Introduction to Seven Minutes of Peace
Today, on the International Day of Peace, Sri Chinmoy’s global and simultaneous experience of peace is taking place. From 9:00 to 9:07 AM New York time, people around the world gather inwardly and outwardly to feel the downpour of peace. This simple yet powerful observance invites every peace-lover to pause, meditate and offer their heartfelt aspiration for a more harmonious world.
A Global Invitation
Around the world, the observance can be adjusted to local timeframes and needs. Peace lovers can participate individually or creatively adapt the seven minutes to their own setting.
- Official website: www.minutesofpeace.org
The site includes practical suggestions for participation, peace meditation guidance, and a newly added option to receive a reminder.
The Origin of This Global Tradition
This special observance was inaugurated by Sri Chinmoy in 1984 at the United Nations on United Nations Day. As leader of the Peace Meditation at the United Nations, he offered a seven-minute lunchtime meditation that brought staff and delegates together in silence. Over the years it has grown into a worldwide event. In recent times it has been held on September 21, the International Day of Peace, timed to coincide with the spirit of the United Nations Peace Bell ceremony.
Sri Chinmoy’s Vision of Peace
Sri Chinmoy often reminded us that lasting peace begins within each individual. Two of his statements beautifully capture the spirit of today’s gathering:
As there can be no war
Without the war-mongers,
Even so, there can be no peace
Without the peace-lovers.
Sri Chinmoy, Ten Thousand Flower-Flames, Part 48, Agni Press, New York, 1982
Life’s battlefield will be all peace when the sound of the mind
Gives way to the silence of the heart.
Sri Chinmoy, Twenty-Seven Thousand Aspiration-Plants, part 90, Agni Press, New York, 1984
These words invite us not only to wish for peace but to become living instruments of it.
How to Participate
Anyone can join Seven Minutes of Peace:
- Sit quietly and meditate for seven minutes.
- Offer a silent prayer for world harmony.
- Simply hold a sincere feeling of peace in the heart.
There is no requirement of special technique. The power of the observance lies in the collective aspiration of many hearts joining at the same moment.
The Deeper Meaning
Sri Chinmoy described himself as a student of peace. He felt that the most valuable contribution any person can make is the cultivation and sharing of inner peace. When many individuals consciously offer that peace at the same time, something subtle yet real takes place. The atmosphere of the Earth receives a collective gift of light and harmony.
A Continuing Tradition
For more than four decades, this annual observance has brought together people from dozens of countries. Governors, mayors and ordinary citizens have offered proclamations and joined the silence. The tradition continues today with the same sincerity that marked its beginning at the United Nations in 1984.
Final Reflections
On this International Day of Peace, the call is simple and clear: pause, become silent, and offer the peace of your heart to the world. May this collective meditation strengthen the aspiration for harmony in every participant and send a wave of light around the earth.
Explore More
For more information about events, visit the official website: www.srichinmoycentre.org.
To learn more about Sri Chinmoy, please visit: www.srichinmoy.org.