EXTEND CHRISTMAS FREE SHIPPING! Enjoy free shipping on all retail orders this month!
When I learned that this month was chosen because it symbolizes family, warmth (despite the cold weather), and gathering, I got pretty excited because it all rings true and hits close to home.
November is quite a special month for us. It is the month when I first set foot on this great land and- before I forget, it also happened to be my wedding anniversary month with my beautiful wife Rechelle!
To know more about this declaration, please follow this link.
Since November is Scottish Rite month, we feel that it's a great time to showcase to make new additions to our Scottish Rite necktie series.
Below are some of the Scottish Rite Freemason neckties which I have personally designed. Please note the colored ones are sold-out. However, you may pre-order the 2018 Black Edition. Disclaimer, I am not a member of Scottish Rite yet.
The original 33° Scottish Rite necktie. The foundation of the design is a repeating pattern of equilateral triangles. Equilateral because it symbolizes the tri-nature aspect of the Supreme Architect and to remind us that all good things come in threes. Notice that the double-headed eagle is mirrored by another double-headed eagle below, a tribute to the Hermetic axiom, "As Above, So Below". The fabric of this necktie was designed when I was about to turn 33 years old. I also happened to be going through a dark moment in my life during that time. Designing this tie helped me clear my thoughts always keeping in mind that Order will come out of Chaos. Please note that this necktie is no longer available. A newer version is available for Pre-order- please see below or click here.
The original Ordo Ab Chao 2013 necktie sold out almost immediately and we have been getting many requests for a rerun ever since. The thing is we know that there are not really many 33°'s out there so we refused to make more. 5 years later we feel like everyone's ready for this long-awaited return of the Ordo Ab Chao necktie- Black Edition this time. We're taking pre-orders right now. You may click the photo above or this link to pre-order.
This gold and black version is the first in our 32° Scottish Rite Freemason necktie series. The double-headed eagle embroidery is an obvious Scottish Rite symbol, but take a closer look and you will see the Masonic Square and Compasses connected to each other by the symbolic Chain of Brotherhood. Please note that this necktie is no longer available. Please note that this necktie is no longer available. A newer version is available for Pre-order right now- see 32° Scottish Rite necktie Black Edition below.
Brethren from the Valley of Covington in Kentucky rocking the 32° Scottish Rite tie.
This Midnight Edition is the second in our 32° Scottish Rite Freemason necktie series. Please note that this necktie is no longer available. A newer version is available for Pre-order- see 32° Scottish Rite Freemason necktie Black Edition below.
It's been 3 years since our last 32nd Degree Scottish Rite necktie so the time is right for this one. We're taking pre-orders right now. You may click the photo above or this link to pre-order.
FraternalTies was commisioned to produce this Jacquard woven gold on gold Scottish Rite necktie back in 2016. Only a very limited number was produced. Status: Not available.
A lot of people like to call Freemasonry the "Gentle Craft". To me, it is deemed "gentle" it gently guides our hearts and thoughts to do the right thing no matter how big or small.
For those who like to get reminded of the silent and sacred work that we do as Freemasons, we have mobile HD wallpapers for you. Simply click this imgur link and download the wallpapers from there.
Feel free to leave your comments / suggestions below.
A golden Square and Compasses on a background of a rough black stone printed on a 10 mil thick Premium Luster Fingerprint-resistant photo paper. A FraternalTies original. Not available anywhere else. Click the images below to buy.
We hope that everyone is having a great Canadian Thanksgiving day so far! We are feeling so blessed to be here in this great land of great people! My wife Rechelle and I are feeling very excited today knowing that we will take the Canadian Citizenship Test tomorrow! Wish us luck! Watch and listen to our twin toddlers sing O, Canada here. :-)
In 2014, we produced a small batch of this awesome 100 % Made in Canada t-shirts!
I took inspiration from 3 things:
This project was funded by my good friend and Brother Ben San Juan when he was still fairly new to the craft. Those from Toronto might recognize the name as he is the current TDV District Secretary.
