Community People Profiles is a series on the Salt Spring Exchange featuring local personalities on our dynamic Gulf Island. Our People Profiles are short interviews, with one answer questions to share with you a little about what each of the people we will feature are thinking about as they go about their lives living on Salt Spring Island.

This weeks featured local people profile is: Terese Gillen

Here’s a little about Terese;

Since 1974, I have been teaching Transcendental Meditation around the world — in Canada, Europe, Armenia, Philippines, USA, UK, etc. Seeing this simple technique melt stress from peoples lives, and watching them develop their inner calm, mental clarity and harmony in life has also been truly fulfilling for me personally.

What brought you to Salt Spring Island?

I fell in love with Salt Spring when I first visited years ago, and have been in love with it ever since.

Having moved from country to country for the past 30 years while working for a Women's World Peace Organization, teaching the Transcendental Meditation technique, I wanted to come to a place that felt like home. Salt Spring is a perfect fit.

What one thing about Salt Spring would you tell someone who has never visited the island?

It's wonderful how people here are so open-minded and warm-hearted. I immediately felt welcomed by this kind and sharing community. Salt Spring is a creative, progressive, environmentally friendly paradise. I enjoy living in a place where art is a part of life with an abundance of home studios and galleries. Good health is a priority here: eating fresh, locally grown food is a way of life.

If you had a magic Salt Spring wand, what island thing would you change?

We know that the deepest change comes from within. My wish for the people in our community is that they experience for themselves the benefit of transcending to their deepest consciousness. The Transcendental Meditation technique is so effortless. Everyone notices that transcending automatically promotes clear thinking, stress relief, and inner happiness. There is no concentration or contemplation involved. Doctors around the world recommend this technique for effective anxiety reduction.

Which well known person, living or dead, do you think would be a good addition to the island?

I think Emily Carr would love Salt Spring — the silence, forest, ocean — it's a place where she could be herself.

Is there a special project, business or initiative you are working on that islanders should know about?

My colleague — Carolyn Grayson — and I are actively teaching Transcendental Meditation on Salt Spring. I invite people to call us for a free introductory talk, by appointment: 778.353.3014 or https://www.facebook.com/TM.SaltSpringIsland

This simple technique works immediately and includes a lifetime follow-up along with exclusive access to deeper knowledge.

Is there a really good interview question we should have asked you?

Why is there a tuition fee to learn to learn TM?

How would you have answered your question?

Learning TM is an investment in yourself: the benefits include stress relief, development of creativity and enlightenment. Everyone receives personal one-on-one instruction, lifetime follow-up and support.

Our goal is to make the TM technique available to everyone. Each local TM Center offers a payment plan, as well as partial grants for those facing financial hardship. TM instruction in Canada is provided by an educational not-for-profit organization.