"There is no greater mission than to touch the life of another in a positive way."
About The Templar-Research-Institute



Templar Research Institute (TRI) is about Nobility of Character. Modeled after the medieval Order of The Knights Templar, TRI has as its goal the harmonization of the world's Cultural and Spiritual Traditions through a rigorous program of unbiased research. And, as with the medieval Order of the Temple, TRI represents but the outer activity of a Spiritual Core which animates it.

Membership in TRI is predicated upon the desire of the participant to contribute to the creation of a better world and to live a life of Spiritual Chivalry. In other words, members of TRI are, first and foremost, Doers and Seekers. As Doers, they work toward the realization of the ideals of Peace and Universal Brotherhood, and as Seekers, they endeavor to become the best possible human being expressing Nobility of Character by being tolerant, forgiving, compassionate, and vigilant in the defense of the weak and less fortunate. Thus, the Templar Quest begins with a pledge to oneself based upon four simple, but fundamental principles as follows:

Because knowledge is power, knowledge obligates! However, contrary to the common view, there is no greater power than that which ensues from self-knowledge, and the most direct path to self-knowledge and Nobility of Character begins with a profound desire to live in harmony with one's highest ideals, namely to live a life of Spiritual Chivalry;

Spiritual Chivalry is simply the expression of such virtues as tolerance, understanding, charity, forgiveness, kindness, altruism and love in every thought, word, and deed without compromise;

The path to Spiritual Chivalry requires only that one finds the best way possible for him or her to express the ideals of understanding, tolerance, charity, forgiveness, etc. in one's daily thought, word, and deed - without compromise and without regard to race, religion, political persuasion, gender, or social status;

That which prevents one from living the life of Spiritual Chivalry is essentially one's Personal Psychology or that state of being which is often based upon a mistaken sense of who and what one actually is.

Templar Spirituality is, therefore, not for the faint of heart, and is rooted in a deep and abiding commitment to oneself, based upon a proper understanding of who and what one actually is. This can be a daunting undertaking! It requires that those who are accepted into our ranks must strive to live an inner life of disciplined compassion while, at the same time, laboring outwardly amongst the multitude, in the world of daily affairs, to create a better world - a world which is more just, more loving, more understanding, more forgiving, more charitable - for such is the essence of Spiritual Chivalry.

For a Templar, Spiritual Chivalry requires that degree of mental and emotional discipline which comes with the practice of non-attachment, because a Templar is essentially one who lives in this world and yet is not of it! In order to live thusly, the Templar must come to know that he or she is NOT his or her experiences, his or her memories, his or her emotions. The Templar must come to know that he or she simple IS, and, as such, he or she is the sole creator of his or her own joys and sorrows. This Templar state of being finds expression in one's willingness to sacrifice all misconceptions, in the name of the Supreme Being, to the benefit of humanity. In short, a Templar is a Spiritual Individualist who is not afraid to face his or her demons.

The Quest for Self-knowledge
One cannot truly hope to know another until one truly knows oneself! But the "self" which is known to most people, is but an amalgam of unconscious psychological complexes which has largely been contaminated by the debris of childhood trauma. Thus, in order to discover the true "self", one is necessarily obliged to begin by identifying, acknowledging, and integrating the deeply buried, and often precious counterparts to the conscious image which one holds of oneself. To this end, TRI provides the member with a number of tools which he or she must learn to use in his or her own way, as he or she endeavors to become aware of, then master those unconscious forces which heretofore may have frustrated his or her best efforts at living the life of Spiritual Chivalry. These tools are presented in a series of 33 Handbooks, which the member is encouraged to study and apply - either alone and/or in the company of other members forming a study-research group known as a Preceptory - over the course of a 36-month period. Within the Preceptory fraternal bonds are established as members share and compare their understanding with each other and, in so doing, come to a deeper understanding of those forces, which control their lives. For information on the Preceptory nearest you, click HERE.

The Syllabus

Year #1:
In addition to eleven Handbooks which introduce the new member to his or her unconscious processes, during the course of the first year the new member is also encouraged to research and find a name which is meaningful to him or her as being representative of the nature of his or her quest.

Year #2:
During the course of the second year of membership, in addition to a new series of Handbooks designed to develop the "Intelligence of the Heart", the member is encouraged to research and develop a personal Chivalric Code of Honor . The nature of this Code must be such that it calls forth from the member his or her finest sentiments without, at the same time, negating the necessary rigors of life in this world. He or she is then given pointers as to how best to use his or her Code of Honor as protection against the slings and arrows of life. The following serves as an example of a personal Code of Honor.

Commitment to
Honor,
Integrity, and
Valor; to
Altruism,
Loyalty and
Rigor,
Yielding, while doing for others as I would have others do unto me



 Year #3:
During the course of this third year, the member receives a series of Handbooks which are designed to foster the marriage between the head and the heart.  At the end of this series the member is encouraged to convert his or her Chivalric Code of Honor into a personal Coat of Arms. This personal Coat of Arms, henceforth, will become his or her personal Badge of Honor, the symbol of his or her spiritual commitment to himself or herself. Once rendered, this personal Coat of Arms is registered in the U. S. Registry for the Heraldic Arts in Washington, D.C., and as such its uniqueness would be protected from duplication by any other member.

Following the creation and registration of his or her Coat of Arms, the member then ritualistically received as a Knight of the Round Table and, as such, may participate fully in the Grail Quest. A Knight of the Round Table has the privilege and honor of convening eleven other Knights of the Round Table to discuss and research any topic of interest, be it personal, communal, national, or global. For more on The Grail Quest and the Knights of the Round Table, click HERE.

Creating a Better World: Research Currently in Progress

Each member of TRI, in addition to the inner work associated with the quest for self-knowledge, is required to be an ambassador for good in his or her immediate and/or remote community. Within TRI the spirit of teamwork is emphasized with the result that each member has ample opportunity to take on a leadership role. As a consequence, within the organization itself, each member is encouraged to become a leader with regard to his or her area of interest or expertise. In this regard there are a number of projects currently underway which focus on particular social issues. Among these are:




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