Ignorance; yet Knowledge.
This, to me, is perhaps my most favoured line of the Order’s Jedi Code. In my mind it holds a special significance, not only because it conveys the idea that there is always that which we don’t know. This line also tells us that we can be wrong even given our knowledge…
To the regular observer it is common to encounter the themes of existentialism at TotJO and while this is not the sole idea behind what we teach it shall be, for today, the focus of this sermon. Indeed only very recently there has been a topic begun where the idea of ‘Reality Tunnels’ was brought up…
The universe is many things and made up of many more. Taking your average day for example, you will see people go to work, study, argue, laugh, enjoy friendship and worry about their future. But there is one constant throughout the entire process, one thing that remains the same despite its ever changing nature and that is You.
No matter what you see, hear or experience in any form it shall always be You experiencing it. If a friend says they have done something then it is still you experiencing their telling of the story…
What does this mean though?
What it means is that the universe is an expression of your mind in the most profound way. The universe truly is what you make of it.
What does this have to do with knowledge and ignorance?
What it means is that no matter the situation you will always be not only restricted by your own understanding but biased in one way or another. Never can you know the motives of someone else, even being in similar situations are you still different; they are not You.
You are the only You in the universe. Your view will be unique in every situation and the way that you perceive how events around you is an expression of the way that you think of the world. Your mind is a measuring device, you measure events: love, suffering, charity and greed, what you think of these events and how you react to them will be dependent on your thoughts. In this way you create the way events happen…
Because of this you also need to know that you are wrong. You are very very wrong a lot of the time. How many times do you presume to know motive or intention of someone else? How often do you think you unknowingly fill in the blanks? You don’t of course but what you can know is that you CAN do it. You are not infallible. You are not perfect and you most certainly aren’t right most of the time.
What you are is human. With all the joys, fears, Limitations and great potential that come with it…
Don’t be so sure of yourself, realise that you are wrong and do your best to listen to the advice of others. Look to others for second opinions and go to people when you need help and think you can deal with it on your own, a second opinion, a person to talk to will probably provide you with comfort or insight. A second opinion matters and in this world there are several billion waiting upon your asking!
The moment you think you are absolutely in the right, the moment you think that everyone else is wrong is the moment when you need to step back and take a second opinion and a third and a forth and a…
I don’t want this sermon to make you have doubt of what you believe or even to wholly question the fundamental goals you have set yourself, this sermon is not in depth enough to provide a philosophical and moral debate on that so don’t feel like you need to…
This sermon is simply here to tell you:
‘Knowledge; yet Ignorance.’
