Kanan Jarrus, The Last Padawan (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
uncertain_dume) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
fandomhigh2019-05-13 06:47 am
uncertain_dume) wrote in fandomhigh2019-05-13 06:47 am
Entry tags:
Tao of a Silly Old Bear, Monday, Period Two
Once again, class was outside, in the park. Which apparently meant they were sitting amongst some ferns that were about the same size as Kanan today, while little leather-winged reptiles peered down at them from the treetops. Kanan didn't seem terribly concerned about the pterodactyls, nah. They were more reminiscent of animals from his neck of reality than most creatures he was used to on the island.
"So, we live in a jungle now, I guess," Kanan said, like it wasn't really a big deal. Given he didn't have any particularly terrible feelings about this, it probably wasn't. And the novelty of waking up to a tiny rainbow-spotted deinonychus hopping around on his legs demanding walkies mostly just made him go, 'sure, Fandom.' "Which isn't going to stop us from talking Tao, no. This week, we'll be discussing P'u, or the Uncarved Block."
It was about that moment that the tiny rainbow-spotted deinonychus trotted over to Kanan from where he'd been digging around in some ferns, made a sound that attempted to be reminiscent of a bark, waggled his butt around a little, and then took a seat on one of Kanan's feet. Kanan shrugged, crouched down, and gave him a scratch under the chin while he continued speaking.
"The principle of the Uncarved Block is described, in the book," that book about that bear, "as, 'things in their original simplicity contain their own natural power, power that is easily spoiled and lost when that simplicity is changed.' It applies to things and people both. One of the examples the book cites is that the bear and the little pig were considering going around to visit their friends. The little pig kept growing more distressed, because he couldn't come up with a good enough reason to visit each and every one of them. The bear decided that all the reason they needed was to wish them all a happy Thursday, and that was good enough."
He stood again, and Stance looked around at the students, tongue lolling out of the side of his big dumb rainbow-spotted lizard face, and then decided to give a trot around to say hello, just for the sake of saying hello. Yes, he was absolutely still trying to wag his tail.
"Basically," Kanan continued, "the lesson of the Uncarved Block is that when you discard arrogance and complexity, life gets a little bit more enjoyable. It's not quite the same as 'ignorance is bliss,' it's more that there's a sort of beauty in the quiet, the natural, and the plain. I don't think I'd personally advocate for never thinking, but it can't hurt to keep in mind that sometimes, there really isn't any harm in acting spontaneously, just because. So that's what we're going to do today. Enjoy the park, throw a stick for the dog - trust me, he's a dog, he actually looks more like the dogs back home this way than he usually does - watch birds for a bit. Play hide-and-seek, sit and chat, go introduce yourselves to the lizards that replaced the playground equipment overnight, do whatever spontaneous thing comes to mind. The park is safe, just a little weird today. I don't think the island is exactly embracing the concept of P'u at the moment, but we can work with this."
Because it's Monday.
"So, we live in a jungle now, I guess," Kanan said, like it wasn't really a big deal. Given he didn't have any particularly terrible feelings about this, it probably wasn't. And the novelty of waking up to a tiny rainbow-spotted deinonychus hopping around on his legs demanding walkies mostly just made him go, 'sure, Fandom.' "Which isn't going to stop us from talking Tao, no. This week, we'll be discussing P'u, or the Uncarved Block."
It was about that moment that the tiny rainbow-spotted deinonychus trotted over to Kanan from where he'd been digging around in some ferns, made a sound that attempted to be reminiscent of a bark, waggled his butt around a little, and then took a seat on one of Kanan's feet. Kanan shrugged, crouched down, and gave him a scratch under the chin while he continued speaking.
