GUIDES

Everyone on a Spiritual Path wants to know:

What (who) makes a good Teacher or Guide?

These guidelines might fortify your discernment.

1. No true Spiritual Guide will ever ask you to harm another living being.
2. No true Spiritual Guide will ever ask you to take anything that does not belong to you.
3. No true Spiritual Guide will ever tell you it’s okay to have sex with someone else’s partner (unless everyone affected explicitly agrees to it).
4. No true Spiritual Guide will ever tell you that war is a necessary or good thing, or that it’s okay to kill your ‘enemies’.
5. No true Spiritual Guide will ever abandon you.
6. No true Spiritual Guide will ever threaten to abandon you.
7. No true Spiritual Guide will ever threaten you in any way, whatsoever.
8. A true Spiritual Guide will always have your best interests in mind and at heart.
9. A true Spiritual Guide will never let you starve to death nor die from exposure.
10. A true Spiritual Guide will always encourage you and acknowledge your progress.
11. A true Spiritual Guide will always be there when you need help, even though you may feel alone.
12. A true Spiritual Guide will always treat you with respect (unless you ask him or her not to, but that’s not a good idea).
13. A true spiritual guide or teacher has no need to proclaim themselves as a teacher.