Lord Shiva's encouragement

Today when I lifted 320 pounds — double my body weight — I invited Kailash and a few other boys to my house to watch. Kailash was sitting on the floor in front of me and slightly to the right. In India Mount Kailash is our most sacred mountain, and it is the favourite place of Lord Shiva. He always remains there in His cosmic self-forgetfulness trance.

While I was lifting, I saw with my third eye Lord Shiva sitting in the lotus position, deeply absorbed in meditation. He was sitting about three feet higher than Kailash’s head.

After my second attempt to lift 320, Lord Shiva gave me a little, little smile.

Just as I was about to try the lift for the fourth time, from the very depths of my heart I literally screamed in the inner world: “Shib!” In India, we Bengalis say Shib, not Shiva. Most powerfully I screamed His name, and simultaneously He responded, “Chin!”

Outwardly nothing happened, but at that moment a bolt of energy entered into my arm and I lifted up the weight.

As soon as I did it, Lord Shiva jumped with joy and gave me a broad smile.

Shiva has both power and compassion. On the one hand Shiva is very compassionate. But on the other hand He uses His third eye to destroy ignorance. His power aspect He uses to destroy ignorance and His compassion aspect He uses to lift up humanity.

— 21 August 1986

From:Sri Chinmoy,My weightlifting tears and smiles, part 1, Agni Press, 1986
Sourced from https://srichinmoylibrary.com/wts_1