How to Learn Masonic Ritual

Learning and performing Masonic ritual is one of the most contentious subjects in Freemasonry. There are many, like myself, who believe that ritual should be memorized and performed. Others argue that we need to make allowances, such as reading, because not everyone is capable of memorizing the ritual. But I'm here to tell you why memorizing ritual is not only possible for everyone but crucial to the practice of Freemasonry.

Let's start by addressing the misconceptions about learning ritual. Many brethren believe they need to dedicate large chunks of time, like an hour and a half in the morning and another hour and a half at night, to learn the work. This approach is not only unsustainable but also unnecessary. The solution lies in proper learning techniques that align with our Masonic teachings.

Remember the 24-inch gauge? It teaches us to break things down into small chunks. When learning ritual, don't try to tackle the whole thing at once. Break it down into manageable parts. If you're learning an obligation, divide it by the pauses where the candidate repeats after you. Set yourself a realistic timeline, using 80% of the available time to learn the work, leaving the last 20% for refinement and practice.

Now, the common gavel teaches us about taking action. Instead of setting aside large blocks of time, find small opportunities throughout your day to practice. When you're waiting for the elevator, commuting to work, or walking the dog, use that time to go over your lines. You'd be surprised how these small moments add up.

Of course, learning ritual isn't always easy. That's where the chisel comes in, teaching us about perseverance. Yes, there will be difficult words and phrases. Yes, you might struggle at times. But keep chipping away at it. Remember, it takes thousands of little hits to perfect the rough ashlar, not one or two big ones.

Now, let's address the problem of the lack of immediate payoff. Unlike scrolling through social media, which gives you instant dopamine hits, memorizing ritual doesn't provide immediate gratification. You might spend weeks learning a charge, only to deliver it once in lodge to a candidate who, overwhelmed by the ceremony, might not even remember much of it.

But here's the solution: understand the long-term benefits. As you memorize the ritual, take the time to research and understand the meaning behind the words. This deepens your comprehension of Masonic principles. You're not just learning lines; you're internalizing the wisdom of our craft. Moreover, you're developing the ability to do hard things that don't have an immediate payoff - a skill that will serve you well in all areas of life.

Remember, you're not just delivering the ritual for the candidate. You're delivering it for every brother in the room. Your emphasis on a particular line might resonate with a brother who needs to hear it that day. By memorizing and understanding the ritual, you're better equipped to deliver it with meaning and impact.

Now, let's tackle the thorny issue of making allowances for reading ritual. Some argue that not everyone can memorize, so we should allow reading to make Masonry more accessible. But I strongly disagree, and here's why.

I've witnessed firsthand two brethren who, by all accounts, should have struggled with memorization. Both grew up in households where English was a second language. Both had learning difficulties and dropped out of school at 16 to pursue trades. If there were ever candidates for "allowances," it would be these two.

Yet, both of these brethren went through progressive office and memorized the ritual to an exceptionally high standard. How? They embraced the challenge, followed the process set out in our ceremonies, and were supported by encouraging brethren.

This brings us to the solution: encouraging growth through challenge. Freemasonry should be a place where we can stretch ourselves outside our comfort zones. If we're not providing that opportunity, we're failing to live up to our ceremonies. We're failing to have that integrity we're supposed to have.

Interestingly, I've seen more brethren with university degrees and jobs that require lots of reading and writing struggle with ritual. Why? Often, it's because they're using ineffective learning methods. They try to cram at the last minute, just like they might have done in university. But ritual doesn't work that way.

The solution is a holistic approach to ritual learning. Apply the lessons of our working tools. Break the work into small chunks. Take consistent action, finding those small moments throughout the day to practice. Persevere through the difficulties. Research and understand the meaning behind the words.

This approach works because it's what our ceremonies teach us. The 24-inch gauge teaches us to divide our time wisely. The common gavel teaches us to take action. The chisel teaches us to persevere and to seek education.

By learning ritual this way, you're not just memorizing words. You're training yourself to do things that are difficult, that don't have an immediate payoff, but that have significant long-term benefits. You're going from rough to perfect ashlar, not just in your ritual work, but in your character.

Now, I know some of you might be thinking, "But what if I make mistakes? What if I need prompts?" To that, I say: it's okay. We all make mistakes. What matters is how we respond to them. As fellow brethren, we need to be encouraging and supportive. When a brother stumbles in his ritual, we should lift him up, not tear him down. This support gives him the motivation to do better next time.

Remember, the payoff for all this hard work might not come immediately. As you're going through progressive office, you might wonder why you're putting in all this effort. But when you finally sit in that chair as Worshipful Master, everything that's come before will have paid off. That's the moment when you'll realize the value of all your hard work.

In conclusion, learning and memorizing ritual is absolutely critical to the practice of Freemasonry. It's not just about reciting words; it's about internalizing the principles of our craft. It's about developing the ability to do hard things, to persevere in the face of challenges. It's about becoming someone who can put aside worldly distractions to focus on what truly matters: the development of yourself as a human being.

So, to all my brethren out there, I challenge you to embrace the task of memorizing ritual. Don't ask for allowances. Don't settle for reading. Push yourself. Use the techniques I've described. Break the work into chunks. Find those small moments to practice. Persevere through the difficulties. Understand the meaning behind the words.

Remember, Freemasonry is about going from rough to perfect ashlar. It's about continual self-improvement. By memorizing ritual, you're not just improving your memory or your ability to recite words. You're improving yourself as a Mason and as a human being.

And to those who think they can't do it, I say: yes, you can. If brethren with learning difficulties and language barriers can do it, so can you. Embrace the challenge. Seek support from your brethren. And watch yourself grow.

In the end, that's what Freemasonry is all about. It's not about making things easy. It's about challenging ourselves to be better. And there's no better way to do that than by learning, understanding, and performing our beautiful ritual.