The World's Largest Seesaw by 164 Street, Jamaica Hills, Queens. A new Guinness World Record set by Ashrita Furman dedicated to his spiritual teacher, Sri Chinmoy August 27th 2010

In a recent New York Times article, the area was described as a great melting pot  – ‘whose residents cite harmonious diversity as a defining element.‘

Three storefronts stand shoulder to shoulder: a modest grocery, whose sign declares Indian-Pakistani-American roots, selling Indian DVDs, two for $5, and asking 75 cents for a microwave-warmed vegetable samosa; Annam Brahma, a new Indian vegetarian restaurant with the motto “Food Is God,” one of several businesses with exteriors painted a light blue to signal devotion to Sri Chinmoy, the late Bangladeshi spiritual teacher who made his home in the area; and St. Gerasimos Greek Orthodox Church.

That stretch goes some way toward capturing a neighborhood whose residents cite harmonious diversity as a defining element… (NY Times article)

The 3100 Mile Race

For the past 14 consecutive years, in June, July and August, the neighbourhood also plays host to the world’s longest certified race the 3100 Mile Race. The race can last upto 52 days. One of the most remarkable things of the race is that it is run around a single block. Local Residents and local school children have become accustomed to this remarkable race which has been one of the features heralding the start of the summer.

Local residents explain how they have come to appreciate the presence of this unique race which occurs between 6am and 12pm every day for those 52  days of summer.

Members of the Sri Chinmoy Centre have a strong presence in the area with a number of business enterprises painted in a defining blue. Some of these local stores include:

• The Smile of the Beyond – a breakfast and luncheonette diner on Parsons Boulevard
• The Divine Robe – A specialist clothes shop
• Guru Stationary – Small independent stationary store
• Guru Health Foods – a busy independent health food store managed by serial Guinness World Record Breaker, Ashrita Furman.
• Annam Brahman – a popular vegetarian restaurant.
• Panorama Cafe of My Silence-Heart

The poem was

Be like a child,
Act like a child.
Go from one flower to another
In your heart-garden
Until you find complete joy
And perfect satisfaction.

- Sri Chinmoy

The poem was from the new book “Jewels of Happiness” written by Sri Chinmoy. The 146 languages ranged from Bengali and Maori to Newari and Zulu, “Be Like a Child” was expressed with some of the most unusual and charming communication sounds in the globe.

Ashrita Furman has been setting Guinness World Records since 1979 and has broken 299 Guinness World Records on all seven continents.

The Jewels of Happiness is published by Watkins and includes a collection of poems, aphorisms and writings with wisdom for living a more peaceful and joyful life.

“Try not to change the world. You will fail. Try to love the world. Lo, the world is changed. Changed forever.”

- Sri Chinmoy (1)

“Joy, spontaneity and self-giving always go together. If one has a joyful heart, that means that one possesses spontaneity or a spontaneous heart and also that one is self-giving. Or we can say that self-giving is the hyphen, the connecting link, between joy and spontaneity.”

- Sri Chinmoy, The Jewels of Happiness

The Jewels of Happiness will be on sale from September 7th. In the forward to the book, Archbishop Desmond Tutu writes:

“These sweet gems of wisdom by my dear friend Sri Chinmoy are timeless truths full of encouragement, love and goodness.”

photo by Jowan

This year the race was run in gruelling temperatures and humidity which made the race even more testing. The race was founded in 1997 by Sri Chinmoy, a keen advocate of promoting the concept of self-transcendence.

Video Of Race From ABC News

The race was won in a time of 46 days, 07:37:24 by Asprihanal Aalto

For results see: 3100 Mile Race Results

• Daily Blog at 3100.ws
• Perfection Journey – Utpal’s daily blog on the race
• Photo Gallery of Race

Sri Chinmoy Rose

The Sri Chinmoy Rose was inaugurated in 2004. The first bush was planted at the Hidden Gardens in Glasgow, on mid-summer, June 2004. The above photo is from a bush growing outside the Edinburgh Sri Chinmoy Centre on  Cannondale Street.

