Mental Tutaminis

While the abilities of the Star Wars Jedi are clearly a work of fiction there is something we can learn from them. Today I will cover the idea of Tutaminis. This was a Jedi and Sith art of redirecting or absorbing energy that might harm them. Examples can be seen via deflecting blaster bolts with bare hands or Yoda's display of absorbing and ground Darth Tyranus's force lightning attack when saving Obi Wan and Anakin

So how is this fictional concept of any use to the actual Jedi of the temple? Well look at it this way. When it comes to negative mental and emotional energies we can let them harm us or use our own brand of Tutaminis to deal with them. Rather then let such negative energy damage us let us look at how we can use this fictional art for practical means.

The first option is redirecting the energy. Rather then let it fester or cause us pain take that negative energy and direct it towards something positive. As an example let us say you do not like the body image you see in the mirror. Rather then let that eat at you direct that energy to a work out or looking up a healthy diet for yourself. Use it to motivate you to act to improve yourself rather then hurt you.

The other option is to absorb the negative energy and ground it out. For example if its a situation you cannot change and must just accept. Pointing to myself I am short standing on five foot two inches. This is not exactly fun as a guy and has been a source of annoyance and bullying for me. So I could be upset and let it fester. Or I can look at it, accept that its true and cant be changed and then come up with ways to deal with the inconvenience of never being able to reach the top shelf.

The goal of this art is to take that which can rot and harm you from the inside out and turn it towards a positive end or at least figure out how to accept the negatives we cannot change. Now there are pleanty of martial arts that could be considered physical Tutaminis but that is beyond the scope of this paper and beyond my skill to get into them and the various pros and cons.

The final message I will leave you with is when faced with a problem or pain is it a necessity to attack it head on and seeks its destruction? At times yes, but Jedi do not kill or destroy without reason and without attempting peaceful means first. So why not break out your Tutaminis and redirect or absorb rather then break down?


I would love to hear your thoughts on the subject or methods you use to redirect negativity. Further discussion could even cover social Tutaminis sometimes called verbal Judo. I look forward to your input and May the Force be with you.

Great to put a name to what I'm currently working on. I often find myself focusing on the past to the point that it sometimes hinders me. It's probably my perception of the past more so than the actual events, but I feel like they block me from achieving my potential.

Being able to practice something that would allow me to redirect it to something else would be ideal, but is often difficult. Right now I am attempting to redirect it into various meditations. Acceptance and absorbing those feelings is the most difficult. I have tried in the past and have found it to work, but eventually it begins to fester again.

My take on this is that Tutaminis is not something to do just once, or whenever a problem (external or internal, but probably more so for the internal) is that it should be practiced constantly and be something I am constantly aware of.

It seems what you're talking about is centered around pain. Either physical pain or emotional pain. As you put it, being in a situation you can't change no matter how much you want to. The way I would describe what you call Tutaminis is Embracing Your Pain. I posted the following on my Jedi Philosophy site: