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Saraswati Photo by Gisele

Biography Saraswati was involved with Transcendental Meditation when she first heard about Swami Shyam. At the time, she was satisfied with this type of meditation. Later when she desired more contact with a teacher to answer some of her questions, she decided to go to India to meet Swami Shyam. Her son Sandy was already living in Kullu and she accompanied him back to Kullu. Her children were all grown up by now and had left home, and her husband has passed away, so she was free to pursue the life of a Yogi. She came to know that security and bliss is found in knowing the truth of our immortal existence as One with God. Written by Gisele Beaupre

Interview

Gisele: Saraswati, how did you meet Swami Shyam and come to Kullu?

Saraswati: Back in Montreal, I got interested in Transcendental Meditation, through my son. My older sister called, and told me that she met this incredible Guru, and asked would I like to meet him. I said, "No, I was satisfied where I was." But the time came later, when I just wanted more direct knowledge and contact with a teacher.

I first met Swami through a Religion class at Sir George William's College; they used to have a guest speaker once a month. I wasn't ready for it at the time. My children were still young enough that I needed to be around for them. My husband was a really straight guy, very nice. He was doing TM, and I was even surprised that he signed up for that. So when I walked in to the class and found Swamiji in a doti and the whole thing, it was fine, except the sitting on the floor cross legged, with chanting and incense and talking in Sanskrit. It just felt very foreign. I was worried that my husband wouldn't like it.

Then Swamiji started to talk about reincarnation, which was something that I just wasn't able to accept. I couldn't get out of there fast enough, this was too weird. Later on, my son Sandy met Swami and he just loved him instantly, it was total recognition. From the very first moment Sandy was a devotee of Swamiji, whereas I went on to take teachers training in TM. By the way, my husband died two years after I met Swamiji.

About that time Sandy went to Kullu, and wrote me all these great letters about what a great time he was having and discussing things with him. I would just cry my eyes out because I didn't have that opportunity. One day something came up and I had to write something to Swamiji concerning Sandy. I expressed different concerns that I had about Sandy. Swamiji wrote me back and each time I read it, I found more and more in it. He not only answered my questions about Sandy, but I saw that it was telling me a great deal about myself.

Gisele: It is like very advanced psychology.

Saraswati: Incredibly! He was so subtle, that's why I would keep re-reading it. It was almost as if I couldn't see it, then he couldn't have offended me, and if I saw it it wouldn't have offended me. I began to feel that if he could answer these questions from one letter, what would it be like to sit in front of him. With someone who could know you so thoroughly, with someone who could answer basic patterns of your thinking, that you didn't even know about. I had the idea to come to India and meet him again.

Transcribed by Gisele Beaupre

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