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): | • Music • Athletics • Divine Enterprises • Running for peace | |
| 3. Writing and poetry by Sri Chinmoy's students | ||
How we started
Sri Chinmoy's students describe the journey of self-discovery that led them to the Sri Chinmoy Centre.
Abhinabha Tangerman - Amsterdam, HollandWhat really appealed to me was the combination of a profound and soulful inner life with a dynamic and versatile outer life. More »
Adesh Widmer - Zurich, SwitzerlandMy inner urge for a higher life had once again been awakened, and I felt that 'the real thing' was still missing from my life. More »
Apaga Renner - Graz, AustriaThe initial curiosity gave way to calm certainty and the joy of silence, a silence in which I can now dive every day. More »
Upasevanam and Mahanidhi - Milan, ItalyWe wanted a real Master, a living top-class Master. I used to cry every day because I was not born in the era of the Buddha, a real Master. More »
Pradeep Hoogakker - Den Haag, HollandNot only did the meditation techniques of Sri Chinmoy provide a definite sense of happiness, but my life had finally found its meaning in the pursuit of enlightenment or God-realisation, as Sri Chinmoy calls it. More »
Sarita Earp - Halifax, CanadaI had finally found what I had been searching for all those years. And 34 years later, I still say the same thing. More »
Shashanka Karlen - Geneva, SwitzerlandI slowly realised for myself that there were two things I needed in life to become really happy: meditation and a spiritual Master. More »
Tejvan Pettinger - Oxford, UKSri Chinmoy believes sport can play a significant role in an integral spiritual life. When I was 26, I started to enter some cycling races and found I did quite well. More »
Tirtha Voelckner - Munich, GermanyIn my almost 30 years as a disciple I have had so many inner and outer, challenging and happy experiences. My life is rich, inwardly rich. More »
Yasovati Steirer - Graz, AustriaOne day I saw a poster about a meditation workshop given by a disciple of Sri Chinmoy. At the workshop I felt something completely new: bubbling joy that only kept growing. More »
More stories
Meditation experiences by Sri Chinmoy's students.
Where the finite connects to the Infinite
Jogyata Dallas Auckland, New Zealand
Experiences of meditation
Preetidutta Thorpe Auckland, New Zealand
Meditation Nights at the Sri Chinmoy Centre
Preetidutta Thorpe Auckland, New Zealand
Spirituality means speed
Patanga Cordeiro São Paulo, Brazil
My 5 a.m. strategic meditations
Sanchita Fleming Ottawa, CanadaMeet some of our meditation class givers
For Sri Chinmoy's students, giving meditation classes is a way to deepen their own meditation experience by sharing this gift with others.
Muslim Badami
Muslim gives free introductory meditation classes throughout the year in his home city of Auckland.
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 »
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.
- Audio »
More stories
Sri Chinmoy's students recall some of their treasured memories.
Starting a spiritual café
Toshala Elliott Auckland, New Zealand
My first experience with Sri Chinmoy
Nayak Polissar Seattle, United States
Growing up on Sri Chinmoy's path
Aruna Pohland Augsburg, Germany
My evolving relationship with my spiritual Teacher
Pradeep Hoogakker The Hague, Netherlands
An airport meditation experience
Jogyata Dallas Auckland, New Zealand
No prior experience needed
Samalya Schafer Berlin, Germany
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
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 »
Samalya Schafer
Samalya became a student of Sri Chinmoy when he was 19. A talented athlete, he holds a current mile PB of 4:18. He also loves music, and recorded his first CD with the group Ashru Dhara in 2011.
- Audio »
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 »
More stories
Experiences of sport and self-transcendence.
Why we organise ultra-distance events
Subarnamala Riedel Zurich, Switzerland
Listen to the inner voice
Vidura Groulx Montreal, Canada
The Ever-Transcending Goal
Preetidutta Thorpe Auckland, New Zealand
Running the world's longest race
Jayasalini Abramovskikh Moscow, Russia
Progress-Pilgrimage: A 1200km run from Vienna to Paris
Shamita Achenbach-König Vienna, Austria
Why run 3100 miles?
Smarana Puntigam Vienna, AustriaA few of our athletic members
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
Boijayanti Gomez-Badillo
Boijayanti is a joint race director of a number of races organised by the Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team in the New York area, including the Self-Transcendece Swim-Run and the Flushing Meadows 5k race.
Ashrita Furman
Ashrita became a student of Sri Chinmoy in 1970. Using the practise of meditation, he has been able to break more Guinness world records than any other person.
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.
Video
Members who work in enterprises
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.
- Audio »
- Gallery »
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.
- Gallery »
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 »
Peace-runners
Laufey Haraldsdottir
A talented musician, Laufey has organised Peace Runs in Iceland, Greenland and the Faroe Islands.
Sarankhuu Jargal
As well as helping to organise the Mongolian Peace Run, Sarankhuu always brings joy and enthusiasm to our international Peace Run team, participating in runs in the USA and Australia.
- 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 »
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 Zealand
A Mountain Meditation
Jogyata Dallas Auckland, New Zealand
My love of spiritual poetry
Manatita Hutchinson London, United Kingdom
Meditation: Touching The Infinite
Jogyata Dallas Auckland, New Zealand
Bhutan, A Country Less Travelled...
Ambarish Keenan Dublin, Ireland
The Random Dog
Toshala Elliott Auckland, New ZealandArt and Photography
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.
- Gallery »
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 »
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