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The "Lifting Up the World with a Oneness-Heart" program is a unique award that was offered by Sri Chinmoy to recognise individuals from all walks of life who had inspired and uplifted humanity. Sri Chinmoy lifted the recipients overhead either with one arm or both arms, using a specially constructed platform in a symbolic gesture of oneness with their uplifting achievements.

The programme began on 26th June 1988. The first person to be lifted was Mahamsarat Bill Pearl, a former Mr Universe and "World's Best-Built Man of the Century". Explaining his motivation for this programme, Sri Chinmoy said:

"I am trying to reach people in various walks of life who have inspired others — in sports, in literature, in science and in politics. Since they have inspired many people, I am trying with my limited capacity to encourage and inspire them. When someone does something great, he is cheered by his colleagues. They congratulate him. Here also I am trying to congratulate them with my prayerful meditation and inner oneness with them. I just lift them up to show my deepest appreciation of their achievements." (1)

Sri Chinmoy's initial goal was to lift 700 individuals. He achieved this on 3 November 1988, just a few months after beginning. Five days before the celebration of this first milestone, Sri Chinmoy remarked:

My immediate goal is to lift 700 individuals who have inspired mankind in all kinds of ways, in all walks of life. But my ultimate goal is to love God the Creator and serve God the creation sleeplessly and unconditionally until I breathe my last. (2)

Over the next 29 years, Sri Chinmoy would lift 8,300 people in this way. It included heads of state, senior diplomats, sportsmen and cultural figures, but also ordinary people who had made a contribution to making the world a better place.

A seated one-armed lift is one of the hardest weightlifting challenges as the arm needs to do most of the lifting. The feats of Sri Chinmoy lifting people heavier than his own bodyweight, are impressive in their own right. Sri Chinmoy was always keen to emphasise that the essence of "Lifting Up The World With a Oneness-Heart" was the feeling of oneness.

As you can see, I am not a bodybuilder; I am not a weightlifter. I do not have the muscle mass of a bodybuilder; I do not have the strength of a weightlifter. But I am a truth-seeker and a God-lover. I pray and meditate so that I can establish my oneness with each and every human being in the whole world. My lifting is all done on the strength of my heart's oneness with the world. I do this in the spirit of my soulful and devoted service to humanity.

Heads of State

From left to right.
President Nelson Mandela (South Africa, 9 March 1999)
President Ranasinghe Premadasa (Sri Lanka, 4 January 1990)
President Jorge E. Illueca of Panama - 21 July 1989

United Nations

From left to right. 
Javier Pérez de Cuéllar, 5th Secretary General of the United Nations, 26 May 2005
Vladimir Petrovsky, Former Director-General of the United Nations in Geneva, 12 October 2002
Professor Ibrahim A. Gambari, Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations, 4 March 2002

Sport

From left to right. 
Sudhahota Carl Lewis, Olympic champion - 10 September 2001.
Billie Jean King, tennis champion - 22 May 2003.
Tegla Laroupe, Marathon champion - 4 November 2004

Cultural/Music

From left to right. 
Ravi Shankar, 20 September 2002
Susan Sarandon, 23 April 2003
Roberta Flack, 29 October 1988

Religious/spiritual figures

From left to right.
Cardinal Basil Hume, 19 October 1990
Rabbi Marc Gellman, 23 May 2001
Buddhist monk, 23 May 2001

Kind Words for Lifting Up The World With a Oneness-Heart

"I am very happy you are here. I feel deeply honoured to be a part of your worldwide organisation and to take part in this wonderful programme. I am happy this moment has come. Your powerful group carries an equally powerful message for the world."

PRESIDENT NELSON MANDELA
South Africa, March 9th, 1999 (The 2,000th person to be lifted by Sri Chinmoy)

"You spread the ideas of non-violence, tolerance and harmony among people. All of us are inhabitants of the same planet. We are members of one family. And you spread the idea of one family all over the world."

VLADIMIR PETROVSKY
Former Director-General of the United Nations in Geneva, October 12th, 2002 (The 5,000th person to be lifted by Sri Chinmoy)

"To be lifted once in a lifetime, I think, is good enough for most. To be lifted twice is an honour I cannot forget. I am overwhelmed. I want to thank Sri Chinmoy for this tremendous honour. By honouring me, you are honouring more than just me. You are honouring the town from which I come in Nigeria, the country from which I come, the continent from which I come, and the United Nations, where I work. Sri Chinmoy is a wonderful human being whom I am proud and privileged to know. There is no higher calling, no higher pursuit than peace. This is what Sri Chinmoy symbolises."

