An all-German day¹

I was walking around Jamaica High School. All of a sudden, out of the blue, a soul came to me for blessings. I blessed the soul so happily. Then I said, “Today I am going to invite him to my place to eat.”

Not even three seconds later, a runner came around the corner near Thomas Edison High School and ran towards me. The distance was about 200 metres, but I saw immediately that it was the same person: Aviram.

This is an all-German day. Before that, when I was making a right turn, I saw a German lady, Rose.

The soul and the body²

I always say that if someone’s soul comes to me, I invariably see the person a few seconds later. This time it was at least seven minutes. The incident happened three days ago, early in the morning.

At least seven minutes before I saw her, Vijaya’s soul came to me and I blessed her. It was at my 1500-metre mark. Then when I had gone another 800 metres, I saw Vijaya running. I said, “I never thought she would run at this hour by herself.” On other days, I have seen Nilima with her. But on that day she was alone.

No matter which way I go, Sulochana is available, either here or there. Usually, I do not draw attention from people. But in her case, she runs looking down. So I have to scream and draw her attention. She is in another world.

My sympathetic friend³

An elderly man who is very tall often sees me at my 800-metre mark. He is usually accompanied by his small dog. Whenever this gentleman sees me, he has to greet me. A few days ago, he said with such sympathy, “When are you going to start running again?”

I was walking, but for years and years he has seen me running. He was not joking. He feels genuinely sad that I cannot run. So I gave him a very grateful smile.

A warning from Dipali's soul⁴

I was at my 1400-metre mark. Dipali’s soul came to me. Her soul was telling me, warning me, that she has to reduce her mileage and also be more careful with regard to her running — careful is the right word.

I said, “All right, I shall tell her.” My eyes were half-closed. Then, three or four seconds later, I saw one girl with folded hands. I was on the pavement walking and she was in the street. I said, “Who is this?” I opened my eyes wide and I saw Dipali. First I saw Dipali and then I saw Snigdha. Snigdha and I greeted each other.

Every day I take an oath that I will not look at anybody; I will only remain in my highest meditation. Then, as soon as I go out, I see someone this side and someone else that side. They are expecting my greetings.

Hawaii anecdotes⁵

At 1:30 a.m. on the first day in Hawaii, I went out walking in Honolulu. A young man came up to me. He said, “Sir, Sir, what are you doing at this hour?” He wanted to know why I was moving around at this ungodly hour. I was meditating, so I just smiled at him. Then he continued, “It is not safe.” Again I smiled at him. Once more he said, “This is not safe. Please!” He was worried about me.

The second day I went out a little after two o’clock in the morning. I was walking and meditating as usual. Ahead of me I saw a tall man who was drinking. I passed by him and did not pay any attention to him. Then he came chasing me. He said, “Why are you afraid of me? Why are you running away? I am only drinking Diet Coke.” Then he showed me his paper cup. He said, “You do not have to be afraid of me. I am not drinking liquor. I am taking Diet Coke.”

I was walking fast, but he thought that I was afraid of him. This is how people catch me when I go out early in the morning.

The third day I went out at 1:30 a.m. One man came up to me and said, “Can you tell me the time?”

I replied, “It is a quarter to two.” He went on his way and then, a few minutes later, he came back.

“How do you know?” he asked.

I said, “I know that I came out of my apartment at 1:30. Now I have walked for fifteen minutes.”

Then the man took his watch out of his pocket and checked the time. He said, “Right!”

If he had a watch, why did he challenge me? But he did not want to take the trouble to look at it.

Every morning some experience I get when I walk. For three mornings I saw Vijali’s soul eight or ten metres ahead of me. Three days her soul was there facing me and each day I blessed her. Many years ago, when I used to walk along the canal at four or five o’clock in the morning, she used to be there.

Yesterday I went out at 12:45 a.m. I was having a very high meditation while I was walking. All of a sudden I saw the soul of an ex-disciple. The soul was asking for a blessing. I blessed the soul and went on my way. After some time an idea came to me: perhaps it is this person’s birthday. Later that day I asked somebody to check and it was true. Then I discovered that it was also Rijuta’s birthday. Rijuta’s soul did not come at that time. After four or five hours, her soul came.

