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Lecture VIII

Dealing with Adversity
Lightside@forceacademy.com

This lecture is about adversity. We all face it sometimes. The way that we handle adversity, and the way we use it to our advantage, is part of what makes us Jedi. So read this post and remember that is DOES relate to you as a student learning to become informed...it relates to us all.

Adversity is a part of all of our lives. Of course, this adversity comes in different forms. For some people, it may be not having enough money to pay a phone bill. For others, it may be the constant threat of physical abuse. Everyone deals with adversity in different ways. Some cry...some hide...some get angry...and some even go so far as to attack and kill. What is the right way to deal with your adversity? Well...it's a tricky subject, because of how many different kinds of adversity there are. There are, however, actions that you can take to deal with adversity on a general basis.

The first step is always to recognize the problem. It sounds simple, but many people have a difficult time with these. There are two aspects to consider when asking yourself if you recognize the problem. First, many people know the problem, but they tend to push it back and hide from it, feeling that it will just disappear. Take for example, a lady whose husband abuses her physically...instead of getting help, she simply denies it to her friends, and makes excuses for the bruises. Or she just explains it as "The way he is". This is a prime example of someone hiding from the problem. The other aspect of recognizing the problem is properly pinpointing it. For example...if the dog ate your homework, it is easy to pinpoint the problem as "The dog ate my homework...this is why i do not have it.". However, this would be incorrect. The true problem is that you left your homework is a place that was accessible to the dog. By pinpointing the problem, you eliminate any future occurances of the problem. Instead of yelling at the dog, it would be preferable to keep your papers in a more secure area.

The second aspect is dealing with the problem. This is an area that I cannot offer too many words of advice on, because there are so many different solutions to different problems. The one thing that we must do as Light Side Force Users is properly weigh the different solutions, and see which one would have the best end result. For example...the lady who is abused by her husband manages to pinpoint the source of the problem...he is the source of the abuse. Thus, she decides to stab him to death. This is a very bad solution! She has not taken the time to properly weigh her options...it may have been possible to avoid this, by going to counseling...or perhaps a womans' organization that would help her. Remember that whatever solution you choose to make, must have the best possible outcome. Practice thinking of theoretical positions that you could be in...abuse, etc...and consider your different options. This will make you more adept at finding the proper solution to a problem. Remember that fighting is ALWAYS a last resort, only when we are physically attacked. There is no exception to this rule...only when it is completely and totally inevitable.

The third action is that of learning and accepting. Once you have solved it in the way that you deemed proper, consider what you have done. Have you learned anything from it? Accept the outcome as something you have made. There are consequences to every action, and this must be accepted as your handiwork. If the lady in my first example recognized the problem, pinpointed the source of the problem, weighed her options, and decided that asking for someone's help was the best solution, she must now accept what course of action she has taken. She can feel good in the fact that she is safe, and she resolved the situation for the time being, without having to resort to violence. As Jedi, we look for a similar solution...a solution to the problem through hurting nobody, or as few people as possible, while having a positive effect.

Remember that all of the examples I have given are "cut and dry" examples. Little of the adversity you face in your life will have solutions that are as easy to find as these...and many times, emotion will get in the way. But use your emotion to your advantage, and allow it to be a positive influence on your decision making.

Being a Jedi means adhering to Jedi philosophy. And being a Light Side Jedi means adhering to the beliefs of the Light Side. Let these beliefs guide you, and become wise in the way that you resolve your problems, and you will find that life is much easier. Try to balance yourself to a point that you are able to make rational decisions in the most extreme of circumstances. If you manage to achieve this, you have already gone most of the way in solving the problem.

Eye of the Storm
Lightside@forceacademy.com

The part we play in Modern society is a reflection of where we place ourselves. If you keep yourself locked up, afraid to go out and deal with the world you live in, the effect that you have on the world around you will be a direct reflection of that. Therefore, if you take an active role in the world, then your contribution will be a direct dirivative of your interactions.

So what does this all boil down to? It boils down to the courage that you have inside of you, and the motivation that you have. It boils down to what you do with what you learn at the Force Academy. Some people will treat this as something to play with, and then discard. And others, those who make this board great, will take the knowledge that they gain from the interactions on this board, and will apply it to their own lives in an effort to change something. Note the word I use...change. I do not speak of revolution, or anything of the sorts, because this is not the Jedi way. We are not to rebel against the system, we are to change the system...we do not bring down the establishment, we better it. There is no reason that we should ever feel so content in the way things are, that we are incapable of doing anything to help. We are in the eye of the storm. Every day, you can walk out of your house into a raging storm. Look around you when you go around town, or conduct your daily business. Things likely seem tranquil. For the majority of people, they see everyday business. They are blind to what we see. But as Jedi, we must observe what is to come when we come out of the eye of the storm. It is our job to quell the storm as much as we can, by offering our wisdom and help whenever possible. There will come a day when things are not peaceful. How this will come about, I cannot say. It may be a massive event, or it may be a private event in your life. Perhaps it will be saving the life of your little cousin who almost drowned. Perhaps natural disaster will strike, and you will be called upon to offer your services. Perhaps this, perhaps that...all that is true is that your Jedi training will have a profound effect on the outcome of your situation. In every circumstance, there is always a positive action to be taken, and we must find this positive action, and utilize it, so that we are able to calm the storm before it ever is able to hit. We are in a unique position now. We are in the eye of the storm...an area which is the heart of the problem...and we all have a duty to do in order to negate the problems we all face. Do not lock yourself up. And I do not mean this in a physical sense, where you lock yourself indoors. I mean in the sense of denial. Do not deny the role you have to play, do not doubt your own strength. You can make a difference and bring a new hope to people who need it. Go forward and always have the knowledge that the beliefs of the Jedi will guide you through, and the Force will protect you.

May the Force be with you, and may you use it wisely.

JediKnightG
PradseLost@aol.com