Nature's Lessons

In academic communication there are formal ways of showing due reserve by oft-repeated phrases and fragments. Try "in my opinion" and "I feel that . . . " at times as well. Academic reservations may not be tight-mouthed, however, if a group of common reservations (qualifications) are gathered and presented as a meny to chose from. It is fairly sociable. Follow the links of our "Reservations" above, and the site's Disclaimer.

There are other strategic novelties on this site in addition.

Add "Maybe Never"

You could learn to profit from adding a calm "- and maybe never" to what you read or hear. It may be an easy way to escape clutches of propaganda and indoctrination. Train yourself a little:

As far as I can see, Yogananda's teaching that "Half truths and distorted truths are worse than the blackest of lies" ["Spiritualizing the Newspapers". East-West, March-April 1928], is not a true statement in all cases. Far from it. Thus, train yourself against "complacent idiocy", then: thinking: "Half truths and distorted truths are worse than the blackest of lies - maybe never."

In such a way you may not be taken all in by bombastic yak-yak - which can become dogmatic too: "We do not find fault with Paramahansa Yogananda's guidelines. Since we believe that he had attained complete union with God and therefore his wisdom is flawless." [Link]. See for yourself, and observe he has talked for dictatorship too.

Let the menu on the "grand platter" aid to build the common sense that is needed for rational handling of bigwig tenets en masse. Better get evidence before you plunge into faith in someone, authoritarian or not. That is the basic lesson of Buddha's teachings to Kalama villagers in the substantial Kalama Sutta.

Consider fruits

In figurative talk "the fruits" and also "the berries" refer to consequences or results.

One should learn to build sensibly and fairly well on his own behalf and gradually get able to favour family and kin. Try to attune to and address your essential being so as not to get outsmarted, and before you decide on vital matters. Some who get outsmarted are left alone in the cold and can sing like John Lennon: "Nobody loves you when you're down and out."

Plants co-operate or fight one another for Lebensraum, for space to live in. In a clearing a slowly progressing battle for soil, light and other necessities goes on. No tree in the forest appreciates bad times, and most trees compete tactlessly for that reason. You may not detect that ongoing fight. Still it is at work, both over the ground and underground.

There is no fair reason to endure what's bad and not really needed or welcome.

"To your own self be true . . ." Look to trees. Most trees help themselves to remain.

Endure and - perhaps without noticing it first - be brought to trial through your developing lot. Act "slovenly" to get a lot of selfhood, swa. Others may have the trouble of authority.

Oaky a la Bach

The fabled guru called Babaji preferred the shelter of trees to the company the delicacy- serving guru of Yogananda. [Link]. Don't look down on good trees.

And if you feel you are not as oaky as needed or wanted, supplement some "oak drops" for a period now and then, to manage. You can do it; you can either produce "oak" yourself or buy at a pharmacy.

Dr Edward Bach says his oakish remedy is "For those who are struggling . . . to get well . . . though their case may seem hopeless . . . They are brave people." I needed support in being sturdy healthwise, then.

If you think this is nonsense and that wine from oak barrels is good enough oak influence for you, consider:

1. Dr. Bach's Remedies have an oak influence in its range of 39 brandy remedies. Take a look.
2. Oak (Quercus) is the name of a homeopathic medicine too.

And to be unequivocal: I recommend Bach Remedies, homeopathic remedies and many Antroposophic remedies. But their "fruits" (results) depend on many things. First among them is good choice of remedies, proper administering and so on. Try and see if you are "lucky". [Homeopathic remedies] [Bach remedies]

There is much to learn.

By contrast to oaky fellows, Jesus identified himself as a vine. "I am the vine [a climber that depends on others to support its own growth]," is in one of his sayings [John 15,5]. How are vine people according to Dr Bach? "Certain of their own ability, confident of success . . . they think that it would be for the benefit of others if they could be persuaded to do things as they themselves do, or as they are certain is right . . . they will direct their attendants." It sums up much of the goings of Jesus nicely, doesn't it? He was confident that God had sent him tofor Jews, that he was to be sacrificed for Jews - confident, but it all failed. Jews rejected him big time.

You can have vine as a Bach remedy too, if you lack "viney" goings (are rigorous, even fanatical, and nees to relax and get far more tolerant, among other things - see above, and compare with Jesus still).

