax, gently return to the intended focus, and give yourself credit for having caught the distraction. Catching oneself in the act of losing concentration and responding with patient gentle self-redirection is a very important set of mental and emotional skills that have benefits far beyond this specific context. 

This concentration practice often has immediate benefits in our ordinary lives. People tend to become more mindful of their own relative level of focus or distraction and better able to redirect themselves to whatever they mean to attend to. As a dear friend likes to say, it is about integrating our *at*-tention with our *in*-tention. 

**PAA: In your recent video, you mentioned the importance of reflective practice. How can this be applied to enhance one’s Masonic experience?**

Freemasonry teaches a lot of lessons about living a more virtuous life, having healthier relationships with others, making good decisions, and managing our time and energy well. In reflective practice, we take moments to recall and contemplate our recent actions in the social and material world, assessing the degree to which we were successful in accomplishing the changes to which we aspire. Reflection can and should help us learn more about the circumstances and people we relate to, but Masonically the emphasis is on better understanding oneself. This inner work greatly magnifies our ability to make the symbols and allegories of our rituals into more than fascinating images, fancy words, and noble ideas. In the language of our tradition, it’s paying attention to where our working tools actually meet the stones of our lives.

Such reflection can occur as a case-by-case self-debriefing with different experiences in our lives. A great little trick for this practice is to employ the W3 method, or “Liberating Structure,” developed by Henri Lipmanowicz and Keith McCandless. One way this structure is liberating is by revealing habitual assumptions, attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors that have not been working well for us, and that we may not have even known were happening. We begin to better understand how such habits are like chains on us, holding us back from being healthier and more virtuous.

The method begins with asking yourself, “WHAT? What happened? What did I see, hear, feel, etc.? How did I react? What facts or observations stood out?” Then, after all these basic observations have been made, you ask, “SO WHAT? Why is that important? What might I have learned about myself? What patterns or conclusions are emerging? What hypotheses can I make?” Then, after exploring the meaning of the experience, ask, “NOW WHAT? What actions make sense? How can I apply my insights, and when and where might I do so?” 

Reflection can also be something we do for each entire day before we go to bed. One traditional method is to review the day’s events in reverse order. This process tends to help us have a different perspective on things, seeing patterns and correlations that we might have otherwise missed. 

In either form of the practice, case-by-case or daily, journaling can be significantly beneficial. The act of writing things out is itself a contemplative practice that facilitates insights we might not otherwise have. Furthermore, it establishes a record to which we can return for later reflection, perhaps as we encounter similar situations in the future. Some people find great value in frequent, even routine, journaling of this sort. Others make good use of it only for the events and times of their life that seem most perplexing or poignant. 

**PAA: How do rituals within Freemasonry serve as a form of contemplation, and what insights can be gained from this perspective?**

Rituals focus our attention on specific symbols and ideas, so in that alone they are contemplative. But in Masonry they are like elaborate scripted meditations complete with a potentially mind-altering rhythm of repeating words and actions, and perhaps low light and incense smoke to tune consciousness even further. Studies show that rituals help us recall things, in part because of recurring exposure to the same symbols and ideas, but also because they occur with physical objects in three-dimensional space. Our memories work better when we can associate ideas with tangible experiences in physical locations. Studies also show that rituals contribute to the value and commitment we give to their content and implications. All these factors mean that the elements of frequently performed rituals get deeply imbedded in our psyches and integrated into our attitudes and reactions. This is why active Masons so often find an element of Masonic ritual popping up in association with an experience they are having in the profane world, while they are reading something else, or within a dream. Once we know these things about ritual, if we practice mindfulness in ritual, keeping ourselves relaxed, attending to our mental, emotional and physical experience of the elements of the ritual while they are happening, then insights, intuitions, inspirations, and poignant questions can more easily come to us in the moment. Then practicing reflection on the ritual after it is finished magnifies the possibilities of finding meaning and actualizing the ritual’s teachings in our lives. To facilitate diving into the contemplative depths of our ritual, in my book, *Contemplative Masonry*, there is a set of personal mindfulness exercises, and *The Contemplative Lodge* includes pre- and post-ritual group meditation scripts.

