The windy marathon¹²

The Western world always says that there is only one saviour and that is Jesus Christ. But I say that he is not the only saviour; there are many more saviours. Today I can prove that there are indeed many saviours; all my spiritual children are my saviours. Had you not been there, after two miles I would have saluted the race. As a bad carpenter finds faults with his tools, today — like a bad runner — I found fault with the wind. During the first six miles, before the disciples came to help me, you have no idea how hard it was. How I suffered! After two miles I had no strength left in my chest, arms or legs. Usually I have strength everywhere, but it was as if I were being pressed against a wall. After four or five miles, who could maintain his will power? It was like climbing up the Himalayas. There was so much obstruction that all joy, inspiration and aspiration went away. What remained was powerful disappointment, if you use a civilised word. The uncivilised word would be a curse. After two miles I was only looking around for the car, because the wind was so powerfully pushing me back.

I am so grateful when everybody began running with me, trying to block the wind. But actually, when it was a matter of relief, it helped very little. Today there was no relief.

The wind came from the front, the side and the top like a solid wall and weakened the runner. You people should have used your occult power to stop the wind. The Toledo marathon is nice. If there is a strong wind, they reverse the course so the runners don’t have to run against the wind. Here they don’t do that.

I was enjoying the way that one disciple would say one thing and another would inevitably and invariably contradict him. It wasn’t that they were fighting. If one told the disciples running with me, “Go slowly!” then one second later another would say, “Go fast.” For me, to go fast or to go slow was all the same; I was dying.

Those of you who sang the running songs along the route were so kind to me. You have also helped me so much. All those who have run with me and who have sung along the way, all those who have encouraged me in any capacity, please feel my gratitude-heart. I have finished the marathon because of you; otherwise, I could never, never have finished. It was self-imposed torture from beginning to end. Today, the best timing was 2:39; last year I think it was 2:27. So look at how bad the wind was! The second-best timing was 2:44.

Usually I select people — my running crew and a few others — to run with me. I tell the head of my running crew beforehand who the people are and he informs them at which mark they should join me. But today I told him that all the boys could join.

The organiser of the race was very nice. He gave me a special certificate and the mayor has also given me a proclamation. The organiser knew about us through the Montreal Centre. He has also heard about the Meditation Group that we have in Plattsburgh. Plattsburgh is so peaceful, soulful and beautiful. I have been admiring it since yesterday and appreciating the sincerity of the place.