Question: When I'm in the country, I'm very happy. I meditate on scenic forests, taking in the view of flowers and trees. But when I'm not there, I don't get the same joy. Why is that?

Sri Chinmoy: When you are in the country, when you look at a tree, when you look at the flowers and blossoms and foliage, you get joy, tremendous joy. But when you come back to the city, you do not get any joy. First of all, you have to know that the country is all nature. There, everything tries to be pure, outwardly purer than in the city. In the city there are all kinds of pollution. Air pollution, water pollution and all kinds of unfortunate things you hear about in the city, whereas the country is not like that. There nature is welcoming your aspiration. The city does not welcome your aspiration. The city consciousness right now is trying to possess you, to possess others, to possess everything. The country consciousness is different. The country wants only to offer what it has. It does not want to possess you. That is why you get more joy from the country than from the city.