There's something about people who know who they are. Or, even better, don't try to be any different than who they are.
Authenticity.
Important in teaching. Important in practice too. Important in life too.
I remember sitting on the floor in teacher training, and Chay, one of our teachers, quoted, "It is not my business what others think of me."
Some in our class blinked. A few eyebrows raised. Disagreement. Disbelief. And I can see why. Our culture is steeped in the idea of letting what others think of us also drive our behavior and choices--from the way we live right down to our jobs and level of education right down to the size of our house and the age of our car.
But what Chay said that night holds heaps of truth and wisdom on the most basic level. And it lands in my mind often, whenever changing a little bit of who I am and what I stand for seems like the easiest course of action. Whenever I feel the urge to upgrade, acquire and steer my path in the direction of the most prestige.
It is not my business what others think of me.
Approval of the masses does not equal santosha, contentment.
But keeping true to yourself? Well, that does.
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