A Note on Transformational Learning and Research

We present here some references that can get you going on your way to transformational learning and research. There is much more available than what we can suggest on this website.

What is transformational learning? Broadly speaking, transformational learning is of two types:

1.      Transformational Practices, and

2.     Transformational Concepts

Transformational practices are those activities or actions mere doing of which on a regular basis with due diligence transforms us from within. Knowing and understanding how they work may be helpful in convincing us of their efficacy, but not essential for their transformational magic. It is somewhat like taking Tylenol for pain management. Any amount of knowledge of how Tylenol works is not going to help us in pain management, but eating Tylenol as prescribed will certainly help.

Transformation concepts comprise a body of knowledge, deep understanding of which is likely to positively change forever the way we live and behave in the world. Such a positive change is transformation.

Body based transformational practices can be done by all, young and old, whereas a degree of intellectual maturity is a prerequisite for transformational knowledge to be understood and applied in living our life.

Thus, practices are considered to be more effective for the generality of human beings. Transformational practices in fact accelerate intellectual growth and maturity. A combination of the two works synergistically mutually leveraging their individual effects.

Transformation implies two states of being: (1) a state from which we transform, and (2) a state to which we get after we transform. What is our initial state from which we transform? How do we get it?

We biologically inherit our initial state directly from our parents through our genes. We get half of our genes from the mother and half from the father at the time of conception. Our parents got their genes from their parents. Thus, indirectly we inherit our initial state from them also. The chain of indirect inheritance of our initial state goes some 3.5 billion years back to the first ever primitive single cell life form on the planet.

We owe our existence to our genes. Genes contain the blueprint of our body and mind. Blue print comprises information or software programming stored in genetic code or memory.

Mind runs the behaviour of the body from within. Genes are within the core of every cell. Our mind then is within our genes stored as genetic code. Our initial mind ran the behaviour of our initial body which was only one cell. As an adult, we on the average have 37.2 trillion cells. We got our present body with cellular reproduction. We got our present mind that way too. Our present body is the sum total of the bodies of 37.2 trillion cells and our present mind is the sum total of the minds of 37.2 trillion cells.

Our genetic code or our initial state of existence works without any awareness whatsoever on our part. Our genetic code runs our autonomic physiological functions. It also runs the autonomic movements of the mind. We are totally unaware of how the genetic code is going to move the body or the mind but can become somewhat aware of them after the fact. The work of the genetic code without any prior or subsequent awareness is said to be the work of our unconscious mind and its work without any prior awareness but with somewhat subsequent awareness is said to be the work of our subconscious mind.

Humans are said to have the most evolved genetic code. In addition to unconscious and subconscious functioning, it is capable of full consciousness also. In that case, we decide with full awareness, whether or how we are going to move our body and mind and we are fully aware of the experience that ensues.

Transformation lies in being fully aware and conscious when we decide to move our body or mind and being fully unaware or unconscious when we decide to let our body or mind rest. The key to such a transformation is conscious control on the autonomic movements of the mind (mental fluctuations or brain waves). Conscious control on the autonomic movements of the mind result in conscious control on the autonomic movements of the body. It also works the other way around, conscious control on the autonomic movements of the body results in conscious control on the autonomic movements of the mind.

For the generality of us, it is harder to gain conscious control on the autonomic movements of the mind than to gain conscious control on the autonomic movements of the body. The most feasible transformational practices thus prefer conscious regulation of physiology to regulate our psychology over conscious regulation of mind to regulate our body.

Human life unregulated with transformative practices is prone to physical and mental disease on one hand and to mistaking a rope for a snake on the other. In comparison, human life regulated with transformative practices is predisposed to health, wellness and seeing things as they are.