Progress is almost always very gradual and might be the greatest when least apparent. Immediate spectacular changes may be a superstructure without foundation and collapse later.

 (from "The Teachings of Sri Ramana Maharshi in His Own Words):

Not all felt the grace, the power of silent initiation, immediately, but Bhagavan reassured them.

Question: It is said that one look of a Mahatma is enough; that idols, pilgrimages, and so on, are not so effective; but I have been here for three months and still do not know how I have been benefitted by the look of the Maharshi. 

Bhagavan: The look has a purifying effect. Purification cannot be visualised. Just as a piece of coal takes a long time to ignite and a piece of charcoal a shorter time, while a heap of gunpowder is ignited instantaneously, so it is with different types of men coming in contact with a Mahatma.

Incidentally, the devotee [that was Major A. Chadwick] who raised this question stayed on and became one of the staunchest and most devoted of all. Complete faith in the Guru was necessary but, as explained in the previous chapter, effort was also necessary.

Question: After leaving this Asramam in October, I was aware of Bhagavan’s peace enfolding me for about ten days. All the time, while busy with work, there was an undercurrent of that peace of unity; it was almost like the dual consciousness while half asleep in a dull lecture. Then it faded out entirely and the old stupidities came instead. Work leaves no time for separate meditation. Is the constant reminder ‘I am’ and trying to feel this while actually at work enough?

Bhagavan: It will become constant when the mind is strengthened. Repeated practice strengthens the mind, and such a mind is capable of holding on to the current. Then, whether you are engaged in work or not, the current remains unaffected and uninterrupted.

It often happened that the disciple saw no improvement in himself despite the effort, but he was told to have faith in the Guru. The process might not be visible to himself and improvement might be the greatest when least apparent. He evoked no spectacular changes in the devotees, for such changes may be a superstructure without foundation and collapse later. Indeed, it sometimes happened that a devotee would grow despondent, seeing no improvement at all in himself and would complain that he was not progressing at all. In such cases Bhagavan might offer consolation or might retort, ‘How do you know there is no progress?’ And he would explain that it is the Guru, not the disciple, who sees the progress made; it is for the disciple to carry on perserveringly with his work even though the structure being raised may be out of sight of the mind.