Jedi

The Jedi are a fictional monastic peacekeeping organization from the Star Wars saga, known for their talent in the Force. The word 'Jedi' is said to have been adapted by George Lucas from 'jidaigeki' (Japanese for "period drama" movies about samurai).

The Force

The Force is an energy field that is generated by all living things and permeates the universe and all things in it. It is clearly indebted to the Od of Baron Carl Reichenbach. Its principles resemble some real-world religions like the Shinto religion of Japan, certain Celtic druidic concepts, the Jedi temple is composed of five pillars symbolising the peace of the five pillars of Islam, and certain tenets of ascetic and mystic Christianity. It also bears a close similarity to the Chinese notion of qigong and many others. The earliest description of this "energy field" would be akin to that of pran, of which pranayama is a scientific practice originating in India and a part of yoga (which predates, and is the basis for, Chinese martial arts).

Related Topics:
The Force - Od - Carl Reichenbach - Shinto - Japan - Celtic - Druidic - Islam - Christianity - Qigong - Pranayama

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Belief in the Force is a pantheistic belief, and one real-life religion that bears close resemblance to the Jedi Order is that of Sikhism. Sikhism also advocates the presence of one 'God' who is ever-present and binds the universe and all its entities. As the Jedi use lightsabers, the Sikhs use a Kirpan that they carry with them at all times. Like a Jedi, a Sikh may never use his sword or other combat skills to attack anyone out of selfish desire (i.e. Sith-like qualities are banned) and must use it only to protect others. The Sikh philosophy is merely one of peaceful co-existence, but at the same time they are to never accept any form of tyrannical rule and to protect others from such evils. A Sikh who has taken the oath of the order is no longer referred to as a Sikh ("learner", "disciple" - equatable to a padawan), he is said to be a Khalsa ("pure" - equatable to a Jedi Knight/Jedi Master).

Related Topics:
Pantheistic - Sikhism - Lightsabers - Kirpan - Sith - Sikh - Padawan - Khalsa - Jedi

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Inspirations Behind The Force

Isaac Asimov's Foundation series features several varieties of empaths and telepaths who can detect and influence human emotion. One such group, the Second Foundation, believes itself the guardians of the Galaxy, and the Second Foundationers strive to prevent Galactic civilization's collapse into anarchy. In this respect, the Second Foundationers resemble the Jedi Knights, although Asimov's paternalistic guardians are not telekinetic. Many years after he invented the Second Foundation, Asimov did introduce "mentalics" who could also manipulate physical objects; these play a large role in his novels Foundation's Edge and Foundation and Earth. Being an avowed humanist, Asimov did not indulge in light/dark moralizing, and he took pride in constructing villains who believed themselves just and heroes afflicted by their own dilemmas. (See the essays reprinted in Gold for Asimov's exposition of these views). Though the Solarians and the Gaians can manipulate objects and minds much like the Jedi, Asimov's mentalics are not divided into light and dark sides, nor do they have the power of prophecy. In Asimov's fiction, predicting the future requires either intuition or psychohistory. Asimov's influence on the Star Wars universe has been frequently noted, one example being the debt Coruscant owes to Asimov's Trantor.

Related Topics:
Isaac Asimov - Foundation series - Foundation's Edge - Foundation and Earth - Humanist - Villain - Gold - Solaria - Gaians - Psychohistory - Coruscant - Trantor

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Science of The Force

As explained in the movie ', Jedi get their ability to understand the Force from symbiotic organisms within their bodies called midi-chlorians (an obvious play on mitochondrion and chloroplast). Also known as "the messengers of life," these organisms allow a Jedi to "hear the Force," and it is said that "without them life could not exist" (this statement appears to contradict the Expanded Universe, which depicts the Yuuzhan Vong as completely separate from the Force, but the discrepancy is explained late in the New Jedi Order series). The higher the midi-chlorian count in their cells, the stronger the Force is with the particular individual. Their presence could be somehow sensed by other Jedi. Anakin Skywalker had a reading which was even higher than Master Yoda's, leading many, most notably Qui-Gon Jinn, to believe Anakin to be the prophesied "Chosen One."

Related Topics:
Symbiotic - Midi-chlorians - Mitochondrion - Chloroplast - Expanded Universe - Yuuzhan Vong - New Jedi Order - Anakin Skywalker - Qui-Gon Jinn

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