We usually come to Krishna consciousness looking for shelter or relief. Material life is hard. Expectations can be crushing, relationships unreliable, friendships disappointing, and life exhausting. Unfortunately, we soon find that the spiritual path is also full of challenges, with the ideals we read about in the books not always matching what we encounter in our interactions with devotees. Instead of a quick and direct path back to Godhead, we often find ourselves struggling to navigate our internal battles, our relationships, our communities, and our attitude toward the spiritual process itself.
Once, I wrote a short article outlining eleven conclusions that I wish someone had taught me when I joined Kṛṣṇa Consciousness. From this short reflection, came the idea of writing a book describing challenges devotees commonly face in spiritual practice, and how to recognize them before they stall our progress. Here is the complete book born of this project.
You can download the file, study it at your pace, print it, or share it with others. The book is free for everyone. Here is the permalink.
This is the regular version:
This one has bigger fonts, suitable for reading on the screen:
You can also get it for free on Google Books.
If you would like to acquire a printed copy, it’s available on Amazon:
US, UK, DE, FR, ES, IT, NL, JP, CA, AU
You can also read the book online:
+ Part 1: Dealing with our personal struggles
Sometimes our spiritual progress depends on our mind and the false ego
Fear and guilt can be a difficult obstacle in our spiritual practice
Struggling with spiritual principles is not a reason to leave Kṛṣṇa Consciousness
Developing good qualities is the real test of success, not material results
A mistake that can make our hearts harder over time, instead of softer
Not trusting everyone is one of the secrets to having good friends
+ Part 2: Dealing with the challenges of family life
Often, it is not about becoming a pure devotee, but escaping sinful life
Love and relationships play an important role in our spiritual practice
Women value men who are in control of their desires and emotions
+ Part 3: Dealing with bad examples from the top
If I take shelter of you, and you cut my throat, that’s the worst sin
The role of a spiritual leader is to inspire, not to repress
Vices of the material world can also creep into spiritual societies
Living in a spiritual society is not always easy, but it brings us the best chance of progressing
Devotional service is often performed under the three modes of material nature
Our attitude in facing challenges has a great influence on the outcome
The principle of authority is a central point in the scriptures
+ Part 4: Finding the right balance and the right path
Dealing with different opinions in spiritual life without becoming bewildered
Hearing the spiritual master demands giving up our previous conditioning