Because only a small batch was ever produced, the production cost of the t-shirts is up which meant higher retail price. The market wasn't ready. The retail price was simply too high at around $40 CAD. We decided to stop offering them and have forgotten about them until today because today is such a Canadian day for us (Thanksgiving today and Citizenship Test tomorrow)!
At this moment, we have Medium sizes only (10 units white, 12 units red). I'm pretty sure there are other sizes somewhere but I don't have the time to go through our stuff. I'll update this if in case we find other sizes.
A powerful 7.4 magnitude earthquake struck Indonesia on Saturday, triggering a massive tsunami and killing more than 1,200 people, with more deaths expected in the coming days. An estimated 59,000 people are now left homeless.
100% of the proceeds from the sale of this t-shirt will be donated to Oxfam America to be distributed to those in need in Indonesia.
As with our previous charity campaigns (Texas 2017, Puerto Rico 2017, and North and South Carolina 2018), the "Hearts for Indonesia" design features hundreds of tiny hearts forming the shape of the map of Indonesia.
The Masonic Service Association has received the following from the Grand Secretary of South Carolina, MW Gerald L. Carver:
"The Eastern Part of South Carolina is now having devastating flooding from the flow of Hurricane Florence water from North Carolina through the rivers in the Eastern Part of the State. Three Lodges have already been flooded, and several Brethren and many other South Carolinians have had to leave their homes which are now flooded. Unfortunately, the worst is yet to come with the rivers cresting later this week. Also, the pollution from the North Carolina pig farms and chicken houses is and will be causing major pollution in the flooded South Carolina rivers which flow through cities and towns along the inter-coastal waterway where hundreds if not thousands have been ordered to evacuate in anticipation of the flooding later this week. Our Grand Master, Most Worshipful Michael D. Smith, Sr requests that you make an appeal to our Sister Grand Jurisdictions on behalf of the South Carolina Brethren."
In line with our previous charity campaigns (Texas 2017, Puerto Rico 2017, and North Carolina 2018), the "Hearts for South Carolina" design features hundreds of tiny hearts forming the shape of South Carolina with the Masonic Square and Compasses silhouette in the middle. 75% of the proceeds will be forwarded to the Masonic Service Association of North America.
"Most Worshipful Speed Hallman, Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of North Carolina has requested the Masonic Service Association of North America to issue a Disaster Relief Appeal. Hurricane Florence has produced massive flooding across the state. The Grand Lodge is aiding and assisting their Brothers, their families, and their communities in providing aid and assistance."
-Sources: (1) Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania, (2) Masonic Service Association. You may send monetary donation directy through the MSA website.
For the first time, a Masonic group is now listed as a Charity Organization in Teespring! We are happy to report that FraternalTies has been instrumental in including a charitable Masonic group- The Masonic Service Association of North America, to the list of Charity organizations that Teespring works with. As of today, creative Freemasons from all over the world will now be able to submit their designs to Teespring and donate a portion of the proceeds to MSA!
Growing up in a country dubbed by Time Magazine as "the most exposed country in the world to tropical storms", we are no strangers to the devastating effects of a hurricane. My wife and I with our 4 kids now reside in North America and we would like to give back.
Beginning with hurricanes Harvey which hit Texas and Maria which decimated Puerto Rico last year, we want to continue and make it a FraternalTies tradition to donate to charities supporting those affected by this calamitous weather phenomenon.
When you visit the Hearts for Texas and the Hearts for Puerto Rico campaign links and hover your mouse cursor over the "Verified Charity Contribution" logo on the campaign page, you will see that we have donated 75% of the proceeds to The American Red Cross. There were no Masonic charities listed in Teespring until today! If you have a creative idea and would like to donate to MSA, you can now do so by selecting "Masonic Service Association Education Department".
- Plato, The Republic, VII, 52.
