Sri Chinmoy in Australia – 1984

 

A Journey to the Heart of a Continent

 

THE RELAXED MANNER in which he moves does not immediately suggest the intensity of his purpose. He has a casual effectiveness about his style whether on the running track or in the concert hall. Like a true master, he has the art of making the most difficult things look easy.

Thousands of runners today know of the positive effect Sri Chinmoy has had directly or indirectly on running throughout the world, but few know much about him.

Sri Chinmoy was born in Bengal, India in 1931. While still a child he had many deep mystical experiences and at the age of twelve entered an Ashram, where he spent the next twenty years practising meditation, perfecting his inner vision and reaching that rare state of oneness with God that various traditions call Enlightenment or God-realisation.

Sri Chinmoy would have been content to spend the rest of his life in a samadhi trance, maintaining only the thinnest connection with the physical world. But an inner command that he leave India and offer his realisations to aspiring humanity brought him to the United States in 1964. Since then, over 80 Sri Chinmoy spiritual Centres have been established throughout the world.

For Sri Chinmoy, the inner life of meditation and the outer life of dynamism go hand in hand. “Our goal is always to go beyond, beyond, beyond,” he says, “There are no limits to our capacity because we have the Infinite Divine within us.”

Besides meditating for several hours a day and guiding his various Centres, Sri Chinmoy conducts twice-weekly meditations at the United Nations, delivers lectures and holds concerts throughout the world. He has written over 600 books, painted over 140,000 paintings and composed over 5,000 spiritual songs and musical compositions. His output to date is staggering and there is no end in sight. Amidst these multifarious activities, he still finds time to run and inspire others to do so as well.

Running, possibly more than anything else captures the spirit of Sri Chinmoy’s philosophy of self-transcendence. Sri Chinmoy’s interest in sport dates back to his days at the Ashram in India, where he was a top-ranked sprinter and, for two consecutive years, decathlon champion. He continues to train daily and, although his speed is not what it used to be, he delights in setting new goals for himself and occasionally competing in international veterans’ competitions.

For five days in September Sri Chinmoy visited Australia. The schedule was, as expected, full. Meetings, Concerts and Runs, all took their turn in the transcending days of Sri Chinmoy’s fleeting tour.

 

Inspiring Presentations — Aspiring Ovations

September 11th, Tuesday Morning

 

It is a chilly September morning in Melbourne. There is a 6 km race at 8 am and already, just as dawn is breaking, a crew of helpers are busy setting up the course. The race is just one of a series of races put on by the Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team; one of over 200 that are conducted each year worldwide. They are organised with the customary accuracy, efficiency and friendliness, which has become the hallmark of Sri Chinmoy events. Today’s race is something special, however: the person who has inspired these events and given running a whole new dimension and direction, Sri Chinmoy, is here. Ostensibly he has come to Australia to give a concert, one of 20 ‘Peace Concerts’ he is performing this year around the world. His concert in Los Angeles during the time of the Olympics attracted over 6½ thousand people and there is already concern that the reserved seats outnumber the 2,000 seats in the hall. But that is tomorrow. Today, running is the main priority.

The run is a modest affair — no big bands, no sponsors — just 100 runners, a small group of representatives from the thousands of people in Australia who have taken part in the Sri Chinmoy Races over the years. As the starting time draws closer the anxious runners are introduced to Sri Chinmoy. With head bowed, Sri Chinmoy holds a minute of silence. For the runners, it is a moment of poise, of concentration, of will and energy absent of distractions. For Sri Chinmoy, it is a moment of gratitude that he is able to be of service to the running community. A few days later on stage at Dallas Brooks Hall after holding 2 concerts in the same evening for a total of almost 3,000 people, Sri Chinmoy will once again offer his gratitude in silence. This time he will add this soulful tribute:
 

“Australia, My Australia,
My Beloved Australia,
I bow to your Inner Pilot Supreme,
I bow to your Fullness-Soul,
I bow to your Oneness-Heart,
I bow to your Vastness-Body
With my soulful Gratitude-Heart.”

As the race begins, Sri Chinmoy decides to run with the runners. At present, he is badly injured. He jogs and walks a painful 2 km and happily withdraws. His hope is to be in condition for the World Masters Games to be held in Rome next June. Yet as with all runners, Sri Chinmoy has to bear with, though not necessarily surrender to, the dictates of the body.

The race concludes, and 10 minutes later Sri Chinmoy is walking casually into the VIP rooms at Olympic Park Stadium. He is the guest of honour at a breakfast with distinguished runners. Ultrarunner Tony Rafferty is there and so is triathlete Rohan Phillips. Terry O’Halloran of Australian Runner magazine presents Sri Chinmoy with an ‘Award of Excellence’. For the next 5 minutes, Terry stands motionless as Sri Chinmoy unreservedly praises him for his services to the sport of running. Typically, Sri Chinmoy accepts the award with humility, saying:

“Runners are smilers. He who runs, smiles. He who smiles most, becomes. What the universal life is meant for is happiness, happiness within, happiness without. This is the sole message of the running world. Here, delight you have given me and I am offering you this same delight. This delight will cover the length and breadth of the world. Each athlete will become part and parcel of this universal delight.”

 

Extended Greetings — Transcendent Meetings
September 14th, Friday Morning

 

Sri Chinmoy’s visit to Canberra is unscheduled. Upon arriving he is happy to hear that a meeting with Pat Clohessy, the Australian Institute of Sport’s Distance Coach, will be arranged and he also expresses interest in visiting the running trails of Stromlo Forest, the training ground of Australia’s top distance runners.

First stop is the Australian Institute of Sport where Pat Clohessy coaches a group of the nation’s best athletes. The meeting today is one of great respect and admiration. Both Pat Clohessy and Sri Chinmoy express the similarity of their approaches to running and life in general.

Pat Clohessy: “I’m very honoured to meet you, I think we have a lot in common; a lot of your principles, encouraging people to run, to participate, to relax and enjoy running as a lead up to getting satisfaction from it. I think this is very important. You’ve inspired a lot of people.”

