Reflections on the Force as Nondual

What is the Force?

It depends on who you ask. It’s like a lot of things that way.

For much of our experience we think in terms of duality and for good reason. When used wisely duality can be a great assistance to us. Getting hit with a car is bad. Eating nutritious food is good. However, there is a question that can be asked.

How did the things we are labelling get those labels? Are they objectively good or bad? Is there some Platonic heaven where traits are assigned to things that we just discover?

If that is true then it follows that traits should be universal, meaning that we should be able to find someone that everyone on Earth thinks is physically attractive or a type of food that everyone thinks tastes good. Best of luck with that. Now, whether this applies to all phenomenon is an argument for another time. What I am arguing here is that traits are not necessarily bound objectively to phenomenon and that there can be phenomenon beyond traits that we assign to them.

Phenomenon like the Force.

So, really, what is the Force?

I think the Force has two primary traits. The Force is luminous, and the Force is nondual.

The luminosity of the Force is a trait that is useful for meditators as a sort of check to see if you are experiencing the Force but not essential for our discussion here. I add it for the sake of completeness. This doesn't mean the Force is innately "light" or "good" unless you think the same of a flashlight.

Nondual, on the other hand, that’s the important part.

Nondual means, in a nutshell, that the Force is one of those things that is outside of the dualism that we use in our daily life. I propose that the Force isn’t innately anything. It just is.

Concern: So, you are talking about Potentium? Isn’t that worse than the Sith?
Answer: It is like Potentium but there are some important differences. Some of them will be obvious as you continue reading but here are the high points. Not viewing the light or dark as inherent to the Force means that ethical conduct is more important, not less. When you engage with dark aspects you do it with the goal of transforming it into the Force and when you engage with the light aspect you do it loosely so that you avoid excessive attachment to it. Potentium, as I understand it, says that a pure intent can make anything ok which is not what this means at all. Also, calm down Devil’s advocate who lives in my head.

Concern: If this is true, then why do we have a “Dark aspect” and a “Light aspect”?
Answer: Go back to what happens when you feel the Force. You, a being with consciousness (please note, if you are not a being with a consciousness and you are reading this DM me IMMEDIATELY) are touching the Force. As a being with consciousness it is extremely common to think of things in dualistic terms and to do dualistic things with what you encounter in life. You use the Force to work harder, see more, or go for a walk. And even if you aren’t using the Force for things you have emotions rattling through your mind which the Force can connect to, thus producing Dark, Light, and if you aren’t extreme about it, Shadow.

Concern: Does this mean that Force users can do whatever they want? Can I start my own Force aspect centered around Hannibal Lecter?
Answer: Sorry, no fava beans or chianti for you. I think Guru Rinpoche (big deal in Tibetan Buddhism, feel free to google) said it best, “Though your view should be as vast as the sky, keep your conduct as fine as tsampa.” Tsampa is a VERY fine type of barley flour, btw. This means that just because the Force is nondual doesn’t mean all of reality is nondual. If anything, morality becomes much more important because it isn’t inherent to the Force itself. Another quote that is even more blunt is, “Choices have consequences.” Let’s give that its own line.

“CHOICES HAVE CONSEQUENCES.”

Let’s go to the idea of a Force aspect centered around Hannibal Lecter. Yes, you can technically do it BUT that doesn’t mean that it’s a great or even good idea. If you do not regulate yourself the world WILL regulate you. Never forget that.

Concern: So let me get this straight. The Force is nondual but we still have to be ethical? In that case, so what? Why is seeing the Force as nondual useful?
Answer: Seeing the Force as nondual allows us to have a very different relationship with it. For example, a nondual Force could be seen as (and I would propose is) where thoughts and emotions ultimately come from and go. This means that a Force user, instead of using anger (the Dark side) or letting go/ignoring/suppressing anger (the Light side) you can transform the anger into the Force.

There are many more implications, but I will leave those to the reader to discover.

May the Force be with you and may compassion guide your hand.

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