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SPIRIT
LODGE
LIBRARY
Spiritual
Development
Page
87
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THE TEACHER-STUDENT RELATIONSHIP
© Cinnamon Moon
Often you will hear people saying we are all teachers and we
are all students. This is true in the
sense that we're always learning and growing as individuals
whether we are on novice,
intermediate, or advanced levels of development. And we all
have the ability to share the
knowledge we've gained as well as our experiences. But for the
individual seeking to teach
formally, and the student seeking to learn formally, there are
challenges, pitfalls, and risks as to
who we involve ourselves with.
As a teacher of spirituality for over three decades now, I have
come to know many others who
work along these lines and often we find ourselves discussing
the pros and cons of the work.
Students are seeking guidance on all levels of spiritual growth
and development ranging from the
novice to the advanced stages. As teachers, we share what we
can from our own knowledge base
and years of experience just as others do. In this experience
we have learned how to recognize a
good student or teacher when they come before us by the way
they present themselves. More
often than not we are put on notice that a student is coming,
with or without the name and
identity, our sources of guidance often tell us to prepare for
someone and we know when they
arrive through an instant recognition. Through our integrity
and dedication to Spirit and those we
serve we also see the integrity in others who walk the path
of the teacher. At the same time it's
quite clear that there really are no guidelines out there other
than common sense when it comes
to the student selecting the person or persons they wish to
study with.
Before going further I must say that I am a proponent of eclectic
study, of having the right to
pursue anything that holds our interest and learn that it's
okay if we can't accept material being
presented. I believe firmly that to sit at the foot of just
one teacher is to create tunnel-vision and
limit the perspectives we hold. I believe we have many teachers
in life, and they come to us
crossing our path when we are ready to hold the knowledge they
possess, when we need it...not a
moment too soon, not a moment too late, but when it is time.
Spirit sees to that. The same applies
to the teacher, the students come when you are ready to teach
and they come in this same
manner. Spirit sees to that and presents them to you. In either
case, we are responsible for those
we entrust ourselves to and those we take under our wing.
Through the years many new people have asked me if I can recommend
a teacher to them. I've
always suggested that they read as much as possible, explore
our libraries, and post their
questions until they find a sense of comfort and direction.
Now with the establishment of Spirit
Lodge I will suggest they observe the membership here until
they see someone they gravitate to
and feel a desire to communicate with them. I remind them to
be patient.
As I get to know these individuals and get a feel for where
they are heading they often ask again
and at that point I will suggest individuals I know to be knowledgeable
in those areas of
expertise if I am unable to help them. So sometimes I work with
them and sometimes I
recommend they reach out to another. In the case of sending
them to another individual I always
do so with a recommendation from me. I try in all cases to notify
the other individual and give a
little insight from my perspective to help them through their
initial introductions. I offer the
student a little information on the person I'm sending them
to as well. In this way they have a
glimpse into the personality and the nature of the other person
as well as their needs.
I've also seen a lot of spiritual abuse as students come from
others they thought were going to
mentor them, only to find they'd put their trust in someone
who abused them in one form or
another. In these cases the teachers were coming from an ego-based,
power-hungry, controlbased
premise. They were insecure teachers, spiritually underdeveloped,
and walking
contaminated paths.
These students were often humiliated, made to feel inept, unworthy,
inadequate, and spiritually
taken advantage of in countless ways. I've seen people duped
into intimacies that took advantage
of their vulnerabilities and misled them into thinking they
were sincerely loved. This can be
devastating and crushing, it can lead to a need for therapy,
to overcome depression, and in many
cases undoing all that's been done to them.
This is a very real trap for both student and teacher and one
that exists in the mundane with those
in the field of either needing or giving therapy as well. When
a vulnerable individual places their
trust in the hands of someone they perceive as an authority
they run the risk of abuse. The need
of the individual and the ability of the teacher to provide
the insights that fill that need will create
a very strong bond. Any credible teacher is going to hold that
bond to friendship as they know
that the student, out of gratitude, often mistakes that gratitude
for love. It needs to be accepted
that they can hold a love for one another but it's plutonic
love, loving the individual for who they
are, not for intimacy beyond that point. There are teachers
that take on groups of people and will
abuse in this way through charismatic behaviors and all sorts
of problems result, usually only to
the detriment of the students. The teacher is the one who profits.
Whether they take your money or your body, your energy and time,
your trust and faith, it is a
violation when it is their gain that is the main factor. Ego-based
teaching corrupts the spiritual
path with misinformation, contaminating the knowledge, and hindering
the path of the student.
Be aware. To be forewarned is to be forearmed.
Students are no different. Some seek enlightenment and spiritual
development for the purest of
reasons, they are sincere, hardworking, dedicated people that
are committed to their personal
evolution, sometimes to a path of service that will develop
over time. However, there are those
that are abusive as well; they are lazy, and will ask for all
your knowledge, time, and experience
but...they will not apply themselves. They will want you to
do the work for them, hand them the
answers, not the tools to find them for themselves.
