Author archive
for jjapitana

Soul of the Temple

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Sacred geometry has been an important element of sacred architecture for centuries.

A Big Spark

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A lodge in Southern California blends a rich cultural heritage with love for community.

From Sublime to Masonry to Politics: The Mayor of Dub

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From one of the early members of Sublime to mayor of La Palma, California Freemason Marshall Goodman is well-qualified to represent the L.B.C.

Mystical, Magical, Scarce

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Lodge organists are a vanishing breed—but one with the power to transform the Masonic ritual.

Anything but Silence

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Why two grand lodge officers are on a quest to bring music into every Masonic lodge.

For This World Music Scion, a Masonic Inheritance

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World musician and California Freemason Nee Quaison-Sackey has made it his life’s work to bring people together.

A Rapper-Turned-Freemason Offers Rhyme and Reason

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For 20 years, he was the rapper Ryu. But inside his Long Beach-area Masonic lodge, the hip-hop musician is just Ryan.

The Beautiful Sound

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Trevor Terence Panganiban’s music bridges East and West.

After a Year Away, It’s Lights Up at the Masonic

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It’s curtains up at the Masonic, one of San Francisco’s best-loved venues for music, comedy, and other shows.

Rave Recollections of a Mason and Concert Promoter

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A concert promoter, musical impressario, and California Freemason reflects on a very full life in concerts and shows.

String Theory

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Meet three Masons who are expert musical instrument makers.

In Dan Brown’s The Lost Symbol, a Masonic Whodunnit

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This fall, in ‘Dan Brown’s The Lost Symbol’ on Peacock, a new Masonic mystery thriller hits the streaming airwaves.

A New Show Bringing Freemasonry into Prime Time

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A new series on NBC Peacock, “Dan Brown’s The Lost Symbol,” picks up on The Da Vinci Code-author’s Masonic-themed thriller.

Samuel Larison, Freemason and Winemaker

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How one Freemason became a pioneer winemaker for the wine industry and a charter member of Sonoma County’s early Masonic lodge.

For Two California Masonic Grand Lodges, A New Beginning

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Twenty-five years ago, the Grand Lodge of California and the Prince Hall Grand Lodge of California changed the way we all view Freemasonry.

How to Really—Like, Really—Listen

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Experts from the Masonic Assistance and MCYAF teams offer strategies for managing— and mastering—uncomfortable conversations.

Eye of the Beholder

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Could a hiding-in-plain-sight Masonic icon change the way we understand a Diego Rivera masterpiece?

Travelodge: In Vallejo, a Lodge-to-Loft Conversion

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A historic Masonic temple in Vallejo finds new life as artists’ lofts.

Lodge Profile: Worth the Trip

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In Barstow, one lodge’s reputation for camaraderie is known for miles around.

Flying Their Colors

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A new exhibition remembers when the Knights Templar came to town.

Donor Profile: Roland Ghazal

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Why a California Mason and financial planner is planning for his own death.

Home for Heroes

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At the Masonic Homes of California, a veterans memorial builds a bridge to the not-so-distant past.

A Second Home

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For decades, Masonry has played a central role in the Filipino immigrant experience. Now a new generation is making its mark on the fraternity.

Portal to the Past

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A hiding-in-plain sight Masonic hall in San Francisco tells a rich history of Filipino Freemasonry in California.

A Traveling Brotherhood

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At the Manlalakbay Na Gurong Mason weekend, Filipino Freemasonry transforms into a can’t miss road show.

Culture Shock

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A Masonic researcher on the unique nature of Filipino Freemasonry.

Past, Present

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What one lodge’s mothballed painting tells us about its earliest days

Pyramid Scheme

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A North Bay Mason’s curious claim on a mysterious icon

Lodge Profile: Looking Up at Morning Star No. 19

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Things are looking up for Stockton’s Morning Star Masonic Lodge No. 19.

365 Days of Zoom

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Why Redlands No. 300 just can’t quit its nightly Zoom.

Fair Trade

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A new Masonic scholarship builds support for the trades

Executive Message: Pride and Heritage

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Grand Master Arthur Weiss on a historic international connection.

Cover Story: At Refreshment

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Why lifting a drink represents the pure, distilled essence of Freemasonry.

An Absolute Corker

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The inside story behind one of the most curious pseudo-Masonic rituals around.

That’s the Spirit!

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A jiggerful of Mason drink slingers mix the perfect craft cocktail.

The Toastmasters: The Dive Master

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A SoCal Mason shares a beloved family tradition: a good drink.