Lojong 19: All dharmas agree at one point

This is part of my series on Lojong, a Buddhist mind training technique.This slogan asks how we evaluate our own progress on the spiritual path as well as the teachers we choose. Some days we feel as though we have made no progress; we look back over the years as see no changes. Other days we can see that we are a little bit more compassionate, a little bit more calm, a little more kind. We might feel that it isn't enough one day and the next be quite proud of ourselves for the changes we have made. It's important, though, not to miss the point of the Lojong practice: relinquishing our ego. Do we really need to evaluate our progress or can we simply keep practicing and trust that we are on a path for our highest selves? Measuring 'progress' is simply another way for our egos to get involved. Let go of the need to measure spirituality.Our teachers come in many formats. There are some that are wildly popular, some methods that are 'in' today and 'out' tomorrow. Some are quiet people with no grandstanding whatsoever. Whoever your teachers are, ensure that you are not choosing them solely because they are popular and play the part well. Ensure that the message they deliver to you sits well with you; that you draw inspiration from it. And always recognize that they too are flawed humans- we all are!