Will They Understand When My Time Is Done?
Reflection On The Final Teachings Of A Medicine Man
There is a Struggle that we have as Humans to Express our Ideas.
To Express Our Hearts.
To Express Our Souls.
We Are Filled With A Desire to Help.
To Improve the World.
Yet, We Worry.
How will others take it?
We have a Fear.
Will They Understand When My Time Is Done?
The Words We Speak, Teach, and Gift.
Will they be Received?
Will they Create a Better World?
Or will they Fall Flat?
Will Others Hear the Words, but Fail to Understand What Was "Truly" Meant?
It's a Deeply Tragic Feeling to Experience.
Recently I was Reading the Words of a Native American "Medicine Man".
It's a Loaded Term, with many misunderstandings and misuses throughout history, and some people prefer different terms such as Native Healer.
They are perhaps a group of the Most Misunderstood Wise Individuals and Sages in History.
In the Teachings of many of these Healers, there is a common Sentiment...
Others will Fail to Understand what they Do and Say, even within their own Communities.
This Specific Healer whose work I was Reading has had Two Books.
The First Book was Written during their Lifetime.
The Second Book was Published Posthumously with Teachings they Never Completed in their Lifetime.
About 15 Years Apart.
This Second Book also included other pieces of writings from Individuals who were Deeply Impacted by the Teachings of this Healer.
There was something that really Struck Me to the Core as I Read the Second Book...
In the First Book, there was So Much Hope.
But the Second Book was Completely Different.
I Could "Feel" it within their Final Teachings.
They Knew.
People Would Fail To Understand.
It was Further Highlighted by what "Others" had to say throughout the book.
Those Closest to the Healer.
All of them were Well-Intentioned.
All of them said Wonderful Things.
All of them Also Failed to Understand.
I would Read one section from the Healer, followed by the Testimonies of those Close to the Healer.
There was a Teaching from the Healer, a Deep Psychological Undertone and Understanding that their Teachings would be Misunderstood, and then the Testimony of an Individual who Failed to Understand.
It was Tragic.
Painful.
It reminded me of The Bible where Jesus would Teach, and the Apostles Failed to Understand.
It seems to be a Trend that occurs with Wise Individuals and Sages from All Walks of Life.
There is something that They See and Understand.
Others can "See" that the Wise Individual Sees and Understands Something.
Yet, even after Deep Studying with the Wise Person...
They are Unable to See...
They are Unable to Understand...
The Wise Person's Heart and Soul is Expressed.
Yet, others are Blind to the Lessons.
This Repeats in History.
Again.
And Again.
It Sounds Hopeless...
However...
It Is Not.
There is More to the Story that We Must Understand.
These Wise Individuals are Wise.
We must Ask a Question...
If they are Wise, "Why" would they put their Entire Heart and Soul, and sometimes their Life, into their Teachings?
Why would they "Do" that for a Hopeless Cause?
They Would Not.
Here are the Realities.
They Know, Deep in their Being, that they will be Misunderstood.
They Know that it Requires Intense Time and Effort to Teach their Wisdom.
They Know it will Mostly Fall on Ears that Cannot Hear and Eyes that Cannot See.
Yet...
They Still Teach.
They Still Provide.
They Still Hope.
Why?
Why Would They?
This is the Oxymoron of Sageship.
To Live Fully as Humans, we "Must" Express that which Exists in our Hearts and Souls.
The Wise Individuals and Sages Teach, Provide, and Hope because "That" is to be Human.
There is a Sadness in Knowing that it will be Misunderstood, Yes.
It is Deeply Tragic.
Yet, there is a Joy and Satisfaction from Expressing it Regardless.
Plus, there is a Hope, that One Day, Someone, Somewhere, will Pick Up the Wisdom.
Someone.
Somewhere.
Will Understand.
But, even if it Never Happens, there is Fulfillment in Doing Everything in your Abilities to Fully Express Yourself.
Your Heart.
Your Soul.
That is the Call of a Sage.
Will Others Understand When My Time Is Done?
This is the Wrong Question.
Have I Expressed My Heart and Soul, and Done Everything Within My Power and Abilities to Improve the World Around Me?
This is the Right Question.
About the Creator
Dr. Cody Dakota Wooten, DFM, DHM, DAS (hc)
Multi-Award-Winning Sageship Coach, Daily Digital Writer (1,000+ Articles), Producer, TV Show Host, Podcaster & Speaker | Faith, Family, Freedom, Future | Categories: "Sageship" & "Legendary Leadership"
https://www.SeekingSageship.org/
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Comments (5)
I don't think as optimistically as you. I don't believe that everyone thinks of humanity as "we" and I don't believe that everyone has an innate desire to "help others" or the world. Sorry.
Your words resonate deeply, friend. It's a profound reflection on the human condition, the eternal struggle of the wise to connect with others. You've beautifully captured the paradox of the sage: the knowing that their words may not be understood, yet the unwavering commitment to share them anyway. It's a testament to the power of the human spirit, to the innate desire to impart wisdom and love, even in the face of potential rejection. Thank you for sharing your thoughts. They've touched my heart and mind.
Oooo, I learned a new word from you today, posthumously! Also, what you've said here is so deep. Despite knowing they would be misunderstood, they still try to teach everything that they know. Mindblowing!
All true, Cody. One thing I realized something early on in my teaching that helps me overcome my doubt and continue teaching is, "You cannot teach someone who does not want to learn. And the one who does will seek you out."
This is so true!