1. Competencies and Assesments:
Envision yourself as a meditation teacher. What distinct qualities, characteristics, or values do you aspire to bring forward in your teaching approach? How do you believe these qualities will contribute to your effectiveness as a meditation teacher?
At the core of my approach to teaching is the belief that the role of the teacher is to create the conditions for creating knowledge, and be more than just a provider of ready-made knowledge. This takes generosity, patience and joyful effort and the willingness to see oneself honestly.
As one's meditation practice progresses, it becomes easier to tell the difference between a concept and the kind of knowledge that we've really made our own, through our experiential learning, through having put in the time in a wide range of situations, through the insights that have changed our beliefs, and the work it takes to test those beliefs until we are certain they reflect reality.
The challenge in teaching awareness mediation is not just to provide knowledge of what awareness meditation is and about how to practice it, but to help people experience, early on, the potential of small shifts to create huge impact. The first shift is for them to see meditation as something they can enjoy, that can be woven into their life effortlessly. The next is to experience those moments of liberation that drive and develop enthusiasm, and that will turn those small shifts into positive behaviours and ultimately the wisdom and fruition of a mature meditation practice. But the most profound shift of all is the one in which the meditator sees themselves differently. A good teacher is a catalyst for that shift.
I would hope to be able to embody the joyfulness, the light touch, the charm and the humour that we've all seen in Mingyur Rinpoche. I would also hope to convey the confidence and stable energy of someone with a strong meditation practice. I would want to help people to discover a sense of calm, openess, and optimism based on an embodied experience of presence that is there for them, and will allways be there for them, whether they realize it or not. Above all, I would want them to tap into and sustain the qualities of loving kindness, compassion and wisdom that are their birthright.
2. Self Care:
What are the top 3 strategies you will apply to ensure that you prioritize your well-being while adding the demands of the MTP program in your daily life?
First and foremost is to bring awareness into my informal practice, applying it to those self care routines that are essential for building and maintatining energy, eating, exercising, housework, etc.
Next, work on my sleeping meditation practice to ensure that I'm getting enough good quality sleep.
Finally, schedule self care into my day, prioritizing whatever areas might seem at risk of slipping, be it exercise, creative learning, or just finding time to have fun.
3 Motivation:
Reflect on the initial reasons that motivated you to embark on this path. Considering the significant investment of time and energy demanded by this MTP, what do you think are the underlying values that continue to drive your commitment? How do these core values align with your aspirations as a meditation teacher, and how do they contribute to your resilience in the face of the program's challenges?
I've been a Tergar student since 2013, about a year before I embarked on a new career and helped to build a new company that from the ground up that eventually employed over 50 people across Canada. The program and these teachings have supported me through so many challenging periods. Through good times and sad. Through COVID, through my father's diagnosis of late stage lung cancer and death in August 2021.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1yCfPbceIZ_T-vz8oogN6EgojqJVI3RMb/view?usp=share_link
Reflect on the initial reasons that motivated you to embark on this path. Considering the significant investment of time and energy demanded by this MTP, what do you think are the underlying values that continue to drive your commitment? How do these core values align with your aspirations as a meditation teacher, and how do they contribute to your resilience in the face of the program's challenges?
What are the top 3 strategies you will apply to ensure that you prioritize your well-being while adding the demands of the MTP program in your daily life?
