A few years ago, I gave up a thriving farm business almost overnight, and around the same time, I shifted my perspective toward a vegan lifestyle and yoga. What caused this change?

Somehow, my husband and I just didn’t feel comfortable in our own skin, even though everything seemed perfectly fine on the outside. Yet, there was this sense of emptiness inside us, something we couldn’t quite put into words at the time. We just knew that we needed something more. We often asked ourselves: what exactly is 'more'? After all, there's always something more—but how much more is enough? We were searching for answers to this and similar questions. Meanwhile, we traveled the world, read a lot, and had countless conversations about it. As time went on, it became increasingly clear that we were looking for the meaning of life. While it was as clear as day to us that everything we had achieved and experienced was wonderful, life had to be about more than just accumulating wealth and possessions. As strange as it may sound, this period was all about a big quest for purpose.

Most people at this point would look for new or different challenges, a business where they could once again find fulfillment, and certainly the last thing on their mind would be to radically change their lifestyle and mindset.

Having had several businesses, we were never short of challenges. However, we started thinking about the idea of a longer, healthier life, which brought about a lifestyle change. This, of course, included balanced nutrition and regular exercise, but we were always intrigued by the question: can we do more? Our efforts paid off, and we found yoga, specifically meditation.

This is how our inner journey began. Over the years, we tried many paths and eventually found one that truly resonated with us.

This is not a religion but a philosophy of life that says: change yourself! – make yourself better, and you’ll make the world better.
Since this philosophy clicked with us, I wholeheartedly recommend that everyone give it a try. Of course, that doesn’t mean this will be their path, but it’s definitely worth a shot for those seriously searching and willing to work on themselves.

Our path is the integral yoga path. Sri Aurobindo laid its foundation and wrote about it, and Sri Chinmoy is the one who brought this philosophy to the Western world and introduced it to us. Eastern wisdom is about finding inner peace, calmness, and balance, which can be achieved by turning inward, and one of the main methods for that is meditation.

In this context, Western dynamism refers to a modern and active life.

The master says: move and run! – while immersing yourself within, rest in your heart where there is peace and quiet. Let go of your mind, which constantly buzzes and explains everything in your head. Go to your heart, and deep within, you will find your inner peace, your soul, who you truly are.

Dive into this inner tranquility while also moving and taking care of your body to live a long and healthy life. There is no contradiction between the two; rather, the realization is that both work best together, and the fusion of the two lifestyles brings the perfect whole, the discovery of our true selves, the recognition of unity.

In a nutshell, this is what integral yoga teaches.