Beginning the Path
The Jedi is neither born nor made, but evolves of
inclination, determination and effort. Without
the inclination, there will be neither
determination nor effort. Without effort, the
inclination atrophies.
The Jedi is always seeking to perfect himself and
his craft. The Jedi actively seeks occasions for
learning and experience. He or she is intently
interested in truth. Not content to rest on
laurels, the Jedi strives to know that which is
real, pure and enduring. This knowledge goes
beyond the gathering of intellectual facts; it
must be an experience which touches the very core
of the self.
The way of the Jedi is concealed in simplicity.
Ancient sages realized that the tendency of human
nature is to second- guess itself. People expect
secret things to be obscured beneath a veil of
complex formulas and arcane writing. They are so
caught up in complexity that they fail to notice
the obvious. Realizing this, the ancients passed
on their lore in simple terms. These are so
obvious that they pass by the average person
undetected. More astute souls, recognizing that
something special is afoot, search for
complicated riddles and patterns. They are fooled
by their own intelligence. Jedi know that truth
and reality are simple; therefore, it remains
hidden while standing in plain sight.
The Jedi develops understanding, self-control,
and the perception of the many levels of
existence. His work, training, tools and
intentions are meant for abetting his own
development and the benefit of those around him.
This is an ongoing process, for the Jedi is
always seeking the knowledge and experience of
Life. He must become an astute observer of
people, nature, the world and himself. Those
dedicated wholeheartedly to this path must be
willing to face challenges. It is not a path for
those who seek "security" and safety
from the world at large.
The Levels
The Jedi recognizes four levels of growth and
four states of human living. They serve as
indicators of the stages by which a person
develops into a Jedi. The levels also indicate
the various lifestyles within humanity. Let us
examine each in turn:
1st Level: The student follows instructions. She
does as she is shown by her teacher. In effect,
she is passive and receptive to the example given
their by the instructor. To learn the
fundamentals, a person must give themselves to
the instructions wholeheartedly. This requires
effort, diligence, and repetition. The student
does nothing by without the direction of the
teacher.
2nd Level: People who have become independent of
the need for direction. They can think for
themselves without prodding by others. At this
stage, the individual does not automatically
adopt the generally-accepted viewpoints of
society or his fellows. He chooses his own
beliefs, plots his own course, and lives as he
sees fit. Many independent types make good
leaders; however, being totally free, they are
not fit for hierarchical systems. The truly
independent person relies on his own thoughts. He
sees himself as having all he needs to make it in
this world.
The Jedi at this level is also independent.
Having learned the fundamentals, he can now use
them as he sees fit. he can adapt and adjust to
situations without reliance on rote formulas. The
Jedi frees himself from the limited beliefs and
attitudes of society. His thinking is independent
and unique, for he is not tied to the priorities
and logic accepted by everyone else.
The danger of this phase is that a person can
turn independence into hostility. When an
individual becomes uncontrollable in a way which
threatens those around him, they will gather
together to crush him. Independence requires the
skill of getting along while remaining free.
Another danger is the downward thrust of poverty
and of feeling isolated. Many will try to
convince an independent person to conform,
especially when he is facing difficulties. The
cattle will want to make him one of the herd. The
Jedi can resist and strive for growth. He is
truly alive and renewed by maintaining his
integrity; the upward growth removes the
pressure.
3rd Level: The third level is the antithesis of
Divinity; it is the adverse thought and opposing
circumstance. People at this stage of society are
inimical toward their fellows, their government,
and general well-being. These include
rabble-rousers, criminals, extremists, chronic
complainers and destructive elements within
society. They stand against their fellows, either
physically, ethically, ideologically or
otherwise.
For the Jedi, this stage is a time for coming to
terms with opposition, inimical states, and the
"dark" side of oneself. The initiate
must reconcile the opposites within and around
himself. He must also develop the will to take a
stand and oppose that which impedes him. It is
the point where old, outworn morals are trashed
in view of a higher law.
This stage sometimes requires a person to do
something he would not normally have to do, out
of necessity. It breaks the frozen veneer of
"civility" and frees the individual to
act effectively. The obstacles faced are not only
barriers, but treacherous patterns of thought and
belief. This state also begins the process of
attainment, and propels the individual forth to
seek further.
The danger of this stage is in taking an inimical
stance toward humankind as a society. The
attitude which says, "I can do as I please,
to whom I please", is a hotline to disaster.
In conventional society, an independent person
can cross the line to hostility if he lets his
whims get the better of himself.
4th Level: is the stage where an individual is
past the initiations, and is ready to begin the
everlasting journey of the Jedi. The individual
recognizes their own innate Divinity and, in so
doing, the potential Divinity of others.
In society, this manifests as creative people,
especially those whose work improves society.
Artists, musicians, healers, poets, and writers
of literary works are obvious. We can include
those whose very presence is harmonizing. Those
who inspire others to excel are also expressing
this.
