on 2019/01/16
Un caballero es, según la acepción más estricta de la palabra, una persona que monta a caballo o, más generalmente, una persona de origen noble o, en época actual, simplemente distinguida o poseedora de un código de conducta gentil, atento y solidario.
Un caballero es un hombre educado que se define por los actos desinteresados que realiza y sus buenos modales, esos que cautivarán a las personas a su alrededor. … Hoy en día, un caballero es aquel que se describe a los hombres de cualquier clase social o condición que se comportan de manera cortés.
Ser un caballero significa saber cómo comportarse en el mundo. Un caballero es aquel que domina sus propios actos, aquel que sabe el valor de la palabra. La caballerosidad no es cuestión de cultura, sino de educación, se respeta a sí mismo y a los demás.
Un caballero nunca está fuera de estilo, es por esto que decidí recopilar y resumir las 21 reglas esenciales que todo caballero debe seguir:
- Un caballero recuerda las fechas, los lugares y es puntual.
- Un caballero siempre va bien vestido, perfumado, y nunca llega con las manos vacías.
- Un caballero escucha y es paciente, no le interesa ganar una discusión.
- Un caballero siempre le abre la puerta a una dama, le cede el asiento, el paso, la ayuda a quitarse el abrigo o a cargar cosas.
- Un caballero siempre habla bien de la mujer con la que tuvo su última relación amorosa.
- Un caballero no dice groserías en presencia de menores, de mujeres o de personas mayores.
- Un caballero no monta un escándalo cuando le rechazan la tarjeta, ofrece otro método de pago o trata de solucionar el problema de forma razonable.
- Un caballero siempre apaga su teléfono móvil al entrar a una conferencia, clase, reunión o ceremonia.
- Un caballero siempre paga sus deudas o apuestas de juego.
- Un caballero siempre utiliza las palabras comodín en toda relación social: “por favor” y “gracias”.
- Cuando llega tarde a una ceremonia o al teatro espera el momento oportuno para entrar y trata de molestar lo menos posible a quienes se encuentran ya sentados.
- Si no sabe idiomas no trata de aparentar que domina una lengua.
- Un caballero siempre piensa antes de hablar y nunca interrumpe a los demás.
- Cuando alguien le ataca verbalmente, le contesta con elegancia, inteligencia y sin agresividad.
- Un caballero sabe decir frases como: “No sé, no he leído ese libro”, “no conozco ese autor” o “no he visto esa película”.
- Un caballero no se queja de su situación financiera ni habla del precio de las cosas. Lo que ha costado su traje, lo que ha costado el vino que sirve, etc.
- Un caballero acepta una disculpa y sabe ofrecerla cuando es necesario.
- Un caballero habla en voz baja y con prudencia en lugares públicos.
- Un caballero presenta a dos personas mediante cumplidos.
- Un caballero se queja de la manera correcta.
- Un caballero nunca se alegra de los errores ajenos, porque supone que la persona que ha errado lo último que necesita es su burla.
Actúa bajo estas reglas, y te ganarás el respeto del mundo.
The Original Gentleman
A hundred years ago, a gentleman was a man of high social position and wealth. Even today dictionaries still retain this definition, as well as several others:
- A chivalrous, courteous, or honorable man.
- A polite or formal way of referring to a man.
- A man of noble birth attached to a royal household
- A man of good social position, especially one of wealth and leisure
- A courteous title for a male fellow member of the House of Commons or the House of Representatives
So what does it really mean? There is much more to being a gentleman than mere courtesy; traditional acts of chivalry can come off as condescending, and “honor” is a highly relative concept.
These days, the title “gentleman” is no longer relevant as an indication of one’s refinement and character, as it was once assumed to be for men of wealth and title who didn’t have to work for a living.
In our opinion, the term is far more egalitarian, and these days, to say you are a gentleman means you have to earn it. Wealth and power are no longer enough, and in fact, they simply aren’t a relevant part of the modern definition. Money and position can’t buy you class or respect.
edi Philosophy is a practical philosophy for life inspired by the archetype Jedi characters in the Star Wars Fiction.
Jedi Philosophy is not a Fan Based ideology or a alternative new age religion. There is no specific doctrine or dogma attached. Jedi Philosophy is a simple and pragmatic way of living life in accordance with your own personal values. The Jedi Code provides a point of reference:
The Jedi Code
There is no emotion; there is peace.
There is no ignorance; there is knowledge.
