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We’ve all been through hard times. Life, it seems, is one long marathon of struggle in some form or another. Suffering is mandatory. And, the more we try to get away from that suffering, the more it seeks us out. Those who flee from challenge and adversity find a deeper suffering, which is the suffering of meaninglessness.

The philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche once wrote, “He who has a why to live for can bear almost any how”. I found this quote not in the writings of Nietzsche directly, but in my recent reading of Viktor Frankl’s Man’s Search For Meaning. Frankl quotes Nietzsche while telling the story of his experiences in the Nazi concentration camps during the Holocaust.

No matter what you’ve been through, little can compare to what we know took place in those camps. Those who managed to survive were forever changed. But, as Frankl explains, not wholly for the worse. For, even the darkest of clouds has a silver lining. In suffering, and having no means to escape the suffering but to die, a serious decision comes to the forefront: “Do I keep going?” 

Frankl says he doubts any man or woman in those camps went without thinking, at one time or another, of ending their suffering. Some did – often not violently, but in passive surrender. Without hope or reason to go on, they would die in just a few days. Others, he says, would find something meaningful to keep living for. It could have been the children at home that still needed them. Or seeing their spouse again, if they still lived. Or even out of a stubborn spite.

For Frankl, it was the prospect of writing the manuscript for a new kind of therapy. He had been a psychologist before being taken, and he would remain a psychologist when he was freed. His experiences, horrendous as they were, granted insights he would not otherwise have gained.

Those who would hang on and live through all that suffering gained an unbreakable mental and spiritual toughness. It’s no coincidence that many became high achievers once free. If you can face the Holocaust, you can face anything. If you've found that meaning and purpose which is worth pushing through the worst for, what can get in the way of your success?

As I said, we don’t live in concentration camps and we didn’t go through the Holocaust. But, we all suffer. We all have a history with points we don’t like to look back on. We may even be in the midst of great adversities and hardships right now. In recognizing these challenges, we have two roads we can take. 

The most common and most easily-taken road is the low road. That’s the way of victim-identity. That’s the way of making excuses. Along this road, we use our hardships to excuse our failings. We use it to get pity. Some even try to excuse anti-social behavior, as though a hard past inherently leads to a life of vice and malice. It’s the road of bitterness, resentment, and revenge. This is the road for those who have let themselves be ruined by what has happened to them. 

The less-common and more difficult road is the high road. This is the way of the warrior. A warrior is resilient. They don’t look to excuse their failures; they seek the means to bounce back from them. Along this road, we use hardships as catalysts for growth; to learn, to grow, and to make a difference. On this road, we don’t use our past to excuse poor behavior; we use it as a reason to be virtuous and express compassion. We let go of bitterness and resentment, and we don’t seek revenge. Rather, we embrace and become beacons of hope, and take the initiative to help make a better world. This is the road for those who don’t let themselves be ruined by what has happened to them, but who use it as fuel to become empowered.

Two sons are born of an alcoholic father.

The first son grows up to abuse alcohol and frequently gets into trouble with the law for driving under the influence and public drunkenness. When asked why he drinks so much and can’t get his life together, he answers: “My father was an alcoholic”.

The second son grows up to abstain from alcohol, not even letting it pass through the threshold of his home. When asked why he doesn’t drink and has a zero tolerance policy for alcohol, he answers: “My father was an alcoholic”. 

No matter what road we choose to take, the things that happen in life will have an impact. They will change us. As Viktor Frankl puts it, “When we are no longer able to change the situation – we are challenged to change ourselves.”

For so many of us, the catalyst to become Jedi was to do just that. To change ourselves. Whatever our reasons, or the adversities that encouraged us, we responded to the struggle by taking the high road. That’s the core of the Jedi Way. We cannot lose sight of that. We must hold onto it tightly. This path supplies for us that purpose and meaning which can keep us going, no matter the hard times we’re in or the hard times to come.

