Welcome to the Temple of the Jedi Order's (TotJOs) Initiate Programme (IP)
The IP is the first step to becoming a Jedi Knight at TotJO, you do not need to have submitted an application or be a member of our Temple if you wish to do the IP, but please be aware you will need to have completed lesson 2 before you can apply for membership. We encourage people to invest time reading the FAQ before they begin studying at TotJO.
There is no prize for completing the IP quickly and to prevent people from rushing through the IP we will only grant the rank of Initiate after 60 days of study or contribution to the Temple. This waiting period is to encourage patience, because becoming a Knight will likely take longer than a year. If you are serious about becoming a Knight then you will be just as serious after 60 days, but this time will give you greater insight into our community and our teachings.
Note: if you were a former member (Ranked from Guest to Novice) here prior to 2022 and were in the process of completing the IP, you will need to start over with a new journal. This is because the IP has been revitalised with fresh new content and the previous version of the IP has since been retired.
If You Are Under 18
We do not accept applications from those who are under 18 years old.
Non-English speakers
Most IP materials are in English, but you may write in any language. Most members speak English as a first or second language. Please be aware that for some languages, Google translate may be used. It may be helpful in your first post to let us know what language you will be using if not english
Purpose of the Initiate Programme and Journaling
The purpose of the IP is to familiarise you with some of the basic ideas present within our Temple. The purpose of a Journal is so the TotJO community can familiarise itself with you!
The material in the IP is not doctrinal. The ideas in the material can explain some of the doctrine, but they are for teaching purposes only and need to be looked at critically and with an open mind. We're not looking for the "right" answer, we're looking for your views on the material. If you agree with some of the material say why you agree, if you disagree then say why you disagree.
Unless otherwise specified, it should be understood that the minimum requirement for each post should be 500 words
Your journal will be one of the ways in which all members in the Temple come to know who you are as a person. Your journal will be reviewed by a potential Training Master (TM) when they are deciding to take you on as an Apprentice. The more personal and in depth your journal is the easier it will be for a TM to judge if you are compatible for training with them. You will more than likely continue to use the same Journal should you be taken as an Apprentice.
The IP Team
The IP team is a group of apprentices who assist our members with the initiate program. Your assigned sponsor will be available to answer your questions, provide feedback, and ensure that your Completed ip journal is ready for the knights check. While they will not challenge your opinions or beliefs, they Will help guide you as you explore your own personal philosophy and thought process. To request a sponsor please let us know in the discord #study-hall
There is also an IP Study Hall where you can discuss the IP.
Introduce Yourself
First of all please introduce yourself. We want to welcome you to our Order, we are a friendly community and we enjoy greeting new people. We also encourage you to select an avatar and fill in your profile information.
Creating a Journal
Your Journal is where all your responses to the IP exercises should be posted and some also use it as a diary. You can use the first post to tell us about yourself, maybe where you have come from, physically, emotionally, spiritually, why you are here, what your hobbies and interests are etc. Your Journal can be as personal and in-depth as you like. One day you may go back and reread what you have written, showing you how much you have changed since you joined TotJO. Some people continue to use their Journal long after Knighthood and beyond.
In the Studies forum there is a section called Journals. Go there to create your own Journal by clicking on the 'NEW TOPIC' button to create a thread. The subject/title can be anything you want, but we suggest your Username+Journal. For example if your username is 'Jimbo' then we suggest you call the thread "Jimbo's Journal". All of your IP Journal entries should be kept in this same thread.
While our servers are reliable we encourage everyone to create a back-up of their work, because if your work is lost then we will require you to re-do it.
How to Post your Answers
Please make sure you post a reply to your journal. Do not create a new thread for each lesson. All lessons should be together in the same thread. Please put a title at the top of your entries that follows this format:
Lesson 1: The Temple and its Duties: Part 1: The Temple and its Duties
(This should be in the body of your post, the title of the thread should remain Username+Journal)
Here are some essential notes
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Remember, this is your first step into a larger world. Treat it as such.
In addition to exploring some concepts related to Jediism for the first time, you’ll be making your first impression on the Temple community at large with your IP. Knights will decide whether or not to take you on as an apprentice first and foremost by the work you do in these lessons. Please treat this time and this work with the weight it deserves. Pay attention to what you are doing and remember that after one hour you will lose the ability to edit your posts.
Also remember that this is not an academic essay. These lessons are designed to get you thinking and to understand your thoughts and opinions on the topics. We don’t need an unbiased academic summary of the material. It is called a journal entry because we want to hear your inner thoughts on the materials presented so that future TMs can get to know you. Everyone’s journal should be unique because your experiences and opinions are unique.
