That is an observation i made a while back and it still keeps me busy in my mind. We seem a bit worried , sad and yet we try to be happy and spread joy. It seems contradictory but when you see the Jedi code it makes sense. The thing is , there is so much going on in this world that we cannot control, that its bound to have an effect on our wellbeing. When we have a good look at the Jedi code we can see it discourages a few things but also encourages us in times of turmoil and loneliness and encourages us to bring joy :
Emotion, yet peace. It discourages us to be over emotional. It does not say we don’t have them, but it does say that we favour peace over emotion. To accept and embrace them but not let them control our thoughts and actions , too much. I am a great fan of Stoic thinking and i realise that emotions are a part of us and should be cherished.
Ignorance, yet knowledge. If you don’t want to know yourself and what is happening to you , that may seem fine , but it’s surprising how knowledge can give you better perspective of yourself and others and being a Jedi is about gaining knowledge over thoughts and situations to better them. Ignorance is a formidable enemy of the Jedi and we are encouraged to teach what we have learned and to fight ignorance. For that we study ourselves and the world around us.
Passion, yet serenity. We can be very passionate creatures , passion encourages action and progress and should not be banished , but to know what drives you and have clear knowledge of your goals brings serenity and more peace to your decisions. Passion also can be a bringer of joy and perseverance , to be passionate of being of service can be very infectious to others.
Chaos, yet harmony. To navigate chaos and to find your way around this world and find harmony is a great challenge these days. We love codes and maximes and koans , they can be beacons in a rough times. We hold on to them when we are sad an recite them when we feel good to remember why we found this sense of harmony. The chaos prevents us from getting stuck and apathetic , harmony is a state of joy in action , not a passive aggressive state of being.
Death, yet the Force. No one and nothing is ever truly gone , the Force binds all together , but rips apart and puts back together as well. When you realise nothing is under control you may find yourself at a very calm yet very lively place in your life. We die a few times so we may live again. We reinvent ourselves and discover many possibilities , without death that would not be easy , without the Force , it would be impossible.
From what i see it’s about purpose and direction. The Jedi Path can seem kind of lonely , that may be discouraging. But our purpose is to bring comfort and stand up for the less fortunate and to do the right thing. And within this purpose one can find great joy.
