Question: Is it possible to hasten the pace at which seekers gradually move beyond such forms of distraction or entertainment as novels and television? If you burn all your novels, are you really overcoming what may be a genuine need at that time?

Sri Chinmoy: If one enters into the spiritual life and feels that the spiritual life comes first and foremost, then let him gain some strength in the spiritual life before he begins to indulge in this kind of entertainment. When a seeker enters into the spiritual life, his first and foremost concern is to pay all attention to his meditation, to his aspiration. If he wants to have a large view of human life — the emotional life and all that — then he should first establish some purity, some confidence, some light inside his system. When he is strong enough in his own aspiration and meditation, then let him read. But if he is not well-established in his spiritual life, then everything he reads or sees will affect him. So why should he put an unnecessary burden on his shoulders? True, it will not ultimately prevent him from reaching the goal, but it will definitely delay his progress.