lama/guru to guide us to medidate

ringtshe

i have been told that to practice meditation we need lama(tswa lama) to guide us. but i dont have lama who will guide me. i tried to medidate few times but my mind go diverting and i cannot control my mind...in such case i think i need a lama to guide? how can i find my lama? please advice

Cinorjer

I've meditated well over half of my life in my Zen practice, so I've developed some definite views on the subject. Take these for what they're worth.

No, you don't need a lama or guru or Master to guide you in meditation. Some sort of structured meditation class or group is helpful as a motivator, certainly. But the reality is, meditation is only sitting down and doing nothing. The Lama is not going to stop your mind from diverting. That's what happens when we meditate. He or she can show you some tricks to help concentration, like mantras. Nothing secret about that technique, either.

The only real secret here is that we don't need the Lama or Guru; the Guru needs us. The teacher needs students more than the student needs him. It doesn't make them useless, but it doesn't make them special, either. They'll teach you the language of meditation and provide encouragement (the good ones, anyway) but beyond that, it's up to you. Sit down, be quiet, and meditate. It's as hard as we imagine it to be and as easy as just doing nothing.

Cloud

Here's a website with meditation talks and guided meditations, in MP3 format that you can download for free: http://www.buddhanet.net/audio-meditation.htm.

Takuan

Do you need a teacher? Yes and No. It all really depends on the situation. Ideally, yes, you should have a teacher, but, if it is not possible to find one, don't worry too much about it. These days there are so many resources to learn the practice available.

Dakini

In order to get started, I don't think you need a teacher. If your mind wanders, it may be because you're not doing the breathing technique properly. The breathing technique is for the purpose of calming the nervous system and thereby calming the mind. Meditation isn't exactly "doing nothing", proper breathing is one key to success. You should be taking very slow, controlled breaths, and rather than inflating the lungs, take the breath deeper, pushing down the diaphragm. It helps to think of your belly filling with the breath. You should see your abdomen move with the breath, rather than your lungs. You should be able to slow your breath to about 2-3 full breaths/minute. Focus on this technique, following the breath in, pause and hold it, then very slowly letting it out, and pause again before the next slow, deep in-breath. Let us know if this helps.

DaltheJigsaw

Start with Yoga and then slowly do meditation.
Focusing on breath and the like.
It has worked for me.

Jeffrey

The breathing depends on the meditation. Trungpa Rinpoche and others teach formless meditation (openness) in which one does not close their eyes to create a special experience. They also do not take a different breathing from normal. They just sit with awareness as it is and be WITH the breath rather than ON the breath.

Mountains

What Jeffrey said... ^^^^

And what LeonBasin said... ^^^^