Centurion #195 Lodge

10/06/2026

The story George Lucas created is more complex and detailed than I can represent in one small article on Facebook. But it's important to note some of the key events that trace the Hero's Journey for Luke Skywalker and how it relates to the Mason's life once he steps on the path.

The original Star Wars film tells a story that mirrors the journey of a man seeking light and purpose. Luke Skywalker begins his life feeling out of place. He works hard on his uncle’s farm, but he senses he is meant for something more. He watches his friends leave home to pursue their futures and wonders why he cannot do the same. His uncle warns him away from these paths, just as life often warns us away from change. Luke represents that headstrong youth so familiar. Many men begin their Masonic journey in this same state of restlessness, searching for a way forward.

Everything changes when Luke meets Obi-Wan Kenobi, an older man who carries wisdom, calm strength, and a sense of mystery. Luke senses immediately that Obi-Wan knows things he does not, and that this man might be able to help him understand the world in a deeper way. Obi-Wan recognizes Luke’s potential and protects him as the rest of Luke’s life begins to fall apart. This moment reflects the role of a Masonic mentor, who sees the good in a man even before the man sees it in himself.

Obi-Wan begins teaching Luke a new way of seeing the “world”. He introduces him to the Force, a symbolic inner light that requires discipline, focus, and moral responsibility. Luke pushes back at first. The ideas feel strange, the methods unfamiliar, and the expectations overwhelming. In some cases, they seem even ridiculous. Every Mason knows this feeling. Growth requires stepping outside the comfortable patterns of the past and learning to trust a new way of thinking.

Luke faces hardships he’s never experienced; he begins to rely on the lessons his mentor has given him. He gains confidence in the training and starts to understand its value. This represents a growth in his knowledge, his wisdom, and his confidence. It prepares him for the greater challenges ahead, just as the degrees of Masonry prepare a man for the trials of life. When Obi-Wan passes, Luke learns that life is not the end. He discovers that his mentor’s guidance continues in a new form, teaching him that existence is larger and more mysterious than imagined.

Luke’s greatest test comes in the trench of the Death Star. In this moment, he must set aside the noise of the world and trust the inner voice he has been taught to listen to. He turns off his targeting computer, quiets his fear, and relies on the intuition and training that have shaped him. By confronting his own doubts, he finds the strength to act with clarity and purpose. His victory is not just a triumph of skill. It’s a triumph of character.

Luke’s journey reflects the path of a Freemason. It’s a story of leaving behind ignorance, seeking guidance, learning discipline, confronting fear, and discovering that truth and strength come from within. Star Wars may be a modern myth, but it carries timeless lessons about courage, growth, and the search for light. These are the same virtues Masonry encourages in real life, helping men build a stronger and more meaningful foundation for the future.

10/04/2026

The Star Wars movies are a core memory of my childhood and heavily influenced who I am today. While most people know Star Wars for the lightsabers, starships, and unforgettable characters, fewer people know that the heart of the story came from the work of Joseph Campbell, an American scholar who spent his life studying the world’s myths, religions, and initiation traditions. Campbell believed that all great stories share a common pattern of growth and transformation, something he called the Hero’s Journey. He wrote that this pattern appears in stories from every culture. (The Hero with a Thousand Faces, 1949). His work explored how individuals move from uncertainty to understanding, from fear to courage, and from darkness to light. For Freemasons, this is an intimately familiar topic.

George Lucas discovered Campbell’s writing while developing the original 1977 film, and it changed everything. Lucas realized he was not just creating a science fiction movie. Instead, he was building a modern myth that could teach moral lessons in the same way ancient stories once did. Star Wars became philosophical to George, and Campbell’s ideas helped shape Luke Skywalker’s journey, the role of the mentor, the trials of the hero, and the struggle between light and darkness. Lucas once said, “I was writing Star Wars at the time I was reading The Hero with a Thousand Faces. It was perfect. It was like Campbell was talking directly to me.” (The Power of Myth documentary on PBS). Lucas later invited Campbell to Skywalker Ranch, and the two became close friends, discussing myth, meaning, and the moral development of the individual.

Although Campbell wasn’t a Freemason, his work explored many of the same themes familiar to the Craft. He wrote about the search for inner truth, the importance of discipline, the value of mentorship, and the moral responsibility each person carries. He believed that myths help people understand their own inner struggles and encourage them to grow into better versions of themselves. These ideas align closely with the virtues and lessons Masonry teaches.

George wasn’t a Mason either, but Freemasonry is one of the few traditions that invites real men to walk the same path represented by the Hero’s Journey in the Star Wars universe. Freemasonry helps men cultivate courage, discipline, compassion, and truth seeking, the same virtues that define the heroes of myth.

Understanding Campbell’s influence helps us see Star Wars in a new light. It is not only an adventure story. It is a modern initiation tale that uses timeless symbolism to explore courage, character, and the journey toward truth. Campbell gave Lucas the blueprint, and Lucas used it to create a story that continues to inspire generations.

