meet lolo shaw
An Accidental Yogi
Namaste
Hello Bonjour Ribbit
I am LoLo Shaw, an accidental yogi.
Since you are here, you are probably curious to know a tad about me.
A brief bio is followed by my story behind the book, The Ultimate Practice, Beginner Meditation for Everyone.
Find Yourself
About the author
Tracing the ancient roots of yogis all the way to Rishikesh of India, the birthplace of yoga, at the foot of Himalayas …
A former television host of Prescription for Health, LoLo Shaw was born in Shangrao of the Middle Kingdom into a family of healers of Taichi and traditional Chinese medicine. The loss of her Irish husband in her forties changed the trajectory of her life. She became an accidental yogi.
In 2018, LoLo traced the ancient roots of yogis all the way to Rishikesh of India, the birthplace of yoga, at the foot of Himalayas. Being surrounded by yogis and grounded by swamis, she came back with a renewed sense of purpose and energy.
Now in her 60s, LoLo is healthier than before. Her mission and message are simple: to inspire all to meditate for greater mental health and a joyful world. She strongly believes that a more peaceful and healthier world starts with individuals. We can change the world by changing ourselves. When we change for the better as individuals, the world changes for the better as a result.
LoLo Shaw is a modern yogi with a Zen mind. Her personal practice with a blend of Eastern wisdom and Western life experience has earned her nicknames of Mama Swami and Buddha Goddess. A recipient of the Ontario Best Ethnic Media Award of Canada, LoLo holds a master’s degree in health science from the University of Toronto.
identity
Once in a meditation class on “who am I?”, one of my students asked me what my identity is. This is my reply.
I see myself as an evolving soul above all.
Like everyone else, I also play a few roles in life.
I am a daughter, a mother, a sister, an author, a teacher, a student, and most of all, I consider myself an evolving being on this beautiful planet.
Philosophy
My philosophy in life evolves as I evolve.
I, at present, follow Tao’s teaching of Wuwei: do less and accomplish more, being in harmony and enjoying the flow of life.
a passage of my life in the most trying time ... and how I learned to swim to the other shore.
My aha moment
If you had a few minutes left to live, what would run through your mind?
My Story
If you had a few minutes left to live, what would run through your mind?
That happened to me fifteen years ago. I was in an allergy-shot clinic in Ottawa. Suddenly, I could not breathe. My head was clear, but the air was leaving my lungs fast, like air letting out of a balloon. My chest became tight. A numbing sensation quickly enveloped my torso. I had a feeling that my death was imminent.
I thought about my two boys, then ages eleven and twelve. It was only a few months after they had lost their father. What would become of them if I died? They would become orphans. I told myself: “I cannot die. I shall live.” And I survived, thanks to the doctor on duty.
Having lived through a near-death experience, I had an aha moment. I asked myself an important question: How will I redesign my life if I get out of here alive? I decided to stay at home and become a full-time mom. After resigning as a radio host and the chief editor for the largest ethnic newspaper in town, I joyfully faded away as a “personality” to a person.
One day, I walked into the Rama Lotus Yoga Studio in Ottawa to relieve a chronic back pain from a long sitting job. Little did I know I had become an accidental yogi, decade later. In 2018, I traced the roots of the ancient yogis all the way to Rishikesh of India at the foot of Himalayas. I arrived at the birthplace of yoga, the cradle for mind–body science for thousands of years. Being surrounded by yogis and grounded by swamis, I came back with a renewed sense of purpose and energy.
I started to practice every day, even for just 10 minutes at times. After consistent practice of one year, my back pain is comptely gone. In addition, the transformative power in me and around me has not gone unnoticed. My ninety-three-year-old mama started to call me Buddha’s daughter. My youngest son calls me Mama Swami. My students and former colleagues call me Buddha Goddess. All these affectionate terms have humbled me and prompted me to write a book for more people beyond my class. If I can do it, my students can do it, you can too.
Holding in your hand is this book The Ultimate Practice: Beginner Meditation for Everyone. The book is a 5-step guide, which has been condensed from a 3-book volume written in the course of 13 years. You can now learn how to start a home meditation practice in the comfort of your home and office, along with mini-lessons I have learned along the way from monks, yogis, and Zen masters.
Let The Ultimate Practice be your daily breath.
