The Block

    “8. Humility - Our perpetual trial is humility. We understand our agency is not solely from us, but through us: it is of The Force. In feeling The Force in ourselves, we see It in everyone and everything.”  

Jedi are not individualists. We strive to understand our thoughts, feelings and will. We cultivate an understanding of these things. Reflection can be the time we realize where our will and that of others conflict or align.  What we look for or try to cultivate is not ours. We believe in the Force. The Force is not our thoughts, feelings or will. This connection does not come from us.   In this, you may get lost. Expect to not understand everything the first time. What dwells within us, is not us. It is not our own feelings, nor is it our own thoughts and it is not our own will. It is the return that everything returns to.   We all want to be a part of something. We all want to experience life.  This is a part of our will. Humility is a balance we can have. It can be learned and taught but it must begin with us. We must have examples.

One of many, is the story of Daedalus, the architect, and his son, Icarus.    At a young age I met someone who taught me a great deal, but who was never actually a teacher of mine. He was the hall monitor at my school, and a self-proclaimed misfit. That is where we interacted. There is where the story of Daedalus and Icarus was planted. I would hear him tell me often, "go to class Icarus.” or “don't fly too high this weekend Icarus”. It upset me so much that I grew to dislike mythology at a young age. There was always some mystery or some secret that everyone was not telling me. As the years went on, my understanding and references to the Greek myths grew. I found others who knew much more than me. He started in me what now cannot be quenched. I learned more from these myths than just bedtime stories. In the collection of the human possibility, dwells a hubris we can take the time to understand.  Daedalus was an architect. A good one as well. He could make anything and they often asked him to do just that. Poseidon gave King Minos a gift. A white bull for sacrifice. What a gift. Instead of using it, he kept it for himself and committed another bull for the sacrifice. Poseidon was upset and cursed his wife to lust for the bull rather than her husband. In this state, she asked the architect for aid in her desires. He did. He constructed a wooden cow for her and she conceived a son. It was half man, half beast; and it wreaked havoc on all the land of Crete. King Minos, disgusted and ashamed, ordered a prison be built for this monster, a maze, from which he could not escape and Daedalus was there to create such a device. During this time, Theseus walks into the scene and falls in love with King Minos’ daughter, Ariadne. Theseus volunteers to take someone's place, as one of the sacrifices to the beast. With the instructions given to him by Ariadne from the architect, “Always go forwards, always down, and never left or right", and a ball of yarn; he entered the labyrinth. At the heart of the maze is where the fight takes place and the monster is slain. Theseus, victorious, leaves Crete with the King’s daughter.  Knowing that Theseus was only successful due to instructions from the architect, King Minos imprisoned Daedalus and his son, Icarus, in a tower. The King was afraid he knew too much. Daedalus, determined to be free, constructed wings that he strapped to his and Icarus’ arms and together, they escaped from the tower. His instructions to his son, “while in flight, do not fly too high or too low”. Forgetting the warning Icarus flies too close to the sun and melts the wax holding the wings together, to which he falls and drowns. Daedalus lands safely on an island and in grief he names the ocean after his son.   

There are times I remind myself of Icarus and of Daedalus. We have these great things in the Force. Yet, when we act, we think we wield or are in charge of everything in the moment, we can even forget the warnings.    There is a level of pride and flow in the experience that we can easily get caught up in. We have this treasure but it is not from us. We do not wield it. We cannot claim ownership.  Our pride and humility are two things we take into consideration when developing our understanding.   We think, we feel and we act.  Give your pride and humility your present attention.   Ask questions, journal your findings.    There is a hubris that dwells in us. There is a pride that comes with what we understand. It is natural but it can also be a danger.  It is when it comes in excess, it can become dangerous and even blinding. To dwell in abandon is menacing.    “Jedi practise non-attachment, maintaining an awareness that the cycles of creativity and renewal in the Force give rise to phenomena as others pass away.”    Know what you are attached to and how. Practice non-attachment.   The Force is the center flow. It is the center connection. We return to its flow. We enter here. In this idea or flow, we have no control over it. This flow is not mine, nor is it yours. It connects all living things. It connects religions, myths, and even people who will never meet.    

Let it go.  

 There is no authority in this flow I can harbor or claim. Do not claim any of the flow. We cannot. It is not our thoughts, feelings or will.  Over time or even instantly, something happens to us.    Complacency happens and pride. Complacency is not of the present moment. For me, little grows while I am complacent.    "A trait more common among Jedi, too sure of themselves, even the older, more experienced ones." Yoda  No one uses the Force. We can be instruments. It is through us, it flows. It is not us.        “8. Humility - Our perpetual trial is humility. We understand our agency is not solely from us, but through us: it is of The Force. In feeling The Force in ourselves, we see It in everyone and everything.”   I hope each Maxim comes with its own weight of thought. Keep in mind, we are to take this with us. Take this with you as you start the week or the day. Having Maxims helps. Remember, we are not in charge or we do not wield anything. It can flow through us.   

