How to Learn Quick – Let Go of the Other Shore

It’s obvious that you cannot reach another shore if you’re not willing to let go of the old one, yet many people fail to apply the same logic when trying to understand or master a new subject.

I will give two examples from my own life to illustrate this way of understanding/learning.

Firstly, let me tell you about letting go of my Western understanding to ‘get’ the Indian one. A few years ago I would be truly unable to let go of the old shore to reach the other one, yet having learnt some lessons, mainly patience and acceptance, I matured enough to fully let go of what connected me to my Western heritage. As soon as I did, like a flower, Indian culture fully opened up to me, and disclosed sacred things that were hidden from my view when I was unwilling (fearful) to fully dive into it.

Like a plant that might even die if it keeps being transferred back and forth between two different soils, I was unable to fully understand Indian culture when I was holding onto my own. By letting go of the old shore I didn’t lose anything, though at first I thought that I would. Since the knowledge of my old shore never left me, plus I explored the terrain of a new land, this greatly enriched my understanding of life.

The second example of fully letting go is the process I used to learn English. I really loved the English language, but I started learning it late at school. I instinctively knew that in order to master it, I would have to fully attach myself to this new shore.

So I studied English every single day after school, skipping all kinds of entertainment, even on weekends. Instead of watching Lithuanian TV programs I listened to the English radio. Instead of reading Lithuanian books, I read any English book I could get hold of. It came to a stage where my spontaneous thoughts were in English, and my dreams were about England or English subjects. This indicated that I finally reached the other shore, and not surprisingly I scored hundred percent in the English state exam – the only person in the capital to do it.

So hopefully these stories will inspire you to apply this never-failing strategy in your life too. Whether you want to master a completely new subject such as a new language, or to understand something totally unknown to you like a different culture, be willing to fully let go of the shore you’re currently familiar with. Don’t be afraid; by letting go of what you know you won’t lose anything – all will be retained in your memory, and your personality will only be enriched by exploring a new terrain.

Things that are new to us usually frighten us, but if we simply trust, let go, and fully delve into a new experience, we emerge mentally and spiritually enriched.

Resource: simonarich.com