Sri Chinmoy
As well as being the founder of the Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team, Sri Chinmoy became a sporting hero in his own right, with some amazing weightlifting achievements to his name. He is also known as a writer, poet, composer, singer, musician and artist. This article explains the role running has played in his life, and in the lives of S.C.M.T. members worldwide.
Early Inspiration
Sri Chinmoy's love of sport began in his youth. From the age of 12, the young Chinmoy was brought up in the Sri Aurobindo Ashram - a spiritual community in South India. Here, Sri Chinmoy practised an "integral yoga", which included western sports such as athletics, and football in addition to the more typically Eastern practises such as meditation, and devotional music.
Sri Chinmoy and Running
After coming to the west in 1964, Sri Chinmoy became a spiritual teacher to many students around the world. As well as teaching meditation, Sri Chinmoy advocated physical fitness as a means to spiritual practise. In 1978, Sri Chinmoy himself, took up distance running (completing several marathons and ultra marathons). Also, the SCMT began organising races, including marathons and ultra events, which played a key role in the growth of long distance running in the 1970s and 80s
Self-Transcendence
"Running offers us the message of transcendence. In our running, every day we are aiming at a new goal..... ... every day we are running towards a goal, but when we reach that goal, we want to go still farther. Either we want to improve our timing or increase our distance. There is no end. Running means continual transcendence, and that is also the message of our inner life."
- Sri Chinmoy, - more quotes on running
