Symbols are all around us: brand logos, religious icons, flags, the stickers we put on our cars, the colors we wear, and the decorations in our homes. These things serve as visual reminders of some deeper meaning. Many of our symbols may be unconscious choices, just something we like. But we can also intentionally surround ourselves with keys to our ideals. For the knight, what better things to use as symbols than the tools of the trade?
Below are nine symbolic arms that will tie directly into the vigil.
Below are nine symbolic arms that will tie directly into the vigil.
Sword
My sword is double edged. Even as I cut at an enemy with one edge, the other edge faces me. When I judge, I am split into judging and judged parts and can know no peace. When I set aside judgment, I find harmony, accept unfolding reality, and become capable of true strength and compassion. I make Serenity my sword.
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Spurs
My Spurs give speed to my mount and allow me to rush toward my desire. Life is adventure, and I do not shy from it. But my purpose is not something I have to find out there; it is right here within me. I need only accept the call. I can miss the optimal experience only by charging off in search of it. I make Sobriety my spurs
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Breastplate
My Breastplate is a shell of steel that preserves and protects me. But in avoiding loss, I also turn from change to stagnation. Only when I break down my own walls can I break from permanence into growth, manifest endless potential, and be a source of true strength for myself and others. I make Non-Attachment my breastplate.
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Gauntlets
My Gauntlets protect my hands, one for the right and one for the left. Though in appearance a pair of opposites, my hands are part of one being. When I stop dwelling in the realm of opposites, I find that the form and the warrior are one. I enter my original state of oneness and discover true inspiration. I make Innocence my gauntlets.
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Surcoat
My Surcoat is what I show to the world. It represents me and all that I stand for. But I simply reflect what society expects of me. Only when I no longer care for the opinions of others can I finally glimpse my center and begin to seek my True Self. I make Humility my surcoat.
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Greaves
My Greaves protect my legs, which afford me stable footing. If my footing is uncertain, it does not matter on what ground I stand, for I will falter. Only when I take a stance firmly in this moment can I become a force for transformation. I make Equanimity my greaves.
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Helm
My Helm protects my head but also masks my identity. I rarely show my True Self to those I meet or even to myself. My masks give me a sense of safety and permanency, but beneath lies something that is ever changing, and I must face it if I wish to live authentically. I make Truthfulness my helm.
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Shield
My Shield is my bastion, protecting me from whatever may come. But I cannot hide behind it forever, for it will eventually fail. Only when I stop fearing the future and lay my shields aside can I fully experience the vitality of this moment, step off the solid ground of being, and enter into becoming. I make Courage my shield.
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Spear
My Spear strikes swiftly and surely, slipping between the plates in any armour to dispatch a foe. But I am my own greatest enemy, and only when I slay my notions of myself can I transform into my True Self and participate actively in the unfolding of reality. I make Action my spear.
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When, finally, I lay aside all that I think defines and protects me, when I stand naked in the world and do not know fear, then I will be a knight fully armed and invincible.