Tips on Learning Ritual from my Perspective
The gist of this article:
The first step to learning lectures is to pay attention as degrees are being exemplified. Watching degrees being performed should create images in your mind. The candidate proficiencies are an important step to learning lectures and represent a good foundation from which to start.
Thinking visually or spatially about what happened in a degree helps you to keep the stories in a lecture in mind. These images are important to assist you in your quest. Learning lectures by focusing on phases and paragraphs individually is a very important way to learn lectures and charges. As you learn a paragraph, then move onto the next paragraph.
From time to time, you should reread the entire lecture. By concentrating on single paragraphs at a time and yet keeping the entire lecture in mind, you will learn the lecture faster as you go along. The first paragraph feels like it takes forever to learn. Please note that lectures create stories. We all like to tell stories. As you learn phrases, sentences, and polarographs, keep the entire stories of the lecture in your mind.
Being able to discuss the meaning of ritual is a source of brotherhood; remember we are ritualistic brothers. Lodges, that have several brothers who know the ritual, can experience the true brotherhood of fraternity by practicing together and comparing observations. I notice the Knight Templar, Royal Arch, and Scottish Rite magazines many times will discuss the depths of ritual. These are articles you should take the time to read.
Introduction
I realize that many members of a Lodge are not interested in learning rituals. These members just want to go to a place, like Cheers Bar in the television series Cheers as a place where everyone knows their name. There is nothing wrong with this, but the ritual offers a degree of spiritual enlightenment to those who are willing to study and learn. It is important for members to know lectures and charges so that they may demonstrate a true passion for the fraternity; otherwise, they just attend dinners and not take seriously what goes on in degrees and meetings. If a lodge has too many of these brothers who have no desire to learn lectures, the lodge will find it impossible to do degree work and promote candidates. The lodge can be real trouble. Many who refuse to learn significant parts of ritual have contempt for Freemasonry in general rather they admit it or not. Let us move on to our subject matter.
Over the years I performed many degrees as a principal officer and did many lectures in the lodge, York Rite, and Eastern star. The lectures of the lodge are much more challenging than in other organizations. They also give you a greater foundation once you truly learn them. Learning ritual will be discussed in several sections: The Spiritual meanings of Degrees, The Meaning of Ritual, Overview of Learning Lectures, and finally Giving Lectures are headings that follow.
The Spiritual meanings of Degrees
Seeing the spiritual side of lectures may not be possible for some who think literally and are very down to earth; there is nothing wrong with this; lectures can be taken at face value. The first few times you give a lecture, you may not see the spiritual side so have patience. Members who are not willing to learn lectures may never see the spiritual side of the lectures; all they hear are Bible stories and gobbledygook – thus they miss out on the depth of the degrees.
As I did rituals and gave lectures (not only in the lodges, but also in the York Rite), I could see the more spiritual meaning behind the words. It takes a lot of study to get above the corporal, material, earthly, or mundane level of the ritual. But when you study and are involved, you begin to see how the ritual presents spiritual lessons that go back to the beginning of civilization. Please see the article by Robert Palazzo.
If you dig deeper into the esoteric side Freemasonry, you will arrive at the influence of Jewish mysticism or the Qabbalah on Freemasonry. An AI summary says the following
Qabbalah and Freemasonry are linked through esoteric, philosophical, and symbolic ties, particularly within high-degree Masonic rites like the Scottish Rite and Royal Arch, which often explore mystical interpretations of scripture and metaphysics. While not part of basic "Blue Lodge" degrees, Qabbalah—Jewish mysticism—influences Masonic symbolism regarding the Tree of Life and the nature of God. (Qabbalah may be spelled several ways, the more learned people in the science that I have read spell it with a Q and a double b.)
The esoteric side of Freemasonry has been both a blessing and a curse. Esoteric in its simplest definition means hidden from sight. In the early days of Freemasonry, many believed that anything hidden from sight was considered satanic. But on the other hand, great truths are brought forth in the lodge through allegory and symbols. The esoteric side of Freemasonry through its legends and symbols encompass theories of God, the afterlife, the soul, to a place where discussions about philosophy and theology flourish. The ancients believed that putting great truths into words can lead to misinterpretation or distortion. The ancients were not guessing. They were precise. They understood something most have forgotten—that truth spoken plainly is often rejected… but truth encoded symbolically survives.
