Beware the Rigid Teacher
By Niall Twohig
I find my rigidity getting in the way of my truest teachings. This almost happened today.
A student hadn’t shown for a few days, so I asked that we meet in office hours. Before our meeting, my mind worked through all my teacherly expectations, standards, the percentile weight I put on “presence.” Emotions arose. I felt disappointed and annoyed. My judging mind made stories about the situation, about the student, about what she’ll have “to do to make up.”
With the hopes of stopping the spin, I sat for ten minutes before our meeting. I noticed where I had become rigid. I allowed my heart to soften these areas, to hug them as one would hug a stiff friend. At one moment, I felt myself becoming buoyant and light. An image of Da flickered to my mind. I felt in communion with him, with his “take it easy” Spirit. It was as if I floated into that Spirit.
Our chat went much differently than it would have without that sit. My rigidity would have made me miss the fact that this student is in the tempest. I would have also missed the miracle of this student: From within this storm, she has been holding on to such light. I saw it in her yesterday, sparkling through the murky waters that surround her. Her light flowed to the students yesterday. And, in turn, they sent their sister some love. My rigidity would have blocked this flow. I am grateful that some Force eased me out of the way.