The New Jedi: Beginning the Journey

It all seems so fascinating, this idea of Jedi. Having amazing abilities and a laser sword that can cut through anything; zooming around the galaxy from one adventure to another to uphold peace and democracy. Who wouldn’t want to be like that? To be a humble hero of the common people, to master powers gifted to only an elite handful of people. If you don’t know anything about the Jedi other than what you’ve seen in the movies, how would you know where to start trying to be a Jedi?

The simple fact is – you feel it.

Like me, you know deep down something isn’t right with how the world works. How everyone lives isn’t the best way everyone should be living. It should be easier, it should be healthier, it should be more joyful. If these thoughts ever cross your mind, you are ready to make a shift in your thought process. It’s a higher calling, it’s the universe (the Force, in our case) trying to connect to you and tell you that you are ready to accept it.

If you’re reading this thinking it’s going to be like the movies, I’m sorry, but you aren’t there – yet.

Some part of me has always known that I never really fit in anywhere. I was always frustrated because I couldn’t figure it out. It has taken me a lifetime so far to only begin to understand. There were signs over the years, but I was not receptive enough or disciplined enough to comprehend properly. But the Force always nudged, it never forgot I was there. Now, I follow the path.

Why the Jedi path? I am a spiritual follower. This path is the same as every spiritualist, guru, yogi, and one-with-the-universe monk who discovered inner peace through meditation, connection, and a deep understanding of a way of life unbound by physical constraints or conforming to human-developed powers and conventions. The Jedi concept is the one I connected with the strongest. It may be grounded in science fiction and fantasy, but it is still based on earthly knowledge and practices. And that is a good place to start – with something we can connect with.

The fantasy Jedi had three pillars and they are named so for good reason. They are the foundation of the journey from beginning to end. They culminate the idea in its base form we maintain until our shells finally fail and we become part of it. Force, Knowledge, Self-Discipline – we feel the connection to the Force, we learn about it, we put it into practice.

The Force, to the spiritualist, is the universal connection to all things. It truly is the energy that surrounds us, binds us together and gives us our power. Understanding the Force is where the journey must begin for the path cannot be tread without this knowledge and thus, we cannot develop the discipline to use it with wisdom and not ego. Wisdom is to bring about harmony, serenity, peace, and happiness and that is the fundamental purpose of being connected.

When we discover the Force, it guides us all in a way best suited to each of us. We all learn in our own way, so we are guided to the connection on a personal level. We are still free to make choices and mistakes and to understand that those choices and mistakes are part of the learning journey. There is no perfection here, only a willingness to learn with the knowledge that there is always something more to learn.

Since the fantasy Jedi were inducted by a council, trained by a council, and instructed to behave by that council, it is a notion of hypocrisy to follow this path based on what I’m trying to say here. Their title was synonymous with soldier or policeman and that is far from we desire to be. That is why, to bring things into a more realistic perspective, I have chosen The New Jedi as a more accurate title. The Jedi, as Force sensitives – their belief in peace, their connection to the light, their code to help wherever they can – that is our goal. This is the journey we should adhere to.

What this journey is not is a religion to conform to. It is a path that we discover on our own, not by anyone else’s interpretation of the subject matter. We are not to be led by any council that tries to enforce strict behaviours upon us nor do we exist to enforce their laws to bring harm and create separatism. Our will is our own and we must use it wisely for the benefit of our civilization, not for the benefit of self or the enhancement of power.

We should not aim to be warriors or cultivate a warrior mindset. We should always seek peaceful solutions and help the world be a place without having to resort to conflict and war. This is how we progress as an intelligent civilization. There should be no place for secrets or withholding of knowledge.

Research where you will on this subject. Our use of The Force is known on earth by many labels, but the underlying idea is the same throughout. We are learning to connect to something greater than ourselves and if you put the thought out there, as I did, the Force will guide you. It will bring you into situations or it will bring you what you need to learn. Listen and watch for these hints. Some are subtle, some are life changing but they will all eventually lead you to shedding your old life and beliefs to make that connection stronger.

Your instincts are your guide, learn to trust them. If you are truly willing to accept this path, your conscience will point you in the right direction. Test them by paying attention to what happens when confronted with a choice. The choice you make will be either instinct or ego. If the choice takes you further off the path, then you are listening to ego. Trusting your instinct isn’t always easy, it takes practice to recognize it for what it is. You will choose wrong from time to time but the Force will bring more opportunities to you to regain your footing. Just believe in it.

My journey has begun because I am ready for it. I will hold no fear about what others will think or say about my journey. I am drawn to my path and I want to be on it. The workings of this world do not make sense to me because I see how simple it is to make it better and I am still frustrated by that. My path then is about finding peace with my frustration, directing it to more creative means and deepening my connection to what I understand is the Force. I have not mastered my journey, but I want to share it with those who may feel lost and are looking for something that makes more sense to them and to you.

Something to connect to and someplace to belong.

© Copyright Kevin Hare