Question: Do you consider magic an art?

Sri Chinmoy: Magic is a form of art, but only when it is used in an innocent way. If you are giving innocent joy in an innocent way to innocent people, then magic is an art. But if you have the idea that you want to become the greatest magician and fool everybody, this is not art. When you are doing the trick, you should not have the idea of deceiving anybody; only feel that you are doing something which will give others joy. You have to know what motive you have in showing magic. If you have the idea of deceiving others, then that is not art. Art has to be on a higher plane. If you only want to distribute joy, if you embody innocent joy, then you have to know that the capacity to express and distribute joy is a form of art.