Just as saints in the West have inspired countless people with their search for God and service to humanity, so similarly great spiritual figures in India have always played a pivotal role in revitalizing the spirituality of that ancient country. In former times information about these spiritual figures was passed down anecdotally from generation to generation. However in the last 150 years the spread of technology as well as more accurate recording of events and conversations with these teachers have given us a wealth of documentation on the lives and teachings of these figures.

Sri Ramakrishna, who lived in the the latter part of the 19th century, is possibly the first great spiritual teacher to have had his life authoritatively documented in this way. Through applying himself to all the different paths in Indian spirituality, as well as to the great religions of Islam and Christianity, he showed that all these paths led to the exact same goal. His closest disciple, Swami Vivekananda, was instrumental in bringing Eastern philosophy to the West, especially as a result of his speech at the very first World Parliament of Religions in 1893 with its heartfelt plea for religious tolerance and an end to fanaticism. Many key players in the Indian independence movement drew great inspiration from the philosophy of Sri Ramakrishna and Swami Vivekananda.

One key leader in the early independence movement was Sri Aurobindo. However, his path in life changed from freedom fighter to yogi, after a spell in jail during which he heard an inner voice calling on him to pursue the road of spirituality. He is noted for his path of Integral Yoga, which combines the three traditional paths to enlightenment - through knowledge, love or service to humanity - into one path.

A famous female spiritual figure of the 20th century was Sri Anandamayi Ma, who would travel all over India, drawing huge crowds to see her in meditative communion with the Divine. Sri Ramana Maharshi, on the other hand, remained in the one place all his life, the famous hill of Arunachala. People seeking his advice were often directed to begin their spiritual quest with just one question: ‘Who am I?’

The increasing interest in Eastern spirituality in the West has led many spiritual figures to travel from India on order to be of service to seekers of truth in the West. In the early part of this century, Paramahansa Yogananda spent many years in America expounding the timeless wisdom of India to appreciative audiences. A more recent example is Sri Chinmoy, who has been in the West now for almost 45 years, and in addition to being a spiritual teacher has made notable contributions of literature, art and music.

The author, Shane Magee, is a student of Sri Chinmoy, and also teaches free courses on meditation and spirituality in Dublin, Ireland.