Part I

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Part II

• Joop Koopman: Sri Chinmoy, you had important friendships and spent significant moments with Pope John Paul II and Mother Teresa of Calcutta. You are effusive in your praise of them, depicting them as wonderful, powerful and colourful beings. In the East, the celebration and appreciation of holy men and women is the norm. The charisma of leaders is experienced as real and palpable. The mainstream of Judaism and Christianity is more cerebral. We think of our leaders as good people, but not necessarily as living saints whose very touch or glance can heal. Can you please describe John Paul II and Mother Teresa in this regard?
• Joop Koopman: What do you make of the great interest in spirituality in the US, much of it in the form of the pursuit of, if not quasi-religions and movements, then a sometimes vague New Age-ism?
• Joop Koopman: How do you look for the good in various traditions?
• Joop Koopman: You think of Jesus Christ as "an unparalleled Prophet and the beloved Son of God, but also as a supreme Oneness-Friend of mankind." What does "Oneness-Friend of mankind" mean?
• Joop Koopman: What are the most significant points that Christianity and Hinduism have in common?
• Joop Koopman: What areas are the greatest challenges in our interfaith relations?
• Joop Koopman: What are the most urgent lessons the East can teach the West?
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Part III

• Question: When the Cosmic Gods and Goddesses come to you while you are lifting heavy weights, what kind of help do they give you?
• Question: Do they actually shoulder any of the weight?

Part IV

• Question: What are the qualities of a spiritual person?
• Question: How important is it to follow a Guru and what should distinguish such a Teacher?
• Question: What role do discipline and obedience play?
• Question: What does Yoga mean for you and what is the benefit of meditating regularly?
• Question: A Yoga teacher once said to me that to be detached is Yoga. Then that would mean everything is equally valid. What is your point of view concerning this, Sri Chinmoy?
• Question: Does every person carry equally the Divine within himself or are there serious differences?
• Question: Is the inner peace of the individual a prerequisite or the result of outer peace?
• Question: The Bhagavad Gita has been quoted again and again as a justification for war. Is such an interpretation justified?
• Question: One has to pay from US $25 up to US $140 for attending a concert nowadays. How is it possible that your concerts are free?
• Question: What do you mean exactly by the term "World Harmony" which was used for your concert tour?
• Question: Are you, as a musician, also open to criticism and controversies and how do you handle them?
• Question: The musicians Carlos Santana and John McLaughlin were among your most prominent students. Do these contacts still exist?

Part V

• Question: What do you try to accomplish with your concerts?
• Question: Do you find Westerners open to your Eastern concepts, or does it take extra training?
• Question: Please talk a little more about some of your teachings that we are not familiar with — for instance, how jealousy can ruin our lives.
• Question: How does one truly reach one's own pure heart?
• Question: Please say a little more about your statement that, for the beginner, meditation seems to be the highest reality, but when one becomes an advanced seeker one knows that meditation only leads to the highest reality.
• Question: You work with people of many faiths. Do you accept that all faiths are valid?
• Question: What is your ultimate desire?
• Question: Of all the people you have met, who has the closest understanding of what you teach?
• Question: Don't you ever get discouraged at the state of the world, with all the fighting, violence and unhappiness?

Part VI

• Question: Guru, these past few years have been so difficult...
• Question: I would like to know how to be vigilant in my spiritual life without being anxious and worried.
• Question: When we pray, is there any way that God would prefer us to pray, besides being intense? There are so many ways to pray —- we can pray with a cry, we can pray with a smile and so forth. Is there any way that God prefers to hear our prayers that would make our prayers reach His Ears or be more effective?
• Question: Lately I have not only been feeling physically weak, but also weak in other ways. I am wondering how I can become strong to run the fastest.
• Question: At this particular time in history, what is the best way for each of us as individuals to help our own country go forward?
• Question: When I feel unworthy, I doubt that God will forgive me. I do not see how I can expect to be forgiven in one short incarnation.
• Question: When I work with world decision-makers who have built their career with their mind and with their power, how can I bring their heart to the fore?
• Question: I find that as we get older, we have to be kinder to our physical body.
• Question: How can one bring forward the determination from within to do the right thing?
• Question: When does oneness become permanent?

Part VII

• Question: If somebody does something first, does that person pave the way for others in the inner worlds? If somebody breaks the four-minute mile barrier, for example, is it easier for others to follow him?
• Question: Is there any quick way to get affection and forgiveness from our soul?
• Question: When we were listening to your synthesizer the other day, it seemed like different qualities were coming forward in different parts, and I was just wondering if you wanted to tell us anything about what was happening inwardly?
• Question: When I am back at home working, I try to imagine you in person as often as possible, but sometimes because there is so much happening, it is difficult. And yet, when I concentrate on my heart, I often feel it is full of light and full of joy. I was wondering if that is enough?
• Question: Why is the mind afraid of visiting Heaven?

