Part I

SCA 346-351. On 9 December 1998, at the University of Hawaii's Thomas Jefferson Hall, Sri Chinmoy meditated with staff of the university and other seekers. He then invited spiritual questions.

Question: For the last two years at the university we have been trying to energise a meditation group, but we have failed to get people. I don't know why. Could you please advise us?

Sri Chinmoy: There are two ways. One is the way of the flower; the other is the way of the mother. When the flower blossoms, the beauty and fragrance of the flower will draw people to appreciate, admire and receive joy from the flower. We go to a garden and immediately we see a flower. The flower does not come to us; we go to the flower. The flower, with its beauty, fragrance and charm, remains where it is. We go to the flower and receive the divine qualities from the flower. This is one way.

The other way is the way of the mother. The mother feels that the whole world is her creation. Each and every human being is her child. When the child cries, the mother may not be physically near the child. Let us say that in a house there are many floors. The child is crying for milk or for some toys. When the child cries, the mother is bound to come to the child. The child cannot go to the mother because he is an infant. He knows only how to cry. It is the mother who has to come to the baby and see what he needs, whether it is milk or toys or candies or anything else. Then the mother gives to the child according to his need.

So, some spiritual Masters are of the opinion that people have to come to them. They have become like flowers, and people have to come to them if they are in need of anything. Again, other spiritual Masters are of the opinion that these are all their children, and they are all hungry. Each one may not have the same hunger, so it is the bounden duty of the mother to go to her children and give them whatever they need.

There is still a third category of spiritual Masters like Sri Ramakrishna. He applied both ways in his life. He was one of our spiritual Masters of the highest order. He hailed from Bengal, and I also happened to take physical birth in Bengal in this incarnation. At one point he said, “Act like a flower.” At Dakshineshwar, many, many seekers from all around came to visit him. Again, he went to various places. He himself went to many seekers and people who had inner light. Although they were not spiritual in the strict sense of the term, they had hearts larger than the largest. To raise the consciousness not only of Bengal, not only of India, but of the whole world, he used to go and visit people to increase their inspiration, aspiration and other good qualities. So, these two ways Sri Ramakrishna adopted.

I am following in the footsteps of Sri Ramakrishna. I live in America, and here I have become a flower. People from all over the world come to see me and whatever I have to offer, they take. Again, I have become like a mother. I go from place to place. I have been to many, many, many places over the years. When I travel, I see some seekers like you. With all sincerity and determination they come to me. They do not have to be my disciples — far from it! But if I can be of service to these seekers, I feel I have done something for God the creation.

God the Creator we worship and God the creation we serve. We are all God the creation. With my prayerful life I have come here now to serve you. I hope I have made it clear to you.

I have come to Hawaii a few times. About twenty-five years ago I came here for the first time, and since then I have come quite a few times. I come here to be of service to the seekers in Hawaii.

Hawaii has the quality of charming and enchanting our hearts and our lives. Again, it has been specially blessed by many, many spiritual figures in the inner world. You may call them gods and goddesses, but for me all gods and goddesses are spiritual figures of the highest order. So, Hawaii has very special blessings from Above or from within.

Again, Hawaii has a special role to play. It is not only a State of attraction, but it is a State that can offer illumination to those who come here for inner discovery. For outer discovery, people see so many charming, enchanting and attractive things. Again, if they come to Hawaii to meditate, they are bound to receive peace, light and bliss in boundless measure. We have to know what we come here for: for the outer attraction or for the inner illumination, or for both. What the outer world can give here, we shall receive with the utmost sense of purity. And what the inner world can offer here, with utmost devotion we shall receive.

Forgive me, this is not the answer to your question; but only my inner feelings and outer observations about this place I have tried to express.