_Question:_ I am sure that a lot of weightlifters will be inspired by articles about you to try concentration and meditation to improve their weightlifting, but if a weightlifter is not a spiritual seeker, will he actually be able to gain anything?

Sri Chinmoy: Directly he will not gain, because he is not a spiritual seeker, but indirectly he will gain. If he is a spiritual seeker, he will try to lead a better life, a life of serenity, purity and so forth. If he prays and meditates and does all the things that we do, then he will get direct help no matter which part of the world he lives in. He does not have to think of me, no, no. But because my consciousness is universal and he is appealing to the universal consciousness, he will receive something.

If the weightlifter is not a seeker, however, he can be inspired by what I am doing. His inspiration will be in the ego. He will think, "If he can do this, what is wrong with me? He is fifty-five years old, 5'8", and he weighs only 160 pounds." Like this, mentally he will compare himself with all my weaknesses. The first weakness, of course, is my age. I am fifty-five years old and he is perhaps only twenty-two years of age. Then he will have such joy. "If an old man can do it, I can do the same!" Then he will think of his weight. "He is only 160 pounds, and I am 230 or 250 pounds." A few advantages he has and he will try to bring these advantages to the fore. Then he will try to compete with me.

So if the weightlifter is a seeker, then he will get direct help from me. If he is not a seeker, then he will get indirect help in the sense that his ego will come forward, not the destructive ego but the ego that wants him to become stronger.

But in all sincerity I have to say that many of my lifts can only be done by a seeker, by a God-lover. I do not think that with physical strength alone anybody will be able to do them. If he has to depend on sheer physical strength, no human being will be able to do them, even if he weighs 300 or 400 pounds, absolutely no. Will-power, inner power, oneness-power with God's Will, all kinds of spiritual power he has to use in order to do it. Physical strength alone is not enough.

I received help because I am a seeker. I got help from the universal Force, from Above, from my Mother Kali and all. And so much goodwill I have received from good souls here, from my disciples, from the departed ones, from my parents, from my dear ones. I have received so much from the other worlds. Goodwill is strength, power, and that strength I have received from so many disciples and champions like Mahasamrat Bill Pearl and Jim Smith and others. Definitely they have given me solid strength. Any positive will is helpful. I have received help from human beings and from souls who are not in the physical I have received considerable help. Each goodwill is solid strength.

From:Sri Chinmoy,The inner meaning of sport, Agni Press, 2007
Sourced from https://srichinmoylibrary.com/ims