Brighter side of web - Sri Chinmoy

• Unfortunately comments do not appear to be working at moment.. This may encourage me to move to my new blog

some links:

• A note on the meaning of 'Mahasamadhi' at Tejvan.co.uk
• The memorial Service of Sri Chinmoy
• Tributes at Sri Chinmoy Centre
• NPR: Sri Chinmoy - Weightlifter

This is the final scene from a play about Lord Buddha. It was posted on Sri Chinmoy Inspiration group.

THE BUDDHA AND ANANDA (a short play by Sri Chinmoy)

CAST: THE BUDDHA ANANDA, HIS DEAREST DISCIPLE A FEW INTIMATE DISCIPLES

BUDDHA: Ananda, I am now an old man. I am eighty years old. Ananda, for fifty years I have been teaching and preaching. The time has come for me to depart from this world. I am weak. I am an invalid. My whole body is shattered, Ananda. This body can be of no more use here on earth.

ANANDA (shedding tears): No, Master, no. You have to stay with us for quite a long time more. Your very presence is a great blessing to humanity. This Sangha is not yet well-established. This Sangha needs your physical presence.

BUDDHA: Ananda, do you mean to say that the Sangha expects something new from me? Do you mean to say that I have not spoken in clear terms about this Dharma? I have not kept anything hidden from you people. Never have I shown any sign of reticence, nor any indifference. Besides, I never thought that I would have to conduct and manage the Sangha, and that it would always depend on me. So why should I stay? Why should I be involved any longer in the activities of the Sangha? Ananda, from now on be self-sufficient. Have faith in yourself. Lead a spiritual life. You will realise the highest Truth. He who follows the Dharma, he who takes refuge in the Dharma, will alone enter into the world of bliss, and nobody else.

ANANDA: O Lord Buddha, what you say is perfectly true, but our hearts cannot live without you. We need you. We shall eternally need you.

BUDDHA: Ananda, you need me. I need you. Again, the Truth eternal needs us both. The Truth eternal needs me in the world of the Beyond, and the same Truth needs you here on earth. My life has come to an end. All the experiences of the world I offer to the world. Yesterday I ate at Chunda's house. Since then I have been feeling weaker, but I wish to assure you that this weakness is not due to his food. I am suffering, true, but it is not his fault at all. He gave me food with utmost love and devotion. Nobody should blame him when I die. I offer him my deepest blessings. Before I was illumined, before I became the Enlightened One, Sujata's food helped me to live on earth. Her food made it possible for me to meditate. And now Chunda's food is helping me to enter into the highest Nirvana. I see no difference between Sujata's food and Chunda's food. Each has served a special purpose of its own.

Hope abides; therefore I abide.
Countless frustrations have not cowed me.
I am still alive, vibrant with life.
The black cloud will disappear,
The morning sun will appear once again
In all its supernal glory. "

• Sri Chinmoy

Picture: by Tejvan,

(Rock rose: Helianthemum nummularium)

Poems About Hope at Sri Chinmoy Poetry

I am currently in New York, sitting inside a new coffee shop, Panorama. The rain is pouring down and looks set for the next 24 hours. If possible, I think it is even wetter than our miserable English summer. But, the coffee is good.

I am also enjoying a selection of Indian music posted at:

Priyadarshan.org. - "On the Sunlit Path with Sri Chinmoy"

You can listen to the Indian music selections here: audio blog "Songs and Sounds"

I particularly like Sakali Tomare Ichha by the great Ramprasad.

Ramprasad Sen was a great devotional poet of India, who lived in the 18th Century. The poems and songs of Ramprasad were a great favourite of Sri Ramakrishna, who helped to make Ramprasad well known.

More: Indian Music

My spiritual teacher, Sri Chinmoy , has sought in many ways, to inspire old people to remain active and attempt new things - even if they seem difficult. At the age of 75, Sri Chinmoy has shown it is possible to find new ways to remain active. Sri Chinmoy has definitely help change my perception of old people and what they are capable of.

One year ago, aged 74, Sri Chinmoy lifted this double 740 pound dumbbell lift. He dedicated the lift to people of his own age. On the video, Sri Chinmoy said:

"I am 74 years old. This double dumbbell press of 740lbs, I am dedicating to men and women of my age, the old generations, to inspire them"

- Sri Chinmoy

It is Sri Chinmoy's philosophy that when we remain in the heart, old age does not matter.

The Zimmers

In the spirit of transcending the barriers of age, I was really enthused to see an interview on BBC about a new Rock band, The Zimmers. The Zimmers is a new rock sensation, composed entirely of old people. It is led by 90 year old lead singer, Alf Carretta. They have a combined age of over 3,000, and there are also 2 centurions amongst the band.

