Learning by Teaching

After receiving a doctoral degree in engineering with flying colors from a leading university in the world entirely because of the grace of the Almighty and not any of my abilities, I took up an academic career that involved teaching, research and administration of education successively in three of the finest universities of the world. While towards the latter part of my professional career the administrative role increased, in the earliest part teaching was a major component. I taught the subjects in which I had majored in graduate school, stuff called heat transfer, thermodynamics, fluid turbulence etc. A significant realization at the time was that most of my learning took place when I began to teach.

Truly a teacher learns most when he teaches because at this time he is compelled to contemplate on his subject matter more deeply and repetitively as well as deal with questions and queries from students. Some such thing happened when I launched a blog on life and spirituality around seven years ago. It is not at all to do with my professional involvements that helped make a living but to do with matters of general and wider interest – Life and Spirituality – from a global point of view, not one that is confined to any one part of the world or tradition.

Being a quintessential professor most of my blog posts have an element of teaching and in doing so many readers, especially from the English speaking parts of the world have visited and hopefully learned something useful. Perhaps the most learning has been for my own self and also my greatest reward. Any visitor to this blog may browse or search through it on any topic to do with the fundamental workings and purpose of life and if they post a question in a comment, I shall know through email notifications and respond to it. On the other hand if a reader finds that stories that teach are more interesting, this essential knowledge is also included in the book – The Babaji Affair. The book may be located easily anywhere in the world through a Google search.

In the end though, may I point out that while life seems insecure because of so many unforeseen dangers, there is a very simple way to overcome these insecurities and attain peace as well as happiness when one understands life deeply. For every human, there are fears of sickness, old age and death. Then there are dangers from the elements, the microbiological world of viruses and bacteria, insects and animals but most of all from the doings of other humans and human organizations, even governments that could potentially turn a happy life into misery in minutes. Despite these entire dangers one learns to be secure and happy when one trusts in the Universal Intelligence that gave birth to all life. Death is no longer a fearful prospect but a bright renewal in new clothes. One realizes that all be well for all in the end and what seemed like ups and downs or travails in life were fascinating adventures full of learning that helped us evolve, so that we are once again free to enjoy this wonderful creation that the Lord made for our joy just as every loving parent fills a child’s room with wonderful toys, that children who trust their parents enjoy but those who are afraid of the shadowy ghost under the bed or the snake in the bush cannot.