Most people want to find a guru or teacher or master or whatever title they choose to give the person. There is that universal, internal drive to find someone who has the knowledge and the practice, to instruct in their chosen path.
What I've experienced over time is that a teacher can only take me so far. I can learn steps and practices as I gain a mental understanding of the path. That's all good. What takes me to the next step is actually doing the practice, walking the walk, of the path.
More than two decades ago, I studied with a Native American medicine woman as part of a women's circle. At the time, I was fully aware the Red Road, her particular tradition, was not mine. Although it was an amazing journey for me, it was not the course, the path, the tradition, that called most deeply to my soul. Walking the Red Road for a time gave me an incredible foundation. Whenever I find myself feeling out-of-sorts and off track, I breathe deeply into that tradition. It centers me and becomes the springboard for continuing on to the path that does call most deeply to my soul. That path has been pretty much a solitary one. I have uncovered multiple facets of it from an intuitive practice that encompasses my past lived practices and rituals, deep contact with the ancestors, steady communication with the Ineffable One, and use of other tools I have picked up along the way. None of this would have been possible without walking the paths I walked in my youth as well as the Red Road of my dear sister.
What path calls to you? Do you practice one of your own choosing? Have you experienced others? How do you feel when walking your path stretches you? How does that stretch look to you? What signals that you have gone from 'knowing' to 'walking'?
Great post and sharing ML. Thank you!!
ReplyDeleteI have studied with many different teachers, several different modalities and have sought many gurus and masters over the last decade or more. They have all taught me something, a lot of things. With time I realized that no one could make me stay any longer than felt comfortable. When I felt my soul tugging for me to leave and walk the next part on my own, I had no choice but to learn to detach and to do just that.
In walking my path it makes me realize that I do have answers within myself so that I can shift challenges in my life. When I walk the path and don't sway from it, it helps me to grow, to have more confidence in myself and leaves me feeling empowered and feel so incredible grateful for this life, these gifts that I was given especially the one of reconnecting with the essence of who I truly am.