One teacher or many?

[Nani]

I have been wondering for a while - is it better to have one teacher and stick with him/her or is it better to have many different teachers?

To give you an example, one could argued to stick with one teacher is better: it's like looking for water by digging holes in the ground: if you stick with one hole (one teacher) you will get deeper and your chances of getting to the water are higher than by digging many shallow holes.

I do agree with this metaphor. However, I am naturally a person who likes variety and try out different things, interact with different people, so I do enjoy learning from different teachers. So, I am torn...

What do you think? I am looking forward to hearing your opinion on that!

[tsanchan19]

hey i read your post. i am no genius nor a teacher but, what i think is you can see diff teachers, no one knows everything, you can get diff info from diff people, YOu have your atma with you will know what is right who is right and who you need to stick with.

[Nani]

Thank you for your reply! I agree, I guess it's about following my intuition

I also just came across the yoga forum newsletter, where I found this quote:

As a bee seeks nectar
From all kinds of flowers,
Seek teachings everywhere,
Like a deer that finds
A quiet place to graze,
Seek Seclusion to digest
All you have gathered.

~ Mamkhai Norbu Rinpoche ~
quoting Dzogchen Tantra from his book The Crystal and the Way of Light

It confirms that it is okay to get teachings from many sources!

[tsanchan19]

hey..i have very limited resources of poetry like that you know ..in case you have something really inspiring pls share it with me here will you??thanks..

[deZengo]

For me, I find that I am taught lessons by almost everyone...everything really. One moment I am the teacher, to my children per se, the next moment they are teaching and inspiring me!

I believe that once I realized that, my relationship with all life changed. I do not look at my mother as just my mother. She is my guide, my teacher, my friend, my student simultaneously. Nature always inspires me when I am still enough to observe and listen. I have had unusual contact with animals and some insects -- that feels like attempts of communication.

Back to teachers...
whether you commit your "formal / informal" education or spiritual guidance to one guru/guide/teacher -- you will have opportunities daily to be inspired and learn from the most unlikely of individuals and/or events. I could write books on daily lessons from my Yoga Rocks, so in essence, they are teachers. Knowingly or unknowingly.

My thoughts are to maintain openness so that the universe can continue teaching in all manners possible. I have learned from many of you -- so you are my teachers. And last but not least, I believe we are able to learn from "Self." Once we begin the journey and exploration inward -- amazing things happen.

[donna]

Once upon a time...

There was a yoga master.
One of his students came in a hurry, one day, and said:
- Master, teach me to light a fire with the power of mind.
- Oh, I'm sorry, I don't know to do this.
- Than you are a stupid master, I'll leave you and go to master X, who knows how to light a fire with the power of mind.
And so the student did.

Years later, the student returned to his first master, sited in front of him, concentrated very hard and lighted a little piece of wood, in order to demonstrate his new abillity.
- Help me remember how many years did you spend to learn this?, asked the teacher.
- Oh, it was very hard, but I did it in less than ten years.
- Oh..., sighted the master, lighting a match to light the candle, for it was darkening. Such a waste... look, it took me just one second to light a fire exactly like yours...
___________

That's my opinion:
One master, one path. Two masters, two paths. An so on...
But we have just ONE lifetime, so we'd better stick to one path.
Finally, all the paths are getting (each, in it's own style) to the same point.

The correct question to put is, in my opinion: WHICH path/master to choose - not HOW MANY paths/masters to have...

Later edit: Nani, some years ago, when I was complaining about boredom, my teacher told me that BOREDOM IS MERELY A LACK OF ATTENTION.

[InnerAthlete]

Yes well very interesting thread of replies.
Are you asking about teachers in the broad sense or are you asking about yoga teachers?

If you are asking about teachers "in general" then it's true we are all teachers and then the looking may stop there.

If on the other hand you are looking to learn to perform cicrumcisions (for example) I'd suggest you go to someone who's qualified to teach that skill rather than expect your mother to teach you.

Sometime when a student claims they need variety they are merely continuing a societal over stimulation. IF that is the case then it's to be dealt with. If that is examined and it is not the case then pursue the variety you need.

Relative to yoga you must weigh the effects. If you go to several teachers it is true you may learn "many" things. It is also true that no teacher knows everything. But you're not trying to learn "everything" so that's not relevant data to have. It is also possible that in going to several teachers you are taught concepts that are opposing, of different yoga schools or philosophies, or are confusing and dangerous.

If you find a safe teacher and this teacher posesses the qualities of a teacher (not a practitioner), and this teacher radiates light to you and lives yoga for all to see, then why would you go to a different teacher? It's a puzzle.

[LJNamaste]

I prefer experiences many different teachers and styles of yoga. I do this by going to workshops. However, when dealing with my back problems, I prefer to stick to one Iyengar teacher and work with them privately.
I guess I like the best of both!