Good morning.

Today's subject is what is meditation and contemplation?

Jedi teaching 2 states that , "To be in balance, the Jedi practise clarity of mind. Aware that representations of the world can cloud our understanding, the Jedi centre their awareness through the practice of meditation and contemplation. "

What is the difference in contemplation and meditation?

Think about this, can anyone say, "When I began to meditate and give myself the time to do it, I started knowing exactly what I know now." Meditation is a time needed practice. It does take some time to practice it.

Meditation is about letting go of things

Contemplation is about lingering on thoughts.

Meditation can be used to cultivate a nonjudgmental awareness of things.

One of the goals of contemplation is to explore a topic in more feeling or depth.

We are reminded that we need both.

There are MANY examples of meditation that are not meditation but actually contemplation.

When we think out this, how often do we actually meditate?

One idea is to keep thinking and the other is to stop thinking. To think and let a few things go. The idea is to feel and understand our feelings.


" I most definitely should more often but sometimes it's hard to find the time." 

It is

Each of these two examples takes MIND TIME.
Thinking time.
Make time to think.
You will not regret it.
That is kind of the idea; to know we need that span of time.

If left alone, the natural way of things is often to not make the time for thinking. We just act.

This" Just act" does come from somewhere. For me, it was taught very subtlety.

Everything I was taught growing up was to act or fake it till you make it.

That is the available opposite of contemplation and meditation.




There were two monks sitting together in a meditation session. One monk looks over at the other in their robes and crossed legs and says... THIS is it? to which the other replies, yup, THIS is it.

Guest Timotheus
"A warrior acts, a fool only reacts"


Even then, there are levels of what we think a warrior is. There is this idea that exist, we are all warriors, but we rarely understand it. We, tend to want some grand big thing when in reality, its just the silence in the sea of tranquility we all spend time in.

We all want to experience life.

There is a need we all have that is all on its own.
Our ego wants to be the main focus point. 

The present moment is a gift. In the present moment, every living thing is connected.

True meditation dwells in the present moment and is just as fleeting.


Contemplation gets called meditation all too often.

Structured thought or moderated guides is not meditation.

If I were to tell you how, it would nullify it. Is that not weird?

But that is what we are subject to.

That's why it is so important to know what we do. We call it meditation most time, but our actions are contemplation.
We pick subjects and "flows" or forms of contemplation.
Here is the fun part as well, one can turn into the other. Meditation can turn into contemplation as contemplation can turn to meditation.
It is very possible we can begin meditation through contemplation.

It is my hope we know the difference. That is all.


Contemplation seems more enlightening after meditation.


I like to use tools that are clean and intact. I often forget tools in the rain, or I misplace them.

This causes them to need time before I use them.

Dust off the tools you have.

Dust off your meditation and your contemplation, like tools of thought, feeling and will.

Maintain them.

Know which is which and how to use them.

I often use the metaphor," Put this in your pipe and smoke it," or " add this fire to your hearth"

The idea is to let things have their time and space.

Think.

Yes

Practice meditation for letting things go.

Journal

Journal your findings. Journaling IS contemplation.

Journaling is a secret to life.

Thinking and understanding what we write is contemplation. The result of this action is Meditation.

I recommend every Jedi and every person take the time to understand which you do more often than the other.

In contemplation, we find understanding. It is exciting but it is also inside.

If it has methods, it is meant to lead to a place where we can understand we have no need of it.

Find it, so we can release it.

Authority is needed till we develop past it.

This goes for meditation and contemplation.

Think, do not think. Balance. This is where it exist.

And the goal is to develop past it

Meditation can be done anywhere and everywhere.


It does take time to get it going and it does take time to get past a few things we think we know.

The idea is to practice often and MAKE the time for it so one day, it will be welcome on its own.

It does manifest itself but so does joy and pain. Be careful what we call meditation and contemplation.

It is an aid to us but be careful what is available. Just think about it. If it involves thought and is led, it is contemplation. It is not that hard.


So contemplate contemplation? 


Ha!

Yea, it does sound like that.

But that is the idea.

Practice.

The more we practice, the more we frequent things, the more they become a part of us.

The more we let go, the easier it becomes.

