BAVINA SOOKDEO
Aaron Rampersadsingh, also known as Ved Valmki, is preaching what he practises: he's launched a book, Start Meditating Today, on June 8.
Rampersadsingh, a 36-year-old from Preysal, began yoga and meditation in his childhood, heavily influenced by his mother.
“My mom was a big part of learning yoga and my spiritual journey. She got both my sister and me involved in yoga when we were children. I have been steeped in yogic philosophy and spiritual practice (since) I was five years old.”
After he went to Preysal Government School and Presentation College, San Fernando, his deeper engagement with yoga blossomed during his university years at Ramapo College, New Jersey, where he studied psychology and explored the impact of yoga on consciousness.
“I returned home from the US because my mom had cancer and I wanted to be with her. During that time, I delved deeper into the spiritual aspects of yoga, especially meditation.
"When she passed in 2013, I had a hard time grieving.
"I would say that yoga rescued me from that, because I went to stay at an ashram.”
At the ashram (a place dedicated to yoga and spiritual living), where he spent nine months, Rampersadsingh’s guru guided him to explore yoga further, leading him to teach.
A pivotal moment in his life came during a pilgrimage to India in 2015. Visiting the ancient temple of Kedarnath in the Himalayas, Rampersadsingh experienced a profound spiritual change.
[caption id="attachment_1088913" align="alignnone" width="683"] Aaron Rampersadsingh, also known as Ved Valmki.
Photo Courtesy Gareth Leigh Photography -[/caption]
“Before I entered that temple, I had always felt very uncertain about my life...When I was there I felt a shift: I did have a spiritual experience there.”
This experience solidified his dedication to the spiritual practice of yoga and his mission to share it with others.
“My whole life has been about spiritual exploration,” he said when asked about his initial goals. “I never had a clear goal about what I wanted to do until after the first time I went to India. I studied psychology in university because I wanted to understand myself and people better, but I really found that in yoga.”
In 2017, he returned to India after qualifying for a scholarship to SVYASA University from the Indian High Commission. There he received his yoga certification and learnt more about the science behind yogic practices.
He's been a yogacharya (yoga teacher) since 2015, working from his studio in Preysal Village since 2017. It doesn't have an official name, but is mostly referred to as the Yoga with Ved Studio.
“What is most rewarding for me in teaching yoga is seeing my students and clients begin taking charge of their lives, and to see the transformative power of these ancient spiritual practices.”
Inspired by his students, Rampersadsingh decided to write Start Meditating Today as a comprehensive guide to meditation.
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