Finding Your Teachers

How do we know when we are in the right place, at the right time with the right teacher?

Eugene Gendlin tells the story of how he felt better, just by walking into his therapist’s office. He somehow knew that this was the place. When people walk into my Art Therapy Studio I often know right away by how they look, the comments they make, and how their body relaxes or not, if they are in the right place to do the healing work that they are searching for. Often they comment on how much they like the colours, the décor or comment that it feels quiet and peaceful. They are picking up on my energy and the energy of the space. How do you know when you find your teacher?

I want to tell you a story of how I found my next teacher. I recently attended the International Focusing Conference in California facilitating a workshop and attending other practitioners’ workshops. I was not looking to sign up for any courses or to work with anyone, in fact the flight down confirmed for me that I dislike flying, the hassle of leaving my busy schedule, and disrupting my life is not worth it. And then I walked into Russell Dellman’s workshop.  I had sat with him over lunch during the first day of the conference, noticing nothing special, but there was an interesting lightness to his being and a wonderful, very wonderful smile. I ran into him several times after that and we smiled. When I sat in on his workshop, after maybe two minutes I just knew, this is my next teacher. He had what I needed.

Russell teaches a course called Embodied Life, which is a combination of Focusing, Zen Meditation and Feldenkrais. But that wasn’t it exactly, it was Russell himself. I knew that his energy could help me grow. It was odd, I sat there thinking I don’t want to fly down to California twice a year to do his Mentorship Program because of the cost and energy that it will take but, damn it, I don’t have a choice because I need this. I need to hear his words, I need to learn from him so, I will. Now I have a new spiritual guide or something like that. I feel blessed, excited and a little exhausted already knowing that I will have to fly into the busy airport in Sans Francisco, rearrange my busy schedule etc. But, I found my teacher. What about you? How do find your teachers?