“Hello, boyos!”
—JAR JAR BINKS, THE PHANTOM MENACE
The Jedi practice meditation. Luke’s training under Yoda on Dagobah is a form of meditative concentration—albeit one practiced while upside-down! Qui-Gon observes and calms his fears and aggressive feelings with meditation. Anakin meditates on the growing dread and anxiety he feels over his mother’s plight. And Yoda meditates to investigate the dark side and the mysteries of life. Even Vader had a dedicated meditation chamber aboard the Executor, his arrowhead-shaped Super Star Destroyer.
Despite a common misconception, meditation is not meant to cut us off from the world or to avoid life. Meditation is a practice that helps us experience life fully—to get in touch with reality as it truly is. If a Jedi were to meditate in the way taught by the Buddha he would be meeting life directly, he would not run from himself or find things to distract him. He would sit, breathe, and observe his mind with equanimity and compassion. And from this process the freedom that is understanding develops.
Meditation is the practice of focusing the mind so we become aware of its conditions in the present moment. We observe feelings, thoughts, memories, and desires as impermanent. Even the idea of self—the belief “I am this little green body” or “I am a Jedi master”—is recognized as transitory. We observe feelings and thoughts, but we do not grasp them, and so they fade away. In time meditation brings us to understand, not just intellectually but in our heart, directly, that whatever is of the nature to arise is of the nature to cease. Deep understanding of this frees us from attachment to desperate thoughts like, “I must marry her,” or “I must destroy the Jedi Order,” or “What’s wrong with me? I should be happy!”
Luke enters the dark side cave on Dagobah in order to confront himself, to face his suffering. This is precisely what meditation is. It is the conscious act of calmly taking a look around the depths of our own mind. There are a lot of frightening and ugly things in there, a lot of dark-side elements, but we are careful not to attach to them. We recognize and examine them, calmly, as Yoda instructs Luke to do. This is why it’s absolutely essential to find a Buddhist teacher or a dedicated group of meditators to practice with. Without guidance we may lose ourselves in fears or become caught in destructive ideas about ourselves and the world, which can cause serious damage. With proper guidance, we learn not to reject or ignore those elements of ourselves we find frightening. We discover that they are complexes, fears, desires, and misunderstandings that are both deep and shallow. But by observing them we realize they are all impermanent, they are all just ideas, and we slowly remove layer after layer of the dark side shroud.
It is important to develop understanding of the impermanent nature of things. One way to do this is by observing our feelings. Feelings can be pleasant, neutral, or unpleasant. A pleasant feeling could be the excitement and anticipation we feel when the words “A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away…” appear on the screen. A neutral feeling could be sleepiness on the third night of camping out for the midnight showing of Revenge of the Sith. An unpleasant feeling could be listening to Jar Jar Binks talk.
Pleasant feelings arise in one context, and unpleasant manifest in another. External phenomena and our perceptions of them have an impact on the sensations and thoughts we experience. As phenomena and perceptions shift, feelings alter as well. Observing our feelings we discover that they are not solely “ours.” Feelings are formations that are produced by a variety of components. Misperceptions, habits, biology, the food we eat, and objects of perception all impact the way we feel. With meditation we realize that the feeling we experience is just a feeling and not my feeling. This practice helps cultivate equanimity in us—a quality highly regarded among the Jedi!
In The Phantom Menace, as Obi-Wan Kenobi hangs desperately just below the rim of the Theed melting pit, he could have easily been lost in his despair. His master lies dying a few feet away, and with Darth Maul poised to strike, his own life seems finished as well. But Obi-Wan steadies himself. Breathing calmly he lets his fear and worry float past him, he remains composed in the face of incredible strain—and he defeats Darth Maul. Later he is confirmed a Jedi Knight for his actions and, presumably, for his display of equanimity.