Almost a decade ago I was asked by a would-be Freemason to design a tattoo for him. His plan was to have something Masonic inked on him immediately after his Raising. I wanted it to be meaningful for him. This was the result.
Unfortunately, he did not continue his Masonic studies and never had the tattoo done. We screen-printed the design on a small number of shirts which sold out right away. Despite many request to bring it back, we never got to it- until now!
The 2nd Edition shirt features a large print on the front, and a print of a smaller winged version of the artwork on the back with a Greek encryption which translates to "Let no one ignorant of geometry enter"- a phrase that was engraved at the door of Plato's Academy, the school he had founded in Athens.
The design is a collage of various public domain outworks sourced mainly from Wikipedia and from prints of old engravings. My goal was to produce a cohesive piece out of putting together different parts. The main theme is Sacred Geometry. The various parts that make up the artwork are as follow:
The "Flower of Life" is the modern new age name given to the "Seven Overlapping Circles", a geometric pattern of repeating and overlapping circles of equal radii in two-dimensional space. The Flower of Life drawings above taken from Codex Atlaticus by Leonardo da Vinci. I created my own colorful version of this pattern and used it as packaging for the FraternalTies Masonic leather sneakers.
The Eye of Providence (or the all-seeing eye of God) is a symbol showing an eye often surrounded by rays of light or a glory and usually enclosed by a triangle. It represents the eye of God watching over humanity.
The winged discs have a long history in the art and culture of the ancient Near and Middle East. In the Babylonian creation myth Enuma Elish, Anshar (also spelled Anšar), which means "Whole Heaven", is a primordial god. His consort is Kishar which means "Whole Earth". Did you get that? Whole Heaven + Whole Earth. Spiritual + Material. As Above, So Below. In Neo-Assyrian times, a human bust is added to the disk. The resulting symbol is called Faravahar. It symbolizes good thoughts, good words and good deeds, which are the basic tenets and principles of Zoroastrianism. Image source: Faravahar relief in Persepolis By Napishtim.
Although usually remembered today as a philosopher, Plato was also one of ancient Greece’s most important patrons of mathematics. Inspired by Pythagoras, he founded his Academy in Athens in 387 BCE, where he stressed mathematics as a way of understanding more about reality. In particular, he was convinced that geometry was the key to unlocking the secrets of the universe. The sign above the Academy entrance read: “Let no-one ignorant of geometry enter here”. Source
In alchemic and Hermetic traditions, suns are used to symbolize a variety of concepts, much like the sun in astrology. Suns can correspond to gold, citrinitas, generative masculine principles, imagery of "the king", or Apollo, the fiery spirit or sulfur, the divine spark in man, nobility, or incorruptibility. Astrologically speaking, the Moon is associated with a person's emotional make-up, unconscious habits, rhythms, memories, moods and their ability to react and adapt to those around them. It is also associated with the mother, maternal instincts or the urge to nurture, the home, the need for security and the past, especially early experiences and childhood.
Geometers have studied the Platonic solids for thousands of years. They are named for the ancient Greek philosopher Plato who hypothesized in his dialogue, the Timaeus, that the classical elements were made of these regular solids.
The two pillars can be found in the symbolic traditions of many religious traditions and esoteric Orders.
