Simple practical weekly inspirations to improve various aspects of your thought patterns, emotions, habits and lifestyle.

A WORD, A THOUGHT, A QUESTION

<h4 style="text-align:center;">HEARTFUL LIVING</h4>A Collectors' Edition featuring Daaji's articles and videos on the timeless classic, The Ten Maxims, by Pujya Babuji Maharaj.Back in 2020, as we all went into lockdown, Daaji gave us a monthly series based on the Ten Maxims of Babuji, called "A User's Guide to Living." Since then we have had constant requests from readers around the world to compile those articles into a Collectors' Edition, as a reference for individuals to transform themselves, and a resource for workshops and training programs.So this December, Heartfulness Magazine offers you this remarkable Collectors' Edition, containing Daaji's articles along with videos of his talks on the same theme. Together, they offer a wonderful way to start 2025 with the focus and wisdom to change your life!We would love to hear from you, so please share your letters and stories with us at <a href="mailto:contributions@heartfulnessmagazine.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">contributions@heartfulnessmagazine.com</a>.

December 2024 Edition

The science behind creating  a daily meditation practice

<h4 style="text-align:justify;">DAAJI introduces the sixth universal principle—to know everyone as brethren and treat them as such. As a starting point, this sixth principle helps us to overcome prejudice, and develop mutual love and respect with all beings. As we take it further, it unfolds into a state of unity and oneness that is a reflection of the original Source.</h4><h4 style="text-align:center;">Principle 6:</h4>Know all people as thy brethren and treat them as such.The principle of universal brotherhood is fundamental to all religions and spiritual traditions of the world. In practice, however, we still also see sectarianism, prejudice, and even outright hatred, a world torn apart by violence, and a deep mistrust between nations and various factions within nations. We are a human race fractured by deep divisions, based on religion and race, even in the so-called civilized countries. You only have to read the news to know that we are far from universal brotherhood after thousands of years of religious teachings.From time to time, great teachers and leaders have appeared in different parts of the world to bring the message of peace and love. Their pleas have fallen on deaf ears, and many of them have been rejected, persecuted, and even crucified. How many Jews were killed by the Nazis? How many people were killed by Stalin, Idi Amin, Mussolini, and during the border migration on the eve of 15 August 1947 between India and Pakistan, the ethnic wars in Rwanda, the Congo etc.? When you add up the deaths resulting from calamities due to hatred, the statistics way surpass the deaths due to the Covid virus. Yet this pandemic drew so much of our attention. Perhaps we all have some level of this deeply-buried hatred for something or the other which prevents an all-out removal of hatred.It is against this backdrop that we need a fresh perspective on universal brotherhood, and in Heartfulness it emanates from the authority of a deeply experiential understanding of Reality.The principle is actually very simple. Babuji writes, “All things descending from the origin should be treated as coming from the same source.” To bring home this point, he uses the analogy of a mother and her children: “Just as children born of the same mother are related to each other in one and the same way, so also are all bound together by the same common ties of brotherliness and are related to each other in the same way.” So simple!When you try to hurt someone who has the same Godly soul in them—your soul and theirs are actually the same—now ask yourself, who is hurting whom? The same souls only look different because they have different personas arising out of karma. This awareness dawns upon us when we remain imbued in the deeper pools of the soul chakra, the second point within the Heart Region. Unfortunately, many of those who pass through this chakra miss out on the awareness of universal brotherhood due to a lack of acquiring the condition, enlivening it, imbibing it, becoming one with it, and uniting with it (AEIOU).When we do experience and adopt this universal principle of unity, we get to first base. We cannot be devotees without embracing it, because it is fundamental to existence—in fact it is very scientific.<h4>We are all connected</h4>The Heartfulness vision of universal brotherhood comes from the repeatable experience that at the center of our being we are all connected with the same Reality. This is the common Source from which everything was set in motion at the time of creation. At this level, there is no separation, and that center exists in every atom in the universe.This is also recognized by modern western science. Scientists claim that some 13.7 billion years ago, just before the Big Bang occurred, there existed an infinitesimal point called a singularity. It was so small that it had no dimensions. The universe as we know it today came into being from that Big Bang. As the first atoms were formed, they became the building blocks of everything animate and inanimate.It takes one hundred trillion atoms to form a single cell in our body, and there are some 37 trillion cells in the human body, all originating from the same Source.Further, genome studies have concluded that there is hardly any difference between one person and another in terms of our DNA. In fact, the entire human ancestry can genetically be traced back to a common origin in Africa.If this is true, then why is it that we feel separate?Babuji explains it: “It is our thoughts and actions that created the separation. It is our feelings of selfishness that alienate us from other human beings. The separative feeling is the root cause of our alienation.”<h4>Separation is an illusion</h4>Most psychologists agree that when a baby is born it does not know it is separate from the mother. Gradually, over the first year of life, it begins to develop a separate sense of self, and starts identifying with beings and objects in its surroundings. This phenomenon of separation and identification is a part of the process of ego formation.<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">When you try to hurt someone who has the same Godly soul in them—your soul and theirs are actually the same—now ask yourself, who is hurting whom? The same souls only look different because they have different personas arising out of karma.