Isolation and the Jedi

We live in difficult times where we cannot meet in person these days and I have said it before and i will say it again , touch deprivation is a thing , and now we are forced to keep a distance of at least 6 feet we see how this Social Distancing is wearing some of us down. Not being able to touch or even hug your loved ones. 

art by Edward Hopper -Urban Loneliness

Only talking on the phone or videochat even the most inward people are struggling at the moment and we need to hold each other in our hearts and minds. These are not easy times but as Jedi , we know we grow during trial and thrive when others shut down. 

On the internet i see people reaching out and helping each other , being there for eachother. Being there for other people is not only a Jedi thing but an essential part of being a decent human being. So what can you do when you cannot touch the person you love ? Visit your Nana and Grandad ? Or even something trivial as going down the pub for a beer with your mates?

Well first of all , you take good care of yourself .  Meditate , alone or with others. Reflect and discuss your worries with your peers. Try to do work outs , eat healthy. Try to help out in your community , doing groceries for the vulnerable , walk their dogs. There are countless opportunities to help others and being of service in these difficult times. 

As i am writing this , we are the epicentre of the infection here in the Netherlands and meanwhile its spreading over the US and the rest of the world. I see a lot of panic , worries and grief for lost ones. It is our  choice as Jedi to either help out or hide , it’s our choice to make this time valuable or wait till it passes , neither will be judged by me. Because it’s not my place to judge. 

In the meantime , i will hold you all in my meditations , mind , and heart. May the Force be with you all and remember ” This too shall pass” 

Jedi Serenity Amyntas 

 

 

In memoriam : Knight Senan

By Wescli Wardest , Knight Commander at Monastic Order of Knights

Ever so rarely does one come across an individual that embodies something.  Something good, something we all want to be more like… that was Senan.

Steven Jeffrey Hay (aka Senan), born the third of June in the year 1979, passed away last week. He is survived by his wife and family.He was a Knight at Temple of the Jedi Order and sat on the Council there. He was the first Knight at the Monastic Order of Knights, the Chief Membership Officer, a Small Council member but more than any of that, he was my friend…

Senan  was one of our founding members of Monastic order of Knights.. He is responsible for most of the art on the site and helped create doctrine and policy. He was a good friend to many people and helped encourage others. He was one of the strongest people I knew. And I know several people that he reached out to who were struggling with cancer, either their own or someone they knew and loved, and helped them deal with the turmoil, confusion, uncertainty and fear that comes with it.

When I received the phone call informing me of Senan’s passing I thought back to all the fun we had together. The conversations, the jokes, and his willingness to help people, all the lives he touched and the things we built together. I remembered Skyping with him as he went through the different stages of cancer and the different options that were available to him. And most importantly I remembered how upbeat and full of hope he was even with death staring him in the face.  I somehow always imagined he would beat it and we would spend years and years together building the Order together. So I was a bit taken by surprise when I heard the news.

When I thought about his family and the pain they must endure at the passing of such a man, I wept. There are no words I have that can comfort his grieving widow or make their loss understandable. The pain and emptiness they endure right now is without measure. I am saddened that I will not see him again on this earth and lament his passing. I pray for his family and loved ones that the suffering they bear may be lessened in the days to come and eventually they will be able to have some kind of normalcy in their lives.

A Knight is sworn to valour.

The Knight’s heart knows only virtue.

The Knight’s word speaks only truth.

The Knight’s courage gives hope to the despairing.

The Knight’s blade defends the helpless.

The Knight’s Shield shelters the forsaken.

The Knight’s actions brings justice.

The Knight’s image brings peace.

The Knight’s code breaks darkness.

His sword is now sheathed and his shield rests at his side.  His word will no longer be heard by ears nor will his image enter the room.  But his virtue, courage and actions in life have left a legacy for other to aspire to.

He will be remembered and will always have an honored place amongst us…

 

I am proud of you | Ways of the Force

The power of these 5 words can be overwhelming , i always cringe a little when someone says they are proud of me , but they are very healing words , words that can give that one little shove to do the right thing. To keep on track , to become whole again. When i realised that these words had such a healing effect on me i started to tell other people that i am proud of them. Proud of who they are , proud of them because it’s not easy , this life , what we have to go through and that we are able to stick to the Path.

Pride has a negative connonation in the layman world but pride can very often not be owned yet easily given , as such it’s a part of training people , raising children and a essential part of training.

Encouragement is telling people you believe in them , that you are there for them , that there is progress even in failure. Showing people you care makes them stronger. Telling them you believe in them makes them aware that there is hope , even in the most grimm of circumstances. I sometimes write to people just to tell them that i see their struggle and that i believe in them. Tell them i am here. I praise their accomplishments in public , letting people know that what that person is doing is valuable to me.  That it matters that they are in my life and i hope they learn to encourage others as well.