In this the teacher becomes a victim of abuse. If you are going
to teach someone they must match
you effort for effort, they must demonstrate progress before
you take them to the next level of
understanding...and they must do this respectfully. It's up
to you to set those parameters. If they
are not working with you they are working against you, draining
your precious time and energy
that could be better spent elsewhere.
Most teachers of spirituality are highly empathic individuals,
they are giving and caring people
and it takes a toll on their heart to say no, to turn someone
in "need" away. But there is a
difference in the student that *needs to grow* and the *needy
student that refuses to grow*. Be
aware. To be forewarned is to be forearmed.
In both cases when either the teacher or the student are there
for the wrong reasons there is
damage that results from abuse of misinformation, wasted time
and effort, and expendature of
energy that could be put to much better service and productivity.
The student needs to ask themselves if the focus of the teaching
is on foundational information
that promotes a strong basis for growth and development in a
respectful manner. Or is it a
hotdge-podge of this and that leaving gaping holes in the lessons?
Is the focus of the teaching on
YOUR needs? Are they being addressed or ignored? Has this teacher
taken the time to explore
your background experience, your knowledge and sources, your
insights or fears, listening
carefully to your questions and answering them?
Is the focus of the teaching patient, compassionate, loving
in nature or is it demanding, pushy,
and dogmatic? Is the teacher one you feel comfortable with or
someone who intimidates with an
authority of ego? Are you receiving help or being converted
as a follower of some wannabe guru?
Is the teacher one you know to have experience behind them or
just overly eager to stand in the
limelight of appearing important? Is the teacher one who exudes
a spiritual energy or someone
who seems to draw from your energy and drain you with demands
or perhaps expect you to
follow them blindly? Are they respectful of the lessons they
give, holding them sacred and
honoring Spirit above all else or is it all about them?
Is this individual pretending to care about you seemingly offering
the moon and stars only to be
drawing energy from you shortly after they reveal some mysterious
knowledge? Are they asking
you to send them energy for healing or some other need when
they should already know how to
tap universal energy? Anyone....anyone with any body of knowledge
knows that they do not
need to draw energy from others but have at their fingertips
a bottomless well of Source Energy
derived from Spirit, universal energy that is available to us
all. So why would they ask you to
deplete your reserves? A good teacher is not going to do these
types of things.
A good teacher is going to want to know what you are seeking
and why you want to occupy their
valuable time. They are not going to waste time on anyone who
is not serious, but they will not
waste your time either. They will remain focused on the issues,
keep your confidences, share and
help you assimilate the answers, and give you a body of knowledge
that you can validate for
yourself. They will devote as much time as they can to your
needs and be dedicated to your
growth through lessons and exercises that lead you into experiences
of your own.
A good teacher is going to want to present a solid foundation
of basic information and will
question you as to your depth of knowledge in those areas, fill
in any gaps, and make certain you
have a comprehensive understanding before offering intermediate
or advanced knowledge. They
will see your needs and help you develop them along the way
customizing those teachings to
meet them. They will be protective of your progress and watch
over you with great care, taking
things a step at a time.
As a student you need to demonstrate a willingness to put forth
effort too, and in this they will
match you step for step. They will more or less walk with you
along YOUR path until you feel
you can journey alone. That can be anywhere from the onset to
the end depending upon how
much study you want to put into things and the relationship
that develops between you. As you
progress they will help you through rites of passage and initiations,
assimilating and polishing
the fine points along the way and exude a desire to help you
be the best you can be for YOUR
sake.
It is important for anyone to realize that the tradition you
seek to study should be one that holds
interest for you. There is no "one way" or "right
way" since all paths contain the spiritual truths
in one form or another. However, each teacher is going to present
their knowledge based on the
path they walk...find one appropriate to your interests and
avoid a lot of frustration for you both.
While the basics remain the same on all paths, from there the
techniques tend to define the style
of that path. YOUR interests are there for a reason, they are
guiding you to what is right for
YOU. The semantics can be confusing, each tradition will have
its own way of expressing the
knowledge and its own way of approaching it to wield it. Remember,
you need to feel
comfortable with that.
A good teacher is going to be patient and understanding of your
frustrations, know how to help
you confront blockages and fears, insecurities and doubts. They
are giving, and yes, sometimes
stern, but there is always good progress with them and they
come from a premise of sincere love
and devotion to truths. A good teacher will also recognize when
a path is not appropriate for you
and often will suggest that you take another course of study,
recommending another teacher if at
all possible.
What works for the student also works for the teacher. It is
important to know what the intent
underlying the approach of the student is all about. Certainly
you are not going to share
everything you know with someone who is focused on personal
growth and development. Some
knowledge is definitely reserved for those who are walking a
path of service. Can you determine
the difference? Are you overly eager to share it all and inundating
the student with material they
cannot use? Are you throwing too much at them too fast and leaving
them feeling overwhelmed?
As a teacher you must ask yourself if the student is coming
to you and asking for information
that is based in a controlling ego or desire to have power over
others? If so are you feeding into
that because you have such a burning desire to teach anyone
you can...or are you guiding them in
ways that will help them overcome that ego? If you find they
are unwilling to work on that are
you willing to tell them you cannot help them further?