PROFESSOR IBRAHIM A. GAMBARI
Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations, Special Adviser to the Secretary-General on Africa, March 4th, 2002

"Who can imagine what Sri Chinmoy does! He does it through his spiritual strength, his power, putting his faith in God and understanding that anything can be achieved. I think it is a message that is strong to everyone about where to direct their attention or meditation and that they can achieve anything they set out to do."

SUDHAHOTA CARL LEWIS
9-time Olympic Gold Medallist in track and field, November 17th, 1999

"Sri Chinmoy has no one to look at and say that such things are impossible. The only thing he can do is to feel what is inside him. For Sri Chinmoy there are no limits to the human body. To get beyond that is a wonderful feeling, because no one else has ever done what he is doing. But just because no one else has done it does not mean that it is impossible. Sri Chinmoy is the proof. Sri Chinmoy is exposing the wonderful mystery of what we are. He is exposing capabilities that humans have never tapped before. He has placed aside all barriers. To overcome the difficulties and go beyond limitations is the sign of someone very great. No one has been where Sri Chinmoy is now. Sri Chinmoy is a pathfinder for humanity."

AL OERTER
4-time Olympic Gold Medallist in the discus, February 18th, 2000 (lifted with his wife Cathy)

"First Swami Vivekananda came to give India's spiritual wealth to the West. Then came Paramahansa Yogananda. Now Sri Chinmoy has come."

MAESTRO RAVI SHANKAR
Legendary Sitar Player, September 23rd, 2002

"Sri Chinmoy was in San Diego recently, so Christine and I went to see him. This was the first time Christine had met the Guru, and he lifted us together along with dozens of athletes in attendance. I was amazed at how his shoulders had grown and upper back had become wider from the overhead lifting. At 71 years of age, Sri Chinmoy continues to work out and lift more weight. I spoke a few words to the gathering before we left and got a standing ovation as I recited a stanza from a song I wrote about him years ago...Feeling very inspired afterwards, I was in high spirits all day."

FRANK ZANE
3-time Mr. Olympia, 3-time Mr. Universe, Mr. America, September 24th, 2002 (lifted with his wife Christine). Comments reprinted from the Autumn 2002 issue of his magazine Building the Body

"When Sri Chinmoy lifts, the feeling that you have starts from inside. It's a wonderful thing. It's as if you feel yourself being lifted by someone from inside first...Sri Chinmoy is trying to give people a chance to actually see the spirit. The way he does the lifts is with God's Power and Strength and Support."

ADDWITIYA ROBERTA FLACK
6-time Grammy Award-winning vocalist, July 29th, 2001

Helen Hunt on David Letterman

Stories about Lifting up the World With a Oneness-Heart

• Helen Hunt - A Private Interview - stories Sri Chinmoy Centre

Related

• Lifting Up The World With a Oneness-Heart at Sri Chinmoy.org
• Lifting Up The World With a Oneness-Heart at Sri Chinmoy Library
• Lifting Up The World With a Oneness-Heart at Sri Chinmoy Songs

Photo credits: Pulak, Dhanu, Maral, Adarini, Abakash

Follow Your Dreams

by Sahishnu Szczesiul, Associate Race Director, Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team

At 6:05 am on Thursday, June 12, 1997, five runners stepped up to the starting line on the sidewalk near Thomas Edison Vocational High School in Jamaica, to try and circumnavigate a slightly more than half-mile (.5488 miles or 883.2079 meters) course 5,649 times. The first annual Sri Chinmoy 3100 Mile Race was to begin on the same course that the 1996 event had five runners reach their goal of 2700 miles. Three of those lucky five were back to experience their own escape from the humdrum world. They had 51 days to complete their journey.

A race designed for runners with high mileage capabilities and fast recovery, the 3100 had an evening curfew from midnight to 6:00am. The rest of the time you ran your best. You had to be a master of mileage to even think of starting: 60.78 miles per day was the required average. Fifty miles a day kept you in the race. This was perhaps the longest race ever done on a closed course; certainly the longest race available nowadays. The runners slept in apartments near the racecourse, and brought everything they needed for each day. Meals were delivered at regular times each day, and a constant supply of liquids and snacks was available. When they finished at night, a car whisked them away to home for rest.

