The Block

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.

https://www.templeofthejediorder.org/doctrine

Let us start Monday and this week opening a can of worms. 
We are Jedi
We believe in the Force.


One of the things we also share is the fact that we believe that the Force connects all living things and we also believe in the inherent worth of all living things.

The Force does not ask for our ability...

Why is that? Why does the Force not know what I can do? Doesn't the Force know how vital I AM ?  This is said jokingly. 

But this is the very idea that is dangerous and almost menacing.

To be available is to be in the present moment.

Most times, what we think is not what is present.

Humans have a hard time dwelling in the present moment.
We always think about the future or the past.

It takes active practice.

So today, I wish to share this idea, Jedi are not individualist or even individuals. If it is the Force and the understanding we seek, then it is not us or our own understanding we seek.

We do not seek, us.
We do not seek our own way.
We strive to understand our thought, feeling and will. Jedi teaching 5
We strive.
Something happens when we try to learn what humility and selfless is on our own, without aid from the outside.

This day in age, we have heard so many things about doing your own thing or that it is ok to be yourself. It is. I encourage people to understand who they are.

Do you know what is present when you are present?

Do you know the level of love and mercy and hate and pain that is you? Do you understand, you?

What can happen is we begin to try.

There is nothing wrong with our try's.

We have a saying on the farm, no one tries harder than we do. But this is a dangerous thought, really.

9 times out  of ten, I am going to muddle something.

It is ok.

The idea is to take some time to understand what we really do here as Jedi.

"  In opening to The Force, Its capabilities flow through us."
We are Instrumental.

When this word hit my mind, heart and will, it changed me. Instrumental. 

How does one be instrumental to the Force?
Here is where we all enter.
We can have every intention to do "good" or well enough. Our intentions can be helpful even.

But as a living thing connected to everything that lives, my own thoughts, feelings and will are but a small part of the entire flow.
So why is it that we think we know it all and are better suited to understand what, "everybody " needs??
This is a dangerous spot to dwell, when we think we wield the Force. When this happens, it ceases to be the Force, and it becomes a force of our own.

Most days, our clear intention or our own will can become what hinders the natural flow of things
.
Rather than a flow, we can become the obstruction in the flow.
It happens all the time.


To be present is the way to be more than what we think our clear intention is.
What is the selfless path one can take?
Where does sacrifice and bliss enter a Jedi's life? What is sacrifice and bliss?
​Selfless can be described as the quality of thinking more about the needs, happiness, etc. of other people than about your own
It can be - less selfish. Less full of one's ego.

One of the best examples of selfless I have is to take a cup and dump it out. The wanting to fill it is what can be unlearned. We, with a full cup, can be the same as an empty cup. Be with the cup.

Our own ego is the hardest thing to understand.

When we begin to understand this, we can see it.

When we see it, realize it is not the Force.
Know the Force does not want to do what you want. Thankfully, the Force does not want what I want this morning.
It is not as selfish as I am
There is no intention like I have.

My encouragement to every Jedi is to be present. In this moment, you can be instrumental. Or you could just get in the way and call it the Force.
This happens.
Jedi do.
Jedi do what?


Remove your intention and understand it, when you do, you will realize it is not the Force. There will be a quiet silence when this happens. Take it.

To force one's presence or ideas is where we know we do not want to be. To force the Force to our limits is not of the Force. The only way the Force reaches all is some days to remove myself from the equation. Then I am instrumental to those present.

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

May the Force be with you all,
Pastor Carlos

Great sermon, thank you. we have a similar hermetic concept - following your true will, or THE WILL - thank you for this master pastor. 
be instrumental 

Discretion - For the Jedi, discretion is the better part of valor. Indeed, agency without discretion comes invariably to a tragic end. True wisdom is found in knowing when to raise the eyebrow, rather than the voice or the sword.
The line comes from Shakespeare’s play, Henry IV Part 1, Act V Scene 4

Good morning Jedi everywhere

May the Force be with you all, wherever you may be.

Today is Monday and the start of a new week for some.

I always recommend, if you like, wake up, have something to drink hot or cold and read in the mornings.

If you pray, I do not, but if you do, morning time is a good time to start off the day.

The beginning of the day is best to start the day.

