Practice what you Preach...

Phortis Nespin wrote: There is no Passion, There is Serenity

Passion, yet Serenity

The code is written 2 ways for a reason. The first way tells us that even in our external passionate endeavors, we must remain serene in our inner mind.

The second way tells us that both Passion and Serenity can co-exist.

Both ways compliment each other and intertwine the concept of reaching goals.

that's not how I see it. the new code is written in such a way that it denies the existence of passion in a Jedi. The old code accepts that passion exists, but that a Jedi controls it with serenity. It may just be semantics, but to me that is not "co-existence".

But Ren, all things have an equal and opposite. So therefore, passion must exist or serenity would not. You can never rid yourself of passion, you can only control it. It also mean that you will never be without serenity, but even that must be controlled.

I believe the Jedi are using the code as a mantra to learn control. A repeated phrase to bring control to a Jedi when all things around them are out of control.

Phortis Nespin wrote: But Ren, all things have an equal and opposite. So therefore, passion must exist or serenity would not. You can never rid yourself of passion, you can only control it. It also mean that you will never be without serenity, but even that must be controlled.

What can I say, I do not believe as you do I see serenity as lack of passion. not as the opposite of passion. I guess as a shadow jedi i do not only reject duality for the nature of the Force, but for all things. Is death the opposite of life? No it is the end of life. Is non-life the opposite of life? No, it is the lack of it. Is darkness the opposite of light? No it is the lack of a specific spectrum of radiation.

Semantics - lack of vs full of
lifevs death

serenity vs disturbance
passion vs indifference

What you believe does not change the truth. All things have an equal and opposite.

Passion yet Serenity ... think of a hurricane as passion and serenity as its eye.

When I think of Passion yet Serenity, I think of the Samurai.

In battle, externally he is a fierce swordsman, moving quickly and with emotional content.

On the inside, he is calm, peaceful, and in control of his emotions.

ren wrote:

Phortis Nespin wrote: But Ren, all things have an equal and opposite.

What can I say, I do not believe as you do I see serenity as lack of passion. not as the opposite of passion. I guess as a shadow jedi i do not only reject duality for the nature of the Force, but for all things. Is death the opposite of life? No it is the end of life. Is non-life the opposite of life? No, it is the lack of it. Is darkness the opposite of light? No it is the lack of a specific spectrum of radiation.

I am curious to hear how you would define "opposite". Does that word have a meaning for you?

If there are two states which blend into each other and cannot exist in fullness without the absence of the other, then to me (and I think most of the rest of the world), that is a pair of opposites. The Force Axiom of Polarity is rooted in this concept.

Can you be feeling completely passionate and completely serene at the same time? No. Is it not true that the more passionate you become, the less serene you are, and vice versa? Can a thing be dark and lighted at the same time? No. The less lighted that a thing becomes, does it not approach closer and closer to complete darkness? And by "lighted", I mean flooded with whatever frequencies of radiation along the electromagnetic spectrum that you please; it is all light. Most of it is not packetized into photons, but is still conscious radiant energy, and capable of being converted into photons at any moment.

With death, the comparison is more subtle, but still exists. There is an aspect of the Force that brings death, just as another aspect brings life. This can be felt around persons who are dying, by those who are sufficiently sensitive. It is not just an "end" to life, it is an actual process of waning, weakening, and decay, that can be felt as a coldness and even smelled with the Force sense of smell (it does not smell like putrefaction, but something much more subtle).

The energy of life cannot persist at the same level of strength around the energy of death. To the exact degree that there is vitality within a person, there will not be death. But it is not all or nothing; it is a gradated continuum. Because they are opposites.

Now granted, they are but white and black beads on the string of the One Life, giving it form, but that Life is an unmanifest Reality. Everything in manifestation has some form of opposite to define it. For example, how would you define light?

One day there was an earthquake that shook the entire Zen temple. Parts of
it even collapsed. Many of the monks were terrified. When the earthquake
stopped the teacher said, "Now you have had the opportunity to see how a
Zen man behaves in a crisis situation. You may have noticed that I did not
panic. I was quite aware of what was happening and what to do. I led you all
to the kitchen, the strongest part of the temple. It was a good decision,
because you see we have all survived without any injuries. However, despite
my self-control and composure, I did feel a little bit tense - which you may
have deduced from the fact that I drank a large glass of water, something I
never do under ordinary circumstances."

One of the monks smiled, but didn't say anything.

"What are you laughing at?" asked the teacher.

"That wasn't water," the monk replied, "it was a large glass of soy sauce."

Br. John wrote: One day there was an earthquake that shook the entire Zen temple. Parts of
it even collapsed. Many of the monks were terrified. When the earthquake
stopped the teacher said, "Now you have had the opportunity to see how a
Zen man behaves in a crisis situation. You may have noticed that I did not
panic. I was quite aware of what was happening and what to do. I led you all
to the kitchen, the strongest part of the temple. It was a good decision,
because you see we have all survived without any injuries. However, despite
my self-control and composure, I did feel a little bit tense - which you may
have deduced from the fact that I drank a large glass of water, something I
never do under ordinary circumstances."

One of the monks smiled, but didn't say anything.

"What are you laughing at?" asked the teacher.

"That wasn't water," the monk replied, "it was a large glass of soy sauce."

Um... ok... (?)

Phortis Nespin wrote: Semantics - lack of vs full of
lifevs death

serenity vs disturbance
passion vs indifference

What you believe does not change the truth. All things have an equal and opposite.

What is the opposite of a house? A field? A forest? A pile of cardboard under a bridge? The house is not passionate. Does it mean it is indifferent? Can it not be neither passionate nor indifferent?

I believe the world existed before I was conceived. Does it mean that, back then, I was dead?


What you believe does not change the truth. All things are unique and there is no such thing as black vs white.