One important thought occurs to our mind frequently. How to describe ourselves. A really difficult question and still difficult answer.
On the very first day of my Final Year Class, I asked my students to write about themselves. What they are? What they were when they passed HSC with good marks and got entry into the prestigious Institute and What is the change in them after nearly 4 years? I also told them that this is to be written in their own words as the information was pertaining to themselves. I further told them that this was not to be shown to anybody. Hence there was no possibility of fear to write true things and there was no possibility of mass-copy. This was to be kept confidential to themselves, not even to be disclosed to me also, as their teacher. But for first five minutes nobody wrote a single word. All pens were in air. I asked the difficulties for not writing. No answer. Class remained silent. I told the class that this was their own self-analysis to be done by them and that too for themselves only. After 10 minutes students gathered courage to scribble something in their note-book. Many started looking into their neighbor's notebook. I announced immediately that this is not fair as you cant analyse yourselves on the basis of your neighbor's analysis. The class took nearly 15-20 minutes to write about themselves. After inquiry I found that max lines written by the students did not exceed 10 lines.
I knew that this question is difficult for everybody including yogi. But I did not ask the students the spiritual inquiry or answer to 'who I am?' . I felt that my question was regarding the attributes or skills developed in last 4 years. But still students, at large failed to write even 10 lines. I started thinking for the reasons. I was restless. out of the thought process many reasons flashed before me.
First reason was the present Education System. This system did not train them to think about themselves. The students learnt dependability on Teaching/teachers, books, friends, question-answer type guides, coaching classes, class-notes, net downloads to find out answer to any question, technical or otherwise. If, for example, they got stuck to solve a difficult sum/assignment, they will immediately approach the teacher, or the friend or search for the guide/text-book or net etc for ready-made solution. They are impatient for hours and days and nights. But they will not think of spending few minutes relying on their own thinking process. Friend is always right, in fact, everybody else other than him is always right than himself. This is the slogan for them, though hidden within. Throughout these many years (from KG to HSC) they are trained by the system to rely on these tools only, external to them. However, all these tools really fail when the question regarding themselves needs to be answered. Because this question never occurred to them. To write Bio-Data or Resume is simple, as they are to be written regarding achievements, where evidences are present with them in term of the documents and certificates., mark-sheets and awards. But what documents will helpful to them for answering this question. So one reason is the present Education System which made them handicapped for describing what they are in reality. So the answer became difficult for them.
But is this correct?
Whenever any person why alone student talks freely to his colleague, a large proportion of the dialogues is devoted for describing what he is. 'I am like this, I am like that', 'I cant tolerate that', 'I am of this type','I scolded him, as I got heavy reaction', my nature is like that', 'I', 'I','me','mine','my','myself'. In a day, if a everything is well recorded what that person talks to others, more than 70 % is regarding his own-self, his nature, his habits, likes-dislikes, his identity etc. Then where-from he describes all this about himself? When did he find time to analyse himself? Who trained him to say so many things about himself?
Hence the situation or the right reason looks more difficult? Can we try to write about ourselves few lines? When we can describe any other external thing/person/act, which is external to us in number of lines or pages or essays, why cant we write few lines about ourselves? Is honesty and transparent analysis, though perfectly confidential to ourselves, are the barriers? Are we afraid to establish a good rapport with ourselves? Is the real friendship with one-self is totally impossible? We are very free to our close friends. Is it impossible to establish the friendship with one-self? Let us think over it, taking a leisure time, few minutes, few hours, few days!
Your comments are always welcome!
Feer Milenge!
SNN
On the very first day of my Final Year Class, I asked my students to write about themselves. What they are? What they were when they passed HSC with good marks and got entry into the prestigious Institute and What is the change in them after nearly 4 years? I also told them that this is to be written in their own words as the information was pertaining to themselves. I further told them that this was not to be shown to anybody. Hence there was no possibility of fear to write true things and there was no possibility of mass-copy. This was to be kept confidential to themselves, not even to be disclosed to me also, as their teacher. But for first five minutes nobody wrote a single word. All pens were in air. I asked the difficulties for not writing. No answer. Class remained silent. I told the class that this was their own self-analysis to be done by them and that too for themselves only. After 10 minutes students gathered courage to scribble something in their note-book. Many started looking into their neighbor's notebook. I announced immediately that this is not fair as you cant analyse yourselves on the basis of your neighbor's analysis. The class took nearly 15-20 minutes to write about themselves. After inquiry I found that max lines written by the students did not exceed 10 lines.