The Runners

Edward Kelley, 39, was a part-time actor and former track coach living in Long Beach, California. "I came to win this thing, I'm determined to finish, and I expect to average close to 70 miles a day," he said. Kelley had finished second in the 1996 2700 Mile Race, trailing Latvian world record holder Georgs Jermolajevs by over 100 miles. "People ask me why I do these races. I tell them because I am good at it. I love to race and compete. Obviously the distance scares people. But I have run across the country five times, had two non-finishes, plus ran 2700 miles last year. I know I can do better. The 3100 distance intrigues me and inspires me."

Georgs Jermolajevs, 54, arrived from his native Latvia only 14 hours before the race began. Having endured another rough winter in the former Soviet republic, Jermolajevs was eager to begin his journey of 10 million steps, free of the constraints and pressures of his then-destitute homeland. The physical education instructor and odd-job worker claimed normal fitness, but hoped to be in top shape after a week or two of road toughening. The previous year he had run 2700 miles in 40 days 15 hours, averaging 66.7 miles per day to dominate the race.

Istvan Sipos of Hungary arrived amid rumours that he had not run a step since his victory in the 1000 Mile Race in 1996. Istvan took the offer to come to New York, hoping to run himself into shape while keeping the others within sight. In 1993 he had set the world best for 1300 miles and 2000 km, and many recalled his easy victory in the 1994 Trans America Race, when he glided through the hottest first three weeks on record and was never challenged in the 64-day stage race (3000 miles).

Suprabha Beckjord, 41, toed the line for her 20th multi-day race of five days or more in the last 12 years. She had been brilliant in the 2700, finishing first woman and third overall in 43 days, 0 hours, 46 minutes — an average of 62 miles per day. Fearless and confident, Beckjord came with her health and fitness intact, ready to push her limits again. She was the lone woman in the race, but a relentless competitor nonetheless. Her years of experience and great ability of concentration would surely propel her to the finish line.

Aleksandar Arsic, 32, from Nis, Yugoslavia, was the youngest runner in the field — limited in experience but showing good potential. He had completed four other multi-days but had never passed 903 miles. He would need to average at least 50 miles a day to stay in the race, and hoped the other talented four would pull his young legs along to new heights.

The Start

After a powerful silent meditation by Sri Chinmoy, the runners left the line in a clockwise direction around the concrete course.

 Ed Kelley took the lead from the gun, hoping to strike hard at his competition and set the tone for the race. Georgs ran and walked to stay close, but Edward widened his lead by the end of the first day. After completing 88.9 miles on day one, Kelley was nearly 12 miles ahead of Georgs, 17 miles ahead of Suprabha and 27 miles ahead of Istvan. But competition is not the only thing that a race of 3100 miles is about. Consistency, patience, poise and good health are the hallmarks of multi-day success.

The Early Weeks

As the miles began to pile up and days passed, one could notice the slimmer look of each runner. Effort showed on their faces, but cheerfulness still remained a part of their demeanour. They seemed to have a great awareness of everything around them — they were actually enjoying this race.

On Day 7, hot, humid weather moved into the region, with temperatures rising into the 90s. Unlike the unusually cool weather of the previous year, the summer began heating up quickly. After one week, Ed Kelley led with 485.6 miles (69.2 per day), firmly ahead of Georgs (454.4 miles), Suprabha (444.5) and Istvan (405.5 miles). Even Aleksandar averaged 56 miles a day.

Kelley had once remarked that you should expect two or three major crises during a run of this magnitude. By Day 11, Georgs — having fallen 40 miles behind Edward — had some mental struggles, stopping early one evening at 43.9 miles, saying he couldn't sleep in the heat. Istvan, meanwhile, suffered a serious right quadriceps injury; walking slowly and in great pain, he was forced to withdraw from the race on Day 12, a victim of a torn quadriceps muscle.

Ed mounted a counter-attack and by the end of two weeks had totalled 943 miles. But he was not immune to problems — breathing difficulties in the stuffy, humid air saw his internal temperature rise to 102°, with spells of dizziness and weakness. On Day 15 he barely made 50 miles, yet his resolve carried him through. One day Sri Chinmoy told Edward that a champion always shows his true colours. Kelley passed his first major test.