Equanimity means remaining centered in the midst of life regardless of the intensity of the experience. When a pleasant or unpleasant feeling arises we notice it. We may appreciate a pleasant feeling (like the warm feelings romantic love gives rise to in Anakin), but our appreciation should not go so far as to become attachment. Calmly letting go of a pleasant feeling as it fades is being equanimous. The same is true with unpleasant feelings like anger and hatred. As anger and hatred manifest in us we can use Obi-Wan as a model and follow our breath, remaining centered so our emotions do not carry us away.
Powerful feelings—like anger and hatred—can overwhelm us as they do Anakin at the Tusken camp. That is why Yoda and Obi-Wan Kenobi warn Luke in The Empire Strikes Back to beware of anger and not to give in to hate. Those feelings lead to the dark side.
Meditating on our feelings helps us better understand ourselves. Contemplating the mind and the activities of the mind can also deepen self-awareness. In meditation we observe the thoughts, desires, and moods of the mind. Sometimes it is as calm as still water, and other times it is as raucous as the crowd at the Boonta Eve race. But outside of meditation, when our mindfulness is weak, the mind typically functions like Jar Jar Binks. Jar Jar’s attention is noticeably unfocused on what he is doing. He fumbles with a tool and gets shocked in the process, his thoughts drift away from his bodily movements and he steps in something foul, he is mesmerized by his visual appetite and confuses conversation. Jar Jar’s unmindfulness causes him and others (and us too when we see him on screen!) a great deal of grief. His unmindfulness leads to banishment from his home, ostracizes him from others, and—on several occasions—nearly gets him killed.
Our minds too have “Jar Jar nature.” When Jar Jar nature is in full possession of us we do things unskillfully and we bring discomfort to ourselves and to others. We can “transform the Jar Jar within” by practicing mindful breathing, bringing our awareness to the present, scattered state of our mind. Awareness of Jar Jar nature does not mean we try to make our mind shut up or lock it away in some room like Obi-Wan does to the real Jar Jar in The Phantom Menace (well, the CG one, at least). We just observe our hyperactive mind and allow it to be that way for as long as it needs to be. If we continue to breath mindfully, without self-judgment or expectation, the Jar Jar within will calm down (but, as we will see below, that’s not necessarily the goal of meditation). Sometimes, when the mind is particularly overrun by our galactically restless Gungan nature, we might find it difficult to keep our attention on the breath. That is why it is sometimes good to move our attention away from the head, away from our thinking, and focus it down in the abdomen. We take our mindful breathing low, noticing the rise and fall of the abdomen with each breath.
We can learn from the Jedi in this. Dueling the Dark Lord of the Sith, Darth Maul, in The Phantom Menace, Qui-Gon Jinn finds himself in a narrow corridor. His mind is focused on destroying Maul when suddenly the corridor’s laser gates slam shut separating him from his opponent. Sensing his opportunity to end the Sith Lord momentarily gone, the Jedi master does not become distracted by lost opportunities nor does he grow anxious about the future. Qui-Gon drops low to his knees, shuts his eyes, and focuses his attention on his breath. Qui-Gon does not flee the moment; he does not attempt to mentally escape the grim peril across from him; he merely takes his breathing low, observing his mind and body.
Qui-Gon’s practice helps us keep from being swept away by our thinking, our worrying, and our anxiety. If we are caught up in our thinking we cannot be in direct contact with life. As Qui-Gon tells Anakin, “Remember, concentrate on the moment. Feel, don’t think.” Of course, we don’t just shut out our thoughts, but with mindfulness we become aware of them, watch them, and this means we are no longer outright controlled by them.
We have seen Qui-Gon’s method of meditation in action. Now let’s look more closely at the mechanics of meditation so we can practice it too.
To meditate, find a position in which you can comfortably hold your back erect. Keeping the back straight will help you to be attentive and keep a balanced posture—a direct influence on establishing a balanced mind. A balanced, upright posture will also help you breathe more comfortably and naturally. Aside from holding the back erect, the rest of the position isn’t anything to get hung up about. You can sit cross-legged like Master Yoda, kneel like Qui-Gon, or even stand in imitation of Anakin Skywalker. If you prefer a chair (and don’t worry that Darth Vader seemed to like this position), that is an equally fine option as well. The aim is to sit in a stable and comfortable position, without getting so comfortable that you fall asleep. A little bit of discomfort is okay; a lot of pain means something’s wrong. If you feel pain in your knees or back, readjust your position or you might blow out a knee or slip a disc. Star Wars has plenty of cyborgs; we don’t need any more in our world.
