June 9th, 2008 Ben
I’ve written about Star Wars previously on thenewhorizonsproject.co.uk but my last Star Wars post was so popular I thought I would try another one. I’ve been watching the films recently and have been struck by some of the wisdom found in all 6 films that you can apply to your everyday life.
I’ve picked out 6 quotes and from them I will show how you can take them out of the fantasy world and use the meaning behind them to see the world differently.
“ Try not… Do or do not… there is no try.”
This is a very simple idea really when you think about it. Often when we say we will try something there is usually doubt and fear in us which ultimately leads us to fail because deep down we don’t think we can do it. By making a definite decision on something we find that we can be more positive about the outcome. If you’re going to do something, great, go and do it. If you don’t want to do something that’s great too; but don’t say you’ll try because that will just tell your subconscious not to bother. If you do something, do it with all of your heart and soul.
“Fear is the path to the dark side. Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering.”
How often have you given in to your fears? How often have you missed out on something because of your fears? How many times have you needed to do something but you were afraid so you didn’t do it? We often find that once we let our fears take hold anger soon follows. You become angry at the thing or person you fear maybe because they intimidate you or you see yourself in them. Maybe you become angry because of your fear and because you feel that you have missed out on something. Hate follows soon after as you begin to resent the things that have caused your fears. Maybe that’s you. Maybe that’s someone or something else. Once you begin to hate you begin to suffer. Your hate begins to tear you apart and your former self is lost, if only temporally. Don’t live your life in fear. Overcome your obstacles and move on.
“[Luke:] I can’t believe it. [Yoda:] That is why you fail.”
Self belief plays a massive part in your success and your outlook on life. If you believe that you are capable of achieving your goals you are more likely to succeed. However, if you do not believe in yourself you will fail every time. Sometimes obstacles we tackle in life seem insurmountable but with a little self belief we often overcome them easily. Sadly in today’s society many young people lack self belief which makes me worry about our future. If we can encourage others to have self belief then we can all grow and mature.
“Ohhh. Great warrior? Wars not make one great.”
Great people are born; they are not made by war. War is simply a sign that communication has broken done; it is never the solution to a problem. So called “Great Warriors” are never blood thirsty and often only fight as a last resort and as a defence. War sadly only results in the deaths of good men and women, who never really deserved to be there in the first place; wars achieve little in the grand scheme of things.
“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 jealously. The shadow of greed, that is.”
Death and lose are a natural part of life. Everyone and everything in the world will die at some point. Eventually even the world as we know it will cease to exist but even with this thought in mind there is much to be happy about and much to be grateful for. Attachments in life are natural but strong attachments to things should be avoided because they will lead to suffering. If you really want something how does it make you feel when you can not have it? When you loose something that you really want how bad do you feel that it is gone? How does it feel when someone has something you want? Attachments lead to suffering. Be grateful that those who have passed on have had the chance of life and that they lived their life to the full. Except that at some point in time they will be gone as will you.
“This one a long time have I watched. All his life has he looked away… to the future, to the horizon. Never his mind on where he was. Hmm? What he was doing. Hmph. Adventure. Heh. Excitement. Heh.”
This is one of my favourite Star Wars quotes to be honest. How many of us honestly live in the present? I know for a fact that I don’t. I strive to be in the moment but often find myself thinking about the past or ahead to the future. If you’re not careful you can be so consumed by the future and what is ahead, hoping for something better, that you forget what is around you. Opportunities can be missed; friends and family can be lost all because you weren’t in the here and now. Goals are great but you need to remember to keep your mind and your focus in the present. Don’t think of next week’s meeting while you’re working on a different project. Don’t make decisions on tonight’s meal while you’re washing up the breakfast dishes. Remain in the here and now; that is where you’re focus should be.
A friend once gave me some quotes when I was going through a tough time in my life and ever since his helping hand I have tried to learn from quotes that I have come across in my life. Wisdom, profound and enlightening, can be found all around; you just have to be willing to open your senses to them.
I hope that these little gems of wisdom will help you to see the world differently today and that they will help you to understand your life better.
Photo by Orange_Beard’s
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