Experiences in Japan

Anecdotes by Sri Chinmoy

The tea ceremony

In Tokyo we went to see a tea ceremony. When I came in, the hostess bowed to me three times. But I didn’t dare bend so many times, so I bowed only once!

Bowing and bowing

In Japan they bow even when they open the elevator door for you. Yesterday after the Peace Concert, I bowed at least 200 times during the walk-past for seekers.

As each person passed in front of me, he would bow. So I also bowed. Then I would have to bow a second time to show that the meditation for that particular individual was over.

For me to bow so many times and then look up is very difficult for my neck. So yesterday I had very good neck exercises!

I thought that they would keep their hands at their sides, according to the Japanese tradition, but most of them walked by with folded hands.

Published in The World-Experience-Tree-Climber, part 4

 

Experiences in Hawaii

Anecdotes by Sri Chinmoy

The culprits

How the tourists ruin the consciousness of Hawaii! If you enter into the heart of the island, you will see it is flooded with serenity, beauty, purity — every divine quality. But when you walk along the beach and see the tourists, it becomes something else. There is an immediate transformation. So we tourists are the culprits.

You have made my day!

The other day in Hawaii I was in a shop. A girl said, “Please tell me your name.”

When I told her, she said, “O Guru, O Guru, you don’t recognise me? I am Sambhava’s sister-in-law — Lynn’s sister. Thirteen years ago I came to New York and saw you. Then two years ago I came for your birthday. I can’t believe you are here. You have made my day!”

Published in The World-Experience-Tree-Climber, part 7

 

Experience in Malaysia

Anecdote by Sri Chinmoy

What did a three-year-old girl see?

The day before yesterday, on the elevator, I saw a little girl of three. She was very cute. She was perhaps from India. This little three-year-old girl was only looking at me and looking at me. I was going to the first floor, and she came out with me. Her parents were in the elevator, and they were holding the door open. She went back into the elevator, only to come out again and look at me. Then once more she went inside the elevator. The door was closing, but again the little girl came out. Her parents were begging her to come inside. They were holding the door.

What did a three-year-old girl see inside me?

Published in My Golden Children