Octavio Valdes
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Like most people in the forum have said already, i do feel ready to give 1-1 instruction to someone, but know I am new to this, so still lots to learn. What is missing is the confidence that can only grow from doing something many-many-many times over. Also missing would be the feedback from the student, either verbal or just by looking at them. I think if I were to give guidance to someone I would be able to detect if they liked it or not, and what was missing to take it into account the next session.
I honestly think the best part to get us comfortable is the fact that you (Susan) “forced” us to give instruction every session to someone else. This proved invaluable to me, as practice makes perfect (or at least not too bad!). Thanks!Fully agree with everything you said.
We might never be 100% ready becuase that doesn’t exist or is not realistic, but we have to push thru to gain the experience and confidence to do it a bit better every time.I am not sure if I will teach or not. But if i do (to strangers) I would definitively charge for it. Time is money and if I am going to dedicate enough time to this, it will take the place of other activities that might generate money or my free time (which is precious).
I think the ideas of having a tier pricing system where you can offer the lessons for less to people with less money would be a good idea.In general, my philosophy is that for something to grow it needs to be profitable. How amazing it would be to create a system where teaching mediation is profitable enough that it attracts more people to teach, which in turn means more people will learn to meditate. Creating a sustainable system like this would be great for everyone involved. I don’t see any issue with it, or conflict of any kind. Eventually this will drive innovation and different ways of teaching/learning would flourish, meeting more specific needs, different price points, etc.
Fully agree with your perspective Stina. I am not sure if I will teach or not, but I would do pretty much the same thing as you are suggesting.
Thanks for your perspective Dawa. I never thought about the difference on this topic based on gender, but think you are right and there is an extra burden put on girls about this topic. Good to keep that in mind.
Such a good point about parents providing the ideal circumstances to learn. So much of what we know, we know from them, I was not thinking about that dimension when responding to this essay, but its so true and valid. Thanks for brining this up.
In my view, an ideal learning environment provides the space to figure out how to solve problems independently. While I value guidance from a mentor or teacher, I prefer having the autonomy to research different methods and decide on the best approach myself. I appreciate a mentor who takes the time to explain their thinking and methodology; once I understand their approach, I like to apply it and then refine it to find even better solutions. I thrive under leadership that is open to new perspectives rather than expecting blind execution.
Conversely, I find it challenging to work in an environment where I am expected to follow detailed instructions without context or the ability to improve upon the methodology.
I never had a desire to connect with the teachers when i was at school (30 years ago now!).
This whole session for me, took me back to a similar balance one needs to take as a supervisor, employee or even as peer.
I remember when I started my career I was able to make a lot of good friends with my peers (fresh out of college). They were a great source of comfort, and helped me not feel alone (as much) being in a new industry and new town. As i progressed, i started becoming someone else’s boss, which was interesting but not that difficult as I still had peers to relate to. The issue was when I found myself leading a small organization, so I was everyone’s boss, and my peers (leading other brands) were people I didn’t see often. I really felt alone in that situation. After much thought, I decided the only way to tackle that was to strengthen my relationships with my peers to find that warmth and vulnerability i was missing. In terms of my relationship with my direct reports, I kept it very professional, cordial but not particularly personal. It worked. Then in my next rotation, I had an amazing boss, who was able to really connect with her direct reports (me included), while keeping the relationship professional. It is hard to express (or even understand) what exactly she did to achieve this balance, I am still trying to figure it out. She could be very demanding in some circumstances and personal in others, but always being fair and straight. I guess, this might not be a good model for a teacher-student for mediation, unless its a very long term student, but i wonder if there are some elements of Sandra’s (that was my bosses name) energy that could be replicated and applied. Something i need to keep thinking about for sure.This is a delicate balance indeed. I personally feel that most people in corporate America err on the side of being too cold and distant. It is for sure a safer bet, but there is something missing there, that if done properly can be so gratifying to everyone involved. I have had the opportunity to work outside the US and even in the US with people from other countries, and I personally like that warmth better in a work environment, but it needs to be kept professional (and of course, legal, showing no favoritisms, etc.). Anyway, all to say, that as you reach your balance, i hope you don’t lose your warmth, as I am sure it is very valuable by those working with you today.
Must have been so difficult, I am sorry you left so alone in that moment (after the event). It is indeed tricky to not befriend students or i guess employees but at the same time, have the time and energy to make friends with other peers where there are some!
I have heard meditation instructions so many times, but when it was my turn to give them, i first was nervous (like many people here) about leaving something important out.
I was also regretting not having asked my “student” for their level of proficiency, i think i will do this going forward to know how much to explain without being too detailed.
My partner was great, and her feedback was amazing. She told me I talked a bit too fast at the beginning, which is totally true (i do that often) so i need to keep that in mind for future sessions. So important to have a calm and relax voice when entering a mediation.Oh, i guess you are right. I have never given instructions in person, that must be different, but hopefully easier as there are more points of info you can get vs. zoom.
Will definitively try to practice with someone in real life too! thanks for the tip.Hi Erin,
I had a very similar experience as you, meaning, I went first and was nervous about leaving anything out. I was actually more nervous as I realize I didn’t ask at the beginning how much experience my “student” had, so didn’t know how comprehensive I needed to be. In any case, like you, I think the hardest one was the first one, so i am glad it is out of the way!Octavio
This has been the hardest question to answer so far, and I suspect it will remain the most challenging of the entire course. I first encountered the concept of “lineage” in October 2025 during Susan’s meditation course at Kripalu, MA. Since then, I have struggled to find a lineage that truly resonates with me.
After reading the excellent essays of my fellow students, I realized I cannot identify with the lineages others have claimed. While there are many groups I belong to and admire, I don’t consider them my lineage. For instance, I am a proud gay man and deeply respect those who came before me to make my life easier; however, I do not see that as the defining factor of who “I am.” I reached a similar conclusion regarding my heritage. I am from Mexico and love my culture, but I don’t feel my lineage comes from blood. I love my family and would do anything for them, but I do not consider them the main defining factor of my being. However, I recognize all of those (and other) factors are part of my lineage to a certain degree.
Perhaps I am overthinking or I am simply indecisive, but I believe clarity will come with time. I may simply not be at that point yet.
The only aspect of my life that feels truly defining is learning. I love to learn, to discover, and to know—not for the external value of knowledge, but for the knowledge itself. While I am not particularly inclined toward teaching, I love the process of self-discovery. Rather than following a single teacher, I prefer to read and listen to diverse perspectives to find my own truth. I wonder if it is possible to belong to a lineage of people who love to learn vastly different things just for the sake of it. I think there is something there that I need to continue to explore, even if I have to admit that I am not quite there yet.Hi Clif, just wanted to thank you for your essay. As a gay man, it moved me, and it is true, that growing up it always felt like something was missing. there were just no role models for us (either separated from family/friends or in the closet). Never thought about this until now. Thanks. I am glad future generations will have a better chance than us at having GLBTQ+ role models.