States-California

California (CA). The 31st state to join the Union in 1850

California factoids: The capital of California is Sacramento; its largest city is Los Angeles. Known as the “Golden State”, today’s population is approximately 39.5 million (averaging around 250 people per square mile). California’s state tree is the ‘California Redwood’; its state flower is the ‘Golden Poppy’; its state bird the ‘California Quail’; its state fruit is the ‘Avocado’; and it’s state nuts the ‘Almond’, ‘Walnut’, ‘Pistachio’, and ‘Pecan’. California’s State Motto is: “Eureka”.

Chronological activities of Sri Chinmoy in California (see page for activities in other states)

1969-1977

• Sri Chinmoy 
  • delivers a lecture entitled “Individuality and Personality” on October 16, 1969 at the University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley) in Berkeley, CA.
  • delivers a lecture entitled “The Sunlit Path” on October 17, 1969 at the California, University of Santa Cruz (UCSC) in Santa Cruz, CA.
  • delivers a lecture entitled “The Revelation of India’s Light’” on November 7, 1971 at the University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley) in Berkeley, CA.
  • is interviewed live on radio WPFA-FM in San Francisco, CA on May 31, 1973. Listen to Sri Chinmoy’s interview…
  • delivers a lecture entitled “What has Life Taught Me?” on April 19, 1974 at 8pm in the in the Memorial Chapel at Stanford University in Palo Alto, CA.
    • also receives the Seal of the City of Berkeley from Mayor Warren Widener in Berkeley, CA.
  • published his book entitled My California Redwoods is published in August 1974.
  • has an exhibition of his Jharna-Kala paintings at the One Embarcadero Center in San Francisco, CA. on October 1, 1976.
  • opens the Jharna-Kala Gallery in San Francisco, CA on November 4, 1976. The exhibition of his paintings continues through the month of November.
    • and at a function, explains the two kinds of human competition, in San Francisco, CA.
  • is honored with a replication of his 13′ x 25′ painting entitled ‘Journey’s Battle-Victory’ exhibited as part of an “open-air billboard exhibition’ (sponsored by by The Eyes and Ears Foundation in conjunction with San Francisco’s Museum of Modern Art) at the Embarcadero, a roadway near Fisherman’s Wharf, in San Francisco, California. On 14 November 1977, The San Francisco Chronicle reports on the billboard.
  • meets with Consul General Lakhan L. Mehrotra (his former boss at the Indian Consulate in New York) on November 8, 1977 at the Indian Consulate in San Francisco, CA.
    • • “I felt deeply inspired by the spiritual atmosphere generated by you and your devotees … and wish to congratulate you for your growing achievement in bringing the message of India to the distant shores of America in the tradition of Swami Vivekananda.” — L.L. Mehrotra, India’s Consul-General in San Francisco

1978:

Note: In the autumn of 1978, Sri Chinmoy embarked on a lecture and concert tour through the State of California. The collection can be found in the book “The Vision-Sky of California“. Note that many days, he delivered multiple lectures.

• Sri Chinmoy
  •  has an exhibition of his Jharna-Kala paintings open at the City Hall Civic Center in San Francisco, CA. in June 1978.

    • 

      The Mayor of San Francisco, George R. Moscone designates, by proclamation June 1, 1978 as “Jharna-Kala Day”

  • begins, in earnest, his long-distance running at Golden Gate Park in San Francisco, CA.
  • delivers a lecture entitled “Sincerity, Purity And Security” at 4:30pm on September 27, 1978 at the University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley) in Berkeley, CA.
    • is honored with the declaration of “Sri Chinmoy Day” by Proclamation of the Office of the Mayor Warren Widener of the City of Berkeley. Additionally, San Diego’s Mayor Pete Wilson sent a “Letter of Welcome to San Diego”.
  • delivers a lecture entitled “We Are One” at 8pm on September 27, 1978 at the San Francisco State University (SFSU) in San Francisco, CA.
    • meets with Lakhan L. Mehrotra, Consul-General of India in California, gives a concert and composes a song in his honour at San Francisco State University in San Francisco, CA. After the song, Mr. Mehrotra spontaneously offers a sweet message to Sri Chinmoy.
  • delivers a lecture entitled “The Past Has Fast Faded Behind Us” on September 28, 1978 at the University of California Santa Cruz (UCSC) in Santa Cruz, CA.
  • offers a concert and delivers a lecture entitled “Our Departing Friends, Our Lasting Friends and Our Everlasting Friends’,” on September 29, 1978 at the University of California, Davis (UC Davis) in Davis, CA.
  • delivers a lecture entitled “I Have Only One Need”  on September 29, 1978 at the University of the Pacific (UOP) in Stockton, CA.
  • delivers a lecture entitled “Self-Transcendence” on September 30, 1978 at the California State University, Bakersfield (CSUB) in Bakersfield, CA.
  • delivers a lecture entitled “Desire-Life and Aspiration-Life” at 2pm on October 1, 1978 at the California State University, San Bernardino (CSUSB) in San Bernardino, CA.
  • delivers a lecture entitled “The Heart, the Mind, the Vital and the Body” at 8pm on October 1, 1978 at the San Diego State University (SDSU) in San Diego, CA
  • delivers a lecture entitled “Where do I Live?” at 2pm on October 2, 1978 at the University of California, Irvine (UC Irvine) in Irvine, CA.
    • meets with Deputy Mayor Ray Remy of Los Angeles, CA.
    • meets with Admiral J.E. Lawgille, Commandant of the 13th Naval District at the US Naval Base in San Diego, CA. After the meeting, Sri Chinmoy is taken for a tour of the base in the Admiral’s car.
  • delivers a lecture entitled “Our Soulful Prayer and Our Fruitful Meditation” at 2pm on October 3, 1978 at the University of Southern California (USC) in Pasadena, CA.
    • meets with former American tennis champion Jack Kramer — ranked world no. 1 in 1946 and winner of three Grand Slam tournaments — in Southern California, CA.
  • delivers a lecture entitled “Music” at 8pm on October 3, 1978 at the California, University of Los Angeles (UCLA) in Los Angeles, CA.
  • delivers a lecture entitled “My Ignorance” on October 4, 1978 at the California, University of Santa Barbara (UCSB) in Santa Barbara, CA.
  • delivers a lecture entitled “Run and Become’” on October 5, 1978 at Stanford University; Palo Alto, CA.

