Devotion with a Side of Discernment

From the Primordial Tarot, the Two of Soul (Two of Cups); from the Wisdom of the Forest, Strength:

The problem with the practice of seeing everything the guru does as perfect is that it very easily turns to poison for both the guru and the disciple. ~Dalai Lama

          Guru, mentor, sponsor, teacher - regardless of what we call them, we've all been disciples of a sort at some point. The Primordial's Two of Cups (Souls) illustrates a relationship between shaman and human, a partnership based on trust. Yet even though they are highly regarded for their knowledge, insight and experience, they are human too. Even with all their wisdom, they are still people with their own challenges and shortcomings. Strength is a reminder that while we might not be a spiritual master, we all have a set of core values. Though it might be tempting to turn the responsibility for our lives over to another, it would in essence be turning over our power of choice to them. As Rob Preece put it, "We can offer respect and even devotion to our teachers but with a real capacity for discernment and personal responsibility."