Meditation at UN – Vo 05, No 04; 27 Apr 1977, Bulletin - Historical Repository for Sri Chinmoy: The Peace Meditation at the United Nations

Meditation at UN – Vo 05, No 04; 27 Apr 1977, Bulletin

Filed under z- no category

Content Highlights:

April 1977 report on events

Seventh Anniversary of the Meditation Group at the U.N. p. 6

Questions and Answers …..* from the Meditation Group at the UN in Geneva……………… .. …….. 13

Meditation .. … . …………………* a short talk ………………… 21

United Nations Meditation-Flowers ..- short inspirational talks during the meetings of the Meditation Group,… .. ………. ,27

To-morrow’s Noon ……… Series began in Dec 1976 issue of “Meditation the United Nations”……………… … . ……. 30

Spirituality and the United Nations .. …* reflections by Mr. Donald Keys………… 32

Song by Sri Chinmoy …………………………….. 33

“Our Ascending Hope“

Questions and Answers . . . . . . *submitted by Mr. Robert Muller p.34

Expanded Content List

(with descriptive narrative) – Section to be added

Seventh Anniversary of the Meditation Group at the U.N. p. 6

On 14 April 1977 the Meditation Group at the UN celebrated its seventh anniversary of service
to the U. N. Community in the Chapel of the Church Center for the United Nations. The
programme included speakers, choral readings, a chamber group and the singing of twenty songs
dedicated to the U.N. by Sri Chinmoy, who has been leader of the Group since its founding in 1970. The transcript of the ceremony is included.

Mr. Robert Muller, Director and Deputy Under Secretary-General for Inter-Agency Affairs: “…. may Isay to you briefly what 1 have learned from your Group and from your person. I have learned first that you are giving to many of the United Nations staff a life dimension which goes well beyond their daily work, namely a spiritual dimension, an internal dimension. You are making them better people, deeper people, ….”
K. (John) Ofosu-Benefo (presenting Sri Chinmoy with a bound volume of the “Meditation at the
United Nations” Bulletins): “…. when the clarion call sounded and you were invited to come to the United Nations and offer spiritual food to members of the United Nations community, you
accepted the challenge. You did not shirk your responsibility, even though you knew that in these
troubled days many people are skeptical ….”

Questions and Answers …..* from the Meditation Group at the UN in Geneva……………… .. …….. 13

On 18 March 1977 Sn· Chinmoy answered the following questions, which were put to him in writing
by the members of the Meditation Group at the UN in Geneva.

How does one stop the mind?
What do you mean by perfection?
The Yogi believes in realisation on earth after a series of reincarnations ; the Christian believes in salvation after death through Christ. How can one synthesise these two great beliefs?
At our United Nations meetings, should we meditate on specific themes related to United Nations conferences and other things, as well as on general qualities like peace and love?
If we are feeling tired, should we still come to U.N. Meditation Group meetings?

Meditation .. … . …………………* a short talk ………………… 21

On 29 February 1977 Sri Chinmoy gave the following talk on meditation, prefacing it with remarks about his first meeting with the late Secretary-General U Thant.:

“…. Today in silence I am offering and I am requesting all the United Nations Meditation Group members to offer their soulful gratitude to this great lover of truth and brother of humanity.

AUM….”

“…. we come here to pray and meditate on various planes of consciousness: physical, vital, mental, psychic and so forth. Then we offer the fruits of our prayer and meditation to the soul and the body of the United Nations. I wish to say a few words about meditation.

What is meditation? Meditation is not a kind of prayer of the mind and it is not a prayer in the mind. But it can easily serve the purpose of a soul-ful prayer for the mind…..”

United Nations Meditation-Flowers ..- short inspirational talks during the meetings of the Meditation Group,… .. ………. ,27

COURAGE VERSUS HUMILITY – 19 April 1977
WE MUST NOT GIVE UP – 22 April 1977I

To-morrow’s Noon …….. Sri Chinmoy presents interesting words in brief philosophical, whimsical or spiritual context. Series began in Dec 1976 issue of “Meditation the United Nations” p 30

Spirituality and the United Nations .. …* reflections by Mr. Donald Keys………… 32

At the 5 April 1977 meeting of the Meditation Group, Mr. Donald Keys of the World Association of World Federalists made the following impromptu reflections on spirituality and the United Nations.

Song by Sri Chinmoy …………………………….. 33

“Our Ascending Hope“

Questions and Answers . . . . . . *submitted by Mr. Robert Muller p.34

In the spring of 1977, profound and soulful questions were submitted to Sri Chinmoy by Mr, Robert Muller, Director and Deputy to the Under-Secretary-General for Inter Agency Affairs and Co-ordination,

The first three of U Thant’s four categories of needs, namely physical, intellectual and moral needs, do not create any insuperable problems, but the last and most important one in his view, spirituality, gives me considerable difficulties.

There are indeed so many definitions of that term, U Thant described it as “Faith in oneself, the purity of one’s inner self,” Suppose as I would ardently wish-that humanity would adopt some day his four broad categories of goals.

How would you define the spiritual goals?

I often think that U Thant’s four categories of human qualities or needs – physical, intellectual, moral and spiritual- could well form the basis for a world agenda of human goals.

From your writings, 1 notice that these categories are also quite fundamental to you, but you add to it a fifth which you call the “vital.” Could you elaborate on it?

When I speak to audiences about U Thant’s four ways to happiness, I sometimes hear the following criticism: “Life is one and cannot be artificially cut into four. Everything is interdependent and linked. We must concentrate on life as an entity and not on components which
are the product of the intellect. “

I am not over-impressed with this argument, for I have indeed observed that life is richest when I cultivate simultaneously all four categories of needs,…. Nevertheless, there is some truth in that criticism and I would be grateful to learn how you would respond.

Do you think the U.N. exercises a real influence in the world?

What is, in your view, its principal contribution?
How does it appear to you in the great stream of history and human evolution?

If you were given the task of laying down the basic principles for the education of all the children of this world, what would be your recommendations?
(continued in next issue)