Rollin is a scientist, psychophysiologist, Executive Vice President and Director of Research at HeartMath Institute, member of the Global Coherence Steering committee, and project coordinator of GCI's Global Coherence Monitoring System. He is a professor at Florida Atlantic University.

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Dr. Rollin McCraty

<hr><h4>In December 2022, DR. ROLLIN McCRATY, Director of Research at the Heart Math Institute, gave an online presentation at the international Heartfulness conference, “An Integrative Approach to Health and Well-being,” at Kanha Shanti Vanam. Here we share some highlights from his talk.</h4><hr><h4>What Is coherence?</h4>Most people have an intuitive understanding of coherence, but in the scientific community it’s a term and a concept used in every branch of science, from the macro to the micro scale. We use it to describe the behavior of the parts of a complex system. In a coherent system, those parts have to be communicating and talking to each other so there’s connectedness. It’s inherent to the concept of coherence, and it’s really a measure of the harmonious order of how all the parts of a system are working together.A coherent system implies stability and energy efficiency. Another key concept of coherence is that in any system – whether it’s a human being, or any other scale we want to look at– there’s a greater wholeness than you can derive from the sum of the parts. This is why we chose to use this term in our research so many years ago.Our research focuses on three primary domains: personal, social, and global. For the personal, we have spent many years looking at the coherence within our bodies, especially between the heart and brain. Socially, we can define the coherence of a group, whether that’s a family, a work team, a leadership team, or even a community. I won’t have a lot of time to go into global coherence, but I’ll give you a teaser.<h4>The heart profoundly affects brain function</h4>It probably isn’t a surprise to you that the heart sends far more information to the brain than the brain sends to the heart, but it is a big surprise for a lot of people in our medical communities in the Western world. It is not a new finding – it has been known since the late 1800s: in fact it’s basic anatomy.<hr><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/science_heart_coherence2_901cc64c37.jpg" alt="the-science-of-heart-coherence">&nbsp;<hr><hr><h4>There are neural channels by which the heart and brain communicate,&nbsp; but the heart also communicates with the brain hormonally, energetically,&nbsp; through the pressure waves it generates that affect every cell&nbsp; and synchronizes all the cells in the body.</h4><hr><hr>In the 1970s, there were some major discoveries that really shifted the paradigm in the field of psychophysiology. It was discovered that the neural traffic that the heart sends to the brain has profound effects on brain function. Two terms were introduced back then. The first is “cortical inhibition,” where the cortex or higher parts of the brain are inhibited when the heart is sending certain types of messages. The other term is “cortical facilitation,” which was introduced to describe the global effects that the activity of the heart has on the brain. Since then, we have a much deeper understanding of the mechanisms and how this all works.The activity of the heart also has a lot to do with creating our emotional experience. The brain is largely interpreting the message that’s being sent to it from the heart, and I think that is why we intuitively and innately know when we fall in love with someone. We don’t say, “I love you with all of my brain,” right? We say, “I love you with all of my heart,” and there’s a deep physiological reason for that.<hr><hr><h4>The activity of the heart has a lot to do with creating our emotional experience.&nbsp; The brain is largely interpreting the message that’s being sent to it from the heart.</h4><hr><hr>What they didn’t know back then was that the heart has its own intrinsic nervous system, which has been nicknamed “the heart brain” in the field of neural cardiology. The neural structures in the heart have now been proven to have short-term memory, long-term memory, neuroplasticity, neurogenesis – all of the functions of a functional brain. There are neural channels by which the heart and brain communicate, so the heart also communicates with the brain hormonally, and energetically, through the pressure and electromagnetic waves it generates that affects every cell and synchronizes all the cells in the body.Zeroing in on the primary neural pathways, we have the vagus nerves, which are the two nerves that travel up through the front of the body. They are the primary pathways of the para sympathitic branch of the autonomic nervous system. They are very large nerves, with thousands of neural fibers, and 90% of those fibers are carrying information from the body to the brain. The majority of those afferent or ascending neural pathways are coming from the heart and the cardiovascular system, far more than any other system in the body. There are also ascending (afferent) neural pathways in the sympathetic branch, so it’s a very complex two-way traffic between the heart and the brain.All of the neural connections coming down from the brain connect into the intrinsic cardiac nervous system, the heart brain, and then within the heart there are another 40,000 to 50,000 sensory neurons that are sensing things like rhythm, pressure, and about 80% of these neurons are sensing biochemistry.If you were going to put in a system to detect what’s going on in the blood, to monitor hormones, neurotransmitters and so on, where would you put it? The heart makes obvious sense, so that all of the information is fed into the heart brain, and then up to the brain in different neural patterns.The intrinsic cardiac nervous system can and does override the neural signals coming down from the brain, and at a functional level a heart has its own type of intelligence. In fact, in the papers from the 70s and 80s, people were talking about the heart as though it had a mind of its own before they knew about the intrinsic cardiac nervous system.<h4>Heart rate variability</h4>One of the tools that gives us a window into the dynamic communication between the heart and brain, and the activity within our autonomic nervous system, is heart rate variability. At a high level, we can measure the amount of variability a person has, and it reflects their health status, their capacity to self-regulate, and self-regulate thoughts, emotions, and behaviors.Our ability to adapt is directly tied to our heartrate variability (HRV). Too little variability reflects a deep depletion within the nervous system. One of the leading reasons for that is chronic stress, and the second leading cause is pathology, e.g. diabetes, metabolic syndrome, etc. It also reflects inadequate function of the various levels of our self-regulatory system.<hr><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/science_heart_coherence3_fc25af5621.jpg" alt="the-science-of-heart-coherence">&nbsp;<hr><hr><h4>The intrinsic cardiac nervous system can and does override&nbsp; the neural signals coming down from the brain,&nbsp; and at a functional level a heart has its own type of intelligence.</h4><hr><hr>So people who have behavioral management issues such as anger issues or panic attacks, often have low HRV. The time intervals between each consecutive pair of heartbeats is always changing. A small amount of variability is not a condition we want to see because it reflects system depletion, and is highly predictive of future health problems. In fact, low HRV for our age shows up oftentimes several years before the onset of cancer, diabetes, and so on, so it has a huge use in clinical assessment.I want to go a little bit deeper. This graph is from a paper we published in the American Journal of Cardiology back in the mid 90s that was the first to show that the most reflective measure of our emotional state is the pattern of our heart rhythms, our heart rate variability. So on the left side we can see a jagged, chaotic rhythm, which is the rhythm that we have when we’re experiencing feelings like impatience, frustration, worry, or anxiety. If we get angry it’s way more chaotic. This quite literally reflects a desynchronization in the neural activity in our higher brain systems and within our nervous system. This is actually the type of a rhythm or pattern that’s been associated with cortical inhibition, where the brain doesn’t work very well.<img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/science_heart_coherence4_ver2_700x343_d71cddd0af.jpg" alt="the-science-of-heart-coherence">The graph on the right shows the same person after they used a technique called heart-focused breathing (we’ve developed various different techniques to shift into that coherent rhythm).This rhythm naturally emerges when people experience heartfelt feelings like appreciation, gratitude, compassion, love. These types of emotions naturally shift us into what we now call coherent rhythm and that’s associated with cortical facilitation.There’s a lot going on in that coherent state within our body, and it is a measure of the increasing synchronization in our higher brain and within our nervous system. It has a lot of benefits. Coherence is not the same thing as relaxation. When we’re in a coherent state (and more than 400 independent studies have confirmed this), there area broad range of health benefits like lower blood pressure, increased hormonal balance, faster recovery from <a href="https://heartfulness.org/magazine/the-hidden-impact-of-vitamin-b12-deficiency" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">heart disease</a> and diabetes, better outcomes in education, and the list goes on.We can teach people how to shift into that state very quickly, and we especially want to create those shifts in the moments when people are in challenging situations and want their mental faculties to work well.To be continued.To watch the full talk, go to <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mm6MDe_ZwFc">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mm6MDe_ZwFc</a>.<hr><hr><h4>Illustrations by ANANYA PATEL</h4><hr><hr>

The science of heart coherence

<hr><h4>DR. ROLLIN McCRATY, Director of Research at the HeartMath Institute, gave an online presentation to the Heartfulness international conference, “An Integrative Approach to Health and Well-being,” at Kanha Shanti Vanam in December 2022. In part 2, he shares more about coherence at the individual, group, and global levels.</h4><hr><h4>Heart to brain to body</h4>It took many years for us to sort out why our heart rhythms have such a profound influence on brain function, but at the end of the day it’s pretty simple.As I mentioned in “<a href="https://www.heartfulnessmagazine.com/the-science-of-heart-coherence/">The Science of Heart Coherence</a>,” we have neural traffic coming up through the afferent or ascending pathways to the brain, and once it comes to the brainstem there are strong direct neural connections to every major brain center. The one I’m going to focus on is the thalamus, which is at the very core of our brain.The thalamus has many roles and functions, but one key function is to globally synchronize the electrical activity of the neural systems in the entire brain. In fact, it’s the brain’s ability to synchronize its own electrical activity that allows us to be awake and conscious. These neural loops between the thalamus and cortex, called the thalamocortical loops, are critical to be awake and conscious. If those loops are damaged, like in a head injury, and they get severed, those people are in a coma. They can’t wake up because the brain can’t organize and synchronize its electrical activity.When we’re in an emotional state that desynchronizes our system, like when we feel frustration or anger, that neural pattern of activity goes directly to the thalamus. It interferes with and inhibits the thalamus’ ability to globally synchronize the activity in the entire brain. It’s easy to measure in things like reaction times, coordination tasks, visual fields, etc.The most important parts of the brain that are affected are the frontal and prefrontal cortex areas. These frontal systems of the brain give us foresight, the ability to understand how our actions and behaviors in the now affect the future. That’s very different from memory of the past, hindsight. These neural structures have to be well synchronized to perform optimally, and that’s why when we’re angry or anxious or feeling overwhelmed – the states that desynchronize us –those systems are taken offline. It’s why when we get angry we can often say or do things we later regret, that we probably didn’t even mean. It’s why emotions like anger and frustration lead to us making inefficient choices, make us stupid. Whereas when we’re able to shift to a coherent rhythm, it actually facilitates global synchronization above and beyond our normal walking around states. So we have more options available, we can take that inner pause, and listen to the messages our deeper heart is sending us, and so on.<hr><hr><h4>When we’re able to shift to a coherent rhythm,&nbsp; it actually facilitates global synchronization&nbsp; above and beyond our normal walking around states.&nbsp; So we have more options available,&nbsp; we can take that inner pause,&nbsp; and listen to the messages our deeper&nbsp; heart is sending us, and so on.</h4><hr><hr><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/we_truly_connected2_1_231596bf4a.jpg"><hr>There are also many other neural pathways, e.g. to the amygdala, so the pattern of the rhythms has a lot to do with creating our emotional experience, and so on. This synchronization is something we can measure. We developed processes for literally measuring how synchronized the heart and brain are. All of the neural rhythms of the brain, e.g. alpha rhythm, theta rhythm, and so on, are to various degrees naturally synchronized to the heart, to the cardiac cycle.<h4>How to perform optimally</h4>To really perform optimally, it really boils down to getting the heart and brain synchronized. That’s something we can teach, and over 400 studies have been done on health out comes. In terms of brain function, coherence training and increased synchronization is related to our ability to self-regulate, to really make better choices, long-term memory, short-term memory, focus, and faster reaction times.We work a lot with Olympic athletes and professional athletes, because of the faster reaction times. Higher test scores in children in schools, and improved ability to learn are also directly associated with increased coherence.Twelve thousand healthcare workers in our larger hospital systems in the United States went through our training to learn how to become more coherent throughout the day. After just six weeks we saw big reductions in exhaustion, tiredness, depression, anxiety, anger, and annoyance. Those results are sustainable. It’s called a baseline shift, where getting our system in sync becomes a new automatic, because we’ve retrained the brain and nervous system so that coherence is a familiar state, which then allows us to self-regulate better.Shifting gears, we have heard from thousands of people after learning the self-regulation techniques that their intuition is radically increased. Also, that they’ve come to expect synchronicities. So we embarked on a few years of rigorous laboratory-based research to see if we could measure what I now call “non-local intuition,” and the results are summarized in this this one statement. The heart is the first to receive the intuitive information, before we can measure any other changes in the body or the brain. The heart sends a measurably different neural signal to the brain, and we trace that ascending information both in location and in time, how it travels through the different areas to the brain. We can clearly see in these studies that the heart first sends a different neural message to the brain, and then there is a body response. So the gut gets the credit oftentimes, but the real flow of information is heart, brain, body, then it becomes a conscious or felt feeling.<hr><hr><h4>What we feel inside doesn’t stop at the skin.&nbsp; We are constantly broadcasting, and it has&nbsp; measurable impacts on those around us.&nbsp; When we’re in a coherent state,&nbsp; it helps to lift others into a more coherent and balanced, centered state.&nbsp; We can’t force people, but we create a field environment&nbsp; that helps lift people into a more balanced state.</h4><hr><hr><h4>The heart’s wisdom</h4>When I first published these studies back in the late 90s, I said that the heart appears to have access to a field of information outside the boundaries of time and space. I’ve come out of the closet even more since then: what are we talking about when we think of a field of information that’s not bound by time and space? The term I like is the energetic heart. It’s been called the spiritual heart for thousands of years. This is something we can now measure, and these studies are supporting what the world’s great religions have all said all along, that the heart is the access point to greater wisdom, intuition, courage, and deeper understanding.We can now measure in very rigorous lab-based studies that as we become more coherent it opens that channel to our larger self (that’s what we call it here at HeartMath); we can call it the soul, spirit, higher self. It doesn’t really matter what language we use, we’re talking about that energetic part of ourselves that we can’t put under a microscope. It’s very real. We can’t put a thought or an emotion or an intuition under a microscope, but we all experience them, we know they’re real. We can measure how they manifest in our brain and nervous system and heart.So we call this heart intelligence at HeartMath, and here is a quote from our founder:“Picture heart intelligence as the flow of awareness, understanding, and intuitive guidance we experience when the mind and emotions are brought into coherent alignment with the energetic heart. This intelligence steps down the power of love from universal source into our life’s interactions in practical, approachable ways which inform us to a straighter path to our fulfillment.” —Doc Childre<h4>The heart’s magnetic field</h4>Another thing that people find compelling in our research relates to magnetic fields. When we use ECG and EEG machines, what is being measured by the electrodes is the flow of current, but whenever we have a flow of electrical current we also generate a magnetic field. Electrodes don’t measure that, so we use another device called a magnetometer.One of the qualities of magnetic fields is they easily go through skin and they easily radiate externally into the environment. This is why cell phones work – it’s the magnetic component of the field that goes through walls so that our phones work indoors. It’s something we can measure; we can take a magnetometer and measure the heart’s field many feet from the body. The actual shape of the field is toroidal, a doughnut-shaped field, like you see below.<hr><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/we_truly_connected3_9cde575837.jpg"><hr>Gerhard Baule and Richard McFee actually demonstrated this field and got the shape right in 1863. So this has been known for a long time.I was a communication engineer in my previous career, so I could use the same techniques I used to decode information being carried by a radio transmitter. We can think of this quite literally as a personal field environment that we radiate. When we look at the information being carried by the heart’s field, we can see that it actually directly relates back to our heart rhythm patterns. Vibrational information patterns being carried by the field look very different depending upon our emotional state. We can now measure the field external to the body using these magnetometer probes, with about 75% accuracy of what somebody’s feeling, their emotional state. When we’re in a coherent state, which is associated with appreciation and love, we radiate a more coherent signal into the environment versus incoherent states associated with anger and frustration. We can now measure this information.The next step was to ask the question: are our nervous systems like big antennas that are sensitive to this information? Are we detecting it and responding to it? The answer is clearly yes.A number of studies have been published on this. In one of the earlier studies, forty people were divided into groups of four sitting around a table, and their physiology was monitored. One of the participants was naive to the real purpose of the experiment and the other three were trained to shift into coherence. The study was well done and there are many steps to the protocol. When the other three were signaled to shift into a coherent state, even though the naive person didn’t know what was going on, there was a highly significant measurable lift in the coherence of the naïve person.This study demonstrated that what we feel inside doesn’t stop at the skin. We are constantly broadcasting, and it has measurable impacts on those around us. When we’re in a coherent state, ithelps to lift others into a more coherent and balanced, centered state. We can’t force people, but we create a field environment that helps lift people into a more balanced state.It’s amazing when we learn these techniques and practice them in group settings. We often see and feel the difference that occurs when we’re broadcasting more love and appreciation into the field environment.<hr><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/we_truly_connected4_1_da89f2e5c7.jpg"><hr><h4>Global coherence</h4>We also take this to the global level, which is another branch of our research called the Global Coherence Initiative. This is a science-based project with a lot of collaborators around the world. While it has a very rigorous scientific side, it’s also about uniting people to radiate heart-focused love and compassion with the intention of facilitating the shift in global consciousness from the current instability and discord we see on the planet to more compassion, care, cooperation, and peace. That’s really what this is all about.As part of it, we have put magnetometers to measure the Earth’s magnetic field, the resonant frequencies, the vibrating field lines of the Earth, in various sites around the world. A study we published recently had groups of people in California, Lithuania, New Zealand, Saudi Arabia, and England wearing recorders that reported heart rate variability 24 hours a day for 15 days, and one of the aspects we were able to measure was how synchronized people’s heart rhythms were with the resonant frequencies in the Earth’s field. As it turns out, there’s an exact overlap of one of the primary field line resonances of the Earth. It’s exactly the same as the rhythms of our hearts when we’re in that coherent rhythm.<hr><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/we_truly_connected6_538fcbdbb7.jpg"><hr>The green vertical bars rising above all the others is the day when all the people in the groups around the world participated in a 15-minute heart meditation, we call it a “heart lock-in,” where they shifted into that coherent rhythm and then radiated love and appreciation in this case to each other. What these data are showing us is that while they were in that coherent state we measured their coherence, and we saw a significantly increased heart-to-heart synchronization among all the group members.That’s pretty cool to begin with, but the big surprise came when we looked at the next 24-hour period, and these green bars are showing us that every single group registered a significant increase in being in sync with the fields of the Earth when they were in that heartful state for fifteen minutes.It’s easy to understand why it’s a good thing to be in sync with each other on Earth, but now more and more studies are emerging that show how and why that’s so important for our own health, our connectivity to others, how we get along with others, and so on. This is really new science; we’re beginning to understand the importance of and the depth of synchronization that we have. I can’t tell you how many times I have said, “Well, on some level we’re all connected,” and science is now starting to show how we are fundamentally synchronized with the Earth.<hr><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/we_truly_connected5_1732f15f45.jpg"><hr>So let’s all help co-create a world of deeper care and kindness. With the Heartfulness practices and Heart Coherence practices we can establish a new baseline for the creation of a new culture of deeper care, kindness, connection, and more cooperation. It’s up to each of us to take responsibility for what we’re feeding the field, our personal field and how that connects to the global field. It’s our choice and I hope you will all join us adding more love and compassion to the planetary field.<hr><hr>To watch the full talk, go to <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mm6MDe_ZwFc">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mm6MDe_ZwFc</a>.<hr><hr><hr><h4>Illustrations by ANANYA PATEL</h4><hr><hr>