Sri Chinmoy: “We are in the same boat. You have inspired so many people, you have become immortal.”

Pat Clohessy: “I think we all get satisfaction out of working with other people and so forth. I think we share that. I get satisfaction out of whatever a person’s level is. Just from the fact that they’re interested in running and in physical fitness and in relaxation and perhaps group running too. I think that’s fundamental.”

Sri Chinmoy: “Among the great athletes, who has inspired you most?”

Pat Clohessy: “Among the Australians, I think John Landy has made a tremendous contribution to athletics — to have combined his vocation with running and he always had time to help other people. I think he did a tremendous amount for Australian athletics and not only Australian athletics but world athletics. And at a time when a lot of people felt that you have to give up everything to run, Landy combined a very successful teaching, study and business career with running — and also he used nature to advantage. Up at Timbertop he ran in the mountains and then came back and ran world records.”

Sri Chinmoy: “In those days only 2 names struck us most — Bannister and Landy.”

Pat Clohessy: “I think it’s important that you don’t have to win to contribute greatly to helping others.”

Others present at the meeting, include some of Sri Chinmoy’s students from around Australia and America, eager to hear more of the great coach’s advice.

Databir Watters: “Do you have any recommendations for going below 2:30 in the marathon? The best of us are about 2:40.”

Pat Clohessy: “You have to look at individual programmes. Some of you may be training very hard and might be near your limit there. I’ve had a lot to do with people around the 2:40 mark and they seem to improve a lot when they get out and race.

“Maybe you people are already doing that but if you’re not, I think you can gain a lot from regular racing, getting experience, getting to know yourself over 10,000 metres. I suggest that people run club races and other fun runs and races to get experience, confidence and speed through racing.

“I think obviously you’ve got to do the long runs, which probably most people do anyway but you also have to do recovery runs.”

Sri Chinmoy asks about interval training.

Pat Clohessy: “Yes, but I don’t think interval training is the key. I think a little bit of it is good, but too much of it can get very boring and I find I tend to advocate running in the forest, in natural conditions with a little bit of interval running and racing. People get to know themselves by getting out and racing. They know their strengths and weaknesses and it’s very good experience.

“Sebastian Coe said something interesting to me, along your lines. I congratulated him on his run in the 800 [L.A. Olympics] where he finished 2nd and he said he was satisfied, he ran well but he just wasn’t good enough so he accepted defeat. About the 1500, he said that he had run his main race and now he could relax and he went out and won it ... not to feel great pressure to win races, just to do your best. I think if you do that then if you’re meant to win, and you have the ability to win, then given the situation you can produce it.

Sri Chinmoy presents Pat Clohessy with a book, and Pat congratulates Sri Chinmoy: “Not only on your contribution to running but to a whole way of life which has inspired so many people. You and your group have put relaxed running on the map here in Australia and around the world.”

As Sri Chinmoy walks slowly across the concourse at the front of the Institute he expresses his thoughts on the meeting. The qualities of Pat Clohessy have obviously impressed him: “He is gentle and at the same time dynamic, a combination of gentleness and dynamism. He has a soft and kind heart.” As well, many other unexpressed sentiments confirm that Australian running is in good hands with a coach like Pat Clohessy.

 

Elevating Places — Celebrating Races
September 14th, Friday Afternoon

 

Mount Stromlo has achieved world fame for the scientific achievements of the Mt. Stromlo Observatory, but there are other inhabitants of the mountain these days that the world is taking notice of — runners, Australia’s best.

Their itinerant activity makes them hard to track down over the miles of forest trails. So it is, that an initial meeting with Nick de Castella, Gerard Barrett and Derek Froude is rather by chance.

A breakfast is being arranged for tomorrow at Canberra’s ‘Oneness-Home’ restaurant in their honour. However, with their twice-a-day training schedules and tomorrow, being Saturday, the breakfast is rescheduled to brunch at 11 am. And in return for our offer, some of us are invited to join in the Saturday pack run.

Horrifying thoughts of 3-minute per kilometre pace, over the gruelling hills of Stromlo, rush to the forefront of our minds. We do have a legitimate excuse though — a 10-km race had already been planned for Saturday morning on the less testing terrain of the Sri Chinmoy Running Trail alongside Lake Burley Griffin. We explain the situation and agree to come along after the race, but, of course, after such a tough event we’d only be good for a few kilometres.

 

September 15th, Saturday Morning

 

Sri Chinmoy in Canberra – 1984

Sri Chinmoy at the Sri Chinmoy Running Trail in Canberra by Lake Burley Griffin.
He holds a bag of biscuits and candies — prizes for the runners.

 

The 10-km Sri Chinmoy Running Trail in Canberra follows the lake edge from Acton Ferry Terminal for 5 km to the pine forest and returns along the same course.

Regular runs are held over this unique, gently undulating course. Although the freeways are only metres away in places, the long sweeping straights and particularly the pine forest near the turn around give you the impression of running in a mystical wilderness.

Sri Chinmoy starts the race and is driven to the 2-km point and encourages the runners as they pass. After 3 km more of hard running, Sri Chinmoy again appears. At the 5-km turnaround, he hands out candy to each runner. 5 km later, back at the start/finish, still chewing, we are greeted once more by his same encouraging smile and a handful of biscuits!

As the last runners cross the line we are just in time to drive to Mt. Stromlo before the Saturday morning training run begins. It is 9.00 am and Stromlo Forest comes alive. Runners are milling around and talking; the sun is warming the chilly mountain air. Tight muscles and stiff joints begin to loosen up as they catch the shafts of sunlight streaming between the gaps in the pine trees.

Rob de Castella arrives. He flew in from Sydney last night and, like clockwork, he is here ready to put in another morning run with his friends. He has met Sri Chinmoy before — in New York, a few years ago. This morning’s meeting holds fond memories for them both. In the late American summer of 1981, after winning the BMW 15 km Race, Rob attended a function held by Sri Chinmoy at the United Nations. While he was in New York, Sri Chinmoy composed a song about him, which was sung at a special function where ‘Deek’ was the guest of honour.

