The Pageless Book

Mindfulness, calmness, patience, and compassion - these are the traits that I picture great teachers, such as Jesus or Buddha, embodying. There in lies the problem; it is merely a picture. Of all the things written about the lives of these great teachers, I don’t think I have ever read of such a teacher telling a bothersome student to shut their trap or using foul language in anger. It just isn’t in the records. Was this just an omission, or are the great spiritual teachers of the past so level headed and forgiving that it sets them apart from the rest of humanity? I don’t pretend to know for sure, but my suspicion is that those human flaws were just omitted. We all have ‘off’ days, and there is something particularly satisfying in thinking that the greatest spiritual teachers had them as well.

‘Off’ days can be cathartic in nature. We each have our own inner demons that we push down in an effort to remain civil. Sometimes, it’s just healthier to let those dogs run free for a while. If you have one too many drinks once every few months and end up urinating in the bird bath standing in your back yard, it really isn’t anyone’s business but your own. Do you absolutely feel you’ve got to take a mental health day? Your job will still be there tomorrow, much to your displeasure. Need mindless violence? Nothing is healthier then taking out your frustration on digital enemies on your favorite console video game system. Moderation is the only caveat I would offer concerning these activities, but you should use even moderation in moderation once in a while.

Yet, none of the well known spiritual teachers exemplify this virtue of blowing off some steam. They are portrayed as having the perfect temperament regardless of their situation. It’s a damn shame, too; learning when to take care of yourself is vital to spirituality and to over all well-being in general. Even more surprising is that the folks who work closest with spiritual teachings are among the folks who need to hear this truth the most. Ministers and pastors are notorious over workers and have the annoying tendency to be harder on themselves for their imperfections than need be.

So what can be done to remedy the lack of examples of spiritual teachers having a bad day? The best I can do is close my eye and visualize Buddha playing Mortal Kombat while blurting out profanity or Jesus singing Smells Like Teen Spirit with an empty bottle of jack in hand. Is that sacrilegious? Maybe, but I’d rather be sacrilegious and happy than be perfect but absolutely miserable.

Top Photo by Jason Weemin. Bottom Photo by Elvissa. Originally Published October 18th, 2007.