We truly are all connected

<h4 style="text-align:justify;">DR. ROLLIN MCCRATY shares the science of the synchronicity between the heart and mind and, when they are in sync, how the love that is created can positively connect us to each other and everything in the world.</h4>&nbsp;It’s a great honor to be here. I’m not going to stand here and try to tell you anything you haven’t already heard or that you don’t already know, but I am going to tell you the same thing in a different language, the language of science.&nbsp;I have been a long-term meditator myself, and I learned about the heart. But if I’m really honest, it was more like a metaphor for emotions; for me it was all about the brain. I even got a degree in Consciousness Studies. Then I had the great fortune to meet the Founder of HeartMath, Doc Childre, and I was introduced to the real Heart, the deeper heart, which it is really all about.&nbsp;I was fortunate to help him found The HeartMath Institute, and a few years later he invited me to found The HeartMath Research Center. He said we have to do rigorous scientific research. The language of science is the new language for many people in the world, and if we’re going to introduce them to getting their hearts and brains in sync, we need that work.&nbsp;So, over the last 30 years, we made a lot of scientific discoveries that validate what we already believed to be true. We started by looking at how emotions affect the body, the physiology. We were measuring brainwaves and hearts in the lab. And what we found back when we started this (at that time, nobody was looking at what happens in our bodies when we love, when we appreciate, it was all about stress, depression, and anxiety), was that when people had heartfelt feelings of love, compassion, kindness, something magical happened. Their heartbeats, the rhythms of the heart, dramatically changed.Today we know this as an optimal state, a state where the mind, emotions, the heart all come into synchronization. We call it heart coherence. There are over 500 studies that show when people are in a heart coherent state, it lifts and benefits almost everything: our health, our performance in sports, etc., but especially our ability to access our inner intuitive guidance.&nbsp;The beautiful thing about the heart and heart coherence is it’s neutral. It’s something we all have. And whenever we’re feeling love, compassion, and kindness, we shift into a heart coherent state. It doesn’t matter how we get there, what technique or practice we do. It increases the measurable synchronization between the rhythms of the brain and the rhythms of the heart.&nbsp;<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:75%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/time_for_love_to_go_viral2_cc837f4577.webp" alt="time-for-love-to-go-viral2.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_time_for_love_to_go_viral2_cc837f4577.webp 145w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/large_time_for_love_to_go_viral2_cc837f4577.webp 554w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/time_for_love_to_go_viral2_cc837f4577.webp 554w," sizes="100vw"></figure><hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">The big gift is access to our intuition, our inner guidance.</h4><hr>The big gift is access to our intuition, our inner guidance. This is something we have tested in the lab, and even we were surprised. The takeaway is that the heart can know the future; it all starts in the heart. The heart is the first to get the information. It sends a measurably different signal to the brain, and then there is a brain response, and only then is there a body response to felt emotion.&nbsp;The heart has access to a field of information that is not bound by time and space. I would suggest we have two hearts: the physical heart and the energetic heart, which has been called the spiritual heart in so many spiritual and religious traditions. The energetic heart is the bridge that connects the larger part of our self—our soul, our spirit. It translates that down into the physical world of our bodies. The energetic heart is how we connect with our larger self, our higher self. That’s the real us. As we learn to become more heart coherent, that pathway opens. Becoming more heart-coherent can facilitate anything we do, and any practice we want to take up.&nbsp;The next adventure in our research was to understand scientifically how the heart connects us with others. Our heart doesn’t just stop at the skin. We are broadcasting radiating fields, magnetic fields produced by the heart. We were able to show that those fields carry information about how we feel. When we’re in a coherent state, which we get into naturally when we’re loving and appreciative, it connects us with others in a measurable way. Hearts literally synchronize when we come together in the heart.<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">When we’re in a coherent state, which we get into naturally when we’re loving and appreciative, it connects us with others in a measurable way.&nbsp;</h4><hr><figure class="image image_resized" style="width:75%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/time_for_love_to_go_viral3_f939f2f819.webp" alt="time-for-love-to-go-viral3.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_time_for_love_to_go_viral3_f939f2f819.webp 145w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/large_time_for_love_to_go_viral3_f939f2f819.webp 554w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/time_for_love_to_go_viral3_f939f2f819.webp 554w," sizes="100vw"></figure><figure class="image image_resized" style="width:75%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/time_for_love_to_go_viral4_359bf0fa71.webp" alt="time-for-love-to-go-viral4.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_time_for_love_to_go_viral4_359bf0fa71.webp 145w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/large_time_for_love_to_go_viral4_359bf0fa71.webp 554w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/time_for_love_to_go_viral4_359bf0fa71.webp 554w," sizes="100vw"></figure>&nbsp;And that opens a new type of communication where we hear each other deeply. Even when we don’t agree, we still have the heart level connection. It’s the key to how we build social coherence, how we learn to get along with others, even when our minds might not disagree.&nbsp;<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">The heart really is what is connecting us across dimensions, with the higher self, with others, and with yourself.</h4><hr>The next major step in the research path was understanding how our hearts not only connect us with our higher self and with others, but with the Earth itself. When we measured the heart-coherent rhythm, a rhythm of about ten seconds (we have new technologies that can measure it), we started asking questions like, “How do mothers know their children are in harm’s way when they’re on the other side of the planet?” “What’s connecting us? There has to be something making that connection.”&nbsp;We all live within the magnetic fields of the Earth, the North Pole, the South Pole, the fields of Earth. We discovered that the fields vibrate at the same frequency as the coherent human heart rhythm. When we’re in that heart coherent state, through resonance we connect with the fields of the Earth. We’re all connected too. We’re finding that the interconnected fields of the Earth not only connect us to each other, but with nature, with trees and animals. The heart really is what is connecting us across dimensions, with the higher self, with others, and with yourself.&nbsp;Once we really understood that, we said, “How can we teach this to others? How can we make coherence easy?” So we developed technologies to help us do that. They are inexpensive technologies that allow you to see your heart rhythm in real time. I’m thrilled to say they are being introduced into many schools in the US and other countries, allowing kids to learn this at an early age. I personally think there is no greater gift we can give our children than learning how to sync our hearts and brains so they have that skill for life.&nbsp;When we look at the global field, we have new technologies that can measure it. When we come together at events like this, we get into that coherent state. In other words, we add love and compassion, and we intentionally radiate that into the field environment, the Earth. Love is by far the most powerful energy or frequency bringing coherence into the planetary field. We can measure this. And I’m honored to say that the Heartfulness Institute is one of our partners on this project. We have a lot of these devices here, now, measuring what we’re doing to affect the field.&nbsp;I hope it has been useful to share some science with you. What does this all point to? My parting invitation is: it’s time for love to go viral. It’s what is going to shift the frequency of the planet, it’s what is going to lift the baseline of humanity into our next level of consciousness, where the heart and brain are truly in sync, in a joint partnership.From a talk given at the Global Spirituality Mahotsav, March 14 to 17, 2024, at Kanha Shanti Vanam<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">Illustrations by JASMEE MUDGAL</h4><hr>

It’s time for love to go viral 

Dr. Roxanne M. St. Clair is an award-winning leadership strategist, author, creator of The Value In You® cards, trustee and mentor. She guides individuals and leaders to embrace their unique gifts, fostering confidence, connection, and heart-centered growth worldwide.

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Dr. Roxanne M. St. Clair

<h4 style="text-align:justify;">DR. ROXANNE M. ST. CLAIR on seeing the&nbsp;value in you—and in others—and making it a daily practice.</h4>What if, each time you encountered someone, you sensed their real value—and they yours?In this 8.2-billion-piece jigsaw called life, every piece is significant. Some are big, some small, and there are a variety of shapes and tones. That is the beauty of the puzzle; having a complete picture requires all of the pieces. In times such as these, when self-comparison keeps our joy from growing, it is mindful to remember that you were born with your own unique gifts and talents. Yes, you may have similarities to someone else, but there is an element of you that is your special contribution to humankind.<h4 style="text-align:justify;">The Heart of Value</h4>When I created The Value In You® cards, it was with a single intention: to remind people of their innate worth. Too often, we are conditioned to measure value by external standards, titles, possessions, achievements, likes, or followers. Although recognition and concepts of success have their place, they are not the true essence of who we are.Value is not something you earn; it is something you embody. It lives in the quiet moments of kindness, the listening ear, the creative spark, the unshakable resilience you didn’t even know you had until life made it necessary.&nbsp;<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">Value is not something you earn;&nbsp; it is something you embody.&nbsp; It lives in the quiet moments of kindness,&nbsp; the listening ear, the creative spark,&nbsp; the unshakable resilience you didn’t even know you had&nbsp; until life made it necessary.</h4><hr>&nbsp;I remember a conversation with a leader who was exhausted from carrying the weight of responsibility. She felt overlooked and undervalued, despite her consistent contributions. I invited her to reflect on one key question from the cards: “What is the gift that I bring to others”? Her response was not about her role or her status; it was about her ability to bring calm in times of chaos. She realised that this quality, often overlooked by her, was what others relied on. That shift in perspective did more than renew her energy; it gave her permission to see herself differently and, in turn, to treat herself with more compassion. It also boosted her confidence.This is the heart of value. It’s not found outside of you. It’s a part of you that just needs you to own it.<h4 style="text-align:justify;">Health, Wealth, and Relationships: The Three Pillars of Value</h4>When we truly embrace our value, it transforms the way that we live. It flows into every aspect of our lives, shaping how we relate to our health, wealth, and relationships.<h4 style="text-align:justify;">Health:</h4>“Taking care of your health, mind, body, and spirit, is the best way that you can serve yourself and others.”&nbsp;-The Value In You®Our bodies are the vehicles through which we experience life. Yet, how often do we keep pushing them, skipping rest, numbing pain, and neglecting nourishment because we forget to value ourselves and prioritize our well-being? When you know your value, you treat your body as a sacred vessel, not an afterthought. Self-care becomes non-negotiable. Acknowledging your worth in this way helps you make choices that strengthen and sustain you, so you can be and give more. You give your best.&nbsp;<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:75%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/embracing_value_within2_13db1714bd.webp" alt="embracing-value-within2.webp"></figure>&nbsp;Wealth:“Your wealth goes far beyond your finances; your knowledge and the people in your life are all part of your wealth, for they contribute to the experiences that enrich you.”&nbsp;—The Value In You®Wealth is often reduced to numbers in a bank account. But true wealth is rooted in gratitude, resourcefulness, and the ability to use what we have for meaningful impact. When you recognise your value, you stop chasing worth through material comparison and instead find fulfilment by doing and being a part of things that bring you joy.I have seen people who do not have much still live a full life because they know the value of community, kindness, and creativity. And on the other hand, I have seen some with financial abundance live in scarcity and loneliness because they do not believe that they are enough. Wealth without value feels empty; wealth aligned with value feels expansive.Relationships:“The quality of your relationship is a reflection of the effort put in by both parties… A relationship is a two-way medium that requires conscious input.”&nbsp;—The Value In You®&nbsp;<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:75%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/embracing_value_within3_8ab9be86df.webp" alt="embracing-value-within3.webp"></figure>&nbsp;At its core, value is about awareness, not just of self, but of others. Relationships flourish when we see the humanity, the gifts, and the worth of the person in front of us. Imagine the transformation in families, workplaces, and communities if, before every conversation, we silently reminded ourselves: This person has value, just like me.This simple shift changes the tone of the interaction, softens or avoids conflict, and opens the heart to compassion. It moves us from judgment to curiosity, from competition to collaboration. After all, every jigsaw piece connects to another. Without those connections, the picture remains incomplete.<h4 style="text-align:justify;">Starting Your Day&nbsp;</h4>How, then, do we remember to own our value in the rush of daily life? This is where mindfulness and Heartfulness come in. I have found that one of the most powerful ways to do this is to set the tone for your day, rather than letting the day set the tone for you. Imagine beginning each morning not with your phone or thinking about your to-do list, but with a few minutes of silent gratitude. My first thought on waking is, “Thank you for the grace of a new day!” This is a reminder to me that I still have a difference to make in the world, so even if it is something small, I can still make a difference today. Quite often, it might just be smiling at a stranger on the way to the station.<h4 style="text-align:justify;">During the Day</h4>Throughout the day, notice the “lens” through which you see life. Consider, “Am I judging, criticising, comparing, or am I appreciating, learning, and looking for the lesson?” Shifting from judgment to appreciation softens the heart and reconnects you with value, both your own and others’.<h4 style="text-align:justify;">End of the Day Reflection</h4>To decompress from the day, before going to sleep, take a few minutes to journal. Some questions that you can consider are:<ol><li style="text-align:justify;">How did I honor my value today?</li><li style="text-align:justify;">How did I recognize the value in others?</li><li style="text-align:justify;">What difference did I make today?</li><li style="text-align:justify;">What will I carry forward into tomorrow?</li></ol>This gentle reflection closes the day with awareness, gratitude, and peace.&nbsp;<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:75%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/embracing_value_within4_a0f1f945bf.webp" alt="embracing-value-within4.webp"></figure><hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">I have found that one of the most powerful ways&nbsp; to do this is to set the tone for your day,&nbsp; rather than letting the day set the tone for you.&nbsp; Imagine beginning each morning not with your phone&nbsp; or thinking about your to-do list,&nbsp; but with a few minutes of silent gratitude.&nbsp;</h4><hr>

Embracing the Value Within

Sara is an Associate Researcher in the Psychiatry Department at Massachusetts General Hospital and Assistant Professor in Psychology at Harvard Medical School. The focus of her research is on the neural mechanisms underlying the beneficial effects of yoga and meditation, both in clinical settings and in healthy individuals.