Working tools in every age, are the hallmark which attest to the degree of skill attained by any society or nation. Over the millenniums of time, in more cases than not, only the working tools remain, long after the people have disappeared. Archeologists now unearth these tools and from them, they can with remarkable accuracy, reconstruct the civilization of that day. The tools of the man designate his skills, his work, his knowledge and his dreams. We as Freemasons probably realize better than most, the significance of the tools found, for we can trace the achievements of the toolmakers by the tools they made and used. Read more
In operative Freemasonry, the rough ashlar represents a rough, unprepared or undressed stone. In speculative Freemasonry, a rough ashlar is an allegory to the uninitiated Freemason prior to his discovering enlightenment. Operatively, the Perfect ashlar represents the dressed stone (after it has been made uniform and smoothed) by use of the working tools, the common gavel, (mallet) and chisel. Speculatively, a Perfect Ashlar is an allegory to a Freemason who, through Masonic education, works to achieve an upstanding life and diligently strives to obtain enlightenment. Source
The Square and Compasses is the single most identifiable symbol of Freemasonry. Both the square and compasses are architect's tools and are used in Masonic ritual as emblems to teach symbolic lessons. I personally believe that developing a good understanding of both tools will lead us to achieve "impossible" things. That's what squaring the circle is all about! :-)
The essence of the Pythagorean Theorem (also called the 47th Problem of Euclid) is about the importance of establishing an architecturally true (correct) foundation based on use of the square. Read more
Pentagrams were used symbolically in ancient Greece and Babylonia, and are used today as a symbol of faith by many Wiccans, akin to the use of the cross by Christians and the Star of David by the Jews. The pentagram has magical associations. Many people who practice Neopagan faiths wear jewelry incorporating the symbol. Christians once commonly used the pentagram to represent the five wounds of Jesus. The pentagram has associations with Freemasonry and is also used as a symbol by other belief systems. Source
Skull and Crossbones
Memento mori (Latin: "remember that you have to die") is the medieval Latin Christian theory and practice of reflection on mortality, especially as a means of considering the vanity of earthly life and the transient nature of all earthly goods and pursuits. It is related to the ars moriendi ("The Art of Dying") and similar Western literature. Memento mori has been an important part of ascetic disciplines as a means of perfecting the character by cultivating detachment and other virtues, and by turning the attention towards the immortality of the soul and the afterlife. Artwork by Philips Gijsels
"Throughout history, the circumpunct has been all things to all people—it is the sun god Ra, alchemical gold, the all-seeing eye, the singularity point before the Big Bang..." - Robert Langdon, The Lost Symbol
It is believed that the acacia tree first became associated with immortality due to an Egyptian myth about Osiris. In the legend, Osiris is tricked into a box that is thrown into the Nile. It eventually washed ashore near an acacia tree which rapidly grew around the box. The tree was turned into a column by a local king, which Isis was eventually given. Source
The Masonic cipher is a geometric simple substitution cipher, which exchanges letters for symbols which are fragments of a grid.
Vesica Piscis
Today is the beginning of many special days to come for the American people and the world!
Broadly speaking, liberty is the ability to do as one pleases. In politics, liberty consists of the social, political, and economic freedoms to which all community members are entitled. In philosophy, liberty involves free will as contrasted with determinism. In theology, liberty is freedom from the effects of "sin, spiritual servitude, or worldly ties." -wikipedia
I'm feeling honored to be given the task of designing a logo for the reputable Toronto Don Valley Warden's Association. Thank you, Brother Ben San Juan, current president of the group, for putting your trust in me.
The main graphic consist of 3 elements. The stylized plumb/level tools (the symbolic working tools of the wardens, for the unitiated), the Square and Compasses above the plumb/level, and the Rope or Cable Tow border. An additional symbol, the Acacia, is used to divide the typeface.
The Warden's tools combined with the S&C is, at a glance, meant to look like a candle with Light.
This shirt is available until the end of this month of February only! Get yours now by clicking this link!
The FraternalTies original Universal Brotherhood version 2 logo is back. Features include smaller print and various shirt/hoodies color choices.
As Freemasons, we learn to be advocates of equality. No matter what the political belief or racial background, as long as the candidate is a good man who believes in a Higher Power above himself, who is sincere in his desire to improve his being, will be accepted with open arms and be made a better man.
This print is available exclusively at our FraternalTies Teespring Store. Please click this link to purchase a shirt, hoodie, or sticker. Warning: If you see this print for sale elsewhere and the seller is not "FraternalTies", consider that product as fake and an unauthorized reproduction of my work.
