What does being a member of the group "Jedi" mean to you?

MartaLina wrote:
I love this ! Because its not really about us is it? The Doctrine is a wonderfull guideline , but in the end its ..What can i do for others , thank you for reminding me James

I understand that philosophy but at the core of that isnt that still about improving yourself? You want to be better so you can be more for those around you? Always striving for that personal improvement so you can be a more effective leader, volunteer, aid giver etc. Its an ironic self pursuit but only so you can turn around and give that to others.

Connor L. wrote: Similarly, a Jedi friend and I have been working on training as "Sages" rather than Jedi, and there is literally zero interest when we talk to people about it.

But, when we came up with the same training program and called it a Grey Jedi training program, people went nuts and we had over 500 likes on FB within a week.

Names are extremely powerful.

Spiritual materialism is a b****.

I would agree to an extent. I must ask what demographic did you present yhis idea to? I would think if you presented this idea to a pagan oriented group they would have eaten it up because in those sorts of groups and people with those leanings that is a very powerful title. However it does also represent a specific sort of training as well so if you had tried to forklift a jedi program into the pagan community and called it sage training it would have fallen just as flat. It comes down to knowing your market and understanding their ohilosophies. So i dont think a name alone is enough.

Kyrin Wyldstar wrote:

MartaLina wrote:
I love this ! Because its not really about us is it? The Doctrine is a wonderfull guideline , but in the end its ..What can i do for others , thank you for reminding me James

I understand that philosophy but at the core of that isnt that still about improving yourself? You want to be better so you can be more for those around you? Always striving for that personal improvement so you can be a more effective leader, volunteer, aid giver etc. Its an ironic self pursuit but only so you can turn around and give that to others.

Where do you read i am not improving myself , is not that what i am doing here by studying here ? Dont put stuff in my tekst that i did not put there please.

Where do you read i am not improving myself , is not that what i am doing here by studying here ?

Now thats a question worth asking.

Improving yourself, what does that mean?

What exactly about the studies here improve you, that specifically translates into "doing for others" that you could not have done before?

Certainly, reading Joseph Campbell has little to do with helping someone else.

Volunteering at your local search and rescue, or something of the like would translate much more practically.

You can call yourself a Jedi doing both, but one fits much more along the actions of a Jedi.

One also gives you a skillset that is directly transferable to said path.

In studying at TotJo for say...six months, what knowledge will I gain that will be of measurable benefit to my daily life, for others sake.

What does being a member of any group do for you?

Hopefully, you joined that group knowing that to a certain degree already.

Or you were poor in your research of said group.

When I first met Sith, I saw and extreme ownership of oneself, and results directly translating into measurable progress towards one goals.

Not novel of course, but at the same time, no other path spoke to me in a language that made sense to me.

The culture around it called to me, and yes, we are all individuals, but there is always a collective culture.

You could fail, and be wrong.

In that there was an accountability that I did not see in the Jedi.

You couldnt be wrong, and no one really could decide on a common language. It was messy and unorganized.

Not so much with the Sith, and that is why I chose it.

It means the world to me, because it has given me a confidence, and discipline I did not posses before. It has enhanced my life and relationships in ways I did not even know I was failing in.

I made me embrace life in a way I hadnt.

It suddenly made me not just an observer, but active participant as an agent of change in my world, and for those who share my world with me.

Yes, if gave me power. I know that could be construed as a four letter word, but it also gave me control of my power. An awareness of just what it means to possess the power to change and effect my sphere of influence.

In short, it means everything to me.

To me, it means having a place to continue the study of spirituality and self-discovery that I began in a Buddhist temple in Korea.

What does being a member of any group do for you?

Members only discounts and groupons?

Someone to hold my beer?

:laugh:


Whilst I generally opt for individual responsibility for...the...individual....uhh, yeah anyway - Somewhere with a more or less common "theme" for some back-side slapping, high-fiving, "good-game" type carry on can be beneficial for folks to keep them on the path. (lower case path....)

That said, group-based "We're all doing the right thing" thinking is just as mad and dangerous as an individual believing they are beyond contestation.

I guess it's a good thing you're around to keep everyone from getting too confident and complacent

Khaos wrote:

Where do you read i am not improving myself , is not that what i am doing here by studying here ?

