New School
The new school foundation or premise is that we are born with or come in with potential, that we have inherent propensities (potential) that involve talents, skills and knowledge. Remember the “Acorn Theory.” Acorn Theory
Initially, it is just the potential of an un-germinated seed. But what if we already know, have experienced and access to a lot of knowledge? And for whatever reasons; such as past lives, DNA coded memories or coming from the stars/source/field, etc. we have the potential for inherent resources and knowledge. What if we are from the stars/source/field? Perhaps we are spirit/light/consciousness beings that have incarnated into the physical earth realm?
The challenge is on several levels: remembering, finding access, having the fortune of favorable supporting conditions and last to recognize the opportunity to develop, apply and execute our potential. Perhaps the new school challenge is not so much of learning, but of remembering, discovering and growing the opportunities in which to emerge our inherent potentials. Instead of being a “blank slate,” we come in ready to do something. But we must find fertile soil and sunny opportunities that nourish, support and encourage our purpose and meaning. And once we remember and discover. The personal/individual challenge is to do, become and be a manifestation of our meaning and purpose. We come as a tiny acorn with the potential to grow into a healthy large oak tree. And in becoming oak tree, we provide a diverse and living environment for others to enjoy, work, play, rest and create. Think about the folks picnicking and resting in the shade, squirrels gathering food and making a nest for their young and the fallen leaves that provide an environment for bugs and worms… etc. We need opportunities to help us remember, re-discover, to become and be.
The old thinking of DNA was as a deterministic map of what could occur within a range of probabilities. DNA was thought in terms of response parameters to the environment. However, recent investigations note DNA also responds internal environment of bio-chemical gut/blood/etc. But also to consciousness. That what we feel, think and behave has an influence or keys how our DNA responds.
The yogis, healers and shaman operating at the levels of consciousness that is thought to be beyond scientific theory and empirical analysis for thousands of years. And only recently are the empirical scientist willing to entertain the idea that consciousness is a worthy pursuit. But the majority focused at the neurotransmitters, brain imaging, cognitive processes, behavioral observations and interactional relationships. We are now seeing an explosion of research, training, services and products that focus on the awareness and consciousness. Whether it is brain waves, breathing techniques, meditation or some derivative of an entheogenic (psychedelic). The past few years, there is ketamine therapy, micro dosing, meditation, flotation tanks, etc. Perhaps an interesting rabbit hole to consider is ontology (being) verses epistemology (methodology of knowing, i.e., scientific empiricism is the current standard). Is “conscious” enabling or forcing us to transcend the split between shaman versus scientist?
The idea of education is to create a nurturing environment. Schools are the soil and opportunity for the student to discover, germinate and grow toward their meaning and purpose? However, presently, academic institutions are geared to the common denominator of empiricism, i.e., what can be measured. The statistical average of the greatest good for the most folks in the most cost-effective manner relative to the needs of society.
A digression: Some make an argument that the common denominator is the “lowest common denominator” which leads to the general decline of the education. And that there is a focus on the stars/winners in which the system takes the credit. Meanwhile, the rest of the student body quietly slips into oblivion to toil in the gears of society and culture. Today, with the economic realities, the focus is on vocational, i.e., what do you want to do to make money and to survive? High school, community college and universities have become educational mills that pump out workers for the demands of the economic system. This feeds the need for the demand of skilled, technocratic and administrative classes via the public educational system. They embed the institutions of higher education via grants and collaborative research projects and think tanks, etc. Even now, the tech and human services industry is forgoing university degrees and directly providing certification programs of “how to.” Which are essentially addressing the labor gaps of quasi-skilled labor of coding, administrative, tech repair and the labor needs in health care, nursing, education and home health and childcare.
Today a college education shuns programs that focus on “the why’s” of our culture, industry, economics, society, etc. Considered a useless “liberal arts” history, philosophy, anthropology, art, literature, music, etc. However, a casual look at the leaders of society they have ventured beyond their specialty realizing that in order to be successful at the top, they have had to asks the larger question of the history of “why?” Folks like Ray Dalio, Noam Chomsky, Michael Saylor, Catherine Austin Fits and many others. Fortunately, we have the internet, and in the past few years, there has been an explosion of these folks who have realized that information, knowledge and the ability to think, feel and educate ourselves is key in the ability to survive and position ourselves to thrive with the challenges that our planet is now having.
