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.
The first time that I really understood that I had a soul
Jogyata Dallas Auckland, New ZealandAn airport meditation experience
Jogyata Dallas Auckland, New ZealandMy wife's soul comes to visit
Jogyata Dallas Auckland, New ZealandHow I became interested in meditation
Abhejali Bernardova Zlín, Czech RepublicExperiences of meditation
Preetidutta Thorpe Auckland, New ZealandReflections on meditation
Janaka Spence Edinburgh, United KingdomWhere the finite connects to the Infinite
Jogyata Dallas Auckland, New ZealandAn intense, concentrated Fire
Toshala Elliott Auckland, New ZealandGetting through difficult times in your meditation
Banshidhar Medeiros San Juan, Puerto RicoSelf-transcendence in meditation
Kailash Beyer Zurich, SwitzerlandThe most beautiful and fulfilling of all possible experiences
Jogyata Dallas Auckland, New ZealandSeeing the God inside my son
Utsahi St-Armand Ottawa, CanadaMore stories
Sri Chinmoy's students recall some of their treasured memories.
The relationship between Guru and disciple
Baridhi Yonchev Sofia, BulgariaA 40-Year Blessing
Sarama Minoli New York, United StatesHow I learned from Sri Chinmoy
Pradhan Balter Chicago, United StatesMy evolving relationship with my spiritual Teacher
Pradeep Hoogakker The Hague, NetherlandsOur Guru becomes the perfect disciple
Devashishu Torpy London, United KingdomSri Chinmoy meets an old friend
Pradhan Balter Chicago, United StatesIf a wish comes from the soul, it will be granted
Kamalakanta Nieves New York, United StatesNo prior experience needed
Samalya Schafer Berlin, GermanyPeople see something in Guru and want to be part of it
Saraswati Martín San Juan, Puerto RicoA demonstration of the Master’s occult powers
Arpan De Angelo New York, United StatesMy first Guru
Adarini Inkei Geneva, SwitzerlandI just knew from the moment I saw him
Ashrita Furman New York, United StatesSiblings 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
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 »
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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.
- Stories »
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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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More stories
Experiences of sport and self-transcendence.
Running a Six-Day Race
Ratuja Zub Minsk, BelarusListen to the inner voice
Vidura Groulx Montreal, CanadaBelieve, take a step and proceed: a 6-day race experience
Susan Marshall ,How 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, BrazilWhy run 3100 miles?
Smarana Puntigam Vienna, AustriaA few of our athletic members
Samunnati Lehonkova
Our best female marathon runner with a PB of 2:28, Samunnati competed in the 2016 Olympics for her native Ukraine
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
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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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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- 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.
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Peace-runners
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
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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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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.
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 ZealandBhutan, A Country Less Travelled...
Ambarish Keenan Dublin, IrelandThe Swimming Relay
Toshala Elliott Auckland, New ZealandMeditation: Touching The Infinite
Jogyata Dallas Auckland, New ZealandThe Random Dog
Toshala Elliott Auckland, New ZealandMy 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.
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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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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.
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