Question: Our Centre meditations are from seven-thirty to nine o'clock, an hour and a half. Most people do not come at seven-thirty. They come sometime between seven-thirty and seven-forty-five. Our Centre leader feels it is all right to have this kind of grace period.

Disciple: No, we have half an hour of reading, from seven-thirty to eight o’clock. Many people come in sometime during the first fifteen minutes. Is that all right?

Sri Chinmoy: Not at all. If at seven-thirty the meditation starts, and by seven-forty people have not come, they have to sit outside, not inside the meditation hall. You can lock the door. Kindly tell your Centre leader. The latecomers will be allowed to come in only to take prasad. During the meditation and other activities, they will not be permitted to enter. This applies also to the Centre leader! When prasad is offered, at that time they can come and take prasad. After seven-forty, nobody should come inside.

When you are singing “The Invocation,” at that time if those who are outside want to join you from outside, wherever they are, I will be happy. They can sing “The Invocation” outside while you are singing inside the room.

Ten minutes’ grace is enough. If the meditation starts at seven-thirty, the disciples should arrive by seven-forty. We have to be strict, strict, strict. Very good!