what makes a jedi?

strange question, I know.. but we can choose from over 100 cults and religions, all unique.
but jediism.. what is it that makes a jedi?

Anything could make a Jedi. That's the beauty of it. Although a majority of the Temple ,imo, shares a view of tolerance, respect, knowledge, and service.

Every individual walks their own path. What makes us Jedi, in my opinion, is that there are certain places where our paths overlap, or at least travel parallel to other similarly minded people. We share common goals and some common beliefs, many of which are laid out in the Doctrine of TOTJO, but also shared with Jedi outside of these walls. We call these commonly shared aspects of our paths "Jediism" and identify as "Jedi" so that we can more easily share our wisdom and knowledge with each other. We still ultimately walk alone, but it is nice to cross paths with others who are supportive.

In short, when someone identifies as "Jedi" in this community, I understand them to be someone who is on a journey similar to mine and values the pursuit of wisdom and personal growth as I do.

Patience, adherance to the Doctrine, a willingness to learn, a can do attitude.... and just a pinch of pixie dust.

Fine question, and all the more complex given the audience.

Superficially, what makes one a Jedi is the acceptance of a specific myth, a specific archetype as your way of relating to the world, other people, and what you regard as sacred. You choose the language in which to express your aspirations. This is true of any religious or spiritual path. This language spoke to you more than some others.

Okay, cool. Step 1, managed.

Beyond that, there is the deep commitment, without which one is simply a dabbler and collector of spiritual and pseudo-spiritual trivia. You commit to an active, attentive, immersive relationship with the Force. There is a certain amount of latitude in how you may define that, and thereby how you conduct that relationship, but there it is. And you commit to the service of others, to their safety and wellbeing. You stand by the vulnerable, irrespective of tribe. You cannot fight every fight, and not everyone is best suited to everything. As my father asks me often, “Is this the highest good you can render?” Find the place where you will be most effective and serve there.

As a foundation to this, you commit to the cultivation of your person in order to be the best servant you can be. This process is indispensible for a variety of reasons. If we seek to ‘help’ without a proper understanding of ourselves, our efforts can become just another form of unwelcome control. But, if we stop at the cultivation of the self, without stepping out of ourselves, into the realm of authentic service, we are just arrogant dabblers again. One can be very smart and very clever without being particularly useful.

We make small commitments in the beginning, perhaps. Or we prepare to make them. Then we commit and commit again, keeping our spiritual practice evergreen. It is my personal conviction that a Knight recognizes that their life no longer belongs only to them.

Yes, of course we fall short, or we mean well but cause trouble. And there is a fair degree of flexibility involved. We shouldn’t say, “it can be anything,” but we should support and appreciate the variety of ways one can serve in the world. Look to the significance behind the label. Look t the example of those who make the world kinder and more just. That’s an excellent start.

To cultivate to your best ability :

Patience, Discipline,Commitment,Dedication, Responsibility, Accountability, Empathy, Compassion, Awareness , Love, Humility , the Three Tenets , Focus , Knowledge and Wisdom ,and a great desire to do the right thing. To become of Service to others.

A commitment to better thoughts, better choices & better decisions today than were made yesterday. An acknowledgement that I will, at some point fail, an acknowledgement that fear exists in response to failing, and a persistence to provide the greatest effort I can muster regardless. Also a sincere belief in the Force and a connection to all living things, as well as a willingness to serve and an open mind...

Each religion has its own mythology, and each of them has a message.

The Jedi mythology points towards a message of interconnectedness, and by that we are prompted to fight against the Machine that attempts to negate this interconnectedness. The fighting style, however, can never be the same one of the machine (segregation, violence, imposition), lest we become the machine ourselves.

Our aim is freedom. Our method is kindness.

jediskitty wrote: strange question, I know.. but we can choose from over 100 cults and religions, all unique.
but jediism.. what is it that makes a jedi?

A better question might be, what makes a Jedi according to this temple vs what makes a Jedi outside those bounds. Along those lines, there is a distinction between just "Jedi" and "Jedi Knight". If you are looking for qualities that you should aspire to with the goal of becoming a Knight here at this temple, there is a narrow and specific set of criteria that you need to demonstrate. Making this place just another of those 100 or so cults.

My advice, don't depend on the opinion and especially the approval of others. Instead, define the spirituality of jediism as you see fit and then follow that unabashedly!

Its a commitment/lifestyle/way-of-thinking etc that speaks to us. It answers the questions in a meaningful way when we did not hear it from others.

My advice, don't depend on the opinion and especially the approval of others. Instead, define the spirituality of jediism as you see fit and then follow that unabashedly!

Unless you have no idea what you're doing, in which case feel free to use other people's guidelines and teachings until you're comfortable stepping out on your own.

There's no real shame in it.



(Not to Kyrin's taste, obviously, but assume our dear Wyldstar learned to prepare food, and drive, with no prompting )



How to choose?

Well, you could research them all, and pick on that appeals - or you could assign each of them a number from 0-99, and roll the dice

JamesSand wrote: How to choose?

Well, you could research them all, and pick on that appeals - or you could assign each of them a number from 0-99, and roll the dice

Best way to know if you like the taste of the kool-aid: drink the kool-aid.

Note: do not join any cult that forces you to drink anything you are not 100% sure the contents of.

