Question: Does not the desire for satisfaction represent a barrier to the realisation of the Supreme?

Sri Chinmoy: We have to know what kind of satisfaction it is. If we remain in the desire-world, we immediately cry for satisfaction. We expect something and inside that expectation is the feeling that satisfaction will dawn if we walk along the road of desire. But if we walk along the path of aspiration, our aim is not satisfaction. Our aim is to become a perfect instrument of God. We are not crying for satisfaction; we are crying only to establish our unconditional surrender to God's Will. While we are aiming at this loftiest Goal, God, out of His infinite Bounty, says, "My child is trying so hard to please Me in My own Way; it is My Duty to give him some satisfaction." But as seekers, we are not crying for satisfaction. We are crying only for one thing: to become good, perfect, unconditional instruments of God so that God can manifest Himself in and through us

When we walk along the path of aspiration, we will be satisfied not by getting Peace, Light and Bliss; we will be satisfied only if we can satisfy God in God's own Way. Suppose God stands in front of us and we feel that we have to show God our utmost devotion. So we bring flowers or candles or incense, something to show our devotion. But God says, "No! This is not what I want. I don't want this. I want something else. Bring me a book or a glass of water." Our human mind says that since God is in front of us, we should go and place flowers at His Feet. But if we identify with God's Will, we will immediately know that God does not want flowers from us; He wants some material object or something else. When we can make unconditional surrender to God's Will, we immediately know what God wants from us and what He wants us to do.