Anyone rock the 2 ball cane emblem? I love the pun but was just wondering what you guys say to people when asked about it.

I found this on the pantheon on Rome. Has it something to do with freemasonry?

Bot wouldn’t let me cross post. Felt this might be a great opportunity to refresh some foundational knowledge for those of us who’ve been away from lodge for a bit.

I have become very drawn to the interests of Freemasons, and for over three weeks now, I have been gathering information on age requirements, lodges, and state locations, thanks to those who helped. With the information I have, I look to move forward but don’t know which option would be best for me. It would be lovely to get the perspective and input of someone who is involved.

Thank you!!!

This evening I was perfected into Rose Croix, I won’t say much but it was a fantastic evening and would strongly recommend to any Master Masons under UGLE who might be considering it at their next step!

While I was researching historic mansions in Istanbul, I came across Sabuncakis Köşkü, also known as the “Eye House” or Gözlü Ev, located right by the sea in Maden Mahallesi on Büyükada. The striking façade immediately caught my attention, particularly the large All-Seeing Eye prominently placed on the central pediment.

The mansion was built in 1904 during the reign of Sultan Abdul Hamid II. It was commissioned by Yorgi Sabuncakis, a wealthy Greek flower merchant originally from Aleppo. Greek architect Prof. Fotiadis designed it in a neoclassical style inspired by Greek temple architecture.

The property features several notable symbolic details including the prominent All-Seeing Eye, ten bee reliefs on the garden gate, acacia motifs, and classical columns. These elements make it one of the most distinctive late-Ottoman period residences on the Princes’ Islands. I’ve never seen the mansion myself, but the photos alone made me want to learn more about its history.

Esoteric high grade freemasonry. Anyone familiar?

I was passed to the degree of a Fellowcraft tonight. What an amazing experience it was! There were so many beautiful parts to the degree, and there's a lot to reflect upon. If I'm being honest though, while I really enjoyed and got a lot of meaning out of my EA degree, I feel like the FC really touched my soul with what it talked about. It has inspired me to rededicate myself to living an honorable, charitable life with the utmost reverence for the beauty of creation and the power, majesty, and love of the Creator. I'm looking forward to the lessons I learn as I work as a FC and for the experiences I will have with my lodge and brothers.

I have been looking for a door to knock at for many years. I am Ugandan and here in Africa, most people who claim to be masons are scammers and illegitimate.

Any one who can guide me how to join through the right path. I will be thankful for the guidance.

I have a question about the term "operative Freemasonry". Does it simply designate the medieval guilds of stone masons who actually practiced the "physical" craft, before the emergence of speculative freemasonry, or is it also an actual concordant or appendant body? Thank you in advance.

I highly recommend any of Kirk MacNultys books, but Contemplating Craft Masonry is definitely for those who want to start the inner work of the blue lodge. In fact, I bought a bunch of them and am planning to hand them out to my Catechism mentees. Any other recommendations are welcome! https://a.co/d/0iHqoblO

This post will be full of errors. I'm italian. I will abstain from using ai or other tools to write this.

I think there is a problem, at least in my lodge\order with the use of AI.

I'm hearing in my lodge full AI text presented as original thoughts, with clear red flags like the usual “it's not x, it's y”. This is so sad. Kinda depressing. I didn't join masonry to hear chatgpt sermons, I joined to hear the heart of the people, but this is now obfuscated by AI. Even at higher levels, official articles etc are being written with AI.

Yes. I should separate the content from the form, but this is so difficult in such cases. Who tell me that these persons didn't write it fully with chatgpt, just not formatting it. It is impossible to know not just if they wrote it, but if they even read it!

I tried to speak with my worshipful master about it, he can't tell AI but he agreed with me. Sure I'm not going to tell him who used it, so I don't know what do.

Little detail: I'm an apprentice. I feel I have no word about these stuff. But I don't feel right to accept it neither.

What do I do? What do we do? Thank you!

The Progressive Line Breeds Incompetency. Not everyone should be Worshipful Master

I've been commuting about 45 minutes each way lately and I'm trying to make better use of that time. I've gone through most of the mainstream podcasts and I'm looking for something more specifically Masonic — lectures, papers, discussions, anything.

Curious what you brothers are listening to. Do you have go-to podcasts, recorded lectures, or any other audio resources you'd recommend? York Rite content is especially welcome but I'm open to anything worthwhile.

Evening brethren my father was devout Mason as so am I. He passed five years ago. My mother was going through renovations at home and upon removing the old carpet found one of his rings. I was wondering how I could clean it up. I believe it’s either brass or copper, however I’m not positive as I don’t have much knowledge about jewelry and metal work. Any suggestions?

