MeditationFlames–EarlyDays,byMohanIntheearly1970smanyboyswhohadparticipatedinteamsportsintheiryoungerdayswerelookingforsomesportthatwecouldplaytogether.Idon’trememberhowtheideaofasoccerteamfirstarose,butitfoundalotofenthusiasmwithinadozenorsoyoungdiscipleboys.However,itarose,itreceivedimmediateencouragementfromGuru,whohadbeenasoccerstarattheSriAurobindoAshraminIndia.Thatencouragementreallylitafireunderus.Ihadneverplayedsoccer,butinmysenioryearattheUniversityofConnecticutIhadtowalkpastthesoccerfieldsonmywayhome.ItturnedoutthatUCONNhadoneofthetopsoccerteamsinthenationandfrequentlyfiguredintheplayoffsforthenationalchampionship.Iusedtocatcheveryhomegameandwasamazedattheskillsandfitness

levelsofourteam.Westartedplayingbackyardpickupgamesinthebackyardofourdisciplehouseforfun.

OutofcollegeIjoinedtheUnitedNationswhereIlearnedtheyhadasmallsoccerleague.IsuggestedthatwemightliketofieldateamcontainingmanyUNstaffandjointheleague.ThemanagersoftheUNleaguewelcomedthepossibility.Ourteamwasexcitedthatapartfrompracticingregularly,wecouldnowplaymatches.WhenGuruheardthatwecouldplayintheUNleague,hewasveryhappy.Hegave

ourteamitsname:theMeditationFlames.Wehadaspiritualname!TheUNsoccerleaguewashappybecauseitconsistedofonlythreeteams.Nowwithafourthteam,therecouldbemoregamesandaknock-outtournamentattheend.TherewasaLatinAmericateam,ateamEurope,andateamfromRussia.Thiswasinthemid1970sandwastheheightofthecoldwar.WewereateamcomprisedmainlyofAmericanguysandweweregoingtoplaytheRussians!Guruandmanydisciplesusedtocomewatchusplay.WepracticedeverymorningattheJamaicaHighSchooltrackwhereGurutookhismorningexercisein

thosedays.Onedayhejoinedusonthefieldandtoldushowmuchjoyhewasgettingwhilewewereplaying.HetoldusstoriesfromwhenheplayedforthesoccerteamattheAshraminhisyouth.ItwasfascinatingtolearnofGuru’searlysoccerexperiences.Hesaidheplayedrightwingandwasagoodgoalscorer.Herecalledsometimesbeingcarriedoffthefieldbyhisteammatesinjubilationforhavingscoredthewinninggoal.Guruencouragedustoplaycleanlyandnevertrytofoulanyplayerontheopposingteam.Hetoldastoryabouttheonetimeheeverfouledaplayerduringamatch.Hefeltsobadthatafterthematchhewalked

barefoottotheplayer’shousetoapologize.InhisteensGurulovedsoccerandplayediteveryday.Unlikeus,growingupinIndia,Guruandhisteammatesplayedbarefoot.Whenyoustriketheball,youdosowithyourinstep,eithertheinsideoroutsideofyourfoot.Sadly,one-dayGurusomehowkickedtheballincorrectlyandbrokehistoe,sohecouldn’tplayfortwoyears.FromtimetotimeGuruwouldcoachusonwhatweshoulddoonoffense,defenseandmidfieldplay.Onceheeventriedtoteachussomedeceptivedribblingandshootingtrickstohelpusscoregoals.Hisattentionandconcernmadeusfeelwonderful,anditwasamazingthatGuru’sonenesswithourplaygavehimsuchjoy.SocceratGamesDayHowexcitedweweretolearnthatthedisciplesintheUKhadformedasoccerteamandGuruhadgiventhemthenameChinmoyLions.Not

onlythatbutduringtheAugustcelebrationswewouldhaveamatchwiththemduringGamesDay.GamesDaythatyearwasheldatWesthillHighSchoolinStamford,Connecticut.Thedaywasperfect–warmandsunny.Ourtwoteamslinedupatthestartofthematchandmeditated.Idon’tremembertomuchaboutthebackandforthofthematch,butIdorecallthattheBritishboyshadmoretechnicalskillsthanwedid.Nevertheless,becauseweplayedmoreoftenasateam,weweremoreorganizedanditwasaclosematch(Ithinkwewon,butImaybewrong).WhatIclearlyrecallwasthatjustasweapproachedhalf-time,theskybecamepitchblackandthewindsuddenlypickedup.Asthewhistleblewfortheendofthehalf,theskyopenedupanditstartedrainingcatsanddogs.Everyonedashedintotheschoolgymnasiumwherewewereforcedtostayforagoodhalf-

hour.Atthatpointjustastheskyhadpreviouslydarkenedsoquickly,itmagicallyclearedupandthesunburstforth.Onceagainitwasagorgeousday.TheUNMeditationFlamesreturnedtothefieldfirstand,whilewewerewaitingfortheLionstogetorganized,oneofourplayersnoticedthattherewasalongpuddleabout20feetlongonthesidelinenearwherewewerestanding.Iforgetwhowasfirst,butoneofourplayerstookarunningstartandthendoveintothepuddle,slidingthroughthewetgrassuntilhecameouttheotherendofthepuddle.Wealllookedateachotherandknewexactlywhatweallwantedtodo.Welinedupandtookturnsrunningandslidingthroughthepuddleandwetgrassforabout15minutes.Ithinkit’sinterestingtonotethatwhenGurutalksaboutAmerica,healwaysmentionsitschildlikeheart.WelltheMeditationFlamescertainlydemonstratedthisattributethatday.

It’salsoworthnotingthereactionoftheChinmoyLions.Theystoodofftoonesideandjustwatchedusincredulouslythinking,“Whatwillthesecrazyblokesdonext!”