Meditating on Doctrine: One Pieace at a Time

Day 21: Where there is despair, hope.

Despair is defined as the complete loss or absence of hope. I've been tempted to despair before, and for me personally it has consistently come from considerations about things that I think will impact my life, but that I have no control over. So how can we offer hope to the despairing? I was able to pull myself out of it, but it can be a powerful sensation. I think applying Maxim 13 could be the best way, cultivate empathy. I know having worked in healthcare you can get overwhelmed, a potential precursor to despair, and I've vented to nurses, nurses have vented to me, yesterday I saw a member of the housekeeping staff venting to a nurse, and she stood by and listened. In a high-stress environment like that everyone needs someone to listen sometimes. When people are despairing, sometimes that may be the best we can do.

Day 22: Where there is darkness, light.

I don't take this literally. That might go without saying, but if not literal darkness then what is meant by this? Darkness is a very broad concept, but ultimately anything that could be called dark or light comes down to positivity and negativity. Where there is action taken that would lead to a negative outcome in my life, or the life of someone else, I will act to bring a more positive resolution. Where words are spoken designed to have a negative impact, I will speak something more positive into the situation.

I find that this is often difficult to do. We are conditioned in modern society to "mind our own business" at all times aren't we? We might often look at a situation and think we don't want to become entangled with it, we don't want to get involved, but as Jedi we are to have courage, the will to act, and we are to be fearless, to live with no self-imposed limitations. I have failed in this regard before. I have seen an opportunity to bring light into a dark situation, and walked right by it. I spent time over the next week considering what I could have done differently. It's not easy, because doing this might mean approaching people you've never met who are angry, and the average person would probably walk right by. But in these moments are opportunities. The opportunity to make an impact, the opportunity for sacrifice. And when you carry that torch into that dark situation The Force goes with you. More is happening that what we perceive with our senses, and there is no call for fear.

Day 23: Where there is sadness, joy.

This is another item I have seen in action first hand. When someone is ailing, upset, maybe even on the edge and all they want to do is focus on their misery, I will usually try and change the subject and make them laugh. This works better for sadness than it does for anger. I feel like it would be easier to make me laugh when I'm sad than it would when I'm angry. But this is one way we can also satisfy the previous line of the creed, where there is darkness, bring light. I've been shocked at the difference I've seen a little laughter make in someone's day. It may not be easy, but it's well worth it.

Day 24: I shall never seek so much to be consoled as to console.

I am skipping the line "I am a Jedi," because I feel like that is what this entire exercise is about. The second section of the creed is about sacrifice. Teaching ten is Jedi serve in many ways. Service to others ultimately boils down to sacrifice. If we are to make this world better, make our lives committed to humanity and promoting a more harmonious society, then our lives must become the sacrifice placed upon the altar of the world. It's not always going to be something big. Odds are our life will not be taken from us suddenly by acting as a guardian of peace, but it's a thousand small acts throughout the day, one insignificant sacrifice after another that ultimately add up to making the world a better place. We need to find peace with that within ourselves before venturing out into the world. We are not to stay cloistered inside on the Temple website, or feel sorrow at the fact that our lives are not leisurely, but when we see someone ailing, offer a shoulder, offer a kind word. Even if they proceed to spit on your face and tell you that you know nothing of their struggle and they don't need your compassion, never stop showing up to console the hurting in an ailing world. Everyone has issues. Everyone has issues all the time, and if we just take advantage of the opportunities to sacrifice a little bit of our time to console the hurt when the chance arises, we get the satisfaction of knowing that we have helped another in need, and our lives, our sacrifice, becomes that much more fulfilling.

Day 25: To be understood as to understand.

Forgoing the desire to be understood is another form of sacrifice. This world is not about what you get out of it, it's about the value you add to it. Understanding takes patience. I had a run-in with that recently. I'm currently working on my web development skill set, and I had a project I'd been working on for four days that had me completely stumped as to why it didn't work. Turns out there was one detail of a JavaScript toolset called jQuery that I didn't understand. Once I understood that one detail, it was easy to put the pieces I already had written in the right places to make it work. This is a more mechanical, less personal example, but the same concept is certainly applicable to people as well. Specifically, other people don't need to understand why you're willing to sacrifice your time, or whatever else, to empathize and take the time to understand them. It is in doing so that we protect and enhance their peace, and develop interpersonal artistic unity: a sense of harmony among all parts, creating a sense of wholeness and completion.

