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Brete Murphy
About
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Brete Murphy
About
Home
Blog
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Love as a Ladder, Not a Trap
Philosophy & Freemasonry Brete Murphy 9/24/26 Philosophy & Freemasonry Brete Murphy 9/24/26

Love as a Ladder, Not a Trap

Desire begins by wanting to possess what is beautiful. Education teaches it to become worthy of beauty instead.


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The Middle Chamber of the Mind
Philosophy & Freemasonry Brete Murphy 9/24/26 Philosophy & Freemasonry Brete Murphy 9/24/26

The Middle Chamber of the Mind

A staircase is not an education. But no education begins until a person admits that he has been standing on the lower floor.


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The Fall of the Chariot
Philosophy & Freemasonry Brete Murphy 9/24/26 Philosophy & Freemasonry Brete Murphy 9/24/26

The Fall of the Chariot

The soul falls not because it is alive in a body, but because its powers cease to move together. Recovery begins when it stops mistaking confusion for fate.


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Why the Soul Has Wings
Philosophy & Freemasonry Brete Murphy 9/24/26 Philosophy & Freemasonry Brete Murphy 9/24/26

Why the Soul Has Wings

Beauty can make a person want to possess. It can also make him remember. Plato’s question is whether he can learn the difference.


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The Black Horse Is Not the Enemy
Philosophy & Freemasonry Brete Murphy 9/24/26 Philosophy & Freemasonry Brete Murphy 9/24/26

The Black Horse Is Not the Enemy

Discipline is not the murder of desire. It is the education of desire until it can pull in the same direction as the soul.


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The Chariot Is Not a Car
Philosophy & Freemasonry Brete Murphy 9/24/26 Philosophy & Freemasonry Brete Murphy 9/24/26

The Chariot Is Not a Car

Plato’s chariot has one driver and two horses. That is not a transportation problem. It is a picture of what it feels like to be human.

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The Chariot Within
Philosophy & Freemasonry Brete Murphy 9/24/26 Philosophy & Freemasonry Brete Murphy 9/24/26

The Chariot Within

A six-part series on Plato’s winged chariot, desire, beauty, moral education, the liberal arts, and the soul’s ascent—read through Plato, Hermias, and a careful Masonic lens.

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The Middle Chamber of the Mind
Brete Murphy 9/22/26 Brete Murphy 9/22/26

The Middle Chamber of the Mind

A staircase is not an education. But no education begins until a man admits that he has been standing on the lower floor.


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Queens and New York City History

Articles on neighborhoods, landmarks, institutions, local figures, and overlooked stories from Queens and the wider city.

Freemasonry in Queens

Research and writing on lodges, notable members, Masonic buildings, and the role of Freemasonry in local civic life.

Masonic Symbols and Education

Essays on symbolism, ritual meaning, historical context, and educational subjects within Freemasonry.

Fraternal Traditions

Separate writing on related orders, traditions, and practices approached through historical and educational interpretation.

Future Projects

Books, booklets, historical tour guides, image collections, and an interactive map of Queens are planned as this site continues to grow.

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Recent Writing

The blog is the center of this site — an ongoing space for original articles, research notes, historical essays, and commentary.

Topics include Queens history, New York City history, Masonic lodge history, symbolism, notable members, architecture, and fraternal traditions.

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About Brete Murphy

I am a writer and researcher focused on Queens history, New York City history, Freemasonry, symbolism, architecture, and fraternal traditions. This site brings together my writing, research, and long-term publishing projects in one place.

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A Growing Historical Resource

BreteMurphy.com is intended to grow into more than a blog. Over time, the site will include books, short publications, historical tour guides, curated image collections, and interactive tools that make history more accessible and engaging.

This is a long-term project, built one article, one place, and one story at a time.

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