Laura grew up with the trauma of being teased for not having a great singing voice. Years later, she discovered and fell in love with her voice while reciting Veda, and in the process, learned the art of self-love.
By Sophia Ann French
Laura Fernanda Barriga Samame studied interior design in college, but didn’t pursue a career in interior design because while she was at college, she lost her mother at just 17. The grief she felt inspired her to look for ways to cope with her sorrow, and she started reading Eastern philosophy and exploring Buddhism and Hinduism. “I was born in Lima, Peru, and raised in a very catholic home. I attended a Catholic school and went to Sunday service every week, but I never felt connected to it. When my mum fell ill, I didn’t know how to grieve, so I started reading about Buddhism and Hinduism and just felt more connected to what I was reading. I felt that this is the way I want to feel connected to God and the universe. I remember reading about the Dalai Lama and Indian Gods and Goddesses, and I decided I want to travel and explore these places. So I joined an airline as a flight attendant and did that for ten years, discovering a lot of new places across the world,” recalls Laura.
Unfortunately, while at the airline, Laura was diagnosed with cancer, but instead of being defeated by it, she turned to Indic Knowledge Systems to heal and reclaim her life. “I went through five years of treatment, including chemotherapy and radiation, and that was my call to start focusing on me and to resolve the grief I had in me since I was young. I began to study Reiki, practise yoga and meditation, and it worked. I recovered and I am healthy. I did a yoga TTC in 2012 and made my way to India. When I was in India, I visited a Kṛṣṇa temple and witnessed chanting and dancing. It moved me to tears. I also studied in Mysore with Sharath Jois, and we had chanting classes, but I wanted to go deeper into the chanting practice. I even met my husband in India (he is from Mexico). All this time, I was still working for the airline. After we got married, we moved to Cusco and I knew I wanted to work in the healing space, so I specialised in prenatal yoga and at present, I am a Childbirth Educator, Doula and a Prenatal Yoga Teacher,” says Laura. From interior design and working for an airline to teaching prenatal yoga, every part of Laura’s journey had obstacles, but she overcame them and continues to study and explore the practices and philosophies of Indian spirituality. She is an alumna of the Indica Veda Studies Teacher Training Programme (2024) and shares how Veda recitation added value to her existing practices and helped her reconnect to herself.
On Finding Veda Studies…
Laura Fernanda: I was practising online classes with Yoga teacher and Author Eddie Stern, and during that course, we had the Gaṇeśa festival. Eddie invited the Founder of Veda Studies, Shantala Sriramaiah, to recite during the festival, and we did a 7-day japa. I felt like I could breathe again. At the end of the festival, Shantala told us about the Veda Studies Foundation Course, and I signed up. I then studied the Śrī Sūktam and Rudram, and I just wanted to study more and more. As life would have it, I was hit with another series of difficulties — I had to undergo an emergency hysterectomy, my dog Rani passed away, and then my grandfather passed away. I was determined not to drown in these sorrows, so I signed up for another Veda course and the Indica Veda Studies Teacher Training Programme.
On the Indica Veda Studies Teacher Training Programme…
Laura Fernanda: I lived with a lot of anxiety, and one of the biggest benefits of Veda recitation is how much peace of mind it brings me. At times, I gasp for air, and when I feel like I can’t breathe, I start chanting, and it immediately has a calming effect on me. As a child, I was very shy and had a terrible singing voice. I was made fun of because of it, and as a result, I never felt I had a voice of any kind. After the Veda Studies TTC, during our presentation week, I was so nervous because I kept thinking of my childhood trauma. I felt I would be asked to stop as soon as I started chanting, but our group is so positive and supportive. That gave me the courage to recite in the final week. For the first time, I felt I had a voice. I found my voice. It was a moment of self-love and self-recognition, and that was my biggest takeaway from that programme.
On Spirituality and Advice for New Students…
Laura Fernanda: Spirituality is a journey towards healing. It’s the reason I wake up in the morning and the reason I go to bed at night. It makes me a better person. I would advise anyone who feels the call to study Veda to go ahead and do so. It is a life-changing experience.
To get in touch with Laura, email her at [email protected]