Trusting a spiritual teacher is one of the most important—and complex—decisions on the path. This talk explores three personal experiences: one with a brilliant but inscrutable and controversial teacher, another with a teacher whose misconduct led to a break, and a third with a humble, quietly extraordinary master who became the true source of guidance.

The central lesson? Let your practice—not personality—be the guide.

Ask yourself:

• Does this deepen my path?
  
  
• Do I respect the community?
  
  
• Are the teachings centered—not the teacher?
  
  

Stay alert to these red flags: charisma, drama, and self-centered authority.

Be patient. Trust your intuition. Protect your mind.

In the end, the Dharma must be passed on with integrity, clarity, and humility—without replicating harmful hierarchies or watering it down into self-help.

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Produced by Citizens of Sound

Music by: Derek O'Brien
©Open Heart Project