Meditation – Page 47 – Perfection Journey

April 21st… I Run For God

Nearly 20 years ago Georgs Jermoalajevs won the Self Transcendence 10 day race with 727 miles. It was 1996 and he was 49….. (it is tempting but not accurate to say ‘just 49‘ ). Back then his steps were light and strong and his face beamed with a radiance that shone brighter than practically every other runner I have ever met. His capacity for multi day running seemed limitless.

He was someone who looked as though he was simply born to run long distances. There was a naturalness about his ambling stride, and he seemed to be most at peace, when he was moving forward, which he could do for days and days at a time.

Both time and life itself, in the past 20 long years, that have stretched out between then and now have diminished some of his outer mechanics. But he still bears the same brightness and sweetness that is indistinguishable from the lithe powerful figure who once tirelessly ran these New York one mile paths in competition. This essence he has maintained, this essential life ingredient remains undiminished and still vibrant on his face and in the way he shuffles relentlessly around the loop.

His hair now as pale as a drifting cloud. Lines etched deep across a still bright glowing face that has witnessed many challenges that most lives in this world of joy and turmoil that we all share and of course seek out the swiftest path to take us through it.

In 2 days he has run 144 miles and if you look at the 2 young man who have kept ahead of him it makes some kind of sense. But when you look back at the long long list of other young men who are gathering up behind him, it just makes no sense at all. How is this possible? How can a man twice the age of the rest of the field do so incredibly well.

In that summer of 1995 Georgs was hungry for as much competition as he could find. He came back to New York that June and ran the inaugural 2700 mile race in 40 days. The next year it would become the 3100 mile race.

Georgs had a few astonishing years after that. In 1997 he set the world record for 1000 miles for age 50. After that life and ultra distance running, at least his coming to New York no longer connected. He tells me that for a time the most he competed was in one 26 mile marathon a year.

Something changed. Something in Georgs’ life shifted, and in the ways of all astonishing things, 72 year old Georgs Jermoalajevs has found himself once again back at the Self Transcendence race. He, not unlike the Phoenix bird has risen up from the ashes of his past and has found new life and purpose on this one mile loop in flushing Meadow.

“I am very glad to be back. It is my biggest dream.”

He tells me that he has a new expression that sums up his life now. “I run for God.” He says that many people identify with this philosophy. He says in particular at home in Latvia people like it. “Great words. People in Latvia agree to use them in their own life.”

Vera helps with some translation and when Georgs describes the atmosphere he says a word that neither of us recognize. Then Vera says, “aura.” Yes, yes, he says. He spreads his arms out to gather symbolically all the runners out on the one mile course. “Very good aura together. We make this aura very special.”

Click to Play Video:

https://vimeo.com/125631093

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April 20th…A Perfect Day To Run

The conditions at the race for most of last night and now, for most of the day, can only be gently described at best as challenging.

https://vimeo.com/125527648

For several million New Yorkers, April 20th rolled in as a cold and rainy day, accompanied by generous gusts of wind. A day which glowered in grim contrast to the glowing Spring day which immediately and brightly proceeded it. For several million residents of New York city the unrelenting weather conditions were a damp inconvenience, that only briefly set back the inevitable triumphant return of Spring back to this now grey dull city.

For the 50 runners of the Self Transcendence 10 day race however there is no escape and no way but not to confront head on a day in which most of us would rather duck and hide and grab a warm hot coffee (sugar optional). Mileage must be completed no matter how ferocious is the weather. Particularly when as the days slip past the miles do not get any easier.

Telling the story of just how bad it was here today is not easy. A small comfort for the journalists whose toys and technology do not mix well with such conditions. But for the runners there are no safe excuses if the course floods, your tent gets wet, and every article of clothing has suddenly become drenched, and nearly impossible to make dry once more.

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April 19th….The 10 Day Race Starts

Under the best of possible conditions the Self Transcendence 10 day race started.

https://vimeo.com/125403178

Before the start there was still lots of preparation going on. Rimas sets up his tent.

Budjargal from Mongolia is relaxing because soon he will be running

Runners pick up their race numbers from Sahishnu.

