Hello

Chapter Affiliation/Region

British Isles Jedi

Welsh-English border in Shropshire, United Kingdom

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Year Knighted/Knightings

Real Jedi Knights (2006)

F.A. - Light Aspect (2011)

International Jedi Federation (2025)

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Jedi Path

What first sparked your interest in the Jedi path?

I watched the movies and was a big fan growing up, since they came out when I was about 10, so they were a big part of me growing up. I had also read about the census and saw people identifying as Jedi, and that sparked my curiosity. I looked up Real Jedi Knights, found the forum, and saw people talking about things I wanted to talk about, like martial arts, swordsmanship, and the Force, things I did not really have access to locally. It started from curiosity, just that initial thought of, okay, if people are doing this, I’ll look into it, and then finding a space where people were already engaging with the things I cared about made it feel like something that actually fit me.

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Philosophy & Journey

How did you come to the Jedi path, and when did it become more than an interest?

I first became engaged with the Jedi community through Real Jedi Knights when I was 16. The idea of being a Jedi fascinated me, and I found the community was engaging in a lot of things I was passionate about at the time, martial arts and swordsmanship, yet also how to be of best use to others and create a better world. I gravitated strongly toward the training that was being offered, especially around swordsmanship, because martial arts has always been a major part of my life. I am a Yondan in Shorin-Ryu Karate, I practice kobudo, and I have trained in historical European martial arts, and at one point I was even an aspiring professional kickboxer, so finding a Jedi space that brought those physical disciplines together with philosophy and discussion about the Force really drew me in. When my mentors and friends Jesse Bendyn and Catanna Sarin left Real Jedi Knights, I joined them in forming Tenebrae Surgunt, and that period was foundational for me in taking a deeper, more critical philosophical view of Jedi conceits and trappings, and I still carry much from that period forward. After a period away from the community, I joined the F.A. Light Aspect, which is probably the place I would say I forged my current path and my legacy thus far. I joined around 2011, and after returning from time away to complete my MSc, I was made Master and head of the Light Aspect, and at that point Alethea and I really sat down and said we needed to do something to energize things, because the F.A. was in a bit of a bad place at the time. We first created a workbook called the Jedi Navigation System, and after about a year we reviewed it and decided a better strategy was to turn it into multiple workbooks, and it was there that Alethea and I created the foundation for Armonia Seminary and produced the workbook material and Jedi Compass-led training approach that has gone on to influence the IJF model. Due to my increased activity and engagement with IJF, and working with Jason Starfleet, we are currently building up the British Isles Jedi to be a new UK chapter. It became more than an interest over time through involvement, not through a single defining moment, but through realizing that this community and this way of thinking fit who I am.

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How do you personally define the Force?

For me, I tend to use the Force in very metaphorical terms, in the sense that none of us is an island and we are all intrinsically connected. I am a believer in soft determinism, meaning our behavior is influenced by many factors and somewhat predictable, but not in a rigid sense, because we still have the power of choice within those constraints, so the Force, to me, is those external pressures and connections that shape our choices. It is why we need to be mindful, why we need to get ahead of instinct, observe our behavior, and make willful, reflective decisions, and it is a two-way street, because while those forces shape us, we still have agency within them. I also frame it through harmony, where the light side, or the Jedi way, is about what is most harmonious, and I use harmony in the sense of music, where you build around a note and sometimes that includes discord, which is not necessarily bad if it fits the song. So I ask where I fit within that, whether I am the root note, something complementary, or something that needs to challenge the harmony in that moment. Context gives meaning, and as a social creature my life is framed by my connection to others, so the Jedi path for me is about being a harmonious part of the lives of others, living wisely as a form of enlightened self-interest, meaning benefiting others without doing so in a way that destroys the self.

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What has been the most meaningful or challenging lesson the Force has taught you?

It is learning that I am valuable without having to be useful. That has been one of the most meaningful and challenging lessons, learning to accept that I have innate value even when I am not producing or contributing. There have been moments where I have not been able to fulfill roles I normally would, and instead of being asked why I was not performing, people checked on my well-being, and that showed me that people care about me as a person, not just what I do, and that is something I am still working on.

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What continues to motivate you to walk this path?

The people, it is still the community. It is being involved with people who want to do good in the world, and even though we can be cynical at times, we are still a community inspired by something meaningful. The idea that the right person, in the right place, doing the right thing, can make a real difference matters to me, and we see that in history, in real life, and in the stories that inspired this path.

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Mentorship & Leadership

What responsibility do you believe comes with holding the title of Knight?