Note: do not join any cult that forces you to drink anything you are not 100% sure the contents of.

You would be absolutely no fun at any party that goes past midnight :laugh: :whistle:


Banter aside - It may be worth noting, that as far as I've observed, Jedi or anything similar enough by any other name, is not particularly pross...prozet...prozac...pringles... trying to get more members.

The Members of various groups find that group and its "ways" appealing, but no one* is really trying to "convert" anyone, or persuade someone that their brand is better than the other**



*I am, but I'm selling something

**Because when you've got Coke, you don't need to persuade anyone that it's the best. Everyone already knows.
Drink Coke. It's the best, and you know it!

jediskitty wrote: strange question, I know.. but we can choose from over 100 cults and religions, all unique.
but jediism.. what is it that makes a jedi?

It's not really a strange question, but one not generally asked so directly. Why do you ask?

What everyone else said

Though the Temple here doesn't tell you 'if' your a Jedi so much beyond administrative requirements to define who is and who is not a member, and rather just offers a system to support particular types of interaction and development of ones own path and the ranks just support that is all. Its what you make it above and beyond those bare minimum thing the Temple asserts as that system, and what it asserts is deliberately open to allow each Jedi to be unique as much as the Temple thinks it can get away with it without being 'too' broad.

And since lots of people for different reasons have different opportunities available to them, different circumstances, it probably should not be about qualifications or activity as a measure necessarily (beyond things that do need measuring), but instead genuine intention and commitment within ones own personal circumstance.

So for me personally, like everyone else, its quite unique.
Personally, a blend of astronaut and pyschonaut, a merging of science and spirit in active engagement as much as possible. I couldn't go the particular way I wanted, but it doesn't stop me going as far as I can in both. It suits me because I grew up on the original trilogy being about 4 when Ep IV appeared. Sort of like a future-tense but contemporary spirituality, and a bit like extropianism and technogaianism but with a large chunk of exegesis over history to be firmly rooted in reality and not float off with the pixies too much. I think those two streams are very much related, and what is being represented by the source fiction and what it was trying to represent about humanity so far and its potential.

JamesSand wrote:

My advice, don't depend on the opinion and especially the approval of others. Instead, define the spirituality of jediism as you see fit and then follow that unabashedly!

Unless you have no idea what you're doing, in which case feel free to use other people's guidelines and teachings until you're comfortable stepping out on your own.

There's no real shame in it.



(Not to Kyrin's taste, obviously, but assume our dear Wyldstar learned to prepare food, and drive, with no prompting )



How to choose?

Well, you could research them all, and pick on that appeals - or you could assign each of them a number from 0-99, and roll the dice

My dear Mr Sand,

Rest assured that your attempts to indoctrinate falls on deaf ears here as far as I am concerned and i will make every effort to keep your recruitment machinations from influencing others within earshot of your demon tongue.

I have learned to both cook and drive quite effectively with no to little instruction of others. And even given those corporeal pursuits I have been even more independant when it comes to my spiritually. For you to even suggest that we are required to enlist the aid of others in order to learn about ourselves flys in the face of independent thought.

I'm sure you and your ilk have a massive pitcher of magical lemonade that will give all that buy into your song a ticket on the next spaceship to the stars, but I am not one. However, i wish you well on your journey.

Kyrin Wyldstar wrote: For you to even suggest that we are required to enlist the aid of others in order to learn about ourselves flys in the face of independent thought.

I can shave without looking in a mirror, but a mirror is helpful.

I wonder why such an independent free thinker such as yourself would bother joining an online community?

I'm sure you and your ilk have a massive pitcher of magical lemonade that will give all that buy into your song a ticket on the next spaceship to the stars, but I am not one. However, i wish you well on your journey.

Tickets for the next spaceship have already been presold, with an extensive waitlist.

However I can pencil you in for a spot on the launch after that, in case you change your mind?

Unfortunately, Magical Lemonade is only offered with our premium seating, but we do offer a selection of complimentary drinks with all of our packages.

I have learned to both cook and drive quite effectively with no to little instruction of others.

My first quip will have to go unquipped, because you raise a fascinating point, so I'll have to go with a (not really any more well considered, but I feel more philosophical, and in line with useful discussion) commentary -

In the absence of any other cars on the road, the one remaining driver might as well be an F1 Champion - there's nothing to really prove otherwise is there?


(The food metaphor is more of a struggle, because, well, eating rocks will still end up badly, whether you're on a Celebrity-Judged Cooking show or not)

Anyway, I believe there is a card game that caters to people with no love for the prison of weights and measures

Manu wrote:

Kyrin Wyldstar wrote: For you to even suggest that we are required to enlist the aid of others in order to learn about ourselves flys in the face of independent thought.

I can shave without looking in a mirror, but a mirror is helpful.

I wonder why such an independent free thinker such as yourself would bother joining an online community?

Why not join? They are fun and entertaining and you find a lot of kindred spirits, plus one get to banter back and forth with the worthy likes of mr James Sand. I see no down side in this so I say again, Why not join!

plus one get to banter back and forth with the worthy likes of mr James Sand

Awww shucks. :kiss: :blush:


We should just get rid of the whole "Jediism" banner and call ourselves the
"International Group of Pals."

We can still do the meditation and ethical behaviour, but without the burdens of apologising for Lucas' cinematic hubris.