In my style of teaching, before a student begins to practice I try to discover why he wants to meditate. I also try to learn necessary information about an individual’s background and inclinations. One type of person may need to study the theory before he has sufficient confidence to begin practicing. On the other hand, too strong a desire to acquire intellectual knowledge beforehand may cause a mental barrier and delay a student’s progress. Another type of student may exhibit excessive enthusiasm for meditating and prefer only minimal study of the fundamental principles.
Meditation is the greatest adventure, but in practical terms the traveler begins the journey oblivious to the obstacles that will be encountered. Neither academic “armchair” traveling or going it alone will take the meditator safely to the destination. Again, the middle course is the most appropriate.
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