Icon Show: Interviews

Veena Photo by Gisele

Biography Born in Germany during the second world war, "With bombs exploding" all around her, Barbara or Veena later grew up in an affluent, well-educated environment. She did not want to go into the newspaper business like her parents and decided to become a visual artist. In 1971, Veena was exhibiting internationally, residing in Montreal and was represented by a well known art dealer. She came to the realization that fifty years down the line, artmaking would not give her perfect satisfaction. Veena didn't agree with the stereotype that you had to be 'unhappy' to create. Intuitively she knew that peace existed somewhere, and she set out to find it. Meeting Swami Shyam in 1971 changed her life forever, and she has never looked back. Written by Gisele Beaupre

Interview

Gisele: Veena, how did you connect with Swami Shyam and come to India?

Veena: One fine Sunday evening I was listening to the radio. There was an interview with Swami Shyam, from India. So I listened to it and noticed several things. First of all, I felt that he was talking from his direct experience, as if he was really living what he was talking. Secondly, right away I was attracted to his sense of humour. When one is connected to spirituality, there is often the stereotype that you have to live a life of seriousness and deprivation, and that was not very attractive.

I also noticed the way Swamiji was answering questions. It was very delightful and very intelligent, very witty! In the field of spirituality, there are some concepts that get developed, but Swamiji was just blowing away many of these concepts in his replies. I just thought that I would like to meet that person. I listened until the end of the interview, then they announced the address for anyone who wanted to go and be initiated into meditation and meet Swami Shyam personally.

Gisele: What was your impression of him?

Veena: He talked, and some of it was new to me, some of it was totally new to me. From inside, there was immediately a sense that yes, that's what I had been looking for, because I immediately experienced a space that was neither a dream nor a waking state. It was a state in which I was peaceful and blissful and everything in the world was perfectly alright. Experiences like that gave me the indication that there is another state of mind that is accessible to a human being, accompanied by a practical technique as well!

Gisele: When did you come to Kullu?

Veena: In the spring of 1973, Swamiji had decided to return to India, and several of us went back with him. We went first to Chandigarh because Swamiji's family was there. He bought some land north in Kullu. There was no village here at this time. We were living under the trees in tipis. We call it the pioneer days. We had no electricity or running water. So I have seen pretty much how it developed and came up over the years. That was twenty some odd years ago! The valley has changed a lot!

Transcribed by Gisele Beaupre

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