Rogue One and the Return of Reverence

steamboat28 wrote:

Magnus Staar wrote: The whole thing did not sit well with me, I felt that the movie was trying to imply the Force actually takes sides, or that it is some sort of deity to pray to.

Canonically, it does, and it is.

There's that. But there's also the fact that this is just one organizations interpretation of the force, within the SW mythos. Honestly, it's no different than Jediism and the force if you think about it. My opinion of what the force is is going to be different than yours, which is different than .... Alex's for example, who has a different one from the guy next door. If we can have that many different views and thoughts on the matter in a site with probably less than 300 actively posting members (total shot in the dark there), then it totally makes sense that in a galaxy full of people, there would be organizations or individuals who felt the Force was more of an active deity, and there would be those who felt it was some sort of energy field that one could harness based upon the count of symbiotic creatures living in their blood.

I, for once, didn't see the movie taking it that direction though. It no more turned the Force into an active deity than any other film in the series. There's constant references to the "Force's will" and the Force being with someone as they complete the task. The only difference here is you have a blind monk actively turning it into a mantra for himself during a rather difficult time. Dedication to what might be considered a type of extreme.

Reverence has been a hot word on my tongue and fingertips lately, especially how it appeals to the shinto context.

Revereance and gratititude can arguably be consodered central to Shinto, and I love shinto becuiase of its naturalness. Sometimes it just 'feels' right. And sometimes, judging by what alot have posted, Star Wars AGAIN has made us "feel right". :laugh:

Thanks for sharing this Alethea;)

I wholeheartedly agree that this was a pivotal play for the observing the Force as the basis for an authentic spirituality, especially Jediism/ Jedi Realism. So much so, I wrote about how this sense of reverance has inspired me in my journal, and hopefully this plucks a chord with someone else..

Let me repost it here for those who may not have access:

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LITURGICAL ELEMENT: The Jedi Vow

I was finally able to locate a 'script' from Rogue One, but I'm not sure if it is exact- I could have sworn Chirrut Imwe says to let them "...pass in peace..." three times (3x), but it says otherwise here.

"Let them pass in peace!
Let them pass in peace.
The Force is with me,
and I am with the Force.
And I fear nothing,
for all is as the Force wills it."
-from, www.springfieldspringfield.co.uk/movie_s...ne-a-star-wars-story

Either way, it still reminds me of two very close practices to me- the Dine/Navajo blessing called the Beauty Way, and the repetition of "..Shanti.." at the end of yoga. Although it exists in many translations, it basically asks for one to "move in peace" in all directions- like a Daka or Dakini (Khechari), a Skywalker. LOL- definately not coincidence.

Looking between the lines, I noticed immediately that this was the first thing said by an observant of the Force (excluding Jyn's parents, if they were Force-adepts...), and it struck an immediate chord with my study of (Tantrik) ritual syntax- it is a statement of 'faith', like the 'aspiration of enlightenment", also known as "raising bodhicitta".

Bodhicitta is super super important part of Buddhism; it's what makes a (Mahayana) Buddhist a (Mahayana) Buddhist, versus, say, a Sravaka or a Pratyeka.

The crux of a Buddhist's path is that they not only learn and practice the Dharma, they SHARE the Dharma, and allow it to pass into their and those they encounter live's.

It is also of such importance that it is one of- if not THE first part of traditional Buddhist liturgies.

DAMN DANIEL.:blink:

First mention: first liturgical element.

There is another discussion about how Bodhicitta is the Cause, Path, and Result of Buddhist practice, and that is important for me here too.

In this example, it helps solidify an understanding of this piece as an initital element of a Jedi Liturgy. Here, the aspiration of Enlightenment can be seen as the initial impulse (hence, "Basis") of any further exploration or demonstration of said impulse- hence PATH: cultivating the aspiration of enlightenment IS the Buddhist Path.

"Stupid is as stupid does":: "Enlightenment is as enlightenment does.

The fruit of one's practice, the RESULT, is more Bodhicitta, or an ever-deepening realization of one's aspiration.

Likewise, I feel like this orientating verse acts in a similar fashion for any sort of "Jedi Vow", whether as a single statement of intent or in the taking of the certain vows of virtue, like those of the Jedi Code. (Yes, I do think the Jedi Code can be turned into a vow, but I will write more on that in the future hopefully:) ).

Bringing it full circle, I feel extremely fortuitous for this "gift" from the mythos. Since I have been given the Beauty Way chant, I have always felt inspired to make it the cardinal point of "ritual departure" (from the profane to the sacred) for my practice. I have been looking for a way to replace the Buddhist Aspiration for Enlightenment with a something of a more Jedi-nature, and it seems it was just poured into my fairly empty and waiting Jedi-coffee mug.

Thus, I will include what I come to see as the Jedi Vow, into my infant liturgy.

"May I pass in peace,
May I pass in peace,
(May I pass in peace)
The Force is with me,
and I am with the Force.
(I) fear nothing,
for all is as the Force wills it."

I like the word "move" (as in 'Meditation: any MOVEMENT towards the Center'), so I may replace "pass". I was also thinking maybe repeating the line 3x, but each verb be different: Go, Move, Pass, to symbolize the three states of Birth, Life, and Death. (This has lots of esoteric potential!) Shanti is said 3x, as well as any mantra or the Bodhicitta mantra is recited 3x, but I could just recite the whole thing (with two lines).

Lots of inspiration, lots of ideas.

Either way, again Star Wars finds a way to help me connect.

Om Shanti.

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J. K. Barger wrote: Lots of inspiration, lots of ideas.

Either way, again Star Wars finds a way to help me connect.

Ya, makes me think that one could view the interconnections of those things as being the experience/action of reverence. Such that we all have those things already, but training tends to exercise ways of connecting to them in practical ways, and seems to most often occur in the direction of ground->path->fruit for some reason to familiarize in stronger ways to allow more effective and accessible focus.... probably because if the fruit sits on the ground it will rot :lol:

I like move better then pass, another one could be flow. Thanks for the post!!