idries shah: the teaching story

8/14/2019 Idries Shah: The Teaching Story

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he eachingStory

Observations on the Folkloreof Our Modern Thought

Idries Shah


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The Teaching Story: Idries Shah

From the book The Nature of Human Consciousnessedited by Robert Ornstein.

Reprinted by permission fromPoint, Number 4 (Winter 1968-69, pp. 4-9.

Front p!"e im!"e# $ s%ene from the p&!y 'Cotton 56, Polyester 84.

)our%e# Wikimedi! *ommons. $uthor# )uni& )h!nb!".

First edition# 1 +!y, 9

No reisions

Sher Point Publishing

in !sso%i!tion /ith

+ysti%!& F!%tion
http://mystical-faction.blogspot.co.uk/http://mystical-faction.blogspot.co.uk/


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!nd !s !&id ! represent!tion of f!%t !s, for inst!n%e, !ny

m!them!ti%!& formu&! or s%ientifi% te2tbook.

5ike !ny s%ientifi% te2tbook or m!them!ti%!& formu&!,

ho/eer, stories depend for their hi"her po/er upon someone to

underst!nd them !t the hi"her &ee&, someone /ho %!n est!b&ish

their !&idity in ! %ourse of study, peop&e /ho !re prep!red to study

!nd use them, !nd so on.

$t this point /e %!n see uite e!si&y th!t our %onditionin"

(/hi%h tr!ins us to use stories for !musement purposes is "ener!&&yin itse&f suffi%ient to preent us from m!kin" !ny serious study of

stories !s ! ehi%&e for hi"her te!%hin". 0his tenden%y, the hum!n

tenden%y to re"!rd !nythin" !s of use to m!n on ! &o/er &ee& th!n

it %ou&d oper!te, runs throu"h mu%h of our studies, !nd h!s to be

m!rked /e&&.

7et tr!ditions !bout stories do in f!%t &in"er here !nd there.

eop&e s!y th!t %ert!in stories, if repe!ted, /i&& proide some sort

of '"ood &u%k or th!t t!&es h!e me!nin"s /hi%h h!e been

for"otten, !nd the &ike. ut /h!t /ou&d be %!&&ed in %ontempor!ry

spee%h the 'se%urity !spe%t of stories is !&most %omp&ete in the

%!se of the "enre /hi%h /e %!&& 'te!%hin"-stories be%!use of

!nother f!%tor.

0his f!%tor is the oper!tion of the &!/ th!t ! story, &ike !s%ientifi% industri!& formu&!, s!y, %!n h!e its dee&opment!& or

te!%hin" effe%t on&y upon ! person %orre%t&y prep!red for its

underst!ndin". 0his is /hy /e must use stories in ! m!nner /hi%h

/i&& en!b&e us to h!rest their !&ue for us in ! "ien situ!tion.

0here is !nother prob&em /hi%h h!s to be !ppre%i!ted /hen

de!&in" /ith stories. :n&ike s%ientifi% formu&!e, they h!e ! /ho&e


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series of dee&opment!& effe%ts. n !%%ord!n%e /ith the de"ree of

prep!r!tion of !n indiidu!& !nd ! "roup, so /i&& the su%%essie

'&!yers of the story be%ome !pp!rent. Outside of ! proper s%hoo&/here the method !nd %ontent of stories is understood, there is

!&most no %h!n%e of !n !rbitr!ry study of stories yie&din" mu%h.

ut /e h!e to "o b!%k to !n een e!r&ier st!"e in order to

"round ourse&es, prep!re ourse&es, for the !&ue of the story. 0his

is the st!"e !t /hi%h /e %!n f!mi&i!rise ourse&es /ith the story

!nd re"!rd it !s ! %onsistent !nd produ%tie p!r!&&e& or !&&e"ory of

%ert!in st!tes of mind. ts symbo&s !re the %h!r!%ters in the story.0he /!y in /hi%h they moe %oneys to the mind the /!y in /hi%h

the hum!n mind %!n /ork. n "r!spin" this in terms of men !nd

/omen, !nim!&s !nd p&!%es, moement !nd m!nipu&!tion of ! t!&e,

/e %!n put ourse&es into ! re&!tionship /ith the hi"her f!%u&ties

possib&e to the mind, by /orkin" on ! &o/er &ee&, the &ee& of

isu!&is!tion.

