My Biography

“Ayubowan” in the Sri Lankan language is a noble gesture of greeting meaning “may you live long”. This  gesture symbolizes the purity of a lotus bud born of the earth which is one of the greatest teachings of Buddhism.

I ‘am fortunate, like the lotus bud, to  be born of the land on the island of  Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka is a precious paradise of rich traditions and culture that date back  more than 3000 years.

This is the story of my homoeopathic journey- of living, learning and becoming.  This is a road of many unlikely but  complementary influences. 

I was named Paranapatabandige Lushan Shirantha Silva and was born in the island village of Moratuwa in September 1969.

I am the eldest  child of four. My mother did not give birth in a hospital, rather she  was nurtured by an elderly and wise mid-wife  known as “WeandabuAmma”. WeandabuAmma’s healing hands along with her sensitive and caring  human instincts prepared my mother for the miracle of natural birth at home.

I was born  healthy and strong and raised in a place where I could hear the roaring waves and the harmony of fisherman and the orchestra of birds, animals and nature. These sounds  carry me back to my very first memories.  My youth was wild and free, spending time with my clan of friends roaming like monkeys from tree to tree eating exotic fruits and enjoying the energy drink of king coconut.

 Even though I spent much time living life without rules and boundaries I still got to learn about the “Gentleman’s Game” of Cricket.  But I used to play it as I lived: in a minimalist fashion- in bare feet with little equipment and on unkept fields. Cricket provided a new dimension of rules and discipline.

I consider my Grand Mother and my Mother sages in indigenous medicine and home remedies. They never spoke of doctors when I fell sick or got injured because of their innate and expert knowledge of herbal remedies. My diet was comprised of  plant based salads, vegetables and fruits which was amply found in our gardens and surroundings which strengthened my immune system and increased my vitality.

 My father was a commercial artist, sculptor and the breadwinner. His line of work required a lot of physical strength and to do it he needed to work in the same posture for many hours every day. After work he was often exhausted and in pain. When I was 10 years old my father asked me to massage his shoulder.

I was not that interested; preferring to play cricket and run free with my friends. But I sensed my father’s suffering and started to massage him.  Initially, I did this half-heartedly and without much empathy, preferring to finish quickly. Gradually, however, our healing time together provided comfort to both of us. One day my father said:

“son, you have a great touch and a gifted miracle hand”. 

He was a man who rarely gave compliments and these words planted a seed in my mind that set me on a path of wellness. The sessions with my dad became a regular special 45-minute routine which I cherished. I feel the memory of these sessions even now and they provided another perspective on life.

My life has been affected by the intersection of Catholic and Buddhist beliefs. Sri Lanka was colonized in in the 16th century and with it came Catholicism which became a prevalent religion. Many Catholic churches were built and many Buddhism followers turned to the Catholic church,   but despite this, the essence of Buddhism remained and was embedded in  many cultural aspects of Sri Lankan life. 

My mother was a strong Catholic devotee who forced me to attend church. I never embraced Catholicism  as much as she did but I did learn many important lessons. At the same time there was a neighbour who was a Buddhist who got permission from my father to take me to the Buddhist temple. I was inspired by the chants and the philosophy of Buddhism so I started to  attend a Buddhist Sunday school.

This was enlightening and another important step on my path  of inner healing. I learned of meditation and of  Ayurveda and Hela medicine, all of  which are  common threads of a balanced life.  These philosophies were a revelation for me as  a young boy.

My youth was influenced not only by the beauty of eastern cultural beliefs but western ones as well. When I was 11 years  I joined a village school named  Prince of Wales; this was a school that produced great cricketing legends. I became driven to play Cricket so that  by the age of 12 I asked to play on the under 13 cricket team. This  was an outstanding achievement since only the best players were on  this elite team.  My coaches found me to have an inherent  natural skill for the game. 

My  school period ended at age 17 due to many factors.  It was 1988 and a turbulent time. Students faced many dangers. The JVP, a rebellious movement, which  hunted down youngsters and even murdered many, would often riot. The Sinhala Tamil ethnic conflict also posed many dangers. I was not a good student and given the tensions of the time and my limited prospects for academic success I decided to leave school. When I left school I did not have a plan for my future but I was filled with a passion to pursue life.

 The country’s situation became worse day by day so like many other young people  in Sri Lanka I moved out of the county to find refuge. But before I left fortune smiled on me and I got a job at the Mount Lavina Beach Hotel where they also asked me to play cricket. This was a beautiful reprieve from the days’ challenges.  I got to play the sport I loved and also worked in the Hotel’s kitchen for one of the best chef’s in Sri Lanka. 

