Question: Guru, what if very new disciples know that they have to stop drinking, but after a few weeks they take a drink?

Sri Chinmoy: If they really wish to take advantage of the spiritual life, we can tolerate their lack of discipline for three months. By that time if they do not change, then this is not the path for them. Kindly inform me. Because they are new, they may not be adjusted fully. But after three months if they are still doing something wrong, then do not wait, but please inform me. Three months we shall give them.

If a male seeker has long hair, please do not send me his photograph saying that if I accept him, then he will cut his hair and shave his beard. That I do not want. If men really want to become disciples, they should cut their hair and shave. Afterwards, if I do not accept them, they can again grow long hair; they can do whatever they want.

Again, from now on please do not send me photographs of men and women saying that, if I accept them, then they will get married, or in three or four months they will get married. Do not take their photograph at that time. I have changed our requirement. Do not send me pictures of boyfriends and girlfriends together, if they say that they will get married right away or in four or five months. I will not accept them. They have to solve their problems beforehand. They have to get married before I accept them. Please do not send the photographs first; do not be so hasty. If they want to follow our path, they have to be fully prepared.

In all these things you have to be very careful. Although you want to have more disciples in your Centre, your sincerity comes first. All the needful things have to be done beforehand.

Again, if men seekers have long hair, if people are unkempt, unclean and so forth, if they do not have a normal and natural appearance, then you have to tell them first about our requirements, before they submit their photographs. Do not say that if I accept them as disciples, then they will cut their hair short and so on — no. These are our new rules.

From:Sri Chinmoy,The Path of my Inner Pilot, Agni Press, 2015
Sourced from https://srichinmoylibrary.com/pip