Question: When you speak of touching the tree of realisation, is that like being in an altered state of consciousness, some psychological state?

Sri Chinmoy: It is not a psychological state; it is an inner experience that enters into our consciousness. In the inner world, on the ladder of consciousness there are many rungs. One particular rung is the realisation-rung. A higher rung is the revelation-rung. Another, still higher, is the manifestation-rung. But these are not psychological states. Psychology does not apply to the spiritual life, All spiritual experiences take place in the realm of the universal Heart.