Rrrrrrritual

Thoughts on Ritual

It is always difficult to know where to begin explaining Fraternity Ritual and its significance to someone who is not in a Fraternity or Sorority. My explanation is that Ritual is a meaningful tradition that we have, which is ceremonial in practice, embodies everything that we are and strive to be as individuals and Fraternity members, and is like the centerpiece of our existence.

Fraternities are meant to be meaningful environments, and Ritual is something that all members share with one another, reflect upon during its observance, and live out in our lives. Most organizations are secretive about their exact Ritual, but the principles outlined in someone's Ritual should be obvious in how they go about their lives; it should be obvious what he or she stands for.

Why is it secret at all then?

I like to think that this part is mainly in tradition. There is no real outside danger anymore to just be a member of a Fraternity that keeps secrets. There was a time, however, when members faced very real danger because of the way that secret societies were looks upon. The ability of our secrets to remain secret even through those tumultuous times is, for me, something that should be honored by continuing that tradition. Secrecy of Ritual I think also creates a sense of inclusion to those who are aware of it, and is like a reward for those who have devoted their lives to an organization. This is a pretty shallow way of looking at it, but I definitely see it as a factor.

Here is a pretty cool article from Lambda Chi about secrecy and Rituals in Fraternities. A quote from the article:

If the teachings of our Ritual were made available to anyone, then both members and outsiders would attach only a modest value to them. Instead, we have spent decades of effort keeping the truths of our Fraternity secret, and passing them down to those who come after us. This should convince us that what we have labored so hard to possess is indeed valuable.

So to bring it all together, Fraternity Ritual is an embodiment of our purpose, a guide to how to be the best Fraternity man you can be, and how Ritual is practiced is a nod to tradition--something that is also important for a sense of inclusion and meaning.