If a man has hitched the wagon of his spiritual effort to the star of a competent and worthy spiritual guide, it is nonsensical to object that he surrenders his freedom whenever he surrenders his own personal judgement to the guide's or even whenever he obeys a command from the guide. For who chose the guide? He, himself. By the exercise of what faculty did he make such a choice? By the exercise of free will. Therefore the initial act was a free choice. It was also the most important one because it was causal, all his other acts as a disciple being merely its effects, however long be the chain which extends from it. It is because he respects the larger wisdom of the guide and trusts his disinterestedness that the disciple follows him in thought and practice, not because he has become a puppet.
-- Notebooks Category 1: Overview of the Quest > Chapter 6 : Student-Teacher > # 616