</h4><hr>&nbsp;<img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/community2_34f81505fa.webp" alt="community2.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_community2_34f81505fa.webp 194w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/small_community2_34f81505fa.webp 500w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/medium_community2_34f81505fa.webp 750w," sizes="100vw">As the child grows into an adult, rivalries may occur, creating separation laced with competition, and possibly an element of enmity. Remoteness is another factor that increases separation, and most of us experience it in our lives. As we become adults, we leave our families and sometimes settle far away. This remoteness further increases separation—initially we feel a strong connection, but it wears away over time.The feeling of separation seems to be part of our conditioning. It is a veil of maya that impacts every facet of our being. Once this veil is peeled away, we recognize the reality that we are all from the same Source. We must accept and embody this if we are to become human.<h4>From me to we</h4>How can we peel away this veil of illusion? It happens naturally through heart-based meditative practices because we experience the oneness; knowing about it is not enough. While our ego’s sense of individual identity is all about “I,” the heart is all about “we.” The heart is where we are all connected, where we naturally feel oneness, especially when our field of consciousness has been purified. When heart-based meditation is supported by yogic Transmission, we are naturally infused with love. As our capacity for love expands, so does our feeling of brotherhood.As we grow in our practice, we are able to identify and break up the individual network formed by our thoughts and actions, which leads to an expansion of consciousness. When this expanded state of consciousness percolates our lives, in our day-to-day dealings with others, we eventually rest in that connection constantly. Connection is nurtured through constant practice, and can be applied in our lives with awareness. It comes from within, not from any external authority. It transforms all our relationships, with our family and with all humanity. We feel love for everyone, as a first step; it is a true paradigm shift that enriches our lives. Later on, we go beyond the level of feeling, as love radiates from us, naturally. We no longer need to love, we become love itself.&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/community3_fd3aa47376.webp" alt="community3.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_community3_fd3aa47376.webp 139w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/small_community3_fd3aa47376.webp 447w," sizes="100vw"></figure>&nbsp;And in Babuji’s words, “It will naturally lead to mutual association and greater attachment, and our dealing with one another will be molded accordingly, ensuring greater peace and contentment to everyone. How nice it would be to have it thus.”<h4>Our success here leads to our success there</h4>Yet it doesn’t end there. There is a great truth about worldly life that many of us don’t grasp. We mistakenly believe that our life in this world is transient and hence not important. But that could not be further from the truth. Whatever we do here also determines our destiny beyond this worldly plane.What is meant by that? In Babuji’s words, “This world is in fact a reflection of the other world. When this one is molded properly, its effect extends on to the other world whose reflection it is and that too will begin to be purified.”This world is a projection of the astral or cosmic world, the Brahmand Mandal, where everything happens in astral form before it manifests here. There are several such higher regions, each more subtle than the other. When we refine our worldly existence on Earth, the effect is carried to each of the higher regions, all the way to the highest. We are multidimensional beings, and what we do in this layer affects all other layers. This life is a precious opportunity for us to change all levels of our being. When we act in alignment with these universal principles, it transforms all the dimensions of our being. This is yogic science.<h4>Universal brotherhood in action</h4>Now, imagine that a single act of compassion welling up from the bottom of our heart has the power to transform all levels of our being. Principle 6 states, “Know all people as thy brethren and treat them as such,” so we can look at this principle as having two aspects—knowing and doing.The first aspect of “Know all people as thy brethren …” is a realization that comes from a state of being, and creates a perceptual shift that helps us make the choice between separation and unity. Knowing removes ignorance and resistance, and brings enlightenment, clarity, and purity. It acts as a bridge between being and doing.&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/community4_09a6eed7e8.webp" alt="community4.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_community4_09a6eed7e8.webp 150w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/small_community4_09a6eed7e8.webp 481w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/medium_community4_09a6eed7e8.webp 721w," sizes="100vw"></figure>&nbsp;The second aspect is doing: “… and treat them as such.” Once you know from the depths of your being that we are all brethren, then how will you treat others?Knowing is the embodiment of being. Doing is the embodiment of knowing.The third aspect, being, is something we often miss out on. The tastes of spiritual conditions are not to be taken as a buffet dinner; “Taste and forget” should not become our tragic culture. That is why the practice of AEIOU is so important. It allows us to savor the experience, and let it be imbibed and enlivened within us, so that we become one with it.And there is a fourth aspect, non-being. But rather than venturing into it philosophically, let’s prepare ourselves for the true encounter and merger in that state. Then, it will happen naturally.