The Fellowcraft Degree is a good example, it draws heavily on the symbolism of Jewish mystical thought. The degree represents an awakening of the candidate’s intellectual development.
The Meaning of Ritual
The difference between a Ritual and a Ceremony is that a Ritual uses the same words and movements each time. This connects you to brothers who were raised generations ago and brothers from other lodges you have never met. You have a link to all of them through time and place. All these brothers have been initiated using the same Ritual. Rituals are especially important to lodge through openings and closings along with lectures, charges and floorwork. Floorwork and the handling of staffs by deacons and stewards are very important. Ceremonies are also important. Many sections of a church service would be a ceremony because different songs and sermons are used each week. A funeral service would also be considered a ceremony.
Being proficient in rituals is a good mode of leadership. Leadership is very important to all organizations. Being able to discuss the meaning of ritual is a source of brotherhood; remember we are ritualistic brothers. Lodges that have several brothers who know the ritual can experience the true brotherhood of fraternity. Ritualists must raise above a material level to a more spiritual level. This can only be done through knowing the ritual well and being able to look between the lines to find the spirituality behind the words and stories. This takes a lot of work and dedication. Much has been written about the ritual in many of the Masonic publications that will assist you to find the spiritual side of the ritual. This takes study, and it gives you an incentive to learn the ritual and lectures and charges. The fact that our ritual has dual and even multiple meanings bothers many who are opposed to Freemasonry as discussed previously. But understanding the various depths of the ritual is part of your Masonic education.
Overview of Learning Lectures
The problem is that too many in a lodge have neither patience nor perseverance to learn lectures or even charges, thus by learning lectures and charges you rise above most in members in a lodge to become a true brother. You become a brother to members of lodges throughout the world and to members over the ages many centuries before you. By learning lectures and charges, you begin to learn what freemasonry is about.
The first step to learning lectures is to pay attention as degrees are being exemplified. Watching degrees being performed should create images in your mind. The candidate proficiencies are an important step to learning lectures and represent a good foundation from which to start. Learning lectures by focusing on phases and paragraphs individually is a very important way to learn lectures and charges. Rote memorization has advantages and disadvantages (please see the article by Ariane Resnick). A disadvantage is that it does not give you a deep understanding of the subject matter. Thinking visually or spatially helps to remember what comes next.
I remember there was a certain paragraph I was having trouble with. Somehow, I would visually bring up a picture of the paragraph in my mind so I could read it. Brothers must work with their minds to learn how their minds want to learn lectures. Learning the depths of the ritual cannot be realized until after you have given lectures and charges many times.
Each degree lecture has three major themes. Thinking visually or spatially about what is in the various themes helps you to think of the lecture as a whole. By applying words around the images, you are on your way to learning a lecture. Learning the words around the images of a degree in an organized matter is important. Many will find learning lectures by focusing upon one paragraph at a time that works very well. Focusing upon phrases and sentences within each paragraph is a good way to learn.
Please note that lectures create stories. Most of us like to tell stories about many subjects. Thinking spatially works well for the Staircase Lecture and the Third Sections of the First and Third Degrees. Never think of lectures in terms of individual words, but in the context of phases, sentences, and descriptions. An example of a description is "As the Sun rises in the East, so rises the Worshipful Master to open and govern his Lodge." Notice that you never think of this in terms of individual words, but as a concept. So, it is in the Third section of the First-Degree Lecture when you are discussing the Forms, Supports, Coverings, Furniture, Ornaments, Lights, and Jewels of a Lodge. The descriptions of each of these are concepts that are important to consider visually or spatially; you can look around to see these in the lodge to remind you of the descriptions. One of the problems of learning lectures by this method is that you may occasionally use the wrong words here and there. Ideally, other brothers may assist you in using the correct words thus, you may be on your own to refining your lecture. If you use too many wrong words, a DDGL may just tell you that you do not know a lecture because you put in the wrong words here or there. This is something you must work out with the DDGL
Never assume you will learn lectures in a few mega sessions. Usually, it is not good to spend more than an hour in any one day studying a lecture. It just takes time to first get to know the flow of a lecture and then to start concentrating on various sections. Relax, let your mind tell you how it wants to learn. When you are practicing a lecture, you can sometimes feel the other side of your mind double checking what you are saying. You become very aware that your brain has crosschecks. Reading aloud greatly helps because it gets the two sides of the mind working together. Talking to yourself, in this case, is not a bad thing. Giving a lecture to your dog or windshield is a good way to practice a lecture. Be careful, though, when walking down a street! People may look at you strangely if you are working on rituals in public.)
