Finding a Teacher
Pay attention to your initial feelings and emotions when you are first talking with a teacher or group representative. Don’t get caught up in the sales pitch, but go deep down inside yourself to get a sense of whether the proposed relationship is right for you. It doesn’t matter if it sounds nice and makes sense – if something feels wrong or not-quite-right then rely on your instincts. This is an important lesson in leading a more magical life, as your emotions and feelings connect you directly with you True Self and bypass many of the belief structures, and intellectual justifications we may be prone to. This is not to say that there are necessarily any negative intentions on the part of the teacher, but it may point to the relationship (which is in potential) not being necessary or right (I am not using this in any judgemental or moral sense). It may be the case that this is the first time you’ve been confronted with someone who will challenge your views of reality – I have experienced fear of people, and seen this fear induced in others around me, in reaction to meeting a person who is a little ‘different’. Working through this fear I have sometimes discovered this person actually has a lot to teach, and is actually rather wise – although sometimes not in conventional ways.
Another important thing to consider in a teacher is how developed and balanced their personality is. Occult training can certainly be disruptive to our personality and create imbalance, and likewise people already unbalanced or with personality problems are often drawn to magical teachings and training. This can be a difficult thing to assess at the beginning of a relationship with a teacher, which is why my comments above suggest relying on gut feelings. There are several warning signs I suggest watching out for in a teacher. The first one would be whether they seem overly dogmatic, and disallow any difference of opinion with what they have to say. I believe a well adjusted teacher will happily impart what they know and understand, and if someone rejects it – either rightly, or out of their own ignorance – it will be of little consequence. The teacher will either reflect on their own beliefs and beginning to grow and adapt from the challenge, or they will happily agree to differ. A teacher who is forceful in their proclamation that they are right and the student is wrong is not allow a student to learn and grown for themselves, but rather to force a belief upon them – this is not a magical act, it is very mundane; something we have experienced since childhood from our parents, school teachers, and society.
This leads on to looking out for warning signs that a teacher seeks to manipulate, dominate and usurp power-over you. These are tactics of an unbalanced personality, a teacher who is not acting from their True Self. Be weary if a teacher sounds like one of your parent’s – as this is a hint they are indeed acting parentally. As a student of the occult you do not need a parent. You only require a guide, to assist you in finding your own inner guidance – i.e. your Higher Self. If the teacher does things to belittle you, or other students if you work within a group setting, then this is a sign they are seeking to have power over you, by making you feel smaller than them, most likely in an attempt to feel superior or show their supposed superiority to you or others involved. Likewise, excessive demands on you follow out their instructions, or as penance for a mistake you’ve made are unlikely a direct lesson they are teaching you – it is punishment. If there are mistakes made, boundaries crossed, then that should be an opportunity for more learning and dialogue between teacher and student. If a student is unwilling to be respectful of the teacher (or vice versa), or repeatedly fails to take responsibility for their actions, then it must be decided whether the relationship is continued – there should be no force or coercion in maintaining something which is not meeting any needs.
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