A near collision⁶

This morning at 7:35 I went out for a walk. When I was coming back, I was reaching my 1200-metre mark when I saw one girl running towards me very fast. She was running at least a seven-minute pace and taking long strides. I saw that we were almost going to have a collision. So I stopped and waved at her. Then I moved my left shoulder away from her path. My left shoulder escaped by an inch or two. She acted as if she did not see me, but I knew that she was only showing off. She ran on and did not stop.

When I was on 150th Street, I saw another disciple on my side of the pavement coming towards me. She immediately stopped and entered into the street with folded hands to allow me to pass.

Then, when I was very near my house, I saw a third one. It was Dipali. She stopped and put her hands on her heart chakra.

Pragati catches my hat⁷

Yesterday I was walking and it was so hot. I took off my hat as I was walking. As soon as Pragati saw me, she ran into the street and I threw my hat to her. I thought she would miss it and have to pick it up, but she was able to catch it.

Taking pictures at the marathon⁸

At the New York City Marathon I was taking pictures of the disciples as they went by. Everybody was deaf, specially at the finish line. Sometimes I shouted their names three times, but they did not hear me.

After fifteen miles, Saroja and Sulochana were crying and dying. Then they got a second wind. Some people become miserable at the end of each mile, but Saroja and Sulochana were becoming happy.

At the finish line⁹

After a marathon, almost everybody is happy. Only those who were fighting against time are miserable. But thousands and thousands of runners come only to finish. They come only to complete the race.

One fellow was dancing and jumping at the finish line. Another man was running back and forth at the end.

Sujata’s strides are so short, but she finished in 4:30 or so. Whoever thought that seven or eight of my Japanese disciples would come to run the New York Marathon?

Offering prasad to the runners¹⁰

I wanted to buy Tootsie Rolls to give to the runners, so Ranjana went into two or three stores and found them. She also bought doughnuts and so many disciples took from her a half or a quarter.

My vision¹¹

In the New York Marathon, the first mile is horrible for everybody. Then, from the second mile, the lead runners go really fast.

This year Steve Jones ran 2:08:23, but Salazar’s record is still 13 seconds better.

Somebody has to come from Africa and break the record. Under two hours — I envision it. Somebody will run under two hours.

Determined to do well¹²

Gary Fanelli was running very seriously in the second batch of lead runners. This time he was not joking or fooling around. I called his name, “Gary, Gary!” but he did not hear me.

In Harlem the spectators were telling the runners, “Everybody is a winner.”

Insults from the wives¹³

When I ran the New York Marathon some years ago, I noticed that in the beginning, on the hill, the runners enjoy talking. All ridiculous things they tell each other. But most of them have the same story: their wives are laughing at them or their wives have predicted that they will not be able to finish the race.

An enthusiastic spectator¹⁴

I do not have speed, I do not have stamina, I do not have the determination to run, but I do have the eagerness to watch the marathon. I like it so much. Everybody is like a beautiful flower. While they are crying, we smile. While they are smiling, we cry. If somebody is crying, in order to cheer the person, we smile. If they are smiling, we say, “We know that you are crying inside.” We identify with their smiles and with their tears.

Life is the same¹⁵

The other day I went out to run at a quarter to four in the morning. I could not believe so many shops were open at that hour here in Bangkok.

Everywhere life is the same. On 150th Street there is construction and here it is the same story. Wherever I tried to run, there was construction.

A change of mind¹⁶

This morning, I went out to run. As I was leaving the hotel, Adhiratha’s soul came to me. Then just as I turned the corner, I immediately saw him standing there, looking at his watch. He was all ready to start running. He did not see me.

For some reason I changed my mind and went back into the hotel. Adhiratha also changed his mind and went back into the hotel. When he entered the lobby, at that time he saw me.

Ready for the ambulance¹⁷

This morning, when I was out running, I heard the siren of an ambulance. It was coming nearer and nearer. I decided to go up onto the footpath. An old Chinese man was nearby. I have seen him many times. He said to me, “I thought the ambulance was for you!”

“I am ready,” I told him.

