Programme Honouring Yoko Ono, Artist and Peace Activist, with Addwitiya Roberta Flack as Special Guest
On 29 March 2004 Sri Chinmoy honoured the artist and peace activist Yoko Ono at a special programme at Aspiration-Ground meditation garden, with Addwitiya Roberta Flack as special guest. To begin the function, Sri Chinmoy played some of his haunting melodies on the Indian esraj. The Singers then performed a song Sri Chinmoy had composed in his native Bengali in Yoko Ono’s honour, as well as several quotes by Yoko Ono and her husband John Lennon that Sri Chinmoy had set to music. Yoko Ono was smiling and singing along with the Singers, who ended by singing a song in Japa-nese that Sri Chinmoy had composed for Japan. Sri Chinmoy then accompanied himself on the harmonium while singing the English translation of the song dedicated to Yoko Ono, and the Singers joined him.Sri Chinmoy then lifted Yoko Ono and presented her with the “Lifting Up the World with a Oneness-Heart” Award. Excerpts from the ceremony follow.
Yoko Ono: Thank you so much. I am greatly honoured, and I feel that through love we are all brothers and sisters. I prepared this “love letter” to you, and I would like to read it now.
Reading: “I’m sending you a bottle of my love. Open it when you feel depressed. The content of the bottle never disappears or runs out, and it will give you the warmth you need.
“This is the time we are asked to carry the clearest vision of a peaceful world in unity, for negative thinking is a luxury we cannot afford. The opposite of love is fear, not hate. The opposite of wisdom is confusion, not stupidity. The fastest way between two points is desire and hope. So listen to your heartbeat and enjoy. Life is worth every minute of your love. I love you.”
Addwitiya Roberta Flack explains the meaning of her name to her dear friend, Yoko Ono, and then speaks before performing John Lennon’s immortal song “Imagine,” accompanied by two guitar players: This is the world’s greatest song. And you know the song, so don’t sit there and act like I’m performing. We’re going to sing this for Yoko, okay?
Addwitiya sings “Imagine,” and Yoko Ono embraces her. Sri Chinmoy then requests the Singers to join Addwitiya while she sings “Imagine” a second time.
Yoko Ono: I just have to say that when Roberta started singing, I started crying. And when you all joined in singing, I started smiling. Thank you very much.
Addwitiya Roberta Flack: I have to tell you that Yoko and I have shared a lot of things over the past 30 years. We both live in the same building, and we both moved in the same year. They used to have a music room right behind my second room, and I had a wonderful opportunity to hear music in there. They had music all over, but I used to hear music coming out of that room quite often when John was still living.
And I treasure my friendship with her. When Guru asked me to come, I wriggled out of a few legal things I was supposed to do, so that I could be here to share this moment with Yoko, because I think she is, like Guru, one of the real spiritual leaders of the Universe. And she’s been consistent with that. I just think it’s nice when people in a very small, humble and special way can thank her for what she represents.
You know, a lot of people take her for granted, but she’s an extremely talented artist, a very gifted person, and a generous humanitarian. She does a lot of things for people, and especially kids. I don’t know if you’ve seen the Amnesty International public service announcement, where these kids from around the globe – it makes me cry – sing “Imagine.” I’ve heard “Imagine” like you have thousands of times, but when they sing it, there is so much sincerity and honesty there, and it seems to me that the message is really clear.
I really thank you for letting me share this moment with you, Yoko, and thank you, Guru, and thank you, my sisters and brothers.
Sri Chinmoy and Yoko Ono then proceeded to the Pilgrim-Museum, where Yoko Ono commented about the “Lifting Up the World” programme: I think when you are holding the weight, you are holding the weight of the whole world. You are holding the sky for us.
(When leaving) Thank you. Keep holding the sky up!
Following are songs composed by Sri Chinmoy in honour of Yoko Ono and John Lennon, as well as songs with music set to their inspiring words.
