Offerings of a Teacher

Well said CG - teaching at its best enables self directed learning.

I so agree.
“… holding open a scared, safe place for exploration …” such a key element, Thank You.

Thank you for this, C.G. There is great distrust of spiritual teachers in the world today, but as you point out, there is no conflict between the Truth a teacher points to and embodies, and the Truth the student finds within — within oneself and within everything. It is very true that the resonance of Truth in the teacher's presence and teachings very effectively strengthens our ability to resonate with and as Who We Are. I have seen and experienced this myself.

P.S. Great to see this blog on the hottest list this morning!

so true…so true….a true teacher can see his/her own reflection in everyone around him/her, and is willing to freely be the same reflection for everyone also.

Dear C.G.,

It's refreshing to read your positive post about teachers.

Yes, the clear pond analogy is perfect – without egoic ripples in the pond, the reflection of all that is outside the pond is clear.

And beyond that, what I have experienced with my teacher is that he is more than a reflection. He is the SAME. There is no sense of difference, but only of sameness, One-heartedness, One-knowing. Because he is not full of ego, he has attention for the people around him, to see what they see, to feel what they are feeling, even the subtle nuance of feeling. He IS reflecting it, or can be, but what matters more to me, as his friend, is that he is feeling the SAME, and that creates an incredible experience of our unity.

I first realized he was my teacher in a moment when it was clear to me that he understood my very heart, in a way that I could not express with words. Without words, I felt that we were the same. That sameness is what I feel a teacher is. Then the teacher can help you be who you are, and to let go of all that you are not, just as they have let go of what they are not.

Love, Mati

By the way, what inspired you to make this post CG?

In a way, the true teacher-person is one who reflects to us that inner teacher. Once the learner sees that we learn only what we are meant to, there is no need to distrust or test or wonder about that teacher without.
The inner teacher who is without a name; helps us to meet outer teachers, who are called teachers, so that we may better enjoy this manifest world.
C.G. small blog, great thoughts that you expressed.

Being with a teacher is like 'remembering what you forgot.' They bring you back home to your heart, back to knowing yourself in an authentic sense – as a sensitive human being with oceans of love to give and genuine caring for others. To love and be loved, what else could be so important? The things of the world like career, material possessions, or having everything set up the way you want it – the human heart doesn't care too much about these things. It cares about people, love, caring, being of service and of real usefulness to others. That's what my teacher has taught me. And being in his presence has healed my heart, mostly in recognizing my Self in him.

Dear CG,

I just came across your short blog and I'm so pleased to see a post that is supportive of teachers – thank you!

You said: A teacher reawakens one to the resonance of the Absolute so that the student can–on their own–find their way home to the Absolute, to their true Self.

This is a really beautiful statement about how the teacher helps the student come to know and trust their own heart.

In my own experience, this most valuable service is what helps us live as true beings tuned to Truth. All too often, people think they are being prompted to do this or that but they don’t realize it is their ego talking! A good teacher helps us know the difference between ego talk and spirit promptings…if we are open to that.

Thanks again C.G. There needs to be more of this stuff out there!

Love,
Dyana

Dear C.G. and all,

I love the direction these comments have taken. I agree with what has been said, that the teacher facilitates our awakening to our own true self or “inner teacher.” I'd like to share something beautiful about that, that my teacher recently said.

He was asked about the difference between consulting one's own inner guidance and consulting him. He replied,

“The reality of that is simply in the fact that I AM, in a real sense, you. That is, I have ventured into selfness and humanity to the point where you feel like you are falling in love with yourself. And that is true, in a way. Thus, I seem charming. But you are in a larger process of surrendering to yourself. And that is REALLY what I am to you: I am yourself. If you surrender “to me,” it is to yourself, and this will not be lost upon you, not at all – as long as you listen more to your heart than to your ego-chatter.

When it comes to the loss of your personal power: there is no power loss here. There is only power gain here. You are feeling your oats, aren’t you? That, indeed, is the proof. We are not separate. You will be huge, because you are huge. You will find much more of your power here, with me, no doubt, if you walk along far enough to get to it.  Every day is Christmas around here, for those who are willing to receive and to give. One gets RICH around here. You can see that, as well as experience it.”

I also agree with what Meenakshi said, that there is no need to distrust or test or wonder about the teacher recommendations, but I would say it slightly differently. The teacher, our outer authority, agrees with God or the True Self, our inner authority. People with “authority problems” are in rebellion against both. When we become willing to do what we most deeply feel is right for us, we will find that it agrees with what the teacher recommends. And in fact, we will find, then, that the teacher  has little to say to us except to support us in surrendering to what we know is true. This is what I have experienced this to the case in my relationship with my teacher.

Thank you again, C.G., for initiating this discussion. It is remarkable how well you understand the subject, from simply collecting maxims. Your intuition has guided you well. I hope that it guides you to also find a teacher and enjoy such a relationship yourself, when and if you want one.

Love,

Sara

Thanks C.G. and to everyone else who has added to this post.

I agree and find truth in the idea that teaching requires creating a sacred, safe place.  One place I've read about this is on a website for an organization called The Foundation for Inspired Learning.

Peace,
John