There are those who say that when you’re ready to step onto your spiritual path, a teacher will appear to show you the way. This may be true, but it hasn’t been my experience yet.
But even though I haven’t found that special relationship, I’ve found that the search for it is part of the journey, and it can be a great adventure.
If you’re thinking you might like to find some guidance as you go along, one way is through books.
One book in particular that I found very helpful in outlining the plethora of teachings available today is The Spiritual Seeker’s Guide, by Steven S. Sadleir. It’s an excellent reference for the major spiritual paths, metaphysical initiations, teachers, masters, and movements of the world. It describes not only the teachings and the teachers and tells you where to get more information, but it places each in a historical context, going back to 8000 B.C.
What a review like this provides, in addition to practical information regarding areas you might want to explore—or avoid—is the realization that all true spiritual teachings attempt to lead ultimately to the same thing: an understanding of the mysteries of the universe and the role we each play in it.
Obviously some teachings do it better than others. And some have gotten corrupted along the way. It also becomes clear that no path is the best path, or the only path, and that there is something for everyone.
Needless to say, a book of this type has its limitations: it can’t include everything. But it can give you a start. Then you’ll find one thing leads to another. You meet people in one place who can lead you to other people and other teachings, which then can lead you to where you really want to go.
Or you can just listen (#92). This is harder for the more impatient among us, but ultimately it’s what we all have to do anyway. Our intuitive guide, if we can simply sit still long enough to hear it, will always lead us in the right direction.
Once you’ve begun the inner search, your teachers may change fairly rapidly as you go along, or at least your understanding of them will. I’ve also learned that being too attached to a teacher can potentially hinder your process. The right teachers can provide many valuable teachings, but they can’t live your life for you. Ultimately, we all have to be responsible for our own growth.