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photo in current page, Menaka.

Ashrita, who is the holder of 163 current Guinness World Records, explained the choice of this record:

“We choose an incense stick to express our gratitude to our meditation teacher Sri Chinmoy, who would have been 82 on August 27th. He showed us a way to find inner peace and tranquility in a world of turmoil and stress.”

It took thirteen days to build the stick and incense holder; the team included 20 people, among them an engineer and incense expert Nikhil Divekar from Panaji (Goa) in India. The incense was Nag Champa fragrance and had to be put on in several layers to give it enough time to dry.

As a teenager Furman got inspired by Sri Chinmoy's philosophy of self-transcendence. Indian born Sri Chinmoy also set many records, such as writing 1,301 poems in 24 hours and composing 21,000 songs during his lifetime. Furman attributes his success at breaking records to meditation, which he has practiced daily for over 30 years. Meditation helps him keep his childlike spirit as well as his mental and physical power which is needed to continuously set world records. Ashrita started setting Guinness World Records 34 years ago and hasn't stopped yet. “Going beyond your every day capacity is such a fulfilling feeling. The day I break a record I’m just happy the whole day,” he says. “I'm trying to show others that our human capacity is unlimited, if we can truly believe in ourselves,”

The Guinness World Records book is published in more than 100 countries and in 37 languages and is one of the highest-selling books. More than 120 million copies were sold worldwide since its’ first publication in 1955.

photos: Apaguha

• Ashrita.com
• Report on World's largest incense stick by Utpal.

"Here we are talking about peace, yet through talking we do not achieve peace. Let us rather enjoy a minute's pure silence to embrace peace, to imagine inside our hearts that perfect world where love, joy and oneness reign supreme... [one minute of silent meditation followed]

"Everything valuable starts in our hearts and in imagination – world peace is no different. If we can imagine a perfect world, then rest assured, that perfect world is just around the corner.

"Sri Chinmoy used to say that if we look at the moon we can either appreciate, love and claim its beauty, or we can analyse and deplore its spots and imperfections.

"In the world around us, we can find many weaknesses and faults if we look for them. Yet carrying this Torch of hope all the way around this vast continent, we have encountered a world of astonishing beauty, blossoming joy, beaming smiles and wide open hearts. (more on Peace Run closing ceremony)

During the journey around Australia, the Peace Run team visited many schools to give schoolchildren the opportunity to participate in the Peace Run.

• Peace Run Australia

[1] My Christmas-New Year-Vacation Aspiration-Prayers, Part 52, Agni Press (2007) - Source »

Sri Chinmoy felt that music was a universal way to bring peace and hapiness into the world.

In the spiritual world, next to meditation is music, the breath of music. Meditation is silence, energising and fulfilling. Silence is the eloquent expression of the inexpressible. - Sri Chinmoy

A.W. Dänzer at the opening of the “Happiness” Exhibition in Zurich

At the opening of the exhibition there was also a screening of the film “happy” by Roko Belic. The movie takes us on a journey from the swamps of Louisiana to the slums of Kolkata in search of what really makes people happy. Combining real life stories of people from around the world and powerful interviews with the leading scientists in happiness research, the film explores the secrets behind our most valued emotion.

Viewers’ Comments: “Happy is one of those movies that will make you a better person for having seen it! An excellent, thought provoking movie that will grab your attention and your heart. This should be required viewing for everyone… There is a well done piece also about what doesn’t make kid’s happy. A great movie that will warm your heart, stir your soul and hopefully make you think about a practical application in your own life.”

The exhibition will be on display in Zurich until October 17th 2013.

- Kedar Misani

During the ceremony, the Peace Run offered a 'Harmony Torch Bearer Award'  to the Reverend Clifford Reed (a poet, artist, and Unitarian Minister for 36 years.) The 'Harmony Torch Bearer Award' is a recognition for individuals who have selfless offered a positive contribution to their local communities . The Reverend Clifford Reed was honoured, amongst other achievements, for his sterling work in bringing different religions together. He was a founder member and chairman of the Ipswich interfaith movement.  He is also a leading poet, and writer.

The Sri Chinmoy Oneness-Home Peace Run is an international event which seeks to promote peace and harmony across the world. Since its inception in 1987, it has travelled through many countries and given thousands of people the opportunity to participate in offering a wish for world peace.

This year, the British Peace Run, began in Cardiff and travelled across the country through Bristol, Oxford and Cambridge before arriving in Ipswich. The Peace Run started with the Mayor of Cardiff offering a message of goodwill to the other mayors along the way.