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Dr. Sara Lazar

&nbsp;<h4>Dr. SARA LAZAR is an Associate Researcher in the Psychiatry Department at Massachusetts General Hospital and Assistant Professor in Psychology at Harvard Medical School. The focus of her research is on the neural mechanisms underlying the beneficial effects of yoga and meditation, both in clinical settings and in healthy individuals. Here she speaks about how meditation impacts the brain.</h4>I want to start with a definition of Mindfulness, derived by Jon Kabat-Zinn: purposely paying attention to experiences in the present moment in a non-judgmental way. There is a cartoon that describes it beautifully – one woman is walking in nature, completely oblivious to what’s around her. She’s thinking about the bills, meals, kids, chores, and is not at all aware of her present experience. Another woman is completely tuned in to her surroundings, noticing the trees, the sunlight, perhaps the feel of the warmth of the sun on her face. That’s what Mindfulness is – awareness of the present moment. Neither one of them is meditating. Mindfulness can be done anytime, anywhere.Anyone can kick a ball. If I ask you to kick a ball down a field and put it through the goalposts, you can do that. But if I put you on that same field with some professional soccer players, and tell you, “Okay, kick the ball down the field into the posts,” that’s much more difficult.The same thing is true with Mindfulness – anyone can do it, but it’s hard to remember to do it when you’re in the middle of stuff. Just as professional athletes practice their sport so they can play more effectively, we meditate so that we can be more mindful throughout the day. We build that skill.<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">Mindfulness is purposely paying attention&nbsp; to experiences in the present moment&nbsp; in a non-judgmental way… Mindfulness can be done anytime, anywhere.</h4><hr><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/neuroscience_meditation2_0a207a5139.jpg">&nbsp;People have difficulty with the last part of the definition – the non-judgmental. I prefer the word equanimity, because we’re not saying, “Oh, yeah, whatever.” It’s not indifference. We care but we’re not reactive.There have been thousands of studies demonstrating the benefits of <a href="https://heartfulness.org/magazine/indras-net" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">meditation</a>, both for self-reported stress and for biomarkers of stress, like cortisol and inflammation. I’d like to focus on how effective meditation is in reducing symptoms of depression, anxiety, pain, and insomnia. They are standalone conditions, and they are also associated with many other conditions. If someone has a history of heart disease, diabetes, or a stroke, they’ll often have depression, anxiety, pain, or insomnia too.Importantly, as the Buddha taught, the first goal is spiritual transformation, but there’s more and more evidence that meditation’s good for both reducing symptoms and increasing well-being. People report being happier and more satisfied with life. There are many clinical programs now based on <a href="https://heartfulness.org/magazine/healing-journeys" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">meditation</a>; and the people who do them say, “This practice has changed my life.” That’s what happened to me. I had a sports injury, and started doing yoga as a form of physical therapy. After a few weeks, it completely changed me; I was more relaxed, no longer bothered by the little things that affected me before. My brain had changed. That’s why I started doing this research, to try to understand how yoga and meditation work.<h4>Reduction in Stress</h4>We took people who were going through an eight week secular <a href="https://heartfulness.org/magazine/an-experience-in-meditation" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">meditation course</a> called Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction. Compared to the controls, the people in the meditation group had more gray matter in several brain regions after just eight weeks of practice. Those regions were the posterior cingulate, the supra marginal gyrus, and the hippocampus. The posterior cingulate is involved in self-related processes, “How is this relevant to me?” The supra marginal gyrus is involved in perspective taking, and it’s a key component of empathy and directing attention–“Do I pay attention to the inner world or the outer world?” The hippocampus is involved in memory.<hr><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/neuroscience_meditation3_478c8127db.jpg"><hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">Just as professional athletes practice their sport&nbsp; so they can play more effectively,&nbsp; we meditate so that we can be more mindful&nbsp; throughout the day. We build that skill.</h4><hr>These three regions together make up the Default Mode Network. “Default” because if you put someone in an MRI scanner and they’re not doing anything in particular, these regions reliably always turn on, along with two others. When you ask the person to do a task, these three regions turn off. The ideas they put together create the sense of self. These regions were altered by meditation practice.The posterior cingulate and the hippocampus are destroyed with Alzheimer’s disease. With Alzheimer’s you forget your life and who you are, where as in meditation you’re very present and centered. And these are the regions in which we find changes with just eight weeks of meditation.Another region that changed was the brainstem, which is involved in regulating the release of neurotransmitters, including serotonin and dopamine, which are very important for mood. These changes correlated with changes in well-being: the more this region changed, the happier and more satisfied people felt. People reported that they were more satisfied with their job, their neighbors, their home, their family, etc. It suggests that there was a change in how they perceived the world.The amygdala also changed; the amygdala is involved in fear and anxiety, and negative emotions in general. We found that this region became smaller, and the more it decreased, the more stress reduction people reported in just eight weeks. There wasn’t a lot changing in these people’s lives, and yet they were reporting less stress. The neurobiological reason why stress reduced was because the parts of the brain involved in stress were changing.<h4>Pain</h4>There are two components to pain – one is the actual physical sensation of burning, stabbing, pulsing, throbbing, tingling, and the other is the emotional component, “Ouch, that hurts, I don’t like it.” They are controlled by two different parts of the brain that are independent of one another. We also know that there are a lot of ways to control pain, including distraction, expectation, and placebo. All three look more or less the same in the brain.Normally, when you stub your toe or burn your finger, the signal goes to the spinal cord, and up the spinal cord to the brain. Then the network that includes the insula and the sensory cortex evaluates the sensory component of it. The emotional component is then activated to say, “I don’t like it.” For these three forms of pain control, the front of the brain, the executive control, shuts down the signal – the signal comes in, but it doesn’t go up, so you don’t feel the sensations. If you have chronic pain, but you watch a good movie, or you have a good conversation, you forget your pain. That’s what happens with distraction, you simply don’t feel the pain. But once that interesting conversation or the movie ends, pow, your pain is back. It’s amazing what the brain can do to shut down the system and stop the signal from coming up.&nbsp;<img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/neuroscience_meditation4_81dc54fde7.jpg">&nbsp;Now, the question we asked was: what about meditation? We recruited a few long-term meditation practitioners and some people who had never meditated for the control group. We put them in the MRI scanner, and applied a very mild electric shock to their hand for forty seconds. We did this in a normal phase and then in a mindful phase. They would be randomly shocked a few times without knowing when it was going to happen. At the end, the subjects had to rate both the intensity and the unpleasantness of their experience. For the control group, there was no difference in intensity between the normal phase and the meditation phase, and this was also true for the Mindfulness practitioners. With unpleasantness, the control group experienced no difference, but there was a very significant decrease in unpleasantness for the Mindfulness practitioners. Although it was just as intense, it didn’t bother them. They were really feeling it, open to it; they were not shutting it down. They were paying attention to it. We see here, neurobiologically, a really beautiful example of equanimity.&nbsp;<img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/neuroscience_meditation5_ea90672913.jpg">&nbsp;After that study, several other researchers did similar studies. They found that the connections between the front of the brain and the sensory cortex were less coupled in the meditation practitioners than the control groups, so that they were better able to decouple their reaction to the pain from the intensity of the pain.Also, very importantly, that uncoupling was related to the number of years of meditation practice. The more they had practiced, the better they were at separating the “I don’t like it, make it stop” region from the throbbing, painful stabbing, burning sensation. They could separate their emotions from the physical sensations.This demonstrates how meditation works – it’s a slow, gradual process that changes the brain. This has long lasting consequences for how we experience the world.Sylvia Boorstein once said, “Life is painful, suffering is optional.” It’s true that we’ll all experience pain at some point in our life, but we can control how we respond to that pain.<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">“Meditation is not evasion,&nbsp; it is a serene encounter with reality.” —Thich Nhat Hahn</h4><hr>From a talk given at the international Heartfulness conference, “An Integrative Approach to Health and Well-being,” at Kanha Shanti Vanam on December 16, 2022.&nbsp;<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">Illustrations by ANANYA PATEL</h4><hr>&nbsp;

The neuroscience of meditation

Dr. Snehal is a developmental therapist who owns and leads SNEH, an institution dedicated to improving the quality of life of children and their families. She is passionate about spiritual well-being and actively drives the Heartfulness CME initiative for healthcare professionals across India.

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Dr. Snehal Deshpande

<h4>DR. SNEHAL DESHPANDE is a Developmental Therapist and Certified Life Coach from Mumbai. She leads SNEH, an institution dedicated to improving people’s quality of life, and actively drives the Heartfulness CME initiative for healthcare professionals across India. Here, she shares some tips on what we can do to keep ourselves healthy.</h4><hr><h4>What does health and wellness mean?</h4>According to the UN, health is a complete state of being –physical, mental, emotional, social, occupational, and spiritual well-being. And health is a fundamental right of every human being.For me, wellness is a state of oneness that you can feel; a feeling of joy whenever you’re doing something. My definition of wellness is to give yourself to the task at hand completely, with joy and an awareness of what’s happening.<h4>What are the different aspects of oneness?</h4>My career centers around children. Where I live, I will often see a little child playing with a toy, or outside on the grass, or talking with their mother. They are simply one with what they are doing. They are not concerned&nbsp; with anything else in the world. It’s so natural.We are all endowed with that natural state, but we disturb the cycle by our own doings. Wellness is the journey of returning back to that state of naturalness, the state of ease; from doing things because the world expects them of us, to doing them with the heart.We have gone against nature and built our own little worlds. We have created mini universes within, when we actually have a macro universal complete nature. And it has its own rhythm. Our body cells vibrate at the natural frequency of the vibrations of the universe, but we have moved away from that original vibration or state of existence.<h4>How to choose a lifestyle of oneness?</h4>First, find moments to “unplug” yourself. Like our mobiles, we run out of battery and need to recharge. We think our batteries are never going to run out and go on abusing ourselves. We must find a way to take care of our body and our inner self – because that battery is within us. We don’t need to look for it elsewhere. We can derive so much energy from that.To keep naturalness alive, it helps to be very soft and subtle from within, so that this energy can show itself in our life. Instead, we are so caught up that we are “holding on” in order not to feel lost.Second, let go and feel one with nature. It’s fun to let go and see what happens. Letting go is very important. It is something that kids do. They may like a toy, but the moment they see something else they forget about it. They don’t hang on to things.&nbsp;Third, make time for human connection. Across the globe, loneliness is becoming a big problem. It’s because we don’t connect honestly. We need to communicate not because of some artificial need to connect, but because there is a need to be together.<hr><hr><h4>We must find a way to take care of our body and our inner self – because&nbsp; that battery is within us.</h4><hr>

Spreading wellness

<h4>
 DR. SNEHAL
 DESHPANDE is a Developmental Therapist and Certified Life Coach from Mumbai. She leads SNEH, an
 institution dedicated to improving people’s quality of life, and actively drives the Heartfulness CME initiative
 for healthcare professionals across India. Here, she shares some simple tips on how to create wellness.
</h4>



<hr class="vertical-space1">



How do naturalness, stillness, human connection, and letting go come into play when we are trying to establish habits
 and make changes?



It can be difficult to build up a natural routine, like getting up early in the morning, enjoying the sunrise,
 watching the sunset in the evening, and stopping work after that. We are constantly distracted. So, the first thing
 I try to do is avoid distractions.



Human connection enables us to give and receive support. If we don’t maintain our social connections with all our
 heart, we lose the ability to ask for help from people. Because every time we are in need, we think, “How can I
 suddenly ask for help without having a connection.” It’s great to have deep and meaningful connections, even if a
 person is not in your inner circle of friends.



How to go about this? The first thing is self-reflection. 



Reflect upon:



What you have, What you’ve done,&nbsp; Who you are, Who you want to be, and What you’re going to do about
 that.



We often forget we have to use our own resources. Sometimes we depend on external things, or we blame situations and
 people. The moment we self-reflect, we can answer all these questions.



Another habit to develop is connecting with ourselves. Spend a couple of moments with your palms together in a
 prayerful pose. With this small activity, a connection is established between the left brain and the right brain.
 When you establish this connection, and reflect on yourself, you give yourself a new level of commitment and the
 deep potential within.



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 <figure><img decoding="async" width="700" height="893" alt="" class="has-img-center lazyload"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/Create_Wellness2_700x893_f76b734ef8.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-26T07:43:51.761Z">
 </figure>
</div>


<hr class="vertical-space1">



<hr>



<h4 class="has-text-align-center">Make an effort to take
 out time for yourself. I think the busiest
 person has
 the most leisure. It is about creating
 those little pockets of time for yourself
 within your
 schedule.</h4>



<hr>



<hr class="vertical-space1">



Make an effort to take out time for yourself. I think the busiest person has the most leisure. It is about creating
 those little pockets of time for yourself within your schedule.



In a general sense, the moment you are aligned with the universal vibration – the natural energy or super
 consciousness – things start happening the way the universe wants. Each of us is unique, and it is our abundant
 uniqueness that the universe wants us to feel and express. Instead, we seek abundance outside. So, if we can allow
 the universe to express that abundance, there is nothing like it.&nbsp;



<h4>Find your natural
 vibration</h4>



I believe we need to understand what takes us away from our natural vibration, and what gives us an inner awakening.
 It’s very essential. We end up going into a dangerous and unhealthy phase when we try to run away from our reality.




Suffering is an integral part of life. We cannot take that away. In fact, it is suffering that makes us. Wellness is
 all about integrating ourselves in our world, and our reality. It is about allowing healing to happen in a natural
 way. If every one of us, or even a few of us, start thinking like that, the world will be a better place to live in.




There is something to live for, there’s something to feel!



