Namaste, Welcome to SAM-VAD (Together In Conversation), as we begin today ‘let us remember this about ‘Attention’.
Our life experience would ultimately amount to whatever we had paid attention to. Attention: is important and most of the times we are so indifferent to it. It is as fundamental as food; and we go blundering about, seeking ways to assuage the craving, instead of learning how to provide ourselves with what we need, sensibly and calmly. Once the mechanism is brought to our attention and we begin to study it, it is as if a veil has been stripped off ordinary life, and we become freer in our action and choices.
This week I bring to your attention a tale titled ‘Secret Teaching’ from the book titled ‘The Magic Monastery’.
The Magic Monastery is rich in thought-provoking material, and can be read and enjoyed at many levels. It is also designed as a course in non-linear thinking.
Secret Teaching
One of the Sufi masters was asked:
While your beliefs and school are known, your teachings are secret, given only to those whom you desire, and nobody is allowed to be present as an observer at your meetings, unlike the practices of the philosophers, who allow, indeed welcome, hearers of all kinds. What is the explanation of this?’
He said:
‘Light of my eyes! Teaching is like charity: it is to be given secretly for the reason that the public display of charity is bad for the giver, for the receiver and for the observer. Teaching is like nutrition, and its effects are not visible at the time it is being given, so there is no point in there being an observer except of the fruit of the nutrition. Teaching, again, is not to be considered as separated from the circumstances in which it is given. Therefore, if there are observers, their presence changes the circumstances and also therefore the effect of the teaching. If the effect of the presence of an audience were to increase the beneficial effect of teaching, then I and everyone else would have welcomed and demanded such an audience.
And, fourthly, teaching varies with the Sufi dictum of the necessity for “right time, right place, right people”. To ask even for information about knowledge is like throwing a lifeless carcass into fresh water: the intention may be good, but the result will be poisonous.’ The inquirer said:
‘I understand what you say, but I wish to remark that this is not the manner in which ordinary teaching is carried out.’
The teacher replied:
‘God grant that ordinary teaching may indeed one day be carried out in this manner! When that comes to pass we shall have no need to see any division between Sufi and other teaching!’
Tale from ‘The Magic Monastery’ by Idries Shah
I am sure that you will enjoy reading this book; you can buy your copy from the following link:
Enjoy reading it with your family, friends and near and dear one’s.
Before concluding today’s episode please pay attention to these words of a Storyteller.
My stories require, at this stage, no extra commentary, imaginings, or guesswork by you, me, or anyone else. The very worst would be that of moralizing. To explain away is to forget. Thus, let the stories which you can remember do their own work by their very diversity. Familiarize yourself with them.
Namaste!
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