|
There have been so many questions and remarks about teachers and students. I wanted to start a thread dedicated to about what to look for in a teacher. It seems to me that there are too many eager students who will fall for the first person to happen by. So I offer these thoughts to you.
A. Interview your teacher. Ask them questions about their training. Have they taught any others? Can you speak to some of their students? Their teachers? WARNING SIGNS! 1. They say they have students but they have lost touch with them. 2.They say they are looking for students. 3. They say their teacher is their great granny who used a 300 year old grimoire handed down through their antique FamTrad. Point here is that peasants didn't know how to write in those times. Heck! The nobles didn't either for the most part! The monks did it. A grimoire written by monks? Yeah right! Please note that there ARE real FamTrads out there. They are hard to find and they do not recruit. PERIOD They do not say "You are so powerful we have to ask you to join us." They do not say any other wildly flattering junk. Don't be taken in! 4. They won't answer your questions and tell you that you will learn that down the road. B. Ask what you will learn. Ask what their system is. Ask if you can attend a few of their circles. WARNING SIGNS: 1. They say you will learn that down the road too. 2. They say it is oathbound and only a "real" student can attend a circle. My Trad is oathbound. Any potential student of my High Priestess, Lady Lhianna Sidhe, was told to come to a few circles. Now these circles were not the Trad way, but they were similar enough. 3. They say they don't have a name yet for their system. Whoops and HUH? If they are honest, they will tell you that they are learning too and will help you on your way. C. Ask if there will be any money exchange involved. WARNING SIGNS: 1. No, none at all. Any HPS who thinks she can run a coven on her money alone is either rich or stupid or both. Our Coven had a $5 a month dues in place. No great hardship and it helped cover the cost of candles etc. Lady Lhianna was not making any great deal of money and her daughters put in just like the rest of us. 2. Yes, and then they name
some exorbitant amount. Wicca is not about getting rich.
D. Discuss any training you already have with them. WARNING SIGNS: 1. "You will just have to forget all that because you didn't learn it our way." Beware the One Way Witch! 2. Gosh you are already a 2nd degree by our standards...why don't you be High Priest or Priestess. (Don't laugh...it's happened) These are just four things to think of when seeking a Teacher. This is a relationship that should last you a lifetime. Don't pick the first pomegranate on the tree. Be picky. Be choosy. Your best friend's teacher may not be yours. Not every teacher can teach every student. A true teacher's motto should always be "As the student learns, so does the teacher." In otherwords...a teacher who is not willing to be taught by her student is no teacher. As always, these words are the opinionated writings of Arwen Nightstar and are hers and hers alone. If you disagree with them, please have your say. I am not trying to change anyone's mind. I am simply speaking mine. If you are interested, here is a conversation that occurred on the PaganMindcrafters List between myself and several others. I have the permission of both these women to reproduce our discussion here. They helped a great deal in bringing forward some other issues. I have edited this from several emails and tried to put it in a logical order. If you have any questions, feel free to contact any or us. The Conversation is this way! Bright Blessings and may She
smile upon you in your seekings,
|
 |
 |