Question: How are we going to be one with the Supreme if we're still tied up in the physical world, trying to manifest? We're using up all that we have.

Sri Chinmoy: To manifest means to be tied up? That is your conception? When you eat, you enter into the world of food and get the realisation of food; you realise the strength of the food. Then, the next moment, what do you do? You work. You go to your shop, you go to your office and work. First you identify yourself with something powerful; then you manifest it. We say food is God: Annam Brahma. But material food the body also needs. When your body is weak, you cannot do any work. When you enter into the world of food, that means that you are entering into the world of power, dynamic power. Then you manifest this power through work. So, realisation and manifestation have to go together.

Early in the morning when you meditate, you enter into the spiritual plane, inner plane, where there is Peace, Light and Bliss. That is realisation. Then, the next moment you have to offer it to your spiritual brothers and sisters. That is manifestation. When you are eating you are realising the food-power. When you are meditating, you are realising the spiritual power. Then, the next moment, even if you are talking to some very bad people, you are not disturbed. That is called manifestation. Or you will talk to someone and he will see in you something sweet, something divine, something kind. Most people say nasty, cruel, unkind things, but when you say something, it is kind and sympathetic. So is this not the manifestation of the realisation that you had early in the morning while you were praying to the Supreme?

When you meditate, you are entering into the world of realisation. And after that, when you enter into the everyday world, that is your manifestation. Meditation means realisation of the Highest. What you do after meditation — action — that is called real manifestation. Through realisation, manifestation must come. But if you ignore manifestation, if you ignore the everyday world, you will be living in the sky. If you want to remain only in the sky, it is impossible.

You may feel, "How can I think of God and, at the same time, mix with silly people?" But you can do it. When you drive a car, six or seven things you are doing together: turning the wheel, pushing the pedal, and so on. You have that capacity; you have acquired that capacity. Right now I am talking to you, but inwardly I am doing many things. I have acquired that capacity. So, when you people are one with the Supreme Consciousness, you will not be tied up with anything. But when you are not, then you are doomed.