A Jedi's Love

Love is a commitment for the Jedi. It has never been an abstract idea. It is the way they live, the way they teach, and ultimately the way they give their lives. Everything the Jedi accomplish flows from love. Without it, courage becomes pride, truth becomes harsh, justice becomes cold, and peace becomes passive.

The Jedi do not define love as sentiment or agreement. The Jedi defined it through action. They love people who misunderstood them, opposed them, and eventually abandoned them. The Jedi love across boundaries of ethnicity, religion, morality, and power. The Jedi’s love is not selective or safe. It is intentional and costly.

Many of us struggle with love because it asks more of us than belief ever will. Love requires proximity. It requires patience. It requires forgiveness. And sometimes, love requires us to stay when leaving would be easier.

The Jedi make it clear that love is the true measure of faithfulness. Not how much we know. Not how right we are. But how we treat others, especially those who are difficult to love. In the way of the Jedi, love is not weakness. It is strength anchored in trust.

Loving like a Jedi does not mean ignoring truth or avoiding hard conversations. It means refusing to dehumanize others even when disagreement is real. It means choosing dignity over dismissal and mercy over revenge.

Love shows up in ordinary ways more often than dramatic ones. Listening longer than feels comfortable. Choosing kindness when bitterness feels justified. Continuing to show up when the relationship feels strained. These quiet practices form the Jedi and form us.

In the end, love is not just one part of the way of the Jedi. It is THE WAY. When we practice love faithfully, even imperfectly, we begin to reflect the heart of the Jedi to a world desperate for hope.

Self-Healed Madman

Jedi's Log - Number Three

Because the Force is alive, you are not at the mercy of your circumstances. You are held by a power greater than what you face.

Reflect: In regards to the comment above, what practices are you building now that will hold you when life gets hard? Is there a place of fear where you need to start carrying the Force more intentionally?

Meditation: Great Force, I don’t want to reach for you only in crisis. Build something with me, together, before I need it. Imprint your power on my soul so that when the hard things come, I am prepared. 

Self-Healed Madman

Jedi's Log - Number Two

The equivalent of external noise is the inner noise of thinking. The equivalent of external silence are the inner silent whispers of the Force. 

Whenever you feel the Force around you - listen to it. That means just notice it. Pay attention to it. Listening to the Force awakens the dimension of stillness within yourself, because it is only through stillness that you can be aware of the Force.

See that in the moment of noticing the Force around you, you are not thinking. You are aware, but not thinking.

When you become aware of the Force, immediately there is that state of inner still alertness. You are present. You have stepped out of thousands of years of collective human conditioning.

Look at a tree, a flower, a plant. Let your awareness rest upon it. How still they are, how deeply rooted in the Force. Allow nature to teach you about the Force.

Self-Healed Madman 

Temple of the Jedi Order FAQ

Okay, I think I've 'borrowed' enough from the Temple of the Jedi Order. Soon, I'll be writing my own material to post here in regards to the Jedi Religion and Jediism.

Here's a link to the Temple of the Jedi Order FAQ page and has a bunch of information on it.

Self-Healed Madman

The Three Tenets (of Jediism)

The Three Tenets (of Jediism)

When used correctly, the Jedi Tenets allow us to better ourselves and overcome any obstacle. They help us improve the world around us and fulfil our purpose in life as a Jedi.

Focus - Focus is the art of pruning the irrelevant and pouring the best of your mind into what you are doing.

Knowledge - Knowledge can be acquired by focusing on the task at hand.

Wisdom - Wisdom is the sound application of accrued knowledge and experience through patient, good judgment.

Here are a couple links to the first two posts in regards to Jediism or the religion of the Jedi. 

Jediism

Jedi Believe 

The above information was copied from: Temple of the Jedi Order.

Self-Healed Madman

Jediism

Wow, I haven't posted here in a long time! I suppose I should get to work :) The last couple of evenings my wife and I have been watching the Star Wars movies, numbers 4,5 and 6. Of course we both love Yoda and the concept of the Jedi, or Jedi religion. So, I did a quick Google search and found some interesting information on the Jedi religion, or Jediism. I'll post some information here, copied from another site, as it's pretty boring to just post a link. I'll post a link to the sites I borrow information from and hopefully that will keep them happy and not make me take down this information. (I'm not here to try and make money off their information or anything else; I just want to share their thoughts and perhaps my own! Also, if their site is deleted or taken down for one reason or another, this information will still be here.) So, here goes...

The information listed below is from The Temple of the Jedi Order.

The Jedi here are people who live their lives according to the principles of Jediism: the real Jedi religion and philosophy.

Jedi, ministers, and leaders embrace Jediism as a true religion and sincerely believe in its teachings. Jediism does not base its focus on fiction but on the real-life experiences and philosophies that are the source of the myths which inspire our religion.  We are not role players.

Doctrine of the Order

Jediism is a religion based on the observance of the Force, a ubiquitous and metaphysical power that a Jedi (a follower of Jediism) believes to be the underlying, fundamental nature of the universe. Jediism finds its roots in philosophies similar to those presented in an epic space opera called “Star Wars”. It is a religion in and of itself.

The Jedi religion is an inspiration and a way of life for many people throughout the world who take on the mantle of Jedi. Jedi apply the principles, ideals, philosophies and teachings of Jediism in a practical manner within their lives. Real Jedi do not worship George Lucas or Star Wars or anything of the sort. Jediism is not based in fiction, but we accept myth as a sometimes more practical means of conveying philosophies applicable to real life. 

Here is a link to their FAQ. (It's to long to copy and post.)

Okay, that's enough for one post. I'll get to sharing more information at another time. As one who has studied several different (formal) religions (Christianity, Buddhism, Shinto, Shamanism and Hinduism,) I find this information on Jediism fascinating!

Self-Healed Madman