Despair: yet Hope
There is a Buddhist saying that “Hope is Spiritual Materialism”.
I was just watching a report on the disappearance of flight MC370 last year. There were interviews with several people who were missing their loved ones that were on the flight. The common theme in all of their comments was their feeling that they would not find closure until the person or at least the airplane was found. Their overwhelming sense of despair a year after the loss of the flight was evident in their inability to control their emotional breakdowns.
As I watched the replay of the news shows from last year, I began to wonder what these people were HOPING for. It was quite evident that the plane had crashed and that all people onboard were gone. Then I began to think of the Jedi thoughts on Attachment and the Buddhist phrase above.
Yes, I am sure that I too would have some emotional response to this kind of tragedy if my wife or children were involved, I am not heartless, but to what extent would I become emotional? There are things that happen to us that we know will always have a bad outcome, and I began to wonder, what if these people understood this from the start. If we realize the truth of these situations, that there is no HOPE in survival, that there is no point in waiting to find the plane that is at the bottom of an ocean, would we overcome our emotional upheavals sooner and in a less traumatic way?
As Jedi, we must understand that HOPE in these types of situations is only adding to the trauma we feel emotionally. The Attachment to people, to a point that you cannot “move on”, can only lead to further despair and trauma induced psychiatric problems. There is a balance between emotion and truth that is lost when it comes to our human connections, and so HOPE is born.
Contemplate on what you would do if your loved one was in a horrible accident on the highway, and was lingering on the edge of death. Is it better to hope for a miracle and become emotionally traumatized, or to accept that death is inevitable and that you are glad for the time you have had when they were whole? I am not saying that you don’t do what you can to improve the survival of the person. What I’m saying is that if they survive, it is truly a blessing that the Force would hear our thoughts and prayers to revive our loved ones. That we understand the fragile nature of human existence, and live our lives in KNOWLEDGE, not HOPE!
I expect that some of you may misinterpret what I am trying to say. Some of you may take my meaning to an extreme. I am not HOPING that you understand me; I am imparting a “thought” or “what if” to help encourage all of us here to look at the world in a different light. To reflect on this idea and come to an understanding within yourself as to how you view life and death.
Jedi Teaching #11 -Jedi must let go of obsessive attachment, both material and personal. The obsession over possessions creates the fear of losing those possessions, which can lead to the Dark Side.
#5 - The Vow of Attachment -Attachment is vital to the life of the Jedi. The Jedi must know life and be intrinsically tied to it in order to better serve the will of the Force. Jedi must possess ties to the people around them and are encouraged to love. Love is a strong connection to the basis of humanity and can serve as a strong foundation of strength and encouragement when a Jedi needs them most.
#12 Tao Ta Ching -Colors blind the eye. Sounds deafen the ear. Flavors numb the taste. Thoughts weaken the mind. Desires wither the heart. The Jedi observes the world but trust their inner vision. They allow things to come and go. Their heart is as open as the sky.
Emotion, yet Peace
Ignorance, yet Knowledge
Passion, yet Serenity
Chaos, yet Harmony
Death, yet the Force
