You've stepped upon the Path of the Paladin, and your words and ways have taken you here. You've shown to yourself and others that you have the strength and courage to follow your heart and do what you know is right.

Within the Second Circle, you will seek to understand yourself and your own soul. A Paladin needs to trust and care for his and her self. It's this understanding that will form the center of your Strength.

I'm proud to know that you have begun this wonderful journey. You will be walking this path for the rest of your life.

Much Love,

Moira

 

Even the smallest of heroic actions can lead to a lifetime of great deeds. I would like you to take time each week to do something kind for someone else. Fix something in the lives of those around you. Help a stranger or a friend. The sort of thing you do almost automatically.

However, I want you to take a moment to reflect upon that action rather than just take it for granted. Every week, I would like you to write a bit about what you did and what this means to the person you helped. Tell me how things worked out and what you feel about it. It only needs to be a few short sentences. The important thing is for you to do what is right and to hold those actions in your heart. You will be doing them for the rest of your life.

 

Paladins do go to war. They fight ignorance, battle cruelty, and combat prejudice wherever they are. They will face derision, anger, and discouragement whenever they try to do what is right.

You'll need to be protected against these cruel weapons. They can tear away at your confidence and wound your faith in yourself. But no shield will block such blows from striking your heart. Instead, you must have the inner strength to endure and withstand these attacks.

You already have this strength, but it must be fortified by your self-confidence and self-knowledge. So look into your heart and see all the things that are good and right about you. Write them down. Take pride in these things. They are a part of you, and they are what make you a Paladin.

Just let me know what you find when you go looking into what makes you strong.

 

 

Your Soul Sword

(40 pts.)

A Paladin is never without a weapon. After all, the battles we fight are everywhere -- from deflecting an unkind word to preventing a logging company from clear-cutting a National Forest. You have a full complement of weaponry at your command. It's all a matter of knowing how to use it.

Your strongest weapon comes from your personal values and beliefs. You know when something is wrong. Take it personally. You have assumed the responsibility to make things better. Therefore, you have the right and the duty to speak from your heart and teach others to share your vision and your feelings.

Here is an opportunity to hone your Soul Sword. I would like you to say something about an issue in which you believe strongly. You need to let us know why this is important. You need to show us why we should care. You need to teach us to feel your passion and your conviction, that we, too, might share your vision. And if possible, you need to show us what we can do about it, too.

 

 

What Do You Want in Your Life?

(20 points)

What you do in the future is determined by the decisions you make now. Sometimes, decisions are easy. Sometimes, decisions are only deceptively easy because the ramifications of your decisions aren't always clear. Choices can not always be undone. Thus, it is important to know not only what you want in life, but also to be aware of just why you want it.

Read through this list of values. Which ones do you value most?

I want to:

Do something which contributes to improving the world we live in.

Be directly included in helping other people, either individually or in small groups

Work as a team member toward common goals

Have the power to decide courses of action and policies

Be in a position to influence the attitudes or opinions of other people

Be innovative and create something of value

Engage in the pursuit of knowledge and understanding

Enjoy my work and whatever I do in life

Motivate and energize other people

Achieve something meaningful and significant with my life

Engage in creative artistic expression

Contribute to the well-being and satisfaction of others

Be publicly recognized for the high quality of my work

Be assured of keeping my job and receiving satisfactory compensation

Be able to determine the nature of my work without significant direction from others

Have work duties which require frequent risk-taking

Grow in the understanding of myself, my calling, and life's real purpose

Feel that my work contributes to a set of moral standards which I feel are very important

If you could choose only one of these statements,
which would you choose as the most meaningful one for your life?
Are you working toward that goal?

Which of these possible goals do you least agree with? What does this choice say about you?

Choose five of these statements about which you feel most strongly either positively or negatively.
Tell me why you feel this, and in what actions and decisions you have made to bring about this future.

 

 

"You are walking through the forest. You know just where you are going. Your shield is held lightly in one arm; your sword swings slightly in its scabbard. You are determined to accomplish this mission.

Suddenly, your path is blocked by a wall. What does this wall look like? Why does it bar your way? How will you get over it?"

The biggest Walls we confront in our lives are the ones we construct for ourselves. They are the internal doubts and fears that prevent us from being the people we know we want to be. They keep us from doing the things we know are right.

This is where you look at your life and see the Walls you have built. Which ones are the highest? Which ones seem almost impossible to cross? Helplessness? Defeatism? Uncertainty? Pride? Embarrassment? Laziness?

Make a list of some of the most forbidding of your Walls, and remember -- you were the builder. You also have the key to the hidden gate, or know the tree you can climb to surmount this obstacle. You will get past these Walls.

Optional Missions

Poetry in Motion

(5 points)

Create a Poem about something you have learned through this course or through your actions.

Welcoming Words

(5 + points)

When you see a newcomer on any of the Hero Forums, make a point of introducting yourself and welcoming them to the site. Let them know of some of the things you enjoy here, and how they can get the most from being here. Let me know how your introduction goes, and whether you feel you've made a new friend by doing this.

Forum Fun

(5 + points)

Start a topic of conversation on the Forums.

Art of the Heart

(10+ points)

Create something beautiful to display upon the walls and halls of our Paladin classroom.

Negal

Negal