How can I overcome confusion about which spiritual master to choose?

Transcript

This is an AI-generated transcript and may contain some errors.
I’m not initiated, but I’m confused between two spiritual masters. What should I do? First of all, it’s important that we not let the confusion slacken our bhakti. Because to the extent we practice bhakti seriously, to the extent Krishna will see our sincerity and reciprocate and guide us.
To the extent we practice, sometimes confusion is also a temptation. That means if something is confusing us, if we think about it more and more and more, then we will become more and more confused. So whenever certain decisions have to be taken, decisions require a certain amount of sattva bona.
And usually when the decision is right in front of us, our mind immediately goes into najo bona. Should I do this? Should I do this? Should I do this? And then from najo bona, it quickly goes on to dhamma bona also. So therefore, it’s important that serious decisions, we should not just leave it at the level of the mind.
That means, first of all, if we keep practicing bhakti, we’ll rise from the lower modes towards goodness, and we will think more clearly. And further, it’s most important that if we are confused with spiritual masters, we let our thoughts settle down for something. That means we write, maybe keep a journal, write down, what is it about a particular spiritual master that inspires you? What is it about another spiritual master that inspires you? And keep going back to that after a week, maybe after a fortnight, after a month, and add things, change that.
Writing a journal is often very helpful, especially when we have to make serious decisions, because that journal entry becomes like a snapshot of our mind. It’s like whatever thoughts were there in our mind, whatever factors we are considering, we have them outside preserved as a snapshot, as a photo. And then we go back, okay, I was thinking like this, but this is not very important.
This is important. This is why I didn’t think about this. So like that, if we keep deliberating and preying on the decision, over a period of time, Krishna will guide us onwards.
So I would say three things in this. First is, don’t let confusion become a cause for becoming disheartened in bhakti. Rather focus on intensifying the bhakti.
Then try to cultivate the mood of goodness while contemplating things. And usually if indecisive thoughts are there in the mind, just keep going round and round and they congest the mind. It is not able to do anything.
So get those thoughts out, and just getting the words out and looking at them. Brings a greater level of objectivity to our thinking. A greater level of clarity to our deliberations.
And then we can take a decision. So while choosing a spiritual master, there are many factors to be considered. The most important would be how much we feel inspired to practice bhakti.
By that spiritual master. It’s not just how nice classes that person gives, how much wonderful kirtan that person sings. All these are important, but the most important is, because ultimately, yes, the spiritual master is our deliverer, but the spiritual master delivers us by inspiring us to practice bhakti.
So we should feel inspired by that person to practice bhakti. And the spiritual master is also not to be seen alone. The spiritual master’s association we get through our God family.
God brothers and God sisters. So if somebody says, I feel inspired by my spiritual master, but I don’t like any of his disciples. Then we will not really be able to sustain our bhakti.
So we have to see, firstly, whether that spiritual master inspires me. And then if I am going to join that God family, then I also should be inspired by the God brothers and God sisters. And then we can take a decision.
So firstly is that, don’t let confusion discourage you in bhakti. Or make you slacken your bhakti. And by intensifying bhakti and trying to cultivate the mode of goodness, then Krishna will guide you about how to move onwards in life.