Part V — The inner connection

Question: What is the procedure that the disciple should follow so that, even when the disciple is far away, he can get the same force that he feels when he is meditating with the Guru?

Sri Chinmoy: Physically, the Master cannot be twenty-four hours a day with the disciples; it is impossible. The Master has many, many disciples and also the Master has many, many things to do. Again, a disciple may stay with the Master day and night, but he may not get anything from the Master. Ramakrishna’s nephew served him for many, many years, but he got practically nothing from Ramakrishna. Again, look at Vivekananda. In the beginning, he used to come once in two or three months. And then how many days did he stay with his Master?

So, it is not the physical proximity that counts most. It is the inner awareness of one’s relationship with the Master. Where is the Master? Is he in New York or is he inside your heart? If the disciple feels that the Master is something very sacred and secret, and that the Master is something essential in his life, then he cannot stay without the Master. If he feels that the necessity of the Master is of paramount importance, if he feels that he cannot exist without the Master, any more than he can exist without his heartbeat, then only the relationship between the Master and the disciple is secure and complete.

If you go back to Venezuela, you have to feel that you are carrying me inside your heart, not that you have left me in New York. Do not feel that my existence is only in one part of the world, no, you have to feel that my inner existence is everywhere. My outer existence, my physical body which is five feet eight inches, can stay only at one place; but my inner existence can roam about many, many places. So you have to feel the necessity of the inner relationship, the inner connection with my heart and soul. Then only will you be able to make the utmost progress.

Again, if a disciple has already established his inner connection with the Master, if he has established a secure, most intimate and most surrendering and surrendered relation, then if he stays with the Master, then naturally he will be able to get more benefit. In his case, inside he is already one with the Master; now his outer self is crying to become one with the inside. So naturally he will get a double push and progress infinitely faster if he is physically near the Master.

But, very often, familiarity breeds contempt. When you stay with the Master, cutting jokes and all that, immediately you will say: “He is also like us.” But he is not like you. He can do many, many things in the inner world that you cannot do. But in the outer world he eats the same food and takes ice cream and does everything as you do. But the only thing is that he can do quite a few things in the inner world which you cannot do. That is why first of all his inner existence has to be approached and adored. And if inwardly you have pleased the Master, then rest assured that it is only a matter of a short time before you please the Master in the outer life; not vice versa. In the outer life, if the Master says: “I want to get some stamps,” immediately you will go to the Post Office and bring some stamps. But this kind of connection will not help you considerably if your inner connection is not complete. If the inner connection is complete, and if I say, “Please take me to the beach,” if you take me and make me happy, then you are pleasing me on all ends. Already you have made the inner connection with me. You have pleased me most, and now the outer connection also you have made by listening to me.

But if you had not made the inner connection with me, then what would have happened? During the two hours that you are driving me, our outer connection gives you peace or joy or harmony or some kind of gratification. But at the end of two hours all vanishes again. But in the inner world, when somebody meditates and thinks of me for five minutes and offers me his life breath, then this lasts forever. Then you have fulfilled me and I have fulfilled you.

From:Sri Chinmoy,God, Avatars and yogis, Agni Press, 1977
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