“Run and become.
Become and run.
Run to succeed in the outer world.
Become to proceed in the inner world.”
– Sri Chinmoy
Running and meditation are two of mankind’s oldest, most enduring, yet ever-new and ever-fulfilling pursuits.
In their essence, running and meditation are one, inseparable. They are parallel and identical quests: for truth, meaning, peace, happiness, satisfaction, self-discovery and transcendence.
Why is the connection between running and meditation so deep? Both go to the very core of our identity, our purpose, our aspiration, our being. We are spiritual seekers, eternally running.
It is common to imagine we are primarily physical and mental beings with a spiritual dimension somewhere in the background, as though spirituality comes as an optional add-on or bonus pack with our existence, something we can opt into or out of. Yet precisely the opposite is true: we are souls, spiritual beings first and foremost, living in and experiencing, perhaps transiting through this material, temporal world.
Running and meditation both access, explore and reveal our spiritual self. They complement each other.
Try meditating before you run; try running before you meditate. To focus yourself before running, meditate for a few minutes with utmost intensity and clarity. You will be more present while you run and gain more from the effort and experience. Running – especially running with full intensity – is also a most effective way to clear the mind, focus our vital energy and surcharge the body; an ideal preparation for a deep and fulfilling meditation. We may imagine that running will tire us out; yet ironically, going for a short, brisk run is a wonderful way to awaken and energise ourselves in preparation for meditation – far better than stimulants.
Run always with the poise of meditation; meditate with the flowing progress of running.