Who's teaching whom?

I thought that today I'd start with a quote. This one is from Eckhart Tolle's book The Power of Now. It's an amazing book and if you haven't read it yet, I highly recommend it! I was reading it this morning (while proctoring a literature test at the local middle school) and this quote jumped right out at me. Tolle says only that it's "an Eastern saying." He credits no particular philosopher or author.

"The teacher and the taught together create the teaching."

I read it. And then I read it again. And then I thought, "Wow! Is that perfect for us clicker trainers or what?" If we think about it, just who is teaching whom when we click with our animals?? It's sort of like asking which came first, the chicken or the egg?? Certainly there are times when I go out to the pasture with a clear plan in mind and things go according to that plan. More often than not, tho, my plans change and evolve as the session progresses and Split and I communicate with each other. And as I think this thru more carefully, I would be hard-pressed to give you a list of things I've "taught" Split; I think he'd have the longer list - things HE'S taught ME! But either way, it's a joint venture. We both have to be actively engaged in the process; we both have to give and take; we both have to compromise. In order for either of us to learn, we both have to be part of the process.
"The teacher and the taught......." We are both of them at the same time. What an amazing concept - and a humbling one, at that!
Happy clicking, everyone!