 

Sri Chinmoy in Canberra – 1984

Rob de Castella and Sri Chinmoy before an .jpg at Deeks Drive, Mt. Stromlo, Canberra.

 

A few months later after Rob had returned to Australia, Sri Chinmoy spoke to him by telephone. It was on the eve of his departure to the Fukuoka Marathon in Japan that Sri Chinmoy said to him that he was capable of running 2:07. History recorded that Rob de Castella ran the fastest time ever on an out-and-back marathon course and came within 18 seconds of breaking the 2:08 barrier. Today, the pressures of international competition, particularly the Olympics, were distant, as Deek seems happy to be able to take a relaxing run in the mountains of Canberra once more.

 

Personal Stories — Universal Glories
September 15th, Saturday Mid-morning

 

Today, Oneness-Home vegetarian restaurant plays host to some of Australia’s best athletes — Nick de Castella (2:15 marathoner), Gerard Barrett (2:11 marathoner), his wife Shane Barrett (2:45 marathoner), Derek Froude (2:11 marathoner, from New Zealand — ranked 2nd only to Rod Dixon), Sue Cook (previous world record holder in race walking), her husband Bruce Cook (top-ranked walker) and Len Henderson (2:19 marathoner, better known as associate editor and writer for Australian Runner magazine).

The runners are obviously enjoying themselves as they talk about their favourite subject — running. And Sri Chinmoy delights in the stories they tell. Sri Chinmoy’s students too are eager to know more about the training methods and experiences of these top athletes. And so, as the private conversation moves to open discussion, the brunch becomes lunch. Questions are directed to each of the guests and their answers provide a most interesting insight into the world at the top.

After the meeting, as casual talk once more prevails, Nick de Castella asks Sri Chinmoy what is the difference between him and Gandhi. Sri Chinmoy answers that Gandhi was really great and in comparison he is nothing. Nick de Castella replies, “If I had asked Gandhi that same question, his answer would have been the same!”

Leaving Canberra, Sri Chinmoy flies back to Melbourne and then onto Japan to hold another ‘Peace Concert’. A universal man fulfilling a universal need — Peace within, Peace without.

 

— End —

Note:

This article was first published in Runners: Oneness-World Harbingers magazine, pages 30-35, Jan-Feb 1985.

 

Sri Chinmoy’s Interview with Jesse Owens

by Hashi Roberts

 

Sri Chinmoy presents a commemorative plaque to Jesse Owens
(Photo by Lelihan Browne)

 

“To

     The Immortal Jesse Owens:
The desiring world loved you
     for your outer speed.
The aspiring world loves you
     for your inner speed.
I love you because in you
     I see the teeming sufferings
     of Mother-Earth and illumining
     Blessings of Father-Heaven.”

 

This was Sri Chinmoy’s soulful message to the renowned Jesse Owens.

 

 

“I am an admirer of yours. I can become a very disciple of yours.” — This was the flowing offering of Jesse Owens to Sri Chinmoy.

 

Sri Chinmoy in relaxed conversation with Jesse Owens
(Photo by Lelihan Browne)

 

Forty stories above the ground, on November 4, 1972, in Manhattan’s Park Lane Hotel, a memorable meeting took place. The famed sportsman and Olympic champion Jesse Owens and Sri Chinmoy met. This union of representatives from the athletic and spiritual worlds produced a philosophical discussion that was profoundly inspiring.

Jesse Owens smiled warmly as he greeted Sri Chinmoy, and both of them sat before a window, their faces framed by the clouds behind, as the discussion began. Sri Chinmoy pointed out that Mr. Owens, besides being an immortal athlete, is also the author of two books, Blackthink and I Have Changed, which Sri Chinmoy described with appreciation. Jesse Owens, who had also read some of Sri Chinmoy’s writings, replied, “I believe very much in what you do.”

They discussed the feelings of inferiority which are sometimes cherished by members of the black race, and the injustices which Jesse Owens said, “could be corrected if the black man would make some effort to go and to hear and to see and to become informed.”

Mr. Owens mentioned the importance of making an inner decision about the life one will lead, about how one is going to live with oneself. “You see, people talk about Heaven. I don’t know anybody that’s been to Heaven, but I want to live as they say Heaven is, right here on this earth.”

Sri Chinmoy, who often speaks of living in Heaven while still on earth, “Absolutely true. Heaven is a state of consciousness. When we have a good thought or a fellow feeling, when we love the world, we are living in Heaven; when we have hatred and jealousy, we are living in Hell.”

Sri Chinmoy praised Mr. Owens’ practice of giving his trophies to the needy and encouraging the young generation. Mr. Owens then mentioned his own past, his childhood in Alabama when his father worked as a sharecropper, and the hunger he experienced. He gratefully and soulfully acknowledged the help he has received. “I know that I couldn’t live this kind of life if someone hadn’t helped me. So what I want to do, first of all, is to please my God. Then I want to please the people that helped me. In order for me to please them, I must go back from where I came and give of myself, as other people gave of themselves to make it possible for me to give today.”

He continued, “Everybody is struggling to get to the top of the mountain. But you have to remember one thing when you reach the top: you’ve got to come back to the valley.”

Wholeheartedly Sri Chinmoy agreed: “We have to climb up the mango tree and then pluck mangoes and come down and distribute them to those who do not know how to climb, those who are sitting at the foot of the tree.”

It was an inspiring moment for all who were present when Sri Chinmoy added, “Your philosophy and my philosophy are totally one. Our philosophy is based on love, and when we really love, we dedicate ourselves, we devote ourselves. You love the world. That is why you are devoting yourself.” He compared Jesse Owens’ role in dealing with people, who have often misunderstood him, to that of a mother who is trying to clean a child. “The child wants to remain in clay, in mud, dirty and filthy. But just because the mother is the mother, she does not want the child to remain unclean and impure. In your case also, your people are misunderstanding you, you who are trying to help them, to elevate their consciousness.”

