I realized recently that the way I say things might give the wrong impression. Ive shared the fact that Ive made it my mission to learn to learn on my own and to blaze my own trail. That might sound like Ive thrown everyone thats ever taught me anything under the bus, but that perception couldnt be further from the truth. Its precisely because of those whove taught me that my learning has accelerated immensely over the past year. I think that unlearning what I have learned isnt about discarding what Ive been taught, but rather making room for more learning to come down the pike. Unlearning for me is breaking away from any type of standardized format because as we all know here, its a to each his/her own world and not everyone benefits the same from everything. Anyway, yeah...Im going to begin to create my own learning. Ive naturally been the kind that likes to imprint himself with what hes learning about the way a foal is imprinted with its human owners scent upon birth. When I come across a material for firecraft that I like for example whether or not I recognize it, I rub it in my hands, I crush it, I smell it, I hold it to my cheek. I look at how it changes when processed, I see how it burns, I look for how it reacts with other materials. Theres brush in my woods that I have no idea what they are, but I know that they burn like the dickens and I know where they are and I know which to harvest and which to leave behind until its ready to use as a fire extender. I dont have the names and luckily, the only reason that I know its not poisonous to me is because Ive handled it extensively enough. Thats not the intelligent way, thats the survival way (by the seat of your pants). I know I should be more careful than that and I will be. What sparked this was that as I was walking down a road a couple of days ago, I came across a 6 X 3/4 stick on the ground. I immediately recognized its characteristics as Tulip Poplar, but confirmed it by doing what I normally do with it; I processed down the bark, turned it into tinder bundle material and smelled it and sure enough, thats what it was. That was a very confidence inspiring feeling in me that I could pick that out of the ground knowing full well that with the right tool(s), I could start a fire with it. But that didnt come from YouTube videos or books; That came from those who taught me. And Im running with that learning and Im going to add on to it and evolve it and grow it. Ive said this before so pardon me for repeating myself, but we have to be our own instructors and if & when we have access to those who know more than us whether they be bonafide instructors or our own kin who carry with them traditional lessons handed down for generations, we should soak that knowledge up like a sponge. But never ever not create your own knowledge that you can pass down because if we just repeat what we learn without expounding on it, were just messengers. We also be creators.
Posted on: Sat, 25 Oct 2014 11:27:07 +0000