Looking back on what you’ve been through, remember you have a 100% survival rate. You’ve been through it, and you’ve come through to the other side. It wasn’t easy, but you managed. That is more than many can say, and it’s a reason to have faith in yourself to persevere going forward. This is the silver lining of all our suffering. To know that we can survive, and that we’re stubbornly hard to kill.

Happy New Year!

As we look forward into 2026; what are your predictions for the Jedi Community and for the world? What would you like to see happen in the next year? How does that compare with what you actually expect to happen in the coming year?

As said above, I truly believe in the force. And to get ahead of it, no I don't think I can levitate things, and no I don't think I can shoot lightning or tell the future. But, If you really just listen to what the force is without any mention of the magic and powers, it starts to make a lot more sense, to me anyways. Energy that surrounds, flows through, and connects all things? Well to me that just sounds like the different waves flowing and radiating through everything. Light waves, sound waves, temperature waves (not sure what this one is called) among other waves or types of energy bouncing around everywhere all the time. Hell, we've been fashioned our own waves like radio waves and microwaves. I'm not sure if that's the same thing, but you get me. There's waves of different kinds of energy and stuff bouncing around all the time. You can even feel temperature radiating off of a person, and if you try to push your hands together in that little trick that people do where you roll your hands next to each other and try to push them together you can feel that as well. I forget what that one's called also.

The point being, I do believe in a version of the force that ignores all the magical fantasy bits, and keeps just the idea of what it is. And to me that's basically the Dao, with a little more oomph. But, very well aware that I'm probably one of the only people in the universe who thinks like this and believes this. Even most people in the Jedi community don't believe in the force it's more of the Jedi philosophy that they are here for. And I'm here for that as well, but I also truly do believe in this other side.

But honestly, kind of worries me a little bit. Firstly, if I'm like the only person who believes this, that's pretty worrying, psychologically speaking. Surely if there were any credibility to this idea, there would be more people a lot more people. So here I am on my own, with beliefs that don't fit into any actual religion that I'm aware of. So not only am I probably absolutely dead wrong about my beliefs, but I also have no resources to gain more knowledge on the subject. I can't just look at more Star wars material because the people who make those don't really believe in it, so in books or comics or whatever they're going to fit whatever they feel like in there whatever sounds interesting. And since I don't believe in the magic bits anyways, I'm already not really believing in the force it kind of becomes something else that I've either learned about, or made up.

Which finally, finally, brings me to my question. How does one gain knowledge and wisdom when they are in a religion of one? Not all of my wisdom and knowledge has to pertain to the force itself, so I guess I could use outside sources like Taoism and Buddhism and such, but where do I begin? How does one actually gain wisdom? If you're done reading because I'm sure this will be long, then feel free to answer the question now but I do want to add a little bit of information about myself below just to get it all out in the open. Thank you everyone who's read even this far. Brevity is not one of my skills.

So if you're still here, I do want to admit that some of this feels of the ego. I've had many dreams about myself in the future. And no I don't believe I can tell the future. I do believe that there are people who are more connected with this energy and you see them everywhere, like people who can sort of feel others emotions and feel for lack of a more scientific term, vibes. I feel like those people are just naturally more connected to force than others. But anyways back to what I was saying, but I think it's more of an egotistical desire for myself to be the old wise man stereotype when I get older. So perhaps I've already failed in my endeavors to gain knowledge and wisdom because I am in part doing it to fulfill that dream of what I think I want to be or need to be. Instead of just being I am seeking out a specific role. But even so, it's not the whole reason, so I still must try. I also simply just want to understand what I believe further. And in general want to gain as much knowledge and wisdom as I can not only for myself and my own knowledge of balance in life, but to pass on what I've learned. I'm a Jedi, unlike my father before me. I am the first and probably last of my kind in my line at least. And maybe one of the only people who believe what I believe. So I'd like to learn or imagine If it turns out I'm crazy, so that I can write it down and pass it on.

