Last night after running here every day for 4 weeks and a day Andrey Andreev went home having completed 1600 miles. A not insignificant number and one which is about 1000 miles further than he has ever run before.
With 3 weeks and a day left to continue his task he will run many more miles yet. Reaching 3100 is unlikely but this fact is one that is irrelevant to Andrey and to the others who are quickly shaping new goals as their fortunes shift and change.
*translation by Lyalya*
He has spent the last 10 years shaping and molding himself into a distance runner. He is an eternal optimist, one who seems to find new experiences and new inner and outer achievement with each lap. And more importantly knows that his personal finish line is not a mark made here on the sidewalk. But rather one which continues to call to him in his eternal race towards his own self transcendence.
When asked how he is doing he says simply, “amazing.”
Hoping for a little more I ask him specifically about his body and what it has gone through. “It looks as though I am still learning how to listen to my body better. I am also learning to love my body. To be able to listen to it clearly and not be confused by it.”
When asked about his mind, I joke that he perhaps left it back in Russia. “In order to do this race I had no choice but to leave my mind back there. Otherwise I wasn’t even considering doing this race.”
“Here I have to control my mind some way. I was already somewhat experienced at that. I control it by setting certain goals. Prayers really help me and having aspiration for all my best qualities.”
Andrey tells me that his heart is happy.
As for spiritual experiences he describes in the past of having different kinds. “But here they are all combined into one big current. Now for me it seems that everything has emerged into this one big all inclusive spiritual experience.”
“I am not having any unpleasant experiences here at all. Even pain or other unpleasant things are just part of the experience. There is for me no bad experience.”
As for the days ahead, “I am carefully looking at them but actually why should I look at the next 22 days when we are all here and now. In the present moment. We know that the future is being formed by our perceptions today. So there is no reason to look at the days ahead.”
My mind learns earthly lessons
Quickly.
My heart learns Heavenly lessons
Self-givingly.
My soul learns both earthly
And Heavenly lessons
Intuitively.
Sri Chinmoy, Twenty-Seven Thousand Aspiration-Plants, part 231, Agni Press, 1996
Board start of day 30
Yesterday was one of the toughest in the race history. Many were affected by a stomach bug that has lasted for several days.
Suhasini
Clock
Yolanda had a tough day yesterday but is filling good today
Yuri and Alan
Nidhruvi
Getting ready
Harita
Smarana still not feeling good
Andrey
Lip protection
Rupantar talks to all those who have been sick to give advice and encouragement
Andrey and Stutisheel
Nearly time for shoes
Girls
time to go
At the start of Day 30 Rupantar once again speaks to everyone about being cautious and wise when it comes with dealing with the intestinal problem
It will be a pleasant day at the race
Vasu did 62 miles 114 laps
He has 1933 miles
Flower
Nirbhasa did the most miles with 62 and 115 laps
He seems to be over his stomach problems but asks the cooks to give him just oatmeal.
He is relentless
He has 1852 miles
Happiness
Kaneenika did 62 miles 114 laps
She has 1822 miles
Going through camp
Getting help from Tanya
Flower
Harita did 42 miles 77 laps
She now has 1718 miles
The math for her says that she now still has 1382 miles to go. She now needs to make 60 miles a day
A bit of green
Yolanda did 21 miles 40 laps
She now has 1691 miles. This means she still has 1409 more miles and needs now to do 61.2 miles per day
Flower
Smarana did 16 miles 30 laps
He now has 1689 miles and has to do 61 miles now a day
Telling joke with Nirbhasa
Flower
Sergey did 49 miles 91 laps
He now has 1614 miles
Flower
Andrey did 43 miles 80 laps
Doing exercises
He now has 1600 miles
Flower
Nidhruvi did 24 miles 45 laps
She has 1519 miles
Getting inspiration and sustenance from Nirjharini
All hope she feels better as the day goes on.
Flower
Ananda-Lahari did 15 miles 28 laps
He now has 1426 miles
Flower
Some familiar faces at the counting table
Swamiji
Flower
Camp
Sahishnu gives his weekly wrap up
Click to Play:
Poem of the Day read by Giribhu
Click to Play:
Enthusiasm Awakeners
Click to Play:
I shall learn and learn
Until I have awakened my body fully.
I shall learn and learn
Until I have disciplined my vital
Unreservedly.
I shall learn and learn
Until I have mastered my mind
Unmistakably.
I shall learn and learn
Until I have fed my heart
Satisfactorily.
I shall learn and learn
Until I have seen my soul smiling at me
Powerfully.
I shall learn and learn
Until I have heard my Beloved Supreme
Calling me His chosen child
Compassionately.
Sri Chinmoy, Aurora-Flora, Agni Press, 1982
This race is ruthless sometimes! One bad day and you may lose it altogether. I’m praying for Smarana, Harita and Yolanda to make it through the tough days so they can all finish.
Yes, prayers for quick recovery and protection are going up. Mercy for the dauntless heroes of self-transcendence. Victory ahead.