## Challenges and Pitfalls of Contemplative Practice

**PAA: What common challenges do practitioners face when starting their contemplative journeys, particularly within a Masonic context? Also in your experience, what misunderstandings about contemplation might hinder practitioners from fully engaging with it?**

I’m going to address these two questions together since common challenges and misunderstandings are so interconnected. We’ve already covered some of them, like not fully developing relaxation and concentration skills before attempting more complicated methods. We also talked about the misconception that difficulty with distraction and wandering attention mean that one isn’t suited for contemplative practice. The challenge with making time for practice has been touched on. 

Another common challenge is rooted in the desire and/or misunderstanding that contemplative practices should frequently, if not always, produce significant moments of insight, immediately lifechanging psychospiritual impacts, astounding synchronicities, or powerful experiences like visions, communication with spiritual beings, or psychic phenomena. Of course, all these wonderful things are possible, but expecting them has its risks. On the one hand, this tendency can set some people up for great disappointment, boredom, or false self-judgment as unworthy or unfit for such things. On the other hand, it can predispose yet others to generate wish-fulfilling delusions, imagining that they have experienced what has been hoped for. 

The truth is that, from a more egoic perspective, routine contemplative practice can be real work, often unentertaining, even burdensome, and sometimes slow to produce noticeable results. It is often only in the long term that we can look back and see the meaningful differences contemplation has facilitated in our lives. But these things are true of every art, science, field of study, or sport. Our consciousness isn’t some magic machine waiting for us to simply press the right button and then it does something dazzling and profound. There are some chemicals, like entheogens, that can facilitate such experiences, and there are ancient traditions and new therapeutic practices in which their use is carefully managed. But the chemicals alone rarely produce the kinds of lasting healing, character development, and stable realizations that come through sustained disciplined inner work.

Many people have the notion that contemplative practice always means feeling more positive feelings and less negative feelings. As a general rule, and over longer spans of time, I agree with that view. However, there are times when it can lead to very disturbing insights about oneself, one’s relationships, or the world. Inner work can sometimes intensify feelings like guilt, shame, regret, anger, and sadness. In a contemplative way of life, we sit with those feelings rather than run from them, and we look directly at the experiences they relate to rather than distract ourselves with other things. We try to exercise nonjudgmental acceptance rather than resort to the habitual knee-jerk reactions that so often make us unaware, uncompassionate, foolish human beings. 

Finally, there is the misunderstanding that we can, or should be able to, accurately foresee or even determine exactly how inner work will change us. There are many problems here, but behind the veil of this misunderstanding is either arrogance about one’s own present level of understanding and wisdom, or fear of change, and both may be at work at the same time. Eventually every sincere practitioner comes to realize that they are being changed in ways that they don’t fully understand, and that their own being is an unfolding mystery. 

**PAA: How can individuals balance the solitary nature of contemplation with the need for community support in their practice?**

An observation I’d like to start with is that both Freemasonry and Rosicrucianism point toward the interconnectedness of all beings, indeed all things, at least as a desirable goal if not as an immediately present fact. One implication is that no individual can ever attain the fullest potential of Light, Life, and Love without every other individual also doing so. Whether you see interconnectedness as the way things really are, or see it as an ideal to be attained, the wellbeing and improvement of both the individual and the collective depend on each other. All well-functioning and healthy spiritual communities recognize this truth and attempt to exist and evolve in accord with it.

Every one of us, whether introvert or extrovert, is a social being; it’s part of human nature for us to learn, grow, improve ourselves, and find peace and joy in connection with others. There is perhaps a small percentage of people whose life is best lived mostly in seclusion, but neither the Craft nor Rosicrucianism recommends it. Yet, all of us also benefit from time alone, withdrawn from the ordinary demands of life in this world, and not just for sleep. Contemplatives therefore profit by finding ways to connect their practice with a like-minded community as well as pursuing it in solitary times.

Benefits of finding a community include and are not limited to these:

- A sense of not being alone and of belonging, which are fundamental needs for wellbeing

- Encouragement for times when motivation wanes or anxiety and uncertainty rise

- Gaining perspective by seeing oneself through the eyes of others

- Mentoring and guidance from others with more experience

- Assessment and accountability in one’s practice

- The synergy of insight that so often occurs when groups engage in dialogue

- Opportunities to serve others in all the previously noted ways  

The guidance or examples of others can be helpful, but each of us must find our own sense of balance in how much and which ways we most need time with a community and time in our solitary practice. Striking that balance can be tricky because people often find what seems best for them and then proclaim that as the way it should be for others. Similarly, groups may develop a group mind, or even an egregore, that pressures members to prioritize group involvement beyond what might be optimal for some individuals. 

