Mel Knight
Registered User
I would like to know if there are any brothers in here that went through all the YR degrees in one day? what's your respectful opinion in regards to receiving all in one day.
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YR Degrees
- Thread starter Mel Knight
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I went through the degrees and orders in a one day festival (this is the YR term for it at least in the USA). It's a long long day with way to much information. Some of the degrees are stressed more than others with the MMM, RA, and OotT being the big three. I would have rather went through the degrees at a slower pace.
Wow.
Mel Knight
Registered User
I may attend a York Rite festival but I have to assume that it would be over whelming.
I did all four Royal Arch degrees in one day and couldn't have absorbed another, more or less six more. Each body was given a separate day to confer.
Companion Joe
Premium Member
Our York Rite festivals are a two-day event. On the first Saturday, we start at 8 a.m., confer the MM, PM, and MEM degrees then break for lunch. We confer the Royal Arch, take another short break then confer the two Council degrees. On the second Saturday, we start at noon and confer the three Commandery orders. In the fall, we also confer the Super Excellent Master degree at the very end.
I know that I may be the minority, but I would highly suggest to take them as individual degrees if at all possible. Personally I believe you'll get a better experience, and you'll certainly have more time to digest the different teachings and meanings behind them.
I've never understood why we are in such a rush to get through the degrees. I don't think that aids us in our quest to become a better man.
I've never understood why we are in such a rush to get through the degrees. I don't think that aids us in our quest to become a better man.
Companion Joe
Premium Member
I will point out that in many cases, the degrees are conferred in festivals because getting the number of required capable people together together is in itself a challenge. It takes some work. Unlike Blue Lodge degrees, you can't just say, "OK, we're going to set a Royal Arch degree (or any of the Commandery orders) next Tuesday night."
I fully understand and respect that. But the question still comes up on what the important thing is with giving a candidate a degree. By bundling them with as many as we often see, it's very clearly that understanding the deeper symbology and having a growth process between the degrees isn't the focus.
Mel Knight
Registered User
Knowing that I will attend a festival and receive all degrees on one Saturday, I feel that it's my responsibility now to start my YR journey. I purchased The Book of Chapter by Albert Mackey.
Warrior1256
Site Benefactor
I took all of the degrees in the AASR in a two day Reunion (approx. 12 hrs.) so I know about information overload. It took me 8 months to go through the degrees of the York Rite and I am glad that I did it this way.
I started my HRAM degrees back in September MM October VPM November MEM and in January I will be exalted to RAM I'm pretty use to walking now as I did EA in January FC in May and MM in September last year but each situation is different for each individual
Warrior1256
Site Benefactor
I did not get this one on my York Rite journey. As soon as it is presented in my area I am going to attend.
SimonM
Registered User
I know that many degrees can only be arranged at big events because of the preparations, but for the candidate there is still no rush. If you have a festival or convention 1-2 times a year the candidate can take one or maybe two degrees per event. Sure, It might take a few years to walk through the system, but if the aim is to change yourself, it will still be something you work with our entire life. Right?
Warrior1256
Site Benefactor
True! I am already active in Chapter, Council, and Knights Templar. I have participated in the rituals for new members that I just went through myself. The more you see, the more you do, the more you learn.
Companion Joe
Premium Member
Yes, it is something you work with your entire life, so why not receive the degrees so you can be active in them? That is the best way to learn. Let's say you are going through the YR, and you decide to leave the festival after taking the Mark Master and Past Master degrees so you can study them before getting the Most Excellent Master and Royal Arch degrees. What are you going to study? You won't be able to attend stated meetings. You won't receive a Chapter ritual.
Now if someone wanted to just get the Chapter degrees, learn them, come back later for the Council degrees, learn them, come back for the Commandery orders, learn them, or whatever, I could see that if it was of their choosing. In the American YR system, I personally don't see any real advantage of not getting all the degrees of a particular body at once. No, you might not be the active candidate in every degree, but just about always all our candidates have a chance to actively participate.
It speaks to the difference in how we see degrees and their purpose. To me a degree is supposed to impart a lesson and help a man grow before he can take the next step, which would be the following degree. By taking 4 at a time there is simply not opportunity to have that necessary reflection and growth.
Sure, you can of course also take something from being part of a degree, but the focus often ends up getting wording and floorwork right rather than taking the philosophical lessons to heart.
To be a little cheeky the "come, hurry, take part in degrees" to me more sounds like an officer speaking that wants bodies in the lodge rather than a focus on enlightenment
And a more simple reason to spread the degrees out over a longer period, is simply that there isn't that many of them. I hope that getting a degree has been one of the best experiences for any mason. And I always feel sad for the brothers that have been a mason for 2-3 years and have taken every degree there is. These people will hopefully be masons for the next 30-50 years, but there is no more magic to be had. I sometimes feel that we rush to fast to obtain the gratification instead of enjoying the journey we're on.
Sure, you can of course also take something from being part of a degree, but the focus often ends up getting wording and floorwork right rather than taking the philosophical lessons to heart.
To be a little cheeky the "come, hurry, take part in degrees" to me more sounds like an officer speaking that wants bodies in the lodge rather than a focus on enlightenment
And a more simple reason to spread the degrees out over a longer period, is simply that there isn't that many of them. I hope that getting a degree has been one of the best experiences for any mason. And I always feel sad for the brothers that have been a mason for 2-3 years and have taken every degree there is. These people will hopefully be masons for the next 30-50 years, but there is no more magic to be had. I sometimes feel that we rush to fast to obtain the gratification instead of enjoying the journey we're on.
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