From the fiery blaze of the death star explosion we find ourselves on the icy planet of Hoth where the rebels have taken refuge in the unforgiving environment. Luke is captured by Jack Frost’s bigger, angrier brother and Han Solo ventures out to find him. After Luke escapes, Obi-Wan appears to Luke as a force ghost for the first time.

The Jedi Master Who Instructed Me

If you were one of those people who saw the canonical six Star Wars films out of order, you have no idea who Yoda is. As I discussed in the Prequel posts, Yoda is the Grandmaster Jedi who took refuge after failing to defeat Darth Sidious in Episode III.

Obi-Wan has proven himself correct that he did indeed return more powerful than he could possibly imagine. Within the original George Lucas films, there is no evidence that Obi-Wan knew where Yoda retreated into exile. Yoda probably knew Obi-Wan was on Tatooine since he stated he would take Luke there and watch over him. Plus, he’s Yoda, he knows about as much as any life form can. Upon reaching force ghost status, Obi-Wan Kenobi continues to guide Luke from afar.

Separated But Never Far Away

Luke is separated from Leia and Han for most of the movie. Except for that awkward kissing scene, but we’ll save the more graphic familial closeness for Game of Thrones to take care of. After the Empire foils the rebellion’s plans to stay hunkered down on Hoth, Luke makes his way to the Dagobah system to find Yoda. He finds an empty, swamp like planet with no life forms in sight. Upon setting up camp, Yoda reveals himself as a curious stranger and offers Luke food and shelter at his home.

Luke grows more impatient by the second, wanting to find Yoda. Little does he know, he’s already with him. This is one of the lessons of Episode V, you are always closer than you think to what you need. Luke’s mind tricked him into thinking he was wasting his time but everything he experienced was necessary for his continued evolution towards becoming a Jedi worthy of balancing the Force. Yoda wanted to see Luke’s reaction to waiting, to the journey itself rather than the destination and he failed…miserably. We all do. It’s easy to get caught up in the panicked default state of an undisciplined mind.

“For 800 years have I trained Jedi…this one a long time have I watched all his life as he looked away to the future, to the horizon. Never his mind on where he was, what he was doing.”

Master Yoda – Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back

Yoda is just as suspicious of Luke as he was of Anakin. This is completely understandable. Anakin led the galaxy into darkness and tyranny and he was much younger than Luke prior to training. Luke has even more to unlearn than Anakin did.

Only What You Take With You

Yoda begins training Luke after Obi-Wan convinces him to do this. Remember, there is no try. Shortly into the training Yoda warns Luke of the nature of the dark side: quick, easy, seductive. Luke feels the presence of evil on Dagobah and Yoda confirms there is a domain of evil and that he must go.

This domain of evil contains only your own baggage. There is a difference between preparedness and a pre-conceived idea that incites fear to take a step in a new direction. Luke is already fearful when he enters the domain. Having taken his weapons, which Yoda said were not needed, he encountered himself as Darth Vader. What was to come if he stayed on the path of fear and anger. He would end up like his father. A lost and miserable former Jedi.

You Must Unlearn What You Have Learned

Luke continues his training with Yoda, balancing stones until he loses control. He loses focus when his X-wing sinks deeper into the swamp water. Luke loses concentration on the present and worries about being able to get out of Dagobah eventually. Luke also makes the mistake of confusing principles and objects. He believes the stones are different than the ship. He can use the Force on the stones but his ship is too massive. The lesson here is that no matter what you are trying to master the same steps are required: focus, presence, tranquility, inner strength, and listening to the vibrational wisdom inside of you.

You either do this or you do not do this. This is not the same as the absolutism of the Sith. In this sense, you will either remain centered or not. You will either take action from a place of serenity or not. Is the ego driving your action or is divinity?

