What Are The Best Ways To Find Beneficial Spiritual Guidance?

Finding beneficial spiritual guidance is much like dating because you have to try the guidance on for a good fit, spend some time with it, check it out thoroughly and then test drive it over a period of months or years to see what will happen. It is a live, organic, real experience full of wonder?

Here are some suggestions for evaluating a spiritual teacher, web resource, book or other form of spiritually oriented presentation:

1. Shop with care: Treat the process of sifting through spiritual information just like shopping for anything else – but shop with greater care.

Does the method fit your nature or approach to life? Use your head and heart when deciding if this message or teaching is a good resource.

2. Be realistic: Good advice is occasionally hard to swallow at first because it may not be what you wish to hear in the beginning. Good teachings often challenge ego based desires, rigid thinking from your past but will eventually awaken soulful tendencies. Wisdom may go against our egotistical habits of mind but feels joyful when practiced.

If someone or some website tells you to say a mantra thousands of times to “get what you desire”, that is dangerous because it encourages spiritual materialism. Right motive is essential for lasting success. By cultivating right motive you will achieve what you need which may or may not be what you desire at first pass.

3. Ask yourself – does this information or teacher benefit my long term well being by facilitating lasting growth?

It is often better to work for long term maturing rather than feel good now messages. This doesn’t mean that feeling good is an obstacle, but sometimes we look for a quick fix to block the immediate discomfort rather treating the causes of our discomfort which require changes in thinking, action or attitudes.

4. Does the teaching given awaken the experience of deeper happiness or just pleasure? Being in touch with true happiness is always a good intention.

5. Are there messages in the teaching about cultivation of service for my welfare and that of others in my life?

If the path does not include service it means we are developing subtle ego enrichment at the expense of strengthening our connection to our deeper Self, the needs and heart of our fellow travelers on the journey of life.

6. What values are being offered? Does this spiritual teaching advocate values which are life sustaining, such as those that bring unity, increase virtue(positive qualities), love, a sense of expansion of consciousness and joy?

7. What are the qualifications of the teacher? Ask yourself if the spiritual teacher has in-depth knowledge, life experience and training in their field?

8. Does the spiritual teacher’s method get results when practiced by their students? (Of course, this is tricky since the students must be making use of the teachings with diligence before this can be answered.)

9. In time you would be wise to ask yourself if the message you are studying creates real benefit in your life? Can you see positive changes in outlook, physical health, emotional stability and well being. Are there mental qualities that are being experienced, such as, calmness, increased concentration, mental clarity and patience?

10. Does the teacher encourage on-going guidance and support? Spiritual practices are best performed with authentic guidance to help you work through the challenging periods. A good teacher is much like a coach. You cannot develop into maturity without consistent guidance.

The best way to know the value of a message is to see the fruit of the message by watching those who have followed the teachings. If the spiritual methods are good, and you apply them regularly, they should bare fruit in your life too.

Often times we seek guidance by nibbling here, there and everywhere on various spiritual Hors D’ourves tables like we are at a party. Nibble-nibble here, nibble-nibble there, and before you know it spiritual indigestion results because of competing combinations of spiritual food. The spiritual path requires training the mind to know what “foods” or teachings are best suited to your needs, and how to consume them.

To have your important spiritual questions answered, gain authentic guidance and experience greater happiness, join us for a free spiritual training call by submitting your questions to Ask A Spiritual Teacher.

These are live calls that all students can benefit from by receiving spiritual teachings that are living, fresh and meet the need for daily wisdom. You will hear good, sound guidance based on decades of experience.

To Your Happiness, Joy and Success,

Christopher Lee May

Tags: beneficial spiritual guidance, eliminiate suffering, evaluating a spiritual teacher, experience of deeper happiness