Death and the Force

Ok Here is part one. First 3 pages of notes typed up into one page summary. This includes multiple opinions. So that is why there appears to be 4 different opinions.
Part 2 and 3 will be a little later, I still have more notes to go over and I am under the weather right now. I hope you all enjoy.

---

There is no death there is the force. The last line of the Code. Think about that, not just because it sounds cool, but because it is amusing, it’s mysterious, it has wisdom and it has the most important thing of all truth. While truth is subjective and often that is frustrating, it also can apply to multiple people of multiple walks of life.

I spoke to my congregation about this and there will be a few different viewpoints. I will color it with some of my own and hopefully truth will be presented that you all can identify with.

Death is a part of life; it is a never ending cycle. Things will die, other things will be born. There will be death, it is a constant, when plants and animals die they fertilize the earth to make better soil, then that soil feeds plants which feed animals, we eat animals and eventually we die as well. It means that we are all part of life always. This related to the force, it is in all things, when we return to the force we eventually reside in all things. We are always apart of life and thus, in an odd sense, alive.

Death is not true, it is a factor of life, there is an afterlife, the force is the universal fabric of life, it is the medium between life and the afterlife. It brings people from the end of one to the beginning of the other. In essence, death is a cosmic sign to the force to bring another soul to the next life.

Death is a shade of life, while our body degrades our mind becomes one with the force, heaven and hell maybe the destination, but souls often wish to remain for a while. Hence ghosts, the force bind all things together, and thus the consciousness, the souls can attempt to help or communicate or observe life until they move on.

Some see death as a stalker, I see death as a friend. A reminder that there is a point when we can not turn back, a reminder to enjoy life; all the gifts the force has given the universe should not be taken for granted. In death all people, especially Jediist should look back at their life and be able to leave with honor, love and respect for themselves. Death offers us this chance to examine our life and make peace with it. There are groups that worship death, not for the purpose of killing, but because death in making life finite, gives us motivation for purpose and action. Death is a friend.

Death affects us. While our body may dies. The Force assures we will have eternal life in one way or another.

Death and the Force - Part 2 - Death is a Part of life.

Some of my students thought that this odd. They see a part of the code, make half joking references to episode 5 and 6, then brushed it off.

If we look at the buddists: thier version of death is positive. we are all reborn as something else, in the case of His Holiness The Dalai Lama , the same thing. A spiritual leader. Not the negative version many of us know from our upbringing.

As Jediists, we see that there is something after our physical death. Whether it is heaven, hell, rebirth, apparitions, or returning to mingle with the everlasting force some call the universe.

I mentioned in the introductory post that death is worshipped in some groups as the path of the good. They speak to death, drink from a skull, and toast to a good life. Not in hopes of killing themselves, but in hopes that at the end of their lives, that death will smile on them. To be more specific, it is that at death, they can look apon their lives, see more good than bad, more love than hatred, more enlightenment than ignorance, more bravery than cowardace, most of all they can see more of a legacy in their good works.

It is not wise to fear death, as fear will paralyze you in the face of what you may have to do. It may sound dramatic, but there are times when you have to stand toe to toe with death and say, "not yet." This applies to everyone differently. One of my congregation is a law enforcement officer and has to say that everytime they pull their weapon. For myself, in the medical field, death is like a co-worker. Sometimes death works, sometimes we do enough to stop death. When someone returns to the Force though, prayers are uttered silently, they are treated with respect and death shows them to the next stage. Some people are depressed, some people have families, at times it is easier to give up. Looking at death and envisioning your life, it can have a strengthening effect on someone.

Seeing death as a peer instead of this unseen force you can't defeat empowers a person. A jedi must be empowered against death. I am impressed by this quote from a friend who I would classify as a darker grey jedi, but he has his moments, "In darkness, the dark side... evil.. sadness... pain runs rampant, even in ourselves. However, in the presence of the smallest amount of light, all of that is pushed back, a foothold for love, happiness and stength is gained. Its not immidiate, but it is a fact."

