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My Life with the Jedi: The Spirituality of Star Wars
In a galaxy very near and brimming with possibility…
In My Life with the Jedi , award-winning author Eric A. Clayton intertwines lessons learned from the Star Wars universe with profound spiritual truths, inviting readers on a journey that touches on the epic and the everyday. Dive into an interior galaxy where the mysteries of the Force meet the depths of Ignatian spirituality. Discover how hope—that ever-present virtue of Jedi and Rebels alike—leads to profound decision-making, renewed relationships, and a purpose-driven life.
Ideal for ardent Star Wars aficionados seeking deeper connections, spiritual pilgrims on a quest for enlightenment, and Christians craving a fresh perspective, My Life with the Jedi promises to be a beacon of wisdom in galaxies both near and far, far away.
In My Life with the Jedi , award-winning author Eric A. Clayton intertwines lessons learned from the Star Wars universe with profound spiritual truths, inviting readers on a journey that touches on the epic and the everyday. Dive into an interior galaxy where the mysteries of the Force meet the depths of Ignatian spirituality. Discover how hope—that ever-present virtue of Jedi and Rebels alike—leads to profound decision-making, renewed relationships, and a purpose-driven life.
Ideal for ardent Star Wars aficionados seeking deeper connections, spiritual pilgrims on a quest for enlightenment, and Christians craving a fresh perspective, My Life with the Jedi promises to be a beacon of wisdom in galaxies both near and far, far away.
240 pages, Paperback
Published February 27, 2024
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85 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
August 3, 2024
The premise sounds ridiculous: the Ignatian (Jesuit) spiritual exercises, illustrated by moments from Star Wars. But not too far into the book, I found that the concept works brilliantly, and My Life with the Jedi became one of my favorite Star Wars books. One of the aspects of the book that brought me great joy is the pure delight of Eric Clayton for all things Star Wars—and I mean all things. This is a fan who genuinely enjoys finding the good in everything. For me, this felt refreshing, having endured a few Disney+ series (Manda season 3, Ahsoka, Boba Fett, Obi-Wan Kenobi) that I would confidently have said exhibited nothing worthwhile. The Acolyte restored my enthusiasm for Star Wars, but the online nonsense of anger and disdain as each episode released made those weeks ugly and discouraging. So reading Clayton’s positive, joyful perspective on Star Wars was just what I needed. I want to be less snooty and more eager to find beautiful moments even in the midst of movies or series that I still don’t believe are completely excellent. My Life with the Jedi helped me relax.
I read the book one chapter at a time as part of my morning devotional time. As a Christian, I understood exactly where Clayton is coming from, though he doesn’t frame the book as specifically or only for Christians. Each of the twelve chapters considers a certain scene or set of scenes from Star Wars, relates the theme to a section of St. Ignatius’s spiritual exercises, and concludes with an outline for practicing that exercise, including suggestions for prayer. I found this really helpful. By the end of each chapter, what was important was not the connection to Star Wars but the opportunity to truly reflect and meditate on themes in my own life. I imagine I’ll return to this book regularly; it also made me want to dive deeper into the Ignatian exercises, which I look forward to doing soon. I hope Clayton will continue updating this book, or write more books like this, because I’d love to hear his perspective on The Acolyte; I believe that series fits perfectly into what he discusses in My Life with the Jedi.
I read the book one chapter at a time as part of my morning devotional time. As a Christian, I understood exactly where Clayton is coming from, though he doesn’t frame the book as specifically or only for Christians. Each of the twelve chapters considers a certain scene or set of scenes from Star Wars, relates the theme to a section of St. Ignatius’s spiritual exercises, and concludes with an outline for practicing that exercise, including suggestions for prayer. I found this really helpful. By the end of each chapter, what was important was not the connection to Star Wars but the opportunity to truly reflect and meditate on themes in my own life. I imagine I’ll return to this book regularly; it also made me want to dive deeper into the Ignatian exercises, which I look forward to doing soon. I hope Clayton will continue updating this book, or write more books like this, because I’d love to hear his perspective on The Acolyte; I believe that series fits perfectly into what he discusses in My Life with the Jedi.