<h4>Embodying universal brotherhood</h4>What does it mean to embody universal brotherhood in our lives? Before addressing that question, I would like to clarify the confusion and common misunderstandings associated with this principle.Embodying universal brotherhood does not mean that we go about hugging everybody in the street. It does not mean that we agree with everything that others say, and avoid confrontation at any cost. It does not mean we are always trying to please others and appease them. It does not mean that we believe everything we hear. It does not mean that we force ourselves to stay in an abusive relationship. It does not mean that we allow ourselves to be intimidated, taken advantage of, and manipulated.We cannot have true compassion for others unless we have compassion for ourselves, nor can we love others unless we love ourselves. We are here to learn from one another. We are here to help and be helped. We grow only when we are fully engaged with others in healthy relationships, with a mutuality of <a href="https://heartfulness.org/magazine/ropes-to-god" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">love and respect</a>.As we grow in our practice, our awareness expands. We uncover a deeper understanding of the belief systems that color our perception of reality, which include the feeling of separation. Over time, this feeling of separation gives way to a feeling of oneness. When this knowing leads us to change our behavior in a natural way, we start treating others as brethren. When this becomes our natural habit, we will have embodied the principle of <a href="https://heartfulness.org/magazine/volunteers" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">universal brotherhood</a>.&nbsp;<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:75%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/community5_3bae34698e.webp" alt="community5.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_community5_3bae34698e.webp 155w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/small_community5_3bae34698e.webp 496w," sizes="100vw"></figure><hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">We cannot have true compassion for others unless we have compassion for ourselves, nor can we love others unless we love ourselves.</h4><hr>When we embody this principle, our lives transform in a fundamental way. We build meaningful and fulfilling relationships with our family members, friends, and colleagues, as well as members of our community, humanity as a whole, and all life forms. We develop genuine love and compassion for others, even when the feelings are not reciprocated, because we are all connected to the same reality. We are all one.To view the related video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GfBo3gyLsvo&amp;list=PL1QpxVYcCuCYtRiUo4AoWOZALqkwZUNhT&amp;index=6

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<h4 style="text-align:justify;">DAAJI offers us a guide to daily living and human transformation. This series is based on a book written more than 75 years ago, by Ram Chandra, called Commentary on the Ten Maxims of Sahaj Marg, which is still relevant for anyone wishing to evolve to their highest potential in today’s world.</h4><h4>Origins</h4>Some 75 years ago, a holy man in a remote town in Uttar Pradesh in the north of India decided to to put into words some amazing truths that he had received through direct perception from the universe. As a result, he came up with a method by which people could completely transform themselves and reach the highest level of consciousness possible, and go beyond. This method was based on taking the essence of the ancient practices of Raja Yoga, and modifying them for the present era of humanity. His name was Ram Chandra, and we know him today as Babuji.&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/babuji_5a8f005eed.webp" alt="babuji.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_babuji_5a8f005eed.webp 115w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/small_babuji_5a8f005eed.webp 369w," sizes="100vw"></figure>&nbsp;Here is the preface to his first book, Commentary on the Ten Maxims of Sahaj Marg, which was originally written in the Urdu language, and has now been translated into over 30 languages worldwide:<h4>A Word</h4>In this book I have endeavored to put up in words those spiritual secrets which have up till now come down from heart to heart. But since they relate to direct perception, which depends upon the study of Nature and can be revealed by means of vibrations, it is not only difficult, but almost impossible to express them adequately in words.“True love cannot be expressed by words. This is the very reality which is inexplicable in any way.”In this respect, I may therefore say that it is proper for the readers to try to reach up to the real spirit, ignoring the defects of expression and language, and be profited, and help others to be profited by it.Ram Chandra 8 December 1946He was eager to share this knowledge with everyone, to help us all experience those elevated states of consciousness that he had experienced. Being a householder he knew that <a href="https://heartfulness.org/magazine/spirituality-in-daily-life" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">spirituality</a> and materiality are like the two wings of a bird, and no one can soar on one wing alone. He was a humble man of simple means, but in the spiritual field he was a giant, the like of whom no one had seen before. His concern was not for himself, or for humanity alone, but for the whole universe. In order to bring positive change, peace and growth to suffering humanity, he knew that inner transformation was needed. He had developed a simple method that was easy to practice, and that was available to everyone, irrespective of culture, race, age, class, religious belief, education, and sex.