Question: I feel that my heart or my soul has been very, very dry. Does that mean I have desire? How can my life become more joyful?

Sri Chinmoy: You use the term ‘soul’, but unfortunately at this stage you are not aware of your soul. You have to develop more intense aspiration. Then you will feel the living presence of the soul in your heart. Right now you do not feel it but, in your case and in many cases, it is not because of desire. It is because there is no intensity. You do not want anything bad, but you do not want anything good, either. There is no intensity in you either to possess something or to renounce something, or to achieve something divine. You do not have that eagerness or willingness — let us use the term ‘willingness’ — to attain something either material or spiritual.

You are not taking your so-called inner life sincerely, seriously, intensely. First you have to take it sincerely, seriously and intensely. Then you will feel the presence of your soul inside your heart. The spiritual life can help you to bring forward your soul and also your soul’s messages or soul’s light to illumine your mind and to fulfil your life.