Redirect Your Anger
The first domain of Kratos rules, in rejections and acceptances, is where we lay down our foundational stones upon which a virtuous life may be built. We choose what to uphold and what to cast aside, shaping our moral landscape like an architect designing a grand cathedral. For what happens when that foundation cracks? What do you do when lies, deceptions, and corruptions pierce the bedrock of our hard-won principles?
The answer, dear beloved of God, has nothing to do with any nostalgia or retreat, nor can we forget what has happened before. Indignation is what drives us to remember who we actually are, our place in God’s designs. It springs from a deep aquifer of Awareness and Honesty. These are the depths from which Magnanimity first warms our hearts. It is the spark that ignites us to move beyond Amnesis, towards truer greatness in real identity.
The Domain Where Rejection Meets Acceptance
In this first domain, beyond the forgiveness, we encounter a fundamental dilemma: What do we choose to reject? Even more crucially, what do we choose to accept? Every decision entails rejections and acceptances and is therefore a distinct act of creation, for better or worse: in the light or shadow of it. When corruption appears, its tempting to simply ignore it and pass it off, to turn away from its ugly stain leaving it up to somebody else to deal with. This works least of all within. Of course, this is but Amnesis in disguise! This is to refuse engagement with reality and hiding behind veils of complacency protecting and inculcating the errors in materiality.
Power <-> Mastery
EROS (yellow):
Altruism <-> Egoism
TELOS (oranges):
Craft <-> Product
KRATOS (red):
Resist <-> Conform
True Magnanimity demands we confront darkness head-on, accurately, not with blind rage or vengeful fury, but with clear eyes and unshakeable commitment to truth. Indignation is something of a guiding star, a compass pointing us towards the path of ethical restoration and where to aim our efforts. This righteous fire refines us like gold, burning away impurities!
From Amnesis to Magnanimity
Moving from Amnesis, the state of forgetting our identity and purpose, to Magnanimity requires this crucial step of rejecting impurities, forgiving them of ourselves along the way in the Light of highest Grace. It is not enough to simply be good, nor even innocent; we must actively choose to reject the forces that seek after the false empowerment in corruption, and accept the principles that define who we truly are in God’s plan for the revelation of greater truth! Consider the sculptor facing a block of marble marred with flaws. Does he abandon it completely simply because it does not match what he is trying to accomplish in his current project? No! He sees the potential within, the masterpiece waiting to be revealed. With skilful hands and an unwavering vision meant for the moment, he chips away at the imperfections, revealing the beauty in it, his vision and not per se the marble.
The same is true for how we shape ourselves, to take pride in the process of true progress toward Good in the Spirit is identical with taking pride in our Lord. So we must confront our own moral challenges. When lies and deception assault us, do not fall back or give into the error! You can stop it in the now. Instead, let your indignation fuel a new wave of Honour founded in Magnanimous identity centred around a firm connection with God, commitment to exposing truth despite those who would seek to hide it.
The Interplay of Domains
Kratos is about rejecting or accepting of all things with obviously profound implications for the other domains and a backboard for Logos’s domain suspension of all things. When we fail in this first domain, when Amnesis takes hold out of Disdain and Obsession, the consequences ripple outwards. We lose sight of all goals and purposes, disabling Telos operations because without concrete principles in Kratos to guide us, we drift aimlessly through life’s currents.
The next skipping stone is chucked as misaligned as the previous: our relationships (Eros) without logical rules and goals are then necessarily defined by mistrust and resentment as we fail to Honour the bonds that truly matter, Temper actions, or demonstrate Loyalty. The final blow comes in the Logos domain, where our reasoning becomes clouded by distorted perceptions, false assumptions, and misplaced allegiances, making it nigh impossible for us to make sound judgements or build stable grounding for community for any enduring success!
The Power of Truth: A Joyous Weapon Against Deception
Fear not, dearly beloved! For just as the darkness of Amnesis has its counterpart in righteous indignation, so too does deception have its nemesis, in truth of course! Truth is the greatest force for joy! Like sunlight piercing through a storm cloud, it illuminates all that is hidden and exposes the falsehoods that lurk in shadows. When faced with lies and corruption, we must not cower in fear, retreating into basic cynicism as a position of defence. Wield truth with courage and conviction! It may be uncomfortable, even painful at times, but remember that our path in God’s plan was probably never to be found in comfort but forged in white-hot fire, tempered by adversity. You will be hated in the Lord’s name, for simply bearing forth the uncomfortable truth.
The Path Forward: Reclamation Through Righteousness
So how do we move from Amnesis to Magnanimity? Let me offer a few practical suggestions. Remember Honour. Before any other virtue can flourish, you must first reconnect with your deepest sense of integrity and moral purpose, developing identity in forgiveness and real value. What are your fundamental principles? What values do you hold sacred above all else? Write them down, pray and meditate on them, let them become an anchor in the storm. Embrace the indignation but do not become drowned; make it productive. Do not be afraid to redirect your righteous pangs of anger when confronted with injustice or deception. This is a normal response! Channel the energy into real action instead of destructive outbursts. Let it fuel your commitment to truth and justice. Make conscious decisions to uphold your principles, even in small ways. This involves telling the truth even when it is difficult. Each action in the light of virtue strengthens character, building up momentum. Be joyful dearly beloved, and direct your energies accordingly.