Student/ Teacher

[vtx249]

Namaste,
I included my age and that of the student's, I think, because I made a reference to the student as "daughter" and I felt the need of some context for that. Also, to be honest, as a beginning teacher at age 60 I felt a little self conscious about my age and so, being on my mind, that info sometimes still comes out of me when probably nobody cares. It's been a couple of years now and I'm no longer nervous about my age, and it is of course as Mukunda says, we need to free ourselves of such concerns. All that being said, I think that my age is a benefit to me as a teacher. I lead a class very differently than I would have at a younger age. For one thing, I have lots of material to draw from for teaching examples.

At the heart of my original post was this: people sometimes turn to me, looking for something deep. And this is new for me, and what is particularly new is the emerging sense that I might have something deep to give to them. I wouldn't have thought so five years ago. My journal has a lot of questions I have asked myself, and one of them is this: if you could just flip a switch and become enlightened, would you do it? That question forces the issue for me. It makes me face myself and ask whether I am willing to let go of all that I would need to let go of in order to practice for the benefit of others. That is what it takes to walk the spiritual path, or so I believe. I needed someone experienced to talk to about this. And so I asked Mukunda for guidance, and his kind words have been very helpful. Thank you, Mukunda. And thank you, InnerAthlete, for asking the question.
Peace,
David

[Mukunda]

you are welcome. Advice is free; taking it is not free but costly. blessings. mukunda

[InnerAthlete]

Mukunda has a background with much more depth than I. Therefore I suspect his set of experiences also run deeper bringing a certain validation to his feedback that mine will not muster.

That having been said, what the student must be is rarely what the student is. And while we can pontificate about students seeking teachers and being free of this, that or the other thing, it's rarely the reality.

In fact it's typically just the opposite. Students tend to be filled with ageism, racism, sexism, and religionism. Your question, as it was crafted (including an age reference) DID mater and reminded me of my very first teacher training. A man asked about touching students and the teacher said "what is it about YOUR energy that you would even wonder if touch is okay? Is your energy clean?" And that's a very relevant question in a day where everyone is a guru and spiritual leader.

So I inquired to see what you might offer.
I believe the distance between student and teacher must be very carefully measured both for the wellness of the teacher and the student. I think in those situations the student should be answered directly, kindly, with compassion, and then it should be left. Period.

[free thinker]

i find this an interesting post

i have been keeping an eye out all my life for one main master, but not yet found him

but i have realised that in different aspects of my life (yoga, professional, other interests), life has placed experienced people in my path to guide and raise me. almost like a partnership of teachers

does this make sense?

[vtx249]

I think it makes perfect sense. We've touched in this thread on the well known "When the student is ready, the teacher will appear." I always had a hard time understanding that in any practical way. I live in a rural area and there don't seem to be many potential gurus around, and I couldn't see how any that were here would be looking for me. I used to wonder whether suddenly the gentleman across the room in the Indian restaurant would get up from his table, come to mine and offer to teach me. Maybe it happens that way sometimes. But recently it came to me that I was perhaps being too narrow. I think the way it works is that as we progress in understanding we are better able to recognize teachers and teachings that have been there all along. Like everything else those relationships arise, then pass. But since you see them as such I think that it means that you have made the progress necessary to know a teacher when you see one. So a partnership of teachers revolve through your life because you are ready for such. As for the master teacher, I haven't found one either. So that means to me that I am not yet ready. Mukunda says to keep looking. And to that I add, for myself, keep working. So that I can be ready to understand the teaching from a master.
Namaste,
David