I have found that practicing lectures while you are by yourself or with your dog can be soothing upon the mind once you know a lecture well. If you have ever taken a karate class, you learn that when you practice movements, you let your mind relax. Your various limbs will remember the movements without thinking about them. The lectures are similar. You are using parts of the mind you do not normally use. You let the lecture flow out of this section of the mind without thinking about it. Obviously, this means it takes time to learn lectures. We use similar sections in our mind to learn poems and songs. Once you learn the kata, you let your mind go blank, you let your muscle memory take over. When practicing a lecture, let your mind go blank so that the part of the mind that learned the lecture takes over. You do not have to think about it unless for some reason something distracts you. While giving lectures, your consciousness should be focused on the responses of your candidate, the responses of the audience, and the use of a chart or slideshow.
Giving Lectures
The symbols used in the lectures are discussed in the Monitor that was given to you when you received your Third Degree. The tragedy of the Third Degree may reflect the death and rebirth of Osiris in ancient Egypt (https://www.ancient-egypt-online.com/osiris.html). The death and rebirth of Osiris may also reflect the death and rebirth of Jesus depending upon your perspective.
One important observation I have made is that the lectures are usually the easiest the first time you give them in an open lodge because you are very well prepared. The second and third times giving a lecture you might have more difficulty because of over confidence. Always review a lecture before giving it. Practicing several times before giving a lecture is important. Watching others give a lecture you know can also reinforce your knowledge of it and help you to correct a few wrong words you may have substituted here and there. After you have given a lecture several times, you begin to really understand the lecture and the meanings behind it that are not at first apparent.
Conclusion
It is very important for you to develop a deep understanding of rituals, particularly lectures and charges. Reading in Masonic publications is very important to develop your understanding. Some articles you find, you may not only read, but you also may have to study it in depth.
Please: Read! Read! Read! Study! Study! Study! Practice! Practice! Practice!
Further Reading
The Masonic Meaning of Columns, Scottish Rite Blog, https://scottishritenmj.org/blog/columns-symbol-freemasonry
Robert Palazzo, DDGM, 2017, The Esoteric Meaning of the Twin Pillars Boaz & Joachim, The Grand Lodge of Rhode Island, https://www.rimasons.org/freemasonry-community-rhode-island/masonic-news/14-within-the-craft/334-the-esoteric-meaning-of-the-twin-pillars-boaz-joachim
Freemasonry Complete Guide Group, 2024, Freemasonry’s Post, Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/groups/freemasonrycg/posts/2602714686560768/
George H Lilley, 2020, The Meaning Behind 15 Common Masonic, https://www.ghlilley.com.au/blogs/news/freemason-symbols?srsltid=AfmBOoq8SYOE6pawJjCsX01xOE6h2r9KKbfoXzBj1_rP4PSIQwtATrPe
Jonathon Wai, 2024, What Is Spatial Thinking and Why does it Matter for Students in School? Forbes Septtember 14, 2024. https://www.forbes.com/sites/jonathanwai/2024/09/02/what-is-spatial-thinking-and-why-does-it-matter-for-students-in-schools/
Maarten Moss, Legends and Symbols in Masonic Instruction, The Square Magazine, https://www.thesquaremagazine.com/mag/article/2024q3legends-and-symbols-in-masonic-instruction/
Kabbalah, Freemasonry, and the Tree of Life, October 15, 2021, Southern California Research Lodge, https://www.theresearchlodge.com/further-light/kabbalah-freemasonry
Timothy Hogan, 2009, The 32 Secret Paths of Solomon – A New Examination of the Qabbalah in Freemasonry, ISBN 978-0-557-04610-2, Available on Amazon.
