One of my favourite suttas: Ud 4.1 Meghiyasutta:
Here we have an example of someone who tries to practise in seclusion without being mature enough for this, disregarding the Buddha’s advise and even neglecting his duties as the Buddha’s attendant!
The Buddha then explains to him how to bring his mind to maturity:
“For he whose freedom of mind is not fully mature, Meghiya, there are five things that lead to maturity. What five?
“Here, Meghiya, a monk has a good friend, a good companion, a good comrade. For he whose freedom of mind is not fully mature, Meghiya, this is the first thing that leads to maturity.
“Furthermore, Meghiya, a monk is virtuous, he lives restrained with the Pātimokkha restraint, and is endowed with suitable conduct and resort, seeing danger in the slightest faults, he trains in the training rules he has undertaken. For he whose freedom of mind is not fully mature, Meghiya, this is the second thing that leads to maturity.
“Furthermore, Meghiya, a monk has talk about what is very austere, that is suitable for opening up the mind, and that leads to absolute disenchantment, dispassion, cessation, peace, deep knowledge, complete Awakening and Emancipation, such as: talk on wanting little, talk on being satisfied, talk on complete seclusion, talk on disassociation, talk on arousing energy, talk on virtue, talk on concentration, talk on wisdom, talk on freedom, talk on knowing and seeing freedom. Such talk as this he gains as he desires, he gains without difficulty, gains without trouble. For he whose freedom of mind is not fully mature, Meghiya, this is the third thing that leads to maturity.
“Furthermore, Meghiya, a monk dwells with energy aroused for the giving up of unwholesome things, for the taking up of wholesome things, steadfast, of firm endeavour, one who has not thrown off the burden in regard to wholesome things. For he whose freedom of mind is not fully mature, Meghiya, this is the fourth thing that leads to maturity.
“Furthermore, Meghiya, a monk is wise, he is endowed with wisdom that leads to seeing rise and disappearance, with noble penetration, that leads to the complete destruction of suffering. For he whose freedom of mind is not fully mature, Meghiya, this is the fifth thing that leads to maturity.
“For he whose freedom of mind is not fully mature, Meghiya, these five things leads to maturity.
And he continues:
“It can be expected, Meghiya, that for a monk who has a good friend, a good companion, a good comrade, that he will be virtuous, that he will live restrained with the Pātimokkha restraint, and will be endowed with suitable conduct and resort, seeing danger in the slightest fault, and will train in the training rules he has undertaken.
“It can be expected, Meghiya, that for a monk who has a good friend, a good companion, a good comrade, that he will have talk that is very austere, that is suitable for opening up the mind, and that leads to absolute disenchantment, dispassion, cessation, peace, deep knowledge, complete Awakening and Emancipation, such as: talk on wanting little, talk on being satisfied, talk on complete seclusion, talk on disassociation, talk on stirring up energy, talk on virtue, talk on concentration, talk on wisdom, talk on freedom, talk on knowing and seeing freedom. Such talk as this he gains as he desires, he gains without difficulty, gains without trouble.
“It can be expected, Meghiya, that for a monk who has a good friend, a good companion, a good comrade, that he will be a monk with energy aroused for the giving up of unwholesome things, for the taking up of wholesome things, steadfast, of firm endeavour, one who has not thrown off the burden in regard to wholesome things.
“It can be expected, Meghiya, that for a monk who has a good friend, a good companion, a good comrade, that he will be wise, endowed with wisdom that leads to seeing rise and disappearance, with noble penetration, that leads to the complete destruction of suffering.
This means, having the first of the five factors, a good spiritual friend, this will automatically help fulfilling the other four factors! 
