Symbols, Colors, & Protocol

COLORS OF THE AGAPE ORDER

Here are the colors of the Agape Order, and the values and concepts they denote:

• BROWN:  Mature love, and personal warmth. The Agape robe will always be a shade of brown.

  • Deep, dark brown:  robe color worn by new members. Dark brown is close to black, the color representing a state of non-love (see below).

  • Medium brown:  robe color worn by intermediate members. Most members will wear medium brown robes.

  • Light Brown:  robe color worn by longstanding members, or those who have demonstrated a great capacity to love.

  Lighter shades of brown represent progress in learning to negotiate every life circumstance and situation with love, in regard to loving others, and ourselves.

  The robes are different shades of brown, but they are all brown, representing (1.) the fact that these struggles pose difficulty for everyone, no matter their level of advancement, (2.) a basic equality of members.




• WHITE (or beige, creme, ivory, or similar colors):  (1.) Purity of soul, spirit, and intention; (2.) Perfection in loving, an ideal which can presumably never be achieved. A trim color; the Agape robe itself, as worn by a living member of the Order, is always a shade of brown.

  A white robe shall never be worn by a living member of the Agape Order, since there is no perfect practitioner of Agape.

  The only time a white robe may be worn is in death, symbolizing the perfection of Agape to which the member aspired in life. Any member of the Agape Order may wear a white robe during their own wake, funeral, or other last rite, ritual, or series of same. The white robe must be removed, however, before final dispensation of the body, whether that dispensation occur by burial, cremation, pyre, or some other method of bodily destruction or disposal. The robe cannot accompany the body in its final dispensation because that would imply a permanent joining of person with robe, and as stated, the white robe is symbolic of a perfect attainment of Agape, which no one is presumed to be able to do.

  Surviving AO members may not wear the white robe during the wake, funeral, or other last rite or ritual of a deceased member, as this contradicts the rule and principle above, would draw attention generally away from the deceased, and would dilute the significance of the wearing of the white robe by the deceased.




• GOLD:  Excellence of concept, and reward of practice. Also a trim color; the Agape robe itself is always a shade of brown.




• BLACK:  The non-love latent in each of us. Again, a trim color; the Agape robe itself is always a shade of brown. Recommended be worn sparingly, or only occasionally, as a continual hint or reminder of the general human propensity for non-love, and our own individual propensity.

Members of the Order, or other interested persons, are encouraged to wear these colors in, or on, their clothing, perhaps in the form of an article of clothing, or a small swatch of fabric worn on the body worn where desired, perhaps where a broach would be.

Members may wear the dress robes, or simply the colors, of the Order at any time, whether at an official function, or in public, whether such public presence pertains to an AO event or not, and whether other AO members are present, or not. For example, wearing the robes of the Agape Order while shopping is acceptable and encouraged.

Observant individuals may have noticed that brown, white, and gold, with one bit of black trim, are the colors of this website!

GREETING & FAREWELL TERMS AND PHRASES

Terms and phrases can be used with AO members and non-members, alike.

Specified comma placement is according to logical emphasis, and is meant to be paid attention to.

Greeting

1. "Agape Greetings!"
2. "Agape Hello!"
3. "Agape Salutation!"
4. "Agape!"
5. "Agape, Brother!"
6. "Agape, Sister!"
   Etc.

Farewell

1. "Agape Farewell!"
2. "Agape Goodbye!"
3. "Agape!"
4. "Agape, Brother!"
5. "Agape, Sister!"
6. "Agape Peace!"
7. "Peace to you!"
8. "Peace to you all!" (if a group)

Etc.

More on AO symbols, colors, and protocol, to come.