One test to help determine the right mix is to evaluate how well community involvement and solitary practice complement each other. Does participation in the group have a positive effect on the frequency, consistency, depth, and results of one’s solitary work? Does solitary work support and enhance what one brings to the group and experiences with other members? If ‘yes’ is the answer to both questions, then the individual is probably close to a good balancing point. Of course, that point can change for various reasons, so it’s best not to assume that what has recently seemed ideal will remain so. Contemplating the ongoing process of such balance is a good practice in itself!

## Contemplation and Mental Health

**PAA: There is a growing interest in the mental health benefits of contemplative practices. What are your thoughts on this trend, especially regarding Freemasonry?**

In focusing on mental health, we should understand that it has two major categories. One category is developmental, which is about the typical challenges that must be faced, and abilities that must be formed, for people to have good psychological hygiene and age and mature well. The other category is therapy, or trying to recover and heal from behavioral, emotional, and mental crises, illnesses, or disorders. Of course, there is a lot of interconnectedness between these two categories, but we need to understand that mental health isn’t only a concern for people we would judge as psychologically sick or imbalanced. All of us have mental health needs, just like we all have other kinds of health and hygiene needs. 

For most people, it’s easy to see that Freemasonry offers many lessons and tools about mental health, especially in the developmental vein, but not entirely excluding the therapeutic. It’s no wonder that so many Masons are drawn to the work of psychologists like Carl Jung, who recognize the importance of mystery in our lives, and of symbolism, myth, and ritual for helping us attain greater self-awareness, harmonious integration of our various faculties, and actualization as fully functioning adults and members of society. 

To me, it is a very good thing that more Masons are appreciating the intersection of psychology and the Builders Art. There is a growing body of scientific data that can be very useful to us in better understanding and employing the tools and designs of our tradition. In particular, research on the application of contemplative methods has seen significant growth over the last 20 years or so. The findings consistently indicate how very helpful appropriate contemplative techniques can be for all sorts of developmental and mental health issues. 

**PAA: How can contemplation assist individuals dealing with stress or anxiety? Can you share any personal insights on its effectiveness?**

Contemplative practices can help in many ways. To begin with, refining our relaxation and concentration skills in meditation makes them much more available to us at other times. Contemplation can also assist with developing better self-awareness, so that we recognize the warning signs of stress and anxiety earlier and can begin managing things before they get more severe. Through mindfulness and reflection, we can also develop better understanding of our own unique susceptibility to various stressors and anxiety triggers, as well as clearer understanding of how and why these things are challenging to us. 

Contemplation can further assist with generating options for how we can avoid setting ourselves up, and with preparing for healthier responses when we have begun to be affected by stressors and triggers. For example, we can use imagery techniques to envision ourselves in potentially stressful situations, imagining ourselves employing wiser and more effective coping methods than we have used in the past. This kind of inner work is essentially the same methodology that elite athletes use to enhance their performance. 

There are plenty of studies and personal testimonies about the effectiveness of such practices. In my own life and the lives of people I have served, I have seen it make significant differences in breaking old habits, recovering from addictions, improving relationships, and being more successful and satisfied with one’s career. Beyond behavioral change, research is showing that contemplative practices can result in physical changes within the brain, which in turn enable people to have significantly different abilities to process their thoughts and emotions. 

**PAA: Are there specific adaptations of contemplative practices that you recommend for those facing unique mental health challenges?**

Let’s just say that there are countless ways such things can be adapted for the needs of any individual. However, for this interview it wouldn’t be wise to go beyond the basic advice given above. For specific issues, there are many workbooks available for purchase that include the use of different contemplative methods for different mental health needs. Beyond that, I would strongly encourage that people with such interests look for a therapist or counselor who is licensed or certified and has a professional history of including contemplative practices in their work. 

## Contemplation and Spiritual Growth

**PAA: How do you define spiritual growth through contemplation, and what milestones might practitioners expect along this path?**

Well, I must start by saying that whatever I say is only my view. There are so many different ideas out there about what ‘spiritual growth’ means, that I cannot address the topic comprehensively here. Even so, I think my perspective resonates reasonably well with many others. 

