September 2005

Secret Keepers in the News

by John Prin
Addiction Counselor
Did you know author Dan Brown is back in the news? That's right, his new sequel to The DaVinci Code adds to the secret society lore of the Freemasons.* The Solomon Key explores Washington DC's many secret and not-so-secret connections with Masonic buildings, hidden codes, and prominent leaders -- no less than George Washington himself and other founding fathers.

The Masons are renowned for their secrecy: secret passwords, secret handshakes, secret rituals, and secret motives. Some claim the Masons' biggest secret is that they have no secret.

Masons are classic Secret KeepersSM whose exclusive rites of passage breed mystery and speculation. Their symbols -- stonemason's compass, Arabic scimitars, fezzes with inverted moons -- generate suspicion. The thing about all secrets is that they exclude others, and exclusion breeds conflict and controversy....an outsider/insider resentment that says "you don't belong."

If you are dealing with secret-keeping^SM issues, whether related to Masonry or not, contact me for help.

Although never a Mason or Shriner myself, I once learned to conquer the secret-keeping attitudes and habits that made me (and loved ones) ill. If I can help you, or someone you know with similar questions, please be in touch.

Email John Prin your thoughts.

You can also reach me at 952-941-1870 or read my books, Stolen Hours: Breaking Free From Secret Addictions. and the sequel, Secret Keeping: Overcoming Hidden Habits and Addictions.

* US News & World Report, Sept 5, 2005