Sri Aurobindo
Letters of Sri Aurobindo
Volume 3
There are people who start at once, others take time.
Anilbaran recognised the Mother as divine at first sight and has been happy ever afterwards; others who rank among Mother’s devotees took years to discover or admit it, but they arrived all the same. There are people who had nothing but difficulties and revolts for the first five, six, seven or more years of the sadhana, yet the psychic ended by awaking. The time taken is a secondary matter: the one thing needful is – soon or late, easily or with difficulty to get there. H’s case is 
different. His insincerity came in his wanting to carry on his lower devil and higher angel in one happy family team, or to pretend that the latter did not exist shouting when he was in revolt or misery, “I am great, I am glorious, I am full of light and love, etc. etc.” He tried to get rid of his difficulties by ignoring them or pretending they were not difficulties but only little amusing gambols of his nature.... I would suggest to you to drop irrelevant comparisons and go ahead on your own way till the light that is beginning to dawn becomes the full day-light.