> but was once told if you start under one lineage, to just continue along that route
There is no such rule. Conversely, if you jump too often between meditation techniques, you wont be able to reap the benefits.
The 3 orthodox practices I know of have just 1 goal: Comprehending and ending of suffering. Alternatively stated as cultivating dispassion for the aggregates. This can be measured by reduction in greed/aversion/delusion in daily life. E.g. how easy or hard it is to throw one off balance. How peacefully can one coexist with discomfort?
The orthodox practices also focus on building mindfulness as a skill.
Personally, I have attempted Thai forest samatha-vipassana, Goenka vipassana before focusing on noting. I have found the noting technique to be the easiest to get started with, put into practice in mundane activities. This technique has an excellent instructor offering at home courses with personalized instructions.
My recommendation is that you sign up for the course, suspend all disbelief and give it a good shot for a pre-determine duration say 1 year. At the end of that review if you want to continue with it or not.
