Self-Transcendence 3100 Mile Race

It’s the Fourth of July when Americans celebrate their national holiday Independence Day. It’s mostly quiet on and around the course on this day. There are only a few people playing basketball or softball. Individual fireworks are banned, but people will shoot a lot of firecrackers later in the day. Some started rehearsing yesterday .

They were so loud that the automobile alarms went crazy all at once. In the morning, Parvati’s group sang “America the Beautiful” and a few other patriotic songs. Inspired by Ashprihanal we decided to entertain them and give a little performance to celebrate Independence Day. It was a kind of a game. We gave them a list of running styles and they had to guess which style a runner is demonstrating. We had Suprabha’s style (Stutisheel), a drunken monkey style (Ashprihanal), a military style (Pavol), chi-running (Purna Samarpan), a football style (Galya Balatsky), a singing one (Surasa), a soulful one (Ananda-Lahari) and some others. Some were really funny. There’s no holiday without gifts. The temperature is 35-36C. Purna-Samarpan is walking. Petya is struggling with heat. Surasa is dealing with her shin splints (“I felt a sudden stab”). My knee has prevented me from running for three days is a row. Petya commented on the situation that last year we demonstrated that we were good at running, and this year we will be working on our spiritual progress . Ashprihanal is likely to pass the half way point in the race tomorrow morning.

During the heart of the great depression, in 1930, the city of New York built a water tower to supply the needs of its growing suburban population. For 70 years it was kept full, from a pump beside it, that reached deep into the ground beneath Queens to tap a vast aquifer beneath the borough. Rapid urbanization has its pitfalls and by the year 2000 the water below it was no longer considered safe to drink. At that time Queens was then able to tap into the upstate reservoirs, that already supplied drinking water to most of the city. For 10 years this Jamaica landmark has stood empty and worthless to the community that now looked elsewhere for its needs. After 80 years it is coming down today. For the next few days its demolition will create a snarl of traffic on 164th st and in turn have an affect on traffic throughout the neighborhood. This project will have no impact on the runners or the running of the race. Read more

Today marks the first day of summer for several billion inhabitants of the Northern Hemisphere.  For most of us, these astronomical calculations are significant markers for many of our life’s plans.  Both the summer and winter solstice often has a major affect upon our strategy and attitude about the coming weeks that lie ahead.  No doubt on some deep and molecular level our bodies also make some small but significant adjustments to the amount, or lack of light, that we do and we do not receive from the sun.   Let us not forget also, how the moon’s orbit subtly pulls upon us as well. In other words, as the universe moves around and about us our physical beings have no choice but to be uncontrollably caught up in the swirl and flow of nature’s rhythms. To the 11 runners at the 3100 mile race the arrival of summer is just one of the many things, that we judge to be important, and yet has no particular significance to them whatsoever.  Ultimately they are not immune to the push and pull of the cosmos, but the only true orbit they control themselves and consider of any real importance, is the continuous motion of their own bodies circling around the loop.  They need to make at least 110 laps on the course before they can even think of slipping back into the warm embrace of sleep. Read More…

Archived – click Post Title to view all. Day 20, 8.56 pm local time. Today is an extraordinary day meaning that I am mostly walking. I ran a few laps in the morning until my left foot called a strike. My Achilles tendon was tightened, knees and muscles were sore. I started with a jog trot, but had to give it up. So, I’ve been working since early morning. I have no idea what it might be. Maybe it has to do with the shoes. I felt some pressure around my knees for the last the few day but it was quite bearable. This morning it really started to hurt. Vajra massaged my legs, but it didn’t help. Our chiropractor Gaurish worked on my knees – to no avail. I applied olive oil, put cabbage leaves and bandaged my knees. Hopefully I’ll be able to run tomorrow. It was a good day-off for my body though. What can one do? There are good days and bad days. But the goal is always there and it’s beckoning us. As soon as I started walking, I felt such concern and care from all the runners and helpers. Everybody tried to be helpful. It’s so touching. We are one big family here. That’s what I like about the race most of all. The others are doing fine. It’s no so hot. Dharbasana has adjusted to the race and has been running consistently. Also, Purna-Samarpan has been doing his 111 lap norm for a few consecutive days. He is moving forward very…

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The day dawned warm and sticky on this Fathers day in New York.  For many years it has always been a special day, in which Sri Chinmoy was honored by his students here in Queens and also all around the world, wherever his students gathered.  Since his passing the tradition has continued and events are taking place throughout the day. As the runners arrive this morning they can be heard to spontaneously call out “Happy Fathers Day,” to one another.  There is a lightness and joy in the spirit at the race this morning that is not matched by the heavy thick stillness of the air. Countless people have been inspired by Sri Chinmoy over the years and many continue to feel a deep inner connection with him.  He asked little of people and yet gave so much.  How one related to him was up to the individual.  It was easy for many to feel a hearts closeness with him.  He could be a dear friend, or older brother, but for most of us, whose connection was soulfully deep, it was unquestionable but to look upon him as a Spiritual father. This race of course was his creation, and all who are part and parcel of it know that he saw it as a powerful way to express his vision of Self-Transcendence. His continued presence and influence here is unmistakable. He no longer drives his little red car around the course each day but in your heart you can…

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The nineteenth day of the race. 5.23pm local time. The weather has been indulging these days: it’s only moderately hot, even cool and a little windy. However, the runners are having different paces. Petya has recovered and is hopping like a rabbit. Balatsky had stomach problems yesterday, but did manage to do a daily minimum. Today he is faster. I am running more slowly, but still I am running. Today Cathy Oerter, the wife of a four time Olympic Champion in the discus throw Al Oerter visited us. She’d been here a few days ago, but then she had the status of a VIP guest, all dressed up and unapproachable. Sri Chinmoy had a huge respect for her husband, and they were good friends. Today we saw her in her running shoes and she ran a few laps with us. One would never guess she is 57. She is in perfect shape. It turned out that she herself is an Olympian. In 1976, she took part in the Olympics (sprint and long jump). She is very outgoing and open. She has a very flexible mind. We talked a lot about staying connected with nature, about universal oneness and how time flows at such races. It looks as though she was deeply impressed and touched by the race. In the end she said that she had never seen a more Earth-transforming project and event. We were also enriched by her story of the life philosophy of this…