Quantum Learning Rotating Header Image

Posts Tagged ‘journey’

The Truth And The Only Way

Jan 30th, 2010
by ianpeatey.
21 comments

One day a young man decided to undertake a quest involving a trip to a distant destination.

He was sure the journey would be an exciting one and didn’t want to miss the many wondrous sights, delightful people and delicious experiences. He also didn’t want to get lost and wanted to avoid the many perils, dead ends and dangerous, desolate areas.

After a few tentative steps he realised this particular trip demanded careful consideration, and decided to seek advice.

He guessed he was not the first to take this journey and was sure he could find plenty of people to advise him about the best route, provide maps and describe what would greet him at the journey’s end.

The Books Of Spiritual Wisdom

The first person he met held an ancient book, written many years ago. It contained the words and deeds of wise men and experts on this journey. Whilst it was not a map, it was full of advice and suggestions on how to proceed and how to treat the people he would meet. The book holder, though he had not taken the trip himself, was very passionate and convinced the book contained the Truth and The Only Way to reach the destination.

He went to a second person who waved an old book in his face. The young man thought it looked the same as the previous book but was assured it was very different and only this one contained the Truth. The book waver was reluctant to open the pages but more than willing to quote selected pieces. Again there was no map and plenty of sound advice – though it did seem similar to the first book. The young man was left with a warning that any other claims to The Only Way were evil and dangerous and should be avoided.

Feeling a little confused, the young man continued on his way to search for more advice.

He was approached by someone who also had a book, though the young man had to take it on trust because the book was hidden. It was somewhat newer than the others and apparently revealed The Only Way to the destination and, because the Truth in this book was sacred and special, it was kept secret. For a modest payment the wisdom in the writings could be revealed.

The young man felt even more confused and decided to carry on his way.

The Books of Material Wisdom

Most people he met refused to talk about the journey at all.

He sensed they would have liked to, but for some reason were very scared of travelling, or maybe it was the mysterious destination that scared them. The Only Way to engage them in conversation was to talk about safe topics and not mention the journey at all. The weather, state of the world, the Truth in their magazines and TV schedules were all topics they got excited about. The young man couldn’t shake the idea that these people were quite content but curiousity and adventure was missing for them. He was disappointed they were unable to help him on his quest.

The next person who was willing to talk to him about serious matters showed him the Financial Times and Wall Street Journal and confided that here was The Only Way. At first glance they appeared to contain nothing more than numbers but the young man was assured they carried great meaning to those who could decipher them. The man confided in him the Truth was that the destination is an illusion, a myth concocted by the believers in the Books Of Spiritual Wisdom. Several of his colleagues had set off and never returned. Surely if this place existed he would have heard something from them. His advice was to forget the trip, study the numbers and enjoy great wealth.

The young man left the man to his columns of numbers and went on his way.

The Books Of Scientific Wisdom

The final person he met had a map and a comphrehensive, though incomplete, guide to the journey. He was presented with complex diagrams, formulae, theories and piles of paper all titled ‘Evidence’. The young man stayed a long time here and asked many questions and received many answers, though some remained unanswered. The young man was assured that with more evidence the Truth of all things would be discovered. The Only Way was simply a matter of time and finding the right hypotheses to explain the evidence. This man was highly sceptical that the destination existed as none of his papers or measurements contained any proof. He asked the young man to return with this proof upon completing his quest – but only something tangible and measurable would do. The young man left on his way much impressed by the logic but sad that there appeared little purpose or meaning in what he had heard.

The Truth and The Only Way

The young man continued on his way, pondering the words he had received from everyone he had met. In each meeting he had found some advice and suggestions that seemed to him very wise and helpful and he wondered why they could not find common ground in their search for the Truth. Was The Only Way really to disagree and fight?

Though each claimed they knew the Truth and The Only Way, it was clear to the young man that none of them had all the answers.

It was also clear to him The Only Way to the Truth was to continue on His Way and discover for himself.

5 conditions for ‘big step’ learning

Sep 9th, 2009
by ianpeatey.
10 comments

Learning is rarely a smooth progression and is inherently ‘chunky’. If I think back over my life I notice periods of massive learning and change followed by times of stagnation or at least only baby steps. How I’ve learned things has also been ‘chunky’, often joyful, sometimes confusing and frustrating as hell.

1160736_how_old_are_you_1

It’s something like how a tree grows. The rings of the trunk show how much it has expanded in any given year, varying in thickness from puny thin ones to nice fat juicy ones. Yet this hides a whole story of periods of calm, sunny weather, icy winters and violent storms. Each contributes something to the growth.

We learn in chunks and make step changes and I think it’s true whether I’m learning a new skill, a language (I wish!) or the continual development of myself as a human being. Sometimes the steps are huge breakthroughs – ‘Eureka’ moments where something that didn’t make sense suddenly falls into place, or something I just couldn’t do suddenly seems easy.

I had one of these ‘big step’ learning moments over the weekend as I wrote about in Living in denial. I got to thinking – what were the conditions that allowed that to happen, and could they then be replicated to provide a more regular stream of breakthrough moments?

Here are the 5 key conditions that I believe facilitate ‘big step’ learning:

1   Readiness

I was ready for a change, ready to learn something potentially profound, ready to take action – in short ready to learn.

