"It wasn't the reward that mattered or the recognition you might harvest. It was your depth of commitment, your quality of service, the product of your devotion -- these were the things that counted in a life. When you gave purely, the honor came in the giving, and that was honor enough."
                -- Scott O'Grady

Author Topic: Why do you want to be a Knight?  (Read 27707 times)

Sir Michael

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Re: Why do you want to be a Knight?
« Reply #15 on: 2015-06-29, 16:42:29 »
     I want to be a knight to help protect and serve others and to try to set a good example that one man can make the world a better place to live in.  Also Jesus set the greatest example for me to follow.
Be without fear in the face of your enemies. Be brave and upright, that God may love thee. Safeguard the helpless and do no wrong; this is your oath. (slap) And that is so you remember it. Rise a knight.

Justin

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Re: Why do you want to be a Knight?
« Reply #16 on: 2015-06-29, 20:54:53 »
I wish to be a knight because I believe that honor, courage, and chivalry, are truly important values to have in ones life. To me, a knight is someone that others may look up to for guidance and inspiration. Someone who has proven that they are chivalrous and walk down the right path whenever possible. I would like to be someone like that. I feel that I live by positive values everyday. Therefore, if possible, I would like to become a knight someday.
Some say that the age of chivalry is past, that the spirit of romance is dead. The age of chivalry is never past, so long as there is a wrong left unredressed on earth.

jason77

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Re: Why do you want to be a Knight?
« Reply #17 on: 2017-08-17, 22:58:46 »
I know this thread is old but I've been thinking about this very question myself. I grew up in the martial arts and being 40 years old I still practice martial arts. The martial arts have always been the bedrock foundation of my own personal growth and development. It is therein that I made it through some tough times as a kid and later as a teenager and it blossomed into the basis of my own philosophy and spirituality. Martial arts is a path of violence and to me violence is the one constant which holds the universe together. The creation of the universe was violent, the birth of our own planet was in chaotic violence, early man survived and thrived through violence, our current nations were founded in violence, I lay my head and sleep well at night without fear of an intruder because most people fear the violent enforcement of the law, I also don't fear confrontation because I have spent my life training to embrace violence. I understand that violent people only understand violence and therefore it is my imperative to be better at it than them. A Knight understands violence and is prepared to live it when necessary. However, a Knight follows a path of Chivalry (whether it be romanticized or not) which tempers violence with acts of dignity and demands one to live in integrity towards his fellow man. Chivalry is a path of using violence in a productive manner instead of violence being a mere chaotic self-serving endeavor of exploiting others. I embrace violence but channel it through the chivalric ideals of justice, obedience to the rule of law, service unto others, protect the innocent, etc. For me, Chivalry is the perfection of one's character thus my personal slogan is "Vincit Qui Se Vincit - He who conquers, conquers himself." Similar to the Samurai's code of bushido the Knights code of chivalry can be the catalyst for physical, mental and spiritual development. The way of the Knight is strength in restraint and it is violence reserved for just cause. This is why I identify with the Knight and why I strive to embody just that.
« Last Edit: 2017-08-17, 23:01:48 by jason77 »
"Love everybody, but never sell your sword" - Paul Coelho

Matthew of the Isles

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Re: Why do you want to be a Knight?
« Reply #18 on: 2017-10-22, 17:06:19 »
Following Jason's example, I believe I'll engage in some thread necromancy of my own.

In Plato's The Republic, Plato, through a proxy form of his master Socrates, describes an ideology for discerning the nature of people through ascribing metallic qualities to their souls, gold, silver, iron, slag, you get the idea. While Plato didn't mean this analogy as a literal description of human nature (in fact, he was downright cynical in its deployment) the general imagery, with a little tweaking, can still be useful in terms of contemplating self-improvement.

The path of chivalry is not an easy one. It brings us face-to-face with our own flaws, and demands of us that we beat the slag out of our characters to the best of our ability. It's the process of becoming, dare I say, "refined." That's the work of the Code, the process of internal character development that translates into external action.

The work of the kit, I believe, is to express the results of that internal process. The character refinement of vigorously adhering to the Knight's Code is inalienable from the person undergoing that process; a knight is a knight, even in the nude. My mother's people developed tattooing as a way to bring one's internal self to the fore, as a way of demonstrating one's personality to the community for all to see; I see the development of a knightly kit as a similar (though slightly less permanent) process.

