It is with Knightly honour that we are empowered to have great knowledge from within & without. With such knowledge comes power, a power that is naturally produced & requires no additional influences to achieve great things. Power is not about the control of others, it is about harnessing the inner strength & full understanding of one's purpose in this particular existence, such truth that can only be realised at a knightly level“In perfect love, In perfect trust”
Oaths taken on the metaphysical spheres will always remain binding on the mundane..
It is very easy in todays modern world to fail to consider, or even to not understand subjects such as loyalty, commitment and the taking of oaths, for they are quite deep and profound topics for many folks and yet relate totally to life today. Whatever one does in life, it is beyond a doubt that if personal commitment is not one hundred percent, then one is never ever going to get anywhere or achieve any goals; more so in Craft than anywhere else. Like-wise with loyalty, one must be loyal; above all to ones-self and to ones chosen path in life, whatever that path may be. Whatever one is involved in and whatever one hopes to achieve from that involvement, one is simply betraying ones-self if one falls short. One is of course betraying too, the trust that others have invested in you.
Loyalty and commitment often go very much hand in hand with trust, in so many aspects of life. By being loyal and committed to what one desires on a personal level, one is also showing/proving that one can be trusted. Words alone are not enough, for it is in ones actions alone that the truth of loyalty and commitment are to be found displayed. How many times has one experienced the ‘could haves, would haves, should haves’ of this life, the people who when told of the endeavours and achievements of others are all too full of what they would have or should have done in similar circumstances, to the extent that it becomes very boring to hear and one tends to switch off from listening. For heavens sake i want to shout, “if you could have; then why didn’t you?” Empty words from empty vessels I fear…..
So then, following the path of Craft, of a Knight, how does loyalty and commitment relate to this? It is of course a lifetime of commitment, of ever-deepening loyalty and trust for all followers of the path, and each student upon embarking on the path will take many very profound and deep oaths; oaths that are bound in the metaphysical world as well as the mundane world. Those ‘who see and observe’ will oversee the oaths taken and will grant ‘passage through’ for those who are true of heart and mind. The oaths are never to be taken frivolously and never ever taken lightly, for the meaning of the oaths reach far beyond the every day aspects of life and yet at the same time will also see each student through their mundane as well as spiritual lives, if of course they listen to the messages contained within the oaths. While each student is free to leave the path at will at any time, their oaths will always remain binding and can never be ‘untaken’, never forgotton.
In the early degrees the commitment would be to attend meetings regularly, to be punctual upon the sphere of time, to study and to engage in Craft pursuits, carrying out all the tasks requested by the Preceptor. Loyalty is to the path and to Craft, to ones brothers and sisters of the path and to staying loyal and committed to each oath taken. Loyalty and commitment is in living the path as taught; having faith above and beyond the mundane and to always ‘walk your walk’. True followers will attain this naturally yet for others it may take time, patience and perseverance, but if not, if loyalty and commitment are hard to attain, then perhaps another path would be more appropriate? As time goes by loyalty and commitment to ones ‘family’, becomes second to non, above and beyond the mundane and it is in the executing of these acts that others, especially ‘family’ know they can trust you, for every morsel of trust has to be fully earned.
One can set an example as to enlighten others to the true wisdom and beauty of Craft and can support all those interested and to always help them through any challenges that come along, but ultimately it is up to each student to tread their own path. My own journey and commitment has been a true revelation to me as I have never committed myself one hundred percent and beyond to anything else ever before. With my deepening commitment also came proof of loyalty, for as i learnt the Old Ways, I also learnt about myself and learnt that I could be true, loyal and committed to that which I knew to be the ultimate truths, to my very oaths in fact. Loyalty and commitment do work both ways though for in proving one is loyal and committed the barriers of time and space will be broken down as the Old Ones, who forever watch, know they can come to you as you journey to them. But it is something that, as mentioned before, is never to be taken lightly, one can never rest on ones laurels as it were.
When i took my oaths i never spoke the words lightly, i always had complete understanding of exactly what they meant on all the spheres and of whom would be listening. I always studied the words very carefully before-hand as often the words spoken contained within them a ‘sacrifice,’ a giving up of something, often an important aspect of the mundane and familiar world. Therefore no oath can ever be taken lightly or simply skimmed over; those that fail to understand this, simply fall by the wayside – yet those oaths will always bind, for the power of words upon time and space is magnificant, but often not considered.
I have complete trust in those who have tutored me, something that goes way beyond the fact that when I step over the precipice I know I will be caught ; it is not that at all, it is in the knowing and the knowledge that when I do step over; I can and will fly. It is something that has been instilled within me; a gift given. The loyalty, the commitment, the trust, it all goes without saying that with my passion and desire I can thus pass all this on to the world and instill within all, the lessons I have learnt. I do try hard to walk my walk and talk my talk yet it is through continuing hard work, dedication, loyalty and commitment and of course, great joy that I am able to do so. My personal journey, along with a few good old bumps now and again has proved to be a wonderful ride, a blooming amazing ride in fact and one that I forever embrace and one I never ever want to end.
Updated February 2017/June 2020
“The Keeper of Scrolls”
email me for guidance or teachings ‘moon.willow@ntlworld.com’
So interesting to read about what you do. Thanks for sharing here, x
As always it is a pleasure x