When you begin consciously on the path to Soul work, what is happening is that your personality has just woken up to the call.  It may have felt stirrings come and go, but is now ready to integrate the personality with the Soul.  This is when personal arrogance comes to the fore, to struggle mind against Soul.  The mind, meaning the personal-ity, rebels as it feels itself being overpowered by the Soul.  In so doing, it becomes its own tool of transformation. In feigning more spiritual understanding than it has with those it wants to impress, the personality will ask for initiation and assure it’s time, the student/the chela is ready.  “Give me the shakti, give me the teaching, I am ready for it.” The guru knows the truth yet is bound to give what’s asked for. The consequences unfold, not as the chela expected.  It is often years before understanding sets in. When they meet again, it is on more equal footing, facades and power play of the personality having been worked through.  The harder the conditions of life, the more powerful the work; provided however you always remember the work.  Deep soul work is no easy thing until pride and vanity are overcome.  Deep soul work includes humility, honesty, transparency and willingness to communicate, for all closures and partings to be happy and congenial.  It’s not for everyone, but oh, the rewards: a lifetime of joy, understanding and fulfillment, no matter who is or is not in it.