Timeless times with my teacher Sri Chinmoy

At that time I thought about how it would be in the year 2000 – an obviously impossible task because life is never predictable, especially if you feel that your life is really special and precious.

Ever since I became a student of Sri Chinmoy, my life has been a breathtaking and progressing adventure on the inner as well as the outer level. Sri Chinmoy is one of the few authentic, living spiritual teachers walking on earth in these turbulent world-times in which humanity is taking a creative evolutionary part. He kindles all our life’s dreams; he constantly nourishes our hope and strength in being an important part in the outburst of a living and growing spirituality to actively create a world of harmony, understanding and oneness beyond boundaries, races, religions and cultures. This is only possible through concentration, meditation and prayer – from the inside it develops and grows to the outside. The heart’s smiling and silent humility, the unseen and enthusiastic hands of universal service and the light-flooded tears of gratitude are needed to enable us to mature and grow into a better world.Sri Chinmoy paves a possible way of a modern spirituality for us with his shining and tireless example over decades.

Today I would like to share a few impressions from my visit to celebrate Sri Chinmoy’s 73rd birthday this year, together with around 1800 of his students from around the world. This spiritual gathering from all walks of life, from different intellectual standards, from a vast variety of professions and cultural background meet in New York with their highly respected spiritual teacher.

Shortly after I arrived  we were invited to participate in a walking meditation. There came the moment when I stood directly in from of Sri Chinmoy, his peace-radiating eyes were resting on me, nourishing me with light, love and the sweetest smile you can ever imagine. My whole life seemed to be an opened book for him to read. There was nothing to hide but everything to show and share to be finally transformed and changed for the better. After that few seconds that seemed to be eternity I found myself cleaned and clarified beyond measure by his mystic-silent inner touch. This is the way he always sets us straight back and right on our inner path as we somehow always manage to stroll away from the direct pathway. Miraculously he also never gives up hope for us.

Through Sri Chinmoy's multifarious outer activities in sports, poetry, art and music he constantly motivates us and shows us ever new entrance gates into our own heart-world to prove the inner life true. For example when he, as a 73 year old man meets and lifts people up overhead on a special platform to honour them for their inspiration to humankind in his “Lifting Up The World with a Oneness-Heart” program.

Over the years he lifted more than 7000 men and women of all walks of life so we are already familiar with this special procedure. But just watch the surprised facial expressions of the honoured people who have never experienced anything like this in their life. Through their brilliant shining eyes and their boundless smiles you can trace back their deep feelings which are expressing waves of understanding and happiness.

Sri Chinmoy is always transcending – the heaviest man he recently lifted weighed 784 pounds, but he also lifts weights regularly up to 1300 pounds on different machines. To watch it in reality is absolutely mind-shattering, heart-filling and breath-taking and besides it makes me the proudest person on earth.

Through these outer examples of self-transcendence he convinces us, our minds, that even if the mind wants to limit us – nevertheless there is always a possibility. This is why he encourages us, for example, to train and run a marathon. It becomes a personal experience of self-transcendence if you only dare to believe, have the discipline to train regularly and keep your body in a good balance which includes relaxation, proper food, faith, patience and strength to overcome so-called obstacles. Every part of your existence can be involved and add to the final experience of finishing a marathon. Here you have the first-hand experience of the expansion of your outer capacities and you start trusting in an inner expansion through meditation which is much more difficult but definitely in your reach.

During the celebrations there was a marathon organized by students around a beautiful lake in Rockwell State Park and more than 730 students finished. Sri Chinmoy was present at 7 am to observe a silent meditation prior to the start. He surprised us with a special message for this year’s marathon.

“Today’s Marathon
God-Invocation
God-Revelation
And God-Manifestation-Journey
In the physical body-world.”

With these few words echoing in our hearts, we started our 26.2 mile journey. While passing the starting line everybody was looking to the left where Sri Chinmoy was watching and smiling at us. As people are different, everybody had different experiences while running, different techniques, habits, aids and imagination. Personally I was very focused on the body, only breathing through the nose, not chatting much, drinking at any station but rarely eating anything. Right from the beginning I had a strong visualisation of growing big strong wings. This made me smile, because flying a marathon is much better than running it. I finished in a happy sub-5 hour time.

As the birthday was coming closer a special kind of vibration was in the air. On the day, the air was filled with the sweet fragrance of 101 000 roses which were being transformed with a night’s help of 50 students into the biggest ever flower-bouquet in the world presented by Ashrita Furman as a birthday gift to Sri Chinmoy on 27. Aug. 2004.Ashrita is the Guinness record holder of Guinness records and has set  86 Guinness records in total.

The birthday celebrations started with the presentation of the Guinness rose bouquet followed by a special meditation. With 1800 meditators sitting around you, the palpable peace-joy was amazing. In pin-drop silence everybody dived deep into this light filled ocean of peace and bliss that he created for us like a heavenly island on earth.Nevertheless I always have the feeling that we are only able to see the surface of Sri Chinmoy’s depth. Most of the inner, inmost and innermost secret things he does remain unseen and unnoticed by us and the world.

Later he delighted us with a short concert where he played on different instruments. At the end he played the piano in an unusual way where he brought out a broad variety of sounds. Sometimes it was a tiny sweet melody which became a gigantic sound-effulgence with tremendous mightiness. It seemed as if he guided us through different kinds of inner worlds from the first cosmic sunrise to butterflies dancing dream-flight towards the torrential Niagara Falls of inner awakening. Using the universal language of music he needed no translation of what he wanted to say. In a few minutes he created a unique world of sound and silence, light and love, hope and happiness beyond words.This was the most beautiful birthday present he was offering us and I think I was not alone finding some tears welling up my eyes and filling my heart.

Later we enjoyed a huge prasad (blessed food) and a delicious Indian meal.

As the day turned from dusk to night, musical performances took place, videos were shown and birthday messages were read out. The feast ended with a special birthday song which we all sang together before he left after midnight. Singing this simple song in unison, Sri Chinmoy was richly uplifting and deeply touched by the expression of our heart’s gratitude-waves formed a very strong river thundering towards the same goal of self-realisation.

As we left we took home roses from the gigantic bouquet for ourselves and some were also distributed the following day to the elderly living nearby in a nursing home.

The following days softly prepared us again for our farewell which always comes too soon. In such short days we shared countless happy and deep experiences with our spiritual friend and teacher and also with our large, family.

Nourished and guided, uplifted, motivated and inspired we sadly leave this holy place of our annual pilgrimage heading homeward to our respective countries with our goal to keep this powerful presence in our hearts and lives to prove to us and to the world that we will never give up hope in dreaming, realising and creating a better world. Everybody has to start with him or herself, and from there it radiates and affects everybody’s tiny day-to-day life. This way the inner light of loving oneness, mutual progress and boundless happiness spreads from me to you, and to the world at large.

“Since life is but a continuous
Series of experiences,
Everything ultimately helps me
Towards my final
Enlightenment.”
~Sri Chinmoy

Article by Anami Schöneborn
Germany