"The principle of the Uncarved Block is described, in the book," that book about that bear, "as, 'things in their original simplicity contain their own natural power, power that is easily spoiled and lost when that simplicity is changed.' It applies to things and people both. One of the examples the book cites is that the bear and the little pig were considering going around to visit their friends. The little pig kept growing more distressed, because he couldn't come up with a good enough reason to visit each and every one of them. The bear decided that all the reason they needed was to wish them all a happy Thursday, and that was good enough."
He stood again, and Stance looked around at the students, tongue lolling out of the side of his big dumb rainbow-spotted lizard face, and then decided to give a trot around to say hello, just for the sake of saying hello. Yes, he was absolutely still trying to wag his tail.
"Basically," Kanan continued, "the lesson of the Uncarved Block is that when you discard arrogance and complexity, life gets a little bit more enjoyable. It's not quite the same as 'ignorance is bliss,' it's more that there's a sort of beauty in the quiet, the natural, and the plain. I don't think I'd personally advocate for never thinking, but it can't hurt to keep in mind that sometimes, there really isn't any harm in acting spontaneously, just because. So that's what we're going to do today. Enjoy the park, throw a stick for the dog - trust me, he's a dog, he actually looks more like the dogs back home this way than he usually does - watch birds for a bit. Play hide-and-seek, sit and chat, go introduce yourselves to the lizards that replaced the playground equipment overnight, do whatever spontaneous thing comes to mind. The park is safe, just a little weird today. I don't think the island is exactly embracing the concept of P'u at the moment, but we can work with this."
Because it's Monday.
Sign In!
Lecture!
Feel free to hug the dog. The dog loves hugs. And scratches. And playing fetch, but Kanan might frown a little if you start throwing sticks before he finishes the lecture.
Do Whatever?
Embrace your inner P'u. Follow your heart. Throw that stick for the dog. Just have fun hanging out in weird random jungle land today.
Talk to Kanan!
He's also here to make sure nobody makes off with his dog.
Talk to the TA!
OOC!
Re: Sign In!
Re: Lecture!
She listened to the lecture and it made sense to her, but then, it would. Del didn't need a reason to do anything. She hardly ever bothered finding a reason for things she did, and everything worked out ok in the end.
Del watched the pterodactyls. The pterodactyls watched Del. She slowly began to accept that she really probably hadn't made them. They were pretty boring, color-wise.
At the end of the lecture, she smiled at Kanan and her classmates and chirped, "Happy Thursday!"
Re: Sign In!
Re: Do Whatever?
Or at the very least lying down on the grass with her eyes closed. She didn't really think Kanan would give her crap for it -- or for actually napping -- but if he did, she'd just tell him she was meditating.
Re: Sign In!
Re: Do Whatever?
She could!
It might look like she's dozing or dreaming, but really Nell was spreading herself all throughout the land and feeling everything there.
Re: Do Whatever?
Barnabas gave her an affronted look and plopped down in the grass with his head on his paws.
Del shrugged and picked up a second stick to throw for the spotty lizard dog thing. She hadn't quite grasped that she should let the dog bring the sticks back.
Re: Sign In!
Re: Lecture!
She was happy to pet Stance, though. He was a good lizard dog.
Re: Talk to the TA!
She was here, and still probably the worst TA for this particular class.
Re: Do Whatever?
Re: Sign In!
Re: Lecture!
Stance was still a good dog, though! She would totally give him as many scritches as he wanted.
Re: Do Whatever?
Hey, learning was her inclination!
Re: Do Whatever?
"Since the Force is a part of your nature, I would say so," Kanan offered. "I often turn to the Force for guidance myself... it doesn't tend to lean for convoluted solutions, it lays out the path best traveled, the flow that makes the most sense, and lets us choose whether to follow or not."
Re: Sign In!
Re: Do Whatever?
Re: Do Whatever?
"Is it within your nature to follow the guidance of the Force? The Force already has P'u figured out. It is the purest form of itself, and there's no reason a person can't be true to themself by putting their trust in something bigger than they are."
Re: Do Whatever?
Re: Do Whatever?
Re: Do Whatever?