I have been lucky to meet more than a few people who embody this wisdom that the master is ordinary. Our beloved Pancho, for one. Jayesh bhai in Ahmedabad, India is another. In my opinion, another person who really embodies the truth that the master is ordinary is Benjamin Smythe. He's become known for sitting in outdoor public places around the world while holding a sign that says "you're perfect." He creates these outrageously funny, insightful, and very REAL and BLUNT videos, where he answers questions that people ask him. (If you want to laugh with and learn from Ben, check out his youtube channel). The beauty of these videos...completely ordinary! He will not call himself "enlightened" or "a teacher" or anything like that. Benjamin appears in these videos while eating a pizza or blowing his nose or sitting in a shower. He laughs hysterically, and he cries...all in front of the camera. This, for me, is so refreshing because it really demonstrates one of his core messages, which is that many of us who "seek" are trying to run away from ourselves, when our ordinary selves are the ones we're looking for! In many of his videos, I see him unfolding. He's not fixed, and doesn't pretend to know it all. What he shares, and how he shares it, has really helped me to see the absurdity in seeking something outside of myself and my own experience. Whenever I need to be reminded of that, I watch Ben's videos. :)
On Feb 26, 2013 Smita wrote :