The Excellent Textbook
As a student, I’d look at the year’s textbook and easily feel awed by the amount of material. It would be all too easy to turn away, often not even realizing that I’d done so, happily enjoying a game, barely thinking of the work ahead.
But some textbooks were excellent. They’d draw me in.
Wherever I was, I felt I was getting somewhere. Or if I got lost, it seemed to have a way of saying,
“Hey, take a look back here. You may have missed something,”“Maybe this example could help?”
or maybe
“Here’s an exercise to bring it together.”
The author gave me a sense that all I needed was to be with the material in the Now. It didn’t say I needed to know everything. Instead, it seemed to anticipate at least some of my questions, giving me leads where I lacked or lost information to help me understand.
It told me what was relevant to where I was.
Even when I took several steps back, I felt I was gaining ground.
That momentum tended to permeate the rest of my studies, days, and play. For example, I could better tell where another textbook wasn’t working in my favor, but now I had greater confidence to know that and to then find another path.
Generalizing further, I began to more experientially realize that if I don’t understand something, that my frustrations were signals, my intuition trying to point me in a direction.
But I get ahead of myself.
It began with this teaching vessel of a book. Increasingly, I realize building such vessels is a practiced skill and art.
As I’ve built out the Waves of Focus, I’m fully aware of the amount of material involved and how overwhelming that might feel. The latest module, Crafting Messages, adds 2 plus hours of videos, exercises, and the like.
I do not sacrifice material, and there is no fluff.
More importantly, though, I aim to support that sense of the Now. Doing so allows a person to take things at their pace, giving them what’s relevant to the moment. Each step presents something to build on or build from, hopefully furthering a sense of growing strength and momentum.
There is no need to know everything. All that’s needed is a Visit, being here Now.
Any step, forward or backward, is still a step forward, under your guidance, attuned to the moment.
– Kourosh
PS Last week’s post, which included a piano composition called “Wooden Hills”, seemed to be quite the hit. Several of you emailed me with such kind words. If you’re interested, check out my next live performance this Monday, June 3rd, at 7pm Central. Hit the buzzers, subscribes, and all the buttons. It’ll make you feel good. At least, that’s what the dopamine tells me.
Join the Weekly Wind Down Newsletter
Get a weekly letter about getting to play and meaningful work. Start getting where you want to be with calm focus. You’ll receive free samples of:
- Creating Flow with OmniFocus
- Taking Smart Notes with DEVONthink
- Workflow Mastery
- PDF on beating deadlines with ease using the Touching the Keys Technique
Recent Posts
The Beauty of a Pause
… a pause brings attention …
progress …
Website work continues. Secret-special-awesome-new-project continues. The last 10% takes 90% of the time ... In the meantime, please enjoy a track from Ott ... 🙂 Adrift In Hilbert Space by Ott
Here is an idea.
An idea, standing strong.
Bach's Tocatta
Because, why not?
Blarg
Blarg. Well my main computer has crashed into a pink and green confused and unresponsive mess. Ah well. In the meantime, my somewhat secretive major project continues regardless. Hopefully, I can announce it sometime soon. We'll see. The last 10% does indeed seem to...
2012-08-08 Practice Session
2012-08-08 Practice by Kourosh Dini
Remembering Mindfulness
on forgetting experience
Things change … like Batman
Every time I think that nothing changes, I see something like this and realize ... things change. Please be warned - this may be very difficult to watch:
Air – (Piano Piece)
a piano piece …