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Sri Chinmoy
Sri Chinmoy
"Our goal is to go from bright to brighter to brightest, from high to higher to highest. And even in the highest, there is no end to our progress, for God Himself is inside each of us and God at every moment is transcending His own Reality."
- Sri Chinmoy
As well as a spiritual teacher, poet and musician, Sri Chinmoy was also a keen sportsman who during his lifetime encouraged others to participate in sport.
Sri Chinmoy's philosophy is that sport can offer the opportunity to improve our physical health and also transcend ourselves. To Sri Chinmoy self transcendence embodies the human spirit's capacity to go beyond our previous achievements. Sri Chinmoy sought to bring self transcendence into all aspects of his life but his sporting life stands out in particular for its embodiment of his philosophy.
As a teenager Sri Chinmoy lived in the Sri Aurobindo Ashram in Pondicherry. Athletics were encouraged and Sri Chinmoy used to train for and compete in the decathlon. His favourite discipline was the 100 metres sprint, in which he excelled. He also participated in other sports such as tennis and football.
From 1964 until his passing in 2007 Sri Chinmoy lived in New York, USA. After he moved to America, he continued to run and after a several years began to run ultra marathons.
A knee injury curtailed Sri Chinmoy's running injury but in the 1980s he started to take up weightlifting, continuing to lift very impressive weights right up until shortly before his passing.
Sri Chinmoy the sportsman
An anthalogy put together by Atulya Berube- Sprinting: Sri Chinmoy's sprinting performances in the West.
- Weightlifting: - some info on the start of Sri Chinmoy's weightlifting career in 1985, plus articles on recent lifts
- Long distance running: Sri Chinmoy first began running long distance and had a prolific career spanning 22 manrathons and 5 ultramarathons
Related links on other sites
- Sri Chinmoy Sports at Sri Chinmoy.org
- Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team - Global home of Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team with full results and events listings.
- Breaking Limits with Sri Chinmoy. "I am not the body I am the Soul" article on Ashrita Furman and his inspiration for breaking world records
- Allaboutrunning.net - tips on running and self-transcendence from the Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team
Poem on Transcendence by Sri Chinmoy
TRANSCENDENCE
Self-transcendence
And
God-transcendence
Are the Self-form
Of the same transcendental Reality.
When I endeavour to fathom
My self-transcendence
With my human comatose eyes,
I see the radical transformation
Of the devouring tiger in me
Into the fast-running, sure-winning deer.
And when I plead with the Supreme
To elucidate the signification
Of transcendence, He just smiles
And declares:
"Yours is the transcendence-task
To touch the feet of My creation
For its fire-pure transformation.
Yours is the transcendence-goal
Where the comity of souls have discovered
Their only haven."