In this episode, I wanted to share with you how I go about learning new sections of the ritual book I am to be presenting within the ceremonies. As you can imagine, within the millions of Masons worldwide there will be many different ways of approaching this task.
I started my active roles within the ceremonies with the working tools for each of the three degrees, as I understand a lot of people do, as they are nice small pieces. I started with the second degree, then the first degree, then the Third. It was at that point I was informed about the long version of the second-degree tools, so I wanted to learn that as well for the upcoming installation.
These tools, originally used by operative Masons, have been adopted symbolically to impart ethical lessons and values. They serve as metaphors for the tools we need to build our lives with integrity, harmony, and purpose that aids in the understanding of becoming a Mason, especially in the early stages.
I then moved on to the NE corner, which I presented a couple of times, an important piece that lays the foundation for a new Mason, and then the mode of dress, a lovely little piece that explains your preparation before entering the Temple in due form, a piece I’m told is not always done in every Lodge. After these my confidence in standing in front of everyone, all eyes on me was increasing, so I wanted to take on longer sections. I started with the Charge after initiation. I really enjoy that section and hope to present it every chance I get. Then came the Second-degree tracing board, I did bite off more than I could chew with this one. In the time I had to learn it I could only get half of it stuck in my mind by the time the ceremony came around, so I ended up splitting it with one of our dark blues, who also happens to be a founder of our Lodge and who recently received his forty years contribution to Freemasonry, an honor that I hope to reach one day. The following ceremony wasn’t until after the Summer break so I had a little longer to learn the other half of it, which I had volunteered myself to do, but three weeks before the meeting we found out that we were to be honored by a provincial visit, so that added some more pressure on top to do it without stumbling. The whole ceremony went exceptionally well, due to the overwhelming majority of the lodge that attends the Loi each week. It is always the goal to give the candidate the very best ceremony we can, and we were all very pleased with how it went.
Currently, I have just started to learn the walking charge for the two upcoming Third-degree ceremonies along with the first-degree ceremony as JD.
I start learning a new section by first typing it out so I can print an A5 copy to laminate, making sure that I copy it precisely in the way it is written in the book, including the abbreviations. The reason for the A5 size is so I can carry the printout within my large copy of the book, so that I didn’t need to buy a separate holder for the printouts. Ironically though, I have so many now, not just of the sections I have presented, but a lot of other sections that are on my list to learn, they don’t all fit into the pouch of the leather cover I have for the book, and have recently had to buy a separate plastic pouch folder. Typing it out, not only kick starts the memorizing process but I find that separating it into manageable paragraphs, for me, I feel speeds up the learning process, by just focusing on one small section I find it less daunting, as it can be looking at the book with page after page of none stop lines. I will sometimes number the paragraphs as well, due to the way my brain works. If I know how many paragraphs there are, the order, and how each of them start. It really helps me to visualize the words on the paper and I never get stuck on what comes next. I have done this with the walking charge, Numbered the paragraphs that I am stood still, and letters for the walking sections. This has helped me to remember the order of my version. As I have seen a few different variations of the Walking Charge all presented slightly different.
Once I have the smaller paragraphs separated, I then read through them and adjust the size and boldness of words so that the beginning of the paragraphs are slightly larger and certain distinctive words are highlighted in bold as markers. As I have a visual memory, these aid me as I progress along the line of text.
It takes me quite a while to learn the new sections, that is why I try and use as many techniques as I can to help me memorise them.
Once I have it printed out, I record myself saying it all the way through in a way that sounds well-presented and easy to listen to and understand. I generally listen to it in my car and talk along with the recording on the commute to and from work.
It takes a while but using these methods once it is in my brain it is locked in. Going over all the pieces I have learned regularly also helps keep it in my mind. I tend to go through a few sections while driving to and from work every day to endeavour to make a daily advancement in Masonic knowledge. I know of some people who are gifted when it comes to learning the book, in the fact that they can read it once, and then every word is locked in their mind, I will probably never get to that level of memory but I do seem to do well with the system I use, and I hope you may find a use for some of these techniques as well to aid in your learning.
Some of you may never have stood up and presented a section of the book for a ceremony for many different reasons, it may be the same reason that almost stopped me from standing up the first time I was asked if I would like to participate in the up coming ceremony, the fear of public speaking. Or, it may just not interest you to do so. Whatever the reason, I do feel personally, that as a Mason, we should know what it takes and means to be one. The blueprint to achieve this is laid out in the Obligation and the Charge after initiation. I don’t know about you, but I could not remember either of them the day after my initiation. Learning them both to present to a fellow Brother for their initiations has made me a better Mason, and improved my connection to the Craft. I feel that learning both the Charge and Obligation should be compulsory for every Mason in the beginning, even if he never presents it in the Temple in front of a room of Brothers, but maybe just in the Loi a year into his Masonic career. I am interested to hear how you feel about this. Do you feel it is important for every Mason to learn what it means to wear the badge of a Freemason?
Along with all the individual sections I have also been typing up my upcoming JD role for a first degree, the Ob, and the investing of the Offices for installation. Some of the things I will definitely be doing in the near future. If there is one thing that Masonry can teach you, it is planning for the future. If you start on the ladder with the intention of becoming WM, you can see the next six years ahead. Nothing comes as a surprise. As you progress up the ladder you know there will be certain things for each office that you will be expected to learn for each of the ceremonies, So I have taken that to mean start learning it all now, years ahead of when I will need it, for when the time comes I will not have a short time to cram it in within a short period and struggle through the Ceremony.
I hope this has given you some ideas that you can implement into your learning routine, whether it be your first piece or maybe you have learned many and want to try a different way. I have said it before, but I am no expert, I merely want to share my passion for the Craft and the way I do things.
For my next Post, I will be delving into more detail within a section of the Charge after the Initiation that has inspired me.