5et us e2!mine ! story or t/o from the fore"oin" points of

ie/. First, t!ke ! story of the ;&eph!nt in the

!%tu!&&y been pub&ished !s ! %hi&dren>s book. t !ppe!rs in the books

of Rumi !nd )!n!i. We h!e m!de it the sub?e%t of ! %ommer%i!&

fi&m, The Dermis Probe. 0his story, on the &o/est possib&e &ee&,

m!kes fun of the s%ientists !nd !%!demi%s /ho try to e2p&!in thin"s

throu"h the eiden%e /hi%h they %!n e!&u!te, !nd none other. n

!nother dire%tion, on the s!me &ee&, it is humorous in !s mu%h !s itm!kes us &!u"h !t the stupidity of peop&e /ho /ork on su%h &itt&e

eiden%e. $s ! phi&osophi%!& te!%hin" it s!ys th!t m!n is b&ind !nd

is tryin" to !ssess somethin" too "re!t for !ssessment by me!ns of

in!deu!te too&s. n the re&i"ious fie&d it s!ys th!t @od is

eery/here !nd eerythin", !nd m!n "ies different n!mes to /h!t

seem to him to be sep!r!te thin"s, but /hi%h !re in f!%t on&y p!rts


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of some "re!ter /ho&e /hi%h he %!nnot per%eie be%!use 'he is

b&ind or 'there is no &i"ht.

* A number of blind eole, or si!hted eole in a dar" house,

!roe and find an elehant# $ach touches only a art% each !i&es

to his friends outside a different account of 'hat he has

e(erienced# )ome thin" that it 'as a fan the ears of the animal+%

another ta"es the le!s for illars% a third the tail for a roe, and so

on#

0he interpret!tions !re f!r !nd hi"h !s !nyone %!n "o. e%!useof this, peop&e !ddress themse&es to this story in one or more of

these interpret!tions. 0hey then !%%ept or re?e%t them. No/ they

%!n fee& h!ppy they h!e !rried !t !n opinion !bout the m!tter.

$%%ordin" to their %onditionin" they produ%e the !ns/er. No/ &ook

!t their !ns/ers. )ome /i&& s!y th!t this is ! f!s%in!tin" !nd

tou%hin" !&&e"ory of the presen%e of @od. Others /i&& s!y th!t it is

sho/in" peop&e ho/ stupid m!nkind %!n be. )ome s!y it is !nti-

s%ho&!sti%. Others th!t it is ?ust ! t!&e %opied by Rumi from )!n!i -

!nd so on. e%!use none of these peop&e %!n t!ste !n inner %ontent,

none /i&& een be"in to im!"ine th!t one e2ists. $s s!y these

/ords the ordin!ry mind /i&& e!si&y be !b&e to dispose of them by

thinkin" th!t this is ?ust someone /ho h!s proided ! sophisti%!ted

e2p&!n!tion for somethin" /hi%h %!nnot be %he%ked.

ut /e !re not here to ?ustify ourse&es. We !re here to openthe door of the mind to the possibi&ity th!t stories mi"ht be

te%hni%!& do%uments. We !re here to s!y th!t there is ! method of

m!kin" use of these do%uments. ;spe%i!&&y /e !re here to s!y th!t

the most !n%ient !nd most import!nt kno/&ed"e !!i&!b&e to m!n is

in p!rt %ont!ined in these do%uments. $nd th!t this form, ho/eer

primitie or o&d-f!shioned it m!y seem, is in f!%t !&most the on&y

form in /hi%h %ert!in te!%hin"s %!n be %!ptured, presered !nd


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tr!nsmitted. $nd, too, th!t these stories !re %ons%ious /orks of !rt,

deised by peop&e /ho kne/ e2!%t&y /h!t they /ere doin", for the

use of other peop&e /ho kne/ e2!%t&y /h!t %ou&d be done /iththem.

t m!y t!ke ! %onention!& thinker some time to underst!nd

th!t if he is &ookin" for truth !nd ! hidden te!%hin", it m!y be

%on%e!&ed in ! form /hi%h /ou&d be the &!st, perh!ps, /hi%h he

/ou&d %onsider to be !pp&i%!b&e to his se!r%h.

ut, in order to possess himse&f of this kno/&ed"e, he mustt!ke it from /here it reallyis, not from /here he im!"ines it mi"ht

be.

0here is p&enty of eiden%e of the /orkin" of this method, th!t

of the story de&iber!te&y %on%o%ted !nd p!ssed do/n, in !&& %u&tures.

We do not h!e to %onfine ourse&es to ;!stern f!b&es. ut it is in

stories of ;!stern ori"in th!t /e find the most %omp&ete !nd &e!st

deterior!ted forms of the tr!dition. We therefore st!rt /ith them.

