A note of gratefulness: The seeds of compassion, without which this awakening wouldn’t have sprouted, have been sown by the life transforming teachings of Shrimad Rajchandra and our benevolent Gurudev, Pujya Rakeshbhai.
Sometimes the most profound transformations come disguised as chance encounters, when our preconceptions would have otherwise closed the door. In losing what we thought we needed, we found everything we didn’t know we were missing.
I am blessed to be the single mother of my uniquely gifted daughter Sharanya, who became the catalyst for our collective awakening. Our journey began with a challenge that would ultimately become our greatest gift.
Sharanya was struggling with eczema, and after consulting with naturopaths, we received a recommendation that initially felt impossible: stop consuming dairy. As a family following Jain dietary practices, dairy was woven into the very fabric of our meals. My immediate reaction was resistance—I worried our food choices would become limited, requiring a complete 180-degree change in how we ate. Little did I know that there wasn’t going to be any “limitation” and instead it would actually expand our world in ways I never imagined.
At the time, we chose not to follow the recommendation. But the universe had other plans.
The Workshop That Changed Everything
During the COVID pandemic, we stumbled upon a three-day SHARAN cooking workshop for kids—purely by chance. Had I known it was completely whole food plant-based and vegan, we would have skipped it entirely. How grateful I am now for that ignorance!
The workshop opened our eyes in the most beautiful way. We discovered that healthy food could be absolutely delicious—a revelation that shattered our preconceptions. More importantly, this was when Sharanya learned about the painful realities faced by cows and calves in the dairy industry. The compassion that awakened in her heart was immediate and unwavering. She decided overnight to eliminate dairy from her life.
While Sharanya transformed instantly, I still clung to my coffee and curd. But watching my daughter’s compassion bloom over the next three months gradually awakened something profound in me. Her example became my teacher, and after those three months, I too embraced this path of ahimsa.
The Fruits of Our Awakening
Since that pivotal moment, our lives have transformed in ways we never dreamed possible:
Health Transformation: Sharanya’s eczema healed completely—the very condition that started our journey was resolved naturally. I lost 18 kilograms over the course of a year and have maintained this weight effortlessly. The depression that used to visit me for months each year has completely lifted.
Culinary Joy: Far from missing dairy, we’ve discovered foods so delicious, wholesome, and nutritious that we can’t imagine returning to our old ways. Our bodies feel energized, and our spirits feel light.
Entrepreneurial Awakening: The food we learned to create was so exceptional that we launched “Arigato The Compassionate Vegan Kitchen Services”—a home-based venture that initially started with our presence at the Sharan Organic Farmers Market every Sunday, offering dinner tiffins and desserts. Sharanya’s entrepreneurial spirit flourished alongside her compassion. She was also featured here.
Deeper Connection: We feel more connected—to each other, to our values, and to all living beings. Although health concerns initially led us to that workshop, it is our awakened compassion for animals that keeps us rooted in veganism. I truly believe compassion cannot be just a mood but must be woven into the tapestry of our daily lives.
The Gift of an Open Mind
Looking back, I realize how blessed we were that I didn’t know the workshop’s true nature beforehand. My preconceptions would have robbed us of this transformation. This experience taught me that there are things we might not fully understand or might hold incorrect opinions about without complete knowledge.
Our transition was remarkably smooth, and we now feel blessed beyond our fondest dreams to have embraced this vegan path. The very change I once feared as a limitation became the gateway to expansion—in health, compassion, consciousness, and joy.
The 180-degree change I once feared became the 180-degree transformation that elevated every aspect of our lives. In losing what we thought we needed, we found everything we didn’t know we were missing.
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