I came across this article by Norman Fisher, that naturally strikes home. I ended up in the role of “teacher” because I had a deep faith in the benefits of Zen practice. I know that my life has been profoundly affected and transformed by practice and wanted to “pay it forward”.
From the beginning, Norman Fischer never had much use for Zen teachers—and he still doesn’t. But after years of being one himself, he has a fuller appreciation of the role a teacher plays.