During the opening of a Masonic Lodge, a purge is performed to ensure that every member in attendance is qualified to be there. The purge is performed by the Deacons, who seek the modes of recognition from the Brothers. Any man or Brother who cannot correctly identify themselves is eventually escorted out of the Lodge for further investigation or dismissal.

As a Master Mason of ten years, I have never seen anyone “purged” from a Lodge meeting. In fact, the purge is standard in many jurisdictions that I have visited that there is little confusion or question when it is performed — it is simply part of our routine.

At a recent meeting I was studying the purge, the information request and verification exchange that happens between Brothers. I thought how human being use physical modes of recognition, similar to the Face ID or Passkey request I have to satisfy when opening apps on my iPhone. I began to wonder, “How can I use the concept of the purge to filter out or remove offending or unnecessary distractions from my life?”

Let’s map out the Lodge purge process to develop a practical method that can be looped into our social and professional circles. If you think about how we perform the purge in Lodge, the setting, the request, the response, and the action — our personal purge would be similar. Once trust is established we can observe the behavior, orient it against our values, decide if they meet the standard, and act to purge the toxic offenders. Our life, our day, that moment — that is the Lodge. But we also need a security presence to guard our outer door.

Every man must act as his own Tyler. The Tyler stands outside the door with a drawn sword. This is not a metaphor for violence; it is a symbol of security. In our daily life, the “outer door” is your schedule and your peace of mind. You must decide who has the right to enter.

We must also remember the reason for the purge: to remove the unknown which can disturb, offend, or simply are not worthy to be in our Lodge. This is a tough point in life where we must set our own plumb line and determine who can enter our life and who can be removed. For me, I thought “Does this individual advance my progress, does our relationship enhance my life? Most importantly, do I trust this person?”

As we have heard in Masonic lessons, we are all working to perfect our Ashlar, meaning no one is perfect. And our own good judgement must guide us through our decision making process. It is also key to remember that those who act as a drain or distraction in life, would be escorted out of Lodge meeting — so why are we keeping them in our real life?

Key Points for Your Purge

1. Efficiency: Toxic personalities create friction. Friction slows production. Removing them increases your speed to market.
2. Integrity: Our good name is everything. If you associate with those who lack character, you dilute your own equity.
3. Trust: Trust is the currency in all relationships. You cannot build trust with people who do not know the “words and signs” of accountability and respect.

Implementing the Purge

• Identify the Intruders: Look for those who take energy without giving value.
• Request the Credentials: Test their loyalty and reliability. If they fail to provide the “grip” of a true friend or partner, they must go.
• The Escort: Be firm but professional. You do not need to be angry to remove someone from your life. You simply close the door.