The presentation of Eastern teachings in the West has been particularly haphazard. The Asian teachers presenting in the West have been trained and have practiced and received transmission in their own countries. But that was a different cultural situation in which a certain environment of discipline was taken for granted. They may presume that the same cultural background also exists in the West. But perhaps that is not the case

So for us in the West to get into a spiritual teaching, we have to get into the basic core of it. We have to build a really good foundation before we get into practices such as the yoga of inner heat of start levitating or whatever.

From Glimpses of Abhidharma, page 1.

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