A little prior research into the various systems or Traditions in advance is almost a necessity before making the decision to take training in a particular system. We encourage everyone to do as much reading on the subjects as possible. See what interests you and then try to find a teacher that will help you further develop in these areas of interest. We have provided a listing below that we have developed from personal experiences, the experiences of others and various reference materials that may help to know what you should be looking for and how to ask the questions that may help you decide if this is the teacher for you. Some teachers may not exhibit all of the signs listed, but most teachers will fall predominantly into one category or another.
Humans do silly things sometimes, and a sense of humor can help keep things in perspective.
One needn't be a vegetarian to care about the lives and welfare of animals. A teacher who realizes that he or she can learn just as much from a novice as the novice may learn from the teacher is probably comfortable in what they know, yet open to new ideas and concepts. This doesn't mean that you will not be challenged or have to work hard, but it does mean that your honest efforts will be met with encouragement and gentle guidance. This means that you will not be led astray either by one who is afraid to confront you when you are heading in a wrong direction or by one who seeks to manipulate you for unspoken ends. They call a spade a spade and want you to do the same.