Sri Chinmoy’s students gather at Aspiration-Ground in Jamaica, Queens, to be with their spiritual teacher before they take part in the New York City Marathon. Emblazoned on the Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team uniforms are the words “Never Give Up!”

“You carry me through”

During the marathon, I was cheering the runners at different places on the course. One man came up to me, grabbed my hand and said, “Sri Chinmoy, every time I run a long distance, I think of you and you carry me through!”

And he was not a disciple. — Sri Chinmoy

The message of the t-shirt

During today’s marathon, Pulak wanted to give up. His T-shirt said, “Never give up!” An Indian man who was also running saw his shirt and advised him, “Do not give up!” Then he and Pulak finished the race together, talking philosophy for hours and hours. — Sri Chinmoy

Appreciating the marathon runners

All those who ran today’s New York City Marathon, please come and announce your times, from first to last. Only for the first person we will clap, and for the last person we will clap — the first person for their speed and the last person for their patience. In between, we will clap in silence; otherwise, it will take a very long time. — Sri Chinmoy, at an evening function at PS 86

Published in Run and Become, Become and Run, part 21

 

Race Prayer

 

My Lord,
You have given me Your own Eye
To see the world.
You have given me Your own Ears
To hear the world.
You have given me Your own Heart
To love the world.
You have given me all that You have
And all that You are
To give to the world.
My Lord,
Do give me one more thing.
Please, please give me Your own Feet
To worship You
Sleeplessly and breathlessly,
My Lord, my Lord.

– Sri Chinmoy

 

Sri Chinmoy offers this prayer at the conclusion of the weekly Saturday morning two-mile ‘Self-Transcendence Race’ held in New York.

Published in My Race-Prayers, part 2