Day 14…Higher Part of Yourself (July 1 )

I met Harita this morning at the corner of 168th st. as she came up the service road towards me.  I often run along this route during the year and am hardly aware at all that it is anything more than a slight incline.  But to Harita, who has now circled this same corner 1270 times now in the past 13 days it is a hill.

When you lay on the sidewalk, as I have done taking pictures, you can see it unmistakably.  It helps me to get a better understanding,  that all the little details of the course get observed by the runners in ways that we can never fully grasp or understand.

For the last 2 days now Harita has been running 111 laps each day which is just about 61 miles.  “I kind of realized the first few days of the race that if I want to do the necessary miles each day that I would have to stay really focused.”

“I don’t always stay really focused in my regular life.  It is a really good practice for me and a really good opportunity for me.  I can but I often get distracted.  I love people, I love talking to people.  I am interested in a lot of things.”

I saw her early speaking on the phone.  “That was actually one of the first times I spoke with people on the phone.  I haven’t really used my phone much.  I felt, especially for the first couple of weeks that it was really important to practice focusing.”

“I feel that is more like trying to be one with God’s will.  Everything is a flow, and if you can silence your mind, and connect with the higher part of yourself.  For me it is more about not being distracted by other things.  Keep my mind as calm as possible.  Keep myself very present in the moment.  To really have faith, that if I do that then everything will flow from within.”

“I guess trying to focus inwardly which is challenging outwardly as well. Trying not to get too strict, or serious, or regimented. Do what I need to do and have faith that everything will flow.”

Sometime in the past week Harita had accumulated more miles in competition than she had ever run before.  “It was a big deal.  It gave me a lot of joy and encouragement.  Because I still felt strong.”

“I guess at the end of the last 10 day race, I was really at the end.”  She ran 540 miles.  At the start of day 14 she has 789 miles.  After 10 days here she had 606 miles.

“Because of the fact that I still felt strong.  This race is all about transcending yourself and going beyond what you conceive of as possible.  When you can go beyond what you have ever done before then that gives you joy.”

Every day
I shall climb up higher and higher
On my aspiration-mountain-heights.

The board at the start of Day 14

It is significant to note that 13 days marks the exact first quarter of the race.  Any runner with less than 775 miles is behind schedule of completing the race.

It will be a peculiar weather day.  With light showers passing through from time to time.

Joke on the fence

Yolanda thanking Jadranka for her help

Yuri pouring drinks

Nidhruvi arrives

Rupantar checking the results

Sergey and Nirbhasa arrives

Jadranka helping Satyaroopa get set up

Smarana putting on his shoes

Vasu drops off his laundry

Nidhruvi showing something on her phone to Kaneenika

Vasu ready to start

Start Day 14

Slightly overcast

Vasu did 65 miles

Yesterday Sergey did 1 more lap than Vasu

Vasu has 885 miles

A bit of green

Nirbhasa did 64 miles

He now has 853 miles

A bit of green

Kaneenika did 64 miles

Giving attention to one of her big fans

Getting help from Suhasini

She 1 more lap yesterday than Nirbhasa.  She has 809 miles

A bit of green

Harita did 111 laps or 60 miles

He now has 800 miles

Morning sun

Flower

Harita ran 111 laps or 60 miles

Telling jokes with Nidhruvi

Taking a break

Flower

Sergey did 65 miles

He now has 782 miles

Sun and clouds

Flower

Yolanda did 110 laps or 60 miles.  She has 779 miles.

Mario working on her feet

Sean from Jersey has come to spend the day helping her

flower

Andrey did 112 laps or 63 miles

He now has 742 miles

Coming

Nidhruvi did 53 miles

Having some work done to her feet

Telling jokes with Harita

Ananda-Lahari did 45 miles

He now has 678 miles

Trying his best every day

The hill

Swamiji

Untiring server Alan

Sahishnu chopping ice

Nirjharini arrives with a cake for Harita

Today is the 22nd anniversary of her becoming a student of Sri Chinmoy

Brought in a special counter

A closer look

Green

Jimmy reads the Daily Prayer

“Definitely I wanted to be here today.  I have been away for some weekends but I want to come and run these 2 mile races.  Particularly now when my brothers and sisters are running 3100 miles.  I can’t even imagine.”

“Even though I can’t imagine it I can be inspired by it.  What is life about if not about getting inspiration from those around you and those that God has put around you.  All we have to do is open our hearts and drink it in.  That’s what I am trying to do today.”

Click Below to Play:

poem Jimmy

Enthusiasm Awakeners

Click to Play:

parvati

If you forget to dream
Of higher realities,
The higher realities
Will never be manifested.

2 thoughts on “Day 14…Higher Part of Yourself (July 1 )”

  1. A wonderful lesson on Focus from Harita’s interview. Gratitude! And a most Happy Anniversary!!

  2. Thanks Uptal.

    I know the runners don’t say they look at the miles. I’m sure they can’t really afford that. But sitting here in Texas, I look and see they are not yet at 1000 miles after 14 days; and it is a 3100 mile race. It is something to ponder that situation is.

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