My weightlifting tears and smiles, part 3

Some highlights of Sri Chinmoy's weightlifting to the end of 1988

6 September 1985 Lifted 85 pounds from the ground with right arm

18 November 1985 Lifted 155 pounds with right arm

6 March 1986 Lifted 200 pounds with right arm

1 June 1986 Standing calf raise of 400 pounds

30 July 1986 Standing calf raise of 1,500 pounds

11 August 1986 Lifted 303¼ pounds with right arm (214th attempt)

1 November 1986 Lifted 705¾ pounds with right arm

30 November 1986 Standing calf raise of 2,038 pounds

30 January 1987 Lifted 7,063¾ pounds with right arm

13 May 1988 Lifted 120 pounds in each arm simultaneously

13 June 1988 Lifted 150 pounds (equal bodyweight) in each arm simultaneously

4 August 1988 Lifted 7,040¼ pounds with left arm

7 November 1988 Lifted his own bodyweight, 155½ pounds, overhead 100 times in 68 minutes 23 seconds, alternating arms

My night-time tv appearance

Exercising to my Indian tapes

Finding my picture

Bhavani's achievement

Showing the little tennis players my weightlifting

21 December 1986

The frustrated lifter

My telephone conversation with Mahasamrat

R was in the other phone booth. She wrote down what I was saying; only what Mahasamrat was saying she could not hear.

/1 January 1987

The largest dumbbell on earth

Everything has been said

Then, when I finally spoke with Mahasamrat, I asked him, “Where were you?”

He said, “We went out for breakfast.”

Mahasamrat’s whole gymnasium is flooded with my pictures. All the different lifts that I have done he has collected. As you know, he has given most beautiful and inspiring comments about each one. Now he says that there is nothing more in the outer world that he will be able to tell me. In the outer world, everything he has said. Only he will be able to tell me things in the inner world.

A surprise telephone call to England

Mahasamrat's powerful advice

Yesterday his wife’s soul came to me ten times. She repeats her husband’s spiritual name and now she is dying to have a spiritual name.

My little wrist

Weightlifting and inner poise

When people believe that by spiritual power I have lifted 3,000 pounds, when it is all settled in the mind-world, then only I shall show this picture. Otherwise, people will not believe that I am lifting that much weight. Once they believe it, I will show the picture.

When Mahasamrat heard the news, he said, “I won’t believe it!” And then he said, “I have to believe it!”

My 7,000-pound lift

A future prediction

One girl could not lift something in his gym. He asked her to meditate on my picture. Then, after she meditated, she was able to lift the weight. Some people who lift weights in his gym say my name: “Sri! Sri!”

An eminent Canadian visitor

When I saw the soul right in front of me, I said, “I cannot recognise you. Please tell me who you are.”

He said, “I am Louis Cyr. You cannot recognise me?”

I am not familiar with his soul at all, but I have read about him and many pictures I have seen of him lifting. In his day, he was the strongest man in the world. I think he came from Montreal, Canada, and he was born more than one hundred years ago.

So I was playing my cello and Tanima’s group was singing. Louis Cyr’s soul came and stood right in front of me. Then he took off his weightlifting belt and placed it at my feet, saying he was no match for me.

I was not thinking of him at all. Believe me, I was not fishing for compliments about my lifting! I was only trying to play my music correctly on the cello. But the inner world has its own Hour.

A Bulgarian admirer

Kundalini power and spiritual power

Let us say that kundalini power is like my arm. My arm is connected to my whole body. I can use my arm by itself, but if I can use the rest of my body as well, then I will be able to do much more. Universal power is definitely stronger than the kundalini power.

That is one point. There is also the question of book-knowledge and inner experience. An almanac can tell you everything: when it will rain and so forth. Everything is listed there. But if you squeeze the book, there is no water inside. Similarly, you can read books on kundalini power, snake-power, but that does not mean you will get the results. Where are the chakras? They are in the subtle physical. Just by reading about them, they will not open up. You have to go deep within to discover them.

