Avante Alegria!

Sorry, this entry is only available in Portuguese-Brazilian. You may want to see this post through Google Translator.

Sorry, this entry is only available in Portuguese-Brazilian. You may want to see this post through Google Translator.

Prowess

The Knights call to prowess echoes through the ages, it is important to note that the path of Knighthood is not an academic path but a path of action. It is in a very real sense to make war on the forces of evil forever sealing your destiny with the forces of good. Prowess then, is the skill of the hand and body. Once a Knight rises in prowess he or she will also gain self control which of course is the corresponding fruit of the Spirit.

Prowess is ability in battle. We must never forget that being a knight means being part of a martial tradition. There are virtues that only come through long and hard conditioning of the body. To some extent the other virtues lend strength from the inner power and self esteem that comes through prowess.

Prowess is a virtue that cannot be picked up as part of your life by an act of will or change of character, there are no shortcuts, only by hard work and by being faithful to your training will you get prowess and reap the benefits thereof.

We train hard to make sure our bodies are in shape, to make sure we have the necessary martial skill to defend the weak and speak up for the ones that are oppressed. A knights call to prowess is the call to rise above, the call to excel.

Courage

Courage is often depicted as the most important virtue of knighthood. It was the courage to stare death in the eyes and not smile. Maybe we play up the importance of courage because we don’t fully understand where the courage of the medieval man comes from. Courage was found in the unwavering faith that in death they would be saved from the torments of hell and honored with admittance through the heavenly gates.

Ramon Lull (a 13th century monk who has written one of the more important documents on knighthood) states that a knight is more than anything a defender of the faith and that courage (as to not be foolishness) must be tempered by prudence.

Therefore I say that the courage needed is more than just the courage to rush in and seek the fight. It is to have the heart of a lion the noblest of animals, the king of the beasts. It is to have the courage not only to fight but to fight for that which is right. To have the courage to stand up for justice when no-one else is standing, to have the courage to admit to defeat and by that gain in strength and wisdom, to have the courage to join the loosing side because on their side is the right of justice.

The virtue of courage, of valor is to stand up for the oppressed and the orphans for the widows and the poor, for those treated unjustly. The courage to fight the good fight.

Having said that; We are warriors, we must love the battle, live to fight in the thick of the battle and finally die still fighting the battle!

Honor

A man (or a woman of course) is his word. If you wish to have honor you must be honest, honest with yourself, honest in all your communication. You will be measured by what you communicate towards others and you will be judged by the weight of your words. If you are a person whose words one can count on, you will be considered honorable. And the words other speak about you will carry your renown ahead of you.

The Bible states the following about the tongue “…if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body.” (James 3:2)

So if you manage to tame your tongue and never speak falsely, never swear lightly and never boast; Then you will be a man or woman of honor!

Loyalty

Loyalty and honor comes hand in hand. To honor your word is to be loyal but loyalty takes a step further you can be loyal even where no oath is sworn. Loyal to your family, loyal to your country, loyal to your ideals or principles, loyal to your training, loyal to the order of chivalry, loyal to your faith.

Loyalty is only proven by time, again there is no shortcut, this virtue can only be gained by walking the walk and sticking to the path loyally.

Faith

Faith is the foundation upon which knighthood is built. Faith in God, faith in the goodness of man, faith in virtue. While it is possible today to be chivalrous without embracing a specific religion you cannot be chivalrous without faith.

Ramon Lull states that the knight is first and foremost a defender of the faith. As it is important to defend those whom no-one else believe in it is as important to defend faith in humanity, to foster and extend trust to those whom nobody will have faith in. Extending trust builds trustworthiness, to show faith in someone who have not given you reason for it builds faithfulness in that same person and strengthens the fabric of our society.

A knight must always have faith, faith in a better world, faith in a fair and just solution. It is faith that will carry us through the hard times and ardor of the path to knighthood, it is faith that gives us a reason to and a hope to carry on, Faith gives us the strength to keep loving when there seems to be no reason.

Courtesy

Courtesy is probably the first virtue that others will see, it is the general kindness of the knight. It means opening the door, allowing another person to pass before you, to respond with kind words and to think of others first. To be courteous is to make sure everyone else is fed before you eat, that everyone else glass is filled before you drink. It is to speak kindly even to those who are discourteous towards you.

When you squeeze the tube you will see the contents. It is in situations of stress and anger you will show your true colors, if you can manage to be courteous in the face of others thoughtlessness and even hostility then this virtue truly lives in your heart.

Largesse

A knight is generous. By showing largesse or grandness the knight shares as a gift what he has been given as a gift, knowing fully that all that we have are ultimately borrowing for our short lives since you cannot take it with you when you die.

But more important than being generous with our material possessions to be generous with praise of another and to extend the benefit of the doubt to our fellow peers.  Do not seek reasons to doubt but rather seek reasons to extend trust. Be generous with forgiveness and grace, be frugal with judgement and ire.

Be generous with your laughter and that which comforts and builds your fellow man up.

Nobility

The knights of old had nobility through birth, in todays society it is not that easy. But nobility carries with it the virtue of being pure, purity is achieved by melting the gold in the furnace and letting all the byproducts come to the top and by removing them.

It is a long and painful process to achieve purity, but as my mentor and teacher told me “Torture cries the ore in the furnace, thank you says the well tempered steel”

The path of knighthood is a long process of purifying our bodies, minds and souls to become the best of what we can be for the sake of fighting the battle of Truth, Grace and Justice.

Sorry, this entry is only available in Portuguese-Brazilian. You may want to see this post through Google Translator.

Sorry, this entry is only available in Portuguese-Brazilian. You may want to see this post through Google Translator.

Sorry, this entry is only available in Portuguese-Brazilian. You may want to see this post through Google Translator.

Sorry, this entry is only available in Portuguese-Brazilian. You may want to see this post through Google Translator.