Social The Jedi Enclave ~~Welcome New Followers of the Light!~~

I haven't posted any of my inspirational-motivational memes for a while, so here's a fresh one for initiates to meditate on.

 

Perhaps you should ponder your powers of discrimination in your choice, since no one has posted since Saturday.

 

I work to keep it at the top of the page. Though things have been rather quiet in here lately.
*Dusts the Enclave*

 

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. .

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ConservativeJedi321
You missed a spot.

 

*Sweeps Dust into Skyla's Quarters*

Hm, deja vu.

 

I saw that coming.

 

*Walks up to find dust in quarters*

*Blows dust back out of quarters*

 

*Uses force to push all dust outside*

Sparkly.

 

This is going to end in tears.

So, go easy on him, Skyla.

 

I'll try.

 

Like Master like Apprentice.

 

ConservativeJedi321

GIF WAR!!!

 

Hello! New to this forum and wondering if I can join the Jedi Enclave. I'm leaving soon for a month, but I have lots of spare time in the next four days, and wanted to see what I could get done before I go.

 

Welcome to the Guardians of Light Loth-cat

First I encourage you to add your membership in our order, as well as your Rank (Initiate) and Force Points (0) to your signature.

And Here is your first initiate Task:

Please Tell us why it is you want to be a Jedi.

 

Thanks! I want to be a Jedi because I am a proponent of using one's strength to protect and to work towards justice for those who have been wronged. I value the lifestyle of submitting oneself to beliefs and practices that achieve and maintain inner balance, and result in harmony, compassion, and goodness in the lives around you and in the world as a whole. I've always liked that revenge is "not the Jedi way," and that loss and fear of loss are things that can lead to greater strength and balance in oneself when entrusted to the Force.

 

Very Good, I award you your first Five Force Points. Loth-cat, Bardan_Jusik (Pts.)

For your Next task:

Please look up a copy of the Jedi code, and explain each line of it, and your interpretation of its meaning.

 

ConservativeJedi321

Emotion, yet peace.
Ignorance, yet knowledge.
Passion, yet serenity.
Chaos, yet harmony.
Death, yet the Force.

I will go through each line, as requested, but I also feel that overall what the code reveals is that each of the concepts mentioned first in each line (emotion, ignorance, passion, chaos, death) are part of our lives, but that the greater reality is the second concept "paired" with the first in each line. Our days are full of potent but temporal things such as emotion, ignorance, chaos, and death, but what endures is peace, knowledge, serenity, harmony, and the Force.

Anyway, for each line:

Emotion, yet peace. This line means that emotions are a constant for a Jedi; they feel fear, love, anger, emotional pain, longing, etc. The power behind these emotions, however, is the peace that they offer when a Jedi is balanced. With discipline and trust in the Force, emotions are not something that control and consume the person feeling them, but serve to strengthen a Jedi through their mastery of these things. A Jedi need not banish or suppress their emotions or be afraid of them, but acknowledge them and let them go to access true peace.
Ignorance, yet knowledge. We all cannot help but start from a place of ignorance, and someone who is truly aware of themselves always recognizes that there is much they do not know. Instead of being a weakness, this willingness to admit ignorance is actually the first step to growth and learning. It is imperative that a Jedi be able to recognize what they do and do not know, and to make decisions out of this honesty with themselves and with others.
Passion, yet serenity. I suppose this line is similar to the first one for me. Jedi are forces of justice, and as such, hold strongly to particular values. They work hard for certain goals, and are naturally passionate about their values and the things for which they have worked so hard. However, if held too tightly, passions can consume a Jedi, cloud their vision, and lead them astray. Conversely, if passions are held loosely, they can be channeled into strength and determination.
Chaos, yet harmony. The reality of the world is that there is always conflict. The power of a Jedi is that they represent harmony amidst this chaotic reality. A Jedi finds balance in their inner conflict, and seeks to bring fairness, balance, and harmony to external situations as well.
Death, yet the Force. Much of what makes the above possible is the belief that the Force extends beyond life and death, and a Jedi's experience of existence in this world. This line of the code means that Jedi believe that in some capacity, death is not "the end," and that the Force permeates all of their time as an entity, as both a living being and after death. A Jedi trusts that there is much they don't understand (back to the ignorance/knowledge thing), and that while death of loved ones and fear of death can be incredibly painful (back to emotion/peace), a Jedi trusts that the Force is greater than death.

Sorry if that was a bit long!

 

That is one version of the Jedi Code. And I will grant you the maximum Five Force Points for your very well thought out description of it.

Next I would like you to observe the more common version of the code. ("There is no Emotion, there is Peace.... etc.)
Describe for us if you will, how they are similar, and are different. Does it truly matter? Why do you suppose there might be two versions?
(There is no right and wrong answer.)

Loth-cat, Bardan_Jusik (Pts.)

 

Loth-cat, the version of the Code you wrote about is the one that I find more realistic and helpful. Learning how it meshes with the more common version was a step forward in my own journey of understanding the Force and what it means to be Jedi.

As for your answer being "a bit long", an answer is precisely the length it needs to be.

 

ConservativeJedi321 Sarge

Hmmm, good point... I think the less common version of the code is easier for me to aspire to. The formal code seems to be a more intense version of the one off of which I based my original answer. Perhaps initially it would be easier for an aspiring Jedi to focusing on having emotions, but finding inner peace within them, whereas an experienced Jedi would be so practiced in finding that inner peace that they would rarely need to concern themselves with wrestling with the emotions in the first place. I have to admit that I have always struggled with the more formal Jedi code (hence why I chose the other one heh). I appreciate Sarge's point that it's an important step to learn how the two are related.

I think ultimately they are similar in that they point Jedi in the same direction (e.g. inner peace, growth and learning, inner balance, external harmony, trust in the Force), but they are different in the way in which they do this. The more formal code dismisses emotion, ignorance, passion, chaos, and death. While I struggle with understanding this, I can see how it would be the reality of an experienced Jedi, practiced in the discipline of the order, well-versed in letting go of themselves and their goals and attachments, and with a lifetime of experience in trusting the Force. The less commonly used code recognizes that emotion, ignorance, passion, chaos, and death are still part of life. I see the code I used as a bit of a "stepping stone," appropriate perhaps for an initiate or padawan, for whom it would be more attainable than the more absolute version, bearing in mind that the ultimate goal according to the Order would be the more formal code. I can't remember the origins of the two different versions, but I could also see the less formal code being created/embraced by Jedi who saw the world in less of a black-and-white fashion than other Jedi.

I think the difference between the codes does matter. I think it's good that both exist, and could provide individual Jedi with a way of understanding other Jedi who either have a harder or easier time adhering to the strictures of the Order than themselves. I've always wrestled with Jedi concepts such as having no attachments, and I think the existence of a "softer" code indicates to me that there are other Jedi who likely have struggled (and hopefully overcome!) in the same way as me.

 

Bonus Force Points for All



Watch and share you favorite line or moment from this classic SW fan Film that won the George Lucas Selects Award back in 2007. (Contains mild language)

Welcome to the Guardians of Light Loth-cat

 

Ananta Chetan


I'd never seen that before! It's great! Favorite line is: "I hear you're having some problems with Clint." "Clint is a FOOL!"

 

"You have failed me for the last time."

"That's what you said last time."

Pretty good if I do say so myself.