He was joking about the way I was running. He used to see me running before I injured my leg. Now I go very slowly.

Experiences at the gym¹⁸

Let me tell you an amusing story with regard to my age. Perhaps most of you know that I go to a gym to take exercise, specially for my running, my sprinting. This gym has a smaller than the smallest running track. If you complete four corners, then it becomes one hundred metres.

Anyway, I run that course thirty-two times, so it makes practically two miles. The track is on the third floor and on the second floor there are all kinds of machines, heavy-duty machines, where people can take exercise.

This morning I did my running to my satisfaction and then I came down to the second floor. A middle-aged woman came up to me and said, “Sir, Sir, is it true that you are eighty-one years old?” I think from the second floor she had seen me running.

I said, “I am only fifty-eight.”

“But these people are saying that you are eighty-one,” she replied. “Even then, you look so smart, so trim. You look very strong. Please tell me what you eat.”

I said, “I am a vegetarian, a strict vegetarian.”

“But what do you eat?”

“I take tomato, potato and so on,” I explained.

“That is what you eat?” she said. She simply could not believe it.

Databir had taken me to the gym and I was trying to draw his attention, but he was in trance. He has two eyes and one pair of glasses, so four eyes plus his third eye makes five and still he could not see me.

Finally, he came up to me to tell me that he was going to the car to get a press release to show one man who was taking exercise. He said, “I am going to get material for him. I spoke with him a few days ago. He is so nice. He had the same tennis coach as you did.”

This world is so small! This man’s tennis coach was Ronnie, the same one who was my tennis coach. Two weeks ago, the man saw me running and he could not believe that I had so much speed and energy.

When Databir came back, I said to him, “Before you show it to that man, I want you to show it to this lady.” So Databir showed the lady the press release and also my picture. She was very pleased. She said to Databir, “I see an aura on his skin.” She has started meditating, so one day perhaps she will come to meditate with us.

Databir's super-trance¹⁹

Databir is wonderful! He was absolutely sure that the man he saw working out was the same man with whom we spoke a few days ago, whose tennis coach is Ronnie, my coach. So he went to him with the press release and other material. But the man could not recognise Databir. He said, “I am not the right person.”

Then Databir was insisting that he was the person! Can you imagine? The funniest thing was that that man knew nothing about us.

I said, “Let me go and see him for myself.” I walked about twenty metres so that I could see the man properly and I discovered that it was a totally different person! His hair was different, the structure of the face, everything was different.

Today Databir was really in trance, super-trance!

Embarrassed by his tears²⁰

About a week ago, I was running along the track at Harbor View Gym. Another gentleman was also running. He was twice as big as me. He was running very slowly, but he saw something in me. When he stopped running, he started talking and talking to Databir. He told Databir that he deals with retarded children. He feels he is taking their karma. A while ago he had a mental breakdown. Now he has just started taking a meditation course.

Databir said to him, “Here is a meditation teacher.” Then Databir invited him to come that evening to our Wednesday night meditation. He came and brought his wife and I gave him a flower. Then he came to our New Year’s Meditation in Manhattan. As soon as he heard me playing my esraj, something happened. He started crying and crying and crying. He was so embarrassed. Right after the esraj, he left. His wife wanted to stay, but he said, “No, I am embarrassed. How can I cry in front of so many people?”

Look at his interpretation! His soul came to the fore and was offering gratitude to the Supreme because he was getting such light, such peace, from Above. But he thought it was unmanly to cry, so he disappeared.

Today he was here at the gym. He said to me, “Sir, how are you?” I smiled at him. Then, for forty-five minutes, he and Databir enjoyed a marathon conversation. I told Databir to tell him that his soul was deeply moved and that is why he cried.

Advice from a Mr. Universe²¹

There is an instructor at the gym who happens to be a Mr. Universe. He is very, very kind to me. Alas, now he has come to realise that I am the worst possible student. On his own, for a few days, he tried to come to me when I was working out, telling me that the exercises I was taking were all wrong, wrong, wrong. My position was wrong, my form was wrong and so forth. He wanted to correct my exercises on his own. He is such a nice man, but I am a hopeless case! I continued doing everything in my own way. He greets me now, but he does not come and advise me when I am taking exercise.