"Every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down," said Jesus, but should not be taken literally. Every tree is good for something and for itself. There is a great need for trees on the planet. Trees produce needed oxygen, for one thing, shade against the sun, a little shelter from a starting shower, and fruits - many of which benefits birds, animals and humans. A significant part of mankind's heritage is knowledge of which plants and fruits are edible, and which may be made edible or more tasty by some kind of processing.

The "fruit" of the plane-tree in a fable of Aesop's, is the cooling shade it gives. A donkey too may bear a "shade-fruit":

Donkey Fruit: a Shadow

A traveller hired a donkey to carry him to a distant place. The day was intensely hot, and the sun was even hotter. The traveller stopped to rest and sought shelter from the heat under the shadow of the donkey. The owner wo accompanied him, found no other shelter there, and the donkey shadow gave protection only for one.

Both the traveller and the owner of the donkey claimed it, and took to arguing violently as to who of them had the right to the shadow. The owner claimed that he had let out the donkey only, and not his shadow. The traveller asserted that along with hiring the donkey, he had hired his shadow too. The quarrel went on from words to blows, and while the men fought, the donkey galloped off.

❖ One more "donkey fruit": carried loads.

Fish

A fisherman who lived on the produce of his nets, one day caught a single small fish as the result of his day's labour. The fish, panting convulsively, thus begged for his life:

"Oh, what good can I be to you, and how little am I worth? I am not yet come to my full size. Pray spare my life, and put me back into the sea. I shall soon become a large fish fit for the tables of the rich, and then you can catch me again, and make a handsome profit of me."

The fisherman replied,

"I would be a simple fellow if I were to forego my present certain gain for the chance of a greater, but uncertain profit."

❖ Many a fairy-tale takes another direction at that point.

"I will make you fishers of men," said Jesus to disciples [Matthew 4:18]. Some fishes get caught and then they are called Christians - it's in the tradition. Guys are fished by baits, nets and the other means at hand for God's fishermen among humans. Some fishes get caught and gasp for water, not for air, and then they are glad and alive no longer - it is in that tradition.

Salmon

Salmon of the deeps.

Welcome to a metaphor: The salmon in the river is the old godhead and the heart-feelings (love too) within man's heart. [More].

There are many aspects of this teaching. Hints abound:

If I create from the heart, nearly everything works; if from the head, almost nothing. [Marc Chagall]

The head learns new things, and the heart often practices old experiences. [Cf. Henry Ward Beecher]

People with presence have something called "je ne sais quis" (I don't know what it is) radiating from them. We enjoy being "in their presence." Presence is the natural radiance of a mature heart that is secure enough to show off for some good reason. [Cf. Doc Childre and Bruce Cryer]

There is a light that shines beyond the highest heavens. This is the light that shines in your heart. [With Chandogya Upanishad]

Our own heart, and not other men's opinions of us, forms our true honour. [Johann Von Schiller]

True humour could stem from the deep heart. [With Thomas Carlyle]

To value riches is not to be covetous. Riches are good in themselves, and capable of a good use. [H. L. Wayland]

Things to learn from brambles

Berries of brambles are not wholly unlike grapes,so sweet are they. And now, to quote Nicholas Culpeper:

The decoction of ... dried branches, do much bind the belly and ... the berries of the flowers are a powerful remedy against the poison of the most venomous serpents. [Culpeper A - B]

Don't believe and denounce it all by belief, but be careful enough to stay alive. Dr. Samuel Johnson (1709-84) said in his day that "Culpeper, the man that ... climbed the mountains in search of medicinal and salutary herbs, undoubtedly merited the gratitude of posterity". Still, herbal medicine has come a long way since then, and large parts of what people believed was true in earlier centuries, are deemed stupid and dangerous folly nowadays. [◦Link]

You may come to a similar conclusion as Dr. Johnson, or you may not agree. Note that the question fit to ask oneself is: "How do I ascertain things like these?" The simple answer, "Well," does not carry enough specified information to count. So have a lokk into an updated book on herbs. I list some good ones at the bottom of the page.

Fred Kerlinger [Keo, ch. 1] shows there are several main ways by which fragile people think they know. Below are a few suggestions to look into in line with his suggestions. Most people think they know through statements of authority figures alone. You should learn to reserve yourself - and try to stick to knowledge won by open-ended investigations that fit, roughly said.

Maybe you can combine the two avenues to useful knowledge. That could be favourable if not useful, if only you remember to keep a certain distance or reserve in the public arena and balance well.

❖ We ascertain things by open-ended investigations with or without pre-made designs. Compose yourself for it to your ability.