ENTERED APPRENTICE DEGREE

MASONIC TRACING BOARD

What is Freemasonry?
Freemasonry is a progressive moral science taught by degrees; it is
veiled in allegories and illustrated by symbols. Symbols could be
defined as something.

Freemasonry is the oldest, largest and most widely recognized fraternal

organization in the world. Founded in London, England in 1717, its
current worldwide membership totals 6 million members, 2.5 million of
which are in North America.
 Masonic Tracing Board Symbols

Tracing boards are painted or printed illustrations

depicting the various emblems and symbols of
Freemasonry. They can be used as teaching aids during
the lectures that follow each of the Masonic Degrees,
when an experienced member explains the various
concepts of Freemasonry to new members. They can
also be used by experienced members as self-
reminders of the concepts they learned as they went
through their initiations.
 Esoteric and Exoteric
• Esoteric means the "inner" (eso-), in the sense of the inner consciousness; the
contemplative, mystical or meditative transpersonal perspective. This is
something different from the ordinary everyday understanding of things, and can
only be understood by intuition or higher mental or spiritual faculties.
Esotericism is Gnostic. That is, it is based on Higher Knowledge, or Gnosis, to use
the Greek term. Gnosis is a much superior way of understanding than Reason.

• The opposite of Esoteric is Exoteric, which means the "outer" (exo-), i.e. the outer
or surface or everyday consciousness. This includes both the scientific-
materialistic and the conventional (or literal) religious perspective. As it is based
on the everyday understanding of things, and does not require any
transformation of consciousness (and indeed considers any such transformation
to be harmful), it assumes that the everyday mind alone can understand Reality.
 Allegory
• an allegory is a metaphor in which a character, place or event is used
to deliver a broader message about real-world issues and
occurrences. Allegory (in the sense of the practice and use of
allegorical devices and works) has occurred widely throughout history
in all forms of art, largely because it can readily illustrate or convey
complex ideas and concepts in ways that are comprehensible or
striking to its viewers, readers, or listeners.
• An allegory can be a piece of literature, like a poem or story, which
has a hidden or symbolic meaning. The concept can be best
understood through examples.
 Microcosm vs Macrocosm

• Microcosm and macrocosm are two aspects of a theory developed by

ancient Greek philosophers to describe human beings and their place
in the universe.

• Microcosm is the human being or human nature seen as an epitome

of the world or the universe

• Macrocosm is the whole of a complex structure, especially the world

or universe
metaphysical
• Metaphysical relates to the branch of philosophy that studies the
essence of a thing. This includes questions of being, becoming,
existence, and reality. The word "metaphysics" comes from the Greek
words that literally mean "beyond nature". "Nature" in this sense
refers to the nature of a thing, such as its cause and purpose.
Metaphysics then studies questions of a thing beyond or above
questions of its nature, in particular its essence or its qualities of
being.
Entered Apprentice Masons Tracing Board
Regular Masonic Temple
King Solomon Temple
Lodge is supported by Three Great Pillars

Worshipful Master Senior Warden Junior Warden

Canopy of the Lodge and the Jacob’s Ladder
Faith, Hope and Charity
Moon
Blazing Star
The Volume of the Sacred Law is derived from God to man
The Mosaic pavement may justly be deemed the beautiful flooring of a Freemasons'
Lodge, by reason of its being variegated and chequered. This points out the diversity
of objects which decorate and adorn the creation, the animate as well as the
inanimate parts thereof
The Indented or Tessellated Border refers us to the Planets,
which in their various revolutions form a beautiful border or
skirtwork round that grand luminary, the Sun, as the other does
round that of a Freemasons' Lodge.
The Square is to try, and adjust, rectangular corners of buildings, and
assist in bringing rude matter into due form; The Level to lay levels and
prove horizontals; The Plumb Rule to try, and adjust, uprights, while
fixing them on their proper bases.
King Solomon
St. John, the Baptist and St. John, the Evangelist
ESOTERIC or HIDDEN MEANING
History of Ancient Craft Masonry
Ancient Craft Masonry was reckoned from the date of the creation of the world - Anno Lucis
A.L.-approximately 4000 years before the Common Era, as we read in the third verse from the
Book of Genesis in the King James version of the Bible as well as in the Torah.
1:1 - In the beginning, God created the heaven and the earth.
1:2 - And the Earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the
deep. And the Spirit{AIR} of God moved upon the face of the Waters.
1:3 - And God said, Let there be light: and there was Light{FIRE}.
 SPIRIT