During the hottest stretch, Suprabha ran extremely well, recording the highest daily mileage in the field on four of the six hottest days. She slipped ahead of Georgs into second place, at one point drawing within 22 miles of the lead. Meanwhile, Georgs' Achilles tendon became tender, forcing him to adapt his footwear and lacing to allow the tendon to heal while he continued.

On Day 21 Suprabha encountered her own crisis — a slightly pulled muscle in her upper thigh. She walked the remainder of the day, still totalling 56 miles, but fearful of her long-term chances. Luckily the injury proved minor, and with a good night's rest she was back running the next day. This would prove to be her only day below 60 miles for the entire race.

What Drives Them On?

What made these runners continue when they had already covered thousands of miles, with thousands more to go? To even toe the line for a race of this magnitude is an act of courage. An ultra-runner is someone who can overcome fits of boredom, fatigue, discomfort and endless hours of running — alone with their thoughts, alone with themselves for days and weeks on end.

Suprabha often said she was exploring new boundaries of her inner self as well as her physical limits, using her meditation practice as a catalyst for discovering her true inner capacity. Ed Kelley used his charitable connections with children's disability as a stimulus to cover the miles and reach new goals. Their spirit is perhaps more remarkable than their talent.

The Last Three Weeks

As the race passed the four-week mark, the finishing order became clear. Edward Kelley and Suprabha Beckjord were destined to finish within the 51-day time limit. Ed passed 2000 miles in 30 days 14 hours; Suprabha followed at 32 days 3 hours. All the runners had to endure a typical New York summer — hot and humid, with little air movement and infrequent thunderstorms.

One particular storm on July 18th was a little too close for comfort. A heavy downpour in the afternoon was followed hours later by black clouds and red-tinted thunderheads. Within minutes the sky blackened, the wind shifted, and the full force of the storm broke loose. Suprabha and Aleksandar donned raincoats and continued running; Ed and Georgs took shelter in the vans. Branches and trees came down, hailstones clattered on the vehicles, and a large tree fell near the course. Winds reached 70 miles an hour, closing the two local airports, and a mini tornado touched down less than ten miles away. Yet still the two runners circled the track. Numbers from the scoreboard were found two blocks away.

Georgs began to put up more respectable numbers in the final weeks, learning valuable lessons about survival and acceptance even as victory slipped away. He passed 2000 miles on Day 36 — nearly six days slower than Kelley's split. Aleksandar, still in the race past the four-week mark, was quietly putting pressure on Georgs from behind.

As the remaining quartet approached forty days, Edward Kelley was almost assured of victory. He reached 3000 miles in 46 days 6 hours — the first man to pass this milestone in a certified race. On Tuesday, July 29th, he became the first man to reach 3100 miles, finishing in 47 days 15 hours — 130 miles ahead of Suprabha. 

A crowd of nearly 100 people witnessed his historic triumph. Forty minutes after reaching 3100 miles, he returned to the course to record 13 more laps, passing 5000 km in 47 days 19 hours — three world firsts in a single race. He averaged 65+ miles per day for 47 days, his steely determination carrying him to the goal.

Suprabha Beckjord crossed the line on Friday, August 1st, completing 3100 miles in 50 days, 2 hours — averaging 61.9 miles per day. When she finished, friends showered her with gifts, bouquets and placards. A modest, humble and supremely talented athlete.

Georgs Jermolajevs stopped with 2717 miles — far from his own expectations, but much fitter than when he started. Aleksandar Arsic reached his personal pinnacle of 2700 miles on the final day, grateful for the experience and ready for the next challenge.

"This 3,100 miles is an unprecedented journey in our world-peace-manifestation-dream. World-peace can come into existence only when we are inundated with patience and perseverance. Infinite patience we need in our inner life, and perseverance we need in our outer life.

"These 3,100 miles remind us of one divine and supreme reality: we can and must do everything at our command to transform the world of lethargy and unwillingness to be dynamic. Willingness to give, willingness to achieve, willingness to grow and glow should be the message of our souls.

"To Ed, Suprabha, Georgs and Aleksander, my soul's summit blessingful love, blessingful joy and blessingful pride I am offering unreservedly and unconditionally. Whenever I passed by you running, you reminded me of our souls' eternal, birthless and deathless journey and you reminded me of Eternity's choice runners."

