Sometimes the teaching and the learning happen on different timelines. I once hosted a meditation teacher at the Yoga Co-op - it had to have been at least 12 years ago.
A random person cold-called the studio and asked if we would host Swami Ken. They sent a bio and short summary of him and we said sure.
Swami Ken showed up in orange Swami robes with a bunch of books and trinkets to sell and a young male assistant. I was the host for the event and ushered them in. His assistant set up a table with all of the goods for sale while Swami Ken kept to himself.
Once everyone was assembled the assistant came in and introduced the Swami and told the attendees about his expertise.
Swami Ken then came to the front of the space and spent a few minutes getting seated and set up in silence. He then told us told close our eyes and bring our attention to the center of our forehead. "I'll let you know when the hour is up."
That's it. That was all he said.
As the host, my thoughts exploded. What? That's it? How dare he? Some of these folks have never meditated. What are they going to do? This is not teaching. This is nuts!...the thoughts kept coming.
I spent an hour struggling with what I thought a teacher should do. I was completely caught up in what I thought they would think of me, of our studio, of this man.
After what seemed like forever, he told us to take a deep breath and thanked us for coming.
This morning as I prepared to teach my meditation class, I remembered his teaching and as I sat in my own meditation a big smile crossed my face. I finally saw something I could not see years ago. I saw where my need to hand-hold my students and make them comfortable showed up everywhere in my life.
I saw how my need to shepherd everyone, everywhere was silencing their own inner teacher.
We learn best through direct experience. When we touch the stove we learn not to do that again. When we hurt ourself in a yoga pose we (hopefully) learn not to do that again.
I am not saying we don't need teachers. I am saying we need to trust the process and trust ourselves. And if we are teachers, we need to trust our students.
Namaste.
