Someone recently asked me: "What are important things to look for when seeking a spiritual teacher?"
Well first off, everyone is spiritual and everyone is a teacher and yet this term 'teacher' is not very accurate, for it is less about teaching and more about simply pointing one back to their own re-membering. All of us actually do this for each other day-in and day-out. Through our own way of being we show others 'a' way, which will either ring true for them or it won't.
Secondly, trust your instincts! If you pay close attention you can usually sense where someone is coming from. Key into their energy, body language, mannerisms, tone of voice, as well as the things they say and do. All of these hint at where a person stands within themselves.
Through our own individual lens we naturally 'read' people all the time. These interpretations may or may not be accurate, however, there is one thing that seems to shine forth from those who have lived through adversity and come out the other side, and that is humility. Humble people rarely aspire to be, nor attach to titles such as teacher, healer, mentor or leader. Labels and titles don't mean much without the guts and grit to back 'em up. It is often those who merely share their stories and the insights they gathered along the way that end up being the most thought-provoking and impactful.
Individuals that truly inspire us are those we can relate to on some level. Often these type of individuals will pop up in our lives at the exact moments we need them, whether we are consciously seeking guidance or not. Personally, I often gravitated towards the deep thinkers; those who had been through something that knocked them on their ass, for they usually had valuable wisdom to share. Since I've always been a bit of a rebel, my greatest influence came from those who recognized my armor and found a way to break through it. Sometimes this meant pissing me off big time! A hard head often needs a strong approach!
If we stay observant, we'll notice that there are frequent openings for growth and healing happening in our lives daily. For instance, (and this may be hard to hear) each one of those wonderful beings that push our buttons and trigger our frustration, offer us an opportunity to move beyond the very obstacles that weigh us down and restrict us from living our most amazing lives.
Lastly, here are a few more things I recommend looking for when seeking any type of advice or guidance: Find someone you feel comfortable and safe being honest with. Find someone with wisdom who is real and tells it like it is. Not an individual who insists "this is the way," but someone who helps you discover your own.