June 9

Sri Chinmoy delivers a talk, entitled ‘God’s Brightest Heaven and Man’s Surest Haven’, in the Peace Room of the Church Centre at the United Nations in New York, NY.

Sri Chinmoy answers questions on patriotism asked by his disciples on a bus trip from New York, NY, to Boston, MA, USA.

Sri Chinmoy delivers an afternoon (3 p.m.) lecture, entitled ‘Is Spirituality an Escape from Reality?’, at the Harvard Divinity School, Harvard University in Cambridge, MA, USA.

Sri Chinmoy delivers an evening (8 p.m.) lecture, entitled ‘Earth-Bound Journey and Heaven-Bound Journey’, the final in the 7-lecture series, at the Harvard Divinity School, Harvard University in Cambridge, MA, USA.

Sri Chinmoy has a third meeting with Pope Paul VI at the Vatican, Vatican City.

Sri Chinmoy gives a short talk, entitled ‘Sorrow and Joy’, at the YMCA in Rome, Italy.

Sri Chinmoy composes seven meditation mantras en route by bus from Quebec to Ottawa, Canada.

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Sri Chinmoy offers a 7-hour public meditation at Ottawa University in Ottawa, ON, Canada.

Sri Chinmoy offers Peace Concert and delivers a lecture, entitled ‘A Peaceful Mind, a Useful Life’, at the Medical University in Vienna, Austria.

Sri Chinmoy lifts 20 international dignitaries, including Svenn Kristiansen, Deputy Mayor of Oslo, at the ‘Lifting Up the World with a Oneness-Heart’ programme in City Hall in Oslo, Norway. While there, Sri Chinmoy also gives a television interview.

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Sri Chinmoy inaugurates the Eternal Peace Flame at the Pier of Honour, on the Port of Oslo, Oslo, Norway. The ceremony is attended by more than 1,500 people including ambassadors, politicians, luminaries and members of the public. From its temporary location on the pier, the sculpture is moved to Aker Brygge, a complex on Oslo Harbour, and now has a permanent home in Holmenkollen overlooking the City of Oslo.

Sri Chinmoy lifts Marilyn Horne, mezzo-soprano opera singer, in Jamaica, NY, USA.

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Sri Chinmoy achieves a seated two-arm lift of 1,200 lbs. (600 lbs. in each arm) at his home in Jamaica, Queens, NY, USA.

Sri Chinmoy offers a Peace Concert at the United Nations in New York.

 

June 8

An article about Sri Chinmoy by David Burke, ‘Guru Leads Youths to ‘Divine’ Work’, is published in one of the leading daily American newspapers, The Washington Post.

Sixty members of the Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team begin a 300-mile relay run through Connecticut, USA, lasting approximately 44 hours. It is called ‘The Constitution State Relay Run’ and is held to honour Sri Chinmoy’s 10 years of service to the people of Connecticut. At one point, Sri Chinmoy runs with the runners carrying the flag.

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Sri Chinmoy meets with Bob Beamon, 1968 Olympic long-jump champion, at Annam Brahma restaurant in Jamaica, NY, USA.

Sri Chinmoy offers a 7-hour public meditation at Laval University in Quebec, QC, Canada.

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Sri Chinmoy attends the dedication ceremony of the Sri Chinmoy ‘Friedens-Meile’ in Brandenburg Gate Park, just 40 metres from the Berlin Wall. It is the first Sri Chinmoy Peace Mile dedicated in Germany. He runs the one-mile race in a time of 8 minutes, 43 seconds.

An exhibition of Sri Chinmoy’s Jharna-Kala artworks opens at Galerie in der Fasanenstrasse in Berlin, Germany.

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Sri Chinmoy offers a Peace Concert in honour of India’s 50th Anniversary of Independence — the 39th in a series of 50 concerts during 1997 — at Harvard University in Cambridge, MA, USA.

Japan and Switzerland are declared Sri Chinmoy Peace-Blossom Nations.

Sri Chinmoy lifts 42 people, including Milka Singh, Indian track star – ‘The Flying Sikh’ – and his son Chiranjeev, famous Indian golfer, at Aspiration-Ground in Jamaica, NY, USA.

