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.
Meditation: Touching The Infinite
Jogyata Dallas Auckland, New Zealand
Seeing the God inside my son
Utsahi St-Armand Ottawa, Canada
An airport meditation experience
Jogyata Dallas Auckland, New Zealand
My 5 a.m. strategic meditations
Sanchita Fleming Ottawa, Canada
Getting through difficult times in your meditation
Banshidhar Medeiros San Juan, Puerto Rico
Self-transcendence in meditation
Kailash Beyer Zurich, Switzerland
My wife's soul comes to visit
Jogyata Dallas Auckland, New Zealand
Experiences of meditation
Preetidutta Thorpe Auckland, New Zealand
The first time that I really understood that I had a soul
Jogyata Dallas Auckland, New Zealand
An intense, concentrated Fire
Toshala Elliott Auckland, New Zealand
Spirituality means speed
Patanga Cordeiro São Paulo, Brazil
Where the finite connects to the Infinite
Jogyata Dallas Auckland, New ZealandMore stories
Sri Chinmoy's students recall some of their treasured memories.
What drew me to Sri Chinmoy's path
Nikolaus Drekonja San Diego, United States
A demonstration of the Master’s occult powers
Arpan De Angelo New York, United States
'Everyone is feeling nothing but love'
Suren Leosson Reykjavik, Iceland
I know where you are
Kamalakanta Nieves New York, United States
President Gorbachev: a special soul brought down for a special reason
Mridanga Spencer Ipswich, United Kingdom
Now you are in the boat
Kaushalya Casey Toronto, Canada
Growing up on Sri Chinmoy's path
Aruna Pohland Augsburg, Germany
Sri Chinmoy meets St. Peter
Paramita Jarvis Kingston, Canada
Akuti: a pioneer-jewel in our Centre
Akuti Eisamann Connecticut, United States
Celebrating birthdays at Guru's house
Devashishu Torpy London, United Kingdom
When I met Sri Chinmoy for the first time
Baridhi Yonchev Sofia, Bulgaria
The day I recieved my spiritual name
Banshidhar Medeiros San Juan, Puerto Rico
The day my Guru accepted me as his disciple
Banshidhar Medeiros San Juan, Puerto RicoBooks by members of the Sri Chinmoy Centre
Sport and Meditation
by Sri Chinmoy
222 Meditation Techniques
by Sri Chinmoy
A Twenty-First Century seeker
by Pradhan Balter
Auspicious Good Fortune
by Sumangali Morhall
The Source of Music
by Sri Chinmoy
Miracle-Suns from the Heart
True stories from a spiritual Master, his students and dear friendsMusic
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
Samalya Schafer
Berlin, Germany
Samalya became a student of Sri Chinmoy when he was 19. A talented athlete, he holds a current Marathon PB of 2.28h
- Stories »
- Audio »
- Gallery »
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 »
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 »
More stories
Experiences of sport and self-transcendence.
Running the world's longest race
Jayasalini Abramovskikh Moscow, Russia
How sports and fitness became part of our spiritual life
Banshidhar Medeiros San Juan, Puerto Rico
Running a Six-Day Race
Ratuja Zub Minsk, Belarus
Listen to the inner voice
Vidura Groulx Montreal, Canada
Winning the Swiss Alpine Marathon
Vajin Armstrong Auckland, New Zealand
How meditation helped me swim the English Channel
Abhejali Bernardova Zlín, Czech RepublicA few of our athletic members
Vajin Armstrong
Auckland, New Zealand
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
Heidelberg, Germany
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.
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.
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
Montpellier, France
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 »
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 »
Peace-runners
Suhasini Septiarini
Ubud, Indonesia
Suhasini has helped to organise many memorable Peace Run ceremonies in Bali, as well as travelling to many countries with the international team.
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
The Random Dog
Toshala Elliott Auckland, New Zealand
The Swimming Relay
Toshala Elliott Auckland, New Zealand
A Mountain Meditation
Jogyata Dallas Auckland, New Zealand
Bhutan, A Country Less Travelled...
Ambarish Keenan Dublin, Ireland
Sri Chinmoy's biography, written by one of the most famous Bengali authors
Mahatapa Palit New York, United StatesArt and Photography
Pranlobha Kalagian
Seattle, United States
Pranlobha is a very keen photographer, and has used that talent to great effect on her travels throughout the world with the Peace Run.
- Stories »
- 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 »
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 »
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