Others find time to relax in all kinds of ways.

Continue reading “April 19th….The 10 Day Race Starts”

April 18th…. The Day Before The Start….”Feeling Young”

An Interview with Manoshri Sykorova, who is running the 10 day race, her first multi day event.

https://vimeo.com/125346108

Like Manoshri, George Biondic is also running his first 10 day race, and by coincidence they both are from Canada. George however is 62 years old. He has nearly 30 years on her and was probably competing before she was born. He is a well seasoned and very experienced ultra runner. Yet like all great adventurers he, like all the remarkable athletes who will call this one mile loop home for the next 10 days, is keen in reaching out for new experiences. Even one as challenging as running for 10 days.

He jokes as he tells me that his warranty is expiring on his body. “My knees are evidence. My ankles are evidence. Things that once upon a time, like a little sprain would be gone. Now a week……2 weeks. It just takes a lot longer for my body to recover.

I throw back the obvious question to George after he says this…… so why would you do something like this?

“My neighbors said it…..George you are obsessed. At first it kind of hurt a little bit. But you know what….. They are kind of right.”

“Running is something that is so deeply ingrained in my psyche, at the same time it brings me such joy. It makes me feel young. Once you get past 60 you don’t want to get older. The highest point in my year is a race like this. Everything else disappears, and I am young and I am flying.”

Continue reading “April 18th…. The Day Before The Start….”Feeling Young””

6 and 10 Day Race 2015…Set Up

https://vimeo.com/125309298

Progress Is Not A Prisoner Of Time: The 47 Mile Race 2014

You tell the world:
Progress, progress, progress!
Progress within, progress without.
That progress is not and cannot be
A prisoner of time.

Sri Chinmoy, Gorbachev: The Master-Key Of The Universal Heart, Agni Press, 1990

Sometimes there are moments that are so sweet and precious that we never want to let go of them. But time, as it always does, and of course as it must do, eventually snatches at the edges of our memories. The past cannot hold on to us for long. At best we can only extract from our trans-formative experiences that which can enrich and prepare us for the next challenge. In so doing we lighten our burdens and leave behind hopefully, at least some of our imperfections and doubt.

For those who want to dedicate themselves to living on a spiritual path there is no stopping, there is only progress and moving forward. The beyond does not tire, the dream reality of tomorrow continually beckons to us, the summit of perfection will always be our ultimate destination.

In 1980 the 47 mile race was still very new and very challenging. For the students of Sri Chinmoy there was always a powerful incentive to run the race just as there continues to be one now. At the stroke of midnight on August 27th it was Sri Chinmoy’s birthday. There was no better offering to your spiritual teacher than to run the very race that he created. One in which for 2 years straight, both in 1979, and again in 1980 he ran the 47 himself.

In that race in 1980 he ran 1 hour and 15 minutes faster than he had the previous year. His time was 11:27:24 and because of his physical ailments he would never run the race again.

What also happened on that remarkable night was that Virendra ran a time of 5:09:30. As someone who came in 5th that year and was just a little more than an hour behind I have a very real sense of just how remarkable Virendra’s achievement really was.

Two years ago when asked about that night Virendra said,

“It is an offering from my side and it is grace from Guru’s side. I couldn’t have done it without it. I remember once about 2 hours in where I had my focus really solid. I was kind of in autopilot, and I was running and running. I didn’t have a single idea how many miles I had run or what the pace was. I remember looking down at my legs and saying, wowwww, who is making these run? They are just going by themselves. I remember telling the counters, I don’t want to hear any splits. I don’t want to hear my marathon time. I don’t want to hear anything. Just wake me up with one lap to go. I had no emotional attachment to that race whatsoever. It was a job that had to be done and that is it.”

“I am so happy to have that kind of treasure to put at Guru’s feet. I really felt at that moment how big it was. We were chasing 6 hours and then out of the blue comes this 5 hours. I remembered thinking, Guru is going to like this.”(laughter)

Now it is 34 years later and no one has even gotten close in those many years, that is except Vajin. Who 2 years ago at age 32 made a very serious attempt to surpass Virendra’s achievement. “The funny thing was that I was hoping to break the record, than I don’t have to do it any more. (laughs)

“But that’s not how Guru works. He doesn’t want things to come easily. He wants you to work for things.”

