Question: Do we receive anything from you if we fall asleep during meditation, besides a scolding, of course?

Sri Chinmoy: You are right; I sometimes scold you if you fall asleep. Again, I am giving you a deeper philosophy. Sometimes when you fall asleep, it happens that it really helps you receive from me. Occasionally, you come to meditation agitated or angry with some disciples or with me. When you are angry with me, you are consciously hurting me. Instead of surrendering, you are only striking me inwardly again and again. If you get tired of doing this and you fall asleep, at that time what actually happens is that consciously or unconsciously you surrender to me and you give up the fight. At that time I am in a position to place you on my shoulder, and carry you towards your destination and show you light.

You are like a child who is angry with his mother. He goes on throwing dolls, toys and anything that he finds, and then finally he becomes tired. When he is totally exhausted, the mother can carry him anywhere she likes. So when you are angry with me, it is better to fall asleep during meditation, instead of throwing your anger and depression and other negative forces into me. If you fall asleep, then at that time I will lift you and place you on my shoulder. Whatever you have and whatever you are will all be on my shoulder. So at that time, sleep is helpful.

But if you come to me with devotion, love, aspiration and intensity, then it is a bad thing to fall asleep. At that time if you consciously give me all the good qualities that you have, the father and son or father and daughter become one and we become stronger. I deal with the infinite Light and Bliss, but the very fact that you are giving me something very good and divine immediately adds to your own capacity. If we have to fight against ignorance the tiger, since you are taking my side and I am taking your side, it becomes very easy. So, when you have come with aspiration, it is really harmful for you to sleep, harmful in the sense that if you come with aspiration then you can really be of great help to the Master. But if you don’t come with aspiration, if you come with agitation, anger or depression, then the best thing is to fall asleep.