We have to practice letting go.
Think and let meditation take its course. Give it the space.
The idea is to be genuine. Be genuine in what you do.
Understand what and why we do these things. In that, we find each other.
I hope this is a small encouragement to take the time to know what we actually do. Do we meditate and let the connection of all living things connect us or do we WANT this feeling and fake it?
There is a huge wave of Kayfabe meditation out there.
Check your own plate or your own connections.

Do we know the difference when you do it?

Do we know the difference? Do we take the time for it?


May the Force be with you this Monday. I am here all day via DM.



" Meditation is to be aware of every thought and every feeling, never to say it is right or wrong but just to watch it and move with it. In that watching you begin to understand the whole movement of thought and feeling and out of this awareness comes silence. Silence put together by thought is stagnation, is dead, but the silence that comes when thought has understood its own beginnings, the nature of itself, understood how all thought is never free but always old. This silence is meditation in which the meditator is entirely absent for the mind has emptied itself of the past. In the understanding of meditation there is love, love is not the product of the systems of habits of following a method. Love cannot be cultivated by thought." Freedom from the Known, Jiddu Krishnamurti


"Meditation demands a astonishingly alert mind: meditation is the understanding of the totality of life in which every form of fragmentation has ceased. Meditation is not control of thought, for when thought is controlled, it breeds conflict in the mind, but when you understand the structure and origin of thought, then thought will not interfere. That very structure of thinking is its own discipline which is meditation." Jiddu Krishnamurti

Message #💆│pastors-room
 

    Agency - Jedi are active in the world, acting as people of thought, and thinking like people of action. Be aware that beliefs become thoughts, thoughts become words, words become actions, actions become habits, habits become values, and values determine destiny.

As a noun, the state of being active, usually in the service of a goal, or of having the power and capability to produce an effect or exert influence is an agency. 

With this Maxim comes the reminder of our Tenants. We have three. Here is where they can become a guide.
 
Focus is the art of pruning the irrelevant and pouring the best of your mind into what you are doing.

Knowledge can be acquired by focusing on the task at hand.


Wisdom is the sound application of accrued knowledge and experience through patient, good judgment.


Our development of this flow, creates our agency.

In this flow, you can find our beliefs become thoughts. 
Our thoughts become words.
Words become actions. 
Actions become habits. 
Habit's become values.
Values determine our destiny. 

There is a progression to this. 


I recommend we take the time to understand this flow of progression. If nothing else, give it a place to flow in our thought, feeling and will.

To see this is to have a small glimpse into the progression of this type of flow. 

My encouragement and my reminder is this Maxim we have. Make the effort to give it some space. It is still fairly new. We are thought, feeling and will and in these parts of us, place our agency here.
 
Reflection time.

Where do we get our believes from? Did we learn them or were they given to us? Are our beliefs, our own? 
Our thoughts, words, actions, habits, values are all connected to our destiny and in a the way that each of them influence one another.


Give these connections the time they need. 
Journal your findings. Find those you trust to talk with about these things. Use your mentors. Taking this time for development creates a new flow. Give the flow its space. 


May the Force be with you this week.
Pastor Carlos

Good day and time zone Jedi

May the Force be with you, wherever you may be

Let us begin todays Monday morning session.

Our Maxims take a bit to study so as you do, as we study them, I want to give a bit of encouragement today.

Let us visit a nautical term.

The term is "wake".

In boating, there is a term that is worthy of sharing.

Wake.

What is the wake I speak of? 

The wake in boating refers to the series of waves that trail behind a boat as it moves through the water.

"The surface disruption created by the vessel's forward movement.
The disturbance of water left behind by a boat as it moves through the water.
The wake can be visibly seen as a V-shaped pattern that extends outward from the rear of the boat."

Depending on the experience and the quality, each person who navigates life's paths, can have a wake coming off the boat. Our wake here is the waves that come after we have showed up or are present.

The effects of our actions can be seen.

In life, we can see the actions of our experiences in our wake. We can see where we influence and affect others in or movements of life.

Most time, I say "reflect," but this time I am reminding everyone that your actions have effect.

There is no doubt that any action we take has an equal and opposite reaction.

The evidence of our actions is in our wake.

Take some time to look around and see. Meditate and contemplate on things. Who and where does the influence of YOU dwell? Who do you come across or where does your wake go?

What type of influence are you having?

We are all connected, every living thing.

Our "wake" crosses many people and places.

This Monday, start the week with me metaphorically in the water.

Look back at what your actions are creating.

Check your wake.

There are some places in the world and in the water that ask you watch your wake or even the dreaded NO WAKE ZONE. It happens like that in life as well.

When we are present, we also leave evidence of our presence. Our wake matters some days.

The reason for this type of encouragement today is simple, we do many things in life. Everything is in motion.

