I've found the following procedure to be useful in making the most of spiritual teachings: (1) establish a good motivation; (2) stabilize your mind through meditation; (3) get the information; (4) establish an appropriate practice through analysis, synthesis, resolution and dedication.

On the previous page, I listed some sources of printed information that you could use in Step (3). It can also be useful to receive teachings in printed or spoken form from qualified teachers. As Je Tsongkhapa says in Foundation of all Perfections:

As quoted by the Dalai Lama in Refining Gold, the Third Dalai Lama in Essence of Refined Gold lists four ways that a well qualified and motivated spiritual guide (Tibetan lama, Sanskrit guru)can benefit trainees:

• by providing supportive generosity (we'll cover the types of generosity later);
• by inspiring through gentleness and cheerfulness;
• by providing teaching and encouragement; and
• by providing a living example of the teachings.

We have all heard of incidents where some supposed spiritual guides, under the influence of one or more of the Three Poisons, have abused students verbally, mentally, physically or sexually. Fortunately, the Lam Rim teachings provide us with several ways of protecting ourselves from such abuse:

1. Observe the teacher's behavior. Is it consistent with the list above?
2. Check whether the teacher is qualified. Here's the Lam Rim job description from the Third Dalai Lama; you could also apply it mutatis mutandis to teachers in other traditions:
   • The teacher's mindstream is:
     • tamed with realization of the higher training in ethical discipline;
     • stilled with realization of the higher training in meditation;
     • completely tempered with realization of the higher training in wisdom.
   • The teacher has authoritative scriptural learning.
   • The teacher is in possession of an awareness that can perceive emptiness.
   • The teacher has more learning and realization than the disciples.
3. Check the teacher's attitude, as prescribed in the job description:
   • skill and spontaneous creativity in applying the methods for generating progress in disciples;
   • a pure motivation free from grasping for wealth, fame or power;
   • enthusiasm and joy in giving time and energy to teaching;
   • diligence and perseverance in teaching;
   • beyond losing patience with students who practice poorly.

As I said previously, I have found the Dalai Lama and Gelek Rimpoche to be highly qualified spiritual guides by these criteria. I am sure there are many more, but the evaluation and choice should always be that of the student, not the teacher. As Gelek Rimpoche said many times, "If somebody says to you, 'I am your guru' - run away as fast as you can! Run a hundred miles away!"