Practicing without a teacher?

Lazy_eye

Just you, and your zafu or mat or pillow or whatever you use, and some Buddhist books, and maybe participation in an online Buddhist forum/sangha.

Sound familiar to anyone here? How well has it worked for you so far?

What types of meditation (or other practices) are best for the solo approach? In which schools is it feasible? In which ones is it totally unrealistic?

Vincenzi

just me and my hair as pillow

it has worked well so far.

anapanasati, some forms of zen and maybe theravada are friendlier to this approach.

compassionate_warrior

If you're studying on your own, you're not in any school or tradition, right? The 4 Noble Truths, the Eightfold path, the precepts, mindfulness, non-attachment are universal. No need for school/tradition/sect. There are videos available with meditation instruction in different techniques.

Vincenzi

@compassionate_warrior

one can practice on its own and still be part of a school; just not affiliated to a specific sangha.

SpinyNorman2

There are videos available with meditation instruction in different techniques.

Doesn't that mean you have teachers?

Spiny

SpinyNorman2

Just you, and your zafu or mat or pillow or whatever you use, and some Buddhist books, and maybe participation in an online Buddhist forum/sangha.

There is no substitute for face-to-face contact with other Buddhists.

Spiny

thickpaper

Just you, and your zafu or mat or pillow or whatever you use, and some Buddhist books, and maybe participation in an online Buddhist forum/sangha.

Sound familiar to anyone here? How well has it worked for you so far?

What types of meditation (or other practices) are best for the solo approach? In which schools is it feasible? In which ones is it totally unrealistic?

I think you dont need a teacher to learn the Dharma; that is to learn the Three Marks and all that flows from them via interdependent causation.

I don't think you need a teacher to practice kindness and honesty.

I do think you need a teacher to learn to meditate, and a good one. I have had a few and only the last one is what I would call suitable for me:)

genkaku

The difficulty that can arise when practicing alone is pride.
The difficulty that can arise when practicing with a group is laziness.

No one ever called this business easy.

buddhacoe

It has worked wonders!!

You dont *NEED* a teacher! The teacher is already within you. All answers are all inside you. Books and your pillow will do you good.

I like ZEN. Becuase there is actually nothing to teach. Some Zen teachers have said that other schools become abit culty and dogma with all the teachings and rules..When in fact the Buddha himself only taught 2 things. *4 truths and 8 fold path* Read up them, agree with them, and practice them. EVery minute of every day practice the 8 fold path.Other than that, pick a time every day to SIT. Just sit, be still, be silent. *Silence is the key to open the soul. And the soul is where all emotions lie. Its where true happiness lies.. To master our emotions we need the key to our soul - and that key is sound in STILLNESS SILENCE*

mugzy

Some Zen teachers have said that other schools become abit culty and dogma with all the teachings and rules..When in fact the Buddha himself only taught 2 things. *4 truths and 8 fold path* Read up them, agree with them, and practice them.

I have to disagree with these being the only things the Buddha taught. He gave many different teachings on various dharma subjects.

genkaku

I believe Gautama was quoted as saying, "I teach one thing -- suffering and the end of suffering."

Jeffrey

"Sound familiar to anyone here? How well has it worked for you so far?"

It has been of great benefit to me. My family knows it helps me because they see it. It is feasible with mindfulness meditation. I practice the meditation giving in Pema Chodron book When Things Fall Apart (chapter 4). That meditation is self sealing. You cannot receive most of the benefit until you are ready, but what self sealing means is that it cannot hurt you.

Avoid tantric practices on your own. Although I do some chakra healing a very gentle practice involving some yoga exercises, aromas, affirmations, feeling the body, and activities such as being in nature to enliven the root chakra or playing music to enliven the throat chakra.

buddhacoe

Some Zen teachers have said that other schools become abit culty and dogma with all the teachings and rules..When in fact the Buddha himself only taught 2 things. *4 truths and 8 fold path* Read up them, agree with them, and practice them.

I have to disagree with these being the only things the Buddha taught. He gave many different teachings on various dharma subjects.

Obviously we will never know for sure what *Buddha really taught* However, It is known that Buddha Himself said before he died that 'he did only teach these 2 things..The 'other' teachings that we now hear are just added commentry, added over the years from his disciples...

buddhacoe

I believe Gautama was quoted as saying, "I teach one thing -- suffering and the end of suffering."

exactly!! and all this is in the 4 noble truths and 8 fold path.

Lazy_eye

Thanks for all the replies.

If you're studying on your own, you're not in any school or tradition, right?

Well, my inclinations are towards Ch'an/Zen, but the role of the teacher is important in this tradition (it's hard, I would think, to have "direct transmission outside words" if you don't have face-to-face contact with a teacher).

So I've been looking into anapanasati and other Theravada practices which are feasible to do on one's own, with the help of books, videos or discussion boards.

footiam

We have to make the best of what we have.

theEisnotsilent

I am doing the same thing (I hope that it brings you some sort of comfort to know you are not the only one going about it in this way). I agree with Jeffrey about Pema Chodron, she is my primary teacher at this moment and I've found her teachings and her language really resonate with me.