Guru's Handbook

To my treasured readers

asher — Tue, 01 May 2012 06:55:02 +0000

Dear Treasured Readers:

It appears that I will lose this domain and this hosted blog on May 3rd 2012. I am saddened by this loss of six years of posts and reader comments. Alas, the decision is out of my hands.

But I am not done with my writing work.

Please join me at my [...]

Take a Step

asher — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 02:34:51 +0000

If you are a teacher and you break your word to your student you weaken the student's trust. A student who has lost faith in you will not take the risks you offer, will not walk throught the doors you open, even if your word had nothing to do with these doors. The teacher makes a circle in which to learn and risk. When you fail the student, you unmake this space. [...]

Keep Your Word

asher — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 01:35:54 +0000

A system that creates broken promises is a broken system. [...]

Teaching without Clutter

asher — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 03:36:16 +0000

How good are you at determining what is essential in your teaching? As teachers we have various details and foundational aspects to cover, and the more we know the more we want to explain.

But these complexities can be filled in later, perhaps even by our enthusiastic and active student, if we can motivate them [...]

Teaching in Times of Crisis

asher — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 02:08:49 +0000

If you teach, you are always a teacher, whether you are well or not, whole or not, of good spirit or not. When times are hard, you may also feel hard, have fewer resources, less tolorance. You may hurt. Rest what needs resting. Learn the world anew from where you are. Bring back what you have found so you can teach it. [...]

Beginning a Deep Teaching

asher — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 01:15:25 +0000

The beginning is important. It can set a tone, create a practice area, lay down expectations and common language. If done well the ritual tests and births the student's - and teacher's - commitment, vision, and intent. [...]

Weekly Teacher Chats

asher — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 18:13:24 +0000

I have been hosting a weekly chat with teachers from various backgrounds to explore the subjects and issues that interest teachers of depth and spirit. Some recent topics have included what teachers like and dislike about their own teaching, what it takes to build trust with students, the effect and cost of teacher credentials, student [...]

When the Student Asks, “Why Me?”

asher — Wed, 23 Mar 2011 22:31:18 +0000

Any time we tell a student that they are special we risk solidifying them around their desire to be special, to value themselves because of what we say. [...]

Interview with a Teacher: T. Thorn Coyle, teacher of spirit and magical arts

asher — Thu, 10 Mar 2011 01:16:19 +0000

This is the second of my interviews with teachers.

T. Thorn Coyle is a spiritual and magical arts teacher. She has published two books: Kissing the Limitless and Evolutionary Witchcraft. In this interview we explore her views on teaching and mastery. Thorn tells me why it is essential that teachers also continue to be students.

[...]

A Classroom of Cooercion

asher — Sun, 27 Feb 2011 19:33:41 +0000

To create an insightful, capable populace, we as teachers must learn to create competent and responsible people, not children who are trained to comply with or resist authority, to think of themselves as powerless, to believe that someone else is always responsible. [...]