<h4>Direct perception through superconsciousness</h4>The discoveries Babuji made were simple but revolutionary in the field of consciousness, much like the discoveries that Einstein made a few years earlier in the field of physics. In some ways these two men were alike. Their greatest ideas came to them through direct perception or inspiration. More importantly, unknown to each other, they were both exploring similar phenomena—one from the perspective of spirituality and the other from the perspective of science. Through his now famous equation E=mc2, Einstein proposed the interchangeable nature of mass and energy, creating tremors in the world of science. But Einstein was limited to the manifested world of physics. Babuji was able to express the inexpressible, and he gave us an understanding that transcends the aspect of interchangeability of mass and energy, writing in a letter to one of his associates:The energy itself in the long run returns to the Absolute—the cause of the power. The whole of matter, every particle of the body, becomes energy and then goes to its absolute.Einstein only knew the method to convert mass into energy, and not beyond it. In short, I can say that energy can also be converted into mass and this is a very easy job.Having only studied up to high school level in rural India, Babuji would not have been taken seriously by those scientists in the evolving field of quantum physics, yet the discoveries he made through direct perception were literally mind-blowing. He not only perceived directly that matter and energy were different vibrational states of the same manifestation, but that consciousness was the basic stuff of creation: Everything created since the Big Bang has emanated from consciousness.There is a sweet story of a meeting between Babuji and a physicist in London in 1972, through a mutual friend. The physicist did not consider Babuji worth listening to, as an uneducated simple man from rural India, until Babuji proceeded to describe to him in detail the intricate structure and movement of the particles in an atom. The physicist was astounded and asked Babuji how he knew this, to which Babuji replied, “I penetrated matter and I have described to you what I observed.”&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/introduction2_4f58b14f82.webp" alt="introduction2.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_introduction2_4f58b14f82.webp 245w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/small_introduction2_4f58b14f82.webp 500w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/medium_introduction2_4f58b14f82.webp 750w," sizes="100vw"></figure>&nbsp;During this same period, quantum scientists were spooked by the observer effect—the fact that an observer can affect the outcome of an experiment. Some held the view that it could be because everything is fundamentally made up of consciousness, so the consciousness of the observer will influence the consciousness of the object of the experiment. This idea did not initially go down well with the scientific community and even today scientists are divided on this issue.The subject of consciousness is now being researched and debated not only by scientists, but also by people in all fields and walks of life. We have come full circle, in fact, as this was also the case in ancient times in many cultures.<h4>The discovery of the Center and the mapping of consciousness</h4>In the meantime, back in the 1940s, Babuji not only demonstrated that we can change our consciousness by a special <a href="https://heartfulness.org/magazine/become-faster-emotions" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">method of meditation</a> on the heart, utilizing Pranahuti or yogic Transmission, he also went on to discover and map the various incremental levels of consciousness, and what lies beyond consciousness.Spiritual scientists from ancient India were familiar with the seven chakra system of energy consciousness, and most believed that the crown chakra was the pinnacle of spiritual achievement. Babuji was to change all that. Along with his teacher, another great sage of the 19th and 20th centuries, Lalaji, they together described a more complete chakra system, culminating in the 16th chakra, which Babuji called the Central Region, the source of everything. They had opened human awareness to an entirely different dimension of existence.&nbsp;<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:75%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/introduction3_f306287e27.webp" alt="introduction3.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_introduction3_f306287e27.webp 204w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/small_introduction3_f306287e27.webp 500w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/medium_introduction3_f306287e27.webp 750w," sizes="100vw"></figure><figure class="image image_resized" style="width:75%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/introduction4_b33ec8246f.webp" alt="introduction4.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_introduction4_b33ec8246f.webp 245w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/small_introduction4_b33ec8246f.webp 500w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/medium_introduction4_b33ec8246f.webp 750w," sizes="100vw"></figure><figure class="image image_resized" style="width:75%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/introduction5_ec9163f705.webp" alt="introduction5.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_introduction5_ec9163f705.webp 164w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/small_introduction5_ec9163f705.webp 500w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/medium_introduction5_ec9163f705.webp 750w," sizes="100vw"></figure>&nbsp;Lalaji transmitted the knowledge of the Central Region to Babuji, and also taught him the techniques to master that Region. Based on his own personal research and experience, Babuji then mapped the stages of consciousness, from the most solid levels of matter to the Center. This was the first time in the history of humankind that anyone was able to accomplish such a task.<h4>Meditation is a quantum experiment</h4>Babuji taught a simple method of meditation on the heart, rooted in the ancient traditions of Raja Yoga, yet simplified and modified to meet the needs of modern life. He explained why meditation is the best way to change and expand consciousness. And unlike traditional methods of yoga that took years of austere practice to bring the mind to balance, Heartfulness gave instantaneous results, because of the revolutionary use of Pranahuti.&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/introduction6_4f295ef50e.webp" alt="introduction6.