SRI CHINMOY
SPIRITUAL TEACHER
As a spiritual teacher Sri Chinmoy (1931 – 2007) tried to make the inner peace, joy and universal love that he himself experienced in meditation accessible to others through a variety of forms of expression. He was a leader of meditations, composer, musician, poet, writer, artist and athlete. In his writings, Sri Chinmoy explains how meditation can promote compassion, tolerance and respect.
SRI CHINMOY’S ACTIVITIES
During his lifetime, Sri Chinmoy offered peace concerts in 62 countries – always free of charge. He also initiated the Oneness-Home Peace Run, which has visited over 150 nations, and inspired a spirit of friendship in millions of people since its inception in 1987. International teams of runners have visited a broad variety of communities and places of government, and in schools have shown children and young people that peace begins in their own hearts.
“The deep sense of peace and tranquillity I perceived in Sri Chinmoy and his delegation was contagious,
and we all felt inspired and challenged by an extraordinary man.”
– Nelson Mandela, President of South Africa and Nobel Peace Prize laureate
PEACE MEDITATIONS AT THE UN
In 1970, at the request of U Thant, third Secretary-General of the United Nations, Sri Chinmoy began to hold twice-weekly peace meditations for delegates and staff members at UN headquarters in New York. He led the peace meditations, which continue to this day, for 37 years. Sri Chinmoy saw the inner peace of the individual as the prerequisite for world peace.
POET AND WRITER
Sri Chinmoy wrote poems, aphorisms, songs, essays, stories, plays and commentaries on Indian scriptures. His lectures, interviews and answers to questions have also been published. In his books, the reader learns how to find inner peace and fulfilment by practising suitable meditation exercises and developing a spiritual way of life. Sri Chinmoy’s complete works are available at SriChinmoyLibrary.com.
COMPOSER AND MUSICIAN
Sri Chinmoy composed a large number of uplifting spiritual songs with diverse content. He performed a selection of his songs at over 750 meditative concerts and played typically around two dozen instruments, including the flute, the harmonium and his favourite instrument, the overtone-rich Indian stringed instrument Esraj. Recordings of Sri Chinmoy’s concerts and the arrangements of his compositions can be found on RadioSriChinmoy.org. Most of his compositions with lyrics and some with sheet music and audio files are available on SriChinmoySongs.com.
MEDITATIVE ART
Jharna-Kala (Bengali for “fountain-art”) is the name Sri Chinmoy gave to the thousands of abstract, colourful acrylic paintings he created. He also drew a large number of Soul-Birds. A selection of his paintings and drawings have been exhibited around the world, including at the Künstlerhaus in Vienna. At the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, they are part of the permanent collection. With his meditative art, Sri Chinmoy wanted to make the beauty and peace of the inner world tangible. Some of his artworks can be viewed on Daily.SriChinmoyArt.com.
“You are a miraculous model of the abundance in the creative life that we lesser mortals seek, and I can only hope
that I may some day meet you and perhaps participate in that cosmic fountain of stillness and profound energy which you inhabit.”
– Leonard Bernstein, legendary composer and conductor
SPORT AND MEDITATION
During the 20 years he spent in the Sri Aurobindo Ashram in India, Sri Chinmoy was already an outstanding sprinter and decathlete. He ran marathons and ultramarathons in the USA. With his world records in weightlifting, he drew worldwide attention to the power of meditation via the mass media until he was very old. He realised that sporting activity also has numerous benefits for meditation. In 1977, he founded the Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team, which organises events ranging from 2-mile runs to the longest certified road race in the world.
AWARDS
Sri Chinmoy’s work has received many awards, including the “Pilgrim of Peace” Award from the International Centre of Assisi for Peace between Peoples, which was also awarded to Mother Teresa and Mikhail Gorbachev. He also received the “Mahatma Gandhi Universal Harmony Award” from the American branch of Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, India’s leading cultural institute, which is comparable to the German Goethe-Institut. More about Sri Chinmoy, his life’s work, his activities, initiatives and the Sri Chinmoy Centres can be read on SriChinmoy.org and seen on SriChinmoy.tv.
“I am so pleased with all the good work you are doing for world peace and for people in so many countries.
May we continue to work together and to share together all for the glory of God and for the good of man.”
– Mother Teresa, Nobel Peace Prize laureate