Christmas and New Year is the time of the year where many of our spiritual family from around the world are gathering in a “holiday place” to enjoy something like a winter meditation retreat, combined with sports, music and fun. Sri Chinmoy used to love these trips away from cold New York a lot and usually spent many hours every day with us. It was a family-like feeling of being very close to him.
As with most of the events that we used to organise when Sri Chinmoy was alive, his students continue this tradition of the “Christmas Trips” until today, to enjoy an uplifting, spiritually and socially inspiring and nourishing time together.
A usual day on our Christmas Trips may look like this,
but everyone in the group – here in Antalya about 350 disciples from about 40 countries (Americas, Australia, Asia, Europe) – is free to choose their own schedule:
Regular silent morning group meditation from 6-6:30 am in our meeting room, or by yourself in your own room. If you join the “Xmas Trip Meditation Club” you have to make sure to observe at least 3 out of 5 extra meditation sessions of 15 min. each during the day, the first starting at 6:30, right after the regular morning meditation, if you choose.
Many in the group love to do some sports or to work out after the early morning meditation – running, biking, swimming, gym training or hatha yoga. Or to go on a day tour.
Two to three times a week we have a morning race – either 1 mile, 2 miles or longer -, where everyone can participate, be it running or walking, helping or just watching. If we are close to swimmable water, especially the sea, we often also organise a fun swim-run with various distances. In Antalya the water was a balmy 16 °C and the sun was out with little wind, so participation was strong! (We have swum in 14°C before!)
At 10 a.m., after breakfast, the second part of the morning program starts, where we meet again for an hour or more of spiritual activities including silent meditation, spirtual songs, poems, inspiring videos and soulful performances, followed by another 15 min. session for those who are part of the “Meditation Club” and choose this session.
From 12 to around 2 pm a sumptuous vegetarian and vegan buffet lunch is offered in the main hotel, specially prepared for our group, which many of us love to enjoy together, while others venture out to discover new food places. Since most of our big group stayed together at one hotel in Antalya, this trip had a particularly strong “family feeling” with all of our spiritual brothers and sisters.
The afternoons are “free”, and are spent individually, with friends or in smaller groups – exploring the surroundings, outings into nature including hikes and boat trips, shopping, having coffee or ice cream, fun or deep conversations with friends, games, more sports, or practicing performances for the evening or the next days.
15 min. meditation sessions for the “club” members are offered again at 2 pm and 5 pm, just before dinner, plus after the evening function around 11 pm. So lots of opportunities to feed your inner and outer hunger!
The evening functions usually start at 8 pm with a silent meditation, often followed by a more light-hearted but inspirational program than in the morning, including spiritual wisdom, funny jokes or skits, inspiring videos of recent Peace Run or other activities and again musical performances.
Part of my personal daily routine was our singing practice with Kailash’s Group at 9 am and around 7 pm – for a daily soulful morning performance of 30 spiritual songs during the 10 am programme – for 10 days in a row! (Kailash’s Group has the goal to learn and perform all of Sri Chinmoys over 23.000 songs in this lifetime in public. See also: https://www.srichinmoysongs.com/)
With so many inspiring and experienced disciples from around the world on the trip, the morning and evening program was usually filled to the brim, so we even had some special functions in the afternoon, for those who were interested. One highligt for me was the interview with Prachar and his video about his experiences on his 2024 meditation world tour! He had planned to give a lecture or class on meditation in 60 cities around the world to honour Sri Chinmoy’s 60th anniversary of coming to the west in 1964, but he ended up giving classes in 132 Cities!!! His stories were most inspiring and amazing, about different cultures, the sincerity of today’s seekers etc. including some funny events! It was very special for me as he started in Jan. 2024, on our previous Christmas Trip in Malta, and on the way to Asia he gave a class in Calcutta where he had a special experience with Mother Kali- which brought tears to my eyes!
One afternoon new disciples, who had never met Sri Chinmoy in person, told their stories about how they started meditation and discovered Sri Chinmoy’s path, which was extremely interesting and inspiring. They learned how to connect to Sri Chinmoy on the level where he is eternally alive – which is his universal Heart and Soul. This access is available for all who wish to be guided by him towards the divine.
During one function we heard an audio of Sri Chinmoy himself telling a story about one of his dearest disciples who lived in Russia and had developed a most powerful inner connection with Sri Chinmoy through her love and faith in him, even before she had ever met him in person – and Sri Chinmoy had been deeply aware of this.
In the same way we still have the opportunity to develop this inner connection with him today – and through him with the real Guru – the Supreme.
As I have experienced on every Christmas Trip so far: to be in the presence and part of this big group of sincere spiritual students and meditate together creates such a strong inner power and is so tremendously conducive to real spiritual progres, and it lasts for a long time after the trip still in your heart.
Sri Chinmoy once commented: “On a Christmas Trip many of you make more spiritual progress than during the rest of the entire year!”
And along with it goes a deep sense of being part of one beautiful big international family!
It is always a most important time for me and I am very grateful that these trips continue and I am able to be a part of it.
