Sri Chinmoy:
The Peace Meditation at the United Nations

About Sri Chinmoy: The Peace Meditation at the United Nations

Sri Chinmoy: The Peace Meditation at the United Nations is an association of UN delegates, staff, accredited press correspondents and NGO representatives that holds ongoing meditations and special programmes for peace at UN Headquarters in New York. The regular weekly meditation sessions on UN premises have a profound and significant history. Many participants continue to find in the meetings a silent respite, in a demanding work environment. Those holding valid UN grounds passes are welcome to join in these sessions, as well as our meditation classes and other programmes in support of the highest goals of the United Nations.

About Sri Chinmoy

Born in Bengal, India (now Bangladesh) in 1931, Sri Chinmoy came to New York in 1964 to dedicate himself to the cause of world peace. In 1970, at the invitation of UN Secretary-General U Thant, he began leading twice-weekly peace meditations for delegates and staff, much in the spirit of the minute of silence observed by the UN General Assembly at the opening and closing of each session. Until his passing in 2007, Sri Chinmoy offered his multifaceted inspiration to the UN Community through meditations, concerts, lectures, art exhibits and other programmes for peace. Members of the meditation group, known as Sri Chinmoy: The Peace Meditation at the United Nations, endeavour to continue these activities to this day. They periodically also participate in activities held in cooperation with UN Member States, UN offices and community organizations that promote similar ideals.

About the Weekly Meditation Sessions

Access

As noted above, all those holding valid grounds passes for UN Headquarters are welcome to join in our weekly meditation sessions and other programmes. The sessions have connected generations of UN staff and delegations in silence for the pursuit of inner peace.

Meditation group members warmly welcome adherents from any faith and those with no formal religious or spiritual practice. The wording of the UN General Assembly Resolution for Interfaith Week is illustrative: “based on Love of God and Neighbour, or Love of the Good and Neighbour, each according to their own religious traditions or convictions”   – UN GA resolution A/RES/65/5. 20 Oct 2010.

Format for the Meditation Sessions

·         The basic format is 15 minutes of silence. At the front of the room, a photograph of Sri Chinmoy meditating conveys the enduring inspiration of the founder of the Peace Meditation at the UN. A flower and a sky-blue cloth complete the simple presentation. All are welcome to meditate in their preferred way, respecting the silence.

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·         This is the same format used over many years on occasions when Sri Chinmoy was not able to be present to lead the meetings in New York.

·         Please sit where you feel most comfortable. (There is no special seating.) There are some chairs; the intrepid may wish to sit cross-legged on the carpeted floor. (If a chair is desired, it is best to arrive early.)

·         To conclude the session, the mantra AUM, (Shanti or Peace) is chanted three times. Participants are then welcome to take a sweet, in the tradition of the symbolic sharing of blessed food. This practice is beloved by a number of faith-based and community traditions. The sweets are provided in turn by the regular members of the group.

·         Those who may arrive late or leave early are requested to do so quietly.

Many participants find that these sessions reinforce their individual and collective commitment to the ideals of the United Nations, thus complementing their official work. The meditations also provide the opportunity to share the aspirations of the UN community.

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Join Weekly Meditation Sessions from Anywhere

The weekly silent meditations at UN Headquarters in New York nourish members and energize their activities. Some have sent messages to show how they value the experience even when serving elsewhere.

“It always encouraged me to know that, wherever I was serving, you were silently offering your aspirations in New York and around the world for humanity’s future.

“Even when I was not able to attend personally, I did often feel supported by this good will toward the work my colleagues and I in the diplomatic and secretariat communities were undertaking.“

Telecommuting may mean that those who normally have access to UN Headquarters will be unable to physically attend the weekly peace meditations. In those cases, joining in spirit is an excellent option. Inner commitment and supportive intentions are not bound by time or location.

This opportunity is also available to those who do not have access to the UN grounds but who, in their hearts, are eager to add their spiritual support to the ideals of the UN.

In cities and countries around the world, like-minded peace-lovers could, at least once a week, think of the UN, the delegates and the staff, and focus on the ideal of oneness. One could join with friends or remain in solitude and pray, meditate, or contemplate for the collective progress of humanity’s peace-servers.

First Invitation to Join from Afar

After the inaugural meditation at the UN in 1970, Sri Chinmoy invited and encouraged his students, friends and others without ground passes to also value the UN efforts and to join the meditations inwardly when possible.

“The United Nations serves a most significant role in the unification of human wisdom, concern, sympathy and love. Every Tuesday they have given me the honour of conducting this meditation. Identify yourselves with us, no matter where you are or what you are doing. If you are in the office or if you are in the bank, if you are in publishing premises or you are in the hospital, working there, you can send your aspiring soul to us, to meditate with us. The physical can remain there, but the spirit can be with us while all are united in meditation.”

In addition to the Peace Meditation at the UN, Sri Chinmoy founded a separate entity. the international Sri Chinmoy Centre, a Non-Governmental Organization formally associated with the UN Department of Global Communications. His creative and inspirational endeavours are carried on by this world-wide Centre, which strives to serve the world in accordance with his teachings. For more information, please visit Sri Chinmoy.org

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Publications for the Fiftieth Anniversary of
Sri Chinmoy: The Peace Meditation at the United Nations

The Vision of the United Nations: A Oneness-World-Family

PART 1 – 50 Questions Answered by Sri Chinmoy

PART 2 – 50 Condensed Talks by Sri Chinmoy

* Copies available as free gifts for members of the UN community

For more information on meditations, other activities and updates please use contact page at this site.

Or Standard postal mail may be sent to::

Sri Chinmoy: The Peace Meditation at the United Nations

P.O. Box #4255 (Grand Central)

New York, NY 10163, USA