At 62 years of of age I couldn’t do life anymore.
Geoff H: Vedic Meditation Course
The challenge
After decades working in stressful service and sales roles and navigating multiple marriage breakdowns, Jeff reached a breaking point. At 62, he woke one night believing he was having a heart attack — his heart racing, limbs numb, lungs gasping for breath. His doctor later told him it was a severe anxiety attack and warned he could have had a stroke.
“The frightening part,” Jeff recalled, “was that I didn’t really care if I had died.”
Despite taking time off work, nothing improved. He couldn’t think clearly, meet targets, or face people. “I just wanted to hide. I wanted my cave.”
Over the years, Jeff had tried psychologists, counsellors, antidepressants, and medication, but nothing brought relief. He couldn’t sleep, was gaining weight, overeating, drinking too much, and avoiding exercise. “I had been able to fix anything as an electrical engineer in the mines,” he said, “but I couldn’t fix me. My body and mind were in different places. I’d lost my way.”
Discovery
In searching for answers, Jeff turned to self-help books and came across The Effortless Mind by Will Williams, which introduced him to Vedic Meditation. “Something inside me knew this form of meditation was for me,” he said. After a quick search online, he found that Rich Muir was teaching a course in Brisbane and decided to give it a try.
When he told his friends, he was met with mixed reactions – jokes from his mates about “wearing orange robes and chanting,” but full support from his family, who just wanted to see him well again.
I want to thank Rich and would recommend and encourage everyone to find their own journey through this practice.”
The Experience
“The course with Rich was enlightening,” Jeff said. “From the moment I joined the small group and received my mantra, I found it easy to relax. After each session, it got easier to let go.”
Rich’s warm, calm teaching style made the process effortless. Over the following days, Jeff began to understand that meditation wasn’t about fighting thoughts but allowing the mind to release them naturally. “By letting my mind play out each thought as it comes, it allows both sides of my mind to create, examine, and release what needs to go.”
The Transformation
Today, Jeff practices Vedic Meditation twice a day for 20 minutes. Each time he opens his eyes after meditation, he feels lighter, clearer, and free from stress.
“After I meditate, I feel no stress, no anxiety, no negative thoughts. Sometimes it even makes me smile. I’m slowly but surely finding the path of my life’s journey again — centering my mind, finding direction and peace. I’m allowing life to unfold, feeling more relaxed about the future and leaving the past where it belongs.”
Jeff says the practice has changed everything. “It’s been life-changing. I want to thank Rich and encourage everyone to find their own journey through this practice.”
In Geoff’s words
“The course I completed with Rich Muir on the practice of Vedic meditation has been life changing. What led me to this course: After many years of working in stressful service and sales positions and having marriage breakdowns I finally cracked. At 62 years of of age I couldn’t do life anymore. I awoke one night and felt like I was having a heart attack. It was frightening at first with my heart racing and my limbs feeling numb and my lungs gasping for breath. Eventually I settled down but when I went to the doctors the next day and told him what had happened he told me that i had had an anxiety attack and could of had a stroke. My concern was that I really didn’t care if I had died.
My doctor suggested taking a couple of weeks off work but after another month nothing had changed. I eventually had to resign from my job. I couldn’t think, I couldn’t face customers or meet budgets. I just wanted to hide. I wanted my cave.
When I reflect Over the past few years I had been to psychologist, counselors, prescribed antidepressants and other medications. Nothing had worked. Nothing made me feel any better. I couldn’t sleep, I was getting fat, overeating all the wrong types of food, not exercising and drinking too much to escape. To escape what I couldn’t fix. I had been able to fix anything as an electrical engineer in the mines but I couldn’t fix me. I had lost my way. I needed to do something.
I felt like my body and mind were in different places..
I started reading all different types of self help book, I read a book from the library called “ the effortless mind” by Will Williams on Vedic meditation. Something inside me knew this form of meditation was for me. I searched on line and found that Rich Muir was conducting a course in Brisbane in January. I had to see it was for me so I booked in.
When I told friends and family I got mixed reviews. My mates at pool said I would be wearing orange robes and chanting at next weeks comp while my family were supportive and just wanted their husband, son, father and grandfather back. I had lost my way.
The course I attend on Vedic Meditation run by Rich was enlightening. I was given my mantra and joined the small group to learn the practice. I didn’t find it hard to relax with Rich and after each session it seemed to get easier to relax.
Since the course Rich has followed up and I am finding that the practice is about letting go of all thoughts. Sounds strange but I am finding that by Letting your own mind play out each thought as It comes into your mind It lets both sides of your mind create, examine, play out and release all these thoughts.
After the 2 x 20 mins I do each day I open my eyes and as well as feeling relaxed the world around me seems clearer. I feel No stress, no anxiety, no negatives thoughts. It sometimes makes me smile.
I can honestly say I am slowly but surely finding the path of my life’s journey. I am centering my mind and finding direction and peace. Allowing what happens to just happen I am so much more relaxed about the future and putting the past where it belongs.
I want to thank Rich and would recommend and encourage everyone to find their own journey through this practice.”
Jeff West
