Guru always spoke about the importance of self-transcendence. But nobody in the universe actually did self-transcendence more than Guru.

One year, I went on our annual Christmas trip and was not able to do much in terms of what we call “manifestation”⎯promoting awareness of Guru’s presence and his spiritual philosophy. For some reason we were not allowed to do this type of work; I don’t remember the exact reason.

What Guru did with me instead was that every morning at 7:00 a.m., he would call me on the phone and dictate poems to me. He said that I should type them up secretly and not tell anyone. So every morning he would dictate, and it was a magnificent experience for me. By the end of the Christmas trip, I had thousands of poems. Guru said, “Please now, please bring them to me in folders.” So I did.

During the day, when he was in our meeting room, he would also dictate poems to the girls, and they would write them down and type them up. At the end of the trip, Guru asked the girls, “What is the grand total of poems that I have done on the Christmas trip?” It was a very big number⎯something like twenty thousand poems.

The girls were counting carefully, but like a mischievous boy Guru said, “I think you are missing many of them! Here are three thousand more you have not counted!” He brought out this big stack of poems that he had dictated to me and said, “Secretly I have been dictating poems every morning as well as during the day.”

Guru had such eagerness for self-transcendence!

May my self-transcendence-eagerness
Never end.

Sri Chinmoy 1

• 1. Seventy-Seven Thousand Service-Trees, part 32, Agni Press, 2003

It is so rewarding to see how our guests truly feel our Guru's presence in the atmosphere of our Divine enterprises. One can tell when they are actually staying longer after finishing their meal, even when they're alone - 'meditating' on one of Sri Chinmoy's Jharna-Kala paintings framed on the wall, browsing one of his books, or even with their eyes closed soaking up the consciousness. And many a time they would comment on how their lunch hour at our restaurant becomes their 'oasis' in a stressful day – or how a card with one of Sri Chinmoy's aphorisms on the coffee tray told them exactly what they needed to hear in trying times.

We really feel that even though Sri Chinmoy is no longer with us physically, he still has his eye on the daily goings on in his restaurant enterprises. Sure, there is ample opportunity for "growth through challenges" ;-) but even more to marvel at the
small – and big – miracles, that keep it all afloat. How many times have we had the feeling our Guru sent some customers (or certain customers) our way when we needed them – or kept them away when we had run out of food ;-) More likely though, that in that case we would whip up some hotchpotch emergency dish, that we weren't even sure deserved serving – and then got the most ecstatic comments about the "best dish ever“!

In general customers comment about the love and consciousness they can feel in our food that elevates it to another level. So, make sure not to skip meditation before your shift – it's definitely worth it! ;-)

Our customers very much make the connection between our Guru and our worldwide restaurants and see us as a global family. This becomes evident when tourists or travellers that have returned from abroad come up and share with us either that they've discovered a 'similar place' in Munich or Seattle, or that they're delighted to find „their favorite ambience“ here in Vienna as well. It gives us joy to hear some guests talk about their good friends from their restaurant back home, serving them on a regular basis – someone who we know in our international Centre!

In the same way, customers that recognize Guru in the pictures on the wall might reveal that they saw Guru some 30 years ago at a Peace Concert or a seeker meditation. - a starting point for many a loving conversation about fond memories.

On the other hand, the restaurants are a "first contact" for many people with our Guru's
philosophy, life and achievements. Guests might inquire about the photographs – or comment on the special atmosphere. We have found a solid stock of the Sri Chinmoy- Dreamer of Peace brochure (which contains a lot of information about Sri Chinmoy's lifetime work for peace) is a big help in this regard – when a sudden order of Viennese Eiskaffee (takes a long time to assemble – just think of all the vanilla icecream, whipped cream, espresso shots, almond chips, chocolate sauce etc. to assemble in the
latte glass... ;-) ) might prevent you from going into details with the guest.

In self-giving we become really happy.
Real humility is the expansion of our consciousness
And our service.

Sri Chinmoy