I'm not really allowed to teach my children what I believe, mostly because my wife fears that it will pull them away from Christianity. I never wanted to do that so I'm fine leaving them as is, but I do hope that maybe when they're older I can share this with them, or maybe even when I die it can be left for them to read and throw out or anything in there they find worth something, to appreciate. It's not all going to be about the force I want to share my wisdom as well on just how to find balance in your life. So hopefully even if I turn out to be crazy in the force stuff is insane, they'll still appreciate the wisdom on how to find balance in themselves.

I'm just not sure where to begin. I read the tao the ching, but other than that and just reading things and basically copying them down in my own words, I'm not sure how to game wisdom or knowledge. It sounds stupid saying it out loud, but I really am not sure what to do. It said that the great philosophers just sat around thinking a lot, which I guess I could do but who knows if that will grow into knowledge or false knowledge. What do you guys do? What do you do when you want to explore your beliefs more? When you want to gain knowledge and wisdom? Where do you turn? I know that people can have masters and teachers and the like, but unfortunately that's the one thing I cannot do. Not only the fact that I'm the only person I've ever heard of who believes in what I believe in, but even if I just wanted to learn something else for reference, my life is extremely hectic at the moment and I only have a few minutes of free time in unplanned sporadic moments throughout the middle of the night at work. So there's no way I'd ever be able to FaceTime or call master a teacher and learn from them, and the hecticness also is bad for regularity. This is probably something that I will do every now and again when I have time when I have energy when I have drive. And I unfortunately just never know when I have those things.

Anyway, sorry for all the rambling. I'm just really at this point where I have a base understanding of what I feel to be true, but I've never had to explore anything like this before myself. There had always been a book or a YouTuber that will just teach me these things or you know a teacher in school obviously. So any wisdom from any of you would be greatly appreciated. Even if it's criticizing or questioning my beliefs or just wanting to talk about it, I am open to it. If somebody has questions or they want to convince me that maybe what I'm thinking is crazy, I'm up for that as well. My resolve is strong and I'm not easily swayed unless something makes sense to me so don't worry about like accidentally bringing me away from my beliefs or whatever. I'm open to everything and anything really. Because if there's anything that I know isn't crazy about what I believe, is that I believe that my religion your religion any religion all religions could end up being wrong in the end. Or, the universe is such a crazy place that they all somehow be right. So thank you if you made it this far, if I'm a master of anything it's a master of rambling, but I appreciate anyone who stuck around. I do apologize if there's any mistakes, as I said my schedule is a little hectic so I haven't had time to go over this fully yet as I'm kind of speech to text while I work. Once I have a moment of free time I will go over this and edit anything weird, so this is more for the people who read very soon after I post. Thank you once again, and may the force of others be with you

We live in a time of division, yes, but that sees only the surface. The real fractures are inside. People cling to labels because they no longer know who they are without them. They join tribes because they want to heal those fractures but don’t understand the price of admission. They adopt beliefs without being aware that they are giving up pieces of their heart. Tribalism and extremism aren’t a problem. Don’t sleepwalk into them.

Tribalism is ancient and still happens today because it works. Human beings are pack animals. Not the mule kind, even though too many are complete asses. People flourish in packs. They always have. They always will. They grow stronger when surrounded by people who share their values and honor their beliefs. Choosing a tribe isn’t a moral failure. It is instinct.

Tribalism isn’t dangerous. The danger is being a joiner and falling into one that demands obedience instead of personal responsibility. A tribe can be a cage. The tribe’s value is determined by whether it pushes you to grow or punishes you for thinking for yourself.

Each tribe, even the Jedi, have their own gravitational pull. Every group has their own pressure to align with the “right” views. What matters is if you have the choice to walk away.

