Confidence

[Guest guest]

Please accept my respectful obeisances.

All glories to Sri Sri Guru-Gauranga and Sri Sri Radha-Govinda!

 

> That's a very good question, which I think goes to the heart of the matter

> and is worthy of much careful discussion. For the discriminating disciple,

> confidence--trust--is also part of the draw. This is a very important

> decision and not to be taken lightly. Can I trust this person with my

> spiritual life, in all circumstances? For me, this isn't just an academic

> question; I have two daughters who haven't taken initiation partly because

> they're focused on working out how to make a living, but largely because

> they haven't yet met anyone who inspires this confidence in them.

 

However strange it may sound, my problem is rather to get the confidence

FROM that initiating guru who has been inspiring me for over 8 years. At

times I feel even sort of left out or overlooked, you know what I mean; not

that I am saying that I am THAT good, no, just that I dont feel like I am

worse than many others who DID get that confidence from the same guru and

got initiated. And this kind of problem doesnt seem to want to let me find a

solution in the nearest future...

 

Your humble servant,

Sergei.

[Guest guest]

At 07:12 PM 3/14/02 +0100, (Bhakta) Sergei Schmalz (Wiesbaden - D) wrote:

>However strange it may sound, my problem is rather to get the confidence

>FROM that initiating guru who has been inspiring me for over 8 years. At

>times I feel even sort of left out or overlooked, you know what I mean; not

>that I am saying that I am THAT good, no, just that I dont feel like I am

>worse than many others who DID get that confidence from the same guru and

>got initiated. And this kind of problem doesnt seem to want to let me find a

>solution in the nearest future...

 

This is somewhat familiar to me. I have a friend who has lost any

confidence in the guru who initiated him because the guru never seems to

acknowledge his existence, never says anything to him, gives him any help,

instruction, or anything other than to belittle him. This is a very bright

man who left law school in Poland to become a devotee and who is a computer

genius. Because of this neglect/abuse, he has lost much of his enthusiasm

for Krishna consciousness. He is struggling to revive that enthusiasm; I've

advised him to take his concerns to his initiating guru to see how he

responds. This is a terrible situation.

 

Could you tell us, Sergei, how someone who neglects you in this way

inspires you? I admit I feel a little confused.

 

Your aspiring servant,

Babhru das