Dave Bonta’s question poem, Questions about birds, reminded me of a conversation I once had with a young man, let’s call him Narayan, who was a student of J. Krishnamurti. Narayan suggested we try a discussion technique he had learned from Krishnamurti that involved only asking questions. Here are his guidelines:
- The first person to speak asks a question, which is followed with contemplative silence. Really think about the question, let it sink in.
- Respond with a question of your own that comes to your mind after mindfully considering the question.
- The next person follows the same pattern, considering the second question, and so on.
I’d like to try an experiment on this blog that follows Narayan’s line of inquiry. All you need to do is read my question here, or, if someone has responded with a question, reply to that one with a question of your own in the comments section. After a few days I’ll post all the questions in one post. Feel free to grab one and start a new line of inquiry on your own blog.
I’d like to add one more caveat: try not to ask a loaded question, or a rhetorical one. Keep your mind open and curious.
Question: What’s the missing puzzle piece?
Balanced On the Edge 