Our members
We come from all backgrounds and walks of life, brought together by our shared love of meditation, spirituality and world-service.
Contents of this page: | 1. Our inner life:
How we joined the Sri Chinmoy Centre • Our experiences of meditation and spirituality • Stories with our teacher, Sri Chinmoy |
2. What keeps us busy (besides meditation): |
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3. Writing and poetry by Sri Chinmoy's students |
More stories
Meditation experiences by Sri Chinmoy's students.
Self-transcendence in meditation
Kailash Beyer Zurich, SwitzerlandExperiences of meditation
Preetidutta Thorpe Auckland, New ZealandMy 5 a.m. strategic meditations
Sanchita Fleming Ottawa, CanadaThe most beautiful and fulfilling of all possible experiences
Jogyata Dallas Auckland, New ZealandHow I became interested in meditation
Abhejali Bernardova Zlín, Czech RepublicSeeing the God inside my son
Utsahi St-Armand Ottawa, CanadaMy wife's soul comes to visit
Jogyata Dallas Auckland, New ZealandGetting through difficult times in your meditation
Banshidhar Medeiros San Juan, Puerto RicoMeditation: Touching The Infinite
Jogyata Dallas Auckland, New ZealandAn intense, concentrated Fire
Toshala Elliott Auckland, New ZealandA Divine Phone Call
Jogyata Dallas Auckland, New ZealandThe first time that I really understood that I had a soul
Jogyata Dallas Auckland, New ZealandMore stories
Sri Chinmoy's students recall some of their treasured memories.
How I learned from Sri Chinmoy
Pradhan Balter Chicago, United StatesMy first experience with Sri Chinmoy
Nayak Polissar Seattle, United StatesSri Chinmoy meets an old friend
Pradhan Balter Chicago, United StatesMy Life with Sri Chinmoy: a book
Tejvan Pettinger Oxford, United KingdomThe Impact of a Yogi on My Life
Agni Casanova San Juan, Puerto RicoGrowing up on Sri Chinmoy's path
Aruna Pohland Augsburg, GermanyA demonstration of the Master’s occult powers
Arpan De Angelo New York, United StatesYour life's responsibilities compel you to develop inner strength
Pradhan Balter Chicago, United States'I could find out myself, but it was so much easier asking your soul'
Mridanga Spencer Ipswich, United KingdomStarting a spiritual café
Toshala Elliott Auckland, New ZealandNow you are in the boat
Kaushalya Casey Toronto, Canada'It was like I was seeing who Guru really was: this extraordinary, beautiful being inside a physical body'
Jogyata Dallas Auckland, New ZealandWhat drew me to Sri Chinmoy's path
Nikolaus Drekonja San Diego, United StatesBooks by members of the Sri Chinmoy Centre
Music
At Sri Chinmoy's request and encouragement, there are many musicians within the Centre who make arrangements of his meditative songs and perform them free of charge to the public. Here is a small selection of groups:
Some of our musical members
Sadanand Magee
Sadanand plays all kinds of percussion instruments, especially the Indian tablas. He travels to more than 15 countries a year to play meditative music, mainly as part of the Songs of the Soul concert series.
- Audio »
Samalya Schafer
Samalya became a student of Sri Chinmoy when he was 19. A talented athlete, he holds a current Marathon PB of 2.28h
- Stories »
- Audio »
- Gallery »
Eshana Gadjanski
Eshana is an accomplished pianist. She is the leader of the female music group Blue Flower, whose members come from the former Yugoslavian republics, and which offer concerts of Sri Chinmoy's music all over Europe.
- Stories »
- Audio »
More stories
Experiences of sport and self-transcendence.
