Entries from September 2009 ↓

Over the past few months, the Sydney Sri Chinmoy Centre have been offering a series of meditation courses in different parts of Sydney. These free meditation classes offer an introduction to the basic techniques of meditation and also how meditation can be incorporated into our daily life.

Jogyata Dallas giving a meditation class

Jogyata, from Auckland, New Zealand, recently came over to give a series of lectures and classes in Sydney. The courses have been well attended with many local Sydney residents  gaining an insight into meditation.

Sri Chinmoy’s path emphasises the role of meditating on the spiritual heart. Sri Chinmoy feels that this approach is the simplest and most effective way for a seeker to contact his own soul and experience the peace and joy of inner silence.

“When we go deep within, into the deepest recesses of our hearts, we commune with God through meditation. It is through meditation that we can know that God is both with form and without form, with attributes and without attributes.”

- Sri Chinmoy

To find out more about Sri Chinmoy’s path of meditation and meditation classes in Sydney, visit Sydney Meditation

Some of the Benefits of Meditation

In locations as far apart as Bali and New York City, Sri Chinmoy’s students observed the 2009 anniversary of his August 27th birthday through prayer, meditation, singing and athletics.

Bali – Ceremony at Statue of Sri Chinmoy

The Bali Sri Chinmoy Centre and ARMA staff observed Sri Chinmoy’s birth anniversary on the afternoon of August 27th in Ubud on the island of Bali. They gathered for meditation at the foot of a statue of Sri Chinmoy first dedicated there in February 2009. The life-size bronze sculpture of the late spiritual leader was sculpted by British artist Kaivalya Torpy.

Ceremony at Sri Chinmoy statue in Bali

The statue was adorned with a flower garland and orchids for the ceremony. Each person also prayerfully placed a flower in front of the statue.

Participants meditated and sang some English songs composed by Sri Chinmoy. The words to one of the songs:

“Affection, Love, Sweetness, Fondness, God has for me. Every day I live and grow under His protection tree.”
-Sri Chinmoy

Tumpeng Yellow Rice

Afterwards, the Tumpeng was cut (traditional Indonesian yellow rice shaped in a cone)  and traditional Balinese cakes were also offered as prasad.

New York – August Celebrations

In Jamaica Queens, New York, Sri Chinmoy Centre members from over 50 countries gathered to observe the August 27th birthday of Sri Chinmoy. This year more than 1,500 visitors from countries across the globe shared meditation, musical performances, plays, and athletic activities over a two-week period.

For the first time during August Celebrations,  a poetry festival was held paying tribute to the tremendous legacy of devotional poetry written by Sri Chinmoy. Professors lectured on his literary contributions and his work was recited in both English and Bengali, his native tongue.

Other activities traditionally shared during August Celebrations in New York included a public marathon hosted by the Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team in Rockland State Park, New York; a public Songs of the Soul Concert at the New York University Skirball Center in Greenwich Village and the setting of a Guinness World Record on August 27th, Sri Chinmoy’s birthday,  by Ashrita Furman and an international team of helpers. This year’s record was the creation of the world’s largest lollipop.

The Sri Chinmoy Centre galleries have many interesting sections. These are a few selected photos from Sharani who is a frequent visitor to New York from Rhode Island.

Beautiful Roses in New York.

A visit to local cafe – Panorama owned by Ketan Goldman.

Visit Sharani’s complete gallery albums.

In these recent editions of Life Voices, members of the Sri Chinmoy Centre talk about some of the activities and ideas that inspire them.

• Gunthita talks about her experience in a 12 hour walk and singing with her music group Mountain Silence. Gunthita on Life Voices
• Mandu Trummer a great musician from Linz discusses his outlook on life. Mandu on Life Voices

Life Voices is produced by Kedar Misani from Zurich Switzerland. A new episode is published on the 13th of every month. Life Voices at Sri Chinmoy TV

Today, September 21st is World Gratitude Day

“…Gratitude in the inner world is nothing but self-expansion. It is through self-expansion that we become aware of our true reality, which is Infinity itself. Your contribution to the world at large, to the inner world especially, is momentous. As a seeker, I know that there is nothing on earth as valuable and significant as gratitude. In God’s Eye there is nothing more meaningful and precious than man’s gratitude. Therefore, to you, to the illumining soul in you, I wish to offer my boundless and ever-growing gratitude…”

- Sri Chinmoy speaking on gratitude from A Seekers Mind

Poems on Gratitude at Sri Chinmoy Poetry

In August, students of Sri Chinmoy meet in New York for the birthday celebrations of Sri Chinmoy. At these gatherings groups of students perform spiritual music composed by Sri Chinmoy.

This is a selection of music from these gatherings.

Music From August Celebrations Part 2
Music From August Celebrations Part 1

August 27, 2009. On the occasion of Sri Chinmoy’s birth anniversary, New Yorker Ashrita Furman unveiled the world’s largest lollipop with a weight of 6,706 pounds (3041 kg). It surpasses the previous Guinness World Record for a giant lollipop by almost 2,000 pounds (907 kg). Ashrita Furman, holder of the most Guinness records, was the architect behind the feat accompanied by an international team of over 25 assistants.

World's Largest Lollipop – Photo by Jowan Gauthier

The 6,706 pound (3041 kg) lollipop is 10 feet (3 m) in diameter and 10 inches (25 cm) thick. The huge red candy is made of sugar and corn syrup, which was melted in hundred 100-gallon (380 litre) pots. Including the stick it has the height of 25 feet (7.50 m). This size ensures Ashrita Furman a new entry into the Guinness Book, because the previous largest lollipop was 4,759 pounds (2158 kg).

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