~ 3 years ago, I came across this masterpiece (it's not even a post - it's just a comment, likely wasted on the original poster) by u/Blacklight_of_Eons:
The type of mentor you need is something that depends on your path and your own level of advancement. In case you advance through a certain tradition, a specialist in that tradition would be fitting as both of you would be using the same terms and rules. If that is Tibetan Buddhism, a Tibetan lama would know the terms, etc. Overall, this is a dogmatic type of mentor.
Another type of mentor is the one dabbling in "universal truth". Had the same "starting from the very basics" training as the first type, but without limiting oneself to a single tradition.
- The worst case of such a mentor is that of oversimplification (you'll be hearing "All are One" and "Everything is Love" as an answer to any question). Mind that it may still work, just in the real life (in case the point is energy-based influence and not the words). This is popular in New Age systems.
- A more decent case is a mentor cross-trained in several systems, as that allows a plethora of ways to illustrate each concept, giving them a fleshed-out, "3D" feel. Typically a seeker with years of experience, often creating an "author system" that mixes elements from several traditions.
- The most advanced case here is the one who not only speaks that "all paths lead to the same mountain peak" but actually walked through multiple paths and realized a number of universal principles in practice. The "Ramakrishna" type.
Next comes the third type of mentor, one that is defined by being much less "human" yet much more "humane", because of having the "human ego" being largely erased by a dramatic spiritual experience. In most cases, such a person was showing an extremely strong disposition to such a path in life since early childhood - and it can be said this type "started from the advanced techniques" almost immediately. In this case, there's a good command of Higher Self over the body (i.e. it is not ruled by the ego), the knowledge is of self-manifested type (which is very good because it means the advice would be individually attuned to each particular person) - while the amassed knowledge serves as a tool to interpret whatever self-manifested knowledge came through "from above". An "enlightened scholar" of this type is well-read and can interpret his "knowledge downloads from the Higher Self" with great precision. A good example of this type is Sai Baba (the original one) who taught the same knowledge using both Quran and Vedas.
A sub-type of the aforementioned third type is the one who specializes in advanced teaching for advanced practitioners only (something too complicated for the newbies, or likely incompatible with their level of evolution).
Last but not least is the "blind leading the blind" mentor (very widespread), and those who lack discernment tend to waste their time and money on these "spiritual businessmen". And just as the false mentors are eager to assume the "mentor" title, the true mentors do not like to boast or advertise themselves - which is why many of them are hard to find.
The high levels may not necessarily have time and desire to spend on others. For example, many advanced yogi don't like to associate themselves with people as pretty much everyone is inferior to them, which causes them to lose energy through the law of connected vessels.
Finally, if a particular mentor is advanced, it does not guarantee that he/she will "click" with you specifically. A mentor that is popular and good for everybody is not necessarily the best for you; there must be a sort of personal compatibility in play. With that being said, the best course of action is to see every person as a potential mentor, taking note of those who, as you feel, can teach you something.
...
Mentor or not, I'm the second type (cross-trained in several systems).
I searched for "the law of connected vessels", hoping I might find a solution.
3 years later, Timberborn1 Update 6 states:
the new water physics respects the laws of communicating vessels
Communicating vessels.2 There's a Wikipedia page! So, mystery solved. It wasn't some spiritual concept I hadn't heard of, but rather an analogy, and a good one at that.
More importantly, aqueducts are now possible in Timberborn.3