As you sit in meditation you can bring your attention to your body. You may notice that your jaw is clenched or your shoulders are tense. We carry a lot of stress in those areas of the body. So we scan our body from the top of our bald, wrinkly head, down to our pointy, green ears and all they way to our bare, clawed feet, relaxing any muscles that are tensed.
With the inhalation, know you are breathing in. With the exhalation, know you are breathing out. Do this by focusing on the natural process of breathing. Do not try to induce a trance or escape into another state of consciousness—just breathe and observe mind and body. There is no place you need to go, no star system or Jedi status that you can attain that could be better or offer more of life than what is here in this moment—so just be aware of it.
If during meditation you find that your thoughts are no longer on your breath but reliving past lightsaber duels or trying to unravel the mystery of Anakin’s origins, you will want to diligently—and without judging yourself harshly!—bring your attention back to your breath. Do not become angry if your mind has drifted off to a galaxy far, far away—just return your awareness to the breath. Meditation is not a challenge to be overcome; it is a gift to be enjoyed—the gift of the present moment.
When Jar Jar pops up and shouts, “Mesa back!” just follow your breath (and give the poor guy a smile). Allow him to be, but don’t follow him into a wacky adventure. Just stay centered, following your breath. There’s no place you need to go, no star system or Jedi status that you can attain that could be better or offer more of life than what’s here at this moment—this is all you got; don’t shun it.
In the beginning you may find it difficult to keep your mind in contact with the rhythm of your breath. That is natural—your own “Jar Jar nature”—that fidgety, erratic, spastic quality—is the nature of our mind, and it does not want to pay attention to something so boring as our breath. So we may want to look for ways to help keep our attention from bouncing off the walls and, instead, directed on our breath.
One helpful technique is silently counting our breaths. For each cycle of inhalation and exhalation count one. In…out, “one.” In…out, “two.” In…out, “three.” All the way to ten, and then back down to one again. It doesn’t matter if you get to ten—it doesn’t even matter if you get to three! If you lose count or your mind drifts away, just resume counting from one. Do not become discouraged if it is difficult to remain focused. Mindfulness is a part of each and every one of us; the more we practice, the stronger our mindfulness will become—it just takes time and Jedi-style commitment.
Besides sitting meditation there is another type of meditative practice that we can employ: walking meditation. Walking meditation uses the same principles as sitting meditation, just with the added dimension of movement. We don’t see Jedi practicing walking meditation in the Star Wars saga, but we can imagine them strolling carefully and mindfully through the Jedi Temple and along starship corridors. There is a nobility to their walk and a grace that suggests a calm, even mind.
Walking meditation is a very good way for us to practice unifying mind, breath, and bodily action. It begins with taking one step as you breathe in and another step as you breathe out. Your steps are the same as always. You do not exaggerate the movement or walk stiffly. You simply walk as you usually do, but now you are able to enjoy and appreciate your steps in mindfulness. You can do this practice anywhere, anytime. However, when you are in the markets of Mos Espa, attending a session of the Galactic Senate, or running late for a class with Master Yoda you may want to increase the pace of your walk. You may take three or four steps for each inhalation and exhalation. The number of steps depends on your own individual rhythm—I imagine Master Even Piell takes more steps in a breath than a larger Jedi like Master Yarael Poof. It does not matter whether you take two or six steps, or whether you stand 1.2 meters or 2.6, just as long as you remain mindful of your walking.
Many people come to meditation hoping to gain a newfound sense of calm. They settle into a cushion or chair and close their eyes—eager for the enlightenment to begin. That’s about the time your inner Jar Jar Binks stumbles into your mind.
“Hello, boyos,” he announces, staring around like a crazed sheep.
Not now Jar Jar. Shut up and leave me alone.
