From Student Into Teacher, While Forever Remaining The Student.
BY URVIL JAMES VILLARUEL
Jan. 7, 2016, Toronto, ON -To teach authentically what’s within to who’s without.
What makes a great teacher? Is it skill? Technique? Does it require a specified format or predetermined pattern of call and responses? Can a real teacher be developed or must they go out and develop themselves?
The very best teachers - by merit of my own experience - are the ones that have learned to inspire themselves first; while holding the space for others to have their own experience. Never going above and beyond what they know, only to teach authentically what is true to them.
If one doesn’t fully understand to the point of knowing, not by what they have heard but by what they have done, how can they then teach it? In this case, it wouldn't necessarily be a teaching; rather, a regurgitation of some idea or indoctrined belief. That is the job of an instructor. "If you do this, this will happen." Will it? Do you know that it will or have you only heard that it will? Once again, this is just possibility masquerading itself as known reality. But worse, because you are not only deceiving yourself, you are deceiving another.
What we all feel from great teachers is authenticity. Speaking to others about something that they have felt; never sharing what they think but do not know, just to seem inspirational. The fire of enlightenment that every student learns from through a great teacher is just a reflection of that illumination, spoken not only by words but by actions; a truth that is carried deep within. It is that fire that has been made real by that teacher unto themselves, now holding the space for you to have your own experience.
Thus, how does one become a truly great teacher? Not by learning how to become a great teacher, but by becoming a great student. The greater the awakedness, the greater there is to give. So, learn, take away, and reflect on what you have felt - not just what you have heard. Doing, in this case, is knowing; and knowing is the path towards speaking with honesty and authenticity the fire that's within.
- sharing the wisdom that you know.