That readiness came after a period of frustration, idleness, confusion and maybe I can even say a minor depression. I was noticing lack of growth, questioning many aspects of my life and feeling more and more ’stuck’. This period prepared the ground for something to happen. It churned up the earth to allow a seed to be planted. It wasn’t necessarily pretty or enjoyable but was an important stage.

It doesn’t have to be that way and looking back at some of my other big step moments, just as many were born from periods of great openness and joy. I was also ready but that readiness was held with a lighter touch and a loving hand. This time it was dark and gloomy, next time it might be light and joyful.

2   Seeding

cumin seedsThere was a catalyst. Something happened that sowed the seeds of change – in this case I read something provocative. The ground was ready, so the seed quickly took root.

The article took 8 minutes to read and stirred up a very strong reaction lasting several days. That reaction was lots of questions and searching for answers and some profound insights. The questions, answers and insights were all mine but wouldn’t have grown without that initial provocation.

Seeds can come from many different places. I try to collect them (books, clippings, web bookmarks, dreams, people, ideas of my own etc.) because I’m never sure when they might be needed. This time the seed came at the right moment. At other times I’ve known where to look in my seed collection.

3   Environment

For learning to take place the environment needs to be right and that’s going to depend on what the learning is.

With my big step I read the article on the morning I was leaving for a few days in the mountains. In the peace and tranquillity of the mountains I had nothing to do and I’d deliberately left all work, reading, computers back at home and took only my wife (forcibly stripped of work, computer etc). I had been expecting purely to get a break and there was I had no intention of any major soul searching.

I couldn’t have designed a better environment – the pressure-free time and space combined with connection to nature was just what I needed. If I’d been learning something else I would have needed a different environment.

4   Nurturance

For seeds to grow they need care, attention and the basic fundamentals taken care of such as light, water and food.

It’s the same with learning and growth, the seeds of change need to be loved and nurtured rather than neglected or beaten up. If my child learns to ride a bike, chances are she’s going to fall off. I’m not going to ignore her or punish her for not getting it right! She needs to be held, encouraged and helped to see she’s still perfect and loved.

In my case I had Mona with me, who is an expert listener. No judgement. No criticism. Someone to share what was happening, someone to react and help me build on my thoughts and ideas. In short, someone to hold me while I journeyed on a voyage of discovery. And we had a great landlady preparing fresh, simple home grown and cooked food.

Also important is self-nurturance and gentleness with myself which allowed me to be with the questions and not force answers. No self criticism. No beating myself up.

5   Application

Learning can be a wonderful experience by itself, but ‘big-step’ learning needs to have a purpose or an application of some kind. The application might not always be obvious at the time but if there is none then the learning will almost certainly be lost.

A language needs to be used, a bicycle ridden and self development improve my life in some way.

I reached some conclusions over the weekend that have practical application. I want to take some action with them and I can see the fruit of the learning. It will make a change in my life – I’m assuming for the better.

I’d love to hear your experiences of breakthrough moments in your self development?

Silent journey

Nov 27th, 2008
by ianpeatey.
10 comments

Last night I travelled back to Warsaw after a couple of days work in Wroclaw (Breslau) in the West of Poland. The journey was almost 6 hours on a train through the best parts of the evening in a warm, cozy compartment for 6 people. After a hectic couple of weeks I was grateful for the time to myself and settled down to catch up on a couple of films I’d been meaning to watch. One film was enough – ‘When the Levees Broke’ directed by Spike Lee, about Hurricane Katrina and the devastation of New Orleans. Not exactly four easy going hours, but I’d wanted to watch it and this was the perfect time. I broke the film half way and dozed and planned a couple of future blog articles.

This was a good time for me spent deep within myself, giving something to myself combined with a little creative thinking and stimulation from the film. I was ready to leave the train, though, by the time we reached the suburbs of Warsaw. It’s possible to have too much of a good thing!!

As we approached the end of the trip it suddenly occurred to me that I’d shared this trip with five other human beings. I had, of course, been aware that this compartment was full (space for 6 of us!) as we’d been tripping over each other. It wasn’t exactly cramped, but somewhat intimate.

The absolutely shocking thing was that I’d shared close to 6 hours of my life with five others and not a word or a glance had passed between any of us.

What was this all about?

I’d like to say that this was an exceptionally cold and unfriendly journey but the truth is I travel a lot and I know this is pretty commonplace and standard. I’ve spent half a day sitting on long-haul flights a few inches away from someone and neither of us signalled any recognition of each others’ presence. I realised that I’ve got to the point where I consider it perfectly normal to be in close proximity to other people and yet stay wrapped in my own world.

I do know a couple of people who will always start a conversation when they’re travelling but I think they’re the exception. On one or two occasions I’ve found myself sitting next to someone who started some contact. I’ve never done that myself. Never. I avoid eye contact. I travel in my own world of thoughts, half awake and half asleep and it seems to me that the majority do exactly the same thing.

I’m wondering what kind of world we’d live in if it was the other way round? How would it be if every time we passed a stranger, each and everyone of us was curious to learn more about that fellow human being? How would it be if we all raised our heads and looked into the eyes of our fellow travellers in life whenever we had the chance?

My guess is that we’d develop a much greater awareness of our shared humanity, less intolerance, hatred, misery, loneliness, ignorance and violence.

What can I do?

My personal experiment will be to see what happens when I next travel, raise my eyes to the person next to me, smile and greet them. After all, it could be you who’s sitting next to me!