Born To Fly E-Book

Roland Greis

• Herausgeber: tredition
• Kategorie: Für Kinder und Jugendliche
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 217

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2025

Beschreibung

The book deals with education and self-education. Only if we understand the laws governing our (spiritual) development, we can consciously influence it. This also helps us to accompany the growth of our children with understanding and to support them to unfold their unique potential and to play a constructive role in society. The spiritual principles which we find progressively revealed in all world religions and philosophical systems can also guide us to lead a more harmonious and fulfilling life. In 19 chapters introduced by short stories the author tries to introduce the most basic principles of spiritual growth along with many practical suggestions.

Leseprobe

Born to fly

Freeing our potential

By Roland Greis

Translated from the original German by Lorcan Flynn

For my four children

who taught me a lot

© 2025 Roland Greis, Kantstr. 11, 56470

[email protected]

Umschlag, Illustration: Roland Greis

Lektorat, Korrektorat: Roland Greis

Übersetzung: Lorcan Flynn

Druck und Distribution im Auftrag des Autors:

tredition GmbH, Halenreie 40-44, 22359 Hamburg,

Deutschland

ISBN

Paperback   978-3-384-54991-4

Hardcover    978-3-384-54992-1

E-Book         978-3-384-54993-8

Das Werk, einschließlich seiner Teile, ist urheberrechtlich geschützt. Für die Inhalte ist der Autor verantwortlich. Jede Verwertung ist ohne seine Zustimmung unzulässig. Die Publikation und Verbreitung erfolgen im Auftrag des Autors, zu erreichen unter: tredition GmbH, Abteilung „Impressumservice“, Halenreie 40-44, 22359 Hamburg, Deutschland

Education does not sow seeds

but enables the seeds to grow

that are already inside.

(Khalil Gibran)

Content

Cover

Title Page

Dedication

Copyright

Chapter 1: Striving for Perfection

Chapter 2: Appreciation and Encouragement Promote Growth

Chapter 3: Freedom to Choose or the Meaning of Independent Search for Truth

Chapter 4: Recognizing Spiritual Laws: the Portal to Freedom

Chapter 5: The Unity of Body, Mind and Spirit

Chapter 6: The Principle of Creativity

Chapter 7: Self-Knowledge and Self-Confidence

Chapter 8: Man as the Maker of His Destiny

Chapter 9: Gratitude, Modesty and Humility

Chapter 10: The Principle of Justice

Chapter 11: Polarity and Improvement: the Importance of Opposites to Development

Chapter 12: The Principle of Consultation

Chapter 13: Development Starts with Me

Chapter 14: Detatchment from Material Bindings Development of Spirituality

Chapter 15: The Principle of Service: Overcoming Oneself and Self-Improvement

Chapter 16: Steadfastness and Patience during Tests

Chapter 17: The Ability to Love Unconditionally

Chapter 18: There is Enough for Everyone

Chapter 19: The Vision of the Unity of Mankind

Literature

Born To Fly

Cover

Title Page

Dedication

Copyright

Epigraph

Chapter 1: Striving for Perfection

Literature

Born To Fly

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This book is an attempt to describe some of the principles and laws which govern human growth and development, particularly our spiritual development. A greater understanding of these principles can empower us to become a more consciously active participant in our own development and help us to positively influence others.

Whereas the aim of the first chapter is to help parents to a deeper appreciation of the miracle developing before their eyes, i.e. the growth of their child, the lessons learned are also applicable to adults who are subject to the same laws. This is intended to illustrate the close connection between upbringing, education and self-improvement.

The book tries to show that as parents and educators, we can only positively influence the next generation to the extent that we can understand and control our own behaviour.

The individual chapters build on each other. However, as human development is an organic process some chapters make reference to terms and content in others. This is also intended as a demonstration of interaction and allows the reader to read sections of the book in isolation.

With the short text which introduces each of the 19 chapters I hope to open a door to understanding by involving the symbolic, imaginary side of the brain.

The book does not try to provide a recipe for automatic spiritual growth as such an attempt would contradict the spirit of the subject matter. Nevertheless, I am convinced that a better understanding of natural law is a precondition for its realization in both education and self-improvement.

The depth of understanding achieved will always depend on the creativity, willpower and conscious, persistent effort of each individual.

In many ways, this book is a map of the road I have taken. Like any conscientious traveller, I have put up some signposts to help others on their way. It is my great hope that they will provide someone with that little extra courage needed at some point in their journey towards an independent life.

Roland Greis

O SON OF SPIRIT!

Noble have I created thee, yet thou hast abased

thyself. Rise then unto that

for which thou wast created.

(Bahá´u´lláh, Hidden Words 22)

He is three and a half years old. One day in summer strange noises come from the garden.