The band is the brainchild of documentary maker Tim Samuels. Tim says the motivation for forming the group is to raise the profile of old people, who have been cast off by society.

Before the video recording, many of the group participants rarely left their house or home. It is really great to see how much the ageing rock singers have enjoyed their experience. The rock group has given a new lease of life. Winifred Warburton, aged 99, said that recording the song was the best day of her life. Alf Carretta spoke about his unexpected foray into rock music at the age of 90.

"I can't believe this is happening. For me to have recorded a song in the same studio as the Beatles is just so exciting.

"I feel like the whole experience has brought me back to life. I was stuck in a rut and now I feel alive again," adds Alf.

The 40 strong band have recorded a version of My Generation, originally recorded by The Who, at Abbey Road studies where the Beatles produced their hit records.

The Zimmers Music Video

The Zimmers at BBC

Power to the People - Old Aged pensioners aim for Chart success

Some recent videos posted at Sri Chinmoy TV.

New Series of life voices.

Catherine Lee offers some inspiring words about her thoughts on Indian and spirituality. A good production with some very beautiful photography of Asia. Produced by Kedar Misani.

Life Voices II

Inspiration News

Inspiration News Comic Books with Noivedya Juddery and Alf. (As a child, Noivedya used to read comics - I used to read cricket averages..)

Inspiration News Interview with Mr Sunny

Meditation Silence Meditation Inspirations with Sri Chinmoy.

Also at Radio Sri Chinmoy.

Thought of the Day by Sanjaya Spettigue. This week on Lord Buddha

True, the mind-sky
Has dark clouds,
But what prevents me
From rising above them
With the help of my soul?

- Sri Chinmoy

Photo from: Sri Chinmoy Centre Galleries

By: Sri Chinmoy

When practising meditation we can learn how to develop greater equanimity and forbearance of difficult situations. Emotions like anger, hate and depression are very much polar opposites to the experience of meditation. When we allow anger to take over our mind it can be very destructive often leading to depression. My spiritual teacher Sri Chinmoy says:

“Anger is a great obstacle. The after-effect of anger is frustration and depression. We should take anger as a thief. Its very nature is to steal. We have love inside us and it is our treasure. If we allow anger, the thief, to enter into us, then it will immediately steal our inner treasure.”

However if we sincerely wish to stop anger then it is possible. We can try to implement steps such as these.

Top 20 Ways to Well Being in Independent list 20 things to improve well being. First is cycling Also glad to see drink coffee, tea and dark chocolate in their. Another interesting one is singing and not sleeping in at the weekend. The most obvious one is to be happy. This is a poem by Sri Chinmoy on happiness.

I am happy because I always choose the right moment.

I am happy because I am a good listener.

I am happy because I keep my voice down.

I am happy because I do not try to convince others.

I am happy because I do not complain.

I am happy because I do not do two things at the same time.

I am happy because I never think of two objects at the same time.

I am happy because I have realised the truth that the most important thing in my life is self-improvement.

I am happy because I unreservedly accentuate the good in others.

"One who is injured ought not to return the injury, for on no account can it be right to do an injustice; and it is not right to return an injury, or to do evil to any man, however much we have suffered from him."

"I am not an Athenian, or a Greek, but a citizen of the world."

• Socrates

Socrates was one of the greatest philosophers of the ancient world. He never wrote anything down but his discourses were recorded by his students.

Sri Chinmoy has written many stories about the great Moghul Emperor Akbar the Great. Akbar had a clever court jester Birbal. This is a story called

Often people have a nostalgic view of the past. Just talk to an old person and they will say how much better things were in "my day". It is true some problems are more pronounced, but it is also the case that perhaps things are not getting as bad as we may imagine. In some regards things are getting better.

Nevertheless I'll know I'm old when I starting talking like this:

"Well when I were a lad, of course things were much better..." - or maybe I will become like one of the 4 yorkshire men.

Anyway this is a question and answer from Sri Chinmoy Library

Question: Why are people getting worse instead of better?

Sri Chinmoy: I hear this question often from elderly people, but I have to be very frank. Has there been any time on earth when there was no conflict, no fighting, no war? From the very beginning of civilisation there has been fighting. At the start of the Mahabharata period they were fighting and later, in the time of the Greek and Roman civilisations, there was also constant fighting. Conflict has always existed on earth.

...