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Utilize a word processing program
Most computers are equipped with this functionality. If not, Google Docs and Open Office are pretty solid replacements. Our forum does not allow any edits past one hour to any post on the forum, so if you are particular about grammar, punctuation and/or elocution, it’s wise to first put entries into a word processing document and review them with a fine tooth comb to ensure that they:
Are free from grammatical and spelling errors.
Express what you want to say the way you want to say it.
Are formatted properly.
It may help to use Shift+Enter for line breaks in your word processor to ensure they copy over to your journal correctly. If you just hit Enter on its own, that line break spacing may disappear when you copy it into your journal.
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Utilize the window of time for editing
You may find that despite your best effort, the entry is not formatted properly once pasted. This is the time to use that editing window.
Review your post after you post it.
Ensure that it has titles, tabs, spaces, indents and special text (bold, italicized, underlined) appropriate for an entry.
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Title your posts appropriately
In the body of your post, please include this title at the top of your posts:
Lesson 1: Introduction to the Temple - you may post this whole lesson as one post
Lesson 2: Introduction to Myth - please post each assignment separately
Lesson 3: Introduction to Temple Doctrine - please post each assignment separately
Lesson 4: Introduction to The Force - please post each assignment separately
Lesson 5: Introduction to Religion - please post each assignment separately
Lesson 6: Introduction to Meditation - please post each assignment separately
Lesson 7: Introduction to Learning - please post each assignment separately
Lesson 8: Introduction to Communication - please post each assignment separately
Lesson 9: Capstone Essay
- Read the Instructions and Prompt
Self explanatory, but here we are. Ignoring word counts and answering different questions from those asked will result in you having to redo a lesson.
Unless otherwise stated, please note that the required minimum for each assignment is 500 words
6. Take your time
This is not a race. Your IP journal should indicate your dedication to rigor, not your capacity to get it done. Remember that this is the only time you will review this material with these eyes and in this (intellectual, spiritual and emotional ) space. The instructions are the minimum required, but to do well on this journey you’ll need to dedicate yourself to more than the minimum, so push yourself starting now and see how well you can do.
The Initiates Programme (IP) is the first step towards becoming a Jedi Knight at TotJO, and thus it is one of the most important things you will do here at the Temple. The IP serves several different purposes.
Firstly, it gives other members of the temple a snapshot of who you are. By spending time reading about your interpretation of the material presented within the IP it gives an understanding of the real you. So be mindful when completing each lesson, as we want to see the real you and not what you think we want to hear.
Secondly, Knights will use your IP Journal as a resume to help determine if you may be a good match for an apprenticeship with them and vice versa if they would be an adequate training master for you.
Finally, it also serves as a small taster of what is to come and can give you a general understanding of what you can come to expect from future studies here at TotJO.
When completing your IP studies, you should look to be mindful of how you complete them. There are no bonus points for how fast you can complete them, and there is time minimums put in place when it comes to advancement in ranks. Rushing will only show potential training master’s that you may lack patience and did not truly take the time to reflect upon what the lesson contained.
The majority of those who join TotJO do so out of a desire to become a Jedi Knight, and who can blame them? However, becoming a knight here at TotJO will take a moderate amount of time, an average of two years at least. Much like the tortoise and the hare, there is more to gain from taking your time and enjoying the journey along the way.
Your pace should be balanced; you should try and complete a lesson a week, as apprentices are often expected to complete a lesson a week also. It is about finding that balance, there are no penalties for taking your time, so long as you are demonstrating your understanding of the material, but the IP is not meant to be a lengthy task.
While the lessons are yours alone to complete, you are not alone on your path here. Periodically, a member of the IP Team (comprised of apprentices) will perform an Initiates Programme Team Check (IPTC). They will be checking to confirm that the work has been completed to the standards given within each lesson, as well as to ensure that you have stayed on topic. While they will not be grading your work, it is just a formality and a way to ensure that you are on the right track. You will know if this has taken place as you will see something akin to JUN24 IPTC Tetrahedron appear at the footer of your posts. You may be asked to expand upon some ideas if an IP Team member feels like you have not quite hit the mark with what you have written for that lesson.
However, they are not there solely to ensure your work is complete, they can offer further support. You can request an IP Sponsor either from any member of the IP Team or within the Study Hall channel on Discord. They will then look at the current list of sponsors available and you will be contacted by your sponsor. Though a sponsor is not mandatory, it is highly recommended as it gives you a familiar face to bounce ideas off and directly assist with any queries you may have. There are also regular study halls which can be found in the Events section of the Discord.
Lastly, once you have finished the IP, your journal will be checked by two Knights. You may be challenged on some of your ideas, or asked to dig deeper on a particular lesson, however, do not take offense to this as they may be looking at you to become an apprentice to them. The Knights are the primary trainers/teachers here at TotJO, and they have lots to offer for training, remember that you can also message a knight at any time for guidance, they will always be more than willing to help.
