1. Exploring Further
Being stuck in the spiritual supermarket forever is a waste of our time and limits us to a superficial level of growth. After a period of shopping, we discover a sweater or jacket we like and actually try it on. In this stage of the path, we explore a teaching and lineage that we feel inspired by and can relate to. We have found a path that we can actually understand enough to possibly apply. It awakens our wisdom and enthusiasm for growth and for life. We return again and again to it and begin to get to know it more thoroughly. We enroll in Community Membership to begin receiving practice instructions and to support our exploration.

As we get to know the path, we may find it is not what we thought. At that point, depending on our unique situation, we can go beyond what our original expectations were and discover something even better, or we can return to stage zero and begin seeking a path again.

We may continue to read books, but also are now engaging regularly in retreats, classes, public teachings and community activities. We experiment with the practices and teachings in our lives according to our own pace and inspiration. This level of the path is self-guided and we are not necessarily committed to the teacher or lineage at this point. Yet, we are growing, going deeper and experimenting.

- - Excepted from public teachings by Troma Rigtsal Rinpoche

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