Emotions

Question: What is good and what is bad about emotions?

Mother Meera: In general, feelings can be considered superficial stimuli; they hinder deeper access to one's own self. In this sense, they are flaws. They prevent one from being at peace.

Question: It seems that one should have distance from the events of everyday life?

Mother Meera: Yes, this is very important. You should be calm; nothing should intimidate you, nothing you experience or feel should shock you. To be so, you should be focused on God.

Question: Fear seems to be incredibly destructive. Does it have any value at all?

Mother Meera: When we fear something, we usually ask God for help. In this way, fear helps us think about God.

Question: What is the importance of humor?

Mother Meera: It's as much a part of life as caring or anything else. People with a sense of humor are more likely to acknowledge their own mistakes.

Question: Western man is raised to be tough because it is believed that this will make him stronger.

Mother Meera: Being tough doesn't mean being strong. Love makes one strong. Only love rooted in God is strong. It can endure anything.

Question: Many people in the West have no patience with their fellow men.

Mother Meera: In India, weak people are valued more than in the West. In India, one doesn't have to be strong. Even if someone has limited mental faculties or is even mentally retarded, they will still be accepted as they are. There's a place for everyone.