The best approach to receiving oral or written spiritual teachings is to "hear, conclude, and experience," or "read, conclude, and experience," that is, intellectually understand what is said or written, conclude what is meant, and apply it in practice. If learning is approached this way, the process of learning is continuous and unceasing, but if it stops at the level of the intellect, it can become a barrier to practice and will not benefit anyone.
RECEIVING THE TEACHINGS!
When the teachings are received, they should not be lost or wasted.
The student should retain the teachings in his or her mind, and work with them or practice them.
Teachings not penetrated with understanding are like seeds that fall on the road and the birds of the air eats them up.
COMING TO THE CONCLUSION!
Coming to the conclusion of the meaning of the teachings is like turning on a light in a dark room: what
was hidden becomes clear. It is the experience of "a-ha!"
when the pieces click into place and are understood. It's different from simple conceptual understanding
in that it is something we know rather than something we have merely heard or read.
Concluding the meaning is like turning the light on: then we directly know the teaching. The teaching is
no longer something we can only repeat, it is part of us.
APPLYING IN PRACTICE!
By "applying in practice," we mean turning what has been conceptually understood, received, pondered, and made meaningful into direct experience. This process is analogous to tasting honey. Honey can be talked about, its chemical nature understood, and so on, but the direct experience is had when it is tasted. That experience cannot be grasped intellectually and cannot be conveyed in words. If we try to explain it to someone who has never tasted honey, they will not be able to understand what it is that we have experienced. But when we talk of it to someone who already has had the experience, then we both know what is being referred to. It is the same with true spiritual or scriptural teachings. This is how to study the scriptures: hear or read them, think about them, conclude the meaning, and
find the meaning in practice or in direct experience.
FINALLY!
Biblical teachings are not ideas to be collected, but a path to be followed.
Biblical teachings are not concepts to be discoursed, but a life to be lived.
May the grace of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ be and stay with us all,
Amen!
This approach to scriptural learning was delevoped when i read some spiritual book on lucid dreaming a long time ago.
There is so much talk about scriptural teachings in the church today but little is yet said about scriptural learning.