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_introduction6_4f295ef50e.webp 234w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/small_introduction6_4f295ef50e.webp 500w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/medium_introduction6_4f295ef50e.webp 750w," sizes="100vw"></figure>&nbsp;What happens in meditation? In the last fifty years, scientists have made impressive strides in understanding how meditation impacts our physiology, especially the brain. This has been made possible by advancements in measuring technology, like brain scanning and its ability to pinpoint what function of the brain is improved with meditation. Some of the conclusions are that meditation reduces stress, improves sleep, reduces blood pressure, improves learning and memory, and increases happiness. The human brain is an amazingly complex system and science has only taken small steps in understanding it.Yogic scientists have known the value of meditation since ancient times. They knew about the observer effect long before science figured it out. In fact ancient texts like the Vedas and Upanishads could describe the various stages of consciousness in meditation that correlate with the brain waves now identified by EEG machines at each stage. For example, the ultimate depth of meditation, a stage called Samadhi in yoga, correlates with the very slow delta waves produced by the brain during deep sleep. Typically it takes many years of meditation to achieve a deep delta state, but Babuji enabled his students to experience Samadhi when they first started meditating.Each one of us transmits his or her vibration to the universe, and an evolved master of caliber, who is in osmosis with the Center, can transmit the essence of that Center, Pranahuti, into the heart of a student, thus enabling the student to advance faster and more effectively. This is what happens in the Heartfulness tradition.Yogic scientists also recognized the role of the Central Nervous System in a much wider context than just the brain. The heart, the spinal cord, the connection between heart and brain as two aspects of the spectrum of consciousness, and the consciousness at the cellular and atomic levels, have all been vital components of physiology in yogic science, which modern scientists are now starting to understand.<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">Each one of us transmits his or her vibration&nbsp; to the Universe, and an evolved Master of caliber,&nbsp; who is in osmosis with the Center, can transmit the essence of that Center, Pranahuti, into the heart of a student, thus enabling the student to advance faster and more effectively.&nbsp; This is what happens in the Heartfulness tradition.</h4><hr>Babuji perfected the method of Heartfulness and the science of yogic Transmission as a means to help human beings evolve through the various incremental stages of consciousness. But he was equally clear that this was not enough. Without working on personal development and character, this would lead nowhere, as there would be no integration of the physical, mental and spiritual bodies of the human being. Spiritual transformation is an internal transformation of the vibrational field of consciousness, whereas personality transformation is equally important for the process to be complete.As a result, his first book, Commentary on the Ten Maxims of Sahaj Marg, is a practical guide for both—how to live our lives in harmony on a daily basis. The maxims follow the 24-hour daily cycle, starting with waking in the morning, and finishing with going to sleep at night, guiding us in all areas of living. For that reason, this series is called “Heartful Living.”It &nbsp;may surprise you to know that at the time Babuji wrote his book on the Ten maxims in the 1940s, there were just a handful of books published in the area of self-help, including the hugely popular Self-Help by Samuel Smiles, Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill, As a Man Thinketh by James Allen, and How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie. Babuji was the first author in this era to give us a comprehensive guide to living by incorporating the five key elements of self-development: an effective practice, essential values, regulative behavior, leadership, and continuous improvement (see diagram 1). Within those five elements there are also ten principles. Even today, only a handful of books offer such a rich and all-encompassing road map to a fulfilling life.<h4>The five elements and ten principles of self-development</h4>The ten principles for living follow a daily cycle and inherent sequence, which unfolds like a flowering. At the center of this unfolding is the practice. It is the practice that triggers the flowering of consciousness. And it is the first thing that we do in the morning, preparing us for the day, setting the tone, and centering us for what is to happen. As consciousness expands, and purity and simplicity emerge, we are able to peek into our essential nature and start relaxing into our inner being. Our thoughts and actions are then guided by the essential values of the heart.The next segment of &nbsp;the unfoldment is behavior. When we are established in the state of being, our behavior resonates with that state. As being and doing reinforce each other, our consciousness evolves naturally to a level where we want to help others. Hence the capacities and qualities of leadership unfold naturally. The last segment of the unfoldment is continuous improvement which consists of daily review and corrective action before sleeping at night. This framework is dynamic and fluid. All the segments are co-emergent and seamless. It is holistic, a complete system, a living guidance. As we grow, our work itself becomes our teacher.&nbsp;<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:75%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/introduction7_d15486016e.webp" alt="introduction7.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_introduction7_d15486016e.webp 161w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/small_introduction7_d15486016e.webp 500w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/medium_introduction7_d15486016e.webp 750w," sizes="100vw"></figure><figure class="image image_resized" style="width:75%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/introduction8_1e07863a37.webp" alt="introduction8.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_introduction8_1e07863a37.webp 125w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/small_introduction8_1e07863a37.webp 402w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/medium_introduction8_1e07863a37.webp 603w," sizes="100vw"></figure>

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Heartful Living

