Question: I've been having some difficulty meditating. What would you say would be a good idea?³

Sri Chinmoy: No matter what kind of difficulties you are facing, it is always advisable to try to empty the mind. Most of our difficulties arise in the mind or from the mind, so if you can empty the mind, you will have no trouble meditating. Once you have peace of mind, all your difficulties — physical, vital, mental, psychological and otherwise — are bound to disappear. So please try to empty the mind. When you notice thought-waves inside your mind, try to destroy them, or at least banish them. Of course, there will come a time when you will have to illumine them. Eventually we have to illumine everything. If we do not illumine, we will remain imperfect. But at the beginning, the things that disturb us or delay our progress, we try to annihilate for the time being. So in your case and everybody else’s case it is advisable to empty the mind completely for half an hour or an hour or for as long as you can according to your inner capacity. Then you will have no difficulty whatsoever in meditating.