Inspiration

Abhejali Bernardova, of the Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team from the Czech Republic has swum seven of the world's toughest stretches of open water, including the English Channel. She has also recently published a book about her swimming exploits in Czech entitled: "Until the Water Runs Out?" For a recent podcast after the book publication, Abhejali shared her thoughts on training, inspiration and meditation.

Could you tell us about yourself?

I am forty-four years old and I am from the Czech Republic, which is a landlocked country. But I love swimming in the ocean. I was the fourth woman to finish the challenge called “Oceans Seven.” And just recently I did an ultra-triathlon that included swimming the English Channel and then biking and running all the way to the Czech Republic. I just love challenges, and I’m so happy to be able to share my adventures with your listeners.

Why is the book titled Until the Water Runs Out?

It is a theme of the book, based on advice from Channel General Freda Streeter, mum of former “Queen of the Channel” Alison Streeter (Sri Chinmoy lifted both of them). Her advice to swimmers is to swim until there is no more water, until you get to the other side. There is no use in stopping and looking around, no point in asking how far to go still—you just have to swim until the water runs out. And we also should live to the fullest until the water of our life runs out.

I would like to know more about what self-transcendence means to you?

It means trying to do more than I did before and have goals that can be maybe a little bit scary and then finding ways to achieve them. One side is the sports side, but also for me, it means being a better person than I was before. I think these sports achievements help me in achieving that because so much that I learn during the swims or the runs is transferable to my day-to-day life. Not only everything goes according to plan and stuff like that. You have to find a way to go around and just keep going until you get there. I remember even for my first English Channel swim: It never happened to me during the training, but after I started swimming—maybe forty-five minutes into the swim—I got seasick. Everything else was going fine, but I just couldn’t eat or drink anything, and I was feeding the fish every twenty minutes or so. But I remember you just have to go and keep going. As long as you give it your all, then you are happy and you are making progress.

Tell me a little more about the meditation? How and why did you get into meditating? You mentioned a name, could you repeat that name?

I started meditating with Sri Chinmoy when I was eighteen. There wasn’t any outside reason for me to start meditating. I had a happy childhood. I was happy, and everything was going well, but somehow maybe—not really consciously—I felt there was something missing in my life. So I saw this poster for a meditation class and I went to see what was going on. I really liked this feeling that I felt in my heart during the meditation exercise that we did that evening. Somehow it made sense for me to continue doing these exercises and trying to find something deeper within me. I guess it’s also why I started doing long-distance swimming and running. Just to know myself better, to get more outside of my comfort zone and kind of dig deeper to see what is there. I think we are just really limiting ourselves with what our mind tells us we can do or we can’t do. With the meditation, I’m calming my mind and opening my heart and then I can see that there is so much to explore and so much more to do. So, it somehow made sense to put all of this together.

What happened after the age of eighteen? Did you go on to University, did you start working and then how did you balance the sport and swimming and your running and your cycling during that time?

I started to go to University and I started to run really slowly. I remember my very first run and I just left my house and I ran around the block, it was like five minutes and I felt okay, I started running. Then I increased the distance. It was like twenty-five years ago so there were no, not that many races like there are now and the Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team we started organising races, six hours, twelve hours, 100k. So when we did organise these races I wanted to try them out and see how far I could go. So from those five minutes I went to 3k, 10k then a marathon and then that six-hour. Then I still felt I could do more. So, it was just nice to widen my limits or my so-called limits. In a way, it was growing really slowly and then we organised a twenty-hour hour race and then actually I was helping my friend in New York and she ran a race that was one thousand miles long. It was in a park on a one-mile loop and I remember running a marathon after she finished the race maybe a week later. And I ran a marathon on the same loop and I remember that it was my easiest marathon ever because it was twenty-six laps whereas she had to do one thousand laps. So I could totally see how if you change your perspective, if something feels difficult then just look at it from a different side or different height. So that was my easiest marathon.

For those people who maybe haven’t given swimming a go or they want to start pushing themselves and going for longer distances, what would be your advice about going further with swimming? Increasing your time from one hour to two hours to three hours or six or twelve to fifteen hours?

I think one important thing to have a really good technique, like a stroke. Because then if you have a good stroke, good form, then you can go forever. Then for me, like mentally it’s good to not think about you are going to train for ten hours because then your mind starts revolting and telling you you are crazy, why are you doing this? Different things that the mind does to us to discourage us. I would just think of going for a few hours and then while I swim I would just go from one feeding to the next. I would eat every half an hour so then you have just half an hour to go and then another half an hour. For my long swims I would do training, maybe six hours on Saturday, six hours on Sunday and what would help would be when you go for the second six hours on Sunday you are sore and you are tired then you don’t really feel so happy to go in the water, especially if the water is cold, but then I would imagine this is my hour number seven, number eight, until twelve. So I would take it as a whole chunk of twelve hours and then it’s like you have done half of it and then I would go downhill, I always like the second half of the race, of the distance, because then it feels like you are already on your way home. Somehow like mentally divide it, make it shorter, do different things to quiet your mind which in general is discouraging and trying to tell you that you don’t want to do this, you are too tired, you are too cold and different things to really stop you from doing it.