When Luke attempts or “tries” to get his ship out, he was already disbelieving from the outset, sabotaging and thwarting his action. Frustrated and impatient he tells Yoda he is impossible and sulks by a tree. Yoda realizes he must show Luke the way through demonstration. This can be likened to John 20:29 in the Bible, “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe.” It’s the same principle. The energy, the ability is there. Seeing yourself do it helps but it is not necessary. Sometimes in order to do something you just have to do it and trust in the capability that we all have inside of us. This does not mean you will not fail. It means you will take action without fear and it will be fruitful even if the outcome is not exactly as you envisioned.

Pre-conceived expectations and fear in combination are a gourmet recipe for failure. Not all failure is created equal, however. Some failures exist on the way to achievement. Some are the results of obstacles in the mind in the way of achievement. They feel very different. Pain is another good example of this. There is a healthy type of pain and an unhealthy type of pain. The healthy kind reveals encouraging and hopeful progress and the unhealthy kind is one that evokes feelings of stagnation.

Control, Control You Must Learn Control

Many of us fall into the trap of control. External control. Internal control is beautiful and necessary for peace. In the last training session Luke has on Dagobah with Yoda, he has an experience eerily similar to Anakin’s in previous episodes: visions of people he cares about in danger. Luke’s initial reaction is to take immediate action to control this scary vision. Yoda says their fate is not certain, he cannot see the future clearly as it is always in motion. However, Luke’s fear had been intensely activated. He loses focus on the present, on his training, his commitment to become a Jedi. Sound familiar? Anakin fell into the same trap.

When acting from a state of fear, you’re already off balance. Emotions are out of control and you are susceptible to missteps that may be catastrophic. “If you choose to face Vader you will do it alone, I cannot interfere” is what Obi-Wan says to Luke. Why? Because wisdom, as represented by Obi-Wan’s force ghost, cannot co-exist in a state of fear. Luke will be left to his own impulsive devices. Fear is like a rich soil for these types of seeds to grow. He can always go within and change the energy state he is operating from but as fear gains momentum it gets more difficult to regain control.

From a strictly right and wrong stance, Luke was not wrong. Just as Anakin was not wrong in Episode II. His mother was in danger and did end up dying. Leia and Han fall into the hands of the empire. This is not the point. The point is even noble and brave intentions are tainted with a damaging streak when fear, anger, or hatred are driving them. Anakin was also not wrong in Episode III in his desire to protect Padme. However, because he did this from a place of fear it had galaxy altering consequences. The chaotic instability within him became mirrored throughout the whole galaxy. How do we know it was fear driven? He force chokes her moments after saying he acquired unspeakable power for her safety. In an instant, his fear makes him do what he tried to prevent. Luke isn’t driven to the same place, largely because the severity of his fear wasn’t as intense. He didn’t wade in the pool of fear, anger, or hatred long enough to lose himself to the dark side.

I Am Your Father

The truth is necessary for peace to exist. However, there is a timeliness aspect to it that matters and how it is delivered. This is also where the ego can taint something. Speaking the truth to be right, is a form of ego. Taking delight in a painful truth. Realizing something too soon. Which is why Yoda says in Episode VI “not ready for the burden were you.” If Luke had completed the training he would have been wiser, more centered, more prepared for the burden that was always waiting for him.

Darth Vader circles back to a request he made to Padme in Episode III.

Like mother like son, Luke distances himself from Darth Vader as Padme did. He jumps and falls down a chute in cloud city, leaving him stranded in the sky with just a slender pole to cling to. He begs for Ben to help him but as wisdom warned before, “I cannot interfere.” Luke closes his eyes, surrenders, and calls out for Leia. The spirit of feminine intuition heard him, offered grace and came to his aid. Luke was fortunate as often times actions taken from such a chaotic place result in chaotic conclusions.

At the end of Episode V, Luke is permanently altered. Han Solo is frozen in carbonite, and we still aren’t sure who Leia will end up with.

Not to mention a little too closely related.

In my next post I will cover the finale of the canonical six episodes, Return of the Jedi. If you liked this content and wish to support the site, please consider visiting my Donations page.

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