Finding a Teacher
A somewhat clichéd saying is that “when the student is ready, the teacher will appear.” While this may be true, there are several levels to it, and once a student realises that their life is rich in symbolism, and from their life’s experiences they can distill wisdom, a new insight is given to the aforementioned axiom.
Everyone, and everything, in our life can be a teacher for us. It only requires an openness to look, a willingness to reflect, and the skills to find out what something means for us.
Beyond this, the best teacher for us is our Higher Self. It is certainly an important aim of occult study to develop awareness of the Higher Self, or at very least supraconsciousness and intuition.
To gain the skills we need to do any kind of task we often seek a teacher. Some things we can learn through trial and error, or through intuitive means, however it can still be expedient to find someone to teach us the basics – or to assist us in avoiding some of the pitfalls. This needs to be kept in perspective. Essentially we can only learn something for ourself, so the role of a teacher is primarily that of a guide. The teacher / guide can offer us theories, exercises, and lessons, or demonstrate techniques and principles to assist in our learning, however it is still the responsibility of the student to apply what they have learnt, so it doesn’t stay as merely knowledge. It is also the responsibility of the student to choose what to do with the knowledge gained from a teacher, and what parts of the teachings they will accept as valid, or reject as not for them.
From the point of view of a student it is wise to not reject the words of the teacher too quickly. If it doesn’t make sense, rather than fully reject it, it may be more worthwhile to remember it, but file it away for later consideration once more knowledge and experience is gained. This is particularly true of any intellectual knowledge within occult training as much esoteric and occult knowledge is not rational, logical, or scientifically provable. However, as a student, if you constantly reject and resist all the teacher’s teachings it is time to look at your own motivations, and what you are trying to gain from the relationship. If you have accepted training from a teacher / guide, but feel you know more than them, then what is the need to stay as their student?
The bottom line for a student is self-responsibility. This includes take responsibility for the choices they make in regards to accepting what a teacher instructs them to believe or do. In making decisions to accept tuition from a teacher, or to be involved in any particular facet of training it may be necessary to rely on intuition and gut feelings over any intellectual rationalisation.
All this said, there are various consideration a student searching for a teacher can keep in mind.
Firstly, be clear with yourself in regards to what you want from a teacher. This can be easier said than done when beginning esoteric studies, as often it is the case that you don’t know what you really need to be learning, or you believe you want to learn something in particular – and later discover that your interest has diminished. It is wise to have some boundaries of what you are willing to accept or not accept from a teacher. For instance, sex is something often misused and abused within occult training, or the notion that the teacher can pass on their ‘wisdom’ and ‘enlightenment’ to a student through sex. Be wary of these claims, and if you are not involved in a group or teacher that openly acknowledges the training specifically involves tantra or sex magic practices then consider who is getting the ‘benefit’ from such liaisons.
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