Silent Musings

Like a lot of scientifically trained minds, mine is always on the lookout for what it can analyze and deconstruct. When I began to get serious about meditation and spiritual cultivation some years ago, I did a lot of reading from various sources about spiritual teachings, and also about many of the spiritual teachers out there. Having been through all that, I eventually realized that teachers and teachings can definitely be beneficial, but also problematic. I guess this is true with many things in life.

The main benefit is that a spiritual teacher or teaching can provide you with some knowledge about effective practices and help you to interpret your experiences. The main problem is that a spiritual teacher or teaching can provide you with some knowledge about effective practices and help you to interpret your experiences. Huh? Since hopefully the beneficial aspect is more or less obvious, let me say more about the problem. The basic problem is that knowledge and understanding are not only essentially useless, but actually get in the way. It is far more effective to practice with as innocent a mind as possible. Unfortunately, you can’t be completely innocent, because then you would have no idea what practice to do, and if and when to alter it. Thus you are left with a conundrum. Well, perhaps one should follow the Buddha’s advice and seek the Middle Way.

As far as teachers go, I can’t really speak for others, I can only say what I’ve found works for me. Here is how I know a good teacher. When I ask a full of shit question to a good teacher, I feel like an egotistical bastard the moment it comes out of my mouth. It’s like speaking into a mirror, only it’s the kind of mirror that reveals the true motives of the speaker. Other than that, I don’t think too much else matters. Mainly it’s important that he or she let’s me find the way myself without getting into too much trouble.

Oh, one other thing. For those of you who may be searching for a teacher, you might have read somewhere the old saying that the teacher will appear when the student is ready. Well, it’s probably true. At least in my case it was.

Have a beautiful day.