Three styles of learning-combining and transcending opposites

 

This session continues from a previous session with the channeled felloship of the River about three different styles of learning. As a therapist and spiritual counselor, I find knowledge of these styles to be essential to how I interact with my patients.  

Let me know if the comments which style you think you are.

 

Julia: Can you elucidate something, which you spoke about last time about three styles of learning?

River: We often see things in trinities. In this instance we see past, present and future and learning and planning styles, which come from this trinity. Starting with those who learn from the past- these are people who continually review the past, past mistakes, past failures and successes and make their decisions from those experiences. This is a common way of planning, trial and error. Of course, each way has positive and negative aspects. The positive aspects of this way of learning are that it is steady and mostly predictable. However, on the negative side, it does not leave room for creativity or new solutions.

Then there are those who learn from the moment. This method is based on present time so its positive aspect is that it is very creative and flexible and takes what the environment has to offer and uses circumstances in the immediate moment. The negative aspect is that there are more reactors, a more impulsive approach and these people are more likely to be hurt because there is no learning from experience.

Finally, there are those who project into future time. “If I do this, then in the future this will happen”. This is the most fruitful approach, since it is based on planning and projection.

However, we are sure you can guess, we need all three. Different styles for different occasions. That way we can keep learning as an ability to into new things. Most spiritual teachings now are focused on the present moment style. [EG Tolle, Tony Robbins, Sam Harris]. However, we warn that having only this approach leads to a kind of ruthlessness, a lack of sympathy and compassion for others, a disengagement from the invent fullness of others. A dislocation from past and future, however it is also the fastest kind of learning. We suggest caution with these Be Here Now prophets; they encourage thoughtless ruthlessness and a placidity of self righteousness. Learning is never easy, genuine learning is fraught with hesitation, uneasiness and mulling. When all this is done, then and only then, should action be taken in the present moment. The greatest tool is to hold the past, hold the future and then move into present time with action. There is always much work done first before action is taken.

For example, Christ, had many years of preparation before he became a teacher. He was steeped in cultural history, family history, the desert retreat, mulling, self reflection- then with a sigh he said, “Everything has its voice, I have listened and now I must act”.  All great teachers are not only living in the present moment, but they are also living outside of themselves in the past and the future.

Julia: How do I counsel the different three different types of learning styles?

River: From the same perspective, we tend to see a trinities in many situations. Here we see-first the opposites of mother, father and then the third factor which combines both-the child. Each side combines together into a new third. Different learning styles means different ways of relating to the world. As always, in counseling, we want to combine the opposites.

First, you must identify their inner opposites. How do they process experience from the past and plan for the future? Are they projecting far ahead and planning the end result? You can tell this from where they put their emphasis. Then you, as counselor will jump to the other side, to balance the opposite. Opposites healthily expressed, support and hear the other position. Then the person can come to a resolution and with the client you can help them form the third. If any style is overemphasized, then there is disease and unhealthy decisions. Matter does not like to be separated from the whole.

However, many of the great spiritual traditions did not emphasise soul work outside of the self until now. The mystical traditions around the great teachers were always aware that soul is outside of the Self. But the esoteric organized religions consider this concept to be dangerous to their structures. They did not want to their followers to directly recognize soul in the world. They did not want the simple truth that the song of the bird is also soul, to be known or practiced. This would reduce their power position and eliminate the need for them as intermediary in the process of accessing deep parts of our being.

Bird is singing

I am singing

Singing.

 

How can you control that?

Its impossible! That knowledge is absolute freedom. It is movement through the vast entity of the Great Net that is connected, cognitive, sentient and self.

There are several trinities identified in this post:

 

mother, father, child;

 

 past, present, future;

 

and inner, outer and multidimensional.

 

I find these teaching to be so exciting-how to find the opposite? How to integrate and create a transcendent third?