A few years ago I listened to a conversation between a spiritual seeker and a spiritual teacher.
The seeker wanted to know if there were certain rituals that he could implement to gain spiritual power.
The teacher humbled the man with a simple reply: “Not in the way that you think.” It was at this point that the seeker started crying. There was a release of ego and a subsequent emergence of humility, awareness, and yes, rawness.
This incident stayed with me for years. Sometimes when we face sadness and shame, true power is gained.