One day Databir showed him the picture where I lifted up the police officer who won the bodybuilding contest “New York’s Finest.” So he said to me, “We bodybuilders work so hard, so hard, to develop strength and muscle. But you do not work hard.”

I said, “I do work hard.”

“No, no,” he answered. “You do not stay here, inside the body. You stay a few inches above your head. We stay inside the body, but you stay right over it, a few inches above. That is why it is possible for you to lift such heavy weights. Otherwise, if you lived inside the body, you would not be able to do this kind of thing.”

A good vibration in the gym²²

One day Rupantar took me to the gym. Somehow the owner of the place had come to learn that I am well-known. He came to greet me and then he talked and talked with Rupantar. Rupantar gave him our philosophy. The gym has a bulletin about all their activities, so he wanted my resume. They are going to put it in their magazine.

I must say, the staff are very, very nice there. I have been to quite a few gyms, specially in New York. Sometimes it is very difficult for me to breathe when I go inside. As soon as I get there, I suffer so much from the atmosphere, the vibration. But here the place is neat and clean, and the people are very good. I am very happy to be a member of that gymnasium. It is Harbor View.

"God is always with you"²³

This morning I was walking in front of my house. A police car stopped right at the corner and honked. I said to myself, “I am doing nothing wrong; I am only walking.”

When I came near the car, I stopped. The policeman said to me, “Good morning, good morning!”

I responded, “Good morning, good morning!” Then he opened his door and came out of the car. He said to me, “Sri Chinmoy, God is always with you.”

I said, “So is He always with you as well!”

He said, “No, no. God is always with you.” He was not saying “God bless you,” or anything, but “God is always with you.”

Then he said, “You have made my day,” and he went back into his car. This is a policeman whom I have never met before. He was so nice.

An announcement²⁴

I have a piece of good news: today Sri Chinmoy jogged a little. Fourteen years ago today, in Connecticut, I did my best performance for two miles: 13:42. Fifteen years ago I did my best seven-mile performance: 51:18. So, for me, the past is not dust; the past is gold, gold, gold!

The alert driver²⁵

Near my house, I saw a boy coming along the street towards me on roller-skates. He was moving very restlessly. He was going forwards, but all of a sudden, what happened? He started skating backwards.

There was a car just three metres behind him. The driver was a Chinese lady. What could she do? There was only a three-metre gap, but she stopped her car immediately. How alert she was! Otherwise, this boy would have gone to God.

I was about twenty metres away, so I saw everything. If anything had happened to the boy, it would not have been the driver’s fault at all. Fortunately, she stopped in time. This is how careless children can be.

Pure joy²⁶

For the last few days I have been running. After a long time I have started again. It is pure joy! Today Databir and the guards gave me a cake to celebrate the start of my long-distance running in June 1, 1978. When I think of my long-distance running, I remember only cramps, cramps, cramps. When you have cramps, your life-breath disappears. When I run a short distance, I do not have a problem with cramps.

My progress report²⁷

I would like to show you a video of my recent running performances. This is specially for those who belong to my Inspiration Club and who encourage me every week to continue. This is my progress report. I may not run fast, but I am very devotedly and diligently practising. I practise whenever my legs permit me. I have done 400 metres in 1:34.53. When I come back from the Christmas holiday, I hope I can make some progress.

Turned away at the door²⁸

Today I was thinking of one unfortunate experience I had in Fort Lauderdale many years ago. One night I had run quite a few miles and I became very hungry. Luckily I had money with me, so I stopped at a restaurant. Because I was wearing running shorts, they would not allow me to enter. So I decided to try another restaurant. Again, the same story: my clothing was not suitable. They told me to go home and change. Then I tried another restaurant and again I was turned away. I was so hungry. By then it was only a matter of half a mile to go home and change and come back, but I did not do it. My pride was hurt.

Taking my guards with me²⁹

This morning I took my tennis court guards to guard me while I was running. I was walking and running. The Mother Earth felt how happy I was! I saw one elderly gentleman running. He was wearing a headband. My guards were watching me with such compassion and he was observing everything. He came up to me and said, “It is so nice of you to take care of so many young men!”