<hr class="vertical-space1">



<hr>



<h4 class="has-text-align-center">Wellness is all about
 integrating ourselves in our world, and our
 reality.
 It is about
 allowing healing to happen in a natural way. If every one of us, or even a few of us, start thinking like
 that, the world will be a better place to live in.</h4>



<hr class="vertical-space1">



<hr>



<h4 class="has-text-align-center">Illustrations by ANANYA PATEL</h4>



<hr>

Create wellness

<hr><h4>SNEHAL DESHPANDE enlightens us on how pre-conception, conception and pregnancy, and the first year of life affect our later psychology and physical well-being.</h4><hr>The field of Prenatal and Perinatal Psychology seeks to illuminate how prenatal and birth experiences influence postnatal development, lifelong response patterns, and interpersonal relationships. It is an interdisciplinary study of the earliest periods of human development, including conception, pregnancy, experiences during and after birth, and experiences with family and caregivers during the first year of life.1Birth is a continuation of life from the womb to this world. So when does learning begin? If we have been given an equal opportunity to reproduce and procreate, why are there deviations? Why has natural birth become unnatural today? Why do many men and women suffer from problems related to their reproductive systems and fertility?<h4>What is reproductive health?</h4>Reproductive health refers to the health of the female and male reproductive systems. Female disorders include early or late puberty, menstrual problems, infertility, reduced fertility, problems during pregnancy, polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), uterine fibroids, and endometriosis. Male disorders include erectile dysfunction and low sperm count. Various studies conducted by NIEHS have pointed out that factors like lifestyle, environment, food, and exposure to chemicals have been the leading factors in reproductive system ailments.2&nbsp;The reproductive journey is not linear. All aspects of a woman’s reproductive lifespan are interrelated, from childhood through to the later reproductive years. When a woman gives birth, this circular interaction is then transmitted to the next generation, which is then transmitted to the next generation. Fertility, fertility prevention, fertility assistance, and fertility preservation are all intertwined. Understanding this begs some very interesting questions regarding research into reproduction.3PCOS is an infertility-causing endocrine and reproductive disorder prevalent in 5%&nbsp;to 13%&nbsp;of women of reproductive age. It represents 80% of anovulatory infertility cases, and is associated with clinical and metabolic disorders.4Women with PCOS undergo a lot of stress, which in turn affects mental wellness and leads to anxiety and panic attacks. The vicious cycle of being in the state of fight or flight affects the Hypothalamus Pituitary Axis. Research shows that parents’ well-being and thinking lifestyle have a deep impact on their babies even before they are born. Dr. Thomas Verny has emphasized this in his book, The Secret Life of the Unborn Child: How You Can Prepare Your Baby for a Happy, Healthy Life.<hr><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/in_Search_of_new_world2_207ed46ab6.jpg"><hr><hr><h4>The way parents respond to situations&nbsp; shapes the life of an unborn child.</h4><hr><hr>The fetal and infant nervous system has vast sensory and learning capabilities, and a kind of memory that neuroscientists call implicit memory.5 The way parents respond to situations shapes the life of an unborn child. It is now known that stress can pass through generations, influencing the disease states in family members.&nbsp;The responsiveness of fetuses to the environmental conditions perceived by their mothers before birth allows them to optimize their genetic and physiological development as they adapt to the environmental forecast. The same life-enhancing epigenetic plasticity can also go awry and lead to an array of chronic diseases in life if an individual experiences adverse nutritional and environmental circumstances during fetal and neonatal periods of development (Bateson, et al, 2004).5Parents and caregivers thus become genetic engineers shaping the future of their little ones.What shapes us from conception until death is experience. Experience makes us. We experience the world through the sensory systems which serve as catalysts to the growing brain. The first five years are all about brain structuring. It is a&nbsp;construction house where the activity is from moment to moment. The sensory systems are gathering information from the womb onwards. Each system follows a timeline to maturity. The sculpting of human behavior and learning is affected by critical periods of development, which are characteristic of each sensory system. These critical periods provide a wide window of opportunity for each human being to develop adaptive responses.Lack of favorable stimulation in these critical periods of development leads to delayed or altered development patterns. This explains why the children from orphanages often show more learning and developmental delays, and alterations in affect and regulation. The human brain depends on the shared interactions and engagements it has with other individuals for its survival. We create a social synapse around us that not only designs who we are, but is responsible for the kind of universe we live in.If we have to create a new world, we need to make our present different. The babies who are yet to be born will need to be resilient&nbsp;and become enablers of joy peace, and happiness. The fabric of society&nbsp;as a whole has to change, and the responsibility for change rests on each one of us. Our thoughts and intentions go a long way to defining our actions. Perinatal and prenatal education has a deep and long-reaching impact toward forming a new world that breeds joy, peace, and happiness.Interpersonal neurobiology, social neuroscience (Adolphs, 2003a), affective neuroscience (Panksepp, 1998), and sociophysiology (Gardner, 1997; Adler, 2002) are among the emerging fields attempting to bridge the gap between the biological and social sciences. They share the goal of understanding people within the context of the relationships into which they are born, develop, and live their lives.6<hr><hr><h4>We create a social synapse around us that not only designs who we are,&nbsp; but is responsible for the kind of&nbsp; universe we live in.</h4><hr><hr><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/in_Search_of_new_world3_d28acd43c8.jpg"><hr>Children survive and evolve only with the care and fostering relationships they develop with their caregivers and environment. When the environment is conducive, the neurons connect and form synapses,so enhanced learning occurs. The mirror neurons in the brain help babies to imitate what they are exposed to. Early childhood experiences thus shape our future and design our destiny. Caregivers, parents, teachers, and therapists therefore have a role to play in nurturing and providing&nbsp;the young ones with an environment based on engagement with nature and human beings.The primary occupation of children is play, and the responsibility of the parents in the early years is to give them a holistic experience with natural play.<hr><hr><h4>What a fetus experiences in the primary period forms&nbsp; the blueprint of core perceptions,&nbsp; belief structures, and ways of relating&nbsp; with themselves and the world.</h4><hr><hr><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/in_Search_of_new_world4_18cae0393c.jpg"><hr><h4>The 12 guiding principles of prenatal and perinatal psychology&nbsp;</h4>These principles form a blueprint&nbsp;and an&nbsp;edifice for future generations to give birth,&nbsp;survive, connect,&nbsp;and evolve.7They are:1. Primary period – the primary period of development occurs from preconception through to the first year of postnatal life. This is a time when the core foundations are laid in every aspect of the being; physical, emotional, mental, spiritual, and relational.2. Forming the core blueprint – what a fetus experiences in the primary period forms the blueprint of core perceptions, belief structures, and ways of relating with themselves and the world. These are implicit and observable in newborns, and perhaps decisive toward either having a life enhancing or diminishing direction. Preparing for becoming parents is therefore an important part of the journey.3. Continuum of development – human development is continuous from prenatal to postnatal life. Postnatal patterns build upon earlier prenatal and birth experiences. It is important that this period provides the mother a stress free and secure space and optimal attachment. In traditional cultures, the mother-to-be is often nurtured in the house of her parents once her pregnancy is confirmed.4. Capacities and capabilities – babies are bundles of immense capacity and capability. They not only perceive but also communicate and learn based on integration of their sensory systems interwoven with their related experiences. Caregivers and parents can become aware of the 8 sensory systems and their impact on development.5. Relationships&nbsp;– we exist and survive because of the connections we make. Babies experience what their mothers experience and feel. Relationships and accidental or incidental encounters provide building blocks for the quality of life of babies.<hr><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/new_world_4_updated_f62698cab3.jpg"><hr><hr><h4>Babies experience what their mothers experience and feel.</h4><hr><hr>6. Innate need&nbsp;– human beings have an innate need for security, belonging, nurturing, feeling wanted, and feeling loved. Supporting these sets the right environment for optimal development.7. Communication – babies are continually connecting and seeking connections. Honoring the person within them and relating to their needs supports their wholeness.8. Mother-baby&nbsp;interconnectedness – respecting and optimizing the bond between mother and baby, and the mother-baby interconnectedness during pregnancy, birth, and infancy is of highest priority.9. Bonding – is a critical development process for the mother, baby, and father. It forms core patterns with lifelong implications. Best mother-baby interactions occur when the mother feels empowered and supported, and the natural birth process is allowed to unfold with minimal intervention, and no interruption between mother and baby connection and contact. Where possible, fathers also connect, and contact is vital.10. Resolving and healing – past and current conflicts, and issues that affect the quality of life of the family members is of the highest priority. Doing so before the pregnancy is vital.11. Underlying patterns – unresolved issues and less than optimal conditions during any of the phases often result in health issues, stress behaviors, difficulty in self-regulation and attachment learning, and other disorders over the lifespan of the newborn.12. Professional support – may be sought whenever there are any diminishing patterns which are embedded below the level of the conscious mind, in implicit memory, the subconscious mind.<hr><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/in_Search_of_new_world5_1_4ce4759d10.jpg"><hr><hr><h4>Best mother-baby interactions occur&nbsp; when the mother feels empowered and supported,&nbsp; and the natural birth process is allowed&nbsp; to unfold with minimal intervention,&nbsp; and no interruption between&nbsp; mother and baby connection and contact.</h4><hr><hr>Theory and research from the fields of psychology, medicine, psychophysiology, epigenetics, and traumatology, among others, highlight the opportunity for parents-to-be and their practitioners to intentionally cultivate nurturing environments, both internal and external, during preconception, prenatal, and early parenting periods. They suggest that doing so will support lifelong multidimensional aspects of healthy development in children and adults, and may also benefit future generations.8The principles of prenatal and perinatal psychology provide elements for every family to practice and adopt in order to raise happy healthy babies. Nurturing the mother to be in a positive environment where stress can be eliminated is the fundamental need of the hour. This can prevent the traces of trauma which children later have to deal with. Holistic well-being, family connection, deep regard, and respect&nbsp;for self, go a long way to establishing self-esteem and confidence in mothers and help them walk the way into motherhood.After the birth, every effort should be put into the mother and child bonding well. The mother and the father should be educated in the use of touch, smell, and taste as important systems of connection. Optimal use of sensory systems blended with a foundation of love and harmony go a long way in&nbsp;defining a bright future for the little one.To summarize, when babies are welcomed, loved, nurtured, and seen for the amazing, conscious, and aware beings they are from the beginning of life, their capacity to love, empathize,&nbsp;be&nbsp;in relationships,&nbsp;and&nbsp;live&nbsp;in&nbsp;joy grow as they grow. As&nbsp;a generation of such babies matures, we would see the ripple effect encompass greater learning capacity, emotional intelligence, creativity, the emergence of new leaders, and healthier families and communities. Our potential is unlimited. It is time for us to come together to infuse our&nbsp;culture and communities&nbsp;with&nbsp;the&nbsp;vision,&nbsp;resources,&nbsp;and commitment necessary to support each new person from the very beginning of their life. It is time for them to know they are vital to our community and worthy of this commitment.&nbsp;<hr><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/in_Search_of_new_world6_c693b050c1.jpg"><hr>References:<ol><li>Weinstein, A. D. &amp;M. Shea, 2016.&nbsp;Prenatal development and parents’ lived experiences: How early events shape our psychophysiology and relationships. W.W. Norton &amp; Company.&nbsp;</li><li>Reproductive health in females and males. (n.d.). Retrieved May 1, 2023, from <a href="https://www.niehs.nih.gov/health/materials/reproductive_health_in_females_and_maes_508.pdf">https://www.niehs.nih.gov/health/materials/reproductive_health_in_females_and_maes_508.pdf</a>.&nbsp;</li><li>Barnhart, K. T., 2011. Epidemiology of male and female reproductive disorders and impact on fertility regulation and&nbsp;population growth.&nbsp;Fertility and Sterility,&nbsp;95(7): 2200–2203. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fertnstert.2011.03.044">https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fertnstert.2011.03.044</a>.&nbsp;</li><li>Melo, A.S. et al., 2015.&nbsp;Treatment of infertility in women with polycystic ovary syndrome: Approach to clinical practice. Clinics (Sao Paulo, Brazil). Retrieved May 2, 2023, from <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26602525/">https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26602525/</a>.&nbsp;</li><li>Lipton, B. H., 2016.&nbsp;The Biology of Belief: Unleashing the Power of Consciousness, Matter &amp;Miracles. Hay House, Inc.&nbsp;</li><li>Cozolino, L. J., 2014.&nbsp;The Neuroscience of Human Relationships: Attachment and the Developing Social Brain. W.W. Norton &amp; Company.&nbsp;</li><li>McCarty, W.A. and M. Glenn, 2008. Investing in human potential from the beginning of life:&nbsp;Keys to maximizing human capital. Journal of Prenatal &amp; Perinatal Psychology &amp; Health, 23 (2): 117-135.</li><li>Nurturing human capital along the life course: Investing in early child development. (n.d.).&nbsp;Human Rights Documents Online. WHO. https://doi.org/10.1163/2210-7975_hrd-9841-3019.</li></ol><hr><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/in_Search_of_new_world7_5d1287e8b8.jpg"><hr>

In search of a new world

<h4 style="text-align:justify;">DR. SNEHAL DESHPANDE has been a developmental therapist in the field of Pediatric Physiotherapy for 30 years. She deals with families whose children explore their potential in a very different way, and working with these families has given her resilience and helped her learn adaptive mechanisms. She is the Director of CME and other Healthcare initiatives for Heartfulness Institute, and here shares her insights on work-life balance with her team.</h4>&nbsp;Q. You have been a professional for more than 30 years, what does work mean to you?SD: As a physiotherapist, wife, and mother, work has been an integral part of what I call “me". My mother instilled in me that work is worship; if you want to worship God, worship what you are doing. Having this ingrained in me from childhood, I decided that whatever I did in life, I should work. There was no difference between what we call work life and family life. Work is work, joy, and happiness.Most of us spend 40% of our lives working. We should like our workplace, because it’s another home. But do we really treat our workplaces as home, where we can relax? When we are relaxed, we can give our best. When we compare our behavior and attitudes at work and at home, we realize that we need to change things to lead a life that is aligned and balanced.Q: Treating the workplace as a second home is an amazing way to enjoy our work. Yet many people find that difficult. What are the possible reasons for that?SD: We think that work is different from the rest of our lives and create a distance between ourselves and work. Work is not different from us. The question is: why do we do a particular job? Undoubtedly, there is no “impossible” in the human spectra, but sometimes we do things which we don’t want to do. We do it because we want to earn a livelihood, or because of our parents, our peer group, or other social pressures.<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">If you want to worship God,&nbsp; worship what you are doing.</h4><hr>As an example, we may say, “Because she is a CA, I want to become a CA,” or “Because my father wants me to be a doctor, I will become a doctor.” But what do we want to do?&nbsp;What does the inner self want to do? Do we ask ourselves these questions? And “What is it that I want to do that will improve the greater good of humanity?” If we ask these questions, and treat our work as something that allows us to make the change for which we are here, I’m sure our work-life balance, the core of work life integration, as we say, can be solved.&nbsp;<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:71.13%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/striking_balance2_97ea59c17a.webp" alt="striking-balance2.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_striking_balance2_97ea59c17a.webp 145w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/large_striking_balance2_97ea59c17a.webp 500w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/striking_balance2_97ea59c17a.webp 500w," sizes="100vw"></figure>&nbsp;Q: Why do you think it is necessary to have integration between work and life in this generation?SD: Stress. It’s the biggest word that hits Google. How do we build stress? How do we build work-related stress? In the beginning it is unimaginable. When we take up a career, we say, “Oh, wow, I’m a doctor,” or “I’ve become an engineer,” but when we start really working, it becomes a tragedy. We meet friends and say, “This is happening at work,” or “Shifts are there,” or “I’m not liking my job.” Work-related stress is now one of the biggest concerns.Work-life balance is ultimately created by our choices. By agreeing to take on more work when we don’t have the capacity, or cannot delegate that work, we create stress for ourselves. Improving our work-life balance improves our mental health, because it helps us to become organized. It helps us to compartmentalize; our wardrobes becomes user friendly, our houses become neat, etc. Having balance means having better physical, mental, emotional, occupational, and intellectual health. Wellness covers all aspects. And even working on one of them definitely works on all aspects of well-being.Q: Can you share some well-being tips with us?SD: Accept that this is going to be the life I will lead.Be creative in your workplace. Feel free to do something good every single day at work. Simple things like a bunch of flowers and keeping photos of your loved ones will make you happy.Seek support at work. Asking for help does not mean you are incapable. It says, “I’m here. I’m new. Let’s walk this way together.”Create a schedule, something that modern life thrives upon. Include your morning wake up time, your exercise routine, meditation time, and travel time. A schedule will help you make use of that travel time, and arrive at work 15 minutes early.Chart out where you want to go. Think about what will help you to do better. What really helps you do better is to give of yourself. Then you feel like you are contributing and you feel happy about it. Find purpose in your work, and your workplace will automatically become a happy place.&nbsp;<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:70.17%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/striking_balance3_ab01b2c3d1.webp" alt="striking-balance3.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_striking_balance3_ab01b2c3d1.webp 145w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/large_striking_balance3_ab01b2c3d1.webp 500w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/striking_balance3_ab01b2c3d1.webp 500w," sizes="100vw"></figure>&nbsp;Create boundaries so your work does not creep into your home space.&nbsp;Switch off your gadgets to give yourself some “me” time. Your brain need time to rewire. Instead of scrolling through your mobile, talk to a friend or family member, or just be quiet.<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">Work-life balance is ultimately created by your choices.</h4><hr>These are a few tricks I follow to integrate my personal and professional life. By fine-tuning things we can maintain harmony and joy in the long run.&nbsp;

Striking a balance:  work, life, and you

Ramakantha was a Principal Chief Conservator of Forests in the Indian Forest Service. He is an academic, author, and wildlife photographer, who manages species-rich ecosystems in India. He is also a member of the Heartfulness Green initiative at Kanha Shanti Vanam.

