Learning Humility

When I think of how my teacher has repeatedly through every workshop in the last 3 years, corrected my trikonasana, do I realise the patience and commitment he needed to teach us.

I was daunted by the two year commitment of the course. I complaint that the training was more than I bargained for. But what is that, compared to what he has to put in? The energy in correcting me over and over, even though the student is dull and oft lapse into old patterns; that it's a one step forward and two steps back process much of the time. I know I would have given up long ago. Perseverance is not my strongest suit.

It made me realised how arrogant and impatient I have been in wanting changes around me, in expecting people around me to see my point of view and to change what they have been doing immediately, when I have neither shown patience nor attempted gentle persuasion.

It also made me realised how much compassion it takes to actually ease off and let me take time to digest and deal with all that has come up. Change is painful and it is human nature to resist change. He knows I'll bolt if given pressure. He knows that because it is painful, we can't expect change to happen linearly or at a constant pace. There are times when the pressure needs to be eased off. It is a fine balance between getting me to change and letting me find my pace of change.

With all the patience and compassion shown to me shown to me, yet I find it hard to be patient and have compassion and understanding towards others. I really have no reason to. With all that I'm blessed with, the least I could do is to show a little of that same patience and compassion towards others.