I challenge those of you reading this to look at your own life the next time you meditate, bring forth those times when you had to fight upstream, hand over fist, in the cold, when you had that small light and brought yourself back. Even if you were given help by a friend. How did you feel? How did you make it through? What inspired you? Then look at your life like that. Take a giant step back and see how you do against all things/people that challenge you. The way we live, our life, our choices, our actions, those are what WE judge OURSELVES by. Connected to the Force and with common sense, we can feel the basics between right and wrong.

That clarity, that all-encompassing vision is what it is like, in my opinion, of how death views us.

In summary of this second section:
Death deserves respect, in ways we should try to be like the grim reaper. Keep our head in the here and now, whilst seeing the big picture.
Fear blinds you, inhibits your actions and thoughts.
Death when looked at in a certain point of view can inspire great acts of nobility, kindness, wonder and love.

Not to discount things you just said, but I see life and death as one in the same. All opposites, good and bad, dark and light, etc., are all one. Because to experience one is to know the other. Thus they arise simultaneously.

Streen wrote: I see life and death as one in the same. All opposites, good and bad, dark and light, etc., are all one. Because to experience one is to know the other. Thus they arise simultaneously.

I think that was well said... "to experience one is to know the other." And for some reason I am reminded of the story of Adam and Eve. Before they were expelled from the Garden of Eden they did not know death. Do you think they "experienced" life? Or, a better way of saying it, do you think they appreciated life?

Once the deed was done, I wonder if Adam felt he lost something when he was introduced to life and death and no longer just was? Or do you think he felt some kind of relief knowing that there were other pieces to the puzzle?

Of course, I use this as a story that most know. A hypothetical that many can relate to. I am not saying that it is or isn’t true. Just wanted to focus on the “hypothetical” perceptions of an individual that most of us have heard the story behind.

From a biological point of view there can be life without death (e.g. the life of one-celled organisms such as bacteria and amoeba, that do fulfill all criteria to be living beings by the biological definition, but do not exactly die in mitosis). But then again, biology's definition of life doesn't require consciousness most people assume to have, so there may be more to life than science shows us

[subjective opinion]
As for the last code line: It is supposed to help us deal with death, not to teach there is none or that it is a part of life. Of course there is death, it just shouldn't take the place of the Force in a Jedi's mind and thus lead the Jedi to grief and suffering of any sort.
[/subjective opinion]

my 2 cents

the only truth

the only tru thing in every life is... if you born, you will die, no matter what
everything that born, eventually die, what happen in the middle, is up to you.

the force, (for me) a kind of energy everything have, in,and all around.

energy, never die, it mutate/transform, and that's it.

the energy when you are alive, is in and around your body, but, when your body die, it change, it mutate, and become part of ??? the force, the main creation energy, so
because that, there is no dead, energy, never die.....
your body, is just a temporary container used by the force.
take care about the container, and prepare your force.

666 wrote: my 2 cents

the only truth

the only tru thing in every life is... if you born, you will die, no matter what
everything that born, eventually die, what happen in the middle, is up to you.

I wish it were all "up to me" if it were, id be filthy stinking rich, and there would be a TOTJO theme park and rides for all the kiddies...all jokes aside. There's ALOT of crap that happens in life that is beyond our control. I suppose how we handle things is within that realm, I dont know, a father is at risk fir being held on murder charges because he shot and killed the drunk who just killed his boys, maby we're not always in control as much as we would like to think so, my point is, lets not generalize life as if its something you can put in a box on a shelf in the closet somewhere.

There is some may believe scientific proof of a soul. Which would seem to infer that there is life after death.


http://www.paranexus.org/index.php?action=blog&bact=memberart&member=465&blogid=13&article=111&where=Member_Article

http://www.snopes.com/religion/soulweight.asp

'Afterlife' feels 'even more real than real,' researcher says

By Ben Brumfield, CNN

Br. John wrote: 'Afterlife' feels 'even more real than real,' researcher says

By Ben Brumfield, CNN

Near death isn't afterlife though, is it? We can't study "afterlife" that's why there's so much speculation about it.

(couldnt load cnn, read it there instead: http://www.ktvq.com/news/afterlife-feels-even-more-real-than-real-researcher-says/ )