Ishmael-Spiritual Teachers

Beginning with the ad in the newspaper, detailing the desire for a pupil, the relationship between the narrator and Ishmael is that of student and teacher. Ishmael pledges to instruct the narrator on how to save the world. Initially, the idea of saving the world might seem to be very scientific, and based in fact and countable knowledge. However, the process of Ismael teaching this knowledge truly involves “an Adventure of the Mind and Spirit”. Ishmael effectively utilizes logos, ethos, and pathos to arrive at the concept of Taker and Leaver culture, and the human Taker story leading to ultimate desolation of the Earth. 

The teaching tools and means of communicating broad concepts that Ishmael utilizes make him a spiritual teacher as well as an academic one. The broad impact that teachers like Ishmael could have on a student’s life struck me as a unique occurrence in modern western society, especially the United States. In the 21^st century, religious experiences and scientific experiences rarely overlap. Children growing up in religious households go to regular school, and then separately attend Sunday school or other religious education. Religious teachers and educational teachers are completely different people. 

Ishmael does not preach a specific religious dogma or creed, but his insights about the world, its origins, and how the future could and should look are greatly based in belief. It would probably be more accurate to call him a “spiritual” teacher rather than a “religious” teacher, but in my opinion the difference between the two is very subtle. 

However, one modern teacher that reminds me of Ishmael is Eckhart Tolle. I’m can’t pretend to be any sort of expert on his teachings, but I’ve spend a decent amount of time in my mother’s car while she listened to his soothing voice on the audio book version of The Power of Now.  Tolle draws from religion, spirituality, and sciences such as psychology and physics to vocalize his teachings of enlightenment and empowerment. Tolle has managed to emerge from the smaller club of new age theorists and break into standard American culture. From bestselling books to appearances on Oprah, Tolle’s teachings are much more known that you might think.  I found it interesting and pertinent that Tolle’s books are listed under Ishmael.org ‘s suggested reading lists. 

(Eckhart Tolle)

Before Eckhart Tolle, the Transcendentalists toyed with philosophies that interwove spirituality and intellectualism. I don’t want to get to into talking about Transcendentalism right now (because we will cover that in class very soon!), but I want to emphasize its influence on my own life. Transcendentalism spurred out of the Unitarian faith. Although many of the Unitarians at the time criticized the newly emerged Transcendentalist for being too radical and not religious enough, the modern day Unitarian Universalist church embraces Transcendentalism. Nowadays the church has no shared creed or dogma, but rather teaches every person’s right to pursue and believe their own religious truth. Growing up attending a UU Church, I think my religious and educational experiences were much more blurred and overlapped than many other people.

I want to strongly emphasize that I am not advocating that everyone should have learning experiences like this. I find no issue with other religions, and people enthusiasm for them. Rather, I hope that it becomes normal for people in the future to not be conflicted about their beliefs. In my opinion, religion and science are a lot more compatible than either would like to believe. This could happen if the world had more teachers like Ishmael, to tell the story of our culture, which encompasses both religious and scientific tradition. The character of Ishmael could only reach so many pupils, but the novel Ishmael can teach many.