Our current educational system is challenged by relevancy. That is, can it change to meet the demand to stay relevant in a rapidly changing world/planet? Personally, I wonder if it can. Because education is a huge monolithic institution. In part, these brief posts are about conceptualizing education as an attempt to inspire/motivate those who are so inclined. To give them some tools to make the changes for themselves and their situation. Our world is changing blindingly fast. It is a challenge to learn how to learn, to conceptualize and think, to pay attention to what is going on. And also maintain an internal quiet and quality space in which to observe, to be and to know that no matter what happens; you will have the ability to find joy, peace, love and light on this blessed wild adventure.
It is interesting to note, at least anecdotally, that the homeschool or no school movement is continuing to grow and produce some very intelligent, articulate and promising young folks. I wonder if the homeschool approach of these bright students results from having the opportunity and environment that focuses on the development of the individual students’ propensities. Of course, this approach also depends on the parent’s time, commitment, intellectual/educational and financial resources.
Is this an opportunity to expand beyond the ideas of traditional knowledge and skills? To step into the adventure to discover and become our being? To realize our meaning and purpose? Are we at a time of opportunity to learn how consciousness or “being” affects our reality? I wonder if the new school is about learning and teaching the dynamics and skills of consciousness, vibrational energy, interacting with fields and dimensions?
Education of the Head, Heart and Being
In this new school, is there a need for a parallel development of integrity, compassion and gracefulness. This is the path of the heart. What are the educational opportunities and curriculum for the heart? Perhaps projects working with soup kitchens, orchestra practice in nursing homes, working in animal shelters, doing yard and home maintenance projects for the elderly, refurbishing used home appliances and electronics that is later sold to support/sustain the project, “cadet” training with law enforcement (transitioning from police to peace officers), food and supply drives for animal rescue, etc.? Of course, there would be a required journal or writing component and a presentation (basically a “show and tell”). Asking them to write about what did they feel, learn about themselves, how might this be something to get the community involved, etc. These are opportunities for heart experience. Helping to find their passion, learning about their motivation and the development of character via the heart? They are potential opportunities for them to also consider how the effects of socieo-economic-class, financial literacy, education, family structure, business diversity, affects quality of life in their community. Additionally, these type of experiences where there is the opportunity to develop skills of communicative, social and emotional IQ.
Education of Self
What if the new school curriculum was focused on presenting conceptual (instead of the bits of knowledge), dissecting using first principle thinking and then asking them to think of how the concept is used or could apply in other areas? How about courses that focus on developing the skills of their self-management, self-direction, self-regulation and self-learning? Instead of teaching to a common denominator measured by standardize test of core curriculum/information/skills. What if we started at the point of focusing on finding a person’s passions, talents, skills and interest, i.e., love? What they are curious about, what they would love to do? And based on this type of assessment, the student, teacher and school could develop an individual learning opportunities and plan for the student to take part and own their learning experiences? It could be a project move toward growing their oak tree. Of course, this project may encompass them teaching others, perhaps performing a recital or making a project or doing some activity under the watchful eye of a mentor.
At the higher levels, it would involve budgeting, written proposals or performances, marketing, processes/ logistics and presenting to classmates/peers/community. Perhaps at both the start and at the apex of the endeavor is to establish a framework and process where students could conceptualize a strategy. In this type of interest driven education, we would see teachers as consultants/mentors. And as consultants they would ask questions and give direction or guidance of where to look and find answers and mentors to their questions and give feedback on their progress. Teachers and students could use resources such as free college classes, YouTube, use that AI writing programs or some CAD software to assist them in planning, developing and presenting their projects. Perhaps part of the experience would be to find a mentor or have an internship experience. It could be after school activity clubs such as building robots or rockets, or an investment club for local community micro-financing or many things where several students had a similar interest and desire to learn something. It could be like the movie “School of Rock” with Jack Black. In that movie, not everyone was a musician. Some were theatrical crafts persons, a promoter, a soundboard/computer person. They all had to learn how to work together, how to do it in a synchronized manner and pull off a show. Of course, new educational endeavors are difficult to start but the key is inspiration (love, joy and dreams).