They sound like shouts of encouragement, interspersed with grunts of disappointment. I go look.

He is naked. There is a turkey feather sticking out of his bum. He keeps jumping in the air, waving his arms wildly each time. The turkey feather bobs up and down with each jump.

"Why are you doing that?" I ask.

"Because I want to fly!"

Chapter 1

STRIVING FOR PERFECTION

An infant tackles the process of its development with amazing energy. It can do almost nothing when it comes into the world except grasp, suck and bellow to announce its needs. Yet, apart from the reflexes common to all newborn, human offspring have a faculty which empowers this most helpless of all creatures to attain a station unique to man. The urge to do so is such that those children prevented from following it will pine away and sometimes even die. This phenomenon can only be understood if we accept our station for what it is. We are spiritual beings. One expression of our spirituality is our unceasing need to make progress. The infant is blissfully unconscious of its ultimate goal, but its development progresses in conformity with natural laws.

Initially, a child works on the motor functions, clutching, turning, crawling, sitting, standing and finally walking. Only when, after tireless repetitions, these have been mastered, the child begins to conquer language. Physical comprehension precedes intellectual understanding which is why we talk of "grasping" something.

The parent's main role is to help the infant complete its course of studies in conformity with natural laws. There are certain things it needs. Firstly, someone it can relate to, who provides a sense of security and confidence. Secondly, an appropriate learning environment. Last but by no means least, an infant requires space to explore and grow. A child who is not allowed to conquer its own world and is instead put in front of the TV too early is condemned to a life of passive consumption that cripples its developmental energy. The result is the discontented, often aggressive children who never learnt how to keep themselves amused and who seek their fulfillment outside instead of within themselves. Such early behavior is a dry run for subsequent, unplanned consumption and greater susceptibility to addictive drugs.

Striving for perfection can be understood as a purposeful force which does not easily allow itself to be hindered or dammed. Like a river aiming for the sea that overcomes barriers or creates a new route for itself, man's developmental energy will seek out new paths when it is prevented from behaving appropriately. If man's spiritual nature is disregarded it can become destructive or self-destructive.

Appropriate upbringing means giving the child the spiritual food its swelling soul needs to develop in line with the laws of creation. Its absence could easily misdirect spiritual striving onto the wrong track where it withers and turns its attention to other things – mostly material. A craving for power, avarice and blind egoism are often the latter fruits of such a mis-directed development. Striving for perfection slowly becomes simply a desire for more.

The desire to understand is awakened in children as soon as they have found, in language, a possibility to put their perceptions into words. In this connection, wanting to grasp something is closely allied to the urge for action which in turn assists comprehension i.e. grasping something. Children can tirelessly work with new objects until they have understood their true nature and can "get round" them. An upbringing which meets the child's needs should take full account of the urge to experiment. Toys should be provided whose function is comprehensible as such toys are in fact tools or teaching aids. Most unsuitable are those objects which call up a preprogrammed function by pressing a button. Such toys condemn the child to passivity. Activity is the secret of every stage of further development, passive consumption the beginning of all addiction. Thus, the best toy is both simple and versatile i.e. one which stretches the imagination and promotes the constant discovery of new applications.

The second source of spiritual growth is the conduct of the teacher. This must above all be credible, the teacher's actions not being in contrast with his or her words. Small children learn by example so what the teacher does has a far greater influence than what he or she says. Upbringing or education presupposes self-discipline on the part of the teacher as teachers can be assured that their weaknesses have as much effect on the children as their positive characteristics.

Trust grows when the child experiences the adult in his own struggle for self-discipline. Allowing himself to be seen engaging in this struggle requires on the part of the adult both the ability to admit his mistakes and a willingness to correct them. Fear of mistakes and fear of admitting mistakes are two of the main hindrances to every development. Trial and error, insight and standing up to try one more time are the steps which lead to development. Lasting learning takes place where both the child and the adult have the opportunity to draw conclusions from their own actions. Preventing a child from having its own experiences and instead fobbing it off with explanations which it cannot grasp is always counter-productive.

Spiritual growth thrives on challenge. Wise educators provide tasks which are more difficult than what has already been mastered but not so complicated that they surpass the learners stamina. Most importantly, the teacher adopts a role which is supportive of the child in its efforts.

Children are often not aware why they are doing something. They are unaware that they are following an invisible development plan and are instinctively proceeding pedagogically insofar as they are mastering skills little by little, day by day. In doing so, they only require stimulation and not a set, training program as this would simply limit them. They must be allowed to choose which steps are taken in which sequence. In this way, their inclination to learn will remain.

