Why do people clam up when knowledge is sought on enlightenment?

[Spirit bird]

My friend and I are still finding our way through the awakening process. But one thing we've noticed and don't fully understand is when those who are more further on their journey or more advanced into the higher vibrations are very hesitant to share any info or when asked direct questions it's almost as though they can not share certain information for fear of losing something they've gained. Is this a correct estimation of what we're perceiving? Is there some laws which can be broken and they have the risk of losing something they've gained by offering guidance to someone who is newer and finding their own way?
This has happened a few times to both of us with others who have more fully awakened and it becomes hard to understand. It's almost as if someone told a knock knock joke and walked away leaving you hanging without a punch line. Not a perfect analogy but the same feeling nonetheless.

So if this is true, then how come we have heard of more advanced souls on their journeys referred to as mentors? They obviously are able to share. How does someone know they will lose their gifts and others are free to share?

[markings]

They have gained power. The power to be seen as special, being a guru type, being more knowledgeable than you, extraordinary, belonging to an elite, a special group of people.

They gain this power by confusing and mystifying you, that is why they hold things back selectively. They are able to share anything but chose not to because it will erode the influence they have over others like you.

There is nothing worse than a teachers who refuses to teach things to the full extent of his ability, all the time, every time, to everyone.
Any teacher worth that label must aim to educate and nurture his students with the aim to become redundant. He must aim for every student who applies himself to exceed what he knows and can do. He must aim that his students will replace him, not in the distant future but soon, very soon.
If there is no such attitude he does not deserve to be called a teacher or mentor.

[FallingLeaves]

Originally Posted by Spirit bird

My friend and I are still finding our way through the awakening process. But one thing we've noticed and don't fully understand is when those who are more further on their journey or more advanced into the higher vibrations are very hesitant to share any info or when asked direct questions it's almost as though they can not share certain information for fear of losing something they've gained. Is this a correct estimation of what we're perceiving? Is there some laws which can be broken and they have the risk of losing something they've gained by offering guidance to someone who is newer and finding their own way?
This has happened a few times to both of us with others who have more fully awakened and it becomes hard to understand. It's almost as if someone told a knock knock joke and walked away leaving you hanging without a punch line. Not a perfect analogy but the same feeling nonetheless.

So if this is true, then how come we have heard of more advanced souls on their journeys referred to mentors? They obviously are able to share. How does someone know they will lose their gifts and others are free to share?

There are those who feel that sharing is an outpouring of energy and that they need the energy to proceed; such people may be concerned with conserving their own energy to the point they won't share.

Others 'know' that if you don't invest yourself into something enough, you won't value it when you get it. So they won't volunteer anything and may not directly answer random questions, preferring to have you prove your desire by investing your own energy into finding what you are looking for.

the perception of others who are honestly climbing seems to be that if the powers of our world get hold of what the climbers see, the results would be very bad for all of us. So they are reticent, and they feel it is for good reason.

For others who may be learning but aren't really into climbing, there is a growing perception that if they share they will either be browbeaten or taken advantage of (take your pick today) so they learn to shut up.

for others they want your money more than they want to help you, but they may have enough money already to not want to bother advertising even this much.

and it goes on and on in this vein - this has been done to death for a long time outside the realms of 'normal' society and people have had a long time to think up tons of self-serving reasons for being exclusive with it.

The better mentors seem to be from the spirit world but it seems there is a hole in their knowledge, they really haven't a clue as to what all the problems are that you face when you are stuck inside a body.

[wstein]

Originally Posted by Spirit bird

My friend and I are still finding our way through the awakening process. But one thing we've noticed and don't fully understand is when those who are more further on their journey or more advanced into the higher vibrations are very hesitant to share any info or when asked direct questions it's almost as though they can not share certain information for fear of losing something they've gained. Is this a correct estimation of what we're perceiving? Is there some laws which can be broken and they have the risk of losing something they've gained by offering guidance to someone who is newer and finding their own way?

There are several reasons (here are a few):
-Especially common in metaphysical circles (this forum included) is to heckle and generally deride anyone claiming they are enlightened to any degree. This is often attributed to the statement "if you meet the Buddha on the road, kill him". This hardly encourages participation.
-A related issue is that many unenlightened people give those who are enlightened a bad reputation. Some are malicious but most falsely believe they are enlightened. There is no easy way to tell which you are, so its best not to presume.
-At a certain point in spiritual development, one realizes that not every is ready to deal with more advanced knowledge. First it can be very distressing and second is can be outright dangerous. Its the same reason one does not teach kids how to make bombs. My experience is that when one is perceived to be ready then what the inquirer is ready for will be told. If you don't believe they have the ability to know, then why are you asking them in the first place?
-Also one realizes that each being is on their own path to enlightenment. As such, however they gained enlightened likely does not apply to anyone else. This is counter intuitive as most end up learning the same 'truths'. However, that path is critical. Many spiritual teachers need to learn this.
-Not everyone needs 'learn' the same things. Enlightenment is not about learning, its more about realization or remembering
-Its not their job to enlighten you.
-People ask teachers for knowledge but usually they don't actually want to put forth the effort to grow with that knowledge, they want the teacher to be a 'guru' and do it for them. Enlightened people know that you have to take your own journey, others can assist but not do it for you.

