New Guinness World Record: World's largest crayon
In honour of Sri Chinmoy’s 86th birthday celebrations, Ashrita Furman and a team of volunteers set a new Guinness World Record for the world’s largest crayon. The giant crayon is 5.22 m with a diameter of 56 cm.

Speaking of the inspiration for this new Guinness World record, Ashrita stated:
“Our teacher came from India to inspire joy in other people. He created thousands of soul bird drawings with crayons in various colours to convey the joy experienced in meditation to others. With tremendous gratitude we are honouring what would be Sri Chinmoy’s 86th birthday with the world's largest crayon.”

Ashrita, manager of a Health Food Store in Queens, New York, holds more than 190 Guinness World records and says the power of meditation and Sri Chinmoy’s philosophy of self-transcendence help enable this unique collection of records.

Sri Chinmoy was born 27 August 1931, and many of his students from around the world come to Queens every August to partake in his birthday celebrations. Amongst other activities, Sri Chinmoy was a prolific artist drawing, in his lifetime, nearly 16 million soul bird drawings - a unique style of art which reflect the soul’s aspiration and inner freedom.

Soul-Bird drawing by Sri Chinmoy.
Photo credit: Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team.
Stories
First-hand experiences of meditation and spirituality.
Meeting Sri Chinmoy for the first time
Janaka Spence Edinburgh, United Kingdom
An early spiritual experience
Ashrita Furman New York, United States
The Random Dog
Toshala Elliott Auckland, New Zealand
President Gorbachev: a special soul brought down for a special reason
Mridanga Spencer Ipswich, United Kingdom
Listen to the inner voice
Vidura Groulx Montreal, Canada
'You have to be like a warrior and fight'
Mahiyan Savage San Diego, United States
Seeing the God inside my son
Utsahi St-Armand Ottawa, Canada
Learning to love songs ever more
Patanga Cordeiro São Paulo, Brazil
A New World
Apaga Renner Graz, Austria
No Fear, Only the Heart’s Concern
Jogyata Dallas Auckland, New Zealand
Meditation Nights at the Sri Chinmoy Centre
Preetidutta Thorpe Auckland, New Zealand
Spiritual moments with my grandmother
Patanga Cordeiro São Paulo, Brazil
I was just so transported by the atmosphere
Pulak Viscardi New York, United StatesSuggested videos
interviews with Sri Chinmoy's students
Life in a spiritual workplace
Pranlobha Kalagian Seattle, United States
What meditation gave me that I was missing
Purnahuti Wagner Guatemala City, Guatemala
2 things that surprised me about the spiritual life
Jayasalini Abramovskikh Moscow, Russia
My daily spiritual practises
Muslim Badami Auckland, New Zealand
My typical day
Pranlobha Kalagian Seattle, United States
Making progress on Sri Chinmoy's Path
Daulot Fountain Seattle, United States