In keeping with the season of star wars, I have compiled a little list of pieces of wisdom from our good pal, Master Yoda. Ah yes, before all the Galactic Empire business and stuff, Yoda is before all, a wise Jedi master and a guardian of the force. Although his backwards speaking and his raspy voice seems a little hard to understand, Yoda can speak some true wisdom if one listens closely. I have compiled a short list of seven wise words from our wise friend and Jedi Master.
“Do or do not, there is no try.”
One of the more memorable quotes in the Star Wars franchise, Yoda in the Empire Strikes Back is guiding Luke Skywalker to not try something, but to simply do it. It is a motivation used by Yoda to encourage Skywalker to take initiative and be bold in his actions instead of sitting around and believing in his mind that he cannot do it or attempt meagerly. Skywalker’s mentality is sometimes reflected on our own. Sometimes we procrastinate, hoping that we will get our things done, or “try our best” at doing something. When in reality, we have to do our best and commit to our efforts in trying to achieve the goals we want. Sometimes, our best isn’t good enough compared to the rest, but when we think about it, in reality, if we do (not try) our best in the heat of the moment, then nothing can take away from the effort that we put in.
“Always pass on what you have learned.”
A philosophy that we as humans sometimes can easily forget when we go about our daily lives. While it is true that we wish to keep some of our pieces of knowledge to ourselves, it is also important that we share what knowledge we have with others and give them more ability to conquer this mighty universe.
“Truly wonderful, the mind of a child is.”
Kids are amazing. They are a blank canvas waiting to be painted and filled with whatever they can. It is interesting that when children are taught in a certain dogma or doctrine, they seem to accept it no questions asked due to their innocence and unawareness of the hardships of life. Children do not understand what is good and bad just yet. In the end, children are the future of the world, and if we do not teach them the ways of good and how to avoid the path of evil, then all hope is lost.
“You must unlearn what you have learned”
Another perplexing wisdom of our good friend Yoda about knowledge. When we learn certain pieces of knowledge, we see ourselves as having to follow that certain path in order to not be incorrect. However, when we are left alone to traverse the lonely space that is our lives, we must unlearn what we learned and apply it to our own experiences. In reality, this is often a tried and tested fact yet we usually forget about it more often than we would like. However, this simple application can have a profound difference on our lives.
“Many of the truths that we cling to depend on our point of view”
Bad dudes will be bad, and good dudes will be good. Some people believe that all people are inherently evil, whereas others believe that peace can be achieved by all who have the slightest of troubles. In the end, everything is really a matter of perspective. Some people have stayed within a certain perspective their entire lives leading them to believe that their vision is the only one that is true. Whereas others have shifted back and forth, coming up with new conclusions and ideas that some agree on, and others don't. Yoda encourages Luke to seek a new perspective of things and see that even though one may think that a certain person is thinking incorrectly about someone, in reality, each has their own perspective on things and their truth’s can differ from others.
“Fear is the path to the dark side. Fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate, hate leads to suffering.”
The all time best statement Yoda has made in the series. This is ultimately the reason why so many are tempted by the Dark side of the force (and society if you think about it) and eventually join if they so choose. Many people have inherent fears, and if people are played up to their fears then they will end upon a path of suffering and hate. That is why those who remain strong and disciplined, or at least out of extreme ideologies are those who are determined to be a leader in their own right.
“Death is a natural part of life. Rejoice for those around you who transform into the force. Mourn them do not. Miss them do not. Attachment leads to jealousy. The shadow of greed that is.”
The last quote in this series shows that even in death, there can be peace. In reality, when people die, their physical self still exists, along with their physical belongings and all of what was once theirs. However, their spirit has gone and left for another dimension beyond our own and has left us with the memories of the past. Many people fear that death is something that one will never return to, however, it is a new phase in existence that leads to something beyond our comprehension. We fear that we lose so much, but when we realize that we own nothing but our own bodies and that everything is simply a small part of the vast universe we live in, then we begin to live freely. We enjoy the memory of those who passed and do not become attached to them, but enjoy the memories and make new ones in the future.
There you have it. A couple of wise thoughts from the legendary Master Yoda. Don’t forget to check out Star Wars Episode VII in theaters, and may the force be always with you.
