Mastering A Spiritual Life

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Written By Piper Zuino

While attending university in Fiji, master yogi Sai Saileshwara was diagnosed with a tumour and given six months to live. After searching tirelessly for medical solutions, he turned to spirituality and found answers in yoga and meditation.

Sai Saileshwara travelled to New Zealand and India in search of options and settled in Australia where he underwent a leg amputation to remove his tumour.

He accredits his years of meditation with helping him rid his body of other lesions, which was now almost 30 years ago.

“The process of yoga, meditation and spirituality is very meaningful for me,” he said. “It has literally saved my life.

“I wanted to know the answers to life and I wanted to know the answers to me. By diving deep inside myself I came to know some answers, but I don’t think anyone could claim to have all the answers.”

Sai with Marina in the background.

Sharing the Wisdom

After learning of Sai Saileshwara’s journey, his wife Marina was inspired to transform his story into a book and help inspire others.

Traditionally, great yogis in the Indian tradition do not get married and live secluded lifestyles, so they are able to focus on their spiritual practices. Sai Saileshwara was able to be deeply within himself and his spirituality while being married, having kids and maintaining a prominent figure in his community.

Marina said she wrote this story to help others struggling with mental and physical health and to demonstrate the importance of the mind.

“Saileshwara also went through a health crisis through the tumour and losing his leg and had mental struggles for becoming disabled at such a young age,” she said. “However, he chose to explore what was beyond his body and mind as he was searching for a cure.”

Sai Saileshwara’s story and the way Marina put this into words in her book is proof that everyone has access to the same inner resources of strength and spirituality, it is about how one chooses to release these.

“A master must have travelled on the journey and come back to share what was learned,” Saileshwara said. “A master can’t just explain from books what others have written.

“That is the difference between a teacher and a master.”

You can buy the book on Amazon here.

Read more stories from the Chermside Guide’s print magazine here: