Spiritual Teacher?!

There’s a question that has been weighing heavily on my mind for quite some time now...
Do you all believe that there is one single, definitive "true" spiritual Teacher out there for each of us—someone specifically destined to reveal or point out our unique path?
Should one actively seek them out, or is it better to simply wait for those subtle signs from the universe that might guide you toward them?
Or perhaps, following the logic of Lane's thread regarding "The people sent to us," should we just sit back and wait until the right Teacher finally manifests itself before our very eyes?

As for me, I’ll be honest: I’m struggling. I’ve been weathering a profound spiritual crisis for a while now, and I feel this desperate need for someone to show me the way again...
I find myself completely adrift in a sea of endless advertisements, flyers, and radio programs all claiming to offer spiritual guidance.
How on earth am I supposed to discern which one is actually the real deal?
To make matters worse, I’ve already gone as far as scheduling sessions with two different practitioners, only to have both of them push me off repeatedly due to their various "official" business trips...
Does that mean they were the wrong teachers for me? And more importantly, does a "True" one even exist at all?
Because right now, the Almighty isn't sending anyone my way...🙂 🙂

What am I supposed to do?? 🙂 🙏

People often say that when the student is ready, the teacher appears. But I think most folks misinterpret that whole sentiment—they view it as some sort of mystical, fated moment where a mentor descends from the heavens just because you've "earned" it. That’s not it at all. The reality is that you don't go out hunting for a teacher—usually, if you try, you just end up stumbling upon ego-trippers looking to feed their own sense of self-importance. Most of them use these subtle little psychological tricks to nudge people into worshipping them, which actually pulls you away from true spirituality; they redirect your focus toward themselves rather than toward your own path and inner reflections.

Spirituality is such a deeply personal journey, and because of that, *not a single* teacher can dictate the specific path you ought to take. A teacher is more like someone holding a flashlight in a dark forest—they might illuminate a dozen different trails, but you’re the one who decides which way to step.

So, circling back to that idea of the teacher appearing once the student is ready. The point isn't that teachers are hard to find. In fact, they are everywhere. They don't have to be world-renowned sages or figures from ancient mythology. A teacher could be... a child, a close friend, a stranger passing by, or even a street vendor selling roasted corn in a small town outside of Des Moines... it could be a sudden gust of wind at just the right moment, a quiet morning, or an unusually striking evening. Even a stone on a beach. The world as a whole is constantly teaching us.

A stone? Honestly, sometimes even a rock can hold a profound lesson... though explaining how or why feels almost redundant. Those who are truly ready—they just get it. And those who aren't? Well, you could bring in every wise soul on the planet and you still wouldn't be able to convince them otherwise.
🙂 That’s why, once a student is truly ready, they realize the teacher has been there all along.

Anyway, I hope this offers at least a little bit of clarity. Just keep doing the work on your own spiritual growth—since there’s no magic recipe for it anyway—and you'll eventually see that some of life's most beautiful and profound lessons don't come from a human mind at all. As the saying goes, no artist can ever truly surpass Nature... 🙂

Eric Scott65 said:And this person above me isn't sending anyone my way...🙂 🙂

What am I supposed to do?? 🙂 🙏

Forget about Teachers and "the powers that be."

Just start doing the work.

You will become a vortex of pure energy.

You will begin to shape your own reality.

And perhaps in that reality, there might be room for a Teacher—or maybe not. Honestly, it doesn't even matter. The only thing that matters is you.

And let’s be clear: a corn vendor cannot be a Teacher, nor can the wind (whether we're talking about an air vortex or some biological byproduct)... because if they were, then a hammer you used to smash your finger, or a toilet brush, would also qualify as a Teacher.

I truly cannot wrap my head around the causes behind such an inflationary, diluted view of what a 'Teacher' actually is.

Of course they don't get it—you just haven't reached that level yet, my friend. 🙂Look, I think you're a great guy, really—in the same way that Spock is likable to McCoy—but when it comes to certain things, you're still a bit... green. 😉

Let me try to break this down. You said it yourself: we are the ones who matter most. The essence of spirituality lies in both introspection *and* extrospection—in reflecting on the world outside us and the inner workings of our own souls. No one can tell us who we are... and what "the world" actually is depends entirely on who we are. We experience reality through the prism of our own being rather than some absolute, objective form, you know? That’s why we are our own best Teacher. But—and this is the key part—we aren't *enough* on our own. A spiritual person strives to see and understand all facets of reality by observing their own life, the lives of others, and the patterns of the world itself.

Think about it this way: a street vendor selling corn at a specific time and place (which is crucial—because everything is about timing and context) might offer up a profound life lesson, whereas at any other time or location, she’s just someone selling snacks to us.

It’s the same for everything else. I actually learned an IMPORTANT lesson just a few days ago—simply by staring at the clouds. Now, I look at the clouds every single day. But I was only prepared to catch that specific lesson right then and there—not a day before, not an hour later. What kind of lesson it was doesn't matter to anyone but me, but the world in its entirety is full of Teachers at every turn. It just comes down to whether we are actually ready to notice them.

So, one of the very first steps on the path of spirituality—something any worthwhile Teacher will tell you—is raising your level of consciousness. It means keeping your mind wide open to the experiences of living, rather than just existing like a daydreamer stuck in a perpetual half-sleep, which, unfortunately, is how most people drift through life.

hollowviper72 👍

Are you some kind of American Siddhartha? 😁

Ryan Wilson2 👍

Everyone "learns" from whoever happens to be handing them information at that exact moment... whatever it is that actually matters to them personally...

The whole question of motivation is huge when you're deciding what to learn, who to listen to, how and when to dive in. If you actually have the drive or the desire to learn, you need to know where your spirit stands at... you need a baseline for comparison, I suppose...

In that case, the real key is what B. says about "staying true to yourself"... being authentic, looking at yourself through others' eyes, though mostly through your own...

Also, don't fall for those spiritual gurus who claim they've "arrived." As hollowviper72 pointed out, a real teacher isn't some ego-driven commercialist looking to exploit their students...

Good luck with the quest to find yourself... to truly see yourself in your own light...
😉

hollowviper72 said:Of course they don't get it. You just haven't reached that level of understanding yet, my friend. 🙂I find you quite likable—in the same way that Spock is likable to McCoy—but in certain matters, you’re still a bit green. 😉

So, we have a man emerging from the shadows who genuinely believes he possesses the soul of a dragon, all while rubbing elbows with the vampire crowd. What exactly are we dealing with here? 😁

hollowviper72 said:I learned a vital lesson just a few days ago—simply by staring up at the clouds.

The Teacher would have probably smacked you upside the head right then and there, only to stun you with some nonsensical Zen riddle before shoving you straight into enlightenment—or, more accurately, a total shift in consciousness.

And if he wasn't in the right mood, he would have sent you off to scrub dishes instead of letting you sit there stealing precious moments just to stare at the clouds.

hollowviper72 put it perfectly. Any further thought is just wasted breath...👍

If hollowviper72 actually has a point and
"no single Teacher can dictate the path one ought to follow. A Teacher merely illuminates the myriad trails within a dark forest, yet the choice of which way to tread remains entirely yours," and, "once the student is truly ready, they will realize the Teacher was there all along,"
then I suppose you all have been serving as my teachers this whole time.
🙂

My thanks to you. 👋

I can only hope that, with my eyes finally wide open, I might actually stumble upon my "lesson," because lately, it seems I keep walking right past it....🙂

Perhaps I am simply far too fixated on the wrong things...

hollowviper72 said:Of course they don't get it—you just haven't reached that level yet, man. 🙂Look, I think you're alright, kind of like how Spock is to McCoy, but you're still... pretty green on certain things. 😉

Well, I get it perfectly fine. 😉

So, does that mean I'm less green than Ryan Wilson2? 😬

Rice again. Seriously?

There’s honestly nothing better for the human soul than getting your hands dirty with some hard, honest labor.

If someone had actually given me a heads-up about this sooner, I’d probably be out there tending to a vineyard right about now.

And I'd have plenty of grapes to show for it, too.

Just go to Spark.
~Teacher

Ryan Wilson2 said:A guy just reached out—someone who thinks he’s got the soul of a dragon and hangs out with vampires.😁

Honestly, what can I say? I’m just charmingly eccentric. 🙂 And you really had to go and call me a vampire... we were playing a little game of Google-spy, weren't we? Ah, those were the days—though, let's be real, vampires are generally totally out of their minds. 😁

The Teacher would probably smack you upside the head right then, hit you with some nonsensical Zen riddle, and shove you straight into enlightenment (you know, an altered state of consciousness).

