Our members
We come from all backgrounds and walks of life, brought together by our shared love of meditation, spirituality and world-service.
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 »
| 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 |
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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.
Reflections on meditation
Janaka Spence Edinburgh, United Kingdom
Meditation: Touching The Infinite
Jogyata Dallas Auckland, New Zealand
Getting through difficult times in your meditation
Banshidhar Medeiros San Juan, Puerto Rico
Self-transcendence in meditation
Kailash Beyer Zurich, Switzerland
Seeing the God inside my son
Utsahi St-Armand Ottawa, CanadaMore stories
Sri Chinmoy's students recall some of their treasured memories.
Sri Chinmoy meets an old friend
Pradhan Balter Chicago, United States
An airport meditation experience
Jogyata Dallas Auckland, New Zealand
How Sri Chinmoy appreciated enthusiasm
Prachar Stegemann Canberra, Australia
Sri Chinmoy's inner guidance
Kailash Beyer Zurich, Switzerland
My evolving relationship with my spiritual Teacher
Pradeep Hoogakker The Hague, Netherlands
Meditation functions with Sri Chinmoy
Kokila Chamberlain Bristol, United Kingdom
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
Sadanand Magee
Dublin, Ireland
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 »
Apaga Renner
Graz, Austria
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.
- Stories »
- Audio »
Eshana Gadjanski
Novi Sad, Serbia
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 »
More stories
Experiences of sport and self-transcendence.
Is it unspiritual to care about winning?
Tejvan Pettinger Oxford, United Kingdom
Progress-Pilgrimage: A 1200km run from Vienna to Paris
Shamita Achenbach-König Vienna, Austria
Running and Me
Garga Chamberlain Bristol, United Kingdom
Running a Six-Day Race
Ratuja Zub Minsk, Belarus
10-Day Race: Staring into the Infinite
Patanga Cordeiro São Paulo, Brazil
Running the world's longest race
Jayasalini Abramovskikh Moscow, RussiaA few of our athletic members
Boijayanti Gomez-Badillo
New York, United States
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
Berlin, Germany
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.
- Stories »
- Audio »
Samunnati Lehonkova
Ternopil, Ukraine
Our best female marathon runner with a PB of 2:28, Samunnati competed in the 2016 Olympics for her native Ukraine
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
Augsburg, Germany
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.
- Stories »
- Gallery »
Shankara Smith
London, United Kingdom
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.
- Stories »
- Audio »
- Gallery »
Smarana Puntigam
Vienna, Austria
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
Sarankhuu Jargal
Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
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 »
Harita Davies
New York, United States
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.
Nikolaus Drekonja
San Diego, United States
Nikolaus spends his time between the United States and Austria, where he has family in both countries. He loves to travel with our international Peace Run team as they visit schools and communities around the world.
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...
My love of spiritual poetry
Manatita Hutchinson London, United Kingdom
Bhutan, A Country Less Travelled...
Ambarish Keenan Dublin, Ireland
The Random Dog
Toshala Elliott Auckland, New Zealand
A Mountain Meditation
Jogyata Dallas Auckland, New Zealand
The Swimming Relay
Toshala Elliott Auckland, New ZealandArt and Photography
Papaha Gosline
San Diego, United States
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 »
Ashish Zubaty
Zlin, Czech Republic
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 »
Apaguha Vesely
Prague, Czech Republic
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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