Video by Utpal Marshall
On March 3rd 1979, Sri Chinmoy completed his first marathon in Chico California in a time of 4:31:34. Each year since then, his students in New York and around the world have honoured him by running the 26-mile distance.
Video by Utpal Marshall
On March 3rd 1979, Sri Chinmoy completed his first marathon in Chico California in a time of 4:31:34. Each year since then, his students in New York and around the world have honoured him by running the 26-mile distance.
Sri Chinmoy gives a talk entitled ‘Meditation: Individual and Collective’ – the sixth in a Spring series of classes on Yoga – at the apartment of Sam Spanier and Eric Hughes in Greenwich Village, New York City, NY, USA.
Sri Chinmoy delivers a talk, entitled ‘Peace is Our Birthright: How Can We Have It?’, in the Dag Hammarskjöld Auditorium at the United Nations in New York, NY.
Sri Chinmoy offers a concert in Edinburgh, Scotland, UK.
Sri Chinmoy performs his first double-dumbbell lift – a two-arm lift of 120 lbs. with both arms simultaneously – a total of 240 lbs., in Jamaica, NY, USA.
Sri Chinmoy holds a public meditation for spiritual seekers in Buchman Hall in Manhattan, NY, USA. He meditates in silence, plays music and answers questions. Three other similar programmes were held at the same venue during April.
Sri Chinmoy offers a Peace Concert (184) together with a piano performance and delivers a lecture, entitled ‘Happiness: My Dream-Fulfilled Reality’, at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, MD, USA.
Sri Chinmoy presents the U Thant Peace Award to L.M. Singhvi, Indian High Commissioner to the UK, at the Indian High Commissioner’s residence in London, UK.
Sri Chinmoy offers a Peace Concert (405) — the 5th of 50 concerts held in honour of the 50th anniversary of the United Nations — introduced by Indian High Commissioner L.M. Singhvi, at the Wembley Conference Centre in London, England, UK.
Sri Chinmoy offers a Peace Concert (463) in honour of the 76th birthday of His Holiness Pope Paul II, in the Dag Hammarskjöld Auditorium at the United Nations in New York.
Sri Chinmoy lifts Jacob Zuma, Executive Deputy President of South Africa, at John F. Kennedy International Airport in Long Island, New York, USA.
Sri Chinmoy offers a Peace Concert at San Diego State University in San Diego, CA, USA.
Sri Chinmoy meditates in front of the Jharna-Kala Card Co. display at Aspiration-Ground in Jamaica, New York.
LONDON — India’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, L. M. Singhvi, received the U Thant Peace Award on May 13.
The award is presented to individuals or organizations reflecting the late Secretary-General's lofty spiritual ideals. Other recipients have included Mikhail Gorbachev and Mother Teresa.
Sri Chinmoy presented the award to the High Commissioner on behalf of The Peace Meditation at the United Nations.
Before making the presentation, Sri Chinmoy participated in a ceremony at the High Commissioner’s residence, observing the anniversary of the Buddha’s enlightenment. The Master spoke briefly and his students sang a few songs he had written about the Buddha.
Published in Anahata Nada, Volume 25, April-July 1995
Sri Chinmoy offers a Peace Concert dedicated to the 50th Anniversary of the United Nations, introduced by Indian High Commissioner L. M. Singhvi, at Wembley Conference Stadium in London, United Kingdom.
by Sri Chinmoy
at Wembley Conference Stadium in London
This year the United Nations is observing its fiftieth anniversary. Today’s Peace Concert I am prayerfully offering to the all-illumining soul of the United Nations.
Published in My Prayerful Salutations to the United Nations
Sri Chinmoy offers a Peace Concert in honour of the 76th birthday of His Holiness Pope Paul II, in the Dag Hammarskjöld Auditorium at the United Nations in New York.
by Sri Chinmoy
at the United Nations in New York
“Today’s Peace Concert I am prayerfully dedicating to the Holy Father Pope John Paul II, whose birthday is fast approaching.”
Published in Pope John Paul II: God’s Heart-Prize Winner
Sri Chinmoy visits Agni Press on Parsons Blvd. In Jamaica, New York, where many of his books have been printed. Sanatan Curchack (right) is on hand to show Sri Chinmoy around the premises.
Two weeks out from the 24-Hour Pepsi Bicycle Marathon in Central Park, New York, Sri Chinmoy and his students are training on the course. A team of 197 riders, including Sri Chinmoy, will represent the Sri Chinmoy Centre Marathon Team in the event.
