Spiritual Teacher?!

Oh, looks like the veterans are back in action, with the old reliable crew from Ford regrouping again, along with a few newbies who probably have a long, painful journey of self-discovery ahead of them.
It feels like everyone showed up totally recharged, honestly, and I’m not even sure who I should quote first because, man, I could pretty much pull a quote from anyone here.
I mean, what do you guys think—is there actually any difference between the posers and the real deal on this thread? You’d seriously need a third eye to tell, because the posers are out here quoting the experts and vice versa, forming these weird, unnatural alliances... I guess our little "garden" has just gone completely wild. But whatever, let's just blame it on a heavy dose of rain.
So, how is an average student supposed to find their way when they're hunting for a mentor? Maybe the biggest struggle is that all the advice and spiritual insights you can find here are just free. Like, there isn't even the most basic way to judge value. And obviously, there aren't any more advanced criteria either, since if a student were actually advanced enough to have those, they wouldn't be looking for help in the first place. So, what's the move? Maybe the easiest thing is just to pick a username based on whatever vibe you like (like having a cool avatar😁) and just follow whatever they say.

Alright, I’ve chilled out enough.

There’s a real difference between a teacher and a master. There are way more masters out there than teachers, though, like, tons. And finding a teacher isn't actually that hard, no mystery there. Whatever you get interested in doing in life, you're bound to run into people who know more about it than you do—including the ones who *claim* they know more. Now, you just have to figure out how to distinguish between the two and make a choice, and I guess even Gaudrath poked around at that idea with his clumsy hands. 🙂
It’s actually kind of tough for a teacher to build trust. A true teacher is someone you just end up believing in without them having to try and convince you. It’s like what John Walker74 says, "If only I had been told." I’m pretty sure she *was* told, she just didn't believe it. And honestly, neither did I. But hey, at least I’m a little bit wiser now.

Forget about mentors or "higher powers."

Just start doing.

You’ll become a literal vortex of energy.

You will begin to engineer your own reality.

And maybe there’s room for a teacher in that reality—maybe not. It doesn't even matter. You’re the only one who matters.

And let’s be clear: a street vendor can’t be a mentor, nor can the wind (whether you mean a literal whirlwind or just some physiological byproduct)... because if they were teachers, then a hammer you used to smash your thumb or a toilet brush would qualify too.

I honestly cannot wrap my head around the causes behind this inflationary view of what a "teacher" actually is.

Wait... what kind of "personal development"... and for what purpose, exactly???

I am asking you plainly... what kind of personal development are we talking about here????

What is the actual goal of all this self-improvement????
🙄

Karen Sanchez19 said:What is even the point of all this self-improvement stuff?
🙄

Personal growth is everything.😎

Besides... if you have zero desire to evolve, why are you even bothering to exist?

Do us all a favor: go find a skyscraper and jump off it so the rest of us who actually want to live can breathe easier.🙂

Personal growth is non-negotiable.

Besides... if you have zero desire to evolve, what’s even the point of being alive?

Just go find a skyscraper and take the leap already—stop wasting the oxygen of those of us actually trying to live.

Ihihihihih

Ihihihihih šonjo Ihihihihih šonjo Ihihihihih šonjo🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

And what exactly do you think you're "evolving" into? Pretty little thing?

Who do you think you are... expecting wings and horns to just sprout out of nowhere?🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

And maybe just once for the teeth

Ryan Wilson2 said:Self-improvement is everything.😎

Anyway... if you don't want to grow, why even bother living?

