Question: Many yogis realise God on mountains or at the foot of mountains. Are mountains very close to God in any way?

Sri Chinmoy: Mountains are close to God; oceans are close to God. Everything and everybody is close to God. But if somebody realises God, then naturally He will be infinitely closer to God than those who have not.

It is true that mountains offer inspiration to some seekers. People get tremendous inspiration at the foot of a mountain because of its enormous height. The atmosphere is very pure, very divine, very inspiring. If something gives us inspiration and we love that thing, then we feel that God also loves that particular thing most powerfully. So, in that sense, you can say that a mountain is closer to God than some other place.

The ocean and the sky also inspire many seekers. Again, some Indian yogis, like Ramana Maharshi, got inspiration meditating inside a cave. So those who are his admirers and devotees will feel that God is closer to a cave than to a mountain. And some people who have realised God inside their own room will feel that their room is closer to God than a mountain. So it depends on who realised God at a particular place and on whether or not you are that individual's devotee or admirer. In general, however, people will get more inspiration from a mountain than from a small room.