Teaching in China; A Conversation with bhakta Artur Tsaturyan

[Welcome]

Dearest Artur; Hare Krsna, my friend! Sorry to have gotten lost over the last while. I am enclosing a url for my main blog sites, which is not youtube. Apparently, Google has a contract with China to filter the net for unwanted material. That is why and how youtube is not accessible in that region. My main site; Srila Prabhupada's ISKCON. Try and see if it is received there. It is spiritual subject matter, no worldly politics there. You might wish to join the site as a member? https://puredevoteeseva.ning.com/ from your blog site; My Teaching Philosophy There are foundational values which guide my teaching. The first is a profound belief in the value of an individual. - in Krsna philosophy, we are understood to be simultaneously one and different from Godhead. Just like the sunshine is not seperable from the sun globe, yet the sunshine and the sun globe have their difference. In the same way, each soul is eternal spirit, one with god, yet individual. "Never was there a time when I did not exist, nor you, Arjuna, nor all these kings before us, nor in the future shall any of us cease to be." Sri Krsna, Bhagavada Gita - Thus, the individual souls are also of a divine nature, but they can be overwhlemed by more powerful beings, and fall into illusions and spiritual sleep. Thus, the material world is actually spiritual at roots, but because we have fallen under the sway of maya, illusion, temporary body consciousness, we forget our eternal identity. Life is for remembering that. Each individual is respectable and worshippable in their free state. So yes, each person is at root pure and good, it is poor choices and resultant karma and iillusion which makes us temporarily bound and imperfect. - Supreme Godhead enjoys all varieties. In the spiritual sky, there is no fighting, for example.( maybe a little ecstatic quarreling!) So, the material existence has the unique feature of giving pleasure to Krsna as He likes sometimes some fighting, ghastliness, horror, astonishment, etc which are unavailable per se in heaven. At the same time, it is an excercise in free will. Without a choice, we the jivas or slouls, sparks of the fire of Godhead, cannot be said to love Krsna. Love that is obliged is not love. Thus, we can leave our pure state and descend into an illusion in which Krsna ceases. Without this possibility, our loving service would be but slavery. It is not slavery, the soul is Godlike, and has freedom to choose to cooperate or not with Krsna's program. - In this way, the sanctity of the individual is confirmed, yet at the same time it is made clear that we have options, and can make the wrong choices. Whether or not they realize it or act like it, my students are human beings who have dignity, value, potential, and much to give. Another belief is in the fundamental interconnectedness of all things. One area of knowledge will inform another and growth in any area of life will impact the whole. As a teacher it is my privilege to play a part in the process of my students’ growth, and a joy to help them reach their own learning and career goals and become a worthy individual. The last belief is that with any gift comes responsibility -Your thoughts on this subject are clearly idealistic and mature. Very impressive and very nice. you are a credit to your line of work, no doubt about it. Reading down, you have expressed the same essential principles as i discuss above... I desire: to train my students in the skills and knowledge in a happy and exciting environment, full of smiles and laughter. to teach my students to see the beauty that is in the English language. The ability to appreciate the beauty of it is important because—though surprising to many outside of this field—English language has an intensely creative aspect and it requires not only knowledge and skills, but emotional energy as well. Students who see their spoken and written language as art consistently produce language patterns and ideas that are more elegant, more reliable, more powerful and more persuasive and rewarding to themselves. -Wow! We need teachers like you over here! Nowadays it is all practical skills and indoctrination, creativity is not featured in much of the shooling. Nowadays they prefer suppliance/submission over individuality. Individualism is being systematically eliminated by too many who are solely interested in employable skills. My spiritual master says that Western education systems are like slaughterhouses! Once the students have learned to use the language to have achievements, they become active participants in learning and become their own masters of language. - Yes! self motivation is required! Same in spiritual life, until the individual gets a personal taste of Krsna consciousnes, it is rote, based upon an intelligent acceptance of some degree of discipline. But one who has a spontaneous taste will go on and on, no constant reminding or excessive tutelage required. That is the advanced stage. The effects are most visible in emotional and competitive contexts, and since language is a relational tool, this growth has a strong effect on both the outcome of the teaching and on the students as individuals - well said! The implications are vast. Just like english has its limits, and many spiritual ideas from India etc require using their original language, as there is no such term in English. Similarly, chanting hare krsna mantra has a root effect that changes the individual simply as a result of voicing, what to speak of philosophy. Language is power. I try to teach students how to survive and become a winner with the language. - Sometimes i wonder if all the talk is doing any good or not.. I see the power of what you say as motivational speakers here