(Originally published August 2018 in SoulSongs, a monthly newsletter from KaleidoSoul.com)

“Umuntu ngumuntu ngabantu.”
(“A person is a person because of other people.”)

–Zulu Proverb

In Gratitude for my Teachers

If someone were to inventory the hours of my life or the “real estate” on my website or the cards in my SoulCollage® deck, they would conclude that the Neters (archetypes) of Teacher, Seeker, and Gratitude are the dominant threads in my life tapestry.  Various embodiments of these three Neters have contributed to the person I’ve become over the seven decades of this incarnation.  Given our motto, DISCOVER YOUR WISDOM, CHANGE YOUR WORLDtm, I imagine many SoulCollagers share my respect for these three Neters. 

Somewhere along the line, my Seeker Neter took to heart the advice to, “allow everyone you meet and every experience to become a teacher for you.  Become curious in a friendly way about the lesson Life is offering you.  That way you’ll continue to grow in wisdom.”  That’s an abundance of teachers and learning opportunities!

My most significant Teachers haven’t usually been the ones in classrooms imparting data or information.  Rather, they’ve been ones who’ve challenged my firmly held beliefs, who’ve broadened my Horizon of Awareness, and who (like the Fool delights in doing), have often upended my life.  Sometimes their voices and actions were compassionate.  Sometimes their voices were thundering booms, lightning strikes illuminating my complacency or dark night of the soul.  Both approaches got my attention, stopped me in my tracks, and often changed the direction my life was heading.  These Teachers inspired new thoughts which led to new words and new behaviors, habits and actions.

Starting in my thirties, the Seeker Neter launched an intense quest for Wisdom.  I was fortunate to discover humble teachers who discouraged me from elevating themselves above me.  They encouraged me to listen within and to seek my own direct experience of truth—not to blindly accept their version of reality at face value.  I also observed these teachers had a practice of integrity—they acknowledged the source of their wisdom.  They didn’t claim to be the inventors of the ‘wheel’ of some original thought or process when in fact the ancient ones had already come up with it hundreds or thousands of years before!  My Inner Adolescent, with her well-honed BS detector, helped me sniff out and steer clear of those teachers who did not practice what they taught; those who lived to serve their own ego; those whose purpose was to gain name and fame for themselves instead of humbly assisting their students’ sincere search for enlightenment. 

Early on, Mr. Tashjian set the standard for the Neter of Teacher.  Mr T was my wildly and widely-loved U.S. History Teacher. I was newly and traumatically transplanted to Warwick, Rhode Island from Richmond, Virginia.  One day in his class, genuinely confused, I raised my hand and politely drawled, “This text book has a misprint, Mr. T.  It says here the South lost the Civil War.  This is a mistake.  All my Virginia History books and teachers said differently. Mr. Tashjian.” 

Amidst kids falling out of their chairs howling hysterically, Mr. T called for order and said, “Now, listen up people, and take note of what Miss Beddoe did here.  She exercised her First Amendment Right and challenged the authority of our textbook.  Granted, she got her facts terribly wrong.  Next time, Miss Beddoe, get your facts straight.  Remember, trust but verify, is good scholarship.  But, people, you need to remember this in the years to come.  You need to wake up and to speak up.  You need to have the guts to think for yourself.  You need to challenge authority.  Just because a book or a teacher or even your parents says it’s so doesn’t mean it is so!  Seek the truth for yourself.  And be sure to verify the facts, people!”

This was 1962.  In the next 15 years many of my Baby Boom classmates joined me in passionately challenging authority.  I tell you true for the next three years they never let me forget my error. And believe you me, I lost all traces of my Southern drawl in the blink of an eye. 

Most importantly though, I never forgot the priceless gift Mr. Tashjian bestowed upon my mortified 14 year old self.  He gave me permission to think critically and to speak for myself.  Mr. T launched me on a path to march to the beat of my own drummer. He reframed a humiliating moment into an opportunity to learn and grow.  That’s when the Neter of Teacher made a permanent home in my heart.  That’s when I experienced the ability of a Teacher to transform and empower a vulnerable young life.  He was the first adult who saw and honored my authentic Seeker Self.  Mr. T changed my life forever in that moment.  May we all be blessed at least once in our lives by a Mr. T!!!

A Practice:  The Seeker and Teacher have a Heart-to-Heart dialogue.

Take out your journal, open it to a new page and write the date.  Browse through your deck, pulling out cards that relate to the Neters of Seeker and Wisdom/Teacher.  Then, just for fun, try pairing up the Seekers with the Neters of Teacher/Wisdom.

Next, select one pair and record how each one in the dyad answers:

• Who are you?  (“I Am One Who…”)
• What do you have to give me? 
• What is your message for me? 
• How will I remember your message?  (It helps to use sensory clues such as colors, sounds, fragrances, etc.  For example, “When you see the color blue, remember my message…”)

Finally, ask the Seeker and the Teacher what they want to tell each other.  Record the dialogue in your journal.