There is no passion; there is serenity
There is no chaos; there is harmony
There is no death; there is the force
A Holistic Lifestyle
Jedi Philosophy emphasizes a holistic approach to life. Each person is made up of body, mind, emotion and soul. Therefore being Jedi approaches each element of the person in equal portion. That is, in Jedi Training there is usually components of:
- Meditation
- Physical Training
- Martial Arts
- Study and Application
- Mindfulness
To be Jedi is to embrace the whole and train the Body, Mind, Heart and Soul.
Jedi is a Verb
Being Jedi is about action, not appearances. In order to consider one’s self Jedi one must act that way consistently in all of their affairs.
How do you imagine a Jedi would act if you met one in the street? Would that person be polite, attentive, calm and friendly? Would that person keep a level head when things became stressful? Would he or she show compassion to others as well as empathy? I believe a Jedi would also be attentive of their manners and their appearance as well as their personal health. A Jedi would also be active in the community and help out where he or she is able to.
No one introduces themselves as a Jedi and expects to be taken seriously. However one can be Jedi as much as someone can choose to practice Stoicism, Taoism, Zen, Humanism, Epicureanism or Atheism. It is a Philosophy for Life, not a title or a badge.
The Daily Practices
In order to assist in personal growth and development, Jedi Philosophy recommends a set of five daily practices. The amount of time and effort you will apply to each will depend on you but even moderate daily practice will bring about results. Practices such as Awareness and Diplomacy can be incorporated as part of your daily activities and interaction with others. The goal is to develop virtue and self sustaining habit over time.
Self Discipline relates to doing what you have committed yourself to.
The Five Daily Practices are:
- Physical Exercise
- Meditation
- Awareness
- Diplomacy
- Self Discipline
The Jedi Goals
Real World Jedi do not exist as part of an organization. There is no recognized Jedi Order. You will not find a group of people calling themselves Jedi walking the halls of the United Nations or brokering for peace in the Middle East.
Real World Jedi however have goals. The premise is that through self betterment, we arrive at world betterment. If I become a better person and try to help people or the environment, in a small way I am also making the world a better place.
Each Jedi must determine what his is her values are and then act consistently in accordance with those values. They then determine how they want to contribute to the lives of others, what their cause is, what their mission in life is.
The Jedi Goals are:
- Train Diligently
- Render Aid
- Provide Support
- Defend those in Need
- Study the Force
The Jedi Circle
The Jedi Circle provides a framework for students of Jedi Philosophy. Practiced consistently through training, the Jedi Circle will lead to improved physical, mental, emotional and spiritual well being.
Further Reading
Jedi Philosophy is evolving as it expands and is embraced by more and more people accepting it as a philosophy for Life.
There are few books on Jedi Philosophy and the web has some material. The web site Jedi Living provides references and training as well as an active online Forum that discusses the Philosophy and shares the experiences of people applying the principles in their lives.
Other online groups exist as well representing the three main branches of the Jedi Community.
The following books are available in paperback and Kindle on Amazon:
Trout K (2013) (Opie McLeod). The Jedi Religion (The Jedi Academy Online Presents: Book 3). Amazon
Please enjoy this repost of one of my most popular essays (originally written in 2005):
For many people, the main appeal of George Lucas’ “Star Wars” movies is the “Jedi Way,” the philosophy/religion that guides the mystical Jedi knights. But where does this philosophy come from, and does it hold up under scrutiny?
At root, the Jedi Way is a synthesis of three Eastern religions or philosophies, with an overlay of courtly behavior drawn from the medieval knights of Europe.
The most important source for the Jedi Way is Taoism, an ancient Chinese philosophy whose name is generally translated as “the Way” or as “the Way of Nature.” The two main goals of Taoism are to achieve balance and to exist in harmony with nature (and with all living beings). There is no deity as such in Taoism, which conceptualizes ultimate reality as a primal energy. This energy is expressed in the world in the form of two equal and opposing forces, the “yin” or passive female force, and the “yang” or active male force. These forces are neither good nor evil, and what is desirable is that they be in balance at all times.
The tension between yin and yang creates “qi” (pronounced “chee” and sometimes transliterated as “chi”) or life energy. Qi is found in all things, but particularly living creatures. The manipulation of qi is at the root of many traditional Chinese practices including acupuncture, feng shui and tai chi. According to legend, command of qi flow (as practiced by “qigong” masters) brings many mystical powers similar to those of the Jedi, such as the ability to move objects with the mind. In the movies, the name of Jedi Master “Qui-Gon Jin” is probably a deliberate reference to “qi gong.”
(Since Taoism is more of a philosophy than a religion, it is often combined together with religious beliefs from other traditions, such as Buddhism or Christianity.)
