The Shape of Learning

My slightly surreal view of how we learn new ideas


I have heard before that some people say that what we learn is in the shape of a circle that spirals upwards, so that although you do end up back at the beginning you are in fact on a new level and the next circle is going to be slightly different. However I like to think of it as bring the infinity symbol (the figure 8 on it's side) also spiralling upwards. Let me just try explain this for a moment:

Lets say we start in the centre of the 8 (on it's side!) and we learn something new for instance; how to read tarot cards, as we learn we slowly progress round the first circle until we know every card by the definitions given in the book. But from doing that we only get half way round the first circle. Then we meet someone who (or read somewhere that) tells us that what we have learnt is not yet quite right as we are still following the information in books. now we are back at the beginning of the first circle back where we started as we now need to relearn the cards. however from there we then learn to read the cards from our own point of view and move around the second part of the figure of 8 where previous ideas are expanded upon. Instead of going back around to the meeting point of the 8 (on its side) we move up a level. Here's a dodgy drawing to try and show what I mean!



This is actually really hard to decribe and if anyone can do it justice please ellaborate it for me. Hopefully it at least makes some sence.

My poor brain can't figure out most things but I sort of understand

What's bad is that I think I don't even get it anymore... I'm wondering what I was taking at the time.