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Esoterika Lodge: A Unique Experiment in Freemasonry

William A. Isabelle, 32°, KSA

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Esoterika Lodge was formed by members of the Knights of St. Andrew in Washington who were passionate about the traditional observance of Masonry and the performance of Masonic ritual.

Esoterika Lodge No. 316, F. &A. M. of Washington was inspired by Albert Pike’s Esoterika; The Symbolism of the Blue Degrees of Freemasonry, the 2005 bonus book sent to Scottish Rite Research Society members. MW Bro. Saturo Tashiro, 32°, KCCH, Washington Grand Master for 2004–2005, designated Esoterika as a “Specialty Craft Lodge” when he granted its dispensation on May 27, 2005. It received its warrant on July 15, 2006, and is the first lodge of its kind in Washington. The mandate of Esoterika Lodge is to identify new programs, initiatives, and activities to stimulate interest, raise awareness, and generate involvement in Freemasonry.

The members of Esoterika Lodge are a very diverse cross-section of goal-oriented, energetic, and active Masons, whose combined involvement and participation in the Craft represents all the branches of the Masonic family tree. The charter members are also very active Scottish Rite Masons from the Everett, Seattle, Tacoma, and Bremerton Valleys in Washington and are also the founding members of the chapters of the Knights of Saint Andrew (KSA) in those Valleys. In fact, the idea of creating a new Blue Lodge began to form during the development of the future Everett Chapter of the Knights of Saint Andrew.

While developing the Everett KSA, the founding members began to have discussions about some of the organizational problems they faced as officers of their various lodges. It was this unique opportunity of Scottish Rite Masons coming together to form a new service organization for their Valley and discussing the Masonic challenges they faced that laid the foundation for developing their own lodge. They hoped to create an ideal lodge that would focus on their shared interest, a new kind of lodge that might import some of the dramatic flare of the Scottish Rite into the presentation of the degrees of Masonry. They also hoped their new lodge would produce Scottish Rite Masons and KSA members.

This was to be a lodge that would prepare its candidates to receive ongoing Masonic education and would promote more of the esoteric concepts that are found in Freemasonry. All of this was to be done while ensuring that any Master Masons such a lodge produced would be proficient, active, and dedicated members of the fraternity, ready to embrace the rituals and traditions of craft Masonry and to participate as future leaders in our great fraternity. It seemed like a daunting task!

As word spread about this new lodge being organized by a handful of young Master Masons, brothers came out of the woodwork wanting to learn more. The organizing members came to be known as the “Men in Black” because of their “uniform”—black suit, black shirt, and black tie. The petition for dispensation was signed by twenty-six Master Masons, from nine different lodges in five different districts throughout the Puget Sound. Esoterika Lodge, U.D., received its dispensation on May 27, 2005, and was consecrated and constituted on July 15, 2006.

Esoterika was brought to life by Master Masons whose interest in the traditional observance of Masonry and the performance of Masonic ritual is their chief concern and primary preoccupation. As a lodge, they place an emphasis upon not only real appreciation, but also the ready application of the lessons taught and obligations taken in the Degrees. However, Esoterika Lodge has a few differences from other lodges, some of which include:

• Esoterika Lodge has only four stated meetings per year.
• Members dress in “uniform” at meetings (black suit, black shirt, and black tie).
• The fees and dues are set intentionally high, with the annual dues at $100 and Endowed Life Membership at $1000.
• Members are required to attend all meetings, unless excused by the Worshipful Master, and then only with just cause.
• Members receive a copy of Albert Pike’s Esoterika: The Symbolism of the Blue Degrees of Freemasonry and are expected to read it in its entirety.
• Members are expected to become involved with the rites and concordant bodies of Freemasonry and to maintain participation.
• Esoterika Lodge only accepts candidates for the degrees of Masonry once a year.
• Every member of Esoterika Lodge is expected to have a candidate to mentor through the degrees of Masonry throughout the year, every year.

Esoterika Lodge chose as its representative emblem an enlightened perfect blue ashlar (shown above). The perfect ashlar, a symbol of attainment and completion, is that which we should all strive to become, through a virtuous education and the blessing of Deity. The color blue represents friendship and the commitment of the brethren of Esoterika Lodge to facilitating an ideal environment of Masonic education. The burst of light in the background of the Esoterika cube is meant to represent the enlightenment of mind, body, and spirit within and without the confines of the perfect ashlar, our corporeal self. The motto of the lodge is “Aestimatio sibi honosque fraternitati” (Pride in yourself, honor to the fraternity).

For further information about Esoterika Lodge, contact Brother William A. Isabelle, 32°, at Bro_Isabelle@esoterikalodge.net, or visit their web site at www.esoterikalodge.net.

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William A. Isabelle is a Seattle based Construction Management Consultant. He is the founding Venerable Master of the Everett Chapter of the Knights of Saint Andrew and a member of the Everett and Seattle Valleys and the Scottish Rite Research Society and was a Regional Conference Fellow at the 2006 Leadership Conferences. He is a charter member of Esoterika Lodge No. 316 and of Alba Lodge No. 315 and a member of St. John’s Lodge No. 9 and Walter F. Meier Lodge of Research No. 281. He is a Life Member of the Snohomish York Rite Bodies and a member of St. Alban Conclave, the Red Cross of Constantine, as well as numerous other Masonic Bodies.