And to remind ourselves enlightenment isn't just achieved overnight. Every desire at its core, conscious or unconscious, is to reside in Gods Love. We mistakenly place our Faith in things temporary in nature. A doctor may take 20 years to obtain his degree- a soul becoming conscious of its deepest desire may take lifetimes to obtain God-Realization...
"The soul's true happiness lies in experiencing the inner joy, and it will never be fully satisfied with outer, seeming pleasures. Its connection is with God, and nothing short of perfection will ever satisfy it." — Hazrat Inayat Khan
Successful people are not successful because they never fail, they are successful because they don't stop trying... So it is, our practices are not a Fad but a lifestyle- knowing we're working on improving years and generations of now undesirable behavior.
Don't be discouraged because you aren't the embodiment of some end result you've envisioned... Count your blessings and notice where you are now in Life compared to where you were then- if you are noticing progress, consider this a success as you continue on with the practices that have helped you get where you are now.
Steve,
isn't Kriya Yoga a shortcut?