Burlingame, Ca
The best way to stay encouraged in spiritual life is to make progress.
The word progress comes from Latin progredi: pro-forward + gradi-to walk. To walk forward, to complete any project, task, or to reach a goal, one must make a series of steps in the right direction. And even if one’s steps are small, they still constitute progress.
Setting off to reach a lofty goal without first identifying the incremental steps one must take to reach it can lead to frustration and discouragement.
Confucious said, “When it is obvious that the goals cannot be reached, don’t adjust the goals, adjust the action steps.”
To encourage us on the path of devotional service, the great bhakti teachers often list the steps we can take along with the successive stages we can expect to reach as we move forward.
For instance, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta gives the following list of steps leading to higher stages of devotion:
“In the neophyte stage one should always engage in hearing krishna-katha. This is called sravana-dasa, the stage of hearing. By constantly hearing the transcendental holy name of Krishna and hearing of His transcendental form, qualities and pastimes, one can attain to the stage of acceptance called varana-dasa. When one attains this stage, he becomes attached to the hearing of krishna-katha. When one is able to chant in ecstasy, he attains the stage of smaranavastha, the stage of remembering.” (NOI 8; purport)
Find out what small step you can make today to progress on your devotional path and then take it. After doing so you’ll feel encouraged to take another small step tomorrow.
With gratitude and affection,
Vaisesika Dasa
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