There's a formidable barrier between us human beings, and
transformation
ie between us human beings, and
being transformed.
It's a very subtle barrier. Yet it's a very real barrier.
You could also say it's a very
inconvenient
barrier, a very pernicious barrier. And if it's not
distinguished, it occurs as if it's an almost impenetrable barrier.
This barrier I'm talking about is a
language
barrier, a
language
barrier to
being transformed
that manifests / shows up like this: you don't get
transformation
by speaking about it, you get
transformation
by speaking it (no "about") ie by
languaging
it - in a word, you get it by being it. And when you do,
it's incidental what you say along with it. You could be reciting
the telephone book or the
dictionary,
and people would get it.
Werner
was
leading
the training
for a group of four hundred or so people. I was with him generating
its extraordinary
linguistic
experience which was both
rigorous
and arduous. The processes weren't easy. They were (to a degree)
intrusive and very, very down. Oh, and
all conversations
were in English. So it was with great
interest
that I kept my eye on one of the
participants,
a
black-robed
Japanese
ZenBuddhist
monk who (pretty soon it became obvious / clear to me) didn't speak
English, so he couldn't possibly fully understand
the training
or the processes, let alone the totality of what everyone in it was
sharing.
Even more poignantly, I realized that without the ability to speak
English, he couldn't possibly get up to
share his own experience
or ask questions.
Nonetheless he had
committed
himself to being in this intensive program. So there he was,
fully present
- in it, and to it. And in the midst of it, from time to time
I wondered
how he (or anyone else who doesn't speak English) could get anything
from it. Look: the
language
barrier seemed like it was airtight and impassable. Also, there was no
Japanese translator available (indeed, translators of multiple
languages
would serve
Werner's work
later) all of which it seemed would have put a kibosh on
his ability to understand what was being said, and to
share his experience,
or to ask questions. His fate was sealed.
When
the training
reached its inevitable conclusion, he
walked over to Werner
who was surrounded by newly elated
graduates.
When the opportunity presented itself and
Werner
recognized him, he put his palms together, bowed to
Werner,
and said in a thick, guttural Japanese accent "I ... gaht
... it!".
And there was no doubt in my mind that he did get it. None. And so my
question is: without the ability to speak and understand English,
what did he get? and: where did he get it
from? Now to be sure, I want you to know that I didn't get
the chance to introduce myself and ask him what he got and where he got
it from, especially given
our language
barrier (he didn't speak English, I don't speak Japanese). So what I'll
venture to say here, isn't what he told me. What I'll venture to say is
pure conjecture on my part ie just a hazarded guess. Yet with that
proviso in place, it's a good guess. I'll bet
good money
on it.
