The hardest thing to learn is something you think you already know. – J. Krishnamurti
In my Zen and Taoist training this was a constant teaching. And in the Shamanistic traditions it also holds gravity. So what does it mean?
Finding that clearer view is challenging. I guess that’ s the point of practice and adopting some process that will allow a view that is fairly unobstructed.
Seeing my own reactions, and being honest with myself about them, is the initial task. It’s something that I often overlook. If I have a serious reaction to information that is emotionally strong, I need to see that reaction, and allow it to fade before I can make any assessment of new information.
When I experience a negative reaction it almost always points to attempting to process information from an already formed conclusion. Now this, at first, seems like something that I could easily overcome by paying attention to my beliefs and conclusions. But it’s not so simple. Almost all of my conclusions are based on conditioning that happened as a child and teen. This conditioning was societal and culturally based. It’s close to invisible to the person who has been indoctrinated. It’s a glass wall through which I see they world, but cannot see myself.
When I react from a conclusion about new information it means I am protecting my little piece of turf that I think has to be true. Plus it’s mine! Ego says my conclusion must be right, not because it is, but because I own it.
Yet, if I just stay with my conclusions and never challenge them I will never grow. I will be like a fish in a glass bowl, only able to grow to the size of my own limitations. I honestly feel that I’m seeing far to many of us sitting on our conditioned conclusions about each other with our already drawn and sharpened opinions.
I find it’s good to examine those things I resist instead of resisting just because I was conditioned into believing a certain way. And I know that sometimes I find a new direction because of that willingness to shatter the glass and see what’s on the other side.
Be well and take care of you!
Bryan
Visions of a People's Dharma 
Newton’s third law was not strictly based on Physics I guess!
Thanks for the follow. Much appreciated.
And the post on which you commented, I really appreciate it, but I can’t comment back as a sign of my mourning.
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Well said, Bryan. This is just an illustration of the fixed mindset and growth mindset.
I like this line below.
…. if I just stay with my conclusions and never challenge them I will never grow.
I totally agree that having the growth mindset will take us a long way to learning new things rather than being fixed with what we already know. It also makes us opened to correction. It is when we accept we are wrong, we can know what is right. Growth mindset all the way!
Thanks for sharing.
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Almost all of my conclusions are based on conditioning that happened as a child and teen.
This is so true! I made an analysis of some of my past experiences intensively a few years ago and i could not believe how much of today I was living in the way shaped by them.
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