We are all students of Sri Chinmoy, an Indian meditation teacher. While he was alive, most of us were fortunate to spend time with him, either in New York where he lived or during one of his many trips to Australia. Through practical exercises and personal example, he taught us how to concentrate, meditate and contemplate. He used to tell us that meditation is not like instant coffee; it cannot be perfected overnight. It requires many years of practice to be able to quiet the mind and enter into a deep, meditative state. However, the benefits of meditation begin to be felt right from the early stages. We have all experienced a newfound peace in our lives and a sense of inner joy that we had never felt before.

Sri Chinmoy also showed us that meditation can be expressed in many different ways. He himself was a prolific poet, composer and artist, as well as a musician, weightlifter and athlete. Meditation permeated everything that he did and also gave him the inspiration to explore so many creative fields and continually try and transcend himself within them. For Sri Chinmoy, meditation was not something that could be confined to a small portion of the day. It overflowed into everything that he did and touched everyone whom he met.

From his deep meditation, Sri Chinmoy acquired tremendous inner and outer peace. He shared this peace at his free Peace Concerts around the world and also through his writings and art. In our classes, we continue to share this experience. Sri Chinmoy’s hauntingly beautiful “Flute Music for Meditation” creates the perfect atmosphere for our talks and exercises. We also use daily meditation cards containing short aphorisms by Sri Chinmoy.

Another way in which Sri Chinmoy expressed the peace of meditation was through his songs. At our classes, we often teach seekers a few of these short, mantric songs as a way of invoking a calm and focussed inner state. Sri Chinmoy’s art provides yet another dimension. One of his favourite emblems was the soul-bird. He drew literally millions of these birds. He used to tell us that each human soul was like a bird, winging across the sky with infinite freedom, unaffected by earthly worries and concerns. A very popular exercise involves meditating on these glorious forms.

For those who would like to see a genuine spiritual teacher meditating and teaching his students, we have a range of videos of Sri Chinmoy meditating and interviews with him about the inner life.

In summary, Sri Chinmoy has left us a rich legacy to share with all those who would like to learn the essentials of meditation.