May You Remember that the Force is Already Within
It’s May 4th, and you might have noticed a lot of references to Star Wars today, including their most famous line, “May the Force be with you.” As a reiki practitioner, I find “the Force” rather intriguing. Although fictional, the idea is still relevant enough to make me take a deeper look and reexamine my own understanding of reiki.
Is the Force similar to reiki?
Looking at interviews of George Lucas and also how the characters describe “the Force,” the source of this power seems pretty similar to that of reiki. In an article on Wired, here’s how Lucas answers when questioned about the Force:
Similar phrases have been used extensively by many different people for the last 13,000 years to describe the ’life force.’
Obi-Wan Kenobi describes it as”an energy field created by all living things. It surrounds us and penetrates us.” He also tells Luke, “The force will be with you, always.”
These statements align with my understanding of reiki, that it’s an universal energy that permeates everything. I did feel a little confused, though, about why they add the word “May.” Doesn’t it insinuate that the Force isn’t always with you? If it’s always surrounding you, shouldn’t the saying be “The Force is with you”?
Is the “May” Necessary?
It nagged at me until I realized that I actually do it too! When I say my mantras before using reiki, I usually say “May love flow through me for the highest good,” and “May I absorb the pain and transmute it to love.” Could it be that due to “the Force” being the most prominent depiction of energy manipulation in the modern society, it fed my subconscious to use words that sound familiar? Possibly. If that’s the case, I wonder if I should just be saying “Love flows through me for the highest good,” too.
But there’s a part of me that resist that. I’m aware that I don’t know everything there is to know, including what is ultimately best for everyone. Sometimes, you need a huge setback to find your life’s purpose. Taking out that “may” makes it sound like a command, not a request. It sounds so near-sighted and arrogant to be asking reiki to flow on demand!
The thing is, though, whether I demand compliance from reiki or not, it is always there ready to be used. You either use it or you don’t. As Yoda says, “Do or do not, there is no try.” Apparently, the Force is the same way. May you always remember that the force is within you. It’s a mouthful to say, (plus it ruins the wordplay that designates today as Star Wars Day) but maybe that’s the idea the Jedis were trying to convey.