Подигања

Подвизите на Шри Чинмој во подигањето тежини беа осведочени од многу професионални дигачи на тегови и бодибилдери, кои коментираа на енормните тежини што тој беше во состојба да ги подигне, ги направи уште поневеројатни земајќи ја во предвид неговата просечна телесна градба. Бил Перл, петкратен Мистер на Универзумот и прогласен за "Најдобро граден човек на Дваесетиот Век", изјави:

“Тоа што го направи Шри Чинмој со своите подигања е абсолутно чудо. Тој е човек со уникатна сила, духовен човек кој со својот пример ја покажува премоќта на умот над материјата. Од него научив дека величината на раката не прави човек туку величината на неговото срце. Никој во светот го нема направено тоа што Шри Чинмој го направи!"

Под будното око на легендите на бодибилдинг легендите како Бил Перл и Френк Зејн, Шри Чинмој серија на нови подигања. Негова цел не беше да се натпреварува со постоечките рекорди, туку да ја демонстрира реалноста на внатрешната сила. Неговите подвизи на сила се направени во стилот на подигањата на силните луѓе во минатото кога било доволно да се подигне тегот доволно високо за да може под него да се извлече лист хартија. Шри Чинмој не изведуваше стандардни подигања како што е подигање со исфрлање и трзај, туку користеше машини кои му овозможуваа да подига огромни тежини и тешки предмети.

Во текот на целата кариера на Шри Чинмој како дигач на тегови, Бил Перл беше негов најголем подржувач, а неговата подршка се движеше од давање непоценливи совети до церемонијал мајстор на демонстрациите на Шри Чинмој. Еден предлог на Бил Перл ја усмери кариерата на подигање на Шри Чинмој во потполно нов правец.

“Просечен човек кој не е дигач на тегови не може да ги разбере разликите помеѓу предмет што тежи 250 килограми и тие што тежат 1000 килограми. За нив тоа се само бројки. Но ако подигне предмети кои обичната публика може да ги разбере, како автомобили, големи животни или платформи со луѓе, тогаш никој не може да се сомнева како подигањата се направени и колку предмети се подигнати." - Бил Перл

Frank Zane, three-time Mr. Olympia and three-time Mr. Universe, gave the following tribute to Sri Chinmoy’s weightlifting: “He gave his life to lifting up the world - literally and metaphorically. His dedication and enthusiasm for his lifting was contagious—the last time we spoke, I was overwhelmed at his excitement about his lifting, always working to lift more and more over the years. It made me want to train harder.“

In September 2006 Wayne S. DeMilia, the leading promoter of bodybuilding events, invited Sri Chinmoy to demonstrate his weightlifting at the Night of the Champions, the third largest bodybuilding contest of its type in the world after Mr. Olympia and the Arnold Classic. Sri Chinmoy had lifted Heads of State, Olympic champions and luminaries from all walks of life, but never before had he lifted weights at such a prestigious bodybuilding event.

During the evening, Sri Chinmoy lifted Bill Pearl and Hugo Girard overhead with one arm and also in the seated calf raise. He lifted then Wayne S. DeMilia and Charles Blake in the shoulder shrug. At the end Bill Pearl and Sri Chinmoy were presented with the Night of Champions Lifetime Achievement Award honoring their contributions to the weightlifting world. That was the night the bodybuilding world officially and publicly recognized Sri Chinmoy.

“Before I lift very heavy weights, I go and touch each plate before I lift it… I  touch each plate and try to establish my friendship with it, for even an inanimate object has pride. If you are my friend, then you will have no objection if I lift you up. As your friend, I can beg you to do something and you will feel obliged to do it. But if I am your rival, you are under no obligation. If I act like a commander and say “Stand up!”, why do you have to listen to me? , why do you have to listen to me? You will say, “Who are you to tell me to do something?” Then it will be like fighting with an enemy – challenging the weight or being challenged by the weight. The weight will say, “You cannot lift me,” and I will say, “I can lift you.“ At that time, the weight will be like a rival and, as soon as I hold it, there will be a competition between me and the weight. I will say, “I am going to lift you up,” and the weight will say, “Who are you to lift me up?” This is not my approach at all. Instead I become one with the weight itself. My whole approach is one of friendship and oneness. I am trying to be of service on the strength of oneness. So whether it is an inanimate object or an animal or a human being, my whole purpose is to establish oneness, oneness, oneness.” – Sri Chinmoy

Outstanding lifts

“Today I lifted up a Lear jet weighing over 22 000 lbs ( 9 979 kg). It took so much of my concentration to make the plane feel light. Beyond the mind, everything is possible. The owner told me that when he was sitting in the pilot´s seat, he saw the lift and he also felt it. He said it was very clear, very vivid.”                        – Sri Chinmoy

“Today, on Thanksgiving day, my humble service I placed at the Feet of God. I went back to MacArthur Airport to lift a much bigger jet plane. I lifted it twice. The second time there were twenty-one passengers inside, including the owner. The weight was 31 000 lbs ( 14 061 kg )  and the owner told me that he felt the plane shake. He said, “I am not even going to try to understand this.” When I breathe in three times before I lift, at that time I try to make my mind feel that the plane is light. I try to convince the mind that it is very light. Otherwise, immediately the weight of the entire plane comes to mind and fear can destroy everything.” - Sri Chinmoy

“When I lift very heavy weights, I take three very deep breaths before lifting. The best thing is to feel the breath of the life-energy in you spiritual heart and in your forehead. While you are concentrating, you can feel the same life-energy inside your wrist or inside your palm. It is life-energy that enables us to lift.”          - Sri Chinmoy