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Talk: 20100224-Larry_Rosenberg-IMSRC-the_four_noble_truths_a_vehicle_for_self_discovery_part_iii-8336 Leandra Tejedor.jsonw Start_time: 00:43:38 Display_question: Can you talk about how to keep the practice going, when you do not have a dharma community, or a teacher? Keyword_search: dharma connections, teacher, retreat, community, Cambridge, contemplative nature, meditate, Connecticut, investigating, practice, lonely, learn from life Question_content: Questioner: I've noticed that there are people that come as couples, or with friends, and have dharma connections. You've talked about having teachers in the past. I feel kind of funny saying, I want a teacher, but I can't do this alone, and I can't go to retreat all the time. Larry: Most people can't. Questioner: I want to plug in because this really is resonating with me, completely. Larry: Okay. Questioner: And so, I want to follow suit with that. Because I can't…. Larry: I understand. Questioner: Go home and immediately drop everything that I learned unless I come back to a mindful skill, and I sit down, and open, and let it in…. Larry: It's not what we said. I think I understand what you're getting at. It and it faces a lot, most, perhaps all of us, even if you have a community, let's say in Cambridge, we've been around for 25 years, there's a strong group of people, who support each other. Okay, but you go home, and they don't come in, and stay home with you, and they don't follow you. Break_line: Let's say you have to go to a bar mitzvah, or a christening, and say, could you please come with me? Okay. Invite 400 more people to come with you. So, you have to develop the ability to take care of yourself. And each situation is different, starts… first of all, when you can come to situations like this. Because sure, that's why this exists, because we're human. We do need help, and there is help. You're not alone, but a lot of life is lived alone, and together, and also temperament varies. Some people have a very contemplative nature. They're more likely to really enjoy being alone. Sometimes they need help to be with people. Some people can't meditate, unless they have a crowd. Well, they need help sitting alone, because life is both alone, and together. Break_line: So, I think I mentioned this to you. Check with the office to find out. There may be some people who are practicing in Connecticut, and if so, see if you can arrange to sometimes people meet two or three people, once a week, and they share their practice, or they'll listen to a tape together, or something of that sort. But if you… having a community…or also in terms of a teacher, that's no magic either. And some of that… it happens. If it's meant… you can learn from life in the meantime, if you don't have a teacher, then that doesn't mean the practice stops. There are different strengths that you can develop, like standing on your own 2ft. seeing how you feel lonely, seeing how you feel helpless, and investigating there. Taking a look at that. And if you keep coming around, you may meet someone who there's a resonance. And quite naturally, it feels like it's good, to work together, but you can't make it happen. At least I couldn't. End_time: 00:46:41
