The Force is described as "an energy field created by all living things. It surrounds us, penetrates us, and binds the galaxy together." The Force, in part, is the energy associated with life, and life is associated with the Force. Most Jedi adhere to the ideology that the Force has a Will of it's own, and it guides those who would listen to it's subtle whispers.

The Force is primarily made up of the "light side" and the "dark side". These are concerned with the moral compass of the Force in its various manifestations of Balance. The light side of the Force is the facet of the Force aligned with good, benevolence, compassion, and healing. The dark side of the Force is aligned with fear, hatred, aggression, and malevolence; this side of the Force can seem more powerful, though it is just more tempting to those that can touch upon the power as it doesn't impose any restrictions on its use, often granting almost inhuman strength to those who would give in to hatred and anger. These "sides" of the Force are tied directly to the eternal Balance of the Universe... "Without Darkness, there can be no Light". By the same token, the "side" of the Force one chooses to follow depends on that individual's true intent within their heart.

The Force has also been described as having four additional aspects: The Cosmic Force, the Living Force, the Personal Force, and the Unifying Force. These aspects are defined by prominent Jedi philosophies. The Cosmic Force essentially embraces space and time in its entirety... It is quite basically what "binds the Galaxy together", and keeps the cosmos in Balance. It is what drives the Cosmos, and what keeps it in Order. The Living Force deals with living things... the Energy created by and connected to all Life itself. "Life creates it, makes it grow... Luminous beings are we, not this crude matter". It is a scientific fact that Energy changes form, but never truely ceases to exist. It is in that science that we are able to understand that the Living Force is the "pool of energy" that embodies all living things. It is theorized that when a living thing dies, it's life force joins the Living Force... likewise, when new life is born, it draws energy from the Living Force. The Personal Force deals with one's own life essence. Here is where I will make one agreement with Christianity... it is the Soul. This Personal Force is in turn connected to the Living Force, but while you are alive it maintains it's own unique identity. It is the energy within you which makes up your identity. It is also the energy one draws upon in daily life. The Unifying Force is what connects all other aspects of the Force, and keeps them Balance. It's energy exists on the molecular level throughout all matter, "unifying" everything in the Universe. Through it, we are connected to not just all living things, but all things. "Feel the Force... between you, me... the rock, the tree, even the ship". On the subatomic level, all matter is energy... and all energy is connected through the Unifying Force.

The Force contains many similarities to other existing philosophical and religious principles. Many have related it to the concepts of Qi (also "chi" or "ki"; China, Japan, and Korea), Prana (India), Mana (Polynesia) and other similar traditions focused around the idea of spiritual energies that exist throughout the universe. From Taoism, we take the primary focus for the idea of Yin and Yang... the two diametrically opposed Forces of the universe. Everything from good and evil (as metaphysical concepts) to hot and cold temperatures are considered as being part of this, and it is from here we see the most prominent comparison to the light and dark sides of the Force, and the constant struggle for Balance within the Universe. There are also some parallels between The Living Force and the use of Qi in Chinese martial arts. In the more internal arts (such as Tai Chi, Hsing-Yi, Pa-Kua and Qigong), the maintenance and use of Qi is an essential element of training. Such Qi is sometimes referred to as Empty Force, meaning that it is not seen, but its effect can be felt with time and training. Some manifestations of special abilities are reported to have been attained by high-level kung-fu masters. Other, more rare examples of special abilities attributed to the Force are often catagorized as "paranormal activity". Some individuals show an apptitude for healing, telepathy, teleknesis, etc.

The Jedi refer to two "sides" of the Force, a "Dark Side" and a "Light Side". This echoes the concept of Yin Yang in Eastern philosophy... but this not a straight translation, as the emotional "Dark Side" is denoted as a Force of evil by the Jedi. The "Dark Side" is not made up of specific "parts" or "abilities" of the Force: the Dark and Light "sides" of the Force both exist within the life form which uses it, made from their emotions. A follower of the "Light Side" strives to live in harmony with those around him or her. Mutual trust, respect, and the ability to form alliances give the Jedi a distinct advantage. In contrast, a follower of the "Dark Side" is primarily only interested in his or herself. For example, to strike down or kill another living creature out of anger or fear is of the "Dark Side". To refrain from rash action and clear one's self of these emotions before acting is of the "Light Side". Use of the "Dark Side" of the Force is forbidden within the Jedi Order.

Traditional Jedi are taught to keep the Force "in balance". They attempt to achieve this by denying the "Dark Side"—essentially "keeping balance" by denying balance, as they view "Dark Side" as "corruption". This involves the control of negative emotions such as aggression, anger, and hatred, since they can easily bring on acceptance of the "Dark Side"... "To become a Jedi, it is not the Force one must learn to control, but one's self". A Jedi strives to maintain control over their emotions instead of allowing negative emotions to control their actions. A Jedi acts when calm and at peace. In contrast, positive emotions such as compassion and courage nurture the "Light Side" of the Force. The Jedi Code compares such feelings and provides insight into the ethical application of the Jedi path.

The "fictional" Jedi approach to emotions may be seen as one of the key reasons for their fall during the movies, books, and the Knights of the Old Republic games. Abstaining from passion and love, many Jedi often fell under the sway of them when finally exposed. Unfamiliar with such emotions, they failed to see how they can come to dominate the personality and eventually became the personality through the imbalance wrought by over-compensation. The repression of the emotions merely caused the fall of a Jedi to be even more violent and complete. In this real universe, all sentient beings feel Emotions... the Jedi merely learn to maintain control and Balance.