Question: Does spiritual awareness come only through meditation?

Sri Chinmoy: It comes either through meditation or aspiration. Also, if a great, advanced soul, a spiritual Master, wants to make you aware of the inner, spiritual life, he can do so. If a person does not aspire and meditate, but a spiritual Master wants to inspire that person because he sees that he has spiritual capacity, he can do so. If somebody is fast asleep in the spiritual world, but he has potentiality, then the Master awakens the flame of aspiration within him.

But generally it is through meditation that one can become aware of one's inner life. Prayer is very good, but it does not help as much. With your prayer, you are making contact with an object or a person; but with your meditation you are entering into the vast universe. The universe becomes yours when you enter into your deepest meditation; the whole world is at your disposal. When we know how to meditate, then the entire world becomes ours; whereas in prayer it is only me and God. Humanity as a whole is not entering into the picture.