How can we find like-minded association?
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Transcript
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Thank you. So different individuals will advance at different paces, so for that we need like-minded association. How can we find like-minded association? In general, first principle we need to know is that even like-minded people are not alike.
So, if we are waiting to find some person with whom you know, then we are ideal match. It’s never going to happen. So, yes, we are living in a particular community, and if we think all the devotees in our community are not like-minded, therefore I’ll not associate with them, then what will happen is instead of finding like-minded association, we will end up liking our mind, and the mind will mislead us eventually.
So, we recognize that there will always be some level of difference will always be there, but there are some devotees with whom we can actually gel with more closely, other devotees not so closely. So, by observing in the devotee community and especially we look at their interests. Okay, what is the devotee interested in? Some devotees like kirtan a lot, some devotees will like distribution of books, some devotees will like to do services of the deities, some devotees will like to study scripture deeply.
So, we can see, and what a devotee likes becomes quite easy to know when you talk with them. What they like is what they normally talk about. So, by observing their interests and then understanding our own interests, this is what interest, some devotees like to memorize verses, some devotees like to sing songs, sing spiritual songs.
So, we find out what is it that these devotees like and find out what is it that we like. See, when we say we want like-minded association, it is also, one more problem is that we also don’t really know what is our interest. That is also something which is developing gradually.
So, usually, we need to have some senior devotee who guides us regularly and along with that guidance, that guidance doesn’t mean that we don’t have the responsibility for our own spiritual growth. So, that guidance keeps us over on track. So, while doing whatever our devotee guides are telling us, at that time we can also observe ourselves.
Yeah, with this devotee, I really can have nice association, I feel spiritually inspired. While doing this thing, I feel enlivened. Oh, this service, I am able to do well.
So, we keep observing ourselves also. So, by observing others, we understand their interests, we understand what are their likes and by observing ourselves, we understand what are our interests, what are our likes and then we can find where is the intersection between the two. So, it requires a good amount of introspection and in general, if some relationships, if we find some like-minded association, then we should treasure that as a gift from Krishna.
Even if we have one or two devotee friends with whom we are like-minded, that can help us go on for a long way in our spiritual life. So, if we find some and in general, any relationship, it is developing any relationship is like planting a tree. When you plant a tree, the fruits take some time to come.
Before that, we have to put in efforts. So, if you find, oh, this is a devotee with whom I would like to develop a relationship, then we need to invest in terms of, let’s say, the tree needs to be watered, we need to spend some time and gradually by this, that the relationship will grow. And especially, if we find that there is something, some aspect of bhakti which inspires us, then we can take the initiative to try to find out, to associate with other devotees who are in that way, if we have some specific interest.
And that way, we can develop that interest and we can grow in like-minded association. So, overall, the important thing is not being judgmental about what association we have, rejecting it as not being like-minded, accepting that, but within whatever association we have, we observe others, again, non-judgmentally, and we observe ourselves, and then find a circle of, or rather, find a sector which is the intersection of their interests and our interests. And that way, we can grow in our bhakti through like-minded association.
Does it answer your question? Thank you.