Day 26: To be loved as to love.

There are several things I could reiterate here. About Sacrifice, selflessness, living the doctrine. Except that this one is more important than the others. Do not go seeking to be loved, don't follow the Jedi doctrine to gain the approval of others, but rather in doing so, demonstrate your love to others. Love isn't something you feel for people you're close to or share substantial amounts of genetic material with. Very often love can be a choice. Choosing to behave in a way that shows someone they matter, that someone cares about them, that they are important.

Day 27: Fot it is in giving that we receive.

It's easy to be selfish. Why me? Why do I need to sacrifice? Why should it be me who sacrifices? The last few lines of the creed dig into that. It is in giving, that we receive. What do we receive? Look at Frank Capra's "It's a Wonderful Life." The truth is we don't see the benefit of our sacrifice immediately. We might feel some satisfaction at doing something good for another. Do it enough and it certainly adds up. We starting getting a more positive attitude. We feel good. But that's not all we receive. Frank Bailey had dreams, he had goals, and when it came crunch time, he sacrificed that for the little people of Bedford Falls. It's a great illustration of this very concept, and that's a big reason why this movie has endured over generations. Then when he's at the end of his rope, all the rapport he's built, and loyalty he's gained over the years comes back to him in a big way. Every time you sacrifice, every time you give of yourself, you are making a deposit in an account for your future. Whatever you put in it will come back for you. This has been called the principle of sowing and reaping, it's been called karma, but the bottom line is what you put into life, life will come around and give back to you. So even if you don't see something immediately coming your way, other than the pride in doing the right thing, it is in giving that we receive.

Day 28: It is in pardoning, that we are pardoned.

This takes me right back to the issue of grudges. If we don't forgive someone who we perceive has wronged us, it's we who suffer, not them. In the act of pardoning them, we are released from the hold of bitterness.

Day 29: And it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

This line speaks to me of sacrifice. Not necessarily physical death, but the giving of our life to others. The modern western perception of sacrifice is one of reluctance, and mourning. If we are to truly serve in many ways, sacrifice is a must. For a service to another to be genuine, it must be a sacrifice. If you pretend to act for the benefit of another, while only thinking about what you get in return, that's not sacrifice. It turns into quid pro quo. When you can make your whole life about opportunities for meaningful sacrifice, all that is gonna come back to you.

I love in Song of Ice and Fire, and I imagine its TV adaptation named after the first book of the series, the phrase Valar Morghulis, Valar Dohaeris. All men must die, all men must serve. And it should be true. Even as we look for ways to prolong our life, even unto immortality, I've always felt that we need to be able to die. We need to die some time. So if that's our end game no matter what, why shouldn't we take risks for the benefit of those around us? Live with Courage, Fearlessness? Those are maxims 5 and 8. If we walk in the knowledge of our own death, that's how we truly live for the time we've got. If we detach ourselves from our physical selves, and seek to walk in the Force, our daily activities become spiritual exercises, rather than physical tedium. Walk thus, and know that the Force is with you, and life will come in such abundance, that it's easy to make the sacrifices.

Day 30: 1. Jedi are in touch with the Force. We are open to spiritual awareness and keep our minds in tune with the beauty of the world. We are forever learning and open our minds to experiences and knowledge of ourselves and others.

To grow closer to the force we need to detach ourselves from our physical existence. Every exercise, every action we take should be done not because of physical requirement, in the realization that whatever driving forces are behind our actions it is really the movements of the Force. A spirit of gratitude, humility, and sacrifice is what I most frequently try to accomplish to maintain my connection to the Force. It is less of a bond, and more of an understanding.

Day 31: Jedi maintain a clear mind; which can be achieved through meditation and contemplation. Our minds can become unduly troubled and concerned with the happenings of the world. We must work on overcoming our individual issues through training and diligence.

