Masonic G

While in a small Colorado town I passed a Masonic center that had this symbol over the door:

Having a “G” name, I often notice when there is a “G” sign.  The person I was with asked what the G stood for and I assumed “God” but wasn’t 100% sure.  So I Googled it!

I learned that it could mean God or it could mean Geometry or it could mean the “generative principle”…this is the definition I found:

The Blue Lodge Mason is taught that the "G" in the Masonic symbol represents God. Later on, he is told that it also represents "deity." Later still, he is told that it represents "geometry." In reality, this letter represents the "generative principle," the Sun-god and, thus, the worshipped phallus, the male "generative principle…" In its position (along with the Square and Compass) on the east wall over the chair (throne) of the Worshipful Master, it is the representation of the Sun, thus of the Sun-god, Osiris. Its earthly meaning, then, is of the sacred phallus; its cosmic meaning is of the Sun, worshipped since antiquity by pagans while facing the East.

The phallus eh? Who knew?

Brush your tongue?

Lately I’ve been asked a number of random questions for which I have no answers. Similarly, I’ve started challenging myself on things that I think I know about. These are questions largely about the world around us and how things work.  I’m realizing how little I know about a lot of these things. 

This is the first in a series about researching the answers to these pressing questions.

Why Brush your tongue?

Usually I brush my tongue with my toothbrush at the end of a toothbrushing.  I was about to recommend this to someone when I realized that I didn’t know if there actually are any benefits to this.  Research has shown there are some benefits.

Basically, brushing your tongue can reduce bad breath.  This is particularly true if you brush the back of the tongue as opposed to the front. It seems the front has more saliva and more of a “self cleaning” function, while the back doesn’t. 

There is a danger of activating the gag reflex with cleaning the back part of the tongue.  So a “tongue scraper” is recommended.  What is a tongue scraper you ask? Good question.  Here is what it looks like:

If you want to know how it works, google it.  The photos aren’t going on this blog.

So if you are concerned with bad breath, try brushing (or scraping) your tongue.

Until next time…