Lesson 5 – Part 5: Ethical Dimension – Living with Intention and Non-Attachment
Original journal entry from July 27, 2025 – Response to Lesson 5: Introduction to Religion (Part 5: Ethical Dimension). This was my reflection on how studying Jedi ethics has led to real changes: more intentional living, non-attachment in everyday frustrations, better time boundaries, prioritizing chaplaincy, starting a local Jedi-interested group, and positive family influence through observed behavior.
That sounds like something I just talked to my young adult niece about yesterday. We were talking about the existence or the belief in “mistakes.” And one of the things that challenged myself with in the conversation was to talk about mistakes without using the word mistake. I chose to use the illustration of moving on a path in the direction that I want to go. I can make good decisions that will keep me on the path moving towards the goal, while I can make bad decisions that will move me off-course. It’s not so much that one bad decision can move me so far off-course that I can’t get back to my goal, but IT IS possible to make bad decision after bad decision that would create consequences that would severely push me away from the path for a very long time before I can find my way back to where I intend to go. I believe that it is rare that a single bad decision will push someone over the edge. It is much more likely that many bad decisions have positioned the person to the point where that one last decision made was the one that pushed them over the edge.
As I have been studying Jediism during the IP, I have noticed my behavior changing in a way that I have become more intentional with my words and my actions. I have found myself being more motivated and more often striving for excellence with my daily tasks. One of the aspects that I notice often when I have more peace on the inside is when I am driving. Practicing non-attachment does not just have to be with the physical. It applies to things that happen to me throughout the day. Having peace while I am driving, manifest itself as non-attachment to the way I react towards other drivers’ behavior. For example, I have noticed that I don’t get frustrated when someone cuts me off in traffic or I just leave enough space between my car and the car in front of me in anticipation that somebody will eventually want to get in there. I don’t try to speed up and close the gap and try to force the driver to cut in front of the car behind me. It’s not worth the stress it creates in my body. “Knowing when to raise the eyebrow or the voice or the sword.”
Another behavior change I have noticed is that I have become more intentional with my time. One of the problems that I’ve bumped into over the years is trying to put too many things on my calendar. I have noticed that over the last few months I have been taking things off of my calendar that are not THAT important. I would rather spend my time and the things that add true value to my life and give quality time to the people in my life that I truly care about.
For example, my church has since the beginning of this year added a bunch of new rules for people who serve in different ministries. In a nutshell, team members are now required to commit more time to the ministry that they are a part of and for me, I was already putting a lot of time into more than one ministry. This became a pivotal point for me to stop all the things that I was involved in and only focus on being a Chaplain. The Chaplain‘s ministry at my church is great because instead of committing to a specific schedule I can be more like a contractor and make my own schedule.
This has also opened up some interesting opportunities for me, such as bringing (mostly) young people together in my town who are interested in “Jedi stuff.” Yes, I have found myself starting to build my life around being part of the Jedi community. I’ve had many interesting conversations with people in my life, especially my wife. She is exited for me but not quite ready to jump in with me. But just you wait, she is watching and studying my behavior, and seeing how it’s benefited not only me and her but positively influenced all kinds of parts of our lives.
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 captures the ethical outworking of the teachings — intentional living, non-attachment in daily frustrations, wise boundaries, prioritizing meaningful commitments like chaplaincy, and quietly influencing family/community through consistent behavior. It shows how the program had become a lived ethic, not just study.