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Bon Dzogchen L.M.: With the Ligmincha community, you are expanding the center and its outreach. Is the community of Bon practitioners which you call the sangha, is it essential?
T.W.: Yes, community is essential in the teachings. The essence of the community is the dharma, the teaching. That is a uniting place. Different individuals come together because they follow the same teaching. The teacher too is representing the teaching. Both teacher and student follow together the same teaching; the same message where everybody feels connected. Their hearts feel connected to the teaching. That brings people together, in order that every individual has that experience of closeness to the teaching. And that needs support. If you live in places, in big cities where you don't have any sangha support, it is very hard to survive. For instance, you have a friend who likes to golf; you like to golf; and your sport is supported by your friends. But you don't have support for your practice.
L.M.: To meditate.
T.W.: Yes, to meditate. If you don't have support, then your meditation doesn't grow and develop. Sangha is very, very important.
L.M.: We do make mistakes as we practice; probably almost everyone makes their fair share of mistakes along the way. How does the teacher help the student get back on track?
T.W.: When the connection between the teacher and student is very close, that guidance can take place easily. When they are not very connected, then the guidance is not effective.
L.M.: As the teacher, do you see students making mistakes, even when they may be shy about telling you?
T.W.: Sure, sure, you can always see the student and understand how their practice is going. If you are close enough, you can definitely help. Sometimes people ask, they write.
L.M.: You get quite a lot of correspondence?
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