Sri Chinmoy visits Puerto Rico

Sri Chinmoy visits Puerto Rico

From 24th October to 29th October, Sri Chinmoy visited his Puerto Rican Centres. During this time, Sri Chinmoy was very busy with his multifarious activities, playing concerts on his Indian bowed instrument, the esraj, conducting public meditations, meeting and meditating with various heads of state and prominent figures of Puerto Rico.

24th October: Esraj concert, meditation and question and answer period at the Caguas Sri Chinmoy Centre, private to disciples of Sri Chinmoy and selected guests, one of whom was Secretary of State of Puerto Rico, the Honourable Juan A. Albors. All were very appreciative of the evening.

25th October: Sri Chinmoy met with Governor Hernandez Colon during the day and in the evening Sri Chinmoy conducted the first “Sri Chinmoy Sangit” at La Casa Blanca. All music performed by the musicians was written by Sri Chinmoy. Music students of Rio Piedras Heights High School competed against each other to be chosen the group to play Sri Chinmoy’s music best. The winners received trophies from Sri Chinmoy. At the end of the concert Sri Chinmoy played on the esraj and received a standing ovation.

26th October: Sri Chinmoy was greeted in Ponce, Puerto Rico, by Mayor Luis Antonio Morales and his wife. Sri Chinmoy planted “The Meditation Tree” in Belgica Park, a park dedicated to educators, where Mayor Morales welcomed him and read out the following Proclamation:

Mayor Morales: I would like to take advantage of this occasion to welcome the Master for the second time during my period of incumbency as Mayor. And once again I have the privilege of declaring him distinguished guest of honour in our city, especially at this symbolic event planting the Tree of Meditation in our Park of Belgica which is dedicated to the Puerto Rican teacher and where we hope that under the shadow of this tree new ideas and new hopes will flourish for our city. Our resolution, the seventeenth resolution of this year, says:

Today, October 26, 1976, Master Chinmoy Kumar Ghose will visit our city of Ponce to plant the Tree of Meditation here at the Park of Belgica so that it may be as a live symbol of the ascending human aspiration and so that it may inspire all those who see it grow and that they may find refuge under its shadow.

WHEREAS: Our distinguished visitor is the most respected authority in the world of Yoga and Hindu philosophy;

WHEREAS: He is the Director of the United Nations Meditation Group and Mentor to an international spiritual organization which was founded in our country, Puerto Rico in 1966;

WHEREAS: A poet, writer, dramatist and, above all, spiritual Master, his message is universal and his disciples come from all religions, cultures and races;

THEREFORE: I, Luis Antonio Morales, Mayor of Ponce, on behalf of the authority granted me by the Law, hereby declare him Guest of Honour of the Pearl of the South and admonish all the citizens to offer him the honours and respect worthy of a great spiritual Master.

In testimony of which this official resolution is issued.

I stamp my signature underneath the Great Official Stamp of our City, today, October 26, 1976.

Signed by the colleague Secretary of the Municipal Government, Mr. Cruz Ortolaza and this servitor, Luis Antonio Morales, Mayor of Ponce.

I declare you our distinguished guest again, Master.

Sri Chinmoy: Dear Mayor, dear friend, dear brother, to your heart’s magnanimity I wish to say a few words and whatever I say will be equally applied to your wife, your better half. Again and again I wish to offer you my heart’s gratitude. You have just declared me today distinguished guest of honour but I wish to say, that to me this is a day of Sri Chinmoy’s gratitude. Each day has millions, billions and trillions — countless flames of light. My soul is a flame, one of the flames out of these millions, billions, trillions, countless flames. My soul’s flame I wish to offer to you and to each citizen of Ponce. It is a gratitude day that I am observing in the inmost recesses of my heart and this gratitude day I am offering soulfully to your heart’s magnanimity, dear Mayor. We have just planted a tree. The tree symbolises aspiration. Aspiration means self-giving — constant, unreserved and unconditional self-giving. You, as the Mayor of this place, are the true symbol of aspiration. You are all dedication to each citizen of Ponce, nay, to each member of Puerto Rico. To them we dedicate our body, vital, mind, heart and soul, unreservedly and unconditionally as the tree does. Right from the root to the topmost branch with its countless leaves, then flowers and fruits; all are ready for dedication. Similarly, you and I and all of us present have millions and billions of thoughts inside our mind, inside our existence. So each thought can be dedicated, must be dedicated, to the service of mankind. Your dedication to Ponce, not only to Ponce but to all the Puerto Ricans is most exemplary. Four years ago, I happened to be here. Again it was your heart’s love, joy and concern for the aspiration that I embody that made me see you at your distinguished office. Today again you are offering me a signal honour by planting this tree and declaring me guest of honour.

