Interviewer: That is something we all need. Last year Sri Chinmoy sponsored a relay for world peace, the Oneness-Home Peace Run. Over 20,000 runners participated, carrying a flaming torch around the world. I believe they covered 27,000 miles. I understand that you sponsor a number of athletic events for peace that integrate your spiritual philosophy with the act of physical self-transcendence.

Sri Chinmoy: Yes, we feel that the body and the spirit must go together. They are like the obverse and reverse of the same coin. We need both. Our body is the temple and our inner existence, inner divinity, is the shrine. They must go together. The outer running reminds us of the inner running. Along Eternity’s Road we are all running and here, on the outer plane if we run, we feel that our body is ready to receive the light, the blessings and the divinity that the inner existence has to offer. If the body is physically fit, then early in the morning we will be inspired to get up and pray and meditate. But if we only pray and meditate, while neglecting the body, then we feel miserable. So spiritual awareness, spiritual consciousness and spiritual practice must go together with physical fitness if we want to become perfect citizens of the world.