As we begin a new year here at TotJO, I want us to take some time to reflect on a truth that often makes most of us feel somewhat uncomfortable… change.
Change is not merely something that happens to us. It’s something that is central to our lives…we are part of it. When I talk about change, i am speaking of life, of growth, of loss, and of renewal. That means that to resist change entirely is to resist the things we all deal with just about every day.
The Force is a part of all of those things and It is not static…it’s not frozen in one perfect moment. It moves like air in our lungs, like tides in the ocean, like wind through the trees. I teach my apprentices that where the Force flows, change follows. Stars are born and die. Civilizations and cultures rise and fall. People grow from innocence to experience. And more importantly…Change is the natural rhythm of human existence.
Yet, we often fear change. We cling to what’s familiar because it feels safe. We cling to people, identities, beliefs, and even pain, because letting go feels like we are losing part of ourselves. Fear of change is deeply tied to fear of the unknown, and fear always clouds our perception.
The Jedi Code says: There is no ignorance, there is knowledge.
When we allow fear to guide our actions, we often step away from the clarity of the lessons we have learned, and go almost blank in our minds…like we are doing that part of the code in reverse.
Example- think of all of the new folk we get in here every week. They must leave behind the certainty of routine, and develop a new one of learning on a schedule, almost like they are back in school again. This change can be very unsettling (it was for me) and it caused a lot of fear. It definitely showed in my IP lessons. But without change, there can be no growth. The training we offer here reshapes the mind, and the spirit. It challenges our assumptions and reveals our limitations. Through several layers of change, the Guest eventually becomes a Knight, not by erasing who they were, but by transforming them. Change, then, is not destruction of the self…It is the refinement of the self. Change is almost always knowledge gained.
There are two types of changes… those we choose… and those thrust upon us.
The chosen changes, like learning a new skill, committing to service, healing old wounds…those require discipline and patience. These are acts of balance with the Force. These are self improvement…something a Jedi should always be doing.
The unchosen changes like loss, illness, failure…these test our faith, often come at the worst time, and hit like a freight train.
In these moments, the Force feels distant, and our path can seem unclear.
But a Jedi understands that change is not cruelty…it is possibility. If nothing changed, injustice would be eternal. Suffering would be permanent. Growth would be impossible… Change allows healing. It allows redemption. It allows new beginnings where old paths have ended.
The Temple itself has changed many times in the past 20 years, learning from its failures as well as its triumphs. And if there is one thing I’m sure of, it’s that the temple is far from being done changing.
Now I wanna go a bit deeper on probably the most important type of change…let’s call it “inner change”.
Many of us carry shadows within ourselves…things like anger, regret, pride, or despair. We may believe that these define us, that they are unchangeable truths. This is simply not true. Through meditation, self-reflection, and mindful action, we can transform our inner landscape, and learn to use all of those things to better ourselves. As Jedi, we can’t be all peace, and harmony, and serenity (and all the other words on the business end of the Jedi code) until we spend some real hard time looking at who we are inside. This is why I base my apprenticeships on introspection. That shadow I mentioned above that we all carry….it has to be met head on. And that is quite possibly the hardest thing a person can do. Then, and only then, can we change ourselves for the better.
Another thing to keep in mind is that when we navigate change, compassion must guide us, both for ourselves and for others. Everyone we meet is undergoing changes we cannot see. We may be going through changes others might not see. We get so many people who come through our doors seeking to change something in their life. And it’s often easy to forget what brought us here. Just something to think about when you're talking with the newbies. Be patient with them, and try to be a part of the change they are so desperate for.
Try to remember that growth often feels like discomfort before it feels like strength.
It’s a new year, and I want to kick it off with a challenge to each of you. Spend some time this week thinking about who you want to be when 2026 ends. Once you have done that, then ask yourself “what changes will get me there?”
Force be with you all!
