A 75-YEAR-OLD yoga and meditation teacher from Cornwall is planning to walk the entire length of the South West Coast Path with the aim of bringing “greater peace, harmony and uplifted consciousness during these challenging times”.

Stan Giles, who is also known as Garuda, says he has been inspired to undertake the 630-mile hike and chant a prayer for peace as he progresses because of his deep love and devotion to the teachings of the guru, Paramhansa Yogananda.

Stan will be walking for 60 days in May and June as he tackles the coastal path which runs from Minehead in Somerset to Land’s End in Cornwall and then to Poole in Dorset.

He will be raising money for and awareness about Ananda, a global spiritual movement dedicated to the teachings of Paramhansa Yogananda which focuses on yoga and meditation.

Grandfather Stan, who lives in Par with his wife Jane, said: “I'm probably a bit older than the average walker as I'll be 76 on June 10. I was involved in healing and teaching, and yoga and meditation on four continents, and I built a healing and meditation retreat in the foothills of the Himalayas.

“The biggest driver for me is sharing the Peace and Harmony Prayer as I walk the 1,014km South West Coast Path. It would be really powerful if people knew about it and were inspired to share it with friends and family. Imagine children in the park chanting, “Lord, fill this world with peace and harmony, peace and harmony”.

Stan, who has followed the teachings of Paramhansa Yogananda since 2005, will be raising funds for Ananda at Assisi in Italy, the main centre of the movement in Europe.

More information is available on Stan’s GoFundMe site, www.gofundme.com/f/1000km-walk-for-peace-and-harmony