Question: From your viewpoint is hypnosis acceptable or not, and why?

Sri Chinmoy: If one wants to realise the Truth, which is God, there is no necessity for hypnosis or self-hypnosis. What is necessary is Peace, Bliss and Power. These things we can get through aspiration. By taking someone into the world of inconscience or to the subconscious plane through hypnosis, by making him aware of his past defects, imperfections and impurities, we are not able to help the person reach his ultimate Goal. But by bringing down from above the things that can change and mould his life and make him a better person, we can be of much help to a person.

I have disciples in New York who indulge in hypnosis. But I say to them: “What do you want from yourselves? What do you expect from the other person? If you want the other person to be freed from misery, frustration and worry, then show him the light and do not ponder over his past failings or the defects that are preventing him from expanding his free consciousness.”

If one wants peace, if one wants fulfilment, if one wants joy out of life, then spirituality is the immediate answer. Spirituality seems a very vague word. People call something spiritual when it is something which they cannot comprehend with their physical minds. Anything a little abstruse they think is spiritual. But spirituality is not something foreign; it is not something theoretical and unreal. It is something natural and practical, a practical achievement and realisation. Spirituality is something spontaneous, something that unites the inner life with the outer life. Spirituality can solve all human problems, inner and outer, as well as problems that are not yet even born in our life. Spirituality can solve these problems before they manifest themselves; it can enter into them and destroy them.

I feel that hypnosis is of no value. What is of value is aspiration — bringing down into the physical consciousness infinite Peace, Bliss and Power through constant aspiration.