Sri Chinmoy meditates at the United Nations in New York.
by Sri Chinmoy
On the sacred occasion of the 76th Birthday of His Holiness Pope John Paul II, my students and I offered prayerful songs in Catholic churches around the world. We performed songs which I had composed in homage to the Holy Father, as well as songs in which I had set tune to the immortal utterances of the Saviour Christ.
Our symbolic goal was to offer 76 concerts altogether in the two weeks preceding the Pope’s Birthday. Ultimately, we offered 123 performances in over 24 countries. My own Peace Concert dedicated to the Holy Father was held on 13 May 1996 at the United Nations in New York. Two hundred members of the United Nations community were present on this occasion to offer their heartfelt prayers for the Holy Father.
My students and I from all over the world lovingly and gratefully offer each of our performance-drops to the Holy Father, who embodies the Compassion-Ocean of our Saviour Christ.
Published in Pope John Paul II: God’s Heart-Prize Winner
by Sri Chinmoy
while in residence at the Sri Aurobindo Ashram in Pondicherry, India
"Chinmoy, have you read Subhash Bose's autobiography?"
"Yes, I have read it."
"Then tell me, which year did he strike this Professor Oaten?"
"I am sorry, but I don't remember the year. But I can easily find out for you. Let me go to the library."
I was about to leave for the library when he said: "Where are you going? It is raining too heavily!"
But my zealous vital did not listen to him. I went to the library and found that the year was 1916. I gave him the information and he noted it down with joy. He wanted to insert it in his book of reminiscences.
Published in A Service-Flame and a Service-Sun
A talk by Sri Chinmoy
It is the sixth class of the Spring series on Yoga was held at the home of Mr. Eric Hughes and Mr. Sam Spanier, 43 Greenwich Avenue, New York City
Meditation is the eye that sees the Truth, the heart that feels the Truth, and the soul that realises the Truth.
By meditation the soul becomes fully aware of its evolution in its eternal journey. By meditation we see the form evolve into the formless, the finite into the infinite; we see the formless evolve into the form, the infinite into the finite.
Meditation speaks. It speaks in silence. It reveals. It reveals to the aspirant that Matter and Spirit are one, quantity and quality are one, the immanent and the transcendent are one. It reveals that life is eternity itself, and can never be the mere existence of seventy or eighty years between birth and death. Our birth is a significant incident in God's own existence. And so is our death. In our birth, life lives in the body; in our death, life lives in the spirit.
Meditation, individual and collective. As the individual and the collective are in essence one, even so meditation, individual and collective. We are all children of God. Our body says that we are human. Our soul says that we are divine. No matter whether we are human or divine, we are one, inevitably and eternally. We are the inseparable parts of the whole. We complete the whole.
Vast is the ocean. You see a part of it. He sees a part of it. I see a part of it. But the full expanse of the ocean is far beyond our gaze. Our vision is limited. But the portion that each of us sees is not and cannot be separated from the entire ocean.
What does an orchestra produce? It produces a symphonic unity. Different notes on different instruments form the symphony. As each instrument plays its own notes, so the individual may meditate in his own way. But ultimately all will arrive at the basic realisation of oneness and the same goal. And this realisation is nothing other than liberation — liberation from Bondage, Ignorance, and Death.
Tat Twam Asi: That Thou art. This is indeed the secret that can be revealed in meditation. This Thou is not the outer man. This Thou is our soul, our divinity within. Our unlit and undivine nature tries to make us feel that the body is everything. Our illumined and divine nature makes us feel that our soul with no beginning and with no ending is everything. Indeed, it is the soul that is the breath of our existence either in Heaven or on earth.
Self-knowledge and the universal knowledge are not two different things. Everything in the universe becomes yours the moment you come to realise yourself. And what is this universe? It is the outer expression of your inner achievements. You are your own Saviour. Within you is your salvation. It is you who have to work for your salvation. You are your own fate-maker. To blame others for the unfavourable conditions of your life is beneath your dignity. Unfortunately this act of blaming others is one of man's oldest diseases. Adam blamed Eve for his temptation. Poor Eve, what could she do? She also did the same. She blamed another. No, we must not do that. If action is ours, responsibility is also ours. To try to escape the consequence is simply absurd, but to be free from committing blunders is wisdom; it is the real illumination. Trials and tribulations are within and without us. We shall have to ignore them. If this act of ignoring is not enough, we shall face them. If that too is not enough, we shall conquer them here and now. The paramount problem is how to conquer the trials and tribulations. We can conquer them only by our constant meditation. There is no substitute, no alternative.