  • 

    is named ‘Honorary Visiting Scholar’ at the Pacific School of Religion, University of California, in Berkeley, CA.

    • Written acknowledgment also came from Andrew Neil Goldenkranz of the ASSU Council of Presidents and from Edward E. Golbry of the Department of Music Stanford University.

1979-1989:

• Sri Chinmoy
  •  runs his first marathon in a time of 4:31:34 at the Bidwell Classic in Chico, CA on March 3, 1979
  • delivers a lecture entitled “The Meaning of Discipleship Today” (listen here) on June 1, 1979 at the Pacific School of Religion in Berkeley, CA.
  • offers a public meditation in San Francisco, CA. on June 2, 1979,

  • 

    attends the first official SCMT Marathon at Menlo Park and Atherton in San Francisco, California. India’s Consul General L.L. Mehrotra presents the race awards on June 3, 1979.

  • offers a public meditation in Santa Barbara, CA on June 4, 1979.
  • runs a 3-mile race in a time of 23:08 in Santa Barbara, CA. on June 5, 1979.
  • has an exhibition of his Jharna-Kala paintings at the Will Stone Collection in San Francisco, CA. on July 16, 1979.
  • runs the SCMT Marathon in a time of 5:18:31, in San Mateo, CA. on June 1, 1980.
  • delivers a lecture entitled “Transcendence” on March 3, 1981 at Stanford University in Palo Alto, CA.
  • delivers a lecture entitled “Perfection”on March 6, 1981 at the University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley) in Berkeley, CA.
  • returns to and runs the Bidwell Classic Marathon in a time of 4:30:21 in Chico, CA on March 7, 1981. This was his 11th marathon of 22 he would complete.
  • visits the local Centre and runs a 2-mile race in a time of 13:51 in Santa Barbara, CA. on October 31, 1981.
  •  offers a concert to an audience of 2,400, at the Louise M. Davies Symphony Hall in San Francisco, CA. on June 4, 1982.
    • meets with a hero of his, Payton Jordan, (head coach of the 1968 US Olympic Track & Field Team; and champion masters sprinter) in San Francisco, CA.

  • 

    offers a concert and delivers a lecture entitled “A Seeker’s Experience-Realities” on June 5, 1982 at the University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley) in Berkeley, CA.

  • offers a concert at the University of California in Berkeley, CA. on March 2, 1983.
  • offers a concert at Trinity Episcopal Church in San Francisco, CA. on March 4, 1983.

• • offers a Peace Concert at St. Mary’s Cathedral in San Francisco, CA, on November 13, 1984.
    • meets with 110-metre hurdles world-record holder Renaldo Nehemiah.
  • is interviewed by KPFK-FM radio in Los Angeles, CA. on August 8, 1984. Listen to the interview…

  • 

    is presented with the winner’s bouquet by Sudhahota Carl Lewis moments after receiving Lewis achieved a gold medal for the 100 metres at the Olympic Games in Los Angeles, CA. on August 8, 1984

  • offers a Peace Concert at Santa Ana Stadium in Los Angeles, CA. on August 9, 1984.
    • is also interviewed by Cable TV in Los Angeles, CA.
  • offers a Peace Concert at Davies Hall in San Francisco, CA. on September 29, 1985.
  • offers a Peace Concert at San Jose Civic Auditorium in San Jose, CA. on October 1, 1986.
    • After the concert, bodybuilding legend Bill Pearl introduces a video of Sri Chinmoy’s weightlifting.
  • offers a Peace Concert with a piano performance at the Masonic Memorial Hall in San Francisco, CA. on October 18, 1988.
  • offers a Peace Concert, which include piano and organ performances, and delivers a lecture entitled “You Have Awakened Me” on May 22, 1989 at Stanford University in Palo Alto, CA.

Listen to the melody Sri Chinmoy set for name ‘California‘ as part of the “50 Oneness-State-Songs”:

(read more about these on the 50 Oneness-State-Songs page)

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Fifty oneness-state-songs,
 
Our Lord’s Compassion-Gongs.
 
Within, without, a seeker’s sleepless cry
 
To reveal America’s perfection-sky.

—Sri Chinmoy
(see https://www.srichinmoysongs.com/fifty-oneness-state-songs)

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Among the many songs Sri Chinmoy composed on America, his adopted country, this one is perhaps the most powerful:

America, America, America!
Great you are, good you are,
Brave you are, kind you are.
O my America, America.
Your Heaven-freedom is earth’s aspiration-choice.
With you, in you, is God-Hour’s Victory-Voice.

—Sri Chinmoy
(see https://www.srichinmoysongs.com/america-great-you-are-good-you-are)

The song “America! Great You Are, Good You Are” recording, below, as performed by the Sri Chinmoy Choir:

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