Ultra Runner Grahak Cunningham on Australian TV

Nice Interview on Today Show Mornings with Australian Motivational Speaker Grahak Cunningham on ultra marathon and multi day running. Grahak, a student of Sri Chinmoy, recently finished the 3100 mile race in Queens, NY, in first position. Congratulations!

LIFE Voices 35: Prachar Stegemann – A deeper Sense of Peace

In this episode of LIFE Voices, Prachar Stegeman from Canberra, Australia shares his thoughts on spirituality, music and meditation. Prachar is a meditation student of Sri Chinmoy and helps to organise a range of sporting events in Australia and the Sri Chinmoy Oneness-Home Peace Run. The episode is entitled ‘A Deeper Sense of Peace’ and Prachar explains how he became interested in meditation to help his work as a concert pianist. Prachar also talks about how studying meditation under Sri Chinmoy opened up a whole range of new possibilities from singing to sport. Length: 18:34 min. Produced by Kedar Misani, kedarvideo Switzerland.

Impossibility Challenger in Budapest

The annual Impossibility Challenger is a Guinness, world and personal record festival of all kind of sometimes funny and sometimes extremely difficult feats. This year it was organized by the Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team in Budapest, Hungary. Enjoy the report!

Sri Chinmoy speaks on Progress

The footage shown in this short film was all shot by Utpal Marshall in 1979 and 1980.  In it Sri Chinmoy can be seen participating in some of the activities he loved best.  His was a life dedicated to serving the world and inspiring people.   For all those who were his students, both in those early years and even now after his passing, his timeless message to the world continues to be a powerful trans-formative beacon.  There is no end to our spiritual journeys, for inevitably we are all searching for inner fulfillment and continual self transcendence. In the first part of the film he is seen running his own 47 mile race for the first time.  He would come back the following year and run this same race again, even faster.  He did not just talk about progress, he acted upon it in every way possible, and in every activity that he involved himself in.  No matter whether it was art, literature, music, or sports.   In this audio recording, made later in his life, he speaks unequivocally about this.

First published on Utpal’s Website PERFECTION-JOURNEY

World Harmony Run strives for Peace in Vietnam

In November of 2012 in cooperation with the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organizations the WORLD HARMONY RUN visited Hanoi and Ha Long Bay. It was a truly remarkable event and all participants very grateful for the enthusiastic and heartfelt welcome from Vietnam. Ha Long Bay in Quang Ninh Province is absolutely gorgeous and well worth a visit. Check out the spirit in this new video.

25 Years of Ultra Races in Basel

For 25 years the Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team has been organizing one of the most popular ultra races, the 12 + 24 Hour Self-Transcendence Races in Basel, Switzerland. This short summary brings you the highlights of these unique sports events that live from the beautiful and soulful atmosphere as well as from the perfection of its organizing team. Enjoy the “*Spirit of Basel”. Length: 7:15 min. – The next edition of the 12 + 24 Hour Race in Basel will be held on May 4/5, 2013, for more information and inscription see the official website.

“Inspiration News” back on track!

Some years ago disciples of Sri Chinmoy published a regular news report with inspiring stories from around the world. After a break the series starts again with a great new episode, produced by UItpal Marshall. Have a look and learn more about the German Channel Swimmer Vasanti Niemz, a Self-Transcendence Race in Moscow, a visit to an orphenage in Vietnam and glimpses from the World Harmony Run in Cardiff, England, where also one of Sri Chinmoy’s life-size statues recently has been inaugurated.

Swiss Ultra-Runner Pushkar speaks about the 3100 Mile Race

This summer (2012) Pushkar Müllauer (40) from Switzerland finished for the fourth time the world’s largest foot race, the 3100 mile race in Queens, NY, organized by the Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team. In this interview Pushkar speaks about his preparation and motivation that brought him through this race in 48 days 8 hours and 22 minutes. Camera and Edit: Kedar Misani

A Spiritual Master on the Track

There was a period in Sri Chinmoy’s life where he practiced sprinting with a lot of passion and dedication. First he trained on the local streets of Queens, NY, where he lived. Later he had his own track behind the tennis court area which today is known as the “Aspiration-Ground”. Watch some of his sprint activities of 1991. A spiritual master on the track is a historically unique view. Filmed and edited by Kedar Misani; soundtrack by Parichayaka Hammerl.

New book on Sport and Meditation

The Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team released a brand-new version of the book “Sport & Meditation – The inner Dimension of Sport” in English. It mainly quotes Sri Chinmoy in his numerous statements on the subject with photos and many poems. The book presents itself in a modern layout and gives you many insights that have never been published before. As a teaser please read this foreword by Olivier Bernhard from Switzerland, winner of 6 Ironman races, 3-time Duathlon Champion and a Triathlon Coach:

For me, sport is meditation. Athletes in many sports speak about experiencing a state of energy flow when being in perfect balance with their mind and body. It is a state where pain and fatigue do not exist. I can still remember, it was at the Duathlon World Championships, I was getting off the bike to put my running shoes on. The first time I realised that I was running, I had already passed the 10 k mark. It felt like my body was not touching the surface of the road at any time. I was sure that I was just dreaming it. I had tears in my eyes. I was not pushing myself nor was I aware of being in a very important race. I felt as if outside of my body and felt that somehow I myself was not performing. Those very special and rare inner moments still mean a lot to me. All of my life any sport activity has been connected with strong passion. As a child I had the urge to run around and be outside most of the day. Later, as a professional athlete, I realised that besides the physical there is another higher level. Some call it the mental, some call it the heart or soul, or even a dimension beyond that. By becoming conscious of this inner dimension and by training it, I overcame obstacles that I could not have overcome if I had trained the body only. I soon experienced that true sports is not just pushing your body to new limits. To become a complete athlete you have to train your inner capacities with the same intensity and at the same time as you train your body. As an athlete you can only achieve the impossible when being in balance with your body, mind and heart. Let’s take the Olympic Games. All athletes standing at the starting line are close to the same level of performance. The one who meditates and is in perfect balance with him/herself therefore has a better chance to overcome possible obstacles.

Throughout my entire career I came to the following conclusion: the longer the race, the more you have to draw energy from your inner athlete. The outer athlete will fade and is going to knock on your head after four to six hours – “Hey, I am hurting here, I am tired. Just stop and rest for a moment!” You need to be able to control and calm your mind. Always be aware of your abilities and believe in your strengths and never let go of your focus towards the true goal. During races I have often observed athletes’ faces being stressed. It has been one of my keys to success never to show how my legs felt. I did this by having a relaxed face all the time. Don’t tighten up and don’t force it too hard. Let it happen, it’s not just you! You have all the forces of the universe that will support you if you open up. People have often asked me before a race: “Will you break the existing record?” But that’s not the point! It’s not about any records, it’s about the best you can be! As long as I reached my full potential I would be happy at the finish. Not because of the time or place or record but because I was pleased with the performance I achieved. It’s not about winning, it’s not about money, it’s about making constant progress and becoming a better person on the lasting journey. - Olivier Bernhard

Sport & Meditation, Sri Chinmoy, The Golden Shore Verlag Nürnberg, 198 S., ISBN 978-3-89532-213-6, English (A German Edition is planned at a later state). Available in Switzerland from Vallabah Kaul: kaul@flashcable.ch