Finding the Balance

I have been in conflict with myself over this issue and someone helped to clear it up a little bit. Though I have a few questions if one of the higher ranked members wouldn't mind answering it for me.

From some of the topics I've read, I've come to the understanding that the Force is neutral. There is no light or dark side to it. Peoples intentions and actions are what dictate if they are Sith or Jedi.

My question is this, if someone who has studied both Jediism and Sithism and has is trying to find the Balance between the two, can they still become a member of the Clergy?

One of my primary goals is to become a member of the Clergy as well as a Knight.

I would appreciate any assistance people can give me.

Thank you and MTFBWY all.

~Randall Silvermane

Harmony my friend,

To me, the force is all about balance. Negative and positive, yin and yang. I appreciate that question, though I cannot answer it directly through experience because I have only been here this past week. But you have me as a mediator and an open ear if you so wish it.

May the force be with you friend,

~Orvis

I agree with Orvis. I think the whole idea of the light and dark side of the Force was a concept developed for the movie because many stories are based on the whole "good vs. evil" concept. In reality, I don't think there is a light side and dark side to the Force. It just is what it is. We all have light and darkness within us, and really life is about finding balance. No matter what we do, even if we have the best intentions, our actions will seem "evil" or "wrong" to someone.

The goal is to move beyond either Jedi or Sith.

Thank you all. That does help.

Vesha, that is one of my favorite quotes from Bruce Lee and it makes perfect sense for this topic.

Orvis, I appreciate that. I will absolutely utilize your knowledge and wisdom.

May the Force be with you all.

Randall Silvermane

The Force is never 'out-of-balance', but it doesn't "balance" itself either. Balance is another human construct whereby we want things to be smooth ... Stormy seas are in fact 'balanced' regardless of their apparent violence - the crests and troughs of the waves, their heaving and falling with the undulating movements are in harmony with the racing of the wind and the ever so slowly sculpted contours of the terrain above and below the sea ... There is 'balance', albeit a dynamic one -- it is not 'smooth' from a human perspective.

So too, Life as guided by the Force, heaves and falls, races and reposes, alternates between calm and storm, fire and snow, life and death ... A 'forever' summer would not be balanced, nor would an everlasting winter ; even the periods change in duration, but the balance is kept.

Ergo -- yes, even if you have high and low spots in Life - perhaps especially because of them - you could be integrated into the Clergy. Being 'clergy' does not imply a stead-fast and unbreakable integrity - for clergy need other clergy for spiritual maintenance as well -, it implies simply fostering a connexion to others in a more open and understanding way. If one were to not experience the miseries that one can fall to, how could one ever bring a compassionate understanding to another who is feeling them ?

One does not need to seek 'balance' ... just know that the balance takes care of itself. At the etymological root of the word "faith" is an Indo-European term which simply meant "stay calm, wait". Things change. As with the rising and falling tides and the alternating seasons, there is balance throughout.

Finding Balance

I have no experience with Star Wars. I have never seen it; although, i do have holds at the library.
Personally, i don’t care for boxing up humans in labeled packages, nor do i believe in “arriving” at a particular destination so that I never have to feel again or so that I can have control over everything.
I do believe in getting to know thyself and being responsible for self as an ongoing process; hence, better choices and more natural living.

Some of the reasons I am still at the TotJo:

*it‘s not based on role-playing; although, there is a lot of playing around and expressing in terms of roles

*recognizes that humans are physical, mental, spiritual and that opposing “forces” exist on each plane

*man’s dualistic nature is accepted as normal and natural

*the Force is defined as unbiquitous (everywhere – all the time), metaphysical

*the Doctrine doesnt seem to be embraced by the ranks as “good” over “evil” but more so a manner of being to so that each can function with and support each other in the TotJo and in their personal lives.

*while paths of study and discipline are quite variant amongst the ranks, i see a genuine devotion to the inherent worth of all humans.

*personal responsibility is not only encouraged, but also demonstrated by the ranks. In my short time here, i have frequently seen them clarify themselves, admit mistakes, and laugh at themselves versus “pulling rank”

Walking, just taking steps forward(or backwards, and even side to side I imagine), is a series of losing and regaining ones balance.