Now thats a question worth asking.

Improving yourself, what does that mean?

What exactly about the studies here improve you, that specifically translates into "doing for others" that you could not have done before?

Certainly, reading Joseph Campbell has little to do with helping someone else.

Volunteering at your local search and rescue, or something of the like would translate much more practically.

You can call yourself a Jedi doing both, but one fits much more along the actions of a Jedi.

One also gives you a skillset that is directly transferable to said path.

In studying at TotJo for say...six months, what knowledge will I gain that will be of measurable benefit to my daily life, for others sake.

What does being a member of any group do for you?

Hopefully, you joined that group knowing that to a certain degree already.

Or you were poor in your research of said group.

When I first met Sith, I saw and extreme ownership of oneself, and results directly translating into measurable progress towards one goals.

Not novel of course, but at the same time, no other path spoke to me in a language that made sense to me.

The culture around it called to me, and yes, we are all individuals, but there is always a collective culture.

You could fail, and be wrong.

In that there was an accountability that I did not see in the Jedi.

You couldnt be wrong, and no one really could decide on a common language. It was messy and unorganized.

Not so much with the Sith, and that is why I chose it.

It means the world to me, because it has given me a confidence, and discipline I did not posses before. It has enhanced my life and relationships in ways I did not even know I was failing in.

I made me embrace life in a way I hadnt.

It suddenly made me not just an observer, but active participant as an agent of change in my world, and for those who share my world with me.

Yes, if gave me power. I know that could be construed as a four letter word, but it also gave me control of my power. An awareness of just what it means to possess the power to change and effect my sphere of influence.

In short, it means everything to me.

Everybody chooses the path they think is much suited for them , i am me , i knew stuff before i came here , i am an active particiapant and i am still learning , patience and resilience , and i learn here as much here as in real life.

Everybody chooses the path they think is much suited for them , i am me , i knew stuff before i came here , i am an active particiapant and i am still learning , patience and resilience , and i learn here as much here as in real life.

Bully for you.

Still, in reading the responses...I come to another observation.

No one speaks of this path as something...precious to them.

I know I can expect a Gollum reference...

Still, I have worked damn hard in my path. Blood,sweat, tears, the whole bit.

It is not something that is as good as the next thing. It could not be "by some other name."

Its important to me, the label of Sith, of passing on, and hopefully adding to what has been given to me to others, to continue to pursue my own way in it.

Spiritual materialism? Perhaps, but I am in no way spiritual.

Its not like the Lions Club, Freemasons, or anything else.

There is no other path like it, and no other path for me, by any other name.

Its just interesting how many life paths can simply be tossed off as nothing, or old clothing, refuse.

I see it as wasteful, not unlike littering, and just as damaging ultimately to a populace.

I have come across many Jedi, and I hear the claims of betterment, but, when the rubber meets the road that is not the case.

I mean, if thats the level of commitment you put into something, I cannot imagine you are doing differently offline, and the results will be mediocre, at best.

If Jedi doesnt mean all that much, and it seems it does not, then how much meaning are you putting into it? Or anything?

Extending that past just yourself, because its not about you but others...How much to they get from said lack of meaning?

Though Khaos, the topic is not 'progress', it is the label or group 'Jedi'. You said Sith 'spoke' to you as the foundation for your commitment and progress, but others have said the same thing in answering the topic - that Jedi spoke to them. Naturally you will feel affinity for those who share your path, but see that experience for what it is. No need to conflate the two things to try and angle one as inferior beyond your own 'terms of preference'.

Khaos wrote: No one speaks of this path as something...precious to them.

I know I can expect a Gollum reference...

Still, I have worked damn hard in my path. Blood,sweat, tears, the whole bit.

That is because "Precious" isn't the right word for it

I said earlier here

it is hard for me to just turn around and walk away. I have suffered great pains and experienced great joys and it takes up a great measure of my life since I was sixteen...

To me it is much much more than "Precious." There is no right singular word to express the pride and joy I have in my own path as Jedi.

But we are not talking about that specifically here....Here we are talking about the various groups in the community and why we are drawn to them. These things are merely material tools we use along our journey At least in my views. Two different things.