My students and my aspiring consciousness are all one hope, one will, one determination, one aspiration. We pray to the Absolute Supreme for your re-election which will take place on the 2nd of November. Our soulful prayer without fail will be due, dear Mayor, dear friend and brother, for your re-election is the re-election not of a human being but of a dedicated, devoted, loving and concerned son of Puerto Rico. You, as a most exemplary, dedicated son of Puerto Rico will once more be of service to the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.

That evening Sri Chinmoy conducted a public meditation and esraj concert at the Ponce Museum of Art.

27th October: The Mayor of Caguas declared this day “Sri Chinmoy Day” in the municipality of Caguas. Following is the proclamation he presented to Sri Chinmoy:

Proclama del alcalde de Caguas, Puerto Rico

THIS IS TO OFFICIALLY PROCLAIM THIS 27th DAY OF OCTOBER, 1976 AS SRI CHINMOY DAY IN THE CITY OF CAGUAS, PUERTO RICO.

WHEREAS: SRI CHINMOY is the central figure behind a profoundly spiritual and creative movement throughout the world and whose direct Realization of God has been manifested in and through his unending services to humanity,

WHEREAS: Through meditation, the Master is constantly invoking the highest Peace, Light and Joy into the world which he has expressed in the outstanding accomplishments in the fields of art and literature, proven to be of a deeply inspiring and instructive nature to man's spiritual search;

WHEREAS: His example and teachings based on his inner vision of the Divine and unlimited potential within every human being, and his spiritual work of drawing this to the fore in others, has brought a new life of dynamic service and growing inner satisfaction to countless individuals;

WHEREAS: Being Director of the United Nations Meditation Group, Sri Chinmoy has displayed his outstanding capacity in guiding and inspiring those in the highest ranks of world power to strive for peace and universal brotherhood;

WHEREAS: Sri Chinmoy came to Puerto Rico in 1966 where he established his first Center for meditation and has since constantly brought the fruits of his unending accomplishments and services to the people of Puerto Rico,thereby being an invaluable aid to their spiritual progress;

WHEREAS: SRI CHINMOY, who has rendered such unparalleled selfless spiritual service to uplift the consciousness of the people of Puerto Rico, is deserving of our highest recognition, respect and gratitude;

NOW THEREFORE:

I, ANGEL O. BERRIOS, Mayor of the City of Caguas, pursuant to the provisions of the law and faculty vested upon me, do hereby declare this 27th day of October, 1976, as SRI CHINMOY DAY in the City of Caguas,

HON. ANGEL O. BERRIOS
MAYOR, CITY OF CAGUAS,
PUERTO RICO

In the evening a public meditation was held but all could not be accomodated.

28th October: Sri Chinmoy visited with the Honourable Juan Cansel Rios, President of the Senate of Puerto Rico.

29th October: Sri Chinmoy gave a concert at the Puerto Rican Music Conservatory. The concert was attended by music teachers and students and Sri Chinmoy was introduced to the audience by Ms. Vanessa Vassallo, President of the Music Professors Association of Puerto Rico. Sri Chinmoy answered numerous questions from the audience concerning both music and the spiritual life.