Is that when doing back to back training, six hours on Saturday, six hours on a Sunday, you could wake up feeling so sore and tired, what are you tips for recovery? How do you make sure that you stay injury free when you are doing endurance training of this length?

I try to eat really well. I’m a vegetarian but just to really have proper food even during the training I don’t really like having gels that much, we have soup or porridge or different things so that my body is really, really nourished. And then I try to sleep as much as I can in between the trainings and just stay positive, stay happy even though I am tired, especially when you are starting your training, your body needs to get used to it. Just being in a positive frame of mind. I think that is a big help to prevent injury. When you are happy to be out there in the water and swim and just be grateful that you can do it, you are the one who is in the water, this gratitude helps so much too.

Tell me about Oceans Seven? What is the Oceans Seven challenge?

The Oceans Seven challenge involves seven swims around the globe that are difficult in some way or another. One of them is the English Channel. Then the North Channel between Ireland and Scotland, which is even colder than the English Channel. I never really wanted to swim this one. Then there are some warm-water swims like Hawaii’s Moloka’i Channel, which is really long. It is more than 42k, which is a marathon distance. Then there is Cook Strait in New Zealand, Tsugaru Strait in Japan, Strait of Gibraltar which is from Europe to Africa which I really loved.  And there is Catalina Channel, which is from Catalina Island to Los Angeles. So, those are the seven swims and there are tides, there are waves, there are swells, and there are some marine animals that are kind and not so kind. So there are different challenges in the swims.

Do you have a mantra or a motto that you sort of apply to your challenges and events?

I have one that I really like and it’s “I can do it, I have already done it.” It’s actually what Sri Chinmoy advised people when they were swimming the English Channel to really use the imagination even while training, to tell yourself “I can do it.” Imagine that you are swimming to the French shore and I am there. And just visualise it and then make it a reality, that’s my favourite. And I use mantras and singing when things get tough. There is a song that Sri Chinmoy composed, “I am swimming in the English Channel today” so I was singing that song quite a lot during the swim.

I’d love for you to share your final words of advice to encourage other women and girls to step outside their comfort zone and to take on a new challenge. Apart from saying “just do it” what advice would you have for our listeners?

Dream big and don’t be afraid to dream. Don’t feel that you are too old to dream and to do different challenges and then just find ways to reach those goals and those challenges and sometimes it takes some years to really be able to do it but just not giving up. And then you get there and don’t allow your mind to tell you that you are too old, you are too weak, you can’t do it. You can do it and if you try then at least you can say that you tried. If you don’t try then you definitely won’t be able to accomplish that. So dream big.

Would you mind sharing a little more about what you main goal is in life?

My main goal I would describe as really knowing myself, what I am, why I am here, what I am supposed to do and just being me. Being the best version of me and getting better every day, becoming a better person.

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Here some video-footage of Abhejali's Channel Swim from 2011

Sri Chinmoy was a pioneer of ultra-running and encouraged athletes to challenge their limitations through a philosophy of self-transcendence and going beyond the limits of mind and body. Sri Chinmoy taught that by challenging our limits, we could do something that we previously thought impossible.

To this end, ultra-running is an excellent vehicle for runners to transcend their previous limitations. Sri Chinmoy himself ran several marathons and ultra-marathons. In 1977, he founded the Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team which was a pioneer of multi-day running in the 1980s and today continues to organise The Sri Chinmoy 3100 Mile Self-Transcendence Race.

“I do not have any set goal; my goal is self-transcendence. I always try to transcend myself. I do not compete with the rest of the world. I compete only with myself, and I try to become a better human being. This is my ultimate goal.”

– Sri Chinmoy

This philosophy has inspired many athletes. Recently, Polish athlete Patryk Świętochowski won the Backyard Ultra in Malta with a final distance of  207.886 km, 31 laps. The backyard ultra is a race where competitors are to run a distance of 6,706 m (4.167 miles) in less than one hour and repeat this process until they are unable to keep it up any longer. After winning the race, the Polish runner stated that the quote of Sri Chinmoy “Determination and impossibility are never to be found together” was very apt to his experience of completing this physical challenge of the race.

 

The 25th edition of the Sri Chinmoy Self-Transcendence 3100 Mile Race saw seven inteprid runners take to the start line. In a period of 52 days, the seven runners ran a total of 21,112 miles - all around a 0.5 mile block in Jamaica, Queens, New York.

The race returned to New York after the 2020 edition was held in Salzburg, Austria due to Covid restrictions. It was the first time the race has been held in September rather than the sweltering heat of a New York summer. This year's runners benefitted from cooler conditions, but also, at times had to contend with very busy pavements as students went to and from Edison High School, which is located on the course. After the absence of previous years, the runners and organisers were grateful the race was able to happen for the unprecedented opportunity to take part in the immersive experience of this 'Everest' of ultra-distance running.

