Control is the key in any Jedi's life. Control of yourself must first be achieved if you are ever to control the Force or someone else. This technique is in three parts, and each must be completed before the next is begun. The first is concerned with clearing your mind, in effect controlling your thoughts. The second deals with the amount of time it takes to get your mind clear, while the third covers controlling your body. Each of these tasks will be ones that are practiced every day of your life.

Part 1: Clearing your mind

This is a rather simple technique, yet difficult to describe or to do. The goal of this technique is to stop any thoughts going through your mind at any one time. Your mind must be blank. After much practice, you will eventually be able to simply "turn off" your mind, but it will take a while. Begin this technique by visualizing a blank screen in your head. That's all. Concentrate on the blackness and don't let anything else in. Think of nothing. In time, other thoughts will try to find their way in, but don't let them. You'll have to fight them back, but when you do, don't think about fighting back, as that would mean that you're thinking of something. You have to just push them aside and clear them from your mind. At first, you may seem to go not even a second without another thought trying to push its way in, but that's normal. Just keep pushing these thoughts aside and keeping your mind blank, and with time and practice, the interval between stray thoughts will become greater and greater.

Once you can clear your mind for several minutes, you should be ready to continue, but remember, you will need to practice this technique for the rest of your life.

Clearing your mind can help you in many areas. It will help in meditation and in times when you need a clear head to think, like times of panic. It is also a good defense against people reading or probing your mind. If you're not thinking of something, then it make it a lot harder for them to enter your mind since there is nothing for them to latch onto.

Part 2: Speed

It is important to be able to achieve a clear state of mind, but when action is called for, it is most important to be able to do so quickly. For example, you may need to clear your mind as a defense. I think you would agree that you would want your mind clear immediately, but if it takes you ten minutes to clear your mind, then it doesn't do you much good. At any one time you have thousands of thoughts going through your mind, and then in the next instant, you need to have your mind clear. That is how you know you have completed this task. To achieve this, you must simply practice the first task, but instead of having your mind clear for a long time, work on the amount of time it takes to actually clear your mind. Practice, practice, practice is the key. Remember to continue to practice holding a clear mind, even while you are working on speed.

Part 3: Body Control

This is another technique that is hard to teach. Like the previous one, it deals with a lot of willpower. Your willpower can be strengthened by the Force, by simply connecting with the Force and focusing on the task you want to achieve.

This technique is concerned with controlling any body movements or functions.

Remember, your mind controls your body. From the previous tasks, you now control your mind, and therefore, your body. You simply have to control your mind and tell it NOT to do what it is going to do. The possibilities for this are endless. It can be used to stop pain, control balance, control muscle or reflexes. Any thing your body can do, can be controlled by this technique.

This is also a technique that will take a long time to master. Try keeping it in mind as you go about your daily business and use it whenever an opportunity arises.