Suite101 has published an article about the sense and the nonsense of the Force. From midichlorians to the philosophy of Zen, it’s all included. Here’s an excerpt. You can read the complete article here.
In the first of the prequels, The Phantom Menace, the Force is opened up to even more interpretation. Two more aspects of the one energy are developed, one being the Unifying Force, and the other being the Living. According to creator George Lucas, the former has to do with destiny and purpose, while the latter involves intuition, spontaneity, and empathy with all living creatures. Though the Jedi Council emphasizes the Unifying Force, others such as Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn champion the Living, and this article deals with why this is so.To begin with, the Living Force is first and foremost about being in the present moment. This sounds like a simple thing, yet it is anything but. Just as Yoda criticizes Luke Skywalker for, we too spend most of our lives everywhere by where we actually are, anxiously peeking over time’s shoulders, trying to get a glimpse of the future. Of course, just as a horizon will recede when one attempts to chase it down, so will the future get farther and farther away, which is no doubt why even the Jedi cannot accurately predict it.