Divyananda (Deb Megill)

December 20, 1948 - September 4, 1998

Divyananda means 'one who shares the bliss of divine light.' Divyananda (Divya) received her spiritual name from Kaliji and was devoted to TriYoga. She radiated the light and shared it with everyone she met.

Prior to her passing, Divya had been certified as a TriYoga teacher. She worked hard and overcame many obstacles to achieve this longtime goal. Her dedication and obvious transformation inspired many others.

Divya was born on December 20, 1948. She married Norman Megill in 1988 and their son Robin was born in 1991. Divya was a devoted wife and mother. Originally planning to attend medical school, she chose instead to be at home more and be with her son. She had completed her premedical-school requirements by going to school at night while she worked during the day as a heart research technician at the Veterans Administration Hospital. Divya loved children. She was a children's piano teacher and was much loved by her young students.

Divya had a keen mind and intellect. When they were dating, her husband Norm recalls that he found it hard to believe she had achieved an 800 on her Math Scholastic Aptitude Test. When they joined the Mensa Society together at his suggestion, it became clear that she had indeed received this highest possible SAT score of 800.

Divya graduated from Wellesley College, which she attended as an adult student. Before going to Wellesley, Divya spent most of her twenties as a 'professional student' switching majors just before getting enough credits to graduate. During this time, her parents and odd jobs supported her, including waitressing and joining migrant laborers. She had a horse and entered rodeo contests. She hitchhiked around the country with an Irish dwarf, Clancy Sheeny, doing puppet shows for children. They must have been quite a duo, since Divya was 6'. 2"! For a while she lived in the mountain woods of Colorado in a tiny one-room shack with no facilities, with just her dog and her horse. She found the shack during a horseback ride. It was long-deserted so she just moved in. She spent at least a winter there, painting and writing.

Divyananda passed away on September 4, 1998, just a few months before her 50th birthday. On December 19, 1998, the night before it was to have been her birthday, Divya's music teachers, students and friends gave a Memorial Concert including music, poetry and holiday singing. Beth Gold-Bernstein, her close friend and senior TriYoga teacher, offered a closing meditation on the Divine Light, and prayed that Devi (Universal Energy) grant everyone the ability to feel what Divyananda so freely shared, and thereby experience her great big embrace. In her loving memory, TriYoga established the Divyananda Scholarship Fund to help train TriYoga teachers.