I need a online teacher

Ian E, modified 13 Years ago at 1/23/11 4:06 PM
Created 13 Years ago at 1/23/11 4:06 PM

I need a online teacher

Posts: 31 Join Date: 11/19/10 Recent Posts
I need to find someone who is experienced with the things Daniel talks about in his book and who I can converse with via email to help me along the path. I am sort of new to Buddhism and meditation and I am confused about a lot of the more complicated things in Daniels book. I feel like I need guidance from someone more experienced with these things and need help figuring out what I should be doing at this point, thanks.
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Julie V, modified 13 Years ago at 1/23/11 5:07 PM
Created 13 Years ago at 1/23/11 5:07 PM

RE: I need a online teacher

Posts: 82 Join Date: 8/17/10 Recent Posts
I think Daniel's book, especially with the progress of insight session, cannot really be understood until you experience it yourself. Then, it made a lot of sense and is an excellent manual along the path.

If you are quite new, you might want to focus on concentration practice and the noting technique itself first. Everything will become clearer and clearer, once you explore the path yourself.

About an online teacher, when I started, I did the course called "Insight Meditation Correspondence Course" by Joseph Goldstein and Sharon Salzberg. You can get the book from regular source like amazon.com (Here is the link: http://www.amazon.com/Insight-Meditation-Sharon-Salzberg/dp/1591790727/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1295823158&sr=8-1). The course worked really well for me. You get a teacher support for a year to explore the Mahasi noting technique. When I was doing that, I would actually write my teacher once a month, sending the responses to the hand-on exercises at the end of each lesson. There are 12 lessons in the book:

1) breathing meditation
2) walking meditation
3) 5 hindrances part I
4) 5 hindrances part II
5) eating meditation
6) investigating emotions
7) investigating thoughts
8) investigating intentions
9) working with feeling tones
10) big mind meditation
11) metta meditation
12) integration of the whole technique

My teacher, one of IMS teachers, took care of me really well and always suggested alternative ways to investigate the realities. I don't know whether the teacher would actually discuss the progress of insight with me, since I did not try to say that explicitly. Generally, I just tried to describe my experiences or respond to different exercises in the workbook as best as I could. I discovered Daniel's book during A&P events (~4 months into the course), curious to know what's going on with my practice. I felt like I could evaluate my progress very well, following Daniel's advice, so I did not bother to discuss it with my teacher. The course got me to stream entry while I was working on intentions (~8 months in). My teachers sounded excited every time I reported that I advanced through the stages of insight or what sounded like I got to the stream entry.

I hope this helps. Good luck looking for a teacher! Just remember that you still need to do all of the work yourself to get anywhere!
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Nikolai , modified 13 Years ago at 1/23/11 5:07 PM
Created 13 Years ago at 1/23/11 5:07 PM

RE: I need a online teacher

Posts: 1677 Join Date: 1/23/10 Recent Posts
Ian Edwards:
I need to find someone who is experienced with the things Daniel talks about in his book and who I can converse with via email to help me along the path. I am sort of new to Buddhism and meditation and I am confused about a lot of the more complicated things in Daniels book. I feel like I need guidance from someone more experienced with these things and need help figuring out what I should be doing at this point, thanks.


Try asking your questions here.

Heaps of knowledgeable yogis, especially Tarin and Trent, and Daniel.

You could alos try Kenneth Folk at www.kennethfolk.com. He teaches via skype.

Nick
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Daniel M Ingram, modified 13 Years ago at 1/24/11 1:09 AM
Created 13 Years ago at 1/24/11 1:09 AM

RE: I need a online teacher

Posts: 3268 Join Date: 4/20/09 Recent Posts
Yeah, start here: you may be surprised at how much stuff can be answered. There is quite a lot of helpful talent here, far more than that short list. Stick to your most core, practical, practice-oriented stuff first and add in some the less practical stuff if you still feel it is needed later on.

Daniel
Ian E, modified 13 Years ago at 1/24/11 11:10 AM
Created 13 Years ago at 1/24/11 11:10 AM

RE: I need a online teacher

Posts: 31 Join Date: 11/19/10 Recent Posts
Ok thanks.

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