Self-Transcendence 3100 Mile Race

This race is full of surprises and unordinary events. After an atrociously hot day when all the runners were really cooked (Atmavir had a heat stroke), Rupantar took a decision to stop a race for one day. Nothing is going on on the course today except for heat and humidity, as it was yesterday. Everybody is enjoying a day-off before the final straight. Theoretically the race hasn’t stopped and today is day 42. Rupantar said that it would be prolonged by 2 days. It means that everybody will have to stop on day 54.

Author: Utpal 20 July The main quality I felt this morning was gratitude.” Just before dawn, and with just a few precious minutes to spare, Atmavir slipped alone into the quiet hallowed garden which is the Aspiration Ground. It is the local place close by that was once the main gathering place, in which the students of Sri Chinmoy used to meet on a regular basis with their late spiritual teacher. It is a sacred place still, in which his presence continues to be intimately felt and experienced by all those who continue to value his teachings.

Author Utpal 18 July It is only in a photograph that you can really stop and adequately capture the speeding world around us. Time never stops, nor life, nor the race nor really anything that is part and parcel of creation. Just as one footstep continually follows another, thoughts tumble one past another. All experiences, so powerful and real for an instant are then continually being replaced by hopefully higher ones. But int that instant the photo was taken you can at least attempt to reveal and comprehend a precious moment of a life in constant movement. Read more

Author Utpal The runners have all now completed 5 full weeks of running. That is 35 straight 18 hour days. If you or I, or in fact most of the world set to work for that same period of time we certainly would most likely want to see some obvious benefit. A reward, that we could hoist aloft or even some fancy folded paper that could be stuffed into a bank account. At the end of the road for these 10 athletes there is no tangible reward whatsoever. Perhaps some bragging rights if you were that kind of person but certainly none of them are that. What all of them in fact do receive is applause and songs and as much congratulations as can be mustered by a hastily assembled group of enthusiastic friends and well wishers. Read more

Author Utpal 16 July It is a much different place when the Sun slips away. The heavy chore the runners bear, never an easy one, certainly never finds much additional lightness in their steps, with the inevitable arrival of the dark night. For some it offers a cool reprieve from the heat of day and an anonymity when the shadows draw so close you can almost disappear. Invisible, but not for long, at least until you hear of course the hopeful call of the counters, who always cry out, “I got you.” Read more

Author: Utpal 15 July When you are sitting comfortably back in your armchair it is actually pretty easy to claim to be some kind of expert on what is really happening at the 3100 mile race. You might even be able to convince others but convincing yourself is another matter. Read more

Author:  Utpal 13 July A few days ago an American baseball player named Derek Jeter reached a major milestone in his career.  This New York Yankee short stop managed to complete his 3,000th career hit as a professional baseball player.  This is an exceptional achievement for a player.   He will be only the 28th person to accomplish this feat in the history of the game.  I am not much of a fan of the sport but when ever I hear numbers like 3000 I am compelled to take notice.  It does sound a lot like 3100 miles after all.  Read more