Category: Interview

Video #341: Epic 841-Finisher Thanksgiving Runs 2025

Posted on by Yatkara

On a cloudy but warm Thanksgiving morning in 2025, Flushing Meadows Corona Park became the stage for the largest Thanksgiving Runs in the event’s 15-year history.

841 runners took part — 555 in the 5K and 286 in the 6-mile / 10K — creating an atmosphere of shared gratitude, movement and quiet celebration that perfectly captured Sri Chinmoy’s teaching: run to express inner joy and give thanks through action.

Thanksgiving Day Runs – Record Participation & Unity

Hundreds of families, solo runners, multi-generational groups and first-timers filled the flat, scenic loops around the Unisphere and the historic 1964 World’s Fair site. Despite the overcast sky, the mood remained bright: smiles at every aid station, children racing with pure delight, masters athletes earning loud cheers, and finish-line hugs that turned strangers into friends for a moment.

Volunteers were everywhere — handing out water, ringing cowbells, calling names, offering encouragement — making sure no one felt alone on the course. Their energy turned the morning into much more than a race: it became a collective expression of thanks.

Why These Runs Feel Different

  • There is no aggressive competition clock in the background.
  • There is no pressure to beat anyone else.
  • The only goal is to move forward — at your pace — and let the act of running become an offering of gratitude.
  • That simple shift creates a very rare atmosphere: people of every age and ability finish feeling uplifted rather than drained.

Thanksgiving Runs. 841 runners took part — 555 in the 5K and 286 in the 6-mile / 10K

A Small Tradition That Keeps Growing

Sri Chinmoy students have quietly organised this Queens Thanksgiving morning run for 15 years. What started as a modest gathering has become one of the most loved holiday traditions in the borough. A portion of every entry fee supports the park itself — continuing the cycle of giving thanks by giving back.

Full Results & Photos

Read the detailed event report

Previous Events of 2025 You May Enjoy

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For more information about sports events, visit the official website: www.srichinmoyraces.org.
To learn more about Sri Chinmoy, please visit: www.srichinmoy.org.

News #108: Sri Chinmoy Centre Russia 2025 – Epic Media Breakthrough

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Nearly 100 Media Features on Harmony Run, Ultrarunning, Sri Chinmoy Teachings, and More

In 2025, Sri Chinmoy Centres in Russia received extensive media attention for Sri Chinmoy’s Path initiatives, with nearly one hundred articles, videos, and audio reports across Russian outlets. The Harmony Run dominated coverage, spanning over 7,000 kilometers through Russia. In small towns and villages, it became a major community event, earning eager local press. Many reports are archived on the official site: www.harmonyrun.ru.

Harmony Run 2025 – 7,000+ km Inspiring Communities Across Russia

The run launched in Smolensk with greetings from Governor Vasily Anokhin, covered widely in regional media. Olympic champion Nadezhda Talanova ran ~20 km with the torch alongside elite athletes like Elena Sidorenkova (world 24-hour record holder), Anna Korolko (winter swimming champion), and Vasily Larkin (100 km champion). The torch passed to Belarusian runners at the border after visits to towns like Pochinok, Yelnya, Roslavl, Desnogorsk, Shumyachi, and Khislavichi. Veteran Svetlana Khisamutdinova (81) ran daily segments, embodying Sri Chinmoy’s inspiring words:

Age is in the mind and not in the heart …

– Sri chinmoy. The Body’s Fitness-Gong. The Soul’s Fulness-Song

On the Zyuratkul Ridge, the run joined an eco-festival “Earth – Our Home of Unity” at Zyuratkul Nature Reserve. Participants climbed to the 1,175 m summit amid a week-long vegetarian experiment for all. Yuri Moskalyov and Nikolai Duzhy led efforts.

In Transbaikalia (Chita), Minister of Sports Andrey Seryodkin met participants on August 6, praising their promotion of health and unity. The torch arrived on August 5 from diverse cities, with the youngest runner aged 12.

In Bikino (Primorsky Krai), the relay included a route from “Bikin” stele to Glory Memorial, flower-laying ceremony, rest at Lokomotiv Stadium, and continuation to Orenburgskoye village with bread-salt welcome, concert, and run. It proceeded to Luchegorsk, Ussuriysk, and Vladivostok.

A 2025 Harmony Run photo slideshow captures the journey’s spirit.

Ultra running Spotlight – First Russian 6-Day Run

The inaugural Russian 6-day “Self-Transcendence” run (August 8–14, 2025, Voronovo, New Moscow) drew 28 participants from Russia, Kazakhstan, and Belarus. Men’s winner Sergei Verbitsky (Tula) covered 708 km; women’s Larisa Psuykalova (Chelyabinsk, 60+) ran 510 km. Interviews revealed strategies like minimal sleep, on-the-move eating, and a positive mindset.

