Who can hear the Buddha sing
If that dog between your legs is barking?
Hafiz here seems to be reflecting upon his role as a teacher. He has the knowledge and the experience yet it means little if students are not trained in listening beyond their immediate desires and are not ready to dive into the mysteries of their life. The discipline of training the mind and the body to align in such a way as to hold open a space for the music of spirit to be heard is not something that can be taught before a student understands their investment in the process.
A good teacher will sneak around the thoughts of a student and turn them about to offer the student to see their ideas from a different angle.
Thank you for listening.
Music: I was led to this song Teachers by Leonard Cohen. Here Cohen sings of his struggles with his desires and he is...oh, so eloquent...so, Cohen! Released in 1967, it is a delight to hear this early music of his. Enjoy.
...I met a man who lost his mind
In some lost place I had to find
Follow me the wise man said
But he walked behind...
The original post in this series of poems by Hafiz (including an addendum regarding the authenticity of these poems) can be found here. Also, my thoughts on this series a year into these poems, HERE.
The Gift: Poems by Hafiz and translated by Daniel Ladinsky can be purchased here.
My book can be purchased HERE. E-book HERE. The Season Two blogcasts with audio excerpts from my book begin HERE: in Behind The Lines. This reading of the book excerpts in a mixed media format is Season Two of this blog. These recorded excerpts are outside the chronological order in which the book was written. Podcasts with audio only beginning with episode 22 can be found HERE.
Comments