So, to sum up this slightly lengthy, rambling post, I wish to pursue Knighthood (a) as a way to improve my character, and (b) to express myself.
"The Life of the Land is sustained through righteousness." -King Kamehameha III

jason77

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Re: Why do you want to be a Knight?
« Reply #19 on: 2017-10-23, 20:14:38 »
Matthew - I do like your sentiments concerning the development of a kit with a corresponding development of character - very metaphysical  ;)

Likewise I see the learning of swordplay to be of similar quality. The sword is an archetypal symbol deeply embedded in the human psyche. Its most perceptible imagery is in its power of protection, to distribute justice and preserve honor. The double edge of a sword (true and false edges) demonstrate the potential to wield its power with integrity or deception. The manufacture of the sword itself is a process that combines the elements of air, earth, fire and water thus it represents a balance of powers, unity, and wholeness which happens through an alchemical process of purification. There is a lot that can be said about the process of production of the sword to its subsequent skillful wielding in the hands of one who has spent a lifetime learning its power.
"Love everybody, but never sell your sword" - Paul Coelho

Matthew of the Isles

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Re: Why do you want to be a Knight?
« Reply #20 on: 2017-10-24, 02:31:11 »
Though in practice, spears and other polearms held primacy on the actual battlefields of history, I agree that there is something evocative and enduring about both the sword and the swordsman.

Perhaps it is the fact that the sword requires both great skill to forge and great skill to wield to its fullest potential. Perhaps it is the fact that swords, unlike knives, axes, spears and bows, have no other application beyond the taking of human life, meaning that they had no mundane alternative uses to dilute the power of life and death that it has come to represent.

Though I certainly do not wish to disparage the valor or character of the peasant conscripts of history, who fought the enemy with spears and hatchets, improvised weapons, thrown rocks, sticks, harsh language and the like, the swordsman is an archetype that has come to represent a finer grade of warrior, and not just in Europe either, though the European armored knight is the specific variation of that archetype that we here have come to most closely identify with.

Being mindful of the image that we present to others--and making sure that our actions align with such an image--is an important practice, I feel. Although my "kit" as such is only a vaguely sword-shaped piece of wood and a rusty arming sword given to me by a friend, so I have quite a ways to go before I can put such musings into practice!
"The Life of the Land is sustained through righteousness." -King Kamehameha III

Sir Sondergaard

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Re: Why do you want to be a Knight?
« Reply #21 on: 2017-11-09, 15:25:28 »
It is`nt something I want to be - it is something I AM... Deep in my heart... Simple as that :-)

Joshua Santana

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Re: Why do you want to be a Knight?
« Reply #22 on: 2017-12-03, 22:43:00 »
Here is my answer to this question.

My reason why I want to be a Knight is because of my personal aspiration to emulate the example of Chivalry as seen in the romances and in such individuals as William Marshal, Betrand du Guesclin, Gutierre Diaz de Gamez etc. 

And yet one will ask why I do so, my answer is this: the example set by these individuals speaks to the heart of those that seek a better path in life where Honor, Loyalty, Courage, Stoic wisdom are valued over base interests such as ill gotten wealth, status and fame etc.  We see in our world people falling victim to hypocrisy, scandal, egoism, moral apathy and arrogance.  We who recognize this are tired of seeing this and we (including myself) make the choice to live life by the standard of excellence (Chivalry) as best we can.

In regards to me, I chose the Path of Chivalry as far back in 2010 with knowing very little about the ideal.  I recall that even as a kid I always had an attraction to the ideal of heroism.  As time went one with further learning and training I came to understand that I have come a long way yet not knowing the why to my actions.  When I found the answer in the past months, this has helped me to resolute in my following the Path of Chivalry or the Way of the Warrior. I have detailed these thoughts in these blog posts I have written:

http://jerseyknyght.blogspot.com/2017/04/the-true-ideal-of-chivalry.html
http://jerseyknyght.blogspot.com/2017/04/the-warrior-path.html
http://jerseyknyght.blogspot.com/2017/04/walking-path.html
http://jerseyknyght.blogspot.com/2017/05/be-man-be-warrior-be-knight.html
http://jerseyknyght.blogspot.com/2017/11/on-vision-noble-cause-and-purpose.html

Why do I want to be a Knight?  The answer: I want to live with Honor so that my life and actions are filled with purpose and that I can be the example so that when a kid sees me and my conduct, they will be inspired to do the same and more.  If I should be married and have a family, I want my example to be emulated by my children not because I force them to do so, but rather they want to of their own volition and inspiration to imitate a father whose personal conduct instills in them honor and humility.  I echo what the Stoics of Greece and Rome, Geoffri de Charny, Baldassare Castiglione, Brad Miner, Miyamoto Musashi, Yammamoto Tsunemoto have been saying: Living by and with Honor as Warriors makes better individuals who thus make society better.

The need for a better life is what we face daily, the will to live life with purpose is another and I believe this is why we are here in this forum.  We all seek a purposeful life, and within the ideal of Chivalry we seek that purpose and aspire to live by it as best we can.  I say; let all of us be united in our joined effort to live and act by the ideal of Honor (Chivalry) so that we can make the better difference in our lives and in people.   
Knight of The Lion Blade

Honora gladium meum, veritas mea, et Spirítui Sancto.  כדי לכבד המגן שלי, האמת שלי חרבי

Honor My Sword, Truth My Shield.