Haborovsk’s Andrey Komyagin earned silver (630 km).

Stories of Sri Chinmoy and Followers – Personal Triumphs and Philosophy

Music, Film, and Anniversaries – Cultural Echoes of the Sri Chinmoy’s Path

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For more information about events, visit the official website: www.srichinmoycentre.org.
To learn more about Sri Chinmoy, please visit: www.srichinmoy.org.

Video #331: Understanding Maya – The Great Illusion Explained | Ancient Wisdom Thoughts Podcast, Episode 27

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Understanding Maya is the heart of this warm and insightful episode of the Ancient Wisdom Thoughts Podcast. Abhinabha from the Netherlands and Vajin from New Zealand, both students of Sri Chinmoy, sit down for a relaxed yet profound conversation that makes one of the deepest ideas in Indian philosophy feel close and alive.

What Maya Actually Is

Most people hear “Maya = illusion” and think it means the world is fake. The truth is more beautiful. Maya is the creative power of the Divine that projects the One into the many. It is the cosmic artist who paints the entire universe and then makes us believe we are only the tiny figures inside the painting. Without Maya, there would be no creation, no play, no adventure of the soul.

The Matrix – A Modern Key to Understanding Maya

Few metaphors work as perfectly as the 1999 film ‘The Matrix’. When Neo takes the red pill and wakes up in the real world, he experiences exactly what the ancient sages described: the sudden revelation that everyday reality is a dream superimposed on something far vaster. Abhinabha and Vajin laugh about how often runners and meditators have their own “red-pill moments” – a sudden glimpse of oneness that changes everything afterwards.

Maya in Sri Chinmoy’s Teachings

Sri Chinmoy never asked his students to reject the world. Instead, he taught that Maya is a temporary classroom. Life is real, feelings are real, joy and sorrow are real – they are simply seen through a limited lens. Through regular meditation, singing soulful songs, running long distances, or offering selfless service, we gradually polish that lens until the light of the soul shines through clearly. The goal is not escape, but transformation.

Sri Aurobindo’s Revolutionary View

The conversation then turns to Sri Aurobindo, who offered a gentle correction to the classical “world is illusion” idea of Shankara. For Sri Aurobindo, Matter itself is Brahman – the Divine in disguise. Maya is not something evil to be destroyed; it is consciousness that has forgotten its own divinity. The spiritual journey, therefore, is evolutionary: we bring more and more light down into the body, the emotions, even the cells, until earth becomes a place where the Divine can live openly.

Personal Experiences That Make Maya Real

Both hosts share stories that every listener can recognise. Vajin describes moments during an ultra-marathon when the sense of a separate “I” simply dissolved and only vast peace remained. Abhinabha recalls sitting in meditation and suddenly feeling the room, the city, the planet as one living being. These are not rare mystical events – they are natural glimpses once Maya’s grip loosens even a little.

Why Understanding Maya Matters Right Now

In an age of endless distraction, endless comparison, and endless fear, understanding Maya becomes practical medicine. Every time we choose gratitude over complaint, presence over worry, or kindness over judgment, we weaken the illusion of separation. Little by little, the veil lifts, and life feels lighter, brighter, more meaningful.

The episode closes on a hopeful note: Maya is not our enemy. She is the Divine Mother playing hide-and-seek with Her children. When we finally “find” Her with love and surrender, the game does not end – it becomes infinitely more joyful because now we play consciously.

Whether you are completely new to Eastern philosophy or have been meditating for decades, this heartfelt conversation will leave you with fresh inspiration and a quiet smile of recognition.

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For more information about events, visit the official website: www.srichinmoycentre.org.
To learn more about Sri Chinmoy, please visit: www.srichinmoy.org.

News #96: Sri Chinmoy Centre at Gracie Mansion Diwali 2025, New York

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Sri Chinmoy Centre Joins Diwali Celebration at Historic Gracie Mansion

A Night of Light, Music, and Unity

The Sri Chinmoy Centre joined a radiant Diwali celebration at Gracie Mansion on October 18, 2025. The evening brought together community leaders, artists, and cultural organizations for a night full of light, music, and shared joy. With glowing lamps, festive décor, and the warm energy of attendees, the mansion became a true stage for celebration.

Among the highlights was a performance by renowned sarangi musician Ustad Kamal Sabri. His music added soul and depth to the evening, inspiring everyone present. Guests also shared Diwali greetings and spoke about peace, unity, and community connection. The Sri Chinmoy Centre took part in the evening, joining others in the celebration of light, music, and community.

