Freemasonry: The Naked Truth

The answer is “it depends”. The time it can take you is quite variable. However, the Entered Apprentices (the first grade after Initiation) are not permitted to speak during regular meetings, they must remain silent and listen. Neither are they allowed to visit other Lodges without being accompanied by a Master Mason. And it is not recommended to visit outside your own Lodge the first year after your Initiation. The idea is to spend a certain time in your own Lodge in order to immerse yourself in its rituals and its rites. The Fellow Craft (the following grade) is the one where you are invited to visit as many other Lodges as you wish, and where you will always be welcome.

More precisely, concerning the time needed to participate in Masonic activities, to begin with you are required to take part in the official monthly meetings, which have an official agenda. These meetings can take place twice a month, although certain Lodges only meet once a month. Then we should add the Instruction session for Apprentices, which takes up an evening per month. If your Lodge considers it a part of the training experience, the Apprentice is also asked to note down ideas on the symbolic theme of the month. This can take you a few hours on a Sunday afternoon or an evening during the week. You can carry out a little research on the subject, but the main idea is to produce your own personal in-depth reflection on the subject.

So you can already count on a minimum of three evenings per month on Masonic activities. Once you become Fellow Craft, you can also add one or two visits a month to other lodges, in order to enrich your Masonic experience.