<h4 style="text-align:justify;">MELISSA CONNELLY is an author and therapist. Her recent novel, What Was Lost, explores trauma and redemption, risk taking and self-care, shame and acceptance. Here she shares her experience as a new writer and the importance of sharing story.</h4>&nbsp;My novel, What Was Lost, concerns two traumatic events in the main protagonist's life: Marti is disfigured by an accident when she’s seven years old, and at age fourteen her art teacher grooms and sexually abuses her, leading to a pregnancy. It’s a dark, disturbing journey for Marti as she confronts her history.I’ve worked as a child therapist, but I’m no expert on trauma, any more than anyone else is. As Marti says, “Everyone has their own trauma.” No one gets through life unscarred. Of course, there are degrees; some people suffer and survive inconceivable tragedies and heartbreaks repeatedly throughout their lives. Others seem beaten down by the smallest of occurrences. We sometimes call these people complainers. But there’s no reason to judge someone’s inability to get back up. Even if what’s upsetting them seems minor to us, it’s their reality; they feel what they feel. Some crumble whereas others rise. It could be because of a history of neglect, abuse, or early childhood trauma. Or it could be their chemical makeup. People can be blessed with resiliency, and others not so much. Feel lucky if you have grit; it's a kind of hell without it.One thing my own experiences have taught me is that just like we’re doomed to repeat history if we don’t learn from it, we’re doomed to live in trauma if we don’t confront it. It can be too much to deal with initially, and sometimes we’re given the grace of shock for a while. But eventually it needs to be faced or it will linger in some deep, musty corner of your core and come out and smack you when you least expect it.Marti tries to lessen her trauma’s impact by replicating the experience through dangerous choices she makes. This is common among sexual abuse victims: “It’s okay. Didn’t affect me. See? I did it again!” She also tries to stay with her abuser. She does this because her shame is so great that she feels safe only with him. As contrary as this seems, it’s common among victims. It’s why sexual and physical abusers are often let off the hook. She stayed with him, so it couldn't be that bad.I’ve lived through traumatic events in my life and one of the ways I coped was to talk about the experience. The more I shared every single, perhaps hard-to-hear, little detail, the more my hurt dissipated. But Marti doesn’t have that luxury. She feels complicit in her abuse. Shame births the secret, and that secret shame is how perpetrators get away with their actions.Someone said to me, “Your memoir is coming out?” I corrected them, “No it's a novel.” They responded, “It’s autobiographical though, right? Aren’t all first novels?” I've received many comments like that, and have felt a strong urge to correct them. There are some parallels in my life to Marti’s—I left home and high school very young, just as Marti does. But her story isn’t mine; I wasn’t sexually abused by a teacher at fourteen.I wanted to correct this impression because I felt Marti’s shame. This realization made me sad and a little disappointed in myself. After all, I wrote the story to show there’s no shame in it. My discomfort gives me a small taste of what it’s like to walk in her shoes and now I feel a greater need to defend Marti.<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">Writing is cathartic even when it isn’t your story,&nbsp; because in some ways it always is.&nbsp; It's the human story.</h4><hr>My defense is both arrogant and unnecessary; Marti defends herself just fine. After burying her experiences for thirty long years, she faces them. She grows from victim to survivor. And now that Marti is launched in the world, I need to go on my own journey of acceptance, by allowing people to assume it’s my story. I wrote it and so I own it.&nbsp;I’m growing alongside Marti into a new understanding of the issues I wrote about—and of myself—as I advocate for the troubling, unsettling book I’ve written. Writing is cathartic even when it isn’t your story, because in some ways it always is. It's the human story.&nbsp;<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:25%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/writer_transference2_51e2a259a4.jpg" alt="writer-transference2.jpg" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_writer_transference2_51e2a259a4.jpg 101w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/small_writer_transference2_51e2a259a4.jpg 323w," sizes="100vw"></figure>

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<h4 style="text-align:justify;">The Master Yoga exhibition, held at UNESCO House in Paris from June 14 to 21, 2024, marked the 10th anniversary of International Day of Yoga proclaimed by the United Nations. Organized by the "Yoga for Unity" collective under the aegis of the Heartfulness Institute, the event brought together around twenty partner organizations and thirty renowned teachers. CLAIRE BIGAND was the exhibition coordinator, and here shares an overview of the week-long celebration.&nbsp;</h4>&nbsp;The visual exhibition covered an area of 600 square meters and attracted over 5,000 visitors. Visitors were able to explore the various philosophies, histories, and fundamental texts of yoga, reflecting the plurality of practices, through richly documented and illustrated panels.A full program of lectures, meditation workshops and yoga sessions, led by different schools, was on offer, and this varied approach gave the exhibition a creative, immersive, and educational dimension, captivating a large audience with a passion for the spiritual and physical disciplines of yoga.Interviews with top sportspeople explained how they practice yoga in their quest for performance, with testimonials from free diver, Alice Modolo; Anne Lejot, who works with players at Lens football club; and footballer Ada Hegerberg.A projection area also featured an interview with Daaji, spiritual guide and leader of the Heartfulness movement, an extract from the documentary film Respire by Stéphane Haskell, and a teaser for Brighter Minds, an innovative educational program aimed at developing children's <a href="https://heartfulness.org/magazine/love-in-action" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">cognitive and emotional</a> capacities.These elements enriched visitors’ experience by offering a variety of perspectives on the impact of yoga in different areas and on different personalities.At the heart of the exhibition, a statue of the Great Master Babuji guided visitors into the meditation bubble built from recycled materials, including bed slats. This unique space welcomed passers-by with Heartfulness Relaxation sessions, offering a haven of peace and rejuvenation.