The best thing is to meditate on God. He is the Owner of the kundalini-garden. All the trees and flowers and plants in it belong to Him. If we please God, will He not open up the garden for us? And then, if we please Him more, will He not give us the most delicious fruit in the garden? But if we do not please Him, why should He open up the garden for us and give us the fruits and flowers?

Again, if God sees right from the beginning that you are pleasing Him only with the idea of receiving the fruits, He will see that you are such a clever fellow. Perhaps He may open up the door to the garden for you so that you can go inside and get the fruits. But a day will come when you want God alone and then how will you recognise Him? If He comes to you, you will not know that it was He who allowed you to go into the garden and you may tell Him to get out.

Tom's transformation

Since then, how he has changed! He has become our best admirer. A few months ago, his team was in the national championships. A few days ago I told you the story how one girl was unable to lift a particular weight. So Tom told her to meditate on my picture for ten minutes. That was her ‘punishment’! So she meditated and then she came back and lifted the weight. For the last few years, the girls from his gym have won the world championships.

You say that my lifts are unbelievable, but I wish to say that Tom’s comments are more unbelievable than my performances. There is such a difference between my first experience with Tom and how nice he is now. Something clicked inside his heart, something touched his heart. When that special moment arrives, it is God’s Hour. Our famous song is “Dak eseche—Call has come.” When the Call comes, you will be able to run so fast. Tom’s life is the radiant example.

Jim Smith's faith in me

We have sent Jim Smith three copies of the picture of me lifting 7,000 pounds. One he has kept in his gym, one in his office and one at home. The funny thing is, people who do not believe it come back again and again to look at the picture. For those who believe it, seeing it once is enough.

When I lifted 2,000 pounds, Jim Smith had to fight with his colleagues to give me the certificate. Normally three persons are required to watch the lift. But he said that by seeing the picture, he knew that it was true. So he challenged his colleagues. Good people are on earth. That is why we can remain alive.

Clarence Bass answers questions

My monkey-consciousness

Yesterday was Mahasamrat’s wife’s birthday, so I want to send them the video. I have given his wife the spiritual name Bhavatarini.

My weightlifting brings a French seeker

That means lifting up weights has made me known. Now music has to make me known. Weightlifting is one door, now we have to try another door. Spirituality can be approached through many, many doors.

My weightlifting friends

Jim Smith is taking ten British weightlifters to Puerto Rico to compete in a competition. He is the leader of the British contingent. Ashrita and Agraha have assisted him in making all the travel arrangements, so $100 less each person is paying to the airlines.

Without God's Grace, we are nothing

Although I have given up heavy weightlifting, the infinite Compassion of my Beloved Lord Supreme unconditionally remains in my heart of aspiration and in my life of dedication. So let us depend entirely and all the time on the unconditional Grace of our Beloved Supreme. Without His Grace, we can do nothing. Without His Grace, we are nothing and nothing and nothing. With His Grace unconditional, we are everything, more than everything, at every moment. We must remember that His Eternity’s unconditional and infinite Compassion is the only thing that we can claim to be our own, very own. Everything else and everybody else will fail us, but never our Beloved Lord Supreme and His infinite Compassion.

An experience with Mahasamrat's soul

Now his soul has come and it is right near my elbow. His soul has a cute way of smiling, with a little bit of shyness. For a human being, I would say that he is blushing. The soul is very cute, amused and a little bit embarrassed because I am saying such nice things about it.

"No way!"

The television people were very nice. They were supposed to show it the same day, but something went wrong. Fortunately, they showed it the following day. I was then in Sydney. I had gone there to play the organ at the Sydney Opera House.

When I returned to Melbourne, I visited Gold’s gym to look at their equipment. As soon as I entered the building, I saw Mahasamrat’s pictures all over the gym. Then I found out that the owner was a great admirer of Mahasamrat. One of the workers at this gym is very strong. He has 19-inch arms and mine are not even 14 inches. He is about 30 years old. He said to me, “I want to take a picture with you.” Then he took off his jacket to show me his arms. I said, “I do not want to show my 14-inch arms!”

This young man and the owner of the gym had both watched me lift 161 pounds on television. When they saw the lift, the young man said, “No way!” He was so surprised that I could lift such a heavy weight. The young man told me that he would not be able to lift 155 pounds with one arm.

I took some exercise on the equipment at the gym and the young man was watching me with utmost respect, but he did not try himself.

In New Zealand and Australia, the people believed my 7,000-pound lift. Now we have over 100 magazines who believed it and have printed favourable articles and then perhaps three or four who did not believe it. What can you do?

A calf raise down under

They had a calf raise machine that held 950 pounds maximum. They said that they knew of only two young men who could do 600 pounds, but they were not there. Hundreds of people go to that gym, but only two can do 600 pounds. So I decided to try.

First I did 600 pounds. The staff members were standing there watching, but they said they themselves did not dare to do it. Then I said, “Now put 950 pounds on the machine.”

So they added the extra weight. Meanwhile, one of the men went to get his camera. When he came back, I lifted the weight. I was showing off, using only my left leg to support it.

The man with the camera was lying down on the floor taking pictures. Then he had to go to the other side to take more pictures. He was moving so slowly and taking such a long time. Meanwhile, I was still holding up the weight.

Finally, the other man said to him, “It seems that your camera is heavier than Sri Chinmoy’s lift!”

A calf raise comeback

There are quite a few witnesses who know that for many, many months I have taken vacation from my calf raise. All in all, I believe it is about ten months. Now I am trying to do at least 2,000 pounds again. This morning I did 1,800 pounds five times. I do hope before we go out for Christmas I can do 2,000 pounds.

My salute to Mahasamrat

Tennis repercussions

Achyuta's theory

In New Zealand one man told me, “Three thousand I believed, but 7,000 I had a little suspicion.” But then he made enquiries with his good friend Bill Pearl and Bill Pearl told him it was true, so he believed it. His name is Warren.

Databir's identification-capacity

Lifting from my chair

I am very proud of the three or four boys who could lift 70 pounds a few days ago. They are very strong. I am also very proud of the girls’ performance.

Another thing that I have been doing recently is two sets of 20 and 10 pressing 70 pounds while lying down. I do 80 pounds only 10 times, but 70 pounds I have been doing for the last two and a half months.

My unpronounced calf muscles

My morning weightlifting audience

The mynah's mantra

And then, when I came into the meditation room and stood in front of Mother Kali’s picture, at that time it said, “Sri, Sri, Sri.” Almost all the time the bird says, “Sri, Sri, Sri” when I stand in front of Mother Kali’s picture.

Weightlifting in Holland

While I was lifting up the weight with my right arm, you cannot imagine how close the cameraman was to me! He was not even six inches away. His big lens was right at the tip of my nose!

Just before I was about to lift, the cameraman asked me, “Do you mind?” What could I say? I was concentrating most powerfully, so I did not want to speak to him. He took my silence as permission, so he came right in front of me. Then I had to prove that I was in my highest concentrative consciousness!

A red-letter day

Poor me, I run once in a blue moon. This morning I ran two miles—to Queens Boulevard. After running two miles, do I have any energy?

My 3,070-pound lift

Previously, when I lifted with my right hand, I went from 700 to 1,000 to 1,300 to 2,000 and so forth. This time, with my left hand, I went from 700 to 1,000 and from 1,000 directly to 3,000. I skipped 2,000.

Since I depend one hundred per cent on God’s Grace, if the Grace works, I can lift. If it does not work, what can I do? Then, when my disciples do not believe it, what can I say? I feel we should not give it to any newspapers or magazines right now. We should hold it for a long time.

Lifting two Olympic hurdlers in Seoul

Then the winner of the 110-metre hurdles came: Roger Kingdom. He was so happy and honoured to be lifted. He could not believe that he could come and talk to me. I lifted him twice because in the last Olympics also he won the gold medal. He was telling me that he does not want to be satisfied with these achievements. He also wants to win a gold medal in Spain in four years’ time.

I also lifted his mother. She wanted my autograph and she is dying to have pictures. She wants to print them in magazines. His mother became very close to us. And his coach was from Jamaica, Queens, right near Annam Brahma.

