Teachers and Students

"We cannot hold a torch to light another's path without brightening our own." -B. Sweetland

This past weekend at Sacred Space I got to attend classes with some amazing teachers. I have been going to the Sacred Space Conference for the last five years and this one was by far the best one I have attended as far as the depth and quality of the teachings and rituals. It usually takes me a few weeks to process everything and return to normal. However, this year I know the teachings and rituals profoundly changed me and my perspective on many levels--of which I do not have a clear awareness of just yet.

I can say with certainty that the most important and enjoyable, therefore my favorite, moments were watching teachers that I respect and admire learn from people they respect and admire. As I have stated before, one of the things I love about the teachers and elders I have chosen to learn from is that though they are teachers and elders, they still consider themselves students. I have taken many classes and workshops alongside these teachers, but this weekend we were all learning from someone none of us had had the opportunity to work with previously. A woman they had admired and looked forward to meeting and working with for years. One referred to herself as a Fan Girl, and while I did not witness her jumping up and down “squee”-ing, I’m pretty sure she was on the inside.

To see your teachers sit in joy from being in the presence of, and soaking up knowledge from, someone they respect and admire as much as you respect and admire them is a truly moving experience. To see them responding to a teacher in a way you know you respond when you are learning from them brought me so much joy. It made me respect and admire them even more and gave me an appreciation of my own love of learning.

Personally, I feel it is impossible to think that anyone knows everything about anything. There is always something to learn. If not something new, but perhaps a new way of looking at something you think you know. Frankly, anyone who does not feel that way is not someone from whom I wish to be taught. I’m so excited about the conversations I’m going to have with my teachers about their perspective on these shared learning experiences. I’m so excited to keep learning.  Most importantly, I'm so grateful to have such great role models with so much respect for the entire learning process.