
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 |
More stories
Meditation experiences by Sri Chinmoy's students.


My 5 a.m. strategic meditations
Sanchita Fleming Ottawa, Canada
Meditation experience at Aspiration-Ground
Suren Leosson ,
Spirituality means speed
Patanga Cordeiro São Paulo, Brazil
An airport meditation experience
Jogyata Dallas Auckland, New Zealand
Help From Above
Toshala Elliott Auckland, New ZealandMeet 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.

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 »

Brahmata Michael
As well as giving meditation classes in Ottawa, Brahmata also sings and plays guitar with Sangit Surabhi, a group that performs concerts of Sri Chinmoy's music.
- Audio »

Jogyata Dallas
Jogyata has given classes and talks on meditation for the general public for over 30 years, both in New Zealand and around the world. He has published a collection of stories about his experiences as a student of Sri Chinmoy.
More stories
Sri Chinmoy's students recall some of their treasured memories.

The relationship between Guru and disciple
Baridhi Yonchev Sofia, Bulgaria
I just knew from the moment I saw him
Ashrita Furman New York, United States
Sri Chinmoy's inner guidance
Kailash Beyer Zurich, Switzerland
Listen to the inner voice
Vidura Groulx Montreal, Canada
My evolving relationship with my spiritual Teacher
Pradeep Hoogakker The Hague, Netherlands
Siblings on a spiritual path
Pranlobha Kalagian Seattle, United StatesMusic
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

Toshala Elliott
A singer and accomplished piano accordionist, Toshala is also a member of the international women's group Shindhu.
- Audio »

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.
- Audio »

Ghantika Hammerl
Ghantika and her whole family became students of Sri Chinmoy. Ghantika plays the saxophone in Bartika's Jazz Group, an all-female group that performs Sri Chinmoy‘s melodies in a combination of jazz, rock and pop styles.
- Audio »
More stories
Experiences of sport and self-transcendence.

Why run 3100 miles?
Smarana Puntigam Vienna, Austria
Progress-Pilgrimage: A 1200km run from Vienna to Paris
Shamita Achenbach-König Vienna, Austria
10-Day Race: Staring into the Infinite
Patanga Cordeiro São Paulo, Brazil
Running the world's longest race
Jayasalini Abramovskikh Moscow, Russia
Why we organise ultra-distance events
Subarnamala Riedel Zurich, Switzerland
The Ever-Transcending Goal
Preetidutta Thorpe Auckland, New ZealandA few of our athletic members

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.

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 »

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.
- Stories »
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 »

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 »
Peace-runners

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 »
- Gallery »

Suhasini Septiarini
Suhasini has helped to organise many memorable Peace Run ceremonies in Bali, as well as travelling to many countries with the international team.

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 Random Dog
Toshala Elliott Auckland, New Zealand
A Mountain Meditation
Jogyata Dallas Auckland, New Zealand
Bhutan, A Country Less Travelled...
Ambarish Keenan Dublin, Ireland
The Swimming Relay
Toshala Elliott Auckland, New Zealand
Meditation: Touching The Infinite
Jogyata Dallas Auckland, New Zealand
My 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 »

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 »