Honesty is the biggest responsibility, it is the foundation of everything, your integrity, because if people cannot trust you to be honest, how can they take you at your word. That includes being honest with yourself, reflecting on your abilities, recognizing when you are overstretching, and being aware of over-promising and under-delivering. It also means recognizing you are not perfect and being willing to examine your real dark side, not just surface-level mistakes but deeper patterns like ego, control, or perfectionism. It is about doing the best you can with what you have each day, and when your best is not great, choosing to limit harm rather than push yourself to the point of causing damage. Teaching is also a responsibility, even if you are not formally mentoring, because you teach through your behavior, and you can be aspirational even when you fail if you take responsibility and commit to doing better.

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What does being a mentor mean to you personally?

Trying to give someone what they need and pulling out their potential. I have moved away from criticism because I do not think it is especially useful, as negative experiences are more powerful than positive ones and people often only hear the critique. Instead, I focus on what someone is doing well and how to build on that, because better does not mean what they were doing before was bad.

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How would you describe your mentoring style?

It is adaptive and strengths-based, focused on the individual rather than a fixed method. I draw a lot from my martial arts background, where even within a structured syllabus different students are taught differently depending on what works best for them. It is not about creating a copy of me, it is about understanding what they need and helping them become more fully themselves.

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What kind of mentee do you feel naturally compatible with?

Someone willing to reflect and apply ideas, particularly people interested in psychology, martial arts, or turning philosophy into something practical in their lives.

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What area do you specialize in as a Jedi and mentor?

In identifying steps and goals toward implementing Jedi activity into one’s life, including self-reflection, aligning thoughts and feelings with behaviors, and recognizing ethical or philosophical conflicts in how one is living. My background in clinical psychology and martial arts allows me to apply complex principles in both mental and physical domains, and through my work at the F.A. and Armonia Seminary, especially developing the Jedi Navigation System and later workbook structures, I focused heavily on applied philosophy, taking ideas and building steps to make them usable.

 

Is there a mentor or a few people in the Jedi Community that helped you grow as a Jedi?

Jesse Bendyn has been a major influence and early mentor, and Katana Sarin and OP McLeod were also important influences early on. Alethea has been especially influential both in shaping how I engage with the community and in our collaborative work building Armonia Seminary, and even people I have disagreed with have helped me grow by forcing me to examine my philosophical grounding more deeply.

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Character & Growth

What do you believe are some of your core personality traits?

I do not believe in panicking until it is absolutely necessary, and fairness is important to me, so I try to consider all angles and give each the benefit of the doubt unless it is clearly grounded in ignorance or bigotry. I believe it is better to act and err than to wait until it is too late, and I am also very introspective, conscientious, punctual, efficient, reliable, and I try to be friendly.

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What strengths help you serve your community well?

I have an MSc in Clinical Psychology and over a decade of experience as a mental health practitioner, along with a fourth-degree black belt in Shorin-Ryu Karate and experience across multiple disciplines, which has given me the ability to understand and apply complex principles in both mental and physical domains. I also bring patience, acceptance, and a non-judgmental approach, and I try to meet people where they are and build a collaborative understanding.

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What areas are you actively working on within yourself?

Self-forgiveness, perfectionism, and procrastination, because I tend to want my work to be to a very high standard and beyond reproach, but I have learned that perfectionism can prevent things from getting done. I manage this through time management, prioritization, teamwork, and accepting that sometimes adequate is enough, while also working on appreciating what I do accomplish rather than focusing only on what I did not.

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What does integrity mean to you in daily life?

Integrity is honesty with yourself and others, reflection on your actions, and aligning your behavior with your values while taking responsibility when you fall short.

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What do people often misunderstand about you?

People sometimes misunderstand my tendency to explore and balance different perspectives, thinking that means I agree with them, when in reality I am making sure I have considered everything before reaching a conclusion.

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Life Beyond the Temple

What brings you joy outside of Jedi practice?

Martial arts is a big part of my life, including teaching, training, and continued development. I teach multiple times a week, attend courses, and train daily, and I find it very regulating. I also sing in a Welsh male voice choir, which I have been part of for a long time, although I have stepped back from additional responsibilities this year to just focus on being a chorister. I play guitar as well, not particularly well, but I enjoy it, and I have performed before. I am also a big fan of chess, and I enjoy reading a wide range of material, including autobiographies, fantasy, science fiction, and other subjects.

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Favorite Movie/Show:

Aside from Star Wars, one of the most beautiful films I have watched is The Twilight Samurai. It is a very quiet and subdued film, but overall just a beautifully told story that has stayed with me.

