More On Teaching

MAR. 14, 1981,5:29 AM
HITCHIN POST, LIBERTYVILLE

Yes, o son, let Me reinforce some of the thoughts “We have just shared” as you waited for the wake-up call to come. At this point that generally is an unnecessary “precaution”… having a telephone wake you. If I want you to learn from Me, I shall awaken you. Usually you shall know the night before and be ready yourself. But you are “experienced” enough now… and you wake up rather well… so rely solely on Me. If I don’t call then the teaching is just not necessary that morning.

I really just got started yesterday on a theme that I haven’t developed fully enough with you, a career teacher. I have included some important ideas imbedded in other meditations, but unless you have these identified in your index, in an annotation, you can’t find them in a search of titles. So I may repeat some ideas this morn, but they shall be reinforcement, and they shall be under an identifiable title.

There are some things that need to be taught in your culture that have very little spiritual content; still, the method of teaching can be anywhere from spirit-filled to spiritless. So no teaching, no matter how secular or prosaic the content, need be devoid of spirit. It is so only because the teacher has no or too little concern… and does not open up the spirits sure to be latently present, at least, in learners.

Fortunately, virtually everything about which you teach has a rather obvious spiritual quality. And I urge you to go a step further. Spend little or no time in your teaching now, on themes that are spiritless. In this course, the one you prepare to teach today, this admonition is the least workable. Do the best you can… and know that in fairly large part this assignment is a means to an end… a means to some monies from which you can give generously and a means to get to certain places and see certain people.

I shall say again here that the mode of teaching I urge on you, increasingly, is the story, the parable, the song, the conversation , the case study, the role play, the film that tells a story… and whatever else you, and I, can develop as ways of awakening spirits, directing attention, and stimulating learning.

I am pleased with the ways in which you are coming to this without even conscious trying. But be aware of what you do, even after it is done, and evaluate so that it might be done even better in the future.

You have had some thoughts after the medical diagnosis of your injury in the direction of becoming a bit more diligent with your use of music in teaching. Your thought, which I applaud, is that if health cannot be displayed fully in the physical realm, display it through your songs. Let them show forth your healthy spirit. Be less concerned about the “quality” of your guitar accompaniment; use it only as a background to tell your story more uniquely. Worry not about those who would be critical of your playing style. Just practice enough so that you can do well what you do.