When The Teacher Is Ready The Student Appears

Have you heard of the saying "When the student is ready, the teacher appears"? Most have. I believe there is a different spin to look at on this old proverb. Twist it around for a second and read it as "When the teacher is ready, the student appears". It's meaning changes, but perhaps not by much.

Consider another truism, that we teach what we most need to learn. By teaching whatever it is to another, we echo that wisdom to others around us, who in turn are the reflection of ourselves.

This last weekend I worked at a customer site for 18 hours straight, together with one of their employees who is a wonderful individual, even though he is somewhat trapped in the clutches of the material world. Ultimately he will figure it out.

Working together required us to be very technical and focussed for short periods of time, followed by long periods with nothing to do other than talk, while we waited for the results to come back. In that time we shared much and the conversation easily drifted to philosophy and spiritual matters.

"When the teacher is ready, the student appears" serves a few purposes as a subject. First as a reminder that we all are teachers, whether we choose to realise this or not, as well as being students. A good student will push a teacher to articulate and analyse their own repetitious teachings in new ways, allowing the teacher in turn to learn from the student. Therefore the second point to note is that the relationship is not one sided. There are other points, perhaps you have a few to share in the comments.

During the passing of this evening of working with this wonderful fellow, he delved into my interpretation of the known and the unknowable, and caused me to remember that no matter how much you desire to help someone, it is never possible to force someone to accept your view. This I knew from experience, however, the reminder was there and appreciated. For this I am grateful.

As we talked, the more I saw that although he had the capacity to release himself more from his trappings, and review his life to the path he desired, that he was not yet ready to do so. The right was not mine to push it and I did not. I take this as a sign of progress and growth within me.

A good student, will always attract good teachers or those that are relevant to the point in space-time in which that individual has chosen to locate themselves.

Today I am grateful for all my teachers that have been, will been and are in my life, as well as grateful for all the students, obvious and not-so-obvious, that have crossed my path. I bless them all, and you my reader as you move on through your day.

Peace,
-Mikel