Joy Days around the world
Sri Chinmoy encouraged us to come together every so often for Joy Days - spiritual gatherings that contain plenty of meditation, music and spiritual activities, but also games, the company of spiritual friends and a definite emphasis on happiness.
These Joy Days could be as small as a few friends meeting together for an outing, or much larger meetings lasting a few days with several Centres or several countries meeting together.
The largest Joy Days take place in Europe and Russia, often with over 700 students of Sri Chinmoy from many different countries taking part. In Europe, the Joy Days usually take place over a weekend, and is quite an organisational feat, with students from many countries giving soulful singing and instrumental performances, as well as sweet and funny plays and humourous sketches. On the Sunday morning, there is usually a group meditation at six o'clock in the morning, followed by a fun two-mile race - Sri Chinmoy loved running, and felt that the outer running and the inner running (i.e. meditation) complemented each other very nicely.
Sri Chinmoy believed that happiness and spiritual progress should go hand in hand:
If you are happy, it will help you to a great extent. If you are unhappy, you won't make any progress at all. On the contrary, you will be marching backwards. Real outer happiness is not self-deception. It does not come from wasting time and indulging in pleasure-life. Real outer happiness is something totally different. It comes from inner joy and inner satisfaction.
Sri Chinmoy 1
As well as Joy Days, Sri Chinmoy's students often meet together outside of our regular meditation for more formal occasions, for example to mark our teacher's birthday, or the anniversary of his passing on October 11, 2007.
- 1. Sri Chinmoy, The giver and the receiver, Agni Press, 1987
Stories
First-hand experiences of meditation and spirituality.
Check your Front Tire
Arpan De Angelo New York, United StatesA Divine Phone Call
Jogyata Dallas Auckland, New ZealandRunning and Me
Garga Chamberlain Bristol, United KingdomIf a wish comes from the soul, it will be granted
Kamalakanta Nieves New York, United StatesBreaking the world record for the longest game of hopscotch
Pipasa Glass & Jamini Young Seattle, United StatesA Quest for Happiness
Abhinabha Tangerman Amsterdam, NetherlandsRunning for Peace
Jogyata Dallas Auckland, New ZealandIn the Right Place, At the Right Time
Eshana Gadjanski Novi Sad, SerbiaThe Impact of a Yogi on My Life
Agni Casanova San Juan, Puerto RicoJust go with it and jump!
Gabriele Settimi San Diego, United StatesNow you are in the boat
Kaushalya Casey Toronto, CanadaMy Life with Sri Chinmoy: a book
Tejvan Pettinger Oxford, United KingdomLearning to love songs ever more
Patanga Cordeiro São Paulo, BrazilSuggested videos
interviews with Sri Chinmoy's students