So , how do you encourage others , how do you make people feel worthwhile ?  When did you last tell someone “I am proud of you” ? I know that people telling me this has made a world of difference.

art: Helping others by Muhammed Muhasir

Forged by Fire | Ways of the Force

A Jedi is “Forged by Fire”. I was doing some studying in the fandom world of Star Trek and their Starfleet, which I love just as much as I do Star Wars and its Jedi. Star Trek like the Jedi has some incredible online resource to help us become the best we can be. One of those things lead me to this topic and I will the resource links. The links in themselves will not help you much, until you think about the real subject of this article, as I am about to expound on. I would not be surprised if someone does take it upon themselves to dive deeper in to the subject to write a more in depth article in addition to this. (More power to them).

There are many processes that we have to go through in this life. Each one is suppose to make us better, stronger, smarter, and healthier. Among those is school – Age 4 or 5 to about age 18 , to get out of High schools and then off to College. Then there is the “school of Hard Knocks – Life experiences, “don’t touch that hot pan Johnny you will get burnt, then Johnny touches the hot pan, only to find that he should have listened.Then there are life application lessons, learning to mow the lawn, wash dishes or your clothes, learning to swim, dig a ditch; or job training for a certain type of work.  Everyday life, dealing with the death,loss are important live events that we need to learn to handle., so is learning to deal with disappointment. And off course there are times when everything seems to be going wrong, you cannot do anything right, the whole world is against you, and it never seems to get better. You have to learn to deal with this.

Which brings me to social behaviors (politeness, love, respect, how to get a job, etc). Responsibility – caring for a pet, your family, doing your job well, paying bills on time, time management and  much more. We cultivate social skills to get through life.

This is what is known as being pruned, like a tree; going through the purification process, like gold or silver to get the impurities out of it: or as a Blacksmith making a knife or sword to hone and strengthen the metal to withstand the use it will be used for in the days ahead. Everything you go through in this life is preparing for the next test, trial, problem, headache, of issue you have to deal with. Each thing prepares you, purifies you, and strengthens you to be better than you were before.  The person that goes through these things, successfully, can hold their head up high, because they have been through the Fires of testing, purification and strengthening, and have emerged a True Jedi, Jedi Knight, or even a Jedi Master.

http://memory-alpha.wikia.com/wiki/Forged_in_Fire

http://memory-alpha.wikia.com/wiki/Blood_oath

http://memory-alpha.wikia.com/wiki/Blood_Oath_(episode)

The 1st link is the main one, but it mentions another term that I am providing 2 additional links. However, there are 2 links that are listed. That suggests Trial by combat in a way that is un-Jedi like. It more like the ways of the Dark Jedi or the Sith (possibly the Grey or Shadow Jedi) and that is talking about the Blood Oath. A True Jedi should not follow the Path of the Blood Oath a path of Vengeance. Vengeance is never the right path.

Vengeance is emotion that has gone uncontrolled and turned into raw hatred. Hatred will make you do things that you normally would not and more than likely regret for the rest of your life. Vengeance can take a good person and turn them into a monster. (For example: In the Star Wars Movies – Anakin Skywalker, for killing his mother. That put him on the path to the dark side which later he killed all the children in the Jedi Temple and sought to kill all the Jedi, period. And tried to take over the Galaxy and possibly even more)

Author wishes to remain anonymous 🙂

Forged by Fire art

 

Lessons from Detroit Become Human: Freedom of Choice

Most people simply react to things based upon their immediate emotion to them. They listen to their animalistic mind, or what the Buddhists refer to as monkey mind. This is default mode. Break free by allowing yourself to see the situation with mindfulness. Like in the game Detroit Become Human, taking the time to investigate and analyze gives yourself more options of reaction in reflection and observation.

Break your default mode with awareness. Frequently take the time to pause and to look upon the information the world has presented you with and consider. As with action also remember the choice of inaction, allowing things to be.

Choice. It is what freedom is about. As with the namesake the androids in the game “Become Human” when they choose to break a command to make an active choice. We are our past, we are our future, we are our present. We are built upon our past, which is a series of actions that happen upon you and choices you make upon them.

You don’t have to like me | Ways of the Force

These days it’s easier than ever to show people that you like them , especially in the virtual realm. We have thank you/like/favourite etc buttons to show how we feel about what someone just said or showed.  And we notice that if we post something and we get a lot of likes that we feel confirmed in what we say and we are prone to being addicted to agreement in a way that some even get aggressive if you don’t agree with them. Now what has this to do with being liked you may think. A lot more than you think.

