Kate Solusar’s Holocron

When I first joined Sithism (a now closed website), I remember reading a discussion about humility there that really struck me, because it resonated with my own personal experience.  Like so many people, I came to believe in an inaccurate understanding of the meaning and practice of humility.  I thought it meant downplaying and minimizing my good qualities and my talents so that no one would think I was bragging or that I thought myself too important.  As a female, humility has an added negative connotation of not aspiring to those qualities that society (especially those with a narrow and more traditional view of male/female roles) characterized as male.  Since the person who originated that discussion at Sithism was also female, she wrote about the negative baggage of being taught that kind of humility growing up.  Of course, this view still prevails, and is still reinforced by religion and society in many ways.  I have an alternative view, one that seems to be more in keeping with my understanding of humility as practiced in the Jedi way and tradition.

 Realistically speaking, we are better than some people, and others are better than we are.  Each of us has been gifted by the Force with various talents, abilities, strengths, opportunities and challenges.  Since we are each unique, no one has exactly the same strengths, gifts and talents as another person.  Some of us are very capable physical adepts, who are gifted at tasks of strength and physical prowess.  Others are very knowledgeable, some in diverse subjects, others in a more narrow, specific focus.  Others have great insight and empathy, still others work in the healing professions.  Others are great diplomats and visionaries.  Still others are able to manage skillfully and are great organizers, talented in logistics.  That just scratches the surface.  Some of us have physical limitations, caused by health issues, accident or injury or disability.  Others of us can’t spell or write well, even though we have great ideas and important things to say.  Others of us are limited by lack of experience.  Insecurity, all the related emotions, overattachment — sometimes we deal with these things better than at other times.  The truth is, we all have gifts; we all have limitations of one kind or another.  So then, what does humility have to do with this?  More importantly, what does it have to do with us?

Humility is the ability to see yourself as you actually are.  It requires unflinching self awareness and honesty.  It requires acknowledging, understanding, and coming to terms with all that we are — the good, the great, the bad, the ugly — the light and darkness we each carry inside ourselves and share with others we encounter.  The Code requires Jedi to master themselves, their emotions, to act in knowledge.  This is a life-long task.  One of the aspects of this path that I truly appreciate is that we are rooted in a fictional mythos.  As such, we can pull our fictive kin and brethren’s worldview and experience, whether from the films, games, or novels, apart and liken it to our own experience.  The fictional Jedi were NOT perfect.  Neither are we.  People who have walked this path with me know from my assignments and comments in discussions that I like the example of Master Obi-Wan Kenobi, warts and all.  His faults are similar to my own.  His basic goodness and the ideal he stands for is something I aspire to in my own life.  So, I recognize that I need to be mindful of not truly listening, of not entering into a troubled persons experience by mouthing empty platitudes and sounding all sage and wise.  I need to be open to the positive power of love, to recognize that it is far more important to live the spirit of the law rather than the letter of the law.  I also though want to be open, attentive, and a good listener, open to the will of the Force in my life and to serve it as he did.   I also have learned that there is no task beneath me or my dignity, unless I decide it is.  Part of humility to me is about being willing to serve others, and put them before I put myself.  To me, that is really what humility is all about, not debasing myself and hiding my light under a bushel basket.  It is to be true to who I actually am, and still be willing to walk this Jedi way, in love and service.