Welcome, Jedi! Whether you are a frequent visitor or just stumbled upon us by chance, take a look around. Use the navigation menu to the left to take a look around or look below for the latest news and updates.

To access the complete Modern Jedi Knight blog and leave a comment please click here.

The latest Jedi news . . . . . .

The Jedi Manual Basic by Matthew Todd Vossler

September 1st, 2010

So after stumbling upon The Jedi Path (mentioned a few posts ago) I came across another book called The Jedi Manual Basic – Introduction to Jedi Knighthood.

Again, a certain sense of dread came over me but after a very quick read I again discovered that I have much to offer the Jedi community and that my sense of dread was misplaced. I was glad that I picked up the Kindle version for $2.99 instead of paying the face value plus shipping as this book was somewhat disappointing. The book had great potential but, instead of providing in-depth analysis and information on a multitude of subjects, simply read more like an outline or a set of cards you would look at while giving a speech. There were some interesting nuggets but instead of expanding upon those little rocks of information a link to a website was provided instead (and for those with the actual paperback version, the links were VERY long and would be easy to mistype). There is nothing in the book that can’t be picked up for free on this website and at some of the other Jedi websites as well. It was very basic, just as the title says, so maybe there is some hope that additional books will be published in the near future.

In the end, I give this 1.5 out of 4 stars. However, if you are ordering something from Amazon.com and need that little item to fill your cart so you can get free shipping I would keep this book in the back of your head and use it when you need to.

In case you are still interested, this is the information provided by Amazon.com:

Training to be a Jedi Knight includes the following paths. Each path leads to the final path, the goal of a Jedi Knight. A Jedi can choose to focus on one or more of these at any given time. A Jedi is a master if they achieve mastery in one or more of the 12 paths.

The 12 Paths of a Jedi Knight
· Training and practice in meditation
· Training and practice in martial arts (specifically)
· Training and practice in the healing arts
· Training and practice in psychic awareness and social graces
· Training and practice in mediation, diplomacy, and peacemaking
· Training and practice in the Jedi philosophy and religion
· Training and practice in teaching, coaching, and mentoring
· Training and practice in practical skills for defending and protecting others
· Training and practice in gentle and objective deliberation, persuasion, and debate
· Training and practice in literary and theatrical arts
· Training and practice in working with energy and the supernatural
· Sustained pursuit of knowledge and wisdom and attaining a good measure thereof

The goal: To use one or more of these masteries to better serve others.

Modern day examples of higher profile Jedi Knights are the police and firefighters who rescued people after the 9/11 disaster at the World Trade Center in New York City, disaster relief workers who left their homes and families and traveled to New Orleans to help those whose lives were devastated by Hurricane Katrina, doctors who travel to developing countries to give healing aid to so many who have little or nothing, religious leaders like the Dalai Lama, and Hollywood stars like Angelina Jolie who use their stardom and resources to help others and make the world a better place. (added by author)

A new look to the sword form of Taiji (Tai Chi)

August 31st, 2010

I have wanted to talk about the benefits of Taiji but have never really gotten around to it. But, for your viewing pleasure, please enjoy this CGI of Lord Vader doing the 42 movement sword form.

Star Wars Tai Chi from John Leo on Vimeo.

The video represents the first attempt at CGI by John Leo and it is quite impressive considering that no motion capture was used. This video could be used if you wanted to learn the 42 movement sword form and don’t have a teacher around. Understand that these movements are a lot more difficult to do correctly than they appear and you won’t become proficient without a teacher to guide you. But, for your first tip, remember that all movement originates in the feet and flows effortlessly yet with power.

The Jedi Path, a new book from Lucas Books

August 27th, 2010

I must admit, when I first saw this link it made my heart feel like it dropped to my feet with a huge sense of dread (Why? Hopefully I can reveal soon). It was only after I looked into the book more that I realized this will be a great book to own.

It is quite pricey at just shy of $100 but you can get it through Amazon.com at the above link for $62.99 and it will be available on September 28th, 2010. When I have it in my hands and have read it I will post a detailed review.

What is your heaven?

August 19th, 2010

I was following along with a guided meditation today from the Meditation Society of Australia today and it really got me thinking. Read this paragraph and answer the question before reading any further. Imagine the perfect scenario in your mind, a place that makes you feel complete, at peace, and one with the Force. What did you imagine?

Tick tock, tick tock, tick tock.