Or, if they weren't in the mood, they'd just send you off to wash the dishes instead of spending all day stealing moments while staring at the clouds.

Maybe. Or maybe they'd just give a subtle nod. You never really know with those Zen teachers... 😉 Besides, the dishes *do* need washing—even an enlightened person needs something to eat, after all.

Anyway, I’ve got more voices in my head, so I WIN! 😛

frozenangler9:

Well, they seem perfectly clear to me.

Does that mean I'm less green than Ryan Wilson2?

Yes, you smart little thing! 😁 😉

hollowviper72 said:What can I even say? I guess my eccentricities are showing. 🙂 And you managed to dig up that whole vampire thing... looks like we both spent a little too much time playing Google spy, didn't we?

Hmm... perhaps you should look into some anti-clotting medication... since you were just rambling on about those damn orderlies earlier. 😁

hollowviper72 said:Besides, I have more votes, so I win! 😛

Look, let's be real: the intelligent crowd has never been the majority.
🙂

Ryan Wilson2: Forget about teachers or "the one above."

So, "big Ryan Wilson2" is basically telling us to toss the Bible aside.
But if you look at the Bible, it says something else entirely:
(John's Gospel)
9.10. Pilate said to him, "Don't you realize I have the power to crucify you—and also the power to let you go?"
19.11. Jesus answered, "You would have no power over me at all unless it had been given to you from above..."

Which means: ...unless it had been given to you FROM ABOVE...

--------------------------------------------------------------

Gaudrath: Spirituality is a deeply personal journey, which is why *no single* teacher can dictate the path you should take. 👍

However, by saying, ("A teacher merely lights up countless paths in a dark forest,) but you choose how and which one to follow"... you're essentially negating the idea of DESTINY—you're erasing FATE.

As for the rest of what you wrote 👍 👍 👍

Eric Scott65 said:What am I supposed to do here?? 🙂 🙏

Are you actually being serious right now?

hiddenviper9 said:Ryan Wilson2: Forget about teachers and forget about "the one above."

So, what we have here is "the great Baphomet" essentially telling us to toss the Bible aside.
Because if you actually bother to read the Bible, it clearly states:
(John's Gospel)
9.10. Pilate said to him, "Don't you have anything to say? Don't you realize I have the power to crucify you, and also the power to let you go?"
19.11. Jesus answered, "You would have no power over me at all unless it had been given to you from above..."

To put it bluntly: ...unless it had been given to you FROM ABOVE...

I never suggested that there isn't an "ABOVE," nor did I claim that "the ABOVE" doesn't exist; my point was simply to set that aside for a moment to focus on individual growth.

As for those powers UP THERE—whether they exist or not is irrelevant right now; they will intervene when, and if, it becomes necessary.

as Ryan Wilson2 so wisely put it...

velvetpilot212 said:Are you actually being serious right now?

Well... I was being perfectly serious yesterday, actually...😢

But today, that heavy dark cloud has finally lifted from my soul, though it seems to have moved on to drenching all of Washington, D.C. instead.😉

Essence said:Rice again.
Nothing does more for the human mind than honest, hard work... just getting your hands dirty.
If someone had told me that sooner, I’d probably have my vineyard all weeded out by now.
With grapes to show for it, too.

Brown rice is the healthy way to go.
But your recipe sounds like you're just stripping the rice right out of the rice.
It helps, sure, but it isn't enough.
That's just a recipe for dough.

As anabelli mentioned, Gaudrath put it well, though no thought is ever wasted...
Real cookies aren't made from a single ingredient.
The ratio is what matters most, and that should depend entirely on whoever is eating them.
Actually, it's best if the person eating the cookie is the one mixing and baking it...

pravednica said:Yeah... I was actually being serious yesterday...😢

But today, that dark cloud has finally lifted from my soul, and it’s practically flooded all of Washington, D.C. 😉

Look, instead of just venting your frustrations at the rest of us, maybe you should try actually learning something useful? It would probably be smarter. No pain, no gain, right? That’s how it works. But what am I supposed to do? Act like your professor and try to cram every bit of wisdom in the world into your head? NO CHANCE!