"When we are inspired, we try to swim the English Channel. When we are inspired, we go from one country to another country to inspire people and to be inspired by them. I feel that when we inspire humanity, we automatically become good citizens of the world. This is my philosophy." [2]

- Sri Chinmoy

Reporting by: Patanga Cordeiro (Brazil)

• Channel Swimming at Sri Chinmoy Races

[1] Unsourced

[2] Mystic Journey in the Weightlifting World

In every possible way:

'Let us dream together.

The Golden Dawn

Will soon burst forth!'”

“President Mandela's very name

Builds a hope-cathedral

In the heart of despair-flooded humanity.”

Sri Chinmoy -

"I cannot express in words my joy! What you are doing is in the interest of the entire humanity and the world." - Nelson Mandela to Sri Chinmoy, meeting in South Africa, 1996

The above photo shows Sri Chinmoy and Nelson Mandela and his wife, Mama Graca holding the torch of the Sri Chinmoy Oneness-Home Peace Run, which Sri Chinmoy founded in 1987. While holding the torch President Mandela said: "We are with you in upholding peace, which brings solace to many people throughout the world. It doesn't matter what language they speak. I think peace is one of the things that is going to save the world."

In a statement released on his birthday, President Mandela's health is reported to be steadily improving.

The ceremony was joined by members of the Peace Run, and several dignitaries.

With the peace run torch by the Eternal Peace Flame

• Peace Run - report
• Eternal peace flame
• Oslo statue

English Translation:

My infinite consciousness-light Pervades the sky and ether. Today I shall strike and destroy in a twinkling The world’s intense sufferings.

- Sri Chinmoy (Score)

• More photos at Dublin concert

The 8th June 2013, saw the DVD launch of ‘Nuclear Free New Zealand: Auckland the Peace City’, a commemorative video documentary recapturing the highlights of last years high-level dedication of Auckland as a City for Peace. The 2012 ceremony in Auckland’s Aotea Square gathered generations of nuclear-free campaigners, peace organizations, keynote speakers from environmental and civic organizations, and musicians from all over New Zealand in a public outpouring of support for peace and a reliving and affirmation of the David Lange led campaign to establish a nuclear-free nation.

Efforts to forge peace through the Auckland Peace City Declaration received further impetus this week when His Holiness The Dalai Lama signed the Auckland Peace City citation yesterday in the presence of veteran and passionate peace campaigners, as well as Auckland Council representatives.

Sri Chinmoy Centre members were very active in the original ceremony – speeches; the full World Harmony Run team on stage throughout with several flaming torches; our runners in the procession representing the scores of support organizations; and media interviews – and last Saturday’s commemorative video launch had us again meeting up with our many friends from 2012.

The Auckland City for Peace Declaration was first adopted by the Auckland City Council in 2011, recognising its role in the promotion of a culture of peace based on social, economic and environmental justice, tolerance and non-violence.

Hosting last weekend’s event was the Soka Gakkai International (SGI) Buddhist group, with Auckland Mayor Len Brown among the many personalities who met up with our World Harmony Run-attired Centre members. “Auckland was at the forefront of 1985’s nuclear free movement”, he commented, “ and to be declaring ourselves as a City for Peace on the 25th anniversary of that decision is very fitting. “

The Blue Bird café provided refreshments after the video screening, which featured a lengthy, excellent interview with our Sri Chinmoy Centre member Hridayinee Williams. A great interfaith, multi-cultural, oneness-heart gathering of peace-lovers!

• Auckland Peace city

"For us, it's not just a race" said organiser Garga Chamberlain of the Sri Chinmoy Triathlon Club, "It's a chance to introduce beginners to a new and exciting sport, and to the philosophy of Self-Transcendence that Sri Chinmoy put at the heart of all his sporting endeavours. Sri Chinmoy himself came up with the idea of our club putting on triathlon events here in the UK, and that makes it a very special race for us - we see it as a tribute to our club's founder."

The event was blessed with warm, sunny weather (by no means assured in the English summer months!) and was thoroughly enjoyed by the hundred new triathletes who took part. The winner, Joe Gillett, completed the 264m swim, 17k cycle and 4k run in 1 hour and 9 seconds. All 100 entrants successfully completed the course, the last finisher coming over the line in just under 2 hours.

