The Oneness of a Christmas Trip
By Lunthita Lee
Every year since I became a student of Sri Chinmoy, I’ve made the journey for the Christmas Trip. It’s an incredible time when students from all over the world gather to meet, share, and connect. For me, it’s a rare and precious chance to make new friends and immerse myself in diverse cultures, learning about different temperaments and personalities. The atmosphere is always a vibrant display of motivation, spontaneity, determination, and dynamism—qualities I believe the Eastern world could truly benefit from embracing from the West.
Let me share a simple but profound observation from one of these trips:
Every morning at the breakfast table, it was a striking scene. Almost everyone was smiling and warmly greeting one another. It didn’t matter if they were strangers, the serving staff, the cooking crew, or members of their own group—a brilliant, genuine smile was their universal language. This reflection of light, this radiant oneness, felt like a divine manifestation of His Grace pouring out to us all.
The room was filled with happy faces chatting, interacting, and serving each other with a palpable joy. This unconscious contribution of delight might seem small on an individual level, but collectively, it creates a powerful, massive wave of Peace, Harmony, and Delight for the entire world.
When I looked around at everyone present, I couldn’t help but feel immense gratitude and pride. My silent thought to each person was: “Pat yourself on the shoulder. You are doing a magnificent job of manifesting Heaven on Earth. Keep it up.”
A Battle Beyond the Eyes
By Lunthita Lee
I once saw a boy featured on CNA news. He was weeping in desperation, crying out for God’s help as his country was torn apart by war. That image struck my heart. It reminded me of a similar inner battle I faced in my late twenties—different in form, but equal in intensity and hopelessness.
One night, I had a strange dream. I found myself standing in the midst of a fierce, invisible battle between forces I couldn’t identify or understand. At first, I ignored it. But the dream came again. And again. Until it was no longer just a dream, but a nightly assault that overtook my rest, my thoughts, and eventually the very fabric of my wellbeing.
The fights were relentless. What began as an unsettling dream soon spilled into my life, leaving me exhausted—mentally, emotionally, physically. Sleep eluded me. Insomnia became an unwanted companion. My health declined; even an acute sinus condition weakened my body and clouded my mind. Work began to suffer, and so did my spirit.
In desperation, I searched for answers wherever I could find them. Mediums offered advice. I tried rituals, chants, traditions. A few provided temporary relief, but none brought lasting peace. I longed for something unshakable—powerful, solid, and permanent.
Then, my prayers were answered. My path led me to Sri Chinmoy, a great meditation teacher. His teachings opened within me a doorway to peace and inner strength. With practice, I discovered not just relief, but transformation.
Some nights later, the dream came again. But this time, it was different. I saw clearly the struggle unfolding—a cosmic battle between negative and positive forces. Suddenly, in a majestic vision, a cluster of galaxies burst forth, luminous and vast. The darkness vanished completely; there was no trace of negativity left. The battle dissolved, like it had never existed.
When I awoke, I felt renewed. My mind was clear, my body lighter, my spirit recharged. From that moment, my health and lifestyle improved tremendously.
What once terrified me had become the catalyst for a new way of life—one guided not by fear, but by inner light.