They spoke of the need for utilising the Grace of God, for acting on it and manifesting what God has given. Jesse Owens, speaking in general terms about God’s gifts, said, “He gave you the strength, He gave you the ability and He gave you a brain. If He gives you these things, then you don’t expect Him to run the hundred-yard dash for you, too. If He gives them to you, then you prepare, you run the hundred. Then you’ve done your share. And then He will smile upon you because you have been able to fulfil.”

Jesse Owens mentioned the importance of “showering what you’ve learned” upon others, and Sri Chinmoy extended this idea into the realm of love. “It is the very tendency of Love, inner Love, to spread. But if you don’t begin, as you say, then how are you going to see your own reality? People won’t see their all-pervading reality unless and until they have offered their love.”

Mr. Owens detailed his exhausting schedule, which will take him to seven states in two weeks because of his business commitments and his lecture tour. An experienced and competent speaker, he honoured Sri Chinmoy by asking if he might be able to quote his writings during the lectures he will be giving, because, as he told Sri Chinmoy, “You say it so much better than I say it.”

Sri Chinmoy presented Jesse Owens with a shield inscribed with the dedication quoted at the beginning of this article. Mr. Owens was pleased and moved by this tribute to his aspiring soul.

Sri Chinmoy later described the loving relationship among his disciples which transcends all racial barriers. “They are pure brothers and sisters. One can give his life for the other. It is only because of love that they have felt that God is dearest to them. I tell them it is not because He is Omnipotent and Omnipresent that He is dearest to us, but because He is all Love.” He illustrated this by applying it to Jesse Owens’ own family. “You were dearest to your daughters, not because you had physical strength, or because you had become the world champion, but because they found in you infinite love. Even if you had not become the world’s fastest runner, they would not have cared. They would have cared only for your love.”

At this point, the searching soul in Jesse Owens responded with the sincere words quoted earlier, “I am an admirer of yours. I can become a very disciple of yours." He added, “I love what you’re doing. I believe in what you’re doing.” He also spoke of his desire to “cultivate the bond of love” that he had found flowing between Sri Chinmoy’s heart and his own.

“My heart will overflow with gratitude if that bond of love is cultivated,” Sri Chinmoy answered. He mentioned that they share the same cause, the same goal, although they are manifesting their philosophy in different ways.  “You are helping mankind with your love, and I am trying to do the same thing in my own way.”

Jesse Owens responded, “I’ll take my road. I will preach my belief in your philosophy. I will talk about it. I will quote your philosophy because this is what people need.” He explained that he gives his speeches to offer “either motivation or inspiration.” He noticed that Sri Chinmoy had inspired those of us present and many others. “You’re inspiring these young people, motivating them to the bigger, better side of life.”

Sri Chinmoy said, “We are true spiritual brothers, and it is the role of the elder brothers to show the younger ones where the Father is. So you and I are showing the younger ones who want to know where Light and Truth lie. Truth is Love. Love is Truth.”

Mr. Owens humorously commented on the difficulty people have in understanding this philosophy: “It’s very simple, it’s nothing complicated, not at all. And this is the trouble. If it were complicated, maybe they’d comprehend; but it’s so simple that they can’t catch it.”

Sri Chinmoy then showed some pictures taken of himself in athletic competition many years ago. Jesse Owens gave his competent advice and appraisal of Sri Chinmoy’s capacity on the basis of these historic pictures. “Pretty good form. You have to bring the hands in a little closer,” he commented on a photo of Sri Chinmoy in starting position for a sprint. And of Sri Chinmoy pole vaulting, he said, “Well, you’re better than I. I could never do the pole vault.”

After our delighted laughter, Sri Chinmoy presented two pictures of himself in meditation to this soulful athlete whom he had admired for so many years. At sight of Sri Chinmoy in his Transcendental Consciousness, Mr. Owens said reverently, “I’d like to carry that in my bag all the time. That’s wonderful.”

Following a few more minutes of conversation, Sri Chinmoy donned his coat and we took our leave of Jesse Owens and of the room which had seen such joy and oneness. This meeting was the fulfilment of Sri Chinmoy’s long-cherished dream. For some twenty-four years he had admired and wished to meet Jesse Owens. Their joy and gratitude in meeting and in sharing their soulful ideals with each other inundated us all.

 

— End —

Notes:

1. Hashi Roberts coordinated the meeting between Sri Chinmoy and Jesse Owens.

2. This article was first published in Chinmoy Family, Volume III, Number 2, November 1972

Copyright © 1972, Hashi Roberts. All rights reserved under Creative Commons license.

 

Sri Chinmoy — Beyonds Limits

June 19841

One group of runners that not only competes in races but also organises them for other runners of all standards is the Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team. Though Sri Chinmoy races are known widely throughout Australia as some of the best organised and friendliest runs around, not much is generally known of the man who is the inspiration behind these events.

It was during 1979 that the name of the Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team first appeared in running calendars around the country. In the cities of Brisbane, Melbourne, Adelaide and Canberra, runs organised by the SCMT became a regular feature, encouraged by Sri Chinmoy’s interest and participation in long distance events. Sri Chinmoy’s involvement in running is not, however, only a recent undertaking – his athletic career spans a lifetime of active endeavour.

As a youth, Sri Chinmoy was heralded as a champion athlete in the area of South India where he lived. He held Ashram records for 100 metres, 200 metres and the decathlon – his best for 100 metres being 11.7 seconds.

Then, as now, life was for Sri Chinmoy a balance of active sport and meditation. To him, these early days of intense spiritual practice and athletic discipline were important in shaping his philosophy that in later years became the basis of his work in the West.

Nowadays, Sri Chinmoy can be seen, any morning, in the New York suburb of Jamaica Hills, practising his sprints and training for veterans’ championships. This quiet, tree-lined portion of the borough of Queens is just a few blocks away from the harsh backdrop of the parts of New York usually portrayed in media images. It is in this city of contrasts that Sri Chinmoy chose to start his spiritual mission, which has now grown internationally.

