19 results for tag: Spiritual Teachers
Thich Nhat Hanh Passed To The Next Dimension
There are about two handfuls of people who have shaped the course of my life beyond friends and family. Tich Nhat Hanh was one of them. We can add Martin Luther King Jr., Dalai Lama, Louise Hay, Thomas Merton, Mevlana Julaluddin Rumi, G.I. Gurdjieff, John Lennon , Mikao Usui, Mahatma Gandhi, and my former Teacher and Mentor Rev Betsy Browder. to this list. Today he passed to the next dimension.
He and Louise Hay are where my journey into meditation began in 1990. There were not many books one could find on meditation at the time. Peace Is Every Step by Thich Nhat Hanh, and You Can Heal Your Life by Louise Hay are the two that made the most sense to me. I felt like they were key to a door that I somehow knew existed without any rhyme or reason to think there was such a door. I do not think I am being theatrical in saying that they saved my life.
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Is The Spiritual Movement Counter-Productive?
When you think about the current spiritual movement, what image or images come into your mind's eye? Do you think of a specific style or fashion? Who does your mind create as "spiritual"? What do they look and talk like? What color skin or body type do they have? What jargon do they use to tell you how "spiritual" they are?
I have been fascinated and, at times, felt saddened by how spirituality has become more of an industry than a practice. My Teacher always used to say to me whenever I thought I was becoming "spiritual," which still sticks with me today, especially in regard to how I market and promote my professionalism in private practice. She would say, "Michael, you need to keep your practice in the basement". I knew she was not literally referring to me setting up an office or a place to meditate in the basement; although I have done that before, she meant that I need to stay vigilant about thinking I have arrived and/or I am special. This does not mean I am any less special than anyone else. I am special in my way as you are special in your way, as equals, not more or less special.
The ego is relentless in its pursuit of creating an illusion in our minds that we "know something" that others do not know, or, in more current lingo, that we are "woke."
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... We Can Still Be Crazy – Pema Chodron
... Three Ways to Practice Forgiveness Meditation
Do you practice forgiveness? When was the last time that you felt as if you were betrayed or disrespected by someone in your life? What did you silently, or not so silently, need on a deep, core level?
Want To Get Great At Something? Get A Coach!
We all need an excellent coach. I have had many amazing coaching and mentoring experiences in my life. When I was younger, the coaches were primarily with my involvement with sports. Some of my sports coaches were great at bringing out the best in me and others. Other coaches did not have the right acumen for this role and impeded the growth and development of players, including myself. Being good at something does not make you an excellent coach. And, as Atul Gawande explains in detail, excelling at something does not mean you have reached your potential. Why not be the best you can be?
When I began my journey as a social worker and counselor, my supervisors became interested in me and improved my skill set. They simultaneously pushed me beyond my perceived limitations while supporting my work. Many coaches ASSUME that you either have to push somebody hard or take their hand and gently guide them. A good coach seamlessly and instinctively knows when and how to apply each strategy. A good coach knows your strengths and obstacles to success and is willing to manage the resistance that the ego will place in the way as a hindrance. Generally speaking, the ego is the greatest obstacle to sustained growth and development. The ego may express itself as overconfidence or lack of confidence. They both are an imbalance of humility.
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... Tich Nhat Hahn Interview with Oprah Winfrey
This is a beautiful Tich Nhat Hahn Interview with Oprah Winfrey. Tich Nhat Hahn is one of the great Teachers of our time. For those who do not know of him, Tich Nhat Hahn has been nominated for the Nobel Prize for Peace and an anti-war activist during the Vietnam War, which is his native land. He has taught me many things about meditation and mindfulness. He has several monastic communities around the world, with the head Temple named Plum Village in Southeast France. Martin Luther King Jr. called Tich That Hahn, "an apostle of peace and nonviolence".
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... How To Listen to Your Intuition
When you are trying to make an important decision, everyone you ask in some form or another will recommend, "Listen to your intuition". This is excellent advice, but often not helpful. If you knew how to listen to your intuition, would you be asking your friends and family for advice in the first place? Probably not. I think it is pretty clear that most people will agree that if you listen to your intuition, the process of making decisions will become clearer, simpler, and more successful. For most people, the challenge is not wanting to listen to your intuition; it is knowing how to effectively listen to your intuition. I invite you to join me as we explore different methods on how to listen to your intuition.
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