I don’t know what I’ve done to deserve the blessings I receive in this life, but I know how lucky I am. Every day I get to work hard, try to do the best I can at work, along with all the other things I’m involved in. I feel fulfilled. My life is pretty simple. I know, too, the only thing that brings this feeling of satisfaction and worth is spirituality. 

When I was younger, I thought the only way you could really change the world for the better was to go into politics or find some way to sway influence on a big scale. I must admit I never really understood Sri Chinmoy when he said the best way to change the world was to change yourself. Hmm … that could never have a big impact on the world, surely? However, the older I get, the more I laugh at my younger self. Now, I’m convinced the best thing I can do is try to change myself; to chase illumination, not world politics!

Growing up

How did I start? My parents joined the London Sri Chinmoy Centre when I was 5 years old, so I grew up with my family meditating together. I find it significant that the very first conversation I can recall as a child was my Mother telling my sister and I that she had found a spiritual Guru and was going to start meditating with him. She said we could join her if we liked. I can still feel my legs swinging on the chair that was too high for me, and see exactly where we were sitting in our house. Although I was so young, some part of me found the conversation very significant.

Our parents (Ongkar and Vinodini) took us along to Centre meditations. There were a number of children in the Centre and we would play together while our parents meditated. We would also join in the meditation for at least 10 minutes. Sri Chinmoy always involved us children in activities, that were very much part of Centre meetings. Children are always cherished and made to feel important as Centre members.

Sri Chinmoy’s love, care and concern have touched every part of my life and continue to do so. I am no great aspirant, far from it; but I have faith in my spiritual life and in Sri Chinmoy. This faith protects and enlightens me. I guess my love and faith have deepened and expanded over the years. On this spiritual path, you never stop learning, which is so satisfying.

My spiritual practice

Meditation does not give you a predictive experience, because it changes the whole time. Throughout my life, inspiration has ebbed and flowed. At different stages in my life, I have found the need to call on different aspects of the spiritual life for guidance and support. My Pole Star is devotional singing. Sri Chinmoy wrote thousands of devotional songs 1 that I find indescribably beautiful. Singing at my meditation shrine, I am always transported from the incessant drumbeats of my mind to the sweetness of my heart where peace resides. 

I’ll be honest. Regular discipline isn’t my forte. I tend to buzz around the place trying to do a million things at once, which quite frustrates my long-suffering family! Sri Chinmoy’s path works for me because it’s so varied. If you love meditating soulfully and silently, there’s plenty of opportunity for that. If you like to meditate, but sitting for hours is a kind of torture, then you can meditate first, then go and do “selfless service.” Serving soulfully can be anything from helping out or organising running races, working at a restaurant operated by students of Sri Chinmoy, or getting involved in the many projects the Centre organises. 

However, despite my love of action, I really treasure my morning meditations as they inevitably give me the best experiences of the day. I probably sing more than I sit in silent meditation. My meditation shrine is simple and lovely. It’s the one time in the day no one is asking anything of me, except hopefully, God. The rest of the day, I try to remember my spiritual life, my Spiritual Master, and moments of beauty and divinity. Such as on the bus, as I walk to the kitchen, or as I notice something beautiful, in connecting my inner and outer life. 

Meditation increases awareness and sensitivity to our surroundings. Meditation strengthens our instincts. By which I mean, as our souls come to the fore during meditation, the Soul’s Light and its guidance do not withdraw immediately, but continue into the day. This awareness, I feel, leads me to be more considered and thoughtful in my decisions. The aim is to do the right thing; one’s instinct or intuition is a hugely helpful tool for this to happen. I also believe my meditation, or rather my spiritual life as a whole, offers protection against falling foul of insecurity and other negative forces. Ha, but I have a long way to go on that!

A life of significance

I’ve never known a life without meditation or spirituality. The spiritual life is normal to me. I perceive my life to date as challenging, very challenging at times, but also wonderfully full and rewarding. My greatest fear as a teenager was to have a life where I couldn’t see the point of what I was doing, of a life with no achievement - and by 'achievement', I mean living a life of deep significance, rather than becoming a big-wig. I clearly remember being so grateful in my late teens that I had meditation and a spiritual life, as I was happier in myself, and less confused or frustrated than some of my friends. When I feel my heart open during meditation – or more commonly when I sing – I taste the sweetness of life (while worries and frustrations caused by politics, confrontation and the sheer hardness of life, lessen their intensity), and I gain perspective.

If I didn’t meditate, my choices in life would be so different, along with my priorities. I want to meditate. I want to live a spiritual life. For me, there is no set divide between the inner and the outer. I just want to do my best each day. I meditate every day and I try to serve in my daily life. My meditation with Sri Chinmoy shows me the way to live, which gives meaning to my life.

• 1. During his lifetime, Sri Chinmoy wrote 21,300 devotional songs (including 13,625 Bengali; 7,462 English; 180 Sanskrit and 33 French songs)

When a person becomes conscious of seeking the higher light, divine serendipity makes magic. In 2001, Saranyu Pearson, a homeopathic veterinarian, had just changed jobs, moving to a veterinary clinic across a café owned by students of Sri Chinmoy. She took their free meditation classes—and off she went on her unique spiritual journey of self-discoveries. 

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Q: How do you incorporate meditation into daily living?

I was lucky to be very excited about this change in my life, and found little difficulty trying meditation early every morning. I was on a high from these morning meditations, which helped sustain my enthusiasm, as they fitted in with my early morning routine at the time. I certainly understand this is not always the case. It has been more difficult over time to maintain this enthusiasm and routine. However, it comes down to disciplining myself (in positive ways to reap the benefits of meditation) and prioritising meditation with the awareness and confidence that my day will be a whole lot easier and happier if I continue with my morning meditation. 

