(photo courtesy of The Chronicles Project)
So...who's your favorite teacher? Who's affected your life the most? Have you met them personally or just received wisdom and insight from them at a distance? If you are having a hard time finding teachers, maybe we can give some advice here at the One City Blog.
For myself, Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche (above) is where it's at. He is an amazing bridge of east-west knowledge and culture. Especially if you want to study the Vajrayana teachings of the Shambhala tradition, you need to meet him. I haven't ever met another human being with his level of personal discipline. The ease with which he handles adversity, his humor, his radiant kindness (seriously, the dude glows) and especially his ability to clarify the complexity of the teachings of the Shambhala tradition all make him without peer (in my humble opinion). Not that it's a competition. I'm not trying to create a US News and World Report list of the Best Buddhist Teachers here. Just trying to see who you are connecting with, because connecting with teachers is superduper important, you hear?
I also need to give a grande-sized shout-out to the master teachers of Shambala (called Acharya), especially the ones I know best and study with the most, especially Dr. Gaylon Ferguson, Eric Spiegel (I.D. Project Lineage Mentor), Arawana Hayashi, Adam Lobel, Pema Chodron, John Rockwell, Bill McKeever and others.
Also on my personal list of big influences and teachers would have to be: Dr. Miles Neale, Sharon Salzberg (I.D. Project Lineage Mentor), Roshi Enkyo O'Hara (I.D. Project Lineage Mentor), Ponlop Rinpoche, Noah Levine, and of course (though I've never met him), Thich Nhat Hanh.
Who moves you as a teacher? Have you studied with them in person? If you haven't connected with living teachers yet, what are the obstacles, what's holding you back?
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Some of my favorite teachers:
Chogyam Trungpa is so smart and surprising.
I also love Jack Kornfield because he's deceptively incisive and so literary.
Daniel Ingram, of course.
Gil Fronsdale is wonderful.
I took the refuge vow with Eric Spiegel, he is so great to hear talk.
Tenzin Palmo is fascinating and inpsiring
As is Robina Courtin.
I got down with Suzuki Roshi's Beginner's Mind this year and finally wasn't so frustrated with Zen.
All the teachers are my favorites.
And finally there's nothing like being friends with your dharma teacher for extra plus teachings, so Ethan, you get the biggest props.
I like Tara Brach
My favorite meditation teacher is the sea- the waves and the ripples, like breath, the tides-- breath over time, time, life, death.
Tara Brach is my absolute fave. Also am a fan of Gil Fronsdale. Both translate the dharma in relatable terms and with gentle prose and witty humor. Free podcasts from both are available.
P.S. i second Daniel Ingram's mention on this thread. he's not technically my teacher but his book, "Mastering the Core Teachings of the Buddha" and the online forum DharmaOverground which he started, influenced my practice and attitude towards practice in a lot of helpful ways.
there are dharma, and there are kick ass dharma. MCTB is the best kick ass dharma i've encountered. if you can look past Ingram's irreverence, then this will be a big help for you and your practice.
~C
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