Pulak's pictures³⁰

This morning I ran three miles. Pulak drove me to the course. The scenery was very good and the place was very beautiful. I like that course so much, but today there were so many people playing this game and that game.

Pulak took millions of pictures. He would go ahead of me and take pictures. Sometimes he would be down on the ground as I ran past. But then nothing came out and I felt very sorry for him.

Unexpected applause³¹

Today when I was running, one non-disciple saw me and he started clapping and clapping. He is older than I am, but I do not know who he is. Perhaps he also does not know who I am. Yesterday I saw many disciples, but today I saw only this older man.

Followed by fans³²

Today, when I came back from the UN, I went for a walk. On the way, I saw two young girls who were very tall, very thin. They were about to cross the road in front of me, but then they felt shy and they waited for me to go by.

As I was passing them, one of them said, “You are very strong. Is your name Sri Chinmoy?”

I said, “My name is Sri Chinmoy.”

Then they asked, “Where do you live? Do you live around here?”

I replied, “I live near 150th Street.”

Both of them were very, very nice. Instead of walking to their destination, they followed me for some time, staying about thirty or forty metres behind me. Then they came very close and said, “Bye!”

Abedan's cycling speed³³

After seeing those two girls, I continued walking and walking. As I was returning, I saw somebody cycling very fast. I said, “Who is cycling so fast?”

All of a sudden, he made a left turn and I saw that it was our great Abedan. Then he bowed to me. He was wearing a yellow helmet and a yellow uniform. At that hour our Abedan was riding a bicycle very fast.

This evening we watched an Olympic cycle race. Abedan should have joined! One cyclist was going ahead of all the others. I felt sure he was going to win. Then, at the last moment, somebody came and overtook him.

Cycling is great fun if you watch it, but not if you cycle! If you cycle, you get cramps. Then you cry! I will never forget how many times I got cramps when we joined the 24-Hour Bike Race in Central Park. I still remember my worst cramp. The pain was excruciating. The muscles were all coming out of the body. Arpan came to me as my saviour. He saved my life by massaging me.

I also had the same experience when I used to run marathons. I have long forgotten that I did twenty-two marathons, but I will never, never forget the cramps that I got. The cramps during my marathons will remain immortal, but the marathons themselves I have forgotten. How much I suffered!

The runaway car³⁴

Yesterday in the morning, when I went walking, I saw Sumadhur crossing the street. He was going towards Agni Press. Then I walked a few blocks to Hoover Avenue. Yesterday I did not even know the name of the street, but today I looked for the street sign.

I was just a few metres from the end of the street. I did not cross the street; I was on the pavement, walking nicely. In front of me, a car was coming towards Parsons Boulevard. When it was about thirty metres from me, all of a sudden, both tyres on the right side gave way. The driver was panicking because he could not control his steering wheel. He was unable to drive the car straight and the car went up onto the pavement. There it did not stop. It was coming directly towards me. O God, what was I going to do?

I was so lucky that I was almost at the end of the street. Immediately I turned left and the car did not turn right. It went straight. After forty or fifty metres, the car stopped. The driver got out of the car and he was shaking all over.

What an experience I had yesterday! They say the sidewalk is safe, but no-where is safe. At any place, something can happen. Yesterday’s incident happened in a matter of a few seconds.

My smile saves me³⁵

Yesterday afternoon I went for another walk. I saw an elderly lady. She looked very, very nice and dignified. She said to me, “Good afternoon, Sir!”

Poor me, nothing came out of my mouth because I was in my high meditation. I tried to say, “Good afternoon,” but nothing came out. I only smiled. Luckily, my smile saves me.

The irate pedestrian³⁶

This morning one lady got a little bit mad at me. She wanted to know the time, but instead of asking me, she was just pointing to her left wrist. I did not understand what she wanted. She was just pointing and pointing. What could I do? Then she got annoyed. I did not know why she was angry. Then afterwards, when I walked away, I realised what she meant. She did not have a watch. I also was not wearing a watch.

This happened when I came to the Grand Central Parkway Service Road and crossed Parsons Boulevard. She was standing on the corner waiting for a car or something. She was pointing to her wrist, but I did not understand what she was asking. I have such funny, funny experiences when I go out.

