Do…or do not, there is no try. – Jedi Grand Master Yoda.
This could arguably be the most profound quotes in George Lucas’ Star Wars saga. In the movie Star Wars, Episode IV – A New Hope, Luke Skywalker who is the son of the most significant…and perhaps the most powerful Sith Lord in Sith history, Darth Vader, is sent on a quest by his mentor Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi to seek out Jedi Grand Master Yoda to learn the ways of the Force. In his effort to find the exiled Master, Luke Skywalker travels to, and lands hard on the swamp planet of Dagobah.
After finding Master Yoda and embarking upon his training, Luke’s star fighter completely sinks into the swamp. Upset, Luke says to his Master that he’ll never get it and his Master tells him to use the Force. Luke says that it’s too big and Yoda tells him that it’s only big in his mind. Luke tells says that he will give it a try and his Master immediately rebukes and corrects him by saying, “do…or do not, there is no try.”
This quote resonated with me so much, I immediately and completely embraced the Jedi philosophy to the point where I became a practicing Jedi. This enigmatic quote in this wonderful movie inspired me to embrace philosophy, explore spirituality and religion and strive to better the quality of my being. Today, I am no longer “a Jedi”, and that is simply because Star Wars and/or the Jedi Way served a purpose at a time when I need a purpose in my life. It taught me how to explore and discover my own answers and embrace a larger philosophical and spiritual perspective. While I no longer follow the Jedi philosophy, the tenets of the Jedi way parallel my own philosophy, which define how I live my life.
“Do…or do not, there is no try”, still has deep and profound meaning for me but I have a more pragmatic perspective today. In the movie, Luke Skywalker is born sensitive to the power of the Force and has it in his ability to manipulate even alter physical reality, but because he was raised influenced by the practical thinking of the real world, he could not conceive past what he has come to believe and trust. Master Yoda’s words, “do…or do not, there is no try”, were exactly what they were, a statement to execute an action. Having already arrived at the fact that Master Yoda’s mysterious proverbs and axioms where not so much meant to be profound and invoke contemplation, but were in fact based on what has been or could be done by one who commands the Force.
Therefore, without further argument Luke attempted to “do” and succeeded in slightly altering the reality of the situation, however he failed to fulfill his objective. Disappointed, stressed, tired and confused, he lashed out with doubt and sarcasm and it was then was Master Yoda who lead by example and executed the task of removing a submerged star fighter from the swamp.
To those who are philosophy and spirituality sensitive it was a very poignant and inspiriting moment, however not a very pragmatic moment. Yes, Master Yoda did not try, he “did” but at one time he had to try many times in order to arrive at a place in his life where he could simply “do”. I can tell you that I fully and completely embraced and practiced the Jedi philosophy everyday for years and quite often, I was never able to “do” many things. Even thought today I embrace a philosophy that believes that human consciousness can excite and manipulate matter if the will is strong enough, it is not as simple as just thinking “do” and things are “done”. For the mind to be strong enough to just “do”, one’s will must be trained and this requires one to reverse and/or release much of the thinking one has come to trust and rely upon. It requires one to work hard everyday to embody that, which he or she wants to personify, but in time…one will be successful and he or she will actually be “doing”.
I think in “do…or do not, there is no try” is as profound as it is powerful, however “try…and try hard, eventually you will be doing” is pretty good for those of us living in the Milky Way Galaxy and not the Galaxy Far, Far Away.