Since 2005
A living record of how this community began, paused, endured, and returned to its original purpose.
The Old Yahoo Groups
I first came into the Jedi community in the middle of 2004, during the days when Yahoo Groups were still active and full of conversation. After becoming friends with a number of other Jedi, I found myself deeply believing in Jediism and feeling strongly that it deserved a place where people could gather, learn, and talk openly.
The first version of The Jediism Way
At the time, the original Jediism website was no longer around. So, with very limited website design skills, I decided to build a free website with the help of fellow Jedi Kitaru Sapien and Tatsutsume.
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Shortly after launching that first Tripod website, we decided to purchase hosting and create a more formal website with a discussion forum. The goal was simple: to create a fun, welcoming environment where people could come together as friends, enjoy good conversation, and discuss the Jedi path and Jediism.
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The site grew quickly and became one of the most active discussion forums in the Jedi community. There were many wonderful members and countless meaningful discussions, which was exactly what the site had been created for. As the community grew, however, I realized I had very little experience running a full online community. A team of moderators was formed from active members to help keep things moving in a positive direction.
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For several years, the site remained strong. By early 2008, the forum had more than 37,000 posts and many active members. Around that same time, though, some issues began to arise between members. A handful of intense and heated arguments started to affect the atmosphere of the community.
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Between the negativity, my lack of experience leading a large community, and several major life transitions, I began to burn out. I had recently graduated college and was trying to find a job in my career, which was taking longer than I had hoped. With all of those factors combined, I made the difficult decision in the summer of 2008 to shut down the forum. The website was archived and taken down, and the domain name was sold, something I look back on now with some sadness.
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A year later, I realized the information from the site should not go to waste. I had heard from many people that it had helped them, so I created a static website to preserve the pages and teachings at this domain.
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Since then, life has become more stable. I have now been working in the same district for 18 years, but over time I began to feel that something was missing. In the fall of 2024, it finally became clear to me: I missed being part of the Jediism community. That realization led me back to The Jediism Way. This time, I wanted to rebuild it properly from the beginning. I invested in a stronger system, one that could support a healthy, active, and lasting community.
The Way Forward
In many ways, The Jediism Way is returning to the same roots that inspired it back in early 2005: to create a place where people can come together, have fun, share healthy discussion, and learn alongside one another as we walk the path of the Jedi and explore Jediism together.
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