Jedi Code (LadyVader)

The **Jedi Code** is a code that establishes the appropriate behavior of all Jedi. The code itself has changed in style and appearance over generations, but the general meaning of it has stayed the same.

## Mantra

Though there are multiple versions of the mantra, the original version, the one most quoted by both the Piett and Jinn families, was:

*Emotion, yet peace.*
*Ignorance, yet knowledge.*
*Passion, yet serenity.*
*Chaos, yet harmony.*
*Death, yet the Force.*

## Emotion, yet peace

These are the opening lines to the Jedi Code.  I prefer this version of the mantra over the more common, "There is no emotion, there is peace", for Jedi are emotional beings, but it is what we do with those emotions that counts.

Jedi Masters instruct their pupils to use their feelings, but if we do not watch for it, feelings will use us.  A Jedi is informed by their emotional state, but they are not ruled by it. A Jedi must rely on their feelings, but not to the exclusion of the Pillars, The Force, Knowledge, and Self-Discipline. It is working in harmony with a Jedi's facilities that we find peace in our emotional state.

The common form of this stanza, "There is no emotion, there is peace" seems to imply Jedi to be unfeeling beings. Some may take this form of the code, and think it is proper for Jedi to suppress all emotion.  Suppression of emotion can be a dangerous thing.  It is just a tapping down, and not dealing with it. This allows emotions to simmer and grow, and when they come to the surface, they are much more powerful and destructive than if they were dealt with in the moment.

So what is the proper response of a Jedi to strong emotion? Allow it to inform you, accept it, and let it pass. When we find ourselves in a situation in which strong emotions arise, our emotional state is just one point of data in our situation. If you are using the Force to inculcate the positive mental attitudes of a Jedi, you know that the Force can be used for knowledge;  Knowledge being the central pillar of Jedi Strength should come to bear even more strongly than emotion. But you should also use the knowledge of your emotional state to gain insight into the situation you find yourself in.  One should not dwell upon the emotion and let it color everything you think and do, let it just be one shade of your complete mental picture. Once your emotion has served its purpose, then you should not become attached to it, and instead just let it go, and find the state of peace.

## Ignorance, yet knowledge

The second line of the Jedi Code, “Ignorance, yet knowledge” teaches us the importance of knowledge over ignorance. A Jedi's life is one of constant learning. One of the most dangerous things to be ignorant of is our own ignorance. It is important to be aware of what we do not know. This may present the classic Socratic paradox of knowing that we know nothing, but it is, in fact, the beginning of all knowledge. Once again, we rely on the pillars of Jedi strength (the Force, knowledge, and self-discipline) and self-examination to find areas where we are lacking so that we may address the lack. A further application of this line of the code is to allow ourselves to not become so certain of a thing, that we are not open to the idea that we may be mistaken. We may become aware of new evidence, or a new way of looking at something subjective. When this happens, not only is alright to change our views, it is the correct action to take. Rigidity of thought, and the attachment to what we believe can be a hindrance to learning and being able to obtain knowledge. A Jedi should be able to let go of many things and among them absolute certainty.

The belief that we cannot be wrong about a thing is not only harmful, it can be dangerous. It squelches the ability to respect a plurality of views in others. The road of absolute certainty leads to intolerance, which in turn leads to the suffering of others. If we keep in mind that we are connected to those around us through the Force, we must allow for others to seek their happiness even if it is a way that we would not seek it for ourselves.

Part of knowledge, or importantly self-knowledge is an awareness of the biases we carry within ourselves. Of the strongest of these is confirmation bias. This is when we become attached to an idea, and we pay attention to facts that confirm this idea while dismissing those facts that do not. Because of this, it is important for a Jedi to remain open to things that may change their mind. We need to be able to let go of our biases so that we may see the path before us clearly. We discover them through self-examination and meditation. While it may never be possible to rid one of all biases, we must continue to strive to be aware of them.