In the next post, we'll look more closely at the Hero's Journey in Star Wars and how it relates to our own Masonic journeys.

Since its release in 1949, has influenced millions of readers by combining the insights of modern psychology with Joseph Campbell’s revolutionary understanding of comparative mythology. In these pages, Campbell outlines the Hero’s Journey, a universal motif of adventure and transformation that.....

10/04/2026

Tonight was movie night with prospects! It was a pot luck including a Cajun inspired chili, bbq chicken sliders, Swedish meatball, little smokies, homemade carrot cake cupcakes, and Drumstick ice cream cones! Great night.

10/02/2026

Most people know The Wizard of Oz as a beloved American classic; Dorothy with her cute little dog and flashy red slippers (actually silver in the book!). But few realize that its author, L. Frank Baum, was a member of the Theosophical Society. This group was founded in New York City in 1875 and was deeply engaged in esoteric study, symbolism, and moral philosophy. While Baum was not a Freemason, the Theosophical movement shared many themes familiar to the Craft. These include the pursuit of inner light, the refinement of character, and the journey toward a personal truth. Because of this, his writing contains imagery and lessons that resonate strongly with Masonic ideals, often hiding in plain sight.
One of the most striking parallels is Dorothy’s journey along the Yellow Brick Road. In many esoteric traditions, the golden path represents the candidate’s progression from darkness to light. It is a journey of self-discovery, discipline, and moral growth. Dorothy does not walk the road alone. She travels with companions who each seek a virtue they believe they lack. This mirrors the Masonic understanding that we walk our own path of improvement with Brothers beside us, each striving toward greater wisdom, courage, and compassion.
The Emerald City itself can be seen as a symbolic inner temple (much like King Solomon’s Temple), and harkens to traditions such as our own Scottish Rite. It is a place of clarity, enlightenment, and unity. Its radiant green color has long been associated with renewal and harmony. Just as a Mason enters the Lodge to seek truth and better himself, Dorothy enters the Emerald City hoping to find answers that will help her grow. The city represents that moment of arrival where the traveler pauses, reflects, and prepares for the next stage of transformation. It’s a moment of quiet introspection.
The Wizard behind the curtain offers one of the most powerful allegories of all. The moment Dorothy pulls back the veil reveals a timeless lesson. Truth is often simpler, humbler, and more human than the illusions we build around it. In Masonry, we learn to look beyond appearances, titles, and outward grandeur to find the real substance of a person and truth within a situation. This provides honest tolerance and empathy for the struggles of brothers. Baum’s story reminds us that wisdom is not found in smoke and spectacle. It is found in honesty, humility, and the courage to see things as they truly are.

Even though it was written as a children’s book, Baum’s tale plants early seeds of courage, compassion, and truth seeking. These are the same virtues Masonry encourages later in life, and learning them young can help build a stronger and more meaningful foundation.

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz is a 1900 children's fantasy novel written by the American author L. Frank Baum and illustrated by W. W. Denslow.[1] It is the first novel in the Oz series of books. A Kansas farm girl named Dorothy ends up in the magical Land of Oz after she and her pet dog Toto are swept...

10/01/2026

Tuesday night was the annual Table Lodge for Centurion 195. We were so honored to have so many distinguished friends and guests join us for the evening. Thank you to everyone who contributed and labored for such a great night.

09/30/2026

I've just entered my Pop Culture & Freemasonry phase... so I'm sorry in advance for the content that's coming. 😁

09/29/2026

In 1908, a Kansas woman named Bessie Anderson Stanley won first prize for a poem she submitted to a contest sponsored by Brown Book Magazine. The piece, often misattributed to Ralph Waldo Emerson, strikes a powerful chord with the meaning of a Freemason’s life, so I wanted to share it here.

He has achieved success who has lived well, laughed often, and loved much;
Who has gained the respect of intelligent men and the love of little children;
Who has filled his niche and accomplished his task;
Who has left the world better than he found it,
Whether by an improved poppy, a perfect poem, or a rescued soul;
Who has never lacked appreciation of earth’s beauty or failed to express it;
Who has always looked for the best in others and given them the best he had;
Whose life was an inspiration;
Whose memory a benediction.

Bessie Anderson Stanley (born Caroline Elizabeth Anderson; March 25, 1879 – October 2, 1952) was an American writer, the author of the poem "Success" ("What is success?" or "What Constitutes Success?"), which is often incorrectly attributed[1] to Ralph Waldo Emerson[2][3] or Robert Louis Stevenson...

09/29/2026

Soooo, who’s ready for dinner?

09/28/2026

09/27/2026

The officers of Centurion Lodge #195 were honored to attend and participate in the Master Mason raising of our dear brother Ethan from Manitou Lodge #68: Colorado Freemasons last night. It was an outdoor degree ritual, and although it was a tiny bit chilly, the night sky was beautiful with a gorgeous bright, full harvest moon shining down. We sometimes forget that Ethan isn't one of our own, but that's okay because we consider Manitou Lodge to be a sister lodge to our own. Congratulations Brother! We will see you soon!