Last years winner Andrea Marcato, 39 originally from Italy was able to transcend his 2020's best time, getting into a remarkable groove of running 30 consecutive days of 70+ miles, finishing in a time of 42 days+17:38:38. Even after 42 days of consecutive running, he wowed onlookers with a last three-lap burst to become the third-fastest runner of all times by just over 1 minute.

Second place runner was fifty-seven year-old Lo Wei-Ming, the race's first entrant from Taiwan and the first Asian runner to finish the race. Wei-Ming ran a very consistent race and garnered enthusiastic support from supporters and helpers, especially amongst the local Taiwanese New York community. After finishing the race, he paid tribute to the founder Sri Chinmoy and all the many people who go into putting the race on.

“The support of the Taiwanese community helped me a lot.  I realized that even though the race is called self-transcendence, but it cannot happen without the collaboration of a lot of people helping each other.  Now I feel I know more of the wisdom behind it.  It is only because of team work and people working together.”

In third place was Vasu Nikolai Duzhiy, 55, from Russia, Duzihy, who works as a lumber company supervisor, is admired for his humble and quiet approach, which belies his great determination and capacity. He has now finished all nine editions of the race that he has entered.

Fourth overall and the fastest female runner in the race was Harita Davies of New Zealand and Jamaica, Queens, New York. She finished in a time of 50 days+13:23:14, beating her previous best time by over 20 hours. Harita said her effort was a real team effort with helpers from five continents helping in her day to day efforts. Harita has now finished the race on three occasions and after finishing offered her gratitude to the spiritual aspect of the race and the hope the runners' efforts will inspire others.

"There's a big part of me that doesn't mind going through this suffering if I can do something that is meaningful and will be inspiring for other people."”

In fifth place was Takasumi Senoo, who became the first runner from Japan to enter and successfully finish the race within the time limit. Takasumi finished in a time of 51 day+12:50:52. After finishing the race Mr Senoo, like the other runners was very thankful for all the help offered, and in particular, praised his wife for her steadfast help through the race.

Ananda-Lahari Zuscin from Slovakia finished the 52 days with a total of 2871.32 miles /4620.94 km. Stutisheel Lebedev completed  2741.25 miles/4413.389 km. Both runners have finished the race on multiple times and although this year they were not quite able to make the 3100 miles, they still very much cherished the opportunities of the race.

Final results

1.  Andrea Marcato     3100 miles - 42:17:38:38
2.  Wei Ming Lo        3100 miles - 48:11:52:01
3.  Vasu Duzhiy        3100 miles - 49:12:45:26  
4.  Harita Davies      3100 miles - 50:13:23:14
5. Takasumi Senoo      3100 miles - 51:12:50:52   
Ananda-Lahari Zuscin   2871.32 miles /4620.94 km
Stutisheel Lebedev     2741.25 miles/4413.389 km

Media coverage

The unique nature of the race and its inspiring qualities have been picked up by media outlets around the world A selection of articles can be found at: Media coverage

Sri Chinmoy believed that running is beneficial to physical health but also can give an inner spiritual fulfilment. Running teaches us determination, focus and reminds us of our aspiration to go beyond our previous limitations. Running is both physically challenging but, at the same time, gives an inner joy and satisfaction. Many runners attest to the fact that running can take us out of an ordinary consciousness and give a glimpse into a state of mind beyond our usual thoughts and emotions. 

“Running is a symbolic sport in the sense that it reminds us of spiritual seekers continuously running towards the goal; it resembles the seekers running inwardly to achieve the ultimate goal in meditation.”

Sri Chinmoy [1] 

Some of the spiritual aspects of running

Self-transcendence

“Self-transcendence gives us joy in boundless measure. When we transcend ourselves, we do not compete with others. We do not compete with the rest of the world, but at every moment we compete with ourselves. We compete only with our previous achievements. And each time we surpass our previous achievements, we get joy.”

Sri Chinmoy [2]

Self-transcendence is concerned with an attempt to beat our previous achievement and stretch our capacity. This self-transcendence can be measured in a race against the clock, but even if we can't beat our times, we can still strive to make a greater commitment and effort in our training and races. If we are detached from the outer result, we will feel joy from these attempts at self-transcendence. Whilst we may not have the capacity to beat others, we always have the opportunity to pursue our own self-transcendence attempts.

Determination

Running brings forward both our outer and inner determination. Running requires effort, focus and the willingness to challenge our body against the distance and elements. To complete a race requires a fixed mindset and determination to keep going.

Getting to know yourself

“When a runner focuses all his attention on a particular race, he is in a position to free his mind, liberate his mind, from uncomely distractions. Here one-pointed concentration is the pathfinder for a deeper meditative consciousness.”

