Question: Is there a spiritual way to be defeated by someone?

Sri Chinmoy: When you are defeated, if you have an admiring attitude, then automatically your admiration is a magnet. You are pulling into your own system the qualities that you appreciate inwardly. Outwardly you may make that person feel that what he has is something unacceptable, but inwardly you feel it is something you need; so admiration itself is playing the role of a magnet. When you admire someone, automatically you get something from him.

Admiration on the physical level means forgetfulness of what you have. When you feel that something unlimited can exist, then you forget that you have limitations. You forget that the things you are appreciating in someone else are limited. You are appreciating the unlimited consciousness in him, and he sympathises with you because he feels that he also needs the unlimited consciousness.

In this world everybody feels happy when he is wanted and needed. When the unlimited feels wanted, it comes closer. When it feels special concern or when it feels that one person cares more for it than others, then naturally it feels that God will care more for that person. Here the unlimited consciousness is like the sunlight. The sunlight is there for everyone, but only if we want to use it can it come to us to be of service. If we don't need it, then why should it come to us?