Theos-Talk Archives (January 2004 Message tt00261)

Jan 17 2004

Re: Learning, Study and Pleasure



Dear M and Friends:


Don't you think it is a matter of "attention" and then of "desire ?"

Desire focuses a "wish to learn." Attention then directs the various
senses of the body to contribute their abilities to viewing and
recording what is desired to be learned?

Pleasure or amusement is a matter of "desire" or "liking." Anyone who
has a "passion" for a special subject knows how strong this can be. It
is faculty different from mind and reasoning, isn't it? Hence in
Theosophy it is called a "principle."

Some love to learn anything. Others channel their interest in personal
objectives.  

But if we look at the world around us, we see that it keeps the areas of
learning in all areas open to those who desire to find out. The
Universe has to keep all options open, so that the vast diversity of
human interest may be satisfied as also, the harmony of its diversities
may be able to run cooperatively.

If we look back in history we note that certain personages stand out
because they devoted their lives to learning and then telling others
about what they discovered in nature, it already being established
there. Some were great scientists, religious reformers, artists,
geniuses, ;political and government reformers. One outstanding
characteristic of all is their willingness to sacrifice their lives for
the truths they discovered and practised.

It is interesting g to note that all people KNOW innately the truth and
fairness of life and events. But they do not always practice openly
that which they know is true. This separation makes for evil and vice.
Those who are evil-natured try to pretend to others, and to the world,
that they are honest and upright citizens. Some who fancy their might
is their right become tyrants of various kinds in government, politics,
illicit and immoral trades, arms, and business.

But look at the whole scene:

Is it another proof of the three things needed ?

1. An Ego or Mind that grows by learning.

2. The "Desire" that keeps attention and learning focussed -- in
this case learning, would be also pleasure.

3. The necessary tools, eyes, ears, touch (fingers ?), smell,
taste, etc.. are sharpened and trained to do the contacting, recording
and the learning.  

Finally the mind, as a storage place for impressions, is made an ever
more keen storage place for those memories. To the extent that we can
impersonalize our desires, to that extent our memories remain true to
that which was observed. Memory always deals with the past.
Anticipation and hope are for the future. But there has to be an effort
to avoid prejudging, or the events we observe in the future are likely
to be colored by our prejudices. They will then, not be true.

But of necessity there is always the central EGO -- that which directs
the mind and controls the limits of the desire faculty. The EGO
(Buddhi-Manas) or the higher Mind is the immortal entity in each of us
-- the REINCARNATING SELF -- it uses many bodies progressively,
THEOSOPHY teaches. So as we pass from life to life there is always the
possibility of improving the moral nature, and showing it outwardly more
fearlessly and boldly. 

How does that sound?

Best wishes,

Dallas

--------------------------------

See below:


THE FUNCTION OF ATTENTION IN
PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT


TRUE study of any branch of knowledge consists in giving the matter of
that branch such repetitions of attentive consideration that it at
length becomes an integral part of the domain of the consciousness, and
can at any time, under any correlated stimulus, be made use of by
automatic mental action.

True Study of an Art consists, primarily in the attentive repetitions of
the action of the physiological organs, involved in the productions of
that Art, until that action becomes automatic, and is as well and so
naturally performed as any original reflex physiological function.

In these definitions the word qualifying the necessary processes is the
adjective attentive, denoting the presence of attention in the
operation. Without this word the definitions would not merely be
imperfect, they would be essentially incorrect and misleading.

Only in the quality of being attentive can the reiterated consideration
and the reiterated action, respectively, result in the possession, on
the one hand, of a new realm of knowledge, or, on the other hand, of a
new area of power.

What is the nature and manner of expression of this supreme quality
Attention?

An appreciative intellectual grasp of the answer to this question and a
realisation of the function of its subject in the processes of human
personal evolution, should be recognised as fundamental elements in the
knowledge and understanding of the true educationist, be he teacher or
not.

The word Attention is used largely, but loosely, in educational
employments, yet we have no other word with which, habitually, to
express that attitude of the consciousness which, in any study or
acquisition of power, is absolutely and continuously demanded, in order
to ensure intrinsic results. The term concentration is more literally
correct in this relation, but concentration has, with most persons, too
limited and too special an application to render it available for
ordinary use instead of Attention.

Yet the Attention we are discussing, the attention of all
knowledge-acquiring processes, may perhaps be better understood and
realized if it is regarded as Concentrated Attention.

