Weightlifting 23rd Anniversary Function, New York

June 26 is the 23rd Anniversary of the beginning of Sri Chinmoy's
serious weight lifting and the 20th Anniversary of the `Lifting Up
The World' program. Here in New York at our Wednesday night function
we celebrated these auspicious dates with a long and sweetly emotional
function which I will attempt to describe.

Walking into Aspiration-Ground one would expect that someone special was
about to be lifted. Sri Chinmoy's overhead lifting apparatus was set
up with 800 lbs. on top along with a framed photo of Mother Kali. His
chair and table were also set up with a few medals that he would give to
the honored `liftee' as well. Beautiful life-size cut-outs of
Sri Chinmoy doing various lifts such as standing overhead two-arm lifts
and standing and seated calf-raises were spread out around the grounds.

First we had our regular meditation and singing program including
Ramamoorthy singing two songs most soulfully and Satyajit's Group
performing live music and a recital on `Surrender'. The opening
prayer was, "My Supreme, my Supreme, please bless me with an
ever-blossoming surrender-life." Parvati's singing group sang an
English weightlifting song, then a large group of good singers from
various groups sang a few special songs for the weightlifting including:
`I Am A Brave Weightlifter , Constant sloth and weakness
fighter.' We also sang `The Body's Fitness Gong, the
Soul's Fullness-Song.' We finished with the traditional
song,`Lifting Up the World with a Oneness-Heart, the Hour of God and
His Victory's Start.'

After that last powerful and very familiar song some tears began to
flow. It felt like we were right there with Guru who was ready to honor
some guests by lifting them overhead. Biswas, who made many of the
special lifting machines, got up to the microphone to introduce the
program and to tell a few stories. But after just a few words he could
not hold back the tears and many of us were feeling these powerful
emotions as well. He managed to say a few lines but then handed the
microphone over to Abakash who told a few wonderful stories about some
of the important figures in the field of weightlifting and bodybuilding
who were honored by Sri Chinmoy and who in respected and appreciated his
efforts most sincerely. Then many others followed up with their own
personal stories related to Sri Chinmoy's weightlifting. The stories
went on and on, some quite humorous and others very personal and sweet.

It was and still is obvious that Sri Chinmoy's weightlifting was not
really about a strong man trying to get stronger. It was really about a
great Spiritual Master who had a dynamic approach to faith in God and
tried to include as many people as were inspired to participate in his
efforts to show how important and real this faith is for all of us in
our own lives. His lifting of seemingly impossible weights, objects and
subjects was a dramatically convincing way to show us how any of us,
even a small Indian Yogi, can work toward achieving what only seems
impossible to our minds if we use our faith and hearts of Oneness.

Sri Chinmoy honored thousands of people from all walks of life by
lifting them overhead just as a sports team might lift their hero
overhead for his or her achievements of the moment. Whether the person
was already well known or was just like you and me, it did not matter to
Sri Chinmoy who felt and knew that we are all children of the Supreme.

After the very entertaining and uplifting stories from over a dozen
people including Biswas, who was finally able to enlighten us on what it
was like to build a lifting apparatus and make it work, we watched
about thirty minutes of video. The first one was in August 1985, just a
few months after starting his serious weightlifting program. Sri Chinmoy
was in his house with seven people looking on. After some warm-ups with
very light weights, he proceeded to lift a very heavy dumbbell, I think
it was 100 lbs., from the ground all the way overhead and do repetitions
with it. His dynamism and enthusiasm were contagious as it was obvious
he was doing this to inspire anyone who was fortunate enough to witness
it or to watch the video which was equally impressive and delightful.

Then there were other videos from other years including events from the
Lifting Anniversary functions held in a huge University Auditorium over
the years. Over a three day period of various lifting events both
indoors and outside as well, Sri Chinmoy lifted a cumulative total of
290,527 pounds of weight with arms and legs through various lifts and
lifting apparatus'.

The last videos we watched were the cutest and most impressive. In 2002
in New Zealand Sri Chinmoy lifted many lambs overhead and cows as well.
Then we saw his most recent animal lifts of baby elephants in Mongolia
on February 21, 2007. It was scorching hot that day and Sri Chinmoy had
to wait for hours in the hot sun for the elephants to be coaxed onto the
lifting platforms. In one lift of a full grown elephant Sri Chinmoy
lifted 8,622 pounds on the standing calf-raise machine.

We could have watched videos all night as it felt we were all right
there with Guru enjoying the fun and splendor of these amazing programs
once again. What was fun for us was quite an amazing effort for him as
he strained and labored on each and every lift. But his Oneness-Heart
with our joy and inspiration from witnessing these sometimes rather
unusual endeavors gave him utmost joy as well. He knew that whatever he
has to share should and could be shared with the rest of humanity, with
those who can see and care to feel the incredible power and strength of
faith in God and in our own capacities to manifest that in our own lives
as well.

We then took special Prasad including three birthdays, Aranyani,
Bhashwar and Agragati, and various other special prasads including
delicious gourmet cookies from our good friend Michael who most lovingly
sends them quite often to us, and special Kebob Dumbbells by Guru's
weightlifting assistants, ice cream sandwiches from the girls'
weightlifting manifestation team and Japanese crackers from Bashata for
her anniversary on the path 19 years.

I was fortunate enough after all this to have the stamina to stay and
help some of the volunteers who had to put away the machine and take
down the decorations. This could be a difficult task late at night after
a long day and a long evening function. Instead, it turned out to be a
very rewarding and inspirational effort on everyone's part. Handling
the immortal overhead lifting machine and hearing stories from Biswas
and others who were intimately connected to all the events and machines
was all very energizing and spiritually invigorating.

The power of this special occasion was still lingering quite vividly
right there, just a few feet from the Samadhi, where we were working and
where we had this marathon function. We could feel our sweet and
powerful Spiritual Master lifting us up with his Oneness-Heart of
concern and love as he does everyone, near or far, here or on the other
side of this physical planet. His lifting of physical weights was just a
metaphor for the much more meaningful and significant lifting of the
human spirit and strengthening of the inner faith, not so much the outer
muscle. The courage and strength demonstrated in these lifts over the
years were to encourage us all to conquer our own lethargy and
weaknesses so as to add something quite dynamic, positive and peaceful
to the world. This is simply expressed in Sri Chinmoy's own words to
one of his songs, "I am a brave weightlifter, constant sloth and
weakness fighter." [unofficial]

Gratefully,

Arpan

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