– Sri Chinmoy [3]

Running takes us out of our comfort zone. It teaches us that we are more capable than we perhaps realise. To a non-runner, completing a marathon may seem an impossible task, but if we train, we realise we are capable of much more than we realise. Whilst running, we get in touch with a different part of ourself, and we learn more about our inner reserves.

Dynamism and inner peace

Question: Can running help get rid of frustration and anger?

Sri Chinmoy: Running is an excellent way to rid oneself of frustration and anger. If you are really angry with someone, go and run. After a mile or so you will see that your anger has gone away, either because you are totally exhausted or because the satisfaction that you gain from physical exertion has replaced your anger. [4]

A great benefit of running is that it shakes away our mental cobwebs. The dynamism of running helps us to get away from the petty concerns and worries of our mind. Dynamism is a powerful tool to bring to the fore more inner peace. When we are static, we become like a stagnant pool, when we move, it is like a clear flowing stream. The Sri Chinmoy Oneness-Home Peace Run combines both running long distances with an endeavour to share peace. Sri Chinmoy felt the dynamism of running across countries was an excellent way to share peace in a meaningful way. Running brings many of our good qualities to the fore.

How to bring spirituality into running

Self-transcendence vs competition

Rather than worrying about whether you can beat your competitors, focus instead on your own performance. Can you transcend your previous efforts? - Can you make the best possible effort given your circumstances? If you focus only on your self-transcendence, you will get joy from running - whatever the outer result. You will see fellow competitors - not as rivals, but fellow runners who can inspire your own efforts.

Meditation

If we meditate before running, we will be conscious of our inner stillness and inner reserves which can help us in the outer running. Meditation teaches us to be one-pointed and bring all our awareness of one aspect. When we run, we can see our running as an extension of our meditation. Just bring all your focus on to the running - the rhythm of breathing. Don't get distracted by thoughts, but just try to be the observer of the running. When the body is running, at top speed, feel at the same time an inner focus and inner equanimity.

"Again, the runner's outer speed has a special kind of poise or stillness at its very heart. An airplane travels very fast, yet inside the plane we feel no movement at all. It is all tranquility, all peace; and this inner tranquility we can bring to our outer life. In fact, the outer life, the outer movement, can be successful only when it comes from the inner poise."

- Sri Chinmoy [5]

Conscious Breathing

To make running a more meditative experience, we can concentrate on our breathing. We should feel our breath brings in not just oxygen but a divine energy. If we visualise we are breathing in cosmic energy and exhaling tiredness, we will gain more inner strength.

The inner value of running

"The main reason is that running reminds us of our inner goal. Whether we consciously run toward the goal or not, our very feeling that there is a goal helps us considerably."

- Sri Chinmoy [6]

If we value running as a spiritual exercise, then it can become something much more than just the outer running. When running, we can feel we are making inner progress and striving to reach our inner goal.

 

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Perspectives on the spirituality of running

Running the world’s longest race – Jayasalini

Jayasalini Abramovskikh talks about the experience of running the Sri Chinmoy 3100 Mile Self-Transcendence Race. In 2014, at her first attempt, Jayasalini became the first Russian woman to finish this grueling race which lasts for 52 consecutive days.

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Running as a pilgrimage

Sanjay Rawal, the director of the feature film "3100 Mile: Run and Become" talks about how he sees running as a spiritual pilgrimage.

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Samunnati on meditation and running

Samunnati Lehonkova is an Olympic marathon runner who took up running at an early age after becoming a disciple of Sri Chinmoy. In this short video, Samunnati talks about how she started meditation and running at the same time, and how she attempts to practise self-transcendence through running.

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3100: Run and Become

A film that explores the spiritual significance of running in different cultures across the world. It includes the Gaolo-San bushmen in Botswana, the legendary Japanese gyoman-san running monks, the Navajo runners in the deserts of Arizona, and the runners of the Sri Chinmoy Self-Transcendence 3100 Mile Race in Jamaica, Queens, New York.

Related

• The inner significance of the Olympics
• Article on Self-transcendence

Sources: Quotes are taken from the following books by Sri Chinmoy: [1] from Japan: soul-beauty’s heart-garden, [2] from The oneness of the Eastern heart and the Western mind, part 3, [3] from Run and smile, smile and run, [4] [5] [6] from The outer running and the inner running.

Samunnati Nataliya Lehonkova from the Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team represented the Ukraine in the 2016 Olympic marathon in Rio, and has also won marathons in Los Angeles, Dublin, Edinburgh, Belfast and Toulouse. Her most recent win, in the 2017 Dublin marathon, established a personal best of 2:28.

In this video, Samunnati sat down with her friend and 3100 Mile race finisher Jayasalini Abramovskikh and talked about becoming a meditation student of Sri Chinmoy at the age of 12 and how that slowly led to her running longer and longer distances. She also talks a little about her training schedule, and how Sri Chinmoy's philosophy of self-transcendence inspires her to run.

