"When the student is ready the teacher arrives". What, if anything, do those words mean to you? Why?

 A friend from whom I learned a lot shared that with me decades ago. I don't know who originated it but I have found it be absolutely true for me. When I'm ready for whatever someone comes along to enlighten me, guide me, help me to understand what I didn't before. Amazingly. Thank you for your reply LO and Happy Sunday! :)

An interesting take:

When the student is ready, the teacher will appear. When the student is truly ready, the teacher will disappear........ Lao Tzu   
 

All teachers were students once. Thank you for your reply LO and Happy Monday!  :)

Thank you for your reply JakobA and Happy Sunday. I look at it from a slightly different perspective. It isn't just anyone who can be your teacher. It is the "right" one.  You could be right of course and I could be wrong. It wouldn't be the first or last time. :)

Not at all, it point out that you attitude is largely what allow you to learn. And yes, the are exceptions, some people are simply unable to grasp advanced concepts.

"Teachers" which appeared to students who were ready, Jim Jones, David Koresh, Applegate...

This premise of the teacher appearing in no way qualifies as an "advanced concept".  It is New Age rubbish. 

Let me ask you this whistle. Are you the exact same person you have always been or are there things in your life you feel/think differently about now than you did before? What caused the change? Was there a subconscious willingness to open yourself up to possibilities you hadn't before? I know if it is subconscious you can't KNOW the answer to that question. It could be that "the teacher" was always there and you weren't ready so you didn't notice him/her. Thank you for your reply and Happy Sunday! :)

I'm a very different person that I formerly was.  Having one time involved my self with ISKCON and now doubting all gods.  Having till I was 48 eschewed alcohol which I no longer do.  Previously being given over to specious concepts as the above.  Now I see them as nonsense.   

From more reading, more reflecting and, hopefully, some maturity, I have changed.

I think you have every right to decide what makes sense to you and what doesn't whistle. But to write things off as RUBBISH for those who disagree with you is a trifle arrogant and close-minded in my opinion. No one knows the answers to all questions. We do our best to figure out our paths in life and choose accordingly. We don't know if other paths might have been better suited to us since we didn't choose them. We are all inadequate and incomplete. I think you should absolutely stick to your guns about what you believe FOR YOU ONLY and not impose those beliefs on others as a template for what is right and judge them harshly. Just my opinion for what it's worth.  In line with that on another thread a respondent said that he helped a friend apply for Conscientious Objector classification when they were in the military even though he personally didn't believe in it. But his friend did and he respected his friend enough to help. He wrote a letter and it worked. I'm not asking you to do the same but I think that was a splendidly remarkable thing for him to do.  I'm just sayin'. Thank you for your reply and Happy Monday!  :) Oh. What is ISKCON please. I am unfamiliar with the term. This post was edited by RosieG at June 26, 2017 2:28 AM MDT

ISKCON.  The International Society for Krishna Consciousness, better known as the Hare Krishna.  My use of the word "rubbish" is not a slam against anyone.  It is only the status an idea holds for me. Yes we all lack complete knowledge, we all choose mistakenly.  It does not follow though that all idea and positions are true or of equal merit.  All ideas need to have some underpinning, some support.  Some ideas which may not be true are harmless enough.  Other ideas which may not be true are deadly dangerous.  And certainly not all ideas deserve respect, however one chooses to define "respect."

And as I dismiss this appearing teacher idea, others would dismiss my participation with the Krishnas.  I estimate, a reasonable, modest estimate, I chanted their mantra 690,000 times.  Many would sneer at this a folly, wasted time.  Others would revile it as idolatry or "brainwashing".  

And to your point about my beliefs for me only.  In putting forth my views I'm in no way imposing those views.  In the case under discussion the idea, "the teacher appears" is quite ambiguous.  To seriously discuss it, the term needs clarification.  To my understanding it implies a universe guided by a consciousness.  This is strictly not a matter of belief. It is either true or it is not.  It is not a matter of opinion. 

I have seen Hare Krishnas in airports, on street corners and other places where folks congregate. They have books to sell and songs to sing and instruments to play. They seemed most sincere to me when I encountered them. You are a recovering Hare Krishna then? I did not know. Thank you for the info. I appreciate it.

The Krishnas have been banned from airports so you may fly in peace.  Recovering, ha! I really like that.  Recovering?  No.  Have I left? Yes.  ISKCON has been very deeply plagued with vast corruption.  Gurus engaged in molestation, embezzlement, even murder.  Sadly this is endemic to anything involving people.   Some of the doctrines I accepted while involved I now set aside as specious nonsense. Karma, an eternal soul and provisionally, god.  One kind of funny thing.  Sometime ago, having been away from the Ks for perhaps 12+ years I scratched a winning scratch ticket.  I spontaneously slapped the table and said, "Hare Krishna!"  Where did that come from?  I suppose that having chanted the mantra so many thousands of times created some long lasting metal pathways.  An even now 30 years later when deeply frustrated I find myself saying, "Oh, Krishna."   

 If and only if we are ready to learn them Marguerite. A friend told me that many years ago and I didn't know the source. I just have found it to be true for me personally. Thank you for your reply and Happy Sunday! :)