21 Dec 2013
Tom Stine makes an interesting and relevant point when he says;
Spiritual Teachers Can Be Hazardous to Your Health
I know I am shooting myself in the foot a bit with today's tip, but I see no way around it. You simply have to take all spiritual teachers and all spiritual teachings with a grain of salt. Spiritual teachers, gurus, masters, whatever you want to call them, can be a huge obstacle to your progress, so be careful!
You see, teachers have only one function: to teach. They speak, you listen. You ask questions, they speak, you listen. They write, you read. It really is that simple. After you do your listening or reading, you go off and do your own thing with whatever you've heard. That's what you do when you learn to ride a bike or learn calculus. And that's what you should do with spiritual teachings.
But in the world of spirituality, people tend to hang around the teacher. Instead of learning from them and then going off and doing their own thing, they make all kinds of emotional connections to the teacher that are not really helpful. They become dependent, they become attached, they end-up losing some of their autonomy. They fail to discern the true role of the teacher, and instead they can start seeing the teacher as another Father or mother in their lives.
For an adult, this giving away of your autonomy is not a good thing. Take a look at the recent history of spiritual teachings, spiritual movements, religions, churches, you name it, and you see a God awful mess! All because people in general have been willing to surrender their own authority to an external figure or institution in the name of God.
So, use spiritual teachers wisely. Be discerning. For that matter, be a good consumer. Does the teacher you are reading or listening to offer a "good deal?" Is his "product" appropriate for what you need? Does he ask for a little up-front but then once his foot is in the door try to "up-sell" you on super-duper amazing enlightenment techniques reserved for only the anointed ones like you? Yes, be a good consumer. If you wouldn't buy a car from a teacher, then certainly don't buy "enlightenment" from him or her!
Shortcuts on the Spiritual Journey #16 by Tom Stine