18/05/2022
"Real learning comes about when the competitive spirit has ceased." Jiddu Krishnamurti
Learning is the process of acquiring new understanding, knowledge, behaviours, skills etc. It requires one to be looking at something as it actually is, without prejudice, without one's background and experiences. When all the conditioning is not there, then there is the looking, the observing and the listening. This looking, which is direct and factual, is different from the looking at things with one's background and conditioning. In this case, thinking - which is the composite of all our memories, backgrounds, experiences etc. is in abeyance. Hence, when we see things as they actually are and not through tainted lenses, there is clarity and we begin to learn things.
What is going on in our mind and what is our feeling when we are competing with another? What is the thing going on in our mind? Is there any good will? Or is there the intention to outsmart the other, to defeat the other, to be better than the other? Our intention is to literally bring down the other so that we can shine and boost our ego. Competitive spirit is not about doing the best but to win the other. When the "self" is there, when the ego is there, the energy in doing something well is denied. The energy coming from us is given to defeating, winning, outsmarting the opponent instead. This then is our innate intention i.e. to beat the other. So, if there is this intention, how can the best come out of us? The best can only come out of us when we love to do something - when we love to play a game, learn a skill or study something. When we love to do something, this is not competition. Competition cannot bring out the best in ourselves, if at all, it brings out the worst in ourselves although it may not be obvious.