The second major source of the Jedi Way is Buddhism, specifically Zen, a variant found largely in Japan. As with most forms of Buddhism, Zen preaches “non-attachment,” the letting go of emotional bonds to people, places and things. The ultimate goal is to reach a selfless state of dispassionate compassion for all living things. Like the Jedi knights, Buddhist monks are ascetic and celibate. Zen monks are known, at least in the popular imagination, for developing a particular ability or craft to the point where it can be practiced with no conscious effort and nearly superhuman skill.
The third major source for the Jedi worldview is Zoroastrianism, an ancient Persian religion which viewed the world as an eternal battlefield between the forces of good and evil. Although Zoroastrianism has only small pockets of practitioners left in the modern world, it was a major influence on many other philosophies and religions. Echoes of it are present in many places, including the way many modern Christians conceptualize the devil as a force opposite and nearly equal to God.
Finally, the Jedi philosophy is overlaid with a code of chivalry based on that practiced by the medieval knights of Europe, who operated by a code of ethics including strict rules for combat, high standards of courtesy, warrior virtues such as honor, loyalty and bravery and a veneration of courtly love. The knightly facet of the Jedi is exemplified in the movies by their preference for the “elegant” light sabers as opposed to the “barbaric” blasters.
The remarkable synthesis Lucas achieved in placing together these disparate elements has proved compelling for more than one generation of viewers. However, as a workable philosophy it has major flaws.
The first and most subtle of these is the conflict between Taoism and Buddhism. Although often linked in real life, Taoism and Buddhism do not always line up. In the first chapter of the “Tao Te Ching” (the chief text of Taoism) it says “let go of desires in order to observe the source, but allow yourself desires in order to observe the manifestations.” This indicates that both “attachment” and “nonattachment” are seen as having value in Taoism, as opposed to Buddhism. In addition, the Buddhist seeks to transcend the world and earthly existence, whereas the Taoist seeks to be fully integrated into the world as a part of nature and natural existence. In the movies, this becomes an issue in the way that the Jedi Council is aloof and independent from politics, yet simultaneously also deeply involved in the galactic political landscape.
The second conflict is between Taoism and Zoroastrianism. There is no “good” and “evil” in Taoism, only balance and imbalance. Neither Yin nor Yang is preferable, and both are necessary, as apposed to Zoroastrianism, where the ultimate goal is the triumph of good and the eradication of evil. This disconnect shows up as a major plot point in the second series of movies (I, II & III), where the prophecy of “balance in the Force” may possibly mean the rise of evil.
The third conflict is between Buddhism and Zoroastrianism. Again, the concept of a fight between good and evil is somewhat alien to Buddhism. A fallen Buddhist would not be an equal and opposite force to a good Buddhist, but simply someone who had become too caught up in the illusions and the material temptations of the ordinary world. A person of this sort might be cruel, venal and selfish, but would not be expected to have any particular spiritual power. This creates a paradox in the movies, in that the Jedi draw power from controlling their emotions, but the Sith draw power from their inability to control their emotions. In addition it creates another instance of cognitive dissonance as the wise and dispassionate Jedi choose over and over again to resolve their problems through violence.
The final conflict is between Buddhism and chivalry. Buddhism preaches non-attachment, but one of the key characteristics of the medieval knights was passionate attachment. Loyalty to one’s lord and to one’s comrades-in-arms was among the highest virtues, and a courtly, romantic (and theoretically chaste) love between a knight and his lady was celebrated as an ideal. Also, in as much as chivalry stems from Christianity, it carries the idea of love as a powerful redemptive force.
This disconnect creates some of the most powerful paradoxes in the movies. In the first series (IV, V & VI) Yoda and Obi-Wan counsel control of emotions, and warn Luke against the dangers of his affection for his friends, and his unreasonable love for his father. Yet it is Luke’s decision to ignore this seemingly wise advice that provides most of the high points of the first series. In the end, Luke is proven right when his ill-advised love for his father finally uncovers the good left in Darth Vader, and brings about the final end to the Sith. Therefore, love is ultimately shown to be even more powerful than the light side of the Force (which failed to conquer its counterpart in all five chronologically previous movies).
Conversely, the second series suffers from taking its doctrine of non-attachment too seriously. The Jedi Council consequently comes across as cold and uncaring –a fact which drives Anakin into the more hot-blooded arms of the Dark Side. In addition, this set of movies is in the strange position of positing love as the enemy. Although Anakin clearly has psychotic tendencies, the movie insists on blaming his moments of indiscriminate slaughter on his “love” for his mother and his wife. Even Obi-Wan’s platonic love for his padawan does nothing except cloud his judgment.
It is this too-fully-realized disdain for emotion that, more than anything else, makes the second series inferior to the first