The Teaching Story

Observations on the Folklore of Our Modern Thought

Idries Shah

The Teaching Story: Idries Shah

From the book The Nature of Human Consciousness edited by Robert Ornstein. Reprinted by permission from Point, Number 4 (Winter 1968-69 , pp. 4-9.

Front p!"e im!"e# $ s%ene from the p&!y 'Cotton 56, Polyester 84(. )our%e# Wikimedi! *ommons. $uthor# )uni& )h!nb!".

First edition# 1 +!y, ,--9 No re.isions

Sher Point Publishing

in !sso%i!tion /ith +ysti%!& F!%tion

The Teaching Story: Idries Shah

The Teaching Story

0here is no n!tion, no %ommunity, /ithout its stories. *hi&dren !re brou"ht up on f!iry t!&es, %u&ts !nd re&i"ions depend upon them for mor!& instru%tion# they !re used for entert!inment !nd for tr!inin". 0hey !re usu!&&y %!t!&o"ued !s myths, !s humorous t!&es, !s semi-histori%!& f!%t, !nd so on, in !%%ord!n%e /ith /h!t peop&e be&ie.e to be their ori"in !nd fun%tion. 1ut /h!t ! story %!n be used for is often /h!t it /!s ori"in!&&y intended to be used for. 0he f!b&es of !&& n!tions pro.ide ! re!&&y rem!rk!b&e e2!mp&e of this, be%!use, if you %!n underst!nd them !t ! te%hni%!& &e.e&, they pro.ide the most strikin" e.iden%e of the persisten%e of ! %onsistent te!%hin", preser.ed sometimes throu"h mere repetition, yet h!nded do/n !nd pri3ed simp&y be%!use they "i.e ! stimu&us to the im!"in!tion or entert!inment for the peop&e !t &!r"e. 0here !re .ery fe/ peop&e no/!d!ys /ho !re !b&e to m!ke the ne%ess!ry use of stories. 0hose /ho kno/ !bout the hi"her &e.e& of bein" represented by stories %!n &e!rn somethin" from them, but .ery &itt&e. 0hose /ho %!n e2perien%e this &e.e& %!n te!%h the use of stories. 1ut first of !&& /e must !&&o/ the /orkin" hypothesis th!t there m!y be su%h ! &e.e& oper!ti.e in stories. We must !ppro!%h them from the point of .ie/ th!t they m!y on th!t &e.e& be do%uments of te%hni%!& .!&ue# !n !n%ient yet sti&& irrep&!%e!b&e method of !rr!n"in" !nd tr!nsmittin" ! kno/&ed"e /hi%h %!n not be put in !ny other /!y. 4n this sense su%h stories (be%!use all stories !re not te%hni%!& &iter!ture , su%h stories m!y be re"!rded !s p!rt of ! %urri%u&um,

