Author: Tejvan Pettinger

Songs of the Soul New York April 2013

As part of the 49th anniversary celebrations for Sri Chinmoy’s arrival in the West, members of the Sri Chinmoy Centre offered a concert of soulful and meditative music at the New York Society for Ethical Culture in New York.

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Sahadeva’s ensemble

The Songs of the Soul concert, featuring arrangements of Sri Chinmoy’s music, was held on the 15th April at a packed venue in Manhattan. The concert featured performances from a variety of musicians and groups, such as Alap Jetzer, the Sri Chinmoy Bhajan singers, Pavaka and friends, the Sahadeva Orchestra and an ensemble of local New York musicians. There was also recitations of Sri Chinmoy’s poetry and videos from Sri Chinmoy’s peace concerts.

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Sushumna Mary Plumbly

Sushumna Mary Plumbly, who recently passed away aged 90, was one of the founding members of the London Sri Chinmoy Centre, and an early disciple of Sri Chinmoy.

sushumna_imgSushumna was widely admired and loved for her kindness, concern, cheerfulness, and her devotion to her Spiritual Master, Sri Chinmoy.

For many years, Sushumna worked for the BBC in children’s broadcasting – she also later opened a tea shop.

Sushumna became a student of Sri Chinmoy in the early 1970s, shortly after her daughter Swarnodaya met Sri Chinmoy in New York. As a new disciple, Sushumna guided the London Sri Chinmoy Centre through its formative years and was always very welcoming and encouraging to new members. She was in many ways a quintessential English lady, noted for her fine manners and kind disposition.

In the 1970s, Sushumna helped to organise some of Sri Chinmoy’s early visits to England and his university lectures, including Oxford and Cambridge university. Sushumna also accompanied Sri Chinmoy on some of this travels around England and later recounted many fascinating stories of travelling with Sri Chinmoy, in these early days.

Sushumna wrote a couple of short books about her experiences with Sri Chinmoy. They were written with her characteristic modesty and simplicity, but also contained interesting anecdotes and illumining experiences of the spiritual life.

This is a short extract from her book: Things My Guru Taught Me by Sushumna Mary Plumbly

It was on a sunny summer day at the little Sri Chinmoy Centre in Brighton that I received my spiritual name. The Master placed his hands on my head and spelled it out: S-U-S-H-U-M-N-A. Sushumna. I felt again that spiritual joy that I had experienced the first time I saw Sri Chinmoy. A little voice from deep inside said, “Yes, that’s right, that’s me.” Another, more worldly voice said, “Oh heavens! I’ll never remember it.” I spent the rest of the day in a rosy glow, and on going to bed that night attempted to repeat it one hundred times, as advised. I think I fell asleep after ten! (p23-24)

In her book, Sushumna also writes about the meaning of her name. -  ‘Sushumna is the channel through which the kundalini-power travels to reach the thousand petalled lotus in the crown‘.  She also writes about the spiritual meaning of her name, as given by Sri Chinmoy, saying ‘Sushumna relates to the longing to bring Heaven’s Light and Love to earth.’

Related

Live music streaming from radio Sri Chinmoy

At Radio Sri Chinmoy, we have published a new live streaming channel, which offers a range of music composed by Sri Chinmoy and performed by a variety of music groups.

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The channel, World Harmony Mix, features a large array of musical performances from music groups such as Temple-Song-Hearts, Ananda, Mountain Silence Ghandarva Loka, and Shindhu.

The channel offers a very relaxing and energising musical accompaniment.

“Music is the mother tongue of humanity. God is the Supreme Musician. It is through music that we can enter into the universal harmony. It is through music that God’s Beauty is being manifested in His all loving Creation.”

– Sri Chinmoy [1]

 

Listen Now

 

Notes

[1] Sri Chinmoy, The Vedas: Immortality’s First Call, Agni Press, 1972.

Challenging Impossibility Exhibition in Bristol

In Bristol, members of the Sri Chinmoy Centre have organised an exhibition of Sri Chinmoy’s weightlifting equipment along with other events, such as free meditation classes.

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At the exhibition, there are frequent screenings of the film – Challenging Impossibility – a 30 minute film which captures the essence of Sri Chinmoy’s unique weightlifting odyssey. (See: Challenging Impossibility.com)

The weightlifting equipment includes standard weightlifting machines, such as calf-raises, wrist curls and bench presses. However, it also includes some of Sri Chinmoy’s innovative and new types of lift. In particular, Sri Chinmoy lifted many people overhead from a seated position, in a specially constructed apparatus. This was part of the ‘Lifting up the world with a Oneness-Heart‘ programme.

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A lift which honoured over 7,000 individuals from all walks of life, including Nelson Mandela, Mother Teresa and other dignitaries, sportsmen and musicians. See more at: Lifting up the World at Inspiration Lifts.

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During the week long exhibition, there have also been several evening functions, including meditation classes. Sri Chinmoy was a great advocate of meditation and ascribed his unique weightlifting capacities to the inner strength and grace received through prayer and meditation.

Other photos from event

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“The invisible faith
Is often visible
To our heart’s warrior-strength.”

– Sri Chinmoy [1]

lifting-up-world
Some of the participants in the Lifting up the World with a Oneness Heart award.
dumbbells
Dumbells used in Sri Chinmoy’s Wrist Curls

Related

Footnote

[1] Sri Chinmoy, Twenty-Seven Thousand Aspiration-Plants, Part 195, Agni Press, 1993.