&nbsp;<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:75%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/Babuji_8f74f392b3.webp" alt="Babuji.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_Babuji_8f74f392b3.webp 145w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/large_Babuji_8f74f392b3.webp 1000w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/Babuji_8f74f392b3.webp 2000w," sizes="100vw"></figure><figure class="image"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/Meditation_space_7c01d646a1.webp" alt="Meditation space.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_Meditation_space_7c01d646a1.webp 145w, https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/large_Meditation_space_7c01d646a1.webp 1000w, https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/Meditation_space_7c01d646a1.webp 2000w" sizes="100vw"></figure>&nbsp;A wheel of postures was designed to inspire children to practice yoga by imitating different animals. This fun and accessible activity was a big hit with the youngest visitors and their parents.The 8 pillars of Ashtanga yoga according to Patanjali were presented in an educational and structured way in a thematic panel. The aim was to provide visitors with an in-depth understanding of the fundamental principles that guide this age-old discipline.&nbsp;<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:50%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/Ashtanga_Yoga_d269938b38.webp" alt="Ashtanga Yoga.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_Ashtanga_Yoga_d269938b38.webp 145w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/large_Ashtanga_Yoga_d269938b38.webp 1000w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/Ashtanga_Yoga_d269938b38.webp 2000w," sizes="100vw"></figure>&nbsp;Jocelyne Capuano from the Viniyoga Foundation said, “A wonderful tribute to yoga, presenting its very essence and its origins, which are little-known to most people, and above all giving it a place in the future for and by future generations.”June 14 saw the launch of Master Yoga at UNESCO House in Paris. It was a wonderful evening hosted by Guila Clara Kessous, UNESCO Artist for Peace, bringing together the partners, sponsors, presenters, and volunteers, without whom the exhibition would not have been possible.Among those who shared their thoughts with the guests were H.E. Vishal V. Sharma, Ambassador of the Permanent Delegation of India to UNESCO; Gabriela Ramos, assistant Director-General for Social and Human Sciences; Vera El Khoury Lacoeuilhe, Chair of the Executive Board UNESCO; Alain Desvigne, President of the Heartfulness Institute; Paule Porruncini, President of Shri Ram Chandra Mission France; and Pierre Ravan, musician.Alain Desvigne said, “Yoga permeates every aspect and dimension of our lives when we commit ourselves to it wholeheartedly and with intensity. Everything we think, everything we do, everything we are and, ultimately, everything we become is yoga... Thanks to the daily practice of yoga, changes in consciousness occur, so that our perception of and interaction with the world around us change.“And where do these changes take us? Ultimately, they increase our desire to co-create a paradise here and now, rather than waiting for it or dreaming about it after we die. This is the main reason why we chose UNESCO for this unique experiential exhibition.”The afternoon of Saturday June 15 was dedicated to little yogis. Teachers from the Viniyoga Foundation, Research for Yoga in Education (RYE), and Heartfulness Institute offered seven workshops combining stories and postures, mandalas, relaxation and breathing, and preparation for the illustration and writing competition. Children aged 3 to 18, accompanied by their parents, happily discovered yoga in a fun and festive atmosphere. The day ended with the prize-giving ceremony for the competition, presided over by dignitaries including Natasha St. Pier, Stéphane Haskell, Guila Clara Kessous, and Catherine Dumesnil.The Brighter Minds method for children was presented in a film shown several times during the exhibition, enabling many people to discover it. A primary school at the Quai d'Orsay took part in a discovery workshop led by Brighter Minds teacher Alicia Fest Kindler, and the students and teachers greatly appreciated the demonstration.&nbsp;<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:75%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/Sports_round_table_888a9aef45.webp" alt="Sports round table.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_Sports_round_table_888a9aef45.webp 145w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/large_Sports_round_table_888a9aef45.webp 1000w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/Sports_round_table_888a9aef45.webp 2000w," sizes="100vw"></figure>On June 18, top sportspeople and mental trainers came together, including &nbsp;Ophélie David, Camille Bruyas, Anne Lejot, Jean-Yves Ogier, and Karine Fontbonne. All testified to the benefits of the diverse practices of yoga, which are sometimes atypical in circles like football. Bernadette de Gasquet also shared her valuable experience of working with Olympic champions.On June 19, the Yoga, Leadership and Governance Masterclass took place. The participants were invited on a journey to discover yoga as a path to true leadership, through the expertise, testimonies and practical experiences shared by an inspiring panel of business leaders, political leaders, leadership consultants, and yoga practitioners, in interaction with the audience. The participants will have the opportunity to continue their exploration through workshops at the Heartfulness Center in Paris in the coming months.Cine-meditation is a concept developed by Heartfulness over the last ten years: offering a free 20-minute relaxation-meditation session before or after an inspirational film. Heartfulness has had the great pleasure and privilege of working with Stéphane Haskell for several years. Stéphane generously presented his film Debout, which was screened on June 20, followed by a great question-and-answer session.June 21, International Day of Yoga, was marked by a formal session of inspiring and committed talks. Present were H.E. Madam Simona Mirela Miculescu, President of the General Conference, UNESCO; Madam Stefania Giannini, Assistant Director General for Education, UNESCO; H.E. Mister Vishal V. Sharma, Ambassador and Permanent Delegate of India to UNESCO; and Madam Fumiko Ohinata, Secretary of the 2003 Convention on Intangible Cultural Heritage, UNESCO.To finish the exhibition in style, in the evening, musician and DJ Pierre Ravan and musician Habib Meftha thrilled us with a mix of house music, traditional instruments, and a meditative pause that deeply moved a captivated and receptive audience. It was an authentic experience that will live long in the memory.See more at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4SCNBdXaF_Q<figure class="image"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/Music_and_dance_02d9fa510b.webp" alt="Music and dance.