This stage recognizes and reconciles Divinity in
the world around oneself with the Divinity
abiding within. This achievement works both
expansively and inwardly , recognizing both at
once.
The average person takes things at face value. He
accepts what is presented to him. The problem is
that what is given may not be what is really
there! The Jedi knows enough to look at the
obvious facts and to use them as a gateway to
approach that which lies beneath them. He does
not accept what he is told, but seeks further.
This is like an investigative reporter who has
been presented with official statements that
government is eradicating poverty. Rather than
rely on the statistics which were given to him,
he looks at the obvious facts: more welfare
clients, more people on the streets. This tells
him that the statistics are contrived. Seeing
through this, he realizes that the poor are being
maintained, not helped. Poverty programs are only
a "patch job", not a remedy. The Jedi
sees what people recognize as true, but looks at
common-sense indicators which show that their
truth is mistaken. He then uses these indicators
to open a gateway to the real truth beneath the
surface. The Jedi is a skeptic when it comes to
man-made facts. He lets nature and the things
staring him in the face reveal the reality of
situations.
To do any of this, the Jedi has to know what
truth is. Reality has successively deeper levels.
By challenging his old beliefs and the accepted
notions held by society at large, he exposes
errors and reveals facts. The Jedi needs to work
first on his own doubts. It is fine to be
uncertain about some things. One can seek to
reconcile that uncertainty; she should not accept
a pre-made idea just to cover over the gap of
doubt. Truth reveals itself subtly and gradually.
Patience and observation are necessary. Rather
than decipher facts, The Jedi will let them
reveal themselves. He will also regard the
obvious before all else!
A Jedi always looks at what is in front of him
first. This is true in all things, human and
otherwise. Recognizing facts comes from intense
study of oneself.
The Jedi's work entails development of several
capabilities:
The Will: By mastering himself, the Jedi becomes
a master of living. The powerful will manifests
in the ability to make a decision and follow it
through.
The Emotions: The Jedi works to harmonize the
emotions, blending them into a balanced aspect of
the self. Emotional strength imparts tremendous
reserves of energy which carries them forth like
a mighty river.
The Intellect: The Jedi becomes a master at
assessing thing clearly and thinking objectively.
He learns to think effectively, dealing in facts
rather than random speculation. The sharpened
intellect can separate fact from fiction, useful
from detrimental, and worthwhile from wasteful.
Like the sword, it can segregate, separate, and
detach one state from another.
The Body: The Jedi maintains physical health,
extending this throughout his personal life. The
Body includes the body of his daily affairs:
home, family, friends and obligations. This is
maintained and kept in balance.
The Initiative: The Jedi adapts himself and
things around him to work progressively. Using
initiative, the he creatively forms himself and
his life as vehicles for further expression of
good.
The work imparts an ability to face people and
life objectively. The Jedi is not fooled by
socially nice ideals which obscure facts. He does
not regard everybody equally, but takes each
individual on his or her own merits. The Jedi
deals with each accordingly. He seems baffling
and mercurial only because he follows a truer
light than the mores of others. Percieving a
greater reality and acting from that perspective,
the Jedi is a bafflement to the unenlightened and
a beacon of truth for the sincere. Most
important, the Jedi accepts facts as they are,
not as he wishes they were. He faces pleasant and
unpleasant realities with equal candor. This
provides a tremendous edge in meeting life on
life's terms.
Having discussed cunning when dealing with the
false, we must recognize that sincerity and
integrity are essential for a Jedi's success. A
Jedi must develop self-honesty to a high degree.
He must extend this to his fellows, letting
discretion guide just how much to reveal in any
given situation.
Though there are flaws in human behavior, there
are also virtues. The Jedi gravitates toward
those who exhibit honesty, sincerity, dignity,
integrity, fairness, even-temperedness and
wisdom. Like attracts like. While developing
these principles within herself, the Jedi will
automatically gravitate toward people of similar
intentions. The Jedi is transcendent of human
foibles, seeks to climb above shortcomings and
unprincipled attitudes.
Priority is essential. Unlike the blind
outpouring of monotheistic "charity",
the Jedi gives wisely. He gives a helping hand,
not a hand-out. This is like the Chinese saying:
"Give a man a fish, you feed him for one
day. Teach him to fish, and you feed him every
day." Charity begins at home and trickles
outward concentrically. One's best is reserved
for home and family. This also includes manners!
Next comes friends, and then acquaintances and
neighbors. The Jedi realizes the folly of
contributing to distant charities while people
near to her need a helping hand. Charity is an
example of priority, which places the most
emphasis on those closest to oneself.
The Jedi can only develop properly in an
atmosphere which encourages principles,
priorities, and proper discourse. Our brief
discussion of these matters can be extended into
other facets of life and work. It is essential
that the individual take the initiative to do so.
Life is not an enemy or a hard battle, but an
opportunity for greater living and happiness.
The road to initiation is work. The Jedi
constantly strives to perfect herself through
inner exercises, study, and action.
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