Father's Day at Aspiration Ground
I'm sure Arpan will write in greater detail and with more evocative
splendor than myself but before I go to bed back home here in Rhode
Island I just wanted to say that the first Father's Day function at
Aspiration Ground since Guru's passing was truly and sincerely a
special, soulful and sublime experience. Perhaps the hard economic
times kept people from coming (not a single person from the West Coast
of America was there) or perhaps they felt it just wouldn't be the
same without Guru's physical presence.
While on some level the absence of his outer form was looming large,
on another level (an inner one of course) I felt him all-where, all
day long and I actually had one of the most special Father's Day
celebrations in all my 22 years as a disciple. And this is in spite of
the Saturday night performances being postponed due to a rain, thunder
and lightning storm last night.
Remember how you would come to New York and feel as if a lifetime
worth of blessings poured into you in a simple day's time? Or how you
felt that the flood of affection, grace and sweetness could not
possibly be surpassed from a life's worth of compassion already in
your personal possession, yet it was and is?! That is what today felt
like and I didn't even stay for part 2 which was an evening function
that was scheduled to recommence at 8 pm.
The 6 am start of the 3100 race; Bhajans; singing groups; plays (I
absolutely felt Guru watching us while Vijali's play happened); the
traditional Indian feast on a banana leaf; non-stop iced chai, iced
tea, ruggalah, spanakapita and samosas in the driveway; the
opportunity for everyone to place incense and a flower at the samadhi;
a special Father's Day card; intervals of prasad; new Jharna-Kala
Harmony posters and cards available; what else might I be forgetting??
But the outer tally of activities doesn't capture it! It was more a
feeling that Guru was with us, alive and tangible like a fragrance
that permeated the entire Aspiration Ground.
I would be lying if I didn't admit that there were tearful moments for
some performers and speakers during the day's events but somehow by
the time that the day-long portion of the program was ending it
blossomed into an overarching expression of gratitude, shared oneness
and divine love that made us all feel inextricably linked to each
other as children full of joy and innocence.
All the performances were so heart-felt and exquisite. Parvati's
singing group must have journeyed to Heaven and back during their
singing, it was so perfect. There were moments of humor when Paree and
friends performed a play that was absolutely and totally funny.
If people remember previous Father's Day celebrations and feel coming
to New York for Father's Day can never be as good as it was, it seemed
Guru himself from Heaven was determined to prove us wrong and
demonstrate that he is just as much our divine Father as ever and that
he is closer than next door despite no longer living on earth.
There was something profound and special about gathering together as a
spiritual family on this special day and as I placed my rose on the
samadhi joining all the other flowers already placed on the shrine, it
seemed only fitting that the sweetness and fragrance of a multitude of
flowers together eclipses the fragrance of a solitary rose.
I may start to seem like your nuisance reporter with my "you should
have been there" stance :-) but I promise from the bottom of my heart
that it is only just me pinching myself and thinking that I hardly
deserve these special boons more than others. I can only wish that
many, many others can taste their nectar equally. It is exactly for
this reason that I hope I see twice as many of us gathered together in
New York next year for Father's Day. Then many more of us can bask in
the ocean of blessings that pour forth on this holiday -- which today
at least feels like one of the most special days on the calendar in
the entire year for the Sri Chinmoy disciples. I only lament that my
words cannot do better justice to just how special this Father's Day
felt.
Sharani
Thank you so much for taking the time to write this for us, Sharani. I
wish I could have been there, but your report is a very worthy second
place.
Sumangali
The performances on Aspiration-Ground are performances for us all.
Thank you so much for your report, Sharani. To remain silent and not
to write that you could have been there too, makes me feel better. I
had one of my hardest weekend in terms of sadness but nevertheless I
felt Guru's presence so strongly for the entire day. I felt that right
from Friday evening on.
-flowers together eclipses the fragrance of a solitary rose.
With love
Nirmala
Thank you Sharani for that little 'plug' at the start of your most
soulful and significant report on Father's Day in New York. I could
not have done better in reporting in such a meaningful and personal
way as you did so magnificently.
I also have to apologize for being slack in reporting lately. Since
the start of the 3100 especially I have been super-busy. I am trying
to help out with photos of the race and now have to spend hours trying
to deal with all the technical aspects of getting photos on properly,
or 'uploading' to the website.
