The Tao of Yoda

Something Familiar About the Green Gnome

Perhaps when you first saw Star Wars, something resonated about Obi-Wan's description of 'the Force'. Or perhaps when you took a college course in eastern religion, you thought it sounded like the Prof was quoting Lucas, when in fact he was quoting Lao T'se and the Tao Te Ching.

The cryptic utterances of Yoda - "Do, or do not. There is no 'try'." - could have been said by many of master of arcana to a befuddled novice.

The Force = Chi

Lucas' 'Force' as a concept is only mysterious and 'other' sounding to people of Western cultures. The east has always had a word for it, one that is becoming more familiar to westerners as eastern concepts such as feng shui become more mainstream.

If you've ever taken Tai Chi, or had a feng shui consultant in to help you with your energy, you have probably heard of 'chi' or 'qi'. This is a powerful concept - a force or energy that exists in all things. Chi flows, and the flow of chi can be harmonious, or disruptive. Feng Shui is a system that purports to harmonize the chi in your home to maximize your health, wealth and happiness.

Thus, it is not hard to make the analogy that The Force = Chi.

The Jedi Path = The Way (Tao)

If you live in harmony with nature, you follow the Way. The Way is impossible to describe directly; as the Tao Te Ching would have it:

"The way that can be walked is not The Way. The name that can be named is not The Name."

Sounds like something Yoda would say, doesn't it?

The Way is the organizing principles of the universe. To follow The Way, you should strive to live in harmony with all things. One tenet of Tao is that of 'wu wei', which literally means 'do nothing'. As lived, of course, it means to deviate from nature as little as possible.

Kind of makes Yoda's home in a hollow tree make more sense, now, doesn't it?

Yoda? Yoga?

Coincidence? You be the judge.

Yoga is a physical discipline (at least, the hatha yoga that most westerners are familiar with) meant to improve health and restore balance to your body. While not associated with a particular religion, it is practiced by Taoists, Buddhists, Hindus and others.

One aspect the major eastern religions share is that to become enlightened, one must divest oneself of earthly attachments, which interfere with the process of enlightenment, keeping one too firmly attached to the every day routine.

A raise? a corner office? A Jedi craves not these things.

Lhasa Jedi?

If Yoda met the Dalai Lama, would they recognize one another? I have often suspected that Obi-Wan Kenobi and Thich Nhat Hanh are possibly reincarnations of the same bodhisatva.