One of the most significant dreams I’ve ever had came to me over 30 years ago when I first began my search for enlightenment. I still remember it today and cherish its wisdom-- and I’m still working to embody what I learned, as it is the cornerstone of the spiritual path. 

The dream began when I went to hear a lecture by a spiritual teacher, a young white man whom I admired and heard speak many times.  There were hundreds of students attending his talk. They all saw him as a great guru and brought him flowers and fruit.  He gave a very wonderful and inspiring talk, full of deep spiritual truths.

Then I blinked, and the scene suddenly shifted, and I seemed to travel into the future.  I knew somehow that I had advanced spiritually, and was now attending another spiritual lecture. This time it was held in a very unusual futuristic building.  But I noticed there were much fewer students in attendance than the previous lecture.  

I realized it was because this time the teacher was a black man, and racial prejudice kept people from hearing the same deep spiritual truths from him.  I was told that any type of prejudice could prevent someone from hearing the same great truths.  Some people couldn’t hear it from a woman, or from someone of a different religion, for example.  But I knew I was more advanced now, and I could accept deep spiritual teachings from any authentic teacher, regardless of how he or she appeared.

But then most remarkably, the scene shifted again and knew I had advanced even further on the spiritual path.  Now I was in the kitchen of an ordinary house and there were hardly any other students left.  I knew I was there for the same deep spiritual teachings, but where was the teacher? 

Then the realization suddenly hit me: the teaching at that moment was doing the dirty dishes in the sink with love! 

Now I’m one of those people who don’t exactly get super excited about doing the dishes.  So this realization made me feel sick to stomach.  I had to lie down.  I just couldn’t believe it!  So this is the really advanced teaching?!! 

Yes, I was told inwardly. It’s all about finding the Teacher within you--not outside yourself.  You find the face of God that is your own face.  The Buddha said, “Look within: thou art the Buddha.”  Your true Teacher is your soul, the Divine Presence within you.  This is where you’ll find your most reliable source of guidance for your life.  When you work with your inner Teacher, you learn to do everything with love, even the most mundane tasks such as the dishes. You learn to be more fully present in each moment, more fully awake and aware.

This dream reminded me of the ancient wisdom, “Before enlightenment, chopping wood, carrying water.  After enlightenment, chopping wood, carrying water”—but now you do everything with love.


Corinne McLaughlin is co-founder of The Center for Visionary Leadership in the San Francisco and Washington, D.C. areas and Sirius Community in Massachusetts, and she is co-author of Spiritual Politics and Builders of the Dawn.  She consults with various organizations, and  offers visionary leadership training and personal coaching for leaders and can be reached at corinnemc@visionarylead.org or www.visionarylead.org