It has been 20 years since he first left India to be of service to the Western world. For the first few years in America, Sri Chinmoy held a job at the Indian Consulate, while he worked ceaselessly in his spare time towards manifesting his spiritual vision by giving free lectures, meditations and holding concerts.

These days life is only a little different, in that he can easily support himself as an author, but the same enthusiasm and dedication is still very much in evidence. His former boss at the Indian Consulate, Ambassador L.L. Mehrotra, spoke of Sri Chinmoy at a concert just a few years ago:

He brings to you a spiritual tradition which sprang and flourished in the mountain-vastness of the Himalayas several thousands of years ago and which is carried across the seven seas by Everest streams and rivers. Sri Chinmoy is part and parcel of that eternal stream. Sri Chinmoy belongs to that stream of thought and sentiment, which has shown us the light for ages.

  

Sri Chinmoy practises sprints in preparation for the World Masters Games, 1983.

  

In concert, Sri Chinmoy plays meditative music on the esraj.2

Each morning at 4 a.m. Sri Chinmoy meditates on his disciples. At around 6.30 to 7 a.m. he is already heading to the track for warm-up sprints; afterwards, he will use his exercise machines at his tennis court.

Tennis is one of Sri Chinmoy’s favourite sports. He often plays non-stop for hours, once playing as many as 453 games in one day. However, during the week there are usually more urgent matters that require his attention. To guide over 60 spiritual centres throughout the world is more than a full-time job. Twice a week he will travel to Manhattan to deliver lectures and meditations at the United Nations. More often than not, he will discuss spiritual aspects of the world’s problems with ambassadors and UN delegates.

He is also fond of meeting with people from every country who have excelled in their field. He greatly admires the significant contributions that so many people have made to the world, especially when their influence for good has extended well beyond their chosen vocations – athletes like Emil Zátopek, the immortal Czech distance runner; and Jesse Owens, hero of the 1936 Berlin Olympics; as well as musicians like Leonard Bernstein, composer and conductor; and Pablo Casals, the virtuoso cellist.

He loves diversity, but has a single aim – to spread peace wherever and whenever he can – and each minute of his day is packed with commitment. After a busy daily schedule, some evenings there is perhaps still time to hold a public meditation or concert.

He manages to blend a respect for the physical world with the aspiration for a higher reality. His teachings and his life express a call for the integration of inner reflection and outer dynamism: “In the heart of action, is the silence of meditation, and in the heart of meditation, is the dynamism of action,” says Sri Chinmoy.

The notion of the integral development of the human being is not wholly a new concept to western culture. The Greek philosophers looked upon the perfection of man as the highest attainment of mind, body and spirit. And the ‘Renaissance Man’ was meant to be strong, intelligent, artistic and noble of character.

Perhaps modern man, who has become so specialised, has lost the sense of overall, integral perfection. Two thousand years of Western civilisation has culminated in an overpowering material society, but it has left many devoid of purpose.

When we look at the past decade, it is running that has offered hundreds of thousands of people a new challenge in life, a chance to become masters of themselves, to break with the bondage of a static and sedentary way of life.

Sensing this growing need for self-expression and self-transcendence, Sri Chinmoy responded by asking his disciples to organise events for runners to provide more opportunities where they could freely enjoy open, friendly competition.

It is the athletic traditions of each nation that seem to point towards a common goal for mankind. Runners in their thousands are taking to the roads, some training with the dedication of Olympians. Never before in the history of the world have so many earned the right to be called athletes.

For every outer runner there is an inner runner – the soul of man striving to manifest perfection, to bring to the fore the complete universal man:

Your days of excellence-joys
Are ahead of you
And
Not beside you.
Why, then, do you not
Immediately run and declare:
THE GOAL IS WON!
          – excerpt from the poem ‘ The Goal Is Won’ by Sri Chinmoy

In self-transcendent action, Sri Chinmoy is consistently challenging the ‘impossible’. He is a talented writer and poet with over 500 books to his credit. One of his recent accomplishments was to write 10,000 poems, which have now been published in 100 volumes entitled Ten Thousand Flower Flames. The first poem in this volume describes his experience in the New York City Marathon, which he has run several times. He compares the marathon race to the challenge of writing 10,000 poems:

One marathon-world
Leads me into another marathon-world.
To satisfy this new marathon-world,
Or to be satisfied by this new one, will be
Infinitely – I really mean it –
More difficult.
For here it is not just twenty-six miles
And 385 yards to run,
But to sow the seeds
Of ten thousand flaming flower-poems…
           – excerpt from the poem ‘A New Marathon’ by Sri Chinmoy

He is currently writing a volume entitled Twenty-Seven Thousand Aspiration-Plants.

In the field of art, his painting stands as a monumental achievement. To date over 140,000 paintings have been catalogued. 120,000 of them were created in a one-year span.

His talent flows into the world of music as well. He is a composer and an accomplished musician. Typically, his output is immense and his music displays a refreshing quality not found in many modern composers.

The great conductor Leonard Bernstein was moved to declare, “What power is in this man’s music! It’s incredible … I am very, very deeply impressed.” And in a letter to Sri Chinmoy, he wrote, “You are a miraculous model of the abundance in the creative life that we lesser mortals seek, and I can only hope that I may some day participate in that cosmic fountain of stillness and profound energy, which you inhabit.”

In a sense, the volume of Sri Chinmoy’s work is overwhelming. That one man can do so much is hard for the mind to comprehend. Yet this is perhaps a point Sri Chinmoy subtlely states – that the mind can only comprehend part of the reality and the body experiences only part of the reality. It is the inner person, which can be known and will one day be revealed, that knows the universal and limitless reality.

– End –

 

Endnotes:
1 This article was first published in Guide to Brisbane Running magazine, pages 16-17, June 1984.
2 As part of an international concert tour, entitled ‘Peace: God’s Beauty in His Oneness-Home’, Sri Chinmoy gave 20 free performances in major cities, including Melbourne (Australia) on September 12th, 1984. He also performed in Los Angeles during the time of the Olympic Games.

