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May 29

2001

HE HAS THE SPIRIT – AND STRENGTH – TO LIFT

By TAMER EL-GHOBASHY

He’s barely 145 pounds and stands about 5-feet-8, but Sri Chinmoy has mastered the art of mind over matter. That enables the 69-year-old Hindu-born spiritual leader to honor other religious leaders committed to peace — by literally lifting them up for praise. During a lighthearted ceremony in his Jamaica headquarters recently, Chinmoy praised five clergymen and a nun as models of the ideal that all religions are united by a spiritual path of love toward God and thanked them for promoting peace. Then he lifted them above him using a simple bench-press-like apparatus. Chinmoy said the Lifting Up the World with a Oneness Heart program, which he created more than a decade ago, aims to unite the world’s religions in one path of love. “I am trying to reach people in various walks of life who have inspired others in politics, in literature, in science and in sports,” Chinmoy said. “When somebody does something great, he is cheered by his colleagues. Here also I am trying to congratulate them with my inner oneness with them.

“Among the honorees last week were Msgr. Tom Hartman and Rabbi Mark Gellman, aka “The God Squad,” who are co-hosts of a show promoting interfaith understanding on Long Island’s Channel 25. Hartman also helped establish the Christa House Jerry Hartman Residence, a shelter for poor AIDS patients in West Babylon, L.I. Jerry Hartman, the priest’s brother, died of AIDS. Chinmoy, hardly straining and letting out only a slight groan, lifted Gellman with his left arm and Hartman with his right — a total of 521 pounds. He held them about 2 inches off a platform for five seconds. Also honored and lifted were a Tibetan lama, Kunsang Detchen Lingpa Rinpoche; Hindu Pandit Ram Lall; Muslim Imam Mohammed Shrazad, and a Catholic missionary, Sister Eileen Storey. Chinmoy, who has written thousands of poems and songs, is an internationally recognized spiritual leader. For 31 years, he has led peace meditations at the United Nations twice a week. But Chinmoy, who has more than 7,000 students worldwide, is also a world-renowned weightlifter. The spiritual leader has lifted more than 2,000 world figures, including former South African President Nelson Mandela, former U.S. track and field athlete Carl Lewis, Knicks point guard Mark Jackson, singer Roberta Flack and Rep. Gary Ackerman (D-Bayside). Chinmoy, who began weightlifting in 1985, relies more on meditation to lift weights of more than 2,000 pounds. “I am doing these lifts with the physical body, but the strength and power are coming from within,” Chinmoy said, “Prayer and meditation are my inner secrets and my outer secrets.”

Published in NEW YORK DAILY NEWS, MAY 29, 2001

May 29

1990

Sri Chinmoy has his first meeting with President Mikhail Gorbachev at the Governor-General’s Residence in Ottawa, ON, Canada.

First meeting

President Gorbachev warmly tells Sri Chinmoy:

“I have heard so much about you and your work. We must work together for world peace.”

Sri Chinmoy offers his utmost gratitude to President Gorbachev, stating:

“You are the master-key of the global heart. You have liberated the world from bondage-night, and you have brought to the fore the inner freedom which we need so desperately. Before, people were in darkness, and now you have brought light to them.”

Sri Chinmoy reads the words to the song he has composed for President Gorbachev. Visible on the back of the pamphlet is a photograph of the President with Mrs. Gorbachev, which the President later noticed with great joy.

O Master-Key of the Global Heart

The following are introductory words on a tape recording of songs dedicated to President Gorbachev, that Sri Chinmoy sent to the President that evening, after their daytime meeting.

Dear President Gorbachev,

O master-key of the global heart, this evening you bestowed upon me and my two Canadian student friends your blessingful affection, compassion and oneness. For that, our hearts are all gratitude to you.

With my soulful gratitude-heart I am offering these songs to you. The first one is written by me, and the subsequent ones are from your own momentous utterances.

Dear President, your heart of compassion and affection I shall most devotedly treasure. Indeed, as I wrote in my song, “Gorbachev, Gorbachev, all-where the peace-blossom-tree,” you have brought to the fore the inner freedom of humanity. You have liberated much of the world from bondage-division-night. Therefore, both the ascending cries of humanity and the descending smiles of divinity you embody.

May the Soviet Union and Canada, in your oneness-heart, divinely grow and supremely glow.