Start your day how you see fit but do have a place to start.

As Jedi, we do not pray to the Force.

Think, contemplate.


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.

Teaching 2

Meditation and contemplation is our goal.
You would be foolish to act like a hero if it is going to disadvantage you and it’s better to stop yourself if an action you would like to take is going to hurt you.
There is a warning in the tales we relay to one another.
There is a reason for such elaborate stories and myth we share.
"Master Yoda says I should be mindful of the future" "but not at the expense of the moment."
This is a quote from the Phantom Menace.
It is one of the first lines in the movie.
Discretion is said to be: 
The quality of behaving or speaking in such a way as to avoid causing offense or revealing private information. It has the meaning of acting on one's own authority and judgment.
The freedom to decide what should be done in a particular situation.
This is the better part of valor.
Discernment is the ability to see and understand people, things, or situations clearly and intelligently: an act of perceiving or discerning something 
to distinguish mentally; recognize as distinct or different.
Distinguish the difference.
Discernment can be cultivated.
It can be developed.
It can be practiced by practicing it.

One of my own and a big block in the road is one's path is often the idea of our own discernment.
Find someone you know who can distinguish the differences. 

Here in lays the dilemma of the modern time.
How does one who seeks, find what they need?
How do we find the differences in discernment if we do not know there is ever a need?
We will not.
This is a danger in never asking for aid or help.

ENTER THE MENTOR (Stage right, or left)

One of the things a mentor can help us is to see what is not, us.

They can get us out of our own boxes of thought or trains of flow.

Intentionally. Mentors do this,

Willingly or unknowingly, this is the flow of things often.


We want to be able to see the bigger picture. 
To be able to distinguish the bigger picture.

Often times we seek the "Elixir" from one another. What is the elixir, you have it I know it!

One of the elixirs in life is discernment.

There is a recipe or a formula normally we seek and then, the form is left behind to find exactly what we seek.

We know when understanding is present.

This takes very little practice to notice.

But we can tell when it is present.

Find the honor or the discernment you would like to learn.

One of the symbols of this is our plastic representation of a light saber. The sword.

No weapon or symbol is quite like the sword in a way that it has the standing potential to reveal what type of honor is present, if any.

So today, I ask all Jedi everywhere, do we have discernment? Do we have the space for it or are we working on it right now? 

Is there someone training us or is it one of our own focuses? Do we strive to understand what we are doing? Do we know anyone who has this certain elixir in life?
Do we, have it?

Can we share it, and will others take it? hmm ?

I hope that this time together pokes your thoughts, feeling and will a bit.

Discretion - For the Jedi, discretion is the better part of valor. Indeed, agency without discretion comes invariably to a tragic end. True wisdom is found in knowing when to raise the eyebrow, rather than the voice or the sword.

Any questions or comments?
Find someone who has what you seek or want to cultivate.
Know what you want to seek.
Discretion is a key idea to the Jedi and to the human being.

How do you tell the difference with everything?

Practice and find those who act differently.
Otherwise, it's just the same thing all the time.
I am here to answer any questions or gripes, complains or just to chat.
Discretion is advised during the holidays. 
May the Force be with you all -
Pastor Carlos

Fairness - The ability to rise above prejudice, all virtue is summed up in fairness. Indeed, lack of fairness is essentially a mark of weakness.

What is fairness?
What is our concept or what we know of fairness? 
To a Jedi, what is fair mean?

Definition: impartial and just, without favoritism or discrimination.

Can we make choices without favoritism or discrimination? Do we know anyone like this? 

Favoritism is defined as the practice of giving unfair preferential treatment to one person or group at the expense of another.

Can/do we recognize and understand the difference between one thing and another?
Presently, we live in a climate where it is easy to bunch things up in smaller groups to keep track of. It is much more common to go with the flow than take the time to understand things.

But this is our reminder.

What is the level of fairness you give?
Can the level of fairness you know presently, be changed?

I can share with you this, I often side or go with the ideas that suite me or I understand well enough. I normally do not go with something I do not understand.
The reminder today is to check what and who we are giving our " FAIR SHARE " to.
What is fair in our own vocabulary and how do we use it?
Do we understand it enough to adjust where we need it?
How do we adjust our own ideas of fairness?
Find example of the fairness you seek.
Can we ever reach a place where everything is fair and without blame or intention?
To every Jedi here today and for those who will be joining later, check what you think is fair.
Is it? Has time passed by and things changed?