— Sri Chinmoy, at the awards ceremony, 2 August 1997

Final Results

Sri Chinmoy 3100 Mile Race — June 12 to August 1, 1997 — 5 starters
Course: .5488 mile loop (883.2079 meters), paved sidewalk, certified
Curfew: 12:05am – 6:05am (Actual start: 6:05:00am EDT)

1. Edward Kelley, 39, Long Beach, CA, USA — 3100 miles in 47 days + 15:19:56
2. Suprabha Beckjord, 41, Washington, DC, USA — 3100 miles in 50 days + 02:09:56
3. Georgs Jermolajevs, 54, Riga, Latvia — 2717 miles in 49 days + 13:15:26
4. Aleksandar Arsic, 32, Nis, Serbia — 2700 miles in 50 days + 06:49:34
5. Istvan Sipos, 37, Szeged, Hungary — 582.27 miles in 11 days + 00:59:05 (withdrew, injury)

A multi-day runner is always assured that when the race ends, he is never the same person that he was when he started. These lucky five runners had gone through ups and downs, never falling victim to doubt. As Sri Chinmoy often said: "Today's goal is tomorrow's starting point."

3100 Mile Race website

More articles about the early history of the 3100 Mile Race.

Sri Chinmoy began playing tennis on or around 13 June 1977, at the age of 45. Despite a late start, he displayed a great eagerness to develop and improve, often playing a variety of opponents for many hours. 

The spiritual message of tennis

The spiritual message of tennis: 
Love, serve 
And finally surrender 
To the Supreme in the winner. 
The loser who cheerfully surrenders 
To the Supreme in the winner 
Becomes himself a real winner 
In the inner world.

- Sri Chinmoy (FF-8902)

Footage of Sri Chinmoy playing tennis from the late 1980s to 2005. Includes meeting with Ilie Nastase and awarding of "Lifting Up the World With a Oneness-Heart". Footage courtesy Mridanga Spencer.

Tennis Stars

Over the years Sri Chinmoy invited many top tennis players, such as Billie Jean King, Steffi Graf, Monica Seles, Mats Wilander, Ilie Năstase, Martina Navratilova and Ramesh Krishnan to his own tennis court at Aspiration-Ground, New York. 

Lifting Up The World With a Oneness-Heart

Sri Chinmoy would often honour tennis players as part of his "Lifting Up the World with a Oneness Heart" programme. 

From left to right. Steffi Graf (11 Nov 1989), 
Martina Navratilova (30 August 2005), 
Mats Wilander (17 March 1990)

Sri Chinmoy Tennis Classics

Sri Chinmoy and his students also organised tennis competitions, known as Sri Chinmoy Tennis Classics. This included a tennis competition for the UN, and in the above example, an interfaith tennis classic.

Question: Guru, when we put on Sri Chinmoy Tennis Classics in our cities, how can we make it an experience that will be beneficial to the inner life and not just another tennis tournament?

Sri Chinmoy: First of all, we should not give the players prize money. Then, whoever is the organiser could give a five-minute talk. He could say that in order to do anything successfully in life, you always need friends. It is like a tug-of-war: if you have more people on your side, then you are bound to win. It is the same in tennis. You already have talent as a friend. You also have parents, dear ones and so on. One more friend that you can have is a good thought. A good thought can be your best friend. If you have good thoughts and good will towards your opponent, then these realities will enter into him and you will also receive good thoughts and good will from him. (Continue reading at Sri Chinmoy Library)

Watching Sri Chinmoy play tennis

From 1978 to the early 2000s, Sri Chinmoy spent many hours playing tennis at Aspiration-Ground. Sri Chinmoy said, it could be an excellent opportunity for his students to be in a meditative consciousness whilst he was playing tennis.

You can learn so much from tennis. Whenever I play, please watch very soulfully.

When I strike the ball, see how the ball surrenders and goes wherever I want it to. Each time I strike the ball, please identify yourself with the ball, and feel that you are surrendering to the will of the Supreme in me. Inwardly you can say the word “surrender”. And no matter in which direction I hit the ball, unconditionally it goes there. So feel that you are making your surrender unconditional.

Then when I am serving, please feel that you are serving the Supreme in your Guru. Whenever I serve, please feel that you are serving the Supreme in me with utmost love and devotion.

