Visions

[JoinerLxa]

There are some chapters where "visions" are very common.
They go by many different names at different chapters.
I remember hearing someone from HQ (Chuck Peyser I think it
was, about 15 years ago) mentioning they are particularly
common at former ThKN chapters, but I don't believe that's
really true today.

They are basically mini-ceremonies used to teach some lesson
about brotherhood. The "old" High Phi manual (1970's to 1987)
had several spelled out....but during the '80s when consultants
(aka ELCs) visited, they were instructed to mark out all the
"pre-initiation ceremonies" as they were being used for hazing
at some chapters and as they were considered detrimental to
the Ritual itself. I was High Phi when the "new" manual came
out and I remember the 'old' one....it seemed half of it was
marked out with black magic marker (reminded me of something
released by the CIA with "sensitive" info marked out...ha!)

But many chapters still do the old ones from the old book
(multiple variations now) along with new ones each chapter
invents.

In one issue of the C&C, I remember a very subtle reference
to one of the most common, and was surprised to see it
used in such a blatant way in the C&C (that stuff is designated
"heresy" now!)
I think it was a poem (maybe in a poetry contest, or was
a caption for a photo in a photo contest).
For those of you "on the inside", it was the text of W.W.W.
(that seems to be the most common one)

Lots of fraternities and sororities do such things. There used
to be a CAVE on private property just outside Richmond, KY,
(home of Eastern KY Univ, with a LXA chapter). It was used
by so many fraternities/sororities from KY/TN for "visions"
that you practically had to "reserve" the cave. Crevices in
the walls were COVERED in candle wax, for some strange
reason! About 7-10 years ago, mud filled the cave (it caved
in) and the property owner finally filled in the entrance...
(or so I've been told)
when he was told by his lawyer/ins. co. that he would be
liable for anyone getting hurt in there (and some did).
Very beatiful but dangerous too.

FYI,
Kevin
Kappa-Omega 958
Author of the Visions Book, 1rst ed., 1992, for Gamma-Delta Zeta
[all copies have been burned and Gamma-Delta actives
now do not know of the existence of such things, of course!]