Encouragement from a runner³⁷

This morning I walked three miles. The temperature was only 38 degrees! I made a right turn on the Grand Central Service Road and went a mile and a half. When I had come back about 600 metres, I saw a tall, thin, black runner taking very long strides. She said to me, “Okay, Sri Chinmoy!”

She was offering me her genuine encouragement.

"Salaam, God-man"³⁸

Then I walked another 400 metres, and a small, red car stopped. I was on the pavement, so there was no problem. A tall, stout man came out of the back seat of the car and said to me very respectfully, “Salaam, God-man.”

Immediately I knew that he was Muslim. A young man was driving and the stout man was sitting in the back. I smiled at him and he entered into the car again and they drove away.

Blessing disciples³⁹

Finally, I reached 150th Street. There I saw Carolina on the other side. This is the third day that I have seen her this week.

At my 200-metre mark I saw Chetana standing on the other side in a yellow jacket. She was standing there for her birthday, so I looked at her. I was in a very, very, very high consciousness, so I was not able to say hello to her. Inwardly I blessed her profusely.

A few days ago, I saw Nilima on 150th Street also. She has her own peculiar style.

Seeking a promotion⁴⁰

Yesterday, on my sister’s birthday, I started jogging again after one month’s vacation. Today also I was able to jog. Soon I am hoping to get a promotion and start sprinting. This is all due to the prayers of my disciples.

Greetings from Coach Hurt⁴¹

I was walking at St. John’s University track. My friend Coach Hurt saw me and said, “Sri, Sri!” Again he said, “Sri, Sri!” Then he added, “You look fit!”

He was ten metres away from me. Three times he said hello to me. He was coaching two groups of girl sprinters. How fast they were running! He had a long bamboo stick and he was using it to illustrate what exercise they should do.

Then I walked on the track for about two miles.

Appreciating the marathon runners⁴²

All those who ran today’s New York City Marathon, please come and announce your times, from first to last. Only for the first person we will clap, and for the last person we will clap — the first person for their speed and the last person for their patience. In between, we will clap in silence; otherwise, it will take a very long time.

The message of the t-shirt⁴³

During today’s marathon, Pulak wanted to give up. His T-shirt said, “Never give up!” An Indian man who was also running saw his shirt and advised him, “Do not give up!” Then he and Pulak finished the race together, talking philosophy for hours and hours.

"You carry me through"⁴⁴

During the marathon, I was cheering the runners at different places on the course. One man came up to me, grabbed my hand and said, “Sri Chinmoy, every time I run a long distance, I think of you and you carry me through!”

And he was not a disciple.

Flute-inspiration⁴⁵

During the marathon, when I was at our 19-mile aid station, I was deeply admiring Upasana. How long she was playing the flute — and playing such high notes! She was going on and going on, playing so beautifully and powerfully.

Two middle-aged men who were running the marathon were so excited and delighted with her flute playing. They stopped running and started dancing in front of her instead!

My gratitude and pride⁴⁶

Those who have run the marathon deserve my most sincere appreciation, admiration and adoration. This sincere appreciation, admiration and adoration I also offer to those who helped in any capacity and specially, most specially, to Sanyogita the Great and, needless to say, to Rupantar, Bipin, Sahishnu, Sandhani and others. If I have forgotten any name, please forgive me. Rupantar and his assistants in the marathon deserve my most sincere, most sincere gratitude and gratitude and pride and pride.

Our Marathon Team has become well known on the strength of your love for me and your oneness, oneness, oneness with my soul, my heart and my life.

Proud to be an American⁴⁷

Many of you were there on Saturday morning when I opened the “International Friendship Run” at the United Nations with a moment of silence. There were 12,000 runners! Before the ceremony, I was talking to the world record-holder in the marathon, Khalid Khannouchi. He and his wife, Sandra, came to Annam Brahma a few months ago and we sang a song in his honour. He is originally from Morocco. He was applying to become an American citizen.

This time he himself told me that he is so proud to be an American. We took a nice picture together. He is now also the American record-holder in the marathon.