Step 9 : “Know Thyself” and the Cut Stone

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This stage concludes the initiatory trail, but not our walk… This is the stage of the “mirror” and the “Cut Stone.”

The mirror symbolizes several things. First of all, it helps us understand that, in the end, everything in the world is a reflection, everything is a symbol. Everything is a mirror of what we are within ourselves. In other words, the world does not exist in itself; it is only a projection of ourselves, of what we think, of what we feel. Sometimes we pass judgement on the world, on what it is or is not. We even pass judgement on God, on what He does or does not do, often blaming His silence. But in reality, we rarely speak of the world as such, but rather of our own personal projections, of our understanding of the world — or indeed our misunderstandings, our partial analyses and our overwhelming emotions. Our ideas and our words ultimately express nothing of the thing itself, but everything of who we are within.

We always pass judgement on the world and on others, even though we know only our own prejudices, even though we are locked within our own ignorance. If we are sad, we see the world as dull. If we are happy, we see the world as joyful. But the world is only the reflection of our emotion, the mirror of our conscience and our soul.

The mirror also symbolizes the fact that we are often our own worst enemy. It is through our weaknesses, our faults, through not working enough on our inner Rough Stone, through projecting onto others the responsibility for our failures, that we fail to reach greater fulfilment. We are our own worst enemy if we do not carry out this work of self-improvement within our hearts and our consciences.

The Cut Stone is the final result of our initiatory trail. It is the culmination of our inner journey. It expresses the perfecting of our conscience. We will never be perfect beings, but we can become better ones. The inner Stone must always be worked on — which is why the Cut Stone retains a somewhat rough, unfinished side. The Cut Stone thus symbolizes this work of self-improvement, this completion, this quest for understanding the world and bettering oneself, which everyone seeks to achieve in their life but which we all always leave unfinished.

By shaping our Rough Stone, we improve the world; we build inner cathedrals, spiritual cathedrals that beautify the world. “Know thyself” — this is the fundamental precept of philosophy that Socrates has invited us to reflect upon for more than 2,500 years. And above all, if you want to change the world, start with yourself. Be the example you wish to see and inspire the world through the example of your own behavior.

The Cut Stone symbolizes this work that each of us carries out on ourselves, within ourselves, starting from ignorance and imperfection, gradually leaving behind our faults, our “base metals,” and developing over time an improved, more elevated conscience. The Cut Stone also symbolizes the cathedrals built in the 12th century, which were temples raised towards God, spiritual temples reaching up to heaven. We have each, in our own way, become a Temple, thanks to this work of self-improvement that raises us towards heaven, towards conscience, towards spirituality.

Let us continue our visit to the final stage, next to the entrance…