To some folks it may seem a little cliché or trite, but one of the most fundamental aspects of spiritual growth is the courageous development of self-awareness and self-understanding, which I’ve already addressed in some different ways. I find a lot of wisdom in the works of Plato, and in his dialogues, he has Socrates saying that knowing the self is the whole point of initiation into the Mysteries. Similarly, Plato’s predecessor, Pythagoras, is often attributed with having said that self-knowledge is the way to divine knowledge.  We find similar messages in many other traditions around the globe. 

There are some other things that I regard as milestones, or what I have called [‘Hallmarks of Being on a Mystical Path’ on my blog](https://chuckdunning.com/index.php/2024/04/01/hallmarks-of-being-on-a-mystical-path/). They are as follows:

- Attraction to oneness – awakening to the unity and interconnectedness of things

- Reverence – awe and respect for the scaredness of things

- Compassion – empathy and care for others

- Equanimity – an evenness of temper in which one calmly faces and responds to the immediate reality, no matter what it is

- Contemplative practice – consistently turning inward for greater insight, inspiration, and intuition

With these hallmarks I note that there are significant intersections with the virtues extolled by many different traditions and teachers, definitely including the Four Cardinal and Three Theological Virtues of Freemasonry. I regard the roles of humility and fortitude as especially noteworthy in each of those five points.

**PAA: In what ways does contemplation foster qualities like self-awareness and compassion among practitioners?**

Since I have already said so much about self-awareness, I’ll focus on compassion. Simply put, greater self-awareness leads to greater appreciation of the fact that we struggle with the mysteries of life and living up to our ideals just like everyone else on this planet. So, the more we contemplate our own shortcomings, weaknesses, ignorance, errors, and temptations to be less that virtuous, then we more naturally feel the mental, emotional, and physical impact that others feel in their struggles. Their pain, sadness, frustration, shame, guilt, and other such feelings are familiar to us because we have deeply known them in ourselves. That is the beginning of compassion. Compassion deepens as we gain more insight from contemplating our own experience of how hard it can be to change for the better, and then apply that insight to others. We take a further step into *active* compassion when we are moved to help others because, in our contemplations of self, we have discovered how much we have benefitted, or at least could have benefitted, from the help of others. 

**PAA: How can contemplative practices be harmonized with various spiritual or religious traditions beyond Freemasonry?**

Every religious tradition has its contemplative elements, although for various reasons they may not all be commonly known or practiced. Ritual, prayer, dialogue, and study are typical contemplative activities for the widest variety of spiritual communities. Meditative techniques can also be found in the mainstream of many traditions, while in some they may usually be reserved for only the most devout and/or those willing to follow a less traveled path, such as monastics and hermits. A religion may also have contemplative traditions associated with it that are largely shunned if not condemned by mainstream authorities. Examples in Christianity include a vast number of gnostic, illuminist, and theosophical traditions. Seekers may have to do a great deal of research and contemplative soul-searching to discern and take the steps that are right for them.

In this context, I’d like to comment on how contemplation in Freemasonry and contemplation in one’s non-Masonic religion or spirituality can complement each other. Our ritual obviously references the Holy Bible and has a philosophical background in both Christian and Jewish theologies. And yet, in Masonic jurisdictions that abide by Anderson’s Constitutions, there is no specific religious requirement for the Blue or Craft Lodge degrees. Furthermore, we are charged to abstain from religious dispute and proselytizing. So, Masons commonly say that the Craft is religious but not a religion, and we uphold the right, even the responsibility, of members to interpret (i.e. speculate on) the symbols in accord with their own faith and best understanding. It’s important to regard that as responsibility, because we promise our candidates that nothing about our traditional will interfere with their duty to God. To form personally meaningful interpretations of (i.e. speculations on) our symbols and plumb the depths of the harmony between the Builder’s Art and one’s religion/spirituality, it is necessary to contemplate those symbols. Of course, it is also necessary to carefully contemplate the various aspects of one’s religious/spiritual beliefs and practices. This deeper dive is one reason we find so many Masonic authors asserting that the practice of Masonry can and should lead one to a greater appreciation of and more meaningful relationship with whatever religion/spirituality they identify with.

