Hare Krishna dear devotees,
Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
I have been practicing Krishna consciousness for some time, but sometimes I feel lonely because it is difficult to find sincere devotee friends nearby. Many people around me do not understand spiritual life, and this affects my motivation and association.
How do devotees stay spiritually strong when they lack good association in daily life? Any advice or personal experience would be very helpful.
Hare Krishna.
Replies
You can also connect with online devotee communities or local virtual programs to find that much-needed encouragement and keep your spiritual momentum strong.
retro bowl
Hare Krishna. Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
I can understand how difficult it can feel when there aren't many devotees nearby. I think it helps to remember that association can also be maintained through regular hearing and reading, even when physical association isn't possible. Listening to lectures, reading Srila Prabhupada's books, and staying connected with sincere devotees online can give a lot of strength.
At the same time, I wouldn't become discouraged by people who don't understand spiritual life. We can try to remain respectful and compassionate toward everyone while keeping our own daily practices steady. Even a small amount of sincere association can be very heardle valuable.
I hope you find some good devotee friends in your area soon. Please keep going with your practice—periods of loneliness don't mean you're moving backward. Hare Krishna.
Hare Krishna, Pandrhola,
I don't have any devotees I see in person in my day to day life. I have never physically met another devotee to this day. I live in a smaller city in the southern parts of the United States and everyone around me is either atheist or Christian and does not understand my views. However, I have sought out online assosciation as much as possible. I join regular Sage Groups that are offered through Wisom of the Sages, and have online sanga once a week. It has helped me greatly.
There are a lot of online groups that one can find and join that meet reguarly.
I hope this helps!