Many people think the benefits of meditation have to be immediate; sometimes they are. I’ve learned to understand, too, that these benefits can follow on many days or weeks after meditation has been an essential motivation for continued practice. I am now in the privileged position of meditating more often during my workday — which brings considerable advantage to my skills as a veterinarian. It helps to keep me calm, focused, and open. In addition, it has helped me in communicating with my patients to provide them with relevant treatments so they can benefit in healing and maintaining animal wellness.

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Q: How do you follow insights from your meditation? 

Meditation or its resulting outcome, inform every important decision and action in a natural way for me. The trick is to allow the mind to trust the process. It’s a two-way conversation with yourself, where the inner advice, direction, or inspiration has its own inner checks and balances, so you know with little doubt what you’re doing is right. (You sure feel it when it’s not, and can make amends.) I often find myself doing things I haven’t planned. These things always turn out good, especially doing for others when they’re needing or hurting most, and I wasn’t outwardly aware of their needs. 

The most practical ways I follow insights in my work as a homeopathic veterinarian is to allow and follow my intuition and insights in completely necessary and natural ways. I know this ability definitely comes from my connection to my spiritual teacher Sri Chinmoy, from meditating under his guidance. Over time, I’ve found myself spontaneously saying “yes” to invitations and opportunities that “just” happen to come along.

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Q: How has your meditation with Sri Chinmoy has deepened over time? 

I have sought more opportunity to immerse my being in spiritual pursuits through our Sri Chinmoy Centre activities to access these blessings, as they unfold. For instance, the global Sri Chinmoy Oneness-Home Peace Run and the multiday races organised by the Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team are unique opportunities to immerse in the highest consciousness, for as long as possible. These are ongoing transformative events increasing my capacities, from deepening my spiritual experiences over time.

I also feel I have changed at many levels of self, with benefits from my meditation practice filtering through my body and my life—providing access to deeper experiences strengthening my entire being, in reaching out to family and community. Over time, I realize my meditation and spiritual practice inform my whole existence in the very best ways, and in ways that I cannot ever imagine not having.

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Q: What meaningful changes has meditation made in your outer life?

Meditation sharpens what most people refer to as conscience. This means you don’t need to think as hard using your mind about important decisions, but simply make time to meditate on and ask the question inwardly, then apply the answer outwardly. Of course, it’s not always an immediate answer. This practice has taught me patience.

Meditation expands your awareness, and provides the vision to make changes in your life and for your community. Inspiration from my meditation has resulted in my starting community projects to prepare people for climate change emergencies we’re facing. We grow our own food in back and front yards, and share produce with our neighbours. I teach older women who are not physically active, how to move their bodies better and to run, cycle or walk—instead of driving to the store. I’ve become more confident in advocating for changes in governance to better serve the environment and all living things with whom we share Mother Earth. These are all satisfying experiences brought about through my daily spiritual practice developing over time.

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Q: Do you feel your meditation-life has opened up new avenues of awareness or transcendence?

I’ve had myriad experiences from over seventeen years of meditating with Sri Chinmoy. Running through these sweet stories is the constant theme of inner joy or satisfaction. In realising these encounters have not been of my own making, but blessings bestowed by a Higher Power.

My experiences run the gamut. Such as the capacity to run a six-day race and feeling happy, with only a practice run of completing my first 24-hour race only the month before. Offering gratitude prayers answered for loved ones in need, from the mundane passing of examinations to life-changing choices of school or vocation. 

It has not been easy being a single parent with two, now young adult, children. However, the strength I obtain in all facets of life through my spiritual practices continues to keep our family on track. I see clearly now, my son’s acceptance into an excellent school that perfectly met his needs, was really an act of Grace since we had missed the cutoff date and bypassed the waiting list. My daughter is encouraged to follow her heart in becoming an artist, from trusting the heart’s inner messages. My decision to study further and enhance my veterinary skills was also an inner message that has proven to be life-changing in the best of ways.

I also notice deep spiritual experiences often revolve around death experiences for many people. This is a direct experience of the soul since with death the rest of the body is no longer interfering with the Soul’s Light. Like my Dad appearing after his death to berate me, in jest, for not telling him about my life with Sri Chinmoy, and to thank me for it. My Mum coming to share many special moments of my spiritual life over many weeks, after she died unexpectedly. All of these are deeply personal and soulful experiences that can only be appreciated with an awareness of how natural our soul-connections are between the inner and the outer life - that meditation unfolds profoundly to seekers, simply and sweetly.

My meditation has given me access to communication with souls of people and animals - and the equanimity to accept such experiences as perfectly natural. For example, feeling an inexplicable joy in the unexpected death of my beloved cat that can only be my soul’s joy, since I was left outwardly bereft. 

 

Q: What would you give as an example of your outer self-enhancement enriched by meditation? 

I’ve never really thought of myself as possessing outer self-enhancement but I do believe, at my best, look younger than I am! I certainly attract many compliments for my physical sporting abilities. I’ve a very grateful client base genuinely appreciating my advice in caring for their animals and family members. I know not all vets can tell what animals are saying to them. 

Perhaps the most significant enhancement is my ability to celebrate simple joys, to appreciate what I have, and to be grateful. Acquiring inner peace through meditation is the alpha and omega of our existence. Without a deep abiding inner peace, there can be nothing else. Whilst far from achieving this goal completely, I do have enough filtering through from my daily meditation practice to give me hope that what I am getting is what I need for now.