A student will discover their deficits. But because of their passion, they will be motivated and understand the requirement to work through these challenges as part of the learning experience and attaining or finishing their self-selected project. They will recognize the use of collaboration and cooperation. Their passion and a supportive and encouraging environment nourish all of this. With their desire and learning to cooperate and appreciate each other, they develop integrity, compassion, empathy, gratitude and gracefulness.
This is not the either/or of old school versus new school. It recognizes that both schools together elevate us to a new way of being. It would use the old school of empiricism and technology to describe and eventually validate our adventure of our understanding unity and consciousness entanglement. Conscious Enganglement, Unity
For example, what if scientific method/empiricism could test and find correlations with brain heart coherence (HearthMath) and self-healing? Or consciousness and weather, increased food production, etc. That we can move beyond superstitious rituals and rationally to an understanding of how we influence our physical realities. And apply it to the enhancement of our quality of life. Perhaps new skills are relatively easily learned. The I’s Think of it like a new school of consciousness, energy and multi-dimensional realities; beyond Hogwarts anyone? Healthy, happy, healing and helpful Hogwarts Academy; version 5-H.
Thus, instead of a blank slate we come in with potentials. Whether we call it karmic propensities or a fluid genetic blueprint or that we are divine spirit who manifest on the earthly plane for experience. The traditional old-school approach is that the body and mind somehow create a blank slate of consciousness. However, scientific theory, models and empirical data have never explained or presented a model of how that works. Or even been able to define and agree on a definition of consciousness. Despite, every reasonable uneducated person can agree that they and others have awareness and are conscious.
An alternative view is metaphysics. That consciousness creates the physical experience of the body and consensual reality. This premise fits more with the concepts of karma, near-death experiences, channeling, access to information from past lives, psychic abilities, etc. If the presumption is that consciousness creates our reality and that we come into this world with potentials. For example, young children having musical talents, seemingly to remember information from past lives that would otherwise not be possible under the blank slate premise.
What about animals? How is it that a newly born horse, after a brief time, can walk around and start eating? It hasn’t gone to school. It hasn’t been told by its mother how to walk but yet the skill of walking and knowing what to eat is already present. How does that happen? With the blank slate idea, have they have hoodwinked us into thinking that children are a blank slate? Everyone that has children, know and have experienced that their kid has certain innate qualities or aspects that are apparent and continues over the course of their life. Are these karmic potential, lessons and challenges? Yes, we need time and education to recognize and verbalize a fork or spoon and to eat cereal out of a bowl. DNA has some limits on what we can do. But it also might have a vast reservoir information. Such as, while in the womb gestating, we are go through an evolutionary pattern of development. For example, we passed through a stage where we have gills like a fish. But we continue to develop into a tiny human being. DNA seems to direct our morphogenesis during gestation. Maybe DNA is the frequency coders/translators that transform energy into a fluid evolutionary living physical form? This is outlandish speculation, however is the metaphysical premise is less outlandish than the premise of the blank slate?
And there is the religious premise of “divine intervention”… or is that immaculate conception? Which is merely God/source/universe, wanting to experience, discover and reveal itself to itself. Essentially, it merely projects the “spirit” part (male) into the “material” part (female) so that God can have some fun (ala a tantric arrangement). But hey, it’s still all God/source/universe but in different forms. The male/patriarch’s story is the father, son and holy spirit. And the female/matriarch’s story; is the maiden, mother, crone and emptiness that are symbols associated with the phases of the moon.
