Question: Guru, when you ask us if we are all right, do you expect us to tell you how we are, or does your asking only mean that you have fixed our problem or are working on it?

Sri Chinmoy: In the ordinary human world, as soon as you see someone you say, "How are you? Are you all right?" There is no feeling in it. It is only a habit which you have learned from your great-great-grandfathers. History has handed down to us this unrealistic if not heartless form of expression, which shows no soulful oneness with the rest of the world. But when I ask you people, "How are you?" it is not that kind of superficial greeting. Most of the time it means that I see you have some serious problems. Sometimes after I am totally successful, I ask, "How are you?" in order to get a kind of confirmation from you. Sometimes, even if I have not yet achieved success, while I am in the process of fighting against the wrong forces I try to hear from you if you are aware of them.

Sometimes I ask you, "How are you?" when I see a wave of undivine forces attacking you people. Here I don't expect you to be aware of those forces, but while I am asking, I am strengthening your physical, vital, mind and heart. Then, with that added strength in every part of your being, you can fight against the forces that may be attacking you in the form of fear, doubt, anxiety, worry, frustration and a sense of unworthiness. At that time, if your soul is strong enough to convince the mind, vital and body of the necessity of receiving more light, abundant light, infinite light from me, then I achieve greater success and the seeker in you achieves unimaginable progress.