Just go jump off a skyscraper then and stop wasting the oxygen of those of us who actually want to live.🙂

Yeah. Personal growth is supposedly the most important thing in life. Which is exactly why I’d suggest the OP start by visiting some psychic to have them interpret some "vital signs" currently floating in the sky—you know, like a hawk, or a fly, or something equally profound. After that, they'll need to find a top-tier astrologer to figure out which direction they should actually be heading in, and then maybe a numerologist to calculate how long this whole charade is going to last.
Of course, all of that requires paying someone, because apparently, if a person hasn't paid for it, it holds absolutely zero value.
Then, naturally, it’s time for a trip to India to find some guru or a sadhu. How long the OP stays there will just depend on whatever advice they got from the psychic and her circle of visionaries.
Once they get back home to the States, the OP should probably hit up some party (if those still exist), pop a few dozen pills, and faceplant into a bar counter—basically getting completely trashed, following the lead of T. Lirija, Kastaned, and Koelj (?!).
After that, they can write a few more threads on this American forum and leave the rest to the gutter.

rapidskipper9 said:A true teacher is someone you just trust instinctively, without them having to jump through hoops to convince you. It’s exactly like what John Walker74 said about wishing they'd been told—I’m certain they were, they just didn't believe it at the time. Honestly, I was the exact same way. But hey, at least I'm a little bit wiser for it now.

But really, what can you actually accomplish with just a handful of words?

It's like how you always end up needing more toilet paper right when you run out.

The only thing that ever truly shifts the needle is seeing a living, breathing example of change.

What I actually needed was a witness—someone who thought differently than I did—but I just didn't have one.

If I'd had that, wouldn't there be a much better chance that things could have taken a completely different, much happier turn?

Rachel Gonzalez7 said:Brown rice is the healthiest option if you don't peel it.
Your recipe is basically just rice stripped of all its rice.
Sure, a recipe is necessary, and it helps, but it isn't everything.
A recipe is really just a blueprint for making dough.

Like what Anabelle mentioned, Gaudrath put it beautifully, but honestly, there’s no such thing as a redundant thought.
Real cookies aren't made from just one single ingredient.
The ratio of those ingredients is what actually matters, and that should depend entirely on whoever is going to be eating the damn thing.
Actually, it’s best when the person eating the cookie is the same one mixing and baking it.

If you ask me, there are just as many useless thoughts out there as there are useless cookies.
I’d much rather say I’m craving two sunny-side-up eggs with a thick slab of bacon and a cucumber on the side than say I want some fancy macaron made by blending every single ingredient we just talked about into one mush.

A chef makes a cake. But let's be real, we aren't all chefs, are we? There will always be people who cook and people who eat, and sometimes those roles just swap places. One day you're serving someone else, and the next, someone else is serving you.

I bet you've tasted plenty of desserts without having any clue what the ratios were. Someone offered them to you, you ate them, and only *after* you finished did you realize how they were put together. You didn't know beforehand, did you?

Even someone baking for themselves can't ever be absolutely certain that things will turn out exactly the same way every single time.
Unless, of course, we're talking about factory production where everything is stamped out on a conveyor belt like machines.
But even then, that mass-produced stuff never tastes half as good as something homemade.

Simple meals don't require all that guesswork regarding proportions.
They are just what they are—no mystery involved.
No complex recipes required

or elaborate procedures.

John Walker74 said:I think there’s such a thing as too many thoughts... just like there's such a thing as too many cookies.
I’d much rather have two sunny-side-up eggs, a strip of bacon, and a side of cucumber... than deal with some "Choco-Nut Bar" where all those ingredients are just mashed together into one mess.
...
Keep things simple. That way, you don't have to worry about getting the ratios wrong...
They’re just what they are... mysterious.
No recipe...

The procedure...

Two sunny-side up eggs...
That’s a bit thin...
My hair density usually sits around a 4 or 5...
Like scrambled eggs...
Nah, I'd take two over none any day...
So, we're going to need more bacon...