Both the hurdlers were so nice—and both of them set new Olympic records. The picture of me lifting one of them has come out in a Korean newspaper.

My guests in Seoul

Then from Barbados, some Indian archers came with their coach on another day. I also lifted the great sprinter Calvin Smith and his wife. Then there were athletes from Zambia, Nepal, Japan, Chad, Canada and Aruba. Altogether I lifted 44 individuals from 12 or 13 countries. One of the athletes from Zambia gave a very nice speech.

Dhanu has taken some very nice pictures of the great film producer, Bud Greenspan. I have watched so many of his videos about the Olympics. They are really immortal.

In the beginning, we had some difficulties finding somewhere to hold the lifting ceremony. Then the manager of our Hotel Intercontinental was kind enough to agree. Some people whom I lifted indoors had to sit down because the ceiling was not high enough. The manager was one of those.

Roger Kingdom’s mother was so brave. She was waving when I lifted her. She was only holding the bar with one hand. How happy she was!

One day our great Gary Fanelli came. He was competing in the marathon. He wanted to prove to me that everywhere he carries me. So he took out from his wallet my picture. He was showing it to me and telling me, “Guru, I carry you everywhere.”

Both Gary and Ashrita tried very hard to bring Arnold Schwarzenegger, but by the time they met with him, I had finished lifting for the day.

My record lifting in Germany and Switzerland

Among them were quite a few very important people. One of them was a great bodybuilder from Los Angeles. His name was Tony Pearson. He was Mr. Universe in 1980, and claimed he got his inspiration from Arnold Schwarzenegger. He told me that he has read much about me and also heard much about me. He was full of appreciation and very kind-hearted. We took seven or eight pictures together.

I also lifted a bodybuilder from Haiti — Paul-Jean Guillaume. He was Mr. Universe in 1986 in a lighter weight category. He was extremely nice. He told me that right from his childhood, he was dead against drugs. Right after he told me this, Tony came and said, “I am not as clean as he is. He is very strict, disciplined. I am not as clean, as pure, as this fellow.” Indirectly he was confessing.

Then a few runners came who are eminent in Switzerland. In Munich one tennis player came. His name is Max Wunschig. He was the German tennis champion for 22 years. He defeated Becker also. Now he no longer plays internationally. He is extremely, extremely nice.

Mental power

Many bodybuilders say that they have heard so much about me, but they call me an old man. In Korea, Arnold Schwarzenegger also called me an old man.

Biceps comparison

Then he was saying, “No, no, it is not your biceps that are doing this but your mental power, mental power.”

A marathon champion

Then he asked me how many times I had run a marathon. I told him that I have run 22 marathons.

He has run only four marathons.

Praying for lightness

Then a very beautiful incident took place. Disciples were sitting on the ground around the apparatus praying. He was extremely moved to see so many people praying and meditating in a soulful consciousness. So he also started praying to God, he said, to make him lighter. He has done weightlifting all his life, so he knows what a heavy weight 263 pounds is. He was deeply moved that I wanted to lift him. So when he saw so many disciples praying and meditating for me to lift him, he was praying to God to make him lighter. He has such a good heart.

A most difficult lift

Since my left hand was successful, I wanted to try with my right hand. Then my right hand gave me trouble. At first, I lifted it just a little, but I was not satisfied, so I brought it down. The second time I lifted, the result was the same. I lifted a little, but my arm was not fully extended, so again I brought it down. Then I got disgusted. For everything we get three chances. So I said to myself, “I have one more chance. This time I have to lift.”

I told Peter, “I am taking two minutes’ time.” He knows what I mean. I am sure he also used to take time between lifts when he was weightlifting. Sometimes two minutes’ rest is absolutely necessary. So I took rest and then I took off my tracksuit jacket and in my T-shirt I approached the apparatus for the third time. This time it immediately went up. Then it was all over. I was so happy.

Was it not stupidity on my part? When I had done so well with my left hand, it was not enough. Why did I want to show off? Such a heavy weight! One hand was not enough?

The weightlifter's dream

Anyway, these are some of the happy and fulfilling experiences from our trip to Switzerland and Germany.

The German magazine