Natalie Miller
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Hi Vy,
I love the idea of sending supportive energy and well wishes to the recipients of our instruction! What a beautiful reminder that our experience with one another involves more than just words spoken out loud.Hi Andrew,
I also worried about leaving out an important ingredient of the recipe. It’s interesting how much self-judgement I notice when I am entering territory I deeply respect and want to emulate those I admire.Offering instruction to a partner this week was kind of an exhilarating experience. It was something that I very much wanted to do well and with reverence. Luckily, I had prepared for this moment. I had been taking notes from Susan’s recorded meditations and felt fairly confident that I wasn’t going to veer wildly off course.
My partner was kind and encouraging. I felt like I had passed the first gate in a new challenge course. Since last Saturday, I have been reflecting more on the experience. It feels like I was given a pair of glasses that I really needed. My vision is sharper and I can define edges more clearly. I think of the words: “It’s not easy, but it’s simple,” and I know I am just getting started.
Maybe the next time I offer instruction I will trip over my words, or say something that makes me cringe. I hope I will remember to laugh (lovingly) at myself and keep practicing.Hi Kimberly,
I love what you wrote about honoring those who worked to create the conditions in which we are now able to exist. Thank you.Anita,
What a beautiful story to illustrate the bonds created through lineage. I could relate to being a very picky eater as a child, as well.The importance of lineage for teachers relates to ensuring that the integrity and authenticity of the practices and techniques are maintained over time.
Practices in field in which I work are based on a wide variety of psychological and behavioral theories, with a sprinkle of self-help tools and current trends. I am grateful to have a lot of freedom to determine which approach I choose to use. I have experimented with many modalities. While novel research and experiential outcomes lead us to continually adjust our practices, I have found that when an approach is based on a stable, validated foundation that can be clearly traced back over a significant period of time, in most cases the results are more reliable.
I have always had an appreciation for things which seem to transcend what is popular at a particular moment in time, things that have deep roots and a timeless feel: The essence of humanity that is so much more than how successful we are in meeting the current (fleeting) cultural expectations or standards. This is what the topic of lineage is bringing up for me today. I have an image in my mind of people standing on the shoulders of so many others before them, and those at the bottom are smiling with pride.
Hi Kimberly,
I enjoyed reading about your life experiences very much. I also feel as though I have fewer answers now than ever before.Hi Joe, I appreciate your awareness of increased nihilistic tendencies with certain emotional states. I can relate to this!
Hi Rosie,
I can relate to your experience of “something else” for most of my life. I love the quote you shared and the metaphor of the labyrinth. I see the labyrinth as a container and each turn as a beautiful opportunity for discovery. Thank you!Hi Anita,
I appreciate your description of your changing perspective through different phases of your life, how both extremes can be exhausting, and how important it has been for you to find balance. Thank you!Much of my life has been lived based on the underlying foundation of eternalism. I believed in the idea of an eternal soul since I was a child. While I had no substantial, intentional religious exposure in childhood, there were loud cultural messages related to the importance of living in certain ways, in order to avoid punishment or to receive rewards in an afterlife. There was some amount of fear and confusion which arose from these messages, possibly because I did not have access to a structured religious system which consistently defined the “right” or “wrong” ways of living. As I matured, I became very curious about the accuracy of these philosophies and spent time studying a variety of perspectives.
I don’t recognize much in the way of nihilism within my experiences or belief systems. In my thirties, I did shift my personal designation from “agnostic” to “atheist” for a time; however, it never felt authentic, since I have a persistent interest in “things that cannot be seen,” and a tendency to perceive deeper meanings below the surface. I would say that finding a middle path between eternalism and nihilism has been one of my most intriguing adventures.
Hi Vy,
I love what you’ve written about the value of modeling self-compassion, patience, and PERSEVERANCE. I can see how helpful that would be.Hi Stina,
I appreciate your point about the helpfulness of having a frame of reference for the students’ prior experience. What a beautiful intention to meet them where they are, rather than expecting them to meet us on a potentially “higher plane.”Hi Andrew,
I agree that safety, compassion, and confidence are essential tools to support discovery. Doubts about our abilities, potential, and worthiness can be so challenging to work with. Thank you!The primary tools to support discovery include awareness of the inherent wisdom in all of us, curiosity and reverence for the each person’s unique experience, non-attachment to our personal perspective as indisputably ‘right’ or ‘correct,’ and commitment to truly hearing what is expressed by others. I appreciate how it is written in our workbook: “We think about what they need, not what we know” (3).
Offering encouragement toward deeper reflection and expressing authentic excitement in response to their moments of insight may support an atmosphere that promotes personal exploration. Based on discussion today in our class, it is important to note that the freedom for discovery also requires a container that delineates appropriate edges or boundaries for our exploration. These boundaries are based on the traditional practices which we are becoming qualified to teach. This structure allows a sense of security that forms the foundation for discovery.