Freedom Is Your True Nature is the autobiographical exploration of a modern-day yogi. Seegla Brecher met her teacher, Swami Shyam, at age twenty-four. From 1984 to 2018, she lived at the International Meditation Institute in the Indian Himalayas, where she practised meditation and studied the philosophy of
non-dualism. There, she also received the name Vistar. The teacher-student discourse allowed her to explore all avenues of self-enquiry. Educated in the spiritual, philosophical language of Advaita Vedanta, the philosophy of non-dualism, she developed and deepened her discipline and inspiration, which afforded her the tools to share her journey today. Freedom Is Your True Nature represents some of the pivotal teachings and complex nuances of her spiritual path. Over thirty-four years, her questions seemed to evolve, but, in truth, they were all variations on a theme-that of her highest aspiration: to unfold the answer to the quintessential questions, Who am I? What is freedom? How do I live it?
Swami Shyam’s answer, conveyed with all the magnificent wisdom of his teachings, was one: “Freedom is your true nature. You must get it.” Each of the chapters ends with an interview conducted by Vistar’s student and friend, Audrey Fillon, on the chapter’s central theme. These interviews provide the reader with an enhanced window into the esoteric aspects of the spiritual journey. The chapters of this book authentically convey a longing pursued and teachings received. They afford the reader an opportunity for contemplation, and, possibly, reflection that resonates with the author’s inner exploration.
About the Author
Seegla Brecher was born in Montreal, Canada. She studied Advaita Vedanta, the philosophy of non-dualism and meditation for thirty-five years with Swami Shyam at the International Meditation Institute in Kullu, H.P., India, and was given the spiritual name Vistar.
In 2018, she was awarded a Shastri Publication Grant from the Indo- Canadian Shastri Institute for her book, The Avadhoot Gita of Dattatraya: Song of the Unborn, published by Sterling Press. This is a profound, meditative, lyrical translation of the 9th-century Advaita Vedanta text that conveys the direct experience of the "unborn"-the liberated one. It concludes with a comprehensive word-for-word translation from Sanskrit to English.
Tutored by Dr. Stephen Thomson, Tutor and Reader of Sanskrit at Oxford University, she has studied Sanskrit philosophical texts in depth.
An accredited RYT Yoga 500 (Yoga Alliance) teacher, she taught yoga at the International Meditation Institute (L.M.I) in Kulla, H.P., India for 15 years.
Vistar completed a B.A. in Indian classical voice from Pracheen Kala Kendra, an affiliate of Punjab University in Chandigarh, She also completed extensive graduate-level futorial studies in Indian classical music with Prof. Shyam Lal Thakur, Collaborating with musicians from around the world. Vistar produced three CD recordings of ancient sanskrit texts set to her original musical compositions.
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