I am intrigued how a simple failure can produce amazing learning. In the process of facilitating classes on rhythm for accomplished flute players, I learned a great lesson. Over the course of a weekend retreat I was responsible for a variety of classes. One morning when it was my turn to teach a master class, I arrived totally unprepared. Rather than feeling unprepared, I chose to go into the class with an open mind and began by asking the class what they wanted. What blew me away was the depth of dialogue and learning shared around the room. Participants learned more from one another and their vast experiences; it was like the light bulbs kept going off. I then facilitated deepening all this learning with practical exercises and more dialogue.
I was delighted when a class participant made the simple comment, “You taught without a shadow.” What my learning has been about this concept continues to be reinforced today. From my understanding of our conversation, the shadow aspect related to using power, as an authority (technician), to teach.
The shadow is an aspect of who we are, whether conscious or not. A teacher can use their experience as superiority, where they are the better technician. Without the shadow, all participants including the teacher are equal. For example; when a teacher uses dialogue for learning and everyone is acknowledged for their contribution, the generosity of the moment provides for significant illuminations. The way the sharing of ideas happens and how the teacher listens and supports these ideas can be dramatic. The light bulbs (mental/physical understandings) will keep turning on.
As I continue observing this perspective in classes where I participate, I am continually amazed at how often a teacher’s pattern of presentation gets in the way of real learning. The participants are often very hungry to learn, but without healthy dialogue, their curiosity is squashed. What then keeps us curious? Where is the teacher’s stimulation that encourages curiosity as opposed to simply being the deliverer of a specific system of knowledge? My own fundamental system is based more on the kinesthetic experience yet I find very few teachers know how to teach kinesthetically, other than dance, yoga and movement specialists.
Getting back to the classroom, when the knowledge is shared or acknowledged in each individual’s learning style, learning is dramatically reinforced. I am seeing an enormous appetite for the specific learning styles to utilize. It is like a new body of work, a new sense of style about teaching is being born. Yes, the underpinnings have always been there and some have excelled naturally. I want to know why it seems so critical right now. The patterns of shadow/non-shadow are so apparent and ripe for me to see, to witness. The witnessing is for me, about seeing without judgment, about being fully present, in my heart. When is the last time you allowed your mind to move like a river, gently through your consciousness, without a shadow?
Tags: deepened learning, Living without a shadow, seeing without judgment