Yours in the Almighty Father
in Heaven,

Sri Chinmoy

Published in Gorbachev: the Master-Key of the Universal Heart

May 29

1978

His Compassion is Everything to Us

After the last of three meditation sessions at Progress-Promise, Jamaica, New York, Sri Chinmoy tells this anecdote about Sarama, who is in the hospital at the time recovering from a cycling accident.

This time I meditated only on compassion, bringing down compassion. Here quite a few disciples —- about twenty —- have received abundant compassion. Somebody has received the most, although she is not here physically, and that is Sarama.

At one point I was looking just at the front of the room, where the disciples are not supposed to sit, and Sarama's soul was there. I said to Sarama, "What are you doing? Why are you sitting in the 'forbidden area'?" In a joking manner I said it.

She said, "I am not the body; I am the soul."

I said to her, "Where is the difference, good girl, between the body and the soul? For me there is no difference between the body and the soul, the substance and the essence."

Sometimes when I see the body, inside the body I immediately see the soul's entire divinity; and sometimes when I see the soul, I see inside the soul the qualities and capacities of the body. There is no difference between the body and the soul.

This was Sarama's message: "I have come here to swim in the heart-sea of your compassion."

I said, "Swim as long as you want to; swim to your heart's content. I will let you swim inside the heart-sea of my compassion."

This was Sarama's soul.

Nineteen other disciples have received compassion in profuse measure, but her soul has definitely received more than anybody else. When we meditate, the soul of somebody who is not physically present can come and receive. It happens; it has happened many, many times. I am very grateful and very proud of Sarama's achievement.

Compassion, compassion! It is the divine compassion that keeps us in this boat, in the Boat of the Supreme. The moment the Supreme takes away His Compassion, we are worse than useless. In every way we become the worst possible failures. But when the Supreme's Compassion works in and through us and we receive it devotedly and cheerfully, then the mightiest power enters into us. Adamantine will enters into us when the Supreme's Compassion we receive and utilise for the Supreme.

Of all the Powers the Supreme has, His Compassion-Power is the most powerful Power. It is the miracle of miracles. No other miracle-power is as powerful as the Supreme's Compassion-Power. When we receive the Supreme's Compassion-Power and value it, then everything in us can be illumined, no matter how long it has remained in darkness within us.

Always we should pray to the Supreme — all of us —- for His Compassion, more than anything else. His Compassion is everything to us. Once we lose His Compassion, we have nothing, we are nothing, we will remain nothing. But once we feel His Compassion and utilise it in a divine way, we have everything and we become everything.

Let us always pray to the Supreme for His unconditional Compassion. Let us pray to Him to inundate us with His unconditional Compassion. Let us pray for His Compassion and let us receive His Compassion. If we soulfully pray, then definitely He will grant it. And if we receive it and utilise it properly, then not only do we get something divine, supreme and immortal, but we do become that divine, supreme and immortal reality.

Always we should value the Supreme's Compassion more than anything else. Everything He has, He is and He gives us, for He is all unconditional Heart; but if we can receive His Compassion, then everything we have.

Published in His Compassion is Everything to Us

1996

My Evening Descends

by Sri Chinmoy

My evening descends
And immediately prevents
My doubting mind
From entering into
My heart-temple.

Published in My Evening Descends

2006

My God-Hunger-Cry

by Sri Chinmoy

When I think of God,
He is so beautiful.
When I pray to God,
He is so bountiful.

Published in My God-Hunger-Cry

May 29

1977

Sri Chinmoy leads the 135-member Sri Chinmoy Centre Cycling Team to victory in the 24-Hour Pepsi Bicycle Marathon (May 28-29) in Central Park, New York, NY, USA. The team, cycling a cumulative 22,530 miles, wins the team prize against a field of 9,000. The team also wins the best cycling uniform category. Sri Chinmoy himself cycles 175 miles in the event.

1987

A ‘Sri Chinmoy Peace Mile’ is inaugurated by the Mayor of Oxford, Bill Fagg, and Sri Chinmoy at Cutteslowe Park, Oxford, England. After the inauguration of the Peace Mile, a two-mile race was organised for local school children.

Also present at the event, are Mrs. Barbara Gatehouse, chairperson of the council’s recreation and amenities committee, and Mr. John Linton from the U.N. Association.

