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These "mistakes" can easily be considered a fragment of our normal
path as human beings, but isn't there a way to avoid this?
One simple thing to do is ask around among those you trust. You still
might make some "bad" calls, but it helps to get references. Putting in
some serious time researching on websites, usenet, etc. can also help
provide some valuable perspective.
One may also benefit from just remembering that an initiatic order (even
the finest of them) can only point you along the way and provide some
helpful advice and guidance. (Not that I'm categorically saying that
nobody can ever pass on a legitimate "Transmission" of some kind. I'll
dodge that one for now.) For all intents and purposes, the initiate has
to do the real work, albeit with some handy tools provided by The Order.
When one has done one's very best research, one must make a judgement
call and then attempt to follow through with it. Each of us is, at
worst, a blink or so away from total Awakening, as Pema Chodron would
say, so one's best guess and a dedicated effort are a fine place to start.