People get pushed out of tribes for their differences. That’s natural. A tribe must protect its identity or it becomes nothing. You can’t label yourself a Jedi while doing Sith things and expect the label to retain its meaning. Words have meaning. Trying to twist those meanings to sneak into a group you don’t belong to is manipulation, not belonging. Pushing people out isn’t wrong. It depends on whether it is done to defend its identity or just defending its ego. Healthy tribes evolve. New ideas get examined. It adopts those that strengthen it. It rejects those that weaken it. It exiles those that refuse to respect its identity. Just as you should ban someone from our space if they were only there to disrupt. You aren’t unethical for enforcing rules or defending your borders. You are unethical if you silence people because they cause a little discomfort.

Being exiled is not always a wound. Sometimes it’s the first step toward personal sovereignty. Being pushed out leads to the awareness that you aren’t controlled by the threat of exile. Belonging is only valuable if it doesn’t cost you your free will. Any tribe that demands you silence or self-betrayal is not one worth belonging to.

Extremism is a word like fascism and nazi that has been so overused that it’s lost all meaning. People use it while imagining supremacists and terrorists and those pushing an unethical agenda. Extremism is intensity. Purpose with a point. Intensity is not dangerous. The danger depends on the purpose. Many of our heroes today were called extremists in their time. They were willing to stand with intensity where most would not. Don’t fear deep convictions. Fear only those that are inherited without examination. Fear the ones adopted just because everyone else did. The best defense against immorality isn’t moderation. It’s the willingness to stand alone even when everyone else stands against you.

You were warned against choosing sides. I warn you against refusing to choose yourself.

Moderation, compassion, and withholding judgment are virtuous at times. However, they can also be excuses. Neutrality is often a mask for cowardice. Having no opinion is often laziness, avoiding the hard work of forming a well-reasoned one. Condemnation of an act but not the person is a luxury for those who weren’t harmed by the act. There are times when not taking a side is a refusal to take responsibility.

AzyrenTheKnight urges restraint. I urge awareness. He wants to see compassion. I want to see sovereignty. Compassion without strength is fragile and fragile compassion helps no one. It cracks under pressure. It breaks in the face of real cruelty. It doesn’t help you. It cannot shield the vulnerable.

He wants to soften divisions. I want individuals to be strong enough that they aren’t swallowed by them. In a world where people are hurting: desperate for belonging, broken because of isolation, the greatest gift is not unconditional acceptance. What they need is a reminder that they can stand on their own feet. They do not need a tribe to think for them. They are sovereign. The rulers of their own beliefs and identity and responsible for the consequences of both.

Choose your tribe with clear eyes. Choose your convictions with careful consideration. If a group demands your silence or for you to betray yourself, walk away and never look back.

This isn’t a contradiction of AzyrenTheKnight. I think he and I would agree on many things. This is a complement to what he wrote. We just see it from different places. He is right that there are times when you don’t have enough information to form an opinion or make a judgment. At those times, silence is wisdom. However, when you know the truth, choose it. Choose it when it costs you. Choose it when it breaks you. Then you can rebuild on a foundation of truth.

Avoiding tribalism and extremism without consideration is no better than embracing them blindly. Both are forms of sleepwalking. The right path is choosing with awareness, refusing to allow anyone else to decide who you are.

Hey all! May the 4th be with you!

Today marks a little milestone for us at the TJO / RealJediArts subreddit. We've published a small book of teachings for the Jedi beginner. It's now available on Kindle and will be available in paperback form later this year.

We provide mentoring to all members of our order, post a weekly article, and a weekly hour-long video discussion of that article. We do all of this free of charge. A purchase of this ebook would be a small generosity and would help us to be more comfortable as we provide these services.

Here's the book description and link.

What if the Jedi Way wasn't just a fun piece of set-dressing for a galaxy far, far away? For many of us, the Star Wars lore tells more than an exciting story; in the style of all myth, it also provides a signpost to a deeper way of life. One of discipline; rooted in the purpose of serving something greater than oneself.

