Reviving Ritual

[ASTalumna06]

Like techzbt said, have ritual in a special place. My chapter holds their initiation ceremonies in the chapel on campus. It gives it a whole different feel than doing it in a conference room, or at a sorority house. It's much more open, and has more of a ceremony-type feel to it.

Another thing that they started this past semester is to have at least one business meeting per month in badge attire. The girls would continuously attend meetings in not just jeans, but sweatpants, and they decided that they should look more presentable. If you feel better about yourself, you tend to feel better about what you're doing.

Also, look at recruitment. Who are you recruiting? What are you teaching these students before they even consider joining your organization? Granted, you can't tell them the details about your ritual ceremonies, but you can tell them that they are a part of your organization, and you can inform them of why they are important to you, and to the chapter as a whole.

And when they are pledging your organization, teach them your motto, your creed, etc. and include more values-based education in your new member program. And teach ritual! So few groups do this, yet it is one of the things your organization is based and founded on. It is the one thing that you do, and that future members will do, that your founders once did years and years ago. The same exact thing. That should mean something.

So when your new members see a new ritual, talk to them about it afterwards. Discuss it, even for a few minutes after one of their meetings. Ask them what it meant to them. Ask them if they were nervous, and why. Have them write a short paragraph about why they think it's important.

It shouldn't be a chore to do ritual. It should be something you want to do. Learn about it, teach it, and enjoy it