Has your idea or level of fairness changed since you first began your journey? Have you developed your own understanding of fairness at all?

Have you taken the time to talk to a mentor about it and better yet, do you know anyone who exhibits this elixir of fairness?

I encourage every Jedi to take the time to contemplate our Maxims. They can begin a train of thought or action that will not be quenched or can grow to ideas we did not know were capable.

As we put these in our thoughts, feelings, and will, they WILL change us. 
Examining our own value of fairness, changes the landscape of our path. It can.
What do you think is fair? Is it? By which standards or who taught you that was fair?
Is fairness always equal? Is it always equal in portion of events?
I know, as a child, I understood that I was under the impression, nothing was fair. I was taught this by my parents and mentors, unaware.
One thing I have learned as a Jedi is that everything is in motion. Nothing is still or stale. Life has a flow, always.
Some days the flow of things can collect or even over accumulate.

This is why it is so important to grow and learn. Ask questions of those who are your mentors.
Think about this, can we give out our thoughts, feeling and will without our self-interest, favoritism or prejudice?

This is where I leave you.
I hope that the idea of our own value of fairness can be developed into so much more than what we know.
Check on your value of fairness.
Have a working understanding of it.
We live in a world and a time where there is so much "I" or ego centered moments in life.
Let us change a few outcomes from what we are prone to seeing and add the Force to things and to our life.
Add the Force to your idea of fairness.
Is what you think fair is, actually without prejudice, self-interest or favoritism?

It is still in the realm of human possibility for me to understand further what true fairness is. Some days, true fairness is NOT what I want to see.
Let us think on these things. Our fairness or what we think is fair in our path, where does that come from? Can we ever develop the ability to develop our own concept of fairness?
If you ever want to chat about your own ideas of fairness, I am here on a DM or here in this space.
Is what we think "fair" is truly fair and to whom or what? Are we in the way to a level of intrusion on the idea of fair?
Something to think about, are we fair as Jedi, as who we are? Wherever we are?
May the Force be with you this week and today
Pastor Carlos

Charity - In brightening everything on which it shines, Charity is love in action. We live on what we are given but build our lives on what we give.
Good day Jedi everywhere
It is time for Monday morning Meditations!

Todays Meditation is the reminder to think on the 15th Maxim. Charity.

Some people translate and define charity.

I found a few definitions, just for the occasion.

Now, I do not do this to define the word or say" This is what it means and nothing else!" NO

This is never the meaning of why I use definitions of words in explanations or conversation.

Definitions are a good starting point.

So that being said, Charity can be an organization set up to provide help and raise money for those in need:

Charity can also mean the voluntary time giving of help, to those in need:

Charity is the voluntary provision of assistance to those in need regardless of value of assistance.

Here is another part of charity as well. Charity can also mean the kindness and tolerance in judging others.

Good day Jedi everywhere!

Charity has a very WIDE range of usage. 

Back in my youth, I thought charity was a "Church Word" and only existed in religion.

Boy was I in for some "learning" and " unlearning."

Guest DaniellaHayes — Today at 6:03 AM
I often quote the "You must unlearn what you have learned" because of similar thoughts


You are so on it! That phrase is one of the hardest things I have had to understand. What is unlearnable and what is not.

What can I adjust or cultivate and into what?

This is a very important question to ask oneself.

Charity - In brightening everything on which it shines, Charity is love in action. We live on what we are given but build our lives on what we give.

 
According to this reminder, there is darkness in the world. There is a very automatic selfishness that exist when we begin this journey. We find it in each of us. We all have it. Charity is a way to see things in this darkness.

Charity is sometimes the focus on  the "not me but others" and the "need of others."

Now, a very clear-cut caution, you can care and give too much.

Compassion fatigue is a very real thing.

It can kill you. No joke.

Guest DaniellaHayes — Today at 6:06 AM
I was about to say, there is a balance there. I work with multiple charity organizations, and I find that I have to remember to take time for myself.


That is a great fire to return to.

I light that fire often

but then, how do we grow charity or the understanding of it?

