Question: Master Chinmoy, from the spiritual point of view does the New Year have any special significance?

Sri Chinmoy: From the spiritual point of view the New Year has a special significance. On the eve of the New Year, a new consciousness dawns on earth. God once again inspires each human being, each creature with new Hope, new Light, Peace and Bliss. God always wants us to move farther, farthest; He does not want us to look back. We know when a runner runs fast, while running fast if he looks back, he drops to the ground. Similarly, if we constantly look behind at the year that we are leaving aside, thinking of our sorrow, miseries, frustrations and all that, we lose everything that we gained. But if we look forward, ahead, we see hope dawning deep within us, we see a new light illumining our consciousness.

Each New Year is like a rung on the ladder of consciousness; we have to climb up the ladder of consciousness and each New Year serves the purpose of a rung in the ladder. When the New Year dawns, we have to make ourselves conscious of the fact that we are going to transcend ourselves. We have to go beyond the present capacity, beyond our present achievement. And when we have that kind of firm determination, God showers His choicest blessings upon our devoted heads and He says, “New Year dawns, a new consciousness dawns deep within you. Run towards the destined goal.” And we listen to God, we listen to the dictates of our inner soul, we run towards the Ultimate Reality. The New Year energises us, encourages us, inspires us to run towards that Ultimate Truth.