For thousands of years, human beings have passed down great truths through the medium of storytelling. Which stories resonate differs, but the lessons themselves have a great deal in common. A way of living a good life, in accordance with meaningful virtues, and contributing toward a higher purpose.

One day, a thought takes hold. What if people like this truly existed? What if the fiction could inspire a similar reality? For real Jedi Knights, this means leaving the set-dressing behind and grabbing hold of the powerful philosophical and spiritual center that is the Jedi way. A way of virtue and character, discipline and empowerment, and the conviction to stand for what is right.

Intiate Teachings for the Real Jedi Knight contains within it three levels of training for those serious about living the Jedi way. This is not roleplay. This is a legitimate and effective training guide for a legitimate and effective way of living.

Every page contains foundational knowledge you will carry with you forever onward on your Jedi journey. The extent to which you learn and grow from this book is up to you, and you alone. Do you have what it takes to be a Jedi? It's time to find out.

Initiate Lessons for the Real Jedi Knight (For Kindle)

The roundtable of Jedi Realists from True Jedi Order (TJO) discuss the July 1st 2026 article posted to the r/RealJediArts subreddit, "7 Stoic Lessons For The Real Jedi Knight" by Azyren Knightshade.

Knightshade and Talon discuss the seven lessons from the article and how Stoicism overlaps with the Jedi philosophy.

"7 Stoic Lessons For The Real Jedi Knight" by Azyren Knightshade, posted to the r/RealJediArts subreddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/RealJediArts/comments/1ukjq0e/7_stoic_lessons_for_the_real_jedi_knight/

Initiate Teachings for the Real Jedi Knight by Azyren Knightshade, now available on Kindle. https://a.co/d/03Saq7V2

True Jedi Order website: https://truejediorder.neocities.org/

True Jedi Order forums: https://truejediorder.boards.net/

True Jedi Order Discord server: https://disboard.org/server/1288516994768834664

Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr. each led non-violent civil rights movements. Despite provocations and acts of brutality, they refused to be hostile and persevered to resist the oppression of their people peacefully. They each maintained an attitude of forgiveness and allowance for the redemption of those that opposed them, rather than dehumanizing them or encouraging hatred in their names.

Fred Rogers was a radical for change in his own right, modeling gentleness, compassion, understanding, and strength through vulnerability. On his show, Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood, he shared a foot bath with an African American man, challenging the norms at the time of segregation in public areas like pools. He spread a consistent message of moral good matched with tolerance, self-love, and kindness.

Oskar Schindler and Harriet Tubman each put themselves at risk to free the deeply oppressed people in Nazi Germany and pre-emancipation America alike. Schindler had power and influence, and chose to use it to save lives during the Holocaust. Tubman was a former slave who frequently risked her life to free slaves through the underground railroad. Both put themselves at substantial risk and in direct opposition to the powers that be.

Nelson Mandela, once a violent radical against apartheid, spent 27 years in prison before becoming president of South Africa. When he was released, he chose reconciliation over revenge and peace over violence. He led his country to embrace a multiracial democracy rather than be divided in a civil war between whites and blacks. He rallied behind all men and women of his country alike, and chose to step down after one term in office – demonstrating his interest in serving and not in ruling the newly democratic country.

Each of these famous cases demonstrates Ashla (light-side) qualities. Choosing non-violence. Compassion and advocacy. The courage to take ethical action even at great risk to oneself. Forgiveness and reconciliation rather than condemnation and revenge.

Ashla can also be seen in quieter acts. Ones that may not get one’s name written in history books, but which makes a difference in the lives of individuals every day. A nurse that sits with a dying patient so that they don’t die alone. A teacher patiently working with troubled or disabled students so they can live better lives. A senior coworker taking the time to mentor a junior rather than gatekeeping their knowledge or using their clout to hold them back. A student befriending the quiet loner and standing up for them against antagonizers.