The Teaching Story: Idries Shah

!nd !s .!&id ! represent!tion of f!%t !s, for inst!n%e, !ny m!them!ti%!& formu&! or s%ientifi% te2tbook. 5ike !ny s%ientifi% te2tbook or m!them!ti%!& formu&!, ho/e.er, stories depend for their hi"her po/er upon someone to underst!nd them !t the hi"her &e.e&, someone /ho %!n est!b&ish their .!&idity in ! %ourse of study, peop&e /ho !re prep!red to study !nd use them, !nd so on. $t this point /e %!n see 6uite e!si&y th!t our %onditionin" (/hi%h tr!ins us to use stories for !musement purposes is "ener!&&y in itse&f suffi%ient to pre.ent us from m!kin" !ny serious study of stories !s ! .ehi%&e for hi"her te!%hin". 0his tenden%y, the hum!n tenden%y to re"!rd !nythin" !s of use to m!n on ! &o/er &e.e& th!n it %ou&d oper!te, runs throu"h mu%h of our studies, !nd h!s to be m!rked /e&&. 7et tr!ditions !bout stories do in f!%t &in"er here !nd there. 8eop&e s!y th!t %ert!in stories, if repe!ted, /i&& pro.ide some sort of '"ood &u%k(9 or th!t t!&es h!.e me!nin"s /hi%h h!.e been for"otten, !nd the &ike. 1ut /h!t /ou&d be %!&&ed in %ontempor!ry spee%h the 'se%urity !spe%t( of stories is !&most %omp&ete in the %!se of the "enre /hi%h /e %!&& 'te!%hin"-stories( be%!use of !nother f!%tor. 0his f!%tor is the oper!tion of the &!/ th!t ! story, &ike ! s%ientifi% industri!& formu&!, s!y, %!n h!.e its de.e&opment!& or te!%hin" effe%t on&y upon ! person %orre%t&y prep!red for its underst!ndin". 0his is /hy /e must use stories in ! m!nner /hi%h /i&& en!b&e us to h!r.est their .!&ue for us in ! "i.en situ!tion. 0here is !nother prob&em /hi%h h!s to be !ppre%i!ted /hen de!&in" /ith stories. :n&ike s%ientifi% formu&!e, they h!.e ! /ho&e

The Teaching Story: Idries Shah

series of de.e&opment!& effe%ts. 4n !%%ord!n%e /ith the de"ree of prep!r!tion of !n indi.idu!& !nd ! "roup, so /i&& the su%%essi.e '&!yers( of the story be%ome !pp!rent. Outside of ! proper s%hoo& /here the method !nd %ontent of stories is understood, there is !&most no %h!n%e of !n !rbitr!ry study of stories yie&din" mu%h. 1ut /e h!.e to "o b!%k to !n e.en e!r&ier st!"e in order to "round ourse&.es, prep!re ourse&.es, for the .!&ue of the story. 0his is the st!"e !t /hi%h /e %!n f!mi&i!rise ourse&.es /ith the story !nd re"!rd it !s ! %onsistent !nd produ%ti.e p!r!&&e& or !&&e"ory of %ert!in st!tes of mind. 4ts symbo&s !re the %h!r!%ters in the story. 0he /!y in /hi%h they mo.e %on.eys to the mind the /!y in /hi%h the hum!n mind %!n /ork. 4n "r!spin" this in terms of men !nd /omen, !nim!&s !nd p&!%es, mo.ement !nd m!nipu&!tion of ! t!&e, /e %!n put ourse&.es into ! re&!tionship /ith the hi"her f!%u&ties possib&e to the mind, by /orkin" on ! &o/er &e.e&, the &e.e& of .isu!&is!tion. 5et us e2!mine ! story or t/o from the fore"oin" points of .ie/. First, t!ke ! story of the ;&eph!nt in the <!rk.= 0his h!s !%tu!&&y been pub&ished !s ! %hi&dren>s book. 4t !ppe!rs in the books of Rumi !nd )!n!i. We h!.e m!de it the sub?e%t of ! %ommer%i!& fi&m, The Dermis Probe. 0his story, on the &o/est possib&e &e.e&, m!kes fun of the s%ientists !nd !%!demi%s /ho try to e2p&!in thin"s throu"h the e.iden%e /hi%h they %!n e.!&u!te, !nd none other. 4n !nother dire%tion, on the s!me &e.e&, it is humorous in !s mu%h !s it m!kes us &!u"h !t the stupidity of peop&e /ho /ork on su%h &itt&e e.iden%e. $s ! phi&osophi%!& te!%hin" it s!ys th!t m!n is b&ind !nd is tryin" to !ssess somethin" too "re!t for !ssessment by me!ns of in!de6u!te too&s. 4n the re&i"ious fie&d it s!ys th!t @od is e.ery/here !nd e.erythin", !nd m!n "i.es different n!mes to /h!t seem to him to be sep!r!te thin"s, but /hi%h !re in f!%t on&y p!rts

