Philosophia virtutis continet et officii et bene vivendi disciplinam.
"The philosophy of excellence contains the discipline of both duty and living well."
Discipline
Latin disciplinam, "instruction, knowledge"
At its root, discipline signifies training oneself to do something in a controlled and habitual way, whether it be physical skill, social conduct, mental exercise, or spiritual practice.
In ALERT, we encourage students to seek
clarity of purpose,
creativity,
emotional balance,
and the courage to act
to further physical, mental, emotional, social, or spiritual skills.
Discipline
In classical European, Asian, and African cultures, teaching and learning takes place in a community that recognizes interdependence. The teacher chooses to share with the students, the students choose to learn from the teacher.
The teachers and students gathered in classical academies, forest retreats, or mountain hermitages were engaged in a colossal gamble: that they could preserve previous knowledge and build upon it through the example of the teacher and the promise of the students. It is no wonder that such students were often rigorously tested--not merely for intelligence but for singleness of purpose and strength of will--before being accepted.
When this interdependence works, it is usually because the work they are doing together is important to both teacher and student. They hold each other accountable; they may excuse failure in one another, but they will not excuse abandonment of the work.
The world is host to ruins of many places where civilizations and cultures once gathered to share knowledge but are now disconcertingly silent.
clarity of purpose,
creativity,
emotional balance,
and the courage to act
to further physical, mental, emotional, social, or spiritual skills.
Discipline
In classical European, Asian, and African cultures, teaching and learning takes place in a community that recognizes interdependence. The teacher chooses to share with the students, the students choose to learn from the teacher.
The teachers and students gathered in classical academies, forest retreats, or mountain hermitages were engaged in a colossal gamble: that they could preserve previous knowledge and build upon it through the example of the teacher and the promise of the students. It is no wonder that such students were often rigorously tested--not merely for intelligence but for singleness of purpose and strength of will--before being accepted.
When this interdependence works, it is usually because the work they are doing together is important to both teacher and student. They hold each other accountable; they may excuse failure in one another, but they will not excuse abandonment of the work.
The world is host to ruins of many places where civilizations and cultures once gathered to share knowledge but are now disconcertingly silent.
Students with gifted potential need the opportunity to go places. Ideally you will challenge yourself to move into an environment where you are doing things for the first time with clear intentions, creativity, receptiveness, and emotional equilibrium.
If students show a burning desire to discover, to find central principles which make sense of the world we live in, they can develop extraordinary skills.
Reflection on the day's decisions, actions, and results yields an appreciation for how well you have advanced your larger purpose. If you are just caught up in what is happening and rushing to complete the day's tasks, you are not taking time to reflect. Reflection allows you to recognize and identify when you have let the immediate take precedence over the important and design a strategy for future ALERT sessions.
As much as I would like to think I can coach you with sage advice, the truth is you alone know your personal capabilities better than anyone else. It is so difficult for people outside of you to measure your capacity for hard work, your creative spark, or your insight in finding an elegant expression of a truth. When given the chance to reflect, you can potentially see them more clearly than anyone else. We together, as teacher and student, just need to make sure we give you time to listen and hear that inner voice.
"What you help a child to love can be more important than what you help her to learn. Love is a discipline. Love is action. Until you dig a hole, you plant a tree, you water it and make it survive, you haven't done a thing. You are just talking." --Wangari Maathai, Nobel honoree for environmental activism in Kenya |
When the senses (indriyas) are untrained they run wild,
leading to a state that is the opposite of freedom.
Joy comes from putting these faculties back under the
guidance of the Self.
Self-rule (swaraj) is inner, personal freedom.
The personal experience of joy and the discipline of
self-restraint are not opposites, but require one another.
--Adi Shankara, 8th century CE Indian philosopher and theologian
"The mind is a wondrous power, and our destiny in life is determined by what we do with that power. All that we are is the result of what we have thought. If we neglect the mind, the senses and lower forces take control of it; if we train it carefully, we can utilize its power to liberation."--Sri Ramana Maharshi, 20th century Indian philosopher and theologian
“Self-discipline equates to self-control. Your ability to control yourself and your actions, control what you say and do, and ensure that your behaviors are consistent with long-term goals and objectives is the mark of a superior person.” Brian Tracy
“Self-discipline begins with the mastery of your thoughts. If you don’t control what you think, you can’t control what you do. Simply, self-discipline enables you to think first and act afterward.” --Napoleon Hill
“Self-discipline is a form of freedom. Freedom from laziness and lethargy, freedom from the expectations and demands of others, freedom from weakness and fear – and doubt. Self-discipline allows a player to feel his individuality, his inner strength, his talent. He is the master of, rather than a slave to, his thoughts and emotions.” --H. A. Dorfman, The Mental Game of Baseball
|
“The only discipline that lasts is self-discipline.”
--Zero Dean, writer, humorist, photographer & artist, but not necessarily in that order
(but not necessarily not in that order, either)
"It’s amazing how a good day’s work will get you right back to feeling like yourself."
--Ray Bradbury, Zen in the Art of Writing
"Any human being is capable of infinite achievement, so long as it’s not the work they’re supposed to be doing.” ― K.J. Parker, 21st century British novelist