For full race results and a photo gallery of the event:

• Sri Chinmoy Self-transcendence Triathlon

Pranava Gigja, active for the Peace and Harmony Run in Iceland since the beginning, opened the new store supplying a variety of dietary supplements and healthy foods, such as organic chocolate, the Madal Bal syrup for the lemon diet and various organic teas. The place is called "Mother Knows Best - Pure Health" and is open five days a week. In the future, Pranava hopes to include a raw food and salad corner and is actively distributing his products all over Iceland and in other North European countries. One key product is his Magnesium powder, one of the major supplements for a healthy diet.

3100 Mile Race - 30 second intro from Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team on Vimeo.

The race requires an extensive backup support crew for counting - cooking and guarding. The race is also covered by several photographers and videographers.

You can follow all the latest news and blogs from the race by visiting:

• 3100.SriChinmoyraces.org

Other links of note:

• 3100 mile race 2013 at Perfection Journey by Utpal Marshall
• View: 3100 mile Daily results
• Race photo gallery
• Latest blogs

photos: Apran (top). and Prabhakar  / Jowan

The concerts were well received by an appreciative Italian public. The concert halls were close to being packed out at all venues.

Agnikana's group, based mainly in Czech Republic, Slovakia and Central Europe.

Performers at the end of the concert. Sahadeva's orchestra. They peformed the two English songs.

'Perfect happiness is enthusiasm minus expectation' (link)

'Brave were the days'

• More photos and information at Songs of the Soul

Pradhan: The book is a culmination of different talks I have offered to seekers on different aspects of the spiritual life as I have understood them from my spiritual Teacher Sri Chinmoy. I wanted to present these in an organized and accessible way. It can serve as a step-by-step guidebook for a seeker who wants to learn and understand meditation, but can also serve a guide for someone who wants to offer meditation classes themselves.

Pradhan: The key to meditation is appropriate aspiration. This is our hunger for something higher. And so I begin by simply asking the reader to consider what really gives their life meaning. If they could “paint themselves perfectly”, how would they choose to be? I have asked this question to literally thousands of seekers and it is quite revealing that the answers are always this incredible list of inner qualities: being more peaceful, self-giving, forgiving, loving, etc. Believe it or not, only once or twice has someone answered “outer success”. This question and the collective answers forms the framework for the remainder of the book.

Pradhan: When teaching meditation, there are 2 aspects to a class: an outer aspect, that is, the content but an even more important inner aspect. For example, someone can give a very polished class, well organized, thought out but if there is no inner conviction then the class has no inner authority. On the other hand, a class can be all devotion but somewhat devoid of outer content. I think this has merit as well because students will feel the devotion of the teacher. If you have both, then that is the best.

As a teacher, I think its very important to practice what is called “empathic listening.” When a question is asked, really listen. This is something I had to learn as well. Most people formulate an answer to a question even before the question is fully asked! Better to wait, give full attention to the asker, and let the question percolate a little inwardly before offering an answer!

Pradhan: Giving classes has played a major role in my spiritual life. Being constantly placed in front of new and fresh aspiration is such a benefit. When you give a class, you are compelled to be in a good consciousness because you are speaking on behalf of the soul/aspiration of the seeker. For me, the moment I step in front of a group, I feel the necessity of representing Guru (Sri Chinmoy), and it compels me to be in a better consciousness. I ALWAYS have wonderful meditations in classes, and this is an experience that many other teachers have had as well.

Pradhan: It helped to solidify my own inner experience. Like a spiritual diary, writing can renew your own inner experiences. Even if you don’t plan to teach a class, I encourage everyone to write down their spiritual experiences. You can then always go back to it for inspiration.

Pradhan: With my own Teacher Sri Chinmoy, I received the most wonderful blessings on every end of the spiritual life spectrum. On the one hand, I can always invoke the feeling of sitting with Guru, and he would just place his foot on my lap. As I sit here recollecting that, I get inwardly choked up. How did I get that role? On the other end of the spectrum, this outer closeness also came with a special kind of blessing: Guru’s scoldings! I was fortunate to have a close outer relationship with Guru. Scolding compelled me to look within, deeper, longer and more profoundly than anything else. Nothing compelled me to change more than one of these special blessings.

Guru was living embodiment of his teachings and transcendence was the corner-stone of these teachings. Guru was a driving force and always encouraging us out of our comfort zones into something bigger, requiring greater capacity. Guru would push you into transcendence. Complacency wasn't acceptable. (In Pradhan’s other book,- 'At The Feet of My Master'  there is an entire chapter dedicated to his scoldings. Sri Chinmoy affectionately told Pradhan that this was his favorite chapter!)

• A Twenty-First Century Seeker by Pradhan Balter at Amazon.com
• Also, you can contact Pradhan directly, if you wish to buy more than 6 copies.

