Many years ago someone said or I read (can’t remember which now) that finding the right teacher is of critical importance. I have had experiences that support this so I want to find the right teacher.
The real problem is, how do you go about finding the right teacher especially when there isn’t a centre other than the NKT for around 150-150 miles I’m in the UK. If you visit a centre you can meet people, ask questions etc but in our virtual world how does one determine an appropriate teacher?
I have worked in IT for 30 years so a virtual sangha is not an issue. Does anyone have any experience of an online sangha and teacher, is this a viable solution. I have emailed a couple of centres in the UK to find out if this is something they could offer preferably within a few hours of GMT, I’m not great at 3.00 in the morning!
Charlie Morley (dreamyoga@live.com) operates out of the UK and he works with Lama Yeshe, I believe out of London. Why not contact Charlie who does respond, and see what he suggests? I have found teachers easy enough to find, in-person or online, and the online options are off the charts. Some friends use the Tergar resources with the very well-known and excellent teacher, Mingyur Rinpoche, while others work with his nephew, Phakchok Rinpoche who had excellent online courses at Samyeinstitute.org.. I take courses twice a week from a Gomde Cooperstown, about 200 miles away and it suits me fine, as well as courses from Andrew Holececk, Charlie Morley and others. I also take courses with Lama Glenn Mullin, a Canadian, who is quite good and a bit iconoclastic. He has a course starting in July on the Six Yogas of Naropa, which is recorded, so the time difference is a non-issue, but there is a live Q&A followup, taped, to provide additional support. These are some of the options I have found and others in the 'Club might provide additional ones.
This is really great advice. Charlie will have access to a great network of teachers in your neck of the woods, and also may be able to recommend digital teachers as well.
Have you used the Q&A section of this site?
I believe Andrew does them at least 2x every month, you can submit questions in advance, and he will answer them, and then the video gets posted here a few days later.
Would highly recommend you ask Andrew there, and possibly in addition email him too, letting him know that you posted the question in the Q&A so he doesnt respond 2x (not sure how well or thoroughly he answers email though, I have not tried to email him yet.)
But I definitely believe if he does not have an answer for you in the Q&A right off the top of his head, he will follow up with you, and or recommend a few people who do have the answers to your questions.
Thank you @_Barry I have been on a few of Andrew’s courses, they are excellent. I will check out the Q&A section. Charlie sounds like a good bet so I will drop him an email.
Welcome to the Night Club Jayb! What has been your experience thus far and what sort of teacher are you interested in finding? The areas you cite are full of teachers, including Nepal, as well.
That’s a good question. One which I’m still trying to work my way through.
I studied tummo with a western teacher for almost a year but they have changed up availability and are only doing in person stuff going forward and I’m not able to make it to the usa presently.
Would be great for someone who teaches the first yoga of mahamudra and dream yoga practices also. Kinda like Alan Wallace but accessible. Would prefer accessibility over well known.
Nepal is pretty hard to get to at least cost wise from Vietnam but I could make the trip for the right teacher
I am studying Tummo online at Garden Rimey Choling which is under the auspices of Lama Glenn Mullin, taught by two of his students, who are very good. The Lama is also offering a four month course in the Six Yogas of Naropa, mostly asynchronously, which is a rebroadcast of a course taught earlier in the year. Check the above link for course info and registration.
An online student-teacher relationship is definitely viable. Since you are in the UK you might want to check out Jamyang in London. The teacher there, Geshe Namdak, has the highly-respected geshe degree, which means he studied at Tibetan monastic university for 20 years. He is fluent in English and Tibetan. Jamyang as a center has a very robust online presence—they work hard to make the teachings accessible.
I have been looking for a while now but I have been mindful of the fact it has to be the right teacher. I will most definitely look into this, I cannot thank you enough for taking the time to respond to my question and for your advice. I will keep you posted.
Thanks and much love (please don’t worry I always use this when replying )
Steve