While walking my dog, she will often stop and watch birds. It appears she would like to fly. However, her DNA does not allow her to fly, but she is an excellent guard dog or is it her retriever DNA that causes her spotting, chase and retrieving behavior? DNA parameters both provide potential and limits. Also, DNA can strategically respond to both intentional consciousness and to external environmental conditions.
We find an interesting side story in Stanislav Grof’s work “Realms of the Human Unconscious” (1979) notes that one of his patients while under the influence of LSD describes an experience of a reptile taking part in a mating ritual. Grof takes this information to a reptile specialist. And the specialist confirms it is the mating ritual of a type of lizard. Presuming this patient has never been a lizard. How did they access this very specific information? Grof wonders if evolutionary memory or knowledge is coded in the DNA? It is interesting to ponder that on this planet, humans are thought to be the apex of DNA expression. But under certain conditions we can access DNA memories. If this is a valid concept, certainly we are not blank slates. Grof was the pioneering and noted researcher of psychedelic experience.
Using myself as an example, during college, the Myers Briggs Personality Indicator (MBTI) was a thing in management. The MBTI outlined how I process the information of my experience. The discovery of being INTP was a aha, this fits me. Understanding my strengths and deficits of how I process my experience is self-analysis, self-evaluation and a self-discovery experience. Another example, being an orphan there was no record of my actual birth date or location. And when I was adopted to the US, a medical doc said I was in the developmental range of probably being born in December. Thus, my parents chose a date in December. Of course, at the point of being a teen, I thought astrology is kind of cool. But since I did not know what my exact date, time and location of birth, astrology was interesting from a general standpoint. The descriptions of a sagittarian again fit well. Last, in graduate school there was an opportunity to take the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) which is a lengthy personality profile tool. One result was a relatively elevated score on the psychopathy scale. Which merely means having some talent for manipulation. The question and issue is, the manipulation of what? Of course, manipulation can be used in a calculated terrifying manner or can be helpful. It all depends on a person’s motivation and use or choice of their talent and skills. In our environment and experiences, we can look at various dichotomies as a spectrum or range of a dimension. The good/bad, positive/negative, yin/yang, approaching/retreating, etc. are not either/or but a dynamic spectrum that is fluid depending on the time frame. Models, descriptions and paradigms/premises, i.e., conceptual (versus bits of knowledge) can help to quickly see and understand how the salient and relevant parts fit together. For example, a neighbor was re-doing their backyard and a diy construction of a small shed. They had set out string to line up sides but could not get the footprint to be square (a practical problem/puzzle) and ask for my thoughts. I asked, if they used triangle geometry to get it squared up? A brief how to explanation and they were off checking it with a simple CAD program. Ding, ding, winner; this young couple are very intelligent with advanced education. The point is, that we now have technology of smart phones and computers to handle the calculations. This then pushes us to be able to know which concepts to apply. Conceptual thinking can be a demanding type of mental activity. But it also presents the potential to do things more elegantly, efficiently and strategically.
I did poorly in school, hanging out at the C and B the level of academic excellence. Until I remembered to be curious. In education, 50% is about figuring out what you don’t want to do. And the other more important 60% is about figuring out what you love to do. It’s the new math… lol.
What if the purpose of education is to help find and discover different models or ways to understand the world (instead of bits of knowledge)? But with the slight tweak of, it’s not only the knowledge of the world. But is also education centering on the internal self. The adventure of self- knowledge, of self-understanding, self-navigating and ongoing changing of one’s experience of the world, i.e., of one’s reality.
A way to look at psychology, philosophy, metaphysics, religions etc. is that they are models or paradigms of how to view and understand one’s experience. Whether it be astrology, some psychometric evaluation, correlating brain waves or the Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI). These are tools of self-knowledge, self-analysis, application and execution of how to navigate and change our experience of the world. We have tools to look at the heavens and unseen microscopic worlds. What if we also develop tools to examine the infinite macro/micro inner space of ourselves? Perhaps both the inner and outer examinations are the opportunities to help us meet the challenges of existing and thriving with our planetary mother.
Don’t let the “old school” get in the way of your “new school” education.
Peace, love and light!
Tim
10/16/2022, updated 4/2/2023