Arthur Gladych

My Story of How Meditation Changed My Life

by Arthur Gladych

 My name is Artur, I’m from Ukraine. Three years ago I came to the United States for what I thought would be a short vacation. But in February 2022 the war began in my country and I could not return home. Suddenly I was left with only a small suitcase of clothes, no family nearby, no friends, no money and no knowledge of English. I had to start life all over again from nothing.

Those first years were the hardest. My life in emigration was filled with fear, anxiety, and fragile hope. Each day I waited for news about when the war might end, each morning I woke with a prayer that my loved ones were still alive and safe. Inside, my thoughts were chaotic, restless, and heavy with loneliness. With no one to talk to, I carried all my worries silently, alone. The only thing that calmed me was evening walks around the city.

The one autumn evening something shifted. As I walked through downtown Delray I heard the deep rhythm of drums.A group of people were playing and dancing, their movements full of joy and freedom. I stopped and listened. The music seemed to flow directly into my soul, calming me in a  way I had not felt for years. For a moment it was as if the music itself was medicine. I sat nearby and a young woman approached me. She spoke about their community, a group that met every weekend to dance, to relax, to meditate. That night was the first time I truly noticed the word meditation.

When I returned home curiosity led me to begin.  At first meditation was difficult. I tried day after day, month after month, with little change. But one morning everything was different. I woke up and realized - my thoughts no longer ruled me - I could guide them. From that  moment my life began to open like a window to light. The shadows of anxiety and depression slowly faded.

Meditation led me naturally to yoga. For the past seven months, I have practiced regularly, and I feel my body and mind becoming one. I learned to control my thoughts, to listen to my body, and perhaps most importantly - to love myself. I left behind alcohol, unhealthy food, and the company of negative people. Instead, I chose health, self-discipline, and time with those who live with light and clarity.

Today, I’m not the same Artur I once was. I do not want to go back to past Artur. Meditation and yoga transform me - they gave me strength, peace, and a new vision of life. I believe meditation should be taught from childhood, because it teaches us how to live in the present moment, to breathe deeply, to feel fully, and to cherish life as it is.

Live now. Create your happiness today. Do not wait for tomorrow.