“This is the way.”
-The Mandalorian, (repeated line), S1.Ep3: Chapter 3: The Sin
“Radical acceptance rests on letting go of the illusion of control and a willingness to notice and accept things as they are right now, without judging.”
-Marsha M. Linehan, PhD
I remember learning about a live-action Star Wars series mentioned by the team at Lucasfilm, that they were finally going to create the needed Star Wars TV series, and it would be released on Disney Plus. I was enthusiastic to learn it would have one of my favorite character designs seen by the popular characters, Boba Fett and Jango Fett in the Star Wars universe, the Mandalorian armor—an homage to the culture of Spartans and Arthurian knights of the round table. And that it would have a cynical hero who goes by the alias The Mando (played by Pedro Pascal) in his Western-influenced hero journey.
The Disney+ series of Star Wars The Mandalorian introduced the world to the unforgettable catch phase “This is the way.” Over the course of the third episode, titled The Sin, we hear this statement used over a dozen times throughout the episode. Through the lens of a therapist, I saw “this is the way” as a mantra—a statement or slogan frequently repeated in one’s life. It was originally found in Hinduism and Buddhism as a word or sound repeated to aid concentration in meditation as stated by Webster’s Online Dictionary.
The first moment we hear the mantra of “this is the way,” we get a sense of clarity to the culture and people of Mandalore. We see an interaction between the Mando and the Armorer (played by Emily Swallow), who crafts armor pieces for the Mandalorian clan members. During the next several moments, we see the Mando get challenged by other clan members, which resulted in a dialogue exchange between him and the clan Armorer. The Armorer says:
“The empire is no more.
When one chooses to walk the way of the Mandalore, he is both hunter and prey.
How can one be a coward if one chooses this way of life?”
The Armorer continues with two sets of questions to the Mando as followed:
Have you ever removed your helmet?
Has it ever been removed by others?
The Mando answers both questions with what I observed to be a negative undertone with his speech. That’s when the Armorer reveals in the memorable line: “This is the way.” The group of Mandalorian warriors within the room repeat the statement, and then we see the alpha Mandalorian, a heavy infinity gunner, also state the mantra code as a way to accept the moment and way of life as it is.
While watching these scenes, I thought of the Mindfulness practice of Radical Acceptance, which requires you to look upon yourself, others, and the world in an entirely new way. You must be willing to let go of your ideas about how you “should be” and simply accept the way that you are…in this present moment. There is a close similarity of “accept the way that you” are to the Mandalore mantra of “this is the way.”
I interpreted the Mandalore code of this is the way as a form of acceptance of all the good, bad, and the ugly (a Western cliche’ slogan) within their culture and customs as Mandalorian warriors. It reminds me of a code of ethics that they share as a way to deepen their connection to each other and a way to show respect to their heritage.
It can be said in the practice of mindfulness, that when you radically accept something, you are entirely releasing judgment of it and averting any attempts to fight against or change it. For example, if you were to radically accept this present moment in time radically, it means that you would acknowledge that everything that “is” right now is the result of a very long and complicated chain of events. You are responsible for some of this present moment, and you are not responsible for some of this present moment. Many events have happened to bring you to precisely where you are right now.
Remember that radical acceptance does not mean that something is “okay” with you; it means that you recognize and accept that whatever is happening is happening.
The idea of accepting (much less embracing) a painful reality might seem terrifying. Consider that reality doesn’t change just because you deny it exists. It is still there, waiting for you to deal with it. When you open yourself up to accepting the present moment precisely as it is, with no judgments, you are free to look at the big picture of life, to see the purpose of each of your Mandalorian armor pieces, and start to piece them together accordingly to protect yourself healthily.
When you deny reality, it is like choosing to take away parts of your Mandalorian armor, then wondering why you can’t adequately protect yourself from painful realities.
Allow yourself to see things just as they are, with radical acceptance, then allow change to happen.
A reflective question is looking at how might future distressing events be different if you practice radical acceptance?
References:
• Star Wars, The Mandalorian, S1.Ep3: Chapter 3: The Sin
• Calming the Emotional Storm: Using Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills to Manage Your Emotions and Balance Your Life by Sheri Van Dijk
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Brent Lyles, RMHCI, is a registered mental health counselor intern in the state of Florida. Brent has worked in counseling for the past 6 years with mental health wellness, substance abuse, borderline personality disorder, anxiety, depression, self-injury, traumas, and self-discovery. He is trained in CBT, certified in DBT, and is a trauma-informed therapist. He is also a writer, creator, and storyteller at Mayke Entertainment, where he focuses on bringing seen and unseen disability representation using the art of storytelling.
I love this post! A little bit of Star Wars and a whole lot of wisdom. Thank you for sharing your thoughts, Brent!
You know I absolutely love you and the way your mind processes these things most people see as cut and dry. You’re always yhinkimg outside of the box. Thank you for sharing with the world.