Masonic aprons are rich with hidden symbolism that even the initiates are not informed about, here I will expose the secret esoteric symbolism and what it really means and why.
Aprons - Well what are they?
An apron is a clothing garment that protects the wearer and stops their normal clothes from getting ruined. For example, a person who is cooking, doing carpentry, working as a blacksmith or doing stonework would all wear aprons. However, these aprons are a full length in size by this I mean they cover from the chest down to about the mid-thigh area of the legs. Whereas a masonic apron is worn from the waist down.
The wearing of an apron has been used in religious ceremonies, for example, the Egyptian and Hebrew priests wore an Abnet which was considered an apron and it was meant to represent Authority.
In the case of the apron in Masonry, it is an item that is used as a mark of favour from the Worshipful Master. The candidate is invested and is told that this is the badge of honour of the degree the mason has just taken part in.
Masonic aprons vary greatly depending on which country you are in and also the aprons of the past were different to more modern ones. Here I am focusing on those found in the blue lodges in the UK.
After being initiated the new apprentice is invested with a white lambskin apron. Where he is told that it is an ancient emblem of purity and innocence. More honourable than the garter and older than the Roman eagle. He should always look after it as it will look after him!
However, when worn over the area related to animal passions, the pure lambskin signifies the regeneration of the procreative forces and their consecration to the service of the Eagles.
As the candidate is passed to the second degree, the lambskin apron is replaced with one that has two sky-blue rosettes on it, the Emulation ritual in use states that it shows the candidate's progress in the science of Freemasonry. In the Emulation Ritual book, there is no extended or traditional explanation of the sudden addition of the two blue rosettes or even the colour apart from these additions "mark the progress you have made in the science."
To mark the candidate's raising to the sublime degree of a Master Mason the apron has changed from a white lambskin apron with 2 rosettes. One with a sky-blue ribbon around the apron with an additional rosette on the triangular flap, there are two vertical ribbons on the apron with seven metal tassels attached to each of the vertical ribbons. The apron is no longer secured to the wearer by a white string and tied. But with a sky-blue ribbon that is clasped together by a metal serpent.
The standard text in the blue book passes over the whole change by saying "to mark the further progress you have made in the Science” Here is the explanation from the ritual book:
I invest you with the distinguishing badge of a Master Mason to mark the further progress you have made in the science. Your white lambskin apron has been replaced by one with a light blue border, having three rosettes arranged in a triangular fashion with the point uppermost. The colour of the silk, the triangle and the three rosettes have special meanings.
The two vertical ribbons typify …. And …. The importance of which has already been explained to you. To each of these ribbons seven tassels are attached to remind us that no Lodge is perfect unless seven Brethren are present, that in olden days the seven ages of man were thought to be influenced by seven then known planets, and no Master Mason was considered efficient unless he had some knowledge of the seven liberal arts and sciences.
The Seven liberal arts and sciences are Grammar, Rhetoric, Logic, Music, Geometry, Arithmetic, and Astronomy.
This is what the Masons are told, however. Here is my own interpretation from my own experience with my wealth of esoteric and Serpent knowledge.
The colour is blue because it represents the feminine and water, and it is the colour Priests wear during the Great Rite.
The 3 rosettes represent the trinity, the Mother, the Father and the Divine child of the new Aeon.
The 7 tassels represent the 7 chakras that the Serpent Kundalini energy moves through on illumination.
The Serpent clasp is of course symbolic of this Serpent energy and wisdom that they desire so much.
Aprons were worn by entered Apprentices at the building of King Solomon's temple. The way the apron is worn is changed with each degree.
7 not only represents the chakras.
The number 7 is a reoccurring theme within the Craft; 3 principal officers and 2 Deacons, Inner Guard and a Tyler. These 7 represent the "seven-fold" constitution of Man's nature.
The seven are:
1. The Body, or Rupa.
2. Vitality, or Prana-Jiva.
3. Astral Body, or Linga-Sarira.
4. Animal Soul, or Kama-Rupa
5. Human Soul, or Manas.
6. Spiritual Soul, or Buddhi.
7. Spirit, or Atma.
The body, Spiritual Soul and Spirit being part of the teachings of St. Paul for example:
And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be
preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
1 Thessalonians 5:23
The Atma is Spirit, Buddhi is the highest power of intellection, that which discerns and judges, and Manas is Mind. They form the trinity that was allegorised in Christianity as the Father, Son and Holy Ghost. Making them a divine triangle or Real Man. However, the true Gnostic trinity is, of course, the mother, the father and the divine child. The Eagles always remove the feminine from their trinity.
The other four are known as the quaternary or lower man and are the materialistic side of Man.
Passions and desires (Kama-Rupa)
Life principle (Prana-Jiva)
Astral body (Linga-Sarira)
Physical body (Rupa)
Making a square of matter/body the imperfections of man that a Mason must overcome on his journey to enlightenment.
The triangle has been used in Ancient Mystery systems throughout the world to signify or denote the Spirit or that which is not obvious to the eye. An upwards pointing triangle also represents fire, looking at the religion of Hinduism they have Brahma (Creator), Vishnu (preserver) and Shiva (Destroyer). Shiva is represented by a triangle and signifies the flame which rises upwards from a funeral pyre. This flame in essence points to Heaven.
Egypt is famous for its pyramids, which are triangular in shape. These places are said to be tombs for the dead but as I have pointed out before they are actually places where rituals took place for spiritual development and initiation. Even if they are as academia suggests tombs then the burial chamber was said to have a sealed door or Spirit door that allowed the dead Pharaoh to transcend to the next life.