0hey &e!d us, n!tur!&&y, to the si"nifi%!nt do%uments in the Western

!nd other br!n%hes of the tr!dition.

n !ppro!%hin" the study of stories, then, /e h!e to m!ke sure

th!t /e re%&!im the inform!tion th!t stories %ont!in, sh!&& /e s!y, !

mess!"e. n this sense /e !re &ike peop&e /hose te%hno&o"y h!s

f!&&en into disuse, redis%oerin" the dei%es used by our !n%estors!s /e be%ome fitted for it. 0hen /e h!e to re!&ise th!t /e h!e to

f!mi&i!rise ourse&es /ith %ert!in stories, so th!t /e %!n ho&d them

in our minds, &ike memori3in" ! formu&!. n this use, the te!%hin"

story resemb&es the mnemoni% or formu&! /hi%h /e trot out to he&p

us %!&%u&!te somethin"# &ike s!yin"# 'one ki&o eu!&s . pounds in

/ei"ht or een 'thirty d!ys h!th )eptember.


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No/ /e h!e to re!&ise th!t, sin%e /e !re de!&in" /ith ! form

of kno/&ed"e /hi%h is spe%ifi% in !s mu%h !s ii is p&!nned to !%t in

! %ert!in /!y under %ert!in %onditions, those %onditions must bepresent if /e !re to be !b&e to use the story %oherent&y. y

%oherent&y me!n here, if the story is to be the "uide /hereby /e

/ork throu"h the !rious st!"es of %ons%iousness open to us.

0his me!ns th!t /e must not on&y "et to kno/ %ert!in t!&es /e

must study them, or een ?ust f!mi&i!rise ourse&es /ith them, in !

%ert!in order. 0his ide! tends to find opposition !mon" &iter!te

peop&e /ho !re !%%ustomed to doin" their o/n re!din", h!in"been &ed to be&iee th!t the more you re!d the more &ike&y you !re

to kno/ more. ut this u!ntit!tie !ppro!%h is !bsurd /hen you

!re de!&in" /ith spe%ifi% m!teri!&. f you /ent to the ritish

+useum &ibr!ry !nd de%ided to re!d eerythin" in it in order to

edu%!te yourse&f, you /ou&d not "et ery f!r. t is on&y the i"nor!nt,

een in the form!& sense, /ho %!nnot underst!nd the need for

p!rti%u&!r kinds of spe%i!&is!tion. 0his is /e&& e2emp&ified by the

%&ub porter /ho on%e s!id to me, in !&& seriousness '7ou !re !

%o&&e"e m!n, )ir, p&e!se e2p&!in footb!&& poo& permut!tions to me.

t is in order to "et some possibi&ity of ri"ht study th!t

%ontinu!&&y s!y thin"s &ike '5et us "et do/n out of the trees !nd

st!rt to bui&d.

)o f!r, ho/eer, /e h!e not been s!yin" mu%h more th!n this#

1. $ spe%i!&, effe%tie !nd surp!ssin"&y import!nt te!%hin" is

%ont!ined in %ert!in m!teri!&s. n this %!se the m!teri!&s !re stories.

. We must !%%ept the possibi&ity before /e %!n be"in to

!ppro!%h the study of this kno/&ed"e.


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A. B!in" !%%epted, een !s ! /orkin" hypothesis, the

fore"oin" %ontentions, /e h!e to set !bout the study in !n effi%ient

m!nner. n the %!se of the t!&es, the effi%ient m!nner me!ns to!ppro!%h the ri"ht stories, in the ri"ht m!nner, under the ri"ht

%onditions.

F!i&ure to !dhere to these prin%ip&es /i&& m!ke it impossib&e for

us to fun%tion on the hi"h &ee& needed. f, for e2!mp&e, /e sett&e

for mere&y kno/in" ! &ot of stories, /e m!y be%ome mere

r!%onteurs or %onsumers. f /e sett&e for the mor!& or so%i!&

te!%hin" of the story, /e simp&y dup&i%!te the !%tiities of peop&e/orkin" in th!t dom!in. f /e %omp!re stories to try to see /here

the hi"her &ee& is, /e /i&& not find it, be%!use /e do not kno/

un&ess "uided /hi%h !re the ones to %omp!re /ith e!%h other, under

/h!t %onditions, /h!t to &ook for, /hether /e %!n per%eie the

se%ret %ontent, in /h!t order to !ppro!%h the m!tter.

)o the story rem!ins ! too& !s mu%h !s !nythin" e&se. On&y the

e2pert %!n use the too&, or produ%e !nythin" /orth/hi&e /ith it.

