06/03/2026
Why Was the Fellow Craft Blindfolded Again?
A Deeper Look into the Preparation Room
When a candidate first entered the Lodge as an Entered Apprentice, he was hoodwinked.
The symbolism was clear: he came seeking Light while still dwelling in darkness. But then something curious happens.
When he returns to receive the Fellow Craft Degree, he is blindfolded again.
Why?
Has he not already received Light? Has he not already been initiated into the mysteries of Freemasonry?
Why must he once more experience darkness before advancing further?
This question often passes unnoticed, yet it contains one of the most profound lessons of the Fellow Craft Degree. The answer may surprise us. The hoodwink of the Entered Apprentice represents ignorance.
The hoodwink of the Fellow Craft represents humility.
The Entered Apprentice is a beginner who knows he knows little. The Fellow Craft, however, faces a more dangerous obstacle: the temptation to believe he already knows enough.
Freemasonry teaches that every ascent toward greater Light begins with the recognition that there is still much left to learn.
Before the Fellow Craft can climb the winding stairs of knowledge, he must first acknowledge the limitations of his present understanding.
The Preparation Room reminds him that intellectual growth begins not with certainty, but with teachability. How often do we encounter this lesson in life? A man learns a little and thinks himself wise. He gains a title and assumes he has arrived.
He masters a few lessons and believes there is nothing more to discover.
Yet the true student of Masonry understands that every new level of Light reveals an even greater horizon beyond.
The greatest scholars remain students.
The wisest men remain humble.
The most enlightened Masons never cease seeking.
Perhaps that is why the Fellow Craft is blindfolded once more.
The darkness is not a punishment. It is a reminder.
A reminder that no matter how much Light we have received, there is always more Light ahead. A reminder that the path of knowledge is endless.
A reminder that pride can blind more effectively than any hoodwink ever could. As Fellow Crafts and Master Masons, we would do well to revisit that Preparation Room in our minds.
Not physically, but symbolically.
For every time we believe we have learned enough, the lessons of the Fellow Craft whisper:
“Prepare yourself again.”
“Empty your cup again.”
“Seek Light again.”
For in Masonry, advancement is not measured by the degrees we possess, but by the humility with which we continue to learn.
And perhaps the greatest question is not why the Fellow Craft was blindfolded again— But whether we have removed the invisible hoodwink of pride from our own eyes.
What do you think, Brethren?
Was the second hoodwink intended merely as ritual preparation, or does it teach a deeper lesson about humility, knowledge, and the lifelong pursuit of Light?
This reflection is humbly offered for Masonic education and fraternal discussion. Brethren may freely share this material for educational purposes.
Fraternally,
Bro. Joni Cabrera
General Llanera Masonic Lodge No. 168, F. & A.M.
Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of Free & Accepted Masons of the Philippines
