We began 2014 with Jedi Book Group, studying the first section of Forrest Morgan’s classic “Living the Martial Way,” which is part of our Padawan training program. This book reminds us that we must live 24/7 as Jedi, just as we would do if we were martial artists (well, most of us ARE, but I digress). We continued our discussion of this book in April.
As winter continued, we started making plans for the warmer months, and for convention season. We had requests from three separate suburban public libraries to appear on Star Wars Day (May the Fourth), and we planned to appear at at least two conventions. The winter closed out with an afternoon of strategy games followed by dinner, and a viewing and discussion of the film “The Way of the Peaceful Warrior.”
In May we did THREE events to celebrate Star Wars Day. We began our morning with some of our members doing the annual MS Walk (yes, in Jedi garb), to support and promote awareness and fundraising for Multiple Sclerosis. From there, we went to a demo at the Morris Public Library, where we talked about being real-life Jedi, and teaching lightsaber skills to kids, as well as to adults and both of the librarians sponsoring the event. We concluded the (rather exhausting) day with dinner at our favorite hang out, the 3rd Coast Café. We spend a lot of time eating together.
Spring brought a new sort of meet-up, one for Knights and our students called (thank you, Angelus!) “How to Train Your Padawan.” A fairly serious discussion with all the knights and padawans present (in Angelus’ backyard) talking over mentor-mentee issues (wisdom, judgement, resilience, adaptability) as well as the Jedi Trials (Self-improvement, meditation, connection to divinity/the Force, physical training). We wound up the day with a game of “Cards Against Humanity,” thanks to our Games Master, Master Zen-Ryo.
Our summer was almost frantically busy, with most of our membership heading to the annual Jedi gathering and being filmed and interviewed by Laurent Malaquais, the fellow making “American Jedi.” (Laurent interviewed all the knighting candidates and the Chicago Jedi Council rather seriously, but he ended up admitting that I was turning out to be something of the comic relief. What, ME? Nah. All I can say is that for the amount of time I spent this summer with a camera nearby or in my face, I’d better at least be IN the film!)
After the gathering, things settled back down into our normal routine, and we held another Book Group, this time studying “Modern Bushido” by Bodhi Sanders. In addition to the other events I mentioned in earlier columns, we rounded out our year with an appearance at the Chicago Toy and Game Fair where, for the fourth year in a row, we acted as escorts for their Saturday luncheon. We ended our year the way we began last year, with our annual “Life Day” party, and toasted ourselves, as well as raising our glasses to Angelus (Gabe) and his fiancé, Jay, who were married on the Solstice. Mazel Tov!
Til next time…
Boom
Consular, Chicago Jedi

The Chicago Jedi Council at Halloween
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