One of the biggest misconceptions is that a “bad teacher” is solely responsible when a spiritual tradition goes sideways. Joe emphasizes it’s always a relationship — a group decision being made between teacher and students.
Students constantly attack teachers, scrutinizing everything for evidence that the teacher’s consciousness is flawed. This creates defensiveness. Teachers who put out content face pressure to produce continuously, and since audiences prefer certainty, they start believing they know more than they do. They become more armored, more narcissistic — and it’s a relational process, not a solo descent.
“It’s incredibly lonely. When people view me as their authority and they’re trying to please me, they’re not being with me. They forget that I’m human and I have a heart.”
The right-hand person in a group often brings the most distortion — they’re good at organizing and control, which serves the group but can become hyper-protective and defensive. Students who define their worth by proximity to the teacher or length of involvement create dangerous gatekeeping dynamics the teacher may not even recognize.
The antidote: treat the teacher as human. When you know you’re your own authority, you don’t need to prove or disprove theirs — you can simply be with them.
Related Concepts
- Authority distorts reality for leaders
- Gentle narcissism in the call to coach
- Good teachings inevitably get corrupted