Finding a teacher.

[BlueSky]

It is said that in nature, change is prompted by the limitations an ever changing environment poses on it. Some are prepared better to grow or change thru those limitations, using them to see a need to change. This keeps life moving and changing as one and it ensures that it will.
We are a part of that and while we imagine that we grow personally, what really happens is that as a whole we change.
So to me it's not what we need, it's what life is directing us to do. Some are more apt to resist and some are more prepared to allow and grow as it dictates.
I see this in nature and in evolution and in the way animals live together.
It's about life moving forward and forever so changing to adapt as life dictates.
That's my 2 cents anyways and IMHO Gem depicts that change in how Buddhism can change with the need from within it to change.

[happy soul]

Originally Posted by catsquotl

Personally I will wait until the teacher shows up when I am ready.
In the mean time the value of finding a teacher has come up a couple of times.

So I'd like to share this 1995 book by Bill Hamilton.
Saints and Psychopaths

It does a fairly good job of explaining why there are probably more psychopaths than saints and how to spot the difference..

Hope it is useful to some.

With Love
Eelco

Just a pointer about teachers. I felt mistreated and misguided by the teacher I had. It took me a long time to overcome the damage he did to me. Yet he was still a well respected, popular teacher by the community.

I DO believe it can be helpful to have a teacher. But, as with romantic relationships, spiritual preparation, in terms of creating your own reality, is very important imo.

It might be very helpful to set the following intentions or prayers before becoming a student of a teacher:

Say to God, the universe, or your divine nature, something like, 'Please bless my experience with this teacher. Help me not to give away my power, but to wisely listen and learn what I need to learn. Please protect both me and the teacher, and help us to love and respect each other well.'

I'm telling you this because I feel that it's very important to go into something like that with the proper mindset and with having prayed or declared your intention. WE create our own reality, and doing something like I suggested can make all the difference.

Originally Posted by happy soul

Just a pointer about teachers. I felt mistreated and misguided by the teacher I had. It took me a long time to overcome the damage he did to me. Yet he was still a well respected, popular teacher by the community.

I DO believe it can be helpful to have a teacher. But, as with romantic relationships, spiritual preparation, in terms of creating your own reality, is very important imo.

It might be very helpful to set the following intentions or prayers before becoming a student of a teacher:

Say to God, the universe, or your divine nature, something like, 'Please bless my experience with this teacher. Help me not to give away my power, but to wisely listen and learn what I need to learn. Please protect both me and the teacher, and help us to love and respect each other well.'

I'm telling you this because I feel that it's very important to go into something like that with the proper mindset and with having prayed or declared your intention. WE create our own reality, and doing something like I suggested can make all the difference.

I like the intention you are setting Happy soul.
I agree that it could make all the difference. I'm a big advocate for setting intention to create part of the subjective experience.

Having been with teachers that teach/show as well as teachers that abuse I've found some pointers on common sense and an idea of what to look for to make the distinction very valuable.

Also teachers don't necessarily have to teach anything.
I remember when I met ShantiMayi and felt drawn to be a follower or disciple for the months that I spend with her over 20 years ago.
I must admit that the joy I felt for finally having found someone to use a an object where i could project my feelings of devotion and heavenly bliss at was enough. I cannot even recall what she talked about in those days. Except for a very strange conversation we had about the usefulness of human excrement's as fertilizer for a veggie garden.

Go figure

With Love
Eelco

I would like to add an article I've read years ago.
It paints a picture of feudal Tibet and shows how that to was not all roses and bliss. But was as politically entwined and horrible as some of the darker christian episodes through the ages.

Not to downplay Tibetan buddhism, or guys in robes who just repeat sutra's.
I am including it to show how popular views, I.E tibet was shangri la before the chinese invasion and every rinpoche is a holy man worthy to be revered as a teacher.

Will not excuse anyone from keeping some discernment and possibly luck in accepting teachings from someone.

Same goes for christian teachers. Since the catholic church had to openly adress it's sexual abuse accusations does not mean that every monk or priest is a pervert. Many will even be close to enlightenment in their tradition..

Anyway here it is.
friendly feudalism

With Love
Eelco

[muffin]

Originally Posted by catsquotl

Personally I will wait until the teacher shows up when I am ready.
In the mean time the value of finding a teacher has come up a couple of times.

So I'd like to share this 1995 book by Bill Hamilton.
Saints and Psychopaths

It does a fairly good job of explaining why there are probably more psychopaths than saints and how to spot the difference..

Hope it is useful to some.

With Love
Eelco

Good afternoon catsquot

I think you will find we are our own teachers, if you realize it or not, follow your heart catsquot

Originally Posted by muffin

Good afternoon catsquot

I think you will find we are our own teachers, if you realize it or not, follow your heart catsquot

Thank you I will follow where my heart leads me.

That said I do feel/believe that teachers are an invaluable resource.
Not that you have to take their word and trust it regardless of discernment.

Looking at the state of the world and the suffering many many people suffer through made me reject the notion we the (sh)(p)eople are capable of finding release by ourselves.

Sometimes guides are needed to point to the less obvious releases from suffering.