They both have to do with worrying too much how others think of you and your ideas , whether that is in real life or online. Spending time worrying about being liked or wanting people to agree with you damages your ability to connect authentically to others.  In your urge to please others or being “different ” you lose a part of yourself. You give up your authenticity to be liked , or respected.

Worrying about what other people think of you has never lead to control another person’s thoughts or feelings either so it’s really very uneffective , time consuming and draining. Its very tempting to sway with every opinion , but this way you let other people decide what you think and live as a price for being liked or respected. When you’re too worried about being liked, you tend to base decisions on what you perceive is wanted from you, instead of what how you really want to proceed, losing yourself in the proces.  

As Jedi we aspire to be of service , to understand , but  you focus your attention outside of yourself to much you’re giving your power away, this will in time paralyze you to make a real difference , you rely too much of what others think of you and and disabled yourself. You need to be focussed on your tasks , you need a present mind that is not distracted by the fluff of others. Being of service is not about being popular, it’s about well , being of service.  If you are in a place where nobody likes you btw you are probably in the wrong place, there is no shame in moving where you are wanted and appreciated. Kindness is key , sometimes a place just is not for you.

As Jedi you should be more concerned about what you are thinking than what others think about you. You should focus on building your own confidence, developing your unique strengths and gifts and your connection to the Force.

How to create your own meditation space

If you have no meditation space you can lay down in your bed and meditate. Sometimes the best decoration around you is nature itself. If you can get to a park or somewhere near water it can be very serene. You can even take trinkets with you. Make a small or large meditation area in your house. In Asia many alters have living plants and fruits to value the present living.

● Fruit, plants, water

● Buddha or other statutes

● Crystals and rocks

● Incense & holder

● Candles

● Meditation beads

Be mindful of how you sit. Be sure to be comfortable there are many ways to sit in meditation. You can also walk in meditation when you are in nature. Breathe in, what we are trying to do is forget everything, forget who you are, focus on peace. Allow the thoughts in your mind to flow and leave pay no mind to them. Detach from your front mind. Focus on peace.  You don’t NEED trinkets and statues in order to meditate. Having a space for yourself to meditate creates a space in your life to remind yourself to meditate. Breathe in. We focus on breathing because it is a way to control a conscious, yet also subconscious act. We are trying to forget let go. You can meditate with anything that you want, and it can become special for you.

Different people have different affinities to what they are drawn to. Some are drawn to earth others to fire, some to water. It is also good to remember the elements. Also the Chinese elements are like a metal pot steaming water. You have wood, fire, air, metal, earth. Do what you are drawn to. Make room for a meditation space in your life.

Remember that meditation itself is the key. Peace be with you.

Keep your eye on the ball Jedi | Ways of the Force

As Jedi , we do the best we can , we try to excel in the things we do , we study we practice so why then is it so hard to keep our eye on the ball , why do we get lost in drama and politics? I spent some time meditating and then i realised , i am able to meditate , not because that naturally came to me , but , because i focussed on the goal of meditation and the benefits it has brought me since. To have this me time, to recharge. Focus is a pass in all kinds of thinking, including perception, memory, learning, reasoning and decision-making. Most activities are central to everything we do in life, regardless of whether it is academics, work or daily life, focus plays an important role in achieving progress.  It’s very probable without focus, you will be unable to understand or explain why one thing leads to another. So focus is a quality important for selecting, collecting and interpreting the necessary information central to what we do and to what we want to achieve.

How can we train ourselves to Focus better?

Well first of all we have to eliminate the cause of what is distracting us from our goal , understand what distracts us and then devote time  to diminishing the distractor. When you learn this skill you learn to get rid of distractors before you start new tasks , and it does not matter if those tasks are being nice to the neighbour or , starting a new workout schedule. You will see you are better prepared and organized

The next issue is the issue of Social Media , dare to unplug yourself , turn to real life so to say. I am not criticizing social media as i use them as well to stay in touch and express myself but i also believe in balance and being on Social Media 24/7 cannot be good for your focus. It is important to pause from technology and social media. One of the advantages of a pause is focus.

Boundaries are important as well , as is said in the above , distractions like Social media can occur in real life as well , It can be difficult to focus on something when you are around other people or when people distract you with conversation. You will have to be clear about your boundaries and have time by yourself to complete your tasks.

The next and last  tip i can give you is my all time favourite : Create a space for yourself

It is important not only to isolate yourself from people and get rid of  distractors , but also to be comfortable when you are doing something important. A place where you can be undisturbed can be hard to find , but they are there , library , attic , even a pub can do…As i am writing this i am listening to music , i find it soothing and everything but distracting. It relaxes me , and motivates. It helps me focus.