My refuge from the trials and tribulations of Sri Lanka was the Gulf …  I spent 2 years there. It turned out to be a difficult experience but an eye opener as well. During this time…  

After I returned from Gulf , I had a craving to learn another language so I started to take  a course at Goethe institute on the German language. Life always has a way of providing new opportunities. At the institute, I found a friend  who spoke to me of his new business venture; the first “PanchaKarma” Ayurveda Spa in Sri Lanka.

I was hired  to work as an administrator and to help develop this new  business  known as Lotus Vila.

This was a wonderful  position. Most of the clients were German so I was able to use  my knowledge of German on a regular basis. I often assisted the Ayurveda doctor by helping him communicate with the German patients. By doing so I was able to improve my German and learn more about the healing arts. 

  The Ayurveda doctor appreciated my interest in his work and began to teach me how to perform many treatments. I developed a special affinity for my patients and the therapeutic aspects of my work. My spirit felt awakened by the healing arts and my clients appreciated and sensed my inner satisfaction. My father’s words about my healing hands and special touch seemed to resonate with my work. 

The miracle seed of wellbeing took root in my Life as I discovered and learned the immense potential of healing and cleansing, both  physically and mentally.   One fine day I treated  a female client from Berlin who was a physiotherapist. After our session she told me:

  “You are gifted with those hands and if you learn Thai Massage you will be able to perform wonders on the human body”. 

She gave me a book called Ashokananda which I studied rigorously. A new dawn happened within me while I was reading this work. I started to sketch a vision of my future based on the inspiration of this book and the world of Traditional Thai Massage & Yoga.   I started implementing the principles of this work in my healing practice and developed a hunger to learn as much as possible about this ancient and wonderful art. 

One of my patients was a German Author named Brbel More. We felt an immediate connection and she encouraged me to travel to Germany to continue my practise and learning there. I enthusiastically agreed. Berbel was wonderful host. She found the person who gave me the Ashokananda book. I met her and expressed my gratitude for giving me a book that changed my life.  We talked about my future and it was clear that I had to go to Thailand to expand my knowledge. But before going there, I got a summer job in Panera; a beautiful island off the Sicilian coast. I worked at sea food restaurant as a chef and rekindled my passion for cooking and fell in love with the beautiful geography, culture and people.

In mid-December 1999 my dream finally true. I travelled to Chiang Mai, Thailand to study NUAD BO-RARN (Ancient Thai Massage). I joined the International Training Massage School and had the honour of being  the first Sri Lankan student. There, I learned the unique form of body therapy that incorporates Hatha Yoga and acupressure to stretch the muscles and open the joints. This safe holistic treatment harmonizes the body, increases energy, relieves stress and promotes a peaceful mind. 

I attended a second school at the Old Medical Hospital in Chiang Mai to understand more and deepen my knowledge of Thai Massage. My goal was to learn the puzzles of  this therapy and to develop a  career in homeopathic therapies. 

I stayed in Chiang Mai for 9 months and then returned to Sicily. But I kept coming back to Thailand and did so four times, always in the winter months. My last visits were the hardest since I learned very unique techniques from the most revered Thai Masters in one to one sessions. During this period  I began to offer Thai Massage to clients in Sicily. The concept of Thai Massage was relatively unknown and I was proud to be a pioneer, one of the first practitioners. Eventually the demand grew; I offered treatments to many and provided  consultations to people from other parts of  Europe.

 I was both humbled and thankful for the opportunity to learn and heal many people; this satisfied my soul more than any other thing that I have ever done in my life.

In 2004 I married a Canadian and made a move to Canada. Life’s gifts are my two children who live happy and healthy; our lifestyle is  very simple as we embrace holistic philosophies. My wife is a yoga instructor and her calming and meditative influence has become a part of my life. I continue to pursue my passion of developing and advocating for life balance. I provide treatments to clients and explore plant based healing diet and the Ayurveda cuisine that I learned in Sri Lanka. 

I am now in my fifties and have learned the importance  of both the physical and mental; they must work in concert. Treatments must encompass the whole person. Healing is an art that requires sensitivity, compassion and time. I would like  to use my knowledge  to help people; be they athletes or individuals suffering from the strain of everyday life; to help them achieve balance. This philosophy is beautifully described in this quote from Mahatma Gandhi: 

“Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony”.

I look forward to a future of healing and nurturing.