Dinuka Mapa is offering his book, The Art of Being a Jedi, to all those interested in philosophy and other social themes explored through the optics of Star Wars, just to make them more fun and interesting. Dinuka Mapa is based in Melbourne, Australia, and is working as a full-time author.
The Art of Being Jedi is a book meant for young adults, especially college students, who might be interested in exploring complex subjects like philosophy, political science, anthropology, spirituality, and psychology with a side dish of pop culture, literature, and art to provide context for more abstract ideas. Here, the author engages with a Star Wars theme that adds a lot of flavors and might be especially interesting for young adults who love this franchise and the themes explored within.
The Art of Being Jedi is an ebook that considers a variety of subjects and, in addition to being an essay collection, it works as a memoir, in which Dinuka explores and considers his experiences as a migrant in Australia. Dinuka remembers the difficulties of accessing an education in this new country and all the things implicit in the migrant experience, the struggles, and the highs.
The essays take a deep dive into a variety of themes that can be important for the reader, explored in an approachable manner. While it features a variety of themes, the central one is mental illness, a topic that resonates with many readers today.
The book considers what it feels like to be a Force-sensitive citizen, a potential Jedi, in the modern Republic, and frames the Force in a spiritual and a philosophical way, exploring the concept of mental illness through an extended metaphor that helps readers connect with the stories better and closer. In particular, it concerns the author’s own experiences with mental illness and the migrant experience, as well as Buddhist and Platonic concepts.
The Art of Being Jedi can provide a nourishing and fascinating read for young adults. It can inspire readers to develop good habits rooted in philosophy, such as reading, meditating, being spiritual, and being non-conformists when they need to be.
Dinuka Mapa talks about himself as someone who likes salted caramel ice cream and also cookies and cream. His favorite book is The Quiet American by Graham Green, and his favorite film, to nobody’s surprise, is The Empire Strikes Back. While in college, studying to get a Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace Engineering at Monash University, Mapa was diagnosed with schizophrenia.
The Art of Being Jedi explores themes of mental health and mental illness, migration, and personal struggles through the lens of philosophy and Star Wars. Fans of the saga should find a lot to enjoy in this compilation of essays with an autobiographical twist.
Follow his Instagram @maelstrom055 to stay tuned for new releases.
We had the pleasure of interviewing Dinuka Mapa. Here are the excerpts from the interview.
Hi Dinuka, Great to have you with us today! Please share with our readers about your book, The Art of Being a Jedi.
Hi, I’m 34, male, and I live in Melbourne, Australia. I consider myself a full-time Author. My eBook ‘The Art of Being Jedi‘ is aimed at young adults and university students and discusses, via the backbone of a Star Wars theme, perspectives on Philosophy, Political Science, Anthropology, Spirituality, and Psychology by providing context to facets of Pop Culture, Music, Art, and Literature. It is partly a memoir of my experiences of being a migrant struggling to pertain an education in Australia and partly a collection of essays that I think are important for the reader to read.
What inspired you to write the book, The Art of Being Jedi.
The main theme of my eBook is mental illness. It pertains to my personal story because I was diagnosed with Schizoaffective Disorder. Despite being very academically bright (being selected to attend Melbourne High School (a selective entry school in Victoria), obtaining a matriculation University ENTER score of 98.00 for my VCE, and going on to study a Bachelor of Commerce and Bachelor of Aerospace Engineering at Monash University in 2006), I had to forgo my studies when I was diagnosed with Schizoaffective disorder because it became impossible for me to concentrate while having hallucinations and episodes of psychosis. The book documents my transition from top academic student to a psychiatric patient, going through the public and private mental health system in Victora, and how it had a very adverse impact on my mental health and identity as a person.
What are the strategies that helped you become successful in your journey?
By complying with Medication and learning CBT (talked about in eBook), and spending many many hours practicing Meditation.
Any message for our readers?
Magic exists, and the universe is constantly revealing itself to us personally if we strive to be good people and take the time to listen to the music of the cosmos.
Fantastic! So tell us, how can people find out more about your book?
Discover it on Kobo or you can download both Epub and PDF versions directly from my website, https://dinukamapa.com.
Thank you so much, Dinuka, for giving us your precious time! We wish you all the best for your journey ahead!
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