As you can see excellence in anything can be achieved through a mixture of features, Focus , determination, a positive attitude and a lot of hard work. Thank you Reacher for the inspiration 😉 

Art :  by Master-Weilar-Tarren Padawan-Tarren-meditating-on-Tython

 

 

 

Dogma and the Force | Ways of the Force

As a forever student of the Force and it’s ways i have to wonder sometimes , i have browsed many websites about the Jedi way , and everyone had their own rules , creeds , doctrines , or how a friend of mine referred them to as ..Dogma’s. I was surprised by that , why would someone call the learnings and wisdom and dealing with the ways of the Force a Dogma. I meditated on that and i started re reading all the doctrines , circles , prayers etc. And they all had one thing in common. They kind of tell you, or down right tell you , how to behave. Not a favorite part of the free soul , i appreciate that , and it’s being used by Jedi to put other Jedi down , some even post a doctrine in forum posts to prove how well they know it , missing the point completely by being well , not very humble. But i am not judging right ? Because it’s hard to see Jedi act like twats , i get it.

To progress rapidly in the ways of the Force  , to love the Force , the Force being something that is invented or is it real ? Do you feel the Force , can you move objects with your mind , what is the Force , does it have a Light and a Dark Side? So many questions and even more answers and the dark lurks in every answer that is presented as the truth and can be quickly dismissed as Dogma. Does this truth lie in the many Doctrines , codes and creeds , or is it something we have to connect to on a individual level?

To love the Force above all else means that you embrace the Force for what it is ,it binds everything together , it makes that we are all connected and yet we look for things to drive us apart , int that sense it makes sense that an individual Jedi might perceive the creeds etc as Dogma. But the thing is , i don’t think there is place for Dogma in the teachings of the Force. So the way i deal with it is that i read the creeds , codes etc , try to apply them to my life , keep them in the back of my head , deepen my studies further ( i am now studying the bliss of Natural Law and it’s very enlightening 😉 )  And not throw it in other peoples faces when it fits us.

I think as Jedi we are always a little lost , searching , but most of all joyfull that we can learn as much as we can about the Force , not hindered by limitations , not hindering others, but pushing each other forward , little by little.

 

 

 

The victim card | Ways of the Force

When one talks  about playing the victim as if everything seems to happen to  them and they had no hand in the events whatsoever, this is because it’s easier to blame someone else than to accept responsibility for their  own actions. So it’s an easy way out to play the victim card. In general victims, like abuse victims, will be hesitant to play this card because they don’t like what it says about them and how people react to it , they fear being blamed for what happened themselves. It takes a lot of discernment to figure out if someone is a legitimate victim or just playing the victim card that is why i am trying to describe as honestly as i can about this problem which seems to occur in the Jedi community even , people not taking responsibility and blame it all on others or their disabilities and restrictions in life. I know i have been guilty of feeling sorry for myself lately being beaten , rejected and feeling unwanted but there is a difference in feeling sorry for yourself and playing the victim card over and over again.

It’s easier to say “well I was depressed”to explain aloof behaviour  than to own up to the depression and deal with it and fight through it. A lot of people would rather blame others or blame their mental illness than deal with their own issues and the consequences of them. It’s a very unhealthy way of dealing with life’s issues that usually begins at a very young age and becomes a passive (agressive?) survival strategy.

Growing up in a dysfunctional family i can see how tempting it is to play the victim card , i see family members play that card over and over again , they excel at it , as they excel in ignoring my appeals to them to grow up and take responsibility of their own lifes. I try to show empathy as i know that they are stuck in this way of thinking and that it’s hard for them to let go and take control of their lives.  But to be brutally honest , i did not expect to see this in the Jedi community. And it seems to be thriving as well and that worries me.

As Jedi we are geeks that like to save the world , we stand up for the weak and defend the helpless , we move unhindered by what other people think of us , we make videos , write blogs to inspire others , we move freely and work on our disabilities , we face our dragons and demons so we can help others face theirs , we cry , get angry , fall down , feel sorry , whine and we get up again. We are the voice of reason within a very fickle and mentally unstable world. Some create websites , teach others , build an empire of Jedi out to Serve …Servizio, Cura, Rispetto

People with a victim identity are unbecoming as Jedi, they take themselves and their restrictions very seriously , and sometimes i understand that , i want to escape my responsibilities regularly. The things that people with a victim identity tell themselves are rigid and they restrict their growth even more , they don’t reach for the stars and excell , and the dangerous thing is , they blame you if you do. More than once i have been told not to expect others to live up to my Jedi standards and their resentment seeped through their words. It’s never their fault when they fail. But that will never stop me from helping by kicking some ass and telling you to reach for the stars and start taking responsibility for your own life.