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the beginning
is wisdom

A timely look at Freemasonry in today's world, what keeps it relevant, and how to renew its promise for tomorrow and beyond.
Buy for $29.95 Learn More
  • cover
  • author A book by
    Peter Cardilla
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What Will You Get From This Book?

Freemasonry isn't a static relic. It's a living institution. The Beginning Is Wisdom offers a fresh persective on Freemasonry, presenting its symbols in a way you may never have imagined. It pulls back the curtain on Kabbalah, revealing a system that's practical, relevant, and easy to understand.

Why Freemasonry Is Important

Freemasonry is more than just a secret handshake. It's a place where ideas mix. Learn why Freemasonry has always been important and still is!

Understanding Symbols

Symbols aren't just how we communicate, they're how we think, feel, and interpret the world. Find more in the symbols of Freemasonry, and the world around you, than you ever thought was there.

Religion Upon Which All Agree

300 years ago, the writers of Freemasonry's Constitutions endorsed a religion upon which all agree. Learn what they meant and try to imagine what it can possibly mean in today's world?

Mystery of Existence

All of our big questions, are, in the end, questions about existence. Where did all of this come from? Why is any of it here? Nobody knows. It's all still a big mystery.

Eureka! Kabbalah!

Even if you've heard of Kabbalah, you still may not know what it is. Kabbalah's not a religion and it's not magic. It's a system for interpreting symbols, and Freemasonry is full of symbols!

Hidden Treasure

This book is loaded with gems. Discover new meaning in symbols you've know for years, as Freemasonry reveals a wonderous world of rare stones waiting to be unearthed!

The Book Chapters

  • cover
  • author A book by
    Peter Cardilla
Part 1
  • Introduction
  • Freemasonry, Kabbalah, and Symbolism
  • The Symbols
  • A Religion Upon Which All Agree
  • Existence and Perfection
  • In The Beginning
  • Let There Be Light
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Who This Book Is For

This book is for everyone interested in the symbols of the Craft.

Prospects and New Masons

New members and prospects enjoy the experience more when the "ancient" symbols and ritual have real meaning for them.

Lodge Masters and Candidate Coaches

Freemasonry is more diverse than ever and its symbols must represent truth to good men from an ever growing array of beliefs.

Scottish Rite & Rosicrucian Masons

Kabbalah is the key to unlock deeper spiritual and philosophical meaning from the symbols and ritual of these masonic orders.

Masonic Leaders and Ambassadors

To keep a positive, welcome place in our communities, Freemasonry has to be able to explain its customs and symbols.

Book Reviews

See what readers are saying.

“If you have ever felt that our ritual hides more than it shows, or that the symbols have a message you can’t quite understand, this book is worth reading.”

D.L. Bowers
Freemason, Frank C. Folks Lodge #192

“written in a clear and accessible manner…helped inspire me to look into becoming a Mason.”

R.E. Sohl
Author, The Shadow of Death

““The Beginning is Wisdom” stands out as a rare contribution to contemporary Masonic literature, one that prioritizes understanding over explanation.”

Sneha
Reviewer, Goodreads

“It left me feeling like I had not only learned more about Freemasonry, but also sharpened how I approach symbols and meaning in general.”

Amazon Review
Feb. 8, 2026

“the book’s prose style is welcoming to lay readers…a nuanced and deeply researched case”

Kirkus Reviews
Professional Review Service

“My goal to constantly improve myself [in] Freemasonry has been vastly broadened by this new understanding of Kabbalah…an opportunity for me to see Masonry in a new light.”

Jeff Wilkins
Past Grand Master, Masons of California
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About The Author

Peter Cardilla is a software developer who has worked in Silicon Valley for three decades. He’s a husband and father living in Santa Cruz, California, where he also spends his time as a coach, teacher, and freemason.

The Beginning Is Wisdom, his first book, is being praised by freemasons and reviewers for it’s clarity and its rational yet hopeful message for Freemasonry and its future in our communities.

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