The Teaching Story: Idries Shah

of some "re!ter /ho&e /hi%h he %!nnot per%ei.e be%!use 'he is b&ind( or 'there is no &i"ht.( * A number of blind eo le, or si!hted eo le in a dar" house, !ro e and find an ele hant# $ach touches only a art% each !i&es to his friends outside a different account of 'hat he has e( erienced# )ome thin" that it 'as a fan *the ears of the animal+% another ta"es the le!s for illars% a third the tail for a ro e, and so on# 0he interpret!tions !re f!r !nd hi"h !s !nyone %!n "o. 1e%!use of this, peop&e !ddress themse&.es to this story in one or more of these interpret!tions. 0hey then !%%ept or re?e%t them. No/ they %!n fee& h!ppy9 they h!.e !rri.ed !t !n opinion !bout the m!tter. $%%ordin" to their %onditionin" they produ%e the !ns/er. No/ &ook !t their !ns/ers. )ome /i&& s!y th!t this is ! f!s%in!tin" !nd tou%hin" !&&e"ory of the presen%e of @od. Others /i&& s!y th!t it is sho/in" peop&e ho/ stupid m!nkind %!n be. )ome s!y it is !ntis%ho&!sti%. Others th!t it is ?ust ! t!&e %opied by Rumi from )!n!i !nd so on. 1e%!use none of these peop&e %!n t!ste !n inner %ontent, none /i&& e.en be"in to im!"ine th!t one e2ists. $s 4 s!y these /ords the ordin!ry mind /i&& e!si&y be !b&e to dispose of them by thinkin" th!t this is ?ust someone /ho h!s pro.ided ! sophisti%!ted e2p&!n!tion for somethin" /hi%h %!nnot be %he%ked. 1ut /e !re not here to ?ustify ourse&.es. We !re here to open the door of the mind to the possibi&ity th!t stories mi"ht be te%hni%!& do%uments. We !re here to s!y th!t there is ! method of m!kin" use of these do%uments. ;spe%i!&&y /e !re here to s!y th!t the most !n%ient !nd most import!nt kno/&ed"e !.!i&!b&e to m!n is in p!rt %ont!ined in these do%uments. $nd th!t this form, ho/e.er primiti.e or o&d-f!shioned it m!y seem, is in f!%t !&most the on&y form in /hi%h %ert!in te!%hin"s %!n be %!ptured, preser.ed !nd

The Teaching Story: Idries Shah

tr!nsmitted. $nd, too, th!t these stories !re %ons%ious /orks of !rt, de.ised by peop&e /ho kne/ e2!%t&y /h!t they /ere doin", for the use of other peop&e /ho kne/ e2!%t&y /h!t %ou&d be done /ith them. 4t m!y t!ke ! %on.ention!& thinker some time to underst!nd th!t if he is &ookin" for truth !nd ! hidden te!%hin", it m!y be %on%e!&ed in ! form /hi%h /ou&d be the &!st, perh!ps, /hi%h he /ou&d %onsider to be !pp&i%!b&e to his se!r%h. 1ut, in order to possess himse&f of this kno/&ed"e, he must t!ke it from /here it really is, not from /here he im!"ines it mi"ht be. 0here is p&enty of e.iden%e of the /orkin" of this method, th!t of the story de&iber!te&y %on%o%ted !nd p!ssed do/n, in !&& %u&tures. We do not h!.e to %onfine ourse&.es to ;!stern f!b&es. 1ut it is in stories of ;!stern ori"in th!t /e find the most %omp&ete !nd &e!st deterior!ted forms of the tr!dition. We therefore st!rt /ith them. 0hey &e!d us, n!tur!&&y, to the si"nifi%!nt do%uments in the Western !nd other br!n%hes of the tr!dition. 4n !ppro!%hin" the study of stories, then, /e h!.e to m!ke sure th!t /e re%&!im the inform!tion th!t stories %ont!in, sh!&& /e s!y, ! mess!"e. 4n this sense /e !re &ike peop&e /hose te%hno&o"y h!s f!&&en into disuse, redis%o.erin" the de.i%es used by our !n%estors !s /e be%ome fitted for it. 0hen /e h!.e to re!&ise th!t /e h!.e to f!mi&i!rise ourse&.es /ith %ert!in stories, so th!t /e %!n ho&d them in our minds, &ike memori3in" ! formu&!. 4n this use, the te!%hin" story resemb&es the mnemoni% or formu&! /hi%h /e trot out to he&p us %!&%u&!te somethin"# &ike s!yin"# 'one ki&o e6u!&s ,., pounds in /ei"ht(9 or e.en 'thirty d!ys h!th )eptember.(

