Our Values

Why Heroes? To change communities, one must invest in the exemplars making a difference; heroes are those who are the fulcrums of change in society.

Why Sagehood? We stumble from infancy to childhood by accident; then from childhood to adulthood by necessity; sagehood is the maturity we can only gain by choice through challenge.

Why an Academy? Better knowledge is irrelevant for wisdom; the quality of growth is determined by the quality of community – our Academy provides the context for true transformation.

We prioritize formation in three realms:

• Sagehood – the Ethics of Discipline, developing the infinite potential of humanity to grow through adversity;
• Chivalry – the Ethics of Power, developing the noble duty of humanity to take full responsibility for the needs before us;
• Artisanry – the Ethics of Beauty, developing the sacred calling of humanity to embody the transcendent.

Through these three realms of development, we cultivate local communities of men and women from all walks of life who bond together while undertaking worthy endeavors. These realms also correspond to the three domains of activities: Dining, Dueling, and Dancing.

Under these three there are Nine Worthy Paths which provide shape to our cultivation of growth, giving us values to embody as we pursue heroism. A true hero strives to embody all of these paths.

For sage heroes, honor is the first and last principle. Courtesy flows from honor, and gives it embodiment. Etiquette flows from courtesy, but always accords with honor. This is the first of the nine paths, and it is detailed below.

Honor

Honor is the life of excellence that impacts others and society for the sake of the good, the true, and the beautiful. An honorable person happens to the world, rather than the world happening to them.

Honor consists of Presence, Intention, and Integrity.

Courtesy is the self-restraint we use to serve each other and orient the community towards unity despite brokenness. It is an abnegation of the passions in service to edification of the other.

Courtesy consists of Sacrifice, Discipline, and Modesty.

Courtesy

Etiquette

Etiquette is the ordering of common behavior within community to beautifully ease the path for connection. Niceties couple with discretion to facilitate a focus on the noblest parts of our authentic selves.

Etiquette consists of Elegance, Discretion, and Order.