This subject was addressed in the introduction to the Force Academy…probably the first message you read in the Jedi Lecture Hall, if you are a new student. This subject, however, is rather in depth. We begin with this lecture as the start of your training to learn more of the Force. It is integral to know WHAT you are learning about, before you learn about it, through your studies of meditation, breathing, self learning, etc.
The Force is, by Force Academy definition, an energy field. Just what this means to you as a student varies on your personal beliefs. We do believe in many of the aspects of the Force as it is told in the movies…it is a flowing energy field that surrounds us and everything else, it penetrates and binds us, and flows through us. When George Lucas came up with “The Force”, he reminds us that he does believe in the Force, although he is shady on what parts are realistic in his beliefs, and which parts of the “Force” he imagined are brought about solely for the movie.
In order to believe in the Force, you must first be of the belief that all of mankind is connected somehow. We are all essentially connected to not only each other, but the world and universe around us, and everything that makes up this universe. This is a fundamental belief of most people. Scientific studies have found that we need human contact in order to stay mentally healthy…long periods of isolation have been proven to have an adverse effect on the mental AND physical state of the isolated individual. (to highlight the physical point, it has also been proven that people with mates tend to live longer than people who stay single.)
The methods and implications of this connection, however, varies. But as part of a global ecosystem, we all know that we have an innate connection to the environment around us…when our environment dies, we die. So by that means, it is established that to at least some extent, we have a connection with our fellow man (and woman) and the surroundings around us. So for the most part, it’s accepted that we all have a connection to those two things…life, in all of it’s forms, as well as nature. The question that we encounter now is not whether or not there IS a force, but where it comes from.
The question of where the Force originates is one that is constantly encountered on the board. Because the Force is very general, we leave it up to the individual students to find where the Force fits into their beliefs. There are many students on our board who work the Force into their beliefs through their religion…that the Force originates from any number of deities. Then, there are other students who believe in the Force, but not in a religion…really, the variations of the Force’s origin are endless. So is the Force a religion? We don’t portray it or support it as a religion, because the Force has no deity to worship, nor a structure to follow. Comparisons of the Force to a religion serve little purpose other than start up heated debates and arguments. Because the Force is not portrayed as a religion, it is compatible with religion, or lack thereof. So where does all of this fit in? It fits where you want it to. When you learn the techniques on this board, also try to incorporate them into your own life. Meditation, for example, is seen as a path of enlightenment in many Eastern Cultures. If you choose not to see it that way, you can always use meditation as a simple form of relaxation…an added enrichment of your life, getting rid of the day’s stress.
So now, if you are of the belief that the Force is real, and you have your own ideas on where it originates, what comes next? Incorporating it into your everyday lifestyle. When George Lucas came up with the idea of the Force (the idea, I might add, far predates George Lucas. It has been featured in many movies and writings, but George Lucas adopted the idea) in his movies, he “spiced it up” a bit, by adding the ability to move things with the mind…know your opponents move in advance…run and jump faster, and use the “Force Push” to knock over enemies. So which of these are possible, and which are not? Once again, it depends on your beliefs and interpretation. Tibetan Monks have shown that the power of the mind has awesome potential. Running faster and jumping higher may not reach the levels of the movies, but it has also been proven that the mind has a dramatic outcome on athletic ability…with proper mental focus, you CAN run faster and jump higher.
When you learn about the Force on this board, try to connect it to your own lifestyle as much as you can. This will serve as a strong basis for your own further studies. As always, if you have any questions on this above material, the Masters and Knights of this board are available and will try to offer advice on any questions that you might have.
May the force be with you, and may you use it wisely.