In stories eternal, the master teaches, and the student learns.
That’s how it’s supposed to be, right? That’s why the student seeks a master in the first place. To learn from someone who has more knowledge and experience than him.
Well… yes, and no.
The stories play out in the same manner. For whatever reason, their master-student relationship is born, and soon enough, the master has the student running through trials and drills which has seemingly little connection to the goal at hand.
The student, not seeing any progress, gets frustrated, and maybe runs away or tries to test his skills prematurely.
Through the course of the trial, he suddenly accepts the fact that the master knew best, and the drills and activities which seemingly had no connection, turn out to be fundamentals for success.
Wax on, Wax off, Daniel-san.
The Relationship Is Mutual
The student usually turns out to be the hero in these stories, but it’s always portrayed that only the master has something to impart, given his greater knowledge and experience.
Always, the focus is on the master, and what they teach the student.
What about the role of the student to the master?
Without students, there can be no masters.
The Student Teaches
It is unseen and under-emphasized, but the student does his fair share of teaching as well, but not through the traditional route of rote teaching and stating, of downloading knowledge and experiences.
The student teaches through questions, through inquisitiveness. A good student will always be asking questions, figuring out best approaches, how one lesson connects to another, builds upon another, and births new learning as well.
The student teaches through new experiences. There will be opportunities for new applications and experiences by the student that may be totally new and groundbreaking for the master as well. The student may even find better ways, rendering the master’s lessons obsolete.
The student teaches through challenge. The lesson may not be understood clearly the first time. The student may have contrary views and beliefs to what is being taught, and may rebel, leave, or ignore the importance essence of what is being taught, along with the skills and attitudes required.
And in the course of the relationship, the good student does this unknowingly, almost reflexively. It is innate to a great relationship.
The Master Learns.
What is also not seen and emphasized is how much the master also learns from the relationship. Masters do their own fair share of learning as well.
And it can be harder for masters to learn. They can be caught up in the belief that they are the ones with the right answers. That they hold all the lessons, and that they are the only ones teaching.
That is such a missed opportunity, and one that great masters never fail to take – the chance to keep on learning.
The master learns through answering questions and allowing for the student’s inquisitiveness. The master is then tasked to present and teach the lessons in a matter that will be understood by the student.
He is pushed to think ahead of the student, to look for the connections and foundations of his lessons. To look for possible areas of confusion. To present in as simple a manner as possible.
Teaching is not simply teaching, it is another form of learning as well.
The master learns through openness and humility. The student may come up with new, better methods, and learning that build upon and advance what the master has taught them.
It is then up to the master to ignore, condemn, and ridicule, or to accept, build upon, and celebrate. A master may be too attached to the label of being a master, and to the ego boost that comes along with it.
The master learns through patience and understanding. The student may challenge the master, and the master must rise with the appropriate response. Behind all of that, is the patience, and the willingness to give space and recognize the individuality of the student.
The master has to recognize and work with the student’s nature, what works best, and what can motivate the student. The master also has to be aware of their own expectations of the student. Their expectations may not be the same.
The master learns that it is not only what you teach the student, but rather more importantly, how you teach.
And as the master teaches, so does the master learn as well.
The Roles Transcend Time
Looking back, I hold dear the student-master relationships I have in my life. And I feel the relationship never does go away. We may be out of touch for some time, but the recognition, mutual respect, and feelings of care and compassion will always be there.
There comes a point as well when you can’t even tell who’s the master or student anymore. Both teaching, both learning, both growing.
The great master never stops being a student.
The great student acknowledges his responsibility to be a master.
Have you ever had a great master, or student? Please share in the comments below!
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