Question: Is it good to be detached from people, or is it okay to be attached to them?

Sri Chinmoy: You are a member of this singing group. The other members of the group are all your spiritual sisters, and you love them because you see your Guru's presence or the Supreme inside them. At this moment you are having such good thoughts about them. But since they are not perfect, the next moment one of them may say something nasty to you and hurt you. When that happens, just detach yourself from that person's undivine words or actions and try not to be affected.

You have been offering them your good will and pouring good thoughts into them. But in return, one of them may try to make you insecure or jealous; one of them may show her weakness. So what will you do? You will not throw that person out of your life. Only you will detach yourself from the undivine things that this person is throwing into you. You will say, "Oh, today she has been attacked. That is why she is throwing her undivine qualities into me. Tomorrow, when she is thinking well of me, I may have the same difficulty and do the same thing to her."

You will show that individual sympathy because she has been attacked, but you will detach yourself from her wrong actions or wrong feelings. You will detach yourself from her actions, not from her life. You will continue to be devoted to her and offer her your good qualities because she is your friend. If you offer her your good qualities, this will only increase her own good qualities. Tomorrow that same individual may use her good qualities to help you or show you all love, affection and gratitude.