As a teacher are you willing to tolerate the lessons some need
that you CANNOT teach? Are you
willing to see that not everyone is at a point of acceptance
about their shortcomings and that
particular work may be meant for another down the road? Are
you willing to step aside and NOT
teach someone because they are not able to apply themselves
no matter how much they plead
with you? Or is the student asking fundamental questions leading
to a genuine desire to learn? If
they are willing are you? If you accept a student you must be
willing to match them stride for
stride, devoting as much time and energy to their needs as possible.
This is a path of service to
others, it means you must give of yourself and sacrifice at
times to do so. It is a path of service to
Spirit, bringing others into the enlightenment of understanding
and ultimately to a relationship
with Spirit that will take them far beyond your meager insights.
As a teacher you must ask yourself how the student approached...did
they come by referral or
recommendation? Did they approach on their own because they
heard about you in some other
fashion? Were you told by Spirit that a student would be coming
and thus made aware that you
should expect someone? Are there signs around this person that
either confirm or negate the
relationship between you should develop?
As a teacher it is your responsibility to see if this individual
is accepting of the foundations you
present. Are they open and eager to share their thoughts, feelings,
efforts, and commitment to the
course of study? Are you willing to accept the responsibility
for their spiritual well-being and
commit to them regardless of their human failings? Are you able
to be patient as they develop or
are you going to be exasperated? If you cannot abide with their
personality or means of
comprehension are you willing to guide them to another who can?
As a teacher, when the time comes to send them on their way,
are you able to do this? Can you
maintain a professional relationship in spite of intimate attractions,
setting those aside and
maintaining boundaries that promote friendship only? If you
can't you have no business teaching
others. You have your own ego to deal with. As a teacher you
must ask yourself why you are
teaching. Is it to feed your own ego and feel important? Is
it to be recognized for all that you
know and bolster your own image? Are you simply showing off,
looking for profit, or is there a
genuine desire to be compassionate and helpful to others on
a path of service to them and to Spirit?
Ultimately taking on the responsibility of being a teacher means
that you are serving Spirit above
all else. Bringing people into the light of understanding and
offering them a hand to find their
balance as they progress on their path...NOT yours. Are you
looking for followers and control
over others that gives you a sense of power? If so you have
an ego problem. If, on the other
hand, you are comfortable giving as much as is needed in each
case, capable of giving a warm
hug to those that will leave at any point along the way and
blessing the path they choose to walk,
helping where you can and honoring where you can't, then you
are on the right path for yourself
in the right state of mind so serve.
To both those who seek as students and those who offer to help,
it is important to recognize that
the greatest teachers are not of this world. Once we have connected
with our Guides and Spirit
Helpers we are introduced to the Master Teachers. They know
our needs, how we think and
process information and they work with us on very personal levels.
At this point the role of the
teacher becomes more that of a mentor, helping the student to
assimilate symbols, visions,
dreams, spiritual growth, and relationships with those Guides
and Spirit Helpers. Once those
roles are established and functional the student moves on, the
teacher either remains a friend or
moves on.
The ultimate path of spiritual growth and development is that
of being self-sufficient, able to
decipher the truths for ourselves, developing confidence and
self-assurances that allow us to
walk our path and no teacher worth their weight will stand in
our way. We are all students, and
the teacher will learn as much from the student as they give,
there is always an exchange. A good
teacher is going to show appreciation and share what they are
learning too, honoring the student
for teaching them things.
There are repercussions for those that abuse the role of teacher
or student. Rest assured that
retributions will be called for and occur. If someone is abusing
the role of the teacher their
reputation will be tarnished quickly, their path contaminated
and no matter how much effort they
put into developing adoring followers, it will come back three-fold
to impact them in a
destructive way.
The same applies to the student that is going to take advantage
of the teacher. If you are not
willing to put forth the effort to grow you will not develop.
You cannot progress if you don't do
the work, you cannot push the tide of time and expedite things
without putting in the extra effort
to accomplish that. If you abuse one who would give to you and
commit themselves, it too will
return to you three-fold and you will become abused at some
point.
You can devote yourself to a course of study and commit to exercises
that will develop your
abilities, skill, and knowledge. Through the gathering of knowledge
we gain power but it is not a
power to be abused. Through experience we gain wisdom in knowing
when and when not to
exercise that knowledge, who to share it with and who not to,
who to serve and who not to serve.
Ultimately it's all about Spirit, and if our heart is not there
all we are doing is wasting our time
and the time of others. It will be up to both the teacher and
the student to recognize these things
and take responsibility for them. May the path you choose be
blessed and may Spirit keep you well
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Libraries
are on this row
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INDEX
Page 3
(Main Section, Medicine Wheel, Native Languages &
Nations, Symbology)
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INDEX
Page 5
(Sacred Feminine & Masculine, Stones & Minerals)
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Text:
© Copyright: Cinnamon Moon & River WildFire Moon
(Founders.) 2000-date
All rights reserved.
Site
constructed by Dragonfly
Dezignz 1998-date
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