Question: Is it a good idea to compare yesterday's meditation with today's?

Sri Chinmoy: Meditation is like running along a path. We see whether we are actually running, whether we are going ahead, ahead. But if we start comparing, then today we will compare and tomorrow we will compete. This is not the right way, so we don't make any comparison. Only we see whether we are still running.

In the ordinary life, if we have started doing something and do not do it regularly, then we can stop where we are. In the spiritual life, it is not like that. If we stop running, ignorance pulls us back to our starting point. Ignorance is like a powerful magnet that pulls us back again.

The disciples have to meditate regularly, devotedly and powerfully; and while they are doing this, they observe their progress. But they don't make it a point to see how long they meditated yesterday or how intense their meditation was. Only the mind will be involved in comparing, and we don't encourage the mind to calculate. Calculation is not the thing; only self-giving is of paramount importance. We are trying to offer our whole existence to God. Meditation means self-offering. And when we have self-offering, we do not make any comparisons.