Question: How can we better listen to our inner voice?

Sri Chinmoy: When the mind is pure, absolutely pure, we can easily hear the inner voice. At that time we can hear the inner voice clearly, plus correctly. Sometimes when we hear the voice, it is twisted by the impure mind. If the mind has impurity or wrong thoughts, then the voice is twisted. We hear the voice, but we hear it in a different way. But when the mind is pure, absolutely pure, the inner voice we will hear exactly the way we are supposed to hear it.

If we want to hear the inner voice, the mind has to be very clear. It need not be impurity as such — vital or physical impurity — that prevents us from hearing the inner voice. If any wrong thought enters into our mind, the inner voice does not come to us very clearly. This is the problem.

The inner voice is always eager, eager to help us. The inner voice is not something that we have to pray, pray and pray for all the time. It is like the mother, who is always ready to tell the child, “Do the right thing! This is the right thing.” But the child does not pay attention because the child has so many other things to do.

Purity and silence are needed. If we can develop purity and silence in the mind, then we can easily hear the inner voice. The inner voice is always eager to help you and to help us all.