Light Jedi: Lecture #14

Characteristics of Force Adepts
Lightside@forceacademy.com

The following post is courtesy of one of the Jedi Knights on the Council, Ellen Merritt, and thus I give her credit for it...good lecture, Ellen: To all those who read this, remember that the lecture is made out of general characteristics, never absolutes, because there are exceptions to every rule. This does provide a rough outline for the different kinds of personalities inherent in the different Force Adepts, as well as a guide for new students to study which particular branches of the Force fit them best, at a personal level. So to continue with Ellen's Lecture:

JEDI – CHARACTERISTICS, MISSION AND PURPOSE
The Light path is the most limited, but also the most powerful, available to a Jedi. It is the responsibility of Light Jedi to use their abilities to make their corner of the world a better place, to improve the quality of life for others whenever and wherever possible, and to bring love, compassion, peace and harmony to their environment and to the world. Light Jedi may only use the Force for knowledge and defense, never for attack. Anger, fear and aggression have no place in the heart of a Light Jedi. These lead to the dark side of the Force. Light Jedi develop their abilities through discipline, patience, study and practice of meditation and Light side techniques. The ultimate goal for a Light Jedi is peace. The Light side tends to attract the philosophers, thinkers and teachers, although there are these elements in the other paths as well.

SHADOW JEDI – CHARACTERISTICS, MISSION AND PURPOSE
Shadow Jedi are the pragmatists among Force users. A Shadow Jedi's philosophy can generally be summed up as follows: "The end justifies the means". Balance is the ultimate goal for a Shadow Jedi. They use both dark and light Force techniques to achieve the desired result, whichever proves more effective. To a Shadow Jedi, there is no such thing as Dark side and Light side, as this conflict is seen as an archetypal holdover from various mythologies, and an unnecessarily limiting influence on Force use.

Shadow Jedi tend to be atheists, or hold to some philosophy that does not include a deity or deities. They tend to focus exclusively on the present, dealing with the here and now, and solving present problems, largely regardless of past influences or future consequences. Problem-solving motivates their actions. While immediate gratification may be welcome, it does not serve as the sole guideline for their actions. Shadow Jedi tend to be highly practical, free-spirited, and relatively free of unwanted emotions (such as guilt or anger). Shadow Jedi tend to be the most tolerant of the three groups of Force users, since Dark and Light are equal in their eyes, and indeed, the Shadow Jedi sees elements of both good and evil within each Jedi. Unlike Dark and Light, however, the Shadow seeks to reconcile these elements, not defeat one over the other. Shadow Jedi are primarily people of action, not philosophy, and accept what is. "There is no why." The Shadow side attracts Force users from both sides, as many Force users find Dark and Light to be too confining for their needs, and unsatisfactory paths in their individual journeys.

DARK JEDI – CHARACTERISTICS, MISSION AND PURPOSE
The dark path is the quickest and easiest to master, and hence the most tempting for anyone with Jedi potential. Whereas Light Jedi tend to be philosophers and Shadow Jedi tend to be pragmatists, Dark Jedi tend to be warriors. Anger, fear, aggression and hatred fuel their power and abilities, and are seen to be Dark virtues. Power and dominance is the ultimate goal of the Dark Jedi.

Dark Jedi tend to focus on the past, especially focusing on the events in their lives which have led them to feel anger, fear, aggression and hatred. These feelings are rehashed, renewed, refined and amplified in order to fill them with the desired emotions necessary for conquest. They are driven solely by instinct, using their desires and purposes as their only guideline for action. Dark Jedi seek immediate gratification for its own sake.

The Dark path, while the quickest to master and perhaps the brightest-burning, is quickest to extinguish. It seeks to consume its user, either from within as dark emotions wither the spirit, or from without, as other Dark Jedi seek to destroy him/her and absorb his/her power for their own. Dark Jedi tend, as a result, to love danger, "live on the edge", and seek action over reason or negotiation. The Dark side tends to be attractive to the angry, bitter, impatient, impulsive, disillusioned, confused and ambitious among Force users.

CHANGING PATHS
Each Force adept must choose his/her path in the Force as a part of the individual Force journey. While this choice is usually made with much study and forethought, many Jedi trainees find during the course of their training that their chosen path does not entirely fit their needs. Hence, it becomes necessary for them to change paths. While this is possible at any time for any path, it is never easy, and may carry inherent risks. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the Dark Jedi who wishes to turn to the Light side. Often, this decision is plagued by guilt, doubt, fear and outright terror, depending upon how deeply this Jedi has delved into the Dark side. His/her life may well be in danger (as if it were not before!), but with the understanding and support of friends and colleagues from either Shadow, Light or a combination of both, a Dark Jedi may be redeemed.

Ellen Merrit
EdmRead@aol.com

JediKnightG
PradseLost@aol.com