Become the Force
Become the Force
AUTHORS’ BIOGRAPHIES
Daniel M. Jones is a philosopher, scientist and musician. In 2007 he became world famous when he founded the Church of Jediism at the age of 21. Since then he has appeared in many national newspapers and Time magazine, and has been interviewed by the BBC, Good Morning America, ITN and numerous other TV and radio stations. In the past ten years the church has invited thousands of new members to join every year and follow the teachings of Jediism. Daniel also has a degree in Chemistry from the University of Bangor, Wales. He is a member of pop punk band Straight Jacket Legends, whose debut album charted in Japan, and runs the Aspie World YouTube Channel having been diagnosed with Asperger’s in 2013. After a period of inactivity due to Daniel’s many commitments and coming to terms with his Asperger’s diagnosis, the Church of Jediism reactivated in 2017 to help all who join become the Force for love, compassion and peace – for Jediists to become the positive change they want to see in the world.
Theresa Cheung (www.theresacheung.com) was born into a family of spiritualists and has a Master’s in Theology and English from King’s College, Cambridge University. She has been writing best-selling books and encyclopedias about the psychic world, the afterlife and personal transformation for 20 years and has been published by Simon & Schuster, Random House, Penguin, HarperCollins, Piatkus and Watkins Media, with book sales of close to half a million. Two of her spiritual titles became Sunday Times Top 10 bestsellers and her books have been translated into 30 different languages and counting. Theresa runs a popular author page on Facebook.
Michael David Ward (www.michaeldavidward.com) is a technical illustrator/writer from the tech industry and is a published fine-artist, graphic designer and science fiction/fantasy writer. He has created many commemorative images for Paramount Studios, LucasArts and New Line Cinemas on such properties as Star Trek, Star Wars and Lost in Space. His works of art and character designs have also been licensed by numerous companies for a variety of products such as collector plates, greeting cards, custom bank cheques, calendars, posters and prints, puzzles, and apparel. His work has also been featured in numerous magazine articles such as Heavy Metal magazine and on book and magazine covers. His original paintings and limited-edition prints are collected worldwide and have been prominently displayed in galleries and exhibitions all over the United States, Europe and Japan. His art is in the collections of, or has been endorsed by, such notables as George Lucas (creator of Star Wars), Gene Roddenberry (creator of Star Trek), Jeff Bezos (founder of Amazon.com), William Shatner, Nichelle Nichols, Jonathan Frakes and numerous other actors and businesses.
To Jo, in spirit.
STAR WARS, JEDI, MAY THE FORCE BE WITH YOU and many of the film, location and other names taken from the Star Wars films and books and used in this book are the registered trade marks of Lucasfilm Entertainment Company Ltd. LLC who have not approved or endorsed this book or any of its content.
THE STAR WARS SAGA
There are nine official Star Wars movies to date. In chronological order they are:
Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace (written and directed by George Lucas, 1999)
Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones (written by George Lucas & Jonathan Hales; directed by George Lucas, 2002)
Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith (written and directed by George Lucas, 2005)
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (screenplay by Chris Weitz & Tony Gilroy; story by John Knoll & Gary Whitta; directed by Gareth Edwards, 2016)
Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope (written and directed by George Lucas, 1977)
Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back (written by George Lucas, Leigh Brackett & Lawrence Kasdan, directed by Irvin Kershner, 1980)
Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi (written by George Lucas & Lawrence Kasdan; directed by Richard Marquand, 1983)
Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (written by Lawrence Kasdan & J. J. Abrams and Michael Arndt; directed by J. J. Abrams, 2015)
Star Wars Episode VIII: The Last Jedi (written and directed by Rian Johnson, 2017)
Contents
PROLOGUE In the Beginning, by Theresa Cheung
CHAPTER ONE The Intelligence of a Student
CHAPTER TWO Personal Thought Control
CHAPTER THREE Matters of Love, Life and Death
CHAPTER FOUR The Force Theory
CHAPTER FIVE Emotional Control and Anger Management
CHAPTER SIX Self-Defence and Martial Arts
CHAPTER SEVEN Counselling, Stress Management and Control
CHAPTER EIGHT Healthy Living and Material Well-Being
CHAPTER NINE Peaceful Communication and Interaction with Diplomacy
Epilogue Not the End
APPENDIX A New Way in Faith
1. Daniel’s Jediist Library Recommendations
2. Census Appeal
3. The Church of Jediism
4. The Church of Jediist Technology
5. Becoming a Jediist Master
PROLOGUE
In the Beginning, by Theresa Cheung
A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away…
Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope
It is 2001 and a period of unrest. Rebel forces, emerging from out of nowhere, have declared their religion to be Jedi Knight on the census.
During this period hundreds of thousands of free spirits in English-speaking countries bewilder bureaus of statistics by insisting they are of the Jedi faith. Their act of defiance becomes known as the Jedi census phenomenon.
