"A System of Morality, taught by Allegory and Illustrated by Symbols" 
In our continuing mission to be beacons of light we ask you all to "Prepare, Prevail & Prosper" Above all; "Think for Yourself!"
Coming up @ Lodge 693 All meetings will be held via Zoom Conference call. Tuesday, November 24th - Hall Association meeting at 6:30pm. Tuesday, December 1st - Virtual Stated Meeting at 7:30pm This is a Mason only event Tuesday, December 8th - Socrates Cafe/ Trivium Discussion; - Responsibility How truly responsible are we? 
December 2020 From the desk of Worshipful Master Ted Parker ... My Dear Brothers and Friends, I hope this finds everyone healthy and well with the continuing times we are in. It's been a long, drawn out year so far and for most of us, a hard year mentally, physically and financially, myself included. These are some of the things we don't like to mention because we simply don't want to believe it. For me, it has put me in debt. It's nothing I can't handle for the moment, but it put me in a position I thought I'd never be in. I'm still here and moving forward. It's hard when our elected officials continue to fight among each other and show hatred for one another, not thinking- or in my eyes, not caring about our country, just their own agendas. They choose to divide us. They have forgotten who they work for. We need to stand United together, United by our bonds of humanity. The holidays are among us but we aren't supposed to share in those holidays. We can't spend Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, or Christmas with our families, but instead we're told to stay home away from our families. Yet time and again we see OUR elected officials on the evening "news" out and about having a good time, flaunting their disdain for their own self-appointed "laws". I'm here to tell you to reach out to your families and friends. If you want to get together it's your RIGHT to do so. So do it without the fear they are trying to instill in us and enjoy the Holidays with your family. Enough of the doom and gloom..... I will be sharing all my Holidays with my family and friends. We will laugh and share good times with memories both past and present. We will celebrate together as a family should and I hope you all do the same. It's our families and the good times we share together that keeps us healthy and strong, UNITED. Let us be the solution moving forward. Let us make the difference to make life better for ourselves and each other. Life is Great so be Grateful for what we have and all the blessings we are given. Let's not live in fear- but live in Truth and Understanding. Please enjoy your Holidays. Please enjoy this special time with family and friends as we have always done. Use the common sense we were taught when we were kids by our parents and grandparents and, if you are of the younger generation, listen to those around you then use your best judgement and ask questions. Use the Trivium. Let's not live in fear but live in Truth and understanding. Please enjoy the holidays, enjoy this special time with family and friends. Use the common sense we were taught when we were kids, by our parents and grandparents, and if you are of the younger generation listen to those around you, then use your best judgment and ask questions. Use the Trivium. Speaking of the Trivium, we decided to hold another ground breaking Socrates Cafe/ Trivium on December 8th at 7:00pm. You will be sent reminders and the link to join in. Fraternally and Sincerely, Ted Parker, PM Worshipful Master Palm Springs Lodge #693 tedparker93@yahoo.com VISION
To restore Palm Springs Lodge #693 as a beacon of light in Masonry for all worthy and well qualified men. MISSION Our mission is to lead by example. To provide a sanctuary away from the world at large where Brothers are free to teach, learn and explore the symbols, values, morals and principles of the Symbolic Blue Lodge that will help us live a righteous noble manhood, "making good men better" 
Inside The Symbolic Blue Lodge is where every Masonic journey begins. Whether you become a Shriner, Scottish Rite, York Rite or Royal Arch Mason, your search for Light begins and ends...
Inside The Symbolic Blue Lodge. Socrates Cafe/ Trivium Discussion Group
Insightful conversations exploring the key questions of life. We convene every 3rd Tuesday of the month to discuss philosophical questions we ourselves have chosen and to think for ourselves about the life we want to lead. This is open to the public. (Grammar, Logic and Rhetoric)- The Trivium Comment from our recent Trivium from one of our Brethren Nov. 17th 20202 at 7pm - "Elections, Does your vote count?" Carroll Wilson, "Hi Ted. Last night’s meeting was extremely interesting to me, I was learning more about your voting system than anyone has ever explained to me. I was enthralled. It didn’t matter to me if you were Republican or Democrat. I only wish that I could have gone on until the end. On another note, today I was told that I am to have open heart surgery or what some people call by pass surgery. I don’t know when but it is going to be soon. Please pass this on to the brethren in Palm Springs and ask them to keep a brother in their prayers. Keep safe my brother and say hi to your wife. Carrol." Thank you Carrol and we will be praying for you Previous questions we have explored: "What is government?" "What is COVID-19?" "What is fear?" "Should we elect anyone?' "What is money?" "What is the occult?" "What is a Secret?" "What is Ritual?" "What is Authority?" "What is Freedom, is it Free?" Elections, Does our vote count??? To learn more, click on the Trivium Tab above. 
"The function of the trivium is the training of the mind for study of matter and spirit, which together constitutes the sum of reality. The fruit of education is culture, which Mathew Arnold defines as "the knowledge of ourselves [mind] and the world [matter]." Manly Masonic Maxim of the month: |
Symbolism - "Freemasons study symbolism immediately upon their initiation into the craft. Our fraternity's rich and varied symbolic legacy serves as the nexus, or core, of a Mason's quest for truth."
