Joel Martin: There are many people who believe in ESP and mental telepathy and similar things. Do you believe in some of these things?

Sri Chinmoy: I do believe in them, but at the same time I do not encourage my students to indulge in these kinds of things, for they take the sincere seeker away from Truth. If the seeker is at all sincere, then he will depend only on his own inner cry. These other things only fascinate us and arouse our curiosity. Out of curiosity we want to see many things, but God-realisation is not a matter of curiosity; it is a matter of sincere inspiration, dedication and surrender to God’s Will. Many people waste time indulging in these kinds of psychic phenomena.

I tell my students only to pray and meditate and reach the Highest. If you have a goal, then reach the goal. Do not stop along the way. If you are on a road that has beautiful trees and flowers, if you start appreciating the trees and the flowers and sitting at the foot of each tree, then you will never reach your destination. These psychic phenomena will fascinate you and, at the same time, puzzle you; whereas if you are earnest and sincere, you will run fast, faster, fastest towards your goal.