Pursued by an unsympathetic media, Jedi Knights everywhere begin to form plans to save their religion and restore freedom of spirit to the people…
One of those Jedi knights quietly forming plans in 2001 was a British teenager with Asperger’s syndrome called Daniel M. Jones – or Morda Hehol to give his Master Jediist name. In 2007 at the age of 21 he would become world famous as the founder of the Church of Jediism, the world’s first “digital religion”.
WHAT IS JEDIISM?
Jediism is a new philosophy supporting the idea of one allpowerful life energy Force that connects all living things in the universe together. Only by balancing our self-awareness with unity awareness in the Force can we find ourselves and discover our meaning and purpose. Jediists believe we are all interconnected and one with the universal life Force.
The Force exists within and all around us and in every living being. If you are struggling to understand the concept of the Force think in terms of spirit or consciousness. Think of the part of you that thinks, feels, loves and dreams and is somehow separate from your body. It is the part of you that may or may not survive death depending on your beliefs. All belief systems and religions are welcome within Jediism, including atheism. Jediism encourages respect, compassion, kindness, acceptance and tolerance regardless of culture, religion, gender, sexual and racial identity and background.
The Force has a light and a dark side. The light side is all that is loving, compassionate and wise, and the dark side the polar opposite. Jediists always seek the light in everyone and everything.
Jediism is a digital philosophy. Followers embrace technology and regard the internet as an absolutely essential tool for spreading the word and connecting likeminded individuals. This means it can be practised with the application of online technologies alone and requires no physical church or place of meeting for followers. Having said that, many Jediists do also engage in real-life meets, ceremonies and gatherings where cloaks and lightsabers can be worn but ritual and clothing requirements are certainly not mandatory.
Self-help is fundamental for all Jediists, and the movement offers applied living techniques to encourage personal growth and development, but at its absolute core Jedii
sm is about helping others. A Jediist strives to remain in a constant state of calm alertness so that he or she can protect the vulnerable and defenceless at all times.
RELIGION OR NOT?
The 2001 Jedi census phenomenon began the debate – which rages on today – about whether Jediism is actually a religion or not. It is possible to argue that Jediism is a religion because it is a spiritual way of living that promotes moral and ethical improvement, which is the definition of religion. But it is also possible to argue that it is not a religion, and more a philosophical or spiritual movement of people who refuse to be defined by government-imposed or traditionally acceptable categories. The only definition that might perhaps apply to a Jediist is “guardian or warrior of the light”.
A Jediist is a guardian or warrior of the light.
The decision about whether or not Jediism is a religion is one that you must ultimately make for yourself after you read this book. In many ways, though, that decision is perhaps irrelevant, as it is first and foremost a philosophical spiritual movement. It is whatever you feel comfortable with and what empowers you to find meaning in your life and live to your full potential. The word “church” does carry with it religious connotations but the word church has now gone beyond its original Christian associations and is now often used to describe a community of people who share similar beliefs. There does not have to be a religious connection.
In other words, it is actually immaterial whether Jediism is a religion or not. All that matters is the bigger spiritual picture and whether Jediism helps you find your purpose. If it can help you live a happier and more rewarding life then it has fulfilled its meaning and purpose through you and the light that your happiness and fulfilment can bring to the world.
HOW THIS BOOK CAME TO BE
Jediism first caught and held my attention in the spring of 2014. Since leaving King’s College, Cambridge University with a Master’s in English and Theology I’ve spent close to two decades writing best-selling and Sunday Times Top 10 spiritual books. At the time I was busy compiling an A to Z of as many world religions as word count would allow for a book I was writing called How to Find Heaven. The idea was to show my readers that there is a very real difference between religion and spirituality and that you can be spiritual but not necessarily religious. I also wanted to introduce my readers to other religions, even obscure ones they might never have heard of before, in the hope they would notice that there was profound beauty in them all, and that in essence they all sought or said the same thing but simply expressed their light in different ways. I even included atheism and humanism in my A to Z as it could be argued that they make a religion of their ideas.
At the end of the A to Z I asked my readers to name their top three religions and then to think about why these three spoke to them more than others. I wasn’t being flippant here. I wanted my readers to see how their choices could reveal a lot about their spiritual needs, and perhaps show them that one movement can’t satisfy all your spiritual needs and there may be elements in others you are drawn to. Along the way I told them what my top three belief picks were and how my choices had surprised even me – especially as the movement I found myself most strongly drawn to was Jediism.
Jediism appealed to me because of its emphasis on inner calm, altruism, positive thinking and positive doing. I also related powerfully to the idea of the Force within and around me. I was completely in tune with a movement that was universal, in that it embraced and valued all religions and belief systems as long as they harmed no one and brought a sense of personal fulfilment. The lighthearted Star Wars connection didn’t bother me in the slightest as I immediately saw that the Force was simply a metaphor for spirit, Chi, Prana or whatever name you want to give the spark of life that is eternal. Also many religions draw inspiration from stories that stretch the limits of the imagination and aren’t thought to be real but valued because they offer profound life lessons or truths.