Why even worry about charity?

Why even worry?

It is the worry part we must be careful of as well.

Worry can lead us into places we may need help out of.

I will tell you, looking out for old "number one" is the opposite of charity.

Charity can come in so many different levels in life.

It does.

It comes from everywhere.

It can come from anywhere

The most explained part I am used to is money so let's get that out of the way. 

A form of charity is to give money or credits where some do not have.

Some pay bills or other things as such. 

Some just flat out give money and say," use it how you see fit."

We have bills as a Temple. We take money. We say thank you.

The love of things can be a hindrance, and money is one thing everyone gets preached at in media or in religion and even the news.

Money money money money

ok - so give money to those who do not have it.

There is a common and general " Don't be greedy" that is around everyone most time. Most time.

But this is a good reminder as well, don't be greedy.

This is from my own reflections, but this is what I was spoon fed and thought charity was:
Giving money to people, places or originations that have a current need or a way to pay. To fit a bill. To pay the debt you do not owe.

Yes, this is part but only one part. Charity can also mean our actions with each other in our thoughts, feelings and will.


Give accommodation in these three spaces of your life for charity.

Apply and see how charity can change the way we think, feel and even "will" things.

Watch how it changes entire worlds and circles of influences.

Your circles. 

Watch how it changes your world.

Be carful, such things bring about change. If you are not ready, don't do it.

I will give a quick example.

Applying charity to each other can change the dynamic of things.

Where are the dark spots in our path?

One of the lights that can be given is, well, charity.

Check your proverbial "charity light."

Is it on? Does it work? Is it even functioning?

Charity is the volunteered provisions we give to one another.

There are dark places and even unknown places in life.

We all have them

Shed some light, some actual light.

Charity - In brightening everything on which it shines. Charity is love in action. We live on what we are given but build our lives on what we give.

Ever wonder what "light" we can shine? This is one of the lights we can shine.

And it is not limited to just currency.

Give charity in your thought.

Give charity in your feelings.

Give charity to your will.

Give charity to each other.

Charity moves mountains and life's when we give it to one another and null the judgments between us.

Thank you for the time to share a Maxim.

Guest DaniellaHayes — Today at 6:25 AM
Thank you for your thoughts on this. It's a good thing to remember. 
When you mentioned other ways for charity, my first thought was time and energy. I volunteer with a group that gives clothes, food, and hygiene products to homeless people. I also work with one where we do minor car repairs for people who can't afford them. Stuff like lights and fluid top offs.
In both of those I don't give money, I only volunteer my time and energy.

Master Rev. Carlos (Pastor) — Today at 6:26 AM
Nice, I will tell you the truth. If it were not for some ones mercy or charity some days, I would have been found myself without a paddle and up a creek so many times.

Charity can be a glue for humanity.

Guest DaniellaHayes — Today at 6:29 AM
I do find that it's easy to get lost in the work and forget to balance things, and burnout is a thing. Sometimes though it's easy to tip the balance scales too far in the other direction. It takes time to get better at balancing.

Master Rev. Carlos (Pastor) — Today at 6:31 AM
When everything is in motion, balance can be difficult to maintain. Which balance is the one you need? Which is the one we are currently in need of time with? This is why reflection is needed. This is why it is important to know who your mentors are as well.

To find one who has the elixir of charity is not a easy task.

I am grateful for those who take the time for these things and to be able to express them.

Guest DaniellaHayes —
I am too. I have been helped plenty, and I like to help where I can.

Master Rev. Carlos (Pastor) — 
The hope is that I can give charity as freely as I can give money.

The hope is we all have some degree of charity in us and not just in the money part.

I am an old restaurant owner and an old bartender, I tip. It comes with all the math.

Thats not what I am talking about.

It is the seeing of the need.

AND what to do with that "need."

If we are not careful, it can drain and tear down as much as it can build up.

There is a healthy degree of charity we can find.

We can maintain healthy levels and degrees of these things as well.

My encouragement today, on a Monday, is to know what level you are at in your own understanding of charity.

Where does it take you and what do you shine when you shine THIS light on others?

Without charity, there is darkness, think about that.

May the Force be with you all today and this week. I am here all day via DM if you have a need or invitations to a party or a dance.

Pastor Carlos