Sri Chinmoy offers a Peace Concert at the United Nations in New York.

 

June 7

Sri Chinmoy gives a special talk about ‘The Significance of a Birthday’, in celebration of the thirty-fifth birthday of Mr. Eric Hughes, at his home in Greenwich Village in New York City, NY, USA. (On his arrival in New York In 1964, Sri Chinmoy initially stayed at the Greenwich Ave. apartment as the guest of Eric Hughes and Sam Spanier.)

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Sri Chinmoy and his New York and Connecticut students participate in the first Sri Chinmoy Centre Sports Day held at Alley Pond Park in Queens, NY, USA. At almost 39 years of age, Sri Chinmoy places first in the discus and second in the shot put against a field of much younger competitors.

Sri Chinmoy delivers a talk, entitled ‘Does Meditation Encourage us to Escape from Reality?’, during a meeting in Conference Room 14 at the United Nations, New York.

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Sri Chinmoy meets with sculptor Henry Moore, at his home in Much Hadham, Hertfordshire, UK.

Sri Chinmoy meets with Arthur Lydiard, New Zealand Olympic running coach, at Progress-Promise meeting hall in Jamaica, NY, USA.

Sri Chinmoy offers a concert at the Oneness-World Festival in Berlin, Germany. He also composes two special songs for the occasion, entitled ‘Oneness-World-Peace-Family’.

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Sri Chinmoy meets with Kurt Waldheim, President of Austria, and former United Nations Secretary-General, in Hofburg, Vienna, Austria.

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Sri Chinmoy meditates at the inauguration of the US State of Massachusetts joining the worldwide Peace-Blossoms family as a Sri Chinmoy Peace-State, at a special ceremony held at Boston State House in Boston, MA, USA. Massachusetts Governor William F. Weld delivers the proclamation.

An exhibition of Sri Chinmoy’s artworks is opened by Senator the Hon. Margaret Reynolds and Senator Sid Spindler, at the Senate Foyer of Parliament House in Canberra, Australia. The exhibition runs until 30 June.

An article, ‘California Seniors Games Gold Medal for Peace’, is published in a weekly Bengali language newspaper, which is distributed throughout Canada and the USA.

Sri Chinmoy lifts 226 volleyballs with his fingertips, in Jamaica, NY, USA.

Sri Chinmoy offers a morning Peace Concert in honour of India’s 50th Anniversary of Independence — the 37th in a series of 50 concerts during 1997 — at Aspiration-Ground in Jamaica, NY, USA.

Sri Chinmoy answers spiritual questions from his students at Annam Brahma Restaurant in Jamaica, Queens, NY, USA.

Sri Chinmoy offers an evening Peace Concert in honour of India’s 50th Anniversary of Independence — the 38th in a series of 50 concerts during 1997 — at Public School 86 in Jamaica, NY, USA.

Sri Chinmoy offers a Peace Concert together with a 7-hour meditation, at  Aspiration-Ground in Jamaica, NY, USA.

Suriname is declared a Sri Chinmoy Peace-Blossom-Nation.

Sri Chinmoy receives the Heart of Norway Award.

An exhibition of Sri Chinmoy’s artworks opens at the Ukrainian Cultural Foundation, in Kiev Ukraine.

 

June 6

Sri Chinmoy delivers a lecture, entitled ‘The United Nations can Teach us How to Share’, as part of the Dag Hammarskjöld Lecture Series, in the Dag Hammarskjöld Auditorium, at the United Nations, New York.

Sri Chinmoy visits London Zoo in Regent’s Park, London, UK.

Sri Chinmoy runs a personal best for 3 miles in a time of 22:21 (7:27/mile pace) at the Sri Chinmoy Race in Scottsdale, AZ, USA.

Sri Chinmoy offers a public meditation at Arizona State University in Tempe, AZ, USA.

Sri Chinmoy is invited by the US State Department to address its ‘Open Forum’, and delivers a lecture, entitled ‘The Inner Role of the United Nations’, at the US State Department in Washington, DC, USA. He also offers a short musical presentation.

