Lesson 4 – Part 2: Metaphysics and the Force
Original journal entry from July 15, 2025 (edited same day) – Response to Lesson 4: Introduction to The Force (Part 2: Metaphysics and the Force). This was my exploration of the Force as a transcendent, supernatural phenomenon — neutral in itself, flowing directionally, and ethically shaped by the user — with real-world parallels to hypnotism, telekinesis, remote sensing, prophecy, and spiritual influence.
To begin, the first thing I need to do is to get the right definition of what we are talking about here. The Merriam Webster dictionary online defines, “metaphysical” first something relating to metaphysics, then relating to transcendence or the supernatural, and then also highly abstract or theoretical reasoning. With the Force, this is speaking of the second definition, the relation to transcendence and the supernatural.
As I mentioned in my part one essay, I do not believe that the Force has a will of its own but rather that it exists and flows in a direction towards a pre-determined destination. A person experienced in discerning the direction and the flow of the force can partner with it in order to bring about the intended flow of the force in the direction that it is meant to flow.
But just like with the mind, the soul or the spirit, even the Chi or the Tao, it is not tangible or measurable directly with science. Just like with the Chi in Chinese medicine, when the tree flows freely and easily throughout the body, the body is healthy, and when there are blockages that prevent the free flow, it leads to illness. So also, the Force is supernatural and transcends the physical. However, just like the Chi in my example, using the Force can lead to a beneficial outcome for the user. The effects of using the Force can be measured in terms of improvements or decline in health, for example.
I prefer not to use examples from the Star Wars movies, however, there are some aspects of the Force that are supernatural, while these do exist in real life too, are easier to explain to a person who has not experienced these examples in real life.
One such example of the supernatural aspect of the Force is Obi-Wan Kenobi’s use of the Jedi mind trick. This might be likened to a hypnotist on stage getting an audience member to bark like a dog or fall asleep on queue and for a brief moment, not be able to control what is happening to their body and mind. I have to believe that Obi-Wan was using this tool from his repertoire in partnership with the Force.
Another such example is the use of a supernatural means of moving objects, such as a lightsaber, from one part of a battlefield to another, and into the hands of someone who wants to use it. In the real world, For me personally, this type of action reaches into the realm of angels and demons, such as a voodoo priest going through a ritual where they can hurt or kill a person that is somewhere else in the world. Again, if the examples from the Star Wars movies can be believed, an experienced user of the Force would be able to take such action as well.
I have posed this question before, whether it would be possible for an experienced user of the force to “summon” their lightsaber from far away, much like Thor in the Marvel movies can summon his hammer. I believe this is possible using the Force.
My last example is Obi-Wan’s exclamation, “there is a disturbance in the Force,” whereby he was able to discern an event that took place on a distant planet in a distant galaxy. The Force’s flow can be discerned and events that take place can be discovered. I might compare this to the ability of a prophet or a fortuneteller to know the future, or to know about something or things about someone that they could not possibly know without supernatural influence. Again, for me, this reaches into the realm of angels and demons, as well as hearing the voice of God.
Umalohókan
House of Twin Suns
TM: Carlos Martinez
"You don't have to see the whole staircase just to take the first step."
(Signature links to IP Journal, Apprentice Journal, A.div Journal, and Degree Tracker omitted for brevity — these were forum navigation links at the time.)
The following user(s) said Thank You: RosalynJ
Looking back now: This entry pushed me to grapple with the metaphysical/supernatural side of the Force — its neutrality, flow, and real-world parallels to hypnosis, telekinesis, remote sensing, and spiritual influence. It helped me integrate Jedi teachings with my existing beliefs about angels, demons, prophecy, and God's voice.