The bird

[gardondolls]

When you teach a child that a bird is named ‘bird,’ the child will never see the bird again. –Krishnamurti



I would like to know a few other opinions about labels. Or labeling. I feel its apart judgment, and apart of profiling. And takes a small part away from the definition. Once something has a name, or word to define it. I here the word more then I feel the object.

Almost like my understanding and perception is increased but my relationship to the object is limited.

Any other feelings?

Thank you
-Rachel

[holychops]

I think we label things in order that we can make sense of our world... in part to find our way, but also to fit into a society that defines people, places and things as being a common consensus.. it is easy to flow with the river then it is to go alone upstream against the tide...

To challenge labels and try to see past what we thought defined our understanding is a real awakening... but it's good to try and see past the labels as we can so easily box things up and put a lid and label on and forget all about it... it's only really when we are faced with a big decision or something happens that makes us think differently, that we see that it isn't necessarily what we thought..

HC

[retsam]

Hi Rachel,

I didn't understand the saying at the beginning, so I did a little search. Hope it helps.

The great Krishnamurti put it so well when he said, "The day you teach the child the name of the bird, the child will never see that bird again." How true! The first time the child sees that fluffy, alive, moving object, and you say to him, "Sparrow," then tomorrowwhen the child sees another fluffy, moving object similar to it he says, "Oh, sparrows. I've seen sparrows. I'm bored by sparrows."

If you don't look at things through your concepts, you'll never be bored. Every single thing is unique. Every sparrow is unlike every other sparrow despite the similarities. It's a great help to have similarities, so we can abstract, so that we can have a concept. It's a great help, from the point of view of communication, education, science. But it's also very misleading and a great hindrance to seeing this concrete individual.

By that I see how we kill children's curiosity and limit their ability to go deeper for the truth. And it makes sense of why we are told not to judge.

Love and Light,
Sam

[Leon]

The same could be said with peoples names, how many people do you know called Paul, Dave, Peter or Lisa.. We all probably know more than one if not several. We start to pigeon hole people, before we have even met them. Our mind thinks that the next Paul we meet must be a bit similar to the two other Paul's we know. Because the two Lizzie's we know are overweight and loud.. The next Liz we meet will be similar.

We judge people before we meet them, how unfair is this? But we all do it in some small way. As you know my name is Leon and I have lost count of the amount of people who have thought I am a black man before they have met me. Some have been highly surprised to see that I am olive skinned. Everyone does it and not always for good reasons.

So as Jiddu Krishnamurti says, stand back, see people and things for what they are before you put a label on them. See me for who I am, do not judge me by my name or first appearances.. Get to know me for who I am and what I stand for.

[Jonas]

Yes, this is all so true! You totally lose connection with Nature when everything in your world is labeled and conceptualized. You get bored.
I have learned this best by Eckhart Tolle's words. He puts it down beautifully.
I have had wonderful walks out in nature, by the river feeding the ducks, with "no-mind" ..as little thoughts about your surroundings as possible. Just watching, observing, enjoying. When you do this you feel so much more energy from it and it is truly amazing.

[sparklekaz]

Dear Rachel, Sam, Leon and Jonas,

I have really enjoyed reading Rachel's post again. All your comments and observations, have really made me think about how labeling something, or someone, can create a mental block in our minds.

I thought about how knowing the name of a bird means, that each time we see that bird, we look, we register in our mind what it is and then glance away. The bird already dismissed and we are moving on the the next visual stimulation. When in truth, each bird, is unique in its own special way. No longer do we admire its mi nature perfection. The fold of its wings or the wonder of it in flight. Indeed the very miracle of flight in itself.

Leon made a very good point about how we judge people just on their name, if the name is one which evokes past negative experiences. How shallow and superficial are we, if we condemn a person before we have even taken the time to get to know them.

I am ashamed to say in the past, I have experienced this, though I like to think that I am now a more spiritually aware and open minded person who is not affected, by such an illogical way of thinking or behaving.

Thank you all for sharing.

Love and light
Kaz

[Jonas]

heheh yes, it's always tough to notice silly behavior and thoughts like this in oneself.. I still judge people very fast and often negative with no particular reason for it. Automatically. But it's the layer behind, deeper inside I know, I know we are all equal in every way..

[jennylynn]

Hi All: let me play the opposite side of the coin. It is true that we label things in order to understand their place in God's creation....but I don't believe that it is always a bad thing. Perhaps when we label people, as a lot of labels tend to be negative, and I am not for that. But the different things in this world deserve a name, if you can understand my thoughts.

It is different to watch a duck or goose land on the water and marvel at their perfection...and to watch a swallow swoop, or the way that a finch flits through the air....there is beauty in it all. I love to be in my garden and discover the difference in the different types of plants and to know the benefits of each. Am I making any sense?

jennylynn