V-Ramakantha.jpg

Dr. V. Ramakantha

<h4>DR. V. RAMAKANTHA is a former Indian Forest Service officer and member of the Green Kanha Initiative at the Heartfulness Community’s Meditation Center at Kanha Shanti Vanam in India. Having spent most of his working life living in forests and jungles, in tune with the natural world, his slant on our current corona crisis is steeped in nature and also in the stories and traditions of ancient India.</h4>While people around the world are worried that shaking hands, hugging and kissing might help spread the virus, the Indian traditional greeting of ‘Namaste’ comes in handy. Even Prince Charles and President Trump have popularized it as a fashionable corona greeting!When we fold our hands in greeting, it is to communicate that “You and I are one and the same, sparks of the same Divinity; and I salute the Divinity within you.” When the world appreciates this greeting with folded hands, it is likely to stay even after the threat of the virus vanishes.The slowdown and shut down of activities we are facing also offer us an opportunity to ponder over some basic issues. There has never been a paucity of wise people, sages and philosophers around the globe who can influence society by their reflections on the purpose and goal of human life. Ancient Indian literature, about which I am familiar, is replete with analyses, stories and metaphors concerning the transient nature of human life on Earth. Also, Indians, like other Asians, stand out in having no compunction in talking about life and death in the same breath! In a way, this nonchalant attitude helps us deal with the corona crisis.Here, the story of ‘The Woman and the Buddha’ is worth recounting. A grief stricken woman approached Buddha and pleaded that he should bring back her husband, who had died. The Compassionate One pondered for a while, and said that he would help her, but she had to first bring a fistful of mustard seeds from a home where there was no death. The lady was pleased with the offer of help. She went looking for the mustard seeds. Wherever she went, she was told that there was a death in the family. She eventually discovered the truth that death is inevitable. In helping her to discover the truth for herself, Lord Buddha expressed his compassion.<img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/humanity2_6420a6e178.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-05T07:48:09.517Z">There is another piece of great perception in the epic Mahabharata:In this cauldron fashioned from illusion, with the sun as fire, day and night as kindling wood, the months and seasons as the ladle for stirring, Time (or Death) cooks all beings. This is the simple truth!The first thing that we may try to do is not to be obsessively worried about death. Fear in the heart of a human being is damaging. It attracts other emotions, like prejudice, hatred and anger, and leads to an imbalanced life. Undue worry and excessive fear affect the body and the mind adversely, and can even be the premature cause of death itself. Is there a way to overcome the fear of death? Yes there is.Though it is too naïve to believe that reading literature about the ephemeral nature of human existence will help us overcome the fear, such an understanding may propel us to explore the field of consciousness, and embark on the path of a meditative practice.It has been my personal experience during the past 25 years that Heartfulness practices have helped me to bring my turbulent mind to stillness and calm. This form of meditation, aided by yogic Transmission, has enabled me to overcome the primordial fear of death that is inherent in almost all of us. Cessation of the turbulence of the mind is Yoga. When we turn our attention inward, meditate, and achieve stillness of the mind, we experience peace, and ultimately joy, which is the quality of the soul. Through such meditative practices, an awareness dawns within us that we are in a body, but we are beyond the body. We have a mind but we are beyond the mind. Once we experience the immaculate joy stemming from meditative practices, in a mysterious way the fear starts losing its grip on us.The very first blessing that comes our way through yogic practices is Viveka – the discriminative ability. It is imperative that all of us must be cautious during a medical crisis such as this, taking all the precautions available on the WHO website and through national and local public health authorities.Those of us suffering from any type of cold, cough, fever, body ache and similar symptoms ought to stay at home, avoid public gatherings, and refrain from travel unless absolutely essential. Those of us who are lucky enough to have regulated minds through meditative practices will not unduly worry about attending to our duties and responsibilities in the face of the pandemic. If travelling is unavoidable, we will embark on it with all the necessary precautions (this is specifically for those who are privileged to help their fellow beings, offering essential services).One last thing. In the past five decades or so, many of us have been feeling that the world is running too fast for our comfort. Many of us have had everything but time! In our anxiety to earn a living, to make a career for ourselves, and for many other reasons, we have been deeply engrossed in so many activities that there was no time even to breathe. It is a metaphor, but literally true also, that an expert in Pranayama would have no guilt in declaring that most of humanity does not even know how to breathe! In the face of the spread of coronavirus, the world has not only slowed down, but quite a few of us would vouch that it has stopped. Staying indoors, we have so much time that we do not know what to do with it.I have a proposition to make. Siddhartha was a prince in India, who was a normal human being like any one of us. He wanted to find the truth about human existence, and took refuge in a dense jungle and meditated. After many years of tapasya, he came back from the forests as the Enlightened One to show the way to the confused world. And the world could not forget him and his teachings. If an ordinary human being by the name of Siddhartha could become the Buddha, the worship worthy, can we not explore that possibility?<img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/humanity3_b5720694dd.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-05T07:49:21.819Z">It is said in the yogic literature that when we meditate we transcend Time; we transcend Space. If that is so, when Time cannot catch us, how then can it cook us? If you have time on your hands, please consider making a journey towards inner evolution and enlightenment. You will soon figure out that there is much more to human existence than meets the eye.Every adversity offers an opportunity; we become more sensitive to the miseries of others; we understand that one day we too will need the compassion of our fellow beings, as well as their assistance; we learn to stick together, and it is softening our hearts.Some of the WhatsApp messages I receive these days are beautiful. People are voicing concern over the insensitivity of humanity, which has been blind to the generosity of this planet that is graced with many assets. Probably, this calamity is a prelude for a more just humanity, one that is more refined than that of the past.&nbsp;<hr> &nbsp;<hr>&nbsp;<h4 style="text-align:center;">Article by DR. V. RAMAKANTHA Photographs by JOSH BULRISS</h4><hr>

A more refined humanity

<hr><h4>DR. V. RAMAKANTHA is a former Indian Forest Service officer and member of the Green Initiative at the Heartfulness Center at Kanha Shanti Vanam in India. Having spent most of his working life living in forests and jungles, in tune with the natural world, he shares his knowledge about some of the amazing medicinal plants of India, starting with Parijata, the Queen of the Night.</h4>[distance2]Botanical Name: Nyctanthes arbor-tristis L. Family: Oleaceae Common Names: Night Jasmine, Coral Jasmine&nbsp;<hr>&nbsp;Parijata is known as Coral Jasmine owing to its snow-white flowers with coral-red tubes. This small ornamental tree, with its heavenly-scented flowers and drooping branches, is found all over the Indian subcontinent, with a special name in every language. It flowers almost the whole year round, and is known as Night Jasmine because the delicate blooms open by evening and falling off soon after, leaving a carpet of flowers in the morning. This gives it the epithet “Queen of the Night.”<h4>Mythology</h4>Rajanī-hāsa, “the one who forms the night’s smile,” is one of the Sanskrit names for Parijata, and there is a story behind this name. Parijata was a beautiful princess who fell in love with Surya Deva, the Sun God. Initially, Surya Deva, who rode the fiery chariot in the sky from east to west, did not take a fancy to the princess, but over time, he was won over by the single-minded devotion of Parijata, and he left the sky and came down to Earth to spend some loving time with her.Now, the Earth was not a conducive environment for Surya Deva so, after spending a few seasons, he left for his original abode, albeit reluctantly. Heartbroken, princess Parijata tried to follow her lover, but the intensity of the heat from the Sun God burnt her to ashes.<hr><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/Parijata2_6f93c4df2f.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-20T06:07:53.247Z" alt="Parijata">&nbsp;<hr>&nbsp;Moved by sorrow and pity, Surya Deva granted Parijata another life in the form of a tree with the purest of white flowers with blazing orange hearts, and Surya Deva visits her every night. The Parijata flowers are very fragrant as they are kissed by the Sun God. Even now the flowers can’t bear the rays of the sun, and with the first rays at dawn, they are shed.In India, the Parijata tree has a close association with Lord Krishna. The Vishnu Purana, an ancient text of the Hindus, gives a graphic description of the sequence of events that led to the descent of this ambrosial tree to Earth. The story goes that Indra, king of the gods, had a serious confrontation with the noble-born but despicable Naraka. Naraka was the son of Bhumi, the Earth, and he possessed some of the powers of Lord Vishnu. He was not happy to confine himself to his home on Earth and took frequent forays to the heavens, from where he would steal whatever took his fancy before he returned home. He was so powerful that no god dared stop him, not even when he snatched the nectar-dropping earrings of Aditi, the mother of Indra.Indra realized that he was no match for Naraka, and needed help. After much reflection, he decided that it had to be Lord Krishna, who was happily residing in his newly-built city of Dwaraka. So, Indra descended to Earth and beseeched Lord Krishna to put an end to Naraka’s atrocities.Krishna agreed and, accompanied by his wife Satyabhama, he set off to vanquish Naraka. With the help of the Sudarshan Chakra, Krishna killed the demon, cutting him in two. Krishna returned the nectar-dropping earrings to Aditi, who was very happy. She blessed him, saying, “So long as you live in the world of mortals, you shall be invincible, and no harm shall come to you either from celestials or demons.”Indra extended all courtesies to Krishna and Satyabhama during their stay in the heavens, including showing them their celestial garden. Satyabhama caught sight of the Parijata tree and at once fell in love with its beauty and the sweet-smelling flowers. She declared that she would not return to Earth without the Parijata tree, thus obliging Krishna to request Indra to gift them the tree.<hr><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/Parijata1_c083fac7e1.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-10T07:47:12.039Z">&nbsp;<hr>&nbsp;Indra was polite but firm in refusing Krishna’s request. He told Krishna that the Parijata had materialized during the churning of the Milky Ocean by the gods and demons, and was a prized possession of the gods. Krishna explained to his host the delicate situation of how enamored his wife was of the tree, and how unwise it was to displease her, especially as she had been a great support in fighting the demon Naraka. But Indra’s wife, Sachi, was also clearly fond of the Parijata tree, and had refused to offer even a few flowers to Satyabhama.“Impossible,” said Indra with finality. “That low vibratory planet of yours does not deserve this ambrosial tree!” Finally, Krishna was forced to tell Indra that he would take the Parijata tree, whether the king of the gods liked it or not.Indra forgot that he had just recently used Krishna’s help in putting an end to the life of Naraka. He was also oblivious of his mother’s blessings on Krishna. Incited by his wife, he readied for an all-out war with Krishna. Indra had in his possession a terrible weapon called the Vajrayudha, which in utter desperation he hurled at Krishna using all his might. Krishna arrested the weapon and held it in his hands, unaffected. In the end, Indra had to concede defeat and begged Krishna’s pardon. So the happy Satyabhama took away the Parijata tree to Earth and planted it in her garden.The sacred Parijata tree is often planted near Hindu temples in India and Sri Lanka, and also in Malaysia and Indonesia. It is believed that if you approach the Parijata tree respectfully, you may get a glimpse of events of your previous births!<h4>Wonderful as a medicinal plant</h4>Parijata is also known as Amrita, a tree yielding immortal food. It is a wonder among medicinal plants, extensively used in the Ayurveda, Siddha and Unani systems of medicine from time immemorial. The fresh leaves are also used for the preparation of homoeopathic medicines. Moreover, every part of the tree has been used in household remedies against a host of ailments since ancient times.&nbsp;The leaf juice of Parijata and a couple of spoonfuls of honey makes a wonderful remedy for dry cough. It is also used for curing enlargement of the spleen, and as a safe purgative for infants. A decoction of the leaves is recommended specifically for obstinate sciatica, caused by the compression of a spinal nerve root in the lower back.Ayurveda gives therapeutic predominance to Parijata for certain diseases like chronic fever and worm infestations. In cases of chronic fever, Parijata leaves are used in combination with other herbs like ginger, tulsi and pippali, the Indian long pepper.The leaf juice of Parijata with honey, jaggery and salt, is an effective means for getting rid of roundworms and threadworms. It is an age-old practice in India to administer this orally for expelling intestinal worms in children. The leaf decoction is helpful in cases of malaria and dysentery. The leaf juice is applied externally on ringworm and other skin diseases. Three fresh leaves of Parijata with five pepper grains are traditionally taken orally to overcome several gynecological problems.The flat, compressed, heart-shaped fruits of Parijata have two compartments, each having a seed. A decoction of seeds is useful as a hair tonic and also to get rid of dandruff and lice. A paste of the seeds is used in the treatment of piles. A decoction of the roots helps to deal with enlargement of the spleen. In case of gout, a flower decoction (which has a yellow color and mild fragrance) is taken as a remedy.<hr><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/Parijata4_c5a45a1cb8.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-20T06:07:53.272Z" alt="Parijata"><hr>It is used in the following Ayurvedic medicines:Manasa Mitra Vatakam: Treatment of epilepsy, autism, psychiatric conditions, and to improve intelligence and speech problems.Bala Taila: Treatment of bloating wounds, spleen diseases, epilepsy and asthma.Arthrella Ointment: Treatment of rheumatic disorders.Ashwagandharishta: General debility, piles, low digestive power, loss of memory.<h4>What does science know about Parijata?</h4>Chemical and phyto-chemical analyses reveal that Parijata, with its many active principles and different bio-markers, is recognized as one of the most versatile medicinal plants, having a wide spectrum of biological activities.A paper published in the International Journal of Herbal Medicine in 2016 throws light on anti-pyretic, antibacterial, anti-viral, anti-inflammatory, hepatoprotective, antihistaminic, anti-filarial, anti-oxidant, immune-protective activities of phyto-chemicals found in the Parijata tree. According to a study published in Phytopharmacology in 2012, the bark has bronchodilation and mast cell stabilizing properties and, hence, can be used in the treatment of asthma.A study published in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology in 1984 confirms anti-inflammatory property of the leaves. Another paper published in the same journal in 2013 provide some evidence for its effectiveness in the treatment of fevers related to malaria and protozoan diseases.A research work published in the Brazilian Journal of Botany in 2016 says that the ethanolic extract of the flower was most potent in antioxidant activity, and recommends that the same can be used as an inexpensive natural source of antioxidants.A paper published in Applied Biology &amp; Biotechnology in 2020 makes a comprehensive review on Parijata’s pharmacological, antioxidant, and anti-cancer activities and maintains that each part of Parijata may have some medicinal value, noting that the pharmacological studies done so far are preliminary.In the ancient literature of India, Parijata is also described as an ecstatic drink of the gods. Incidentally, science could throw some light on various hypnotic, anesthetic, and tranquillizing activities of this tree.<h4>Other uses</h4>The flower tubes contain an orange coloring matter, nyctathin, used for dyeing silk, sometimes in conjunction with safflower (Carthamus tinctoria), turmeric (Curcuma longa) and indigo (Indigofera spp.). The corolla tubes are also used in dyeing cotton cloth. The essential oil extracted from the flowers is similar to jasmine oil, and is used in perfume. The flower tubes are a preferred natural coloring for food.While the large and attractive leaves of the Parijata are rough and hairy, dipping them in a batter of chickpea flour and spices, and deep frying them transforms them into a delicious snack called bajji.<h4 style="text-align:justify;">How does your Parijata grew?</h4>This hardy plant grows in a large range of climatic conditions from Pakistan to South-east Asia, and also in other parts of the world. It grows well under partial shade, and the trees need pruning to ensure a good yield of flowers. As it is not eaten by cattle, it is useful in afforesting denuded forests. Seeds easily germinate, and Parijata coppices readily. The only disadvantage is that it is short-lived (5 to 10 years).<h4>Finally …</h4>The story of the descent of the Parijata tree has a twist at the end. When Satyabhama grew the Parijat tree in her garden, to her great dismay all the flowers fell at night in the adjoining compound of Rukmini, the wisest, gentlest and most spiritual wife of Lord Krishna.Parijata’s Latin name, Nyctanthes arbor-tristis, literally means “night-blooming sad tree.” Why sad? We have no clue.Online references<a href="https://www.easyayurveda.com/2016/11/30/ha-nyctanthes-arbor-tristis-night-jasmine-coral-jasmine/">https://www.easyayurveda.com/2016/11/30/ha-nyctanthes-arbor-tristis-night-jasmine-coral-jasmine/</a> <a href="http://tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Nyctanthes+arbor-tristis">http://tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Nyctanthes+arbor-tristis</a> <a href="https://indiabiodiversity.org/species/show/265609">https://indiabiodiversity.org/species/show/265609</a> <a href="https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/shephalika">https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/shephalika</a><hr><hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">Article &amp; Photographs by DR. V. RAMAKANTHA Illustrations by KANIKA SINGH</h4><hr>

