Perfection Journey

The late night air is thick and still.  Yet at the same time there is a steady drumbeat of anticipation building in the gathering crowd.  It is clear that  something wonderful is soon about to happen here on this little dimly lit sidewalk.

Picture your restless unbridled excitement as a child, moments before you received some new toy and this is what it is like at the scene of the 3100 mile race this evening.

It is gone just past 10, and singers are gathering bits of music.  Others chat amicably while continuing to keep their eyes open for the runners who are relentlessly shuffling up to the pale illumination by the scoring tables, and then slowly disappear again off into the dark.  Everyone’s eyes are mostly looking for just one figure to come by, Asprihanal Aalto.  Each prancing appearance into the scoring table light means he is drawing ever tantalizingly closer to the magic number, 3100.

Then of course it happens.  Bells start to ring with jangling intensity.  Voices cry out hooray.  Dozens of hands hurl a blizzard of flower petals up into the air and within this whirl of joy the slight 38 year old Finnish runner arrives and at last crosses  the finish line.  The night disappears momentarily when dozens of camera flashes go off in a carnival-like explosion of brightness.  The gift everyone was waiting for has arrived.  It is simply the angelic smile of joy and satisfaction on the face of Asprihanal. Tonight he is a champion of this race but his inner victory is for everyone.

Sahishnu announces, “Ladies and gentleman 2009 3100 mile champion Asprihanal Aalto.  He finished in a time of 43 days, 16 hours, 28 minutes and 6 seconds.  That is the 5th fastest time in history.”  He mentions that if he had not had his sick day he would have been on track to break his personal best record.  “It is a remarkable achievement.”  Asprihanal finish

There is a moment when someone calls out, “what will you do tomorrow, go to the beach or play tennis?”  His answer, “When you run you don’t have to make these tough decisions.”

As joyous as Asprihanal’s finish is there is also a feeling of melancholy.  Suprabha’s hip pain has just been getting worse and she has decided to take off the evening and see what it feels like tomorrow morning.  This has never ever happened to Suprabha before, and all are wishing her well.

When he arrived at the 3100 this morning Asprihanal was one very content and very satisfied runner. The fact that 63 long hot miles awaited him did not seem to faze him one whit.   In a just a few hours more, Asprihanal, the Flying Finn, will reach the end of his 3100 mile journey and will be able at last to fold in his gossamer wings and rest at last.  True he was never photographed soaring above the course but his feet most often seemed only to glance and lightly brush along the surface which most of the others had to stride relentlessly upon with hard and determined steps.

He made it look easy when it was not.  The great ones, no matter what the sport always make the most difficult thing look like child’s play.  If one can even come close to comprehend running 3100 miles you might picture hard warriors daily battling pain and fatigue.  Asprihanal  ran most often like a child enjoying continuous joyous ptranlay.  His late spiritual teacher said of him, “running for him is like us drinking a glass of water.”

The greatest of the Finnish runners Paavo Nurmi once said, “Mind is everything: muscle – pieces of rubber.  All that I am, I am because of my mind.”

Asprihanal has a much different perspective on his beloved sport.  For him the strength and endurance he exhibits comes from a far different reservoir of capacity.  It is one that can offer much more limitless stength and joy than the mind, which so often battles doubt as much as it savours determination.  For him it is his heart that has drawn him here for the 9th time.   It is only his heart that he truly obeys.  From it he finds the strength and capacity to endure.  And within it he will find his true reward, which comes not just when he crosses the line this evening, but also when he offered each step, each pain, and each glorious moment along the way.

To listen to one’s heart, the source of the most divine of inspiration is a victory in itself.  To act upon it, as Asprihanal does is to embody the teachings of his teacher in a profound and tangible way.  There is no trophy and glory for acting upon self-transcendence.  It is simply a victory of the heart and spirit.  It also inspires others who might not want to run 3100 miles but maybe they will be moved to go one step further in whatever endeavor their hearts have offered before them.

Once again he comes first, but when he glances over his shoulder at those who follow he will not see competitors.  He will see a unique running family cheering him on.   In turn, their oneness with him they also see their own victories in and through him.  And when the last of his fellows crosses the line he will see a final fulfilling satisfaction as well.  For only at that time will the race be truly over for them all.

Today the dawn sky is breathtaking.  In more than 40 days of 6 am starts the sky has never been so beautiful as it is on this morning.  Because it is Sunday there is also a tranquility present that one cannot find on any other day.  Usually it is darker as well.  Somehow the combination of white cloud and humidity seems to accentuate the soft brightness in the sky.  It is such a powerful experience I wonder how many others are out at this moment  basking in its radiance.  By the time I make it to the race the pink glow has faded nearly away and the sky now is mostly gray.

The tired runners cycle to the start most likely oblivious to the magic moment, that had for a short while,  spread out in a vast enchanting panorama above them.  For some their journey is just a few short days away from being complete.  The inner world they inhabit much of the time however has vistas much more compelling than that which for a brief while played out across a New York sky.  They may not always see the beauty of the inner world they are traversing but it is there nonetheless.

