Sri Chinmoy Biography

Sri Chinmoy, born as Chinmoy Kumar Ghose, was an Indian spiritual master who advocated that inner peace and spiritual attainment can be achieved through meditation and athleticism. Born in East Bengal, the guru later migrated to New York City where he opened meditation centers and gave lectures on spirituality. He was a prolific writer, poet and musician who used to give musical concerts free of charge. He advocated the philosophy of ‘self-transcendence’, through which a person can conquer his mind’s limitations by expanding one's consciousness. He always emphasized upon the importance of physical activities to maintain good physical and mental health which is imperative to spiritual growth. He organized several athletics events including running, swimming and cycling events; he was especially inclined towards running and was an active runner until well into his sixties. He was a skilled musician and advised other musicians to avoid a life of alcohol and drugs and embark on a spiritual journey through music and poetry. He taught his followers that they could reach great spiritual heights through the practice of unconditional love, devotion and surrender. Even though he was brought up in Hindu tradition, he promoted inter-faith harmony as he felt that “Love of God” was the only true religion.