Question: How can I cultivate the mature kind of beauty that you spoke of without losing the innocent childlike beauty?

Sri Chinmoy: When you are with your older spiritual brothers, you have to feel that you are only one year old. Show all your innocent qualities to them. They will be pleased with your childlike simplicity, and not with your cleverness or how much you know. But when you are in front of your equals or your younger brothers, at that time you won't be strict or complicated. You will maintain your childlike quality, but also you have to prove to them that you have some wisdom, some light. Just as you are inspired by the wisdom of your superiors, others have to be inspired by your wisdom and height.

When you are with your younger brothers, feel that they have to come up to your height of sincerity and light. And when you are with your elder brothers, try to climb up the ladder to their height. When you are with the little ones, at that time keep your divine dignity, but not pride. And when you are with the older ones, have the feeling that you are climbing up to them. In this way, you won't lose your childlike simplicity.

When I cut jokes with you people, I become much younger than you. And when I become serious, at that time you can hardly approach me. When I meditate, at that time I am somebody else. This moment I act like your real spiritual father — very stern and strict — because I have to inspire you to go up the ladder. And the next moment, when I cut jokes with you, I act like someone who is much younger than you. If you can do this, then you can be both spiritually mature and childlike.