August 6: A Divine Thing Unfolding

“Self Transcendence is actually a quality that you can experience.

It is not just a concept or a philosophy.

It is a quality of the divine.

Something inwardly that is expanding and growing and you can experience it, and once you experience that then this self transcendent nature starts more spontaneously acting in and through you and you feel more and more that you are just following it.”…..Pradeep

From the very first moment that each runner started on this Self Transcendence 3100 mile  journey they have always been the ones who can best  describe just why it is they have come here.   Occasionally they may also articulate as well where they believe that are going as well but not always.

What speaks most powerfully and most accurately ultimately is their acts and deeds.

On a very deep and inner level something grand and beautiful is taking place within them.  This self transcendence is emerging and touching and transforming not just the runners but in a real way raising the heights of what is possible for the world as well.

It is a bright new force that is entering the world, and one in which our limited mental capacity simply has a difficult time trying to grasp and keep up with. This happens because it comes from the place within us that is above and beyond the limited mind, our own hearts, which truly have limitless capacity.

In a very real way a miracle has taken place here each summer.  From a superficial perspective one may only see 12 runners attempting something inconsistent with what we think is humanly possible.  Yet when you observe all that has gone on here these past 51 days, a grander and more uplifting picture emerges.  What one realizes is that just as the world of running is not limited, so too should our belief  for the goals of all of humanity and life in our world.

Negativity and destruction will never be what our world wants and needs.  The moment we divert our attention fully to the divine within, as Pradeep and all the runners do, then what other lofty goals remain beyond our reach.   Perhaps the world is not evolving as we would like.  It is easy to be impatient with so many of the unillumined and misguided forces that are vainly attempting to push the world towards darkness.

Yet the moment we turn to and embrace our own divinity we allow our own inner glow and brightness to emerge.   If we then are not satisfied with the world than we can at least be satisfied with ourselves.  Allow our own precious divinity lead and guide us to our own bright perfection and in so doing offer our own light to the shadows around and about us.

But even on the outer plane our capacity is constantly expanding. Right now 1,300 miles is our longest race. To run 1,300 miles in 18 days is almost beyond our imagination. We feel that is our ultimate capacity. But previously we felt that 1,000 miles was the limit. Who thought of a 1,300-mile race five years ago? At that time people would have thought I was a crazy man if I had suggested that. But now you see that this crazy man was right because people are doing it. Somebody just has to start. We always have to go ahead because life means progress.

The inner runner is always trying to inspire the outer runner. First the inner runner says, “Go forward, go forward, go ahead, go ahead!” Then the outer runner says, “How can I go ahead if you do not give me the aspiration and inner cry?” Then the inner runner gives the outer runner the inner cry to do something and to become something good. In this way the inner runner offers inspiration and aspiration to the outer runner.

Sri Chinmoy, Sri Chinmoy Answers, Part 29, Agni Press, 2001.

 

The endless rush of time continues.  Now just 2 days remain.

The remnants of the great victories here now just a little faded but still one more victory will take place.

There is a quiet and a still that seems to long for the morning chatter that used to be here each morning for so many days.

Start Day 51

There is an irony today in that the weather proved to be so harsh yesterday.  With its heat, humidity and rain.  How the remaining 6 had to suffer through the worst and yet maybe find something good and deep while doing this.

The course now so empty except for times when the runner are briefly drawn together.

“Yesterday was one of the hardest days of the race.  It was a happy day because Atmavir finished, that was good.  But it was really hot and humid, and it was hard to move and also, in the evening when it is supposed to cool down and get a little easier then it started to thunderstorm.  And it was still very humid afterwards.  Yeah…It was a nice challenge.”

“You don’t have too much choice.  This is the best solution is to be happy.   One of the nice things of the race is that all the parameters are taken care of.  You don’t have to worry about anything, about food, or your livelihood, or whatever.  Only thing you feel is that you have to keep moving.  That is my responsibility, and maybe it is my responsibility to try and remain cheerful.”

