Teaching by Workshop

[松永道]

Workshops, seminars, retreats all intensely expose students to a certain practice over a period of time and then end. The idea afterwards that the student might continue practicing on their own. This often means that most workshops teach a lot of material but don't leave a lot of time for practice. Understandably, the amount of material often factors into the price, more material, more money. That's the nature of selling something.

 

But I question the end result.

 

Real questions arise out of long term practice. The body transforms, goes through changes, the practice grows overtime. I've also noticed that I'm quite capable of experiencing the sensations I'm told to look for, but looking for something and having it arise out of practice without expecting it are two very different things. One, a palpable but potentially fabricated, and the other, an unavoidable, unmistakable result. For instance, I thought I had a lower dantian long before actually going through the experience of developing one (which involves unmistakable physiological changes and is not simply a matter of feeling and visualizing).

 

And so I ask, even if the teaching is genuine, is it proper, is it ethical to teach it in a workshop fashion? I would certainly say it depends on the practice. Some practices need more direct observation from the teacher. But almost every practice inevitably requires some guidance. Should you learn it once, potentially never meeting the teacher again, is this a safe practice to pursue? And for the workshop lovers, is a little of this and a little of that a real road of cultivation? Or is it just jumping from branch to branch, playing and seeking, as opposed to getting to the root? (However, I have been told that people who have reached a certain level of gongfu will immediately see into the nature of a practice, which is the excuse for everyone practicing secretly in ancient China.)

 

It seems to me that anything but the most natural, most foundational practices are bound to go astray without a longterm teacher student relationship.

 

What are your impressions?

Edited April 6, 2008 by 松永道

[宁]

Hi there,

 

i belive you are right, but there are a couple of other things one has to take into account, such as, some of the teachers that teach in workshops have developed additional teaching structures, some of them in plain view, some of them not...

 

you should add more about the physiological changes that accompany the formation of a lower field, im sure there is enough interest in that, one more view on it wouldnt harm... if you feel like talking

 

just to get you started i would comment on one of the things CC told the world thru his books: no matter how much one focuses the body, the energy and the mind, the human have a very small energy potential. in order to develop higher acheivements, one needs an active link with the other world, from where he can draw both huge amounts of power, and knowledge...

 

that being said, what can we hope to accomplish..

 

L1

[.broken.]

I believe that in modern western society it is a perfectly acceptable method of teaching.

 

Most people work 9 to 5, 5 days a week. This leaves only the weekend for periods of face to face learning, as, realistically speaking, the majority of ordinary folk don't want to learn after expending all their energy during a hard day's work. Also, due to the scarcity of teachers in these cultures, those few that do travel and impart teachings are quite sought after. Many teachers need to make a living, as they do not have the support of an established hierarchical foundation, such as a monastery, that will fund their ventures.

 

Due to the relatively low cost of travel these days it means that the teachers are able to supply the teachings to those who are eager for them. The supply tries to meet the demand. As such, it's a win win situation. Students get what they want and the teachers are able to spread wisdom and knowledge to ease the suffering of others.

 

You raise the question of why certain sensations manifest - you possibly sense those that you are told about because you are looking for them, as opposed to them resulting from practice. This is a fair question, but unrelated to the underlying question... this is more a question of method that the teacher uses. Who says that the student needs to be told at all? Perhaps, if it results from practice and not prior knowledge , then the student may look for the answer themselves rather than relying on the instruction. As Buddha said, be a light unto yourself.

 

Teaching in a fashion other than workshops would possibly only work if the students were nearby, so they could access regular and brief instruction.

 

However, I believe a lot of how successful the workshop method is depends highly on the student. I am assuming the student does their research and finds a teacher who teaches methods to attain the something (or nothing) they wish to realise. Students who just turn up to a random workshop because they saw a poster/flyer will potentially get less out of the workshop then someone who is keen to learn. You also raised the question of how workshop junkies, learning tit bits of information from multiple sources, progress with such sporadic and inter-mixed methods. This is, again, dependent on the student and not the workshop manner of teaching. Teachers cannot stop others who want to try something new from attending their classes, there are always bound to be students who will never return.

 

I guess, to summarise, I believe that it's not the workshop, nor the teacher, nor the teachings that are at fault - it's the student. Everything stops and starts with your individual mind. Reason and intelligence are required to follow this path. Wisdom will follow.

 

To quote the bible, "and why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?"

[doc benway]

For some people, there aren't very many options. They just don't have the access, time, or resources to study with a teacher.

I find that workshops are no longer of any value to me. I am lucky enough to have a teacher I respect. I'm happy with his program of instruction. I've been to several workshops and seminars since I've been with my teacher. I find that I enjoy the experience but never keep up with any of the new practices because I don't even have enough time to really work on the stuff my teacher has aready given me. Nothing I've been exposed to in a workshop or seminar recently makes me want to sacrifice time I need to work on the stuff I'm already practicing... I do value meeting new people and intercating with them both physically (ie pushing hands...) and socially.