Attention is that condition or attitude of consciousness in which its
rays are steadily and unintermittently centred upon the thing being done
or the subject of study. This may be presented to the consciousness by
one or more of the special senses, or it may already be a content of the
mind; the special element in the attitude being the intentness with
which the consciousness operates. This intentness of gaze must proceed
to such a degree that all other sensible or mental objects, except the
one, become excluded from its range.

In the effort to do this to maintain concentrated attention, the Will of
the individual is brought into play, and its function in the process may
be compared to that played by a burning-glass held between the sun and
the surface of an object. If it is intended that the sun's rays shall
produce, through the burning-glass, a definite and observable effect,
the glass must be held in such a relation to the object that the rays of
light converge upon one spot. This spot, or focus, then receives the
whole force of the rays that pass through the glass; it alone, of all
that surrounding surface, is brought out into relief and operated upon.
In like manner the Will, in sustaining attention, focuses the rays of
the consciousness, with all their inherent dynamic forces, upon one
circumscribed area, physiological, mental, or moral, as the case may be,
wherein lies the work to be done.

Thus we see that Attention is intentness of Mental Vision, concentrated
and maintained by action of the Will. It is not a separate function or
property of the mind, like perception, imagination, reason, &c., as some
psychologists might lead us to suppose, but a mode of action,-the true
mode of the Will's action. In other words it is the definite, efficient
expression of the Volition or Will force of the individual.

The functions perception, conception, imagination, &c., are instruments
of the Ego for operating upon the phenomenal world and upon mental
appropriations of that world; when one or more of these thus operates
with all its force, undiverted from its employment by any surrounding
object, then Attention is exhibited.

Will is the manifestation or action of the real human Ego; Attention
designates the mode in which that manifestation is functionally
exhibited, and by which alone permanent results are produced.

In relation to the psychological realm in which Attention is a feature,
we may formulate the following scheme. This scheme may serve to make the
general bearings of the subject clearer and to more definitely indicate
the part played by Attention in all psycho logical phenomena.

The source of mental movement
arises in Emotion = the desire to know.

The direction of the movement
lies with Reason = how and what to know.

The machinery of the movement
is provided by The mental = the means by which
activities the knowledge is
(Perception, etc.) gained.

The maintaining force of the
movement resides in the Will = the mode by
(the Energy which continuity of
of the Ego.) operation is ensured.


The efficient relation of the two last groups of factors to each other,
and their joint relation to the object under study, are expressed by our
term Attention. The Will holds the mental activities employed rigidly
and persistently to their work.

The Ego, through Volition, can only establish relations with objects
external to itself through the mental activities, Perception,
Conception, Judgment, Imagination, &c., and to effect this, the latter
must be maintained in operation in a direct line between the Ego,
represented by Volition, and the object to be studied; just as the gun
of the sportsman must be held with exact precision longitudinally
between his eye and the object he desires to hit. If the gun be allowed
to deviate in the least degree from the exact line of vision, the
sportsman misses his object, so, also, if Perception, or Conception, or
Judgment, or Imagination, whichever of these activities or faculties is
in use, is permitted to lose its direct bearing upon the work in hand
absolute failure of purpose ensues. In this illustration the steady
maintenance of the gun in precise position is a parallel to the
psychological action of Attention.

When we grasp the full bearing of the truths here pointed out, we cannot
fail to perceive the significant relation which the mental attitude of
Attention holds to all educational processes and employments, nor can we
assign it too prominent a position in laying down true and efficient
methods of culture. Let Volition, the Mental Activities, the Light of
Reason, the Physiological System of nerves and muscles, and vast mines
of possible knowledge, all be provided; what intrinsic and permanent
result can be accomplished amongst them if the manner in which they are
used does not include Attention?

Modern Education fails, as evident to all thoughtful observers of human
life, very largely because of its neglect to maintain this essential
factor of personal evolution in its due place. The desultoriness,
aimlessness and mental commonplaceness of the general adult life around
us, spring from this omission.

Modern Education, in its multitude of subjects, in its haste in passing
from one subject to another, and in its lack of precise aim, exhibits
desultoriness in employment of time and faculty.

Desultoriness is the antithesis of Systematic Attention.

Modern Education rules over an area from which nothing new arises as the
fruit of its fostering care, it brings no new thing into being from out
its world of chaos.

