Your Perfect Teacher

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crazypipe

Lifer
Sep 23, 2012
3,484
0
Your Perfect Teacher

Life

by Madisyn Taylor
All the situations in our lives, from the insignificant to the major, teach us exactly what we need to be learning.
Many of us long to find a spiritual teacher or guru. We may feel unsure of how to practice our spirituality without one, or we may long for someone who has attained a higher level of insight to lead the way for us. Some of us have been looking for years to no avail and feel frustrated and even lost. The good news is that the greatest teacher you could ever want is always with you—that is your life.
The people and situations we encounter every day have much to teach us when we are open to receiving their wisdom. Often we don’t recognize our teachers because they may not look or act like our idea of a guru, yet they may embody great wisdom. In addition, some people teach us by showing us what we don’t want to do. All the situations in our lives, from the insignificant to the major, conspire to teach us exactly what we need to be learning at any given time. Patience, compassion, perseverance, honesty, letting go—all these are covered in the classroom of the teacher that is your life.
We can help ourselves to remember this perfect teacher each day with a few simple words. Each morning we might find a moment to say, “I acknowledge and honor the teacher that is my life. May I be wise enough to recognize the teachers and lessons that I encounter today, and may I be open to receiving their wisdom.” We might also take some time each day to consider what our lives are trying to teach us at this time. A difficult phase in your relationship with your child may be teaching you to let go. The homeless person you see every day may be showing you the boundaries of your compassion and generosity. A spate of lost items may be asking you to be more present to physical reality. Trust your intuition on the nature of the lesson at hand, work at your own pace, and ask as many questions as you want. Your life has all the answers. :puffy:

 

houndstooth

Starting to Get Obsessed
Nov 28, 2013
111
0
Kind of reminds me of the teachings of Buddha, if I recall correctly. I am not Buddhist, but I did work on a Tibetan Buddhist documentary film some years back.
Thanks for sharing the essay. Good stuff to think about.

 

saint007

Part of the Furniture Now
Dec 22, 2013
630
0
Wise thoughts on life there, Grasshopper. :)
Al, don't tell me you are "Hot For Teacher"!

 

swampmouth

Starting to Get Obsessed
Oct 4, 2013
123
0
Maybe Al has been to the edge. Stood and looked down.

My first reaction was similar to Warren. Working in a large ELCA for years gave me plenty of opportunities to say "You're preachin' to the choir man". Other than that: A good pipestone bowl will have four rings carved in it. One for each element. We bring the fire, creating life and sending the spirit to the heavens. Hearkening back to voyageur days, someone was always charged with keeping the bowl burning. We are the flame keepers. Drawn by spiritual forces as well as genetic memory. This is a sacred religious/spiritual rite. The creators of our government insured that the majority couldn't take this away. Currently we aren't needed, yet we are still respected by a deep knowledge that somehow we are important. Anyhoo, this is a church I don't mind being a member of. Thanks Teddy

 

chops

Starting to Get Obsessed
Sep 26, 2011
223
0
Lower Hudson Valley, NY
Teddy, I like those words. I try to take a minute each day and hopefully several times a day to remind myself of this and themes similar to it. I have been focusing much on spiritual journey these past few years. This speaks to me.

 

warren

Lifer
Sep 13, 2013
11,733
16,330
Foothills of the Chugach Range, AK
I suppose the one who taught me the most valuable lesson was was my mentor on the police department. He stuck his head in a window looking for a burglar. We buried him a few days later, and I used mirror for such things the rest of my career.
I prefer "hard" lessons to philosophical blathering. Wishing and dreaming are not my strong points, I'm a pragmatist at heart I suppose.

 

cobguy

Lifer
Oct 18, 2013
3,742
15
Hard lessons are always the best teachers for the simple fact that nobody wants to repeat that class.

It's the hidden teachers that this passage refers to. Simply having an open mind and heart will greatly increase one's ability to spot them. Easier said than done, by the way.
The passage in there about the child trouble is quite apropos right now. I have a step-daughter that challenges my patience greatly. During trying times I always remind myself ... This too shall pass.
I also like to remind myself once in awhile that if I could kick the person in the butt most responsible for my troubles ... I wouldn't sit down for a week!

 

ssjones

Moderator
Staff member
May 11, 2011
18,439
11,344
Maryland
postimg.cc
Good one Cobguy, sometimes we are our own worst enemies. A pipe in the evening is a great time to look back and ask yourself - should I have done anything differently?

 

instymp

Lifer
Jul 30, 2012
2,420
1,029
Warren..sorry that happened on your shift!

Al.. you could always do something differently...afterwards.

Ask NC Panthers quarterback.

 

warren

Lifer
Sep 13, 2013
11,733
16,330
Foothills of the Chugach Range, AK
Nothing to be sorry about. It happens and John certainly knew better. The lesson was, don't be stupid. I've always wondered if he realized his mistake. It was a head shot of course, but he certainly would have seen the muzzle blast and had a split second of realizing what was transpiring.

 
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