It’s almost Return of the Jedi‘s 30th birthday (May 25!) which means we’re all old and Yoda is really old. Just kidding, we’ve got the Force on our side, should we choose to accept it, or something. (Different movie franchise?)
As the third film in the original Star Wars trilogy reaches its third decade young, the Huffington Post has an exclusive excerpt of J.W. Rinzler’s “The Making of Star Wars: Return of the Jedi” in anticipation of the nerdtacular that will be the release of the book come October.
We found particular interest in George Lucas’s comparison of the Force to Yoga, (Yoga not Yoda, no typos) whereas anybody can do it, but only those who take the time to learn the discipline can really use it (so not that the Force is Yoga, though we know many of you have your theories!). Check it out.
From “Revenge of the Jedi” Story Conference Transcript, July 13 to July 17, 1981 with series creator George Lucas, writer Lawrence Kasdan, director Richard Marquand and producer Howard Kazanjian.
Kasdan: The Force was available to anyone who could hook into it?
Lucas: Yes, everybody can do it.
Kasdan: Not just the Jedi?
Lucas: It’s just the Jedi who take the time to do it.
Marquand: They use it as a technique.
Lucas: Like yoga. If you want to take the time to do it, you can do it; but the ones that really want to do it are the ones who are into that kind of thing. Also like karate. Also another misconception is that Yoda teaches Jedi, but he is like a guru; he doesn’t go out and fight anybody.
That may help explain some of the fun Star Wars quotes like:
“It surrounds us and penetrates us. It binds the galaxy together.”
“The Force will be with you, always.”
“Don’t step on my yoga mat, I’ll bring the Force.”
and others. Pardon, we were more Spaceballs dorks.
You can read the whole excerpt here. May the Schwartz be with you!
(Awesome George Lucas Yoga illustrations via the creative mind of Rob Osborne who also brought us Star Wars ‘Yoga Galaxy.’ See his stuff on etsy.)
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Earlier…
As much as I love yoga, I think the Force is more like the Tao, where chi gong, tai chi and kung fu practitioners get to really use it. But then again, it’s all yoga, right?
I have the Yoga Super Pop Series 1 and 2 for my yoga room, love them!
Lucas destroyed the mysticism of the Force when the prequels revealed that the Force is simply an infection and that a high midichlorian count equals a more powerful Jedi.
I don’t have much of a problem with the special effects, the acting, the plots, or the gratuitous 3PO and R2 cameos. The crime of the prequels is that they taught us that only a lucky few born with a sufficient amount of symbiotic micro-organisms can become Jedi.
Please, George, when you go back and re-master the prequels take that junk out!
And how do we reconcile what Yoda said about the Force penetrating everything like rocks when rocks aren’t alive and, therefore, can’t support a symbiotic life?! Why, George? Why?
There were prequels? I’ve never heard of them…
the prequels were the new ones that came out, with Anakin Skywalker. Episodes 1-3
Maybe the main difference is that Jedi Knights were self-sacrificing warriors that actively worked against the Dark Side, rather than spiritual wannabes and posers that will sell their bodies and souls to to just about anything that glitters — even if it’s not even silver or gold.
As I recall, the Jedi Knights were all men, too. Most serious warriors are, after all.
And wasn’t it Darth Vader, a former Jedi and good guy, who was really, really into that deep breathing thing? Jus sayin’…
Here’s Darth Vader doing some cosmic Ujayyi breath.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mACnGsmBZJQ
Anyone can go deep into the Spirit world, it certainly doesn’t mean you’re of the Light. It can be just the opposite — a strategy to manipulate the Force to your own ego-driven ends.
That’s what Vader represents. That’s what a lot of yoga in America represents.
Brreatheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!
Vader wouldn’t be caught dead in Lululemon.
Yes! I love Yoga. However, if you step on my yoga mat, I may just use the Force 🙂
Is the force all mind tricks or simple tao or kung-fu? hmmmm I think I am more Spaceballdork.
Jade nodded approvingly and said: I have a meeting to attend the afternoon, midday not keep you eat, Qiang, Xu Xiaoya spend time with you and your brothers alone, dining expenses reimbursed back to me.