Thoughts of a simple man

Greetings Each

I have been asked to start this thread as ameans of expressing my reasons not to continue with the initiates progamme.As my journal may become a room for debate and that would never do lol.

Before I start, I would like to make it clear that I have no intention of offending anyone in what I write nor is it a critisizm of anything or anyone that uses this site. It is just my views as an individual. Howver if you ask a question of me. I will answer it.Onlly that person must accept what he or she receives.

I have only been here a short time but what I have found is very like minded people with a sense of honour similar to my own ,with an outlook on life in gerneral similar to the way I see things, A common belief in the Force or KI as I call it. I beleive they are one and the same.I have been made welcome by many and I have spoken with a few members and shared my feelings with them and I hope passed on some usefull Knowledge and wisdom.Sharing these things is part of the way I live my life though Budo. A strick code of conduct and ethics which is also very similar to the Jedi way. So I am most definately in the right place. to share ,gain and seek wisdom with friendly, compassionateand on the face of it honorable people.

I spent a good deal of time brousing through the forums and found some very intersting philosiphy some of it visible some of it hidden deep in the depths of archives (on perpous no doubtlol)Most of which I really enjoyed . For the few things I didn't like I asked why. I didn't get an answer. I now assumed it to be from a 'Visitor' from some dark corner of the universe.

My next obvious step was to undertake the initiates programme. It felt the right thing to do at the time from the reasons stated above.I started slowley and with careful deliberation in order to take on board what was being spoken about in these lessons.

Now the grim bit.I willbe brutally honest I found most of what I listend to frightfully boring.Taking nothing away from Mr Campbell I resect his vision as much as any man .I then realised that I was studying to become an apprentice( assuming that eventually one of the Masters would take me on)for the wrong reasons.I was studying because I needed to rather than wanting to.

For last 10 years under the watchfull eye of a cirtain friend of mine who hold in very high regard. I have endevoured to be honest within my self the code of Bushido comes into play.If i were to be ordained as a Jedi Knight it would be for the wrong reasons it would in my view be false and therefore without honour and that would be wrong. It would ,also,in my view be a betrayal of trust with those who I often chat to here ,those that I concider a friend.The simple fact that I have not met them in person is of little importance.

I hope this will shed some light of the way that I think .This is a little of who I am. I do not expect everyone to agree with me nor to understand why. However all I do ask is that you respect my views.

We are all individuals with diferent views. who is to say who is right and who is wrong. I firmly believe as long as you live your life to the full do your level best to be a good person It matters not who,what where,sex ablity ETC.I have to sign off now run out of time . I will add more if anyone can put up the mad ramblings of this grumpy git lol. Whatever your mood ,have a nice day

The force guide you all

Yours in the spirit of Budo

Mike

Mike,

Thank you for your honesty. As you know, members do not need to study the Initiate's Programme, apprenticeship, etc in order to be known as Jedi. However, it is a requirement to achieve a rank, simply because we need to know that enough dedication and study has happened. Some sites give out ranks like candy but we implemented systems to ensure that this would not happen here. Equally, our clerical training programme ensures that everyone ordained as a Minister has received an appropriate level of training. The apprenticeship period is a time of growth for both teacher and student and although the main impetus is to ensure that potential Knights receive a fair grounding in all elements that we consider to be useful (such as conduct, knowledge, discipline, objectivity, etc), it is still true that both parties learn a lot from each other.

Your posts are always enlightening and thought-provoking and I hope that you continue to engage in this way. I confess to being a little confused as to why studying to become a Knight would be for the wrong reasons so I hope that you will enlighten me. There are always different perspectives to consider and if your viewpoint helps us to achieve a greater understanding of how we can serve or members, then I welcome such an opportunity. Feel free to message me if you don't want to discuss it publically.

The forum is open to all members wishing to learn more, to contribute their own teachings, to discuss anything appropriate, and to connect with each other. I trust that we will still have the pleasure of your company here, irrespective of whether you choose to study the official route or one of your own guidance.

Merry Meet Master Mark

Thank you for your words. It is not that I do not wish to become a knight and fully understand that a process of learning must be undertaken and so it should be to of the high standard it is set as.

But as I said in my Post Master Mark. I feel that I would be learning for the wrong reason I don't expect you to understand my friend but please accept it.