BODY
SOUL
Cycle of the Equinoxes of the Sun

72 years x 360 = 25, 920 years, Divide by 12 signs = 2, 160

The galactic year, also known as a cosmic year, is the duration of time
required for the Sun to orbit once around the center of the Milky Way
Galaxy. Estimates of the length of one orbit range from 225 to 250
million terrestrial years.
 Descent of the Soul
Chaldean order of the astrological principles of the journey of the soul
by alighting at each of the planets spheres descending from Saturn,
Jupiter, Mars, the Sun, Venus, Mercury and the Moon.

With the pure essence of each planet collected in its downward

movement, the soul arrived at the moon where it waited for the
correct moment of the native’s birth where physical manifestation took
place and soul joined with the body.
Descent of the Soul
Birth Chart
According to Macrobius, the soul descended through the spheres of the seven planets as it
descends from the highest heavens to manifest as a physical matter on earth. When the soul
encounters Saturn’s heaven, the seventh sphere, it gains the power of reasoning and theorizing.
In the next sphere, the sixth level closer to earth, the soul alights on Jupiter where it
showed the Saturn’s gift of reason and critical analysis that can be put into practice so that the
soul can direct the earthly body towards success or spiritual enlightenment.
In the 5th heaven Mars, the soul obtains the passion, courage and zealous qualities to the
soul.
Below Mars, the soul encounters the Sun in the 4th level, where it meets glorious light in the
purest form and envisages the potential for its own illumination or enlightenment. It absorbs the
Sun’s spirit and brings with it the soul potential during the lifetime.
In the third heaven Venus, the soul inherits the motion of desires, beauty, and balance.
At the second level from earth, Mercury bestows the power of language and communication
in order for it to be capable of interpreting human feelings and giving expression to its emotions.
When the soul enters the Moon’ realm the sphere nearest to Earth, the soul absorbs the
Moon’s essence which includes the awareness that it will soon experience the changes of physical
movement, growth, and eventual decay.
When the soul is drawn towards the body, it begins to experience a material agitation, matter
flowing into it and likens to the human experience of drinking excessive amounts of alcohol as
Plato’s remarked in the Phaedo.
As above, so below meaning
This phrase comes from the beginning of The Emerald Tablet and its explanation
embraces the entire system of traditional and modern magic which was inscribed
upon the tablet in cryptic wording by Hermes Trismegistus and his hermetism.

The significance of this quote is that it is believed to hold the key to all mysteries.
All systems of magic are claimed to function by this formula. “‘That which is
above is the same as that which is below‘…Macrocosmos is the same as
microcosmos. The universe is the same as God, God is the same as man, man is
the same as the cell, the cell is the same as the atom, the atom is the same
as…and so on, ad infinitum.”

This message theorizes that man is the counterpart of God on earth; as God is
man’s counterpart in heaven. Therefore, it is a statement of an ancient belief that
man’s actions on earth parallel the actions of God in heaven. This pivots on the
belief that “all things have their birth from this One Thing by adaptation.” The
next expression of the quote is “As within, So Without, as the universe so the
soul, which is also a principle of Hermes Trismegistus”.
From the Ancient Egyptians, Babylonians, and the
Greeks. Freemasons learned from their writings the
philosophy and ritual which become the main
principles of its teachings

“The ancient Philosophers regarded the soul of man as having

had its origin in Heaven. That was, Macrobius says, a settled opinion
among them all; and they held it to be the only true wisdom, for the
soul, while united with the body, to look ever toward its source, and
strive to return to the place whence it came. Among the fixed stars it
dwelt, until, seduced by the desire of animating a body, it descended
to be imprisoned in matter.
Aristotle (384–322 BC)
..was an ancient Greek philosopher and scientist born in the city of
Stagira, Chalkidiki, in the north of Classical Greece. Along with Plato,
Aristotle is considered the “Father of Western Philosophy”, and is
known for the Chaldean order of the astrological principles of the
journey of the soul by alighting at each of the planets spheres
descending from Saturn, Jupiter, Mars, the Sun, Venus, Mercury and
the Moon. With the pure essence of each planet collected in its
downward movement, the soul arrived at the moon where it waited for
the correct moment of the native’s birth where physical manifestation
took place and soul joined with the body.
Immortal Soul Teaching
The concept of the immortality soul teaching came
from the Egyptians which civilizations lasted for more
than 3,000 years. The countless tombs unearthed by
archaeologists along the Nile provide eloquent
testimony to the Egyptian belief that man possessed a
spiritual aspect extending beyond his physical life.
Plato (428-348 B.C.)
Passed on to Greeks