The Teaching Story: Idries Shah

No/ /e h!.e to re!&ise th!t, sin%e /e !re de!&in" /ith ! form of kno/&ed"e /hi%h is spe%ifi% in !s mu%h !s ii is p&!nned to !%t in ! %ert!in /!y under %ert!in %onditions, those %onditions must be present if /e !re to be !b&e to use the story %oherent&y. 1y %oherent&y 4 me!n here, if the story is to be the "uide /hereby /e /ork throu"h the .!rious st!"es of %ons%iousness open to us. 0his me!ns th!t /e must not on&y "et to kno/ %ert!in t!&es9 /e must study them, or e.en ?ust f!mi&i!rise ourse&.es /ith them, in ! %ert!in order. 0his ide! tends to find opposition !mon" &iter!te peop&e /ho !re !%%ustomed to doin" their o/n re!din", h!.in" been &ed to be&ie.e th!t the more you re!d the more &ike&y you !re to kno/ more. 1ut this 6u!ntit!ti.e !ppro!%h is !bsurd /hen you !re de!&in" /ith spe%ifi% m!teri!&. 4f you /ent to the 1ritish +useum &ibr!ry !nd de%ided to re!d e.erythin" in it in order to edu%!te yourse&f, you /ou&d not "et .ery f!r. 4t is on&y the i"nor!nt, e.en in the form!& sense, /ho %!nnot underst!nd the need for p!rti%u&!r kinds of spe%i!&is!tion. 0his is /e&& e2emp&ified by the %&ub porter /ho on%e s!id to me, in !&& seriousness '7ou !re ! %o&&e"e m!n, )ir, p&e!se e2p&!in footb!&& poo& permut!tions to me.( 4t is in order to "et some possibi&ity of ri"ht study th!t 4 %ontinu!&&y s!y thin"s &ike '5et us "et do/n out of the trees !nd st!rt to bui&d.( )o f!r, ho/e.er, /e h!.e not been s!yin" mu%h more th!n this# 1. $ spe%i!&, effe%ti.e !nd surp!ssin"&y import!nt te!%hin" is %ont!ined in %ert!in m!teri!&s. 4n this %!se the m!teri!&s !re stories. ,. We must !%%ept the possibi&ity before /e %!n be"in to !ppro!%h the study of this kno/&ed"e.