EA Candidate Guide What is Freemasonry? Want some good Masonic reading?See our Links and Books page
December 2020
From the desk of Jeffrey Bayer, Senior Warden... Greetings Brothers and Friends! I thought it might be worthwhile to discuss the three principle tenets of Freemasonry; Brotherly Love, Relief and Truth. "By the exercise of Brotherly Love we are taught to regard the whole human species as one family, the high and the low, the rich and the poor..." So what does that mean exactly? It affirms something I realized early in life. It means we are all "cut from the same cloth". If you cut a human body, we all bleed the same red blood. Your organs are located in the same place as every human being. Our brains, our tongues, hands, feet, fingers and toes, all are located in the same places. We are all anatomically the same. If each one of us shows compassion to a fellow human being, how long would it take to heal the open sores so many carry around "on their sleeves"? Definitely more time than a day, week or month but the healing would start and in time, the healing will grow. Think of the butterfly effect. Everybody has someone who has "done you/me wrong". Wouldn't Brotherly Love mean we should forgive that person? Would that begin the healing? It would. For you. When we show compassion and true Brotherly Love, particularly to those who've "done us wrong", the healing begins inside yourself. Over time the sharing of compassion and kindness (Brotherly Love) will become automatic inside you. A "knee-jerk" reaction if you will. Yes, some will see it as a sign of weakness, but you'll know immediately who those are, and your best practice is to avoid them. Our teachings however, tell us we are to show everyone Brotherly Love. Not just those we like or know, but those who might include the busboy at a restaurant, or the checker at your market. Brotherly Love could mean we stop and hold the door open for someone and if they breeze by like they're entitled to your gesture, smile and move forward. Nothing to see, these are not the droids you're looking for, move along. Relief teaches us to listen to our friends or even strangers when they need an ear. Not to offer assistance or a "fix", but to just listen; "...to relieve the distressed is a duty incumbent upon all men...". As human beings, we are built to want to assist. Men, as previously stated, are taught to be "fixers or white knights on a steed". Sometimes, mostly those closest to us only want to be heard. Listening to someone is a form of Relief. We all want to be heard at some point or another. Here's something I was taught a long time ago. When you speak, listen to yourself. How many times do you say; "I, me, my" when talking to someone? It isn't easy at first but the more we try, the more apparent it becomes to us we aren't really listening because we're focused on "I, me, my"- ourselves. Try using different pronouns like; you, we, us. A friend needs an ear, you might automatically start with; "I would...". Rather, try saying; "So what you're saying is...". It shows compassion, that you're paying attention to them and you care about them. All of these are Relief, yes? We are taught; "...Truth is a divine attribute...". Does that mean you should always be truthful? What about when a friend you really care about doesn't know his spouse is cheating- should you tell them? When we speak the Truth- who are we trying to advance, ourselves or our friend and/or brother? This one isn't easy because human nature makes us want to seem good, honest and True to everyone. Think about the last question carefully. When you are being "truthful" with someone, is it to make you seem wise or caring, or are you trying truthfully to help them see things through a different aspect? Is Truth a part of Brotherly Love and Relief? In some cases, the answer is Yes. By being truthful we are showing compassion to a friend or brother and we are offering Relief by showing them a different way to consider something. This is all about getting "out of the box"- thinking about things in ways we might not have considered before. Being thoughtful in what we say, the words we say, and the way we say it are all part of thinking "outside the box". Our Worshipful Master said to you in his last message; "...Smile at everyone...wish them a good day...(and mean it)". This isn't to say we should listen to strangers who come up to you in a parking lot telling you how their car broke down, or they only need a quarter. However, you should kindly decline assistance and wish them good luck instead of providing a short, curt "NO". If they persist then by all means make it perfectly clear in no uncertain terms, you are not willing to offer them assistance. Brotherly Love, Relief and Truth are all linked together, because as human beings we are all "cut from the same cloth". Brotherly Love is Relief, Relief can be Truth, Truth is Brotherly Love. These three tenets are linked together as are we all, not only by a common bond through our ancient and honorable Fraternity, but more importantly, through our Great Creator. If this has provoked some thought in you, please share your thoughts, not just by replying to this message (that's easy), but with everyone (this requires some thought). There are no incorrect ideas. There is nothing but speculation. As friends and brothers we improve and compliment each other by sharing our thoughts and our ideas. We are after all, Speculative Masons. Thank you for reading, be well. Fraternally and Sincerely, Jeffrey M. Bayer, PM Senior Warden Palm Springs Lodge #693 jmilesbayer@protonmail.com 
"that cement which unites us into one sacred band, or society of friends and brothers"
"A book that all lodges should buy, read, discuss and implement in order to revive some of what Freemasonry should be."
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Our Message to All: Welcome!
Vision Statement: To restore Palm Springs Lodge #693 as a beacon of light in Masonry for all worthy and well qualified men.
Mission Statement: Our Mission is to lead by example. To provide a sanctuary away from the world at large where brothers are free to teach, learn, and explore the symbols, values, morals, and principles of speculative Freemasonry that will help us live as righteous and noble men.
Masons meet "on the level." No matter your profession or your economic status (some financial responsibilities required), when our Lodge is in session, we're equals where outside worldly titles and social status disappear while we are in the pursuit of our Masonic labors. We are a sacred society, or band of brothers formed in a centuries-old tradition.
What's Freemasonry all about? Freemasonry is refinement in everything we do. From the way we dress, speak, prepare for our meetings, interact with one another and share meals, it's all about hard work. That work is work we do internally, True, there's a lot more to the vast tapestry of our Craft. Learn more here.
Masons do not solicit new members. Interested men must approach of their own initiative. However, first a friend, then a brother. All prospective members are vetted over a 6 to 12 month period. No one is guaranteed membership, not every man should be a Mason, and not every Mason should be a member of our lodge.
Don't know a Mason? No problem. Lodge 693 welcomes inquiries! Contact us here