Queen of the night

<h4>
 DR. V. RAMAKANTHA
 retells the legend of Savithri and Satyavan, which is centered around the
 Banyan tree, also known as the Tree of Life in India. The story is
 accompanied by a beautiful mural by the German artist,
 CHRISTIAN MACKETANZ.
</h4>

<hr class="vertical-space1" />


 The Banyan tree is an evergreen fig which is known in Hindu mythology as the
 wish-fulfilling tree and the tree of life and fertility. Every year, in many
 parts of India, the festival of Vat Purnima1 is observed. During
 those three days, women fast and pray for the well-being of their husbands,
 as they walk around a chosen Banyan tree and tie a thread around its trunk.
 This festival is associated with the legend of Savithri.&nbsp;


<h4>
 The legend of Savithri
</h4>


 The noble king Aswapati reigned over Madra, a prosperous country. As the
 years rolled by, worry gripped his mind, for he had no children. With the
 aim of seeking a boon, Aswapati undertook austerities and prayed to the
 goddess Savithri to appear before him. After eighteen years of penance, one
 fine day the goddess Savithri appeared and offered to grant the king a
 favor.



 When Aswapati asked for many sons worthy of his lineage, the goddess
 Savithri smiled and said that he would soon beget a daughter of great
 energy. Saying so, she disappeared. Soon, the king’s wife had a daughter,
 and he named her Savithri in honor of the goddess who had bestowed the gift.



 When she came of age, Savithri resembled a celestial being, but she also
 possessed such a burning splendor that no man came forward to marry her.
 Ultimately, her exasperated father Aswapati told Savithri to find a partner
 for herself. Taking her father’s words as a command, Savithri set forth on a
 journey to find her life partner.



 In a distant forest, Savithri came upon a handsome young woodcutter. He was
 graceful in limb, tall, broad-shouldered, gifted with the strength of mad
 elephants, and free from fear or affliction. He had sparkling eyes and great
 sensitivity. It was love at first sight.&nbsp;


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<img decoding="async" width="700" height="611" alt="" class="lazyload has-img-center"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/everlasting_love2_8e131538c8.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-11T06:01:36.709Z" />


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 His name was Satyavan, and he was just as happy to see this extraordinarily
 beautiful princess. He was unaffected by her burning aura, and they talked
 for hours. Satyavan told Savithri that he was passing through a lean period,
 but he took her to his hut and introduced her to his parents. His father,
 Dyumatsena, was an old man who had lost his kingdom and been blinded in both
 eyes. On being introduced to his ageing mother, Savithri figured out that
 she was in the company of saintly people. Savithri returned to the palace to
 tell her father that she had found her life partner.



 The sage Narada was with her father, and told Savithri that she was making a
 terrible mistake. He foretold that Satyavan was destined to die exactly one
 year after the marriage. Despite the warning, and the knowledge of impending
 catastrophe, Savithri chose Satyavan to be her husband.



 Living deep inside the forest, the couple led a minimalistic but blissful
 life, however the words of sage Narada were ever-present in the mind of
 Savithri, and as one year drew near, realizing that her husband would die in
 four days’ time, Savithri took to fasting.



 On the day Satyavan was expected to die, Savithri followed him into the
 jungle and watched over him as he worked. A moment came when Satyavan felt
 exhausted and lay down under a Banyan tree. Savithri gently placed his head
 on her lap and stayed alert. Suddenly, she felt the presence of a large
 being of bluish hue clad in red attire, his head decked with a diadem.
 Savithri gently placed Satyavan’s head on the ground, stood up, and after
 salutations inquired who it was. It was indeed Yama, the Lord of death.


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<img decoding="async" width="700" height="454" alt="" class="lazyload has-img-center"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/everlasting_love3_213c75b042.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-11T06:05:51.449Z" />


<hr class="vertical-space1" />


 Yama did not stand on formality. He took the soul and subtle bodies of
 Satyavan in his noose and started his journey towards the region inhabited
 by the Pitris, a heavenly destination for the departed soul of Satyavan. Sad
 but determined, Savithri ran behind Lord Yama and followed her husband’s
 soul. Seeing Savithri following him, Lord Yama asked Savithri to return to
 where she belonged and make arrangements for the funeral of her husband.



 Savithri offered great eulogies to the shining divinity in Lord Yama. With
 folded hands she said, “O, son of Vaivasvan the great, you are the dispenser
 of justice. Snatching away the life of my youthful husband, who was leading
 a virtuous life on Earth, can in no way be considered an act of kindness on
 your part. Please have mercy on me and my husband’s ageing parents. Please
 spare my husband’s life or else take me also to the land of the dead.”


<hr class="vertical-space1" />


<img decoding="async" width="700" height="454" alt="" class="lazyload has-img-center"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/everlasting_love4_cda94f6821.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-11T06:07:11.167Z" />


<hr class="vertical-space1" />


 Lord Yama is known to treat the virtuous with respect and sinners with
 rudeness. Savithri’s humility and wise words pleased the god of death. He
 said, “You are virtuous, so you could behold me with your eyes,” said Yama.
 “You are ascetic, so you could follow me where no mortal could travel. I
 agree that Satyavan was indeed an ocean of noble qualities, and my
 assistants could not seize his soul. Hence, I am here.” Lord Yama then
 concluded, “As your time has not yet come, you cannot come to the land of
 the dead. Nevertheless, I am pleased with you. You may ask a favor of me –
 anything except the return of your husband.”



 Savithri asked that her father-in-law, Dyumatsena, regain his eyesight. Lord
 Yama happily granted her wish and asked her to return to Earth and not tire
 herself further. On the path taken by Lord Yama there was no shade where
 Savithri could rest, and no foods with which she could satiate her hunger,
 however, she pursued her soulmate Satyavan, much to the frustration of the
 god of death.



 Upon Lord Yama again asking her to return, Savithri spoke of the duty and
 responsibility of a virtuous wife and explained what compelled her to follow
 him. The logic in her reply mightily pleased Lord Yama. He granted her a
 second favor, except the life of Satyavan. Savithri asked that her
 father-in-law regain his throne. Yama granted her wish and appreciated her
 all the more for her selflessness.


<hr class="vertical-space1" />


<img decoding="async" width="700" height="598" alt="" class="lazyload has-img-center"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/everlasting_love5_4a631e3cb3.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-11T06:19:07.539Z" />


<hr class="vertical-space1" />


 Never suspecting that a human could continue to follow him, Lord Yama
 proceeded without glancing backward. Savithri followed him to where twelve
 suns blazed. There was no water to quench her thirst, but nevertheless she
 followed with sheer determination. When Lord Yama noticed her presence for
 the third time, he advised her to return to the material world, telling her
 that she had come too far, but Savithri had something special to say which
 surprised Lord Yama. He realized that he was happy to be interacting with
 the virtuous Savithri. He offered her yet another favor, except the life of
 her husband, and this time Savithri asked that her father be granted a
 hundred sons. Lord Yama had no difficulty in granting that wish.



 Savithri then followed Lord Yama beyond the Vaitarani River, the mere sight
 of which inspires misery. Unmindful of the hostile environment and the
 torments of her body, Savithri kept pace with Lord Yama.



 Lord Yama could not believe that Savithri was still following him. Yet
 again, he paused and looked at her with great astonishment, mockingly
 saying, “You want your husband back on Earth?” and letting out a loud laugh
 that was like thunder in the sky. “Most of humanity does not know the divine
 laws that govern life, death, the aftermath of death, and the reincarnations
 of souls. No one seems to have time to reflect on those things.” Lord Yama
 concluded, “Divine laws are strict and unsparing. It would be wise to go
 back where you still have a role to play.”


<hr class="vertical-space1" />


<img decoding="async" width="600" height="900" alt="" class="lazyload has-img-center"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/everlasting_love6_5dd2594d70.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-11T06:20:33.407Z" />


<hr class="vertical-space1" />


 With all humility, Savithri pointed out that Lord Yama was carrying out his
 duty as a functionary of Nature, but that his heart was not in his deeds.
 She wondered if he could have some say in this business. Bemused Yama, who
 had started enjoying this conversation with Savithri, pondered over what she
 said and had to agree with her logic. He was merely carrying out tasks
 dictated by Nature, and he was surprised that no one till now had requested
 that he intervene in the tasks he carried out automatically. Appreciating
 her unique perspective, Lord Yama granted her yet another favor, except for
 Satyavan’s life. Savithri expressed her gratitude. This time, she asked to
 be the mother of one hundred children, to which Lord Yama agreed; soon he
 realized the implication of this gift.



 The company of Savithri, her devotion to her husband, and her wise words
 impressed Lord Yama beyond measure. He told Savithri that intellect and
 willpower are the two most distinctive characteristics of human beings, that
 they are rare even among gods and angels, and that Savithri had utilized
 both for the good. He granted her the life of Satyavan, and then blessed the
 couple with an enjoyable earthly existence for a further four hundred years.
 Love was overflowing in the heart of Lord Yama.



 Before departing, he addressed Savithri with compassion saying, “Once in a
 while, gently remind your husband that he should not forget the other world
 while living in this sensory world; that giving a small portion of each day
 to spiritual sadhana will beget him an eternal life of bliss. You,”
 concluded Yama, “do not need any advice.”


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<img decoding="async" width="600" height="882" alt="" class="lazyload has-img-center"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/everlasting_love7_70dfa0d019.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-11T06:21:56.773Z" />



<hr class="vertical-space1" />
 


<hr />

<h4 class="text-center">
 Gently remind your husband that he should not forget
 the other
 world while living in this sensory world; that giving a small
 portion of each day to spiritual sadhana will beget him an
 eternal life of bliss.
</h4>


<hr />
 


<hr class="vertical-space1" />


 Lord Yama happily returned to his abode. When Savithri returned to the
 Banyan tree, Satyavan’s body came back to life. Savithri had chosen to
 confront her destiny, and she was successful in weaving it through her
 indomitable will. The Banyan tree plays a very small role in this story,
 which comes from the epic Mahabharata. However, it takes a great deal of
 strength to give birth to one hundred children, and we may conjecture that
 the banyan tree played a role in this. Since time immemorial, Indian women
 have used different parts of the banyan tree for gynecological issues, so
 the connection between Savithri and the banyan tree becomes a little
 clearer. During the Vat Purnima festival, eating a shoot apex of the Banyan
 tree is an integral part of the ritual performed by the women of India. It
 is also a ritual that heralds the importance of the Banyan tree in their
 lives.&nbsp;


