Force Powers

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4 years 3 months ago #346457 by
Replied by on topic Force Powers

steamboat28 wrote: My main issue with people asking about such powers is that they want them for very selfish reasons at first--power, validation, impressing others. That's a natural instinct, and nothing to be ashamed of in the strictest sense.

However, the Jedi path (at it's best) is a selfless one. So, goals shift from power to impress to power to help; from validation to charity

I'm attempting to help in encouraging that shift, and I think I might be doing it wrong.


I understand that- powers shouldn't be the purpose of heading down The Path- what we gain along The Journey should be a perk of it, not the point of it. Hmmm... you just inspired a new bit of wisdom for my journal, thank you

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4 years 3 months ago #346458 by
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Seems an overfocus on powers, but not enough a focus on following the Force. What about Force Boons?

yes its fiction, but it is a lesson. Can serving the light wholeheartedly lead to the Force giving back to the servant?

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4 years 3 months ago - 4 years 3 months ago #346459 by OB1Shinobi
Replied by OB1Shinobi on topic Force Powers

steamboat28 wrote: However, the Jedi path (at it's best) is a selfless one. So, goals shift from power to impress to power to help; from validation to charity

I'm attempting to help in encouraging that shift, and I think I might be doing it wrong.


This comment really hit me and i have been thinking about it a lot. I dont think its likely to directly influence someone’s fascination with Powers but it might be reasonable to increase our emphasis on the importance of service, in general. Maybe more discussions on how we do/could include acts of service into our practice? I admit this isnt anything new lol but i do think the point you raise is important and this is the best ive got atm.

People are complicated.
Last edit: 4 years 3 months ago by OB1Shinobi.
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4 years 3 months ago #346462 by Alethea Thompson
Replied by Alethea Thompson on topic Force Powers

OB1Shinobi wrote:

steamboat28 wrote: However, the Jedi path (at it's best) is a selfless one. So, goals shift from power to impress to power to help; from validation to charity

I'm attempting to help in encouraging that shift, and I think I might be doing it wrong.


This comment really hit me and i have been thinking about it a lot. I dont think its likely to directly influence someone’s fascination with Powers but it might be reasonable to increase our emphasis on the importance of service, in general. Maybe more discussions on how we do/could include acts of service into our practice? I admit this isnt anything new lol but i do think the point you raise is important and this is the best ive got atm.


I've always thought it would be epic if there was section of Jedi Websites that allowed individuals to keep a running "Service Journal". Somewhere that individual Jedi could keep a running journal of the things they are doing to help others in their community and how they are growing in order to improve upon the way that they are of service to whatever cause they are working on. A way to encourage other Jedi in their own missions to help the world around them. :D

One issue...however...that I've run into is a belief that by doing something like this it would be somehow boasting of what people are doing. I, for one, don't think that would be the case. Sharing in each other's experiences has helped a lot of people in the world to reach higher results. We can see the outlier people that achieve greatness, but we often forget that we can do just that too. People who don't have a lot of money can talk about how they overcame that as a problem. Others can be inspired to take up new roles within their job because of what people are achieving. I watched one guy that started on the Sith Path take an interest in the Jedi Path later- and then he found himself wanting to take up a role to increase the safety of the people he worked with on as a Railroad worker, so he became a safety manager. That started him on an entirely new path, and eventually, he worked on becoming a counselor. Now he's working in an elementary school helping improve their mental health program and has even helped with some suicidal ideation cases. He might not have done any of that if it weren't for others sharing what the Jedi Path had inspired them to do.

Just a thought. :D

Gather at the River,
Setanaoko Oceana
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4 years 3 months ago - 4 years 3 months ago #346463 by OB1Shinobi
Replied by OB1Shinobi on topic Force Powers
I wont say any names but i remember a particular individual some years ago who seemed to be pushing for some way to sort of hold people accountable for service out in the world. I had the impression (which may have been wrong) that it was more about wanting the Temple to better reflect his/her own vision of Jediism than it was about building up the community or even about the actual service. I felt at the time as if the motive was more about seeing/proving who was “more jedi” or “jedi enough”.

Im wary of that sort of thing but i like the idea of building the community in ways that encourage real life positive activity.

@Alethea

He might not have done any of that if it weren't for others sharing what the Jedi Path had inspired them to do.


How did this sharing of Paths take place; was it through service journals, or what?

People are complicated.
Last edit: 4 years 3 months ago by OB1Shinobi.
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4 years 3 months ago #346464 by Alethea Thompson
Replied by Alethea Thompson on topic Force Powers
Not specifically service journals, but in journals members of the order talked often about what they were engaging in. One thing that helped was that those journals were open and you could have on-going conversations with people to develop ideas.

The reason I would suggest the service journal, however, is because there are a lot of things which each of us might encounter that another person may have already gotten through the hurdle of. For example, I know someone here at the Temple was part of the Occupy Wallstreet movement. I, won't say who they are, I know they felt pretty sore after it- as though it was a failure. But I would have loved to have read a journal where he was able to give accounts of what he and his team were doing in the event I ever wanted to get involved with the higher echelons of an activist group. I'd love to know what obstacles I might encounter on simple day-to-day stuff (not that such a journal would need to log every day, I just imagine it might describe an encounter ever-so-often). The kinds of emotions I might go through.

When people recount and give the lessons afterward, it comes off rather dry and misses (IMO) key points that could better prepare someone for the hard work they are about to embark on.

Gather at the River,
Setanaoko Oceana
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4 years 3 months ago #346466 by steamboat28
Replied by steamboat28 on topic Force Powers
A little off-topic, but a voluntary recording of service would feel different than a service requirement. And a service requirement would feel different if one chose their means of service rather than choosing from a small amount of options.

These are just things to consider, perhaps in another thread?
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4 years 3 months ago #346489 by ZealotX
Replied by ZealotX on topic Force Powers

steamboat28 wrote: A little off-topic, but a voluntary recording of service would feel different than a service requirement. And a service requirement would feel different if one chose their means of service rather than choosing from a small amount of options.

These are just things to consider, perhaps in another thread?


I think this service journal idea is good. Fear is a path to the dark side. That includes being afraid of whatever boasting some people may do. Plus, reading said boasting would be voluntary. So like a TV show you don't like, just don't watch it. As long as it's not a requirement it could encourage other good acts. In society competition lowers prices and raises efficiency. The fact that an employee can get fired ultimately helps the company get better productivity. So if someone is inspired or even compelled to do more good by reading the service journals of others then I think the pros outweigh any cons. Because if even one person is helped as a result I'll gladly read someone's boasting.
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4 years 3 months ago #346494 by Rex
Replied by Rex on topic Force Powers
If you're helping for TotJO clout doesn't that seem the least bit antithetical to the point of community service?

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TM: Carlos Martinez
"A serious and good philosophical work could be written consisting entirely of jokes" - Wittgenstein
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4 years 3 months ago #346505 by steamboat28
Replied by steamboat28 on topic Force Powers
There's such a thing as TOTJO clout?

Everything we do is selfish. We just get to decide whether that self-interest benefits others as well.
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