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.
Spirituality means speed
Patanga Cordeiro São Paulo, BrazilMy 5 a.m. strategic meditations
Sanchita Fleming Ottawa, CanadaHow I became interested in meditation
Abhejali Bernardova Zlín, Czech RepublicMeditation: Touching The Infinite
Jogyata Dallas Auckland, New ZealandReflections on meditation
Janaka Spence Edinburgh, United KingdomAn airport meditation experience
Jogyata Dallas Auckland, New ZealandSelf-transcendence in meditation
Kailash Beyer Zurich, SwitzerlandWhere the finite connects to the Infinite
Jogyata Dallas Auckland, New ZealandMy wife's soul comes to visit
Jogyata Dallas Auckland, New ZealandMeditation Nights at the Sri Chinmoy Centre
Preetidutta Thorpe Auckland, New ZealandAn intense, concentrated Fire
Toshala Elliott Auckland, New ZealandExperiences of meditation
Preetidutta Thorpe Auckland, New ZealandMore stories
Sri Chinmoy's students recall some of their treasured memories.
My Life with Sri Chinmoy: a book
Tejvan Pettinger Oxford, United KingdomA barrage of Candy Bullets
Jogyata Dallas Auckland, New ZealandHaving a Spiritual Teacher
Preetidutta Thorpe Auckland, New ZealandHow Sri Chinmoy appreciated enthusiasm
Prachar Stegemann Canberra, AustraliaCelebrating birthdays at Guru's house
Devashishu Torpy London, United KingdomI just knew from the moment I saw him
Ashrita Furman New York, United StatesSri Chinmoy's inner guidance
Kailash Beyer Zurich, Switzerland'It was like I was seeing who Guru really was: this extraordinary, beautiful being inside a physical body'
Jogyata Dallas Auckland, New ZealandThe relationship between Guru and disciple
Baridhi Yonchev Sofia, BulgariaThe day I made a useless and ridiculous weightlifting machine for Guru
Devashishu Torpy London, United KingdomMy first experience with Sri Chinmoy
Nayak Polissar Seattle, United StatesMeeting Sri Chinmoy for the first time
Janaka Spence Edinburgh, United KingdomIf I could remember this in my daily life now, I'd be a very high soul
Charana Evans Cardiff, WalesBooks 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
Apaga Renner
Apaga and her husband Dipavajan manage the Sri Chinmoy Centre in Graz. Apaga regularly offers meditation classes in her home town, and sings with Paree's International Group in concerts all over the world.
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Hridananda Andres Ramon
Originally from Colombia, Hridananda came to Iceland to study and now calls it home. A versatile musician and composer, he assists with arranging Sri Chinmoy's melodies to be performed by the 75-member Gandharva Loka Orchestra at concerts around the world.
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Adarsha Kelly
Adarsha is a very powerful and soulful singer - Sri Chinmoy greatly admired his singing and would sometimes invite him to sing during his own concerts. He sings in many concerts each year, including the world wide 'Songs of the Soul' concert series honouring Sri Chinmoy's musical legacy.
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More stories
Experiences of sport and self-transcendence.
Why run 3100 miles?
Smarana Puntigam Vienna, AustriaHow sports and fitness became part of our spiritual life
Banshidhar Medeiros San Juan, Puerto Rico10-Day Race: Staring into the Infinite
Patanga Cordeiro São Paulo, BrazilBreaking Guinness records
Ashrita Furman New York, United StatesProgress-Pilgrimage: A 1200km run from Vienna to Paris
Shamita Achenbach-König Vienna, AustriaWinning the Swiss Alpine Marathon
Vajin Armstrong Auckland, New ZealandA few of our athletic members
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
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Jayasalini Abramovskikh
An accomplished ultra-marathon runner, triathlete and book author, Jayasalini has completed the Sri Chinmoy Self-Transcendence 6 and 10 day race, the 3100 Mile Race, and an ironman triathlon. She now gives meditation classes in former Soviet Union.
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Ashrita Furman
Ashrita became a student of Sri Chinmoy in 1970. Using the practise of meditation, he embarked on a 40-year journey of setting Guinness world records, and now holds more world records than any other person.
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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
Aruna Pohland
Aruna is the proprietor of the Cosmos-Heart, a charming little café in the centre of Augsburg which serves coffee and cakes in a peaceful setting.
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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.
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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.
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Peace-runners
Harita Davies
Harita is the US co-ordinator for the Sri Chinmoy Oneness-Home Peace Run. She is also a formidable runner, having run the world's longest race - the Self-Transcendence 3100 Mile race - three times.
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.
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Laufey Haraldsdottir
A talented musician, Laufey has organised Peace Runs in Iceland, Greenland and the Faroe Islands.
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...
The Swimming Relay
Toshala Elliott Auckland, New ZealandBhutan, A Country Less Travelled...
Ambarish Keenan Dublin, IrelandSri Chinmoy's biography, written by one of the most famous Bengali authors
Mahatapa Palit New York, United StatesA Mountain Meditation
Jogyata Dallas Auckland, New ZealandMy love of spiritual poetry
Manatita Hutchinson London, United KingdomThe Random Dog
Toshala Elliott Auckland, New ZealandArt 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.
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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.
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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.
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