Things I Wish Someone Had Taught Me When I Started Krishna Consciousness
Things not always go as expected in spiritual life. This is a book describing challenges that devotees commonly face in spiritual practice and how to recognize them before they stall our progress.
Some time ago, I wrote a short article outlining eleven conclusions that I wish someone had taught me when I joined Kṛṣṇa Consciousness. From this brief reflection came the idea of writing a book describing challenges that devotees commonly face in spiritual practice and how to recognize them before they stall our progress.
Most of these lessons came to me only after years of trial and error. If I had understood them earlier, I could have avoided much unnecessary pain and frustration on my spiritual path.
This book is my attempt to share those lessons, in the hope that others may walk the path with more clarity and confidence. If just a small part of what follows helps you avoid some of the obstacles I stumbled upon, the effort will be worthwhile.
⬇️Download the PDF of the book:
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(New chapters are being published daily)
+ Part 1: Dealing with our personal struggles
Emotions play an important role in spiritual life
Sometimes our spiritual progress depends on our mind and the false ego
Depression is also a problem amongst devotees
Learning to love ourselves
Fear and guilt can be a difficult obstacle in our spiritual practice
Struggling with spiritual principles is not a reason to leave Kṛṣṇa Consciousness
Often we associate with devotees but are still alone
Balancing self-care and determination
The māyā we should fight is inside ourselves
Developing good qualities is the real test of success, not material results
Caring for others makes our problems small
A mistake that can make our hearts harder over time, instead of softer
Avoiding burnout
We can’t love Kṛṣṇa while mistreating His devotees
We should be kind, like Kṛṣṇa
Not trusting everyone is one of the secrets to having good friends
Kṛṣṇa doesn’t send us more difficulties than we can handle
+ Part 2: Dealing with the challenges of family life
There are lessons to be learned in family life
Often it is not about becoming a pure devotee, but escaping sinful life
Astrology is not the best tool to find a spouse
Making our family part of our service to Kṛṣṇa
Illicit sex has three different meanings
Finding the right spouse by developing our qualities
An important secret for a happy marriage
Love and relationships play an important role in our spiritual practice
Ladies value men who are in control of their desires and emotions
The three essential qualities of a great man
It is not māyā to become a parent
Tulasi Devi speaks about family life
+ Part 3: Dealing with bad examples from the top
What to do when senior devotees don’t act properly?
Two dangerous mistakes we often make in spiritual life
The worst betrayal
If I take shelter of you, and you cut my throat, that’s the worst sin
We also have a role to play
Forgiveness breaks the cycle of conditioned life
The role of a spiritual leader is to inspire, not to repress
Vices of the material world can also creep into spiritual societies
The temporary harm and the eternal good
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
A spiritual institution can still be imperfect
The role of trust in spiritual life
The principle of authority is a central point in the scriptures
Every saint has a past, and every sinner has a future
+ Part 4: Finding the right balance and the right path
Beware of personality cults
Using our natural talents for Kṛṣṇa
The trap of entitlement
Without education, varṇāśrama doesn’t work
Dealing with different opinions in spiritual life without becoming bewildered
Material science is not necessarily an enemy
Waking up early solves many of our problems
“We are what we eat”
Simplicity makes us rich
The danger of impersonalism
We can progress on our own only up to a certain point
Hearing the spiritual master demands giving up our previous conditioning
Some say Prabhupada only taught the ABCD. They are wrong
The ritvik philosophy is a dead end
Finding our way out of battles of quotes