Experience is “my path” and every Person a Teacher

Sharon Fierro - Wellness Qigong

Meditating during World Tai Chi & Qigong Day

My experience this year has been predominantly as a student. With the awareness that each experience is “my path” and every person a teacher, I was blessed with many valuable teachings in 2012. So, I would like to share some of the many sources of my learning. My hope for the coming year, is to expand my teaching and work in the community to reflect these lessons.

My time caring for my aging parents in their final stages of life has been my greatest source of joy, sadness, reflective learning and healing. My mom has shown me the love, courage, wisdom and grace of a caring, compassionate woman of character. My dad has shown me the sweet vulnerability and strength of a man who has devoted his life to “taking care” of his wife and family. My brother has shown me another way of healing with his equanimity, sense of humor and devotion to our family as a whole. The practice of being present, accepting life “as it is” (and people as they are), reconnecting with my family and compassionately facing our loss has opened my heart.

During this time, a good friend contributed this valuable insight: “Sharon, this part of our lives requires a lot of resourcefulness, fortitude, compassion and patience and you seem to have deep reserves. Unconditional love just isn’t good enough…”

The generous teachings, support and kindness of Elizabeth Wenscott, Lisa Hish, my tai chi family and many friends helped create and restore these reserves, as well as inspire an awakening of the divine wisdom and teacher within. The writings of Zen teacher, Ezra Bayda in his book “Zen Heart” and Taoist , Michael Saso in “The Gold Pavillion-Taoist Ways of Peace, Healing and Long Life” served as inspiration as well. Thank you, divine teachers…. “Kindness of the Heart…Breath of Life…I bow to you, again and again. Lotus sitting on the water, beyond time and space, this is your way this is your grace…” by Snatum Kaur.