Hare Krsna,
I have a question about being initiated at the age of 56 years old.
How do devotees serve Guru from a distance?
I still provode for my family and have 4 more years until I retire from my job.
How do I do it?
My desire is to fufill my destiny as an initiated devotee.
I know my question is probably elementary, so please forgive my ignorance in this matter.
any help would be appreciated.
This answer from Swami is from the Sanga called:
Faith In Sri Guru.
http://www.swami.org/sanga/archives/pages/...ght/v08n09.html
Q: What can a working person like myself possibly do to serve a guru? What form might this service take?
A: Hearing and chanting are the main service and as a working person you can also serve the mission by contributing financially towards its maintenance and expansion. Householders often have responsibilities that make it difficult for them to render service directly to the mission of Sri Guru and Gauranga. Still, there will be special opportunities for service that arise from time to time, and when they do, you should take them seriously. We live for such opportunities.
Brahma's response is right on point, of course. As far as service beyond financial support is concerned, I'd suggest that you help with the lecture-description service that Nanda-tanuja prabhu is managing, if that's the kind of thing you think you could do. One benefit, as has been mentioned before, is that you get free mp3 files of Swami's talks.
As far as initiation goes, my observation has been that in our group it's an individual thing. Swami likes prospective disciples to study his books, along with Srila Prabhupada's, subscribe to Audarya Audio, and do some service for the mission according to our capacity. Also, he gives initiation in person, so either you'd have to visit Audarya or wait for another opportunity for him to visit New Mexico, as he did somewhat recently when Hamsavatar inaugurated his preaching center near Pecos. Your desire will make it happen.
Yes, your desire is already half of the solution and answer you are looking for. I don't have much to add to the words of my guru and his godbrothers, but it struck me to read in more than one point "get initiated at 56" as you were late or useless. You are 56 if you start counting time from this birth, if you think you are late at 56, think of all the time you have spent in material consciousness; time is such a relative thing. How about starting to count from the day of your initiation, as the word initiate implies? Then you'd be in the negative numbers right now, and you'd have to catch up as soon as you can. From the relativity of time you'd take your first step into the Absolute, as an ageless spirit soul wanting to unite with Krsna. Once that happens in a sincere heart, then it's only a matter of surfing the wave of mercy that will take you to the shore.
On the topic of initiation I read this from a book called "The Dance of the Dissident Daughter". It may not address specifically your questions Joseph, but I just found it insightful.
"If I had to reduce the meaning of initiation to just two words, they would be death and rebirth. These are the essential tasks in any initiation. The old forms, which grew small and confining as we awoke, now crumble and give way as something new and large and mysterious rises inside us. Initiation is a sacred disintegration. Despite it's pain, we carry the conviction that even though we don't know where we'll end up, we're following a soul-path of immense richness, that we're supposed to be on this path, that it's required of us somehow. We move in a sense of rightness, of lure, of following a flute that pipes irresistible music."
The path of service to Sri Guru and Gauranga is a rare and special one that leads us to that beautiful flute playing cowherd boy, Venugopal. It is wonderful that you have joined this path, regardless of age, and Gurumaharaj, as a kind and able guide, will help you in the technicalities and practicalities.