Have you worked with a teacher?

I'm curious what the percentage of people is on this forum who are working with or have worked with a teacher one-on-one? There seems to be some idea that it's very hard to find a teacher, some people just prefer to work independently, and some people really like working with a teacher, so I'm wondering how those (or other attitudes and realities) fall across the active members here? Can you say if you have worked with a teacher (or more than one) (don't need to say who), if so for how long (ie once a week for a year, once a month for six years, etc.)?

Working with a teacher now for 2 months when I decided to go down the vipassana route after practicing shamatha on my own for almost a year. I did this because. 1.) Had what I thought was an A&P event when meditating on my own 2.) thought I was in the dark night already 3.) was scared of going through the dark night on my own. and 4.) for clarification that #1 and #2 were correct. Meeting via skype once every 2 weeks for now. Having a teacher has helped me progress rapidly and helping me understand things such as times I thought I was backsliding, when I was actually progressing, etc... Actually have a skype session tonight and I can't wait. It is very uplifting and inspiring.

I embarked with the intention of working with a teacher, but after one skype session realized I just couldn't afford it. When I saw the sharing of knowledge happening here, I thought I could find the support and guidance needed. Lately, I'm questioning that. I'm hoping the spring will be a little more prosperous for me, and I can resume skypeing. (As an aside, I completely understand and support the practice of teachers charging what they need to charge. The economy is what it is, and making dharma a viable profession ultimately makes the teachings more accessible, not less, imo.)

I guess I should add that I've done a couple Goenka retreats, in years gone by. Also, I had a rather enlightened teacher with an Advaita flavor, also long ago.

(Personally I worked on my own for a couple years until I started having rather disturbing experiences, then worked formally with one teacher for about a year, with weekly skype meetings; have also worked with a mentor less formally on and off. I still talk to both of them semi-regularly, as well as other specific colleagues I've come to know personally, and find that input from select others is always very helpful.)

I believe one-on-one time with a teacher over Skype played a huge part in my progress.

2 years and a half with an American Lama (Nyingma tradition), and a few sessions with Kenneth.

Excellent guidance from both.

At the moment Buddha Nature, Actuality, Rigpa, however you want to call it, is the teacher. As well as suffering.

"At the moment Buddha Nature, Actuality, Rigpa, however you want to call it, is the teacher. As well as suffering."

Yes. There is a fairly deep confidence that this will teach us the rest of what we need to know. Its only the contracted mind that continues to have questions about how to "speed things up".

I believe if I hadn't found a teacher I would still be in the initial dark night.

Since everyone answering seems to have worked with a teacher at some time or another, here's another question - starting from the point where you clearly and confidently said to yourself "I need a teacher"** how hard was it or how long did it take before you found the teacher you later worked with?

**I say this because I think there's a big difference between "it would be cool to have a teacher" and "I NEED a teacher". So counting from when there was that level of Knowing and perhaps desperation, rather than just the vague idea floating around... and how did you find that teacher? through a friend? a video? a book? a forum?

I found a teacher on an online forum.

I was already active on the Dharma Overground when my psychiatrist told me "if you're practicing that much, you should have a teacher." I saw her point as reasonable, and went here to start working with Kenneth. I think it took roughly a month. I had been thinking about working with a teacher for a while, but did not want even more distraction from finishing my thesis.

"Yes. There is a fairly deep confidence that this will teach us the rest of what we need to know. Its only the contracted mind that continues to have questions about how to "speed things up"."

Ugh, I know. Sometimes it feels like the "self" is like a little brother that wants to be part of the whole thing.

"Since everyone answering seems to have worked with a teacher at some time or another, here's another question - starting from the point where you clearly and confidently said to yourself "I need a teacher"** how hard was it or how long did it take before you found the teacher you later worked with?

**I say this because I think there's a big difference between "it would be cool to have a teacher" and "I NEED a teacher". So counting from when there was that level of Knowing and perhaps desperation, rather than just the vague idea floating around... and how did you find that teacher? through a friend? a video? a book? a forum?"

I read some meditation instructions on the Internet, a few weeks later I had my first A&P experience, and then I realized I needed a teacher to answer all the questions that appeared. Three days later, a friend of mine invited me to a Tibetan Buddhist Center and that's when I met my first teacher. It all seemed very logical and sequential, it was very easy to find a teacher. It was like, "you need a teacher? Here's a buddhist center with a resident Lama."

Very natural

Is A&P always the turning point? Interesting. Seems to be often enough. That was it for me, too. The day I had that experience, I knew I wanted and perhaps needed good guidance. Like immediately. I wrote an email to a teacher I had known about (but never been in contact with) from forums and asked if he would teach me.

"Is A&P always the turning point? Interesting. Seems to be often enough. That was it for me, too. The day I had that experience, I knew I wanted and perhaps needed good guidance. Like immediately. I wrote an email to a teacher I had known about (but never been in contact with) from forums and asked if he would teach me."

Yeah, before A&P the main goal was to experience something "extraordinary". After A&P the hunger for knowledge intensified. It felt like: "wow, spiritual stuff is not a belief, religion, etc. I need to know more of this, I need to understand this fully, I need to get to the bottom of it as soon as possible. This is great."