Masonic Jewelry

When I was young, my opinion of the Shriners was positive but vague. They were easy enough to recognize, usually decked out in their trademark red fez. It seemed that they were always funding and helping to run charity fundraisers. I remember that when the Shriners circus came to town it was one of the highlights of my childhood. Of course I was more interested in the exotic animals and acrobatic feats than the charity aspect.

As I got older, I recognized that members of the Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine were more than just friendly guys who drove around in miniature cars during parades. They have a dedication to community service work that is practically unmatched in other fraternal orders. Shrine rings give members a sense of identity and belonging. In order to join, a person must be a Mason.

What do the Fourteenth Degree rings mean? The Scottish Rite Fourteenth degree ring is a flat, plain band of gold, and embossed thereon is a plate in the form of an equilateral triangle and within the triangle is the Hebrew letter yud, the initial letters of Jehovah in Hebrew (yud he vau he). Inside the ring is inscribed the Fourteenth Degree Motto: Virtus Junxit, Mors Non Separabit (Virtue has united and death shall not separate). The rings circle expresses the unbreakable fraternal bond between Masons of all generations. Upon the death of the owner, the ring should go into the hands of his widow, eldest son, the friend who was loved above all others, or another Scottish Rite Mason.   Examles of the 14^th Degree ring can be found at Fox Jewelry. 

Dan Brown, author of the best-selling book The Da Vinci Code, has written a new book that features the noetic sciences prominently: The Lost Symbol.
Dr. Katherine Solomon, the female protagonist, is described as a “noetic scientist” and appears to be based on a composite of many of the leading figures in the real-life noetic sciences.

The real-life Institute of Noetic Sciences is mentioned several times in the book, as are many of the actual experiments conducted by our researchers and their colleagues.

The word “noetic” comes from the Greek word nous. There is no exact equivalent in English. Noetic refers to “inner knowing” or a kind of intuitive consciousness—direct and immediate access to knowledge beyond what is available to our normal senses and power of reason. As defined by psychologist-philosopher William James, noetic refers to “states of insight into depths of truth unplumbed by the discursive intellect. They are illuminations, revelations, full of significance and importance, all inarticulate though they remain; and as a rule they carry with them a curious sense of authority…”

Noetic sciences use scientific methods to explore the “inner cosmos” of the mind (consciousness, soul, spirit) and how it relates to the “outer cosmos” of the physical world. They study how people come to know things or affect things through experiences or capacities (intuitions, synchronicities, psi, “after-death” communication, energy healing, etc.) that have no apparent rational explanation, and what this says about the nature of human consciousness.In many instances in the book, the author refers to the 33^rd Degree Ring. An example of this ring can be found at Fox Jewelry.

The Knights of Columbus is a Catholic fraternal order that has become known for its service work. As one might expect, the patron and namesake of the group is 15th century explorer Christopher Columbus. As a religious service organization, the Knights donate much and often to faith-based charities. One of the main purposes of the group is to foster good Catholic citizenship within the order.

The Knights were instrumental in lobbying for the words “under God” to be added to the Pledge of Allegiance, a change that was made in 1954. More recently, the Knights have been outspoken about social issues, generally adopting a conservative position. For example, many of them are outspoken about pro-life causes. Members of the organization often wear Knights of Columbus rings.