Question: We want to make the Peace Run very large. How can we do this and still keep the spirit that you want?

Sri Chinmoy: You can keep the spirit of the Peace Run burning throughout the length and breadth of the world if you can imagine that each time you take a step, you are offering to the Supreme a new joy. With each step you are taking, feel that you are placing a new flower of beauty, purity and divinity at the Feet of our Lord Beloved Supreme. I am using the word ‘imagine’, but it is not imagination; it is reality itself.

You are carrying your vital, mind, heart and soul inside you. Now try to feel that somebody else you are also carrying. If you can feel that you are carrying me inside you, this will give you tremendous joy. If you can feel that you are carrying me on top of your head or on your shoulder, or right beside you, or inside the very depths of your heart, you are bound to get tremendous joy. And if you are swimming in the sea of joy, then the question of distance, the question of fatigue, the question of unwillingness — in the form of unpleasantness — can never knock at your heart’s door.

Another thing you can do is to sing any song of mine that gives you joy. But it should be a song that has been composed by me, not composed by somebody else — not even your noble self. Your song may be in the world of superstars, and I do not want you to be a superstar right now. The theme song that Narada wrote, you can sing to energise you. Narada’s song is very inspiring, and if he composes another one, then you can sing it also. But, unfortunately, there are so many stupid songs that you have learnt over the years. Very often in the inner world I get messages that you are singing songs that lower your consciousness. So be careful! If you do not want to sing, you can chant the Supreme’s Name or your own spiritual name.

Keep yourself spiritually happy. How can you do this? If you look at something inspiring, you get spontaneous happiness, and spontaneous happiness is spiritual happiness. You can look at a flower, at the sun, at the moon or at a tree. Anything inspiring you can look at in order to get spontaneous happiness. Otherwise, we try to create happiness with our mind, which is all the time doubting our own capacities. This is such a painful, painful experience!

Anything that you can offer to our Lord Supreme happily and cheerfully is treasured by Him. You may be doing something unwillingly and, at the same time, in the back of your mind you may be thinking that people are appreciating you for doing it. People may be appreciating you because you can fool human beings, but you cannot fool God, our Inner Pilot. If you do something unwillingly, He will give you zero. Again, even if there is not a single soul to appreciate your soulful self-giving in this Peace Run, no harm! The One who has inspired us, who is inspiring us and who will always inspire us to manifest Him in His own Way will be proud of you and pleased with you.

When we accept the spiritual life, we make a solemn promise to our Inner Pilot that we will please Him. Never for a fleeting second do we tell Him, “I shall please You, but only if You please me.” That thought does not come into our mind. When we are in the desire-life, we say, “O God, please me, please me!” But once we accept the spiritual life, then the story changes. At that time we say, “I wish only to please You. Please give me the capacity.” So please remember this. Before you accepted the spiritual life, you had one way of praying: “Give me, give me, give me!” Once you accept the spiritual life, you have another way of praying: “Take me, take me, take me! You know all my imperfections. You know what I need. I want only to be a perfect instrument of Yours.” So when you are participating in the Peace Run, always pray: “Take me, take me, take me into Your Universal Heart, which is flooded with Peace.”