Theory and Practice
TeorÃa y Práctica--por Vincent Horn
Si nos fijamos en lo que es la teorÃa, es esencialmente una abstracción o representación de la experiencia directa. Es una forma de tomar nuestro entendimiento y transmitir, a través de las ideas, el mismo entendimiento a otra persona. El lenguaje es una innovación tan importante, porque nos permite hacer esto.
Porque la teorÃa es una abstracción o una representación, sin experimentar directamente, o realmente entender a lo que estas cosas están apuntando, las abstracciones pueden permanecer siendo simplemente eso. Todos conocemos personas que confunden conceptos acerca de la realidad con la realidad misma. Uno sólo necesita traer a la mente un erudito sabelotodo o un ratón de biblioteca para ver ejemplos vivos de lo que sucede cuando enfatizamos la teorÃa sobre la práctica.
El otro lado de enfatizar la teorÃa sobre la práctica, es enfatizar la práctica sobre la teorÃa. Muchas personas concluyen que todo lo que necesitas hacer es practicar y te darás cuenta de todo por ti mismo. Pero, ¿Cómo entiendes por qué estás practicando o aprendiendo a practicar?
Si enfatizas demasiado la práctica, puedes conseguir lo que el maestro tibetano de meditación Chogyam Trungpa llamó "meditadores tontos" -personas que no entienden lo que están haciendo o por qué. Nunca encontraron realmente lo que se suponÃa que estaban buscando, por lo que giran interminablemente haciendo una práctica, lo que lleva a algo interesante, pero no a lo que se pretendÃa.
Otra trampa de dejar de lado la teorÃa es que nos resulta difÃcil integrar las experiencias que hemos tenido en nuestras vidas. Tenemos problemas porque estamos rechazando la importancia de la mente pensante. Nuestras capacidades mentales complejas y cerebros altamente desarrollados son lo que nos hace inequÃvocamente humanos. Sin pensamientos complejos es improbable que incluso podamos hacernos las preguntas espirituales importantes. Homo sapien, en latÃn significa "hombre de conocimiento" u "hombre sabio". Puede ser un desastre si nos deshacemos de la parte "sabia" de nuestra herencia evolutiva.
Lo que es alentador es que si podemos poner en práctica estas útiles teorÃas, usarlas como mapas para ayudarnos a encontrar nuestro camino, entonces entraremos en el negocio de tener experiencias directas nosotros mismos. Haciendo esto, nos convertimos en cientÃficos internos y podemos comenzar a confirmar, rechazar e incluso construir sobre las teorÃas que nos han dado. Las teorÃas están vivas y abiertas cuando podemos probar su validez. No son el punto final, sino el punto de partida para un viaje increÃble.
Preguntas Semilla para la reflexión: ¿Cómo te relacionas con la necesidad de ambas, teorÃa y práctica, en nuestras vidas? ¿Puedes compartir una historia personal que ilustre la importancia de la teorÃa? ¿Qué te motiva a probar la validez de las teorÃas en tu propia vida?
by Vincent Horn, excerpted from this page.
SEED QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION: How do you relate to the need for both theory and practice in our lives? Can you share a personal story that illustrates the importance of theory? What motivates you to test the validity of theories in your own life?
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10 Past Reflections
On Jan 17, 2017 Cynthia wrote :
I had trouble with this passage. After reading it a few times, I realize I must be one of those "dumb meditators." Feeling, observing, and moving through initial shame, I see it as a jumping-off point to learn more. As a result, I find a very helpful article at tricycle.org titled "Are You Practicing Stupid Meditation?" Much to chew on. Thank you.
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On Jan 17, 2017 Kate Sutherland wrote :
I'm very grateful for this wonderfully articulate statement about the importance of both theory and practice. I have loved the quote from Kurt Lewin: "There is nothing so practical as a good theory." I personally amend this to say, "There is nothing so practical as the interplay of several good theories." We get a more complete picture when the blind spots in one framework are illuminated by the different perspectives of other frameworks. In my work I share the gems from Appreciative Inquiry, Trust Theory, Chaordic Design, Integral Theory, Theory U, Process Oriented Psychology and many others "lenses". The theories help others to see more dimensions and nuances in any given situation, and therefore to navigate better. I also think exposure to these theories is a potent way to grow consciousness: Our perception can shift profoundly and quickly thanks to the pointers that are at the heart of any good theory: As in, "This distinction is important/helpful." "Look here."
... [View Full Comment]
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On Jan 17, 2017 Kristin Pedemonti wrote :
I love what Jagdish P Dave said, 'theory and practice are two wings of the bird of living." I agree we need both and that one is thought and one is action; we need them to move forward in understanding. However I would also point out there is a potential pitfall for many to become so attached to theory the action never comes or an action comes but without truly understanding human impact. I have witnessed this is my work at the World Bank where economists become so enraptured with their data and what they think the theory is that they do not always listen to the humans their work impacts to understand in *practice* what the outcome may be of their *theory* on paper. I hope this makes sense. In my own volunteer work in Belize, I leaped in without having all the theory behind what I was doing in training teachers to use their own cultural legends in their classrooms, this not knowing all the theory was a blessing in disguise as I was unaware that in theory it should not have... [View Full Comment]
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On Jan 14, 2017 Jagdish P Dave wrote :
According to my understanding theory and practice are two wings of the bird of living. Our thinking mind asks questions about what and why.Such explorations provide a theoretical foundations for application, action and practice. Without practice and experience, only theoretical knowledge or information does not have the taste of life.
I am very particular and careful about what I am putting into my mouth. I know food is medicine. I need to know and want to know what is good, nutritional and wholesome food. And I want to know the benefits of such food. But unless I put such information in practice, what good does it do? My grandson and I took an online course on Plant-based nutritional whole food course. The course offered very valuable scientific information. We were convinced and made a few changes in our diet.The action has sharpened our appetite to know more about diet and nutrition.
I am taking another online course on Science of Happiness. What is... [View Full Comment]
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On Jan 14, 2017 david doane wrote :
A theory is an idea, a possibility, a speculation. Practice is action. Theory encourages action to try out or test the theory, and practice provides action to support or dispute the theory. They work together well. My theory was that I could play basketball adequately well at 70 -- not as well as at 30, but still well. Long story short, I got into a basketball game with some guys in their 20s. After clumsily moving around on the court, missing passes and shots, falling over myself and injuring and probably breaking my big toe which still isn't completely healed after 6 months, data indicated clearly that my theory was inaccurate. Theory got me out on the court and got me playing. Practice put the theory to the test and woke me up to the reality that I'm not 30. I don't know whether my theories are true or false until I take action to test them. I can hear what others believe or learned, but I don't know for myself until I tes... [View Full Comment]
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On Jan 12, 2017 Rajesh wrote :
This passage feels so relevant. As someone who has read a lot of J.Krishnamurti, whose work is considered abstract by many, I know that its easy to go off into abstraction, without the slightest idea of what a particular concept might mean in practice in one's own daily life. In this context, direct experience of what is being communicated is key to learning. Without it, all the theory is just that.
I think a robust theoretical framework is very useful in spiritual endeavors. Given that there are so many teachers and practices out there, without a good understanding of the overall scheme of things, we are either likely to hang on to one practice or view and potentially become pedantic about it. With a robust framework that is malleable, flexible and open, one is free to examine new ideas, teachers and practices that one might come across. In fact, in my experience, the beauty of it is that you being to see the common foundation and threads across a spectrum of teachings.