## Contemplation and Society

**PAA: In your recent video, you discussed the potential applications of contemplative practices in various fields like education or politics. What are your thoughts on this integration?**

For one thing, being contemplative includes being a critical thinker, and even being open to divergent thinking in oneself as well as others. These ways of thinking are among the many mental skills that contemplatives can and should develop and refine. However, they are also skills that naturally lead us to question ourselves, and we may thus become more aware of how familial and cultural conditioning has predisposed us to think and act in certain ways. It is then a fitting next step to more critically examine the rules, norms, and assumptions of the communities that have shaped our development. Communities are usually uncomfortable with being so deeply questioned by anyone, and often especially their own members. Yet without such people, social systems tend to stagnate, stop evolving, and become tyrannical, fragile, ineffective, and hostile to their own participants achieving the greater potentials of human nature. Therefore, societies of all types and sizes need contemplatives in fields like education and politics who are empowered to reach for ever deeper insights about why things are the way they are, the consequences that are being created by what and how things are or are not being done, the underlying beliefs and assumptions upon which everything is based, and why and how things could be different and even better. Indeed, I’m convinced that any Mason who intentionally engages with the contemplative dimension of the Craft is better prepared to be that kind of presence in society.

**PAA: How can contemplative practice contribute to social justice movements? What actions can practitioners take to align their practice with advocacy work?**

This area is one in which the contemplative development of compassion is especially important. The issues of social justice are extremely complex, and their complexity is compounded by the urgency with which compassion drives us to do something about the physical, mental, emotional, economic, and social suffering caused by injustice. So, we can rationally understand that when compassion is not integrated with wisdom it can be ineffective, even counterproductive, and may also create entirely new problems. Contemplative practice helps us dig deeper into these complexities to develop the best possible responses given all the available information.

An enormously important aspect of the complexity in social justice advocacy is practicing the self-awareness and self-understanding we’ve been repeatedly considering in this interview. Advocates have a duty to understand their own motives, intentions, biases, and ignorance as clearly as possible. This kind of personal insight is invaluable because it can help us see how, when, and why we might be predisposed to react to situations and people in ways that are less wise, compassionate, and virtuous. In turn, such self-awareness helps us avoid acting in counterproductive and harmful ways. One example relevant to this point is advocates for social justice acting unjustly toward those judged as oppressors. Along the way, both wisdom and compassion have been lost because one’s own feelings of trauma and violation have demanded the seemingly quick and easy solution of simply eliminating the perceived enemy.

A third point is interwoven with the previous paragraphs, which is the role of contemplative practice in self-care for social justice advocates. It’s a bit of a cliché that advocates so often become reactionary, embittered, cynical, hostile, destructive, or simply burn out and despairingly give up. The extent to which that is true for anyone is an indicator of the degree to which one is not attending to and caring for oneself. This is a case in point for the previous discussion on how contemplative practice can help with stress and anxiety. The wisdom and compassion of contemplative self-care enables one to be wiser and more compassionate, and thus more effective, in caring for others.

The last point is that from a mystical perspective all our social and political problems are based on a spiritual problem, which is the illusion of separation from the Source, our fellow human beings, and all other things in creation. In this view, legal, financial, material, and ordinary educational assistance will never cure humanity of injustice. Such efforts are important, even necessary, but they will always be insufficient without directly addressing the illusion of separation. That issue cannot be adequately approached at either individual or collective levels without contemplation. Therefore, humanity needs more advocates for contemplative practice and more attention and effort being given to engaging people of all ages, and in all aspects of society, in contemplation of this illusion and of the truth of our interconnectedness and ultimate unity.

**PAA: What role does contemplation play in fostering understanding among diverse communities? Can you share any experiences that highlight this impact?**

Finding and nurturing common ground is a central challenge for individuals and communities in contact with others who seem different, and we must be successful in meeting that challenge if we want peace and prosperity for all. In Freemasonry, we address this challenge through the lesson of the Trowel and in the legend that King Solomon’s Temple, which was only built through the collaborative effort of people from different nations, religions, and social customs. 

Everything I’ve written about the development of self-awareness, self-care, compassion, and interconnectedness is vital here, and without working at those things then we are limited in our ability to listen contemplatively. This kind of listening does not begin with the assumption that for every issue there is only one right, or even best, answer for all people always. Thus, there is no imperative to jump into argument and debate about what that one answer is, let alone force its acceptance. Contemplative listening also does not begin with the effort to drive directly toward a solution or an agreement. It therefore sets aside our habits of making assumptions that we already adequately understand, and analyzing, judging, and preparing to make counterpoints. Instead, our highest priority is to understand others from their own perspectives, to learn to see things as they see them, to empathize with them, and discover the logic of their perspectives, because there always is a logic. If we don’t actively make deep mutual understanding the initial and continuing priority through the practice of contemplative listening, then we are likely to be severely hampered in our ability to find and grow common ground with others. Such listening not only builds understanding, but trust, loyalty, and the willingness to compromise and collaborate toward the greatest mutual benefits.

