Ohio (OH). The 17th state to join the Union in 1803
Ohio factoids: The capital of Ohio is Columbus — which is also its largest city. Called the “Birthplace of Aviation”, today’s population in Ohio —popularly known as ‘Buckeyes’— is approximately 11.9 million (averaging around 285 people per square mile). Ohio’s state tree is the ‘Ohio Buckeye’; it has two state flowers the wildflower ‘White Trillium’, and the cultivated ‘Scarlet Carnation’ which was named in honor of the 25th US President McKinley who often wore one in his lapel for good luck; its state bird the ‘Cardinal’; and it has two state fruits which are the ‘Tomato’ and the ‘Pawpaw’. Notably, there were 7 US presidents born in Ohio. Ohio’s State Motto is: “With God, All Things Are Possible”.
Chronological activities of Sri Chinmoy in Ohio (see page for activities in each of the 50 states)
In 1998, at the age of 66, Sri Chinmoy recounted this of his youth in India: “when I was twelve or thirteen, I came to learn of Ohio because of Jesse Owens the great.”
Jesse Owens, the great Olympian and American track and field icon, rose to stardom in Ohio while attending the Ohio State University (his speed on the track earned him the nickname the “Buckeye Bullet”). Sri Chinmoy met Jesse Owens, his long-time hero, on November 4, 1972.
1970
- April 28, 1970. Sri Chinmoy delivers a lecture entitled “Reality” at the Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, OH.
- April 29, 1970. Sri Chinmoy is scheduled to offer a lecture at Ohio State University in Columbus, OH. Sri Chinmoy arrives to the campus to find the auditorium flooded with water and the talk is cancelled due to anti-war protests by students. An intriguing recollection of this lecture and other lectures from this period was recounted by Madhuri in her 1972 book “The Life of Sri Chinmoy, Part 2” (see excerpt here),
1973
- March 24, 1973. From his home in New York, Sri Chinmoy answered questions phoned in — via three-way telephone connection — by listeners of a popular early-morning radio show on a Cleveland, Ohio station (WERE).
1974
- Unknown date in 1974, published in At the Doors of Time and Delight Opportunity Knocks. In an answer to a question about ‘time’ posed by a student in Toledo, Ohio, Sri Chinmoy says, “Yes, time can be wasted in the spiritual life. Every act, small or large, not only can be, but is, significant, for each action is either taking us nearer to God or taking us farther from God.”
- February 12, 1974 (multiple lectures this day). Sri Chinmoy delivers an afternoon lecture entitled “Peace” in the Ingman Room, New Student Union at the University of Toledo in Toledo, OH.
- After the lecture, Sri Chinmoy answers these questions:
- Q: Is it easy to realise God while living in the world, instead of renouncing the world?
- Q: What is the art of surrender?
- Q: In other words, to become one with God is to surrender one’s identity?
- Q: Is it necessary to meditate in the lotus position?
- Q: How can we use meditation to get rid of pain?
- Q: When we silence the mind, do we get any kind of messages?
- Q: How do we go about silencing the mind?
- After the lecture, Sri Chinmoy answers these questions:
1979
- March 25, 1979.
- Toledo Mayor Douglas Degood declares 25 March 1979 ‘Sri Chinmoy Day’ in Toledo, OH.
- Sri Chinmoy runs a personal best for the marathon in a time of 3:55:07 (8:58 pace) at the Heart-Watchers Marathon in Toledo, OH. The temperature at the start of the race is 24°F (this temperature is confirmed). This is Sri Chinmoy’s second marathon, having run his first-ever marathon just 22 days earlier.
- January 15, 1986. Embarking on his new athletic endeavor (weightlifting), Sri Chinmoy receives a letter of encouragement from Ohio Governor Richard F. Celeste, stating “I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate Sri Chinmoy on his accomplishments, not only in the sphere of athletics, but also spiritually. You should stand as an example to us all as we seek to improve ourselves and our nation.“
- November 27, 1995. Sri Chinmoy offers a Peace Concert in the Zimmer Auditorium at the University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH.
1987-current, the Sri Chinmoy Oneness-Home Peace Run often visits Ohio on its cross-country trek and engages with its welcoming citizens (see example of photos of its previous visit)
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Listen to the melody Sri Chinmoy set for name ‘Ohio‘ as part of the 50 Oneness-State-Songs:
(read more about these on the 50 Oneness-State-Songs page)
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)
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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