Author name: tejvan

2 Songs to Bring a Smile

I have heard Louis Armstrong’s “What a wonderful world” many times. It is a beautiful, simple song, but, watching the video gives an added dimension. Louis Armstrong has such a wide infectious smile. He is not just singing the words, but really enjoying the music.

Video of Wonderful World.

Video of Somewhere over the Rainbow


I had only heard a rather saccharine version in the Disney film, but, this version by Kamakawiwo Ole’s is quite different.

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Daily Poem

If you would like to receive a daily poem of the day visit:   Poem of the day at Short Poems.org

This is a poem by the nineteenth century mystic Ramprasad Sen

The Diamond Essence of Awareness

Ma Tara, you are truly the exalted one,
the essence of awareness.
But are you aware of the foolish poet
who sings this song?
You are indeed the radiant truth,
the sun that dissolves like morning mist
the illusory suffering of conscious beings.
But what about my persistent misery?

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Meditation Guide

iris

In Oxford, we offer meditation courses 3 times a year as a community service on behalf of the Sri Chinmoy Centre. Many people are interested in meditation for a variety of reasons such as deeper relaxation, inner peace and discovering more about our own self.

These are some of the Benefits of Meditation – an article at Write Spirit.

Also, Q.A. on the Benefits of Meditation

People may have preconceived ideas about what meditation is. However, in essence meditation is quite a simple exercise – we are basically trying to still the mind. This is an introduction to meditation, with some suggestions on How To Control our own thoughts.

Meditation and Music

Music can play a helpful role in meditation. Meditative music can help inspire our meditation and create an atmosphere conducive to stilling the mind. There is a good selection of meditation music at Radio Sri Chinmoy.

  • A popular recording is this flute music meditation by Sri Chinmoy Quick Time – listen now

Meditation Videos

These are some short meditation videos at Sri Chinmoy TV

More Meditation Links

Photo by Tejvan from Oxford Botanical gardens

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Races Running and Cycling

At the weekend I managed to complete my first cycling race of the year for Sri Chinmoy Cycling Team. (link) It was a 25 mile time trial and my time was 54.24.

Oxford Self Transcendence Races

Yesterday, we had our first 3 Mile Self Transcendence race at the Peace Mile in Cutteslowe Park, Oxford. 15 runners came on a wet and grey evening. results at Sri Chinmoy Races

Running and Vegetarian Diet

Some people question whether a vegetarian diet is compatible with a vegetarian diet. Tim Van Orden, is running on just a raw vegan diet. – Running Raw

One of the fastest growing sports is running up tower block stairs. Sounds great fun. Article at Guardian

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A Busy Few Weeks

purushottama

Boris Purushottama Grebenshikov at Royal Albert Hall.

It’s been a busy few weeks in the UK.

Firstly we had the World Harmony Run visit the UK.

Secondly, we had a reception in honour of Sri Chinmoy at the House of Lords.

The really big event was a concert for 5,000 people at the Royal Albert Hall

Other Links

Congratulations to Ashrita on Breaking his 200th Guinness World Records. That is a marvelous achievement and a record all by itself!

Recent article – How To avoid being a grumpy old man

I am going on a cycling holiday in Ireland with a few ‘non cycling’ friends. I have sent them all a training schedule. That should get them ready for 100 miles a day.

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Selected Flower Flames

flower

These Flower Flames are from a selection of 207 Poems that Sri Chinmoy made from his series 10,000 Flower Flames.

Today I am Wise

Yesterday I was clever.
That is why
I wanted to change the world.

Today I am wise.
That is why
I am changing myself.

~

One Thing To Learn

Every day there is only
One thing to learn:
How to be honestly happy.

~

A Diplomatic Death

Since each thought
Is an atomic power,
You can give each thought
A diplomatic death.
~

I Am Not Needed

I am not needed
To say the right thing.
I am only required
To be the right thing.

~

Miracles Worth Seeing

Only two miracles are worth seeing:
The miracle of loving
And
The miracle of forgiving.

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Amputee Football Photos

5 years after Sierra Leone`s brutal civil war ended the Freetown Amputee Football Team gather on Aberdeen Beach to practice for an upcoming match. During the war an estimated 20,000 men, women and children had limbs hacked off by the RUF and its child soldiers.

Football has provided many of them with with new identity and a sense of purpose. They are popular figures in Freetown and have been praised by other amputees for helping to lift some of the stigma surrounding their disability.

Photos by: Nabik Daniel Hunt – Image Lounge

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Panorama Cafe

Since spending a week in Jamaica, New York, I have spent quite a lot of time in the The Panorama of my silence-heart cafe. 

Situated just 2 blocks away from my flat, it provides a convenient location for a cup of tea and somewhere to do a bit of work on a laptop.

The drinks menu is quite extensive, although I have only tested the teas and coffee’s. There is also a good selection of food, including salads, soup of the day and sandwiches. The soup of the day was particularly good accompanied by baguettes.

In the evening, there is often music and the cafe is thoughtfuly decorated; it gives the impression you could be in a large living room.
It’s all pretty good value, although it’s helped by the weakness of the dollar, which makes everything in the US seem half price.

I have helped Ketan design a website for the cafe which you can visit here: Panorama Cafe 

Panorama Cafe only opened fairly recently but it has already received some good reviews – Reviews of Panorama Cafe 

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World Record for Harmony

Organisers of the World Harmony Run in Cambridge will be attempting to break a new Guinness World Record when the World Harmony Run visits 14th May

The record will be for the largest game of Chinese Whispers.

If you would like to take part in this record for World Harmony then visit the website at World Record for Harmony 

The World Harmony Run

The World Harmony Run is a global relay aiming at creating greater friendship and harmony between different people around the world. The World Harmony Run was founded by Sri Chinmoy in 1986.

Today, in New York, the American leg of the World Harmony Run began outside the Dag Hammarskjold Plaza, United Nations building. You can read about the Start of the World Harmony Run here: World Harmony Run begins in the US 

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