Question regarding the Teaching #4 of the Doctrine

Hello everyone,
I am very interested in becoming a member of the Jedi, as I find it encompasses a lot of the beliefs that I already have. However, before I complete my application I did have a question regarding one of the 16 Teachings of the Doctrine.
In Teaching #4 it states that "Jedi are wary of attachments, both material and personal. The obsession over possessions and people creates the fear of losing those possessions and relationships which can cause ourselves to be trapped in a state of depression and loss". I was wondering how that applies to a Jedi's family? I love my fiancee and son with all my heart, and am wondering how I am expected to be wary of such strongly developed attachments to the relationships that mean the world to me? Can a Jedi still put their family as one of their first priorities, without ignoring this teaching?
Hopefully someone can explain this to me, as it is the only part of the teachings and the maxims that I have been questioning. Other than that, I am ready to submit my application for membership
Thanks for your time,
Nigel Norrad

"Attachment" in this sense is not about owning things. It's about letting things own you. Your family isn't a problem, but an over-attachment to anything can potentially be a stumbling block in your path to understanding yourself. In this sense we are "wary" in its proper meaning: we are aware of our "attachments", and their effects on us. This is how we can avoid the pain or control that these things might otherwise hold over us.

I agree with Steamboat.

Bonding with family is natural, normal...

To compare, perhaps a negative example of attachment is telling your wife she can't have friends because she's yours.... your attachment then becomes a bad influence on her and you.

Rosalyn J said in another post

many of the 16 teachings and 21 maxims are basic common sense and human decency

which I think is a good way to look at it.

I hope this helps, the teachings to me are the few things in common life in every day life they are all the good in most of the other religions with out the "stipulations" be good as so and so is good to you. We just say be good, it's worth it lol. The heart that follows the teaching is one who is aware of others and those around...aka Ur family. Some times I feel like I am leaving family and friends behind as far as spiritually, but who better to love them than a Jedi? Lol one who is... in touch and striving to be better... yes, yes you can put anything first, but to put things where they belong is all part of our individual path.

I don't know how anyone can ever claim to be Jedi if they cannot even look after what is right beside them.

Akkarin wrote this, and I believe what he meant is that fear of loss leads to loss.

Newer generation Jedi do not ascribe to this philosophy much, but it used to be that just like science we considered state of mind to be greatly responsible for quality of life, and that only those who want to be happy with what they have (their body, house, town, planet) can actually feel content with and part of the ways of the Force.

Ren, to make sure I understand you, what do you mean?

I feel I am reading it two ways... :dry:

ren wrote: I don't know how anyone can ever claim to be Jedi if they cannot even look after what is right beside them.

Just be aware of it and how it colors your perceptions. Rose colored glasses and all that.

You can be attached to your loved ones so strongly that you end up harming them or yourself. Or you may be attached to the "idea" of them and not who they really are.

I read in the second line of Ren's post that Akkarin said "this" >>>>> meaning the first line.

And that Ren's third paragraph was a comment on the first.

???
Ren will tell.

I mean that if we were somewhat prevented (by the teaching) from caring about what is closest to us, how could we possibly care about what is distant?

Norrad says "Can a Jedi still put their family as one of their first priorities, without ignoring this teaching?"
A Jedi is not the force. A jedi is not everywhere, not everything. This means a jedi prioritizes. Other people (jedi or not) won't prioritize your family, so you have to. Once you manage that (many fail at that task), you can start wondering about how to better spend whatever time you have left (if any).
The teaching doesn't say we should abandon our own families in order to look after someone else's, and certainly not for making ourselves feel better (as some seem to think the jedi path is about).

Mareeka wrote: I read in the second line of Ren's post that Akkarin said "this" >>>>> meaning the first line.

And that Ren's third paragraph was a comment on the first.

???
Ren will tell.

The first line was mine, a quick reply to the OP (and i just clarified it in my previous post), the second line was my interpretation of what akkarin actually meant to say when he rewrote the teachings (Akkarin rewrote the teachings, not me), and the third paragraph is my take on how the 4th teaching "works".


Sorry for the confusion :silly: