Spoken by Supreme Master Ching Hai, Videoconference with initiates from the Boston Center,
September 28, 2002 (originally in English)

Q: Dear Master, I try my best to meditate two and a half hours as I promised. But sometimes, due to daily basic life activities, I find it hard to fulfill this requirement. Please give me some advice about this dilemma.

M: How can I give you advice? You say your life doesn't allow you so what am I going to do, kill you and kill all the people around you so that you have time to meditate? Of course, life is like that. Don't let it take over. You should take over life. Don't let life take over you. You have only one life. You never know what future you will have so have it in this life now. Try to make time for meditation. Cut down on whatever is unnecessary,, less talk on the phone, less newspaper reading, less television, less contact with friends, less coffee; just meditate whenever you can, even if it's for five minutes here and ten minutes there. Any time you have free time, meditate. Try your best at any time! You don't have to just count the time when you can sit properly on your meditation cushion. You can count the time, any time when you're free, you close your eyes, think of God and meditate. Make any break your meditation time. Muslim people pray five times a day and at least I ask you only one or two times a day. Do it!