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.

More stories

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 »What 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 »My 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 »The 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 »We 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 »Not 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 »I 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 »I 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 »Sri 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 »In 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 »One 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

2. What keeps us busy (besides meditation):
Music   •   Athletics   •  Divine Enterprises   •  Running for peace

3. Writing and poetry by Sri Chinmoy's students
 

 
Video

Experiences with Sri Chinmoy

A childhood meeting with Sri Chinmoy by Devashishu Torpy.

More videos and articles

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:

Agnikana's Group Czech Republic
more »

Blue Flower: Balkan countries 
more »

Ananda: UK & Ireland
more »

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 by Samalya:
No prior experience needed
Visit Samalya's homepage »

Agnikana Senkyrova

Zlín, Czech Republic

Agnikana has been surrounded by music since her childhood and leads a group that plays spiritual music in concerts all over Europe. She is also a fast runner over short and long distances.

Ghantika Hammerl

Salzburg, Austria

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.

The spiritual power of sport

Sri Chinmoy encouraged his students to keep fit and participate in sports as part of their spiritual life. Here, Vasudha from San Diego eloquently describes what running means to her.

Video

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.

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

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.

Video

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 by Shankara:
The spiritual life is normal to me

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 by Aruna:
Growing up on Sri Chinmoy's path

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 by Smarana:
Why run 3100 miles?
The Acceptance Of Life
Visit Smarana's homepage »

Running for Peace

The Sri Chinmoy Peace Run is the world's largest torch relay. Many of Sri Chinmoy's students have travelled the world as part of the international team of runners.

Video

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.

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.

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.

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 by Pranlobha:
My typical day
Life in a spiritual workplace
Visit Pranlobha's homepage »

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.

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.