Join Robert in the final episode of the series regarding spirituality and religion. TMC continues to discuss the role of certainty in our religions and spiritual paths. Robert shares many of his own personal stories with his teachers to highlight some minor and major ways in which he experienced the dangers of certainty. How in many cases, the rigidity and demand for full compliance within the group ultimately led him to turn away from the communities themselves. While you listen, perhaps his experiences resonate with your own. You may begin to ask yourself, how much freedom do you feel you have to add your wisdom to whatever approach you are embarking on?

A power dynamic is created when a leader takes on an almost superhuman quality and does not allow space for humanness and vulnerability. This can translate into anything as benign as the teacher appearing to have it all together or something much more dangerous such as sexual impropriety. You could hold the keys for your community to go to them and say, I would really like you, as a teacher, to be willing to share the human side of yourself. This image of togetherness or a persona of certainty of well-being is not beneficial to the planet because it makes us all try to seek a state of certainty rather than recognize we are all human no matter how spiritual we are. Robert envisions a new representation of teachers who would be vulnerable enough to share what their suffering is and thereby encourage us to openly and safely address our own.

Read the transcription and listen to this episode on The Global Bridge Foundation website.