Master, spiritual

By what criteria he judges

March 3rd 2012
Given the nature of the work he does with his disciples, a spiritual Master needs to know who he can rely on. And he can only rely on people who have a deep need to free themselves, to overcome their weaknesses. As for the rest, he is under no illusion: soon they will leave him or even seek to harm him. But since they have come, he accepts them; he has to give them a chance. He tries to help them, for he is aware how difficult life is for each person – they may not have had favourable conditions or good role models. But that is the reality, and he knows what to expect. So, when new people come to him, a spiritual Master is not interested in their social rank, their diplomas or their wealth. What matters to him is their ideal, the model they are trying to conform to. And this is what he seeks to discover, not only from their words but also from their expression, their gestures and everything emanating from them, for it is through these sometimes imperceptible signs that they truly reveal themselves.