Remembering rituals and symbols

GreekFreak · #1 02-20-2005, 01:12 PM

After I was initiated into my (NPC) group in college, I remember we all received a folder containing a brief summary of what our symbols, colors, etc. mean. Now that I'm an alum several years out of school, I find it's nice to have since the meanings of certain things may get lost with time. I can re-read the summary and it's like, "Oh yeah...that refreshes my memory!"

Just curious to see if other groups do this too. It can be so easy to forget. Most alums I know are primarily involved in social aspects when they become alums. A lot of the "meat" of the ritual seems to take place more in the collegiate realm.

lilsmartyast · #2 02-20-2005, 02:29 PM

I think that rituals is a BIG thing that we should all remember and I think it is such an importnat thing that all sisters should remember!

#3 02-20-2005, 02:32 PM

We receive nothing of the sort. After each Initiation, a post-Initiation review is held for the chapter. If you spend enough years with your chapter, it's easy to remember chunks of your Ritual because you're familiar with it by then. We aren't allowed to make copies of any part of our Ritual book. Everything is done by memorization.

Even now, as an alum, I can still remember the symbolism and meaning behind our Ritual. I'm not as active now as I should be, but I try to make it a point to attend Initation every year -- and it definitely brings back memories.

carnation · #4 02-20-2005, 02:53 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by GreekFreak
Just curious to see if other groups do this too. It can be so easy to forget. Most alums I know are primarily involved in social aspects when they become alums. A lot of the "meat" of the ritual seems to take place more in the collegiate realm.

Maybe you could refresh us on the ritual of KKI or Delta Theta Tau.

#5 02-20-2005, 03:00 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by carnation
Maybe you could refresh us on the ritual of KKI or Delta Theta Tau.

Bwahahahahahahahahaha!!!!

KSigkid · #6 02-20-2005, 03:01 PM

We don't do that...in fact, we're not supposed to write down anything from our ritual. It's far too easy for someone to misplace something written and for a non-member to see it.

I still remember large chunks of ritual, and probably will for the rest of my life.

ZetaPhi708 · #7 02-20-2005, 03:44 PM

I recommend that no matter where you are or if you have graduated and live away from your home chapter where you went thru ritual, find out where the closest chapter is of your fraternity or sorority and check with that chapter to see when they hold iniaition and try to attend. We may be all in different GLOs but the one thing that we all have on common is that RITUAL is what makes us GLOs. It is what binds us together. If it wasn't for RITUAL, we would all be just another organization on the local college campus. I hope this all makes sense. I just woke up. LOL....

I would do anything to "forget" what I know now just to go thru my fraternity's ritual again. Does anyone agree?

Glitter650 · #8 02-20-2005, 04:25 PM

we wouldn't be allowed to make copies of anything like that, but I second what others have said. Attend an initiation of a chapter near you, you'll remember.

honeychile · #9 02-20-2005, 05:54 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by KSigkid
We don't do that...in fact, we're not supposed to write down anything from our ritual. It's far too easy for someone to misplace something written and for a non-member to see it.

I still remember large chunks of ritual, and probably will for the rest of my life.

Cosign. I have yet to hear of a GLO which is careless enough to put this information in print. What GLO do you belong to, that would allow ritual material outside of the hands of the Ritual Chairman?

texas*princess · #10 02-20-2005, 06:12 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by KSigkid
We don't do that...in fact, we're not supposed to write down anything from our ritual. It's far too easy for someone to misplace something written and for a non-member to see it.

I distinctly remember for both Delta Sigma Pi and Alpha Delta Pi this is the same. (as far as not writing down anything from ritual because it could easily be lost or found by a non-member.)

Carnation: I <3 you! hehehe

AlphaPhiBubbles · #11 02-20-2005, 06:17 PM

well we have a ceremonies manual but only the officers (exec) get to hold onto it.

honeychile · #12 02-20-2005, 06:47 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by AlphaPhiBubbles
well we have a ceremonies manual but only the officers (exec) get to hold onto it.

Our Ritual Chair has this, too, but it's in code. You never know when a troll is going to accidentally find one!

KSUViolet06 · #13 02-20-2005, 06:59 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by KSigkid
We don't do that...in fact, we're not supposed to write down anything from our ritual. It's far too easy for someone to misplace something written and for a non-member to see it.

Same here. NOTHING related to ritual is to be copied or passed out in writing. Only the chapter officers and ritual chairs get to have copies of our ritual.

KillarneyRose · #14 02-20-2005, 07:50 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by honeychile
Our Ritual Chair has this, too, but it's in code.

Are you serious? That's very cool!!!

I honestly don't know what my chapter did as far as the written Ritual. It appeared for Rituals and, since I wasn't Ritual chair, I don't know where it spent its time when it wasn't being used.

lifesaver · #15 02-20-2005, 09:25 PM

Our procedures as undergrads were that anything that was esoteric in nature was kept in a locked box when not in use, and over the summers, said box was left with the advisor or in a safety deposit box.

Also, nothing was ever written.