“In the space of the present moment all you need is a fistful of faith, courage and gratitude to reinvent your goals, realize your dreams and explore new and unchartered possibilities.”
The Journey
I was born in New Delhi, India and grew up in Kolkata and then Mumbai, where I completed an undergraduate degree in Economics. Later, I worked briefly as a marketing executive for a major hotel chain before moving with my family to Mexico and then Argentina. In 1999, we moved to the United States where I completed my second degree in Elementary Education. have two lovely daughters and live in sunny South Florida with my husband.
My Dream Surfaces
I dedicated much of my adult life to the cultural education of children, teaching heritage classes in Indian history, music, yoga and philosophy. When I settled in the U.S. however, I felt a restlessness that comes with searching to find one’s purpose, the quest for that perfect career. It was around this time that I took a course in “pranayama” breathing and quickly followed it with instruction in meditation. As my mind calmed, with no apparent effort, the stories which had been locked in my head began to reveal themselves. I had no choice but to put it all in writing. Creating When the Lotus Blooms was a powerful journey. I spent three years researching and writing the manuscript. Ongoing discussions with my mother helped a lot to recall the mood and events of the 1930’s— the setting for the novel. My initial motivation was to share the miracle of my mother’s birth in a biographical novel. However, while writing the manuscript, the story changed in character into a work of historical fiction. I connected with my ancestors; in sleep through dreams and in meditation through ideas. The story showcases the fusion of rich customs and traditions of India juxtaposed with the universal problems faced by women across cultures and generations. The novel eventually ran to 400 pages and was published in November 2011. When something feels right and you experience a sense of elevation and comfort, then you know you have arrived at your life’s calling. This is my experience with writing.
The Present
Once I published my first book, I started work on the second and began with research which involved interviews with Sudarshan Kriya (pranayama breathing) practitioners worldwide. These interviews brought me up close and personal with human emotions and what constitutes happiness. The insights from the interviews and my study of the discourses and teachings of Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, enabled me to examine in depth the various obstacles to happiness. Surprisingly, I began writing insightful passages of deep knowledge. A realization dawned that this knowledge was part of me at a cellular level, as it should be for everyone. When you read a passage 50 or 100 times it becomes your very nature. Writing “The Present” was really my own journey to my source. 2014 was a time of soul searching. I knew I had three powerful skills; writing, public speaking and meditating. There was a need to share this with the world but the pathway didn’t open till the end of the year.
Looking Ahead
2015 is a year of exploration of unchartered territories for me. “Hamsa” meditation started with 4 participants and has since grown exponentially. My passion is to share the peace and love that meditation brings and this zeal, coupled with my easy oratory and delivery of subtle yet profound knowledge has led me into the arena of motivational speaking. My desire to share writing skills acquired over the years fills a vacuum in the South Florida area, where I conduct creative writing classes for middle and high school students, using a combination of writing, reading and speaking techniques, training youth from all backgrounds to improve communication skills and potentially, become accomplished authors. What I have learned in my journey is that enlightenment and transformation happen in a flash. If you don’t dream, then possibilities wont open and once they do, it becomes imperative to merely enjoy the journey.