Sri Chinmoy offers a Peace Concert and delivers a lecture, entitled ‘I Pray for Peace’, at the Technical University in Berlin, Germany.

Sri Chinmoy delivers a lecture, entitled  ‘Oneness-Education’, in West Road Concert Hall at the University of Cambridge, England, UK.

Sri Chinmoy dedicates the bridge between Verwik, Belgium, and Verwicq-Sud, France, on the Lys River, as a Sri Chinmoy-Peace Bridge.

Sri Chinmoy meets with Baron Crespo, President of the European Parliament, in Brussels, Belgium.

An article about Sri Chinmoy’s meeting with Mother Teresa is published in the daily newspaper ‘Dolomiten’ in South Tyrolian, northern Italy.

Sri Chinmoy offers a Peace Concert in honour of India’s 50th Anniversary of Independence — the 36th in a series of 50 concerts during 1997 — at Public School 86 in Jamaica, NY, USA.

Sri Chinmoy lifts the women’s winner of the 2005 and 2006 New York City Marathons, and three-time Olympian (1996, 2000, 2004), Jelena Prokopchuka, and her husband, Latvian marathon champion Aleksandr Prokopchuk at Aspiration­-Ground in Jamaica, NY, USA.

 

June 5

Sri Chinmoy delivers an evening lecture, entitled ‘Two Instruments: Faith and Doubt’, at the Quaker Meeting House in Canterbury, England, UK. He also plays the flute and sings three Bengali songs.

Sri Chinmoy runs for the first time in competition — a 3-mile race in a time of 23:08 — in Santa Barbara, CA, USA.

Sri Chinmoy offers a public meditation in Tempe, AZ, USA.

Sri Chinmoy rides with the USA Bicycle Relay through the historic US Capitol area and receives a Certificate of Achievement from Congressman Joseph Addabbo on the US Capitol Building steps in Washington, DC, USA.

Sri Chinmoy offers a concert and a lecture, entitled ‘A Seeker’s Experience-Realities’, at California State University in Berkeley, CA, USA, as part of his ‘Fifty Oneness-State-Songs’ tour.

Sri Chinmoy delivers a talk, entitled ‘Never Give Up’, after a video presentation at a public meditation held at Public School 86 in Jamaica, NY, USA.

The first Sri Chinmoy 1,300-mile race – the longest certified race in history – begins in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park, Queens, NY, USA. It is part of a triple-race event that also includes 700-mile and 1,000-mile races. Before the start, Sri Chinmoy meditates and addresses the participants with words of encouragement and gratitude. Runners from the US, Canada, Britain, France and Japan go on to establish 22 world or national records during the event, which ends on 23 June.

Sri Chinmoy offers a Peace Concert — the 9th of 39 concerts held in honour of Swami Vivekananda — at the First Unitarian Church in Brooklyn, NY, USA.

Sri Chinmoy sets a new record for his seated two-arm lift by hoisting 1,200 pounds (600lbs. with each arm) in Jamaica, NY, USA.

Sri Chinmoy lifts Donovan Bailey, 1995 World Athletics Champion in 100 m sprint and 4 x 100 m relay; 1996 Olympic gold medallist in 100 m sprint and 4 x 100 m relay; and world-record holder for 100 m (set in 1996), in Jamaica, NY, USA.

Sri Chinmoy lifts the famous Indian tabla player Zakir Hussain in San Francisco, CA, USA.

 

June 4

Sri Chinmoy writes 50 poems in one day that are later published in his book, The Golden Boat, part 12.

Sri Chinmoy begins his fourth European lecture tour with a lecture, entitled ‘Two Instruments: Mind and Heart’, at Friends’ House in York, England, UK. The talks from the tour were later published in My Rose Petals, Part 5, Part 6 and Part 7.

Sri Chinmoy offers a concert and meditation at the University of Ottawa, Canada, where an exhibition of his paintings is being held.

Sri Chinmoy offers a concert at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts (Musée des beaux-arts de Montréal) in Montreal QC, Canada.

Sri Chinmoy offers a public meditation in Santa Barbara, CA, USA.

Sri Chinmoy offers a concert to an audience of 2,400, at the Louise M. Davies Symphony Hall in San Francisco, CA, USA. Listen to the concert...

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Sri Chinmoy meets with Payton Jordan (head coach of the 1968 US Olympic Track & Field Team; and champion masters sprinter) in San Francisco, CA, USA.

Sri Chinmoy performs a standing calf raise, with a weight of 700 lbs. in Jamaica, NY, USA.

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Sri Chinmoy lifts Eddie Murphy, comedian and actor, at Public School 86 in Jamaica, NY, USA.

Sri Chinmoy lifts Steingrimur Hermannsson, Prime Minister of Iceland, in Reykjavik, Iceland.

Sri Chinmoy offers a concert Peace Concert and delivers a talk, entitled ‘Forgiveness’, at Langholts Church in Reykjavik, Iceland.

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 Sri Chinmoy is blessed by Pope John Paul II during a papal visit to Reykjavik in Iceland.

Sri Chinmoy offers a Peace Concert at Public School 86 in Jamaica, NY, USA.

Sri Chinmoy competes in the 100-metre event at the Metropolitan Athletics Congress (MAC) Masters Meet, recording an official electronic time of 15.15 seconds, at St. John’s University in Queens, New York, USA.

Sri Chinmoy performs 112 crunch abdomen-ups in 5 sets, pushing a weight of 302 lbs, in Jamaica, NY, USA.

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Sri Chinmoy has his third meeting with Mother Teresa at Missionaries of Charity House in the Bronx, NY, USA.

Sri Chinmoy offers a Peace Concert in honour of India’s 50th Anniversary of Independence — the 35th in a series of 50 concerts during 1997 — at Public School 86 in Jamaica, NY, USA.

Sri Chinmoy lifts tabla player Pandit Samir Chatterjee; 4-time Grammy Award-winning music producer Joel Dorn; and 5-time Grammy Award-winning singer Al Jarreau, in Jamaica, NY, USA.

Sri Chinmoy offers a Peace Concert at the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium in San Francisco, CA, USA.

 

June 3

Sri Chinmoy delivers a talk, entitled ‘Spirituality: Is It Only for the Chosen Few?’, in the Dag Hammarskjöld Auditorium at the United Nations in New York, NY.

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Sri Chinmoy departs John F. Kennedy Airport in New York, USA, to begin his fourth European lecture tour. He arrives at Heathrow Airport in London, UK, later in the day.

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Sri Chinmoy offers an outdoor esraj concert in the Damrosch Amphitheater (Guggenheim Bandshell) in Damrosch Park at the Lincoln Center in New York, USA.

Sri Chinmoy offers a concert at the National Gallery of Canada in Ottawa, ON, Canada.

The first official Sri Chinmoy Marathon is held at Menlo Park and Atherton in San Francisco, CA, USA. India’s Consul General L. L. Mehrotra presents the race awards.

Sri Chinmoy gives an inspirational talk, to the USA Bicycle Relay team outside Guru Stationery on Parsons Boulevard, Jamaica, New York, just before they set off on their transcontinental ride from New York to San Francisco.

Sri Chinmoy delivers two short talks, entitled ‘My Body Wants to Sleep’ and ‘Man’s Inner Inspiration’, in the Dag Hammarskjöld Auditorium at the United Nations in New York, NY.

Sri Chinmoy offers a Peace Concert at The Auditorium Theater in Chicago, IL, USA.

Sri Chinmoy first performs a standing calf raise with a weight of 600 lbs. at Aspiration-Ground in Jamaica, NY, USA.

Sri Chinmoy offers an organ performance at Fair Street Church in Kingston, NY, USA.

Sri Chinmoy inaugurates a Sri Chinmoy Peace Mile and delivers a short speech, ‘The Heart and Soul of Woodstock’,  at Kenneth L. Wilson Public Campground in Woodstock, NY, USA.

Sri Chinmoy offers a Peace Concert at the Woodstock Community Center, in Woodstock, NY, USA.

Sri Chinmoy lifts Juan Antonio Samaranch, President of the International Olympic Committee, at the IOC headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland.

