........................LEARNING WITHOUT A TEACHER.....................

As autodidacts we are advocates for educating ourselves. This does not mean that we can be totally self-taught, but it does indicate that we have the ability to self-learn. A self-made man is a misnomer. This classic phrase coined by Henry Clay in 1832 describes individuals whose success lay within the individuals themselves, not with outside conditions. However accurate or true this may seem, it is a myth. Virtually everyone and everything develops from the influences of both internal and external factors. These are also our teachers. There are a multitude of teachers beckoning us towards their classrooms. These teachers approach us in many forms but never force a lesson on us. Although they are eager to share their knowledge; if we want it, we must initiate actions that dictate that desire. As a species we are interdependent with all of the other creatures we coexist with. But as individuals we are in complete control of our destiny in respect to how we work in sync or out of sync with universal laws. There are no grand gestures that can rewrite history, but we can make amends and alter destiny at will. As a species we have evolved to the point where our abilities are analytical, adaptive and predictive. This fact in addition to the never-ending streams of data we create, makes it easier to sort, extract and develop it into substance. The substance of learning are the abilities that come with it. In school, we are "first taught" the lessons and then we take tests that determine how much of the lesson we really know and learned. In life, we are "tested first" and from that experience it is hoped that the lesson is learned.

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The downside of educating ourselves is our choice of teachers. Most of us are "selectively biased." Our decisions regarding ourselves are generally made emotionally rather than rationally. The reality is that we don't actually get to choose all of our teachers, we can only choose to ignore their lessons. Some of the most prominent teachers like "the heavens, the firmament, day unto day and night unto night" are listed in Psalms 19 of the Bible. The way life teaches us is not necessarily the way we embrace and interpret it. We are all subject to the laws of the universe. When it comes to gravity, we either adhere to the scientific "principles of interaction" that are inherit with it or suffer the consequences. What about so many of the other equally critical laws like the laws of harmony, synchronization and interdependence? Whenever we work against these laws, we suffer the consequences whether we are aware of it or not. The major lessons, the most poignant and obvious examples, although apparent are not the best tutors. These are the lessons of personal experience that we learn the hard way. The easiest lessons are the ones faced artificially through observation and the experience of others.

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In actuality life is always teaching us if we pay attention to it. If we learn it's language and principles, we can follow any lesson plan it has. The primary reason for seeking out teachers is because if left to ourselves, we would miss too many of the lessons. Without someone there pointing things out, we might find ourselves striving to hit the right mark while aiming at the wrong target. It is always a good practice to share our thoughts. Once our thoughts are spoken, shared or publicized they can be inspected, directed or rejected. Education and constant learning are the ways we keep our own thoughts in school. They must be consistently challenged and trained first before they can successfully teach us. Yes, our thoughts must be taught, trained and tried. Mistakes are expected and inevitable, they are one of the most familiar teachers to pay closest attention to. Among our best teachers are sickness, pain, experiences, lessons (in all forms) and mistakes. One examples of recent learning revealed the two stages of parenting. Yes, basically there are just two stages that parents face in terms of raising children. The first stage of parenting is primarily proactive, occurring from in front, that is ahead at the "firing line." The second stage of parenting occurs re-actively, from a point of observation behind the scenes or what might be regarded as the "sideline." Learning is continual and cumulative. Even if we are not involved in some formal education of sorts, we are still students in the school of life. The restraints placed upon equality have weakened and the bonds of oppression placed on "free expression" are losing their grip. This is what affirmative action is morphing into with its latest forms. "Affirmative action describes policies that support members of a disadvantaged group that have suffered past discrimination through education, employment, or housing." Today the playing field has changed due to the advancements of the information age. Traditionally, It was about accessibility to the field itself. However, the field has expanded beyond its original borders that expand its design, intention and purpose. TODAY EVERYONE WITH ACCESS TO THE INTERNET CAN REACH the field. The new focus should be on insuring equal access to the OPPORTUNIYIES in the field. All lessons, both old and new come from the playing field. The library of lessons resides there. The playing field is where the lessons originate, live, are taught and learned. Through the internet we all have equal access to information. False or true, good or bad the access is available. We are only referring to the playing field, not the referees, the rules, the teams, the players, the environment or the fans. Some of these things may not be balanced, but the field is open to all. The ability to see & solve situations make "innovators" the problem solvers of the future. This is becoming a job description that will take on multiple definitions across various applications. A new breed of "pilots or navigators," as mentioned in our 2020 Conditions, Convergence and Consciousness post, will become one of many new careers. Just as a lawyer's advice is his "stock in trade." So is an "innovators" insight his "stock in trade." At present no schools are offering a major to prepare candidates for this vast, changing and undefined field of work. Qualified applicants will have to see, define and create their own career paths. As we lose excuses, we simultaneously gain reasons and resources. This is the day and now is the time for finding what we seek, learning what we want, pursuing what we see while reaching for the stars.

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