Anniversary of Sri Chinmoy's Arrival in the West

Every April and August, students of Sri Chinmoy gather from around the world for a series of meditations, concerts, plays and athletic events. After two years of enforced absence, his students from around the world were grateful for the opportunity to come to New York to take part in a 10-day long celebration marking the anniversary of Sri Chinmoy's arrival in the West.

After his arrival in New York on April 13th, 1964, Sri Chinmoy soon began to establish meditation centres in countries across the globe. During his lifetime, Sri Chinmoy sought to be of service to aspiring humanity through offering meditations, concerts and other activities. His philosophy is one of inner peace and outer service.

In self-giving we become really happy. Real humility is the expansion of our consciousness and our service.

Sri Chinmoy

In this same spirit, his students around the world continue to participate in projects founded by Sri Chinmoy.

On 16 April 2022, the US Sri Chinmoy Oneness-Home Peace Run was launched in New York with coordinators sharing plans for Peace Runs in the US, Europe and Mongolia. (See more at Peace Run) Sri Chinmoy referred to himself as a student of peace and taught that through inner peace and goodwill we could help to spread peace in the outer world.

“Peace is something spontaneous; it is something that unites us. Peace is something that we have to spread. But unless and until we have peace deep within us, we can never hope to have peace in the outer world.”

– Sri Chinmoy

Earlier in the celebrations, a public Songs of the Soul concert was held at All Souls Church, New York where several groups performed the prayerful and soulful compositions of Sri Chinmoy to an appreciative audience.

As well as public events, Sri Chinmoy's anniversary celebrations were marked by meditations and music performances at Aspiration Ground, a beautiful outdoor arena where Sri Chinmoy spent many years.

During one evening, a play was performed about several autobiographical incidents in Sri Chinmoy's life. This short vignettes give a revealing insight into Sri Chinmoy's own life and capture the sweetness, humour and hope of Sri Chinmoy's travels from a small Indian village to New York, the capital of the world. These stories have been published in books such as "My Consulate Years".

At the end of the Celebrations, the Sri Chinmoy Marathon team promoted a six-day race at Flushing Meadows Park, New York. 29 runners took part in this Sri Chinmoy Self-Transcendence six-day race. The race was won by Budjargal Byambaa (men ) with 502 miles and Susan Marshall (women) 442 miles. More details of the six-day race.

Photos: Bhashwar Hart