Oh and don't worry..you wont get rid of me that easy lol. I like being here. I can embrace the way of Jediism without becoming a Knight. I will continue to add my little bits of wisdom .. I will also add more to this post to.

Blessing to you Master Mark

The Force be with you

Yours in the spirit of Budo

Mike

Of course, I accept your decision. Was just wondering if we could do anything to help.

The Force be with you also, my friend!

Merry meet Master mark

I have sent you a PM so I hope that my explain things a little better.

A POINT OF INDIVIDUALITY.

If you took a goroup of people and one by one sat them down in the same seat and asked them to draw a picture of a cup on a table . I recon we would all see the same cup but I also thing every picture would be slightly different in some way .

I guess what I'm saying is that some of us will see the same object but our perception of what we see may differ.
I've seen the mug but didn't like it very much.But that doesn't mean I should stop looking for something that I do like'I will continue to do just that.

this may aslo shed some light..'Do not weep for me if I am left behind I follow a differnt path than you and I am in no hurry to get there .

Have a nice day good people

The force be with you all

Yours in Budo

Mike

Sensei Mike,

I am really glad that you are not leaving the Temple.

We have many chats in here as well as in the Dojo, our students look at us as if we have lost the plot, they do not understand what we say, do , think or feel, but they keep coming back trying to gain a little knowledge on each visit.

Some of them return I am sure hoping that they will understand more than they did the week preveious, they listen to us talk prior to training hoping to just understand a little of how our brains work.

When wwe talk of the force, Ki or Hara they just stand and listen, trying to understand just what it is all about, indeed I have even been asked where a student can get a book on the force so that he can learn how to use it !!!!

I look forward to sharing many more lessons with you both in here as well as the Dojo and life.

MTFBWY and Guide you on your Journey.

Keith

On my phone, there is a really nice, thought out response to your first post... However, looking back at it, and your posts since, it now seems unimportant...:laugh:

I do apologize for asking you to begin this thread, I did not realize your reasons were personal.... :blush:

My point in you doing this, was to discuss the 'why'... Many members here begin the training and stop... of course, physical world obligations are possibly the biggest contributers to that fact... None the less, some may have the same issues as you... Maybe it is something we can do to help... then again, maybe not...

I did not come here for Knighthood... I came here for some answers... I was looking for myself.... Most of us who have attained Knighthood, did not come here for that reason... some, sure... But not those who dedication lingers....

I love the fact you and Keith, as well as others, continue to come here and post... Even though you are not doing the lessons...

We must be doing something right!!... :lol:... Not 'we' the council, or senior members.... \"We\", the TOTJO community... lol...

So, I will let this subject go, I thought maybe we would/could have a discussion on it... Not to convince you to try the program, just as a discussion... Another point of view... More knowledge, and another way of looking at things...

Ah, well... The important thing is you are staying.. lol...

Greetings Each

Konnichiwa Keith Renshi. Off or trolly? yup in most cases I am lol..Mind you I have written evidence that I'm ..OK.lol
No worries my friend, I'm not going anywhere I like it here

Master Jestor as you will be aware I have the greatest respect not only for you and the other Masters here but also for the other users like my humble self.
There is most definately no need for an apology Master Jestor.I'm actually quite glad I started it. Tho it is a shame that other users have not added their views.

I will of course keep posting my wee bits of wisdom..oh and humor lol

Yours in Budo

Mike

We will of course look forward to you words of wisdom !!!!!!

I hope that others will post their thoughts on this thread, it will be interesting to hear and read what they have to say.

MTFBWY

.... (just can't keep quiet, can you Jestor.....lol...)

I am commenting once again, lol, cause the reason I stopped was there was nothing really said...

Both Mike and Keith comment after me saying they hope for others to comment on this thread....

The only real things covered was

1) your not leaving...(whew... lol...)
and
2) Campbell, is boring.... (which I did not think so, but, I liked that cup...)

Anyway, since many have not completed the program, or even started it, many may not have an opinion....

Joe was not the first or the only one to go this route.....

Skip those lessons... Try the others...

Even the best of instructors, will not reach every student...

Try looking for videos of Joe on YouTube... Maybe it would have more appeal to you...

I was searching, the ranks and such were given to me as I sought for something, only I didn't know what it was....

Maybe, you are not searching....