 

Copyright © 2008, Animesh Harrington.
All rights reserved under Creative Commons license.

 

July 12

Photo by Adarini Inkei

 

After being lifted and receiving their ‘Lifting Up the World with a Oneness-Heart’ awards at Aspiration-Ground, Sri Chinmoy’s guests relax in the Jharna-Kala-filled atmosphere of Pilgrim-Museum.

 

June 26

Conscience

A talk by Sri Chinmoy
at Sherwood Hall Boys’ School, Stuart Avenue, Forest Town, Nottinghamshire, Mansfield, England

 

Dear sisters and brothers, dear members of my spiritual family, here we are all seekers, seekers of the infinite Truth. When I say my family, I literally mean it. Because we are all seekers, I claim to be a spiritual brother of yours, an Indian brother of yours. Let us go deep within and try to realise what has prompted us or inspired us to be seekers.

There are millions of people on earth who do not have the inner urge to lead a spiritual life. How is it that we are crying for Light, Delight, Love and Compassion from the Absolute Supreme? How is it that we are trying to lead a better life, a more illumining and fulfilling life, a spiritual life? It is because we have been awakened by the infinite Grace of the Supreme.

The moment we are awakened our conscience plays its most significant role. The Sanskrit term for conscience is viveka. Conscience is the inner voice. It is the voice of inner light. The difference between inner light and outer light I am sure all of us know. Outer light immediately exposes us. If we do something wrong, it will expose us and we will immediately be caught. But inner light acts in a different way. Inner light will never, never expose us. On the contrary, inner light will illumine us. If we make a mistake, if we commit even the worst possible Himalayan blunder, the inner light will come to our rescue. It will illumine us so that we will not do the same thing again.

The inner light tells us what to say, what to do and what to become. What to say? God is for all. God is not only for me, but He is also for you, for everyone. What to do? Love God in every human being. What to become? Conscious, constant and unconditional instruments of God. When we do the right thing, God blesses us. When we say the right thing, God smiles at us. When we become the right thing, God embraces us.

The inner light constantly inspires us and, at the same time, warns us not to go back to our animal life. We all came from the animal kingdom. Even now animal propensities quite often reign supreme in our human consciousness. But the inner light warns us not to go back to the animal life. It tells us to stay at least in the human life proper. There are people on earth who quarrel and fight and lead an animal life. Because we are seekers we have already transcended that life. Now it is our bounden duty to transcend the human life and enter into the divine life. In human life the animal consciousness and the divine consciousness both play their roles. But the animal consciousness plays its role most powerfully and most vehemently, whereas the role of the divine consciousness is very insignificant. Only in an infinitesimal measure do we notice the role of the divine life. But since we are all seekers, we are well determined to do away with our animal life, to transform our human life totally and to enter into the domain of the divine life — the life of light and delight.

It becomes easier for us to illumine the animal life provided we know what the animal life was. The animal life was destruction; the human life that we are now leading is nothing short of frustration; the divine life that we are aiming at is the life of selfless dedication. It is to please our Inner Pilot that we have entered into the world-arena. If we are totally, selflessly and unconditionally dedicated to the Inner Pilot, then we discover the meaning of life. Life is not a chimerical mist, a fantastic dream. Life is a solid reality awaiting transformation; and it is we who can bring down the Kingdom of Heaven into the immediacy of today to transform the earth-consciousness.

The inner light is our creative and conscious evolution. Who is actually evolving in us? God the man is evolving. That is to say, man is ascending towards the topmost height, the pinnacle. And God the Saviour, God the Liberator, is descending into the abyss to transform the darkness-ignorance of millennia with His supernal, infinite Light.

When we are in the process of creative evolution, we notice that God is constantly standing in front of us and pleading with us to enter into His Boat so that He can carry us to the Golden Shore of the Beyond. When we are in the process of conscious evolution, we see God constantly within us and without us, guiding us in our multifarious day-to-day activities.

When the inner light of conscience guides us, we do not care for success; we care only for progress. Success is always limited but progress is unlimited. Success very often plays its role in the vital world, but progress always plays its role in the psychic world, in the inner world. When we make progress we have to know that there is no such thing as failure; success always looms large. If we aim at success, then we shall be bound by our very, very limited vision. But if we aim at progress, then we are aiming at something that is ever-transcending — an ever-transcending reality of the Beyond.

Conscience is our confidence — inner confidence and outer confidence. Inner confidence tells us that we are of God. Outer confidence tells us that we are for God. This confidence is not vital aggression. This confidence is the revelation of our soul's light inside the heart. This confidence is perfection in life, and perfection is the transformation of our earth-bound consciousness. When our earth-bound consciousness is transformed into the Heaven-free Consciousness, at that time God-satisfaction dawns both in Heaven and on earth.

Without the evolved, transformed consciousness we cannot realise the Highest. Conscience is just like a tiny drop, whereas consciousness is the mightiest ocean. Consciousness is always present in the spiritual life; consciousness and the spiritual life are synonymous. Consciousness drops and consciousness rises. When the consciousness is low, that means that the inner light is not operating. When consciousness is high, it means that the light of conscience is operating most significantly in that individual.

The desiring man derives satisfaction from his pleasure-life. The aspiring man derives satisfaction from his dedicated and surrendered aspiration-life. For the true seeker there is no such thing as compromise between these two lives. An ordinary human being will always try to make a compromise. Early in the morning he needs God. But when evening sets in, he encounters all the forces of temptation and desire. At that time he hankers after earth-bound limitations. He wants fifty percent God and fifty percent ignorance. But a seeker of the highest Truth cannot do that; he has to be totally uncompromising. For him, there is only God and God alone.

