Helping Spiritually
Some spiritual teachers insist that the only way to truly help others is to awaken yourself. Only when awake can one help another beyond duality and suffering, pain and pleasure. There’s certainly truth to this because only when free from our own mind, can we experience true inner peace. However, for the record, I’ve never liked when teachers don’t respect the body, emotions, and mind. We need to respect and take care of all parts of us. If we can untie the knots in the physical, mental, and emotional bodies, recognition of our true nature is effortless.

Don’t fall into spiritual snobbery: everything is spiritual.

The Human Level…Not Inner or Outer
We live on different levels, and the world needs help on all of them. If one’s belly is empty, don’t talk about awakening. Fill the belly. Give food and money. If the body has pain, provide massage or another therapy to help the pain. Perhaps teach one how to heal themselves. If one has mental and emotional pain, help them where they are.

There was a story of a teacher in India. People questioned if she was enlightened because she seemed to speak only about mundane affairs. To one woman she talked about marriage, to another man she spoke about his business. People thought that an awakened person should be grounded in non-duality, the soul of the universe.

She was indeed awakened but she met people where they were.

We ARE ALL HEALERS
I’ve always believed we all have the potential to be healers, no matter what our path or vocation. If I have financial problems an accountant might be the best healer; if I have legal issues then a lawyer; if my roof is leaking then the best healer is a carpenter. Everyone has the potential to help just being who they are. If you have nothing more to give than a smile, then give that. It helps a lot. You must have experienced a time when you were down and someone looked you in the eyes and smiled. It seems to go straight to the heart.