The Humbling Process in Becoming a True Teacher
Humility has shown up for me again and again—and not always in the gentlest of ways. If you’ve ever stepped onto the path of teaching spiritual work, you probably already know: it’s not the titles or tools that make you a teacher. It’s the willingness to stay open, honest, and real.
For a long time, I thought I had to be polished and prepared. That if I didn’t have the answers, I wasn’t doing it right. But the more I’ve grown into this calling, the more I’ve learned that humility isn’t about playing small—it’s about showing up as you are, knowing Spirit will meet you there.
My Personal Journey: Lessons in Humility
I’ve been knocked sideways more than once. Moments when I was asked something in a class and had no answer. Times when my own emotions surfaced mid-reading and caught me off guard. And especially, the grief of losing my mentor, Jack Rudy—a man who saw in me something I wasn’t yet ready to claim.
Jack used to say I’d have my own church one day. At the time, I laughed it off. But now, I understand what he meant. Not a building. A presence. A way of showing up in the world for others. Something lived.
His belief in me was steady, and his passing shook something loose. It called me to step up—not into his shoes, but into my own. And it’s humbling, every single day.
What Humility Has Taught Me
- I don’t need to know everything.
- Spirit will lead if I listen more than I speak.
- I can learn alongside the people I serve.
- Being vulnerable makes me more relatable, not less capable.
- The best teachers are always students too.
Every “I don’t know” is a doorway to something deeper. Every time I pause to listen instead of rushing to explain, something beautiful unfolds.
How This Shapes How I Teach
I used to feel pressure to lead the room. Now, I hold space instead. When someone comes into my circle or class, I’m not thinking, Let me fix you. I’m thinking, Let’s walk this together. That shift has changed everything.
Humility has made me a better listener. A more present guide. A softer space for others to open up. I’ve learned to let my own truth live in the room—not to dominate it, but to encourage others to trust their own.
If You’re Walking This Path Too
Maybe you’ve just started teaching. Maybe you’ve been doing it for years and still feel like you’re figuring it out. Either way, you’re not alone.
There’s no formula, no finish line. Just the steady, sacred work of showing up—with open hands and an open heart. If you feel like you’re fumbling, I promise you, you’re not failing. You’re growing. You’re listening. You’re becoming.
And that’s more than enough.
What Jack Left Me With
Jack believed in a church. But I’ve come to realize—I am the church. I carry it in my voice, in the quiet moments of truth, in the ways I invite others to trust Spirit again. Humility made room for that realization. It tore away the performance and left me with the real work: to serve, to guide, to keep learning, and to love people exactly where they are.
You don’t have to be perfect to be powerful. Just willing. Just real. We’re all students. We’re all teachers. And somewhere in that beautiful, humbling space between the two—Spirit meets us.
And we grow.