Lam Rim study/practice

[Dave The Seeker]

I'm reading about Lam Rim, and have a book from FPMT.
I am at the beginning and was wondering, should one stay at the first stage until the visualizations come complete before moving on?
Please don't think I'm rushing to get to the next stage, I'm not.
I am just posting this question for opinions from the experienced members here.
Thanks

[ngodrup]

Probably a question for your teacher. What parts get emphasized, where
you start, is really contingent on your capacity.

[Dave The Seeker]

Thanks for the reply, as soon as I can get to a group and possibly meet a teacher I'll ask.

[zerwe]

Some people move quickly through each topic and others spend a long time deepening their understanding.
Initially, I think it is fine to move through the cycle of topics fairly quickly until one develops more understanding.
Then, the pace (entirely up to the individual) slows and we might spend more time deepening our experience of each topic or particular topics.
My first year I probably cycled through my Lam rim meditations every 2-3 months. Now I take about a year to get through them all.
Everybody is different though.

Shaun

[Dave The Seeker]

Thank you very much for your input Shaun

[Caz]

Some people move quickly through each topic and others spend a long time deepening their understanding.
Initially, I think it is fine to move through the cycle of topics fairly quickly until one develops more understanding.
Then, the pace (entirely up to the individual) slows and we might spend more time deepening our experience of each topic or particular topics.
My first year I probably cycled through my Lam rim meditations every 2-3 months. Now I take about a year to get through them all.
Everybody is different though.

Shaun

Every time we do the preparations for Lamrim we are creating the causes to accomplish it quickly, It doesn't matter if one cycles through them each day, week, month or even year it creates imprints on the mind that will naturally be ripened when the time is due.

[PorkChop]

I'm reading about Lam Rim, and have a book from FPMT.
I am at the beginning and was wondering, should one stay at the first stage until the visualizations come complete before moving on?
Please don't think I'm rushing to get to the next stage, I'm not.
I am just posting this question for opinions from the experienced members here.
Thanks

Dunno if you want any input from a beginner.
I go to a local student-lead Lam Rim group that welcomes bhikshus and bhikshunis who visit from time to time - we've been working on the 8 verses of mind training.
I'm playing catch-up with the rest of the group so I'm looking at some supplementary training.
Just started the Meditation101 online with FPMT and that has 12 different guided visualizations/meditations (first 2 are very preliminary).
My plan is to be able to do each of the guided meditations from memory before moving on to the next, with the bare minimum being probably a week on each.
The official course recommendations are to do each meditation at least 3 times and shoot for being able to do it alone without scripts/guidance.

[Dave The Seeker]

Thanks for the input Caz

Thanks Porkchop, think any input in the right direction is great help.
I'm also doing the FPMT at home course. I'm still in the first module "Mind and it's potential".
But I have the Meditation one as well. In the course listings the first one isn't there, it's in another section of the site

Thanks again to all who have replied and helped me out

[Konchog1]

"You have reached a critical point when, while meditating on the lower levels, you increasingly wish to attain the higher levels, and when studying the higher levels, your wish to practice the lower levels becomes stronger and stronger."

Lam Rim Chen Mo eng v3 362-363 tib 806

Lord Tsongkhapa then continues to say it is expected to go back and remeditate on the fundamentals to strengthen weaknesses that have appeared in your practice.

My understanding and thus advice is do what feels natural. Learn to where you get bored and come back later after reading further.

[Ayu]

Another point:
For some people it takes a very long time until a visualisation becomes "perfect". The pressure to want to SEE the object of Meditation is a hindrance for the meditation... If one keeps calm and satisfied with only knowing "it is there", he creates a better circumstance for a clearer visualisation. Clearness comes better in a calm and steady mind.

[Dave The Seeker]

Thanks to both of you for the replies.
It helps greatly to get input that makes sense.