At the time he also said, ““I am definitely going to try it again. ” He was just 1 minute and 26 seconds off the record.

“It is so satisfying because you put so much into it. It means so much having Guru run this race and Guru run with this flag. This race has a special consciousness. There is no other race that can compare to this. It is a race purely for the soul and for the spirit, and for our Guru. For me it is such a significant race to do. I mean to come here and share it with my brothers and sisters from all over the world.”

Progress: A short film of Sri Chinmoy running the 47 mile race in 1979 and 1980

There is no end to our inner progress, no end to our inner progress. Progress, progress, progress! My Guru, your Guru, everybody’s Guru is the Supreme. I tell you in all sincerity, the Supreme Himself is progressing. Now, can we believe it? We cannot believe it. Our mind will not believe it. How can the Absolute Highest be progressing? Infinity we cannot measure, Eternity we cannot measure, Immortality we cannot measure. But when God, out of His infinite Bounty, opens up our third eye, we can see that God Himself is progressing. Not only on earth and in Heaven, but in His own highest Reality, I tell you, God is progressing, progressing.

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You can say that God is absolute. That is true, absolutely true. But in His absolute Reality also, progress can be made. When God used His Vision to create the universe, His Vision was always Self-Transcendence, Self-Transcendence.

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Therefore, the terms that we use—Infinity, Eternity and Immortality—He far, far exceeds. God’s Infinity we cannot believe; our mind will never believe it. The mind can only believe so much. The heart, on the strength of its identification, can go very far. But if we are in the soul-consciousness, we see that the Absolute Supreme Himself is expanding, diving deeper and climbing higher.

Continue reading “Progress Is Not A Prisoner Of Time: The 47 Mile Race 2014”

World’s Largest Flower Garland…The Amazing Things You Can Do When You Are In Your Heart

“We are trying to break the record for the world’s largest flower garland. So we have 185,000 stems of carnations freshly arrived from Colombia.” …. Pavaka

The sun has just started to brighten up the large playing field in Queens. Many hours earlier around 5 am Pavaka, had gone and picked up the huge mountain of boxes from a warehouse. Now that the boxes, filled with cool carnation flowers are stacked by the gate. The real job of breaking the Guinness record has just begun.

It is not something that Ashrita has not attempted before. Being the man with the most Guinness records period he continually scours the book looking for new challenges. But this record is uniquely special. Tomorrow would have been Sri Chinmoy’s, his spiritual Masters 83rd birthday.

So he, along with the help of Pavaka, and gradually increasing crowd of fellow student disciples are attempting to do something which is not just record breaking but really awe inspiring. It will take a lot of work, it will not be easy, and as the day progresses it gets hotter all the time.

Pavaka says, “we had gotten the record 2 years ago. I think it was 2 and 1/4 miles I think, and that was since broken. So now we are trying to get it back. I believe it was broken in India.”

“The 185,000 flowers is what we calculated would give us a 5 mile long garland. Which would really break the record.” Pavaka explains that the flower tops will be cut off of each stem and then a slim wire is inserted through a section of tightly bunched flowers. This in turn is connected to another section, and so on. This will continue until all the flowers are looped around the perimeter of the field. “So it is not like it is 5 miles of a single strand. There is a wire going through the whole thing. We are going to assemble it in 3 foot segments.”

Pavaka actually works in the flower import business and he tells me he is familiar with the very farm in Colombia where the flowers were grown. He told them that he wanted flowers for a special project. “So they sent us very short carnations, at a very good price. Those flowers flew from Colombia last Monday to Miami. A week ago they were cut.” He says that the short stems meant the flowers were less expensive to ship and also that only the blossoms will be used.

“Carnations are one of the hardiest flowers out there.”

I ask him, as one who works all the time in the flower business what he enjoys about this project. “I am personally doing this as a volunteer. It is quite a unique project and everyone working in the chain of it was quite interested in what we were doing.” There is also, to add to the pressure, a time limit on how long the project can take. Pavaka says they have use of the field only until 1pm. Now just 6 hours away.