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Favorite Singer/Band:

My taste varies quite a bit depending on my mood, but David Bowie was probably my musical awakening. He was the first musician I really chose for myself, as no one in my family was particularly a fan, so discovering him felt like something that was mine. I used to joke that he was my spirit animal because I would have these strange dreams where we would have deep conversations about important things. Dinosaur Jr has also been one of my favorite bands, along with the Pixies. More recently, I have been branching out more and listening to artists like Remi Wolf, Thundercat, Mitski, Japanese Breakfast, and Buddug. I have even gone back and corrected the fact that I had never listened to a Taylor Swift album, and while I do not think I will become a Swiftie, I do understand why people rate her very highly as a songwriter.

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Heroes and Inspirations:

I do not really believe in heroes anymore. I think what we call heroes are ordinary people who are thrust into extraordinary times and rise above. In my own life and work, I have encountered a lot of incredibly strong people, and the scale of some people’s struggles is humbling. So if I speak of inspiration, it is the people I have met day in and day out who have faced a bad roll of the dice and yet still persevere. To me, that is what matters, ordinary people with strong moral fiber who continue to try to do the right thing even in difficult circumstances.

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What do you do outside of IJF?

I work as a mental health practitioner, teach and train in karate, and participate in a choir.

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Certifications:
MSc Clinical Psychology
Yondan (Fourth Degree Black Belt) in Shorin-Ryu Karate

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How does your life outside the Order influence your Jedi path?
My work in psychology and martial arts directly informs how I approach the Jedi path, especially in applying philosophy practically and helping others grow.

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Community & Vision

How would you describe being part of the IJF community?

It has been nice meeting people with a vision for what being a Jedi can be and people who actually want to do it collectively. There is a sense that we are trying to build something meaningful together rather than just exist in the idea of it. I think in a lot of communities in the past I had not felt that kind of energy since my early days in Real Jedi Knights, where things felt alive and full of possibility, and IJF has brought some of that feeling back. It feels like we are doing something valuable and, in some ways, paradigm-shifting, not in a dramatic sense, but in the sense of trying to do things better than they have been done before. It is also refreshing that there is space for different perspectives, where people can approach the Jedi path in different ways, whether that includes symbolism and trappings or a more stripped-down approach, and still feel like they belong within the same space. There is a level of honesty about what has not worked in the past and a willingness to try and improve, and that has been important to me. It has also given me the opportunity to connect with people I would never have met otherwise, including meeting other Jedi in person, which added a level of reality and grounding to something that had been mostly online for a long time.

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What values are most important for IJF to protect over time?

Integrity is the most important thing for me, and making sure the organization remains values-driven even when it is not the easiest or most convenient path. An organization is only as healthy as the people within it, and I think one of the biggest risks is prioritizing productivity, growth, or outcomes over the actual well-being of the people involved. Someone can be effective or productive, but if they are not good for the people around them, that creates problems over time, and I think IJF needs to be mindful of that. Leadership should remain accessible, and no matter how large the organization becomes, it should still feel like people can ask questions, be heard, and feel connected to those leading it. I do not think the idea of “we are a family” is always helpful, because families can be dysfunctional, but I do think there should be an expectation that people are trying to be good to each other, that they can disagree without becoming toxic, and that there is a general effort to lift each other up even when things are difficult. Systems can be well-designed, but they do not always protect people, so the focus has to remain on the people first.

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How do you personally contribute to the health and culture of this community?

By engaging meaningfully in discussions, offering perspective where I can and helping ground conversations when needed. More recently, a large part of my contribution has been focused on helping build the British Isles Jedi chapter, and I want that to be something that is membership-led rather than top-down. Even though I may hold a leadership role, I think it is important that the people within the chapter have a strong voice and sense of ownership in what is being built, especially given how broad and varied the UK is.

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What does belonging mean to you within IJF?

Belonging, to me, means being part of something collective and meaningful, where people are genuinely trying to build something that matters. It means being in a space where different viewpoints can exist without breaking the connection between people, and where challenge is constructive rather than destructive. One of the things I appreciated most was that even in more formal settings, like panels or discussions, there was a sense that questions were meant to help you grow rather than catch you out. It felt more like being pushed in the gym than being broken down, and that distinction matters. Belonging means feeling both supported and challenged, knowing that people have put thought into what they are asking or saying, and that they are trying to bring out the best in you rather than diminish you. It is about being part of a community that wants growth, but not at the cost of care.

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Final Reflection

When someone reads your bio, what do you hope they understand about your heart?

That I have my cholesterol under control.

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But seriously, I most appreciate honesty and sincerity. Do not try to impress me in any other way. If you bring sincerity, I will have all the time in the world for you.​​​​​​