B!in" he!rd !nd !%%epted the !boe !ssertions, peop&e !&/!ys

fee& imp!tien%e. 0hey /!nt to "et on /ith the ?ob. ut, not kno/in"

th!t 'eerythin" t!kes ! minimum time, or !t !ny r!te not !pp&yin"

this f!%t, they destroy the possibi&ity of pro"ress in ! re!& sense.

B!in" est!b&ished in ! %ert!in order the !boe f!%ts, /e h!eto fo&&o/ throu"h /ith ! %urri%u&um of study /hi%h /i&& en!b&e us

to profit by the e2isten%e of this /onderfu& r!n"e of m!teri!&. f you

st!rt to study /h!t you t!ke to be te!%hin"-stories indis%rimin!te&y,

you !re more th!n &ike&y to "et on&y ! sm!&& resu&t, een /ith the

f!%ts !&re!dy set out. Why is thisC


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situ!tion f!mi&i!r to !ny e2tent to !n !er!"e re!der of su%h

m!teri!&s !s this.

h!e used the /ord 'fo&k&ore to refer to ! st!te of mind of

modern m!n %&ose&y simi&!r to th!t of &ess dee&oped %ommunities.

ut there is ! "re!t differen%e bet/een the t/o fo&k&ores. n /h!t

/e re"!rd !s in"enuous fo&k&ore, the indiidu!& m!y be&iee th!t

%ert!in ob?e%ts h!e m!"i%!& or spe%i!& %h!r!%teristi%s, !nd he is

more or &ess !/!re of /h!t these !re %&!imed to be.

n modern m!n>s fo&k&ore, he be&iees th!t %ert!in %ontentionsmust be !bsurd, !nd ho&ds on to other !ssumptions, /ithout bein"

!/!re th!t he is doin" so. Be is moti!ted, in f!%t, by !&most

%omp&ete&y hidden pre?udi%es.

0o i&&ustr!te the /orkin" of su%h pre%on%eptions, it is often

ne%ess!ry to proide ! 'sho%k stimu&us.

)u%h ! stimu&us o%%urs both in the present series of %ontentions

!bout the te!%hin"-story (be%!use, !nd on&y be%!use, %ert!in

inform!tion !bout it is &ost to the %ommunity bein" !ddressed !nd

e2ists eu!&&y stron"&y /ithin the fr!me/orks of su%h stories

themse&es, /hen one %!n ie/ them in ! stru%tur!& m!nner.

0his tr!in of thou"ht itse&f produ%es !n i&&ustr!tion of the

re&!tie fr!"ment!tion of %ontempor!ry minds. Bere it is#

$&thou"h it is ! m!tter of the eeryd!y e2perien%e of !&most

eeryone on this p&!net, irrespe%tie of his st!"e of %u&ture or his

%ommunity, th!t !nyone thin" m!y h!e ! mu&tip&i%ity of uses,

fun%tions !nd me!nin"s, m!n does not !pp&y this e2perien%e to

%!ses /hi%h - for some o%%u&t re!son - he re"!rds !s insus%eptib&e

to su%h !ttention. n other /ords, ! person m!y !dmit th!t !n


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or!n"e h!s %o&our, !rom!, food !&ue, sh!pe, te2ture !nd so on !nd

he /i&& re!di&y %on%ede th!t !n or!n"e m!y be m!ny different

thin"s !%%ordin" to /h!t fun%tion is desired, obsered or bein"fu&fi&&ed. ut if you enture to su""est th!t, s!y, ! story h!s !n

eu!& r!n"e of possib&e fun%tions, his fo&k&ori% e!&u!tin"

me%h!nism /i&& m!ke him s!y# 'No, ! story is for entert!inment,

or e&se somethin" !&most !s y3!ntine# '7es, of %ourse. No/, !re

you t!&kin" !bout the psy%ho&o"i%!&, so%i!&, !nthropo&o"i%!& or

phi&osophi%!& usesC

Nobody h!s to&d him th!t there !re, or mi"ht be, %!te"ories ofeffe%tie fun%tion of ! story in r!n"es /hi%h he h!s not yet

e2perien%ed, perh!ps not yet he!rd of, perh!ps een %!nnot

per%eie or een %oherent&y dis%uss, unti& ! %ert!in b!si%

inform!tion pro%ess h!s t!ken p&!%e in his mind.

$nd to this kind of st!tement the !ns/er is p!t !nd h!rd to

%omb!t. t is# '7ou !re tryin" to be %&eer. 0his, you m!y re%!&& is

on&y the 'y!!-boo re!%tion of the s%hoo&%hi&d /ho h!s %ome up

!"!inst somethin" /hi%h it %!nnot, !t &e!st !t th!t moment,

r!tion!&ise !/!y or fu&&y underst!nd.

idries shah: the teaching story

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