Question: Recently we were meditating four or five times a day. Has the effort of doing this caused any general improvement in our consciousness during the day?

Sri Chinmoy: Some disciples have made considerable progress. The power you have developed, the capacity you have developed can be used tomorrow for God-realisation. Now it is being used for God-manifestation. Once we establish more receptivity in meditation by practice, the physical also gets more strength. Then tomorrow we can do something else with the strength we have accumulated.

Some of you have been meditating four times a day. Out of a half hour session some of you have meditated well for, say, ten minutes, and out of a total of two hours during the day, you may have meditated extremely well for half an hour. Previously you meditated only half an hour for your God-realisation. Out of half an hour perhaps you have meditated well for only two minutes because you found that sleep did not leave you. Here you are meditating many times a day and each time you meditate well, you develop some capacity. This capacity you are using now for a special purpose. This capacity does not go away. At another time when you have another goal to achieve, you can use this capacity which you have acquired. Instead of meditating for God-manifestation, you can meditate not for any special purpose, but to become an absolutely perfect instrument of the Supreme.

So, the power that you have acquired to sit and meditate can and must be utilised for different things. If you did not acquire that capacity, naturally you would not be able to use it. Some of you have really acquired capacity, developed some inner muscles. You are not meditating mechanically; there is some inner vision.