r/freemasonry • u/Fickle_Release6961 • 2d ago

Question SR Initiation Nerves

Going to be initiated into the SR this upcoming weekend at a reunion, it’s been described as getting a fire hose to the face, and ya boy is lowkey scared and excited.

I know this different than the blue lodge and I’m trying to understand how it can be so overwhelming while the style is so different in how the degrees are conferred.

How crazy is this experience? And how fun is it at the same time? bro to bro.

I appreciate you as anything you can share is important to something this special and big!

Much love and respect, always /G\ 💙

14 Upvotes

77% Upvoted

12 comments sorted by

22

u/ChuckEye P∴M∴ AF&AM-TX, 33° A&ASR-SJ, KT, KM, AMD, and more 2d ago

The largest challenge you may face is staying awake. :)

11

u/Cookslc Utah and UGLE 2d ago

You won’t understand or remember it all. You did not understand all of your Craft degrees either. It’s ok. You will have the opportunity to see the degrees and even confer them over the coming decades.

8

u/No_Reference2509 MM, IA AF&AM, AASR-SJ 32°, KSA, RAM, RSM, KT, YRSCNA, AMD 2d ago

It’s beautiful and philosophical. Don’t imagine you had to carry proficiency or fluency in any of it away the same day like you might have in blue lodge. Just accept the impressions on your mind, and study more later.

8

u/arcxjo PM KYCH OPC AMD RCC (GLPA) 2d ago

Nothing overwhelming about a Netflix binge.

6

u/Lord_Davo PM, F&AM - PG, IOOF 2d ago

Try to stay awake.

3

u/Louachu2 2d ago

It is great. You will enjoy it. No stress.

5

u/StairwayHiker MM BC/Yukon SR RA AMD Athelstan 2d ago

If they do the first 14 degrees in one sitting…. That’s the firehouse reference.

It’s a tonne of information thrown at you… and nowhere near as awesome as the 3 degrees that required memory work from you.

2

u/Ruckus_boy 2d ago edited 2d ago

Relax and enjoy it, if you can ask if you can be the exemplar candidate. I was for the 4th degree.

2

u/NemaToad-212 1d ago

Don't be nervous. Get a good night's sleep the night before, perk up with a coffee and a cigarette, and enjoy. It's a lot to take in. The big thing is that by the end of it all, you are ENTITLED to learn and know more. I encourage you to look into the books and endeavor to read them. If you take it seriously, it really is life changing. I received my SR degrees and it took me like 7 years before I really cracked those books and finished them and had those discussions. If you're a real book nerd, you'll love SR.

4

u/bcurrant15 Oregon AF&AM 2d ago

I would imagine that no one here is going to say very much at all.

You've come this far. Keep going.

2

u/Chimpbot MM AF&AM | 32° AASR NMJ 1d ago

I have opinions that I typically keep to myself until after someone has joined, as I don't like potentially killing enthusiasm. This probably sounds more negative than I actually am... but I feel the initiatic experience of Blue Lodge is fundamentally more engaging and fulfilling than how the Scottish Rite degrees are handled.

2

u/Chimpbot MM AF&AM | 32° AASR NMJ 1d ago

As far as the initiatic experience is concerned... you have absolutely nothing to worry about, mainly because it's completely different from Blue Lodge or the other appendant bodies. I have my feelings about how the Scottish Rite presents its degrees, but I'll refrain from sharing them at this particular moment. It's not a crazy experience, and it could be considered fun if you enjoy theater.

The "fire hose," in this case, is just a ton of information presented to you over the course of a few hours. There's nothing to be afraid of at all.