Before she became a professional runner, Samunnati was a regular on the international Peace Run team; she reminices a little about travels all around Europe and Australia carrying a torch for world harmony.

“The very word Olympics is, for me, a magnificent thrill, absolutely a universal thrill, and it raises the consciousness of humanity in the inner world. True, in the outer world we may notice some wrong forces, but in the inner world the Olympics is a great opportunity for the upliftment of human consciousness.

This world is full of sadness, sorrows, frustrations and depression, and so many unfriendly, hostile things happen. But in the Olympics at least we get the opportunity to meet together for a few weeks and create a oneness-world-family.”

- Sri Chinmoy [1]

As Sri Chinmoy mentions in the above quote, there is a spiritual dimension to the Olympics.

Higher, further and faster - This is the motto of the Olympics. It means that the Olympics offers the pinnacle of individual self-transcendence - the striving to exceed previous bests and go beyond the limitations of the mind and body. We get joy watching the Olympics, because we can feel a oneness with those athletes and sportsmen who have dedicated their time to pursuing their best efforts at self-transcendence. The Olympics reminds us of our own inner yearning to transcend and do better.

Breaking down barriers. The Olympics is a dynamic way to celebrate sporting achievement and international friendship. This wonderful ethos is explained by the great Emil Zatopek, who competed in the 1948 Olympics.

"For me, the 1948 Olympics was a liberation of the spirit. After all those dark days of the war, the bombing, the killing, the starvation, the revival of the Olympics was as if the sun had come out. I went into the Olympic Village in 1948 and suddenly there were no more frontiers, no more barriers. Just the people meeting together. It was wonderfully warm. Men and women who had lost five years of life were back again."

A Oneness-World. The Olympics is a rare occasion where 204 countries from around the world come together in a spirit of friendship and sporting endeavour; it is like a sporting United Nations. During the Olympics it is much easier to break down the barriers that often keep nations at loggerheads. Through sport, we can remember there is much more that unites us than divides us.

Fair-minded competition. Pierre de Coubertin the 'father of the modern Olympics' said that "the important thing in the Olympic Games is not to win, but to take part; the important thing in life is not triumph, but the struggle; the essential thing is not to have conquered but to have fought well."

This is a lofty ideal. It is human nature to want to win, but also the Olympic spirit reminds us that winning is not the only goal of competition. The ideal is to feel oneness with the result - whatever the outcome. Sri Chinmoy writes:

"Who is the winner? Not he who wins, but he who has established his cheerful oneness with the result, which is an experience in the form of failure or success, a journey forward or a journey backward." [Source]

There are many examples of the Olympic spirit in action. For example, General Patton competed in the modern pentathlon (1912) which in those days was only for military officers. He shot a bullseye which was not recorded by the judges. However he did not complain about the ruling, but took it in the spirit of detachment, saying “each man did his best and took what fortune sent them like a true soldier, and at the end we all felt more like good friends and comrades than rivals in a severe competition, yet this spirit of friendship in no manner detracted from the zeal with which all strove for success.”

Honest competition. The ideal of the Olympics holds that athletes must compete in clean and fair way - competing in a manner which you would expect from everyone else. Sadly, the spectre of drug taking still hangs over the Olympics, but the inner spirit of the Olympics teaches that if we learn to compete with honesty and sincerity, the joy will always be much greater than the false goal of winning at any cost.

Friendship. Another example of Olympic friendship helping to breaking down racial and national barriers was Jesse Owens brief friendship with German long jumper Luz Long at the 1936 Berlin Olympics. Despite the prevailing political ideology of racial division, Long saw Owens as a fellow brother-competitor. Long offered Owens advice to help him jump further, and after finishing second behind Owens was the first to congratulate him. They posed together for photos and walked arm-in-arm to the dressing room. Owens later said, "It took a lot of courage for him to befriend me in front of Hitler... You can melt down all the medals and cups I have and they wouldn't be a plating on the twenty-four karat friendship that I felt for Luz Long at that moment"

Another example of real friendship between fellow Olympic athletes is told by Sri Chinmoy here, about his athlete-friend Emil Zatopek:

“Through the expansion of his heart, Zatopek always wanted to give and get joy. There is a most significant incident involving Ron Clarke was such a great runner. He set so many world records, but never got any gold medals. Zatopek's sympathetic heart felt the sadness of Clarke's heart. So in secret he gave Ron Clarke one of his gold medals, putting it in the younger runner's suitcase while he was visiting him. When Clarke got home and opened his suitcase, to his wide surprise he found Zatopek's gold medal.” (view source at Sri Chinmoy Library)

More than sport

The Olympics is more than sport. It offers an opportunity for the whole community to participate in something worthwhile. There is a good documentary about “One Night in 2012” ( link to BBC site) which tells how thousands of local volunteers took part in the opening Olympic ceremony in London in 2012.

