How to relate to a spiritual mentor
Venerable Thubten Chodron 
Young Adults Explore Buddhism 2009-10 
Jun 22, 2010 Part of a series of talks given during the annual Young Adult Week program at Sravasti Abbey in 2010.
- Recognizing our own self-centeredness which can lead to the extremes of arrogance or self-deprecation
- Recognizing our own strengths and capabilities
- Finding the middle path between individualism and conformity
- Understanding that the teacher-student relationship is voluntary
- Recognizing our own issues or challenges with authority and not projecting that rebellious attitude onto our spiritual mentor
- Understanding our role as a student and learning how to rely on the teacher appropriately while maintaining independent thought
Venerable Thubten Chodron
Venerable Chodron emphasizes the practical application of Buddha’s teachings in our daily lives and is especially skilled at explaining them in ways easily understood and practiced by Westerners. She is well known for her warm, humorous, and lucid teachings. She was ordained as a Buddhist nun in 1977 by Kyabje Ling Rinpoche in Dharamsala, India, and in 1986 she received bhikshuni (full) ordination in Taiwan. Read her full bio.
