LARESA:
      BABA, I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A SEPARATE ROOM SO THAT I CAN REMAIN IN
      ISOLATION. MY PEACE IS DISTURBED BY THE CONSTANT COMING AND GOING OF
      PEOPLE WHERE I LIVE.

      MUKTANANDA:
      PEACE CANNOT BE OBTAINED BY SITTING IN A ROOM BEHIND CLOSED DOORS. IN
      FACT, SUCH SECLUSION SOMETIMES HAS THE OPPOSITE EFFECT. BY REMAINING IN
      ISOLATION YOU DEVELOP TIGER-LIKE TENDENCIES. IF ANYONE DISTURBS A TIGER
      IN HIS CAVE, HE WILL EITHER LEAVE THE CAVE OR ATTACK THE INTRUDER.
      THIS IS NOT THE WAY TO ATTAIN TRUE PEACE. YOU MUST LEARN TO REMAIN
      PEACEFUL AND UNDISTURBED IN THE MIDST OF PEOPLE.

      NITYANANDA BABA FIRST LIVED IN THE JUNGLE. HE WOULD THROW STONES AT
      ANYONE WHO WENT NEAR HIM, NUT LATER ON, HE LIVED AMONG PEOPLE AND
      ESTABLISHED A VILLAGE. I, TOO HAVE ESTABLISHED THIS ASHRAM AND LIVE
      AMIDST PEOPLE. TOWN AND JUNGLE, ISOLATION AND MINGLING WITH PEOPLE:-
      BEING FREE FROM SUCH DUALISTIC IDEAS AND BEING ESTABLISHED IN OWN'S OWN
      "SELF" IN NIRVIKALPS SAMADHI IS THE TRUE STATE.

      LARESA:
      I WANT TO TRAVEL TO REMOTE PLACES SUCH AS THE HIMALAYAS, KASHMIR, SIMLA
      AND DARJEELING WHERE I FEEL I WOULD BE ABLE TO OVERCOME MY RESTLESSNESS
      AND OBTAIN SOME PEACE.

      MUKTANANDA:
      YOU CAN CERTAINLY GO WHERE EVER YOU LIKE, BUT REMEMBER THAT BY ROAMING
      ABOUT IN THIS WAY, YOU MIND WILL BECOME MORE AGITATED; YOUR RESTLESSNESS
      WILL INCREASE. ONE WHO CANNOT OBTAIN PEACE HERE CANNOT ATTAIN IT
      ELSEWHERE EITHER. YOU MAY GO ANYWHERE, BUT YOUR MIND WILL ACCOMPANY YOU.
      HOW CAN YOU ESCAPE IT?

      LARESA:
      HOW CAN I KNOW WHETHER I HAVE MADE ANY SPIRITUAL PROGRESS OR NOT, AND IF
      I HAVE PROGRESSED, HOW MUCH?

      MUKTANANDA:
      YOUR PROGRESS IN SPIRITUALITY CAN BE JUDGED BY THE FOLLOWING;
      A) HOW CALM YOU CAN REMAIN IN TRYING AND DIFFICULT CIRCUMSTANCES;
      B) WHETHER OR NOT YOU ARE LESS DISTURBED THAN BEFORE BY THE PAIRS OF
      OPPOSITES SUCH AS PLEASURE AND PAIN, HAPPINESS AND SORROW;
      C)HOW MUCH INNER PEACE AND SATISFACTION YOU EXPERIENCE IN YOUR HEART.