“I’m a beginner, just trying to cultivate my own meditation practice.
There seems to be two prominent schools of thought on meditation:
1) Meditation is a simple practice. To begin, one need only choose their preferred method (typically a point of focus like breath or mantra), and remain consistent with their practice.
2) Meditation requires the guidance of a trained teacher or guru to be done properly.
I see some meditation resources point out the tendency for us to overcomplicate what is really a simple, natural practice.
And then I’ll see other meditation resources warning that a teacher is necessary to truly go deep with meditation, and that it can actually be harmful to proceed without one.
Is it possible to become an advanced meditator without the aid of a meditation teacher?”
Yes, you can become an advanced meditator without a meditation teacher.
An in person meditation teacher is not necessary but may be useful.
A good meditation teacher can save you months to years of time and effort through answering your meditation questions, providing meditation guidance and by ensuring you are on the right path.
A bad meditation teacher may send you in the wrong direction wasting your time and may even put you further behind with your meditation.
A meditation teacher in the form of books and information may be a practical alternative to an in person meditation teacher.
Choose your meditation teacher wisely and you will accelerate the growth of your meditation.
Research meditation, try meditating regularly and you will know where you want to go from there.
Edwin Leo 