Sri Chinmoy receives Mongolian national award - and performs more amazing lifting feats!

Earlier this week, Sri Chinmoy was in Ulan Bataar, Mongolia, to receive an award from the country's president, Nambaryn Enkhbayar. The award cited 'his contributions to world peace' and his 'contributions to the people of Mongolia'. Sri Chinmoy also attended an exhibition of his paintings and drawings at the State Academic Theatre of Drama, where he received an award from the Mongolian Union of Artists.

A couple of days later, Sri Chinmoy travelled to the windblown steppes outside Ulan Bataar to fulfil a long-cherished dream of his - to lift some of the famous himor, or wind horses, of Mongolia as part of his inspirational weightlifting programme. On a special calf-raise machine, Sri Chinmoy lifted 17 of these beautiful animals, sometimes two or three at a time, in a series of six lifts. The photo below shows Sri Chinmoy lifting one horse plus its young rider; the height off the ground is indicated by the dial to the left of the apparatus.



Sri Chinmoy was also inspired to compose a song to mark the occasion:

“Mongolian white horse, Mongolian white horse, Mongolian, You give me the joy and pride of a real Olympian.”

Mr. Hamid Sardar, tour guide and animal lover who searched the Mongolian steppes to find the white horses for Sri Chinmoy to lift, saw tremendous symbolic significance in this lift. “For Mongolians, the horse is the symbol of humanity’s inner strength and spirit; by lifting these horses, Sri Chinmoy is lifting the ‘windhorse’ or the inner Spirit of all Mongolia.", he stated.

Related links:

View more about Sri Chinmoy's award on the Mongolian Presidential website...

April Celebrations

Every April and August, Sri Chinmoy invites his students from all over the world to visit him in New York. During that time he generally meets with his students twice a day. During these meditation functions Sri Chinmoy meditates with his students, but there are also singing and instrumental performances, soulful poetry and prayer recitals, inspiring stories, illumining theatre productions and more. Here are just a few of the things that happened this time around:

• Sri Chinmoy had three significant weightlifting sessions as part of his initiative to inspire his fellow world-citizens to realise their own true potential. In addition to the lifts of hot air balloons and rose fountain described in a previous blog entry, he also lifted overhead some special guests as part of the 'Lifting up the World with a Oneness-Heart' program, which honours men and women of inspiration by lifting them up in both body and spirit.
  
• Sri Chinmoy also frequently performed on a beautiful new synthesizer, which was crafted for him by his Swiss student Panchajanya Burri. Sri Chinmoy composed a song about Panchajanya in appreciation of all his hard work.
• The focal point of these celebrations was April 13th, which marked the 43rd aniversary of his arrival in the West. Sri Chinmoy expressed his gratitude to the soul of the United States of America for being his host for 43 years. The day consisted on many performances by Sri Chinmoy's favourite singers and musical groups, inspiring speeches by famous friends and well-wishers who had come to congratulate him, and some fond memories and reminisces by Sri Chinmoy himself.
• There were some truly remarkable play performances in the duration of the two weeks. The first remarkable play was about Thomas Jefferson, and his struggle on behalf of freedom of religious conscience. The play describes Jefferson's authorship of the Statute of Religious Freedom for the state of Virginia, and its eventual passing into law some years later when Jefferson had moved on to become US ambassador to France. This law was to become the inspiration for the First Amendment in to the Unites States Constitution, which guarantees freedom of religion for all. Another extremely accomplished play, directed by Natabara Rollinson, was the second in a three-part series depicting the childhood of Lord Krishna, the great Indian spiritual figure. The first part was performed in Bulgaria for Sri Chinmoy and his visiting students in January this year, and the third part will be performed in August. This chapter detailed Krishna's gradual transformation from a playful young cowherd into a young prince who realises he must defeat his wicked uncle Kamsa to ease the suffering of his people. These plays are of a remarkably professional standard considering the limited amount of time the international crew have for rehearsal and stage construction.
  
• This April saw the inauguaration of a new athletics event, the Self-Transcendence Invitational Marathon. Unfortunately the marathon took place at the tail end of some of the worst April weather on record, but many of Sri Chinmoy's students produced very inspiring performances to break their personal best times.
  

Function with Sri Chinmoy

Morris Klein shares some thoughts and observations from a meditation function with Sri Chinmoy in New York.

"Sri Chinmoy commented that he felt that we can expand our heart by first feeling like we belong to our parents, and our village, then our town, province, country and then the world. He said that "When we use our love there is no distance."

• Function report by Morris Klein

Sri Chinmoy on Music and Oneness

This interview is from a press interview in Stockholm, where Sri Chinmoy was giving one of his concerts of meditative music. During this interview Sri Chinmoy suggests how music can be a way to unite people in a spirit of oneness.

“I am a truth seeker and God lover and I know there are many many countless people who are in the same boat. So when I give concerts it is like a family gathering.”

During his meditative concerts Sri Chinmoy plays on a variety of instruments. Sri Chinmoy says that by sharing his meditative music he gets inspiration from others who come to listen and are moved by his music.

“I am playing and if people are receptive, if people are feeling something, that very feeling is a source of inspiration to me. It is give and take. I am giving through music or through my silence and people who are receptive who are feeling something in the depths of their heart also were giving me in return.”

- Sri Chinmoy

Watch video at Sri Chinmoy TV

New Biography of Sri Chinmoy

A New biography about Sri Chinmoy has been written. This includes a look at Sri Chinmoy's early life in India. Sri Chinmoy spent 20 years in the Sri Aurobinod Ashram in Pondicherry, before coming to the West in 1964. Sri Chinmoy has lived a very active life, showing that meditation can bring to the fore a range of inner and outer capacities.

For more information on life of Sri Chinmoy

view: Biography of Sri Chinmoy

Welcome to Sri Chinmoy News

Recently a compilation of Sri Chinmoy's aphorisms entitled "Sri Chinmoy's Heart-Garden" was republished it includes a variety of short poems grouped into different themes.

An overriding theme of Sri Chinmoy's philosophy is the importance of harmony.

If you develop harmony with all,
Then yours will be a heart
Totally free from sorrow.

- Sri Chinmoy