Each day I will post a thought that comes to mind. The first word of the thought will correspond with the letter of the day.
Camellia from my garden
Do or do not. There is no try.
~ Yoda (Star Wars)
I have often pondered over these famous words from Yoda. At first they made no sense to me. After all isn't trying a good thing?
The more I thought about it the less and less sense it made and then eventually I stopped thinking and deciphering. But today I'm going to give it a go and voice my thoughts. For so long I've been in the "do not" phase. Today I will "do". Perhaps I stopped "trying" because the very act of trying implies that we are ready for failure, that we can give up in an instant.
Each year during Spring, the flowers in my garden bloom. Some plants have many flowers, some have few. The flowers either bloom or they don't. There is no trying for them. Nature is so intelligent.
I've been suggesting to my son that he should learn to cook particularly if he wants to live overseas. For a long time his swift answer was a firm no, a definite "do not". My coaxing him into "trying" was of no avail. Then two weeks ago, he just decided he was going to learn, a definite "do". Last week he made a very yummy mince curry. This week it's pizza. Perhaps he needed to be in the frame of mind where failure was not an option and where he simply wanted to do.
I guess it's similar to driving. Once you are behind the wheel of the car, you simply do. Trying is too dangerous an option. Imagine if the pilot of the plane you are travelling in thought that day that he was going to try and fly the plane. I'm thankful they do or do not.
Do you think there is wisdom in Yoda's words? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
Sometime ago I wrote a Star Wars poem with a Vendantic twist. While it has no bearing on this topic, I thought I would share it just for fun. For an explanation of the poem, see my post 7x7x7x7.
Jedi Master Yoda - is "yoddha", a warrior of the East
Qui-Gon Jinn with qi-gong - keeps his mind in Peace
Padawan Obe-Wan "Kan no be" a Jedi Master yet - and so he stills his restless mind to duly meditate
Anakin starts the Kali Yug with despair he could not face - false promise of the dark side but that he did embrace
Padme is the lotus, the one he loves so dear - She was the jewel in the Jedi's heart, now Darth Vader who we fear
Luke Skywalker battles with Jedi in his soul - with love he changes Vader, the great Jedi unfolds.
And so Vedantic Wisdom, the basis of it all - translated into Star Wars, the ancient force lives on.
~x~
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Hmm...that's an interesting quote. I'm still trying to get my head around it but I see what you mean. Cool poem!
ReplyDeleteDiamanté - Lifespan
Thanks Sanch. Yoda's quote is hard to decipher. On different days one looks at it differently.
Deletebtw your link links back to my post so posting your link here http://www.sanchwrites.com/2017/04/diamante-lifespan/
When you want to do something, without any coaxing you'll. Like Sanch, I'm also trying to digest the poem.
ReplyDeleteThanks Sheethal. You have to read my post 7x7x7x7 to get the full context of the poem.
DeleteHey you quote Star Wars... How cool is that �� I guess sometimes we just need to try to not stress ourselves too much with the outcome. The poem is quite interesting... I am still amazed that you mixed star wars and Veda. ��that's very creative.
ReplyDeleteThanks Raj. Actually George Lucas based star wars on Vedantic philosophy. Read Jedi in the Lotus. It's an awesome book and quite an eye opener.
DeleteWhen we say that I will try... we are building an element of doubt and failure in it. But when we say that I will do it, it adds conviction and confidence in us. Love that quote!
ReplyDeleteVery nicely put Shilpa. I like that quote too and the way Yoda says it!
DeleteYou have deciphered it with a bang Suzy! Try does imply failure - what simple wisdom in Yoda's words and it was a good learning for me too!
ReplyDeleteTheme: Peregrination Chronicles (travel)
D is for Dolphin Delight in Goa #atozchallenge
Thanks Shalz. Nice to read about your Dolphin encounter.
DeleteThat actually makes so much sense, Suzy! I never thought of it like that before! Trying does actually mean we are more prepared for failure than success!
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing this today!
Have a blessed day!
Happy AtoZing!
Chicky @ www.mysteriouskaddu.com
Thanks Chicky. I think I will try and stick to Yoda's do or do not. In a strange way it simplifies decisions.