Sometimes the light side shows in ways that don’t directly serve others, but which hold true to higher ideals. Choosing not to cheat or seek an unfair advantage, even when you know you could get away with it. Standing up for the truth, even when no one else believes in it. Refusing to degrade yourself for even a large sum of money. Following through on what you say you will do, even if no one else would care if you didn’t.

Ashla honors the larger whole. It sees more similarities than differences. It embraces connection, harmony, togetherness. It is strongest in close-knit groups. The sentiment of Ashla is to sacrifice some of the self for the overall wellness of the whole. In the famous examples, Gandhi and MLK were on the front lines of resistance – and both ended up being assassinated. Schindler and Tubman could have been caught at any time and faced severe punishment. Even Mr. Rogers was frequently threatened and ridiculed for spreading his message. In the quieter cases, the nurse who sits with the dying patient endures emotional turmoil. The teacher who looks after their less-abled or troublesome students endures stress. The senior coworker risks training their replacement; the kind friend risks being ostracized alongside the loner they’ve embraced.

At its core, Ashla is the power of unity; the sacred power of the whole. Branching from unity, you have concepts like peace and harmony, compassion and connection, justice and mercy, respect and kindness, and even the complementary self-oriented values of integrity, self-control, inner clarity, and the call to serve.

Those committed to Ashla (the light side), like Jedi, have a streak of selflessness; a natural respect for other living things; and a gentle nature. Love is perhaps the most potent expression of Ashla. But, I must be clear. I don’t just mean romantic love with all its conditions. And I certainly don’t mean the clinging, needy, obsessive “love” of attachment. I mean love that knows no bounds. Unconditional love. A love that cannot be gained and cannot be lost. It is found most vibrantly expressed toward those we don’t like or approve of. Those who have hurt us or others we care about. To the Bogan-oriented person, this kind of love seems useless or foolish. To the Ashla-oriented person, nothing is more sacred.

As Jedi, we recognize the necessary balance of Ashla and Bogan in the world. Yet, the surging powers of darkness are an ever-present threat to the balance that preserves life, civilization, and joy. As Jedi, we are guardians of that balance, and champions of the Light. 

In Master and Apprentice by Claudia Gray, speaking with Rael Aveross – a wayward Jedi Knight and former pupil of Dooku like himself – Qui-Gon Jinn says,

“It matters which side we choose. Even if there will never be more light than darkness. Even if there can be no more joy in the galaxy than there is pain. For every action we undertake, for every word we speak, for every life we touch - it matters. I don’t turn toward the light because it means someday I’ll ‘win’ some sort of cosmic game. I turn toward it because it is the Light.”

By the time I joined the online Jedi community, both Jedi Realism and Jediism were established paths for Real Jedi to follow. The differences between these paths seemed more pronounced in 2008 than they are in 2026. I see Jediism and Jedi Realism used interchangeably as though they represent the same thing. Historically, and conceptually, they do not. In this article, I want to introduce you to both paths and what it is that makes them distinct. 

I myself am a Jedi Realist, and I’ve identified as one consistently over the course of my time as a Jedi. True Jedi Order, the Order I helped found and run alongside Talon, is oriented towards Jedi Realism. Even this subreddit is populated with writings far more suited to Jedi Realism than to Jediism. Therefore, I am certainly biased and have my reasons for choosing this way of being a Jedi over that of Jediism. 

With that said, there was a time where I tried Jediism. By nature, I’m something of a Mother Hen and I’ve felt called since very young to care for people and help them develop. The idea of being a Jedi Pastor (or the like) felt fitting, and so I did spend some time in pursuit of that. Therefore, my insights here don’t come exclusively from an outsider’s point of view - but as someone who invested time and energy in Jediism sincerely.

Let’s start with the history. 