Very often when giving meditation classes for Sri Chinmoy Centre people remark that meditation is quite difficult. Meditating in a group often gives a good experience but when meditating on their own they find it difficult to maintain this standard of meditation.. It is important to remember that spiritual practise is not like drinking instant coffee. If somebody told you could master playing the piano in one week, you would be suspicious. It is the same with meditation. We should feel that to be proficient in meditation it takes time and regular practice. It is like developing muscles it will get stronger with regular practise.

Soul Bird

Sri Chinmoy has painted several million Soul Birds. This year he passed the 15 million mark. Often when signing his name he will also draw a "Soul-bird". He can draw them very quickly with a few strokes of the pen. He says Soul-birds symbolise both freedom and the aspirations of our soul.

Ashrita on the way to breaking another record.

This Guiness record is for the most number of eggs successfully balanced upright at one time.

He broke the record of 420 eggs in 7 hrs. 33 minutes and finished at 700 eggs in a little over 12 hours.

Sri Chinmoy recently said that nobody could match Ashrita's concentration.

His record inspired me to try balancing an egg. Not as easy as Ashrita makes it looks.

Thought of the Day at Radio Sri Chinmoy

Sanjaya Spettigue is a friend from the Ipswich Sri Chinmoy Centre. He regularly offers a "Thought of the Day" for a local radio programme. You can listen to it here:

• Thought of the Day (m4a format)

In this short extract amongst other things he discusses the role concentration can play in helping sports players to do better.

Quite a while ago I went to the closing ceremony of the World Harmony Run in London. I didn't get chance to post an entry at the time.

Japanese performer at the finishing ceremony

I took some photos but there is a better selection of photos here at the World Harmony Run website

Finishing ceremony

...This reminds me of a Zen story. There was a Zen Master who was very pure, very illumined. Near the place where he lived there happened to be a food store. The owner of the food store had a beautiful unmarried daughter. One day she was found with child. Her parents flew into a rage. They wanted to know the father, but she would not give them the name. After repeated scolding and harassment, she gave up and told them it was the Zen Master. The parents believed her. When the child was born they ran to the Zen Master, scolding him with foul tongue, and they left the infant with him. The Zen Master said, "Is that so." This was his only comment.

continued...

I have started a new blog, a collection of my favourite quotes. These quotes by Gandhi were selected from an article by Sri Chinmoy on Mahatma Gandhi available here:

• Mahatma Gandhi

Sri Chinmoy says of Mahatma Gandhi:

"Some of the world figures have called him the Saint Paul, Saint Thomas and Saint Francis of Assisi of the modern era. I call him the Pacific Ocean of Heart's Love and Soul's Compassion. Perhaps I am wrong. Perhaps I am right. But I am adamant in my assertion that Mahatma Gandhi is not the exclusive treasure of India, but a peerless pride of mankind; and he will remain so down the sweep of centuries."

These are a very small collection of quotes by Gandhi more will come over time

• Quotes by Gandhi

Today the WHR left Oxford for London. In the morning the run was greeted by the sheriff of Oxford and a brass band kindly came along to play the theme song. The runners then ran through Oxford and down the A40 to London.

The runners crossing Magdalen Bridge on Saturday morning.

See video at Sri Chinmoy TV

Last weekend was Sri Chinmoy's 20th anniversary for weightlifting.

Sri Chinmoy lifted some very heavy weights and honored some well known body builders and weighlifters. Always looking for new ways to lift Sri Chinmoy lifted some unusual objects. One of these lifts involved lifting a huge home grown 882 lb pumpkin with a standing calf raise machine. This huge vegetable, one of the largest ever recorded was grown by a Philadelphia farmer for competition rather than nourishment.

More on Sri Chinmoy Weightlifting

Ashirta Furman, of Queens, N.Y., established a record for running a mile on tin pots earlier that afternoon, with a time of 18 minutes and 26 seconds. The pots were held against his shoes by hand-held strings. A stipulation of the record was that the tin pots musn't fall off.

The record was set at POWNAL  Green Mountain Race Track on Friday 8th September. After setting and submitting a record it usually takes about 6 weeks for it to be ratified by Guiness.

Furman credits his study of meditation, under the tutelage of Sri Chinmoy, for his ability to break so many records.

"It's all in fun, but there's a serious side because there's physical conditioning and a lot of mental focus required," he said. "You really have to focus deep within yourself. I really have to use the training I got from meditation to be very one-pointed and not allow other distractions to stop me."

• Today was the 5th edition of the Self Transcendence Marathon.
• The race was started by Sri Chinmoy who offered a brief meditation and some kind words of encouragement to the runners. However as one of the lead cyclists I was someway off and didn't here the exact words.
  
• I usually enjoy the job of being a lead cyclist but after half an hour the heavens opened and I got quite wet. At least it was warmer rain than English rain.