Expert: Laurie McLauglin - 2/22/2009

Question
I have read numerous books on buddhism and would like to learn how to practice correctly.  My question is how can someone that does not live near a center learn how to practice without a teacher to guide them?

Answer
Thank you, Walt for letting me answer your question. It is a good one.

I am glad you have been reading books on Buddhism and want to know how to practice correctly even though you are not near a center.

Ideally, it is best of course to get to a center at least once in a while in order to share your practice with other dharma students and eventually to find a guru. Also if and when you decide you want to follow Buddhism as your main religion, then you will need to take refuge vows from a qualified teacher.

I am at a bit of a loss to give you specific advice, not knowing what kind of Buddhism you are planning to follow. I can speak from experience only from the standpoint of being a Tibetan Mahayana Buddhist practitioner, myself. But I can give you general information.

I suppose you could create if you will, a virtual spiritual community, based on the many dharma websites that are on the internet.

Even practicing alone, you will want to set up an alter or shrine of some sort where you live and find a space in your house where you can meditate uninterrupted at least for a few minutes every day.

You should probably begin a meditation practice once or twice a day even if it is only for a few minutes a day.  Then you will want to take what you have practiced and what you learned while meditating and put it into practice every day.  Then at night review your day and decide what worked and what didn’t and how to correct that.  And you will also want to keep reading and studying books from the specific lineage of Buddhism you have chosen to follow. If you have questions about the dharma, again it would be  best to be able to get to a center to ask a qualified teacher, but there are probably ones that you can find on line that could help you.

I am sorry this is not really specific but not knowing what lineage you are interested in, I cannot make any specific suggestions.  But I wish you much success and don’t hesitate to ask further questions when they come up for you.