October 7, 2025
As a big fan of Eric Clayton’s writing, I purchased My Life with the Jedi as soon as it came out. Having not spent MY life with the Jedi, however, I decided that, before reading the book, I had to watch all nine films—in plot order. Now that I’m finished Clayton’s book, I understand that my thinking a mere nine movies prepared me to understand the Star Wars franchise was like my religiously illiterate cousin taking a college course on C.S. Lewis because she’d loved the kids in The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. (We just don’t know what we don’t know!)
My five-star rating, then, is not because Clayton helped me grasp the nuances and complexities of all things Star Wars. As he began referencing novels, TV series, animated features, and other things I’d never heard of, I swiftly abandoned my refrain of “Wait . . . what . . . who?!?” and listened instead for the timeless wisdom surfacing among the unfamiliar names.
Clayton is a member of the communications team of the Jesuits of Canada and the US who has studied international politics and explored eastern religions; he’s practiced at spotting the truth of our human condition wherever it appears. So he knows that, despite the iconic opening of Episode IV: A New Hope, the essential dynamics revealed by Star Wars cannot be relegated to what happened “a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away.”
In My Life with the Jedi, Clayton starts with the vast tapestry of a sci-fi world about which he’s geeked out for his whole life. Then patiently, creatively, he points to threads from that tapestry to illustrate key spiritual movements in our own lives, articulating those movements in the rich vocabulary of Ignatian spirituality. Clayton’s fluency in both “languages”—and his ability to interpret them for people less familiar with one or the other—is what makes this ambitious undertaking work.
Bottom line: if you are curious about Ignatian spirituality but just not a Star Wars person, there are better books to enlighten you about the Jesuit saint—like Clayton’s own Cannonball Moments: Telling Your Story, Deepening Your Faith. But if you are a devotee of all things Ignatian and have an openness to Star Wars, you will find plenty to underline and revisit here, including the “Wayfinder Exercises” at the end of each chapter, which invite you to pause and meditate on your own journey. And if, like Clayton, you’ve spent decades watching and reading every Star Wars thing you could get your hands on . . . if you’ve stood in long lines at the attractions in Disneyworld/land . . . if you still know the location of all your Star Wars Lego sets . . . and if you’re hungry for an articulation of why this thing you’ve always loved matters more than your “cool” friends ever suspected, you owe it to yourself to read My Life with the Jedi.
My five-star rating, then, is not because Clayton helped me grasp the nuances and complexities of all things Star Wars. As he began referencing novels, TV series, animated features, and other things I’d never heard of, I swiftly abandoned my refrain of “Wait . . . what . . . who?!?” and listened instead for the timeless wisdom surfacing among the unfamiliar names.
Clayton is a member of the communications team of the Jesuits of Canada and the US who has studied international politics and explored eastern religions; he’s practiced at spotting the truth of our human condition wherever it appears. So he knows that, despite the iconic opening of Episode IV: A New Hope, the essential dynamics revealed by Star Wars cannot be relegated to what happened “a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away.”
In My Life with the Jedi, Clayton starts with the vast tapestry of a sci-fi world about which he’s geeked out for his whole life. Then patiently, creatively, he points to threads from that tapestry to illustrate key spiritual movements in our own lives, articulating those movements in the rich vocabulary of Ignatian spirituality. Clayton’s fluency in both “languages”—and his ability to interpret them for people less familiar with one or the other—is what makes this ambitious undertaking work.