Ariane Resnick, November 01, 2023, Does Rote Memorization Actually Help Us Learn New Things? Memorizing information can be effective...sometimes, Very Well Mind, https://www.verywellmind.com/rote-memorization-8350717
The first step to learning lectures is to pay attention as degrees are being exemplified. Watching degrees being performed should create images in your mind. The candidate proficiencies are an important step to learning lectures and represent a good foundation from which to start.
Thinking visually or spatially about what happened in a degree helps you to keep the stories in a lecture in mind. These images are important to assist you in your quest. Learning lectures by focusing on phases and paragraphs individually is a very important way to learn lectures and charges. As you learn a paragraph, then move onto the next paragraph.
From time to time, you should reread the entire lecture. By concentrating on single paragraphs at a time and yet keeping the entire lecture in mind, you will learn the lecture faster as you go along. The first paragraph feels like it takes forever to learn. Please note that lectures create stories. We all like to tell stories. As you learn phrases, sentences, and polarographs, keep the entire stories of the lecture in your mind.
Being able to discuss the meaning of ritual is a source of brotherhood; remember we are ritualistic brothers. Lodges, that have several brothers who know the ritual, can experience the true brotherhood of fraternity by practicing together and comparing observations. I notice the Knight Templar, Royal Arch, and Scottish Rite magazines many times will discuss the depths of ritual. These are articles you should take the time to read.
Introduction
I realize that many members of a Lodge are not interested in learning rituals. These members just want to go to a place, like Cheers Bar in the television series Cheers as a place where everyone knows their name. There is nothing wrong with this, but the ritual offers a degree of spiritual enlightenment to those who are willing to study and learn. It is important for members to know lectures and charges so that they may demonstrate a true passion for the fraternity; otherwise, they just attend dinners and not take seriously what goes on in degrees and meetings. If a lodge has too many of these brothers who have no desire to learn lectures, the lodge will find it impossible to do degree work and promote candidates. The lodge can be real trouble. Many who refuse to learn significant parts of ritual have contempt for Freemasonry in general rather they admit it or not. Let us move on to our subject matter.
Over the years I performed many degrees as a principal officer and did many lectures in the lodge, York Rite, and Eastern star. The lectures of the lodge are much more challenging than in other organizations. They also give you a greater foundation once you truly learn them. Learning ritual will be discussed in several sections: The Spiritual meanings of Degrees, The Meaning of Ritual, Overview of Learning Lectures, and finally Giving Lectures are headings that follow.
The Spiritual meanings of Degrees
Seeing the spiritual side of lectures may not be possible for some who think literally and are very down to earth; there is nothing wrong with this; lectures can be taken at face value. The first few times you give a lecture, you may not see the spiritual side so have patience. Members who are not willing to learn lectures may never see the spiritual side of the lectures; all they hear are Bible stories and gobbledygook – thus they miss out on the depth of the degrees.
As I did rituals and gave lectures (not only in the lodges, but also in the York Rite), I could see the more spiritual meaning behind the words. It takes a lot of study to get above the corporal, material, earthly, or mundane level of the ritual. But when you study and are involved, you begin to see how the ritual presents spiritual lessons that go back to the beginning of civilization. Please see the article by Robert Palazzo.
If you dig deeper into the esoteric side Freemasonry, you will arrive at the influence of Jewish mysticism or the Qabbalah on Freemasonry. An AI summary says the following
Qabbalah and Freemasonry are linked through esoteric, philosophical, and symbolic ties, particularly within high-degree Masonic rites like the Scottish Rite and Royal Arch, which often explore mystical interpretations of scripture and metaphysics. While not part of basic "Blue Lodge" degrees, Qabbalah—Jewish mysticism—influences Masonic symbolism regarding the Tree of Life and the nature of God. (Qabbalah may be spelled several ways, the more learned people in the science that I have read spell it with a Q and a double b.)
The esoteric side of Freemasonry has been both a blessing and a curse. Esoteric in its simplest definition means hidden from sight. In the early days of Freemasonry, many believed that anything hidden from sight was considered satanic. But on the other hand, great truths are brought forth in the lodge through allegory and symbols. The esoteric side of Freemasonry through its legends and symbols encompass theories of God, the afterlife, the soul, to a place where discussions about philosophy and theology flourish. The ancients believed that putting great truths into words can lead to misinterpretation or distortion. The ancients were not guessing. They were precise. They understood something most have forgotten—that truth spoken plainly is often rejected… but truth encoded symbolically survives.