The Greeks got the concept of an immortal soul from the Egyptians.
Plato, the Athenian Philosopher (428-348 B.C.), like his teacher, Socrates was
initiated into the Greater Mysteries at the age of 49. The initiation took place
in one of the subterranean halls of the Great Pyramid in Egypt. Plato was the
founder of the Academy, an institute for philosophical and scientific research
just outside of Athens.

It was Plato who popularized the immortal soul concept throughout the
Greek world. In the Phaedo, one of Plato’s most famous works, he recounts
Socrates’ final conversation with his friends on the last day of Socrates’ life.
Socrates declared to them:
Roman Writer Macrobius Ambrosius
Theodosius (390-430 CE)
is famous for his classical Seven Books on Saturnalia. According to
Macrobius, the galaxy crosses the Zodiac in two opposite points,
Cancer and Capricorn, the tropical points in the sun’s course, ordinarily
called the Gates of the Sun. Through these gates, souls descend to
earth and re-ascend to Heaven. In Cicero’s Dream of Scipio, a discourse
on the nature of the cosmos, the Gate of Men; and the other, the Gate
of the Gods. Cancer was the former because souls descended by it to
the earth, and Capricorn the latter, because by it they re-ascended to
their seats of immortality and became Gods.
According to Macrobius, the soul descended through the spheres of the seven planets as it descends from the highest heavens to
manifest as a physical matter on earth. When the soul encounters Saturn’s heaven, the seventh sphere, it gains the power of
reasoning and theorizing.

In the next sphere, the sixth level closer to earth, the soul alights on Jupiter where it showed the Saturn’s gift of reason and
critical analysis that can be put into practice so that the soul can direct the earthly body towards success or spiritual enlightenment.

In the 5th heaven Mars, the soul obtains the passion, courage and zealous qualities to the soul.

Below Mars, the soul encounters the Sun in the 4th level, where it meets glorious light in the purest form and envisages the
potential for its own illumination or enlightenment. It absorbs the Sun’s spirit and brings with it the soul potential during the lifetime.

In the third heaven Venus, the soul inherits the motion of desires, beauty, and balance.

At the second level from earth, Mercury bestows the power of language and communication in order for it to be capable of
interpreting human feelings and giving expression to its emotions.

When the soul enters the Moon’ realm the sphere nearest to Earth, the soul absorbs the Moon’s essence which includes the
awareness that it will soon experience the changes of physical movement, growth, and eventual decay.

When the soul is drawn towards the body, it begins to experience a material agitation, matter flowing into it and likens to the
human experience of drinking excessive amounts of alcohol as Plato’s remarked in the Phaedo.
Journey of the Soul
Soul descends from Heaven by way of
Jacobs Ladder allegory through the
tropical point cardinal water Cancer, the
Gate of Men. The canopy of heaven
with the hottest time of the year in the
Fire Leo Sun combines the two other
luminaries, the Moon ruled by Cancer
with cluster stars of the Pleiades in
Taurus and the Blazing Star Sirius
properly illustrated by Masonic
Philosophers, a belief emanated from
Ancient Egypt passed on to the Greeks
and Romans Philosophers.
Under the Canopy of Heaven

1. Three Luminaries
a. Sun
b. Moon on dark night with stars
of Pleiades
c. Blazing Star

2. Jacobs Ladder
a. Angels
b. Altar with Blazing star of the
floor
c. Sacred Book with the square
and compass
Orientation of the Lodge Floor showing position of Planets and Constellations
Royal Arch
Royal Arch Degree
 Roman Catholic Logo
Silver key for Gate of Men. Golden Key for Gate of the Gods
Washington DC, USA on Independence Day
Solstices and Equinoxes
Cancer and Capricorn
Fellowcraft Tracing Board