Eulogy for Jesse Owens
given by Sri Chinmoy
ay St. Paul’s Chapel, Columbia University New York
Spirituality means speed: speed in the inner world, speed in the outer world. In the inner world, speed is founded mostly upon aspiration. In the outer world, speed is founded mostly upon inspiration.
There are some individuals who have speed in the inner world, while there are others who have speed in the outer world. There are few, very few, who have speed both in the inner world and in the outer world. Jesse Owens, the champion of champions, the immortal of immortals, has this rare speed both in the inner world and in the outer world. He is the colossal pride not only of his race, the black people, but also of the entire America. Finally, he is, indeed, a universal treasure. As the outer world treasures his fastest speed, even so, the inner world cherishes his bravest dedication that fought against poverty, darkness and ignorance in human life.
Here we are all seekers. As seekers, we are offering our soulful homage to a seeker who has contributed abundant speed and light to the entire world.
Published in The Oneness of the Eastern Heart and the Western Mind, part 3
Sri Chinmoy holds the Peace Torch with Stanley Kalpage, Ambassador of Sri Lanka to the UN (left) and Kriesnadath Nandoe, Ambassador of Suriname to the UN (right), at Aspiration-Ground in Jamaica, Queens, New York.
Filmed by Kedar Misani
Sri Chinmoy meditates at Aspiration-Ground on the second day of the week-long programme of celebrations for his mother Yogamaya's Birth Centenary (8 April 1894- 8 April 1994) in Jamaica, Queens, New York,