Just like when a little child wants to walk, first the child has to learn to crawl.Do you remember when you had to learn to crawl? Very difficult, you were just laying there and then you start crawling. Then you see everyone around you walking, you want to be like them and you try to walk. Your father and mother you are holding there finger. You fall down. Every time you try to walk you keep falling down. But through the process of practice you develop the strength and the wisdom to walk. And now, how many of you think about walking when you are walking. Its absolutely natural. But to come to that spontaneous natural state of walking it actually took a lot of failed attempts but you didn't give up. So similarly we chant the Holy Names, we try to live a spiritual devotional life and it maybe difficult at times. But if we just keep trying sincerely and try to associate with people, read books that give us strength and wisdom, then gradually we develop realization and wisdom. Then spiritual life is just like walking, it becomes natural to us.
The reason a child is able to learn to walk is because the ability is inherent within the child. If the ability was not inherent in the child to be able to walk it would have never been able to walk.But through practice we develop our inherent abilities and that is the spiritual life is too. To become peaceful and happy and to take shelter of the Holy Name is inherent within the soul, but it takes practice. Along with that Rupa Goswami said two qualities are very important -perseverance and patience. We must be enthused to persevere but at the same time it may take some time. We must persevere with patience.
Lecture: Chetana-Power of Sound Vibration