This results from its desultoriness of method and action.

The Human Will is, however, a natural creator when it operates through
Concentrated Attention, but education fails in its true mission as a
stimulus and guide to individual creative force, because of this
unreasonable neglect of a fundamental principle.

Every area of acquired skill is a new creation; it has a real, patent
existence and is an object of possession and use in the world of human
life, which did not exist previous to its evolution by the personal Will
operating through the mental activities upon a physiological chaos.

To prevent possible confusion of thought in tracing out the subject, it
may be remarked here that there is a mental attitude to which the term,
Attention is commonly applied. This may be termed Passive Attention.

Passive Attention rules the consciousness when one listens to an
eloquent speech or interesting lecture.

In such instances the Will is in abeyance, the consciousness being
probably held entranced by forces which the Occultist might term
Mantramic.

Passive attention also rules when the mind follows an absorbing train of
thought. But this form is not that demanded for personal growth;
educationally it is of slight value and without necessary relation to
our subject.

Attention plays its necessary part in each one of the realms or planes
of life to which the human individual belongs:-


I. On the physical plane;-in the physiological realm of the special
senses and the nervous and muscular systems. Conscious action under its
rule in this realm results in skill, the basis not only of all art and
artistic performance, but of every nicely adapted movement of the human
limbs and frame for practical purpose or for the display of agility and
gracefulness.


2. On the mental plane;-in the psychological realm of concepts,
comparisons, judgments, deductions, speculations and ideals. On this
plane intellectual energy under the control of Attention, creates
logical systematic and consecutive forms of thought, true panoramic
fields of vision out of detached intellectual details, and new emotional
forms of power and beauty.


3. On the moral plane;-in the spiritual realm of supreme truths, vital
principles, gropings after the Infinite, the laws of human
relationships, and the application of all these to the entire conduct of
the personal life. In this supreme area the moral sentiments and
spiritual aspirations after perfection of life, concentrate their
attention upon definite details of personal thought and behaviour, the
production of grace of spirit, reliability of disposition, agreement of
conduct with principle, altruism in all its effective forms, and the
development of a personal influence ever tending towards the evolution
of a vitalizing social harmony.


In the evolution of personal life, when the object of its action is an
area or detail of any one of these realms, Attention may be termed
specific, and when the control of the adopted purpose of existence as a
whole is maintained through its means, establishing an efficient and
well-ordered unity amongst the many divisions and details of that
purpose, then we may designate Attention as supreme.

"Genius" has been defined as "an infinite capacity for taking pains."
The expression "taking pains" is merely a synonym for "close attention
to minute details." "Close attention to details" takes each brick of
which the "mansion for all lovely forms,"-the structure of personal
knowledge, capacity and ability, is to be built, and carefully places it
in its due position, cementing it there at once. The structure so put
together is substantial, capacious, beautiful, and efficient.

This structure, the result of infinite pains long continued, is that
which the world wonders at and worships and calls Genius. Nearly all
men, if first guided and supported along the toilsome track and
afterwards urged along it by pressure of their own Wills, might develop
some form of power and skill which would elevate them considerably
towards that height from which Genius looks down, and thus render the
ordinary world much less commonplace, monotonous and unskillful than it
is at present. To sum up:-

Concentrated Attention is the expression of the Will, and Will is the
central, animating force proceeding from the Ego. Will, operating under
the condition of Attention upon the chaos of its attendant world, and
co-ordinating the energies, forces and movements of that world, converts
it into a realm of form, power, and purpose, centering around the Ego.

This constitutes Personal Evolution resulting at length in a perfected
Individuality, the creation of its own Will.

-I.

[ Theos. Art & Notes p. 153...]

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-----Original Message-----
From: Munise
Sent: Friday, January 16, 2004 9:45 AM
To: study
Subject: RE: Layman's turn!

Dear Dallas, All

Actually, the matter of distinction between to play and to learn/think
was 
the question in my mind. People when playing face a lot of experience. 
Though while learning/thinking tend to reach more knowledge. It may be 
important to let the playing mind to stop and let learn/think. Also the 
other way round let the learning/thinking mind to gain experience. What

about learning by playing. There are different aspects for different 
subjects:

people may learn without playing
people may not learn without playing
people may learn but not play
people may play but not learn
....

Just thinking on..
Munise