"Be slow to fall into friendship; but when thou art in, continue firm and constant."
-Socrates
The people that you surround yourself with have a huge impact on your life, association can effect you so strongly even without the phsycial presence. The things you read, watch, listen to, eat...etc have the potential to lure you deeper into the clutches of Maya. Almost anything around you has the potential to make you identify with the body. That's why it's important to understand the Antaranga Shakti (Internal Energy of the Divine) and Bahiranga (external aspect of the lord usually referred to as the inferior nature or matter). We are actually the internal energy but when we identify with The Bahiranga then we are called Tatasha Shakti (Marginal Energy).
It is very easy to be absorbed in the things around you, specially with the help of the raging senses, the mind, intelligence and the false ego. The process that is recommended to surpass these obstacles is by trying to situate your self in the mode of goodness.
Once situated, then one can start to see how things really are. Appreciation and gratefulness take over...this leads to the natural mood of service that is embedded within our hearts. This mood of service develops in to Love. The intention of that service is the key.
If you notice, everybody is serving in some way. If its your dog, your wife, husband, friend, company, society etc...however what we tend to serve most is our desire to lord it over material nature. We are constantly finding ways to satisfy our senses for our own pleasure.
The more we try and manipulate material nature for our desires, the deeper we interact with our Karma.
However, by dovetailing these propensities to a higher level of consciousness allows one to experience Ananda transcendental bliss that cannot be explained by words. If the intention is Bhakti then every act becomes pure and you can step out of the cycles of birth. death and Karma It has to be real though...If there is a tinge of selfish desire to enjoy then it is called Viddha Bhakti (contaminated devotional service), the way you can really cleanse all misconceptions is through Paraa Bhakti (unalloyed devotional service and unconditional love which is the purest form of Bhakti).
Thus the self-controlled yogi, constantly engaged in yoga practice, becomes free from all material contamination and achieves the highest stage of perfect happiness in transcendental loving service to the Lord.
B.G 6.28
Instead of being distractions for one another, we can help each other dovetail our habits and help one another fight the anarthas (unwanted things) that keep us grounded in this material platform. We have to be Spiritual Warriors. We should be strong mentally, physically, materially and spiritually. Just because guns might not be firing around your vicinity doesn't mean there isn't a war...she is trickier and more powerful than that. And once you become a little sincere is when she starts to wage full on war, Guerilla style.
Trying to fight a war alone can be difficult for us weaker folk. But that is why there is Sankirtan Yoga, the more the merrier.
"Reminding each other about our constitutional position is the true meaning of friendship...being Firm and Constant."
(Views from Krishna Kishore Prabhu's Facebook Page of Mayapuris Kirtan )
"Real friends do not just stroke each other's egos or encourage nonsense, but remind one another about what is most essential. True friends are those who connect with us spiritually, motivating us to move faster toward the ultimate goal. Their own examples should remind us of the benefits of remaining faithful to the devotional process." -
BT Swami, Spiritual Warrior p.105
"When a non envious devotee sees a better devotee than himself, he becomes very happy and at once makes friendship with him"
H.Radhanath Swami Maharaj
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