Question: When I first became a disciple it was a joy to meditate and follow the path. More recently I feel that I don't have that joy, so I don't meditate regularly.

Disciple: About fifteen minutes.

Sri Chinmoy: Very strange. You meditate for only fifteen minutes a day and you find it difficult to meditate regularly. Please pray to the Supreme to give you more capacity, because I will not be able to tell you that you are losing your joy because you are pulling beyond your capacity. A seeker has to meditate at least an hour daily — half an hour in the morning and in the evening — no matter what his standard is. Those who have accepted our path must make it a point to meditate for at least an hour, even if you meditate sincerely for only five minutes, and then your mind starts roaming. I feel that this is something absolutely necessary. One hour of meditation is expected from all those who are following our path.

You may say that you cannot meditate daily, or you do not meditate well, but please try. Every day you do not eat the most delicious food, but you do eat something, because you feel the necessity of food to keep the body going. In the spiritual life also, please feel the necessity of the soul's nourishment, the inner being's nourishment. If you do not have a profound meditation every day, that does not mean that you will not meditate any more. In the inner life please try to feel the inner necessity of your soul. Please meditate every day even if you feel a desert inside your heart on certain days. All seekers on our path should meditate at least an hour a day. It can be divided into fifteen minutes four times a day or half an hour in the morning and in the evening. Otherwise one cannot make much progress.