Media coverage by ITV Gold ensured that the event reached a wider audience. Interviews captured the atmosphere and allowed members of the Centre to express warm wishes for the festival. The celebration was more than entertainment — it demonstrated the beauty of harmony across cultures, faiths, and generations.

The occasion was covered by ITV Gold

Who Was Sri Chinmoy — In Short

Sri Chinmoy (1931–2007) was a spiritual teacher, poet, artist, and musicianSri Chinmoy (1931–2007) was a spiritual teacher, poet, artist, and musician. After moving to New York in 1964, he devoted his life to guiding people toward inner peace, self-transcendence, and universal oneness. Over his lifetime, he created nearly 1,600 books, including poetry, essays, lectures, stories, and plays, and produced a vast collection of spiritual art and meditations.

Through his works, Sri Chinmoy encouraged seekers to look beyond surface-level differences and recognize the shared divine essence in all beings. His vision was global: he believed that inner peace leads to outer harmony and that every gesture — no matter how small — can contribute to universal love. The Centre’s Diwali celebration embodied this vision by sharing light, music, and goodwill in a civic space, bringing spiritual ideals into everyday life.

Light is the Creator yet to be fulfilled.
Light is the Creation yet to be realised.
Light is the Voice of Silence in the inner world.
Light is the fruit of action in the outer world.

– Sri Chinmoy, My Ivy League Leaves

Why This Evening Mattered

Diwali, the festival of lights, celebrates light over darkness, knowledge over ignorance, and hope over despair. These themes are universal. The event naturally highlighted the values of Diwali, and the Sri Chinmoy Centre joined the celebration warmly, simply enjoying the evening alongside other honored guests. 

The event showed that spirituality, culture, and community are not separate; they are intertwined in our shared human experience. Music, tradition, and fellowship created a space where compassion and unity were tangible. Attendees left with a sense of belonging and hope, reminded that light — both inner and outer — brings people together.

Ultimately, the evening carried a quiet sense of Sri Chinmoy’s teachings, felt more than spoken. It reminded participants that spiritual ideals are alive in every sincere smile, greeting, and act of kindness. By fostering connection across boundaries, the Diwali celebration became a celebration not only of light but also of human unity and shared purpose.

Learn More

For more information about events, visit the official website: www.srichinmoycentre.org.
To learn more about Sri Chinmoy, please visit: www.srichinmoy.org.

News #89: Anne Kadet’s 3100 Mile Race Article “Running in Circles for 3100 Miles!”

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Participants starting the 3100 Mile Race around Thomas A. Edison High School, Queens

Journalist Anne Kadet recently travelled to Queens, New York, to cover the remarkable Sri Chinmoy Self-Transcendence 3100 Mile Race. She shared her reflections in an insightful Substack article titled “Running in Circles for 3100 Miles!”

🔗 Read the full story

In her account, Kadet captures the quiet yet powerful atmosphere of this unique event. Only ten runners take part. There are no road closures, no crowds—just a few volunteers and local supporters cheering on the edges of a high-school block. Yet, despite its simplicity, the race radiates a deep spiritual energy.

Voices from the track:

  • Alex Ramsey (USA) finds “joy and newness in each lap,” even after circling the same route thousands of times.
  • Arpan D’Angelo, a volunteer, compares the loop to the rhythm of the cosmos: “That route is like the motion of the moon and of atoms. That’s how the universe works.”
  • Rupantar La Russo, the race director, explains: “The mind says, ‘3100 miles? You’re kidding me?’ But when you go beyond the mind and into the heart, nothing is impossible.”
  • Harita Davies, the only New Yorker in the race, adds: “You have to live it one day at a time. The world badly needs inspiration.”

As Kadet observes, the run becomes meditation in motion. Repetition turns into spiritual discipline, and endurance becomes an inner practice. A simple block in Queens transforms into a pathway of insight and self-discovery.

Although Kadet admits she could never run 3100 miles herself, the runners’ determination inspires her belief that “I, too, can accomplish whatever I truly feel inspired to do – even if my mind says it’s impossible.”

Discovering Inner Strength through Outer Pathways

This story is far more than a race report. It reveals how ordinary streets can become sacred ground and how perseverance opens the heart to transformation. Whether you run, meditate, or simply seek inspiration, the 3100 Mile Race shows that what seems impossible may, in truth, mark the beginning of a deeper journey.

More Information & Resources

For more information about races, visit the official website: www.srichinmoyraces.org.
To learn more about Sri Chinmoy, please visit: www.srichinmoy.org.