Traveling To Learn

SUN., SEPT. 28, 1986, 3:34 PM TRAVELING TO LEARN

You are feeling woozy from this long trip, which is certainly a way to learn. You functioned well as the listening driver, and I did what was necessary to bring the car here without trouble. (Was I necessary? Does it matter?) You need sleep and rest, but your first responsibility is to hear Me in this mystical way. For I am here in this city of much wastefulness.

The sessions from which everyone must choose are many and varied. There are more opportunities to learn than you can manage. Choose wisely, with careful consideration. Yet also be not afraid of last minute changes. The rhythm of pre-planning and the change of mind is a necessary one.

Is it truly necessary for you to continue to learn? The basic answer, even for one of your age and experience, is Yes, for learning also involves relearning and learning something which shall replace present knowledge. Your knowledge, even of your field and in your self (?)-selected specialties, is not impressive and great (and you know this), but you needn’t be much concerned. As I have told you many times, your concentration in these last working years needs to be on spiritual matters, and aspects of spirit, in its many forms. Hence, your need for much of the kinds of knowledge which shall be presented here is minimal. You got enough from the Ram Dass tape to make the whole trip worthwhile, but, as he said in one place, if you should get only one or a few bits that you can utilize in your special work, it should be worthwhile.

Give time to colleagues, particularly former students. Many need this continuing personal link with the Department, and you can do this well. And of this I approve.

Traveling is not a necessary part of the learning process. Yet it shakes up the routine, and encourages thoughts and consideration of matters that might be overlooked or put aside if you were just “at home.” And, on the other hand, traveling CAN be a hindrance to learning, if you are not aware. You might have learned well from a passenger, but you also might have learned less than you did. You don’t feel bad about coming alone, and you needn’t.

The unfortunate temptation is to volunteer to help with some worthy project… and you were tempted in this first meeting of the conference. Your resistance seems commendable, but you shall encounter some other, more compelling ones before the two weeks are past. Your basic learning should have been that you are to take on no more organizational or service tasks.

There are important tasks that now remain undone. It is highly unlikely that any one presented to you here could surpass what you properly have.

Learning comes from changed and modified ways of reacting, and traveling offers much of this “basic ingredient”. Learning means that you CAN teach differently, you can understand more fully, and you can appreciate a wider range of students’ knowledge and attitudes. The premier requirement for one in your position to be about better teaching is, of course, continuing learning… including this that is stimulated by travel.