Bottom line: if you are curious about Ignatian spirituality but just not a Star Wars person, there are better books to enlighten you about the Jesuit saint—like Clayton’s own Cannonball Moments: Telling Your Story, Deepening Your Faith. But if you are a devotee of all things Ignatian and have an openness to Star Wars, you will find plenty to underline and revisit here, including the “Wayfinder Exercises” at the end of each chapter, which invite you to pause and meditate on your own journey. And if, like Clayton, you’ve spent decades watching and reading every Star Wars thing you could get your hands on . . . if you’ve stood in long lines at the attractions in Disneyworld/land . . . if you still know the location of all your Star Wars Lego sets . . . and if you’re hungry for an articulation of why this thing you’ve always loved matters more than your “cool” friends ever suspected, you owe it to yourself to read My Life with the Jedi.
January 6, 2024
Thought-provoking and enjoyable, 'My Life with the Jedi' by Eric Clayton, was an insightful read.
Who would have thought the classic sci-fi/fantasy space adventure franchise would be compared alongside Ignatian Catholicism, and even yet, to match up with it? But looking beyond the swashbuckling tales of daring pilots, feisty protagonists, and lovable droids, shows us a tale brimming with morals, ethics, and spiritual truths that transcend the movie screen and can be identified in our own lives.
While we may live tame lives compared to the space-faring, exotic and mysterious cast of our favourite franchise, the struggle for finding the right path through troubled times on a troubled planet is one we all battle to achieve. It's why we are drawn to such tales of faith and courage, with extraordinary, ordinary characters who struggle and stand up to oppression and tyranny.
Laying Star Wars side-by-side with the beliefs and practices of Ignatian Catholocism, Clayton illustrates the rich tenets and simple truths of spiritual practices that can guide you into seeing the world from a new perspective, achieve the balance you seek, and forge a way through unusual times.
Integrative, sincere, witty and informing, I recommend to anyone who's enjoyed the themes of Star Wars and is willing to see the galaxy and its lessons from a new, certain point of view.
Who would have thought the classic sci-fi/fantasy space adventure franchise would be compared alongside Ignatian Catholicism, and even yet, to match up with it? But looking beyond the swashbuckling tales of daring pilots, feisty protagonists, and lovable droids, shows us a tale brimming with morals, ethics, and spiritual truths that transcend the movie screen and can be identified in our own lives.
While we may live tame lives compared to the space-faring, exotic and mysterious cast of our favourite franchise, the struggle for finding the right path through troubled times on a troubled planet is one we all battle to achieve. It's why we are drawn to such tales of faith and courage, with extraordinary, ordinary characters who struggle and stand up to oppression and tyranny.
Laying Star Wars side-by-side with the beliefs and practices of Ignatian Catholocism, Clayton illustrates the rich tenets and simple truths of spiritual practices that can guide you into seeing the world from a new perspective, achieve the balance you seek, and forge a way through unusual times.
Integrative, sincere, witty and informing, I recommend to anyone who's enjoyed the themes of Star Wars and is willing to see the galaxy and its lessons from a new, certain point of view.
May 29, 2024
Ooookkaayy. So, this is a Christian (Jesuit) appropriation of Star Wars "spirituality." The author is a big fan of both mythologies. You can feel the love for all things Jedi ... and Jesuit. But this text amounts to wielding popular media for children as a means of conversion to Christ, and I can't back that. The framing is subtle and perfidious. Little glimpses of untruths here and there, like "it's no wonder religious institutions are so often dismissed" (coming from an American point of view, where religious institutions rule and Christian institutional religiosity has infiltrated nearly all walks of life, this is laughable).
The only thing that really spoke to me was this: "A young woman realizing that the institution she loved did not love her back. That the leaders she trusted failed to preserve the core principles of their creed and would continue, again and again, to ally with the powerful." The author is talking about Ahsoka and the Jedi but this maps a little too closely onto my current lived reality in Japanese academia as a foreign women-presenting "too young for my station" person. The difference is I wouldn't dare try to argue that religion is the answer to my problems.
Thank you to Edelweiss+ and Loyola Press for the advance copy.
