Teacher and student
In the human life and society there are many kinds of relationships. Many are transient and depend on time and place. Some are permanent, of an eternal nature. We usually think of the family relationships in this way. There is one relationship that is beyond the boundaries of family that is said to be even more long-lasting and essential for human life. It is the bond between student and teacher. Of course the mother and maybe then father are the first teachers in life. But that is rarely if ever the most defining feature of parenthood - that place is taken by instinctive love. We of course learn many things from many sources, but there is something very specific in the formal dyad of teacher and student.
Why is that ? Because those roles are built within us as human beings, and one flows in the other. We all start as students. Even the great Masters and Incarnations that walked the Earth have made a point of showing the great importance of this relationship through their time as “students” and many chapters of scriptures and great writings were dedicated to it. This relationship is key in establishing fundamental aspects of a proper human being. The humility and honesty of accepting that we are ignorant. Embracing the need of knowledge as a major goal of life. Acquiescing to a higher knowledge and giving complete respect and gratitude to the one who can share it with us. Gladly taking to the discipline of submitting oneself to the process of learning. And eventually being ready to learn how to be a teacher itself.
When applying this to spiritual, inner knowledge it becomes quickly obvious how incredibly difficult the process becomes. Who has the true knowledge ? Who has the stamina to pursue it above all else ? Who can make that knowledge truly come alive in someone else ? And who can keep building wisdom while trying to find the boundary of what we do not know - like the great Socrates did ? The magic happens due to the inbuilt nature of the teacher - student principle. The one who is a true master automatically attracts a true student, and vice versa and there are many beautiful descriptions of those meetings in the spiritual history of the world.
Nowadays many people have the genuine desire to find out what is the deeper nature and truth of this world and of themselves. Shri Mataji calls them as seekers. And through the en-masse Self realization process, She has established the bond of learning between many. When inner progress becomes a collective happening, a new, beautiful chapter starts: according to our inner needs and strengths we all learn and we all teach. This encompasses some mental knowledge as well, but as inner growth is a living process a lot of the exchange involves just subtle radiance and assimilation. This starts to be felt after establishing one’s Self realization and becomes a solid source of joy as well as binding us all in a wonderful net of gratitude towards each other.