The success of each Games comes from the involvement of ordinary people. It is an opportunity to showcase a country, and the spirit of ordinary people. It is also an opportunity for people to affirm their belief in creating a better world.

At the London Olympics, a brief ceremony during the games celebrated the Olympics, diversity and humanity's wish for Peace. It involved Olympic athletes, school children, local dignitaries and participants of the Sri Chinmoy Oneness-Home Peace Run. Among the speakers was Tegla Loroupe (pictured below) who in the 2016 Olympics is the head of a special team of refugees participating in the Olympics.

 

The joy of newness

In 2016, the Olympics take place in Brazil, showcasing a new country who has not hosted the Olympics before. That is the nature of the Olympics: whatever outer difficulties there may be, there is always the scope for new inspiration and new good stories to emerge.

Related

• What do you think of the Olympic Games? - Q.A at Sri Chinmoy Library

 

Sri Chinmoy loved running. In his early years in India, he was an excellent sprinter; and in his mid-forties, he took up long distance running, completing 22 marathons and several ultra-marathons, with a best marathon of 3:55:07 in Toledo, Ohio in 1979. He continued practising sprinting up to his mid sixties.

He believed that running could also be an integral part of a spiritual life, and that the inner life and running were complementary. Here are some excerpts from his considerable writings on running:

“Running helps us considerably. Running is continuous motion. Because of our running, we feel that there is a goal — not only an outer goal but also an inner goal.” (1)

“In the morning if we can energise ourselves with physical activities, then we can accomplish so many things during the rest of the day. That is why I say sports and physical fitness are of supreme importance. If we neglect the physical and let the body become weak, then the mind also becomes weak.” (2)

“Runners deal with freshness, freshness of the mind. While they are running, nature is helping them. Every day, early in the morning or in the evening, runners go out to practise in the street or at a track. When you run, it is just you and Mother Nature. From the sky, light is flowing. Here, there, you get so much inspiration. Everything helps you to achieve your goal.” (3)

Meditation and running

Sri Chinmoy showed how meditation could be of help to aspiring runners, from his writings and also through his own example.

“Before running, however, meditation is good to make the mind calm and quiet so that wrong forces do not enter. When you meditate, your mind acquires some poise. Then, while you are running, if you can bring forward this poise, it will help you overcome the mental frustration that often comes while running long distances.” (4)

“In sports we need energy, strength and dynamism. When we meditate, we make our mind calm and quiet. If inside us there is peace, then we will derive tremendous strength from our inner life. That is to say, if I have a peaceful moment, even for one second, that peace will come to me as solid strength in my sports, whether I am running or jumping or throwing. That strength is almost indomitable strength, whereas if we are restless, we do not have strength like that.” (5)

“When a runner focuses all his attention on a particular race, he is in a position to free his mind, liberate his mind, from uncomely distractions. Here one-pointed concentration is the pathfinder for a deeper meditative consciousness.” (6)

The meaning of running

“Running means continual transcendence, and that is also the message of our inner life.” (7)

“These long distance races remind me of our Eternity’s race. Along Eternity’s Shore we are running, running, running. We are running and running with our birthless and deathless hopes. We are running and running with the ever-transcending Beyond.” (8)

“Running is a symbolic sport in the sense that it reminds us of spiritual seekers continuously running towards the goal; it resembles the seekers running inwardly to achieve the ultimate goal in meditation.” (9)

The philosophy of running

Question: How does running relate to your philosophy?

Sri Chinmoy: The body is like a temple, and the soul or inner reality is like the shrine inside the body-temple. If the temple does not have a shrine, then we cannot appreciate the temple. Again, if we do not keep the temple in good condition, then how can we take proper care of the shrine? We have to keep the body fit, and for this, running is of considerable help. If we are physically fit, then we will be more inspired to get up early in the morning to meditate. True, the inspiration to meditate comes from within, but if we do not have a stomach upset or headache or any other physical ailment, then it will be much easier for us to get up to pray and meditate. In this way the inner life is being helped by the outer life. Again, if I am inspired to get up early to meditate, then I will also be able to go out and run. Here we see that the outer life is being helped by the inner life.

Both the outer running and the inner running are important. A marathon is twenty-six miles. Let us say that twenty-six miles is our ultimate goal. When we first take up running, we cannot run that distance. But by practising every day, we develop more stamina, speed, perseverance and so forth. Gradually we transcend our capacity and eventually we reach our goal

We can say that our prayer and meditation is our inner running. If we pray and meditate every day, we increase our inner capacity. The body's capacity and the soul's capacity, the body's speed and the soul's speed, go together. The soul is running along Eternity's Road. The outer running reminds us of our inner running. In this way our body reminds us of something higher and deeper — the soul — which is dealing with Eternity, Infinity and Immortality. Running and physical fitness help us both in our inner life of aspiration and in our outer life of activity. (10)

 

Winning and losing

Sri Chinmoy taught that running and sports is an opportunity for self-transcendence, not just individual glory. The real champion is one who can be detached from the outer result, but endeavour to gain joy from both winning and losing.

