NAC: Most of our minds are so confused and our bodies so tense that we can't listen to the inner self, or even if we can, there are so many conflicting voices that we don't know which one is true. How can we cut through all that?

Sri Chinmoy: It is a most interesting question. The mind here creates tremendous problems for us. If we want to recognise the message or the voice of the Inner Pilot, then we have to know one thing: As soon as we get the message of the Inner Pilot, we will see that this message is giving us inner joy and inner satisfaction. Then, as soon as we carry out the message, the message will bear fruit in the form of success or failure. But if we can take the result with the same cheerfulness, the same amount of inner strength, inner courage and equanimity whether it is success or failure, then we can be certain that the message to do this deed came from the soul. Otherwise, we will be raised to the skies if something comes in the form of success and we will be doomed to disappointment if failure appears.

So, if the message comes directly from the deep inmost reaches of our heart, from our soul, then the result will not be important. If we can see both success and failure as an experience which is helping us to grow into the supreme Reality, if we have that kind of feeling for the message that is coming forward, then we are getting the message from within, from the Inner Pilot.