Question: Your philosophy is that individuals must feel peace inside themselves before we can have peace in the world. Is meditation the best way to find this peace in ourselves?

Sri Chinmoy: Yes, prayer and meditation are the best ways. We have to pray to God to bless us and we have to meditate on God also to bless us. These are the two ways. From here if we have to go to the other side of the lake, then we have to swim. While swimming, we have to use both arms and both legs. Again, if we choose to walk around the lake, then we need two legs. Similarly, what we need in the inner world is prayer and meditation. Through prayer and meditation we can have peace.

One must have peace deep within. Then only one can teach. If I am a teacher, then I have to know the lesson first. Otherwise, how am I going to teach the student? In exactly the same way, if one’s inner life is inundated with peace, then he can be of service to the rest of mankind.