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Ask sincerely and privately, you might get a different response.

[wstein]

Originally Posted by markings

They have gained power. The power to be seen as special, being a guru type, being more knowledgeable than you, extraordinary, belonging to an elite, a special group of people.

They gain this power by confusing and mystifying you, that is why they hold things back selectively. They are able to share anything but chose not to because it will erode the influence they have over others like you.

There are certainly a lot of these out there. Such behavior does not represent a high degree of enlightenment.

Originally Posted by markings

There is nothing worse than a teachers who refuses to teach things to the full extent of his ability, all the time, every time, to everyone.

This is pure entitlement, teachers have no obligation to teach anyone who asks all they know.

Originally Posted by markings

Any teacher worth that label must aim to educate and nurture his students with the aim to become redundant. He must aim for every student who applies himself to exceed what he knows and can do. He must aim that his students will replace him, not in the distant future but soon, very soon. If there is no such attitude he does not deserve to be called a teacher or mentor.

You seem to think that teachers are training more teachers. Is there some requirement to create lineages??
Most students are not interested in becoming teachers themselves nor are they under any obligation to do so.
A teacher is still a teacher if he educates others. There are a vast number of things one can learn from a teacher, to become a teacher is only one.

Anyway this topic is about enlightened people not teachers/mentors.

[FallingLeaves]

Originally Posted by markings

They have gained power. The power to be seen as special, being a guru type, being more knowledgeable than you, extraordinary, belonging to an elite, a special group of people.

They gain this power by confusing and mystifying you, that is why they hold things back selectively. They are able to share anything but chose not to because it will erode the influence they have over others like you.

unfortunately as idealistic as they make themselves out to be, this is very much part of what they are thinking deep down where they don't even know they are thinking.

[Khalli]

Originally Posted by Spirit bird

My friend and I are still finding our way through the awakening process. But one thing we've noticed and don't fully understand is when those who are more further on their journey or more advanced into the higher vibrations are very hesitant to share any info or when asked direct questions it's almost as though they can not share certain information for fear of losing something they've gained. Is this a correct estimation of what we're perceiving? Is there some laws which can be broken and they have the risk of losing something they've gained by offering guidance to someone who is newer and finding their own way?
This has happened a few times to both of us with others who have more fully awakened and it becomes hard to understand. It's almost as if someone told a knock knock joke and walked away leaving you hanging without a punch line. Not a perfect analogy but the same feeling nonetheless.

So if this is true, then how come we have heard of more advanced souls on their journeys referred to as mentors? They obviously are able to share. How does someone know they will lose their gifts and others are free to share?

Part of it is as you live your path you realize that everybody has their own unique journey. Those further along also realize the most they can do is give advice and there is plenty here, but, you already have everything you need within. Just seek it and you alone must do the work necessary, there are no shortcuts.

Plus some of us prefer to live our truths and show it that way than to talk about it lest they get told they are spouting pink unicorn poo.

[FallingLeaves]

Originally Posted by markings

There is nothing worse than a teachers who refuses to teach things to the full extent of his ability, all the time, every time, to everyone.
Any teacher worth that label must aim to educate and nurture his students with the aim to become redundant. He must aim for every student who applies himself to exceed what he knows and can do. He must aim that his students will replace him, not in the distant future but soon, very soon.
If there is no such attitude he does not deserve to be called a teacher or mentor.

the best teachers also know that some of it is up to the insight of the student. As an example no matter how far helen keller's teacher went (and she went way beyond her comfort zone if i remember correctly) it was still up to helen to have the flash of insight that associated all those annoying taps with a meaning. The teacher knew, there was a very real chance she would never get through to helen. But you are also right, she was a good enough teacher to pour her all into it. She didn't give up when the going got tough and because of her tenacity helen had the time she needed to make the connection.

[Spirit bird]

I don't think I explained properly in my orignal post that I myself don't have any teacher or mentor, I just know they (mentors) do exist because I know of other people who have been taken under the wing of a mentor when they went through their awakenings.

I think more specifically the things I refer to in my original post are about others who we have crossed paths with that are more fully awakened will let out little tid bits of certain things WITHOUT our even asking a question and then suddenly clam up as though they should not have done that. It is the most peculiar thing and very aggravating because now they have you intrigued by letting out a little something on what knowledge they have but then stop completely as though in afterthought they did wrong by doing so. But from our perspective we want to scream, "Hey! you can't leave us hanging like that". It almost seems unfair to start and then not finish.

For example someone had said something to the effect of "Wait until they learn about all the dogs & cats and what animals really are about", and then they stopped right there and said no more. What the heck does that mean??? It's like letting a child have a taste of a lollipop then heartlessly tossing it out in the trash. It just does not seem fair. And that is only one example, there are many others. This question was not asked by us or solicited, it was something they said then took on a look of...."Oops, I think I just said too much". This is what I am referring to. It happens over and over and we are starting to think there may be some universal law they must follow or there may be consequences.

[markings]

All the explanations and excuses I have read in this thread so far sound very feeble to me.
Come on you enlightened people, maybe teachers, you have to do better.