Are You a Teacher or Student?
“The student and the teacher are mirrors of each other. They cannot progress without one another. The student helps the teacher progress as a student. The teacher helps the student to become a better teacher.” – Rimias K. Neo
When the student seeks the path leading to higher knowledge, he should not omit to fortify himself; throughout his work, with one ever present thought. He must never cease repeating to himself that he may have made quite considerable progress after a certain interval of time, though it may not be apparent to him in the way he perhaps expected. Otherwise, he can easily lose heart and abandon all attempts after a short time.
The powers and faculties to be developed are of a most subtle kind, and differ entirely in their nature from the conception previously formed by the student. He had been accustomed to occupying himself exclusively with the physical worlds. The physical world is but a fraction of the true reality, and yet even the true reality may be an illusion. Regardless of the illusion, if you think something is real, then it is real to you on a micro level. As long as the student knows that the physical body is one side of the coin (the other side being the spiritual self) the student will definitely be on the right path to enlightenment. Enlightenment happen daily anyway, incrementally but when you are self aware in everything you say or do, then enlightenment gains momentum.
“Education is not preparation for life; education is life itself.” – John Dewey
The world of spirit and soul had been concealed from his vision and concepts. It is therefore not surprising if he does not immediately notice the powers of soul and spirit now developing in him. In this respect there is a possibility of discouragement for those setting out on the path to higher knowledge, if they ignore the experience gathered by responsible investigators. The teacher is aware of the progress made by his pupil long before the latter is conscious of it. He knows how the delicate spiritual eyes begin to form themselves long before the pupil is aware of this, and a great part of what he has to say is couched in such terms as to prevent the pupil from losing patience and perseverance before he can himself gain knowledge of his own progress.
The student often doesn’t know that he is a teacher himself. We all are both teachers and students at the same time. We often doubt ourselves because we compare with others. Comparing with others is fine for the purpose of being inspired to improve our daily lives but it is not good when we become envy. We are each other; would you be envy of yourself? Then you shouldn’t be envy of anyone else either.
The teacher as we know, can confer upon the pupil no powers which are not already latent within him, and his sole function is to assist in the awakening of slumbering faculties. But what he imparts out of his own experience is a pillar of strength for the one wishing to penetrate through darkness to light. Many abandon the path to higher knowledge soon after having set foot upon it, because their progress is not immediately apparent to them.
“When you try to do one step forward to attain knowledge about the hidden truths, then do the same time three steps forward to perfect your character.” – Rudolf Steiner
And even when the first experiences begin to dawn upon the pupil, he is apt to regard them as illusions, because he had formed quite different conceptions of what he was going to experience. He loses courage, either because he regards these first experiences as being of no value, or because they appear to him to be so insignificant that he cannot believe they will lead him to any appreciable results within a measurable time. Courage and self-confidence are two beacons which must never be extinguished on the path to higher knowledge. No one will ever travel far enough who cannot bring himself to repeat, over and over again, an exercise which has failed, apparently, for a countless number of times.
Long before any distinct perception of progress, there rises in the student, from the hidden depths of the soul, a feeling that he is on the right path. When you get distracted here and there, you end up going nowhere. You will still go there, but first you will be humbled by the “NOWHERE.” In darkness you will learn how to see. In darkness you will nurture your third eye, in darkness you will see the LIGHT.
This post is a combination of the author’s thoughts from the book (check below the name of the book) this is sourced from and my own personal thoughts/opinion as one of the admins of this blog/website.
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“When the student is ready the teacher appears. When the student is truly ready the teacher Disappears.” – Lao Tzu
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-SOURCES-
Knowledge of the higher worlds and it’s attainment on consciousness, dream life and initiation by Rudolf Steiner
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