Part V — Drugs

Question: What is your opinion about the use of drugs?

Sri Chinmoy: Those of you who want to go with me to the ultimate Goal must stop taking drugs. I will make you drink nectar, I promise to each of you, if you will stop taking drugs. During your meditation I promise to bring you the highest nectar, which we call ananda. If you can enter into my highest consciousness during your meditation here and even at home, you will drink in the immortalising nectar of Bliss.

I have spoken about drugs hundreds of times and I am tired of the subject. If you want to ruin your life, you are at perfect liberty to do so. But since you have come to me for guidance, I assume that you don't want to ruin your life consciously. When you go to a doctor, you must have faith in the doctor and take his prescribed medicine. Otherwise, the doctor can do nothing for you. You have come to me with the hope that I will cure your spiritual ailments. Now I hope you will give me the chance to help you. You have come to me, but if you don't listen to me, I will be totally helpless. After you give me a chance, and if I cannot transform your life, then you can say it is no good and just leave me.

I have had problems with quite a few hippies, but most of those who decided to accept me are transformed, totally transformed, radically transformed. Again, there are some who could not or would not accept my spiritual guidance, and they have left the Centre with God's Blessing. Our Centres, to be very frank with you, are not for those who are leading a hippie life. If one will give up that life, he can become a disciple of mine. But if he wants to continue his hippie life and at the same time enter into the real spiritual life, then he will have to find some other Master. I cannot accept him. I don't blame him for what he did yesterday, but he must do something else today if he wants my direct spiritual guidance.

For at least fifteen days before anyone comes to my Centre he has to stop taking drugs. Then, if he accepts my path and I accept the responsibility for his God-realisation, he has to give up drugs forever. Otherwise, this acceptance would simply be mutual insincerity. If I accept you, that means I promise to take you back to your eternal Father, and I know I cannot do this if you continue taking drugs. If you accept me and at the same time you take drugs, this means you do not have real faith in my spiritual capacity. If you will listen to me and become one with me, I promise you that one day you will drink the nectar which the cosmic gods drink in abundant measure. If you use drugs you will ruin your consciousness and damage your subtle nerves. At that time I will not be able to help you.

If someone wants to change his life, even though yesterday he was a complete hippie, I will immediately welcome him. But if he wants to continue his old life and keep the spiritual life as just a side-dish, then he will find no place here. Either accept me wholeheartedly or reject me totally. If anyone wants to be in our school they have to follow the rules and regulations of our school. The moment they give up their old life and enter into me completely, they will discover a new life.