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Post by roughashlar on Dec 1, 2008 9:58:41 GMT
So, one of the things I've been noticing about Masonry is that it requires a lot of studying and memorization. I don't mind the studying part, the books on Masonry I've been reading have been thoroughly enjoyable, and rewarding.
The memorization... when it comes to reciting or repeating, the best you'll get from me is a gist of the message, at best. I was wondering just how important the memorization is.
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Post by lauderdale on Dec 1, 2008 10:36:58 GMT
I shall say something that will give some Brethren, especially UGLE Masons and many in USA Lodges a fit of apoplexy. MEMORISATION DOES NOT MATTER A DAMN!
If you can do it, fine, I applaud those who can and can do it well. However I have often heard totally wooden deliveries done from rote where the speaker has been so obsessed by getting the piece of Ritual word perfect that they put no inflexion or drama into it and it may as well be a recitation of the Train Timetable or a shopping list. Even worse has been the instances where the Brother delivering the piece has not known the meaning of the words he has spoken.
To my mind UNDERSTANDING what is being said and delivering it with the proper inflexion is far more important and if this means that the piece is READ then so be it.
I have also known Brethren who have had a miserable time in The Chair of their Lodge as they have great difficulty with learning the words by heart, some have even refused to become Master for this reason. Worse still is the bumbling delivery with many prompts from the sidelines, some wrong, which ruins the effect and flow of the Ritual particularly for the Candidate.
Freemasonry is meant to be enjoyed not endured and I feel that the requirement to learn by rote ruins the pleasure for many Brethren. If someone wishes to be a new Olivier then I suggest an Amateur Dramatics group may better satisfy their needs.
Rote Learning whether of Tables or Poetry has died out in most schools here in the UK and is an alien concept to many in the 20 to 40 age group the very people that Freemasonry needs to attract. I cannot see them taking to such an old fashioned idea.
So as far as I am concerned drop the "Mr Memory" stunts and concentrate on a well read delivery with UNDERSTANDING.
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Post by maat on Dec 1, 2008 21:50:39 GMT
I agree with lauderdale to a point - however I do know that the memory work is a method of programming. You are literally programming yourself when you memorize things. In Masonry this is seen as a good thing, the programming is all positive and helpful, to yourself and others. And you thought you were free, huh?! TV programming, constantly feeding gratuitous violence, fear, terror, sexual exploitation etc to passive minds, on the other hand, is pernicious. Maat
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Post by mrmason on Dec 2, 2008 9:14:05 GMT
Bob Cooper in his book "Cracking the Freemasons Code", mentions the skill of "Ars memoriae" from the ancient worlds of Greece and Rome.
He goes on to explain the technique and how it was used by the hermeticists during the Renaissance in order to achieve "theosis". Also how Giulio Camillo,(1480-1544) built a large model called a Memory Theatre which entitled the person to enter it and view a Roman Ampitheatre. It was built with a number of Hermetic and biblical influences, which included 7 steps and the various planets.
He then continues to explain how he feels William Schaw may have been influenced within the Scottish/English courts by others who frequented it such as Alexander Dickson. Dickson was a staunch supporter of the Hermetic Magus, Bruno the author of various written works regarding the art of memory, such as "De Umbris idearum" in 1582.
He puts forward the theory that the art of memory was indeed a substantial tool in the presertvation and safeguarding the secrets within operative lodges of the time.
The chapter contains much more but I do consider Bob as having his feet on the ground with regards his researches. Therfore I would suggest that while we are probably talking here about those who insist that the ritual must be word perfect, etc, the memorising of ritual plays a very important role within not only the craft but those other orders as well.
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FireMist
Member
Then rally boys, and hasten on.To meet our Chiefs at the Green Dragon.
Posts: 293
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Post by FireMist on Dec 3, 2008 2:47:26 GMT
I only know the position I am in at this point in time. The memorization of the EA ..... has made a huge difference on trying to focus on the subject at hand....as a whole, not just the memorization.
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Post by smrobinson on Jun 13, 2009 5:15:16 GMT
I feel also that it can add in the growth of brotherhood between the one learning and the ones teaching. It shows that you can't do it alone and that you will never be alone.
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Post by AndyF on Jun 13, 2009 8:40:41 GMT
Its also an effective way to improve your memory. Giving your brain/short term memory a monthly work out can definitely help in this area. In freemasonry, the bits memorised and recited vary greatly in length. Its not out of the ordinary to start out with something merely one sentence in length, and then eventualy move on to deliver charges which go for several pages. You decide if and when you want to progress to longer charges, no one will (or should) make you take on more than you are comfortable with.
You could also flatly refuse to participate in delivering ritual. I don't recommend this as you miss out on so much, but you certainly wouldn't be the first mason to do this. Also, masons being understanding folks who value harmony in the lodge, shouldn't give you any grief over it.
I wouldn't let the memory side of masonry put you off joining.
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Post by generatics on Jul 25, 2009 1:20:59 GMT
This is interesting. In my Lodge ("regular" male Lodge in US) we never had any memorization, at least not that we needed to know during our own initiations. In between degrees we would meet up on the weekend and read from cipher. It was just the ritual of the previous degree and we never needed to memorize it. The goal was simply to be able to read through it from the cipher smoothly. I never found that to be great method for memorization though. More soaks in just by being present at the degrees over and over.
We were also encouraged to get in line as officers right away after being raised. Trial by fire. As far as our ritual went though, we were really good about the words being exactly correct. There was a fair amount of importance placed on that in our district, perhaps even the whole state. We have a Lodge of Exemplification each year. All the Lodges from a jurisdiction meet together to perform the degrees, with each Lodge being responsible for a particular section. Part friendly competition, but primarily a way for the Grand Lodge of the state to make sure things are operating up to par in the Lodges.
The Grand Lodge officers give a critique/review at the end and they are very precise. Very. Best illustrated by a particular Lodge being corrected on an officer's phonetic pronunciation of a single word. Tomato, tomato. They want the degrees conferred in a very, very specific manner. But at the same time they have no problem raising candidates en masse and doing one day classes for the 32nd Degree etc. Kind of a contradiction. Who knows.
I think the words are important though, perhaps not every_single_word, but I think at least the core of the ritual should be consistent and delivered as accurately as possible. That said, I think that the physical floor work and tone of the room is of equal importance.
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Post by lauderdale on Jul 25, 2009 10:24:20 GMT
Ok, I will stick my head above the parapet on this. I am well known for being no lover of memorisation of Ritual. If you like it and can do it well, fine by me. However many people cannot do it and I have known Brethren either refuse to take an Office, especially The Chair, or who have hated their year as Master and couldn't get it over with quickly enough because of the burden of memorisation. I have witnessed some cringe making deliveries of Ritual where the Brother in question simply could not memorise or their nerves caused them to blank out and they had to be promoted heavily. What a bad impression this must make on the Candidate and how the beauty of the words and their message must be weakened if not lost. I would far far rather a piece be read and read well than stumbled and mumbled through. I make no apology whatsoever for the fact that I do read the more difficult parts and find that freed from the drudgery of trying to commit to memory I can give them all the drama required. Rote learning has long gone out of fashion in educaton and understanding is far more important. To me Freemasonry, especially malecraft, is obsessed with memorisation and the sooner this sacred cow is slaughtered the better. Lets' face it, it only came about from the fact that in olden times many people were illiterate and could only learn verbally, "mouth to ear". This practice became invested with a false importance and, in the non-sexual meaning of the word, has become fetish.
If reading from a Missal or Prayer Card is good enough for the Pope, Archbishop of Cantebury etc then it is good enough for me.
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