"A masterful teacher will not answer your questions… They will question your answers."
— James McPartland
The school of life automatically generates the next subject, the one we most need to learn, as part of the curriculum inside a backpack holding our unique "course of our life" materials. The faculty we meet (or are confronted by) arrive on time with our assignments, but it is always up to us to learn the lessons.
A masterful teacher enables us to break through old stories and to revisit the questions that we thought we had already answered. Rising above the clouds on this phase of the journey, we become aware of the routes that no longer serve us. However, a breakthrough is not the ultimate goal. It is simply an attainable ledge on our climb, a stage where the next level comes into view and the required next steps of ascendance emerge.
Questioning our answers is like putting a key into a two-way lock. The same key that can lock us in a self-imposed prison, can also unlock our potential and free us from the restraints of an old world we’ve been struggling to leave and a new world we had been afraid to enter.
Some questions, like the ones below, are best when periodically reviewed and refined:
What in my life have I avoided doing - something that I believe could be quite difficult, yet deep down know it could improve my life in a significant way?
Is there one thing - that if I walked away from it - could advance my life?
What would I need to do to bring myself to face a situation that scares me?
Of all the meetings we have, the most important are the ones we have with ourselves. During these sessions, we must practice staying inside of the questions – reminding ourselves that having an open mind is far more important than having an answer.
In and out of the various "classrooms" we’re a part of throughout the days, weeks, and months, it can be quite beneficial to look for the teachers - as well as our own teachable moments. Many of these teachers can serve a vital purpose, often lifting the veil that was once concealing what had been there all along. With the veil lifted, we can cross the threshold of authenticity and truth.
Since it is up to us to decide to question our answers, it’s a powerful life lesson when we come to realize that the guiding voice within is often the most authentic, truthful teacher we will ever have.
