Tuesday, September 22, 2009

Horizon Archive: "You Don't know the Power"



After watching “The Empire Strikes Back.” for the 827th time last night, I found myself asking the exact same question that I’ve been asking myself since I was six and saw the move for the first time.

Is the Force real? And if it is real, how do I use it?

Let me first start by saying that although this column is going to come off as an extremely nerdy, Star Wars geek tirade, I am really not a huge obsessed Star Wars fan.

Don’t get me wrong, I love Star Wars a lot, but I don’t play the RPG card games and I don’t have any of the action figures.

Well, maybe one or two, but anyway, as a kid, I always believed in the Force.

I would listen to Yoda’s teachings and, like Luke, would attempt to join in the training.

I would put my right arm out and attempt to move my TV remote with my mind.

Well, now that I’ve gotten older, I’ve come to realize that Star Wars is simply science fiction,

but I still haven’t really let go of the idea of the “Force” as a real power or phenomenon.

After all, the religion of the Jedi arts is an officially recognized religion in the UK.

Believe it or not, I believe that the Force does exist, more or less.

There is a power in our universe that surrounds us and connects all living things.

And I do believe it’s possible for humans to manipulate that power.

The scientific term for the ability to move objects with your mind is called "telekinesis."

It is a skill that has been proven possible by the famous psychic Uri Geller, who has the power to bend and break metal objects, and has demonstrated his ability many times.

It is a skill many people are said to have. What is most amazing is if one truly studies

the techniques for learning telekinesis, it isn’t even all that different from Yoda’s teachings.

One of the most common theories on how it works is an individual concentrates with her hands cupped together to form a “PSI ball,” which is basically a ball of energy.

They then send out psychic waves of energy through magnetic or electric energy fields that are all around us, and if one concentrates hard enough, the psychic waves sent from their mind will send a shock through the energy field and manipulate the object the individual was concentrating on.

So, as you can see, this is a very simply concept, extremely plausible.

Basically, material matter is really nothing but an illusion.

All of the objects we have are made up of nothing more than force fields of atoms.

Therefore, everything is connected and if we know how, we can manipulate the force field.

I believe that with years of practice and meditation, everyone has the ability to learn these skills, but the public simply does not believe in them.

Which once again comes back to Yoda’s teachings.

If a person goes into a situation already believing they know the outcome, then that is the outcome they will receive. It’s like studying for and taking a test.

If you tell yourself you do not know the material, then, most likely, the test will roll around and you won’t know the material. The Force is the same way: if you don’t believe in it, then you can’t learn it.

During his training Luke said, “I don’t believe it,” and Yoda said, “That is why you fail” is a perfect example. Even as I write this, I do not truly know if deep down, I really believe in it. I have to

open up my mind.

Yes, Star Wars has a lot of fiction in it. The ships for instance are not realistic at all, and much of the technology in the films could never realistically be created; however, the philosophy of the films is a completely different animal.

The philosophical message of Star Wars is what effects its viewers the most.

All of the technology in the world cannot compete with the power of the force and the

Universe Much like Darth Vader’s famous quote from “A New Hope.” “The ability to destroy a planet is insignificant to the power of the force.”

Many similarities can be made with this and the current political agenda. It’s not an accident that “The Empire Strikes Back” is everyone’s favorite movie in the series.

I believe it’s because so many people, whether consciously or unconsciously, connect with Yoda’s teachings the idea of the religion of the Force.

I think we connect with it because in one way or another, it actually exists in our world as well. And, just like the characters in the movie did, we have to stop being so close minded and shallow and embrace it.

-Oct, 2005

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