“He is the great winner
Who wins.
He is the greater winner
Who is the cheerful loser.
He is the greatest winner
Who gives equal value
To victory and defeat.
He alone is the real loser
Who separates
Defeat from victory.” (11)

"A great champion is he who wins all the races.
A great champion is he who participates in all the races.
A great champion is he who does not care for the results of the races — whether he is first or last or in between. He races just to get joy and give joy to the observers."
A great champion is he who transcends his own previous records.A great champion is he who maintains his standard.
A great champion is he who remains happy even when he cannot maintain his standard.
A great champion is he who has established his inseparable oneness with the winner and the loser alike."

- Sri Chinmoy [continue reading)

Further reading

• The outer running and the inner running at Sri Chinmoy Library
• Sri Chinmoy - questions and answers with top athletes

Ten years after Sri Chinmoy founded the Marathon Team, he initiated the Sri Chinmoy Oneness-Home Peace Run, a worldwide torch relay run that unites people from all walks of life around a shared wish for peace. This video contains some very touching interviews with the international team of runners as they make their way across all 50 states of America.

Shot in 2011 (the Peace Run was called the World Harmony Run at that time), the interviews take place after the runners have been on the team for a prolonged period of time, and have gained a profound sense of how running for the ideals of peace and harmony have affected their own outlook on life, and their hopes for peace and understanding in the world.

As anyone who has participated in the Peace Run will tell you, one remarkable feature of it is how you come away from the run with a more optimistic view of life and human nature. Running through local communities with a positive message helps to bring out everyone's heart - and their deep inner wish to create a better world. “It was amazing how receptive people are to the spirit behind the run – what’s behind it." Palash Bosgang, one of the international team of runners, says in the video. "The whole concept of world harmony and world peace and how each person responds with enthusiasm.” 

On the other hand, organising a Peace Run, especially one which crosses a whole continent, is also a great challenge, which requiring the runners to rely on living in the moment and accepting the help and support of areas the Peace Run passes through. But, as these runners testify, this challenge can also bring out the best in human nature. 

How running and and peace go together

Sri Chinmoy felt that each and every individual on earth could play a role in making a more peaceful world a reality.

“World peace can blossom throughout the length and breadth of the world only when the world-peace-dreamers, world-peace-lovers and world-peace-servers desperately, sleeplessly and breathlessly long for the full manifestation of peace here on earth.”

Sri Chinmoy

Sri Chinmoy believed peace could be made a reality only when people seek peace within themselves and also share this inner peace with others. This inner peace does not come from retreating from the world, but is very compatable with a dynamic outer life - making running and peace complementary to each other.

“The inner running and the outer running complement each other. For outer running, we need discipline. Without a life of discipline, we cannot succeed in any walk of life. So when we do outer running, it reminds us of the inner running.”

– Sri Chinmoy 1

Due to their shared origin, many members of the Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team have also played a role in organising and participating in Peace Runs. Currently, international teams of runners from the Peace Run are on their way through Russia, Canada, and Germany. You can find out more on peacerun.org »

A unique quality of the races organised by the Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team is their focus on self-transcendence, a philosophy powerfully advocated by Sri Chinmoy. In its simplest form self-transcendence involves seeking to do better than before - going beyond our previous achievements, capacities and results.

Self-transcendence can take place with different aspects of our self - physical, mental, emotional and spiritual. They are many different ways we can seek self-transcendence, but the ultimate self-transcendence is integral; it comes not just from training the body, but also from developing all our mental, emotional and spiritual capacities.
 

Self-Transcendence in sport

Self-transcendence is an intrinsic aspect of sport. We practise to get stronger, faster, more skilled than before. In running, a great goal is always to set a new personal best - run a distance faster than before; this is something every athlete can relate to. To achieve this new personal best requires commitment, discipline, and all the different aspects of our being. Anyone who has attempted to improve their time has begun the process of self-transcendence.

Self-Transcendence and competition

    “We compete not for the sake of defeating others, but in order to bring forward our own capacity. Our best capacity comes forward only when there are other people around us. They inspire us to bring forward our utmost capacity, and we inspire them to bring forward their utmost capacity”

– Sri Chinmoy [1]

When we participate in sport, we often see it as an opportunity to try and beat our competitors, giving us the joy of victory or the sadness of defeat. However, another way is to concentrate on our own self-transcendence efforts. In this way, our joy of sport is not dependent on winning or comparison with others, but whether we feel we have sought to do our best.

Self-transcendence does not mean we have to compromise our chance of winning. In fact, it can help if we are calm and focused on doing our best, and we don’t waste mental energy thinking and worrying about our competitors. Concentrating on our self-transcendence helps us achieve our highest potential, but also teaches us that we can enjoy sport even if we don’t come out on top.

