In my canon, orthodox Jedi believe that the Force consists of two distinct halves, the light side and the dark. While there is no consensus on the exact nature of the light/dark sides – some Jedi view them as intinsic elements of the Force while others see them more as arising from the individual – they still recognize the distinction and strive to avoid tapping into the dark side.

Dark and gray Jedi have a less rigid interpretation of the Force. Some recognize the light/dark duality but believe that one can tap into both without succumbing to either; others don’t recognize the duality at, believing the Force to be a single whole without any divisions.

The Sith have their own take on the nature of the Force distinct from the Jedi’s. While they accept that the Force has different, distinct parts, they don’t view the Force as consisting of two halves of light and dark; they believe instead that the Force exists in layers of order and chaos, with no sharp dividing line between the two. The Sith believe that order has to be actively maintained to keep nature from falling to chaos, and so they’re willing to use whatever means necessary to ensure order, even violence.

Palpatine views the Force as nothing more than chaotic, all-consuming darkness; the light side, if it has any objective existence at all, is just a pale shadow that will eventually be torn asunder in the end days.

The legion of non-Jedi/Sith Force religions hold to a wide range of differing interpretations of the Force, far too many to go into detail here.

In my mind, no one group or individual has a fully accurate grasp of the Force; they all see the Force, but they see it through a glass darkly. Personally, I think a fusion of the Aing-Tii and Potentium views of the Force comes closest to describing its true nature.