Because of our biases, we must be wary of the idea of being completely objective. Our life experiences color our perceptions, and we must strive for empathy when it comes to viewpoints that differ from ours. Many things beyond our control will contribute to our world-views, and to the world-views of others, we may encounter. While if an experience is different from what we know, our first instinct might be to dismiss it or look at it with incredulity. An empathetic response is to believe the related experiences of others, even if we did not experience it ourselves. It is in the recognition of the experiences and views of others, that we can engender compassion and empathy, and grow our knowledge about this world we share. We must be able to let go of our idea of how things are for us is how they are for everyone. This world is a diverse place, and while we may understand our place in it, we must be mindful of the place of others.

We overcome our ignorance by learning, by seeking out and acquiring new knowledge. We seek out not only facts but experiences, our own and those of others. Knowledge outside of our own experiences fosters a connection with those around us. When we step outside our ignorance, we realize our connection to all those around us, even those distant in both space and experience. It is through this connection, that we experience the Force not just from within ourselves, but in those we encounter and share this world with. We seek to improve ourselves with knowledge, and in so doing affect a positive influence in the world.

## Chaos, yet harmony

*This was written during the chaos of the ideological coup by Trump Supporting Domestic Terrorists at the United States Capitol on January 6, 2021.*

**Chaos, yet Harmony**

Today's events have been nothing if not chaotic, and harmony is our goal.  We do not achieve harmony by simply flowing with the actions of others, but by directing them. We do not stand still or stand on the sidelines, but we enter deeply and turn the tide.  Our goal is peace, but we cannot skip over justice to get there. We cannot wait for others to do the work for us, we must roll up our sleeves and get to work ourselves.

Jedi Path Academy subscribes to the attitude that the Jedi Path consists of world-betterment through self-betterment working towards a just and equitable society with a strong emphasis on personal transformation, social justice, anti-racism, and anti-fascism.  Today we saw the power of white privilege in the contrast to how the police treated these white supremacists storming the capitol building compared to the response to the protests for Black lives all summer after the death of George Floyd on May 25, 2020. Where protests for Black lives were met with brutal violence, the cops at the United States Capitol today opened barricades for the insurrectionists and took selfies with them as chaos unfolded all around them. There were symbols of fascism hung today in the United States Capitol, and it was the white privilege of the terrorists that allowed them to do so.  When we say the Jedi Path is antiracist and antifascist, one can not support the current administration and still be any kind of Jedi of quality.

And what is the Jedi response to this? Unlike the Jedi of mythic Star Wars Media, we do not have superpowers. Nor do we have the numbers, organization, or consent of the people to take up arms and meet force for force. Certainly, Luke Skywalker or Obi-Wan Kenobi would wade in with their lightsabers, knowing what to do and how to do it and bringing a swift conclusion to the situation in time for the credits to roll during an orchestral fanfare. We live in the real world, and Jedi of quality are not superheroes, but we can still fight, and make no mistake this is a fight, but as Jedi, we know there are more ways to fight than with the force of arms.  There are many approaches to conflict, and a Jedi should be conversant in a variety of ways to resolve it.  But as to this?  See to your communities. Connect.  Plan.  And when the opportunity presents itself, ***move***.

There are no easy answers nor are there any easy solutions. But I often say that Jedi do not shy away from difficult things, we run towards them. Today's events are a reflection of systemic inequality dating back to the founding of the United States. It took a long time to get to this point, and it will take some time to get out of it. We must work as we can to change policy and through that, change society. And the only way we are going to achieve harmony is together. As my student once said, "a note cannot harmonize with itself". The Force connects you to others and it is only through connection, first within our communities, and then to those within our collective sphere of influence can we lead the disharmonious to harmony. We absolutely cannot do this alone, nor should we have to.  So Jedi, find your people, keep them safe, expand your sphere, change the world.

## Death, yet the Force

The most commonly cited version of the Jedi Code is attributed to Jedi Master, Odan-Urr;

Although a more refined version of the code, the last line of the below is one that encourages and strengthens many Jedi, even when their life may be coming to an end.

* *There is no death, there is only the Force*.
* *There is no emotion, there is peace*.
* *There is no ignorance, there is knowledge*.
* *There is no passion, there is serenity*.
* *There is no chaos, there is harmony*.
* *There is no death, there is the Force*.

source: https://swtor.fandom.com/wiki/Jedi\_Code