Question: If something is close to you that is not inspiring, how can you protect yourself?

Sri Chinmoy: Let us take your own mind. Although the mind is your possession, the mind has also possessed you. The mind is not aspiring, let us say. Now, if the mind is unaspiring, if it is torturing you, how can you get rid of the mind? Usually we think of the mind as being inside the head. If you ask somebody to chop your head off because your mind is there, will you remain alive? Impossible! No, you should not try to detach yourself if there is something unaspiring which is very close to you. Only try to transform it.

If jealousy has entered into your mind, then immediately you have to think of the opposite of jealousy. Just say, “She is my spiritual sister. Why should I be jealous? She has good qualities, and I also have many good qualities. Guru is telling us all the time to feel our oneness. If I cannot establish this oneness, will he not feel sad?” That is how you can save yourself.

As soon as any unaspiring thought comes, immediately try to replace it with a good thought. Anything unaspiring that is close to you has to be transformed. What can be closer than your own mind? In a different sense, the heart is closer to you, the heart is dearest, but at the same time, you have to use the mind. So when anything uninspiring enters into the mind, you have to transform it into aspiration.

Of course, the supreme philosophy is to be detached. Detachment is very good, but for a seeker at your stage of evolution, detachment is almost impossible. Detachment is a very difficult subject, like unconditional surrender. For most seekers, unconditional surrender does not last for more than five seconds. When your desire is fulfilled, you surrender. When your desire is not fulfilled, are you ready to surrender? No, all the arrows of your hunger you hurl at God. Surrender has a very short breath. Detachment, unconditional surrender and some other things are very, very difficult; they come at a very high stage. But the other way, replacement, is easy.