“Then as the race continues, people start to find their natural speed, their way of moving.  And you discover that even if you thought it was your responsibility to move you discover there is something within that is pushing you according to the capacity of your body and your mind.  Then you get this sense of freedom.  It is amazing, because there is no freedom here really.  In an outer way there is no freedom.  There is nothing you can do.”

“Suddenly you realize that everything is unfolding by itself.  Suddenly you realize that that is reality.  Like a divine thing unfolding, a will, maybe you can call a vision.  You are just completely floating in it, and observing it.  This is really happy, and life then becomes very spontaneous.  That is my hope.  I really feel, in that sense that this race never stops.  Because it is a vision of the Supreme unfolding.  When we stop running, whether we finish or not, then this vision will find other people or instruments to continue unfolding.  This is a little glimpse into reality that we get here.  It is very very beautiful.”

“For some runners the whole year is just one big break and they come back here and live again.  Because this is a kind of reality.  In some way outwardly there is the ultimate pressure, inwardly there is no pressure. ”

“It is a subtle thing.  First it does take the effort.  You give your best effort with whatever capacities you have and then slowly you start finding out that what you are giving…. the energy is coming from deeper.  But if you don’t try and give everything.  Then you will not realize that.  It is not that it just comes by itself.”

“Of course you can feel this for one or two hours and then you are really lucky.  Then the rest of the day you are trying to keep your mind and vital at bay so that they don’t obstruct too much.  Those things are on and off.  But if you even experience them for a few minutes, then it shows you something about life, and you can use it for ever.”

“On one hand I am starting to look forward to sitting down to a meal, and having a good sleep.  On the other hand I know that I will really miss it, once the race is over.  Definitely when the end comes I am trying to stay in the moment.  But it is hard.  Definitely I know that I will miss it.  I hope in some respects that this race will never be over.”

Click to Play Interview

pradeep

 

Soon enough the hills that once looked so high will not.

A special visitor has come

Greeted by many

Greeted by one who shared the way.

Still smiling

Still moving

“For me this is all grace.  Everybody tried to inspire me to finish 3100 miles.  When I see that this is not possible for me.  My mind thinks that it cannot do the needed mileage.  At those times people came to inspire me and after that I can do more.   For example the first time when it was a little hard for me and my helper was gone.  I spoke with Pradeep.  I told him we try and do our best.  And the result is for Sri Chinmoy.  No mater, we can finish or we cannot finish.  This is his job.”

Also at this time his helper had a powerful experience that he should go and help Vasu.  When this happened he felt an overwhelming sense of love and energy pour through his entire being.  “After that I could run better and do my mileage.”

“After Grahak finished, I also could not do my mileage.  Dipali came and ran with me and told me not to loose too much time staying in the van.  She told me to relax and be happy, and ask the Supreme to help you.  And it helped me very much.”

“In the morning when I find it hard other runners help me.”

We come by the finish line at this moment and I ask him when he finishes tomorrow if he will be carrying the flags of all of Oneness Dream Boat Shore.  “This is my dream.  There will be a flag inside my heart in which I will bring all the countries.”

Click to Play Interview

vasu

One more full day here.

A champion knows only how to move forward.

Victor recites the Poem of the Day

victor poem

	Enthusiasm Awakeners….Click to Play….parvati

John Hanc: While running, is it also a time to meditate?

Sri Chinmoy: For others I cannot speak, but in my case when I am jogging or walking, I am in a very high consciousness. At that time the world of thought ceases and I am in another world—not the thought-world but the world of self-giving and serving. While running, a runner is all joy unless he is suffering from muscle cramps or some other ailment or he is killing himself trying to become first. But in the New York Marathon, for example, thousands and thousands of people are running just for the joy of it. Even if they take five hours, no harm, so long as they finish. They say, “Every runner is a winner,” and it is so true. This is also our philosopy.