My recovery through meditation

Back in June 2007 I was 29 years old, living a balanced life as a business management consultant, yoga practitioner, artist, and philanthropist in Austin, Texas. I had nothing to complain about; life was good. I could not foresee the ways that my life would change as I was simply waiting to get on the highway. My car was suddenly rear-ended, and it was while I was being treated for a concussion that I learned of my benign brain tumor.

The head injury from the accident led to frequent partial complex seizures caused by microscopic level bleeding from the newfound tumor. These episodes manifested at various levels of intensity in the forms of false visualization, altering emotion and speech and movement impairment. Fortunately, my mind, strengthened by over 10 years of daily mediation, was able to control the seizures’ activity of the brain. I learned much about this mind-brain relationship during a five-day video electroencephalograph (EEG) study. My life changed dramatically as I became dependent on friends and family to help me with basic life functions. Yet, the situation didn't stop me from living my life with energy and enthusiasm. I believe that life’s moments are often placed in a rightful way, and we only need to choose to see them for what they are.

After three months of on and off trials of various drugs, which only left me feeling languid and sedate, Dr. Hansa Raval suggested surgery. Dr. Hansa Raval is the angelic doctor who introduced me to meditation over eight years ago, and I valued her opinion. After much consultation, I agreed to this high-risk surgery. In preparation, I settled various legal issues and wrote many emails and letters to those who are dear to me and also to those I needed to forgive and get forgiveness from. The days prior to my surgery I spent in silence, observing my thoughts, strengthening my mind and being present.

My neurosurgeon Dr. Prabhu operated on my head diligently. I am thankful for his skills, talents and empathetic nature. I now have a lemon-size hole in my brain behind, but surgery was a positive decision; I have not had any seizures since. The bleeding stopped, but the full recovery had just begun.

“You should be thankful that you can walk perform the basic functions of life,” replied my cognitive therapist as I tearfully expressed the changes in my life post-surgery. The active lifestyle I once enjoyed seemed out of reach, blocked by effects of the operation. I experienced sciatic nerve pain that went down to my left toe and imbalance and lack of strength in the right side of my body. Weakness and numbness took over both my legs if I tried to stand for over 10 minutes, run or sit cross-legged. One thing I could do, however, was attend vigorous yet grounded classes at Dharma Yoga. My legs shook; I often knelt down and cried as I tried focusing my attention on using mind and breath to channel physical energy.

Yet miraculously, two years since the surgery I can practice almost every yoga pose with grace! None of this would have been possible if I gave up my recovery spirit. I spent six months in a cognitive therapy program. I performed brain exercises to strengthen the neurosynapsis, improve memory and speech and language abilities. Many clinical trials have concluded that meditation improves and cures various mental and neurological disorders. My cognitive therapists and neurophysiologist encouraged me to use a meditative state of mind while doing these exercises, as it drastically improved my response scores. Meditation is a form of therapy, and can uniquely alter our state of mind and cause neurochemical and neurobiological changes in our brain.

Meditation and yoga helped me on my path to recovery. I no longer suffer from my traumatic injuries and unforeseen health conditions, spanning from a brain tumor to epilepsy to memory-speech challenges and a herniated lumbar disk. I accomplished this without using drugs. Instead, I relied on the courage and hope I found in a strong mind, a holistically functional brain, and experience with meditation and yoga. I only have this present moment, and I choose to live each moment with strength and empathy that comes from my spirit to overcome physical injuries.