At the invitation of the organisers, Sri Chinmoy offers the inaugural benediction at the ceremonies of the First Pan American Track and Field Masters Championship, held at Sixto Escobar Stadium in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Read more...

Pan American Games Adventure

Recounted by Sri Chinmoy

I am telling you about my adventure at the Pan American Masters Games. As you know, I was invited to go there to offer a short meditation. Also, I was requested to dedicate one of my songs to the Pan American Masters Games. So, the good singers sang the "Run and Become" song extremely well for a tape and I dedicated that song to the Games.

There were quite a few thousand spectators. Some young men used coloured flags to say "welcome," "thank you" and all kinds of things — as in the previous Pan American Games. It was quite beautiful and charming.

The speaker read out ten or twelve lines about me in Spanish and then I was escorted by a lady to the platform. Uttama followed me. I was not supposed to inaugurate the Games; I was supposed to hold the opening meditation after the inauguration. The Governor himself was supposed to inaugurate the Games, but God knows what happened. The Governor was delayed for some reason. So the official said, "Sri Chinmoy will offer us the inaugural benediction."

I went to the platform and Uttama said a few things. He thanked all the celebrities and then introduced me. I meditated for about two or three minutes, facing the audience. Then I turned around and meditated on the people who were showing the coloured flags. Afterwards I spoke for a few minutes, thanking them and bringing down the Supreme's Blessings for the athletes.

Thousands of people were there, but they remained in pin-drop silence. I told them I was dedicating one of my songs to the soul of the Pan American Masters Games and they played the tape over the loudspeaker. It sounded extremely good. It was simply marvellous.

Published in Salutations, numbers 1-4