He says he will stay no matter how long it takes.

Click to Play Interview:

Pavaka

Continue reading “World’s Largest Flower Garland…The Amazing Things You Can Do When You Are In Your Heart”

Jai Hind…..An Adaptation of ‘The Descent Of The Blue’

What did you think of the show tonight?

“I had very little expectations, because there were so many uncertainties, but it came off very well.” Still wearing his wig of long flowing white hair Kaivalya answers me. Minutes earlier he and his 2 sons, along with a large cast had just taken their bows before a large and very enthusiastic audience.

I caught up with him as he was making a hasty exit from the performance space and heading back to his room in order to change out of his costume. Taking quick strides up the hill he was approached every few meters by excited and happy audience members, who would either call out their congratulations, or reach out to shake his hand. He is clearly moved by all the very real and fervent enjoyment that so many had for his project. Which was the once only performance of a play entitled, Jai Hind (Indian independence victory slogan), based on a play by Sri Chinmoy called, The Descent Of The Blue.

For the moment he still eerily resembles the great Indian spiritual Master Sri Aurobindo. The loud roar of approval from the crowd of several hundred, who had just watched his performance over several enjoyable hours seems to still linger in the warm still air of this New York night. It was an unequivocal triumph, but it was also a performance that resonated with an even deeper meaning. For it was in many ways a promise at last fulfilled. One that had taken its natural rich course of 15 years to finally arrive on the auspicious night of August 25th at the Aspiration Ground in New York.

“In 1999 Sri Chinmoy phoned me up directly, and he said, I want you to do, Descent of the Blue. Take as much time as you like. 3 hours, 4 hours, 5 hours, what do you think?”

“I said, I don’t know Guru. He said use as many people as you like. Spend as much money as you like but do a very big production. So I said fine. It was the fall and Sri Chinmoy wanted it in August. I can’t remember the time sequence but I was calling people all over the world. Particularly people who looked Indian to take part. I was preparing and researching, and reading books and going to the Sri Aurobindo society in London.”

But then an unforeseeable set of circumstances arose that winter and the project was shelved, for what appeared to be an indefinite time period. Gradually slipping away out of reach and almost tumbling into oblivion.

The passing of Sri Chinmoy in 2007 could easily have been the absolute end of any hope of the production ever finding its way to the stage. Kaivalya however never completely gave up hope, as it was clearly something direct and significant that his Spiritual teacher had asked of him. But over time his once powerful commitment had been reduced he says to just a small inkling.

But like so many of the great seeds of inspiration that Sri Chinmoy carefully planted and nurtured in the hearts of his students this one was to finally find new life. He says that while visiting Portugal in early 2013 he performed in a short performance where he played the part of Sri Aurobindo. Someone remarked afterwards. That they liked the play but that they had also seen and enjoyed Kaivalya years earlier portraying Sri Aurobindo in another play. His reaction to their compliment, “my heart leapt, You know, you are right.”

It was in 1958 while still living in the Sri Aurobindo ashram that Sri Chinmoy had written the original play, The Descent Of The Blue.” He and his brothers and sisters had first come there in 1944. He was just 12 years of age when he first arrived. From then until he left the ashram in 1964 he grew up and developed in its very powerful spiritual, cultural, and athletic environment.

Sri Chinmoy’s play is a devoted and soulful appreciation of the life, of not just one of the towering figures of India, but also one, who through his divine wisdom, was also a source of inspiration to the world. Sri Chinmoy was able to capture the transformation of a man from Indian revolutionary to one who became an enlightened spiritual teacher to the world. A task in which the young Sri Chinmoy was uniquely placed, living in Pondicherry, to carefully and devotedly write about.

Between 1958 and 1962 the play was originally published in installments in an ashram publication. In 1974 it was published intact some 10 years after Sri Chinmoy had established his own spiritual community in New York. But now as Kaivalya pondered the challenges of at last bringing a lengthy play to a western audience, he came up with the best possible strategy.

