7 Real Jedi Mind Tricks
“The Force is what gives a Jedi his power. It’s an energy field created by all living things. It surrounds us and penetrates us. It binds the galaxy together.” — Obi-Wan Kenobi
I suppose there are some people who, when they first saw Star Wars, were mainly wowed by the lightsaber duels and spaceship dogfights. Certainly, these are the most visually impressive sequences in the original film. But then there are some weirdos, like me, who got chills up our spines every time someone mentioned the Force. From Luke’s first encounter with Ben Kenobi to his X-wing assault on the Death Star, we were thrilled by the intimation that there was something more to the galaxy, and we wanted desperately to be Jedi knights. Some of us would go on to study psychology, meditation, Eastern philosophy, martial arts, and other esoteric disciplines in hopes of learning the secrets of the Force — and some of us ended up becoming therapists.
As a therapist, I’m less impressed these days by blindfolded laser-fencing and X-wing telekinesis than I am by Obi-Wan’s famous line: “These aren’t the droids you’re looking for.” I often wish I could just pass my fingers in front of a client’s eyes and say, “You will never use heroin again,” “You will stop worrying about things you can’t control,”…
