Question: I saw a picture of you with your hands folded like this. What does that mean?

Sri Chinmoy: When I keep my hands raised and folded, it means that I am invoking peace, light and bliss for my disciples and for the seekers. And also I do something else. With my inner cry I try to lift up my disciples, that is, to raise their consciousness. On the one hand, I look up and bring down the infinite Grace and Compassion of the Supreme. On the other hand, with my fervent prayer, my inner prayer, I try to raise the consciousness of the disciples. I do two things at a time. I bring down and I lift up. I bring down peace, light and bliss and I lift the disciples up so that they can climb up with me.

Inside me is the consciousness of all the disciples. The consciousness of the disciples within me is like a mounting cry rising to the Highest. So when I invoke the Supreme with folded hands, the aspiring consciousness which I have with the disciples goes up and the realised consciousness which I have with the Supreme comes down and they meet together.

When I meditate, when I invoke the Supreme with my hands folded, my sincere disciples are all inside me, so I raise them to the Highest with my own inner power, with my intense inner capacity, as far as they can go, according to their receptivity. And at the same time, I have the capacity to enter into the Highest, whom I call the Supreme. So from Him I bring down all divine qualities. I act like a beggar at that time. With folded hands I pray to the Supreme: “Please give my Your wealth for Your spiritual children.” Again, I ask the disciples here: “Please come up, let us see the Father, our eternal Father.” I am in between. My disciples are all younger brothers and sisters, so I carry them to our Father, to our Source, the Absolute Supreme.