Spiritual, Occult & Metaphysical Studies – Here’s How You Can Start on The Right Track

There are many good “spiritual teachers” and “gurus”nin existence, but in order for someone to be a goodnspiritual teacher/guru, he/she must have inherent wisdom,nbe relatively free of biases and the tendency to pushnstudents into a dogmatic program of instruction, and havengone through his/her own extensive explorations leadingnto deep understanding of the topic he/she is claimingnexpertise.

Contrary to popular perception, the following don’tnautomatically make someone a good spiritual teacher:nrobes; beads; beards; long gray hair; a family history ofnhealers or readers; a PhD, M.D., or other advanced traditionaln(or non-traditional) degree; charisma; a large following; ancelebrity following.

The following do make someone a good spiritual teacher:nrecommendations/testimonials by people you trust;ncommunicating relevant information clearly and simply;na method of teaching that persuades students to find thei
own answers; a humble disposition; being able to admitnthat the teacher is sometimes taught by the student; ancommitment to constantly exploring and testing relevantntheories and discarding those proven to be invalid;nacknowledging that there are seldom “quick-fix” solutionsnto life’s most important challenges; and freely referringnthe student to another teacher if he/she is unable to providenthe student with what they seek.

All you really need is yourself, a desire to learn, and ansincere interest in the subjects you’re drawn to. You maynbe thinking you need a structured system to teach youn(what you already know on a super-conscious level)nbecause this is what most of us have been led to believenfrom traditional education systems. Not so.

If you are comfortable learning through self-study andnexperimentation, having someone point you in the rightndirection is a perfect start.

Start by meditating. This will help you to become centerednand to be able to feel what is right for you in the explorationnof your spirituality. You must be disciplined and practicenmeditating every day to fully benefit. Set aside time, at least
10 minutes to start, in the morning or evening. Don’t haventime? Turn off the TV and avoid people who aren’t for you
highest good.

Next, go to your local library or metaphysical bookstore andnlook for books that appeal to you. Through trial and erro
you’ll find what you need. It also helps to read the reviewsnfor books on the subjects you like on amazon.com. Thengood books will be mentioned and recommended, but keep innmind people can potentially be biased or have an agenda whennwriting reviews. Also know that a best-selling book only meansnthat it is popular, not that it automatically includes completentruth and wisdom. Trust you intuition above all.

Copyright © 2007 Scott Petullo, Stephen Petullo