<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<hr />


 1 Vat Purnima usually falls on the 13th, 14th, and
 15th days in the month of Jestha (May–June) of the Hindu calendar.



<hr class="vertical-space1" />
 


<hr />

<h4 class="text-center">Art by CHRISTIAN MACKETANZ</h4>


<hr />

A story of everlasting love

<h4>DR. V. RAMAKANTHA shares some insights into the science, history and mythology of the Banyan tree, also known as the Bengal Fig or Indian Fig. The Banyan is one of those mythical trees that has had an important place in the life and history of the people of India since ancient times. It is also home to many species of birds, animals, and epiphytic plants.</h4><hr><h4>Description</h4>The Banyan or Bargad tree, Ficus benghalensis L., is an evergreen with a deeply fluted trunk and horizontal branches that grow to huge proportions. Aptly called Bahu Paada in Sanskrit, meaning a plant with many feet, the Banyan has aerial roots, which grow down and penetrate the soil, supporting the massive weight of its spreading branches. With its canopy of thick, dark-green leaves year-round, the Banyan occupies more and more space every passing year. As flowering and fruiting take place across seasons, it offers food for many species, making it an ideal home for birds and small animals. This colossal ornamental plant is the National Tree of India.<h4>The Banyan in Mythology and History</h4>The Banyan is known in Hindu <a href="https://heartfulness.org/magazine/tuatha-de-danaan" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">mythology</a> as the tree for fulfilling wishes (Kalpavriksha), and the tree of life and fertility. With its unique ability to spread in an ever-widening circle with the help of its aerial roots, the tree achieves a long lifespan. In this world of evanescence, it has become a symbol of stability, constancy, and permanency, and represents immortality.The Vedic fire ritual known as Yagna, is a process of burning plants and herbal medicines to purify the environment, and the twigs of the Banyan tree are invariably used. The sacredness of the tree also comes from the ancient stories that it was the residing place of Lord Kubera, the god of wealth, and Lord Krishna used to rest on Banyan leaves.The tribal people of Maharashtra and Telangana, Pardhans, who are traditionally bards and singers, consider the hanging roots of the Banyan tree to be the long and matted hair of their Guru, Jalranda. The story goes that after he passed away, Guru Jalranda was buried under a Palasa tree (Butea monosperma), and later a Banyan tree emerged out of his grave. In a dream, Guru Jalranda revealed to his eldest son that the Banyan emerged out of his body, and he commanded that it must be served and revered. Needless to say, Pardhans hold Banyans tree to be sacred and protect them.<hr><h5>In this world of evanescence, the Banyan has become a symbol of&nbsp; stability, constancy, and permanency,&nbsp; and represents immortality.</h5><hr>For some tribal people of Odisha, the trees are shrines of the gods, and it is sacrilege to cut them. Such belief is prevalent amongst most communities of India.The Banyan has been introduced into several other countries in Asia. It is considered sacred in the Philippines, where many people believe that it is a home for both benevolent and evil spirits. It is customary not to point a finger directly at a Banyan tree, as it may offend the spirits dwelling in it, a belief often shared in South India. In Indonesia, the Banyan tree has become a symbol for unity and power. There, people have built shrines beneath gigantic Banyan trees.&nbsp;A colossal Banyan tree begins its life from a minute seed, and as an epiphyte the plant grows on another plant. When the scarlet red fruits of the Banyan are enjoyed by birds and animals, those tiny seeds pass through their alimentary canals unharmed. The seeds germinate in cracks or crevices of other trees, which often results in the hosts’ death. It is no wonder that in Buddhist literature the Banyan tree is often used as a metaphor for lust overcoming humans.In 1989, a Banyan tree in Anantapur District of Telangana State, India, was recorded as the largest tree specimen in the world in the Guinness Book of World Records. Its canopy covered 19,107 m2 (4.721 acres).<img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/tree_of_life_fertility2_14fe2efe58.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-11T12:26:38.699Z" alt=""><h4>Ethnomedicinal Uses</h4>Parts of the Banyan are used in traditional medicinal practices, such as Ayurveda, Unani, Siddha, and Homoeopathy. In Ayurveda, it is one of the PanchaValkala (five barks) used in treating various human ailments. The Banyan plays an important role in the treatment of diabetes, and gynecological and fertility issues.The bark is prepared as an infusion, to be used as a tonic, while a decoction is used in treating vaginal problems. During pregnancy, the tender leaves are boiled in water and administered orally to strengthen the uterine muscles.The bark and aerial roots are used in treating diabetes. The decoction is also gargled frequently to counter bad breath and mouth ulcers. The tender aerial roots are chewed and used as a toothbrush.The aerial roots are also pounded and consumed with buttermilk to cure diarrhea, and the leaf buds are boiled in water for the same purpose. A paste made out of Banyan bark is a remedy for sunburn, as it gives an excellent cooling effect and reduces the burning sensation when applied.<hr><hr><h4>The Banyan plays an important role&nbsp; in the treatment of diabetes, and gynecological and fertility issues.</h4><hr><hr>It is considered to be one of the best remedies for controlling hair fall. 300 grams of dried and powdered aerial roots are immersed in one liter of coconut oil for fifteen days. After straining, some of the oil is applied to the scalp before sleeping and is washed out the next morning.The milky latex of the Banyan is used to overcome bad breath, gum infections, and for strengthening loose teeth. The latex, which is obtained from the leaves or branches, is mixed with honey and applied to the gums, rinsing with lukewarm water after ten minutes.&nbsp;A few drops of the latex are taken orally with milk in the treatment of bleeding piles.&nbsp;The milky latex is also applied to bruises and cracked soles, and to relieve rheumatic pains. Banyan fruit and its juice are used in rheumatism and also in cases of pain in the muscles and joints of the lower back (lumbago).The leaf powder mixed with coconut oil is applied to wounds. The fruits are eaten raw to cure problems relating to bile production and the bile duct. The seeds are used in curing excessive urination.Nyagrodhadi Kashayam, Sarivadyasava, Ushirasava, and Paranthyadi Taila are some of the Ayurvedic medicines containing Banyan as a major constituent.<hr><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/tree_of_life_fertility3_d28ece0810.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-11T12:41:05.772Z" alt="">&nbsp;<hr><h4>What Does Science Know About the Banyan Tree?</h4>An article published in the British Journal of Pharmaceutical and Medical Research (Tadulkar, 2015) supports the anti-rheumatic, anti-inflammatory, and anti-diabetic properties of bark extracts of the Banyan tree. A phytochemical investigation published in the International Journal of Pharmaceutical Research and Analysis (Shiva and Singh,2018), revealed the presence of as many as 63 phytochemicals (including two new ones) in the tincture of the stem bark of the Banyan.A number of scientific publications advocate the presence of many phyto-constituents with a wide spectrum of biological activities, justifying the use of different plant parts of the Banyan in combating various diseases, environmental stresses, and maintaining human and animal health. Most authors hold the view that a lot of research is still needed on this important plant.<h4>The Enigmatic Tree of Ecology</h4>Recent ecological studies have also added to the mystery of this tree. The gigantic Banyan tree is entirely dependent on a miniature wasp for its perpetuation, and the wasp too cannot survive without the Banyan trees. Only one species of wasp, Eupristinamasoni, can pollinate the inverted flowers or synconium, which are concealed within the figs. The intricate relationship between the mighty tree and the miniature insect serves as an extraordinary example of adaptation and co-evolution between plants and animals. In fact, the Banyan does not yield viable fruit in cold countries where the wasp does not exist.<hr><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/tree_of_life_fertility4_7d31d7388e.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-11T13:05:57.417Z" alt="">&nbsp;<hr><h4>Other Uses of the Banyan</h4>The wood of the Banyan is used for door panels, well curbs, furniture, and boxes. Paper is made from the bark and the leaves make good fodder. The sap is used to produce shellac, a strong adhesive. It can also be used to make surface-finishers and for polishing brass and copper.In the olden days, during family gatherings and functions, people would eat on Patravali, organic disposable plates made with the leaves of selected trees like the Banyan. These plates are still very popular in rural regions of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, West Bengal, and Karnataka. In some parts of Karnataka, Banyan leaves are used for wrapping idli batter, which is later on steamed. The tender leaves of the Banyan are used as food.<hr><hr><h4>A lot of research is still needed on this important plant.</h4><hr><hr><h4>A Recipe for Banyan Chutney</h4>Chutney made of tender Banyan leaves and other ingredients is an excellent source of Selenium, an element that plays a crucial role in metabolism and thyroid function.Ingredients<ul><li>Grated coconut 1 cup</li><li>Tender Banyan leaves 1/4 cup</li><li>Cumin seeds 1 tsp</li><li>Peppercorns 1 tsp</li><li>Buttermilk 1 cup</li><li>Salt to taste</li></ul>Heat 2 tbsp of ghee in a pan and add cumin seeds and peppercorns. When they splutter, add Banyan leaves, and fry them over a low flame until they become crisp. Cool the mixture and grind them with coconut, adding a little water. Add the buttermilk. Season with mustard and curry leaves. Add salt to taste. It goes very well with steamed rice.<hr><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/tree_of_life_fertility5_224aa9970c.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-11T13:07:13.833Z" alt="">&nbsp;<hr><h4>Propagation</h4>Seeds from bird droppings serve as an excellent source for raising new Banyan plants. Branch cuttings can also be planted. There is also translocation – a massive Banyan tree that was rescued and translocated from the Thumkunta area of Hyderabad has bounced back to life in Kanha Shanti Vanam.<hr>ReferencesNarayanan, N. and U. Patil, 2019. Vata (Ficus benghalensis) a Detailed Review from Classical Texts. International Journal of Ayurveda and Pharma Research, 7, 11: 64-69.Talukdar, S.N. et al., 2015. Screening of Pharmacognostical, Phytochemical Profile and Traditional Application of Ficus benghalensis. British Journal of Pharmaceutical Research, 8, 3: 1-17.Shiva, S.S. and S.K. Singh, 2018. Investigation of phytoconstituents in stem bark of Ficus benghalensis Linn. using GC-MS technique. International Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Research, 9, 6: 2478-83.<hr><hr><h4>Illustrations by KANIKA RAJ SINGH&nbsp; &amp; JASMEE MUDGAL</h4><hr>

The tree of life and fertility

<hr><h4>V. RAMAKANTHA, Ph.D., is a former Indian Forest Service officer and member of the Green Initiative at the international Heartfulness Center, Kanha Shanti Vanam, India. Having spent most of his working life living in forests and jungles, in tune with the natural world, he shares his knowledge about some of the amazing medicinal plants of India, in this case the Ber tree.</h4>&nbsp;<hr>Botanical Name:&nbsp;Ziziphus mauritiana Lam.&nbsp;Common Names: Indian Jujube, Indian Plum, Chinese Date, Ber, Gangaregu, BadarThe Ber tree is a much branched, thorny deciduous tree with a spreading crown, growing to a height of about 45 feet. It is a hardy species with its origin in India. Its presence is unmistakable in the sandy soils of arid and semi-arid zones of India, and it is widely cultivated for its fruits. The dried fruits purify the blood and are used in the treatment of chronic fatigue, loss of appetite, diarrhea, pharyngitis, bronchitis, anemia, irritability and hysteria. The seeds are used in the treatment of insomnia and nervous exhaustion.&nbsp;<hr><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/ber_tree2_c21600b4cd.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-12T11:54:22.066Z">&nbsp;<hr>&nbsp;<h4>Mythology &amp; History</h4>Ber fruits have an association with Shabari, one of the extraordinary characters in the epic Ramayana. Shabari exemplifies the fact that the spiritual quest is not a prerogative of any sex, creed, class or community, but the birth right of all human beings.Shabari was born into a hunter-gatherer community, and lived much of her life in Dandakaranya, the jungles of the Deccan Peninsula. At one moment in her life, she started observing in herself the loss of interest in anything other than the deep void engulfing her. To begin with, she developed an aversion to meat eating, and dropped the habit. There was a growing restlessness in her heart, and she did not know what would quench her thirst for the unknown. One fine day, with an overwhelming sense of dejection, she left her abode, and started wandering in the jungles, with no particular aim in life.Having mastered the ability to eke out a living and sustain herself from the bounty of nature, she spent days alone, moving wherever her whim led. Fortunately for her, she reached the ashram of Matunga, a hermit who was seeking enlightenment. Sage Matunga could perceive Shabari’s noble intentions, the spiritual yearnings in the heart of this tribal woman, so he took her into his care .Shabari spent several years serving Matunga and the other followers in the ashram. However, just as had happened to her life in her tribal hamlet, she remained dull in spirits, and the monotony haunted her. One day, sage Matunga summoned her and told her something that shook her to the core. He told her that his death was imminent. Second, he told her that Lord Rama, the avatar of that era, would pass by the ashram sometime in the future, and that meeting him would result in her discovering her life’s purpose.Shabari’s miseries increased. She lost her mentor in Matunga and she had no idea who Lord Rama was. What would he look like? Would he come today, tomorrow, at all? How would she address him? Would he even notice her presence? As the cravings in her heart grew, doubts also assaulted her heart, “Will he understand my language? What shall I tell him? What shall I offer Him?” The dull heart of Shabari turned into a volcano.Months passed, and eagerly Shabari awaited the arrival of Lord Rama. Years passed, and still there was no sign of Lord Rama. Shabari was growing old and frail, but there was no stopping her heart that craved the appearance of Lord Rama.Lord Rama was exiled in the forests of India. The evil Ravana had abducted his wife Sita, and he was searching for her with a heavy heart. It was in those times that Shabari got to see her Lord. The cry of the heart of Shabari, the true seeker, brought Lord Rama to her door.Shabari could easily see the Divinity in the human frame of Lord Rama. She fell at his feet, and her tears washed the feet of her Lord. When the mother in her woke up, she quickly gathered some Ber fruits. However, she couldn’t trust those fruits. Were they sweet or sour? So she tasted each one, and only when she was satisfied with the quality of each fruit, she fed them to Lord Rama.&nbsp;<hr><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/ber_tree3_f335a10c9c.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-12T11:55:43.851Z">&nbsp;<hr>&nbsp;Ultimately, Shabari was able to host Lord Rama in her own little way. Lord Rama’s heart was touched by her love, and he forgot his personal misery while in her company. Needless to say, Shabari was liberated during that incarnation.Ber is one of those monumental trees that are unique to every historical Hindu temple. Ber fruits are offered to Lord Shiva, and in all Shiva temples, the fruit is given great importance, especially during Maha Shivaratri, the Hindu festival in honor of Lord Shiva.The Ber tree is also considered sacred by Sikhs. It is often grown around gurdwaras, as Guru Nanak is believed to have received enlightenment beneath a Ber tree. Probably, the oldest Ber tree is at Amritsar in the Punjab. Known as “Dukh Bhanjani Beri,” it was already in existence when the fourth in the lineage of Sikh gurus, Shri Guru Ram Das, founded Amritsar city and the holy sarovar in the 16th century. This particular Ber tree is now over 400 years old and still fruiting! The devotees coming to the Golden Temple complex do not pluck the fruits, but sit under the tree in the hope of a fruit falling. It is believed that if you pray in front of this Ber tree and then take a holy dip in the Golden Temple waters, it will cure you of all your ailments and diseases.Much is written about how the humble Ber fruits sustained certain historical figures in periods of their distress. The heroic deeds of Maha Rana Pratap Singh of Mewar, Rajasthan, remains etched in the annals of Indian history. The poet Kavi Bhushan lucidly described the struggles of Rana Pratap Singh against the Mughal emperor, Akbar. He described how the ousted king and his family faced the turbulence of their life, and how the humble Ber fruits in the forests of the Aravalli Hills provided nourishment to the royal family.<h4>Ethnomedicinal Uses</h4>The Ber fruits vary greatly in size and shape. They are green at first, turning yellow or reddish as they ripen. The fruits are delicious eaten fresh or dried like raisins. They are also made into pickles and beverages. The raw seeds have a sweet flavor and are eaten as a snack. Apart from being tasty, Ber fruits offer an effective herbal remedy for a wide range of ailments.&nbsp;In Ayurveda, the Ber plant parts are used for treating bleeding disorders, excessive thirst, and bronchial asthma. The dried fruits are considered to purify the blood, improve digestion, and offer relief from constipation. They are used to treat chronic fatigue, diarrhea and anemia. Ber fruits have anti-inflammatory properties that can reduce swelling in the joints.<hr>&nbsp;&nbsp;<hr>&nbsp;<h5 style="text-align:center;">Eating Ber fruit is also considered&nbsp;to be good for diabetes, and&nbsp;Charaka has placed the Ber tree among the group of plants that is a tonic for the heart.</h5>&nbsp;<hr>&nbsp;<hr>Ripe Ber fruits help in quick healing of wounds, decrease swelling and bring back normal texture of the skin. Ber fruit powder with honey is applied on the face in the form of a face mask to attain a glowing skin, help manage skin infections, and promote healing of wounds (it should be rinsed off after four to five minutes).Dried Ber fruits are good for maintaining bone density. Ber fruit powder is very useful for reducing the burning sensation and swelling of piles. Charaka Samhita, one of the principal contributors to Ayurveda, recommends a Ber decoction sitz bath for treating hemorrhoids.Ber fruit powder and its leaves help to control hair fall. When applied on the scalp, it also promotes new hair growth and removes dryness.Ber fruits, including the seeds, are considered to have sedative qualities and they are natural sleep inducers. They also provide relief from anxiety and cure hysteria. The fruits and seeds are also used to treat vomiting, flatulence, nausea, leprosy, and ulcers.A paste made out of Ber leaves is applied externally to relieve burning sensations and fever. The leaf paste is also used to treat boils and abscesses. Ber leaves are also a part of Panchamla Thailam oil, used for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.Ber bark is used to treat diarrhea, dysentery, gingivitis and boils, and a decoction of Ber bark is used to treat bloating and abdominal distention. Ber roots are also used in case of fever, wounds, ulcers, etc.Eating Ber fruit is also considered to be good for diabetes, and Charaka has placed the Ber tree among the group of plants that is a tonic for the heart.<h4 style="text-align:justify;">What Does Science Know About the Ber Tree?</h4>The presence of a diverse group of secondary metabolites found in the Ber tree makes it a remarkable medicinal plant. Ber fruits are very rich in vitamin C (188 to 544 mg per 100 gm pulp), B1 (thiamine) and B2 (riboflavin). They also have a high Vitamin P (bioflavonoid) content (354 to 888 mg per 100 gm pulp). The fruits are also filled with minerals like potassium, phosphorus, manganese, iron, and zinc.In research published in the journal Pharmaceutical Biology, in 2009, extracts and fraction of the Ber plant have shown appreciable results in decreasing serum glucose level and other complications associated with diabetes. E.E. Jarald et al. support the inclusion of Ber plant parts in traditional anti-diabetic preparations. And according to a study published in the Iranian Journal of Basic Medical Sciences in 2015, the fruit pulp can prevent diabetic neuropathy.An article published in Phytochemistry in 1996 confirms the sedative, analgesic, anti-inflammatory, hypoglycemic, antibacterial and antifungal activities of Ber. The seed contains a number of medicinally active compounds, corroborating the traditional use of Ber plant parts in the treatment of palpitations, insomnia, nervous exhaustion, night sweats, and excessive perspiration. A study published in Pharmacognosy Reviews in 2015 attributes anti-cancer properties to Ber fruits.<h4 style="text-align:justify;">Other Uses</h4>The reddish wood of Ber is strong and durable, used in making agricultural implements, axe handles, toys etc. The Ber tree is a good source of wood fuel, and also high-grade charcoal. The young leaves can be cooked as a vegetable.The leaves make for nutritious fodder, which are also used for growing tassar silk. It is a good host for the lac insect, which deposits an orange-colored resin that is collected and processed to make shellac. Ber bark, when pounded and mashed in water, yields brown and reddish dyes.The Ber tree is an important source of nourishment for the endangered antelopes of India, like the Indian Gazelles and Black Bucks, while its fruits are relished not only by birds but a wide range of mammals, like jackals, wild dogs and honey badgers.The fruits are very much liked by children. Delicacies are made from them, and a tea is made from a decoction of the fruit with cinnamon and ginger.<h4 style="text-align:justify;">Propagation</h4>Ber is propagated through seeds, and through other vegetative means. Storing of seeds for over four months, or the scarification of seeds, helps better germination. To germinate, seeds need full sunlight. Ber grows in a wide variety of soils and withstands extreme temperatures, thriving under dry conditions. There are numerous cultivated varieties of Ber in India, so it is difficult to identify the original wild variety.&nbsp;<hr><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/ber_tree4_3cd2febe7d.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-12T11:57:22.290Z">&nbsp;<hr>&nbsp;