Of course they are part and parcel of this world we all struggle sometimes to inhabit.  Within them however the journey of the Self-Transcendence runners is beyond our reckoning.  The laps we can count and log but they are traveling on a sacred journey that precious few can follow.  When they have completed their task in time they will seem as mortal as the rest of us.  For now though, as they are embraced by the bountiful spirit of Self Transcendence they are not like us at all.  And if we look closely we just might see their footsteps arching across a glorious inner sky.

For something that takes so long and is so hard, it is difficult to remember sometimes that precious moments can happen at the 3100 in an instant.

They can be so ephemeral, that your mind’s eye may not barely notice that something heart felt has taken place at all.   Yet a gift from the heart, which is freely offered, can be a treasure that not only lifts the spirit, but can also make each step a little lighter along the way.

The oneness of this little family here has only grown closer over the many miles and weeks.  When one runner experiences pain all will identify, in one way or another, with the others suffering.  When there is an abundance of joy in someones heart, than that all too can share in this and be enriched by it.

Here Suprabha is asking Asprihanal about his finish.  He is telling her approximately when it will take place on Monday.  She seems to be showing him all admiration for what he has done here in this his 9th race.  When she finishes he will be there for her as well.  Offering his pride and admiration to her who will have run 13.

Utthal tells me that he has been coming daily and walking on the course of the 3100 for the past 5 days.  He says, “it inspires me.  It is definitely the place to be.”  When asked why he came out here now when the race has been on so long, he jokes, “I wanted to make sure they were serious, that they wouldn’t quit on me.”

He tells me, “the runners really encourage me.  They ask me how many laps am I doing.  They keep right up on top of me.” Utthal will walk two laps this morning, not much compared to the runners but for him a real feat.  You can hear the laboured effort he puts into completing each step he takes.  Each day that he comes back here and repeats his 2 lap walk, will be another small victory on his life’s journey.  Many more could come and find their own sweet victory here in this place teeming with inspiration.  Utthal says, “life in its entirety is a spiritual experience.  I am in my heart most of the time, so I figure when you are in your heart life is a spiritual experience.”  Utthal interview

He walked into the Smile of the Beyond restaurant this afternoon and simply sat down like any other customer.  At first I was shocked just to see him in this much different world from the one that he had inhabited for the past 40 days, 18 hours a day.  It was not unexpected entirely, but still to see Purna-Samarpan there in a casual place where people ate vegi burgers, read newspapers, and generally watched the world go by he appeared at first to be out of place.

It seemed for me at least like a collision of worlds was taking place.  The world of  divine champions was now suddenly mixing with the mundane material world.

He looked happy and relaxed, and if I am in shock to see him, it is clear that he is far from being in tune with my world of blue walls and air conditioning.  He looks as though a large part of his being is still running around Thomas Edison High school pursuing the Everest of self transcendence.  He is sitting with a few friends and you can tell that this kind of unhurried casualness is something he has not had for a very long time.

He says that in many ways just being there every morning for 40 days straight at 6am was a victory.  His back problem, that seems to involve a disc in his lower spine refuses to co-operate.  It creates pain and numbness and has made running impossible and even walking tedious and difficult.  By 9:30 this morning he knew it was time to say enough for this year.  He probably shouldn’t even have showed up at 6 and yet he did.  The alarm went off as usual and the inner call to come and stand once more on the line was just too strong to resist.

Pradhan will come again and lessen but not remove the pain.  It is a condition that promises no easy fix but with time and rest will sort itself out.  He tells me that he thinks his final mileage was 1885 miles.  It is a long way from 3100 but certainly many many more miles than the 305 miles which was the greatest distance he had previously run in a 6 day race.  His mood is light and he jokes that he has lost weight and gotten a tan over the past 40 days.  Then for a moment you can see his eyes drift back to where he was just a short while earlier.  He says, “It is like coming out of a dream.”

My Supreme Lord,

As the clock gradually approaches midnight, the number of runners on the course rapidly begins to dwindle.  No one is allowed to run past that time and when all the runners finally leave, all the helpers and all the vehicles leave as well.  Quickly the course becomes quiet, dark, and still.  Last night, just as there has been for a number of years on July 23, the course is kept awake all night by the steps of a lone runner who does not sleep but pursues a simple promise made so very long ago.

Arpan has come to run tonight what he calls his ‘Ageathon.’ Today he turns 57 and so at around 12:16 he sets off on a personal odyssey.  He plans to run the same number of miles as the years he has been on earth.  Back in 1978, 31 years ago when he turned 26, it must have seemed like a pretty good idea.  He had already run a marathon and so why not make his birthday special by running another and dedicating it to Sri Chinmoy his spiritual teacher who had inspired him to run in the first place.  Running that first marathon was a great experience.   It also seemed like a relatively simple idea to continue with.  He says, “so I figured every year, just one more mile.  But as time goes by the ones add up.” Stating the obvious he adds, “it is getting a little more difficult.”