First steps on the spiritual path

A new section ‘First Steps’ offers a selection of stories by members of the Sri Chinmoy Centre about their first experiences in taking to a spiritual life.

First-steps

The section at Sri Chinmoy Centre shows the diverse range of experiences that led people from a variety of different backgrounds to become interested in meditation and follow the spiritual path of Sri Chinmoy.

The initial curiosity – the captivating question ‘how will it feel?’ – gave way to calm certainty and the joy of silence – a silence in which I can now dive every day. This state of being is infinitely more exciting and fulfilling than I had ever imagined.

– Apaga Renner

Coming to his path has truly been the most beautiful, profound and enduring thing ever to happen to me. I may not be rich, or great, or famous, but I can sincerely say that I am truly happy.

– Abhinandan

What really appealed to me was the combination of a profound and soulful inner life with a dynamic and versatile outer life.

– A quest for happiness by Abhinabha

Temple Song Hearts XII

On Radio Sri Chinmoy we have recently published Temple-Song-Hearts XII, the 12th album from this popular music group.

tsh-12

Temple-Song-Hearts are an all-female group, devoted to performing the music of Sri Chinmoy; they are based in the UK. In this album, Temple-Song-Hearts offer a powerful and soulful interpretation of Sri Chinmoy’s music.

Other recent recordings at Radio Sri Chinmoy by members of the Sri Chinmoy Centre include:

Interview with Prachar

In this interview, at Sri Chinmoy TV, Prachar Stegeman talks of how is interest in meditation was kindled as a way to calm his nerves during his work as a concert pianist. Prachar also relates how becoming a meditation student of Sri Chinmoy created a whole new range of possibilities and changed his outlook on life. Prachar now helps to organising the Sri Chinmoy Oneness-Home Peace Run in Australia and puts on different running races and triathlons in his home town of Canberra.

The video was recorded and produced by Kedar Misani of Sri Chinmoy TV.

New Radio Recordings

Recently, at Radio Sri Chinmoy, we have published a selection of new recordings by various members of the Sri Chinmoy Centre.
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Music plays an important role in the spiritual path of Sri Chinmoy, and his students often arrange and perform his music for CDs and in public performances.

Sri Chinmoy writes:

Music is inspiration, soulful inspiration. It inspires the human in us. Music is manifestation, fruitful manifestation. It manifests the divine in us. Music is satisfaction, supreme satisfaction. It satisfies the Pilot Supreme in us. (The Vision-Sky of California)

Recent recordings at Radio Sri Chinmoy, include:

  • Paramanande – An album of Sri Chinmoy’s songs performed by the talented Achenbach family from Vienna. Using Western classical instruments, they offer a soulful instrumental performance of Sri Chinmoy’s music.
  • Songs of Peace and Light A selection of songs and arrangements from a recent concert in the Christ Lutheran church in New York. Performed and directed by Paree Atkins.
  • Endless Energy, sleepless speed Songs for the inner runner. Songs of dynamism, arranged by Premik and vocals performed by Satisfaction-Cry and Lotus Groves.

Also a Guided Meditation

A Guided meditation by Kaivalya. Sri Chinmoy’s student give many meditation classes. Guided meditations are a popular exercise during these classes. This is a simple breathing exercise.
 

 

Stories at Sri Chinmoy Centre

A new section at Sri Chinmoy Centre.org publishes a wide variety of accounts written by students of Sri Chinmoy. These stories include how and why people felt drawn to following a spiritual life. There are also written accounts of meditation functions with Sri Chinmoy and other experiences on Sri Chinmoy’s path.

aspiration-ground

These stories gave a glimpse into the diverse experience of being a student of Sri Chinmoy, and how it can open up a new world of possibilities. It is also interesting to see how people from all walks of life can be drawn together by the common goal of seeking a deeper meaning to life.

“A seeker is he who fulfils his soulful promises both to Heaven and to earth. His self-giving role fulfils his promise to Heaven, His self-ascending role fulfils his promise to earth. To give is to become. To ascend is to become. He gives what he has and what he is, and eventually he sees and grows into the universal Reality.”

– Sri Chinmoy [1]

We hope you enjoy these short stories, photos and listings; we will be adding more over the next few months.

 

References

[1] Sri Chinmoy, Simplicity, Sincerity, Purity And Divinity, Agni Press, 1987.

Visit to Childrens’ Hospital

Recently, volunteers from the Slovakian branch of Oneness-Heart-Tears and Smiles visited a children’s hospital in Russia to offer free entertainment to the children being treated there.

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One of the entertainers was Vlado Kulíšek, from Trencin, who works as a a professional mime artist. He often performs without charge for children who are severely ill or who have experienced suffering as the result of a natural disaster.

Recently, he has performed in Japan, in areas affected by the devastating tsunami, and in orphanages in Vietnam. This last journey was to St. Petersburg, Russia, where he played at the Raisa Maximova Gorbachev oncology clinic.

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Vlado said of the experience:

“It was great to be able to put a smile on the faces of so severely ill children.  “The most difficult visits were with children in their rooms. These children are hospitalized in their rooms because their illness is most severe and the most difficult cases. But all children promised to me that they will meet with me in the future – right in the theater, to participate in the entertaining fun program.”

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The Oneness-Heart-Tears and Smiles – is a humanitarian organisation founded by Sri Chinmoy. It often offers aid and friendship to people around the world, who have been affected by poverty and natural disasters.

Contributors: Ashish Zubaty, Vladimir Kulisek (photos), Tejvan Pettiner (editing