Finding the Balance

I have been in conflict with myself over this issue and someone helped to clear it up a little bit. Though I have a few questions if one of the higher ranked members wouldn't mind answering it for me.

From some of the topics I've read, I've come to the understanding that the Force is neutral. There is no light or dark side to it. Peoples intentions and actions are what dictate if they are Sith or Jedi.

My question is this, if someone who has studied both Jediism and Sithism and has is trying to find the Balance between the two, can they still become a member of the Clergy?

One of my primary goals is to become a member of the Clergy as well as a Knight.

I would appreciate any assistance people can give me.

Thank you and MTFBWY all.

~Randall Silvermane

Harmony my friend,

To me, the force is all about balance. Negative and positive, yin and yang. I appreciate that question, though I cannot answer it directly through experience because I have only been here this past week. But you have me as a mediator and an open ear if you so wish it.

May the force be with you friend,

~Orvis

I agree with Orvis. I think the whole idea of the light and dark side of the Force was a concept developed for the movie because many stories are based on the whole "good vs. evil" concept. In reality, I don't think there is a light side and dark side to the Force. It just is what it is. We all have light and darkness within us, and really life is about finding balance. No matter what we do, even if we have the best intentions, our actions will seem "evil" or "wrong" to someone.

The goal is to move beyond either Jedi or Sith.

Thank you all. That does help.

Vesha, that is one of my favorite quotes from Bruce Lee and it makes perfect sense for this topic.

Orvis, I appreciate that. I will absolutely utilize your knowledge and wisdom.

May the Force be with you all.

Randall Silvermane

The Force is never 'out-of-balance', but it doesn't "balance" itself either. Balance is another human construct whereby we want things to be smooth ... Stormy seas are in fact 'balanced' regardless of their apparent violence - the crests and troughs of the waves, their heaving and falling with the undulating movements are in harmony with the racing of the wind and the ever so slowly sculpted contours of the terrain above and below the sea ... There is 'balance', albeit a dynamic one -- it is not 'smooth' from a human perspective.

So too, Life as guided by the Force, heaves and falls, races and reposes, alternates between calm and storm, fire and snow, life and death ... A 'forever' summer would not be balanced, nor would an everlasting winter ; even the periods change in duration, but the balance is kept.

Ergo -- yes, even if you have high and low spots in Life - perhaps especially because of them - you could be integrated into the Clergy. Being 'clergy' does not imply a stead-fast and unbreakable integrity - for clergy need other clergy for spiritual maintenance as well -, it implies simply fostering a connexion to others in a more open and understanding way. If one were to not experience the miseries that one can fall to, how could one ever bring a compassionate understanding to another who is feeling them ?

One does not need to seek 'balance' ... just know that the balance takes care of itself. At the etymological root of the word "faith" is an Indo-European term which simply meant "stay calm, wait". Things change. As with the rising and falling tides and the alternating seasons, there is balance throughout.

Finding Balance

I have no experience with Star Wars. I have never seen it; although, i do have holds at the library.
Personally, i don’t care for boxing up humans in labeled packages, nor do i believe in “arriving” at a particular destination so that I never have to feel again or so that I can have control over everything.
I do believe in getting to know thyself and being responsible for self as an ongoing process; hence, better choices and more natural living.

Some of the reasons I am still at the TotJo:

*it‘s not based on role-playing; although, there is a lot of playing around and expressing in terms of roles

*recognizes that humans are physical, mental, spiritual and that opposing “forces” exist on each plane

*man’s dualistic nature is accepted as normal and natural

*the Force is defined as unbiquitous (everywhere – all the time), metaphysical

*the Doctrine doesnt seem to be embraced by the ranks as “good” over “evil” but more so a manner of being to so that each can function with and support each other in the TotJo and in their personal lives.

*while paths of study and discipline are quite variant amongst the ranks, i see a genuine devotion to the inherent worth of all humans.

*personal responsibility is not only encouraged, but also demonstrated by the ranks. In my short time here, i have frequently seen them clarify themselves, admit mistakes, and laugh at themselves versus “pulling rank”

Walking, just taking steps forward(or backwards, and even side to side I imagine), is a series of losing and regaining ones balance.

In the end it all boils down to who you are. Many people like to believe that there is only good and evil (Jedi or Sith) But in reality we are trying to just walk the path in the middle, to see both sides. Some people will learn more towards the good side and others to the bad side. Sometimes we are unable to walk that thin line by ourselves and need help from others. I guess a lot of this has been already said.