My Journey to Meditation: From Corporate Chaos to Inner Calm
For over 25 years, I thrived in the high-pressured, fast-paced corporate world, working in marketing. Balancing work, raising twin girls, being a supportive wife, running a bustling household, and still managing to be the life and soul of the party—I was the epitome of a multitasker. On the surface, it seemed like I had it all under control. But beneath the façade, my lifestyle was quietly taking a toll on my health and well-being.
Although my life was undeniably hectic, I didn’t fully grasp just how much it was affecting me. Constant fatigue and a general sense of feeling run-down became my everyday norm. In my early 20s, I was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis (UC), a chronic and incurable bowel disease known to be stress-related. Yet, even then, I didn’t connect the dots between my relentless pace and declining health. I soldiered on, managing the symptoms with medication while pushing through life.
In my late twenties, I was diagnosed with a depressive disorder and was treated with antidepressants, along with various types of therapies to address deep-rooted trauma that often resurfaced during challenging life situations. While these therapies offered temporary relief, they always felt like a plaster on a wound—helping in the moment but never truly healing the underlying pain and suffering I experienced. Despite everything, I continued navigating through life for a further 20 years without fuss or further questioning, convinced that this was simply part of the journey—a quintessentially British and stoic attitude, deeply ingrained in our conditioning.
Our move from the UK to Sydney at the end of 2016 marked a significant shift in my spiritual growth and evolution. After an extremely rushed and stressful relocation for my husband’s job - feeling completely out of my comfort zone, settling into a foreign land far away from all we’d ever known - life threw us into a crisis that brought me to my knees. Within weeks of us being on the other side of the world from family, one of our daughters suffered a severe anaphylactic shock during surgery and ended up in intensive care. It was touch and go for a while, and although she miraculously recovered and is thriving today, the experience shook me to my core.
Here I was, living on Bondi Beach, surrounded by stunning beaches and seemingly living the ‘dream,’ yet I felt completely disconnected from the world. I was anxious, overwhelmed, and spiralling into a dark place where everything felt out of control. Something had to change.
Discovering Vedic Meditation: A Path to Healing
I had explored various meditation techniques before, mostly through apps, but nothing really resonated with me. Then I discovered Vedic Meditation—a simple but effective mantra-based technique designed to dissolve deep-rooted stresses and imbalances, supporting a more harmonious and fulfilling life. During the intro talk, I distinctly remember being struck by the science behind the practice—how 20 minutes of daily meditation is proven to be five times more restful than our deepest state of sleep, achieving a restorative state that enables profound healing at a cellular level. Secondly, research has shown that this technique can reverse the ageing process—that was the hook for me!
The results were nothing short of life-changing. Almost immediately, the surface symptoms of stress began to melt away. I felt more energised, less anxious, and more connected to myself. My newfound interest in self-care led me to explore yoga and other wellness modalities, and I was charmed into making choices that nurtured my mind and body. The most incredible shift was my health—after decades of daily medication and regular flare-ups with UC, I permanently came off all medication and remained symptom-free for seven years thereafter. Even when I faced a minor setback earlier this year, I recovered swiftly without the need for the conventional steroids that had always been necessary to control my flares.
This transformation didn’t go unnoticed. My husband, Darren, observed a profound change in me—how I was handling challenges with a sense of calm and resilience that he hadn’t witnessed in me before. In fact, it inspired him to start meditating. His journey began a few months after mine, and he’s convinced it’s been a game-changer for him as a senior executive, helping him navigate the toughest of times in corporate boardrooms.
Of course, life still brings its challenges—it’s not a magic fix. But now, I have tools that allow me to navigate difficulties with more ease and grace. Instead of resisting or spiralling, I’m anchored in the present, surrendered to the moment, knowing that each challenge brings about evolutionary growth for the greater good. I feel rooted, stable, and ready to face whatever comes my way.
From Practice to Passion: Becoming a Teacher
So how did meditation become a catalyst in giving up a lifelong career in the corporate world and becoming a meditation teacher? Five years ago, we moved countries again for Darren’s job, this time to Singapore. Unable to find a local meditation community that emulated what I’d been part of in Sydney, I felt a strong desire to create one myself. After a few months of training, I became a certified meditation teacher through 1 Giant Mind, which was more accessible to me at the time. This practice is akin to Vedic Meditation, embracing a mantra-based transcending technique. I’ll forever cherish the deep friendships, love, guidance, and invaluable lessons I gained from being part of the 1GM family. It was the perfect foundation, nurturing and supporting me as I embarked on my journey into teaching.
After years of daily dedication to my own Vedic meditation practice, countless hours of studying and embodying the timeless wisdom of the Vedas, plus nearly five years of teaching the 1GM Being Meditation technique, I recently embarked on further training certifying to teach Vedic Meditation. These past few months have been a profound journey of daily commitment and dedication, immersing myself deeper in the sacred teachings of the Vedas—a wisdom that, though over 5,000 years old, remains strikingly relevant in our modern world of today.
Every step of my life journey has brought me to this precise moment, and I feel deeply humbled to walk in the footsteps of the masters and gurus who came before me. It’s an honour to share these ancient teachings, a supreme knowledge that resonates deeply within. My calling is to support others in embracing this effortless technique and insightful wisdom, which guides us to live from the heart and step into our most authentic selves.
The Transformative Power of Meditation
Meditation has been an extraordinary gift in my life, one that continues to amaze me with its simplicity yet has immense impact that ripples out. Despite its ease, this practice offers deep and transformative benefits; from releasing long-held stress and trauma at a cellular level to fostering emotional stability and resilience. It sharpens mental clarity, focus, and creativity, improves overall health and well-being, reduces anxiety, and helps us navigate life’s uncertainties with greater ease. Beyond that, it nurtures a connection to a sense of purpose and our truest ‘Self,’ leading to a deeper sense of fulfilment and inner peace.
While there is a wealth of science-based evidence supporting these benefits, the real proof, for me, lies in the transformation I’ve experienced personally and also witnessed in countless others—friends, family, students, and fellow meditators. I truly believe that, in time, meditation will become as routine as brushing our teeth, available to everyone, practiced anytime, anywhere. It’s inclusive, accessible, and has the power to enrich lives in ways I could never have imagined.
If you feel a nudge to explore meditation, I would be honoured to guide you. Let’s embark on this journey together towards a life filled with more ease, clarity, and inner peace.
Learn more about meditation with me here.
With love & light,
Kazzie