If you can do these two things, you will get tremendous joy and make tremendous progress when you are watching me play tennis. (I Play Tennis Every Day, Sri Chinmoy Library)

Mahiyan - Playing tennis with Sri Chinmoy

(Video footage Sri Chinmoy - Kedar. Interview: Tejvan)

Mahiyan Savage was a former professional tennis player who became a disciple of Sri Chinmoy in the early 1970s. Mahiyan played many hours of tennis with Sri Chinmoy. 

Databir, Bipin and Rupantar talk about playing tennis with Guru. In particular, they explain Sri Chinmoy's preferred method of scoring, which led to quick games with minimal interruptions.

I Play Tennis Every Day

I Play Tennis Every Day - Sri Chinmoy Library

Question and answers, talks and poems about the spiritual significance of tennis.

Articles on Sri Chinmoy's Tennis

Photos of Lifting up the World with a Oneness-Heart. Steffi Graf, Adarini Inkel; Mats Wilander, Dhanu; Martina Navratilova, Pulak

On 9 June 2001, Sri Chinmoy inaugurated the Eternal Peace Flame at the Pier of Honour, in Oslo, Norway. The flame was symbolically lit using the Peace Run Torch. Sri Chinmoy was joined by Svenn Kristiansen, Oslo's Deputy Mayor and several other dignitaries in attendance. There was also a large crowd of well-wishers who offered their own prayers and meditations for this symbol of peace.

 Sri Chinmoy inaugurates the Eternal Peace Flame at the Pier of Honour in the Port of Oslo, Norway.

The Eternal Peace-Flame, 
Mankind’s oneness-game. 
Here in Norway’s Oslo 
The smiles of the world glow. 

- Sri Chinmoy, (Sri Chinmoy Songs)

Runners from the Sri Chinmoy Oneness-Home Peace Run were in Oslo for the occasion.

The inauguration of the Peace Flame was part of a week-long activity dedicated to peace in Oslo. It included a concert, art exhibition, lecture and running events.

Video

Video by Kedar Misani

The statue's permanent home

After its temporary position, the Eternal Peace Flame now has a permanent place in the beautiful surroundings of Holmenkollen — overlooking the city. Next to the flame, there is now also a statue of Sri Chinmoy - a powerful work of art to represent the peace-loving life and spirit of Sri Chinmoy, the founder of the Oneness-Home Peace Run.

Related

• The Eternal Peace Flame at Peace Run

Long before the advent of the Sri Chinmoy Oneness-Home Peace Run, Sri Chinmoy encouraged his disciples to bring to the fore the unique qualities of their country in various ways. For Canada, he composed the song “O Good Canada’s Oneness-Heart” and, over the next few months, teams of runners demonstrated this oneness with some epic relay runs.

O Good Canada’s Oneness-Heart

O good Canada’s Oneness-Heart,
In you I see the perfection-start.
Your blue vision-worlds run and sail,
Your gold reality-worlds never fail.
Your beauty’s soulful cry succeeds.
Your duty’s fruitful smile proceeds.
Beyond within your vastness-chart,
O good Canada’s Oneness-Heart.
        – 9 May 1976

On 28 April 1976, thirteen Canadian disciples embarked on a 360-mile, non-stop relay run to celebrate the anniversary of Sri Chinmoy’s completion of 360 poems in 24 hours.

On 24 June 1976, a team of relay runners set off from Ottawa carrying a flaming torch. Their destination, more than 500 miles away was the Statue of Liberty in New York. Sixty-six hours later, the runners of Canada’s Oneness-Heart completed their relay which demonstrated their love and support for their American brothers and sisters and their feeling of oneness with the American Bicentennial spirit. 

With the arrival of the Canadian team, a group of American runners, called Liberty Torch, would begin their own non-stop run through all 50 U.S. states in honor of the 200th anniversary of the founding of America.

Sri Chinmoy, the inspiration for both historic groups, said:

"Today Canada’s Oneness-Heart is claimed at once by humanity’s soulful cry and divinity’s fruitful smile. History will bear witness to the Supreme fact that Canada is not for Canada alone."

- Sri Chinmoy

Questions and answers

Before the Canadian runners set out on their journey to the Statue of liberty, they had the opportunity to ask Sri Chinmoy questions about the significance of Canada’s Oneness-Heart.

