Ever since the New Jedi Order series and the introduction of Vergere's ideas about the Force in Matthew Stover's Traitor there has been a great deal of controversy surrouding the nature of the Force and what's going on in the Expanded Universe and what it is that George Lucas has said about the Force in his movies and interviews. Vergere, quite astondingly, claimed that the Jedi had lied... that there was no dark side of the Force. That the Force doesn't take sides at all, that it merely is and there is nothing but the Force as a single unified energy field. She says that darkness comes from the heart of the individual, as if it were a tarnished mirror reflecting and veiling the light of the Force. At first this seems to fly in the face of everything that Yoda and Obi-Wan taught Luke, that they taught Anakin. The Force has a dark side, we've seen it's effects on individuals such as Darth Vader and Darth Sidious/Emperor Palpatine... or have we?

I wonder, though, do both ideas have to be mutually exclusive? Vergere certainly seemed convinced she was right and telling the truth... or did she? After all, her favorite saying seems to have been "everything I tell you is a lie." She also told Jacen Solo that the Force is everything and everything is the Force. With a little deep thought this can make you ask the question "if the Force is everything and everything is the Force and there is a dark side in my heart... does that not mean that the Force has a dark side?" More over, when we were first introduced to the Force it was through Obi-Wan's saying "the Force is an energy field created by all living things." If living things create this energy field then surely the dark side must exist if it exists within the hearts of living things at all. They would project their inner light and inner darkness through this energy field equally would they not?

So it seems Vergere was wrong. With the introduction of the prequel trilogy, however, we are now introduced to a new notion of the Force and division within it... that of the Unifying Force and the Living Force. The Unifying Force seems to be the underlying Oneness of the Force and the universe... it lays the plan for the universal system, and seem to enable Force-sensitives to see into myriad possible futures(though somewhat unreliably). The Living Force is the Force in the moment, right now. It is the vital energy of those things living right now, through this vital energy a Force-user is granted many of his/her most extraordinary powers. The ability to manipulate minds, grasp and move objects with thought, and anticipate a foe's intentions to deflect blaster bolts or duel effectively against another lightsaber wielding opponent. This has gotten me thinking that perhaps it was of the Living Force that Obi-Wan and Yoda spoke of as being "generated by living things" and the Unifying Force is something much more transcendent than merely being vital life energy. Which has led me to be able to reconcile, I believe, the orthodox Jedi view of the Force and that which Vergere taught to both Luke Skywalker and Jacen Solo.

Something that helped me to really fathom the connection between the two teachings is contained in the Hua Hu Ching, a book of Taoist canon attributed to Lao Tzu author of Tao Teh Ching. The piece in the book that caught my eye is in Chapter 57, which I shall quote here:

The universe is a vast net of energy rays. The primary ray is that which emanates from the Subtle Origin, and it is entirely positive, creative, and constructive. Each being, however, converts the energy of this primary ray into its own ray, and these lower rays can be either positive or negative, constructive or destructive.

That first paragraph of the chapter explains it all for me. The Unifying Force could be seen as either the Subtle Origin of which Lao Tzu speaks, or the primary ray. In either case, the Force is essentially Light inherently. When living beings come into being they convert the Original Force to their own... and through that we get the Living Force, and it is in the Living Force that you get a mixture of Light and Dark. There alone we have the original light of the Force being reflected in the heart-mirrors of beings and we get light and darkness as a result. This gives us both Vergere's view that the dark side is within and the orthodox Jedi view that there is an ethereal dark side. There is dark energy in the Living Force just as there is light energy. Interestingly, Lao Tzu goes on to describe how negative energy rays can effect a person and how to combat those effects:

An individual who is not yet fully evolved can be adversely affected by negative energy rays in the net around him. For example, the combined influence of several negative rays might cause an undeveloped person to believe that his life is being controlled by an invisible, oppressive ruler. Such a misconception can be a significant barrier to enlightenment.

I think this actually accurately describes many Sith and dark Jedi. In Darth Bane: Path of Destruction we have Bane speaking about becoming a servant of the dark side, as if the dark side controlled the actions of one given over to the dark and not vice versa. At any rate this person is actively aligning with the dark energies of the universe and the dark passions and tendancies of his own inner being. Even some Jedi seem to view the dark side this way, Jacen Solo certainly did. That is why, I think, Vergere's teaching was so important for him. He needed to know that no one or thing could make him do anything evil... it had to be in him to do so in the first place. That's an important lesson for one crippled to inaction by fears of the dark side. Here is how Lao Tzu suggests one combat the influence of negative energy:

To attain full evolution and the status of an integral being, you must be aware of this intricate net and its influence upon you. By integrating the positive, harmonious energy rays with the positive elements of your own being, and eliminating the subtle negative influences, you can enhance all aspects of your life.

In order to eliminate the negative influences, simply ignore them. To integrate the positive influences, consciously reconnect yourself with the primary energy ray of the Subtle Origin by adopting the practices of the Integral Way(Tao). Then all the rays in the net around you will merge back into harmonious oneness.

Basically to avoid the dark side a Jedi has to have an intimate connection with the Living Force and know how the Living Force influences his own Force matrix, and he must integrate the positive and light elements of his own heart to that of the Living Force and the Unifying Force. He mustalso have an intimate self-knowledge(ah, this was an important point of what Vergere told Luke in Destiny's Way) that he might be able to know what is light in his heart and where the darkness lies. Knowing his own inner darkness he can actually ignore the external influences and temptations presented before the internal darkness and flaws of character.

So does the Force have a dark side? Yes, and no. The Original Force, the Unifying Force, has no darkness. It is pure light, but as beings arise they act as mirrors and reflect into the Force what is in their own hearts. If tarnished they will reflect shadows and darkness, if pure they will reflect the pure original light of the Force. Neither Vergere nor Yoda was wrong. Both were correct, and both were necessary for their times. The challenge facing the Jedi now is appropriately integrating both teachings. They are, after all, complimentary to each other if viewed correctly.