“Finding Peace: A Man’s Search for True Happiness”

Interview with Swami Sankarananda

By: Leila Naderi & Rousha Nikbeh

 

After realizing that the success of a business career is not necessarily tied to happiness, Swami Sankarananda, the interviewee, began his Yoga journey. Swami Sankarananda sought happiness from within by practicing mindfulness and sacrificing his possessions. In 2014, he trekked a distance spanning more than 4,000 miles from southern California to New York as a pilgrim for Peace. Along the way, he spread love and peace through meditation/prayer, spoke to many individuals, and partook in the simple opportunities presented along his path. He intends to walk at least 10,000 miles by the end of 2016.

 

*Leila: Swamiji, Let’s begin with a little glimpse of your personal life

 

 

-Swami: This specific birth? You know Peace Pilgrim (1) says: “This body is the clay garment and I am not the clay garment. I am what animates the clay garment”. So you are the life itself and you cannot limit life. Although there was a time in which I was not aware of this.

First, let me say that the reason we are here is because of love, which unites all of mankind. All of us constantly search for love, including myself, but I used to search in the wrong direction.

I was born in the state of Indiana in the late 1950s. I was a quiet child and I felt drawn towards Jesus throughout my youth, as my parents were quite religious. Unfortunately, I was seeking life in the wrong direction because my vision of happiness was related to nonsensical quantitative matters, such as the amount of money I had, the number of friends I made, and the numerous places that I had visited. I found my niche in the high tech business and eventually achieved success in the field, but as I continued advancing in my career, I progressively became aware of the void developing within me.

 

At one point, I bounced between relationships and endeavored to obtain a constant influx of material goods. Traveling first/business class around the world and staying in luxury hotels became my norm. Surprisingly, life lost its luster and vitality as I gained more possessions, including my million-dollar home and boat in Long Island. It seemed quite odd at the time because it seemed that a feeling of fullness might come from what I could buy, but it didn’t. So in the depth of my struggling, I became aware of meditation and yoga and I gradually started to practice.

 

*Leila: what was the turning point in your life that spurred you to give up your possessions and devote your life to yoga and meditation?

 

-Swami:  About 7-8 years ago I experienced a slight taste of yoga and meditation, but it intensified around 5 years ago. At the spur of a moment, I briskly decided to get on a plane and fly to India; it was now or never. I gave away everything. I had some money but I had lost most of it. Sometimes, a blessing in disguise appears in our lives by causing us to simultaneously lose our belongings and, additionally, the difficulties we face.

 

 

*Leila: Tell me about those moments of disappointments and despairs. How could you shift your awareness toward purification instead of falling into the trap of darkness and depression?

 

-Swami: Well, I currently do not identify with those feelings. Now I see darkness and depression in those around me and I know that their perspective is the cause of their sufferings. I can see it in others, but I no longer identify with them. Yes, I endured distress from the mindset that money, relationships, and material goods would make me happy, but despite these past trials and tribulations, I am very grateful for the experience. Without it, I would not have transformed for the better. Under no circumstances am I wishing suffering for others in any way whatsoever, but the good news is that whatever we are experiencing at this moment will lead us towards the next phase of our lives.

 

*Leila: What happened in India? What made you start peace pilgrim?

 

-Swami: Magic simply describes my experience. I went to India for the purpose of purification and renouncement. In India, I noticed that I had never really served my community. Letting myself be the focal point of my life and days brought about significant suffering for me. Come the end of my stay in India, I promised to remove any semblance of money in my life – I would never work again for the sake of money.

 

I finally felt free – the weight of my suffering was no longer holding me back. At that point, my only essential needs were food and a place to sleep, leading me to seek service opportunities that would allow me to serve and earn my needs. My yoga training experience in India allowed me to help Swami Sita at her yoga Ashram in Vietnam.

Beginning in India, I started practicing very deep sadhana that soothed my mind, like yoga asana, long daily pranayama, and meditation. Throughout my daily meditations, the idea of the walk persisted in my mind, despite not knowing about the peace pilgrim. The idea suddenly came and rapidly branched into new dimensions, inspiring me to research how I could walk across the country.

 

*Leila: One of the interesting aspects of your walk is how you do not carry any supplies (tent, food, sleeping bag, and so on) and completely trust and surrender to God in your journey. How did you perceive that you were ready for such a monumental shift in your life?

 

-Swami: After realizing that my budget was limited for the walk, the Peace Pilgrim appeared in my research. I was instantly mesmerized after discovering that she didn’t carry anything while walking. Although my faith did not compare to the Peace Pilgrim’s, I was inspired to emulate her actions.

God was urging me to shift my approach in life by moving on from the past and approaching new experiences. Despite the mysterious illness afflicting me, I simply surrendered and began to see life fall into place. Our detrimental habits and perspectives are the root of our issues.

At one point, I realized that I could die but I believed that my physical body did not define me. Pushed by my innate intuition, I began to walk in India, along with the Himalayas for two weeks, before coming back to the U.S.A. I also walked for 6 weeks in California. Initially, my supplies had the placebo effect on me and allowed me to walk, but the illusion eventually faded away. I was carrying a backpack with about 30 pounds of supplies (sleeping bag, water, food, etc.), but it was heavy and I knew that at some point I would have to sacrifice the bag. Progressively, I began to carry less and less, and the magic began when I ran out of water. At this point, I pondered: “I wonder how water will come to me?”

 

*Leila: It’s very interesting how you trusted the universe/God to provide your needs along your path. Somehow, your essential needs for survival have always been provided! Without carrying a tent, how did you sleep in the rain or snow?

