This Star Wars Fight Scene Shows You How to Live in The Moment
/Start behaving like a Jedi to embrace the here and now.
Image screenshot of Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace, property of Disney and Lucasfilm.
Modern life can feel like a battle at times. Ongoing work and responsibilities wear you down to a point where you can't even remember who you are anymore.
You feel like a robot, or a droid from Star Wars, carrying out your programming with the sole purpose of serving others. How can you stay connected to who you are and lead a more balanced life?
Watching one of my favorite fight scenes in Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace always reminds me of an important truth I think will help you when life gets overwhelming.
I'll admit, it's not the best overall movie, but the fight choreography when Qui-gon Jinn and Obi-Wan fight Darth Maul mixed with that banging Duel of the Fates score is pretty badass.
I always get caught by Qui-gon's decision to meditate during a break in the lightsaber battle—a decisive moment that displays a lot about his character and how we can handle stressful situations.
If you don't remember the scene, take a look here. The part I'm talking about is at the 2-minute mark.
Qui-gon Jinn is in the literal fight of his life, and what does he do when barriers block him from advancing on Darth Maul? He decides to sit and pay attention to the moment.
Breathing, and most likely visualizing his next moves, but doing it calmly and peacefully—moving away from anxiety and fear through meditation.
On the other hand, Darth Maul paces back and forth impatiently, grimacing at Qui-gon like an animal starving for blood. This is one of the few times in a Star Wars film where I can actually feel the difference between being a Sith and a Jedi beyond just the visuals.
The fact that Qui-gon loses and ultimately gets stabbed is, of course, heartbreaking, but because we love what he stands for as a true Jedi master, we're moved by his death.
You're right there with Obi-Wan when he screams and runs in after the barrier opens to shred it up with Darth.
Does this mean meditation is useless? Qui-gon Jinn lost after all. Maybe he should have stayed standing up inside that red force field, staring at Darth Maul while gritting his teeth in frustration.
Or, perhaps it's all about how Qui-gon decided to live his life while alive.
You can admire his choice, and it's clear he understood the possible consequences involved in the battle. He was fighting highly trained evil and could most likely die. I'm sure he was in this situation many times before, but he kept centered and focused.
Qui-gon lost that Darth Maul battle, but he won being a master Jedi in control of his emotions through mindfulness.
We never know the outcome of the risks we take in life, but we should still take them. Pausing and paying attention to the present moment can help make you stronger and get you through it all with grace.
Here's how to think like a Jedi and become one with the force.
You can accept the truth in the present moment
If a Jedi can stop in the middle of a lightsaber duel to sit and meditate, you have the same choice when challenges feel insurmountable. Make sure to pause and pay attention to your thinking and emotions to handle how to proceed.
If the force is all around us, why not tap into its energy by sitting in silence for several minutes? People, most likely, are afraid to look at reality with honesty. If your situation sucks, it's OK to accept it so you can figure out what to do about it.
Sometimes keeping busy and filling up time with unnecessary duties might feel like it's helping you cope, but it's probably slowing you down. I like how this idea is addressed in Eckhart Tolle's book "The Power of Now."
“Accept — then act. Whatever the present moment contains, accept it as if you had chosen it. Always work with it, not against it. Make it your friend and ally, not your enemy. This will miraculously transform your whole life.”
-Eckhart Tolle
Qui-gon knew the dangers of being an elite Jedi warrior and accepted the idea that battles are uncomfortable situations where you could be killed. Even with that acceptance, he charged forward, giving the fight his all.
Make mindfulness time into a habit
Our technology might not be as advanced as in the Star Wars universe, but we can set timers that remind us to be mindful. I know there are apps for this and even writing sticky notes you can place on your laptop, any way you choose, make meditation a habit.
Even if it means remembering to stop what you're doing when you're stressed and taking three deep breaths, you'll feel the benefits.
You can see things for what they are, essential and nuanced, but not the end of the world.
“The greater part of human pain is unnecessary. It is self-created as long as the unobserved mind runs your life. The pain that you create now is always some form of nonacceptance, some form of unconscious resistance to what “is.”
-Eckhart Tolle
The next time you're facing adversity, remember this Star Wars fight scene and be like Qui-gon Jinn — take time to breathe and refocus. You might not be facing a life or death situation, but you'll have an easier time not only surviving but winning the day.
In the words of a Jedi master…
“Remember, concentrate on the moment. Feel, don’t think. Use your instincts.”
- Qui-Gon Jinn
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