I’ve outgrown my last teacher. My path has moving away from his. His lessons were profound and life-changing.
I watch for signs. I explore what shows up. I have strong inner urgings that show me where I’m going next.
But for this moment of being between teachers, I walk alone.
Allow time for an internal shift
This shift between teachers is gradual. Barely noticeable. One day you realize that what the teacher you’ve been following is offering is no longer what you need to know next.
It’s because the teacher has changed and you have changed. Your paths no longer merge.
We only walk together for part of our journey
The lovely thing about learning and growing is that everyone and everything changes – constantly. Our part is to be self aware, to observe our growth and figure out what we need next.
Who has come into your life recently? What new ideas are you considering that you hadn’t thought about a week ago? What do you need to learn next?
When you pause to look, you’ll see the fellow travelers you need in your life right now. These recently discovered fellow travelers may have walked beside you for such a short part of your journey you almost didn’t notice them. But they’re there and their impact is profound.
Be patient. Let your teacher emerge
The core books I study have more to share with me. As I read, I pulled out phrases that resonated and called for more in-depth exploration.
Now, each day, I return to those phrases and look at them from my here and now to see what new lesson they hold. Teachers are everywhere when we open ourselves up to their wisdom.
I’m being called to delve deeper into my spirituality, to identify the concepts and figure out how to bring them into my daily life. I have no doubt it’s where I am to go next and that it will be immensely rewarding.
I don’t know exactly what shape it will take but I’m excited about the journey. There’s not just one teacher, there are many. I have to be open and receptive and recognize them.
Trust the perfect guidance will emerge
When you’re between teachers, trust. Trust that you’re indeed ready for a change. Trust that the right teacher will appear at the perfect time. Trust that whatever urges and insights you are getting are exactly what you need to explore and consider right now.
Your teacher may not be a person
Your teacher may be even a circumstance. It may be a situation you find yourself in. It may be a life lesson that only persistence and determination will allow you to learn.
As your own awareness deepens and you become more immersed in your journey, you need to find new people to walk alongside you. You may need an expert who can show you the next steps. You may need someone who could benefit from your help so that you develop your own strength and leadership skills.
How do you find fellow travelers who are going in more or less the same direction you’re going? How can you help them? How will they help you? What is the source of your next lesson?
Follow your intuition
Part of your journey may be about making some decisions and exploring the consequences.
For instance, I’m a metaphysician in the mid-west of the United States. I’m a philosophical explorer in a senior community. I’m an introvert. I need to be careful of isolation and loneliness. I’m pretty certain the only teacher I have for that particular lesson is going to be me – my observations – my choices.
I have to pay attention to the insights and urges that simply show up. A Skype call to a fellow explorer is immensely nourishing. An email exchange offers insights and encouragement for both of us.
Valued exchanges of support, friendship and wisdom unfold in my life. I don’t know what else or who else will show up to teach me, so I simply stay open and aware.
Allow yourself to be pulled in directions you never considered
The awesome part of exploring is that you truly don’t know where you’ll end up. Become aware of the subtle shifts that occur in your life. Explore the ideas that pop into your head. Be open. Try stuff out. Choose.
I recently worked though a life lesson that required much perseverance on my part. The lesson was about how to keep moving forward when the going forward becomes challenging.
It was a simple lesson around my desire to self-publish two books. But at every turn there was something new to learn. It became overwhelming. The lesson was in how I learned to handle that overwhelm, how I moved around the barrier and continued forward.
The end result is that once I own these techniques, once I’m comfortable within these new programs, there’s an abundance of new projects that I can create and offer. My world has expanded because of what I learned – about persistence and taking one small and consistent step at a time.
Explore new teachers
Who inspires you? Who offers insights that make you think? As you grow and change you have to go find new inspiration.
Sometimes that’s as easy as simply wanting a new teacher to show up. Other times you have to acknowledge that you’re looking for a new teacher and pay attention to who and what appears.
Whose blog makes you think? Are there people on TED you should listen to? What podcasts are out there just waiting to motivate and inspire you? Who is making videos you need to see?
Notice who inspires you. Be aware of what you’re learning and from whom. Those are guidelines to your next teacher.
Be open to a variety of teachers
There won’t be just one teacher – there will be several. And these teachers will have different impacts on your life. One teacher may offer a single short, life-changing lesson. Another may walk along beside you for a while. Your part is to recognize that person as a teacher and to be willing to receive the lesson they offer.
Be open. Do a little searching. And when the time is right, the perfect teachers will appear.
To Sing a Deeper Song consider:
How Chris Brogan Changed My Life
Are You Too Old to Change?
Why I Love Being a Freak
How to Make Time to Learn
How Are You Harvesting Your Crop?
5 Ways to Gain Clarity
How to Deepen Your Calling
The Reward is in the Journey
The Power of Exploring the Unknown
34- Use Labels to Expand Your Possibilities
20 – Why Are You in Service?
21 – How to Share a Piece of Your Soul
