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Vishuddha Photo by Gisele

Biography Vishuddha was a political science student at McGill University, who sought meditation to improve her concentration and performance. It proved to be more powerful than just a relaxation technique. It slowly altered her perception of life and her purpose in it. Vishuddha went to India to meet Swami Shyam five years after she began meditating. When she returned to Canada, Vishuddha was determined to save money to go back to India to study with Swami Shyam for a longer period of time. She worked for Ontario Hydro as a secretary and a Hath Yoga instructor for five years. Vishuddha is a wonderful singer, song writer, musician, and is part of the Video crew at the ashram. Written by Gisele Beaupre

Interview

Gisele: What have you learnt since becoming a meditator?

Vishuddha: I have learnt from Swamiji and the people that meditate with him, is that each being has an inherent greatness. It is all there in potential form and needs to be completely recognized before it can bloom. When you have a flower, you don't take it and threaten it that if it doesn't open, you will throw it into the hell flames, and you don't try and tear the leaves open as if it is not progressing quickly enough. You just give it sunshine and light, which is what it thrives on.

Gisele: So as humans, we progress in our own time?

Vishuddha: Well, a human being thrives on love, appreciation, and good company, not put-downs all the time, maybe a little bit of constructive criticism, but mostly love and appreciation for the greatness you already are. From there, in meditation you get to a deeper perception of what a human being truly is, which is more than their qualities, appearance, words and thoughts. As we grow up, our experiences and talents get super-imposed upon our being until we think we are that there was a time before you thought of yourself as an artist. There is just that life and innocence, which is never lost; it is always there. Through meditation, I have been able to see that it is not just words or something I have been told, it is something I actually experience.

Gisele: Why do we incarnate into human bodies?

Vishuddha: Well, if you're not in a body you can't meditate. One of the quickest and most effective ways to evolve is through meditation. Swamiji gives us the experience of the goal, which is union with your highest Self, and from there you are inspired, you've tasted it, you have the memory of it, and that keeps you inspired to keep doing it. It is such a beautiful, beautiful thing! There is nothing on earth that is quite as attractive to me as that state of meditation.

Transcribed by Gisele Beaupre

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