The Fellowcraft Degree is a good example, it draws heavily on the symbolism of Jewish mystical thought. The degree represents an awakening of the candidate’s intellectual development.
The Meaning of Ritual
The difference between a Ritual and a Ceremony is that a Ritual uses the same words and movements each time. This connects you to brothers who were raised generations ago and brothers from other lodges you have never met. You have a link to all of them through time and place. All these brothers have been initiated using the same Ritual. Rituals are especially important to lodge through openings and closings along with lectures, charges and floorwork. Floorwork and the handling of staffs by deacons and stewards are very important. Ceremonies are also important. Many sections of a church service would be a ceremony because different songs and sermons are used each week. A funeral service would also be considered a ceremony.
Being proficient in rituals is a good mode of leadership. Leadership is very important to all organizations. Being able to discuss the meaning of ritual is a source of brotherhood; remember we are ritualistic brothers. Lodges that have several brothers who know the ritual can experience the true brotherhood of fraternity. Ritualists must raise above a material level to a more spiritual level. This can only be done through knowing the ritual well and being able to look between the lines to find the spirituality behind the words and stories. This takes a lot of work and dedication. Much has been written about the ritual in many of the Masonic publications that will assist you to find the spiritual side of the ritual. This takes study, and it gives you an incentive to learn the ritual and lectures and charges. The fact that our ritual has dual and even multiple meanings bothers many who are opposed to Freemasonry as discussed previously. But understanding the various depths of the ritual is part of your Masonic education.
Overview of Learning Lectures
The problem is that too many in a lodge have neither patience nor perseverance to learn lectures or even charges, thus by learning lectures and charges you rise above most in members in a lodge to become a true brother. You become a brother to members of lodges throughout the world and to members over the ages many centuries before you. By learning lectures and charges, you begin to learn what freemasonry is about.
The first step to learning lectures is to pay attention as degrees are being exemplified. Watching degrees being performed should create images in your mind. The candidate proficiencies are an important step to learning lectures and represent a good foundation from which to start. Learning lectures by focusing on phases and paragraphs individually is a very important way to learn lectures and charges. Rote memorization has advantages and disadvantages (please see the article by Ariane Resnick). A disadvantage is that it does not give you a deep understanding of the subject matter. Thinking visually or spatially helps to remember what comes next.
I remember there was a certain paragraph I was having trouble with. Somehow, I would visually bring up a picture of the paragraph in my mind so I could read it. Brothers must work with their minds to learn how their minds want to learn lectures. Learning the depths of the ritual cannot be realized until after you have given lectures and charges many times.
Each degree lecture has three major themes. Thinking visually or spatially about what is in the various themes helps you to think of the lecture as a whole. By applying words around the images, you are on your way to learning a lecture. Learning the words around the images of a degree in an organized matter is important. Many will find learning lectures by focusing upon one paragraph at a time that works very well. Focusing upon phrases and sentences within each paragraph is a good way to learn.
Please note that lectures create stories. Most of us like to tell stories about many subjects. Thinking spatially works well for the Staircase Lecture and the Third Sections of the First and Third Degrees. Never think of lectures in terms of individual words, but in the context of phases, sentences, and descriptions. An example of a description is "As the Sun rises in the East, so rises the Worshipful Master to open and govern his Lodge." Notice that you never think of this in terms of individual words, but as a concept. So, it is in the Third section of the First-Degree Lecture when you are discussing the Forms, Supports, Coverings, Furniture, Ornaments, Lights, and Jewels of a Lodge. The descriptions of each of these are concepts that are important to consider visually or spatially; you can look around to see these in the lodge to remind you of the descriptions. One of the problems of learning lectures by this method is that you may occasionally use the wrong words here and there. Ideally, other brothers may assist you in using the correct words thus, you may be on your own to refining your lecture. If you use too many wrong words, a DDGL may just tell you that you do not know a lecture because you put in the wrong words here or there. This is something you must work out with the DDGL
Never assume you will learn lectures in a few mega sessions. Usually, it is not good to spend more than an hour in any one day studying a lecture. It just takes time to first get to know the flow of a lecture and then to start concentrating on various sections. Relax, let your mind tell you how it wants to learn. When you are practicing a lecture, you can sometimes feel the other side of your mind double checking what you are saying. You become very aware that your brain has crosschecks. Reading aloud greatly helps because it gets the two sides of the mind working together. Talking to yourself, in this case, is not a bad thing. Giving a lecture to your dog or windshield is a good way to practice a lecture. Be careful, though, when walking down a street! People may look at you strangely if you are working on rituals in public.)