The only thing that really spoke to me was this: "A young woman realizing that the institution she loved did not love her back. That the leaders she trusted failed to preserve the core principles of their creed and would continue, again and again, to ally with the powerful." The author is talking about Ahsoka and the Jedi but this maps a little too closely onto my current lived reality in Japanese academia as a foreign women-presenting "too young for my station" person. The difference is I wouldn't dare try to argue that religion is the answer to my problems.
Thank you to Edelweiss+ and Loyola Press for the advance copy.
February 3, 2024
I’m the mom of two boys, and thanks to them I got to know the Star Wars movies and series too.
I always enjoyed the wisdom that comes forth, especially from Yoda which I quote in my writing.
The author of this book invites us to an introspective path, searching for purpose.
Spirituality and symbolism within Star Wars are omnipresent, the author shows us specific parts.
He asks us to meditate about our own story, reflect about where we’ve been to plot where we’re moving forward.
The path ends only when we stop walking.
You don’t need to be a StarWars connoisseur to enjoy this book, if you are open to gaining new insights it’s for you too.
I always enjoyed the wisdom that comes forth, especially from Yoda which I quote in my writing.
The author of this book invites us to an introspective path, searching for purpose.
Spirituality and symbolism within Star Wars are omnipresent, the author shows us specific parts.
He asks us to meditate about our own story, reflect about where we’ve been to plot where we’re moving forward.
The path ends only when we stop walking.
You don’t need to be a StarWars connoisseur to enjoy this book, if you are open to gaining new insights it’s for you too.
May 21, 2024
I am not religious but the book premise was intriguing - I wondered how you would connect all these things to Star Wars. I thought it did a good job of connecting all the various Star Wars properties into the books. I just got a chuckle or a smile when SW stuff was coming up.
I did go by the st ignatius stuff as I was less interested in that. Overall there were interesting connections but the book was also a bit disorganized, and not sure I’ll remember any of this once a few days go by. However it could be a good way to ease people into more spiritual practice.
I did go by the st ignatius stuff as I was less interested in that. Overall there were interesting connections but the book was also a bit disorganized, and not sure I’ll remember any of this once a few days go by. However it could be a good way to ease people into more spiritual practice.
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December 31, 2024I was raised Catholic and this book was gifted to me by a Catholic family member. I'm a huge Star Wars fan. For me, I loved how Eric tied into several parts of the Star Wars Universe into the spiritual lessons. Unless someone is also a huge Star Wars nerd, it's rare they've seen both the older stuff and the newer stuff.
If you're spiritually curious, this book is worth a read. I might have enjoyed it more if I were a practicing Catholic or more familiar with the Ignatian path.
If you're spiritually curious, this book is worth a read. I might have enjoyed it more if I were a practicing Catholic or more familiar with the Ignatian path.
January 31, 2024
Using the author's Ignation religion interwoven throughout Star Wars lore, Eric A. Clayton creates a book that is engaging and introspective. As a Star Wars fan, I was happy to see references from many iterations of the saga. What I was surprised about was just how deeply the religious exploration would go. It is sort of like your favorite fandom mixed with Deepak Chopra. I loved it!
May 30, 2024
Clayton does a good job of using Star Wars as the vehicle to unpack Ignatian spirituality (and others). It doesn't try to do more than what he has set out to do and while I may have wanted to hear more of his voice in the book among the plentiful quotes from both books and movies--it still manages to achieve what it promised.
July 4, 2024
Most of the analogies/metaphors came across as very forced and unrealistic. I’m not a big fan of a self help books and this certainly didn’t help my feelings towards the genre. There were many assumptions and presuppositions that go into believing the author’s viewpoints; I think the more interesting book would’ve been presenting arguments and opposed to presuppositions.
April 17, 2024
The book had some good insight. I love the comparisons to Star Wars and applying them to ourselves. Gives you some things to think about.
May 22, 2024
I was really disappointed to discover this was woven into a specific religion. I was hoping and expecting for something more relatable. Just not for me.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews