Question: I would like to know about inner progress and how to be aware of inner progress.

Sri Chinmoy: You can be aware of your inner progress by observing the happiness inside you. This happiness is not to be confused with pleasure. Let us say that today you got up at five o’clock, instead of ten o’clock, so you were able to pray and meditate and do the needful. That is happiness. But if you were just relaxing and being full of lethargy, then that is pleasure.

If you make progress, you are bound to feel happiness. That happiness comes from inside you. When you are happy, you look at the world, you look at a flower and you get joy. And this joy is so solid. Even when you see your worst enemy, you are getting joy because he is also a Creation of God’s. Each and every thing, each and every individual at that time gives you joy, because they are all Creations of God’s. So each time you make progress, each time you go one step ahead, just dive deep within and you are bound to feel joy. And this joy, consciously or unconsciously, you are sharing with others. Your heart is full of joy, your face is radiating joy, and whomever you see, that person is drawing happiness from you like a magnet. Through joy itself, we make progress. Otherwise, depression, frustration, doubt and self-doubt will all come and attack us.