The phenomenon of the admiration and subsequent self-cancellation (that follows) in front of a spiritual teacher or a high religious leader – is wrong. In fact, no human being should be admired till the point of self-cancellation, for a human being is a human being. His work could be accepted, respected and even learned, but not him. There should be no differences of rank or status between a spiritual teacher and a student. He is like a chef teaching an apprentice to become sous chef, showing him the way how to be skilled in the higher/advanced levels of cooking. with one big difference; in both worlds the apprentice is respectful and grateful, but in the spiritual path there is also another ingredient which exists widely in Sufism and particularly in the poetry of Rumi and this is the love between the spiritual teacher (Dervish) and his student, and also between him (Rumi) and his friend to the spiritual path, shams al tabrizi. But between the student and his teacher it should be a mutual love, with no differences of rank and status, united by the great common cleavage and dedication to truth, wisdom, and the hidden, higher Worlds.
Gabriel