We are in motion, even if we do not acknowledge it.

Where does your wake go? What is displaced or the evidence of you being present?

Be wise not to just go full throttle and as they say" Open it up." Take some time to focus and understand we influence much. Like waves, our actions reach others.

Some of us make waves and some of us are in the wake of others.

I am LIVE today

So, feel free to bring your questions, comments concerns and cares. (edited)

Check your wake, Jedi.

Check how you are influencing others.

Look back a bit.

I know I get caught up with things and with life. I need reminders to stop some days. Take this reminder to check behind you in your wake and see what is actually going on.

Check on your path, people and projects.

Realize how we are connected. Are others drowning or skiing? Is it fun or fear?

You are the coxswain of the crew. The crew meaning your life here.

You are the one who has the hands on the helm.

Check your wake.

May the Force be with you today and this week

"Ideas have been far more important to us than actions, ideas so cleverly expressed in books by the intellectual field. The more cunning, the more subtle those ideas are, the more we worship them and the books that contain them."  Jiddu Krishnamurti Freedom from the Known,

"Thought is crooked because it can invent anything and see things that are not there. It can perform the most extraordinary tricks, and therefore it cannot be depended on. But if you understand the whole structure of how you think, why you think, the words you use, the way you behave in your daily life, the way you talk to people, the way you treat people, the way you walk, the way you eat- if you are aware of these things then your mind will not deceive you , then there is nothing to be deceived." Jiddu Krishnamurti Same chapter (13) of Freedom from the Known 

https://www.templeofthejediorder.org/library

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1B-8thoRKsrBh4uYhsqnk-fRydzDksvmN/view
Google Docs
Freedom_from_the_Known.pdf


Good day and morning Jedi - wherever you may be today
We are LIVE today so if you have any questions or comments, feel free to do so.
This bit is taken from Freedom from the Known by Jiddu Knrishnamurti
It is located in our library.

Today's topic is THOUGHT

PLEASE take the time to think about how you think.

Where does our thought take us? Where does it come from? Where does it begin? 

" It is really interesting to watch the observation of ones own thinking, just to observe how one thinks, where the reaction we call thinking, springs from." Jiddu Krishnamurti



It is good to think about thinking.

It develops thinking.

The thing I want to share today is this, THINK. Contemplate.

Think about how we think,

How do we think? Did we learn that from someone or somewhere?

I have a small section of "How the human brain works" in our library.

It is important.

To understand the basics...

...is all we ask some days. To be aware of what is present. 

"A new fact cannot be seen by thought. It can be understood LATER by thought, verbally, but the understanding of a new fact is not really a thought."  Jiddu

There are times we will not understand things. That's ok.

It does take time and space for some ideas to grow.

I know I forget this often.

The Hero often forgets. Joseph Campbell.

Joseph Campbell also reminds us that "Not all who hesitate are lost."

This Monday- how do you think? Why? We can learn how these things happen and why. Take the time for them. Who/What influences your thoughts? 

It matters how and what you think. Do you know where your thoughts begin? Do you know how to plant new thoughts and maintain old ones? How do we get new thoughts? 

Agency - Jedi are active in the world, acting as people of thought, and thinking like people of action. Be aware that beliefs become thoughts, thoughts become words, words become actions, actions become habits, habits become values, and values determine destiny.


How do we get new thoughts? By examining our beliefs.

Examine your beliefs.

So, this Monday- Take the time to examine your thought proses. It is important.

Check

Any questions?
May the Force be with you.
Pastor Carlos

Capability - The Force does not ask of our ability, only our availability. In opening to The Force, Its capabilities flow through us. Indeed, clear intention is not enough, Jedi do.

This is for the Monday thoughts but what do Jedi do? See you here.

Master Rev. Carlos (Pastor) — Today at 5:28 AM
Good day Jedi everywhere

Monday Morning Maxim today. "Capability - The Force does not ask of our ability, only our availability. In opening to The Force, Its capabilities flow through us. Indeed, clear intention is not enough, Jedi do." (edited)

Good day Jedi everywhere

It is time

We are LIVE and ready for this week with a new Maxim.

Jedi do.

This line got my thought, feelings and will going.

What do the Jedi....do?

Now, we are not cinematic Jedi.

Just so you hear or read it... here we go

https://www.templeofthejediorder.org/doctrine

In this section, there is a list of teaching we have.
We do not float or shoot lightning from our fingers.
We live in the ordinary world.

The ordinary world is not so ordinary when you take the time to understand you and the world around you.

So what do the Jedi , do?

I am glad you asked.

In the Teachings is what we strive to do.

Here is what I mean.