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_Music_and_dance_02d9fa510b.webp 145w, https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/large_Music_and_dance_02d9fa510b.webp 1000w, https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/Music_and_dance_02d9fa510b.webp 2000w" sizes="100vw"></figure><figure class="image image_resized" style="width:75%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/Music_f215f612ec.webp" alt="Music.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_Music_f215f612ec.webp 145w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/large_Music_f215f612ec.webp 1000w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/Music_f215f612ec.webp 2000w," sizes="100vw"></figure><hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">Photographs courtesy of HEARTFULNESS INSTITUTE</h4><hr>

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Master Yoga 2024, UNESCO Paris

<h4 style="text-align:justify;">SWAMI MUKUNDANANDA shares his thoughts on the responsibility of each one of us to bring about change in the world, and the need to create a culture that is based on tolerance, inclusiveness, wisdom, and inner cultivation.</h4>&nbsp;All of us, as members of one human race inhabiting our planet Earth, have the combined responsibility of ensuring peace at the world level. Yet even though we realize this noble and cherished goal, it still remains elusive.In the last 5,000 years of recorded human history, at least 5,000 wars have been fought. The worst of these came to an end in 1945 when unitedly the world realized the need for world peace and established the United Nations. Yet, despite that, wars have continued.&nbsp;The world is not an indivisible entity; but it is constituted of individuals like you and me. World peace comes through peaceful pieces. When each piece is peaceful, it will ensure world peace.&nbsp;Is it possible to achieve a peace that is independent of externals—that will be retained despite adversities, that nobody can snatch away from us? It is possible, and it is what the ancient books of wisdom have taught us. They say peace has to be discovered inside, within your mind.This mind is bondage, and the cause of liberation. The mind is such a powerful thing: it can make heaven in hellish circumstances; and in the most celestial circumstances, you can experience the torments of hell. That is why this mind is the key to peace.There was once a businessman in Hyderabad who wanted to become detached, so he left his home and work to live in the Himalayas. He went to a monastery where he was given a hut, and there he started a spiritual practice. He&nbsp;had reached a reasonable level of proficiency when the monsoon came, and along with the rain came the sounds of nature—the frogs and the crickets were making merry. The man was disturbed while sitting in meditation, and when his tolerance was exhausted, he opened the window and screamed, “Silence!”Now, because his spiritual practice&nbsp;had reached such a level, Nature also listened when he spoke, and so the frogs and crickets became quiet. He went back to his meditation, but discovered that he was still not able to meditate. Another voice was disturbing him, and this time it was from inside him. The voice of his conscience was saying, “What I did, was it right?” No matter how much he tried, he was unable to silence it. So finally, he again opened the window and said, “Begin!” The frogs and the crickets all resumed making a racket. He went back to meditation and this time found perfect peace, the peace from within him.That peace is irrespective of externals, and that peace nobody can take away from us. So, the mind is such a powerful instrument. We need to purify it. The essence of spirituality is the purification of the mind. And how do you purify the mind? By attaching the mind to the all-pure, to the Supreme. When we were little children, we heard the phrase, “No God, no peace.” Where there is no God, there is no peace. And “Know God, know peace.” When you come to know God, you will come to know peace. So, when we attach our mind to the all-pure, we will achieve purity of mind. And that purity of mind will help us achieve true peace.&nbsp;<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:50%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/crossroads_modernisation2_8cb26f570a.webp" alt="crossroads-modernisation2.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_crossroads_modernisation2_8cb26f570a.webp 145w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/large_crossroads_modernisation2_8cb26f570a.webp 322w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/crossroads_modernisation2_8cb26f570a.webp 322w," sizes="100vw"></figure><hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">When we attach our mind to&nbsp;the all-pure,&nbsp; we will achieve purity of mind.&nbsp; And that purity of mind will help us achieve true peace.</h4><hr>Today, India is at a juncture, the crossroads of modernization. We are the fifth largest economy, soon to become the third largest. We are destined to take our place on the world stage. And, as a world leader, we will soon become a thought leader of the world as well.India has a heritage of tolerance, inclusiveness, wisdom, and inner cultivation. Two and a half thousand years ago, Jagadguru Shankaracharya, asked the question, “Jagat jitam kena?”, meaning, who shall conquer the world? And the answer he gave was, “Mano hi yena,” meaning, the person who conquers their own mind. So, if we wish to achieve peace, we need to declare war. Not a war fought on the outside, but a war fought within ourselves—the war against the demons lying within ourselves.Excerpt from a talk given at the Global Spirituality Mahotsav 2024

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The crossroads of modernization