Question: Yesterday a few disciples and I were in a restaurant when another disciple walked in. Later we met this same disciple again. Is that just all coincidence? I thought something was going on there.

Sri Chinmoy: On the physical plane we will think it is nothing special. We call it a coincidence. But on the spiritual plane it is not like that. On the spiritual plane that disciple perhaps needed help. Suppose he has just come back from a trip and his mind is not fixed. Today you are in a better frame of mind, so his soul may be coming to you for help. If someone is in the mind or the vital, or any part, the soul will know that by mixing with so and so and talking about me and the Centre, immediately the consciousness will change. Unconsciously, his mind is taking help from you, or he is giving help to you. But the soul is conscious of this.

There is nothing accidental in the soul's region. Everything is recorded. On the physical plane everything is an accident; we can't account for it. In the soul's plane, it is not like that. The soul's biography is very minute, precise; again, the soul will not give much importance to the success or failure. You have tried for so many hours to elevate Z's consciousness, but both of you have failed each other. You will feel miserable that you spent two hours of your precious time and could not elevate his consciousness. And he will feel sad that you did not help him. But the soul deals with Eternity. The soul will take these two hours and say, "Oh, this time is not wasted at all. The next time we meet there will be a little more progress." But in the human life it is not like that. Today both of you are good friends; tomorrow you may be good enemies. It is like that. On the human level everything is unpredictable. On the divine level, there is continuous progress.