Is the Jedi Path safe?
Overall yes. The focus is on self-betterment, and training to understand the Force, knowledge, wisdom, and peace. Personal calm is something Jedi strive for. Think of a Martial Artist. They train and get a sense of responsibility, self-discipline, and confidence. The Jedi are the same way, and like a Martial Artist, Jedi have a strong sense of justice and do focus on defense of those that are in need of it. With this a Jedi is subject to getting into confrontations. Yet Jedi are trained to handle such situations, looking to put an end to potential hostilities through diplomacy and mediation.
Jedi are also trained to protect themselves and others, just in case a situation escalates. In this a Jedi is rarely ever in danger or in a position s/he cannot handle.

Is everything based off Star Wars?
No, but a majority of it is. We take the lessons and philosophies provided by the Star Wars fiction and apply to our lives today. Jedi strive to emulate those seen in the movies, but we are aware of the differences from fiction to reality. This site takes a lot of it's views from three main sources, The Star Wars Power of the Jedi Sourcebook, The Jedi Apprentice series, and the Movies. We use these as guides, to explore, learn from and more importantly expand from. As Star Wars Jedi are what inspired us, it is what we chose to look towards.

So does one have to conform to be a Jedi?
Basically? Yes, in order to be a Jedi one must follow the Jedi Path. This does not mean we become robots or lose our sense of identity. Just that we share a common belief and structure. Various Jedi sites do have By-Laws (rules and regulations) which they expect their members to follow. Likewise the Jedi have set guidelines to their Path as well.
Yet the Jedi, as well as our site, support individuality. No one is forced to conform or change, if one wishes to follow the Jedi Path, they are expected to follow the Guidelines of the Path. It is a matter of choice, one can choose to be a Jedi or not. Also Jedi encourage learning independently, so one who wanted to be a Jedi, Doctor, Christian, and study Gardening in their off time, is welcomed to do so.

What do Jedi Teach/Learn?
Jedi focus on many things and some things do vary from Mentor to Mentor. Basically all Jedi learn self-defense, physical fitness, meditation, diplomacy, the Force, awareness, and other traits such as patience and understanding. The Jedi Circle is a rough draft of overall Jedi Focus.
Also there are many philosophical discussions and opportunities for self-expression. Some Mentors include teaching other languages, different religions and philosophies, different martial art styles, etc. Really it is recommended that any training be discussed in-depth with the "teacher" and never shy away from questions.

How Long is training?
Time varies from Mentor to Mentor and Student to Student. We all learn at our own pace. And it is up to the Teacher to fit to the student's style while encouraging advancement. There are some sites/academies that offer year long courses. Some places offer a 6 month course. These courses can be helpful, however the Jed Academy Online has a Basic Academy program that usually falls between 6 months to a year long. And than One-on-One training style after that, which has no set period of time and can last several years.

Is Jedi (or Jediism) a Religion?
While there are those that believe and view Jedi as a religion, it is not. Religion is defined as; "a specific fundamental set of beliefs and practices generally agreed upon by a number of persons or sects concerning the cause, nature, and purpose of the universe, esp. when considered as the creation of a superhuman agency or agencies, usually involving devotional and ritual observances, and often containing a moral code governing the conduct of human affairs". (www.dictionary.com) This has not stopped the major misconception however. Many view Jediism as a religious alternative to other faiths. The Jedi Path teaches Jedi Philosophy as a way of life, not a religion. It is a belief, a philosophy that can flow with other religions out there. Thus not restricting itself or denying anyone based off religious beliefs. There are Jedi who are Christian, Buddhist, Atheist, Catholic, Muslim, etc.

What is Jediism?
Jediism is a made-up word that truly does not exist and did not exist until 2001. In 2001 a joke started in the United Kingoms and New Zealand to list Jedi as your religion on the Census and get it offically listed as a religon. There are two major problems with this. First listing it on a census does not make it an offical religion. It only gets its own filing number now, nothing more. Secondly it caused many to believe that Jedi is in fact a religion. Jediism was used because Taoism and Buddhism were big comparison sources at the time. Jedi has been and is a Philosophical Way of Life, not a religion. Yet Jediism claims otherwise. And many sites exist solely to advance and support Jediism. Unfortunately or fortunately depending on your point of view, not one Jediism site is grounded fully in reality and are often sources of many fights and problems. The Jedi Academy Online does not use nor endorse Jediism.

Different religions? Are you teaching about various Religions?
Some choose to teach about other Religions out there. This in no way means you have to give-up your own beliefs and/or follow a new religion. Nor does it means one has to agree with the Religion, we merely offer others to learn about them so they are not ignorant of the different belief systems out there.
Some teach about other religions just to enforce understanding and tolerance. To open one's mind to the various ways of life out there. While there are standards and training within the Jedi Path, there is no doctrine of worship. Thus the Jedi Path is free of religious prejudice.

Do you allow others to preach about thier religion?
Simply put we do not allow others to "force" thier beliefs on another. Should a Jedi be a Christian, that is for them and them alone to believe. They are not to preach, lecture, or even insunuate that another's beliefs are wrong or going to suffer for their beliefs (or lack thereof). This goes for all Jedi regardless of religion or belief. Tolerance is part of the Jedi Path, it is known that Religion is a personal choice and each Jedi is left to their own choices on religion. Any intolerance to a religion will be in direct violation to the JAO Code of Conduct and will be dealt with accordingly.