I knew that this question is difficult for everybody including yogi. But I did not ask the students the spiritual inquiry or answer to 'who I am?' . I felt that my question was regarding the attributes or skills developed in last 4 years. But still students, at large failed to write even 10 lines. I started thinking for the reasons. I was restless. out of the thought process many reasons flashed before me.
First reason was the present Education System. This system did not train them to think about themselves. The students learnt dependability on Teaching/teachers, books, friends, question-answer type guides, coaching classes, class-notes, net downloads to find out answer to any question, technical or otherwise. If, for example, they got stuck to solve a difficult sum/assignment, they will immediately approach the teacher, or the friend or search for the guide/text-book or net etc for ready-made solution. They are impatient for hours and days and nights. But they will not think of spending few minutes relying on their own thinking process. Friend is always right, in fact, everybody else other than him is always right than himself. This is the slogan for them, though hidden within. Throughout these many years (from KG to HSC) they are trained by the system to rely on these tools only, external to them. However, all these tools really fail when the question regarding themselves needs to be answered. Because this question never occurred to them. To write Bio-Data or Resume is simple, as they are to be written regarding achievements, where evidences are present with them in term of the documents and certificates., mark-sheets and awards. But what documents will helpful to them for answering this question. So one reason is the present Education System which made them handicapped for describing what they are in reality. So the answer became difficult for them.
But is this correct?
Whenever any person why alone student talks freely to his colleague, a large proportion of the dialogues is devoted for describing what he is. 'I am like this, I am like that', 'I cant tolerate that', 'I am of this type','I scolded him, as I got heavy reaction', my nature is like that', 'I', 'I','me','mine','my','myself'. In a day, if a everything is well recorded what that person talks to others, more than 70 % is regarding his own-self, his nature, his habits, likes-dislikes, his identity etc. Then where-from he describes all this about himself? When did he find time to analyse himself? Who trained him to say so many things about himself?
Hence the situation or the right reason looks more difficult? Can we try to write about ourselves few lines? When we can describe any other external thing/person/act, which is external to us in number of lines or pages or essays, why cant we write few lines about ourselves? Is honesty and transparent analysis, though perfectly confidential to ourselves, are the barriers? Are we afraid to establish a good rapport with ourselves? Is the real friendship with one-self is totally impossible? We are very free to our close friends. Is it impossible to establish the friendship with one-self? Let us think over it, taking a leisure time, few minutes, few hours, few days!
Your comments are always welcome!
Feer Milenge!
SNN
Sir,
ReplyDeleteSelf analysis is a very fearful thing for many people. You may be surprised to know how many people are frightened of facing themselves, because at some level, or in their subconscoius they know what they are, what rights or wrong they've done. That's why in today's world where there are many things to distract themselves people can't even imagine their lives without the present day tecnology(social networking, mobiles, etc)
They put up a masked face to the world and are wearing that mask for such a long time that they themselves start believing what they are projecting.
People nowadays are afraid of being "lonely", but they do not see the virtues of 'SOLITUDE'
It is very easy to say 'oh but I am very good'
'oh I am not that bad' without really meaning either.
One more thing is every thing nowadays, even the grading systems are "RELATIVE" Einstein really gave the biggest excuse to the world with his theory of relativity. One may not be as bad as the Terrorist, one maybe an angel compared to him, but where do you stand on "ABSOLUTE TERMS"?
One may lie, one may have double standards, one may indulge in really low politics, play dirty games, but one is not sent to the jail for these things. So is one a good person?
Is one a good person on the basis of number of friends they have or their quality?
Should one be happy with the certificate of merit given by one's friends or should one be courageous enough to give it to oneself on his own?
Make it a point to face yourself if you want to know how courageous you are. Afterall, the real adventure is the one within.
-A Student Forever