Look, even the simplest things—even a basic conversation like the one we just had—require some careful preparation. Not all ingredients are created equal. Some eggs aren't as fresh as others, bacon varies in quality, and you can't always rely on the heat being consistent. Plus, you have to cook everything on both sides. And most importantly (which you conveniently skipped by pretending this was easy)... you don't just throw everything into the pan at once. You heat the fat first, wait for the bacon to sizzle and brown, and then you add the eggs. Even making sunny-side up eggs takes a bit of skill. You can't just crack them perfectly every single time. Honestly, how many times have I tried to make sunny-side up eggs only to end up with scrambled...
I have to admit, I’ve been craving scrambled eggs way too much lately. May God forgive me and my egg obsession, but I just didn't know any better... And honestly, if I had been paying as much attention as you, I bet no two batches would ever turn out the same. You aren't actually telling me your sunny-side ups always look identical every single time? Maybe they just look that way from a distance...
It would be pretty tragic if every meal turned out exactly the same regardless of who was cooking. Even at mass-production plants, they can't quite nail that level of consistency... even the folks running the sugar refineries struggle with it...
Besides, experience shows there's no theory out there that can prove you can even compare an apple to a pear. They both have their own distinct character. On their own, they’re fine, but if you slice them up and toss them together in a bowl... you get much better results. Especially if you add a bit of sugar and a generous splash of rum...
I'm not going to get into the whole process of how we pick and sort the apples... It would take way too long. And honestly, it'd just be a lot of unnecessary detail...
Look, if you think this whole thing is easy, try throwing a potato in the oven. Nothing beats that simplicity... it's my favorite. But even then, don't get careless...
Whether you burn yourself pulling potatoes out of the oven depends on everything—the heat, how long they baked, the size and quality of the spuds, even how you grab them and how sensitive your fingers are... You have to be just as careful when you actually eat them, too. Your level of hunger, how much you’re craving it, how much time you have to sit down, the temperature of the room, even the heat of the bowl you served them in. Then there's the way you eat. Believe it or not, some people actually sit there using a knife and fork for roasted potatoes! Not to mention how long you chew, how fast you swallow, what your tongue is doing, or if you had an appetizer first...
It’s all about the variables... not whether you’re going to get burned, because you definitely will. It's really about how much hunger you actually satisfy, how badly you burn yourself, and how much nutrition you actually get out of those roasted potatoes...

Look, everything—and I mean everything—in this world comes down to the recipe, the quality of the ingredients, and most importantly, the skill of the chef...
Every cooked or baked thought, even if it’s completely wrong, serves a purpose...
After all, just like any other living thing...
If nothing else, just so they can serve as a bad example...
Just because you don't see a specific recipe or a set procedure in your spiritual cooking doesn't mean they aren't there.
You just don't think about them in those terms.
If you weren't applying them—even subconsciously—you wouldn't be able to whip up a simple bowl of chili.
Speaking of chili...

Uh, uh, uh...

Chili is basically a symbol of spiritual growth to me!
Not that magic stuff Gaudrath advertises, but the kind you make in your own kitchen. The way you prep it doesn't even matter, nor does the type of bean.
Since it's Friday, if I'm not mistaken. And for me, Friday isn't for shooting blanks, it's for chili. I'm not doing this to cheat some religion with my dried ribs, sausage, bacon, or maybe some pork in the mix; I'm doing it for hygiene, ecology, culture, and spiritual needs. Basically, I have two free days ahead of me, usually spent flushing out all the weekly work-life-existential nonsense and filling back up with what some call chemistry and others call spirituality. If the pressure gets too high, I can just lock myself in my room, attend to my spiritual-windy-gas needs, and ensure nobody else has to suffer for it.
It’s an old truth that nobody thinks their own crap smells bad.
Especially when it's spiritual.

P(repare).S(aturday).:
Between the powdered milk and the beans in the chili, I'm getting hungry just typing this. I'm heading out now to grab my exit pass and get home to that chili.
The spiritual emptying continues on Monday. If there's enough chili left—I mean, enough spiritual recharging this weekend.

Eric Scott65 said:There’s this one question that’s been weighing on me for quite a while now...
Do you all think there’s really just one single "right" spiritual teacher out there who can actually show us our way or point us toward our path?

