New and Looking for Teacher in MD

[forest-turtle]

Hello Bums,

 

I've been coming to this forum on and off for several years. I've had an interest in Taoism for about 5 years and have been reading the Tao Te Ching each morning for about that long. I also read about Buddhism and practice meditation. I've never had a teacher. Someone said I might have some luck finding one if I post about it here. Best wishes to everyone on the path. 

 

forest-turtle

[Marblehead]

Hello forest-turtle, and welcome.

 

Your membership is approved and we're happy you found your way to us. We look forward to accompanying you on some of the way that you still have to go.

 

Please take the time to read the post pinned at the top of this Welcome page and take a look at the forum terms and rules. This covers all you need to know when getting started.

 

For the first week you will be restricted to ten posts per day but after that you can post as much as you like. Also, until you’ve posted fifteen times in the forums, you’ll be a “Junior Bum” with somewhat restricted access and will be allowed only two private messages per day.

 

Good luck in your pursuits and best wishes to you,

 

Marblehead and the TDB team

 

 

Hi turtle,

 

Yes, there are some teachers here.  Look around the various sub-forums and when you see one of interest contact them via PM.

 

You are welcome to jump right in ongoing discussions, revive an older thread, start a new thread of your own, or start a discussion in the "Newcomer Corner" sub-forms to expand on your introduction or ask general questions to help you get started.

 

May you enjoy your time here.

 

Marblehead

[RiverSnake]

Welcome to TDB. What are you looking for a teacher in? 

[Limahong]

1 hour ago, Earl Grey said:

The greatest teacher I will introduce to you first and foremost above all others you will encounter is in your mirror.

 

Hi Earl Grey;

 

Yes, self-reflection tops.

 

We are our best teachers for a start - especially per experiential learning,

 

Teaching/learning are the flip-sides of the same coin.

 

When these two sides are internalised, knowledge will be the new currency.

 

This new currency will lead to this coinage progression - learning/knowing => knowing/teaching.

 

The progression is cyclical and life-long with three self images in the mirror.

 

These three images pertain to three roles - teacher, student and knowledge-worker (not necessary in this order).

 

- LimA

[SeekerOfHealing]

Quote

We are our best teachers for a start - especially per experiential learning

 

You couldn't learn simple A-B-C without teacher and you want realize Tao without teacher? LOL. If you are the best teacher for yourself then why you needed whole society to bring you up to this point ? smh. new agies those days.

 

Stay away for everybody who says "you are your own teacher" or "look into mirror" - those are narcissist who can not bow down to the real teachers who actually accomplished something beside nonsense uttering just to keep them on the same low level. The whole new age industry and modern spirituality is not about putting you higher but keep you lower thinking that you are going somwhere, but just to stick you in one ignorant place with all those funny and meaningless slogans.  

Edited July 16, 2017 by SeekerOfHealing

[forest-turtle]

3 hours ago, OldSaint said:

Welcome to TDB. What are you looking for a teacher in? 

 

Someone with wisdom, compassion, integrity and experience who has made real progress and knows how to guide others well. 

[RiverSnake]

3 minutes ago, forest-turtle said:

 

Someone with wisdom, compassion, integrity and experience who has made real progress and knows how to guide others well. 

 

There is a lot of great interviews with teachers in this section of the forum. You may find something of value spooling through them. By the way i like the name. Cheers. 

 

https://www.thedaobums.com/forum/356-interviews/ 

Edited July 16, 2017 by OldSaint

[cold]

Welcome and best luck to you!

[SeekerOfHealing]

1 hour ago, forest-turtle said:

 

Someone with wisdom, compassion, integrity and experience who has made real progress and knows how to guide others well. 

 

 

So you are looking for real Buddha which you will not find. Better study suttas. 

[thelerner]

While a live teacher is best, I love the dharma speeches and writings of Ajahn Brahms (one of the hippest monks around).  Gentle, humorous, deep yet surprisingly powerful, in that he wants his student to 'get' the siddhis.   Tons of free material online, both audio and writings.  His books are worthwhile too particularly Mindfulness, Bliss and Beyond. 

