Today, a little Yoda for ya.

I think most people know this scene from the The Empire Strikes Back, or at least the famous quote being referenced,
but I have a feeling there may be some misunderstood and overlooked wisdom here. 

Consider the scene as a whole – Yoda was instructing Luke on the role our minds play in perceiving effort,
how differences only exist within in mind, and how we must “unlearn what we have learned.” 

So ponder, shall we? 
Was Yoda referring to Actions or Outcomes?  

I think most of us interpret “Do or do not…” as a call to giving it our best effort and proper attention.
In fact, even the Star Wars web page references this this quote as
“a reminder to commit oneself to something completely, win or lose”

Now, who am I to argue with the creators a quote?
It is there, on Starwars.com, in black and white. 
But a little black and white (stormtrooper) should never stop a small rebellion force from fighting back 🙂

I challenge this interpretation to Jedi combat.
Was Yoda really reminding Luke to measure his commitment and determination and believe in his ability and try hard  
(these are all positive attributes that we have come to value in life)
– or –
is it the trying and working hard that is actually the problem?
Maybe it is this idea of ‘try’ that we have learned and must now unlearn?

Give the scene a read or watch and consider this as an alternative teaching:
Perhaps Yoda was reminding Luke that trying is nothing more than a mental measurement of outcome.

What is trying?
Trying is nothing more than an idea.  Our mind’s desires, realized or not.
Effort, it seems, is an illusion created by a mind process and never an external reality.

Yoda wasn’t reminding Luke his X-wing and the rocks were the same,
Yoda was telling Luke that trying doesn’t exist.  

(…and depending on if you think Yoda was a Buddhist,
neither do the X-wing or rocks for that matter
but we’ll leave that concept for now 🙂

The realization to be had here is – doing and not doing are one and the same.
Doing and not doing are both action.
Two side of the same coin, or in this case, a Galactic Credit Standard.

Being in the present is doing. 
It envelopes focus. 
This is ‘awareness’

It is when we become distracted from the present and begin  measuring and comparing that we get into trouble.
When we lose focus of the now and start thinking about the then (either past thens or future thens)
That is when the perception of effort begins.

We expend so much energy comparing what we have to what we want.
This mental act of comparison is trying and has nothing to do with physical reality.

Effort originates from a judgement.
A mind process of comparison analyzes the collision of a memory just past with an even more distant memory.
What I have – vs – what I wanted. 
Both ideas require a judgment of some sort.
This constant judging is how we spend so much of our lives!
Because we are always comparing, we are always trying.
This is what makes life such an effort.  
It is exhausting!

Are we tired of trying?
Ask ourselves some simple questions, shall we?
Does effort ever help us Do? (anything)
Why compare, why not just do? (or do not, as per Yoda)
Why not dedicate ourselves fully to a task rather than keeping one eye on the desired outcome and half our attention tied up with measuring our accomplishments?

“Insane” you say  “We need to be moving forward. We need to have goals”
Yes, society teaches us this.   But why?
Why have goals and desires when life will unfold regardless of the distorted desires and perceived efforts of mind?
Simply sit and observe for a while – you will see this is true.
Why try so hard? Why not just let life unfold and see where it takes us?

“Interesting idea but no.  That is crazy.  You are crazy.  It doesn’t make sense.  It’s not how we live.”
Exactly!  as Yoda said – we must unlearn what we have learned.
We are conditioned to rely on mind process – to measure and compare everything.  And unlearning this is the key.
The dark side we experience is found only within our own minds.

A life full of effort can only lead to unrealized desires.
Why not live a life of having vs wanting? 
Why not live a life of doing vs trying?

How is this done?
This is the tricky part.
The reconciliation of ‘I have’ and ‘I want’ is realized through acceptance, not further judgment. 
That is acceptance of who you are now, not who you will be once you learn this.

Questioning your commitment, exerting more effort, identifying a corrective course –
These efforts are all just more of the same.

You won’t solve your mind’s effort problem with more effort.

Just as a rock and an x-wing are no different – just things
Our victories and defeats are also one and the same – just ideas.

So what can we do?
Sit back and enjoy the show.
Desires are released (or taken) when it is time.
Control time and how fast we mature, we can not.

This is the natural unfolding of the universe.   
The ‘force’, as Yoda would call it 

We can fight it (with effort)
or flow with it (do, or do not).