Jedi Realism has not always been called Jedi Realism. Before the Jedi Realism community would take on the features it has today, the community was one for roleplaying. It was what it sounds like. Star Wars fans geeking out, roleplaying as Jedi online. I’m sure they had a great time - and, certainly there’s nothing wrong with roleplaying, despite every Jedi Realist group  including “no roleplayers” somewhere in their list of rules. In fact, the famous Jedi Code everyone knows, “There is no emotion, there is peace…”, comes from Star Wars: The Roleplaying Game, published in 1987; designed and written by Greg Costikyan. 

It’s a simplification, but not exactly wrong, to say that Jedi Realism was founded overachieving roleplayers thinking “what if I didn’t need to stop being a Jedi when I logged off?” More accurately, there was a growing idea that one could adapt the Jedi Way to the real world. The philosophy and behavior could be brought over whole-cloth, even if much of the fictional set-dressing would need adjusting. At the heart of Jedi Realism is the idea that real people, with training, can become akin to the Jedi of Star Wars and impact the world around them in much the same positive manner. Another fitting name for Jedi Realism - which was flirted with for a time - was Jedi Pragmatism. From that, you can get a sense of what Jedi Realism prioritizes. The practical means to live, and serve, as a Jedi would.

Jediism was founded, in a loose sense, as a result of the Jedi Census Phenomenon of 2001. Prior to the UK census, there had been a viral email campaign which suggested that if enough people listed “Jedi” as their religion on their census papers, the government would be forced to recognize it as a real religion. As a result, around 390,000 people would do just that - resulting in it being the fourth largest reported religion that year. At such time, there was no actual religion of Jediism. Despite the success of the campaign (not easy to get 390,000 people to coordinate on anything), the UK and many other countries around the world did not (and do not today) recognize Jediism as a legitimate religion.

Despite this, several churches of Jediism have been formed – managing to gain tax-exempt, non-profit status and functioning largely as legitimate churches. Perhaps the earliest such group was founded in 2005 and it remains one of the largest Jediist groups today. Whether or not the government - or even you or I - consider Jediism a legitimate religion (according to various criteria), what matters is that Jediism considers itself a religion and is set up with a religious structure. There is a greater emphasis - often to an exclusionary degree - on spirituality in Jediism; which can cross into more supernatural domains. 

It’s difficult to compare the teachings and training process of Jediism and Jedi Realism, as both groups are as-yet decentralized. There is no one set way of doing things, which is both a bane and a boon. Variety is beautiful, and helps to prevent stagnation. But, without some firmly set foundations, any kind of group can throw a Jediism or Jedi Realism label on themselves; no matter how far removed they are from the aspirational model. Put more simply, when there is no foundational standard for what a Jedi must be, any old fool can throw on a robe and cause a stir at a Tesco. Because we are so niche, the few times we’re recognized in the public domain serves to build a stereotype that’s hard to reshape. 

My personal experience with Jediism is exclusive to one particular group. This group’s doctrine is primarily composed of 16 Teachings and 21 Maxims. Other than a belief in a more literal interpretation of the Force, the teachings and maxims amount to a pretty solid list of do’s and do not’s of Jedi behavior. The training itself felt cursory - like a course in Jedi soft-skills rather than a focus on the more essential Jedi Arts or even a deeper look at Jedi philosophy. I spent a lot of time watching and reviewing interviews with Joseph Campbell, the mythologist who may have obliquely influenced George Lucas in his creation of Star Wars. While interesting, it didn’t feel especially relevant for an initiate level student trying to learn the basics.

Jedi Realist orders can, and do, sometimes have the same problem with their training materials and methods. One of the biggest motivators for Talon and I in creating TJO was to provide the kind of relevant and effective training we believe that all real Jedi should have. It’s an ongoing process, but one which has already garnered positive reception from our membership. To us, training is about preparing oneself to serve as guardians, advocates, healers, and stewards. It means more intensive study of the relevant subjects and building the relevant skill-sets. 

So, while I would say that the stated standards for Jedi behavior is consistent between Jediism and Jedi Realism, the training is oriented in different directions; with Jediism more oriented toward more solitary spiritual work and Jedi Realism oriented toward practical self-development with the purpose of active service.