Question: What is the inner and outer goal of Canada’s Oneness-Heart?

Sri Chinmoy: The goal is to bring to the fore all the divine qualities that Canada has. Good qualities you have in abundant measure. All these qualities can be brought to the fore, and all unaspiring qualities can be transformed into aspiring qualities. 

So, this is the goal: to come to the fore, to be in the vanguard of humanity’s progress. Here again, not with a competitive spirit but with our pure, aspiring life. The goal here is very broad, very wide, very lofty, illumining and fulfilling. There is no end to this goal. As you mentioned, it is only the starting point for each succeeding goal. There is no fixed goal. Right now, Canada’s Oneness-Heart has to prove itself in all the Centres in Canada – Halifax, Quebec, Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, Victoria. Among the Canadian Centres there should be no competitive spirit. 

Question: What are the spiritual qualities that are most important in Canada’s Oneness-Heart?

Sri Chinmoy: Until you have realised what oneness is, then the next best thing is sacrifice. Oneness has to be established; this is the goal. Right now, you are using the term ‘Canada’s Oneness-Heart’, but if you do not feel that Oneness-Heart immediately the moment you say ‘oneness’, then you have to achieve that oneness. How can you achieve it? Only on the strength of sacrifice, self-sacrifice. But again, there is no such thing as self-sacrifice. When my hand does something for my leg, it is not sacrifice because the hand knows that my leg is part of my entire body; the next moment my leg will do something for my hand. So, until you have realised that we are all one, then you have to make sacrifices to make yourself feel that we all are one. How do we make ourselves feel that we all are one? On the strength of self-sacrifice.

Oneness is satisfaction, oneness is perfection. If we are not satisfied, if we do not feel a sense of satisfaction inside us, then we have to come to oneness through self-sacrifice. How do you sacrifice? To make sacrifice you have to be pure – pure in the body, vital, mind and heart, in the inner life, in the outer life. It takes confidence, security in the Supreme for the Supreme.

In the outer life, it is very difficult for us to feel that we are of the Supreme. At times, we do feel that we are for the Supreme, that we are not merely a stranger on the street, but we do not feel it at every moment. If we can feel that we are of the Absolute Supreme, then there are many undivine things we will not do. If we feel we are of the One who is universal, transcendental, how can insecurity, jealousy or other undivine qualities enter into us? No matter how imperfect we are, we can be for the Supreme. When you think you are for the Supreme, you become more alert to what is happening now. 

If you do not feel immediately what oneness is, then start with sacrifice. In order to sacrifice, you have to have inner purity and outer confidence. This confidence needs the support of the vital and mind for inspiration. 

Question: What does the Supreme think of Canada’s Oneness-Heart?

Sri Chinmoy: He does not think! He has no brain. He does not use brain-power. He holds the ultimate Vision, and he knows what the ultimate Vision is. He is nurturing the seed, he knows how the seed will germinate, how it will become a plant, how it will become a tree, a great banyan tree. All that He knows inwardly. In our case, we do not know; it is all calculation, addition, subtraction, multiplication and division; this is our life.

But in His case, there is no such thing as addition and subtraction because He knows the Ultimate is unfolding. In His ultimate Vision, it is all One. Therefore, we can either go straight, sideways, upwards, inwards. We feel that we are flying or diving. But the Supreme sees clearly when we are flying, when we are diving and when we are running also.

The Supreme does not think, He does not feel. He knows. It is His own Self-Expansion. He is Infinite; therefore, He enters Infinity. He is all Oneness. As I say, He is transcending. He is infinite; He is eternal. If we use the mind, Infinity puzzles us, Eternity puzzles us. But if we use the soul, there is no problem. Infinity is a state of consciousness that can be expanded and which lasts. There is nothing but God Himself. He is always Progress. He is Perfect Perfection – He is Infinite Perfection.

At every moment, He is Transcending His Divinity, His Infinity, His Eternity, His Immortality, so that we can never catch Him. It is a game He plays and when we do catch Him, He immediately dances before us, He embraces us and then He runs away, and again we run after Him. We run after Him and then we become tired. He waits for us secretly, unmistakably, carefully. He waits most soulfully. Then He comes and again the game starts. It is the cosmic hide-and-seek game He is playing.
 

Further reading

Talk about Canada's Oneness-Heart, 12 February 1977.