This is continued from I Meditate Calgary (Part-1)

Q4. A lot of people want to do something for their country and want to bring peace to their country but don’t know how? So, how can someone use the platform to be a friend for change?

Pooja: I think it’s time people realized that a change they make within themselves is the first step towards a change for the society. The change needs to start with us and meditation is a very good way toward it. Meditation puts you back in touch with yourself and makes sure you remain happy and joyful and innocent. With more happy and joyful people, we will have a happy society, and a happy world.

We see so many people coming back to us week after week and the change in them already is so evident.

Q5. What are the plans to sustain this event for a longer period of time?

Pooja: The plan is to conduct meditations every day by spreading out to the city as much as possible. Our teachers and volunteers go and conduct meditations in different areas and different locations.

We have also published schedules on little cards that have been handed out to people and on our website, where people go, check the schedule, chose a comfortable day and place, and drop in for meditation.

So for now we have these 4 days in a week, Monday to Thursday; each day’s session is at a different location. And we keep repeating this week after week.

Q6. So now I am going to ask you a few rapid-fire questions. I will start with a few words and you have to complete the sentence.

1 - Through this campaign I discovered… (Desa) how great the need of meditation is in the community. And how ready the community is to accept that.
2 - Every Canadian should meditate… (Desa) to fill peace in their mind and heart.
3 - I would connect meditation to world peace because… (Pooja) it seems to be the only practical solution.
4 - Meditation can change someone inside-out because… (Pooja) it’s the only thing that takes you from outside-in.

Q7. Pooja, you have taught meditation to people from different countries; what are the similarities and differences you see in the kind of experiences that people have?

Pooja: I really don’t think there is too much of difference, honestly. I think the reason people come to meditate may differ from place to place and time to time, but what each one takes back is really the same. This is because meditation really helps you experience your own true nature, which is not different from one country to another. They all experience so much peace and natural joy that I think everyone should meditate.

Q8. A lot of people, especially the youth, are into drugs and drinking and smoking; meditation can turn out to be an alternative? What message would you and Desa like to give to inspire them to choose meditation over these things?

Desa: People drink, smoke, and use drugs basically to cope with stress. But meditation is a natural way not only to cope but come out of these negative emotions and just be happy without these influences. I would just like to say that be aware of the fact that these things may bring you short-term happiness but will not prove to be too useful in the long run. Meditation, on the other hand, brings you long-term happiness at no cost.

Pooja: I have been there and done that, and all I want to say is you will experience a greater high through meditation than through drugs. Meditation will give you a high that doesn’t wear off!

Interview taken by Divya Sachdev