Today we’d like to introduce you to Aruna Shields.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
Life began by blessing me with a strong, adventurous mother; so from the moment I was born, fear was not in my vocabulary; she took me to gymnastics and we were always doing challenging activities: scuba diving in sub-zero seas; climbing mountains and breeding wild animals. Fast forward and I’m a student in London belly dancing with snakes at night! Performing then became a huge part of my life and I went on to become critically acclaimed in French cinema, Bollywoods version of a female Bond, and the most Googled name in India. Flying around the world acting was exciting, however, over time I felt the urge to meditate and change direction. I never could have predicted this shift but maybe it’s due to my Indian genes (my father is a descendent of Sage Mandavya). In my 30s the mind surrendered and an awareness took over. I became less self absorbed and more focused on helping others. I went back to college and studied Hypnosis and Psychotherapy. I also became qualified to teach Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT), developed at Oxford University.
Now I run a private therapy and mentorship practice in central LA and guide mindfulness in companies. Twice every day, without fail, I meditate. After profound awakenings with Transcendental Meditation (TM), I went on to become a Sidha. Dozens of peer-reviewed scientific studies have looked at Sidhas’ full brainwave coherence and ability to positively affect their surroundings. With an effortless meditation technique life is blissful, and my heart feels as if it has become one with the universe.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
One of the most confusing times of my life was when I was changing direction. At the height of my acting career I disappeared from the industry. I was torn in two; half of me wanted to continue and half of me wanted to stop. My fans and agent were upset I was not around; my partner at the time wanted me to continue acting and then our 8 year relationship ended. I remember one of my friends bewildered, saying, “Why are you not still acting? You’ll never have to struggle again.” I still get messages today from people telling me I am mad for stopping.
I walked in London parks for months wondering what might be the next step. I gave myself plenty of time to allow answers to arise. Slowly the confusion dissolved and the voices I had absorbed from others muted so I could hear my own inner voice.
Return to Calm – what should we know? What do you do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
My goal is to raise collective consciousness. Everything I do creates a butterfly effect; I help people grow in consciousness, they then go out in the world and create positive effects. We are all so interconnected…a simple smile at a stranger creates a domino effect. Everything we do matters and every moment is a gift. When you change yourself, you change the world around you. When you learn how to become happy and contented the world around you transforms.
I encourage all my clients to meditate and teach them powerful tools so that they become self-sufficient and live happier lives. I see people at my office, their work space or over the phone. Sessions are longer if we do hypnosis because people get so relaxed they don’t want to leave! I like creating calming spaces, so I diffuse essential oils and have luxurious couches. People often report going very deep in my guided mindfulness and hypnotherapy where I’m thankful to receive consistently great feedback.
What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
There are so many beautiful moments: when a suicidal war veteran laughed again; when a business leader wrote an incredibly moving testimonial, when an A-List celebrity with stage fright returned back to work; when clients at the addiction rehab turn up early to my group, and when I realize I have unconditional love for my clients. The key is to see beyond behavior and into the depths of the soul where there is only goodness. I never judge people for their stress release or past and no subject matter phases me. I would not be able to do my job if I did not hold all my clients in the highest regard.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.arunashields.com
- Email: [email protected]
Image Credit:
Sej Saraiya, Andrew Tunks
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