I never thought of myself as one who ‘studies.’

I learned many things with the intense focus that comes and goes through my life.  As a child it was ballet, as a young wife and mother it was fitness.  Later, it was how to learn to walk again.  Then belly dance and eventually I was pitched head-first into spirituality. 

I have always thought of ‘study’ as book-learning, and I find that difficult.  I LOVE reading, but books are my escape, and when I attempted to learn from books I not only couldn’t focus very well, but I started to lose that safety-net of being able to fall into another reality altogether. 

Looking back now I can see that although book-learning was involved, a teacher has usually been the means of my growth in whatever I was focused on, and those topics with a strong physical aspect have been the subjects of my greatest knowledge base.

I learn best (as do most people I think) by experience, but when it comes to spirituality it is not always easy to have the experience – so much is based on the experiences of others who lived a long time ago when things were very different.  We have to trust that the stories are true and not fabricated or embellished over time.  We have to Believe in the interpretation of other people’s beliefs and I often have battles with my literalism when it comes to this, for to me, many of these tales hold just as much truth as fairy tales.  Both have lessons to impart, morals to learn, warnings to give and outcomes that can, potentially, lift us up out of our mundane lives.  Even Thich Nhat Hanh (who has come so much to the front of things I am currently learning) explains in his book “The Heart of the Buddha’s Teaching,” that there is absolutely no direct record of the experiences of the Buddha.  He says that the Buddha’s words were memorised and passed from person to person for a long time before someone decided it would be a good idea to write these down on a palm leaf before they were lost forever.  It was found that only one – very arrogant – person could recite all of Buddha’s known words – and who can trust that this arrogant person would not twist the words to suit himself, even if he had not forgotten anything and that the words were still correct after all the re-telling!  And beyond that, the teachings were written in languages other than that which Buddha would have spoken, so there would be variations in translation!  Different schools of Buddhism were formed from different interpretations – and beliefs – in the translations of Buddha’s teachings.  And of course, we have no way to know if this story of an ‘arrogant monk’ is also true!

Exactly the same things apply to other religions and spiritual beliefs systems, and if you choose to study these topics, you have, at first, to simply Trust in what you are taught, but if you seek a deeper Truth, greater knowledge, you also need to be guided by your intuition, your beliefs and what you have already learned.  You need to be constantly questioning, seeking into the deeper, more profound knowledge embedded in the surface stories.  You need a Teacher. 

When you are studying human anatomy and kinesiology there is an observable truth.  When we touch our nose, for example, many of us understand what is happening in the body to allow that to occur even though most of it is unseen.  But we also Know that we can touch our nose even when we don’t have that knowledge of how the human body works.

We can Trust without deeper knowledge, and for most humans that is enough.  But that form of trust is blind and some people discover a need to know more.  A Teacher is essential for the best possible outcome.  A Teacher has already taken the journey you are embarking upon.  They know many of the pitfalls and distractions.  A good Teacher will point you in a direction and give you a hefty shove to go discover what you are seeking.  A good Teacher can see if you are about to fall off a cliff, or wander away, distracted by something else.  She will offer signposts back to the path you were originally exploring, but also understands that your journey may need to wander in circles for a while.

Teachers come in many guises.  Some will be there for a single moment; others will guide the student for a lifetime.  In most religious and spiritual belief systems there are many people who are filled with excitement and the need to share the knowledge they have discovered.   But mostly this is the surface knowledge of personal experience or ‘blind’ knowledge with little depth.  There are those who have gained from intense and devoted study for many years yet there are few who have the skills to be able to Teach that knowledge.  A committed student will recognise that discernment is essential in choosing their Teacher.

For myself, I understand that a good teacher invokes an emotional response.  She offers her version of Truth without saying it is absolute – the student can observe, learn, make up her own mind based on what knowledge is being imparted and what is already held.  A Teacher should be respected – not because it is expected, but because their knowledge, compassion, understanding, love, and even their willingness to kick your butt when you need it, is felt in every interaction. 

I am honoured to have had such a Teacher.  She has guided me through brick walls and melt-downs.  She has helped me to pick up the pieces when my world has shattered.  She has annoyed me, angered me, poked me and well and truly kicked-butt.  She has picked me up, dusted me off and given me that hefty shove forward.  She has listened to me and offered advice.  She has read my writings and given her opinion – everything from typos to deeper thoughts.  She has given me pointers towards things which might interest me – and things which I have discovered do not.  We talk for hours.  I’ve exasperated her, annoyed her, bored her with my ramblings and constant repetition – but still she listens.  She respects where I am and I deeply respect her.

When the question came up “How important is it to find and study with a truly learned Teacher?” there was no doubt in my mind…

If you are serious about learning, then a Teacher is the most important guide you can have.

But it is important to be aware of the difference between a teacher and a Teacher.

Thank you for reading

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Auri’An Lay

Exploring Life through a neuro-divergent mind