Introduction: Esoterica

Chivalry-Now's Esoterica helps define the esoteric side of Chivalry-Now for those interested in its deeper meaning. It draws upon philosophical concepts that are rooted in Western culture, and demonstrates how they contribute to our mission.
    These concepts are esoteric not so much because we keep them secret, but because the knowledge of them is reserved for those who want to delve into the deeper meaning of our concepts. For the average person interested in Chivalry-Now, including Companions and other advocates, they are not necessary. The quest remains yours whether you read these articles or not. Either way, the 12 Trusts remain untouched, and you are called to go forth and make your mark on the world, as we hope you will.
    Esoterica introduces certain concepts that place our own individual quests in global perspective. For example:

• It identifies the times we live in as the Kairos, a time of historical convergence that is ready for the kind of change that Chivalry-Now espouses.
  
• It points out that areté, a combination of reason, virtue and compassion, provides the primary characteristics of our species, and the excellent functioning or these attributes should be our culture's primary concern.
  
• Ordo Mundi places us in a correct relationship with nature, which is vital in our efforts to preserve our planet.
  
• Telos reveals that we hold inside us a purpose or inner aim, from which our vision of morality comes, and our goals are set. While the idea of telos might seem to contend with today's theory of evolution, the very existence of the human mind and free will reasserts it.
• Anagnorisis denotes the event where truth reveals itself to our conscious minds, and changes how we see the world and ourselves.
  
• Aletheia is the revelation of life-giving truth that anagnorisis brings.
  

While these concepts reflect traditional Western philosophical ideas, some of them ancient, Chivalry-Now ties them together in the construction of a new system relevant for today.
    Some Companions have voiced interest in creating a secret society based on Chivalry-Now. While Esoterica does not fulfill this request, it does provide some of the "inner circle knowledge" that will appeal to those who want to immerse themselves into less accessible depths, where darkness holds meaning long forgotten.
    Esoterica offers a bridge between two worlds that each knightly heart is invited to cross, from a world shaped largely by illusion, to a place where the essence of truth becomes approachable, where symbols reveal their meaning, and myth serves as our guide. Here the secret of the Grail becomes more concrete; Arthur and his Knights foreshadow the heroism that awaits us; Camelot opens our eyes to the Golden City that we are called to build — all this to fulfill the Kairos we are living in today.