The oneness of all paths - personal experiences

Some personal experiences of the oneness of all paths and other interfaith activities of the Sri Chinmoy Centre.

Pradhan Balter
Chicago

Many, many years ago I was visiting a restaurant owned by Sri Chinmoy's students in San Francisco along with Sri Chinmoy. When Sri Chinmoy was leaving the restaurant, I was standing next to a young woman. Guru walked past the both of us, suddenly stopped, and seemingly without any outer beckoning came back and faced the young woman with eyes closed. Because I was right there, I could not help but be privy to his words, which went something like this:

"You are having trouble reconciling my life and the life of the Christ. Think of it this way. Think that the Christ is the boss, but he is in heaven. You can think of me as his secretary. My job is to screen people in preparation for meeting the boss!" (Remember, this is my memory...but it's close.)

Then Sri Chinmoy went on. "But I tell you, if you cry in your heart for the Christ...when you find him in your heart, there also you will find me. Or if you cry for me in your heart, when you find me, there also you will find the Christ."

Now, as regards a personal experience...I was raised in the Jewish faith. I had no connection with the Christ as a child. But as soon as I became Sri Chinmoy's student, it awakened in me a powerful and intimate association with the Christ, for which I am grateful.

One of my dearest friends, Sunil, prayed to the Christ for a master in the physical. When he saw Guru for the first time, he immediately felt that the Christ had made this possible, and that it was an answer to his prayers.

Nurari
(London)

At our Sunday Centre meditation we focused on Avatars. A couple of people read from Sri Chinmoy's plays on the Buddha and Sri Krishna. The great quote of Krishna's was read out:

"Weapons cannot cleave the soul, Fire cannot burn the soul, Water cannot drench the soul, Wind cannot dry the soul."

For some reason it really struck home and I felt a new confidence and faith in my soul's immortality. The next day when plagued by dumb thoughts I said to them "That's enough! I am my soul, so you thoughts buzz off!" It was great!

Mukti
(Ottawa)

In the early days of the Ottawa Centre, Nivedita, who had come from a very orthodox Roman Catholic upbringing, used to tell me that every time she sat down to meditate on Guru's Transcendental photo, she would see superimposed on the photo the Sacred Heart of Jesus, which she had long revered. She asked what this might mean. The Centre Head told her that it was her soul telling her that all she had adored in the Sacred Heart was to be found in meditating on Guru's photo.

Some time later Maitreyi joined the Centre, arriving back in Canada after ten years of intensive Zen discipline in Japan. She noticed for some time that when she meditated on Guru's Transcendental photo, she would see the wheel of the Dharma superimposed on Guru's third eye. Again the explanation was given that everything she had revered in Buddhism was to be found in meditating on Guru.

Interfaith stories through the Sri Chinmoy Oneness-Home Peace Run

The Sri Chinmoy Oneness-Home Peace Run is a relay run to promote the ideals of peace and harmony. The run seeks to bring people together from all backgrounds. As the Peace Run travels around the world, it frequently participates in interfaith events and meets with followers of different religions.

Pope Francis blesses the Peace Torch in St Peter's square. 22nd April, 2015 (Photo Credit: L'Osservatore Romano)

Peace Run welcomed by the Reverend-Canon Chancellor at York Minister 22 May, 2014 (York Press.co.uk)

The Peace Run team visit a local Mosque in  Hamburg, Germany 23 June, 2015

Interfaith service in Bali, Indonesia, led by Hindu preist Ida Pedanda Gde Wayahan Bun, 31 January, 2015

Sri Chinmoy Oneness-Home Peace Run meets local Sikh community. Hamburg, Germany 23 June, 2015

Buddhist community, Princeton, New Jersey, 19 April, 2014

Interfaith at the United Nations

Sri Chinmoy participated in interfaith events at the United Nations.

See more at: Sri Chinmoy.org and Interfaith at Sri Chinmoy Centre

Sri Chinmoy choir participate in United Nations interfaith event. 15 February, 2013

Thought of the day - Sanjaya Spettigue

Sanjaya Martin Spettigue is the chairman of the Suffolk Interfaith Centre and is active in promoting interfaith activities in his local town of Ipswich. Sanjaya has also participated in the UK interfaith network

For many years, Sanjaya offered a inter-denominational "Thought of the Day" for BBC Radio Suffolk - which often looked at pertinent issues, from the perspective of different religious and spiritual traditions. Sanjaya has been a member of the Sri Chinmoy Centre since the early 1970s

• Thought of the Day at Radio Sri Chinmoy

Ushasi Thompson - Thy Will Be Done

Thy Will Be Done: A Christian Journey to Sri Chinmoy was written by Ushasi Jill Thompson.  The book tells the story of a seeker’s journey to become closer to God through prayer and meditation.  Beginning with a Christian conversion experience, the book traverses the further experiences and journey of a seeker aspiring to surrender to God’s Will for her life. With utmost devotion to Jesus Christ, the author searches for ever closer ways to know and unfold that divinity which is, indeed, in each of us. The book was written to share her experiences not only with her Sri Chinmoy family but also with those who have an abiding and deep connection to Jesus Christ and Christianity.

Read More at: Thy Will Be Done

Related

• Interfaith at Sri Chinmoy.org
• Interfaith at Sri Chinmoy Centre