 

-Swami: I accept that whatever God gives me is admissible, but He never made me sleep in the snow. Peace Pilgrim provided very practical advice: “walk North in the summer and South in the winter”. I strategically planned the route but I didn’t plan the technical details. When I am offered water, food, or a place to sleep I accept it. My experience of the Coast-to-Coast walk in 2014 proved that God would always provide my essential needs. Around the last couple of months, I was only carrying half a liter of water. Spectacularly, without asking that my bottle was never empty for more than 2 hours! Of course, when I am near the market I fill my bottle

 

*Leila: What did you do when you couldn’t find a single market for 2-3 days throughout the remote areas of your path? Were you offered water?

 

-Swami: Absolutely, without ever asking. Hundreds of times, within 2 hours some lovely people who were passing by offered me water. Why 2 hours? Only God knows. Sometimes, I would time it and it never surpassed 2 hours!

 

*Leila: How about the food?

-Swami: I occasionally fasted, the longest of which lasting 3 days, and I broke my fast with some sweet food. Other than that I typically received one meal per day.

On average I walk 20 miles/day 5 days a week. I walked about 4000 miles in 2014 and 1200 miles in 2015. My walks demonstrate my extensive sense of surrender. Peace Pilgrim walked for 28 years and never had an injury. Thus far, my experience during the past two years has been fine, but the future is fair game, leading me to not hold any expectations about what I want to gain.

Whatever God provides is exceptional, backed by logical reasoning. Thankfully, I have never encountered any injuries and my health has magnificently improved!

 

*Leila:  Your health condition proves the benefits of walking, fasting, meditation, and trusting in the universe! What is your message and mission of doing the walk?

 

-Swami: Peace, there is a way to peace and each of us has peace innate within us.

 

*Leila: How do you think this will help to expand the peace?

 

-Swami: A simple smile and the attribute of kindness are contagious. You feel it and so does everyone I meet. It took me some time to understand that peace and kindness are exactly the same. We talk about being the peacemakers but we can’t make it because the peace already is. We can find peace and share peace but the way to do both is through the medium of kindness.

 

*Leila: When you are walking such a long way alone, what are your thoughts, sensations, and feelings?

-Swami: There is no solitude, and life exists everywhere. There is no separation. Divine is always with us as a constant communion. God had showed me that He would continue to manifest water when I needed it. It was truly an uplifting experience not having to worry and carry hardship on my back. I can enjoy life. I can walk and watch.

Peace Pilgrim talked about the early stages of her walk and how her prayers kept her walking and aware of the divine. If there is no doubt, there is not really much thought. When I came back from India, there was only one desire: to see God everywhere…

 

*Leila: Can you please share what you see, hear, feel, and sense that you couldn’t have experienced before? How did the walk transform the level of your understanding?

 

-Swami: The physical senses are still there and not different but the knowing/perspective is a little different. It resembled when we say that the sun rises but then we come to know that the sun doesn’t actually rise, it is the earth that revolves around the sun. So the awareness of seeing things changes.

We live in a world in which many people are turned off to the concept of God. But it’s not God’s fault, it’s our fault to be able to find what we are, which is love.

You talked about faith in the beginning. Jesus Christ says: ”Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or, ‘What shall we drink?’ or, ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek all these things; and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things shall be yours as well”. Grace is granted on a step-by-step basis of seeking God. I also love Prophet Mohammad’s quote: ”If you rely upon God as He ought to be relied upon, He will provide you as He provides the birds: they go out empty and hungry in the morning and come back big-bellied in the evening.”

 

If you rely on God, you receive a surplus of your needs. You wouldn’t believe what I receive sometimes.  The beautiful hotels I am offered to stay, foods, and so on. They all remind us that everything is really OK!

 

*Leila: Swamiji, you are familiar with my training program “Yoga For Leadership”. You were a business leader before and now you are leading the path of peace and love through awareness of God and Kindness. Who is a leader? What’s your personal view of leadership?

 

-Swami: The one who initially works on himself and fixes himself is the leader. The one who learns to serve others is the leader. The one who loves and surrenders to the greatest extent is the leader.

 

*Leila: How can we develop these qualities to become better leaders?

-Swami: It doesn’t need new teachings. All of the paths and religions are about going deeper and realizing the fact that happiness comes from within the self and not outside. If someone is inspired, he or she will always find a way, and it is from this perspective that I do not notice a specific practice. I believe that it’s geared towards inspiration and commitment.

 

*Leila: what is your message for the Iranians who read this interview?

 

-Swami: The path of yoga is the path of peace. That’s what we all really want. There is no difference between happiness, love, joy, peace or yoga. It’s possible for everyone to have it. It’s our birthright. The path of yoga leads us to the union, which is what we truly what we want. What we want is not just the yoga Asana practice; it’s happiness, peace, and joy that we truly can find through the practice.

 

*Leila: How does yoga help us to achieve that?

 

-Swami: Yoga helps us to control our life while allowing us to take care of the emotional self. Purportedly, the emotional self is what prevents us from finding happiness, but when we take control of it, we find our true inner happiness.

 

*Leila: Thank you Swamiji, is there anything that you want to finalize with it? Perhaps some good advice for me?

 

-Swami: For you I would like to say: constantly push and continue, do not be afraid to love and do not be afraid to surrender for the sake of love. Don’t be afraid of anything. Knock down the barriers inhibiting your intuitive urges. Surrender and follow them. It’s all fine…It’s all okay…!

 

 

1-Peace Pilgrim: from 1953 to 1981 a silver haired woman calling herself only "Peace Pilgrim" walked more than 25,000 miles on a personal pilgrimage for peace. She vowed to "remain a wanderer until mankind has learned the way of peace, walking until given shelter and fasting until given food." In the course of her 28-year pilgrimage, she touched the hearts, minds, and lives of thousands of individuals all across North America. Her message was both simple and profound