“So I handed over the directorship to my son, (Devashishu), who has more energy than I have. Both sons in fact said it is much too long a play for one evening. So why don’t we split it in half. We will do the political bit now and next year in August we will do the super mind bit. I said fine.”

“So Devashishu took over the directorship, and he wrote in bits to explain what was happening politically, he added lots more. So the play was completely rounded off.”

For several days leading up to the big night Devashishu was rehearsing the play in a large back yard a few blocks from the performance space. I spoke with him earlier.

“The project is a performance based on a play by Sri Chinmoy called The Descent Of The Blue. It is the story of Sri Aurobindo a great Indian Spiritual Master, who was Sri Chinmoy’s master.”

Abhinabha plays the young Aurobindo

Continue reading “Jai Hind…..An Adaptation of ‘The Descent Of The Blue’”

August 5: Something Beyond

“It is a very very special morning. This is the last morning of the race.”

Jayasalini describes how now, with just 41 miles to go, she wants to absorb every last drop of the experience she has had these past 51 days. “The fragrance of the course, the beauty of the course. To be grateful, grateful, for every morning. For every step. It is a very special morning.”

“I know that many many people are waiting for me back home. I got so many many experiences here, that I think that I definitely have changed, something changed inside me. First you receive, you absorb, than you want to share it.”

“To be honest it is beyond beyond my understanding, what is happening here. What’s I felt during the whole race, is that I need to be here for this very moment. I need to do what I have to do. This is taking one step after another, and be grateful for every step. I feel that this is what the Supreme wants me to do. To be here and to run, and to be grateful and to be happy.”

“To accept whatever comes, and just move forward. No matter what happens. Come what may. Just go on.”

“What is happening in the inner world, it is beyond my understanding.”

“The last couple of weeks were much slower. The 109 laps that you need to do in average in the beginning it seemed very very doable.” (Jayasalini did 104 yesterday) I was pretty constant. But now it feels like an Everest. The last couple of weeks I have averaged 105 laps. I was counting every night when I went home. I have a table on my wall. So I was more or less conscious of where I was. I tried not to worry at all. At some point I realized that the Supreme would take care of the mileage. I said to the Supreme that it was all up to you. I will just try and think of you. To be with you inwardly, all the time.”

“From that time I just stopped worrying. Of course sometime thoughts come. Deep inside I felt that whatever happens is the best. This is just an experience that the Supreme wants me to go through. I will just do it.”

“I admire every runner on the course. From every runner I feel something special, an energy or quality. The way that Sarah runs is really beyond my understanding. How was it possible for her to run so so fast and so strong. How is it possible to do this on your feet each day.” She describes her experience of just Sarah passing her on the course with such speed and power. “I don’t know how it was possible.”

“This is one of the questions that I still have no answer.”

“William is so so focused. All the time during the whole day. He can be looking just a few meters ahead. You can see that nothing else exists around him. Just he, himself, and running, moving forward so fast.”

“Nidhruvi’s experience I also admire her. I bow to her soul and to her determination. I ask myself many times. How I would feel if I had this experience. I don’t know if I could stay. To continue like she does. Still to be cheerful. Still to smile. That is amazing.”

“I feel that what is happening here can inspire many many people. William’s example yesterday, that he finished at his age. At 60, to run so fast. To do this is something beyond. This is an example that will inspire many many people of his generation. And also young people. I hope and I feel that more girls will want to come to this race. I feel it strongly.”

“For me to be here and do every step is to please the Supreme in his own way. This was my only goal.”

Click to Play Interview:

Jayasalin

This Japanese Maple tree has observed the countless comings and goings of many people over the years. It has survived and flourished in a place that it is exposed to lots of activity. Directly in front of Thomas Edison High School.

It was planted in a small and simple ceremony on October 11th, 1975. As part of a celebration to mark Sri Chinmoy’s recent completion of 100, 000 Jharna Kala paintings. They would be followed of course by millions more.

Nearly 30 years have passed since then. The little tree now grown large, and despite all that has happened in and around and to it, it somehow still endures. In its own way offers the beauty of nature to all who would see it. And also still offers something deep and inner to all who can feel it.

