The NBEF website contains books, videos, Dhamma Notes, and questions and answers explaining various aspects of our practice. These materials are available for anyone to read and learn from. However, they are not intended to form a self-guided program. NBEF practice requires individual instruction from a qualified NBEF-trained Dhamma teacher.
Understanding a written instruction does not necessarily mean knowing how to apply it correctly in one’s own practice. A practitioner may misunderstand an instruction or interpret an experience incorrectly without recognizing it. Through individual guidance, a teacher can address these misunderstandings and help the practitioner continue appropriately.
The materials also serve as resources for NBEF Dhamma teachers. Having experienced liberation through this training, they understand how the teachings relate to one another and how to use them when guiding practitioners. Their understanding comes from direct practice and experience, supported by individual instruction.
This is why developing qualified Dhamma teachers is essential to NBEF’s future. Books and websites can preserve information, but they cannot observe a practitioner’s difficulties, clarify a misunderstanding, or provide guidance suited to that person. The continuation of NBEF depends on teachers who understand the practice through experience and can guide others through it.
Nancy Acord