But he doesn’t go away. He just stands there flapping his gangly arms and jabbering about “mesa” this and “bombad” that. His grin is so vacant you want to scream.
You prefer peace, but all you get is noisy goofballery.
Meditation can’t save us from Jar Jar or anything else we don’t like. Meditation simply puts us face to face with things as they are right now. And that’s right where we’re supposed to be.
You may not prefer Jar Jar Binks. You may even hate him. Or there may be times when his particular personality characteristics are not appropriate to the situation (like when you’re trying to achieve that coolness exhibited by the wisest Jedi). But when Jar Jar is present—whether in your mind or in real life—the best thing to do is accept his presence, even welcome it. If you try to deny the way things are right now and make them the way you’d prefer them to be, you’ll never experience the peace you want.
Jar Jar represents those aspects of ourselves that we don’t like. He is the spaziness we feel when we want to be calm. He is the childish buffoonery we experience when we wish we could exude dignity. He is the fumbling fool who gets his mouth caught in energy binders and blunders into a big pile of eopie dung. When we behave like Jar Jar, we want to run away from ourselves and disappear into the Gungan’s hidden city. But the truth is that Jar Jar is not really a problem.
Meditation gives us a great opportunity to see firsthand the impermanent nature of our feelings. As we sit, we feel excited, bored, fidgety, doubtful, itchy, impatient, and so on. None of these things match up with the feelings we were hoping to feel. We wonder: Where’s the calm? Where’s the Jedi serenity? Why the hell does my mind keep leaping around like Jar Jar on fast forward? What am I doing wrong?
It’s only natural to ask these questions. It’s common to wonder if something is amiss. When your mind is unsettled—during meditation or otherwise—it’s not because you’re doing something wrong. It’s unsettled because it’s unsettled. It’s not a problem. The real problem is the belief that our minds are supposed to be different than they are at any given moment.
Jar Jar isn’t a problem. He’s just the way he is. If you need your inner Jar Jar to disappear in order to be calm or even content, then you’ll never truly know those things. We don’t need to get rid of Jar Jar to be truly calm; we just need to be able to be calm in the presence of Jar Jar. We must accept things as they are in the moment and allow them to be. Don’t allow yourself to be swept away by your Jar Jar nature or unbeneficial mental states. Don’t be tempted by the dark side. Don’t let it move you.
Buddhist meditation shuts its eyes to nothing, excludes nothing, runs from nothing. This can be terrifying at times, but it’s the only way to true peace—not just the idea of it. In meditation, accept everything about yourself. Welcome everything. You want peace? Make friends with Jar Jar. And when it’s time for him to bump and squirm to the next star system—just let him go. Like all that is impermanent, he’ll fade into the background.
Through meditation you see everything is impermanent. Thoughts appear and disappear. Feelings rise and fall. Even those elements of experience we identify as ourselves—our preferences and personalities—come and go. Like the dreams Obi-Wan talked about in Attack of the Clones, they “pass in time,” only to return again later.
Through meditation we touch the deep calm of no-self, where personality and preferences fall away. Returning to the metaphor of the ocean and the wave, we can say the deep calm of no-self is like the stillness at the bottom of the sea. Our preferences and personalities are like waves atop the wind-tossed sea. As we experience the rise and fall of feelings, thoughts, self, personality, and preferences, the deep calm is always there just below the surface. We can’t extract the wave from the ocean or the ocean from the wave; we can’t remove self from no-self—the two are interconnected. The goal is not to leave one behind to attain the other. We couldn’t even do that if we tried. The point is to see the situation clearly so we can totally live our lives as they are right now.
We don’t need to destroy Jar Jar when we see him in ourselves. Personality and preferences are only a problem when we mistake them for a real, permanent self. No-self is only a problem when we mistake it for something other than what we already are. We realize the truth and touch deep calm through the everyday ordinariness of our lives. So make friends with Jar Jar: go to work, pay your bills, be a goofball. “Be at peace with the oneness of things,” as one great teacher said; to which another added, “that is the way of things…the way of the Force.”