say similar things. Unfortunately, I am in opposition to social advancments unless they are cocommitant with spiritual awakening. So I am somewhat less then satisfied at excellent training/teaching unless it disentangles the individual as well as allowing them to make progres so far as nicely performing their chosen duties in service. In order for students to truly master material, they need to learn how to use the language in extreme situations. These skills are usually acquired toward the end of intermediate level. Teaching the students how to step out of the crowd and become winner corresponds with them gaining the understanding that they are the ones most responsible for their education and its outcome. - It is this committment to the task, done with love, that makes the difference between a beginner and an advanced student. In spiritual life, one can hear from the bonafide master and thus act correctly, but by experience practically, such as preaching etc., the student becomes self-directed and spontaneous. When they have mystical experiences, that provides a level of reward that is unsurpassble. So your principles apply not just in language learning, but in Krsna consciousness, also. My main objective as a language teacher is to guide and facilitate the skills that will provide my students with the ability to communicate in the foreign language effectively and accurately. I believe that language instruction is rooted in a communicative and competitive approach as close to life situations as possible. - Srila Prabhupada said, in reagards to spiritual life, that he can teach us how to fly the plane, but once we are up in the sky, we are the pilots and it is up to us to fly the plane. I believe that students can learn and benefit from working through language skills with peers, and for this reason I encourage collaboration on assignments in and out of the classroom. Small group work with peers provides students an opportunity to learn the essential skills to negotiate meaning, while minimizing anxiety. These interactions lead students to better understand their own viewpoints and to appreciate the viewpoints of others. In addition, I try to address every student’s diverse background and learning style by incorporating a variety of activities and interactive formats, from game playing to putting the students in an imaginary life-threatening situation. - Wow again! Can I sign up for classes, teacher? This is a very good description of an ideal guru! Again, Srila Prabhupada insisted on the importance of association with like-minded persons, hence he created ISKCON as a place for us to cooperate and reinforce each others' growth. Even though I advocate a communicative approach to foreign language teaching and learning, it is my opinion that the formal aspects of the language should not be ignored. In my classroom, I direct students’ attention to grammar, and I provide analysis and explanation of the particular aspect of the English and Chinese languages. - In this regards, i find myself nowadays unable to spell many English words correctly, as the spelling is from ancient days and does not make much sense in terms of modern phonology! That is an example of how the past can become a problem instead of an advantage. Still as you say, the grammars etc. must be there to provide a logical foundation. Similarly, we brahmanas are expected to quote scripture. You don't sound like a person who overemphasizes traditional form necessarily over practical use, though! A balance is nice! It my teaching career I have often struggled with my own impatience. I have also found that within today’s quick society, students of English desire quicker results; they want to be able to speak today because they need it tomorrow. With almost 20 years of teaching at various levels and in various locations throughout the whole world, I have reached the following conclusions regarding the positive and the negative aspects of teaching a language. The Positive and Negative Aspects of the Teaching Profession Positives First and foremost, the students. I have had the pleasure throughout the years to have associated with some of the brightest, most cheerful, most competent, and most highly motivated students imaginable. They have been a delight. Such people make me proud that I am a teacher. I am so fortunate to have been around such individuals! Second, the faculty, staff, administrators, parents, and colleagues. I have learned a great deal from these people. They have helped me in ways I could never have imagined prior to my entry into the profession. The world of education is filled with wonderful people truly dedicated to students. What superb experiences I’ve had! Negatives First, the students. I’ve dealt with some of the most immature, childish, arrogant, self-centered, rude, hateful, and nasty people one can imagine. They entered my class with an attitude of, “entertain me, Dude or get back where you’ve come from!” It’s been a tremendous challenge to cope and remains so today to some degree. Wow! The wealth of wisdom I’ve gained from these folks! Second, the parents, and colleagues. In many instances parents have been more unreasonable than their children, and children learn daily by watching such parents! Finally, the pros and cons above have served to teach me. What differentiates the pros from cons is attitude. During hurtful times, positive attitude encourages; during prosperous times, it sustains one. I believe the key to be a good teacher is attitude. No matter what I teach and how I teach, I’ve discovered that it is my attitude that makes the difference. It’s the only thing I really have control over in life, my attitude. It’s everything! Therefore, my advice to students is, “Go out and make it a great day…that is, if you want