The below sentiment is true about learning to live well in general whether you’re thinking of things in terms of spirituality or not. For example we would be much better served if we were told by mental health professionals from the very beginning to trust ourselves rather than anyone telling us what to do. Instead, the entire system is fraught with the infantilization of the client…this is (in general) true of both psychology and psychiatry as currently practiced.
As someone who never followed another human being – not even the historical man Jesus – the very idea of following some human being or so-called “teacher”, never entered my mind. If one does not know and love God, who can teach this to them? No one!
Those who think they can teach the spiritual life to others are frauds – which is why I have constantly made it clear that I am not a teacher. I have even cut off those I suspect of being dependent on me – cut them off so they could get a spiritual life of their own! It is one thing for people to share their spiritual journeys, but another to mistake another’s for one’s own. — Bernadette Roberts from Forcing-the-Fit, “A Case of Plagiarism”, page 118
Hat tip to Contemplative Day Book
and:
You are your own teacher. Looking for teachers can’t solve your own doubts. Investigate yourself to find the truth – inside, not outside. Knowing yourself is most important. ~ Ajahn Chah
Related from Beyond Meds:
- Internal Guidance (We have internal guidance. Learn to listen to yours.) What therapists often like to call resistance, for me, proved to be highly accurate GPS . . . I now trust it completely.
- dukkha, the pervasive unsatisfactoriness of existence
- Let your mind become still, like a forest pool
See also: We have internal guidance. Learn to listen.
More with Bernadette Roberts on Beyond Meds
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