When you find yourself in the presence of a Real Teacher and Teaching, what will come next? This will be determined by the work the teacher is doing; the type of contact you have made; the intentions of you, the teaching, and the teacher; and most of all by your true desires for spiritual advancement and realization.
The teacher is there to assist you in that process. If you "ring the bell hard it makes a loud sound; softly a quiet sound". This zen saying reflects how the teacher will act toward you. However, it should be mentioned that just being loud or ostentatious is not necessarily "ringing the bell hard". The primary purpose of the teacher is to assist you in realizing - on many levels - what is there already. It is not to satisfy your ideas or concepts of what spiritual development or realization is. These are generally impediments to learning.
In the learning situation where you find yourself, there will almost certainly be some period of adjustment during which time you will have an opportunity to assimilate and gain a sense of the work being done there. In all likelihood, it will be of an introductory or intermediate nature. You would certainly not expect to enter a class at the end. If in the middle, you will need to be assimilated into the process; and you will need to attune yourself to what is going on. You will probably be given some sort of information or material to assist in that. However, all that I have written here, and will write on this subject, may have little or no bearing on your actual situation. That, as I have said, is dependent upon the teacher, his approach to you personally and in general, and many other factors - some of which I have mentioned.
The primary purpose of material given at this time will be to assist you to understand more intellectually, and to satisfy some of the outer curiosity and questions you may have. After that, it is to provide the beginning of a basic framework for you to move into. There will, or should be, some sense of parameters and goals beginning to form at this point. At the same time there may be practices given to do which will correspond to your immediate level. You may attend outer "classes" or a loose grouping for some time at this stage. You may also get direct instruction to read some things or follow some practice. It will be enough to start. You can then proceed from there.
I will direct you now to a writing by Paul Reps in Zen Flesh, Zen Bones. In it he explains some teaching methods. You will find these in the preliminary to the main sections on pages 3-4, 85-88, 133-134, and 159-160. I will also direct you to read Philip Kapleau's book The Three Pillars of Zen, pages 29-67. In this section Roshi Yasutani explains to a group of neophytes the process and procedure he generally uses. It is a very good illustration of one person's approach.
Regardless of what takes place at this point, there is an assessment made by the teacher of where you are and what you need to go further. While he will certainly consider your outer actions and expressions, the real assessment will be on an inner basis and through actually looking from your point of view and your Real needs; through breath, attunement, and personal awareness. He will be able to assess you far better than you can explain to him what you seek. Yet he may well ask you to do so.
It is fairly safe to say that at some time, if you stay around and are persistent enough, that he will have an interview with you - or you with him. It is said that the teacher already knows you better than you know yourself, but still this will take place so you can begin to know that also. He may want to know how you state your aspirations or goals, what kind of questions you ask, or any other number of things. He may not say anything to you of a "spiritual" nature or may question you directly about it and say many things along that line himself. It is more likely that he will not be too discursive or drawn into your own conversational wants.
The purposes, from a teacher's point of view, are many in this type of meeting. He will verify his assessment of you and your station and wants; get a direct feeling through you of your point of view; bring in to focus what your next steps should be; find out specifically from you if you are willing to take them and more of what kind of resistance and blocks are to be met and removed; and start you on a course of action. In addition, it will be an opportunity for him to provide a direct communication of breath, heart, and glance - should he decide to due so - whether that is apparent to you or not.
You may find that all of those things are discussed and presented in a straightforward way, or that none are. But rather there may be a very oblique or pointed approach. That will depend upon both you and what the teacher feels is needed - not what you would like to hear or expect. It can even result in dismissal or being sent away. Whatever is the outer result, it will reflect what the teacher sees and knows is best for you to take your next step. So be prepared for anything, but expect nothing. That is about all you do - except to be as honest as you possibly can in the encounter. That degree of honesty and true intention will be instrumental motivating factors in determining your next steps.
Beyond that, the teacher may give you an opportunity to learn right there. But the lesson also may not be straightforward or outright in the form you might expect. Take any time that is offered gratefully and try to attune to and sense what is there. You will gain most from putting away your own expectations and desires, and putting yourself into his hands and the process with trust.
