4. CONTINUOUS LEARNING

4. CONTINUOUS LEARNING

­(To know the self, new things and information about the World)

1. Knowing Self

Special in Nature:

Man is a unique being who is superior to all other living and non-living beings in the face of the earth. The man had accomplished a lot of things and made many new things. The intellectual power and the ability to discern and construct things are great with a man. The things that men do, affect the environment positively or negatively to a larger amount. Man is inevitably a steward over all the beings in the face of the earth.

Differences in attitude:

The power of the human being is great but the use of the intellect and emotions with the physical strength varies widely. Everyone doesn’t invest their potential constructively and for the common good. Some of them are more concerned with constructing themselves and their environment without caring for others, which causes greater destruction and imbalance. The attitude needs to be set right positively, realizing the responsibility for everything and everyone.

Superior over other beings:

The human beings consciously or unconsciously have dominion over all the other beings in the ecosystem. All the things from the domestic environment to the wild environment have the influence and control of human beings. Human beings have the ability physically, mentally, and emotionally that is immeasurable compared to any other living being. Human beings have the greatest power to tame and use the efficiency of even the biggest and strongest beings on earth.

Activity

The Stock of Self:

All the participants shall take a piece of paper and think of certain things about themselves that would help them to understand themself, through some points that stimulate them.

·         2 qualities I like in myself

·         2 defects in me

·         2 qualities that others find in me

·         2 defects that others find in me

·         How will my friends and parents describe me?

·         2 values and ideas that I consider most important

·         2 relationships that have helped my growth.

·         2 relationships that have blocked my growth.

·         The symbol of myself.

2. Increasing Knowledge/ Wisdom

An Essentiality for Living:

Knowledge is essential for every movable living being on the face of the earth. Without knowledge, it is almost impossible to survive. The knowledge of what is to be eaten, what is to be practiced, and how to do things are all basic and it varies according to the living being. Knowledge is the first stepping stone that helps to move forward or attempt something, even if it is a very basic and preliminary thing.

Seeking Wisdom is a necessity:

Wisdom is the application of Knowledge and it helps in the discretion of things and the understanding of things rightly. Wisdom acts with insights and conscience and not just with feelings and thoughts. It is an absolute necessity to seek wisdom, which is a wonderful quality for an independent and efficient lifestyle.  

Knowledge and Wisdom empowers:

Knowing about different things helps to move on to the next steps such as understanding those things and using those things appropriately. Wisdom helps not just in the using of the things but analyzing the pros and cons of things and using things accordingly after giving thought to the positive and negative consequences that could follow. Thereby knowledge about different things and the appropriate use of different things helps in empowerment.

Guide for Healthy Living:

It’s undeniable that knowledge is an essential requisite for every living being, and wisdom is needed for higher-level living beings, especially human beings. Wisdom without a positive attitude and the right virtues could also be disastrous to others when it is self-oriented. So it is necessary to be without selfishness and with the right character for a healthy living.

Finding the solution for unresolved:

The development of knowledge and wisdom should be continuous and it should be cascading. At the same time knowledge and wisdom needs to be productive too. There are many unresolved problems and scenarios around us, and there are no appropriate steps taken towards it. We need to try to utilize our knowledge and wisdom in the area we develop ourselves and find the proper solutions for the unresolved things.

Believing in what is beneficial:

Everything around us teaches us and entertains us in some way according to our interests and searches. Sometimes we are not much concerned about the things we do and continuously do that without realizing that it is not contributing in any way constructively. We should always think about how the things we tend to know and use are beneficial to the self as well as others.

Activity

Making different shapes - one after another (Using Tangram):

Tangram is a Chinese puzzle with seven shapes formed from a square through which a huge number of other shapes could be formed. All the participants are divided into groups of 5-8 members. All the groups are given a set of seven shapes (Tangram) and they are asked to form one shape after another by showing a picture/ shape made using the tangram, that is complete and exact.

Continuous Exposure & Sharpening of Understanding:

All the participants are divided into groups of 5-8 members. All the groups are given a newspaper which consists of a news topic that was covered a week before and which has some continuity of the news. The participants are asked to read and understand it. After they understood it, another newspaper that has the continuation of the news or that conveys the news in a different aspect is given. It is done one more time. The participants shall then present how it felt when the news was read the first time and as they were continuously getting more information about it.  

3. Being Beneficial         

Having the Higher Values:

We live in a busy world with a lot of competition and search for a better life. We work hard and strive our best to gain all the possession, power, or prosperity so that we will gain the respect of others. In the meanwhile, we forget at times that we live not just for others but for ourselves too. When we forget about the higher values of life and just keep on striving to please others, we will not be able to acknowledge and appreciate ourselves over some time.

Leaving the Lowly things:

The quality of the person for the self and for others could be standard only when the person wears on the higher values of life. Also having higher values helps a person to leave on the lowly things that degrade the value of the self as well as others. A person who would like to be a good leader for others without polluting the self would always leave the lowly things, even on the verge of death.

