Everybody wants to be a groovy hippy enlightened life coach teacher doctor healer

[liveonearth]

What's up with that? I mean, as I look around, I am on this path toward naturopathy. Everybody I know or meet is going toward nursing or doctoring or acupuncturing, or working as a massage therapist, or treating addicts, or teaching yoga or meditation or nutrition, or opening up a practice, or getting a new certification, or writing a book about all the important stuff they've learned in life. We're all doing it. Some are ahead of others, but we're all going the same direction, like lemmings. Everybody's got a web page. Everybody's self-promoting, wanting to be the guru, wanting to be paid for what we know. We all are hip and cool. What next?

I wonder when the day will come that there's no money for what we know and can communicate, and the matter becomes what can we DO. Besides teach. Who was it that said those who can't do, teach? And why is it that my life is full of gurus or every stripe?? Or is it that my life is full of entrepreneurs, those who have the smarts to separate a sucker from his money for no more than an idea or an experience? And what in life is worth more than an idea or experience? And are they actually making a living with all this purveying of insight? Am I in a bubble? I must be in a tiny little cultural bubble.

I know I'm going around in circles. Seems to be status quo.

The question is, how does a guru dress? And how sincere does the smile really have to be? Because after a while, all those phoney blissed out guru smiles really get tired. It's hard to maintain the appearance of enlightenment. A lot of work, and the veneer is full of gaps.

Comments

[neptunia67.livejournal.com]

I think you're definitely in a cultural bubble.

I remember an email reply you sent to Brady Black when I was looking for somebody to go boating with... "Everybody wants to be a boater..."

I guess it comes down to what and who you're surrounded by.

[liveonearth.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I'm seeing that.

Ironically, though, everybody still wants to be a boater. I mean, whenever somebody finds out that I have been kayaking my whole life, own three kayaks, used to teach and guide etc, they always say "when are you taking me on the river" and I never have a good answer for them.... I want to tell them "I'll take you kayaking after you complete a novice, beginner and intermediate class progression, have a bombproof eskimo roll, and have your own boat, paddle, sprayskirt, helmet, lifejacket, drytop, pogies, booties, chums, drybag, and shuttle car with racks." But pretty soon I'm going to start a new batch of rank beginners at the swimming pool in borrowed gear, and teach them how to roll. Urgh. Here goes.

[neptunia67.livejournal.com]

Ha. Just say NO unless you really want to do it. I hope you charge a fee if you do end up teaching. I think your answer is totally fair and they should at least go on a rafting trip or several before getting into a kayak.

I never even considered going on a river until I took a class, and even then it was a foolhardy thing to do.

[liveonearth.livejournal.com]

Well as is normal with me I want to do something for my friends, and it appears that this kayaking skill is something that "everybody" wants, so I share it. Pretty much none of the friends that I've helped teach have persisted in kayaking. What does that mean?

[neptunia67.livejournal.com]

I think it means it's a lot easier than it looks! It is scary and dangerous and takes an amazing amount of physical strength and stamina. People like you make it look easy. :)

[liveonearth.livejournal.com]

Thanks......yeah....I guess I wonder if my teaching sucks. I rationalize that it's just a very gradual slow learning curve. I know it took over a decade for me to get past the beginning level. ....Kayaking gets far easier when you get good at it. It's most difficult when you're beginning. Later on when the fear subsides a bit you can relax and let the water do the work. So many things in life are like that......once you learn how to set it up properly, the work does itself.

[neptunia67.livejournal.com]

True, that. I think activities that require physical commitment and a certain level of expertise before they become easier - kayaking, skiing, figure skating, throwing pots (;-p) also require determination and a passion for the activity. I, for one, thought I wanted to kayak but what I really wanted to do was be on the river. Sitting in a duckie is just fine with me - I've been there, done that, and had no desire to continue with the learning curve. The unavailability of a regular practice site probably made the decision easier.

I don't think your teaching has much to do with it, though. I've found you to be quite articulate and compassionate when teaching or demonstrating moves, both on the river and off (yoga, for instance).

[liveonearth.livejournal.com]

Yeah, if you had a lovely river running through your back yard it would all be different. Nobody gets to be a good kayaker living in Arizona. All the good kayakers that live in Arizona learned somewhere else. But throwing pots you can do right there....and it is fun to hear that you are getting so consistent that you get a piece for every lump. AWEsome.