1. We teach others when we do not react in alarm to some potentially frightening news or event. The world around us receives the lesson that those events — in themselves — do not have the power to make or break the awakened soul. Our lesson — if we will teach it — is to see that we need not ride along on our own three-alarm nature that loves getting set off.

2. We teach others when they can see us laugh at our own mistakes. The world around us receives the lesson that there is a big difference between making a mistake and thinking of oneself as being a mistake. Our lesson — if we will teach it — is to see that any compulsive wish to be seen as perfect in the eyes of the world is a punishment that can never be a part of our true peace and contentment.

3. We teach others around us when we won’t give voice to complaint. The world around us receives the lesson that there are superior ways to handle times of discomfort or disappointment that do not include expressing negative emotions. Our lesson — if we will teach it — is to see that we can use passing dark states to awaken to and realize an interior wisdom that knows how to use everything for its own growth.

4. We teach others whenever we refuse to psychologically defend ourselves — be this against simple sarcasm or even vicious slander. The world around us receives the lesson that what is true needs no defense and that what is false cannot be defended. Our lesson — if we will teach it — is the realization that people only feel the need to attack what frightens them and that we need never live in fear of any frightened person.