Question: Guru, I know you say that outer obedience is much easier than inner obedience. Do you feel that disciples should be able to develop obedience to you in their thoughts and feelings immediately if they really want to make their life totally for the Supreme?

Sri Chinmoy: Good girl, inner obedience is infinitely more difficult than outer obedience. Outer obedience is like drinking water. Suppose a disciple has come here for five days, and I say to him, “Gan you stay one day more?” Then perhaps he will say, “Oh no, I have so many important things to do.” He feels that the enterprise where he works will collapse without him. He is the most important person! One day longer he cannot stay to be with his Master. Is it not the easiest thing? But if you want to conquer your doubt, conquer your jealousy, conquer your insecurity, pride and impurity, as your Master is telling you to do, how difficult it is! We have a prayer for each day to conquer the undivine qualities. I do hope some people still say those daily prayers.¹⁴

Inner obedience is so difficult. The Master is telling you, “Conquer your jealousy, conquer your insecurity!” Early in the morning you promise that you will not be insecure. Alas, alas, the first person you see makes you feel insecure, because that person has done something special. Jealousy, insecurity and all the other undivine qualities go together. They belong to the same family. How difficult it is to conquer these inner weaknesses! Outer weaknesses are easier, much easier, to conquer.

Disobedience means self-importance — nothing else. Obedience means God-importance. Disobedience can be defined in one word: self-importance. Again, obedience is God-importance. Obedient people say, “God is more important in my life than my own opinion of myself.” As soon as somebody disobeys the Master, that person is more important than the Master in his own life. Let us start with outer obedience. If we can do the easier thing, we get joy and we get the capacity to do the more difficult thing.

How nicely you all have written about obedience and disobedience! How mature you are in writing about the world of obedience and disobedience! They say poets have no character. They fly and fly with their words, but when reality comes, they cannot even walk. Now let us see if you can practise what you have written. You have said such nice things! All are nice, and some are so good. If you can practise what you have written, then the God-realisation-door is wide open.