The Force Academy is a peculiar corner of the web. Upon first visit, many questions flood the mind of a new member. Are we for real? Is it a role play site? What is this place? The answers are yes, no, and here goes:
Those who seek out this community generally come through some attraction to the word “Jedi.” It holds a special meaning for many members here. It represents a certain sophistication and code of honor, like the chivalric knights we used to study in grade school. Only, the mental imagery of a Jedi comes with a lightsaber and its romantic glow. Another attractor of new members is this idea of a unifying Force. Depending on whom you ask this Force we speak of can have other names: God, Tao, Buddha, and Chi are but a small few. On the other hand, some members of this Academy will tell you that the Force is its own entity entirely. Both are valid, for our approach to any philosophy is an open minded one. Bear in mind however that if you are seeking to cling to the Jedi mythology and image alone, the Shadow halls may not be what you are expecting. We are not Jedi.
We Shadows are here to come together and share knowledge. We are brought together by the theme of Star Wars and greatly expand from there. We are the seekers of different worldviews and traditions. The Shadows and the Force Academy as a whole have members from around the globe that gather here and impart their experiences to the rest of us. In return, we share our stories with them. With you. The world is out there, and we are living it. We are learning from it. We learn so we grow, and we grow from one generation to the next.
The first generation of Shadows concentrated on traditions within warrior oriented martial arts. They focused and acted within a world of duality. Light vs. Dark, action vs. reaction, objectivity vs. subjectivity. We have since then evolved into Shadows who strive to live beyond these dualities. We see the world and life as a whole. There is balance among all things. Shadows use this term "balance" frequently, for it branches off into many other Shadow ideals. (Subsequent lectures will go over these ideals in detail, but a careful eye will see the basic tenets are contained in this introduction.)
In the balance of nature, we see that Mother Earth ebbs and flows with the tide of life -- life that is comprised of nature and of people. We have a great responsibility to live as such; responsibly. We must analyze, we must adapt, we much expand our points of view, and we must become masters of our selves in order to live in harmony. We wish to break through the mindset of "this vs. that."
In the end, we do not mysteriously transform anyone into a hero. The best that we can hope to do here is provide the tools for self analysis. It is up to our members to take what we have to offer and apply it to their lifestyles however they see fit as they begin to truly discover themselves. It is in this action that our students fulfill our highest hopes. Every member of the Aspect is expected not only to learn the teachings of before, but to actively seek their own truth, adding to what can be taught. It is in remaining true to their individual selves that this is achieved. It is in this that all may benefit from one, and one may benefit from others. This is the life cycle of our Aspect. It is the life cycle of the Force Academy as a whole.
Shadows reside in a realm of flexibility. Their true selves are inside, past their conditioned behaviors and past the lessons they have learned as rote. In breaking through, they begin to come to terms with the whole self: the one at the core, past the dualities of good or bad. The one that is part of the greater Force. It is from this ground that we wish to operate in and branch out from, so that we may make a positive impact in our worlds.