Ashla and Bogan and the balance.

I was looking at another thread about light and darkness before. My inner geek came out and I just thought I would share some thoughts I have been having for sometime.

Recently I have been reading allot of star wars literature. While researching the origin of the Jedi I came across their origin story I thought I would share and expand on.

The main argument I am making is that balance between good and evil is more peaceful than good itself and more powerful than evil itself.

The Je'daii Order was an ancient organization unified by its belief and observance of the Force on the planet Tython, in the galaxy's Deep Core. Focusing on maintaining a balance in the Force, a state at which Tython was itself hospitable, the Je'daii saw the Force as two aspects of a whole; the Ashla and the Bogan. They saw this duality in the Force represented in the night sky of Tython in the form of two natural satellites; one bathed in light, another shrouded in darkness. In keeping with their ideal balance, Je'daii who fell too far to either the light or darkness were exiled to one of the moons to meditate until they returned to balance.

The Order's presence on Tython was spread between nine Temples, each of which was presided over by a Je'daii Temple Master. In order to gain mastery in the Order, all Je'daii were expected to travel to each of the Temple to hone different skills. The Order was led by a Council of Masters, consisting of the nine Temple Masters, which decided important matters and directed the Order.

"In the light, there is a darkness and in the darkness, a light. It is the way with us all. Be a prisoner of neither Bogan nor Ashla. Strive to live in balance. As Tython itself teaches us, it is dangerous to do otherwise. And the danger is there—always."
―Ketu

"Observing the world around them, they saw two moons in the one sky—light Ashla and dark Bogan—and they understood the dual aspects to the Force, light and dark. The light defined the dark as the dark did the light. When balance was not maintained, Tython reacted to the imbalance with severe storms and quakes. And so the travelers defined themselves, ever seeking a balance. They became the Je'daii, a Dai Bendu term meaning "mystic center." Only through the harmony of balance could the Je'daii maintain a peaceful world."
―Ketu

The Je´daii were forced to maintain balance since any deviation towards light or dark sides of the force made harsh force storms and earthquakes on their force sensitive world. They practiced a delicate art of balance in themselves. They say the dangers of being "too good" or "too evil".

I think today in age that our good strives to be absolutely good. All our most influential good doers try to reach an unnatural state of goodness, forsaking an entire half of their being. Similarly those that act in evil do so forsaking good entirely. This IMO has caused all troubles we face today. Those who act in either absolute are dangers towards the opposite side of their ideologies and especially those that are striving for balance.

For me, I try to maintain balance. I embrace my evil. I do not let it dominate me. I strive to control it. I do not embrace my good either. I try to control it also. WHY? I do so so as to control myself. It is not a conscious act of control. I simply strive to not be left out of the loop in my mind. It is the only way to stay true and not be deceived either way.

I have seen good produce endless evil. I have seen evil produce endless good. If our people would seek balance and place that above all else our world would not find itself in endless conflict.

I know this whole thread is based off science fantasy...LOL. This is just the tool I use. Its a story I am using to relate something I have always believed.

I will end with some examples.

VS. Light side:
If you give a hungry man your food he will eat. If you do not give him your food, YOU will eat. If you teach him how to find food you will eat but he will eat as well. If you only give 1 hungry man your food you will not eat. If others are hungry they will hurt him to take his food away, so neither you nor him will eat. By giving him your food you make him a target for aggression. If you teach him how to find food others will seek him for that knowledge. Everyone will eat.

If you never hurt others you will think that you are promoting peace. You are in fact promoting violence. If you are faced with a violent man and you do nothing to end his aggression you will simply pass on the burden of that violent man onto another. If you end his violence with violence he will not be so quick to resort to violence with others. It is what he understands. By NEVER acting out of violence you could allow for evil to gain power over others who are weaker than yourself and can not stop the aggression of that evil. Teach evil that it is not exclusive.

If you never steal you may think that you are being just. You may in fact be unjust. If you never steal what is YOURS you are being unjust. If what is yours is taken and you do nothing to gain it back then that person who took your things will take things from others expecting the same result. If you allow others to take back what is theirs you are not helping evil. You are being just. What is just, is just.

If you never allow yourself to feel angry you will think that you are at peace. You may be in greater despair by such a goal.
Those who deny their human nature and do not allow themselves to be angry will always carry the burden and fear of their anger. Any release will be failure and the threat of failure will always be present in all you do. When you are angry, be angry and be done with it. Let all things pass through you until only you remain.


VS. dark side:
If you always use your strength to force the will of others you will always feel weak. There will always be something more powerful. Such a state is not powerful it is pitiful. If you allow things that are weaker than yourself to be you will always have the support of those weaker things, making YOU stronger for it. That is a powerful state to be in.

If you destroy that which is in your way you will always have closed doors before you. To pass through the closed door by its key being revealed opens all doors that have that same key. You will never face a door you can not open. You will never face an obstacle you can not surpass.

If you only seek to pleasure yourself no matter the expense of others, you will always be in despair. When you are alone you will please yourself at YOUR expense. You will always be alone in that state.

If you only seek power, you will be weak. That which does not bend, breaks. That is why the branch is stronger than the trunk. Seek the power of weakness and the weak. Find the weakness in your strength. You will never be without strength if you do so.


There is more but that is the general idea.

Thoughts?


"There is no ignorance; there is knowledge.
There is no fear; there is power.
I am the heart of the Force.
I am the revealing fire of light.
I am the mystery of darkness
In balance with chaos and harmony,
Immortal in the Force."
―The Je'daii Code

Use the force. Be the balance.

a reply to: tadaman

As a believer of the Force I do believe there should be balance

If you read the Jedi lore eventually they forgot the ideas and focus more on the light. And sadly it did somewhat contributed to the fall of the Jedi Order.