• Interview with Pradhan Balter at Sri Chinmoy TV

In recent years the trail has become a popular one-day challenge, with trail runners competing for fastest times. In April, 2013 Vajin Armstrong completed the fastest ever unsupported solo run in 8 hrs 47 minutes. Fellow SCMT runner Nelson Myers-Daly, a 20 year old Aucklander, set the third fastest time just weeks ago with a great time of 9 hours, 33 minutes.

The Hillary Trail website notes: “The Trail epitomises the sense of adventure and personal achievement that Ed Hillary himself championed and was renowned for. It is not a walk in the park - but a chance for well-prepared trampers to experience the diverse, and often challenging west coast. The ARC hopes that creating an opportunity like this, in close proximity to urban Auckland, will inspire Aucklanders to get outdoors and experience the wilderness that exists on their own doorstep.”

 Challenge All your insurmountable obstacles. You are bound to succeed.

- Sri Chinmoy [1]

[1] Sri Chinmoy, Twenty-Seven Thousand Aspiration-Plants, Part 259, Agni Press, 1998

The UN General Assembly passed a resolution to have March 20th every year designated as the International Day of Happiness. The United Nations also mandated a World Happiness Report which the Earth Institute of Columbia University prepared. This report shows the state of happiness in countries around the world and reflects a growing and worldwide demand for a more “holistic approach to development” aimed at promoting sustainable happiness and wellbeing.

The United Nations has asked the world community to support this initiative to encourage and foster happier societies. At Harvard University the most popular course is on ‘Happiness’ with over 800 students enrolled!

The Sri Chinmoy Centres worldwide are also responding. A ‘Happiness’ project includes the audio book ‘The Jewels of Happiness’ - featuring Sri Chinmoy’s writings on the subject read by seventeen famous people – played  by radio stations and often including live interviews with project organizers.  Inspirational ‘Happiness’ posters have also been designed for schools, businesses and community centres to lift everyone’s spirits. These feature quotations on happiness from the writings of Sri Chinmoy and are freely available in many participating countries.

The Sri Chinmoy Centres in many places are also offering stress-reducing, happiness-themed, free  ‘learn meditation’ workshops at businesses and places of work. These structured courses introduce key meditation techniques and workplace skills that deal with the topic of inner happiness and have proven very popular throughout the five years this free service has been running.

Children, our most precious resource, are also being encouraged to live happy lives, and music programs are being developed to foster a little joyfulness in schools. Children love to sing, and ‘Jewels of Happiness’ author Sri Chinmoy - a prolific composer – wrote a number of songs about happiness that have been compiled into a booklet , ‘Sing Happiness’.  Music teachers are being invited  to encourage children’s classroom joy by introducing these simple songs.

- Jogyata Dallas

You can view some of the ‘Happiness’ posters at : Happiness project - Auckland meditation

Also visit: Jewels of Happiness

Sri Chinmoy (1931-2007) dedicated his life to the promotion of peace. He founded the Sri Chinmoy Oneness-Home Peace Run and offered over 700 Peace Concerts around the world.

The beautiful statue was created by British sculptor, Kaivalya Torpy and was dedicated in a ceremony during October 2009. At the opening ceremony, Kaivalya Torpy  said he hoped that the statue of Sri Chinmoy would stand as a symbol of peace and hope, and inspire the next generation of peace lovers.

Sri Chinmoy wrote many short poems on the theme of peace and hope.

World-peace
Can be achieved
When the power of love
Replaces
The love of power.

- Sri Chinmoy [1]

No matter what happens,
Do not lose hope,
For once hope is gone,
Everything is gone.

- Sri Chinmoy [2]

Sculptor Kaivalya Torpy with statue in 2009.

• Original page on statue

• Yahoo news
• The Independent UK
• The Telegraph UK
• ENCA
• NBC

Footnotes

[1] Sri Chinmoy, 1997, Peace-Lovers, AUM publications.

[2] Sri Chinmoy, Seventy-Seven Thousand Service-Trees, Part 13, Agni Press, 1999.

Photos: Czech Sri Chinmoy Centre Galleries / Apaguha Vesely

• Here and Now - an article by Tejvan
• The past is dust by Suchana
• Reincarnation - the great journey by Abhinabha
• My past life by Arpan
• My past life an article by Dhiraja
• Past, present, future and forever by Sharani
• My past life by Purnakama
• Fragmentations by Leanne
• Dreams a poem by Jogyata
• Supplementary to past lives a poem by Sri Chinmoy

photo: Sharani, Sri Chinmoy Centre Galleries