10 reasons why I like being a teacher, not a guru

Prologue

A Thai-inspired West Coast lunch spot is packed with neighborhood locals. At a counter lined with stools, a flame-haired woman leans in to look her friend straight in the eye. “I know you see it. So why don’t you just come right out and tell people? It’s like this…you look at them and you can see that they want, say, a bigger stack of books. And you see that they have books sprawled all over the place, but they just don’t see that they together they could make a stack. You see that, but you don’t just come right out and tell them they will. Why not?” Her friend says this: “I’d rather show them how they can see it themselves. This way, the next time they want something, they’ll remember how they got it before, and know that they can do it again.”

10 Reasons Why I like Being a Teacher, not a Guru

1. We’re all the same. At the core of who we are, we’re all united by star stuff. Cosmic energy. The force of the universe. Aum. It’s in me. It’s in you. A guru feels like a platform. A teacher feels like standing beside and lifting up. 2. Guru = from darkness to light. Or, someone who takes you from darkness to light. Sat Guru = True Teacher, aka, the teacher within you. Your truest guru is already here. Stop looking. Start listening. 3. It’s about inviting, not telling. A teacher shows you where to look, not what to find. 4. It’s about showing, not doing. A teacher won’t take your hand and walk you down the path; they will help you shine your own light so you can see the way. 5. It’s about liberation, not dependence. A teacher’s aim is to free you, not convince you that you need them. 6. The light. A lighthouse doesn’t run around seeking ships. It just stands and shines. 7. Friends vs. followers. All true teachers that I’ve met have become good friends with many of the people others might consider their followers. They see the unity in you and me, them and theirs. We’re all the same. 8. Sunlight. ‘The sun shines on everyone. It doesn’t make choices.’ Snatam Kaur 9. Moonlight. ‘Only in the darkness can we see the stars ablaze.’ Trevor Hall 10. I get to wear my yuppie clothes. xL