Jowan has been doing a great job as always but he will be out of town
and I have to try my best to offer true images of this most amazing
race, or rather an 'epic adventure into the beyond'.
Even now, after midnight, I still have to get some of today's photos
uploaded. I love to be there and to take photos although I am not a
'pro' like some of our photojournalists. But with the video work of
Utpal and other photographers and reporters for the race as well as
the 'techies', like Medur, who make it all possible for people to view
online, I hope I can also contribute my small part for such an
immortal event as the 'Self-Transcendence 3100 Mile Race'.
I would like to end by encouraging anyone who has entertained the idea
of coming to New York before Celebrations to do so, not only for the
spiritual 'oasis' at Aspiration-Ground, but also for the incredible
inspiration and dynamism derived from the 3100.
Enough said, back to work........
Arpan
Dear Arpan,
Thanks for your service to the online photo diary of the 3100 race!
Last year I spent some time taking photos of Suprabha and found it a
very rewarding but slightly difficult task.
I did think of one activity I forgot to mention about Father's Day in
my report - namely the Father's Day marathon. It started one half hour
after the start of the 3100 mile race, if I heard correctly.
Thank-you Sumangali, Nirmala and Arpan for your friendly replies. I do
still hope that future Father's Day celebrations in New York find many
more people able to attend.
Sharani
Hello Sharani,
Thank you once again for your beautiful writing.
I have wanted to write all week about my experiences in New York,
but I felt that so much happened for me while I was there that I
needed time to process it.
Like you, I can't emphasise enough the importance of going to New
York as much as possible, just like we did when Guru was in the
physical.
Just before Father's day I was again suffering from the inner ups
and downs as well as some ruthless inner attacks that were even
making me question my own sincerity; my own spiritual life. Friends
here tried to help me, but the only medicine to cure my inner
illness was to be with Guru, sitting at his soul's feet at
Aspiration ground.
I was there only 2 short days, but Guru as always made time stretch
to feel as if I had been there for weeks. Such is the power of our
Guru and our sacred temple.
Standing at his Samadhi, at his feet offering a flower and incense,
I felt a river of his love flow through me, and I felt transformed.
All week since returning from NY I have been filled with inner
experiences, new inner vistas that previously had remained blocked
as if a solid stone wall was placed in my path.
Guru has once again cleared my vision and allowed me to see the
inner beauty and divinity that has been bestowed upon us all as a
blessingful gift of grace from the Supreme.
How can one have enough gratitude?
Yours in pilgrimage oneness,
Purnakama
Hi, Sharani!
Thank you for this post about Father's Day in New York. I have been in
Iceland for a week now, playing in an international chess tournament
that Suren organized. I must say, I am very popular in the tournament;
whoever plays me almost has a point assured!
I have played 6 games, losing 5 and drawing one (with Suren- what a
host!).
Today I went to an early Viking settlement, where the first parliament
in history used to meet around the year 900 A.D.
Icelandic food is delicious, and the hospitality of the Reykjavik Sri
Chinmoy students has been out of this world.
So, being out of town for this Father's Day, I appreciate more your
post about the function at Aspiration-Ground.
with gratitude, ~Kamalakanta
Hi Kamalakanta!
How great that you're in Iceland! Yes, the Icelanders are wonderful.
We had the good fortune of having 2 of the boys visit our city just
recently in March.
One of my colleagues is going to Iceland this summer so I will give
him the name of the restaurant there so he can go and enjoy
delicious food in a beautiful atmosphere.
I love that we have this international family. Knowing that you will
be welcomed just about anywhere in the world by loving brothers and
sisters is a very unique experience. One that I think we are all
cherishing now.
My trip to Germany at Christmas absolutely saved me.
Hang in there with the chess tournament, and we're looking forward
to more gratitude poems:)
Purnakama
Hi Kamalakanta,
I'm glad you're having a good visit in Iceland. Come to think of it, I
didn't see you doing sound during the Father's Day function. You
missed an adorable play with Paree and her singing group that had the
theme of the Puerto Rican disciples producing a book of poems written
by Guru. Your name was mentioned in the play at one point in a cute
and humorous way.
Have you ever played chess with Santaru from our RI centre? He runs
several chess programs for children in Rhode Island and he has become
quite an acclaimed teacher of chess. It is hard for him to come to NY
on weekends because his regular job is the night shift, then during
the day he is mostly teaching chess.
Someday you, Suren and he will have to have a chess face-off.
Sharani