And what a spiritual teacher does is point out the possibility of awakening out of identification with unconscious patterns which means the spiritual teacher teaches you to go beyond karma. And that is your function and will become increasingly you will find, in your life whether you become a formal teacher or an informal teacher...{[It is] merely a functional thing...[because]any form identity is an illusion.}
Eckhart Tolle
Can you call yourself a 'Teacher'?
Hmm! I seldom call myself a teacher. Mostly for more practical reasons than spiritual. I worked as an educator in the adult learning environment, in some form or another, from 2000 until I retired early in 2019 for health reasons. I never called myself a teacher then, though others referred to me as such. The term "Teacher" here, where I come from, is reserved to those certified in K-12 education. My certification is in Adult Education so that title of 'Teacher' does not refer to me nor do I need it to. I would refer to myself as instructor, or educator when I taught. I loved it when book reps would refer to me as "professor", assuming that was my title because I worked in the college setting. (stroked my ego a bit lol) Colleges in my part of the world also differ from universities so I was never a professor either. I taught yes...it is what I did...but I could not and did not call myself a teacher.
To me, 'Teacher' is just a word, just a title, just a form of identity, just an illusion. I never was a teacher, just someone who taught.
What about now? Are you a spiritual teacher?
No, I am still very reluctant to use the word teacher. I am pointing out the possibility of awakening and going beyond karma...yes...but I feel I am doing it more as a student than as a teacher. I am a lifelong student of Life :) That is how I would identify myself if I had to. I am just learning and sharing what I am learning.
Why are you sharing?
Hmm! That is a good question. I still don't know for sure other than I feel absolutely compelled to. My ego, that used to identify as Educator in the formal setting, doesn't like it lol? It keeps saying things like, "Oh my goodness what if a former colleague or student reads this or sees you on a video talking about 'this stuff" ...what will they think? You used to teach science based courses! This is so embarrassing for us." and "Besides... how demoralizing it is to see such few readers and listeners. The big spiritual bloggers and vloggers are getting thousands and even millions of followers and you are getting what? In the last 24 hours: 5? Aren't you embarrassed about that? I am. You are putting us out there in our undies...and for what? To be the most unread blog in the spiritual community ...the laughing stock? Where is your dignity?"
Oh ego...lol...such a pain. I can only shrug my shoulders when I hear that chatter going on in my head and say, "I gotta do it anyway. What is thought of "me" is insignificant. This message is everything. I just gotta do it even though there is so little readership....just in case one person gets something from it. And we were told that there were people out there getting something from it, right? Even if it was only a few. Isn't that enough for you? ( And the less readership, the less embarrassed you have to feel, right?) I have selfish motives, anyway. I am learning the more I do this. We are learners, you know that. We didn't gain all those university credits because we wanted to waste our money, did we? I mean you had different motives than I had ( you wanted to become some title, gain some social approval from it; I just loved the learning) but still, it all worked out the way it was meant to leading us right here where we are. It has led us to experience educating and that has led me here. Sorry Bud, for embarrassing you. But really what is a bit of embarrassment? You are not going to be around much longer and when you leave so does the embarrassment, and the fear and worry over what people think. So will the "me'. It will just be the sharing of what is being learned driving this vessel around then. So just be patient with this functional thing I am doing without your approval. We don't have to call it teaching. It is simply learning for me. It is all good. Besides I couldn't stop doing it if I wanted to right now. The pull is too great."
What is an ego going to say to that lol?
All good. All is well in my functional world.
Eckhart Tolle ( Jan, 2023) You Can Go Beyond Karma. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UgSPEkD16ss
Eckhart Tolle( May, 2023) What is KarmaYoga? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K3YRKMB-TIg
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