Wayward Guides...the Blind lead by the lost

[Ethermus Prime]

To Start, I must cover several facts and make a disclaimer:

Disclaimer: When speaking upon things which directly involve my own perspective on the metaphysical, I've given up weasel wording everything so as not to offend. If you disagree with my opinion, or feel I'm pushing it on everybody by claiming something as objective fact...Sorry you feel that way, Perhaps you should remove the smoke between you and the mirror and see it for what it is.

Fact 1: Attempts to learn "Metaphysics"/"Magic" (what ever the term of the week is) with out a teacher, fail.

Fact 2: Teachers (of any real merit) are a rareity

Fact 3: My teacher has become almost as lost as his students. He stagnates, and his stagnation draws his students into his vortex of Negativity causing them to stagnate. In turn he blames his stagnation (if he admits to it) on his students stagnation.

Fact 4: In relation to his stagnation, his ego, pride, and arrogance have returned full force.


How then....does the student remind the Teacher to walk the path. How does the lost traveler tell the guide he is lost. In short....Just what the ******** am I supposed to do...?  

[Maze]

Ask him to recalibrate his compass?  

[TeaDidikai]

Ethermus Prime

Perhaps you should remove the smoke between you and the mirror and see it for what it is.

This reads as really condescending, just so you know.
Usually, if you are trying to address a schism between the way others and you think, it's better to use metaphors that they can't misinterpret, or avoid metaphors completely and be direct.

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Fact 1: Attempts to learn "Metaphysics"/"Magic" (what ever the term of the week is) with out a teacher, fail.

Attempts have the ability to fail in general. With or without a teacher.

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Fact 2: Teachers (of any real merit) are a rareity

Agreed.

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Fact 3: My teacher has become almost as lost as his students. He stagnates, and his stagnation draws his students into his vortex of Negativity causing them to stagnate. In turn he blames his stagnation (if he admits to it) on his students stagnation.

Said teacher needs a lesson in Personal Responsibility.

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How then....does the student remind the Teacher to walk the path.

Socratic method is a favorite of mine.

There are also "Coming to Jesus" talks. "Hey- I like you, I respect you, but you're ******** up in this way."

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How does the lost traveler tell the guide he is lost.

All relationships have elements of leadership and servitude. At times, shifting the typical balance is what is needed for the relationship to be successful.  

[Ethermus Prime]

I've been avoiding the "Knock out-Drag out Come to jesus talk" for fear that any attempt by me to "Man up" and tell him what's got to be...will result in him perceiving an attack. He and I have competed only once in such a manner....it took every thing I had just to stay standing  

[Ethermus Prime]

TeaDidikai

This reads as really condescending, just so you know.

I know. Thank you for pointing it out though...

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Usually, if you are trying to address a schism between the way others and you think, it's better to use metaphors that they can't misinterpret, or avoid metaphors completely and be direct.

That gets me in more trouble.

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Said teacher needs a lesson in Personal Responsibility.

Agreed. He's wandered into "Do as I say, not as I do" mentality...which not but two months ago he wrote an essay against.

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Socratic method is a favorite of mine.

His skill at rhetoric makes me feel as but an infant.  

[Kuroiban]

Ethermus Prime

I've been avoiding the "Knock out-Drag out Come to jesus talk" for fear that any attempt by me to "Man up" and tell him what's got to be...will result in him perceiving an attack. He and I have competed only once in such a manner....it took every thing I had just to stay standing

If he perceives criticism, and I mean warranted, well communicated criticism as an attack then maybe he's not someone who is a good teacher for you anymore.  

[Ethermus Prime]

Kuroiban

Ethermus Prime

I've been avoiding the "Knock out-Drag out Come to jesus talk" for fear that any attempt by me to "Man up" and tell him what's got to be...will result in him perceiving an attack. He and I have competed only once in such a manner....it took every thing I had just to stay standing

If he perceives criticism, and I mean warranted, well communicated criticism as an attack then maybe he's not someone who is a good teacher for you anymore.

See Fact 1 and Fact 2.

I have several routes to take, i'm just....I don't know which one is right one.


I Pose this question to everyone: "When Faced with Many right choices...how do you decide which is the correct one?"  

[Recursive Paradox]

I've been lacking in a teacher and I've had some successes, among very painful and unpleasant failures. So, provided I'm not utterly delusional (a real possibility I might add), it is possible to have some level of success without a teacher.

Its just fraught with pain, failure and a lot of unpleasantness. So in the end, probably better to have a teacher. XD

I think I ended up agreeing with you partially again.  

[TeaDidikai]

Ethermus Prime

I've been avoiding the "Knock out-Drag out Come to jesus talk" for fear that any attempt by me to "Man up" and tell him what's got to be...will result in him perceiving an attack. He and I have competed only once in such a manner....it took every thing I had just to stay standing

I never said it would be easy. Nor do you have to do it in one sitting. Make a game plan, set boundaries so you can have reasonable outs if you or he need a break, but allow the conditions of satisfaction to be known in advance.

You're also welcome to make it personal. Let him know you're struggling with the situation personally, and you want a solution that will work for both of you.

Ethermus Prime

That gets me in more trouble.

Strike a balance then. Find a way to express your needs. Heck, you could have skipped the disclaimer and simply said "In my tradition". It addresses your personal needs while setting the frame work for others to comment. You likely would have gotten a couple of "Change traditions" comments, but merely pointing out such isn't appropriate for your situation as it stands now would have worked just as well.

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Agreed. He's wandered into "Do as I say, not as I do" mentality...which not but two months ago he wrote an essay against.

Might be a useful tool when you do have a conversation.

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His skill at rhetoric makes me feel as but an infant.

Stick to basics. His rhetoric might be sound, but you can directly quote his essay in a questioning way, ask for his thought process and maybe you'll gain an insight that will help you.

Ethermus Prime

See Fact 1 and Fact 2.

Jobs are rare these days too. That doesn't mean you can't continue to look for a new one.

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I Pose this question to everyone: "When Faced with Many right choices...how do you decide which is the correct one?"

Quick decisions? Pro-Con lists. T column lists wherein I physically or mentally write down the merits and flaws for a given decision as best as I can tell from where I stand at the moment.

I do a similar thing when not in a rush, but I allow more time to mull things over and I often enlist sounding boards to bounce ideas off of.