Question: How do you explain the popularity of Eastern religions in this country?

Sri Chinmoy: Something is unfortunately lacking or missing in the Western world and that thing one can call love, psychic love, heart’s love. At this point the parents must forgive me when I say that in general they do not show enough love to their children. In India the way we get love — sometimes it is too much; we are spoiled. But in the West, children don’t get enough love. Eastern religion, Western religion, all religions are founded upon love, compassion, concern. But when it is a matter of expressing or communicating love, in the West it is not shown as it should be. The Eastern spiritual Masters offer boundless love to their spiritual children.

Here in the West when children grow up, immediately they see that their parents have a different life. They don’t have their vision inside their children anymore. When they are absolutely little children, the parents think they will grow up and bring name and fame to the family. But when they are six or seven, the parents just give the children to the babysitter and go to clubs, movies, or other entertainment. They lead their own lives, and the babysitter becomes the parent. But why should she take responsibility for other people’s children? She thinks all the time of her own life. Then the children will also have their own life — a frustrated and undisciplined life — because nobody gives them the love and concern that they need.

Then, in the church, most of the priests are preaching spiritual truths, but they do not practise what they preach. Sometimes they do not really understand it. They tell what the truth is, but they do not or cannot live it; therefore, they are unable to inspire their students deeply.

About six years ago I gave a talk at Yale. During the question and answer period a professor of psychology stood up and said to me, “Whatever you are saying is not new to me or to my students. Everything you have said today during your talk and during the questions and answers, I have been telling my students. But look how they are listening to you, with such rapt attention!” Then a student beside him stood up and said, “There is a little difference between him and you.” The students saw something in me and gave real importance to what I was telling them, because my words and my actions, to the students, were one. But in the professor’s case, words and actions were two totally different things, unfortunately.