Question: Why does the soul come forward most powerfully only on our birthdays?

Sri Chinmoy: Who is keeping the door closed? Instead of putting beautiful and divine flowers in your mind, you are putting garbage there. When the soul wants to come forward, do you think it will be inspired to come if it sees only garbage? Instead of a beautiful garden, if the soul sees doubt, fear, suspicion, lack of faith and other undivine things right in your mind or in other parts of your being, why should it take the trouble to come forward? But if you have flowers or beautiful and pure thoughts there, then the soul will definitely come. So you have to see what kind of readiness you have to bring the soul forward.

Some people’s souls may not be as developed as others’. But even if the soul is not as mature, sometimes the vital or mind — according to their capacity — may be more obedient to the soul. These people have more simplicity because they do not utilise the mind. They did not develop the mind from the beginning, so that is a great advantage for them, spiritually.

The level of spiritual development is not the most important thing when it is a question of bringing the soul forward, or allowing the soul to come forward. People may be developed enough, but out of laziness or carelessness they do not do the needful. I know that milk will give me better nourishment than water and lemon juice. But out of laziness or callousness, I do not want to take the trouble of going to the supermarket to buy milk. Because I have lemon juice inside the house, I do not take the trouble of going to the store. But laziness is not the only problem. Even if you are not lazy, readiness, eagerness and willingness must also be there.