He has done this run in many other places over the past 31 years, and like the disciplined and dedicated runner that he is he has never failed to complete his ageathon.  For the past few years he has done it right here on this, the most auspicious of venues, the course of the 3100.  Often he has been on the road with the Harmony run and has performed his birthday runs in far off corners of America.  Doing it here of course is special.  The sidewalk here has felt the countless steps of Self-Transcendence runners add up by the millions over the past 13 years.  Even Arpan himself ran the 3100 here in 2004.

If one looks at running 57 miles by itself, it pales in comparison to the action and deeds of those who inhabit and run upon the course during the rest of the day.  Yet Arpan’s commitment and dedication to running over more than 30 years is an achievement that few can equal or challenge.  Who knows how long he will be able to pursue a dream that is constantly expanding  and becoming increasingly more difficult with each additional year.

Tonight no one will see him as he loops around and around the course.  He will go from one dim pool of street light to the next.  Sleep will taunt him, his legs will feel heavy and weary but he will not stop.  He will look to be a solitary figure on a dark and lonely night but he is not.  In his heart he carries a bright inner promise he made once long ago to his Spiritual teacher.  He will continue on no matter what.  One day his legs may not be able to pursue this sacred promise but surely the inner runner within him will never tire.

AGE

Vlady awoke this morning to the sound of falling rain.  Today is his 38th birthday and there are many who might be be disappointed to spend their birthday splashing around all day outdoors.  He has however not a harsh word for the weather.  Instead he calls it compassion rain.  His focus is only on what he has to do today, and for those now rapidly decreasing number of days left in front of him, in order to complete 3100miles.  He tells me that 2 years ago he was also running on his birthday at a 24 hour race.  He starts this special day with a little more than 700 miles left to go.

There is really no place else he would rather be.  Of his experience being here he says, “I am really proud of it.” His fellow runners are also proud of him.  Not just because of his superb performance here but as well because he has seemed to embrace the 3100 mile race experience with every fiber of his being and with all the glowing devotion of his heart.

BIRTHDAY OBSERVANCE

They spilled out of the bus on the Grand Central Service road.  They saw a sign for the off ramp of the Utopia parkway but knew they were not anywhere near paradise.  It was quite clear that the bus that had picked them up in lower Manhattan had now taken the group only as far as an inconspicuous Queens neighborhood.  The group was taking part in a ‘Flux Factory Mystery Bus tour,”  and only the guides,   Jason Eppink and Matt Green had any idea what was happening on this block in which the same dozen runners kept passing them by.  The only thing the group knew for sure was that the subject of the tour was, ‘The Quest for Immortality.”

The group has been told to stay out of the way of the runners as they kept going round and round past them.  They were respectful but it was clear none could understand what was happening here.  I ask one girl what she thought was happening and she replies, “are they training for a marathon?”  Another, who says he is an artist in residence, tells me he has no idea what is happening, but says, “it is an adventure, a great adventure.”  The tour group moves in the opposite direction of the runners and eventually they walk into the open area in front of Thomas Edison High school.  Matt reads from an article on the race that was published several years ago in Harpers magazine.

Matt then tells them that since the race started in June no matter what any of them  have done the runners have only been just here running around this course.  No matter the weather, no matter any other circumstance, they have been living their lives here around this block, in which the Flux Factor group have only just meandered around about half of.  He suggests that they try and walk around the full block themselves and picture what it might be like to see it thousands and thousands of times.  He says, “try and get inside the head of the runners and think what it might be like for them.  How intimately they would become acquainted with this block.” Matt Green talk

I speak with Matt as his mystery tour group starts to investigate more of the course.  He doesn’t remember when he first heard about the 3100 but says that when he read the article in Harpers, “I was floored when I read it. I couldn’t believe this was humanly possible to do.”  This is for Jason and himself the first stop on their first tour.

When they get to the counting area Rupantar starts to tell them more.  He describes self-transcendence as being eternal.   That what you achieve today simply becomes the starting point for tomorrow’s next challenge.  “There is no end to it. You have to draw upon all your capacity and use it during the race.  Everything is accelerated here.  It is like the Everest of running.”Rupantar talking

Eventually some, but not all, will take a slow and leisurely circuit of the loop.  I ask one mystery tour person when they return, what their experience has been like so far. It immediately becomes clear that they are still enmeshed in a cloud of incredulity.  They had noticed the flowers and bits of garbage more than they had noticed the runners.  They saw tidy homes and signs on the parkway that led to other places but had not read any message on the faces of those that passed.  The quest for immortality of course takes more than just one life and more than one loop of a block in Queens.

Oneness, oneness, oneness! Oneness with the temptation-life I do not want, precisely because temptation is frustration. Oneness with the earth-bound life I do not want; for earth-bound life is nothing short of limitation. Oneness with the Heaven-free life I want, for the Heaven-free life is Eternity’s Peace, Infinity’s Bliss and Immortality’s Life.

Excerpt from The Vision-Sky Of California by Sri Chinmoy.

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