The Teaching Story: Idries Shah

A. B!.in" !%%epted, e.en !s ! /orkin" hypothesis, the fore"oin" %ontentions, /e h!.e to set !bout the study in !n effi%ient m!nner. 4n the %!se of the t!&es, the effi%ient m!nner me!ns to !ppro!%h the ri"ht stories, in the ri"ht m!nner, under the ri"ht %onditions. F!i&ure to !dhere to these prin%ip&es /i&& m!ke it impossib&e for us to fun%tion on the hi"h &e.e& needed. 4f, for e2!mp&e, /e sett&e for mere&y kno/in" ! &ot of stories, /e m!y be%ome mere r!%onteurs or %onsumers. 4f /e sett&e for the mor!& or so%i!& te!%hin" of the story, /e simp&y dup&i%!te the !%ti.ities of peop&e /orkin" in th!t dom!in. 4f /e %omp!re stories to try to see /here the hi"her &e.e& is, /e /i&& not find it, be%!use /e do not kno/ un&ess "uided /hi%h !re the ones to %omp!re /ith e!%h other, under /h!t %onditions, /h!t to &ook for, /hether /e %!n per%ei.e the se%ret %ontent, in /h!t order to !ppro!%h the m!tter. )o the story rem!ins ! too& !s mu%h !s !nythin" e&se. On&y the e2pert %!n use the too&, or produ%e !nythin" /orth/hi&e /ith it. B!.in" he!rd !nd !%%epted the !bo.e !ssertions, peop&e !&/!ys fee& imp!tien%e. 0hey /!nt to "et on /ith the ?ob. 1ut, not kno/in" th!t 'e.erythin" t!kes ! minimum time,( or !t !ny r!te not !pp&yin" this f!%t, they destroy the possibi&ity of pro"ress in ! re!& sense. B!.in" est!b&ished in ! %ert!in order the !bo.e f!%ts, /e h!.e to fo&&o/ throu"h /ith ! %urri%u&um of study /hi%h /i&& en!b&e us to profit by the e2isten%e of this /onderfu& r!n"e of m!teri!&. 4f you st!rt to study /h!t you t!ke to be te!%hin"-stories indis%rimin!te&y, you !re more th!n &ike&y to "et on&y ! sm!&& resu&t, e.en /ith the f!%ts !&re!dy set out. Why is thisC

The Teaching Story: Idries Shah

Not on&y be%!use you do not kno/ the %onditions under /hi%h the study must t!ke p&!%e, but be%!use the %onditions themse&.es %ont!in re6uirements of se&f-%o&&e%tion /hi%h seem to h!.e no re&!tionship to the ne%essities for f!mi&i!risin" onese&f /ith ! &iter!ry form. We must, therefore, /ork on the mind to en!b&e it to m!ke use of the story, !s /e&& !s presentin" it /ith the story. 0his '/ork( on the mind is %orre%t&y possib&e on&y in the &i.in" situ!tion, /hen %ert!in peop&e !re "rouped to"ether in ! %ert!in m!nner, !nd de.e&op ! %ert!in form of r!pport. 0his, !nd no other, is the purpose of h!.in" meetin"s !t /hi%h peop&e !re physi%!&&y present. 4f re!d hurried&y, or /ith one or other of the %ustom!ry bi!ses /hi%h !re %ommon !mon" inte&&e%tu!&s but not other kinds of thinkers, the fore"oin" t/o p!r!"r!phs /i&& be supposed to %ont!in e2%&usi.isti% %&!ims /hi%h !re not in f!%t there. 0his is itse&f one of the interestin" - !nd en%our!"in" symptoms of the present ph!se of hum!n inte&&e%tu!& fo&k&ore. 4f ! tenden%y %!n re!di&y be seen m!nifestin" itse&f, /hether in physi%s, s%ho&!sti%ism or met!physi%s, one m!y be !ppro!%hin" its so&ution. Wh!t is this tenden%yC 0he tenden%y is to dem!nd ! ?ustifi%!tion of /h!t !re t!ken to be %ert!in %&!ims in the lan!ua!e in 'hich the demand is made . +y stressin", for inst!n%e, th!t meetin"s !t /hi%h peop&e !re present /ho h!.e been "rouped in ! %ert!in m!nner, m!y e!si&y (!nd in%orre%t&y be supposed to st!te th!t the kind of &e!rnin" to /hi%h 4 !m referrin" %!n t!ke p&!%e in no other m!nner. 0he intention of the p!r!"r!ph, ho/e.er, /!s simp&y to refer to one %on%rete m!nner in /hi%h /h!t 4 h!.e %!&&ed '! &i.in" situ!tion( %!n %ome !bout. $ meetin" of ! number of peop&e in ! room is the on&y form of su%h !