1999

Overjoyed at Last

At long last, after disappointment for a whole week, today I was successful in lifting up 600 pounds (300 pounds in each arm). I made two attempts and both were good. Yesterday Unmilan widened the space between the dumbbells by one inch and it has made so much difference. I never imagined that one inch could create such problems! After so many days, today I am overjoyed.

— Sri Chinmoy

Published in A Mystic Journey in the Weightlifting World, part 3

May 28

1972

The First Performance of ‘Madal Circus’

THE MADAL CIRCUS — “Welcome to the world premiere of Madal Circus announced the bright programme of the May 28, 1972, performance of Sri Chinmoy’s “happiest show on earth.”

Held at Hillcrest High School gymnasium in Jamaica, the afternoon’s production was truly an unprecedented blend of the West’s outer dynamism and the East’s inner devotion and spirituality.

As part of the dynamic upswing battling the hostile forces of lethargy and depression in this turbulent year of destruction as well as perfection, members of Sri Chinmoy Centres from various parts of the world joined together for an inspiring and joyful weekend of sports, circus, a Columbia University public meditation, and family oneness.

Within a little more than a month’s time, the Madal Circus had grown from an informal evening’s discussion between Sri Chinmoy and disciples, through an intensive rehearsal schedule, into an impressive semi-professional troupe of spiritual brothers and sisters from Puerto Rico, Connecticut, and New Jersey, as well as New York.

Heralded by a drum roll and the energetic opening chords of the circus band, a ‘Grand Parade’ of all participants led the afternoon's performance.

Cyclists, clowns, magicians; a lion, a bear, a gorilla, an elephant (the costumed varieties); jugglers, ballerinas, acrobats, and many more, marched, twirled, and danced, and a unique “greatest show on earth” had begun.

Following the performance, Sri Chinmoy meditated with the participants and the audience expressed his gratitude, and spoke of the aims of the circus:

“AUM ...

“O sweet children of the Supreme, you have honoured my nickname ‘Madal’, and in return l wish to honour you. I offer to each of you my heart's deepest love and my soul’s highest blessing ...

“Undoubtedly, Madal Circus will not offer us our highest realisation. It is our aspiration, our heart's mounting cry, that will offer realisation, but physical fitness, cheerful consciousness, and a disciplined life can without fail add to our aspiration. My joy knows no bounds today, for you have displayed something most significant, both in the inner world and in the outer world.

“In the inner world, I have felt your total dedication; and in the outer world, the audience has seen and felt capacity, ability, coordination, and the astonishing result of a disciplined life.”

Adapted from the original report published in ‘Chinmoy Family’, Volume II, Number 2, Summer 1972

1999

SOUTH AMERICA NAMES FIRST PEACE-NATION

Brazil has become South America’s first Peace-Blossom-Nation.

The country’s Minister of Tourism and Sports, Rafael Greca de Maceda, declared Brazil a Peace-Blossom-Nation on May 28.

Other new Sri Chinmoy Peace-Blossom-Nations include Slovenia, on May 6 ... Jamaica, West Indies, on May 20 ... and Kyrgyzstan, on July 29.

Published in Anahata Nada, Volume 28, May-July 1999

May 28

1973

Sri Chinmoy at a Centre meeting at the Bayside Church in New York.

1977

Sri Chinmoy and his 135-member team line up with more than 9,000 other cyclists at the midday start of the 24-hour Pepsi-Cola Bike Marathon in Central Park, New York, NY, USA.

1977

Sri Chinmoy presents the U Thant Peace Award to His Holiness the Dalai Lama, in Fishkill, NY, USA.

May 28

1977

Sri Chinmoy and his 135-member team line up with more than 9,000 other cyclists at the midday start of the 24-hour Pepsi-Cola Bike Marathon in Central Park, New York, NY, USA.

1978

Sri Chinmoy leads a 197-member team of his students to victory in the 24-hour Pepsi-Cola Bike Marathon in Central Park over the Memorial Day weekend. The team of 114 men and 83 women wins multiple first-place prizes: best riding team (total of 38,605 miles); best ten-member riding team, best 10-25 member team (24-members, 6,355 miles); first place for women (Pragati Pascale), 305 miles); and best uniform (orange shorts, white shirts and rainbow coloured hats). Ashrita Furman, 405 miles, places third for men. Sri Chinmoy himself rides 230 miles.