"COURAGE" Rule #3 of Chivalry

Rule #3 "COURAGE" of the "Knight's Code of Chivalry"

"Anything that gives light must endure burning"

The Knight's code of Courage seems to warn or advise that if we are a representation of good, we will have to suffer for it just as we may be admired for it. If we are to be a beacon of light that gives hope and guidance to many, those who want others to remain or become lost will eventually tire of the liberating light that we are offer their planned targets. This will lead to a disagreement then possible retaliation to snuff out our light. We are warned that we are not protected from harm just because we fight on the side of good. We still will get burned at times.

Of course we can not in anyway compare the current hardships of ours in modern society to those of a Knight from ancient history. There was much more at risk for these Knights than there is for us. Dying and killing is not a recognized everyday possibility for us as it was for them. We do however experience constant battles of far less to no risk and sometimes these battles have a clear good and bad side. And it is common for most of the people who choose to be on the side that is titled as good, to assume that they are protected by a superior force because they chose the good side. And, ...this doesn't turn out good when the side titled as bad decides to live up to their name.

Unlike the historical Knights who lived during the Code of Chivalry, most modern people receive absolutely no combat training within their lifetime. But they do develop a mindset that allows them to assure them selves that nothing will ever happen to them within their life that would require a need of fighting skills. And since many of them are right, they pick the easier, less painful way out which is to join in on the delusion that nothing will ever happen to them. Now mix in a cup of "I'm protected by a higher power because I'm the good guy" and you have yourself an unaware, victim waiting to be picked off.

I feel that this point about courage is more important for people of today to understand and adopt even over the idea of behaving courageously when needing to. This is because modern people are at higher risks of danger from the idea that they are safe from harm because they chose the "right" side to stand up for. The "courage" code code informs us that we definitely are a target because we promote good. If modern people would adopt this code it would at the least boost their awareness to be safer and not so naïve.

Aside from serving as a safety warning, I also translate this code as a strategy to create and enforce bravery within Knights by normalizing them with the idea that it is their destiny to someday get burnt. This sticks the idea in the Knights subconscious which eventually desensitizes him from fearing the thoughts of it. Furthermore, this strategy can cause the knight to become impatient with waiting for it to happen. This may even influence him to charge more boldly into battle and take bigger risks with hopes of forcing the incident, before it someday sneaks up on him. I think the idea works well.

When I teach the Combat Knife to my students I always inform them that the person most likely to lose a knife fight is the one who fears getting cut the most, because his fear of being cut will hold precedence over every move he makes with not getting cut being the main priority. He will hesitate, under commit, flinch and miss opportunities to act because of his fear. This will make him a sitting duck for the opponent who is thinking first of cutting him. I see this strategy at work in the description of courage for the Knights Code of Chivalry.

We should never feel that we are safe because we are on the "right" side. This corrupts the sincerity of our commitment because we are allowing the comfort of safety to exist as one of the perks for being affiliated with that side. So does this mean that we may bail as soon as we are no longer "safe" to be on the "right" side? When we make the decision to stand for that which is right, our safety should not influence our choice. We must always assume that we are in harms way when we take a stance then the honesty can allow us to execute sensible acts with deeper sincerity.

And THIS, ...is a "way" of the "Warrior's Edge"! -Jermaine Andre'