Failing With Awareness

“I read of a Buddhist teacher who developed Alzheimer’s. He had retired from teaching because his memory was unreliable, but he made one exception for a reunion of his former students. When he walked onto the stage, he forgot everything, even where he was and why. However, he was a skilled Buddhist and he simply began sharing his feelings with the crowd. He said, “I am anxious. I feel stupid. I feel scared and dumb. I am worried that I am wasting everyone’s time. I am fearful. I am embarrassing myself.” After a few minutes of this, he remembered his talk and proceeded without apology. The students were deeply moved, not only by his wise teachings, but also by how he handled his failings.

There is a Buddhist saying, “No resistance, no demons.”
― Mary Pipher, Seeking Peace: Chronicles of the Worst Buddhist in the World