Having a teacher

Sri Chinmoy: Do you think it will be possible for you to come this evening? I shall be meditating at the Cathedral. There you will see me meditating and contemplating. I will invoke God's Presence for you and for the other visitors who are sincere, and at that time you are bound to feel something. When I invoke God's Presence, at that time God's Presence comes into the seekers. I invoke and bring all of their divine qualities to the fore so that they can receive God's Light in abundant measure according to their capacity.

Ian Cairns: And afterwards, how do you continue to meditate? Do you just do it by yourself or do you have some school, or what?

Sri Chinmoy: Some surfers come to you because you are an authority on that subject. They know that if they come to you, they will be able to learn everything in a very convincing manner. Again, there have been a few experienced and talented human beings, like Tagore and others, who didn't go to school. But we can't say that they are not men of wisdom. No, they are. But these are exceptions. Otherwise, most men of knowledge went to school and had a teacher. Meditation you can practise all by yourself or in groups; but if you want to make the most satisfactory progress, you need a teacher. Your students practise surfing. They may make mistakes, but when they come to you, you counsel them and tell them this is wrong, this is right. So if they believe in you, they don't commit the same mistakes again. Someone can learn surfing without a teacher, but it takes a much longer time. In the spiritual life, time is of paramount importance. I know that my Goal is not stationary; my Goal is constantly transcending itself. Today we have a Goal; tomorrow the Goal is something higher and deeper, more illumining and more fulfilling. If you have a teacher, the teacher helps you considerably. There are many teachers. Some students have implicit faith in you, so they come to you whereas there will be some students who will have more faith in somebody else, so they will go to that person. In my case also, I say that if somebody sees something in me and feels that I am the right person to be of service to him, then he can try my path. But if he feels that somebody else can give him more Light, more Knowledge, more Wisdom, more Peace, then I tell him to go to that person. But a teacher is necessary. He will expedite your journey. Once you reach the Goal, it is just a matter of time before you will become a teacher. Previously you were a student of surfing and now you have become a teacher. But you started your life as a student.

Ian Cairns: Thank you very much.

Sri Chinmoy: Thank you, thank you.