Mentioning Jediism in my A to Z connected me to Daniel two years later. In early 2016 I decided to interview a number of influential spiritual leaders, teachers and experts for my website blog, and Daniel was on my list of people to interview. Once again my aim was to open minds to the idea that there are many paths to the same truths. I sent him an email requesting an interview and to my delight he replied and an interview was agreed over Skype. I was instantly impressed by his intelligence, vision, courage, honesty, humour and sincerity as a spiritual leader. During our interview I asked him if he had a Book of Jediist Scripture or church literature as I was curious to read it. He told me that he did have several leaflets but no book. Over the years several publishers had been in touch with him to write a book about Jediism but he had not followed up any of these opportunities because writing a book felt like an almost insurmountable challenge for him. He would also need help from a writer in tune with Jediism and so far he had not met anyone suitable.
At that moment I knew I was uniquely qualified to help Daniel write his book of scripture. First, I’ve been a truth seeker all my life. Second, I’ve spent two decades researching and writing about spiritual growth. Third, I named Jediism as my top religious choice in one of my books and everything about the movement resonated with me. Fourth, I was aware of Daniel’s Asperger’s diagnosis and as my father was definitely on the autism spectrum I had personal experience of the challenges related to the condition and how best to interview Daniel. Last, but by no means least, I simply adore Star Wars. Always have. Always will. I remember the buzz of excitement attending the original movie screenings with my family in the 1970s and early 1980s and how I felt like I could quite literally fly into space after watching it. The world didn’t seem small anymore after Star Wars. It became a universe of infinite possibilities.
Without wanting to sound evangelical it did feel that the Force was calling me to interview Daniel and help him write his book. So over a period of several months in late 2016 and early 2017 I interviewed Daniel in person, on the phone and via Skype. Then with the help of the amazing editorial team at Watkins led by sci fi expert Paul Simpson and Publisher Jo Lal I got down to work transcribing those interviews into the first official book of scripture for the Church of Jediism – the book you are reading right now.
WHAT LIES AHEAD?
This book can open your mind to new ways of thinking and feeling about yourself and others and the world around you. Daniel shares his life story in his own words: his struggles, his journey of self-discovery, his spiritual awakening, how he felt called to found the Church of Jediism in 2007, and the story of what happened to the church in its first ten years of existence.
The interviews with Daniel are organized into nine chapters with each chapter focusing on a specific period of Daniel’s life and the profound lessons he learned along the way. Each chapter also contains a Jediist teaching with spiritual inspirations drawn from many different sources, and that teaching is followed in turn by a series of applied living techniques or practical living guidelines. These guidelines can immediately be incorporated into your daily life to help you understand and live the way of the Jediist.
Your journey as a Jediist may stop there, but if you are interested in joining the Church of Jediism, or want to find out more, at the end of the book there is an appendix with all relevant information and links. You will also find information there about connecting with Daniel online and becoming part of an online community of free but focused Jediist spirits who are committed to becoming the change they want to see in the world.
Before you begin your exploratory journey into the heart of Jediism I have just one request to make of you. Until you have finished this book, suspend your disbelief. Put everything you think you know about Jediism, Daniel, Star Wars and religion to one side. You are also bound to have your own opinions about spirituality, but leave them all at the door now. If you settle down to play a computer game you would focus on enjoying the game and then have an opinion about the quality of the game after you have played it. Do the same
for this book. Read it without prejudice or prejudgement, and along the way see if anything resonates with you or you gain a new perspective.
It is the easiest thing in the world to find fault and to criticize or judge. It is the most beautiful and empowering thing in the world to have an open mind. An open mind will take you further than you ever imagined as the mind that can open to new ideas won’t ever return to its original size.
So what lies ahead? Absolutely everything. More than you can ever have imagined. A new way of thinking, feeling, living and being. A new beginning. A new hope. Time now for Daniel M. Jones to open up the first official Book of Scripture for the Church of Jediism and for a brand new spiritual adventure or understanding in your life to unfold. As you read may you become the Force!
Theresa Cheung (April, 2017)
www.theresacheung.com
THE JEDI CENSUS PHENOMENON
Following a UK nationwide online campaign, the Jedi religion attracted public attention in 2001 when 390,127 people from England and Wales and 14,052 from Scotland identified themselves as Jedi on the census. Around the world that same year bureaus of statistics were noticing with disbelief increasing numbers of people putting Jedi Knight on their census form. For example, in Australia 70,000 declared themselves members of the Jedi order and in New Zealand 53,000 listed themselves as Jedi. In Canada 21,000 put Jedi down as their religion.
There is no doubt many who listed Jedi as their religion were doing it as a joke protest against being categorized in any way or defined by traditional religion, and the number of people declaring themselves Jedi has dropped fractionally in recent years, but a seed was sown in 2001 and Jedi Knights are still by far the most popular alternative faith on and off the census. Today, there are numerous thriving Jedi groups and churches online but the most significant and well publicized, with an estimated 500,000 followers registering their interest online, is the Church of Jediism founded in 2007 by Daniel M. Jones.