Table of Contents
Part I: Discourses
Part II: Interview on Wbab-Fm's "Long Island Spectrum"
- Interview with Joel Martin
- Joel Martin: When one wants to learn meditation, must a spiritual Master teach it to you? If so, how does he do it?
- Joel Martin: Let us talk about your spiritual path. Perhaps you can explain to us exactly what your path is?
- Joel Martin: In your writings you talk about reconciling the inner world of silence and the outer life of action. Something that troubles me is the idea of putting your ideas and theories into practice in our day to day lives.
- Joel Martin: Can I strive for material wealth in my outer life and still be at peace in my inner life?
- Joel Martin: You have offered meditations at the United Nations, and you have a fine reputation for that. So let me ask you some questions about problems of world conflict. Why do we see so much strife around us in the world? Why are many nations in conflict with each other, and why do people not get along because of different religions or races or economic points of view?
- Joel Martin: May we talk, Sri Chinmoy, about you personally, where you come from, where you were born, your childhood, your special visions and how you came to the United States?
- Joel Martin: Why would your Inner Pilot have directed you to come to the United States? Is it because we need help in many ways?
- Joel Martin: Westerners sometimes have difficulty with some of the Indian concepts — for example, a spiritual Master or Guru. So perhaps the divisions between East and West are very evident.
- Joel Martin: How do your disciples reflect the fruits of the meditation that they practise with you?
- Joel Martin: When you play music as a spiritual Master, a Guru, your music is therefore spiritual. But if I did not know you were a Guru, how would I know if your music were spiritual?
- Joel Martin: How do you feel when you play the music?
- Joel Martin: If I wanted to, how could I make my music spiritual or help create a more spiritual kind of music?
- Joel Martin: When we think about music, of course, we think about sound. And when we think about meditation, we think about that inner world of peace, of silence. Is there any conflict between music and silence?
- Joel Martin: Sri Chinmoy, as well as being a musician and songwriter, I know that you are a prolific writer and poet. How are you able to create so many thousands of poems?
- Joel Martin: I notice that when I ask a question, you look at me and your eyes are open. Yet when you answer a question, your eyes are closed, as if you are, well, in meditation, or in a restful state. Is there some reason for that?
- Joel Martin: There are many people who believe in ESP and mental telepathy and similar things. Do you believe in some of these things?
- Joel Martin: How many of us can strive to become as disciplined as you are in your spiritual life? Is that a realistic goal?
- Joel Martin: Because you are an artist, I want to ask you a question about art. Are there different forms of art — higher forms of art?
- Joel Martin: How many paintings do you do a day? Is that okay to ask, or it doesn't work that way?
- Joel Martin: I am curious as to what inspired you on that day. What did you feel like when that happened?
- Joel Martin: But admittedly, there are days when you are not as creative as other days?
- Joel Martin: What about healing? Do you have the power to heal?
- Joel Martin: I understand about reincarnation and this earthly world, but what will happen to your disciples when you leave this earth?
- Joel Martin: What about the phenomenon of karma? Will what we do on this plane somehow be reflected when we come back in another incarnation?
- Joel Martin: Do you believe we will ever reach the goal we are striving for?
Part III: Questions and answers
- Question: How far away is my constant aspiration?
- Question: What is a violation of the Cosmic Law?
- Question: What is the highest offering that I can give to you?
- Question: How can I embody both true humility and divine self-confidence?
- Question: Although I am all light, why is there darkness?
- Question: What will inspire me not to love sleep?
- Question: How can I make faster spiritual progress?
- Question: How can I remain vigilant over my thoughts?
- Question: Why have I never felt part of humanity?
- Question: How can I patiently await God's chosen Hour?
- Question: How can I invoke spiritual power to radically transform my life?
- Question: How can I overcome the feeling of repression and understand true freedom?
- Question: How can we distinguish between the different inner voices?
- Question: Will humanity ever fully accept the Light of the Supreme?
- Question: How can I become receptive to God's Love and Compassion?
- Question: How can I more soulfully give and accept help from others?
- Question: If God loves everything, does He love ignorance?
- Question: Why has God not revealed and manifested Himself before humanity?
- Question: How can I overcome fear of other people?
- Question: How can we tell when we are sincerely aspiring and when we are just exploiting God's Compassion?