How to make meditation 'safe'?

[thomaslaw]

@Noone-is-here

What went wrong with doing causal meditation one off courses, or coming out of intense vipassana meditation retreats and keep practicing without a teacher or sangha? In other words, what are the key elements that needs to go with meditation according to the Buddha, and the main schools of Buddhism, which allows for practitioners not to go into the dark path?

The following information regarding ‘the best teacher on Samatha and Vipassana meditation’ may be useful for your question:

Who is the best teacher on Samatha and Vipassana meditation?

I think the best teacher on Samatha and Vipassana is the core teachings of SN/SA suttas themselves. E.g.: Vipassana in SN/SA suttas is the practice of ‘right view’ How to get Right View? - #13 by thomaslaw Samatha in SN/SA suttas is the practice of ‘mindfulness’. See: Pages 215-8 from The Fundamental Teachings of Early Buddhism Choong Mun-keat 2000.pdf (285.9 KB) Pages 225-7 from The Fundamental Teachings of Early Buddhism Choong Mun-keat 2000.pdf (210.4 KB)