to; it’s up to you!” From - http://blog.ununedu.com/arthur/ - I try to act nicely and the same to everyone, ie do my best because it is the right thing to do, not because i like the way he or she dresses or etc. For example, i drive a taxi part time here on Sundays. Whether the customer looks like they can afford a good tip or not, the service I provide is exactly the same, ie the best possible in the circumstances. In other words, i do the duty as best as can be as it is my God-given duty, not focussing on material gains such as praise, nice response, money, etc. Those things are there, but Krsna says, "Do therefore perform your duties without considering loss and gain, prasie or dishonor, victory and defeat as your ends, and in this way you will remain karma free and not incur sin." - In terms of speaking Krsna philosophy, it is a little different from learning a new "material" skill such as a language etc. The results in terms of the hearer's spiritual advancement I cannot fully control, though i do my best. If I present Krsna's words nicely, the hearers either accept or reject, that is between them and Supersoul. So in preaching spiritual life, if your attitude is pure, then your actions/words do not bind you to limited physical/time-encumbered reactions,karma good and bad, and you are not subject to happiness or distress due to uncontrollable temporary metarial situations. this is a liberated state of consciousness. You are describing this detached yet involved state of mind. That is brahminical, ie it comes from a higher consciousness. - Meat eating or not meat eating, we are all involved in karmic reactions unless we are engaged in devotional service. "Sarva dharman parityaja..." Lord Krsna instructs, "Give up all varieties of paths and religions and surrender to Me." - By serving Krsna as according to His orders, it is He who takes responsiblity, and thus we can act without any karma whatsoever!! Otherwise, our every act binds us karmically. He has instructed us to do so, and so it is authorized and thus real service and detachment. Otherwise, renouncing matter is not practical or easy at all, even the Jains do not step on an ant, their karma from breathing in enough microbes assures a long line of repeated births and deaths. They cannot attain their goal of liberation. But if you give up the false liberation desire, and instead do your service duties in respect of Lord Krsna, and ultimately, from the spontaneous platform of loveof Krsna, realizing that you and He are not seperate, then it is transcendental to all matter and karma, and in the latter phase contitutes a degree of spiritual pleasure which keeps us fully engaged; a higher taste. - So teaching language, and spiritual life, have a lot of paradigms in common, for the advanced mind of spiritually inclined persons such as your good self. - My own experiences as a teen in Winnipeg were that our culture, of the time, was most restricted and ignorant. Thus the sixties and the peace generation arose in response. We were overeducated in terms of discerning rights from wrongs. Our ideals came from a broad-based education and access to books, TV, etc. Some think that less learning pacifies, and that is also a goal. Learning is so very important, though some are born already spitually advanced from past lives of endeavor. Applied learning leads to realizations and innovations and spontaneity. The spiritual self is made literally of blissfully ecstatic knowledge/being. The self has nothing new to learn, having everything required within by nature, by Krsna's nature. We are but sparks of His all pervading Being. - "brahmeti paramatmeti Bhagavan iti sabdyate", ie the Absolute turth exists in three phases; the all pervading oneness, sometimes caled the brahmajyoti or even nirvana, then there is the localized Supersoul within every atom, then there is Bhagavan, or the person Godhead. The example used by Prabhupada is of a person first experienceing a train; one first sees the headlight, and thus thinks a train is a light, then the train pulls in and you see so many individual cars and sections, but all parts of the train, then at last, one sees the driver, who controls the train, the personified train. In this way, spiritual paths emphasize one or the other. We Krsna-ites say that we are one with and at the same time eternally seperate from, the Absolute Godhead. acintya bheda-abheda tattva. We are pure spirit, but in relatively tiny quantity, like gold earrings are gold, but they are tiny compared to the gold mine. - And this we practically see; the souls are bound by matter. How is this possible if the soul is equal to God at any time? Can God be bound by illusion? Then the illusion would be God! Then you were wrong in your supposition as to who/what is the Supreme in the first place! God cannot be overwhelmed or subject to illusions or mistakes. Krsna also cannot be realized by those who are inimical. This rebellion against Godhead can be cleared by intelligent reasoning and then application of the chanting of the Hare Krsna maha mantra. I hope this meets you and family in the very best of health and spirits! Your servant Tamoharadasa -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Artur Tsaturyan To: Tamohara dasa vanaprastha Sent: Mon, January 18, 2010 8:53:13 AM Subject: Re: best luck Jaya Gonesh Visit my Blog at: http://blog.ununedu.com/arthur/ Artur Tsaturyan Foreign Expert Zhengzhou, China

[Welcome]

Couldn't help but add the comment that, where you mentioned that children/people who look at langauge artistically produce elegant patterns of speech and language. Yes, this is wonderful! The souls' potentials, when in a natural state and unleashed, are elegant and beauteous, not merely functional. As above, so below ! Hare Krsna Artur Prabhu.