The Teaching Story: Idries Shah

situ!tion f!mi&i!r to !ny e2tent to !n !.er!"e re!der of su%h m!teri!&s !s this. 4 h!.e used the /ord 'fo&k&ore( to refer to ! st!te of mind of modern m!n %&ose&y simi&!r to th!t of &ess de.e&oped %ommunities. 1ut there is ! "re!t differen%e bet/een the t/o fo&k&ores. 4n /h!t /e re"!rd !s in"enuous fo&k&ore, the indi.idu!& m!y be&ie.e th!t %ert!in ob?e%ts h!.e m!"i%!& or spe%i!& %h!r!%teristi%s, !nd he is more or &ess !/!re of /h!t these !re %&!imed to be. 4n modern m!n>s fo&k&ore, he be&ie.es th!t %ert!in %ontentions must be !bsurd, !nd ho&ds on to other !ssumptions, /ithout bein" !/!re th!t he is doin" so. Be is moti.!ted, in f!%t, by !&most %omp&ete&y hidden pre?udi%es. 0o i&&ustr!te the /orkin" of su%h pre%on%eptions, it is often ne%ess!ry to pro.ide ! 'sho%k( stimu&us. )u%h ! stimu&us o%%urs both in the present series of %ontentions !bout the te!%hin"-story (be%!use, !nd on&y be%!use, %ert!in inform!tion !bout it is &ost to the %ommunity bein" !ddressed !nd e2ists e6u!&&y stron"&y /ithin the fr!me/orks of su%h stories themse&.es, /hen one %!n .ie/ them in ! stru%tur!& m!nner. 0his tr!in of thou"ht itse&f produ%es !n i&&ustr!tion of the re&!ti.e fr!"ment!tion of %ontempor!ry minds. Bere it is# $&thou"h it is ! m!tter of the e.eryd!y e2perien%e of !&most e.eryone on this p&!net, irrespe%ti.e of his st!"e of %u&ture or his %ommunity, th!t !nyone thin" m!y h!.e ! mu&tip&i%ity of uses, fun%tions !nd me!nin"s, m!n does not !pp&y this e2perien%e to %!ses /hi%h - for some o%%u&t re!son - he re"!rds !s insus%eptib&e to su%h !ttention. 4n other /ords, ! person m!y !dmit th!t !n

The Teaching Story: Idries Shah

or!n"e h!s %o&our, !rom!, food .!&ue, sh!pe, te2ture !nd so on9 !nd he /i&& re!di&y %on%ede th!t !n or!n"e m!y be m!ny different thin"s !%%ordin" to /h!t fun%tion is desired, obser.ed or bein" fu&fi&&ed. 1ut if you .enture to su""est th!t, s!y, ! story h!s !n e6u!& r!n"e of possib&e fun%tions, his fo&k&ori% e.!&u!tin" me%h!nism /i&& m!ke him s!y# 'No, ! story is for entert!inment,( or e&se somethin" !&most !s 1y3!ntine# '7es, of %ourse. No/, !re you t!&kin" !bout the psy%ho&o"i%!&, so%i!&, !nthropo&o"i%!& or phi&osophi%!& usesC( Nobody h!s to&d him th!t there !re, or mi"ht be, %!te"ories of effe%ti.e fun%tion of ! story in r!n"es /hi%h he h!s not yet e2perien%ed, perh!ps not yet he!rd of, perh!ps e.en %!nnot per%ei.e or e.en %oherent&y dis%uss, unti& ! %ert!in b!si% inform!tion pro%ess h!s t!ken p&!%e in his mind. $nd to this kind of st!tement the !ns/er is p!t !nd h!rd to %omb!t. 4t is# '7ou !re tryin" to be %&e.er.( 0his, you m!y re%!&& is on&y the 'y!!-boo( re!%tion of the s%hoo&%hi&d /ho h!s %ome up !"!inst somethin" /hi%h it %!nnot, !t &e!st !t th!t moment, r!tion!&ise !/!y or fu&&y underst!nd.