I have found that practicing lectures while you are by yourself or with your dog can be soothing upon the mind once you know a lecture well. If you have ever taken a karate class, you learn that when you practice movements, you let your mind relax. Your various limbs will remember the movements without thinking about them. The lectures are similar. You are using parts of the mind you do not normally use. You let the lecture flow out of this section of the mind without thinking about it. Obviously, this means it takes time to learn lectures. We use similar sections in our mind to learn poems and songs. Once you learn the kata, you let your mind go blank, you let your muscle memory take over. When practicing a lecture, let your mind go blank so that the part of the mind that learned the lecture takes over. You do not have to think about it unless for some reason something distracts you. While giving lectures, your consciousness should be focused on the responses of your candidate, the responses of the audience, and the use of a chart or slideshow.
Giving Lectures
The symbols used in the lectures are discussed in the Monitor that was given to you when you received your Third Degree. The tragedy of the Third Degree may reflect the death and rebirth of Osiris in ancient Egypt (https://www.ancient-egypt-online.com/osiris.html). The death and rebirth of Osiris may also reflect the death and rebirth of Jesus depending upon your perspective.
One important observation I have made is that the lectures are usually the easiest the first time you give them in an open lodge because you are very well prepared. The second and third times giving a lecture you might have more difficulty because of over confidence. Always review a lecture before giving it. Practicing several times before giving a lecture is important. Watching others give a lecture you know can also reinforce your knowledge of it and help you to correct a few wrong words you may have substituted here and there. After you have given a lecture several times, you begin to really understand the lecture and the meanings behind it that are not at first apparent.
Conclusion
It is very important for you to develop a deep understanding of rituals, particularly lectures and charges. Reading in Masonic publications is very important to develop your understanding. Some articles you find, you may not only read, but you also may have to study it in depth.
Please: Read! Read! Read! Study! Study! Study! Practice! Practice! Practice!
Further Reading
The Masonic Meaning of Columns, Scottish Rite Blog, https://scottishritenmj.org/blog/columns-symbol-freemasonry
Robert Palazzo, DDGM, 2017, The Esoteric Meaning of the Twin Pillars Boaz & Joachim, The Grand Lodge of Rhode Island, https://www.rimasons.org/freemasonry-community-rhode-island/masonic-news/14-within-the-craft/334-the-esoteric-meaning-of-the-twin-pillars-boaz-joachim
Freemasonry Complete Guide Group, 2024, Freemasonry’s Post, Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/groups/freemasonrycg/posts/2602714686560768/
George H Lilley, 2020, The Meaning Behind 15 Common Masonic, https://www.ghlilley.com.au/blogs/news/freemason-symbols?srsltid=AfmBOoq8SYOE6pawJjCsX01xOE6h2r9KKbfoXzBj1_rP4PSIQwtATrPe
Jonathon Wai, 2024, What Is Spatial Thinking and Why does it Matter for Students in School? Forbes Septtember 14, 2024. https://www.forbes.com/sites/jonathanwai/2024/09/02/what-is-spatial-thinking-and-why-does-it-matter-for-students-in-schools/
Maarten Moss, Legends and Symbols in Masonic Instruction, The Square Magazine, https://www.thesquaremagazine.com/mag/article/2024q3legends-and-symbols-in-masonic-instruction/
Kabbalah, Freemasonry, and the Tree of Life, October 15, 2021, Southern California Research Lodge, https://www.theresearchlodge.com/further-light/kabbalah-freemasonry
Timothy Hogan, 2009, The 32 Secret Paths of Solomon – A New Examination of the Qabbalah in Freemasonry, ISBN 978-0-557-04610-2, Available on Amazon.
Ariane Resnick, November 01, 2023, Does Rote Memorization Actually Help Us Learn New Things? Memorizing information can be effective...sometimes, Very Well Mind, https://www.verywellmind.com/rote-memorization-8350717