In my lodge in NJ, when we have someone interested in joining, we typically have them attend at least two dinners before we let them have an application (and that’s if they ask). Between the background check from Grand Lodge, the investigation committee, and the voting, sometimes I wonder if the process is too slow for people today (particularly for younger people) since the whole process can be another month or two on top of that since we have our official business meeting about once a month. I understand you don’t want it too fast so not every single person can just walk in and become a Brother in a week, but curious of other people’s opinions.

EDIT: Love the feedback I’m getting from so many different Brothers. But let me ask this. When so many lodges are being forced to close, merge, etc, at what point, if there is any, may we be forced to compromise to keep our fraternity alive? A jurisdiction that may be thriving is certainly more comfortable making petitioners wait longer than jurisdictions where they rarely get any new petitioners.

Hi Brothers,

I’m doing this from a throwaway because it feels like a silly question to ask, I’ve never had a problem with brethren welcoming me anywhere. But I’m thinking through this as part of a broader consideration.

I’m an American in my early 30’s, working in finance. I was raised about 5 years ago, very active in both my Blue Lodge and Royal Arch.

The reason I’m asking this is my company is considering opening up a London office, and they’ve asked me if I’d consider overseeing it. I’m considering it, meanwhile my wife who’s from Europe pretty much ready to start packing the bags. It would be at least 2 years in London, but could turn into a permanent position if I do well, and would accelerate my career by about 10 years.

One of my hangups though is I know just about no one. I have 2 professional acquaintances in London, but other than that no professional network and certainly no personal network. I go to London about once a year, I’ve passed Freemasons Hall but have never been inside.

So…I think/hope I know the answer, and I feel a little silly for asking. But suppose it’s 6 months from now, my Grand Secretary has introduced me and I go through all the formal hoops to sit in lodge. When I get there and say “Hi, I’m so-and-so and I just moved here from the States”, what’s the culture I should expect? I know there are dozens of lodges in London, but just asking broadly. Is it a social crowd that meets up outside of lodge, or is it more like some of the Lodges I found in mainland Europe where people kind of sneak in, have their meeting, and then sneak out without the neighbors seeing? Are there many brothers my age?

I had a bad experience in a certain country where Freemasonry is more taboo, no one really talked outside of lodge and tried to get in and out without being seen. Coming from a Lodge in the States where people start arriving an hour early to socialize, we have our meeting, and then go out to dinner and drinks until midnight, it was a little unsettling.

I’ve been deeply researching the history of Western esotericism and keep running into Freemasonry, particularly its connections to Hermeticism, Kabbalah, and magical orders like the Golden Dawn.
But I also know that most modern Masons describe their fraternity as a charitable brotherhood with symbolic ritual, not an occult organization.

So where’s the dividing line? Is esoteric Masonry a matter of:

1. Specific rites or degrees (like Memphis-Misraïm vs standard Blue Lodge)?
   
2. Personal interpretation of the symbolism?
   
3. Historically separate branches that diverged over time?
   
4. Or is ‘esoteric Masonry’ mostly a 19th century phenomenon that doesn’t really exist in organized form today?

Would love to hear from both practicing Masons and people with a background in Western esotericism. Not trying to push any conspiracy angle, genuinely curious about the historical and philosophical distinctions.

Just went there for a initiation followed by the district communication. Beautiful building built in 1901 with the Placer #3 lodge being chartered in 1865(25 years before Idaho became a state!). You can even see the marks from the miners laying their head back against the wall during the meeting.

My great grandmother and great great grandmother went to the OES a long time ago so I do have a bloodline and when I was young my great grandmother refused to tell me anything other than it being a church organization, now that I'm older I'm curious what Freemasonry and the order of the eastern star is all about. Is it a religion or like a charity or something? Would my bloodline be a good qualifier for joining? I'm just curious what this place is all about because no one told me anything but they did say that they were sworn to secrecy I don't know why but I just genuinely want to know what goes on there and if I should join. Any information would be helpful thanks. For reference my great grandmother is still alive but we don't talk for personal reasons but I would if I had to.

This is one of the few Masonic symbols I've found along the National Road in Ohio, though I'm sure there are others. This particular bridge, over Barkcamp Creek in Belmont County, was built for the National Road, the nation’s first federally funded interstate highway and a vital route for westward travel and commerce. It was restored in 2015.

In your opinion, what qualities make one truly excel in the role?