The first and foremost service a Jedi performs is devotion to our learning.
Jedi maintain a clarity of awareness .
We feel the Force.
Jedi practise clarity of mind.
We practise non-attachment.
Jedi comprehend that we are beings of thought, feeling, and will.
We practise humility.
Jedi foster an acceptance of limitations.
We practise patience.
Jedi maintain integrity.
We practise living in universal compassion
Jedi bring only so much love, pardon, faith, hope, clarity, and joy as is necessary to restore the dynamic equilibrium in our phenomenal environment.
We cultivate empathy.
Jedi seek to return balance to that which has become tumultuous.
Jedi realise that all phenomena, including that of life itself, arise from and dissolve back into the cycles of creation and renewal of the Force.
Jedi must have the deepest commitment, the most sincere soul.

These are taken from our 16 teachings.

If you think about it and give what Jedi do some time, you may realize that we are never still or have plenty to do.

How do we do all these things and still find a balance?
I will tell you truthfully, if you think you can take all these things on one full swoop, like me, you are sadly mistaken.
There is no way we can take all of this on, is there?
As with any journey, it can begin with one step at a time.
Read all the teachings together. Keep them somewhere you can reference them. Some people write them down, some do a weekly thing.
The idea is to plant these "seeds" where you can.
These 16 teaching can be like seeds of thought.

Each of them has their own merit and their own flow. Each path is tied into one another in a way that can seem freeing or controlling.

In the vast idea that there is plenty to do, take the time to connect to one another. Take the time to check on your own path and learning.

Know your limits. This includes learning as well and our own understand of things. Some days,  I do not understand things in its whole or in the present moment. That is ok.

We do not have to know everything all the time.

Some days we must do nothing.

What do Jedi do? Well now, that is up to you.

Isn't it?

So today, I want to remind every Jedi, what do you do? Why? We can know.

Be present

Present is best. 

The Force works through us. Through us.

Capability - The Force does not ask of our ability, only our availability. In opening to The Force, Its capabilities flow through us. Indeed, clear intention is not enough, Jedi do.

Any questions, concerns or comments? Feel free to do so here.
May the Force be with you 
Pastor Carlos

The world seems to be in chaos

How much control do you really have right now in this moment?

Today Meditation is the Maxim on Self-Control.



Let us begin




Good day Jedi everywhere
May the Force be with you

I would like to give some encouragement to every Jedi available. The encouragement is you.

Self-Control - To control intention, the Jedi use The Force to tame the passions. In self-control lies the seed of freedom. We work to control our passions, lest someone exploit us through them.


Self-control is a vital aspect of human behavior that allows individuals to regulate their actions, resist temptations, and achieve long-term goals. It is linked to numerous positive outcomes in life, including better health, higher academic and professional achievements, and improved personal relationships.




One of the biggest reminders in the Jedi world is the warning of exploitation.




To use something in a way that helps you or to use someone or something unfairly for your own advantage. The White Knight is often easily blinded. It is really easy to defend your own circle or ideas. Protection is automatic but that is where we find the dilemma. This happens. is our warning and our reminder.




Want better health or a way to cultivate development? Get some self-control. Do you know your limits and triggers? What are they and where do they come from? This is why we meet.




Reflection can bring these types of things to light or to the surface.




There are many ways to pay attention to self-control.




Here are some ways I have found to be effective ways to practice self-control. 

* Know your habits.
Do you have any automatic responses?

*Create a physical fitness routine. Start one or develop one - small then routine like. Get into THAT habit.
 One that fits you specifically, make it fun and challenging.

* Mind what influences you.
 Do you understand your influences and their origins?


* Know and -write your responses to the things you want to change.
Give time and effort to this. Actually, write it down. It helps.

* Change your environment small or large.
What are you "IN?" Where do you go? What is your circle of people and influence?

* Find the values and goals you want.
Do you know what you want and do not want? This is that moment to find out., Take the time for it. Give it space.


* Choose things you can accomplish.
This is so important. If it is in the realm of human possibility, it can be done.


* Use the wisdom you have gained. The valuable stuff, the good stuff.
Do you know what is worthy of your path or not? Organize your own " life library" or all the information you have handy and available.




Self-control is universal and needed in this crazy world. It would seem the world is in chaos and in disorder. This may be the case for each of us at times in our paths, but self-control is a tool we can all have and use for our daily life's.



Self-Control - To control intention, the Jedi use The Force to tame the passions. In self-control lies the seed of freedom. We work to control our passions, lest someone exploit us through them.


Any questions, comments or concerns?
I am available today and this week for anyone able and willing.
May the Force be with you this week Jedi.
Pastor Carlos