Meditation is maxim 15, and training is maxim 16. Both are referenced in this teaching. Why is a clear mind important? The second sentence of this teaching explains why. I have recognized that my own mind can become troubled when I consider the increased amount of automation, and especially AI we see going forward. I've been tempted to despair wondering what exactly it will mean for humankind when we reach technological singularity, but who does that serve exactly? Is there anything I can do about it? No. I can only do the best I can with what I've got. We're not even there yet, so to spend time worrying about it wouldn't serve any purpose. This is why it's important to maintain a clear mind. We can imagine all sorts of horrible outcomes to our everyday actions, and paralyze ourselves with fear of nothing.

We keep from doing that by meditation, and training our minds to move positive things into our lives. Not to dwell on things that we can't control in the first place. We don't need to worry about what we can't do, just worry about what we can do right now.

Day 32: Jedi are aware of future impacts of action and inaction, and of the influence of the past, but live in and focus on the now. We let ourselves flow like water through the events around us. We embrace the ever-changing and fluid world, adapting and changing as it does.

I remember when I first started studying the doctrine, shortly before starting the initiate program, and thought how profound the concept of the impact of inaction is. It's not something we think about, but it's something we see all the time in the U.S. My dad recently had a heart attack. He's ok, but this was the impact of inaction. He quit his job as a welder, and started playing music at local establishments instead. It's less stable income, but he's happier than he's ever been. When he started doing this his exercise routines suffered. Without the structure of a daily routine, his meal habits and dietary choices suffered. He did not actively determine that he was going to try and have a heart attack, but rather didn't consider the impact his inaction would have on his body. I feel like the assumption we make is that if we do nothing, nothing will happen, but that's far from the case. If we do nothing, we pay the price.

So how do we live in the now? We make each moment powerful. Every moment has the potential to be life changing. It can steer our life in a positive direction, and help us grow toward a person who is closer to our best self in the future, or it can leave us suffering the impact of inaction. We consider the past for insight into how to make the present powerful, but dwelling in the future or the past will make the present suffer. Often leading once again to inaction.

Technological growth is a guarantee that the world will change, and fast. Everyone is going to have to adapt eventually, the key to doing this is in the last sentence of this teaching. Embrace the ever-changing world. Change with it. Don't let it slow you, let these changes grow you. Adapt, constantly moving forward into the present.

Day 33: Jedi are wary of attachments, both material and personal. The obsession over possessions and people can create the fear of losing those possessions and relationships, which can cause us to become trapped in a state of depression and loss.

It is disruptive to our peace to lose something we are attached to. Dwelling on things lost in the past chains us there, and keeps us from moving forward, prevents us from growing. I've seen it first and, and striven not to let myself live it as a result.

Day 34: Jedi understand that well being consists of the physical, the mental, and the spiritual. A Jedi trains each to ensure they remain capable of performing their duties to the best of their ability. All of these are interconnected and essential parts of our training to become more harmonious with the Force.

After I went through chemo last year my physical heath had declined, I didn't feel like myself, I was quicker to anger, got frustrated easily. I feel justified in feeling this way. The drugs take a serious toll on your body, but a few months ago I started exercising again. Now I'm in some of the best shape I've ever been in, but I noticed something else. When I started exercising, my mind was on a more even keel. It was easier to feel the Force, and get in a good place emotionally and stay there. Not necessarily doing Yoga, which is supposed to bring your body and spirit into unity, but even mundane, purely physical exercises helped the other parts of my life. There is no one element of these three that's the foundation the others build upon. They really are completely interconnected, and when you build one up, it becomes easier to build up the other two, and as those get built up, it helps you have the mental strength, the fortitude to stay on track building up the one. As we are in harmony with our best selves, so are we in harmony with the Force.

Day 35: Jedi use their skills to the best of their ability. We do not use our knowledge and skills to boast or be prideful. We are mindful of the ego, and mindful of our actions, exercising wisdom and humility.

The point of performing any and all actions with the best of your ability is not to be the best. It's ultimately to make your best a personal habit. If you give your best to the small tasks, and the ones you don't like, you're naturally going to step up your game when it comes to important tasks that have a specific, personal goal in mind.