Wiping out the Discriminations:

There are always chances for all of us to take sides based on our interests and concerns. We are more prone to take care of the people we know and whom we feel belong in a better way than the people whom we don’t know. A person who needs to be beneficial at all times needs to wipe out the discriminations in his heart and mind at first and treat everyone alike, by looking into needs appropriately.

Following the worthy things:

In order to be useful, a person could take up different ways, but everything may not be the right way though it is beneficial to others. A person should be shrewd but he should be never cunning. A person should be simulating good deeds but not compelling in promoting the own thoughts. A person should always withhold what is right and need not be accusative towards the evildoers, instead try to point out the mistakes and suggest how they could have handled things better.

Valuable Words and Deeds:

It is easier to talk and give promises to the people who are in need to be beneficial, but it takes a tremendous effort to do it in action. The words should be genuine with the real concerns, taking into mind the facts and capabilities, so that the actions would be valid and appreciative. Our actions must be according to our words, to gain confidence and be beneficial.

Fulfilling the Responsibilities:

Every one of us is entrusted with certain things as we are part of our family, society, or some institution. We need to be good stewards by fulfilling the responsibilities we are entrusted by taking or being given. If we fail to be faithful in the smaller things that we are entrusted with, we will fail miserably with the greater things that we would take up or be given. Only when we fulfill our responsibilities, we would be able to be beneficial and constructive wherever we are and whatever we do.

4. Adapting to situations

Being strong in goodness:

We all have difficult situations in life which may be a new situation or a challenging situation. We can sometimes avoid difficult situations but fighting against it boldly and with the right values would always be helpful to overcome the situation. Sometimes it would be easier to adapt to something by compromising on values and virtues and comply according to the want of people to please them, but we should always stand firm for what is good and be strong to pursue it.

Passing the baton to others:

There is a tendency for some people to fight and overcome most of the things with confidence and always wanting to be in the front without the consideration of others. They tend to do something good for the people around them, but just for their selfish glory. They don’t consider others and their progress. A good leader should always give space for others to work out their talents, treasures, and time for the welfare of one another and the common good.

Approved by the associates:

When there is an adaptation to a new situation or a challenging situation, there are many things that need to be considered and worked out for a decision. Even the fact of adapting also involves a decision. When it involves a lot of people, the decisions should be approved by all and there should be unity and harmony in it, and a good leader takes care of it.

Analyzing and Sticking to Truth:

Where there is a change, there is a reason or a source behind it that induced the change. We may be ready to accept the change and adapt accordingly. However a good leader needs to analyze the reason or the source behind the change. A good leader should be reasonable in taking up the change and should never deviate from what is true.

Prepared to do all good work:

Even if there are adverse situations and novel situations, a leader should never be discouraged in doing the good works. It would be little difficult and time consuming in facing the changing situations of life. But a leader should confidently face it, get over it and he should make his mind clear about doing the good work.

Being humble always:

Sometimes the situations could make us feel proud, especially the positive situations that give us power, position, or prosperity. A good leader should never be carried away by wellness as well as lowness and should be always remembering that both are part and parcel of life. A good leader should always be humble, whatever the situation might be.

Activity

Completing a picture in the group- drawing one by one:

All the participants are divided into groups of 5-8 members. All the groups are given a chart and marker. The chart and the marker are placed at a distance of about 5m. Each participant from the group, one after one should quickly run and draw a part of the whole object that is told by the instructor randomly. Once the instructions are complete, the instructor will present the picture done by the different groups and ask them why it is not complete or proper and he will also ask them how it could have been made better.

5. Making an impact

Being Receivable:

For a person or an idea to be beneficial, the first step is being receivable. Without being received, success or even implementation is not possible. To be receivable, something should be accepted by the majority of the people, it should be with the right values and virtues, and it should not be with some selfish gain and hidden agenda that affects someone or something. When a person or an idea is receivable, surely there will be an impact.

Moving forward with best Efforts:

There will be always obstacles and points of stuck ups, despite all the meticulous planning and preparations made. We need to await the obstacles and should not be blocked by them, but instead, overcome them or break them, with the best efforts and move forward. Only when we are moving by progressing towards what had been determined, we would be able to make an impact in the life of others.

Learning from the Mistakes:

No one is perfect and no one could be perfect, as we all have our limitations. Even a person, who is excellent in some field or area, would also have some weaknesses to be corrected even in that same field or area. There will be times that need attention, not just to move forward, but also not to repeat, to save a lot of time and resources that were spent on it. Surely, it is not a failure but learning from a mistake, but repeating a mistake may become a failure at some point and it doesn’t allow making an impact.

Retrieving the Effectiveness:

Sometimes there will be always progress in certain things by following what is been planned and prepared. But it will not be productive and effective, which would not be thought of. To make an impact, there should be effectiveness in everything. It is not just doing certain things but good leadership is enabling everyone to do the things by themselves to maintain the standard of effectiveness or retrieve back effectiveness at all levels.