Live It

We read books and look to others for answers through words. But really our greatest teachings come, not through words, but by example. Even as kids although, undoubtedly, we absorb and believe what the adults in our lives told us ( they're adults so how could they be wrong? Big mistake ) our deep seated conditioning comes from their example. Parents, teachers, the man on the pulpit and all other authority figures try to teach us in words what they believe and so we ourselves grow into adults and endeavour to pass our beliefs on.

If we're fortunate enough we wake up to the fact and begin questioning those beliefs and at least prevent passing them on to the next generation and instead allow them to choose what they want to believe, and show them through our life example an awakened way of living.

And if we're lucky enough to break through some of that conditioning we really do get to see that everyone is our teacher if we allow them to be. Not necessarily through their words but through their life experience. The murderer sitting on death row can teach us more about the reasons we shouldn't take a life than any law enforcer could, just as the homeless man sleeping on the street can teach us more about the downside of alcohol than any preacher on a pulpit extolling the evil of drink.

But maybe the greatest teacher of all is our own heart. The mind can often cajole us into doing things that it deems right or justifies in some way, but I've learned through every step of this process that if I listen to my heart that I'm ok with whatever the outcome is. When the intention comes from the heart it has to be for the greatest good of all involved in every situation. And although at times I flounder and wonder what the hell I'm missing when the outcome doesn't seem to match my intention, I guess I've gained enough awareness to know that Spirit knows better than my own little mind what's unfolding, and I've no option left but to trust.

We can use all the words in the world but if we're not a living embodiment of that which we want to teach, those words hold no power at all.