Running, religion and altered state of consciousness

Long-distance running commonly creates a suspension of instinctual judgments and creates a feeling of euphoria that is sometimes also known as an “altered state of consciousness.” As an amateur runner who averages only 10-12 miles per week, I still agree with that statement.

In reality, there are quite a few religious orders that use the long-distance ultramarathon (anything over 26 miles) as a tool to transcend the consciousness of the body, to remove mental limitations and prejudices, and to open the mind to a new “consciousness. floating “that looks at the world from a new objective point of view. Actually, there are also reports of out-of-body experiences among some ultra-runners.

The New York City-based Shri Chinmoy Order, for example, is well known for the fantastic feats of running that it encourages its members to perform to transcend the mind’s concepts of “physical reality” and the “limitations of the world. body”.

The Shri Chinmoy Marathon Team regularly organizes and participates in 50K and 100K races.

The “Running Monks” present another amazing fusion of religious discipline and running.

In order to gain access to higher levels of consciousness through running, a certain Buddhist sect in Japan allegedly ran (are you ready for this?) 100 marathons in 100 consecutive days!

Upon awakening at 1:30 in the morning, the monks pray and meditate for an hour. Then they hit the road and ran 26 miles. After the marathon, they go back to their normal daily chores and prayers, and then go to bed early at night.

The next day, they do it again for 100 days in a row.

The monk who fails the task is asked to “end his life with his robe belt,” according to Shri Chinmoy’s website.

I am in favor of pushing my body a bit to reach a somewhat higher state of consciousness, humility and kindness.

But I don’t think I’ll ever get to a stage where I would go for the belt of my robe just because I can’t run 100 marathons in a row. I hope not anyway.