Question: Is it really possible to empty your mind of thoughts?

Sri Chinmoy: Certainly, with regular practice. Early in the morning you are meditating for, let us say, fifteen minutes. During your meditation if you are getting twenty uncomely thoughts, restless thoughts, then after a month of serious practice, you can watch again to see how many thoughts you are getting. Gradually you will see how many uncomely thoughts you have eliminated. Again, if you get one illumining or fulfilling thought, you can gradually try to get more. It is like running in the outer life — from one mile at a time you progress to two, then three, and so on. Perhaps you started at a ten-minute pace, but gradually your regular practice enables you to go faster. Like this, gradually you will be able to go beyond the thought-world. There will be some thoughts floating in your mind, but you will not be affected by them. Thought-power can create problems for us or help us. A really good thought is the soul's vision operating in the mind.