Classroom Talk
Fall 2002 Archive
Why "a master class?" Posted by John on October 31, 2002 at 19:16:26:
On a dim blackboard, way in the back of the room:
If your body is clutching up against it, it's Personality.
If your body is opening and releasing to it, it's Essence.
You can feel this, if you're awake to it.
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I appreciate your sharing the gestures you have been having with such soul-important men in your life, Eddie. What a tribute you *live* to these men
who have meant so much to you. The bedside visit you described was touching. It was like a kahuna's visit, in traditional ways. It was a high-point in
his life, too, that he will never forget. It was a ritual, so highly imbued with sensitivity and caring. How fitting! Because this was *so true* in you! It
was *that contact*, that he could ask for from the bottom of his heart, and you were there, on the spot, at that fitting time, to give to him, from the
bottom of yours!
If this venerable teacher had any hand in the guidance of you during your life, he could see the results of his work in these mindful minutes there in
the hospital with you, and he could know in your gestures and actions that his life's work had been for the good.
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Oh yeah. What I meant by saying the class seems like a master class to me at this point is simply that this is the first time that I can remember when all
of the sharings are either questions about doing the work that we are "supposed to be" here learning how to do, or, indeed, are actually *doing the
work* as a direct manifestation in these recent postings by Rob, Eddie, and other John.
Rob has tried it out, and he reports finding out that "putting aside differences (misunderstandings) and staying connected" seems to have worked in a
college department setting.
John has spoken up, coming steadfastly from his own experiences, and his voice has sparked moments of new enlightenments in me.
Maybe only the old-timers around here can appreciate, as I do, the long, hard path that Eddie has walked in terms of learning to be clear and more
easily understandible in his writing and expression—as he demonstrates that capacity so beautifully on certain days nowadays.
If mastery has to do with *competency*, we have seen great competency grow in you as a writer, along the lines of the lifelong personal ambitions that
you have deeply felt towards this field.
In another dimension, the living action, dimension . . . . . well, I've been exhilirated to see the way you have just stepped up and exemplified what
being tough is, without being pushy. I loved to see the way that you spoke up and "took charge of the class," in such a competent way. Your heart is
in it! And at the same time, it is "just a game" that we all could play together. A wonderful game!
I'd love to be able to participate in such a "Weekend Workshop," but, alas, I'm back to working every weekend again, and all the major holidays that
are coming up, as well. I'm glad for the ranch side of my life, because that's how I make so much of my living.
Given our "diminished attendance" lately, I don't know how much of a response your bold move is likely to receive. But I was delighted in seeing it. It
*was* a bold move. It may be an idea that might "get everybody interested again," so to speak, if that may be what is called for.
And I felt strengthened in seeing your body moving there, being assertive, doing appropriate work like digging out all the names of a roster there.
Good work, man. That was fascinating and fun for me to reminisce on all of those passing participants, and a sentimental journey, too. Thank you for
doing that. Well done.
And you went ahead and worked the whole thing out—how *it could be done*. The idea of working from the farthest perimeter of our students
inward! Neat! I was touched by the respect you paid to Rob in the place you gave him in your chart.
What is the person doing here?
Well, he is being tough, and competent, and he has laid out a really neat blueprint that is workable in the real world. And he has spoken up, in
leadership. It's a gift. It's a turn-on. There are no rough edges in the way that he's presenting this. It's a veritable mindful warrior in action . . . .
and, "kicking ass," I might say.
So . . . even if your architectural blueprint may not come to being in the real world, I know, beyond the shadow of a doubt, that you *can do* all this,
Eddie. You can do all this in Classroom Talk, and you can do all this in your own hometown. And I cheer you on in it, if you someday do.
As to that topic on Christianity:
Well, I get it that you don't see "true Christian practice" going on, where mindfulness is excluded. I used to feel that way for such a long time, but I'm
not so completely sure anymore that Spirit can't work good through sleeping personality.
It does seem obvious that students can learn to do Christian practice very beneficially by bringing aware presence to their tasks, and perhaps be
catching on to things much more quickly, as well. But there do seem to be many good people who are able to be working on becoming even more
loving people on the strength of their faith alone.
I noticed, on CNN, the man who finally tipped off authorities to the rest stop along the highways where the accused Beltway Snipers were captured.
What a hero! Not only had he called in the tip, but he and another driver had blocked the exit from the rest stop with their trucks, so the fugitive
couldn't have gotten away. And then they waited for police to get there. That certainly shows much bravery, much toughness and competence. And
this man, on CNN, came across as brave, and tough, and competent. The reporter asked him if he felt he had a reward coming. (There are millions,
apparently, offered for the capture.) He shrugged this off without a moment's hesitation. He said he didn't want any reward. He said he and the
prayer group at his church near there had prayed the other night in the basement of their church that they might spot the fugitives' car and participate
in their capture. And so it came to pass, through him.
That's a lot of human pain that's been prevented by that capture happening. Did God answer those prayers through an ordinary good fellow,
perhaps wake him up when he saw that license plate, and "walk him on through the rest of it," in doing the competent things that were called for on
the spot? And what of the *Man* that he *was there* in the end of it, in turning down riches for the surpassing, perhaps beatific experience that he
had lived through? — I wonder where that good fellow's life will go from this point on. And I have to wonder about what happened.
Now I'm not suggesting that we give up our practice of mindfulness because of this. That still seems a highly practical path to me. But surely there's
still more to be learned about life than we have learned of it All, so far.
>I said I was in no way at your level of mindfulness.
To all of you I mention this: students of mindfulness don't have to compare their levels with others, and yet they can be aware of it. Cultivating
mindfulness is a solitary path for each of us, in developing abilities with this state of attention. Some can more easily be aware of this at first, and
others can more easily be aware of that. If you are practicing mindfulness at all, you don't need to be discouraged, as you are keeping on with that,
and it will grow in proportion to the energy that you invest in it with practice.
As a generic exercise for the class these days, I've been proposing practicing being mindfully awake in there in the presence of other people, without
doing any more than that . . . . just knowing you are being in there, present, in the presence of other people.
Any student who can get good at just doing that and no more will find that all the rest of the observations in this approach can then start "falling into
view."
Ah, what a great laugh I had, in that Sufi story you told, Eddie, when the whole row of long-time disciples got to their feet. They could see the
humanness in them squarely by that time.
Well, my son and his Lady are picking me up to take me out for Halloween dinner in a few minutes. I'll probably have more stuff to say tomorrow,
but maybe this will be enough here for today.
Coach
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