In conversation with Ms. Meera Kashapati

Like many of us, Meera Kakshapati too had a very low self esteem and thought that she was a loser. It’s hard to believe this statement looking at her right now, right? She’s so confident, bold, and brave and has made Nepal very proud in international platform. She says that this change in her could only be possible after she got introduced to self love and mindfulness. We can learn that all you need in life is self love, self belief and mindfulness to succeed in life.

In this issue of Smart Family Magazine, we explore more about Ms. Meera Kakshapati, her secret behind her joyful and cheerful personality, her experience of Vipassana journey and what Vipassana taught her. Similarly, she also talks about how meditation is highly stereotyped and believes that everything done with full awareness is meditation.

We are extremely happy to have Ms. Meera Kakshapati on our cover and bring you to this conversation where she sheds the light on meditation, spirituality, self love and happiness for her.

 

  1. Who is Meera Kakshapati? How would you define your personality?
    Let's start with who I am not. I am not my name, my body, my relationships or my position in the society. In the lockdown, I read a lot of spiritual books and now I finally know who I am. I am just a witness of everything that is. And if you have a difficulty understanding my answer, then please read Buddha's or any enlightened masters book and thank me later.
     
  2. What inspired you to take part in Miss Nepal? Best thing that Miss Nepal taught you?
    I have spent a huge chunk of my life with a very low self esteem, believing that I am a loser and one fine day the concept of self love and mindfulness was introduced to me and my life changed. And I want to give the gift of this knowledge to as many people as I can. And Miss Nepal was the perfect platform. Miss Nepal has helped me discover my TRUE self and for this I shall always be grateful.
     
  3. Can you put your into emotions when you got crowned as Miss Nepal International 2019?
    Oh so that just happened??? For real??? I still ask myself this question at times.
     
  4. The COVID pandemic has affected our lives in many ways. How did you adjust yourself with the new normal? Did you face any psychology challenges?
    For me it was the opposite, the lock down changed my life for the better. Confined in the four walls of my room, I couldn't go outside so I started going inside. I would spend the day doing different kind of meditation, reading spiritual books and listening to satsangs of enlightened masters. Life hasn't been the same ever since.
     
  5. We see that you are always full of joy, bubbly and cheerful. How do you manage to be so positive and joyful? What is the secret to your happiness?
    Oh I realized that the world doesn't revolve around me. People don't care about me or think about me that much, they think about themselves. So I started doing whatever makes me happy and I have decided to dance the life away.
     
  6. What is Vipassana for you? Can you share your experience of practicing Vipassana? How difficult was it to do Vipassana?
    If I have to sum up the whole journey in one word then that word would be 'INTENSE'. On the fourth day, I wanted to run away. On the 6th day, I had an outburst. I have never cried like that ever. It was no doubt the most difficult thing that I have ever done in my life. But those 10 days have taught me how to deal with ALL the difficulties that's going to come in my life. And if we put that 10 days difficulty and the lifelong difficulties in a scale, then we can understand that Vipassana is actually the tool that can make our life so easy and breezy and beautiful.
     
  7. What are the various changes that you saw in your life after practicing Vipassana meditation? What have you learned after going to Vipassana?
    Vipassana has taught me about 'Acceptance'. And ladies and gentlemen once we learn how to accept our life situation then life becomes so simple. No matter how bad the situation is, we always, ALWAYS have the power to choose to respond to it and not react to it. This power of choice can make us invincible. Vipassana taught me about my 'egoic self and real self'. And once we realize who we are, then we are on our path to enlightenment. This is what the enlightened masters were trying to teach us.
     Please don't take my word for it, go there and find out for yourself. And I accept chocolates as a thank you gift. wink wink. ;)
     
  8. Many of us might not be aware that meditation can be in any form. Most people think that meditation is just limited to mindfulness and focusing on the breath. What is your say on this?
    I have said thank you for the question many times but for this question, I want to thank you from the inner core of my being, Shraddha. This is because meditation has been heavily stereotyped. Meditation is not just about sitting in the lotus position, wearing an orange robe with a huge bun on your head in some jungle or himalaya. Spirituality simply means knowing about ourselves. And what's the point of being a walking talking encyclopedia, if we don't even know about ourselves. And everything done with awareness is meditation. Eating, laughing, dancing, talking, walking everything can be a meditation given that you are completely in the present while doing that.  We just need to silent our monkey mind. When we are dancing let's be with the dance and not think about how you are dancing. Just listen to the music and let our body flow to its rhythm. Of course, it won't just happen right away but hey, did you learn how to ride the cycle the moment you sat on it? No, right? It takes practice and this practice shall take you towards enlightenment.
     
  9. What is your favorite type/ form of contemporary meditation?
    Oh I love eating meditation. It’s so easy, I just put my full focus on the food, the aroma, the colors, the feel of spoon in my hands, the weight of food in the spoon and once the food is in my mouth its texture, it's taste, the spices, the sweetness,  everything!

     Meditation is all about focusing on what you are doing right NOW in the PRESENT MOMENT.  So like I said, anything and everything can be a meditation if done with full awareness and acceptance.
     
  10. Any message for your well wishers?
    If we don't leave your home without charging your phone then why do we not charge yourself? Like our phone needs energy, we also need a lot of energy. Start meditating, start small, start with maybe 1 minutes of guided meditation a day and gradually increase the time. You owe it to yourself. Start reading books of Buddha and other enlightened masters and most importantly start asking yourself 'Who am I'???

Enjoy a fun filled chat with Meera Kakshapati:

  1. What brings you joy?
    I love to eat and dance and have deep spiritual conversations with my dear ones.
     
  2. What do you like most about yourself?
    I believe I am fun to be around. #ramailoktmoh ;)
     
  3. What’s the most valuable thing in your life?
    I value my values a lot. It helps me keep my sanity in this insane world.
     
  4. How were you like as a kid?
    I was a super duper social kid and very argumentative. People often used to tell my parents, make her a lawyer.
     
  5. Who is the one person that you look up to?
    Abhilash sir you have changed my life and I love you more than I can say. I will always be following your footsteps.
     
  6.  What’s your favorite movie of all time?
    Daarpanchhaya.
     
  7. Do you think that happiness lies within you? 
    External situation can bring us physical comfort and temporary feeling of heightened aliveness. Real bliss is our innate nature so it is not inside of us, it is us. We are bliss.
     
  8. Any quote that you swear by?
    If you don’t like something, if you can’t change then change your attitude about it.
     
  9. A message to your younger self?
    Noooo, you are not stupid, loser and waste of space on earth. You deserve all the love. Once you start loving yourself, the world shall follow.