As we celebrate President's Day in the USA and Family Day here in Canada, I can help but think about all the 44th Episode of NPR's Hidden Brain podcast that I listened to some time ago. The title is simple and relevant- "Our Politics, Our Parenting". The authors of the article and the podcast wrote, "Democrats and Republicans often have trouble seeing one another's perspectives. Researchers think this might be driven in part by their earliest experience of power — the family."
Over the past years, I had the privilege to design Jacquard woven silk fabric and neckties for many Freemasonry lodges from far and wide. As a designer, I will be forever grateful for the trust and business opportunity given to me by those Brethren who believed in my work.
However, due to the amount of time involved in weaving fabric from scratch, as well as the rising cost of production, it is with a heavy heart for me to announce that we will no longer continue our "Custom Lodge Necktie" design services.
For posterity's sake, below are some of the silk ties that I have designed for various lodges in Canada and the USA. I also have designed for individuals and organizations outside of Freemasonry but those works are not featured here. If you have a FraternalTies custom lodge necktie that you would like to get featured here, please feel free to get in touch with me. Thank you!
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2017: "W.B. Anthony Florez Tie", Albert Pike Lodge No. 117 AF&AM, Denver, Colorado
2017: "The Grand Commander Knight Templar Tie", Grand Commandery Knights Templar of Colorado, Denver, Colorado
2017: "The 1870 Tie", Harmonie Lodge No. 699 F&AM, Amherst, New York
2016: Zuleika Grotto No.10 M.O.V.P.E.R., Lackawanna, New York
2016: "Valley of Covington Tie", Scottish Rite of Freemasonry, Covington, Kentucky
2015: "Fiat Lux 50th Anniversary Tie", Fidelity Lodge No. 192 AF&AM, Fort Collins, Colorado
2015: "W.B. Michael Rossi Tie", Denver Lodge No. 5 AF&AM, Denver, Colorado
2014: "200th Anniversary Tie", St. George's Lodge No. 15 AF&AM, St. Catharines, Ontario
2014: "Buffalo Tie", Erie Masonic District, Buffalo, New York
2014: "Lodge of Reserch Tie", Western New York Lodge of Research, Amherst, New York
2014: "Harmonie Tie", Harmonie Lodge No. 699 F&AM, Amherst, New York
2014: "Trivium Tie", Trivium Lodge No. XXII F&AM, Tacoma, Washington
2014: "W.B. James Mentesana Tie", Allen Lodge No. 1435 AF&AM, Allen, Texas
2014: "Ancient Landmarks Tie", Ancient Landmarks Lodge No. 358 F&AM, Buffalo, New York
2013: "York Lodge Necktie", York Lodge No. 156 AF&AM, Toronto, Ontario
2013: "Janusian Freemasonry Tie", Harmonie Lodge No. 699 F&AM, Amherst, New York
2013: "College of Freemasonry Tie", The Grand Lodge of Ancient Free and Accepted Masons of Canada in the Province of Ontario, Hamilton, Ontario
2013: "Support Our Troops Tie", Ottawa, Canada
2011: "Arabian-Milo Tie", Arabian-Milo Lodge No. 882, Middle East
2011: "Arabian-Milo Tie 50th Anniversary Tie", Arabian-Milo Lodge No. 882, Middle East
I am living with anxiety, depression, and PTSD. I cope with it by focusing my energies on 3 things- Family, Freemasonry, and Muaythai. I document my journey as a husband and a father with mental health issues on my Instagram page.
Today is #bellletstalk day and I am feeling obliged to share a piece of my story. Instead writing a wall of text, I'll just summarize how I feel today by borrowing words from the following.
"Don't gain the world and lose your soul, wisdom is better than silver or gold." -Bob Marley
"Your task is not to seek for love, but merely to seek and find all the barriers within yourself that you have built against it." -Rumi
"We build too many walls and not enough bridges." -Isaac Newton
"I don't want to believe. I want to know." -Carl Sagan
Mother Earth's most recent profile photo taken by NASA's Johnson Space Center. Such beauty!