In the end it all boils down to who you are. Many people like to believe that there is only good and evil (Jedi or Sith) But in reality we are trying to just walk the path in the middle, to see both sides. Some people will learn more towards the good side and others to the bad side. Sometimes we are unable to walk that thin line by ourselves and need help from others. I guess a lot of this has been already said.

I'm a part of the clergy, and I have studied both philosophical aspects (sith /jedi)...I do not claim to be sith, nor dark, nor light...nor do I claim complete knowledge of any one aspect....I use many "sith" type lessons as well as "jedi" type lessons in my apprenticeships, not to promote one perspective or another but to demonstrate the value of both and enable each individual to take what they like or find useful and form their own perspective...

Balance is the natural (or harmonious) state...it's always there...it can swing one way or the other and usually returns on its own, but can also be influenced by humans...

Now that I've rambled long answer made short....yes one can become clergy even if they've studied both aspects...how can one counsel others about suffering if they've never suffered themselves?

Silvermane, I appreciate your willingness to ask this question in an open forum. Seeking different perspectives is one of the reasons I belong to this community, even when sometimes those perspectives are different than my own.

One of the lessons I have learned through my time here is that we, as humanity, like to assign labels and values to everything. This is a rock, that is another rock, and this rock weighs more than the other rock, as an example. We apply this concept mostly to determine what is of more value, leading to the lesson: good and evil are labels and values as well.

"Jedi" is a label some of us use to identify with what we have learned. Some people here learn the same thing, only to discard the label. To them, the label is irrelevant and unnecessary. William Shakespeare's Juliet spoke it well: "What's in a name? That which we call a rose/ By any other name would smell as sweet."

The role of the clergy is to support the membership here at TotJO. They help when called upon. I am in the process of ordination in the clergy, and the studies are not to specifically root you in one doctrine but to see the need for many. I encourage you to move towards whatever goals you feel called to perform. Trust your instincts. They are usually right on.

Alexandre - What you say makes perfect sense and actually gives me a sense of relief. I like the way you think. I've seen many of the posts you've made here and they are always intuitive and indepth. I can see that I will gain much knowledge, insight and wisdom from you and look forward to it. Thank you.

Mareeka - I agree. This place is nothing like I thought it would be. I was excited when I first started and then I got discouraged because I wasn't sure my line of thinking would be accepted here. And well, everyone has shown me that it is accepted and rather encouraged and it just made my excitment sky rocket.

Veltra - I've never believed that I was just good or just evil. I have done bad things and I've done good things. I try to help those who need it, but some times the help they need doesn't come from a "good guy" it has to come from someone who has been down that path. Who has felt the pain and suffering and can show people how to cross the "Minefield of Life" and come out the other side still alive and not missing any limbs.

RyuJin - You are yet another one I've seen that has many indepth posts and is full of knowledge and wisdom that I would like to tap into. The fact that you have also learned both sides and continue to move down the center is something I find to be extremely rare. I'm sure many people here do it, but in general every day society, people bounce from one extreme to the other or just stay in one of the extremes. I do not wish to live like that. I want to look at both sides and give my knowledge on how it works and spread that knowledge to all who will listen.

Archon - I don't feel I need to wish you luck with your Ordination because you seem a rather capable individual and the fact that you can show that intellect here with what you speak of about labels is enough to tell me that you would make for a great Clergy member and are informative in the ways that helps individuals and lets them see a broader picture. That my friend, is what will make you a great member of the Clergy. I hope to get some more great lessons from you soon. I have a natural affinity to help people and love to make others smile or just brighten their days so they know that no matter how bad things can get, there is always someone there to be that shoulder to cry on, be that solid Earth to brace them and hold them up and be the friend that no one else is there to be.

You all have given me many great thoughts and juicy tidbits that have made my day go from a good one to a FANTASTIC one and I'm listening to the lessons in Lesson 4 so I can continue my training.

Thanks again and May the Force be with you all always!

~Randall Silvermane

Live your life well, follow your feelings and be kind. You will inspire others. Love in all it's forms is the most powerful energy in our life force. Can't do much better than that.

Then you will become a member of the Clergy.