There are some human beings who are very clever. They want to remain neutral — neither for God nor for ignorance. But if you enter into the inmost recesses of their hearts, you are bound to notice that they have already taken one side; yet because they fear the consequences of choosing one side, they do not support any path. They do not take God’s side; they do not take the side of ignorance. In the ordinary human life, we appreciate the person who is neutral. But in the spiritual life there is no place for a person with a neutral feeling. If you cannot accept God wholeheartedly, you are bound to wallow in the pleasures of ignorance. Millions and millions of people are wallowing in the pleasures of ignorance. You can also add to their ignorance; you can offer your own contribution. But if you are really hungry for Light, for the Truth of the Beyond, then accept God wholeheartedly. You will see how He fulfils your longing — not your temptation, not your desiring life, but your life of aspiration.

When a seeker becomes sincerity itself, God the Infinite plays His role inside the finite consciousness of the seeker. In this case the finite houses the Infinite and the finite becomes the conscious channel, the chosen instrument through which the Infinite operates here in the earth-consciousness. It is the receptivity of the seeker that allows God to manifest in and through him and that enables Mother Earth to be inundated with infinite Peace, Light and Bliss.

I understand there are quite a few teachers here who are teaching Hatha Yoga. That is extremely good. Hatha Yoga is the first step in our spiritual life. In the highest form of spirituality, Hatha Yoga is like kindergarten. We need not start in kindergarten, but we cannot skip all the levels and expect to get our Master’s degree. That is impossible. On the other hand, if one thinks that he can complete his kindergarten course and not go any higher, not take any higher courses, then he is making a deplorable mistake. He has to eventually go on to high school and college and take the highest course. In the spiritual life the highest course is God-realisation. Physical discipline is important in the spiritual life. But if we expect God-realisation from Hatha Yoga, then we will be badly disappointed. In any Indian village you will find hundreds of Hatha Yoga experts. But for most of these people, God-realisation is a far cry.

The necessity of physical discipline nobody can deny. But beyond the physical is the spiritual. We have to raise our consciousness to the spiritual. It is inside the spiritual that Divinity, Infinity, Eternity and Immortality are constantly singing and dancing. We have to climb up the mango tree, pluck mangoes and then climb down and eat. If we stay at the foot of the tree and do not climb up, how are we going to get the mangoes?

In no way am I throwing cold water on those who are teaching and practising Hatha Yoga. But please feel the necessity of going on to the highest course. That is to say, you have to go to the inner high school, college and university. The course at the university consists of three subjects: concentration, meditation and contemplation. These three subjects are most important. They are taught through the inner awakened and developed consciousness. First we have to learn how to concentrate. Then we have to learn how to meditate. Finally, we have to learn how to contemplate.

When we concentrate we must not allow even an iota of thought to enter into our mind. We have to focus our concentration on a particular object or subject and nothing else. Then we must enter into it and go beyond it. When we go beyond it, we feel that we have reached the soul. We started from our physical existence. When we reach the soul’s plane we see that the soul-consciousness is observing the body-consciousness, and the body-consciousness is entering into the soul-consciousness. When the body-consciousness is entering into the soul-consciousness, the body is realising the Highest. When the soul is concentrating on the body, the soul is manifesting in the physical consciousness the Light of the Beyond. This is concentration.

The next step is meditation. In meditation the first thing we do is to make the mind absolutely calm and quiet. Then we empty the heart so that God can fill it with His message of Light and Delight. When we meditate, we become the listener and God becomes the talker. God will offer us a message from the Highest and we shall listen to His message. But in order to receive this message we have to make our mind absolutely calm and quiet; we have to make our mind as vast as the sky or the ocean. The aim of meditation is to bring down the Infinite into the finite and carry the finite to the Infinite. The finite enters into Infinity for its highest realisation, and the Infinite enters into the finite for its supreme manifestation.

The third step is called contemplation. This is done only when the seeker is far advanced. We started our studies with concentration. As we became expert in concentration, we began meditation. But contemplation takes years and sometimes incarnations to learn because contemplation can be properly done only when the seeker is on the verge of realisation. Here the seeker totally merges with the Supreme. The divine lover becomes totally one, inseparably one with the Supreme Beloved. The finite totally loses its separativity and becomes one with the infinite Peace, Light and Bliss. At that time infinite Peace, Light and Bliss are housed perfectly in an earthly being.

Published in My Rose Petals, part 3

 

A Conversation with My Lord Supreme

A talk by Sri Chinmoy
at The Sheldonian Theatre, University of Oxford, England

 

Peace is in the beauty of my silence-mind. Peace is in the fragrance of my surrender-heart.

A new flame of aspiration inside my heart needs a new awakening of my self-giving service: peace for mankind.

My Lord Supreme, I would like to ask You a few soulful and spiritual questions. Will You kindly answer them, my Lord Supreme?

"Certainly, My child. I shall answer all your questions."

My Lord, I am a Truth-seeker and I am a God-lover. My Lord, I wish to glorify You. Please tell me how I can glorify You.

"My child, if you sincerely want to glorify Me, then never be afraid of Me, but be all love. Love Me soulfully, love Me sleeplessly, love Me breathlessly and, finally, love Me unconditionally if you want to glorify Me here on earth."

My Lord, please tell me how my spiritual life can deal with Your Greatness-Mind and Your Goodness-Heart.

"My child, never, never try to understand My Infinity's Greatness-Mind. Never. Try to feel at every moment My Immortality's Goodness in your heart of aspiration and in your life of dedication."

My Lord Supreme, You know I have an animal vital, a human mind and a divine heart. How can I use them properly?

"The animal vital of yours, never, never use. Never use it to challenge the world, to devour the world. Never.

Your human mind, never use it to lord it over others, to achieve supremacy. No, never. Your divine heart, use it at every moment to establish oneness-peace here, there and everywhere throughout the length and breadth of the world. Use your divine heart to establish oneness-peace, peace universal."

My Lord Supreme, out of Your infinite Bounty, You have given me Your Joy, Blessings and Compassion. These are Your Gifts supreme to earth. Quite often, I forget that I have received these Blessings from You. I do not remember them. Do You feel sad when I do not remember Your supreme Blessings?

