Until about a year ago, I was working the corporate 9 to 5 and simultaneously fighting a losing battle with extreme anxiety, suicidal thoughts and substance abuse. I was lost in the dark with no hope of finding the light and still l continued to ignore the power that was within me, despite the many signs telling me to tune…… Read More.
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The word compassion takes me back to my childhood days and my grandparents who were the very embodiment of this expression. They had no money and lived a very simple life, but this never stopped them from helping anyone in need irrespective of caste, color or religion that were some of the dividing factors in their village. Their pure-heartedness meant…… Read More.
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For as long as I can remember, the big questions of life have dominated my thoughts – who am I, where do I come from, where am I going? Being a rational person, I turned to the brain for all the answers. Studying cognitive neuroscience made it all seem so logical; everything could be explained just by looking at how…… Read More.
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Meditation Rememorari It’s an early March morning and a small group of us have been meditating on the porch for a little while. Has it been five minutes, ten, twenty? Like a leaf submerged in a pond that gently floats back to the surface, my consciousness hovers between stillness and sensory awareness. I can feel a soft breeze, alternating between…… Read More.
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What Exactly is Compassion? ‘Compassion’ is a word often used in matters of spirituality and personal development. It’s a critical concept, both for working toward self-growth and for achieving world peace. However, what would you say is the full meaning of compassion? For me, compassion has three components – the intentions behind our actions, the need to include everyone equally,…… Read More.
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I have been practicing Heartfulness meditation for the last 10 years, and when I look back I realise that it has effected many changes in me over this time. It has given me direction and the strength to get through various challenges in my life. In a nutshell, these are the key attributes of Heartfulness that have enhanced my life…… Read More.
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What is Meditation? Meditation is a simple way of freeing your mind, forgetting about daily anxieties and focusing on mental relaxation. Going into a meditative state involves learning to become a passive observer of one’s thoughts. It does not mean suppressing them or attempting to force them to disappear. Meditation is the process of continuous focus on one object for…… Read More.
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It’s that time of year again; of warmth and hearth, family and friends around, as we celebrate joy, happiness, peace, and the triumph of goodness and light. Festivals are the perfect occasions to gather, share, and shower love and gifts on our near and dear ones. But the end of the year is also a good time to reflect on…… Read More.
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Elephant Parades in Palaces, Meditation Flash Mobs and Spreading Acts of Kindness – The Heartfulness Dasara Event I was fortunate enough to be invited to the Heartfulness Dasara Event in Mysuru. This event is the first of its kind to take place in Mysuru Ashram and so, not knowing what to expect, I packed a duffle bag and began my journey…… Read More.
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There has been an eternal quest for the Elixir of Life, Amrit, Fountain of Life, Philosopher’s Stone, across different cultures throughout history. Immortality is very tempting. Youth is the time when one is most energetic. The wish to have the youthful energy forever has been a driving force. The pursuit in the Eastern culture has been on enlightenment at the…… Read More.
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Heartfulness meditation is based on the Raja yoga system, according to which, one’s spiritual practice takes him/her to three stages – liberation, realization and mergence with the infinite, says the modern saint and teacher of Heartfulness, Shri Ram Chandra of Shahjahanpur. Liberation from what? Realization of what? Mergence with what? I always wondered. And still wonder… We wonder until we…… Read More.
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All around the world, we are on our feet from dawn to dusk and even well into the night. Men chase jobs, careers and money. Women also chase careers and in addition run behind their men, children and homes. Sandwiched between the two, children run after their parents, their education, extracurricular activities, friends and their electronic gaming gadgets. Is that…… Read More.
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