Meditation

We live in a time where it's possible to watch spiritual teachings online and on dvd. One can even listen to audio recordings on a portable mp3-player. For those of you who are interested in free, world-class audio teachings click here.

Now, with these technological advances that didn't exist even just a few years ago - the need of a meditation teacher is on a decline. With so many good sources of information, meditators can virtually practice and learn meditation wherever they are.

Some spiritual teachers and institutions even offer online guidance - which is great for those who live in remote areas where there aren't any meditation centers. What you loose out on is mostly the mental energy generated by a meditation group which known to have a profound affect on meditation.

Whenever we're surrounded by more experienced meditators, we learn by simply being around them. There are great advantages of being round a so called meditation master. We can learn by just observing the attitude and presence of our meditation teacher.

It's also possible to pick up a great deal in a relatively short period of time by listening to meditation talks and asking questions.

For years, I practiced meditation on my own but then I stumbled on a good meditation teacher while meditating at a monastery in Malaysia. So, I wound up spending 4 months with him. At first, I found it difficult having to do sitting and walking meditation his way, but in the end I learned a lot from this time together with this meditation teacher.

We live in a time where technology moves forward at a fast pace and so does individualism & independence, especially in western culture. So, we're not as willing to respect and devote ourselves to meditation teachers like meditators were in the old days.

Our egos feed on individualism and independence. This makes it difficult for many meditators to commit seriously to a meditation teacher and this becomes an even greater problem as you gain experience.

We also tend to become dependent on our meditation teacher not unlike you depend on a lover. I find this especially negative. Clinging and holding on is not the way, rather meditation is about letting go. In our meditation practice we should strive to foster independence and not depend on an external source of encouragement and support - which would take us down the wrong track.

Balanced Meditation Practice

You don't have to spend the rest of your life with a meditation teacher but there is definitely a lot to learn by being round one. My personal recommendation is that you spend a few months here and there with your meditation teacher to pick up as much a possible in a concentrated form. Not everyone is free to devote that much time to their meditation practice. Anyhow, weekend retreats would be a good start...

Best of luck!