The same principle applies to adult's self-discipline. It is easy to turn weakness into strength if I create a plan which describes the individual stages leading to my goal. When I focus on one achievable stage at a time, I can more easily find the courage to take that first step. On the other hand, I would quickly become discouraged were my focus on the vast distance separating me from my goal. I must also ensure that the individual stages themselves should be suited to the stamina I can draw on in the time-period needed to complete the task. This too is a natural law. After all, nobody tries to swallow a slice of cake in one gulp. Instead, it is eaten and enjoyed little by little bite by bite.

The pleasure derived from the achievement of a task is the most important self-motivational tool for young and old. Should this feeling of pleasure disappear as it often does in the daily grind, great will power has to be called upon to fulfil a given assignment. However, the rules described above also apply to will power which itself can be strengthened in a planned way. With regular, daily practice I can overcome my reluctance to take action. Regular action replaces the demand for massive exertion. This sentence contains the secret of how to develop a strong will and thus the key to success. Those who do something in a regular rhythm soon learn that it gets easier as you go along. There is nothing which strengthens the will more than the daily - if possible pleasurable - striving towards an achievable, partial goal. This is a source of happiness which can be discovered by the child at an early stage when it learns the connection between effort and its rewards.

The connection is best experienced when a child learns a musical instrument or engages in other artistically creative fields i.e. it gains the knowledge that regular training bears wonderful fruit. It is therefore not surprising that artistically active children and youths often perform well in school. They have learnt that skills are acquired little by little and that one must sow before one reaps.

Regard man as a mine rich in gems of inestimable value. Education can,

alone, cause it to reveal its treasures, and enable mankind to benefit therefrom….

("Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah", Sec.122, pp. 259-60)

He had never been a good student. It had always required a lot of thought before his essays could be awarded a bare pass. Sometimes I just could not find any redeeming features. His disappointment was physically tangible when he was handed back his work. Finally, it was time to write the test that would decide whether he would have to repeat the class.

In the last lesson before the test I had an idea. I spoke to him in front of the whole class. "I bet that your next essay is going to be good." He looked at me in surprise. I looked him in the eye and repeated what I had said. He smiled in embarrassment but he returned my gaze. His work the next day had only one weakness in the argumentation. For a long time I compared it to the others so as not to be accused of fulfilling my own prophesy. But there was no hiding from the fact, it was one of the best.

Chapter 2

APPRECIATION AND ENCOURAGEMENT PROMOTE GROWTH

In most of the great religions, man is seen to have been made in the image of God. This provides us not only with great encouragement but also with a duty. If I accept that every individual I meet has unlimited capacity for further-development it is easier for me to appreciate that individual. Simultaneously, it becomes more difficult to justify not doing anything about my own weaknesses. Self-discipline becomes an urgent obligation. Furthermore, I can perceive education and upbringing as a contribution not only towards preparing a human being for life in society but as helping to provide a person with the capacity to develop his or her inherent potential.

All the great religions emphasize the immortality of the soul. This concept is closely connected to further development. The alternative, that the climax of development is its own extinction in death, is absurd. This hypothesis, which is fundamental to the atheistic world view, can only see human life as senseless and pointless. On this assumption every effort towards development must be doomed to failure. However, there is a point to development if one accepts that the soul is immortal. I derive benefit even if my motives are selfish and I am only concerned with my own development. The reason being, in human development, effort lies at the root of the tree of life – the one that bears the fruits of happiness and contentment. I must take action for the laws of growth to bear fruit. The individual who tries to become more similar to God in this life contributes towards making this world into a place where the spirit of affection is tangible.

Looking at the process of development, I see that it follows natural laws. Growth often remains invisible for a long period until it makes itself known in a qualitative leap. A pot of water must boil for quite a while before bubbles suddenly appear and it turns into steam. In the area of spiritual growth, by the development of human faculties, continuous practice is the basis for the leap onto the next higher level. If I am not aware of this law I might quickly lose patience and abandon my effort. It might seem that the constant exercise is not leading to any progress and so I am beginning to doubt its worth – when suddenly, the skill I have been struggling so hard to master is simply in my possession.

When a child learns to walk, its pleasure in its new-found skill is visible to all. There is no stronger force motivating one to work on oneself than the feeling that one has earned this pleasure. Encouragement enhances this feeling and supports the ability to see it through to the end during the tiresome practice sessions. When I receive encouragement, it communicates someone's confidence in my capacity to develop and perfect myself. Allowing a child to gain this confidence is the best gift parents can bestow. Self-confidence is an essential part of human dignity.