Again, this confirms the idea that the triangle represents the Spirit. In Christianity, a spire is used on the tops of Churches and Cathedrals to show this flame of the spirit in its aspirations to reach for God or to the Heavens.
Spires do not start from the ground but rest on top of rectangular towers, which match the quadrangle shape section of the apron. This part of the apron is meant to represent Matter, the world or Materialism. Something that can be measured and weighed by the senses of man.
Therefore, it is something with form in which case it is an allegory for the body of man like the triangle is an allegory for the spirit of man, as well as a phallic symbol.
The apron if displayed with the flap extended with the uppermost point pointing up then what we have is a representation of the spirit of the candidate outside of his body and not within his body or his consciousness. Yes, the Candidate has gone through a cleansing ceremony of initiation but at this point, the spirit does not know whether the body will continue with the ideals it has purported to do. The spirit is therefore tethered to the body via two cords keeping the spirit and body together and these cords take the place of the Cable Tow.
Reminding you to be cautious and not to rush forward, as you work to bring union between your spirit and body. Why does the spirit need to be tethered to the body, for although the body has said it will give up the want of monies and the lures of the world in the ritual he has passed through, the spirit is not fully convinced that the body will stay the course it has just started!
The apron is made from a lamb as the lamb itself is considered a symbol of innocence as is the colour white, hence its use as the primary colour of wedding dresses, baptism robes etc.
Within the initiation ritual, they are asked if they have about their person any metallic or valuable substance. This again comes back to the idea that no metal substance was on the high priest when he went to the sanctum sanctorum once a year to offer devotion to the Most Divine.
Fellow Craft's Apron
This apron is made from a white lambskin with two sky-blue rosettes on the square, the triangular flap is now pointing down to the centre of the square. This is to signify that the candidate has made further progress in the science of freemasonry and his spirit (here symbolised by the triangle) has descended into his body (the square).
Looking again at Hinduism the downward triangle represents Vishnu the Preserver. It symbolises rain which preserves the fruitful earth. Therefore, the down-pointing triangle in the square means the descent of the divine spirit into matter.
It thus represents the candidate has subdued his passion and material needs and is becoming in tune with his spirit. Although this bond is not fully complete as the apron is still secured to the wearer by the symbolic cable-tow represented by the cords around the waist.
In this degree they learn that plenty is depicted as an ear of corn near a fall of water, this appears on the apron as the two rosettes. As they are the seeds planted in the first degree and are now sprouting as the Candidate understands his spiritual progress. As the sun and rain fertilise the seeds of the corn so through wisdom and guidance the Candidate can now begin to perceive his spirit within his body. The colour of the rosettes represents the colour of the heavens, these flowers on his "body" as emblems of the spirit's celestial origins.
The entered apprentice degree is the foundation degree, preparing the candidate to begin his journey to enlightenment, ergo planting the ideas and principles within him. The Fellowcrafts degree shows the mid-point of his passing from unconscious incompetence to conscious incompetence on the path to enlightenment. The rosettes symbolise this as the soul and body are established in strength.
Note the idea of the two pillars one the priestly pillar Jacin and the kingly pillar Boaz. Establishing this mind house to stand firm forever! Or a Mason's internalised Temple.
Master Mason's Apron
The apron has now been altered again signifying the candidate’s strengthening spiritual centre not only has a third rosette flourished in the centre of the triangle but the three rosettes together make a triangle showing that the spirit of this man is firmly within the body in a balanced union.
The apron now contains metallic substances, even though in previous degrees we had denounced them ensuring none was about their person. But it should be pointed out that silver in ancient times symbolised the soul, as gold referred to the spirit. The cord has been replaced by a sky-blue ribbon held together by a silver serpent which in itself is a symbol that represents Divine Wisdom. The silver tassels are the light that comes from above illuminating his intelligence it is not surprising that there are 7 tassels as white light is made up of seven waveforms of the electromagnetic spectrum. These are attached to sky-blue sashes that are vertical, Heaven's blue and heavenly light shining in the middle of the apron.
The new-made Master Mason has gone through a figurative death and come out of it resurrected as a new being, "the perfected Initiate has mastered his lower nature and has become the Perfect Man." He is no longer ruled by materialistic views or wants but now focuses on the more spiritual plain.
Of course in Masonry this is all just symbolic because they don't actually do the Great Work, they just get together for meetings and have each other's back and help each other's businesses. And these 3 degrees are what most Masons believe that is all there are. They pay their membership fees and enjoy the events and advantages of being part of the group, but most never get invited to the other higher levels, and most will never know that those levels even exist. And it is within those higher degrees that the reality and level of manipulation into world events really unfolds.
More symbolism
The Premier Grand Lodge had ruled in the 18th century that its Grand Lodge officers would wear Royal Blue which was coincidently the ruling Monarch's family colour. Scotland chose green which was the Stuarts’ royal house colour and as this was the period of the Jacobite rebellion it would be have been unpatriotic to have green on the regalia in England at that time. It had been decided that the Grand Stewards Lodge would wear crimson as such Acting Stewards still wear crimson today.
The apron is light blue to distinguish it from the Royal blue that is worn by the Grand Ranks. At one point it had been suggested that the Master of the lodge should wear Orange but that is the Colour of the Dutch Royal House, therefore, the idea was rejected. In North America, some of the Masters wear Purple to differentiate between them and the Master Masons in the lodge.
Installed and Past Masters
Installed Masters and Past Master aprons have a slightly different design as the rosettes are replaced by upside-down T shapes. Now some theories say they are 3 TAUs but this is more of a Royal Arch symbol. But they are not the TAU symbol but The T cross, the symbol of the Male side of the Deity and also to emphasise its phallic meaning.
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