Sufi Activity

[athar077]

where does one find a real teacher vs many pretenders. How does a student who knows nothing , know when you have the right guide.

[mvnn100]

@athar077 This question has occurred to me. Idries Shah's books address this question see The Commanding Self and Learning How To Learn

[artinmey]

@athar077

Can I suggest that the answer to this can be found in (any of) the books

[cjm73]

As I see it, it can serve to promote the exploration of the written material; also, hearing it can lead to a fresh perspective on something that has only been read before; in addition, if read by the author or community member, it can give a living sense of connection with the author or community; moreover, it can provide an alternative when books are not available or feasible; finally, it can transmit some ideas for those who probably won't read the material at all, for whatever reason.

[greenrate]

This reading of published material . . . is so marginally effective, that it's hard to believe that the time and effort involved couldn't be better employed in any number of ways.