What is the Force to me?
The Force is much like the Tao described in the first verse of the Tao-Te-Ching.
“The Tao that can be named,
Is not the universal Tao.
The named that can be named,
Is not the universal name.”
This means that there is a big gap between the unnamed (Our intuition) and the named (our words and reasoning). The Force cannot be described by words. We cannot understand the Force fully through word either. In order to understand the Force we must feel and experience it.
One thing we can do to learn more about the Force through words is gain the ability to see beyond the words used. Although we cannot understand the Force through words that doesn’t we cannot learn anything at all by them.
To understand some things about the Force through words we have to see beyond the words and open your mind to many possibilities. Someone who believes in God might dismiss the idea of the Force before looking into it to see if it is maybe the same as God, just because it has a different name. Therefore he never gave it the chance and may have lost a revelation to his own beliefs. He might of learned something new about God or that the Force and God are the same. By opening your mind to more and all possibilities you can understand more about the unnamed.
When I watched the film Avatar I noticed that the goddess Eywa was very similar to the Force I believe in. Below are a few quotes from the film and my description on how it relates to the Force.
“She talks about a network of energy that flows through all living things.”
This quote pretty much describes the basis of the Force. The Force is energy that flows through and within all things. This quote shows that Eywa and the Force are similar when it comes to this quote.
“She says that all energy is only borrowed. And one day we have to give it back.”
This to me relates to the Personal Force. When an organism is created the Living Force transferees energy into the organism giving it, it’s Personal Force. When we die our Personal Force is given back to the Living Force. As we live we borrow the energy given and ad we die we return it. The Living and Personal Force definitely have a connection the same as Eywa.
“Our great mother does not take sides Jake. She protects only the balance of life.”
This last quote is much like the Force as the Force is neutral and the Force does not favor one side more than the other.
The quotes from the film about Eywa relate very closely to the Force and I would say that Eywa to me is just another name for my own belief (The Force).
The Force is everything. In its most simplest form it is energy. All these little particles that make up everything are made up of this energy. Everything in it’s simplest form is this energy, such as the trees, the ocean, the planets, even our bodies.
The Force has many aspects but commonly they are three. These aspects are in no way separate from the Force they just help break it down to understand it.
The Personal Force gives all organisms, living beings, identity, values, beliefs, personality and uniqueness. The Personal Force is transferred from the Living Force and when we die our Personal Force is given back.
The Living Force is the source of all energy. It creates life, makes it grow. Gives us life and being. Without the Living Force life could not exist and we would not be here.
The Unifying or Guiding Force gives us Knowledge, a mind, concepts of right and wrong but very importantly reason and purpose. It’s all good being alive but there is no point if we have no purpose or reason.
All aspects are as important as the other. Without one we would not be like we are now and nothing would be right.
Force Skill – Force Temprature
Force temperature is a simple but useful force skill. Force temperature involves the ability to make something hotter and something colder. To start of this ability use your hand as you know when the temperature in your hand changes as you will feel it. Start of with making something cold. Visualise ice, water, frost (cold things) in your hand but channel the force to your hand with the thought of cold things. This is what I call putting intent into the force. Eventually you should feel your hand getting cold. This is the work of the force and what you have visualised. Then if you want to make something hot you do the opposite. Think of fire, lava, (hot things). Then channel this intent into the force and channel it to your hand. You should then feel your hand getting warm/hot. Once you have got the hang of it start trying to change the temperature of an object such as a coin or a stone or something. And remember size matters not.
Search Your Feelings
If you have been a Jedi for a while you may have notice that you are told a lot of the time to search your feelings. Now a lot of people get confused by this and if you don’t understand the unifying/guiding force then it will be even harder. The force speaks to us through our feelings, guides us. Tells us what’s right and wrong. A Jedi will not make a decision from what they think is right. They will make a decision on what they feel is right. A Jedi trusts in the force and is guided by the force. Searching your feelings for answers is what Jedi do. They rely on the force to guide them in life. When a Jedi is troubled he or she will look to the force for guidance. When a Jedi is confused and needs answers he or she will look to the force. The force is out ally. That is why a lot of Jedi are told to search their feelings. Not because they are being cruel, but to help you and to help you get a better connection and trust with the force.
Aspects Of The Force
“I can’t tell you everything the force is. But I can tell you that overall it is a mystery.”:- Tai-Da Vrikaurvan
When people are learning about the force most Jedi find it best to break the force down into three main aspects. Personal, Living and Unifying/Guiding. These aspects do not actually exist it is just a way of understanding the force better. Each aspect has a different purpose and each part is just as important as the other.
Personal
The Personal aspect of the force seems kind of obvious as it’s in the name. This is the part that is our personal force connection and control. This part allows us to be “force sensitive”. Without this we would have no feeling of the force. Each person has their own strength of connection, some can be weak and some can be strong. It is different in everyone. That is why it is called personal. If we want to use our personal force all skills that come from it are about control. Meditation enhances this ability as meditation strengthens your connection with the force and will allow you to feel it stronger and more often. Without this Personal aspect we would have no feeling of the force and would have no concept of controlling it within ourselves.
Living
The Living aspect of the force is the source of all energy. It creates life and takes it away. This allows us to live without it humans and all life would not exist. Learning to use the living force we can enhance our senses. We can learn great skills such as sensing vibes in the air or sensing a person’s presence. Living force flows through everything and without it we would not have person force either.
Unifying/Guiding
The Unifying/Guiding force is what gives us purpose, personality and knowledge. This aspect of the force is what shows us right from wrong through our feeling. If we feel it is wrong then it is if we feel it’s right then it is. This is how the force speaks to us. This is called the will of the force. Skills that can be learned through this aspect of the force are about altering. Things such as telekinesis. These skills are seen as the most difficult to learn. Without this aspect we would have no concept of the force, life or anything.
As you can see each aspect has a specific purpose but if one is gone then the others have no point. Of course the aspects don’t exist but they help to teach us about the force. Also remember there are not sides either. They are simple the force.
