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.
Stories of playing 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
|
Sri Chinmoy’s Peerless Tennis Achievement by Vidagdha Bennett Watching Sri Chinmoy play tennis on a summer’s morning in New York, it is hard to believe that a little over four years ago the game was unfamiliar to him. Today, approaching fifty years of age, he moves about the court with the natural ease of one who has attained a sure and certain mastery of what must be one of the most demanding and skilled of sports. Sri Chinmoy’s strokes are smooth, even and powerful; his timing excellent; his rhythm relaxed. It is at once clear that a lifetime of dedication to sport lies behind the beauty and grace of his style. Read more...
.
|
|
Sri Chinmoy’s Peerless Tennis Achievement, Part Two by Vidagdha Bennett May, 1984 Three years have elapsed since the first part of this article appeared. If one were to graph Sri Chinmoy’s progress in tennis during this time, it would show a steady escalation, which was particularly intensified during the warmer months from April to September. Read more... |
Photos of Lifting up the World with a Oneness-Heart. Steffi Graf, Adarini Inkel; Mats Wilander, Dhanu; Martina Navratilova, Pulak