Part VIII

• Sri Chinmoy: Good morning! Good morning! Your name is Gaia? Did you know that Gaia is also an Indian name? In India there is a very sacred city named Gaya. Bodh Gaya is a place of pilgrimage. Near that place, under the bodhi tree, the Buddha reached Nirvana. There he attained his full illumination so it is a very sacred place for us, a most sacred place.
• Question: What message do you wish to offer people through your music?
• Question: How many instruments do you play during a concert?
• Question: In the face of natural disasters, such as the tsunami that recently occurred, there are two ways in which we can respond. The first is to feel that human beings must respect nature much more. The second is to feel that human beings should come first and so we need even more advanced technology to protect humans from disasters. Which is your view?
• Question: Are you saying that we should bring forward our love, wisdom and technology at the same time?
• Question: How can people have love?
• Question: Can you say something about science and technology in China?
• Question: How do you like the Chinese people?
• Question: How can people have faith when we face so much suffering in the world?
• Question: What is your purpose in visiting China?
• Question: Can you please tell me about your connection with Mother Teresa?
• Question: Could you please tell me about your "Lifting Up the World with a Oneness-Heart" programme?

Part IX

• Question: Which qualities can we develop more in South America to offer to the world? What kind of special qualities does South America have?

Part X

• Question: What is the soul doing when we lift weights?
• Question: Does the soul get more joy when one muscle is developed rather than another?
• Question: Is humanity fitter than it was a thousand years ago?
• Question: In the time of the Mahabharata did any of the warriors have muscles like Mr. Universe?
• Question: Can our receptivity be enhanced with greater fitness?
• Question: How does the Supreme view the use of steroids?
• Question: Is there a mantra or prayer that can help us get joy from exercising?
• Question: Can weightlifting and bodybuilding elevate our consciousness?
• Question: What is your most significant physical feat in this lifetime?
• Question: Is there any way to store up excess energy for future use?
• Question: Does working out with machines give you the same joy as free weights?
• Question: Do marathon runners have any connection with the Cosmic Gods?
• Question: Do long distance runners benefit in any way from heavy weight training?
• Question: Does bodybuilding or weightlifting help other sports?
• Question: Can weightlifting develop inner strength?
• Question: When you lift, do you lift our ignorance?
• Question: Does weightlifting destroy the subtle nerves?
• Question: Is the soul happier when the body is stronger and fitter?
• Question: Why do weightlifters look ugly?
• Question: Does the weight of people change when you meditate on them before you lift them?
• Question: What benefit do your students get from watching you lift weights?
• Question: Is physical fitness superior to spirituality?
• Question: Do you encourage your students to lift weights?
• Question: What thoughts or images should a long-distance runner hold in his mind?
• Question: What is the most effective mantra for a runner?
• Question: What does the Supreme do for His physical fitness?
• Question: How should our vital feel when we transcend ourselves in sport?
• Question: Are professional athletes aspiring in some way?
• Question: Surely if someone takes steroids, it is his own problem?
• Question: Why do some intellectuals not understand bodybuilding?
• Question: How were the ancient heroes able to lift awesome weights?
• Question: How can one increase one's outer strength without increasing one's muscle size?
• Question: Top athletes like Carl Lewis speak about being relaxed. What is your comment?
• Question: What is the best way for an athlete to meditate?

Part XI

• Question: Lifting up human beings looks very easy for you.
• Question: What is the nature of your training?

Part XII

• Question: May we have a tune from your flute before I talk to you?

Part XIII

• Question: In your own words, who are you?
• Question: Tell me about your weightlifting.
• Question: How do you lift people?
• Question: How do you feel about the attention that you get? Is that sometimes a hindrance for you?

Part XIV

• Question: Sri Chinmoy, how can athletes use your philosophy to help them?
• Question: What do you draw upon to be able to lift people as you did here tonight?
• Question: What do you think about the state of sport in the world at present with the current focus on drugs and corruption?
• Question: You must be very tired after lifting all that weight?

Part XV

• Question: Sri Chinmoy, why are you doing this weightlifting?
• Question: You talk about God. In Holland, people will say we are Christians, so we have a Christian God. There are people in other countries who have their own God.
• Question: Let us return to the topic of sport. Let us say there are two sportsmen. They may fight each other, even if it is a friendly fight. It could be boxing, it could be wrestling. If both of them pray, would that be good?
• Question: If sports people would like to meditate, how should they do it?
• Question: Do you lift these heavy weights with the help of prayer and meditation?
• Question: If there is a sports competition, can you see by the aura around people who will win?
• Question: My last question is, would you kindly address the young Dutch public who watch my programme? I would like to give you some time to talk to the young people. What would you like to give them as a message?