I will touch upon two Jedi disciplines, briefly, by way of explanation of the precepts.

The first practice is control. This is ultimately mastering the Force as it is embodied within you. Understanding the Force that manifests as your own being. It’s what allows for experiences like being in the zone, but it can allow much more. Conscious triggering of the so called placebo effect would be one such thing, as well as potentially total control of the behaviour of the brain and using it’s resources to it’s utmost capacity. These both stem from control practice.

And the second practice they refer to as sense and they are confirming this more and more in real life science. Through practising the sensing of the Force, ones understanding of and relationship to everything around them can grow and change. Though science is denying any metaphysical basis, they are acknowledging that we are genuinely sensitive beyond just our awareness of our own bodies and brains. Our instincts do extend to those around us as well. Loved ones being the most common, but we also identify part of ourselves though our extended environment. We orient to things as if they were our own self, and this sensitivity goes well beyond anything that would be strictly necessary from a Darwinian evolution point of view.

With sense practice, which could also be called perceptual practice, we can come to understand ourselves in a broader way as well as the world around us and how it works, and with knowledge comes changed decision making. Different decisions lead to different actions and thus different outcomes. Outcomes we may have no real ability right now to begin to imagine as being possible. Thinking beyond the limited capacity of our personal brains.

Any questions or comments about Jedi spirituality? Do you feel it leaves anything untouched? The only part left out would be the practices. The code covers what wisdom it has to offer.

I think you covered it well. Is it shallow? Silly movie jargon?

Well, I don’t take George Lucas that seriously, but I think you can find wisdom in the most unlikely places.

There was a lot more to it than I expected.

Sometimes the message is bigger than the messenger, sometimes much bigger.

It’s interesting to think about what makes a religion. They all have a start somewhere, and there is no reason to think that a faith/belief system has to be old to have merit.

I think with the first movies he was tapping into a wisdom in the collective unconscious and that’s why it resonated with people so clearly. The more recent movies didn’t have that wisdom. Any genuinely imaginative exploration does that inevitably. Do you think Jedi spirituality could be considered a genuine faith?

In a few hundred years it may be.

Unfortunately, and there is a saying about this somewhere. No one recognizes a messiah when they meet them directly. They have to be known in legend. “A prophet is not recognized in his own land.” Yes. Jesus may have seemed very much the dude, just eating some dates though he actually didn’t like them. They even have commentary on it.

So a couple of questions, maybe lining up our next two topics. The Jedi fifth precept made me think of the Quantum Cheshire cat principle. Would that be of interest? Simply stated, the object, and the qualities of the object, can be separated from each other and the object still be functionally whole, and then the second idea to run past you, is if this topic was worth it, would you want Sith spirituality as the next topic?

If you feel compelled. I don’t feel compelled. I never do.

Sith are evil Jedi. They would debate that. Some would just say they are dark Jedi. Is the dark side of Jedi spirituality interesting?

I do hope there was something of genuine use today. Till next time remember, the Force is with you, always.

Your thoughts are welcome. Be well friends.

Travis Saunders
Dragon Intuitive
~science,mysticism,spirituality~