We Are All Teachers in the New Age

In this new age, we know that in some respects we are all teachers. When properly understood, it means that we are all teaching and learning from each other-in each and every moment. This is especially true given that we are all one and simply mirroring different aspects of ourselves to each other.

However, this does not negate the need for, and value of, those who play the symbolic role of teacher, or healer, to others who choose to be taught or healed. As Jesus puts it in A Course In Miracles, teachers and masters do not deserve your awe and worship, but they do deserve your respect, as there is something valuable that they took time to become proficient in and it is now being offered to you.

In the old age, there was a need for some individuals to be held up as symbols of awareness and attainment. They were surrogates for God. This may have been a shaman, a priest, prophet, or any other spiritual leader. Their role was a necessary one, at a time when people were less likely to choose the responsibility to educate themselves and integrate their own Divinity.

In the new age, however, things are changing rapidly. The teacher of today might be an amazing master, like those of old. Yet he/she might also just be an author, counselor, or workshop facilitator with a unique way of saying something. They are not necessarily masters, and yet they are unconsciously placed in the role that only high-level initiates and masters were once given. This adds a level of responsibility to their role that they might not always welcome nor be spiritually and personally prepared for.

 

Spiritual Teachers and Healers of Today

All teachers and healers have to decide how much humanity or Divinity to express and manifest. With the latter comes a great deal of authority, which allows a greater level of trust from others, which in turn allows more openness to transformation. Of course, on the other hand, with such power comes confusion and sometimes abuse of power. This, in itself, can be a great test (initiation) that takes teachers and healers to a new level of growth.

Although teachers and healers of today might not have gone through the same tests and initiations as the spiritual teachers of yesterday, it makes the facilitators of today more human and accessible, which means less of a gap between teacher and student. This ultimately means there is less chance of worship and co-dependence towards someone who is, in reality, an equal who walks along with you, on the same journey. The methods and techniques used by a teacher or healer of today are often more advanced than those of old, in that they are more diverse. Further, the student or client is now learning how to use these methods on themselves, rather than being as dependent as before.

Why We Tend To Challenge Our Spiritual Leaders

In this day and age, the role of “spiritual leader” has certainly been challenged. There have been bizarre rumors ranging from falsities to perversions about the likes of Wayne Dyer, Ram Dass, Martin Luther King, Ghandi, Sai Baba, Deepak Chopra, and others. We also hear stories that Krishna was only a myth and not a real person and that Jesus never really died on the cross but was secretly replaced by an impostor.

It seems apparent that humanity has an insatiable need to tear down those held up as spiritual role models. Could it be a way to sabotage those moments when we are getting too close to God? It’s as though there is some sense of relief found in having a role model fall. Then, people can say, “Oh, so that was not for real. Now I can sit back and go back into my spiritual amnesia and not be concerned that I might need to change something in my life.”

A great example was in the crucifixion of a man (Jesus) who proved to have a message that was too much for the time. Imagine the moment of relief in the hearts of his accusers when he chose not to prove his righteousness. It made them feel validated in their attacks and defenses. It was proof in their delusional minds that there was nothing there after all.

Of course, this is not to say that some of the rumors about teachers, psychics, prophets, and the like, are always false. In fact, someone just shared an email with me about a popular new age author who recently sent out an apology for some of his embellishments in the stories he used.

Such embellishments only become an issue when the student makes the image of the teacher, or the details of their story, greater than the message held within the story. In such cases, they have created an idol of a teacher and have forgotten to integrate the message of that teacher into their life. It makes no difference if Krishna ever lived in the flesh. The question is if, and what, you learned. If you gained something, great! If not, then quietly move on. Don’t use your own dissatisfaction as a means to turn your back on all forms of religion or spirituality. If you do, then it is a sign that you are the one with the problem and the one who is looking for a reason to run. Of course this behavior and tendency applies to our personal relationships as well.

How To Choose the Best Spiritual Guide or Healer for You

It serves us all to keep in mind that it is the student’s responsibility to decide which teaching, or healing, style works for them. Also, remember that what you learn is more important than who teaches you. In other words, it’s essential to avoid making the facilitator more important than the goal. When this gets confused, the responsibility can be on either, the part of the facilitator, or the student, or both. In any event, a simple, blameless solution should be sought and applied.

While we are still on the planet, the chances are good the role of teacher or healer will still be of value. Yet there is an incredible shift in awareness around these roles. When it comes to choosing a teacher or thought system, it comes down to each person deciding whether or not it works for them. There are also some basic rules of discernment that everyone would benefit by using. These include:

    • All teachers and healers are just a mirror-usually of your higher self. The good you see in them reflects your own. So, OWN IT and give yourself a pat on the back.
    • Their message should be clear and uplifting rather than confusing, fear-based or condescending.
    • The message should be consistent and not contradictory.
    • The message must resonate and align with your own inner heart connection to God.
    • The message of a true teacher or healer is one that empowers the student or client to attain a higher level of awareness and healthy living for themselves.
    • Last, but not least, a good teacher or healer is clear that they are only a bridge to God (a messenger, NOT the message) and that their role is ultimately to shine light on the path for others to find their way back to God.