We human beings are called puthujjanas or worldlings because we are full of craving. Long-time yogis ask what pitfalls they need to avoid. I say ‘Only lobha’.

Such yogis often think that the practice has stagnated and they start to try many things. They think so, but in actual fact as much as they have practiced, that much they have progressed – however much the mind has practiced, the result is already there. They don’t understand cause and effect; so, they think that they have not tried enough.

Many yogis follow the pleasant object. Once, a monk experienced extraordinary peace and calm; he followed and longed for this experience for over 10 years, hoping to get it back. He kept trying but it never did. 

When he came to practice here, I told him not to target this experience. If you set your mind to get it, it would never come.