May the Force be With You!

Star Wars Episode 4 -  A New Hope debuted in 1977.   I was ten.

 

I fell in love with it immediately. 

 

It had a princess, handsome good guys, scary bad guys and AMAZING special effects that transported me (Ooo mixed reference as transporters are clearly associated with Star Trek---and Yes, I think you can love them both) from my seat in the theatre to the cockpit of Luke's X-Wing fighter as he bobbed and weaved on his trench run to deliver the fatal proton torpedo that destroyed the Death Star.    

My sixty-something grandfather took me to see it, probably my third time, and his only comment on the movie was: "It was too loud".

 

Twenty years later, I got to share my love of Star Wars with my now, 18 year old.  He was four and we sat on the ground for three hours in line, in the rain, at our tiny town's one theatre to see the Phantom Menace.  Ok so in retrospect, it was maybe not a good idea to have him watch Darth Maul get cut in half but I would argue, Jar Jar Binks was just as traumatic for me. 

 

He gobbled up Star Wars IV, V and VI shortly thereafter and while it did take until Episode II for him to understand the inverted timeline, he was hooked for life and continues to be an avid Admiral Akbar fan.

 

My oldest....1998,

So what about my youngest?  He was born only a short while before Episode III.  Would he miss out on the wonderful story because it was no longer relevant? Effects outdated?  Musical score and costumes unbelievable?

 

With a brother and mom such big fans, we could not wait to share our love for this epic tale so he was  on board without much prompting.  Star Wars is one of the ties that bind our family.  My dad, gone too soon at age 67, was a big fan--so too am I and so too my kids.  I have had two Darth Mauls on Halloween, born almost ten years apart...both donning the red pointy mask and twirling double ended red light sabers ---off to challenge the universe.  I have had two boys, arms out, hands flexed, palms forward announce, "Stand back Mom, I will use the force!" to part sliding automatic doors at the mall.

 

I love the idea of The Force. 

 

 "The Force is what gives a Jedi his power.  It is an energy field created by all living things.  It surrounds us and penetrates us; it binds the galaxy together."

 

I can get behind this philosophy and it is maybe what drew me to Reiki.  While on this path, I have been trying to listen to what resonates within me as true. And I have discovered that I love to learn, I love to help, I love to serve, I love to make a difference and I love connection.  These things all come together in Reiki and so I am pursing my Reiki Master certification.  I think I finally "get it" when people talk about your purpose not having to be your job. FINALLY this makes sense to me!!!

 

I could jump for joy....my heart sings....it makes me want to laugh and cry at the same time.  I would love to have a job where I feel that what I do makes a difference in the world--but at the same time, doesn't consume me.  To me it has always been either or.  I can either have a job I work hard at --OR I can nurture my soul. Not both.  But if my true purpose is to help others through Reiki---it doesn't matter what I do to make money.  That is not my purpose. That is my job. 

 

Maybe some day, I can join my purpose and my job.  But for today, I am going to sit with this idea and see how it feels.  What if Reiki is my purpose?  What if helping others through directing universal energy through me into them is what I was put here to do? 

 

I'm not kidding myself that I will be able to lift swamp sucking X-Wings---but I do think Star Wars has it right.  There is an energy field within us that binds us together and sometimes we forget that. We feel isolated and alone; disconnected and angry---and we ignore self care in favor of the badge of 12 hour days and exhaustion---giving in to the dark side so to speak.  It can be powerful, the dark side.  It gives you strength and motivation to do all sorts of things that may not be particularly good for you. It is fed by anger and gossip and self-doubt and desire to control things and lives in the absolutes.  There is no middle ground.  I know. I have been there.

 

I have had a chance to try out my level one Reiki skills on my 8 year old.  Trying to explain what exactly I was doing was a bit of a challenge. I am not sure he got it, but I do know he enjoyed it at bedtime and begged me to do just a bit more after he brushed his teeth. 

 

I showed my youngest the video the next day as the Star Wars connection didn't come to me until after his treatment. 

 

"So you are like a Jedi?"

"Kind of......  I help bring the good energy of the universe into people and their body knows what to do with it to help them feel better".

"Cool.  Can you teach me to be a Jedi?" 

"Well, so far I am in Jedi training school so I am more of a padawan.  When I become a Master I will let you know and I can teach you the ways of a Reiki Master...ok?"

(GIANT HUG) 

"Oh thanks Mom!!!"

 

(No Thank YOU George Lucas and Steven Spielberg!)