Nov 29, 2006
After reading of this record experience, you may think that the record was over easy, or that my brains are scrambled, or maybe even that I have become a bit egg-centric. Egg-centric? Eggs-actly!
On a more serious note, one of the many things that I have learned from my spiritual teacher, Sri Chinmoy, is the importance of concentration. In order to be successful at anything, concentration is essential. I’ve always admired my teacher’s tremendous ability to be totally one-pointed. This ability is especially evident in his creative activities such as writing, composing songs, or painting. In fact, the first record I ever attempted was in honor of Sri Chinmoy’s completion of 16,000 paintings in 24 hours. I happened to be present for the entire event and I was amazed at my teacher’s capacity to paint practically nonstop without letting anything distract him.
Now back to this record effort. Most of the records I pursue usually involve some degree of concentration and leave me eggs-hausted, but I recently attempted a feat which was almost exclusively a test of mental focus and eggs-actness rather than physical endurance. This record had me walking on eggshells for weeks: the record for balancing the most eggs on end simultaneously. Okay…no more egg-stuff. I had never actually tried to balance an egg on end before but, as a kid, I heard that it was only possible once a year, on the day of the vernal equinox. However, I recently read in the Guinness Book that it was a proven fact that eggs balance the same regardless of what day it is, vernal equinox or not.
Aug 12, 2006
Some Guinness records, which seem absolutely ridiculous on paper, turn out to be exceptionally difficult when you actually try them. The orange nose push, pushing an orange with your nose for a mile in the fastest time, is a perfect example. When I first saw the photo in the 2004 Guinness Book of the guy setting the record, my immediate reaction was: ” No, I’m not trying that – it’s just too weird.” And that’s coming from someone who has pogo stick jumped underwater in the Amazon River and walked with a milk bottle balanced on his head for almost 24 hours!
Oct 30, 2005
I love all animals, but I have a special fondness for dogs. One of the most profound dog stories I have ever heard was about a Skye terrier who became known as “Greyfriars Bobby”. Bobby lived in Edinburgh, Scotland in the mid-nineteenth century. His master, John Gray, was a constable. Bobby used to follow his master on his rounds, and obviously, a very special bond developed between the two. Sadly, within a few years, John was struck with tuberculosis and died, and Bobby watched as his dearest friend was buried in the graveyard of the Greyfriars Church.
When the funeral was over and it came time for everyone to go, Bobby refused to leave the resting place of his master. No amount of coaxing could get Bobby to give up his post, and except for a short dinner break once a day, Bobby stayed by John’s side until he himself breathed his last 14 years later! When Bobby passed away, he was buried near his friend. The local citizenry was so moved by the dog’s devotion that they erected a statue of Bobby across from the church. Hearing Bobby’s story made an indelible impression on me and I hoped to visit the statue one day. This past October my hope was fulfilled, but the circumstances were quite different from anything I ever imagined!
Oct 20, 2005
It was an ambitious plan and it actually worked – well, almost! Since I was scheduled to go overseas for a few weeks in September, the plan was to attempt 4 Guinness world records in 4 different countries in less than a month. And to make it even more exciting, if I succeeded, the fourth record would mark my 100th, the culmination of more than 25 years of record-breaking that began with 27,000 jumping jacks way back in 1979! Looking back on it, there was no compelling reason to try to reach so quickly, but the mad scramble made it ever so much more fun!
Mar 29, 2005
February 2005
An acquaintance of mine was in a taxi in Nanjing, China, the other day and out of the clear blue the driver turned around and exclaimed: “I saw your friend shopping on television!”
Needless to say, this acquaintaance immediately became quite nervous and figured there was either a serious language problem or the driver was a few cards short of a full deck, or both, and replied: “You saw my friend shopping on T.V.? How do you know it was my friend?” To which the driver very animatedly countered: “No, no, not shopping – he was hopping, and I saw him not only once but twice!”
Well, yes, I guess I have been doing a lot of hopping lately while breaking 3 Guinness records in China and I have been on national television a few times, but how that driver ever connected his unsuspecting passenger to me will forever remain one of those unfathomable mysteries of life!
I actually never intended to break the stilt-racing record in China. In fact, if it weren’t for two stubborn buddies of mine, I probably never would have broken the stilt record ever, in any country.
Oct 30, 2004
October 2004
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Photo: Ashrita practicing in his kitchen.
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It is said that failures are the pillars of success. I guess I learned the hard way the truth of that statement!
Just after the orange nose-push adventure I was invited to go to England to break a record on a T.V. show commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Guinness Book of Records. It was going to be a big extravaganza – a national, live broadcast featuring 50 record attempts spanning two hours. Actually, the producers wanted me to be ready to break two records in the studio, each one lasting one minute. It was decided that I would attempt to do the most jumps with a jump rope while bouncing on a pogo stick (the pogo stick is tied around my waist) and the most revolutions of a hula hoop around my waist while standing on a Swiss ball. I got pretty good at coordinating the pogo stick and jump rope, but the ball feat became a daunting challenge. The Swiss ball is also known as a “stability ball” but the reason eludes me – I must have fallen off that thing hundreds, possibly thousands of times!
