Question about teachers

[Bluefish]

I was just wondering what everybody else thought about teachers; learning under them, learning different paths and how many people here actually had one.

Personally I've never had the opportunity to learn under a teacher, and I find the idea really interesting.  I like to think I have learned a lot by my own seeking, and I'm definately always learning, but I always wonder what it would have been like to have someone tell me "dude! Rayon/polyester is probably not such a good fabric for your robe!" or something like that

Bright green is still pretty though heehee

[NachtSorcier]

I think that what you can learn in solitude and from a teacher are both valuable, so I would recommend both.  Of course, if you can't find a teacher, that's no problem.  You'll find one when the time is right, and you're no less a Wiccan or witch if you learn on your own than if you learn from a teacher.  I've been practicing for almost five years and I've never had a teacher.

[Sebbi]

I wouldn't recommend jumping at the idea rashly but I don't see the harm in it, providing you find a good teacher.

I haven't ever had a teacher as such when it comes to magickal matters - I've had friends who I've learned from, but that's different. Because I'm good at it, I'll relate everything back to music because that's what I'm good at.

If you have music lessons, the way you are taught is extremely important and it can be damaging to have a teacher who isn't in tune with your personal path as a musician. I feel this is relevant because the same, I believe, would apply to having a magickal mentor.

There are 3 criteria I would use for choosing a music teacher:

1. You're on a similar wavelength as people - if you chose to you could very happily go to a bar and have a drink together and enjoy yourselves.

2. You are on a similar wavelength in terms of taste - if you want to learn acoustica but your guitar teacher whips out a black, shiny, spiky looking guitar and says "right lets learn some Metallica" that might not be so good. I say "similar" for a reason. It's important, if you're a music teacher, to help expand your students taste and some disagreement is healthy, but generally speaking if you introduce eachother to a band the other hasn't heard of, the other will like it.

3. You're on a similar wavelength in terms of learning style - Maitraya (my old guitar teacher) had a very important skill that he employed. The start of my musical education was with a nuts, irish, Jazz-Flautist and the start of my brother's musical education was more classical - much more classical in fact; lessons from a German violinist. Maitraya picked up very quickly that we approach music completely differently.

I go for feel, energy, emotion whereas my brother goes for technique and precision. Maitraya taught us both and he didn't try and take an overly technical approach with me - he would teach me technique obviously but it would always be much more about how the song feels. With my brother he spent much more time teaching scales and cadances.

Anyway - what I'm trying to say, is that if you want a teacher go for it, but the right teacher is important. A bad teacher will try and set you down their personal path and a good one will recognise yours and do their best to help you down it.

Much Love
Sebbi

[Lark]

I was lucky enough to find teachers early in my practices.  And I've been teaching others now for some 15 years.

Having a teacher can be a tremendous benefit.  They can point out the pitfalls along the way and help you avoid making mistakes you'll have to unlearn later.  They can help you figure out how to do things when you can't figure it out for yourself.  They can encourage you when you are down and give you a quick kick in the backside when you need it as well. The best teachers walk the path with you and point out the lessons along the way.  They don't insist that their's is the only path.

And of course if you want to be a part of a particular Wiccan tradition, you are going to have to find a teacher.  You simply can't find the tradition-specific stuff in books.  For instance, my own Trad has nothing in writing about how our practice differs from other groups other than the oral material that is shared with our students.  You would have to study with one of our Initiates if you wanted to learn that material.

Finding a teacher should be a carefully considered search.  Never jump at having someone teach you just because they make an offer.  Find out something about their background, who taught them, how long they've been practicing.  If possible, talk to some of their students and see what sort of a feeling you get about the kind of training they had.

It is also a tradition within Wicca that teachers do not charge their students money for learning the Craft.  It is not unacceptable to charge for materials or if space needs to be rented, but that should be at cost.  But the teaching itself is traditionally free.  Suspect any teacher that wants a bunch of money for lessons.

Here's a couple of good links on things to consider in a teacher before you study with them.

http://www.betwixt.org/bnb_info/seekers.asp

http://bluemoonwicca.org/teacher.html

-Lark-

[Bluefish]

I know what you mean about being careful of other people's credentials. I've had people tell me they are a "Powerful Wizard", but when I've had an in-depth conversation with them, it normally turns out I know quite a lot more than them. It's always disappointing when someone turns out to be full of egotistical crap. I suppose a real-life tagline like that should be a pointer though heh.
 
I'm glad I know enough to spot a crank
There seems to be quite a few around from my searching on the web dammit. But there are also wise people too with lots and lots to teach, which is very comforting to know.
 
When I was younger I thought I was a freak for being able to feel the things I did. I was drawn to a path I thought had no one else on it, mainly because of the witchcraft 101 books I read. They all seemed to have "here is a spell to make a boy love you and only you" variants. Rather hard to relate to when I wanted to know why sometimes I could "see" with my eyes closed, and why sometimes I knew exactly what page to turn to for the chocolate brownie recipe in a brand new cookbook. It's been very comforting to see that there are other people that aren't that different from me.
I just sometimes worry that I missed out on important stuff without having a teacher. Like I was in the toilet when everyone else was told about the special Shoe of Power ritual or something
 
There's always room to learn more hooray!
 
And it'll be spring soon here! So soon I can give warm spring-y hoorays too