Jedi Stress Management

Not a lot of people know that the Jedi were actually stress management training consultants from a galaxy far far away. OK, I made that up but what is true is that George Lucas based much of the Star Wars philosophy on Zen Buddhism and Taoism. Yoda, the main Jedi stress management trainer is in fact based upon a short Japanese aikido instructor living in California who throws people around with his “ki” and gets his English in the order wrong. Other Japanese martial arts like Kendo (see Darth Vader’s helmet) and mythologies from around the world were also an influence on Lucas.

Top stress management quotes from Star Wars:

“Use the Force”

Go with the flow. Aligning oneself with the force of nature is a must for managing stress. By being relaxed, adaptable and responsive to the flow of events stress is minimised. Using the force also equates to listening to intuition which can avoid getting stressed out trying to figure everything out cognitively.

“Always the future, never the here and now” – Yoda

Yoda emphasises the importance of mindfulness and the present moment long before Ekart Tolle (who would not last 10 minutes in a light-sabre fight). Stress is usually not here and now.

“When 900 old you are, look so good you will not.” – Yoda

Respect your elders, they must know a lot about managing stress…they’re still here aren’t they?

“Fear is the path to the dark side. Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering.” “Named must your fear be before banish it you can.” – Yoda

Feel the fear and Jedi well do it anyway!

“Lost a planet Master Obi-Wan has. How embarrassing …” Yoda

Humour is good for stress management

“…attachment leads to suffering” – Yoda

In one of the newer Star Wars films Yoda describes the Buddhist doctrine of non-attachment, more profound than just a stress management tool but good for stress none-the-less.

“There is no try, do or do not” “[Luke:] I can’t believe it. [Yoda:] That is why you fail.”

“Trying to do anything” doesn’t work – Yoda is spot on with this change management advice and positive outlook.

“Luke: What’s in there?” Yoda: “Only what you take with you.” “Many of the truths we cling to depend greatly on our point of view” – Obi Wan

Stress management is an inside job – thoughts as well as outside stimuli create it.

and to finish… “Happens to every guy sometimes this does” – Yoda

…the less aid the better 🙂

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