Stories from the Collective...

Sagaren Pillay's Inspirational Story

by Sagaren Pillay
(Cambridge, UK)

This is a story about how hearing the right message at the right time, and adding the vital ingredient of wanting to change, can lead to transformation. In Sagaren Pillay's case, this transformation came about from the untimely death of his mother AND from his then listening to the teachings of therapist Patrick Wanis. Sagaren has since changed his life very much for the better, and has also decided to become a psychotherapist in his quest to help others achieve their own transformations...



1) Tell us a bit about yourself

My name is Sagaren Pillay, I'm 43 and I'm a psychotherapist in Cambridge, England.

I struggled most of my life with anxiety, depression, addiction and a host of other emotional issues. My mother passed away when I was 40 and this was the turning point when I realized that our time here on earth is far too short and I needed to get started on living rather than just existing.

I had read a number of self help books over the years but this time a particular therapist by the name of Patrick Wanis finally helped me to heal. I never met Patrick but I downloaded some of his audio books from itunes and his teachings on how to start believing you deserve a better life, was the inspiration I needed to transform myself into who I really was underneath all the pain and self pity.

I trained as a heating engineer at first which helped get me off years of government assistance. I met and married my beautiful wife Lolly, moved to Cambridge and I retrained and set up my own psychotherapy practice.


2) What is happiness to you?

Happiness to me is being comfortable with who I am right now. For years I hated myself; hated others; hated life. Today I feel tremendously grateful to be alive, to have my lovely wife, to live in a great town and to do work that I love and that makes a difference to others.



3) Share a favourite inspirational quotation

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others."
-- Marianne Williamson

I love this quote because it is our story. Those of us who know we came here for more than to be also-rans but just can't connect to our power. I thank God I managed to find my power and I'm committed to helping others find theirs.


4) Share a favourite website (not your own)
I love http://www.greatday.com. I find Ralph Marston inspirational, his messages always make me think and uplift me.


5) Tell us about your blog/website

My website is http://www.theshiningmind.com and I've also written a couple of no-nonsense self help eBooks that are available on Amazon.com

As I mentioned before I have a genuine passion to help others to heal and live the wonderful lives they are meant to live. I just want to help as many people as I can. That's my professional goal. My personal goal is just to stay contented right here, right now.

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The questions asked above, to create this inspirational story, may seem strange but they're actually based on questions I encourage everyone to answer that appear on the Your Story page. So if you would like to share your own views on the subjects of happiness, or favourite inspirational quotation, etc. then please feel free to do so.

Thanks,
Steve

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