Photo By Bhashwar October 11,1975 — Photo By Bhashwar
October 11,1975

Something divine may be
Beyond your need today,
But it can never remain
Beyond your need forever.
For every day
A new message from Heaven
Is touching the earth-shore.

This little running movie is still my favorite. It is rough in parts and yet tells something about Sri Chinmoy and his love of running that I have never repeated. Made in March 2009.

Music by Parichayaka

Continue reading “August 5: Something Beyond”

August 4: Doing What We Love

How Sarah feels about completing the race. Which will happen in just a couple of hours.

“It is just absolute gratitude. A runner’s life is up and down. Success and failures and everything in between. I think especially after last year definitely I value it. But it is just such a team effort. Because nothing would happen without all the track workers and the race directors. Everyone who adds to the race in any capacity. So it is definitely that we are all traveling together. It is not just personal success.

Sarah as we are speaking is now just a few miles from the finish line. She has just 15 miles to go. She remarks how Pranjal finished the race just 2 days earlier and from the very first morning he never took a morning off. He does as he does now for 5 years without break, ran at least 2 miles.

“I think that is what it is just about. Doing what we love. So I am feeling a little guilty. Everyone is putting in this huge effort. We runners are just doing what we enjoy.”

“A few times during the race I felt, we are so eager to reach a certain result. But you know that old saying, about the journey being just as important as the destination. It is so true. Looking back at all the fantastic memories. Every day of the race has been just awesome.”

“Physically sometimes there is just nothing you can do. You just have to try and be happy. It happens to all of us sometimes. You have to surrender to a slow pace. That’s okay.”

“So many people have offered, not only material things, but encouragement. But this is what the world will be based on encouragement and not criticism.”

I ask her then what she feels the the Self-Transcendence race may mean to the world at large. “This has been one of the main things on my mind. With all the different conflicts going on now. There is not personally much we can do. I think this draws the world’s attention to something that offers hope. It is about the hope of human aspiration. It definitely does something.”

“If we keep focusing on the darkness and the conflicts. Things won’t really improve.” She appreciated all the media that in fact did come out to follow the story here.

“Just to see the race. You don’t really have to know very much about it. Just to know that it is going on I think it does something really special.”

I ask if she will come again. “If life circumstances allow it. I don’t know what the next year will hold for me.” I mention all the runners who regularly come back, “it is the main part of their spiritual life.”

“I have to be open to what life brings. Certainly, even now I am thinking about next year, and how to improve.” She then mentions the possible appearance of some of the big names who did not attend this year. “I think the energy is going to be amazing.”

I mention all the other girls who have attended this race and suggest that she must in some way be inspiring a whole generation of young girls that something like running 3100 miles is possible. “Well firstly I put Suprabha in a different class. She has done the race 13 times. Her whole life is amazing.”

“I think it is just time. Sometimes we just want things to happen. I wanted to try this race 7 or 8 years ago, but it was just not the right time. I hadn’t got the experience. I just needed to develop a bit more. It is a matter of enjoying your running and see where it takes you. And of course relying on the spiritual side. Keep praying to God. If he wants it for your life it will take place. But if he wants a higher goal, than being a good runner. He just might have more inspired plans for you.”

Click to Play Interview:

Sarah interview

A movie made a few years ago on the race

If at every moment we can feel that our highest Divinity is with us, in us and for us, and that we are with Him, in Him and for Him, then we are bound to create happiness and harmony in our own lives, in the lives of our family members and, eventually, in our world-family.

But we have to start with ourselves. First we have to dive deep within or fly high, higher, highest to discover our own highest Reality. Unless and until we have discovered our own highest Divinity and Reality, unless and until we have brought to the fore our own Inner Pilot, we will not be in a position to bring peace, harmony and bliss to our immediate family or to our world-family.

So let us pray and meditate to bring His divine Presence to the fore and let us be ready at every moment to listen to His Commands. If we can feel that our only task is to please Him in His own Way, then there is nothing that we cannot accomplish either for ourselves or for others.

Sri Chinmoy, Sacred Rock Welcomes Sri Chinmoy, Agni Press, 1994

Continue reading “August 4: Doing What We Love”