"No, My child, I do not feel sad if you do not remember My Blessings supreme which I have bestowed upon you. But I do feel sad when you forget the things that you have done for Me since you entered into the spiritual life: your aspiration-heart, your dedication-life, your willingness and your gratitude-heart. Always try to remember the good things you have done. Only by remembering the good things that you have done for Me will you be able to increase your good qualities. By thinking of your good qualities and meditating on your good qualities, you are bound to increase them and you are bound to improve your spiritual life. You will be able to run fast, faster, fastest and this will make Me happy, divinely happy and supremely happy.

So, My child, always remember the things that you have done for Me most devotedly and soulfully. What I have done for you and what I will do for you is all done unconditionally. I do not expect anything in return from you. Always try to remember what you have given Me so that your present achievements can be the foundation of your supreme life-temple that will reach high, higher, highest."

My Lord Supreme, what is the difference between outer education and inner education?

"My child, the outer education tells you how to scrutinise Me. While scrutinising Me, you are unconsciously trying to crucify Me. Your outer education also teaches you how to possess the world. To your utter surprise, while trying to possess the world, you are possessed mercilessly.

Your inner education is an eternal thirst, an eternal hunger. This eternal thirst and this eternal hunger bring you into My Heart of complete Satisfaction. My child, if you want the life of spirituality, if you want to make yourself divinely and supremely happy, then your inner education is of paramount importance."

My Lord Supreme, my last question: what do You think of me?

"My child, I think of you exactly the way I think of Myself. I think of you as another God. In Heaven you are My dreamer-partner, and here on earth you are My action-partner.

Together we dream of a better and more illumining creation. On the strength of your unconditional surrender and your gratitude-heart, My child, we have become inseparably one. Each seeker-heart is inseparably one with Me for My manifestation here on earth."

In my silence-mind is the peace-seed. In my gratitude-heart is the peace-plant. In my surrender-life is the peace-tree.

Published in The Mind Loves the Heart, the Mind Becomes the Heart, part 1

 

The Bronx: Two Sweet Incidents

Reminicences by Sri Chinmoy
at Aspiration-Groundin Jamaica, New York

 

I shall tell two sweet incidents about the Bronx.

A very, very stout lady from the Bronx came a few times to the Indian Consulate when I was working there. She immediately became like my grandmother! She took me to her place and gave me so many things to eat. She became my real grandmother. That was my first Bronx experience.

I had a very, very devoted disciple from the Bronx in the early days. I gave her the spiritual name Ballabha. She used to come to meditate at my place in Manhattan. In those days there were about fifteen or twenty disciples. I used to stand in front of each and every disciple offering a rose. First I would give the rose and then I would look at the person and meditate. I was standing and they were seated. It was very nice.

One day this lady invited me to come with a disciple to her place in the Bronx. Can you imagine, she had kept all the roses, dried, in a jar. So beautifully she had decorated the jar. The dried petals of all the roses that I had given her she had kept. I was extremely, extremely moved.

Then she started talking about her brother. Again and again she was using the word “belligerent, belligerent!” Perhaps I had heard the word before, but it was not striking a chord. She was telling me, “My brother is belligerent, belligerent!” That word, “belligerent,” I learnt from her.

Published in The Temple and the Shrine

 

Siddhartha Becomes the Buddha play

 

25 May 1973

Photo by Sarama Minoli

 

On Friday evening we journeyed to the Old Mill Farm for the highlight of the weekend: the production of Guru’s volume of plays entitled Siddhartha Becomes the Buddha, to which former United Nations Secretary-General U Thant had been invited as guest of honour. Several boys had spent days constructing a large blue and yellow stage designed like a Buddhist temple with the Centre seal at the top.

Others had provided extensive sound and lighting equipment. Undeniably, it was a chilly and rainy evening. Yet Puerto Rican disciples, accustomed to glorious sunshine and temperatures in the 90’s, cheerfully bundled themselves up as well as possible and joined the other disciples seated on plastic sheets covering the large lawn. To begin the program Guru sang the chant Buddham Saranam Gacchami. All were silent and oblivious of the light drizzle as Guru then garlanded the former Secretary-General and spoke sublimely about the Buddha, known as the Light of Asia, and about his chosen son, U Thant. U Thant offered his gratitude to Guru and expressed his admiration for the plays, which he had already read. He voiced his hope that the two great religions, Buddhism and Hinduism, would find their truths accepted by leaders of men throughout the world; and he wished us all eternal joy.  All were inspired by this profound meeting or two world leaders, and the plays began.

The cast, featuring Kanan (N.Y.) as the Buddha, overcame the cold and rain and offered a moving and soulful performance. The plays trace the Buddha’s life from his youth as the innocent Prince Siddhartha to the hour of his death as the deeply beloved spiritual Master. A tree near the stage had been incorporated into the set, and it became the Bodhi Tree, where Siddhartha achieving his supreme enlightenment, became the Buddha. After the last play, which left the Buddha on his deathbed with his dearest disciple at his feet, all the performers returned to the stage and placed flowers around a garlanded golden statue of the Buddha, and Kanan offered a bouquet to U Thant.

It was a moment — and indeed, an evening — recorded forever in the book of spiritual history.

[The next evening] ... Guru blessed the cast of the Buddha plays and their director, Tanima (N.Y.), as well as the boys ... who had built the stage.

Caption:

U Thant addresses Sri Chinmoy and the disciples before the performance of Siddhartha Becomes the Buddha.

Published in Chinmoy Family, Volume IV, Number 2, May/June 1973, pages 6 & 7

 

Chinmoy Family

 

Chinmoy Family was a bi-monthly publication — from 1970 to 1980 — featuring the teachings of Sri Chinmoy, and activities of the Sri Chinmoy Centres worldwide.

The following extracts have been referenced in various articles and yearly timelines throughout the Sri Chinmoy Reflections website:

 

1973

Volume IV, Number 2, May/June 1973

Siddhartha Becomes the Buddha play