An Education that Matters
What is the fruit of these teachings? Only the most beautiful and proper harvest of the truly educated – Tranquility, Fearless, and Freedom. We should not trust the masses who say only the free can be educated, but rather the lovers of wisdom who say that only the educated are free. — Epictetus
Tranquility, fearlessness, freedom are radical experiences in the modern world — rare, fundamentally valuable which provide deep roots for life. The word ‘educated’ comes from Latin: ‘to lead out’. Originally the concept was that a teacher would help students discover what they already knew, but were unaware of. That the teacher would ‘draw out’ the knowledge innately there and have it become known.
Tranquility is distinct from peace. In a sense, peace is a surface phenomenon that springs from external circumstances that are favorable. Tranquility goes all the way to the bottom and is a state of being that remains even in the face of chaotic situations.
“They have healed the brokenness of My people superficially, Saying, ‘Peace, peace,’ But there is no peace. — Jeremiah 6:14
How to achieve a state change into tranquility? Tranquility is the state of the True Self or Source. The Groveler and Shadow crowd out the tranquility, not that the tranquility of the Source disappears, but is covered over. Just as the clouds on a drizzly day do not mean that the sky isn’t still blue, when the Groveler and Shadow are acting on center stage, the True Self makes way and moves into the wings.
What is the best way to deal with the Groveler and Shadow? I suggest that the way out is through: by fully experiencing the considerations, concerns, arguments, feelings, slights, involvements, ties, squabbles, the infinite reasons and rationales that the Groveler and Shadow throw into the mix that just keep coming like shark’s teeth. To fully experience something is to willingly and fully enter into that state. Not to resist or fight against it, as that just gives the Shadow and Groveler more energy. But for a moment to fully experience—in living color and sensurround—all that the Shadow and Groveler have for you in that moment. Then you will find that they disappear like fog before the morning sun.
January 3, 2017