I am not sure where this conversation goes. I have been writing about psychic development, and it might go with that, but honestly, I think it is a topic for all conversations.
Lately I have been receiving overwhelming images that people have their own ability to create their own journeys. You might be thinking, “Of course they do! Why is that news?” It’s news because I am also finding that we, including myself, have our own ideas about what other people’s paths “should” be. We think people should have a specific type of life, preferably an easy or pleasant one. We think people shouldn’t have to struggle or suffer, or have pain or unpleasantness in their life. We strive to make their lives peaceful and okay, to teach them how to live peaceful and safe lives. We think we know what type of life is best for another person’s soul, which means we think we know the right answers for their questions.
In the class that I teach we recently updated our coaching method to this statement, Ask with the intent to truly Listen because you believe that with Space, people can choose, discover and learn their own path. Ask, Listen and Space are the key components, but Belief is also a huge factor. If I believe I know the correct answers for you, when I Ask you a question, I will not be able to truly hear your answer if it doesn’t match what I think you should be saying. In order to truly listen, I have to let go of what I think your correct answer is, and truly listen to what you think your correct answer is. I then have to remember that I can’t know your chosen path. Only you can, so even if you answer seems wrong, it is your answer, and so it is the correct answer for you.
This is hard when trying to teach the material. As instructors we strive to also Ask, Listen and open Space for our students. We ask a lot of questions about the material, like, “What does this mean to you?” We are trying to create a connection with the materials to the learner. In that we have to realize that whatever they say in that answer, to what does this mean to you, it is correct. The key is what if we don’t think it is correct because it doesn’t match what we think they should be saying to match up to the master materials? I think the message I have been getting this week is that what the master materials say is to Ask, Listen, and open Space for people to find their own path. If I am unsure if what people are seeing as meaning to something is accurate or not, perhaps instead of correcting them or telling the the right answer, I could do something different. I could Ask another question.
If anyone answers an inquiry with something you are not sure is “right”, know first that your responding from Ego. Your ego says what is right and wrong for you and for everyone else. It is not your higher self speaking. It is not spirit speaking. It is always ego. You cannot know the right choice for another human. Even if you think you know what will be best for them, you did not choose their journey for them before they were born. You only chose your own. Our role is to support others on THEIR journey, while finding our own path for ourselves too.
I so badly want to stop other people from making the same mistakes that I did. I so badly want others to treat people in a certain way so that people have better lives and are happier. I so much want people to not have to suffer and struggle. All of that presumes that making mistakes should not be a part of another person’s path, that treating others kindly and being treated kindly is necessary for all person’s journeys, and that not struggling and suffering is the chosen path for all. In my mind, as I say this out loud and also write it down, I know that is not true. My mistakes, suffering, struggling, being treated unkindly and treating others unkindly has been exactly what brought me to where I am today, and it is exactly where I am supposed to be. I am sure of that. So then, what makes me think that I should be trying to control another human’s journey to make it more or less of what my journey has been? It is my ego that does that, of course, and my ego is not correct.
When a student says an answer that I don’t think is right, I am focusing on responding with something that asks them to tell me more about how what they are saying matches up with the topic, question, key points etc. of the materials. They may not get it exactly, but they get it for that moment from where they are sitting and seeing things, and that is their path to walk, from that place. I will work on not correcting people, but possibly connecting people. I will work to see the connection in their answer, not as right or wrong, but as correct for them in that moment, and see how I can further connect it to the materials for everyone to appreciate. Seeing how everything is connected will only serve the students to work harder to keep making connections. If I keep correcting them, and telling them they are wrong, they will stop sharing and trying to make the connections themselves.
Our course mantra is, less telling, more asking! Along with that we need to assume that whatever answer they give, it is the correct answer. That is also true for all humans. It is always the correct answer, even if it is a mistake, because mistakes are part of most people’s journeys. It is not our job to correct people. It is our job to support them to find their path, so asking questions so that they can Choose, Discover and Learn their own path. Just like I want you to open Space for me to do the same for myself.
This is new and exciting for me to receive this message. I am not the light in your world, not that I ever thought that I was. I am merely a sign post along your path. I hold up information for you, information that asks you to consider something, then you decided what you will do with it, and whatever you decide, it is the right thing for you in this moment. Even if the sign I hold up says turn left, and you decide to turn right. It is your path, and right is right for you. I am going to work on knowing that to be true for everyone.
Namaste, I believe in you, and I have faith in myself to continue to believe in you!