I play tennis every day

I met Guru for the first time in the airport in Los Angeles in a hotel meeting room. He had a long layover on his flight home from the Christmas trip. It was very nice. Guru told his singers to come up and sing a song that he had just written.

The leader of the group, Haridas, a famous composer from Paris, had put it into an eight-part harmony. He said, "I don't know if we can do it, Guru, because many people have gone home."

Guru said, "Try anyway."

The song they sang was: 'I play tennis every day'. I knew in my heart he was having them sing that song for me, even though he had never met me before.

Later on, maybe a few years later, I heard Guru say that the ABC's of being a spiritual master, is you can easily read anybody's mind. But don't worry—if he reads your mind, even if he sees horrible thoughts, Guru would only try and help us with our aspiration and inspiration.

I play tennis every day

I play tennis every day
To join my Lord's Vision-Play.
I am the surrender-ball:
All joy in a body small.
Tennis, tennis, tennis game,
My heart's perfection-flame.

Sri Chinmoy 1

• 1. I play tennis every day, Agni Press, 1994