July 16 Try to Value Everything

It is never a good idea to be complacent.  There is no upside to it really unless you enjoy being surprised and shocked and perhaps even worse, find yourself wandering down familiar dark corridors.  The 3100 mile race has a way of inspiring and refreshing you sometimes that you never dreamed was possible.  All the runners have turned the corner well past the half way point and for most it is just now a final 1000 mile sprint for home.  I was talking with Ananda-Lahari this morning and he was telling me about an experience he had with Dr.Pradhan just the day before.

He was testing his muscles when at one point he says to him that he has detected that he does not have enough gratitude.  When I heard Ananda-Lahari say this my mouth just dropped.  It is one of those little jewels of wisdom that carries profound weight and is also one, that not just 3100 mile runners need to have in their hearts and lives.

He tells me that when he heard it his reaction was, “this is really cool.  It was kind of shocking in the first moment.  You don’t expect from a Doctor that he is going to speak about that.”  He realized with that diagnosis that he had not been working on that quality enough and the prescription will in the end, profoundly change his day and perhaps even the rest of his race.

The outer running is a burning desire to achieve everything that we see here on earth. The inner running is a climbing aspiration to receive from Above a vast compassion-sky and to give from below a tiny gratitude-flame.

The outer running is an extraordinary success on the mountain-summit. The inner running is an exemplary progress along Eternity’s sunlit Road. Success is the ready and immediate acceptance of the challenges from difficulties untold. Progress is the soulful and grateful acceptance of the blessingful joy from prosperities unfathomed.

Excerpt from The Outer Running And The Inner Running by Sri Chinmoy.

Picture by Bhashwar December 1979

Grahak is more than 100 miles ahead of his last years record pace.  He has been steadily putting in 70 mile days.  Asprihanal comes this morning in a light mood.  He has been stretching at the curb most mornings just after getting out of the car.  Since his recent sick day his numbers have been up and down.  He is still 10 miles ahead of last year. He would like an additional step put in so it would be easier to climb the curb.

Petr had the most miles yesterday with 70 plus.  He is 157 miles up on last year.  Suprabha mentions again that the bus load of spectators are now expected on the weekend.  Everybody is encouraged to be on their best behavior.

Ananda-Lahari after he is diagnosed with not enough gratitude syndrome ran 11 more miles than he had the day before .  At this moment he is 137 miles ahead of last years pace but with him, I always have the impression, that if everything clicked in place just so, he could move like a rocket out here.  One of the other Slovak runners last year had told me that Ananda-Lahari was perfectly designed to be a multi-day runner.

He tells me this morning, “there are many days when I just walk.”  He tells me that he ran most of the day yesterday but today his quadriceps are giving him some trouble.  He tells me how his talk with Pradhan has really inspired him.  He tells me that when he was running well earlier in the race he felt much more aware of this quality and as his running slowed to walking he became less aware.  He said that Pradhan also told him, “Don’t take it for granted that you are here. Try to value everything.”  He has been really inspired by this little boost.  “It gave me real joy.”

This is the 5th time he has been at this race and I wonder what he has learned over these years and miles.  He tells me, “patience, real patience.  A never give up attitude.  And not to get in a panic when things are going a little bit wrong.  And to just take it as it is.”   He will also mention that he feels that he has developed his will power and one other thing, which is no surprise, is his ability to tolerate the sun.  He says, “for me this is a great achievement.  Before I didn’t like to stay out in the sun all day.  Here I have to and it is no longer such  big problem for me.”

When I ask if he has ever had a physical checkup quite like Pradhan’s he says he has.  Once during a 700 mile race Eklanta had told him,”you are taking it too seriously.  You should take it more easy.”  When I ask him what is the best part  of his experience of being here and doing the race his answer is straight and simple.  When he is here at the race he feels that he is doing the right thing for his spiritual life for 17 hours a day without a break.

Grahak and Asprihanal put on one of their performances this morning once again for Parvati and her singers.  Grahak says to Asprihanal, “the shoes you have give me are too tight.”  Asprihanal, “No they are not, just stick out the tongue.”  Cue to tongue.  Cut to laughs.

Parvati’s group

At one point this morning I am laying on the ground taking pictures when an elderly man approaches me and starts to talk about the flowers around the course. He likes them so much.  His name is Abdul Mujhit and we proceed around the course, which he tells me he walks the course about 3 times each morning.  When he gets near Vajra who is counting they joke about the race.  Abdul asks, “have you written me down?”  Vajra jokes, “you already have 3100 miles plus.”

He also describes with delight a moment some years ago when he actually saw Sri Chinmoy on the course teaching Parvati’s group a new song.  He remembers not just what kind of shirt he was wearing but also the color.  He is thrilled to have had that brief opportunity.

He tells me that he is very proud of Sri Chinmoy.  “He has done a lot for human beings.  He has written so many books, so many songs, so many poems.  I am so proud that he was a man from my country.”

Excerpt from Twenty-Seven Thousand Aspiration-Plants, Part 69 by Sri Chinmoy.