Teaching is a bit like wasting one's breath or giving a public lecture, therefore the possibility that someone perceives you are slim.
It is not out of malice or lack of interest that the student does not listen, since in general it is his own will which leads him to the teacher, and he hears him. However, it is necessary to pass through some filters:
- The acceptance of one's ego
- The limits of one's prejudices
- One's ability to understand,
- The quality of one's attention.
These four "Horsemen of the Apocalypse" will pose some problems with the fluidity of the flow of information.
If the information directly jeopardizes the omnipotence of one's ego, going against the basic values of the person, the information is transformed or ignored.
If the teaching goes against what one had fantasized about practice, then the information does not pass or not much, one will transform what is heard.
The information that we receive penetrate through the filter of one's intellect. If it is limited or it is occupied by too much mental activity, the teaching can not penetrate.
With a mind constantly stimulated by the modern world, attention is often quite low. The "zapping" of information, the horizontal knowledge and the constant boredom can not develop an openness to the world.
The ability to really "get" the teaching is like flashing an object with a light beam, a flashlight:
It is necessary that the lamp operates (the intellect is available), it must be pointed in the right direction (teacher, professor), it is necessary that the lamp illuminates the same place long enough (focused attention) and the item that we study must not be concealed by an obstacle (wall of the ego).
If these elements are met, then getting the information is easy.
Teaching is often stealthily pointing an oil lamp to a wall that conceals an object buried in the maze of prejudices.
But if we stay the course, if we persevere, little by little, the same information becomes clear.
That is the joy of teaching: seeing the student gradually get what is obvious to you. It is to find one another in a common knowledge, observing that everyone joins in a real unity.
This communion is not of the realm of the intellect, but more generally of the human conscious experience.
We must accept that the understanding of a teaching is only a small part of the process. It is illusory to believe that what is known is understood. If it is not "digested" by experience, felt, visceral, knowledge is a only a collection of concepts without practical application ... as useful as a stamp collection.
Whoever, to better understand a subject, disperses himself in several Ways, this one will not go very far ... however it has a nice collection of stamps.
We should also be honest: some are happy to "know", but are not in the practice. This is honorable, but different from the practice. You just need to remember that only the practice transforms, not the knowledge of the practice.
This is not the acquisition of the diet pill that makes you lose weight, even if you know the diet, it is the effort associated with it.
Teaching is a wonderful way that requires not to be in a hurry.
The return of sunny days enables us to benefit from a high energy to enjoy to train ourselves to be more present in an alive and real daily practice.
To effectively manage one's practice, it is advisable not to forget the early lessons, not to underestimate one's ability to transform and find some availability in the imbroglio of one's prejudices.
Good practice to all!