What is the Force? Does it affect one's beliefs?
The Force is under much debate as to be expected of anything that deals with the unseen. The Force is taken as an energy field connected to all life. Energy which resides in us, in all living things, and around us. The Force is the various combining energies of our world. Often refered to as ineffitable, the Force has slipped definition many times. Here is the best in-depth description we are currently able to give.
The Force is essentially a "by-product" of life - a side effect, if you will, yet symbiotic. All of life's processes (respiration, photosynthesis, etc) produce energy. And energy is what produces these processes. The energy that is both produced by life and produces life is what we call the Force. The Force does not exist where there is no life - however, all life leaves behind energy "fingerprints", which can be sensed on non-life by those who are sensitive to the energy.
Beyond this the Force is often referred to as the ineffable, which means unexplainable. The Jedi are about exploring, experiencing and defining the Force. In this area we are still young, but we are making continual advancement, as are many other organizations. We will update this section as more sciencifitic proof becomes available to share.

How do you teach the Force?
We do not necessarily teach the Force, more teach how to connect with it, to feel its presence. This is done through Meditation, calming and clearing the mind, learning to feel and see the vibrations of life. We teach the beliefs and philosophies of the Force. What we have learned from our experiences and the ideas conveyed through the Star Wars Mythology.

Can you move things with your mind? Like in the movies?
No one at the JAO claims to do so, nor has anyone here seen anyone be able to do this in-person. It is considered possible with training, as are many other abilities, but at this current time there are no individuals who possess movie like abilities.

Are Lightsabers real? Do you have one?
While there are plenty of theories out there, no official Lightsaber has been created which is like that seen in the movies. Unfortunately it would take a lot of funding and knowledge in specialized fields to be able to create such a thing. Very few in-depth efforts have been made and as such there are theories, but no actual prototypes. "Plasma Sabers" are said to be possible, but problems still exist with controlling blade length. With Plasma or Lasers, containing the blade is the trouble. Also a power source effient enough to power the lightsaber and fit within the hilt/handle. Thus currently, no real lightsabers. So no, I do not have a real lightsaber.

What are these different Jedi I read about? Shadow Jedi? Grey Jedi?
There have been in the past a need to establish different sects of the Jedi. This need is no longer necessary as the Jedi Path grew and defined itself. I have listed the different definitions of the Paths I know of, the ones I have trained in personally. This can be viewed in the JAO Regulations found in Article 1 Section 3. Yet outside of the fictional use of the terms Grey Jedi or Shadow Jedi, these no longer apply to the Jedi Path today. Either one is a Jedi or they are not.

What does the future hold for the Jedi?
A good question. It is hard say really, the Jedi have endless potential; whether they make use of that is yet to be seen. For now, the future holds more studying, more practice, more learning, exploring, experiencing, and defining.

Do you have a Jedi Temple? Are you going to build one?
There are no real Jedi Temples currently. Nor are there any truly viable projects in the works to make one. It is the view of the Jedi Academy Online that we need to establish the Jedi, by living and training as Jedi, before we try to create a "temple" to stay at. Currently in society a Jedi Temple is just not the answer. It does not offer what the Jedi need. We at the JAO have addressed this topic many times in-depth and have several reasons why it is not where our focus should be.
Instead we offer the Jedi Academy Online as our Jedi Temple. This way we are worldwide and accessible to everyone who is interested in learning t become a Jedi. In this we can have a greater impact on the world. From the United States to New Zealand, United Kingdom to Japan, we are positioned all across the world. And this is much better than hanging out in one singular location in the world.

Are you endorsed or Backed by Lucasfilms LTD. or George Lucas?
No, we currently do not have the okay of George Lucas or LucasFilms. But we are currently working on that and looking to open a petition to LucasFilms LTD for permission to operate here and outside the web in various charities and group acitivies. Once we submit the proposal and hear back from them, this will be updated.

Do you have an Online Training Academy?
Yes, the Jedi Academy Online does have an Academy (surprise I know). Our Academy is a basic course for Jedi Hopefuls to work through while they wait for a Teacher to become available for One-on-One Training. More on Training can be found in the JAO Regulations.

What Qualifies the Instructors to Train Others?
We do not train in anything we are not certified to teach in. That is the first rule. So there are no CPR Classes or anything of that nature. However we do have instructors who are qualified to teach group Physical Fitness and Meditation. Outside of this, each instructor at the JAO must be a Jedi of the Fourth Level. Those requires are as follows: Has passed all other requirements of the previous Levels. Has passed the JAO RTS (Jedi Academy Online Regulated Testing System). Is at least 22 years of age. Has been studying and living the Jedi Path (previous studies in any other philosophy, religion, or belief do not count) for Two(2) years. Is associated with the Jedi Community or reliable member of the Jedi Community for at least One(1) of those Two(2) years. Has meet with the JAO Council at least once in-person.
At this current time, our youngest instructor has Four Years Experience within the Jedi Path alone.

Do you offer Titles/Ranks here?
The Jedi Academy Online does have a Ranking system. We also use images under the avatars on the Forums to display rank. However we do not use titles, but a level system. As one grows as a Jedi, they raise in level, not title. More information on the Rank System can be found in the JAO Regulations in Article IV Section B.

Further questions? Comments? Concerns? Feel free to contact the Administration. Thank you and take care.

- JAO Council

Tags: Jedi, Jedi Training, Jediism, Real Jedi Knights, Jedi Academy, Lightsabers, Force Training, Force Academy, Project Jedi, JAO