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AlR
Joined: 21 Dec 2009
Posts: 426
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 Posted: Fri Feb 05, 2010 3:31 pm Post subject: Memorizing the versus of the TTC |
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I decided to try memorizing the verses of the TTC. I'm up to verse eight and feeling that I'll be there for a little while or as I move on, it will become harder and harder to keep the earlier versus in my head.
But I figure any attempt to do so will help me better understand the TTC. And no, I'm not going to get into a verbal verse quoting contest with anyone.
Who else is investing energy in memorizing verses? How is it going for you so far? |
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Persephone
Joined: 17 Oct 2006
Posts: 1330
Location: Colorado, USA
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| Posted: Fri Feb 05, 2010 5:58 pm Post subject: |
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I've never thought of memorizing the verses of the TTC. How would one choose which translation to memorize? Would that make the meaning clearer?
I read a chapter each day for years, pondering what that chapter meant to me that day. My experience was very powerful. Making meaning is more important to me than memorization.
Different strokes,
Jan
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AlR
Joined: 21 Dec 2009
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| Posted: Fri Feb 05, 2010 7:19 pm Post subject: |
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| Persephone wrote: | I've never thought of memorizing the verses of the TTC. How would one choose which translation to memorize? Would that make the meaning clearer?
I read a chapter each day for years, pondering what that chapter meant to me that day. My experience was very powerful. Making meaning is more important to me than memorization.
Different strokes,
Jan |
I'm just starting from the first and working my way to the last (I'm using Derek's translation). I'm just doing this because everytime I read a verse the meaning seems to drift away as soon as I look away from the page. At least by this heavy handed way in approaching the TTC, I'm forced to try understand each line so it would be easier to remember. |
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Sarasota_Ken
Joined: 30 Nov 2008
Posts: 397
Location: Florida
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| Posted: Fri Feb 05, 2010 10:52 pm Post subject: |
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I've walked through the TTC once reading a chapter every morning. I enjoy reading books this way that I'm seeking to understand.
If I were you, I'd carry on and see what happens.
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Apostrophes
Joined: 27 Dec 2007
Posts: 4475
Location: England
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| Posted: Sat Feb 06, 2010 1:38 am Post subject: |
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I have never tried to actively memorise verses, but after using the I Ching for some years I am beginning to get quite familiar with it. If I get a particular hexagram, or someone else does, I can sometimes not have to refer back to the book.
I have this feeling that the hexagrams of the I Ching get inside you and change you from the inside out. That's a type of memorising, but not what you meant.
Richard
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becca
Joined: 12 Oct 2006
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Location: England
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| Posted: Sat Feb 06, 2010 3:00 am Post subject: |
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hi,
can't say i've tried memorising the ttc or any other text of this sort for that matter ...
with the ttc and yi jing though one can become familiar with them as to have a fair idea of each chapter/verse gist to go to it if one is looking for a particular principle or to explore a particular principle in depth ...
beccaxx
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AlR
Joined: 21 Dec 2009
Posts: 426
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| Posted: Sat Feb 06, 2010 3:08 pm Post subject: |
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| Sarasota_Ken wrote: | I've walked through the TTC once reading a chapter every morning. I enjoy reading books this way that I'm seeking to understand.
If I were you, I'd carry on and see what happens. |
I tried to read a chapter or two a day, but my inclination is to be abit greedy with knowledge and I'd try to read several at one time. Of course this only led to the different chapters I read to begin blending together and what I'd walk away with is "Tao is good and everlasting and you need to flow with it".
So the tedious task of memorizing is my way to force myself to slow down and focus on each word, and as I try to recall a sentence I'd often notice..."hmmm that was an intereting way of saying that, I wonder why".
I rather there were problems sets where I would be presented with a word problem and I'd have to figure out which is the right verse to solve it. But I guess not all learning can be approached like you are studying for a standardized test.  |
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AlR
Joined: 21 Dec 2009
Posts: 426
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| Posted: Sat Feb 06, 2010 3:12 pm Post subject: |
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| Apostrophes wrote: | I have never tried to actively memorise verses, but after using the I Ching for some years I am beginning to get quite familiar with it. If I get a particular hexagram, or someone else does, I can sometimes not have to refer back to the book.
I have this feeling that the hexagrams of the I Ching get inside you and change you from the inside out. That's a type of memorising, but not what you meant.
Richard |
Yeah, I'm waiting to recieve from Amazon that IChing translation you recommended. I'm probably going to have to attempt the memorization approach if only to make sure my mind doesn't flat line as I attempt to take in the new info. |
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Wafflebob
Joined: 12 Mar 2009
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Location: Western WI
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| Posted: Mon Feb 08, 2010 6:25 pm Post subject: |
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I've never really thought that the written word of the Tao Te Ching or the I Ching for that matter was what was important, but rather the meaning and the message that both are trying to convey. So I do not try to memorize the words of either, but I do try to carry their message with me.