What did you think of? Were you a famous celebrity, rock star, or politician? Did you have obscene amounts of money? Or did you imagine you were outside a muddy hut on Dagobah? When I did this the first time (and every time since then) I have always imagined the same setting. I am with my family high on a mountain top surrounded by a verdant forest of lodgepole pine, ponderosa pine, and aspen trees. I am a mountain man, what can I say?

What does your choice of the perfect moment mean to you? I could say that wanting to be a powerful politician is an attachment to desire and control. But I could also say that my moment is an attachment to my family. Is one worse than the other? I could certainly do some bad things if something happened to my family, perhaps something worse than trying to get re-elected. But that is not the point.

Imagine how you feel in that perfect scenario you have in your mind. You feel calm, at peace, sublime. You don’t feel anger, or hatred, or any of the other emotions or aspects of the dark side of the Force. Now, slowly begin to remove the parameters of your perfect setting. Remove the mountain and the trees and yet I can still feel the same. Remove the children and I can still feel the same. Remove the self and yet I still feel the same. Remove the mind and yet the peace is still there. If you know me personally you know I don’t quote the Bible except in rare circumstances, but remember this quote:

The kingdom of Heaven is within you.

Meditate on this, or follow along with the Meditation Society of Australia’s podcast, it was podcast #3.

Star Wars on Blu-Ray in 2011

August 14th, 2010

Not only will the Blu-Ray give us a great picture and sound but it will also include deleted scenes from the original movies, ones that were filmed and close to being put into the movie then scrapped in post-production. You can find the full article here.

Inspired by the sea

August 13th, 2010

Here is another meditation technique for you to try, one that I used yesterday by the waterfall at the southeast corner of Normingdale Lake in Bloomington, MN. It is inspired by the sea (I know, Bloomington is nowhere near the sea) and I can’t wait until I have the chance to perform this meditation on the beach listening to the waves crashing on the beach.

Get in a comfortable position and take a few deep, cleansing breaths. Focusing on the breath the entire time, imagine yourself alone on a beautiful beach (if you aren’t on a beach already). Be very mindful of your surroundings, the smell of the sea, the wind on your face, the heat of the sun, and the sound (and sensation) of the waves hitting the beach. As you acclimate to your surroundings begin to time your breath to the waves, breathing in as the waves hit the shore and breathing out as the water recedes back into the ocean. Feel the energy of the ocean and the Force enter you as you breathe in, keeping it in you as you exhale. Continue for as long as needed and repeat as necessary.

Feeling sorry for yourself today?

August 12th, 2010

By watching this video I am reminded of the old saying, “I felt sorry for myself because I had no shoes until I met the man with no feet.” Now imagine that you not only had no feet, but no arms as well. If that was the case, you would be in the same boat as Nick Vujicic of Melbourne, Australia. Nick, and his companion website of Attitude is Altitude.com, is a highly infectious display of a love of life. Watch the video, then take a look at yourself and your own attitude. Then make the changes in your thought processes so you think like Nick does and do so in a mindful way. By doing so, your life will become so much more rewarding and enjoyable.

My house, my rules

August 10th, 2010

Here is a list of rules from Exuberant Animal, called the Dojo Rules. Here they are:

You can get more information by going to the Exuberant Animal website, where they have a PDF version you can download if you wish.

Looking for something to do this weekend?

August 7th, 2010

Then perhaps you should check out Volunteer Match, an online repository of people who are looking for volunteers in your area. A quick search of my zip code revealed 703 organizations looking for help.

Go out of your way to make others happy. You cannot please everybody, but to those souls who cross your path, give kindness and love. – Yogananda

Giving to the needy

August 5th, 2010

Recently it was announced that over 40 billionaires were going to be giving away at least half of their worth to charity. Our favorite galaxy creator and story teller, George Lucas, is one of them. You can read the entire story here.

One important point in the article is brought up in this quote by New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg:

“You don’t have to wait to die to give it away,” said Bloomberg, a media entrepreneur and major philanthropist whose worth is estimated by Forbes at 18 billion dollars. “It never made a lot of sense to me why you’d want to change the world for better and not be around to see it.”

This is what being a Jedi is all about. Changing the world, one person at a time, one incident at a time, one random act of kindness at a time. It does not require you to become a renunciate, as indicated in the article with this quote:

They are not talking about taking vows of poverty. Bloomberg said he would ensure that his children were never destitute.

It also doesn’t require you to give half of your net worth or, in the case of Warren Buffet, eventually your entire worth. It doesn’t even require any credits at all. Give some of your time, your experience, or your knowledge, and help out those who are less fortunate than yourself when the opportunity and the need arises.