Action in Inaction: Following the Will of the Force



One of the goals of the Shadow Jedi, and of any Jedi in general, really, is to forge a connection with this mysterious power we call the Force. To work within its bounds for whatever cause we support. But what is the Force? You will often hear people spouting lines from the Star Wars movies in order to explain what it is and how to touch it. In my opinion, this is pointless.

Let's take a look back at our roots as Shadow Jedi: Eastern philosophy. Our philosophy, as Shadows, is based primarily in Zen Buddhism and Taoism. I will not go into a long lecture here, as this is not a thesis on how Eastern philosophy relates to the Shadow. That in itself is an entirely different (and much longer) discussion. Suffice it to say that in both Buddhism and Taoism, the basic doctrines hold that in order to live as we are meant to, in close relation with the Ineffable or the Tao (the Way,) we must quiet our minds, still our thoughts, and open ourselves up to guidance from this higher order.

We, as Shadow Jedi, have also found this to be beneficial. In order to follow the Will of the Force, one must not force action. That is not to say that we should simply sit in meditation all the time, waiting for the Force itself to do something. As we walk our paths individually, we come to forks in the road. Decisions must be made, for better or for worse, big and small. All decisions are of equal importance. All will influence your life to some extent. Instead, as we come to these turnings in our paths, we first look within. Reflect upon which choice you want to make. Having done this, look beyond yourself. Open yourself up to the Force. Do you feel that this decision is right?

There will be times that you get no answer. This could be simply because you have not quieted your thoughts enough. It is possible that you are too focused on what you want, than what is actually best for you. Or it could be that there is no specific "right" or "wrong" choice in that particular instance. Other times, however, you may not need to go through any process. There will be those times when you are faced with a decision, and almost before all the options are presented to you, you will know which is the one to take. In times of absolute certainty like this, it is imperative to follow through.

So you see, it is not truly inaction which leads to following the Will of the Force. It is merely a lack of forced action. Over time, you will become more adept at sensing the delicate currents of the Force, and thus you will subconsciously move with it. There will, eventually, come a point where there is no longer any need to look separately within and without to find your answers. When you release the ego, the sense of self, you will truly be one with the Force.