    “I do not have any set goal; my goal is self-transcendence. I always try to transcend myself. I do not compete with the rest of the world. I compete only with myself, and I try to become a better human being. This is my ultimate goal.”

– Sri Chinmoy [2]

Different ways for self-transcendence

It is a mistake to think self-transcendence only in terms of a personal best. These may come rarely - especially as we advance in age. Sport is a constant opportunity to transcend different things - the weather, difficult circumstances, learning to accept defeat with good grace, offering good will to other athletes, finding hidden capacities deep within, trying something new. All these are different types of self-transcendence.

The joy of self-transcendence

Sometimes athletes talk of that rare experience, where they are fully in the flow, the mind is quiet, but a seemingly strong inner will and energy carries them along. It is these transcendent performances that give the most joy.

Setting a personal best always gives a runner a smile, but PB’s may be few and far between. However, if we really gave the event everything, and if we were able to surrender the result, we can experience joy whatever the outcome.

No limits

    “We have to believe in a higher Power.
    Only by believing in a higher Power
    Can we go beyond and beyond
    Our limited, human capacity.”

– Sri Chinmoy

Self-transcendence means we can be open to hidden inner capacities. Not just listening to our own mind, which sets limits of what it can and can’t do. This is an inner spiritual force, which can help an athlete. From humble beginnings of running a couple of miles, who knows where it will take us?

Carl Lewis reads extracts on self-transcendence

 

Resources on Self-Transcendence

• The Sri Chinmoy Self-Transcendence 3100 Mile Race - The distance alone gives an insight into the possibilities of self-transcendence. This epic race has seen numerous occassions of unique individual self-transcendence.
• Quotes on Self-Transcendence by Sri Chinmoy

Personal experiences of self-transcendence

• Abhejali swims the English Channel
• Karteek Clarke swims English Channel for 11th time
• Spirit of a runner - video on homepage of 3100 Mile Race about Suprabha Beckjord who completed 13 editions of the Sri Chinmoy Self-Transcendence 3100 Mile Race
• Personal experiences of Self-Transcendence by Tejvan Pettinger
• Interview with Vajin Armstrong - trail distance runner

 

 

 

"Meet the spiritual leader, peace ambassador, runner and
weightlifter who encouraged an entire generation to seek
fulfilment through long-distance running"

Sri Chinmoy - at Men's Running Magazine pdf

Related

• Mens Running magazine
• Going for a run around the block - why the 3100 mile race is a race like no other - at Mens Running Magazine

 

After 33 years at Palmer Street, the successful running shop Run and Become has moved to a new location in the heart of Victoria, London. To celebrate the move to Ecclestone Street, many customers, suppliers and long-time supporters were invited to an evening function to mark the occasion. In addition, Ashrita Furman, the world’s most prolific Guinness World Record holder record, came over from New York to attempt a new Guinness World Record.

Run and Become was founded in 1982, by Ongkar and Vinodini Smith - after their spiritual Teacher Sri Chinmoy suggested they open an enterprise for sporting goods. 1982 was one year after the first London marathon and, in those years, running was very much a minority sport - with no specialist running shop retailers. Over the past 33 years, Run and Become has played an important role in the London and British running community - serving runners with independent service and advice.

Run and Become, also have branches in Edinburgh and Cardiff.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, the current manager, Shankara Smith spoke about the aims of Run and Become, and how it is inspired by the philosophy of Sri Chinmoy. Sri Chinmoy himself was a keen runner, completing many marathons and ultra-marathons during his running career. Sri Chinmoy also taught how meditation and the philosophy of self-transcendence could play a beneficial role in helping the outer running. Throughout the store, there are several photos of Sri Chinmoy, including photos of meeting great running heroes, such as Jesse Owens and Carl Lewis.

The new store

The new store is set on Ecclestone Street, just off Buckingham Palace road - and a few minutes from Victoria train station. A team of talented architects from Czech Sri Chinmoy Centres have helped create a beautiful, light and spacious environment to display the running shoes and clothes.

Within the store, there is also a mini running track - ideal for testing out spikes and running shoes. All shop assistants have been carefully trained to help customers find the best running shoes for their needs. In the downstairs floor, the store will also hold related workshops and personal physiotherapy services for runners seeking to prevent and deal with injuries.

Guinness World Record Attempt

Ashrita Furman sought to break the Guinness World Record for blowing over the most number of eggs in a cup, in a minute. Ashrita was on great form, blowing over 61 eggs within a minute. (the record is yet to be confirmed by Guinness)

After Ashrita’s successful record attempt, those spectating had a go for themselves - learning that it was much more difficult than it looked. Some, including the author of this article, took a good few minutes before successfully flipping over one egg.

Run and Become photos

 

Welcome

Run and Become

Your Running Goal?

Run and Become
Become and run.

Run to succeed
in the outer world.

Become to proceed
in the inner world.

- Sri Chinmoy

Dipika and Shakara Smith.