DeleteDo or Do Not there is no try was my motto for my quilting life and it is powerful. I think sometimes we use the word try as a cop out, an excuse to do not. Invited to a party that I wasn't really keen on then saying I'd "try" to get there was easier than saying no. With my patchwork it was also an excuse to not start a project. When I adopted Do or Do Not then the excuses were cut. I would learn the new technique, or commit fully to it, or I would walk away from it... no more dilly dallying. I love the quote.
ReplyDeletePhilipa
Ozzypip Quilts
Thanks Philipa. Yes, I agree sometimes try is just a cop out. I'm going to adopt the do or do not philosophy a lot more now.
DeleteLovely quote Suzy. Never realized I was building doubt always when I said I will try. And as for the poem, I am still digesting it!
ReplyDeleteDoctors and Dentists
I think the key here is subtext- for some people when they say they will try they really mean that they will do everything they can and only stop if it is actually impossible, where as for others they will try until it is a bit hard, or they don't want to anymore. I feel like Yoda is talking to the second group, and saying they need to commit to their actions
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the lorax
Love the quote....Do or Do Not....for it is absolute. There isn't an iota of space for any doubt. Hope we could all make our decisions that easily...would make life a lot simpler!!!
ReplyDeleteNice article!!
1. Great quote from Yoda.(see 4. for qualification)
ReplyDelete2. Where's the photo of the diminutive Jedi master?
3. Love the poem.
4. Yoda's quote is only sometimes true. I agree with your examples, but there are times when we can only try and cannot be certain of a successful result.
5. On a related matter. People often say, "I will try and do it." That's bad English. If Yoda wanted to be 100% correct with his quote, he should have said "There is no try and do, only try to do."
6. May be the Force be with you.
Thanks DA
Delete#2 - I did think about that on my way to work this morning. I should've posted a picture of my talking Yoda he he.
Yoda's quote is very confusing. I was hoping I would get different views on that and glad you gave us yours.
Thanks for visiting.
I like your take on this. But I think trying is important--we often interchange it with "practice". And try is the same as do. For me it is more about thinking vs doing--the smallest act being bigger than the greatest thought. Kudos to your son--what joy to cook and make something delicious that everyone enjoys!
ReplyDeleteThis has always been one of my favourite quotes. Usually when people say "I'll try" what they mean is they won't actually put their heart and soul into it, they'll give it a half assed attempt and then say "well, I tried"
ReplyDeleteDebbie
I think it's a bit of both - sometimes you just have to step up and do it - time to walk your talk. Other times you need to take little steps or try something first to see if you're going to like it.
ReplyDeleteLeanne | cresting the hill
That's an interesting quote. Never looked in this angle. Hmm!
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26 Indian Dishes at Something's Cooking
this quote is really thought provoking...but I'm still not sure if it hits me or not? Pondering for now!
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http://slimexpectations.com/2017/04/1339/
I am still trying to get the best of it , but Yoda has surely made my mind work faster, thanks for the share.
ReplyDeletehaha... I must say this is the first time Ive ever read a "Yoda with a vedantic twist!" tale. Excellent!
ReplyDeleteGodyears.net
That is a great quote and I loved how you have picked up examples from daily life to illustrate it. And yes nice poem!
ReplyDeleteI never thought of it that way, but I like the concept - Do or Do not and no in between. We are told to just "try", but is trying really enough? I need to think about this one.....Heidi visiting from the A to Z Challenge at, Decibel Memos (Perspectives absent of sound)
ReplyDeleteI love that Star Wars poem! Yoda's wisdom, in a way, is similar to that of the late American sports figure Yogi Berra. His sayings were twisted around but made sense if you thought about it. One example "this restaurant is so popular that no one eats there anymore." Yoda would have loved it.
ReplyDeleteSo true. When we use the word, try, we unconsciously allow that element of possible failure to have space in our thinking.
ReplyDeleteI will think like this, do or do not.
Yoda was so very wise. At first even I thought trying was a good thing, but yes, your examples make a lot of sense. There was something that Tina Fey said once, would you want your surgeon to look all doubtful about your surgery or would you want her to be assertive and confident?
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