| y"> | | | | essence of a person, not their ego. Additionally, the |
| "The Oath of a Kundalini Teacher: "I am not a woman. I | | | | teacher-student relationships are to remain |
| am not a man. I am not a person. I am not myself. I am | | | | professional. Personal conduct is to be of the highest |
| a teacher." ~ Yogi Bhajan | | | | caliber and always from a place of deep care, |
| I have a confession to make. I struggled with The | | | | respect, and concern for others. |
| Teacher's Oath when I started my Kundalini Yoga | | | | The third and final piece is ethical responsibility in terms |
| Teacher Training. When I first heard it, I rebelled. What | | | | of role. As a KY teacher you need to let go of your |
| do you mean I'm not a woman? If I'm not a person | | | | identification with your own success or failure. In this |
| than what am I? And if I am not myself, then who is | | | | role, a KY teacher needs to identify with "being a |
| me? I didn't get it and it confused me immensely. Who | | | | teacher" as an infinite task. It is about being mindful of |
| was this guy to tell me that I'm not me? Can you say | | | | the students (ability levels, never being harassive, |
| "resistance?" How about that for a great start? | | | | honoring all belief systems, and keeping confidences). In |
| In this article, I'll explain about The Teacher's Oath and | | | | terms of the role as a KY teacher, choose right over |
| what it means to me now compared to my first | | | | wrong, ethics over convenience...these are the choices |
| impression. I'll also touch on the key ethical | | | | that measure your life (not just your teaching |
| responsibilities a KY teacher has in terms of service to | | | | experiences). Travel the path of integrity...for there is |
| students, personal conduct, and roles. And finally I'll bring | | | | never the wrong time to do the right thing. |
| in my relationship to the teachings and to the source of | | | | To close off this discussion, it is important to bring in |
| the teachings. | | | | what my relationship is to the teachings and the |
| Gurmukh Kaur Khalsa, of Golden Bridge in Los | | | | source of the teachings. |
| Angeles, says that, "as Kundalini yoga teachers, [we] | | | | My relationship to the teachings is one of respect, |
| take this [Teacher's] Oath. It sets the precedent as to | | | | consideration, love, appreciation, gratitude, and service, |
| why we are there and what we are to deliver: these | | | | always, at all times, regardless of my particular |
| sacred teachings. Our purpose is to deliver the student | | | | momentary feelings and opinions, because that is the |
| to himself-not to the teacher. We are there to inspire | | | | attitude I need to have toward my very Essence. |
| the students." | | | | As for my relationship to the source of the teachings, it |
| How do I feel about The Teacher's Oath now? It is | | | | was difficult in the beginning. As a pure Sagittarian, I am |
| about uplifting humanity! Yogi Bhajan gave the | | | | often desperately unhappy in regimented situations as I |
| Teacher's Oath as a reminder to keep our ego out of | | | | tend to become bored and restless, and I also resent |
| our teaching and to always respond with what is in the | | | | authority. So, to come to this type of spiritual teaching |
| best interest of the student. He is trying to teach us to | | | | that is based on the tradition of a guru transmitting the |
| "shine the soul of the student," not to shine our own | | | | wisdom was an interesting choice. I know that, typically, |
| egos. It is about being a messenger of the teachings; | | | | people surrender to the guru to lead the way until you |
| being a vehicle and letting it flow. The Teachers Oath | | | | have the discipline of the pure teachings. It all shifted |
| reminds us to be the teacher and to uplift the soul of | | | | into greatness once I started to trust my teacher and |
| each student. | | | | surrender to the experiences. Now, KY is a proven |
| Hand-in-hand with the Teachers Oath are the ethical | | | | step-by-step system to walk my own path. It is all |
| responsibilities a KY teacher has. These responsibilities | | | | LOVE...pure LOVE. I surrender my ego to my soul. I |
| are three-fold. First, is ethical responsibility in terms of | | | | came to explore the knowledge and didn't know that |
| service. As a KY teacher it is essential to keep the | | | | the knowledge would start to explore me. It was about |
| purity of the teachings and to teach them in a way | | | | the wisdom of yielding to, rather than opposing, the |
| that is selfless. It is the teacher's responsibility to | | | | flow of life. |
| connect students to the flow of the teachings and to | | | | I get it now...just as Mark Ciaburri claims, "My whole |
| elevate the student to the awareness of the Infinite | | | | being moves toward these teachings. I love what I am |
| within them. | | | | learning, and unlearning." |
| Second, is ethical responsibility in terms of personal | | | | ©Copyright 2010 Kundalini Yoga With Sharlene Starr. |
| conduct. This is about walking the talk and teaching by | | | | All Rights Reserved. |
| example. It is also about relating to the spirit, soul, and | | | | |