Snape the Zen Master/ was Re: Harry's Role in OotP (long)

[festuco]

No: HPFGUIDX 130242

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Tonks" <tonks_op at y...> wrote:
> --- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "Renee Daniels" 

> I think that a Zen Master sometimes hits his students too. So all in 
> all what I am saying here is that Harry's training in Occlumency 
> probably was attempted in the correct manner. I think Snape is a 
> perfectionist and takes pride in doing whatever he does well. He is 
> probably a good Occlumency teacher, a good Zen Master, but Harry and 
> we the readers just don't *get* it. 


Gerry

Funny, I was thinking exactly the opposite. Snape is very good in
Occlumency and quite probably a natural at it. Being good at a subject
does not make you a good teacher, quite often the opposite. Because
everything comes natural, you 

1)don't see where a pupil will have difficulties. Also, you often do
what you do almost instinctively, which means 

2)you have never thought consciously about *how* you do it, so you
have no clear way of explaining it. 

Now compare how Snape teaches Occlumency with how he teaches Potions.
In both cases he gives instructions: what do students have to do. Does
 he explain technique: no. With potions this is not necessary. Because
the techniques in making potions are familiar. They are cutting,
stirring etc. Nothing anybody does not understand, though doing it
correctly is something else. 

With clearing your mind, suddenly it seems to be different. How do you
clear your mind? My guess is that for Snape this is something he
immediately understands, and does. He does not explain any further
because he never needed it himself. And he cannot imagine anybody else
needing it, as he also cannot imagine a first year not understanding
what 'cut this root in 1 inch pieces' means. 

Emptying himself of all emotions, for example for Snape means
repressing them, I think. And as with a lot of people who are bullied,
he has trained himself not to let the bullies see what he does not
want them to see, but this is a subconscious way of training. I guess
he uses the same technique for his emotions in Occlumency. And has no
idea that he actually has been training all his years in Hogwarts, and
probably even before. 

Gerry