Some of my personal relevant experiences in this regard include serving as a therapist for couples in crisis, blended families in conflict, and with business, athletic teams, and other organizations troubled by disharmony. Other examples include working with groups of students and members of the staff and faculty on a university campus. In fact, I helped develop and implement an award-winning training that uses contemplative listening as an essential element of dialogue between individuals and groups who are different from each other. It’s impossible for me to count the number of times I’ve seen major misunderstandings dissolved, conflicts resolved, and beautiful partnerships developed by people practicing this kind of listening.

## Closing Thoughts and Advice

**PAA: If someone is interested in exploring contemplative practices, what initial steps would you recommend they take? Are there specific resources or exercises that could serve as a foundation for their journey?**

The first thing is to just try it and see for yourself what it’s like, what you find rewarding about it and what you find challenging. You might begin with basic breathwork, such as box breathing. In this method, you inhale gently and deeply for a count of four, then pause for a count of four, then exhale gently for a count of four, then pause for a count of four. These four equal “sides” constitute the “box.” Just do that whole cycle ten times, with eyes open or closed, and then notice the physical, emotional, and mental effects it has. 

Another beginning exercise is to close your eyes, relax, be still, and just pay attention to what’s happening inside you. In effect, notice and think about your thoughts, whatever is happening in your mind’s eye, the physical sensations that arise, any emotions, and the desires or urges you feel. Watch how they come and go, and one thing leads into another. Also try to get a sense of the “container” or “screen” of consciousness itself, the “place” where all that activity is happening. Recognize that part of you can just observe all these internal events without getting tied down to them or lost in them. There is a lot to learn about oneself in such practice, and it’s something that even very seasoned practitioners continue to do.

The previously explained exercises of relaxation and concentration are worth referencing here too.

For those looking for some guided assistance, there are lots of guided meditations available through apps and other forms of media. I offer some guided contemplative exercises on my YouTube Channel. [You can find them with this link](https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLIEgroTn4Q4KiE3c2usSmGhI2awbcYISi). 

People especially interested in working with the contemplative dimension of Freemasonry should consider getting my books, which are all published by [Stone Guild](https://stoneguildpublishing.com/) and available through [Amazon](https://www.amazon.com/s?i=stripbooks&rh=p_27%3AC.+R.+Dunning+Jr.). They are:

[*Contemplative Masonry: Basic Applications of Mindfulness, Meditation, and Imagery for the Craft* (2016)](https://www.amazon.com/Contemplative-Masonry-Applications-Mindfulness-Meditation-ebook/dp/B06XKTSQYD)

[*The Contemplative Lodge: A Manual for Masons Doing Inner Work Together* (2021)](https://www.amazon.com/Contemplative-Lodge-Manual-Masons-Together/dp/1605320765)

[*A Rose Croix Oratory: Rosicrucian Resources and Reflections from a Knight of the Eagle and Pelican* (2023)](https://www.amazon.com/Rose-Croix-Oratory-Rosicrucian-Reflections/dp/1605320773)

[*The Mystic Tie and the Way of Oneness: Masonry’s Mystical Quest for Unity, Wholeness, and Harmony* (Coming in the Autumn of 2024)](https://chuckdunning.com/index.php/2024/01/03/news-about-my-forthcoming-book/)

For anyone wanting more evidence of the value of contemplative practices, I would suggest getting online and looking at all the research related to relaxation techniques, breathwork, meditation, mindfulness, reflective practice, visualization, journaling, and ritual. There is also a growing number of books on evidence-based approaches to using such methods for a variety of purposes. They’re a little dated now, but two such volumes I have frequently recommended are these:

[*Altered Traits: Science Reveals How Meditation Changes Your Mind, Brain, and Body*, by David Goleman & Richard J. Davidson (Avery, 2017)](https://www.amazon.com/Altered-Traits-Science-Reveals-Meditation/dp/0399184392)

[*Contemplative Practices in Action: Spirituality, Meditation, and Health,* by Thomas G. Plante, et al. (Praeger, 2010)](https://www.amazon.co.uk/Experience-Meditation-Experts-Introduce-Traditions/dp/155778857X)

**PAA: Thank you for taking part in this interview and for sharing so generously, we very much appreciate it.**

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