So-called failures are not people with lesser abilities but usually those who have so often experienced discouragement that they began to believe that they could do nothing right. Failures are bred by parents who try to protect their offspring from every possible harm and error i.e. by parents who have no confidence in their children. They think very little of their child and view it as an incompetent helpless being. The notion that parents and society had to shape children into people has encumbered the potential development of whole generations. It has awarded hierarchical structures the delusion of naturalness and necessity - with blind obedience, lack of independence, subservience, self-contempt and aggression being the bitter fruits of this view.

When one recognizes man as "a mine rich in gems," as a treasure trove of divine characteristics, one is forced to question the old idea of adulthood and childhood. Young and old are perceived as beings who have developed certain skills to a certain degree in different areas. They both deserve and need respect and appreciation in order to develop as best they can. Both young and old can profit from this changed view. A youth who feels recognized and taken seriously will not feel the need to rebel against the source of its encouragement. The generation conflict which has resulted from hierarchical thinking is suddenly resolvable.

How enriching for all participants when each is seen as a source of power and growth and not as a problem. Youth can gain a deeper insight into the laws of life from their elders. Elders can learn to see the world with new eyes, to tackle problems with a creative lack of concern and to overcome deep-rooted patterns of thought.

Reciprocal encouragement and appreciation are the fruits of a view which sees human beings in the image of God, as a being equipped with an immortal soul which for all eternity will be walking the path to perfection and which uses its time to develop faculties that will be useful even after its time here is over.

Just as the embryo in the mother's womb develops limbs and senses which it can only use and appreciate fully after birth, we can view this life as a phase where we have the chance to develop spiritual qualities. They surely enrich our life in the here and now but their real purpose is only experienced when we have crossed the threshold to the spiritual world.

Watch over thyself, and follow not the footsteps of these people. Meditate diligently upon the Cause of thy Lord. Strive to know Him through His own Self and not through others. For no one else besides Him can ever profit thee. To this all created things will testify, couldst thou but perceive it.

Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh, p. 148:

He is nine years old. We had last seen him in the morning when he came into the kitchen to get something to eat. At lunchtime, when he hasn't re-appeared, I go to his room. The floor is covered with electronic bits and pieces which I don't recognize. I also see bits of plywood, a saw and solar batteries. "What are you making" I ask. "I'm building a solar-powered crane." "And do you think it will work?" He nods without looking up. "I can't imagine how something like that could work" "Wait and see" he replies ignoring my well-intentioned advice which was designed to protect him from disappointment. Luckily!

He surfaces in the afternoon and grabs the now cold dinner. There is another sign of life around ten in the evening, he is on holidays, so he can stay up longer than usual. "You can come down now." Excitedly, we enter his room. He is holding a strange construction in his right hand. With his left hand, he is directing the beam from a table lamp onto the solar batteries. The electric motor is humming faintly The front lifting arm makes a slight upwards movement at the joint. He puts the lamp down, hangs a weight on the hook at the end of the wooden arm, holds the light to the solar batteries again and the arm raises the weight.

"And what do you say now?" We are amazed. He has been working on his invention since eight this morning - almost fourteen hours without a break. The remains of his dinner are dry on his plate. He hadn't had time to eat it. The floor is covered with broken bits of wood and pieces of wire, witness to all his failed attempts.

Chapter 3

FREEDOM TO CHOOSE OR THE MEANING OF INDEPENDENT SEARCH FOR TRUTH

Every human being is unique. For this reason, education cannot be a schematic process which always takes the same measures and cooks from the same recipe. Education requires flexibility and sensitivity i.e. the ability to react appropriately to an unexpected situation.

Nevertheless, there are some basic psychological rules which help us to avoid bad mistakes. One of these is that the freedom to choose is essential for human uniqueness to develop. Parents who try to force the developing child into a corset of their own making will ruin this uniqueness and deprive humanity of an irretrievable opportunity for enrichment. Thus, historical periods in which fixed ideas concerning individual behavior predominated and which instead used education as a dogmatic strait jacket were fruitless in terms of new ideas.

In order to avoid misunderstanding: a structured environment is essential to a child, with defined limits to prevent it from injuring itself or others.

However, these limitations should not be so restricting that they impede the development of its unique faculties and potency. The regulated framework provides the child with a safe area where it can independently experiment in order to recognize context and use its new knowledge to develop its abilities.

A human being must have space for independence if the irretrievable uniqueness in his character and qualities is to develop. This imperative requires of the teacher the ability to expand his or her own horizon. I must recognize that it is often my own fears which prevent me from letting go of the child. This is where self-discipline is called for. Being just to the child also means freeing myself from the notion that what pleased me as a child is automatically desirable to my offspring. Often, world-weary parents hinder their child's development by forcing them to live their own unfulfilled dreams. The teacher has to develop a feeling for what is developing in the child. To do so requires honesty and the ability to recognize and tackle one's own prejudices.