Donna Halper: For the person who is just by himself and really would like to meditate, is there a way that he can get into it without going to a school or to a teacher and learning how?
Sri Chinmoy: Certainly. They can read some spiritual books for instruction and then start meditating at home. The best possible thing is to have a peaceful mind — not to allow any thoughts whatsoever to enter into the mind. But they will see that some thoughts are entering in spite of their best efforts, so they will have to make a selection and only allow the good thoughts to remain in the mind. The bad thoughts they will discard as soon as possible. By allowing only the good thoughts to remain, they will be able to get some peace of mind. Meditation means peace in the mind and bliss in the heart.
Sri Chinmoy, The inner world and the outer world, Agni Press, 1988