I like this analogy with a circle :
Everyone is at a different place on the circle, so even if we all want to go to the same place, our roads will be different.
That's why a tradition will give you tools to walk your path, not your teachers' path.
Today, with the internet, there's a lot of information out there about various practices, and it's easy to get some concrete experience with workshops and conventions, hearing charismatic people talking about how you can become master of your life, clean your home from bad energies, or heal an old backpain. All that is fine and there's a lot to learn from it, but there is a risk to become a simple consumer of 'personal improvement' techniques.
I think walking a path is something really different and there are a few things I'd like to share about how I chose mine.
The way all the new experiences and teachings are expressed in words must be something you can relate to. If you can't understand the metaphors involved, it adds a difficulty where you don't need one. The first shaman I met were from peru, I needed some serious effort to get 5% of what they said.
You must feel a strong interest for the teachings and practices, almost an appeal (for instance, I don't like drums very much).
Finally, I needed to feel some sort of cleverness behind the teachings. Feel that all this had been made by sensible, smart human beings.
And you, what do you think ?
R.