I have been misdirected into thinking we perceive our true nature and that there's nothing to do, but to follow our hearts. I've seen the suffering that can cause and have become weary of that notion. I understand it's allure, but also see it's pitfalls.

Now I am not saying we need to go and find a teacher to follow no matter what.
I am merely stating that if you need guidance. Find someone who does what you aspire to do and learn from them.

At the same time keep an eye out for false idols and fake teachers who may have a hidden personality based agenda.

With Love
Eelco

[muffin]

Originally Posted by catsquotl

Thank you I will follow where my heart leads me.

That said I do feel/believe that teachers are an invaluable resource.
Not that you have to take their word and trust it regardless of discernment.

Looking at the state of the world and the suffering many many people suffer through made me reject the notion we the (sh)(p)eople are capable of finding release by ourselves.

Sometimes guides are needed to point to the less obvious releases from suffering.

I have been misdirected into thinking we perceive our true nature and that there's nothing to do, but to follow our hearts. I've seen the suffering that can cause and have become weary of that notion. I understand it's allure, but also see it's pitfalls.

Now I am not saying we need to go and find a teacher to follow no matter what.
I am merely stating that if you need guidance. Find someone who does what you aspire to do and learn from them.

At the same time keep an eye out for false idols and fake teachers who may have a hidden personality based agenda.

With Love
Eelco

I hope you find what your looking for Catsquot

Earth, water and air are all free and so are all things spiritual, depends how open one wishes to be

Originally Posted by muffin

I hope you find what your looking for Catsquot

Earth, water and air are all free and so are all things spiritual, depends how open one wishes to be

Now I am Intrigued.
Are you saying your spiritual life arose naturally without a teacher or teaching pointing the way?

As a child I knew/realized that life had more to offer than that which met the eye.
It wasn't until I read Roals Dahls The wonderful life of Henry Sugar when I was around 9 years old, that I had an idea of what I was looking for.
In that sense I consider Roald Dahl a teacher and his book a teaching.

When I learned there was a concept called ascension and wanted to find out more I looked for someone who appeared to be knowledgeable. My wish to understand had impeded my discernment to a degree. And before long I was lured into a horrifying reality (of mind making) that saw evil reptilians and false gods every where. When trying to break away from that contact things got really ugly for a while.

That said I did learn to channel, envision, even clearvoyancy up to a degree.
Now I remain convinced she had no evil intentions, just someone who drew people along in her distorted view of reality..

Had I known what i know now I would never have given away my trust and discernment so easily.

With Love
Eelco

[Joe Mc]

Not sure if this can relate and i haven't read any of the other posts lol.
There is a song by Richard Thompson called Beeswing, The song speaks of a love affair which alas ends.

Here is the song,https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HApy-Xoix-g.

So within this song there is one line which says, " Maybe that's the price you pay for the chains that you refuse ".. So this line speaks to me about the conformity or so called chains that we all refuse in our own ways to come under in order to break free. I Still struggle to wear 'those chains' but in my limited experience of it all I've often found that I've been scarred away from 'Teachers', 'Tradition' and rules because I believe those things to be 'chains' but funny enough I have also found out that these so called 'rules' turn out to be something completely different when viewed and experienced from the side of so called submission. So tis a paradox indeed. Obviously I don't necessarily relate any of this to so called psychopaths and to abusive situations, gatherings and teachers. Thanks for the chance to say something.

[muffin]

Originally Posted by catsquotl

Now I am Intrigued.
Are you saying your spiritual life arose naturally without a teacher or teaching pointing the way?

As a child I knew/realized that life had more to offer than that which met the eye.
It wasn't until I read Roals Dahls The wonderful life of Henry Sugar when I was around 9 years old, that I had an idea of what I was looking for.
In that sense I consider Roald Dahl a teacher and his book a teaching.

When I learned there was a concept called ascension and wanted to find out more I looked for someone who appeared to be knowledgeable. My wish to understand had impeded my discernment to a degree. And before long I was lured into a horrifying reality (of mind making) that saw evil reptilians and false gods every where. When trying to break away from that contact things got really ugly for a while.

That said I did learn to channel, envision, even clearvoyancy up to a degree.
Now I remain convinced she had no evil intentions, just someone who drew people along in her distorted view of reality..

Had I known what i know now I would never have given away my trust and discernment so easily.

With Love
Eelco

Your quick off the mark

"Are you saying your spiritual life arose naturally without a teacher or teaching pointing the way?"
Yes and no, at the time I didn't know I had someone with me.


"As a child I knew/realized that life had more to offer than that which met the eye."
We are the same as this goes, I knew at an early age. Yet I thought everyone else knew about it too, that was a hard lesson learnt. That set a lot of things in motioning.

It bedtime for me, so I'll leave you with a story.

I was never into to this stuff, religions and spiritual, sure I do goofy stuff, those started at an early age. About 9 or 8 years ago it felt if my live had stop moving forward and I started going back on myself. I meet someone coming the other way, they help put the pieces in the puzzle. I see experience as another good teacher.

Good night catsquotl, sleep well and sweet dreams when you get there