See, I’m struggling here... I’ve been going through a pretty serious spiritual crisis lately... and I just feel like I need someone to point me back toward the right direction again...
But I’m just totally lost in this sea of commercials, advertisements, and those preacher segments on the radio.
How am I supposed to know if one of them is actually "the one"?
And honestly, the worst part is I already set up appointments with two different people, only to have both of them push me off because of their "official" travel schedules....
Does that mean they were the "wrong" teachers for me? And is there even such a thing as a "Right One" to begin with?
And it feels like God isn't sending anyone my way.... 🙂 🙂

What should I even do?? 🙂 🙏

There isn't just one single, definitive, perfect teacher. I mean, sure, maybe one exists, but you aren't going to go looking for it. 😉

There are no pre-packaged recipes for this life; you have to figure it out for yourself, and then when you finally get moving and start thinking you’re hitting a wall, something "coincidentally" happens—someone or something just happens to cross your path. So, it really all comes down to you, and even when you feel like you're just stumbling around in the dark, you're actually bumping into your "teacher." 😉
Just turn off the ads, ignore the commercials, shut off the radio and the TV, and just start bravely feeling your way through.
To start with, it’s enough just to quiet things down a little bit. 🙂

Sure, you could go ahead and buy a "recipe," but once you realize you've been sold a lemon, you'll end up having to relearn everything anyway, wasting your time while these "teachers" are away on official business or busy tending to the cash register...
That might be the easier route, but it’s ultimately a dead end. Eventually, you’re going to have to return to that initial stage of just feeling your way through the dark. 😉
If you feel drawn to it, go for it, but if not—just take it easy and enjoy the ride.

Eric Scott65 said:How am I supposed to know if it’s actually the right one?
And honestly, the worst part is I was already scheduling sessions with two different people, only for both of them to push me back because of their "business trips."
Does this mean they aren't the "right" teachers for me? And is there even such a thing as a "Right" one out there?
Plus, the One above isn't sending anyone my way.... 🙂 🙂

What should I do?? 🙂 🙏

Only Jesus Christ is the true teacher. Just trust in Him and don't be afraid.

~Breakfast with Rachel Gonzalez7~

First off, you decided you wanted to grab breakfast with me. Just peace and quiet and some scrambled eggs? Back home, we’d just call it frying up some eggs and move on.

But no, you have to eat "mindfully."
As if the devil himself is going to swoop in and snatch a word away, making the eggs too salty or not salty enough. Honestly, they’re just going to be eaten anyway—whoever has the energy to go out and hunt for fresh eggs every single morning?

And then you started running all these calculations about the majority of the eggs and the exact appearance of the bacon.
It felt like you were throwing every possible classification at me.
With specific types and without.

Then you moved on to the intensity of the flame.
That’s always how it goes when people start overthinking the type of egg being used.

After that, you pointed out how thorough one must be because of flipping them on both sides.
It sounds so final, like you’ve reached some ultimate certainty that you’ll actually manage to eat them once they’re cooked.
Though, you could always just leave them there.
The eggs won't hold a grudge against you.

And then you had the nerve to accuse me of acting.

It reminds me of those moments when we sit down at the table, you take that very first bite, and suddenly something isn't quite right...
Too salty?
No, what you really mean is that I’ve got something stuck in my eye.

Then, following that logic, since I hadn't said anything back, you decided to lecture me on the concept of skill.
"Practice makes perfect," right?

But even you admitted that things don't always turn out exactly how we imagined they should.
Personally, I wouldn't lose any sleep over it, as long as instead of eggs, little chicks don't start peeping out of the pan.
Now that would be an awkward situation.

Because those chicks eventually grow into hens.

And hens are a real nightmare.

I'm going to skip the text after this. By that point, you had completely lost yourself in the technical jargon of egg processing, and I couldn't even understand a word you were saying because you were talking with your mouth full.

Then came the potatoes. Hot potatoes.

In that moment, you basically ended up lecturing yourself.

You even went as far as giving instructions. How very helpful.

Are you trying to tell me that it's wrong if things need to be done a little differently?

*
There are ways. Many different ways.

