Sri Chinmoy offers his annual New Year’s Meditation and Peace Concert at St. Paul the Apostle Church in Manhattan, New York.
Video by kedarvideo
Sri Chinmoy offers a Peace Concert and delivers a lecture at the University of Hawaii (afternoon) in Honolulu, HI, USA. He also receives the Dreamer of a Peace-Filled World Award on Pearl Harbor Day.
My Omnipresent Soul Watches
A talk by Sri Chinmoy
Pangkor Island, Malaysia
For me it is a great relief when I compose songs! The higher the number of songs, the greater is my joy, and the greater is my relief that my task is done. Then I see people are practising the songs here and there. In a sense, it is joy right from the beginning. After I have set my words to music, you are learning, learning the songs. Learning means that you are identifying with my inner presence, my joy and my gratitude.
When you practise, I tell you most sincerely, my soul’s presence will always be there. I have many, many, many inner beings. They will be there. When my disciples do anything to please me, either my soul or one of my inner beings will be there, to add to their joy. When you sing a few songs most soulfully, most soulfully, my inner beings take my soul to hear them. It has happened many, many times. When some groups sing most sincerely and correctly, plus soulfully and self-givingly, my soul watches them. Believe me! My omnipresent soul watches them inwardly and appreciates and appreciates them. I do not tell, I cannot tell who they are — that will create serious trouble for other groups. I know that some groups in general practise very, very soulfully.
Some groups simply shout! They sing, but soulfulness and selflessness they need in greater measure. Again, all the groups that are practising deserve my very, very special attention, affection and gratitude.
These songs are helping you. Outwardly it may seem very difficult or tedious or monotonous to practise. A monotonous feeling unfortunately comes into some singers even when they start singing. From the outer point of view, after fifteen or twenty songs, that kind of boring, monotonous feeling is understandable. You feel that if you can do something else, you will get more joy. But if you can continue, if you can sing for five or ten minutes, then you will get back your joy. In the beginning, perhaps you are lacking in joy. But after five or ten minutes, I am sure you will get joy. While you are singing, instead of feeling that it is monotonous, you will see that you are getting joy. It is the presence of one of my inner beings that is giving you joy.
In the case of some singers, as soon as they start singing, all their hesitation comes forward. It is not unwillingness; that I do not want to say. But they hesitate at every moment. They do not know if they are doing the right thing or not. In one part of their existence they want to sing, but another part finds it difficult to be absorbed in the music-world. Even here, where so many disciples are singing, some do not sing soulfully. Alas, they sing like parrots! They look at the music in their notebooks, but soulfulness is not there, eagerness is not there. Again, some people, I must say, do have eagerness and soulfulness. They are singing correctly, singing soulfully, and everything that is needed for them to make inner progress is definitely there.
You have no idea how much progress you make when you sing my songs soulfully. Even if you do not meditate well, your singing helps you tremendously, tremendously. My inner existence keeps a record of who is singing soulfully. Inwardly I give marks when I hear the reports from my inner existence, or when I see you singing right in front of me. Singing means identification with my soul or my inner existence. If you can identify yourself with my inner existence, do you think my inner existence will give you nothing in return?
You are giving me such joy by singing the songs! You may not know the meaning of the Bengali words, but your soul and your heart know the meaning. That is why you are able to sing these songs so beautifully, so soulfully. Your heart and your soul know the meaning. They are singing in and through you all, singing and singing. Soulful and prayerful singing is in no way inferior to prayers and meditations.
Music is so important. Our songs are so important. On our path, each and every singer deserves my gratitude and gratitude, my pride and pride.
Published in My Golden Children