Not to say that you shouldn't bother trying to memorize it, it's cetainly an admirable goal. |
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AlR
Joined: 21 Dec 2009
Posts: 426
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| Posted: Tue Feb 09, 2010 9:27 am Post subject: |
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| Wafflebob wrote: | I've never really thought that the written word of the Tao Te Ching or the I Ching for that matter was what was important, but rather the meaning and the message that both are trying to convey. So I do not try to memorize the words of either, but I do try to carry their message with me.
Not to say that you shouldn't bother trying to memorize it, it's cetainly an admirable goal. |
I agree with you, it is the meaning that counts. I'm just at a lost on how to best master the meaning (i.e. make it part of my way of going through my day).
In learning a new athletic skill, I would practice a move until I can do it without thinking. When about engineering concepts in school, I'd work through problem sets. So with the TTC, I was at a lost on how to best digest the information and make it part of what I do. So I thought that trying to memorize a verse is like practicing ... haven't quite figure out how to simulate a problem set. |
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The Evil Atheist
Joined: 17 Feb 2008
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Location: Western Australia
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| Posted: Tue Feb 09, 2010 5:03 pm Post subject: |
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| AlR wrote: | I agree with you, it is the meaning that counts. I'm just at a lost on how to best master the meaning (i.e. make it part of my way of going through my day).
In learning a new athletic skill, I would practice a move until I can do it without thinking. When about engineering concepts in school, I'd work through problem sets. So with the TTC, I was at a lost on how to best digest the information and make it part of what I do. So I thought that trying to memorize a verse is like practicing ... haven't quite figure out how to simulate a problem set. |
On of the things I did was print out the DDJ (granted it was the James Legge translation at that point) and just make notes. Make notes and cross reference them with other notes in other chapters. Every time I come across a small insight, I jot it down and try to find bits in other chapters to flesh out that idea. Sometimes, I know the part, but couldn't find the chapter, I will come across a random paragraph and a new idea hits.
That's just me though. I find I remember things better by cross linking different and unrelated ideas together.
I've heard mindmaps also helps, but I myself would prefer a mindgraph.
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AlR
Joined: 21 Dec 2009
Posts: 426
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| Posted: Tue Feb 09, 2010 5:13 pm Post subject: |
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| The Evil Atheist wrote: | ...
I've heard mindmaps also helps (but I myself would prefer a mindgraph). |
I actually mindmapped my notes on Derek's last online presentation of verse 35 and 36.
But you bring up a point on the chapters of the TTC. Do you or anyone else have an explanation on how the TTC verses are organized if they are at all? |
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The Evil Atheist
Joined: 17 Feb 2008
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Location: Western Australia
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| Posted: Tue Feb 09, 2010 5:18 pm Post subject: |
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| AlR wrote: | | The Evil Atheist wrote: | ...
I've heard mindmaps also helps (but I myself would prefer a mindgraph). |
I actually mindmapped my notes on Derek's last online presentation of verse 35 and 36.
But you bring up a point on the chapters of the TTC. Do you or anyone else have an explanation on how the TTC verses are organized if they are at all? |
Mindmap the whole DDJ, and cross reference. It helps with memorizing, the more you do it. There's quite a few mindmapping programs out there and I started writing my own last year, but work keeps getting in the way of that.
As I understand it, the DDJ is actually split into two parts: the Dao Jing and the De Jing. I think the Dao Jing ends at chapter 37 or 38 (google it). I think originally it was ordered as the De Dao Jing.
Other than that, the legend of the DDJ was that it was written at an all night jam session by Laozi.
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The Evil Atheist
Joined: 17 Feb 2008
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AlR
Joined: 21 Dec 2009
Posts: 426
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| Posted: Tue Feb 09, 2010 11:52 pm Post subject: |
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| The Evil Atheist wrote: | ...
Mindmap the whole DDJ, and cross reference. It helps with memorizing, the more you do it. There's quite a few mindmapping programs out there and I started writing my own last year, but work keeps getting in the way of that.
As I understand it, the DDJ is actually split into two parts: the Dao Jing and the De Jing. I think the Dao Jing ends at chapter 37 or 38 (google it). I think originally it was ordered as the De Dao Jing.
Other than that, the legend of the DDJ was that it was written at an all night jam session by Laozi. |
I'm experimenting with Xmind (which is what I used for Derek's presentation)
http://www.xmind.net/
and I've also downloaded freemind
http://freemind.sourceforge.net/wiki/index.php/Main_Page
I'm using the freeware versions of both though I think Xmind is the only one with a more sophisticated paid version. Since they are my first use of mind mapping software, I'm not sure which one I like the best. I was more of a colored pens and paper sort of guy with mind maps.
Interesting suggestion you have about Mind mapping the DDJ. It makes sense given that the different verses do feel intertwined in some way. Kinda makes sense if the whole book was written in one all night session. I wonder if Laozi intended at first to write only a few verses at first but kept adding verses as he thought of more things to write: ... 'oh darn but I should also mention about emptyness...' then ' ..better add something to show how a sage would use this idea...' '...well I better tie that back to duality...' ...  |
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