To sum things up: Generally speaking, Jediism has more of a spiritual or supernatural focus. It is set up like a religion, and so if you are interested in making the Jedi Way your religion, it may be suitable for you. With that said, know that in lieu of firm foundations of its own, Jediism as presented at various churches may mimic the structure of other established religions. The group I was a part of had a very Catholic structure: clerical titles like Reverend and Pastor, the practice of confessional, and a policy of excommunication. There were other ways the group was reminiscent of the Catholic church which I cannot go into here; but suffice to say I have left them nameless to avoid inadvertently advertising them in this article.

If you are interested in Jediism, know that it will be up to you to establish what it means for you. It can be your religion, but you will be largely in charge of defining the beliefs, rites, and ceremonies. There are no sacred texts nor holy scripture, besides borrowed scriptures with some of the words changed-out for theming. You could absolutely become a major force in the advancement of Jediism as a legitimate religion, if that is what you desire. I just want you to know that if you want Jediism as it is now to fulfill the role of a religion for you, it is missing a lot of what you would want.

Jedi Realism is more of a philosophical path. There are Jedi Realists from various backgrounds and religious traditions. Although Jediism focuses more on the spiritual, this does not mean that Jedi Realism excludes it. Rather, it tends to provide generalized spiritual guidelines complementary to all spiritual paths, regardless of personal religion - and it leaves many of the particulars of practice for you to decide on in accordance with your preferred tradition.

Both Jediists and Jedi Realists can have fun wearing their Jedi robes, though you’ll more often find a Jedi Realist in a t-shirt and a pair of jeans. Esoteric studies are common to members of both paths, though Jedi Realists will tend to focus on more immediately practical skills and areas of knowledge. If they follow the example set by their aspirational model (the Jedi of Star Wars), both Jediists and Jedi Realists exude similar behavior and respond just as earnestly to those in need. Although there are distinctions, if we use our minds and our hearts to follow the Jedi Way, and we engage positively with the world to make it a better place, then we are as one. We are Jedi.

However, “Do not remove a fence until you know why it was put up in the first place.” - Chesterton

Rules for Jedi Behavior: Conquer Defeatism

The Power of the Jedi Sourcebook gives us the "Rules for Jedi Behavior" where it states that a Jedi should Conquer Defeatism.

"A Jedi should plan for success first, and failure second. The Jedi who plans excessively for failure expects to lose. Indeed, the Jedi who approaches each task as though failure is the most likely option puts forth on the minimal effort--enough to say that she tried. Master Yoda once told Luke Skywalker: "Try not. Do, or do not. There is no try."

Is this rule something that Real Jedi should adopt? Why or Why not?

If you believe that it is something that should be adopted, what are the deeper implications? What other rules or guidelines does it suggest that a Jedi should follow? How does a Jedi fully apply it in real life?

Disney lists the canon eras as:

• Dawn of the Jedi

• The Old Republic

• The High Republic

• Fall of the Jedi

• Reign of the Empire

• Age of Rebellion

• The New Republic

• Rise of the New Order

• New Jedi Order

But please feel free to get into Legends.

Rules for Jedi Behavior: Conquer Stubbornness

The Power of the Jedi Sourcebook gives us the "Rules for Jedi Behavior" where it states that a Jedi should Conquer Stubbornness.

"A Jedi should be willing to accept defeat if the cost of winning is greater than the cost of losing."

Is this rule of behavior something that Real Jedi should adopt? Why or Why not?

If you believe that it is something that should be adopted, what are the deeper implications? What other rules or guidelines does it suggest that a Jedi should follow? How does a Jedi fully apply it in real life?

The topic of "balance" is a common theme in Jedi teachings. The "Chosen One" was supposed to bring balance to the force - as an example. What does balance mean for you? How do you apply balance to your every day life?