From meditation, when it is deep and one-pointed, we get spiritual knowledge and pure devotion, which act not only simultaneously but harmoniously. The path of Bhakti (Devotion) and the path of Jnana (Knowledge) lead us ultimately to the same goal. Devotion is not blind faith. It is not an absurd adherence to one's inner feeling. It is a matchless process of spiritual unfoldment. Jnana is not something quite dry. Neither is it an aggressive power. Knowledge is the food that energises our earthly and heavenly existence. Devotion is delight. Knowledge is peace. Our heart needs delight and our mind needs peace, just as God needs us to manifest Himself and we need God to fulfil ourselves.
Meditation, individual and collective. It is easy to meditate individually. The aspirant is fortunate, for there stands no third person between the aspirant and God's Grace.
It is easy to meditate collectively, in a group. A student naturally gets joy while he is studying with others in the class. Here also the aspirant is fortunate, for the sincere aspiration of other seekers may inspire him.
True, there are difficulties in meditating individually. Laziness can plague the aspirant. True, there are difficulties in meditating collectively, because there is every possibility that others' ignorance and weakness may unconsciously attack the aspirant's body, mind and heart.
One thing we shall have to make sure, that is, whether individually or collectively, we shall have to meditate consciously. Unconscious effort is like forcing someone to play football in spite of his utmost unwillingness: He plays but gets no joy. A conscious effort is like playing football most willingly. He gets joy. Similarly, a conscious meditation gives us an inner delight from the soul.
Finally, each human being must have the spirit of a divine hero. If he is left alone in the thickest forest, he must have the inner strength to meditate without fear. If he is asked to meditate at Times Square amid the streams of human beings, he must have the inner strength to meditate without being disturbed in the least. Whether alone or with others, the aspirant must dwell in his meditation unshaken and unafraid.
Published in AUM – Vol. 2, No. 3, 27 October 1966
A talk by Sri Chinmoy
in the Dag Hammarskjöld Auditorium
at the United Nations, New York
(Sri Chinmoy sings)
O Lord, where is the Truth?
"Where your Beloved is."
Who is my Beloved, who?
"In whom your life is peace."
Peace. Peace. Peace.
The outer peace and the inner peace: The outer peace is man's compromise; the inner peace is man's fulfilment. The outer peace is man's satisfaction without being satisfied at all. The inner peace is man's satisfaction in being totally and supremely fulfilled.
How can the outer peace have the same capacity as the inner peace? The outer peace can have the same capacity if and when man's creation and God's Creation become inseparably one. What is man's creation? Man's creation is fear. Man's creation is doubt. Man's creation is confusion. What is God's Creation? God's Creation is Love. God's Creation is Compassion. God's Creation is Concern.
Fear is the feeblest ant in man. Doubt is the wildest elephant in man. Confusion is the devouring tiger in man. There is no yawning gulf between man's cherished fear and his forced fear. Doubt God, forgiveness is granted. Doubt yourself, your complete destruction is decreed. Yesterday's confusion was the beginning of your insincerity. Today's confusion is the beginning of your insecurity. Tomorrow's confusion will be the beginning of your futility.
God's Love for man is man's aspiration. God's Compassion for man is man's salvation. God's Concern for man is man's perfection.
Man's fulfilling and fulfilled search for the Real is peace. God the Love is man's eternal Guest in the inmost recesses of his heart. God the Peace is man's eternal Host in the inmost recesses of his heart. That is why we can unfalteringly and unmistakably claim that the loving and fulfilling peace is our birthright.
How can we have peace, even an iota of peace, in our outer life, amid the hustle and bustle of life and our multifarious activities? Easy: we have to choose the inner voice. Easy: we have to control our binding thoughts. Easy: we have to purify our impure emotions.
The inner voice is our guide. The binding thoughts are the dark and unpredictable weather. The impure emotion is the inner storm. We have to listen to the inner voice always. It is our sure protection. We have to be cautious of the binding thoughts. These thoughts have tremendous vitality. We must never allow them to swell into mountains. We have to face them and then dominate them. These thoughts are absolutely non-essential, and we have no time to fret over non-essentials. We have to refrain from the luxury of the emotional storm. Impure emotion is immediate frustration, and frustration is the harbinger of total destruction within and without.
How can we choose the inner voice? To choose the inner voice, we have to meditate early in the morning. To control and dominate our undivine thoughts, we have to meditate at noon. To purify our unlit, impure emotions, we have to meditate in the evening.
