Mark Nepo on why no teacher has it together, why wisdom is not a shortcut, and what it means to stop hiding your humanity. Asked how the poet people turn to for calm could also have been anxious, he answers plainly: it is an illusion to think he or anyone is free of difficulty. He only knows what he knows through living it. He knows calm because he has been anxious, centred because he has been off centre, whole because he has been shattered. That is where the illusion of the guru comes from, and it is why he insists he has no answers. What he offers are examples, not instructions. We are all here comparing notes on what it is to be alive, and everyone begins at I don't know. Being thorough, meeting whatever comes, accepting our own humanness, that is what makes us a clear conduit for spirit. And there is no bypassing it. Wisdom is a resource, not a shortcut. He is cheerfully certain he will leave this conversation, slip shovelling snow, forget everything he just said, get anxious, and learn it all again. And isn't that wonderful. He closes on feelings, quoting Rilke on letting everything happen, the beautiful and the terrible, and treating no single feeling as final. Feelings are the radar for spirit. We shy away from their intensity, though met with an open heart they move through us more softly. So there is no contradiction in still feeling fear. He can understand something, share it, and still have to work to live it. Want to go deeper with Mark Nepo? Join Sounds True One for more teachings like this. Get your first month FREE at https://bit.ly/4ctecMn Subscribe to Sounds True's YouTube Channel ► https://bit.ly/SubscribeSTYT Sounds True is a mission-driven learning and media company, and a recognized leader in wellbeing, personal growth, and spiritual transformation. Partnering with the world’s foremost wisdom teachers and best-selling authors, the company reaches millions worldwide with its unique programs, digital learning experiences, and worldwide events. The company also features a variety of original series, weekly shows, and live online experiences on Sounds True One, its global platform and community with members across more than 125 countries. Sounds True is a Public Benefit Corporation and also the home of the Sounds True Foundation. Connect with us: ▪️Facebook: http://bit.ly/2XFIIeE ▪️Instagram: http://bit.ly/2UlEoiH ▪️Website: http://bit.ly/2tOl02d