 

Some of his dharma speeches- http://www.diydharma.org/search/node/ajahn brahm

[Limahong]

5 hours ago, SeekerOfHealing said:

You couldn't learn simple A-B-C without teacher and you want realize Tao without teacher? LOL. If you are the best teacher for yourself then why you needed whole society to bring you up to this point ?

 

Hi SeekerOfHealing,

 

If I have unwittingly induced misunderstanding with my post, my apology. Words have limitations but my use of them is my sole responsibility.

 

Please allow me to explain a little and I hope it can help clear the air a little too.

 

When it comes to the ABC's of the basic kits of living and learning, we need external teachers - period.

 

But my post pertains to learning portals beyond the basic learning kits of life.

 

I have singled out experiential learning and the internalization of 'teaching/learning' for new knowledge to sprout.

 

Such  'internalization' will allow me to touch base with myself for a kick-off of this cyclization -  'teaching - learning - knowing'.

 

I like to believe that forest-turtle is beyond the basic learning kits of life with this post of his:

 

5 hours ago, forest-turtle said:

Someone with wisdom, compassion, integrity and experience who has made real progress and knows how to guide others well. 

 

As for myself - I am still searching.

 

- LimA

[forest-turtle]

6 hours ago, thelerner said:

While a live teacher is best, I love the dharma speeches and writings of Ajahn Brahms (one of the hippest monks around).  Gentle, humorous, deep yet surprisingly powerful, in that he wants his student to 'get' the siddhis.   Tons of free material online, both audio and writings.  His books are worthwhile too particularly Mindfulness, Bliss and Beyond. 

 

Some of his dharma speeches- http://www.diydharma.org/search/node/ajahn brahm

 

Thank you thelearner. I'm quite familiar with Ajahn Brahm, I've been enjoying his videos for years. I also like Ṭhānissaro Bhikkhu. You can hear his talks at the audio link here: http://www.dhammatalks.org/#

 

 

 

Edited July 16, 2017 by forest-turtle

[thelerner]

1 hour ago, forest-turtle said:

 

I also like Ṭhānissaro Bhikkhu. You can hear his talks at the audio link here: http://www.dhammatalks.org/#

 

Thanks, can't wait to listen to them. 

[Limahong]

On 7/16/2017 at 8:04 PM, Earl Grey said:

(1) Cynics regarded everybody as equally corrupt... Idealists regarded everybody as equally corrupt, except themselves.

 

(2) It's only possible to see people when one is able to see the world as others see it.

 

(3) Everyone has a belief system, B.S., the trick is to learn not to take anyone's B.S. too seriously, especially your own. 

 

(4) Of course I’m crazy, but that doesn’t mean that I’m wrong.  

 

(5) Only the madman is absolutely sure. 

 

(6) You are precisely as big as what you love and precisely as small as what you allow to annoy you.

 

- Snippets of Wisdom from Robert Anton Wilson

 

Hi Earl Grey,

 

Thank you for the above snippets. They caught my attention and made me think thus Taoistically (in terms of flip-sides and middle-paths):

 

(1) If I am not a cynic and/or an idealist, how will I regard everyone? As someone, anyone or no-one?

 

(2) So how will I see people otherwise? Impossible to see them? But they are not invisible - so I see people as what?

 

(3) Belief systems are not moulded in stone, especially marble-stone. "The trick is to learn not to take anyone's B.S. too seriously, especially your own". But of course.

 

(4) Who is not crazy? I am crazy (sometimes only). But it does not mean that I am right or wrong. I am just crazy. Period.

 

(5) Only the madman is "is absolutely sure" that he is mad?  So only the sane man is "is absolutely sure" that he is not mad?

 

(6) "Big = what you love" and "small = what you allow to annoy you". Medium = ?

 

Your snippets have offered me some respite. Thanks again.

 

- LimA

Edited July 17, 2017 by Limahong
Forgot to add the last line