The Ever-Transcending Goal
Preetidutta Thorpe Auckland, New ZealandMuhammad Ali: I was expecting a monster, but I found a lamb
Sevananda Padilla San Juan, Puerto RicoRunning and Me
Garga Chamberlain Bristol, United KingdomProgress-Pilgrimage: A 1200km run from Vienna to Paris
Shamita Achenbach-König Vienna, AustriaHow sports and fitness became part of our spiritual life
Banshidhar Medeiros San Juan, Puerto RicoListen to the inner voice
Vidura Groulx Montreal, CanadaA few of our athletic members
Vajra Henderson
Vajra has been a student of Sri Chinmoy for over 50 years; his medical and massage experience is invaluable in the many ultra-distance races that we organise.
- Stories »
- Video »
Vajin Armstrong
Vajin is one of New Zealand's top distance runners, winning the prestigious Kepler Challenge in 2011 and the Swiss Alpine Marathon in 2016
Vasanti Niemz
Vasanti was the first of Sri Chinmoy's students to swim the English Channel in 1985, a feat she repeated 25 years later in 2012 as part of a triathlon - swimming, biking and running all the way to Aachen, Germany.
Working in a spiritual enterprise
Many of Sri Chinmoy's students work in restaurants and stores dedicated to offering Sri Chinmoy's meditative consciousness to the public. Pranlobha Kalajian who works in the Silence-Heart-Nest restaurant in Seattle, describes what her working day is like.
Members who work in enterprises
Smarana Puntigam
As well as managing a gift store on Vienna's busiest street, Smarana has also completed ultrarunning's toughest challenge - the 3100 Mile Race - seven times.
- Stories »
Padmasini Guillet
Padmasini lives in the south of France, where she runs a delightful cafe called Tripti Kulai. She is also the official translator of Sri Chinmoy's writings and travels all over the world to give talks on meditation.
- Gallery »
Shankara Smith
Shankara, along with her sister Dipika, manages the Run and Become athletic stores in the UK, which were founded by her father Ongkar with Sri Chinmoy's inspiration. She also leads the international women's music group Temple-Song-Hearts, which performs concerts of Sri Chinmoy's music all over the world.
- Stories »
- Audio »
- Gallery »
Peace-runners
Apaguha Vesely
Apaguha travels all over the world as part of the Peace Run international team. An immensely talented photographer, he likes to offer public slideshows from his travels, combining stories with pictures of nature and people.
- Gallery »
Bayarkhuu Batbayar
Bayarkhuu has travelled the world as part of the international Peace Run team, taking part in runs in Scandinavia, Australia, Japan and Korea
- Gallery »
Sweta Pradhan
An enthusiastic runner, Sweta helps to organise the Sri Chinmoy Oneness Home Peace Run in her native Nepal, and has been part of the international team for the North American leg on three occasions.
- Stories »
- Video »
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Creativity
Sri Chinmoy encouraged us to use meditation to enhance our capacities in many fields - including writing, poetry, art and photography. Here is a selection of musings from our members...
A Mountain Meditation
Jogyata Dallas Auckland, New ZealandThe Swimming Relay
Toshala Elliott Auckland, New ZealandSri Chinmoy's biography, written by one of the most famous Bengali authors
Mahatapa Palit New York, United StatesThe Random Dog
Toshala Elliott Auckland, New ZealandBhutan, A Country Less Travelled...
Ambarish Keenan Dublin, IrelandMy love of spiritual poetry
Manatita Hutchinson London, United KingdomArt and Photography
Ashish Zubaty
Ashish's specialities are cooking and photography. He also is an enthusiastic participant in the World Harmony Run, having joined the international team on runs through Australia, the USA and Ireland.
- Gallery »
Papaha Gosline
Papaha owns a gallery and art studio that focuses on showing spiritual contemporary art and producing commercial design. Inspired by the Sri Chinmoy's example, he lives a very athletic lifestyle teaching tennis part time, along with enjoying many other sports activities in sunny San Diego.
- Gallery »
Pranlobha Kalagian
Pranlobha is a very keen photographer, and has used that talent to great effect on her travels throughout the world with the Peace Run.
- Stories »
- Gallery »