Sri Chinmoy has stated:

“The significance of the rose in the inner world is most important. The rose, like other flowers, has fragrance and beauty, but it also has something special, unique. There are very few flowers in God’s creation that please God to the greatest extent. The rose is one of those, along with the lotus. Rose and lotus: these are the two mystical flowers. These are the two flowers in God’s Heart-Garden that please Him most.”

Excerpt from My Heart’s Salutation To Australia, Part 1 by Sri Chinmoy

Flags flying in the wind. Photo Pranlobha.

Sri Chinmoy, the founder of the World Harmony Run, visited Mongolia in 2007 where he was given an award by the President Nambaryn Enkhbayar See: Sri Chinmoy Mongolia visit

Pranlobha Kalagian from Seattle, writes about her experience participating in the World Harmony Run across Mongolia. Mongolia dreaming

Photos from Mongolia by Pranlobha

Photos from Mongolai by Erdenebaatar

Video of Mongolian Harmony Run

WHR

“The majestic Mongolian landscape plays a feature role in this beautiful coverage of the World Harmony Run’s travels across the country, meeting school children, soldiers, track runners, city officials and large gatherings. “

Video and Edit: Erdenebaatar Gankhuu. Postediting and Coding: Kedar Misani

Video also at: Sri Chinmoy TV

• World Harmony Run.org

Recently, an event was held to commemorate Sri Chinmoy’s 25th anniversary of his weightlifting. It was attended by many dignitaries and figures from the weightlifting world, such as Bill Pearl who often acted as Master of Ceremonies for Sri Chinmoy’s weightlifting performances.

• Inspiration Lifts – about weightlifting of Sri Chinmoy
• 3 Day Weightlifting
• Weightlifting Anniversary at US Sri Chinmoy Centre
• Superlative Soulfulness by Sharani Robbins

Sculpted by British artist Kaivalya Torpy, the life-size statue of World Harmony Run founder Sri Chinmoy is the second in the world to be dedicated in which the visionary is depicted holding a World Harmony Run Torch. The first such statue is located in Mazatlan Mexico.

The statue in the park in a photo at 11 pm. At this time of year truly the land of the Midnight Sun.

Local park officials, politicians and members of the Vaasa and Helsinki Sri Chinmoy Centres joined together for the dedication. Sri Chinmoy Centre members from other countries such as Norway, Sweden, Russia, Italy, Czech Republic, England, Estonia, Austria and the United States were also present at the statue unveiling in the park.

World Harmony Runners representing Russia ran into the park with the Torch and a musical group from the Czech republic sang a song composed by Sri Chinmoy about the country of Finland.

The large nature attraction, called Sand Bay Park in English, contains tall trees and winding paths through the woods for hiking and biking. A beach pavilion is nearby and there are benches interspersed throughout the park providing views out over the water. The statue is located close to a Villa and gazebo available for rental for group functions and meetings. Participants gathered after the ceremony to share a meal and cake in the Villa nearby the statue.

Later that evening, a Songs of the Soul Concert was held in a concert hall in dowtown Vaasa with performances by Sangit Desh and Agnikana’s Group.

View more photos of the statue in Finland at Sri Chinmoy Centre Galleries.

Plaque for Statue of Sri Chinmoy in Finland

photo by Utpal

Useful links for Following 3100 Mile Self-Transcendence Race

• Daily Results for 3100 Mile Self-Transcendence Race
• The 3100 Mile self-transcendence race was founded by Sri Chinmoy, with the distance of 3100 miles first run in 1997. See: About 3100 Mile Self-Transcendence Race.
• 3100 Mile Race Blog at 3100.ws
• Utpal Marshall is offering a daily update on the race at his blog – Perfection Journey. First day – The Hour has come
• Media coverage of the 3100 Mile Race

• Race Photos at Sri Chinmoy Races

Previous posts at Sri Chinmoy Centre News

• 2009 Race finish
• Images from Race