May the Fourth
On this auspicious day, I have found it timely to revisit two of my most grounding philosophies.
Perhaps my favorite teaching from Jedi Master Yoda comes when he is training young Luke in the ways of the Force. He says,
“For my ally is the Force, and a powerful ally it is. Life creates it, makes it grow. Its energy surrounds us and binds us. Luminous beings are we, not this crude matter. You must feel the Force around you; here, between you, me, the tree, the rock, everywhere, yes.”
I believe that part of the reason Star Wars was and continues to be so captivating is its ability to weave some of the oldest and deepest notions we have about life into a galactic narrative. By framing the story “a long time ago, in a galaxy far far away” George Lucas gave us the opportunity to relax the critical chatter of our mind and to listen with our heart.
In my traditional chiropractic philosophy, principles similar to the ones expressed by Yoda are evident. In 1927, R.W. Stevenson codified 33 Principles in The Chiropractic Textbook. In it, he writes,
“The function of force is to unite intelligence and matter” and that
“the expression of intelligence through matter is the chiropractic meaning of life.”
For me, it is philosophy that serves as the foundation upon which the art and science of my craft can be firmly rooted. It is not a dogmatic belief in doctrine, but an examined lens that supports and is supported by the evidence of practice.
And so on this day and all days, may the Force (and the 4th) be with you.
