Question: If we chant somebody's name, especially when they are asleep, does it feed their soul?

Sri Chinmoy: To be very frank with you, if you chant somebody's name when they are fast asleep, it won't have any effect on them. You have to forgive me. You may be chanting with all your love and affection and concern for your friend or loved one, but unfortunately you will not be able to identify yourself with your friend's soul. Her soul may be somewhere, in some region, that you cannot enter. But in my case, I identify wherever the soul is. Whichever region the soul is in, at any time I can go and enter. When you become one with the soul, then it becomes effective.

When I make my fervent request to you, as your spiritual leader, to repeat the Supreme's name, I take all of you inside my heart. All of you, at that time, are absolutely in my heart, in the inmost recesses of my heart. So if you want to, repeat the name of the Supreme or your Guru's name and then say your prayer for the person. I always feel that you should repeat your Guru's name and the Supreme's name. When you repeat the Supreme's name, the Supreme Himself identifies Himself with you. He is all the time within you, whereas your friend's soul is not always inside you. The Supreme's Soul is there, and your soul is in the Supreme. So if you repeat the name of the Supreme and then offer your prayer to the Supreme, you will get the most immediate result in your prayer.