Wayfarers and Misguided Guides
When seeking answers from teachers causes us to lose ourselves even further, somehow we always find our way back from the brink.
See the end of this article for my book pick of the month, which gives us an example of compassionate and beautiful souls as spiritual teachers. Original watercolor by me, Stacey Couch, © 2024.
When we drift away from organized religion or decide to not adhere to one in the first place, we become what’s classically known as “wayfayerers”. We are wanderers on the spiritual path, trying to find our way, seeking answers, and looking into the great beyond.
This is the path of uncertainty, and that’s why we choose it in the first place. We’re not the kind of people that like someone spoon-feeding us dogma. We like to think for ourselves. Religion’s way of repressing doubt doesn’t work for those of us that are consummate learners. To learn is to question.
No one said this was an easy choice. The path of the wayfarer is arduous, especially when we are confronted with loss, scarcity, and pain. Without the structure of a pre-packaged belief system, we get lost trying to figure out how to cope. We grapple with ugliness in our search for beauty. We wonder why people are so mean and why the Divine (if there is one) would allow suffering in the world.
At our best moments, we patch together the mystical teachings we encounter into a narrative that resonates deep within as truth. We tirelessly sift through classes from modern teachers and texts from ancient traditions to find common threads. Those are the threads that hold us together in tough times.
In our worst hours, we become desperate for any tag line or quick phrase that explains the complexity of our pain. We look for someone to simplify the complex, and know the mysterious. Eventually, the confusion is unbearable and we just want answers. Without realizing it, a different, more invisible kind of dogma ensnares us.
Addicted to Charisma
Enter the modern day spiritual teacher. Today’s world, and market, rewards spiritual teachers that are able to attract followers. They need to be charismatic and their delivery entertaining. These are not the best qualities for spiritual seekers to emulate, but it is how they get more followers, viewers, attention, money, and praise. This is the first trouble with some spiritual teachers - they become addicted to their own charm.
Is it possible to become famous and/or financially well-off while retaining one’s integrity? Some teachers do manage to develop enough charisma to attract an audience, while avoiding the pitfall of thinking they are better than their students. Others don’t.
It’s up to us to discern which teachers are which. Here are some hints of what to look for in a teacher that is more invested in being entertaining than they are in helping you along the path.