Question: Some days I feel that instead of meditating I want to say prayers or I want to do something for another person. Is that the ego?

Sri Chinmoy: No. The best thing is to meditate every day. If you cannot meditate, then pray. But you cannot say that you only want to increase your selfless service and forget about your meditation. No! If you want to help people, then help people after you have done your meditation. You have to do the first thing first. You have to meditate. If you cannot meditate, you can pray. Ultimately, prayer and meditation will give you the same goal. But to go without praying or meditating is like going without money. Without any wealth, what are you going to have to give to others? If you pray, you acquire inner wealth; but if you don't have inner wealth you are like a beggar.

Then, when you have spiritual wealth, you must give your wealth to the right person, and not to the wrong person. There will be many who need your help, but if you give to the wrong person, then you are creating more problems for him and for yourself.