A man named Bob Lazar claims to have worked in Area 51, and claims to hold degrees from MIT and CalTech, but neither school has any record of him attending. You can fake having a degree. You can fake liking someone you have to work with, you can fake a positive attitude. There's one thing you can't fake and that's results. There's no reason to boast if you always give your best effort, because the results will speak for themselves.

And as for ego, the most successful and fulfilled human beings on Earth have tricks that keep the humble, and they revolve around gratitude. I have half-jokingly said in my life that if your claims are true, then it's self-awareness, not arrogance. As long as you stay grateful for what your effort has produced, and grateful for your struggles, your ego will be checked, but you will never be able to put your best into something mindlessly. Being mindful of your actions is automatic if something is receiving your best effort. Being mindful will also help you make wiser decisions. Wisdom is the application of accrued knowledge and experience through patient, good judgement. Using your skills to the best of your ability boils down to is staying patient, staying grateful, and building a habit of giving whatever you are doing your best effort.

Thank you for this.

It's a part of my nature to understand and to be understood. More often than not, I'll share a personal story, to let people know that I can relate. My intention is not to "one up" anyone, but an intimate bond - opening old wounds - being vulnerable, is important to me.

So, not to walk on your post, but by way of gratitude for your insight on this, I feel the need to tell the community, that if any think that I'm out of my lane, please, let me know.

Again, thank you.

You're not walking on my post at all. I have never been adverse to opening up a dialogue about my ruminations, and perceptions on the doctrine you're just the first to do so.

Recently I've been listening to a lot of motivational speeches on Spotify. The artist is listed as Fearless Motivation. I don't practice this teaching nearly as often as I should, but I think a lot of the Jedi Doctrine is best satisfied with mindful, deliberate action above all else.

Day 36: Jedi understand their limitations. We recognize, and take responsibility for, our failures, and develop a level of modesty about them. We respect others' rights to disagree and understand that they themselves are not perfect.

As much as it's important to understand your present limitations, it's also important to understand that your limitations can be overcome. For example, I can't bench press 300 pounds. If I tried I would probably be crushed, but if I worked slowly, stayed patient, humble, and hungry, I could develop a body capable of benching 300 pounds.

Above all else failure is an opportunity to learn something, and also helps keep us humble. When we're young we're not nearly as discouraged by failure as we are when we're adults. Take the simple example of riding a bike. We fall, and fall, and fall after the training wheels are taken off. Even once we get our balance, one turn too fast and we're back on the ground again. The only way to success is through failure. So much as we must recognize our failures, we should also recognize the opportunity they present us to develop our resilience. There's an adage that says "The difference between a master of something, and a beginner is that the master has seen more failures than the beginner has made attempts." Recognize your failures, own them, stay humble, and don't expect others to never fail either. But also understand that failure doesn't represent the end of your effort, but the beginning of it.

Jedi are patient. We work on training ourselves not to precipitate events around us. We know that becoming a Jedi is long and hard, and requires rigorous dedication and commitment. Jedi train to act with a conscientious state of calmness.

When I had just set my feet on the Jedi path, I felt the last sentence of this teaching was so profound, so important, that I would fake it. When I felt my own tension rising, I would ask myself how I would act differently if I were calm before I took some action in the heat of my emotions, and do that instead of whatever I was about to do. I still have trouble sometimes differentiating between when I'm upset and when I've had too much coffee.

I feel that the second and third sentences are curiously specific given that the teaching is to have patience. There is much more to patience than not precipitating events around us, and a long hard journey that requires rigorous dedication and commitment will help build our patience if anything. I feel like Leo Tolstoy has one of the greatest perceptions on patience I've ever read. He said, "Patience is waiting. Not passively waiting. That is laziness. But to keep going when the going is slow and hard - that is patience." I'm sure we've all experienced times when our progress toward something is slow and hard. Often it leaves us tempted to procrastinate, or give up. It's when the end goal is worth the trudge toward it that we persist. It's from our persistence that patience is built, and patience in turn is what allows us to be persistent.