Guru. Teacher. Coach. Mentor.
Whatever word you use, it speaks to one who shares, teaches, supports, challenges, trains, nurtures and/or guides us along our path. A very popular image the world over, is that of the wise sage, the old warrior, the mystical healer, etc, teaching the student life altering lessons that transform an earthworm into a mighty, soaring eagle.
I mean, who DOESN’t wish they had a “Mr. Miyagi” in their life?
In conversation with people over the years it has come up how they wish they had that teacher in their life. How if they could just get enough money or time to travel halfway around the world to get to that particular mentor that they just know will help them transform, they could really start making strides in their life. That because they “don’t” have that person where they are, it makes it difficult to do so. It’s true, that can be very frustrating. But besides providing ample supply of reasons why not to start making the changes we wish to see in our lives (translation: excuses), we externalize the whole point of having a Teacher. A teacher guides us to develop what lays at the heart of who we are and to draw it out. Not for us to place our hopes, our dreams, our frustration, our anger, our desires on them. You want to see stunted progress? Make everything you do about your Teacher, making them your focus, rather than your own development and what that development subsequently turns into as applied to the world at large.
The thing is, we have our ultimate Teacher right here with us all the time. It’s called Life. Life presents us with all the Teachers we need on a daily basis. And those teachers take many forms. They can be:
– A person in our field we know and learn from directly.
– A person in a completely different field that we interact with over coffee or tea once every few months.
– A family member.
– A kid we coach on the sports team.
– A fictional character in a story (human or otherwise).
– An experience.
– An environment.
There are many more examples outside the realm of the stereo typical “teacher”. Yet they all have something to offer. The turning point in your life may be a single phrase read or heard from the unlikeliest of places or a glance upon a natural wonder that sparks a firestorm of transformation and action from there on out. A few examples of significant teachers in my life that don’t fit the “mold”:
– Being spat on, ridiculed, beaten and abused because of the color of my skin.
– The beat of the drum coursing it’s rhythm through my veins as I danced and whooped to my hearts content.
– The isolated, extreme conditions of the Arctic.
– Playing hockey.
– Having to stop a friend from committing suicide.
– A bear.
-Being intolerant to dairy.
– A dream.
– A road trip with my best friend.
– Blowing out my knee.
– My children (each and every day… )
You may be familiar with the popular saying “When the student is ready, the teacher will appear.” Well that teacher is already there in all its forms. When we open our awareness to that fact, open our eyes to what we need to do if we are to create the change we are looking for in our life, our teacher and the lessons they bring will all of a sudden appear, because we now choose to see them.
Choose to see and your “Mr. Miyagi”, the quiet, unassuming maintenance man, will appear, giving you all you need… right now… in this moment…
Dare To Evolve,
Shane.
Nice! Thanks for being there for me Coach!
It has been my absolute pleasure Peter. Your journey is an incredible one. It’s been an honor, in whatever small way, to be able to be of support as you travel it. Don’t stop now my man. You’re just getting started. : )
This is really good Shane.
There have been many times that I have wished I had a mentor or a guru to help guide me in different areas of my life. Or at least people whom I could look to as an example of what I feel called to become. To feel understood by someone who gets it. They don’t exist. Or it always seems like they are on the opposite side of the continent from me.
Glad it connected Damien. I hear exactly where you are coming from. Now it’s just tweaking it a bit and seeing those we have right in front of us. : )
I’ve always admired your very honest process on the path you tread. I truly believe, because of that, it will just continue to unveil itself to you in deeper and deeper ways.
Thank you for the reminder that we have so many ways/opportunities for learning and growth. Plus thanks for being a mentor to me even if you didn’t know it.