--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, TurquoiseB <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "authfriend" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, TurquoiseB <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > wrote: > > > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "Patrick Gillam" > > <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > > This entire thread has pointed up for me the > > > > damned-if-you-do, damned-if-you-don't nature > > > > of spiritual teaching. > > > > > > Exactly. And the whole problem is that some in this thread > > > are suggesting that there is a "right" way to be a spiritual > > > teacher. IMO that's a lot like every other theory that proposes > > > a "one size fits all" approach...it's unrealiistic and > > > ineffective. > > > > > > Teachers are different. They have different approaches, > > > based on their individual paths, their individual predilections, > > > and their individual personalities. Students are different. > > > They, too have individual predilections and personalities. > > > Some students feel more comfortable with a teacher who > > > teaches a certain way; others feel more comfortable with a > > > teacher who teaches a completely opposite way. > > > > > > Where is the problem in this? > > > > The problem occurs when the teacher evokes a response > > from the student that is clearly not what he or she > > intended > > Sez who?
Since you were essentially asking the question with regard to my thesis, I responded from my perspective. > There are traditions in which the teacher *deliberately* sets > out to push the students' buttons. The more they are pushed, > the better he has done his job. Be a good idea to actually read the words you're responding to, in this case the words "clearly not what [the teacher] intended." Also the words that follow, "distinctly counterproductive": > > ...and which demonstrates that what the teacher > > had said was distinctly counterproductive--and the > > teacher not only doesn't back off and try another > > approach, but continues to ram the first approach down > > the student's throat, even blaming the student for > > having had that negative reaction in the first place. > > You are *again* trying to judge the effectiveness of a > teaching that is supposed to eliminate ignorance *from > the point of view of ignorance*. <duh> Who CARES what the > student thinks about his buttons being pushed if the > button-pushing eventually creates a situation in the > student's mind/body construct that allows it to drop its > stories and realize its essential nature as enlightenment? "Clearly not what the teacher intended"..."distinctly counterproductive." > You are essentially saying that the teacher should tailor > his teaching to the limitations of the student. That seems > to me a rather effective method for perpetuating ignorance. "Clearly not what the teacher intended"..."distinctly counterproductive." > Think of it in terms of a drug-addiction analogy. The > teacher is trying to get the student to realize that he is > addicted to a dangerous drug (ignorance, the ego, self, > his "stories"). The student doesn't LIKE being told this. > So you're saying that the teacher should back off and > tell the student that he ISN'T addicted to drugs, or that > his drug dependency wasn't his own fautt? :-) "Clearly not what the teacher intended"..."distinctly counterproductive." > > "Skillful means," again. It isn't a matter of using > > a one-size-fits-all approach, to the contrary. It's > > a matter of being able to find the approach that will > > most benefit the student. That's the kind of "empathy" > > I'm talking about. > > And how's that worked out for you? (apologies to Dr. Phil) > > You've stated that you're *comfortable* with Maharishi's > non-threatening, non-challenging "sweet truth" approach. I don't believe I said that, actually. > Have you realized your own enlightenment? Might it be > possible that a more direct approach might have helped > you realize it more quickly? Is everything perfect just the way it is? That kind of hypothetical is fundamentally meaningless. To subscribe, send a message to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Or go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FairfieldLife/ and click 'Join This Group!' Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FairfieldLife/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
