Panache Desai discusses moving from fear to love

Panache Desai will speak at Unity Spiritual Center on Nov. 16.

Panache Desai knows first-hand the experience of being an immigrant touched by xenophobia. Growing up in London's East End in the 1980s, he lived in a working class neighborhood. More and more immigrants were arriving and competing with the older, more established residents. 

Panache was of Indian descent who preferred the silence of meditation to the safety of gangs. In his teens, however, he began to turn his back on spirituality and worked to become who everyone else wanted him to be. He studied business and law in order to please his grandfather. He began to spend time in the East End underground music scene, partying at night with heiresses, gangsters and drug dealers. 

Early one Sunday morning, walking to a club, he was jumped by three drunks who threw him to the ground, kicked and punched him, while yelling racial slurs. Although that fight was broken up by club bouncers who knew him and saw what was happening, Panache continued to another club. There he was confronted with another fight which involved guns. Soon the club was surrounded by police. After that incident, he decided to rediscover the spirituality of his childhood and enter an ashram to discover the truth of who he was.

Just weeks after 9/11, Panache arrived in New York City with very little but his backpack and a meager savings. Here he began to experience a profound awareness, passion and purpose. He realized we are all a part of a greater whole. He realized we each have everything we need to fulfill our purpose and live our best lives. He saw life as a gift of love which we are meant to unwrap and enjoy. Since then, he has authored the bestselling, "Discovering Your Soul Signature: A 33-Day Path to Purpose, Passion & Joy."  He has been a guest on Oprah Winfrey's "SuperSoul Sunday." And on Saturday, Nov. 16, he will share an evening discussing, "How To Love Like God Loves," at Unity Spiritual Center Westlake.

Since Sept. 29, the community at Unity Spiritual Center has been reading his book as part of their annual Fall Program. Close to 135 participants have gathered in small groups of 8-10 to discuss the book each week. Together, the community has shared ideas based on the book and opened to discovering how each one is here to love and share the gift of their unique self.

During the Nov. 16 "Evening With Panache Desai," he will share ideas on how to experience real and lasting transformation by fully accepting who you are as a human being. The ability to embrace those parts of the human experience that challenge us the most leads to a greater awareness that our essential self is love. Together we will move from judgment into acceptance and from fear into love.

This event is open to the public; more information is available at uscwestlake.org. Tickets are $35 can be purchased online or by calling 440-835-0400. Unity Spiritual Center is located at 23855 Detroit Road.

Joanne Rowden

Senior Minister as Unity Spiritual Center since November 2014.

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Volume 11, Issue 21, Posted 9:30 AM, 11.05.2019