LEARNING & DEVELOPMENT: Ritual for neurodiverse Freemasons
Our guest contributor is W Bro Graham Chisnell, Provincial Grand Mentor for the province of East Kent; who has recently devoted much time to producing guides for neurodiverse Brethren and those who work in the Craft with them.
Our membership draws on all walks of life, and with this comes a diversity of character and culture. There is also a diversity in the way we think and learn. This is most evident in the neurodiversity of our members.
As a Lodge and Chapter Director of Ceremonies, a key element of my role is to support my Brethren and Companions in learning and delivering ritual well. Our Masonic ritual is the centre point to our ceremonies; and when we get this right, our engagement and enjoyment in Freemasonry amplifies.
While learning and delivering ritual comes easy to some, this is not the case for others, particularly if a Brother or Companion has a learning condition such as dyslexia, autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) or attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (AHDHD). As Provincial Grand Mentor for the Masonic Province of East Kent, I recognised the need to provide guidance for our Brethren with learning conditions.
In response to this, I have published a guide for learning and delivering Masonic ritual for Brethren and Companions with learning conditions. The aim of this guide is to provide practical advice and support for these Brethren so they can effectively learn and deliver Masonic ritual, helping them to feel more confident and part of our Masonic family.
Let me start with an important disclaimer:
- Not all adults with learning conditions struggle to learn and present ritual.
- Not all adults who find learning ritual difficult have a learning condition.
- Not all strategies in this article will work for all adults.
Now that we have got that out of the way, let me share with you the essential elements of how the Province of East Kent supports our Brethren and Companions with learning conditions to gain confidence in the learning and delivery of Masonic ritual. Let’s start with some very broad-brush definitions of these learning conditions.
- Dyslexia – Words on a page may be easy to read for some, but for others it may be daunting. Words can jump around and jumble up in order if you are dyslexic. Dyslexia affects information processing. Dyslexic people may have difficulty processing and remembering the information they see and hear, which can affect learning and the acquisition of literacy skills. Dyslexia can also impact on other areas such as organisational skills.
- ASD – A condition that affects people in different ways. Like all people, autistic people have their own strengths and weaknesses. Two common difficulties relate to social communication (the interpretation of non-verbal gestures such as tone of voice) and social interaction (the interpretation of feelings or emotions).
- ADHD – A condition that can affect the ability to focus, pay attention, listen, or apply effort . It can also make you fidgety, restless, talk too much, or be disruptive.
So, how as Directors of Ceremonies and mentors can we best support our Brethren and Companions if they have a learning condition? Our solution was to produce a supportive guide. Here are some top tips from the guide:
Dyslexia
Learning ritual is tricky for most Masons, whether dyslexic or not. Try to minimise distractions when learning ritual. Turn off tech and find a quiet space. Making your learning as multi-sensory as possible gives your brain the best chance to retain what you learn. Learn by seeing (visual) listening (aural) or speaking out (verbal)
Here are some pointers in how to learn in a visual, aural and verbal way when learning ritual:
Visual – Draw images of important information. By turning information into pictures, your brain links the text with an image and finds it easier to remember. Highlight key passages in different colours. Stick post-its where you will see them e.g. by the sink, so that you read them whilst brushing your teeth. Write out sentences you are learning on flash cards and pop them in your wallet. Look at them often until that phrase has sunk in.
Aural – Use a recording device or app to record short pieces of ritual you are learning. By listening to your own voice, your brain will take in more instruction. Slow down, when recording your voice. Speak slowly: this will give your brain time to think when you are listening back. You can use an app such as Speechify or MSWord’s read aloud option (in the Review tab) to read the text to you.
Verbal – When learning ritual, always think of the story. The act of understanding the structure and then explaining this to someone else can help with your own understanding and ability to remember. Speak along with your recorded voice. Then repeat the line you are learning ten times without the voice recording. Keep the pace steady. Perhaps sing the ritual you are learning – sometimes putting a rhythm or song to the ritual makes it stick more easily. This is a great strategy if you readily remember song lyrics. Attend Lodge rehearsals – practicing your ritual in front of Brethren in a more relaxed state in LoI can really help prepare you for the meeting.
We also provide helpful steps to building confidence in the Lodge room for Brethren and Companions who are dyslexic:
Breathe – steady your breathing and you steady your mind. This helps you to keep a good pace to delivering your ritual. Speak with a steady pace. You don’t need to rush your delivery. By speaking in a steady pace, you give your brain time to think about what is coming next. Think about the geography. As you wait to deliver your ritual, think about where and when this will take place, so that you are ready for the prompt to start your piece.
ASD
Autistic Brethren can find it hard to interpret verbal and non-verbal language like gestures or tone of voice. Autistic Brethren may find it hard to read people’s feelings or emotions. In order to build your confidence, here are some top tips:
- Speak to your DC and explain your preferred approach to learning.
- Explain that you like to see things done right and follow the right routines. Also, that you can be agitated when this is not the case.
- Learn ritual in a systematic way, this reduces the feeling of becoming overwhelmed.
- Connect with a Lodge mentor or personal mentor who understands your autism and can be a support in the temple.
- Learn the protocols for speaking in Lodge and making toasts at Festive Board so there are no surprises.
- Let your personal mentor know how to spot the signs you display when you become agitated so they can best support you.
ADHD
Brethren and companions with ADHD can show inattentiveness (difficulty in concentrating and focussing), hyperactivity and impulsiveness.
When faced with learning ritual, here are some pointers for Brethren and Companions with ADHD:
Think of the story in the ritual to give the learning purpose. This helps you to sequence and make sense of what you learn.
Activate the brain – Prepare by thinking through what you already know about the ritual and ceremony you are learning.
Think through the movements linked to the ritual you are learning. When you learn, walk it through so that you get used to the movements that you will need to undertake in the temple.
Walk and read at the same time if it is safe to do so. The movement will help to keep your focus.
When learning ritual, speak it out loud.
Try different colour paper when reading text. As with dyslexia, sometimes black text on white paper is not as easy to read.
Use post-it notes or flash cards to write short sections of ritual being learned. Master short pieces before moving on.
As Provincial Grand Mentor, I have shared the learning conditions guide with Lodge and Chapter Director of Ceremonies and mentors who have used this to support Brethren to overcome the challenges that they face. I have delivered online training sessions and now hope to refine the resource and share it more widely.
While still early days, my hope is that this resource continues to give Brethren and Companions with learning conditions the confidence and courage to overcome their reluctance to take a floor office – thus helping them to engage with Freemasonry and experience the strong foundations in the Craft of integrity, friendship, respect and charity.
Here is a link to the Learning Conditions Guide and a video explaining the benefits of using it.
This article is part of the Arena Magazine, Issue 56 Winter 2024 edition.
Arena Magazine is the official magazine of the London Freemasons – Metropolitan Grand Lodge and Metropolitan Grand Chapter of London.
Read more articles in the Arena Issue 56 here.