What is meditation? Meditation is man's constant awareness and conscious acceptance of God. Meditation is God's unconditional offering to man.
Peace is the beginning of love. Peace is the completion of truth. Peace is the return to the Source.
(Sri Chinmoy sings)
There was a time when I stumbled and stumbled,
But now I only climb and climb beyond
And far beyond my Goal's endless Beyond.
And yet my Captain commands:
"Go on, go on!"
We have already invoked and received Peace from God. With your kind permission, I wish to invoke more Peace from above. Those who would like to join me are most welcome to come up to the platform and meditate with me for Peace, inner Peace, all-fulfilling Peace.
(The audience immediately responds and meditates with Sri Chinmoy.)
Published in The Garland of Nation-Souls
answered by Sri Chinmoy
on a bus trip from Baltimore to New York
Question: How can we use flowers to help us in our meditation?
Sri Chinmoy: While you are placing a flower on the shrine, try to feel that this flower is reminding you of your heart, which you want to be as beautiful as the flower. You cannot see your heart, but you can look at a flower and say, “How I wish my heart were as beautiful as this flower!”
Then try to feel that this flower that you have placed on the shrine is breathing, the same way that your heart is taking in your life-breath. Connect your heart-flower and the outer flower. While you are looking at the flower on the shrine, feel that your breath is entering into it. Then again, feel that the flower has entered into your heart and there it is breathing. Your heart-flower and the flower that you have placed on the shrine are going to and fro, they are constantly interchanging. The flower that is on the shrine is entering into your heart, and again it is coming out to be on the shrine.
If you can do this during your meditation, then your heart will become purer than the purest, and you will be able to absorb God’s Compassion, Love, Blessings — anything that He wants to give you — in absolutely abundant measure because your heart is all ready to receive.
By seeing something with our outer eyes, we can become it. By becoming something also, we can see it. But it is far easier to see something with our outer eyes and then imagine that we are becoming that same thing on the inner plane.
Question: Nowadays people are doing things like grafting flowers to other flowers to create new forms. Is this done by the Supreme through man or is it something that the Supreme is merely tolerating?
Sri Chinmoy: I personally feel that it is the tolerance of the Supreme. According to me, Nature’s pristine beauty disappears when people change the colour of the flower and do all kinds of other things to it. I do not feel the Supreme is working in and through man at that time. The Supreme wants to keep Nature’s beauty in perfect condition, in its own natural way. But man finds that it is necessary to add to Nature’s beauty. Most of the time, we do not add anything to Nature’s beauty.
Once, for a special occasion, one of our girl disciples put all kinds of make-up on her face. Then one old man said, “Before, she was beautiful. Now she looks ugly.” In the same way, Nature’s spontaneous beauty is absolutely the best thing. By adding to it from our fertile brain, the human in us may appreciate the result, but the divine in us may not be able to appreciate it. The natural beauty of a flower God will appreciate. But by adding foreign beauty to this natural beauty, you are taking away almost the life-breath of the flower itself. Then again, what can you do? Human eyes appreciate beauty in their own way.
Question: Are there flowers in Heaven, and how do they compare with earthly flowers?
Sri Chinmoy: Heavenly flowers are much more beautiful. They have much more luminosity than earthly flowers. The beauty of Heavenly flowers far surpasses earthly beauty. Earth is not as beautiful as Heaven. So naturally, anything that comes from Heaven is infinitely more beautiful.
Question: When we offer people flowers, what should we feel we are giving them?
Sri Chinmoy: Feel that you are offering them your heart’s pure fragrance, and you are hoping that their heart will receive it. Also, you will pray to God at that time to give extra purity and extra beauty, divine beauty, to your heart and to the heart of the person to whom you are offering the flowers.
Question: At funerals, do flowers help the soul of the deceased person?
Sri Chinmoy: Definitely they help — not only the soul but also the physical and vital of the person. The soul gets extra joy when there are flowers, and the physical and vital get added purity. Also, unfortunately, when some people come to visit the body, they come in a very low consciousness. At that time, the reality of the person who has passed away is the soul. Previously the soul was inside the body, where it was well protected. It was like a bird inside the cage. Now the soul is outside the body, but it has not yet left the earthly arena; it has not gone back to the soul’s world. The soul-bird is outside the cage, and when it sees undivine people, sometimes the soul gets frightened. So flowers, incense and so forth can diminish the undivine qualities of some of those who approach the body.
Published in Sri Chinmoy Answers, part 32