Comments on: Learning and the Past

By: Evan

Evan — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 22:06:22 +0000

Thanks Chris, you make a valuable point, with which I entirely agree.

By: Chris Edgar | Purpose Power Coaching

Chris Edgar | Purpose Power Coaching — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 21:53:18 +0000

Thanks for this Evan. One point I’d add is that, if we’re hearing a teacher say something and we have some negative reaction — maybe we tighten up inside — we can also be curious about what’s having that reaction come up, so that both the teaching and our reactions are objects of our curiosity. An example would be asking a question like “why does this person’s political view seem like such a threat to me that my body is getting ready to fight?” I think that can produce some valuable self-awareness.

By: Evan

Evan — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 12:24:20 +0000

Some teachers of music in the zen tradition are ones I’ve personally endured. In some ways standard western teaching does this too – but usually by the teacher assuming the student doesn’t know anything (in the mug and jug approach the mug is assumed to be empty).

By: sarah luczaj

sarah luczaj — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 11:53:38 +0000

aha – you talking about zen teachers?

By: Evan

Evan — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 11:36:43 +0000

Sarah, I do agree re teaching. Unfortunately some teachers influenced by this tradition do not – their classes I don’t find enjoyable. Thanks for your comment.

By: sarah luczaj

sarah luczaj — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 11:19:00 +0000

Hi Evan, and Ian,

I think the original zen story is speaking on a spiritual level – and as such it should be taken literally.

It doesn’t really work as a metaphor for teaching and learning, in which case all the ‘stuff’ we contain is of a lot of use, and our critical faculties are vital!

By: Evan

Evan — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 23:02:16 +0000

Ian, I love that better analogy. It has the feeling of something that will become part of me. When I use it in the future I hope I will remember to acknowledge you as the source.

I too use the metaphor/analogy as a reminder. I just feel that it is being freighted with some very unhelpful stuff. The empty cup is becoming a very full cup indeed.

Thanks, as always, for you comment – you have added value to the discussion once again.

By: Ian | Quantum Learning

Ian | Quantum Learning — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 19:00:21 +0000

Evan, perhaps a better analogy to the ‘empty the cup’ would be ‘take a bigger cup, pour the contents of the old into it, add the new content and stir’.

I find the analogy (or is it a metaphor?) useful as a reminder to keep an open mind. Metaphors (or is it an analogy) can be taken too far sometimes.