Teacher, guru, or spiritual friend -- what are you looking for? The spiritual path has many challenges. There are many things we need to learn or develop. A short list would probably include motivation, skills in meditation and prayer, contemplation, etc. Like music or painting, most of us learn better from someone, rather than, for instance, reading a book. When we interact with an actual person, we have to give expression to what we have learned. It becomes alive in us in a way that book learning often does not.
In Buddhism we usually think of a teacher. In Catholicism, the comparable term might be spiritual director. Whatever term we use, this person has a crucial role in our spiritual growth. Role? Actually, it would be more accurate to say "roles." I came up with a list of nine, probably not exhaustive or comprehensive, but perhaps a good starting point. Here are brief descriptions, in no particular order.
(MORE) Source: Huffington Post
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