There are many great teachers around the world. Sometimes it's your next door groceries' cashier or your music teacher, as it can be anybody you encounter in life. And if you pay attention, they can feed you with your matching Koan (A Koan is a story, dialogue, question, or statement which is used in Zen practice to provoke the "great doubt" and to practice or test a student's progress in Zen.). A Koan which makes you wonder and doubt. The one which gives you a new perspective and opens and sharpens your senses, and above.
Today I’ll give you some of my role models, and I’ll start with:
He is one of the most powerful peace bringer in the world. He was. He’s passed away this year, on 22nd of January 2022. Thank you, for all the great doings you have done for the good. Rest in Peace.
TNH was a Thiên Buddhist Monk (Vietnamese version of Zen Buddhism), peace activist, a teacher in mindfulness, ethics and peace. I call him my Yoda. He was always calm and very kind, a peaceful teacher, and he took part in a lot of events, like the Vietnam War. Further, he was founder of the Plum Village Tradition, a school of Buddhism, and the Plum Village, which is an international practise centre and monastic community. Today, it’s the biggest Buddhistic monastery in Europe.
I learned a lot of meditation and how to live in mindfulness from his books. Zen Buddhism showed me the way to develope my questioning. Though, my first book of Zen Buddhism was from Daisetz Teitaro Suzuki. I have read one of his books about six times, and still, with every time, I learn something new.
Check out the Plum Village website:
https://plumvillage.org/mindfulness/mindfulness-practice/
And get into The Art of Mindful Living, by Thich Nhat Hanh
He was the father of our today’s permaculture, and a Japanese microbiologist and philosopher. A teacher for our sense of agriculture, flora and fauna, in the way of natural farming which is his unique, natural farming method of “no cultivation, no chemical fertilizer, and no weeding,” confronting nature through farming. To me, he is a natural-born Zen in every form.
His book “One Straw Revolution” lives up to its name. For me and myself, a revolution! Another wonderful idea are the clay balls full of seeds. Knowing that bare seeds tend to be eaten by birds, Fukuoka came up with the idea of inserting seeds into clay pellets before sowing them on fields. In general, such clay balls are made by (1) mixing clay, water and various kinds of seeds, (2) removing air bubbles from the mixture as much as possible, (3) forming small, round balls, and (4) drying them for 3 or 4 days.
Clay-coated seeds are prevented from being eaten by birds or insects and also from drying up. The globular shape of these clay pellets makes them hard to break. Clay balls contact the ground with a small area where dew is formed due to differences in daytime and nighttime temperatures, which facilitates the rooting of seeds.
Check out Masanobu’s website:
https://f-masanobu.jp/en/about/
A small glimpse into Fukuoke's life and Natural Farming.
Germany’s pop star amongst the philosophers. German language in its passion – philosophy. I love to read and listen to Richard, how he collects many perspectives and questions both sides during his dialogues. Hopefully one day, politics and economy works hand in hand with philosophy.
He brings a big variety of topics. To name a few, there are animal rights, love, altruism (reciprocal altruism), our current education system, society, AI and economy.
His website:
He is a yogi, mystic, poet, visionary and founder of the Isha Foundation. He's a guru from nowadays, rooted in worldly and pragmatic matters as in inner experience and wisdom, but a Guru of a different kind. Furthermore, he brings yoga as a science of vital importance for today and not only as an old esoteric discipline.
I have been learning a lot from his dialogues. I like his way, calmness and kindness. Also, I feel connected to some things we have in common like travelling, Yoga, supporting our environment, flora and fauna and people, plus motorcycling and paragliding.
Almost everything about his projects, and himself, you can check out at his Isha Foundation's website. The Isha Foundation is a non-profit organization that offers Yoga programs around the world and is involved in social initiatives, education and environmental initiatives:
https://www.ishafoundation.org/?global
Also check out Sadhguru on How To Never Get Angry or Bothered By People
I like to questioning life, my own life, the human way of living and life in general. Many things make me doubt.
In our today's marketing, you have to question fame and reputation, as they are manipulable. There are many fake teachers, gurus and leaders around. Look through the halo. Using one’s own position in charge in a dominant and not fair way, is not the right way.
For many years, the Hinduistic philosophy was my favourite one. But nowadays, I definitely disagree with its Caste System, because I don't support hierarchical classification and demarcation of social groups.
Some other interesting questions are: What are thoughts? What is infinity, and why can infinity even expand? For these last questions, I’ll deepen into this another time.
I wanted to share these four teachers of mine with you. If you haven't heard about one or the other, now it's my recommendation to you, to have a look and give them a try.
They helped me to get different perspectives, to develop myself and improve mind and body, through learning, doubting, being kind, volunteering and supporting social initiatives, education and environmental initiatives, sport and meditation, to live a mindful life. And to be more relaxed and take myself not more important than any other being.
Let me know what do you think?
But, like I like to say, give it time. Good thoughts and answers need time.
