Speaker
Suprabha Amy Beckjord
Owner, Transcendence-Perfection-Bliss of the Beyond

Suprabha Beckjord has been a beloved presence in the Connecticut Avenue corridor since she opened her gift shop as “Visions of Beauty,” in 1983. It was located above the original Vace’s in what is now the dining room of Laredo Restaurant. After that part of the block was sold, she moved her shop into the former Christian Science Reading Room, next to the Uptown Theatre, just a block from her original location. Sri Chinmoy, who has been her spiritual teacher since 1983, came to Washington, DC, in 1984, to attend an event at Congress. Afterwards, he visited Suprabha’s shop and while there, suggested a new name for it: Transcendence-Perfection-Bliss of the Beyond. The store became a neighborhood favorite – a colorful oasis in the midst of the cacophony of the city. Sadly, it closed its doors in mid-July 2024.

Sri Chinmoy inspired his students not only to meditate but to be active and fit. Suprabha began running in the mid-1980s and became one of the most prolific multi-day ultra-distance runners on the planet. In 1986, she ran a 200-mile race and ended up coming in first for women, and second place overall. After that victory she joined longer and longer races and finally ran the world’s longest foot race, the 3100-mile Self-Transcendence Race, not just once, but for 13 consecutive years, from 1997 to 2009.

Suprabha will be in conversation with Linda Ayres, Chair of the Tuesday Talks speaker series. Linda had a 30-some-year career in museums, first as a curator and then as an administrator. In retirement, she volunteers for neighborhood committees and projects.