And explaining them takes time.
By which time lunch would be late.
And dinner, too.
*

The only thing I dislike is when you claim that every single thought is necessary.
Just like those cookies from earlier in our conversation.

There is plenty of nonsense out there that is nothing more than pure trash.

Before you toss something into the garbage bin, just make sure you haven't thrown away something that could still be useful.

And now, the beans...

The absolute backbone of this entire discussion.

They say there's always a chance someone might let a fart slip at the table.
His Majesty, the Wind.

And they say there's an even higher chance of that happening while you're having breakfast with someone you care about.
Because that's when a person is most relaxed, letting themselves be free to express and create. They aren't embarrassed by themselves.

I must be incredibly charming to you, then.

I mean, you eat with me.

I mean, you give me instructions, you give me advice, and you basically pass gas at me.

And for all of it, you blame the pan and the eggs.

The bacon is only ever to blame once in a while.

John Walker74 said:Rice again.

There is absolutely nothing more beneficial for the human spirit than honest, hard labor—real "blood, sweat, and tears" type work.

If someone had just given me that advice sooner, I would have my vineyard all weeded and tended by now.

And I’d actually have grapes growing on it, too.

😕 😕 😕

😁

Roger Hall15 said:There isn't just one single, perfect way. I mean, sure, it exists, but you aren't going to find it by looking for it. 😉

There are no pre-packaged recipes out there; you have to invent your own path, and when you finally start moving—even when you feel like you're stumbling through total darkness—something or someone will "coincidentally" cross your path. It all rests on your shoulders, yet even when you feel like you're just wandering blindly, you'll inevitably stumble upon a "teacher." 😉
Turn off the commercials, ignore the ads, kill the radio and the TV, and just start walking bravely into the void.
To begin with, you really just need to quiet your mind a little. 🙂

Of course, you could always go out and buy a "recipe," only to realize later that you've been swindled, which means you'll have to waste your time relearning everything while those "teachers" are busy on official business or tending to the cash register...
That’s the easier route, certainly, but it's ultimately a dead end. You'll eventually have to return to that initial stage of blind stumbling anyway. 😉
If you feel drawn to it, follow it; if not, just take it easy and enjoy the ride.

Before I take velvetpilot212's advice and start indulging in peyote 🙄 ,
I think I'll stick to stumbling through my own darkness for a while... Perhaps I'll actually wander into one of those "coincidences" after all. 🙂 At least taking things as they come isn't too much work...
Thanks. 🙂

I really wanted to give a shout-out to the crew over at "Pear and Apple," but honestly, I think I lost my way somewhere amidst those endless recipes and all that obsessive attention to detail...
😉

But hey, it doesn't really matter; the important thing is just getting the words down on paper...😁

Amy Fox97 said:Only Jesus Christ is the true teacher. Put your faith in Him and don't be afraid.

🙏 🙏 🙏

Eric Scott65 said:Before I actually listen to velvetpilot212 and go swallow some peyote 🙄 ,
I’m just going to keep wandering through my own darkness... Maybe I'll eventually stumble into some kind of "coincidence." 🙂 I guess it's easy enough to just try and look on the bright side while everything falls apart...
Thanks. 🙂

Sigh.... 👍

Buff said:No way. A corn farmer can't be a teacher, just like the wind can't be one (nor a whirlwind, nor some biological byproduct)...

To each their own, Buff. To each their own... 😁

because if those people are teachers, then a hammer you smashed your finger with or a toilet brush could be teachers too.

A smart person can learn from anyone and anything. 😛
The arrogant types just end up looking down on everyone else... 😛

Eric Scott65 said:Do you guys believe there's only one single "right" spiritual teacher out there meant for each of us, someone who can actually point us toward our own path?

Personally, I don't think so.

Mr. Pease said:It depends on the person, Buff. It really does. 😁

I suppose a smart person can learn something from just about anyone. 😛
But then you have those condescending types who just look down on everyone. 😛

Mr. Pease, with all due respect, I think I should remind you that a righteous person is looking for a spiritual leader—a guru—not someone to lecture them like a child.