Question: When did you start weightlifting?

Sri Chinmoy: Last year, on 26 June, I started seriously. With difficulty I lifted 40 pounds with one arm at that time. Only by practising regularly and faithfully is one able to make progress. About four years ago a few of my students and I tried to lift a 50-pound weight with one arm. Some of my students did it seven or ten times, but I could not do it even three times properly. Fifty pounds was such a struggle for me! And yesterday when my students and I were practising informally, I lifted a 50-pound dumbbell 40 times. So this is progress.

Yesterday when I lifted 50 pounds 40 times, I offered the result to my Inner Pilot. Again, the time I lifted 50 pounds only three times with such difficulty, that result also I offered to my Inner Pilot. In no way was I less happy four years ago than I was yesterday. I got the same joy then as I did yesterday. To be able to lift the weight three times was the capacity that God gave me at that time, and this is the capacity He gave me yesterday. So yesterday’s capacity I offered to Him cheerfully, just as I offered my previous capacity to Him. We should always offer our capacity cheerfully to God. What we have, we will give. If we have one flower, we will give it, and if we have ten flowers, we will give them with the same joy.