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Sri Chinmoy has his fourth meeting with Mother Teresa, at Missionaries of Charity House in the Bronx, NY, USA. Further reading.

 

Sri Chinmoy offers a Peace Concert and delivers a lecture, entitled ‘Creativity: The Amalgam of Sorrows and Joys’, in the David Lam Auditorium at the University of Victoria, in Victoria BC, Canada.

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An exhibition of Sri Chinmoy’s Jharna-Kala paintings opens at the University of Victoria, BC, Canada, where Professor Harold Coward presents him with a special award, entitled Sri Chinmoy: A Student of Peace.

 

June 1

At the age of 17 years, Sri Chinmoy recounts a significant spiritual experience — My Bird of Consciousness — at the Sri Aurobindo Ashram in Pondicherry, India.

Sri Chinmoy delivers a talk, entitled ‘Why is it Easier to Disbelieve than to Believe?’, in the Dag Hammarskjöld Auditorium at the United Nations in New York, NY.

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Sri Chinmoy begins long-distance running at Golden Gate Park in San Francisco, CA, USA.

An exhibition of Sri Chinmoy’s Jharna-Kala artworks opens at the City Hall Civic Center in San Francisco, CA, USA.

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Sri Chinmoy delivers a lecture, entitled ‘The Meaning of Discipleship Today’, at the Pacific School of Religion in Berkeley, CA, USA. Listen to the lecture...

Sri Chinmoy runs the Sri Chinmoy Marathon in a time of 5:18:31, in San Mateo, CA, USA.

Sri Chinmoy offers an evening (7:30 p.m.) concert and delivers a lecture, entitled ‘O My Heart’, in the McMillan Theater at Columbia University in New York, NY, USA.

Sri Chinmoy first performs a standing calf raise with a weight of 400 lbs. at Aspiration-Ground in Jamaica, NY, USA.

Sri Chinmoy offers a Peace Concert at the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, GA, USA.

Sri Chinmoy achieves a personal best time of 4 min. 28.3 sec. for 1 kilometre on an indoor rowing machine at the California Senior Masters Games in Sacramento, CA, USA.

Sri Chinmoy runs the 100-metre event in 16.42 seconds at the California State Senior Games at California State University, Sacramento, CA, USA.

Sri Chinmoy recites from memory the birthdays of 102 important figures, in Sacramento, CA, USA.

An article about Sri Chinmoy’s strength lifting achievements, entitled ‘Sri Chinmoy: Age no barrier to fitness’ is published in the Canadian magazine, The Journal of Alternatives Therapies, vol. 2, no. 9.

Guinea-Bissau and Indonesia are declared as Sri Chinmoy Peace-Blossom Nations.

Sri Chinmoy is conferred as an Honorary Professor on behalf of the Scientific Board of the Research Institute of Paediatric Hematology in Moscow, Russia, by the institute’s director Professor A.G. Rumyantsev.

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Sri Chinmoy delivers an afternoon (2:00 p.m.) lecture, entitled ‘Oneness-Heart’, in the Conference Hall of the Russian Paediatric Clinical Hospital, in Moscow, Russia.

 

May 31

Sri Chinmoy’s live radio interview

broadcast on WPFA-FM in San Francisco

 

Listen to Sri Chinmoy’s interview

 

This recording is an 18-minute excerpt from the one-hour interview with Sri Chinmoy, in which he also answers listeners’ questions.

 

 

MEDITATION OPENS CALIFORNIA GAMES

SACRAMENTO — Sri Chinmoy officially opened the 1996 California State Championships of the Senior Games with a moment of silent meditation on May 31.

A choral group of 40 of his students also performed a special song their teacher had written for these games.

Sri Chinmoy participated in five events over that weekend — basketball free throw, softball throw, ergometer, 50 meters and 100 meters.

During his visit to Sacramento, he was awarded a medal for his service to world peace by the organizer of the California Senior Games, Pam Rhodes.

Caption:

Doing the softball throw at the Senior Games


Published in Anahata Nada, Volume 25, April-July 1996

 

May 31

Photos by Pulak Viscardi

 

Sri Chinmoy lifts members of a karate school at Aspiration-Ground in Jamaica, New York.