Theos-Talk Archives (September 1997 Message tl00027)

I wrote:

>> You would never have known what you were missing if you had abandoned your
>> journey to the mountain top for the pleasures quickly attained at the base
>> of the mountain.

>> Sai Baba likened it to going to a far away destination. For a while, he says,
>> you just have to concern yourself with the careful driving of the car.

"A. Safron" <safron@concentric.net> asked:

> I'm not sure I know what you're talking about, but what do you do when
> your mentor/guru/teacher ABANDONS you.  And has not left a successor
> or sufficient teachings that one feels they can continue on that particular
> path.  I've been there twice.  Once when the guru retired  to Hawaii and
> wanted to have as little as possible to do with his disciples and the other
> who decided a business money-making path was more important than
> the church he headed.

I think we may be talking about different things. There are long paths and
short paths. I was pointing out that good things take time and often present
few tangible rewards while you work towards them. Frequently there are
inferior substitutes that give instant rewards but that can distract you from
your true path. The final result of the long path is a reward, but how do you
communicate that to a person who has not already been there?

Great teachers of the past have left hints.  Initially, I think you have take
them on faith until they begin to work for you.  This is not a blind faith,
but a testing faith.

As I understand your question, it is, "What do you do if you find yourself
following the path of a bad teacher?"  My only answer is, bail out.  Be
discriminating before you sign up as someone's student. If you don't find a
living ethical teacher, use the guideposts from teachers of the past.  It
looks like the Alice Bailey material works for you.  You just have to use
your intuition in applying it.