You have to know thyself. If you’ve ever been to a Masonic Lodge, you might have seen this statement on a wall or even on a chair. Brother Michael Richards, who played the popular character Kramer in Seinfeld, said that this is one of his favorite Masonic quotes. But on the flip side, anti Masonic dogma spread and said that this quote, know thyself, is evil because of its ties with ancient Egypt and being at the temple of Apollo in Delphi.
If you look at the ancient Greek text, you will find that it actually just says, nothing in excess, not having too much, or just knowing what’s just right. Others will argue that it causes one to remain stagnant and not allow proper growth and change through time. But Freemasons understand that the value of self knowledge is immeasurable.
A man or society must know his own vices or failures before he can eliminate them. They must know their virtues and successes to build on them. So knowing thyself is just knowing what to take out of your life and also understanding what’s valuable and what you need to keep. Samodhi B.