This place is self reflective. Much of our time is spent reflecting and asking ourselves questions; the way some people practice Art, Music and even Martial Arts. Some of us take a lot of time to see and identify things in our life's we had not before. My purpose today is this, All the time we spend seeking and finding and searching and identifying thing in our life's. Sometimes, we come to a place where we find or discover the benefit(s) of letting go. For me, I can't speak for you, but all the time and effort we spend to identify and locate the source of certain conditions in our life, at some point we become aware that we have to let these things go, as well as the actual weight or condition, or even just to make a change. This moment brings to mind when my wife was working on the IP; she looked at me and said, "Joseph Campbell just spent an entire chapter talking about how important it is to faith, and I spent all this time reflecting and searching myself for where and what I have faith in and I felt good about it, and then the first sentence in the next chapter says 'I don't need to have faith, I have experience.' How rude!" That moment of gears turning and grinding inside my head could be heard in moments like these. Its different for modern day Jeddist. Most time we associate letting go with forgiveness but what is the difference between forgiveness and letting go? there is a certain amount of forgiveness necessary in letting go but most of the time this isn't what happens. The real world moments. What then?
I found a gift in Teaching 4
4. Jedi are wary of attachments, both material and personal. The obsession over possessions and people creates the fear of losing those possessions and relationships which can cause ourselves to be trapped in a state of depression and loss.
Sometimes identifying and letting things -BE- just as we find them: and identify them, can be a better alternative to attaching to things we find along the way. I spent a lifetime and will spend the rest of it trying to find my definitions and examples and where they come from. Truthfully, it was easy for me to get upset, angry, mad, during my seeking. Some things, when I found out pissed me off. Here's the dilly-o- We can be the person we want to be when we find things out about ourselves or they can cripple and make us salty and grouchy... this is a possibility, it can and has happen. When self-reflecting, you can become free and/or hateful. There were a few years I spent wasted upset at my past because of the thoughts- how dare they? or how could they? or why didn't they? At the same time, there are those that can free, when they are found. Where and what is the difference? My encouragement to all of is this-seek-look-review-reflect-act-find-identify-for yourselves but also...BE WARY of what you CAN find. Be smart and be ready. Letting go can sometimes mean identification and sometimes NOT acting on the things we find.THAT'S NOT EASY. If we can be ready when these realizations become present, we can be more ready. I'll take a step out and say we may not be blind sided by the conditions and revelations that also can happen. Most attachments that keep us, in real life, are upset, anger and unfairness.Let me tell you, friend, when you begin to understand where things come from, from the inside, some of what we find can and will upset us. Be ready. I wasn't ready when I got to my habits and quirks and found out where the condition came from and how I had been influenced or "spoon fed."
Seek- yes!
Seek and be smart.
Letting go can be freeing. It really can but you have to be ready for all- ALL- the things you may find as well. Letting go can be applied almost anywhere and every where you need it. Some times we can just "ctrl alt delete" and some times we can say things like "ok I found out- please sit here for now, until I figure something out" depending on what we find.Some times dealing with it later can help too. Letting go, can mean different things to different folks but there is a benefit in cultivating things and ideas like letting go.There is no one way to do it. Think about that.So much potential and possibilities, letting go can take many forms and shapes.Find a way to let go, your way. Take some time to reflect and be smart. Jedi are smart.
Taken from the IP
https://www.templeofthejediorder.org/initiateprogramme/1883-im-finished
Essay 9: Letting Go of the Past
We teach that it is important for a Jedi to let go of the past and to not dwell on it. We need to remember that things gone by can no longer be changed.
What do you think this means?
How and where does this teaching tie into acceptance, acknowledgement and forgiveness?
Why do you think this might be important for a Jedi?
May the Force contune to be with yall as we all seek, serve and share it.