The Ber tree

<h4 style="text-align:justify;">DR V. RAMAKANTHA, retired forest officer, who raised a family and worked in forests for most of his adult life, returns to our pages in 2025 to share his vast knowledge of medicinal plants, and the fascinating stories associated with them. In his signature style, this month he weaves together science, folklore, and traditional knowledge to tell the story of the Devil’s Tree, Saptaparni.</h4>&nbsp;<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:50%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/devils_tree2_fb0ebfb6a1.webp" alt="devils-tree2.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_devils_tree2_fb0ebfb6a1.webp 126w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/small_devils_tree2_fb0ebfb6a1.webp 403w," sizes="100vw"></figure>&nbsp;Saptaparni is a large evergreen tree growing up to 120 feet. Palakkad, a town and district in the Indian state of Kerala, is believed to have been named after these trees—“pala” refers to Saptaparni and “kaadu” to forests. Saptaparni is also known as yakshi-paalya, meaning Devil’s Tree. Yaksha and Yakshi are nature spirits, generally considered benevolent celestial beings who visit Earth, but they also have a darker form of grotesque and terrible entities that can appear before people as the most beautiful and enchanting ladies.In many parts of South India, a Yakshi is believed to make a home in a Saptaparni tree. If any male villager gradually loses weight and health, an affair with a Yakshi becomes the first suspicion in the minds of the elders.<h4 style="text-align:justify;">A cautionary tale</h4>According to folklore, a Brahmin had gone to a distant village on work. He was late returning, and the golden rays of the sun started disappearing from the horizon. Being far from home, and being afraid of the impending dark, he quickened his step. Then, to his surprise, he saw a maiden of extraordinary beauty wearing a white sari, her long hair adorned with the sweet-smelling flowers of Saptaparni.To his greater surprise, she approached him and in a sweet voice told him that she was late returning from her companion’s home. As she was afraid of the dark, she pleaded with the Brahmin to accompany her home, just a short distance away.Wonderstruck by her ethereal beauty, and enamored by her sweet voice, the Brahmin readily followed her to her spacious house on the edge of a river. By then it was dark. The beautiful lady made an offer to the Brahmin to stay with her for the night. Throwing caution to the wind, not even wondering why a beautiful lady was staying in an isolated house, the Brahmin agreed to stay with her and it indeed became a memorable night in his life.&nbsp;<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:50%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/devils_tree3_23cdf75117.webp" alt="devils-tree3.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_devils_tree3_23cdf75117.webp 133w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/small_devils_tree3_23cdf75117.webp 425w," sizes="100vw"></figure>&nbsp;From then on, he spent days and nights in her company, enjoying carnal pleasures. As the days passed, he became disinterested in life and cared not even to eat. Gradually, he became a bundle of bones, and ultimately died. As the story goes, the Yakshi is now on the lookout for other men in isolated places.In the villages of India, youngsters are warned not to sleep under Saptaparni trees. Indeed, if a tree is in bloom, it is prudent not to sleep under its dense shade, as the copious minute pollen grains might cause health issues.&nbsp;<h4 style="text-align:justify;">Botanical information</h4>Saptaparni has a wide distribution in the Indian subcontinent, Southeast Asia, southern China, Papua New Guinea, and Queensland, Australia. The tree can be easily identified with its gray-brown bark, which exudes a milky latex when cut, and especially by its shiny leaves that are in whorls of four to eight, deceptively giving a spiral pattern.The greenish white flowers are small, tightly packed in clusters, and highly fragrant. Fruits appear in pairs and look like spindly beans.&nbsp;<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:50%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/devils_tree4_9b684e9750.webp" alt="devils-tree4.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_devils_tree4_9b684e9750.webp 88w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/small_devils_tree4_9b684e9750.webp 282w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/medium_devils_tree4_9b684e9750.webp 423w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/large_devils_tree4_9b684e9750.webp 564w," sizes="100vw"></figure>By Utpal Tijoriwala - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=36221536">https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=36221536</a>The common names of Saptaparni include Dita Bark Tree, Milkwood Pine, White Cheese Wood and Blackboard Tree. Placed in the family Apocyanaceae (Dogbane), the Latin name of Saptaparni is Alstonia scholaris. In the 1950s and ’60s, school children in India would trace letters on small rectangular slates (blackboards), the frames of which were made from the wood of Saptaparni, and hence the species name “scholaris.”&nbsp;<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:50%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/devils_tree5_36e1e061bb.webp" alt="devils-tree5.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_devils_tree5_36e1e061bb.webp 117w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/small_devils_tree5_36e1e061bb.webp 375w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/medium_devils_tree5_36e1e061bb.webp 562w," sizes="100vw"></figure>By © 2009 Jee &amp; Rani Nature Photography (License: CC BY-SA 4.0), CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=10265828<h4 style="text-align:justify;">Medicinal uses</h4>In India, parts of the Saptaparni tree are used in the <a href="https://heartfulness.org/magazine/yoga-and-ayurveda-for-health" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">medicine of Ayurveda</a>, Siddha, and Unani, as well as non-codified drug systems, for the treatment of malaria, jaundice, gastrointestinal troubles, cancer, and other diseases. The medicinal importance of Saptaparni has been documented in Bhavaprakasha, a medicinal treatise authored by Acharya Bhavamishra. The bitter drug extracted from the bark is also used to treat a range of complaints from chronic diarrhea, dysentery, <a href="https://heartfulness.org/magazine/conquering-asthma-through-meditation" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">asthma</a>, to fevers. Its milky latex is also used to treat sores and ulcers. The leaves of Saptaparni are used in the treatment of beriberi, dropsy, and liver congestion.In China, the bark and leaves are used to treat headache, influenza, bronchitis, and pneumonia. Indigenous Australians use the bark for the treatment of abdominal pains and fevers.<h4 style="text-align:justify;">Other Uses</h4>The wood of Saptaparni is soft, light, and fine-textured, but is not very durable; it is sometimes used to make toys, minor furniture, and tea chests. It is also used for plywood and second-class match splints. The latex provides good quality chewing gum (Bhanupratap et al., 2013). The bark yields fiber, which, in this era of plastic, is not much in demand. A yellow dye obtained from the bark is used to dye cotton fabrics. The flowers yield an essential oil.&nbsp;<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:50%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/devils_tree6_70ea06879b.webp" alt="devils-tree6.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_devils_tree6_70ea06879b.webp 195w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/small_devils_tree6_70ea06879b.webp 500w," sizes="100vw"></figure>By J.M.Garg - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=3483481">https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=3483481</a>&nbsp;What does science know about Saptaparni?Saptaparni has attracted the attention of researchers worldwide for its pharmacological profile ranging from antimalarial to anticancer activities. It is a valuable medicinal tree as it is rich in bioactive alkaloids. Over 70 different types of alkaloids have been reported in the root, bark, leaves, fruit and flowers. An un-crystallizable bitter principle, ditain, was isolated from Saptaparni and research findings validate its use in treating fever. Many of the scientific investigations conducted on animals corroborate antimicrobial, antidiarrheal, antiplasmodial, antiasthmatic, anticancer, hepatoprotective effects, and wound healing abilities.&nbsp;<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:50%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/devils_tree7_ea409ecbb3.webp" alt="devils-tree7.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_devils_tree7_ea409ecbb3.webp 208w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/small_devils_tree7_ea409ecbb3.webp 500w," sizes="100vw"></figure>By MargaretRDonald - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=69758619In coastal Karnataka and the Western Ghats, on the auspicious day of Ashadha Amavasya, the new moon in the month of July, a great ritual is associated with the Saptaparni tree. Customarily, the head of the family approaches a Saptaparni tree before dawn, seeks its permission to chop some pieces of bark, then heads home with the bark. The lady of the home makes a decoction of the bark and all the family members drink a few ounces. It has a terrible taste that some say is remembered for the whole year. This yearly ritual is believed to be insurance against malaria.Interestingly, the Saptaparni bark is used in the commercial formulation “Ayush 64” produced by the National Research Development Corporation, Government of India in collaboration with M/s Dabur India Ltd., for the treatment of malaria.This versatile tree is also given its due in Jainism. It is the sacred tree of the second Jain Tirthankar, Ajitnatha. And Rabindranath Tagore, the first non-European Noble Laureate, elevated the status of the Saptaparni tree to that of an auspicious plant. In Viswa-Bharati, a Central University founded by him, he set a tradition wherein the leaves of Saptaparni are awarded to graduates and postgraduates by the chancellor, given to him in turn by the Prime Minister of India. In recent years, to prevent excessive damage to the Saptaparni trees, the vice-chancellor accepts one leaf of this tree from the chancellor of the university on behalf of all the students.Despite great demand from the medicinal industry, Saptaparni is faring well across its habitats, and is assessed as a plant of Least Concern (IUCN 3.1). &nbsp;It is a fast-growing species and extremely resistant to pollution.<h4 style="text-align:justify;">References</h4><ol style="list-style-type:decimal;"><li>Tomar, A., 2016. Geographical distribution of Alstonia scholaris R. Br. with its medicinal importance. International Journal of Botany Studies 1(3): 01-02.</li><li>Khyadea, M.S. et al., 2014. Alstonia scholaris (L.) R. Br. and Alstonia macrophylla Wall. ex G. Don: A Comparative Review on Traditional Uses, Phytochemistry and Pharmacology. Journal of Ethnopharmacology 153(1):1-18.</li></ol>

The devil’s tree

Drew is a poet, writer, and pastor in The United Methodist Church with a deep love for global contemplative spirituality. He studied theology at Justo Mwale University in Zambia and completed graduate work at Emory University. He lives in Fayetteville, Georgia with his wife, Amanda, and their three children, and shares his poetry and reflections on Substack.

drew-west.webp

Drew D. West

<h4 style="text-align:center;">A meditation on stillness by DREW D. WEST</h4>&nbsp;Stillness chosen has a way of shaping us— it certainly has shaped me.Like a rock in a river accepting the water’s current for a hundred years— it smooths our roughness, if we allow it.I thought I knew myself. But when I first entered the quiet, I could hardly stand being with that stranger! I only knew my surface.But after many moments of staying still, I learned to admire the details long unseen. I learned to marvel at the fact that I exist at all.When I avoid this unfolding experience, I become a stranger. When I welcome it, it overflows, and I build neighborhoods of peace amidst wars.How long have I chosen this silence? I’m not sure— but I hope to gather a hundred years.

Stillness Chosen

Durga Nagarajan

When was the last time that your body and mind became so quiet and withdrawn from the surrounding, that you felt you just can’t carry on any longer? It happens every time I hit what we call the ‘writer’s block’.&nbsp;In my understanding, motivation is something we draw from within. It is the primary thing which instills faith and says, “Don’t worry buddy. You’re doing well, just keep at it.”Here are some ways to get self motivated:<h4>1) Train your mind</h4>We need to be practical in our mindset and believe in what we do, irrespective of whatever comes our way. Train the mind that what we have undertaken needs to be completed.<h4>2) Look at the positives at all times</h4>Every situation has its own pros and cons. A lot of the time, we are unable to move ahead as we are so&nbsp;focused on looking at the tough part and difficulties that we forget there are always two sides of the&nbsp;coin.<h4>3) Be prepared for adversities</h4>The reason many of us are taken aback when faced with extremities is that we haven’t prepared for the worst.&nbsp;When I started my business and things got&nbsp;topsy-turvy, I used to ask&nbsp;my colleagues, “What is the worst that could happen?”These days, however, with some experience, we take into account the ‘worst case scenario’. When we do this, nothing seems too big and insurmountable, at any point in our execution.<h4>4) Cheerful acceptance</h4>Part of our problem is that we don’t accept our circumstances and we try to&nbsp;fight reality. Per contra, if we accept our current situation we are able to analyze where we are and what we want to achieve.<h4>5) Visualize</h4>Visualize yourself doing what you’ve always dreamt of doing and, voila, before you know it you will manifest&nbsp;it.<h4>6) Start afresh</h4>When we are working on a very specific project&nbsp;which we feel will&nbsp;be our masterpiece, we are occupied by it 24×7. This preoccupation tends to turn very subtly into an obsession with a very narrow-minded approach.In such instances, we need to take a step back, relax, breathe&nbsp;deeply and take a break. Start off on the same, the next day or the day after.<h4>7) Learn constantly</h4>Try to constantly learn all you can on the project you are undertaking. The abundance of information also tends to give a motivational feel that you tackle situations easily.<h4>8) Track your progress periodically</h4>Here is what I do: To <a href="//www.heartfulnessmagazine.com/silver-and-water/">understand myself </a>better, to know how much I’ve changed as a person, I keep a diary. Every day I write how I feel, what happened during my meditation, and what I felt in my day. That helps me moving forward.<h4>9) Help Others</h4>Many people get their life’s motivation from helping and caring for others. That’s one of the ways in which successful businessmen like Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, Richard Branson and Warren Buffet use their money. This dimension in our lives gives a new meaning to our work life and we want to do even better than before, only to help others and make a difference in their lives.<h4>10) Keep good company</h4>People with whom we surround ourselves are&nbsp;strong influencers in our lives. There are times when we are down and we need others&nbsp;to help us back on our feet. Therefore, it’s always in our best interest to be surrounded by optimistic people.<h4>11) Make it a team effort</h4>Competing in the business world or in any other field never really draws good vibes. On the contrary, it draws all our energy. A healthy way of working towards similar goals is to team up with individuals who also share the same.<h4>12) Know about the lives of good people</h4>When we read about the lives of famous and successful people, we realize the hardships they have&nbsp;been through and that their pain and suffering is similar to ours.This works on our psyche so&nbsp;we start moving forward with a new found energy and zeal. This&nbsp;comes from knowing that&nbsp;we are not alone.<h4>13)&nbsp;Optimize time out</h4>Take some time out every morning for yourself. <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.letsmeditate&amp;hl=en">Meditate for a bit to tune in to your inner self</a>. Have a healthy,&nbsp;nourishing breakfast.Try to arrive home&nbsp;from work on time, and have a good evening. Read a book or play an outdoor sport. Prioritize time for yourself, so you are motivated to do well in other things.<h4>14) When in doubt, refer to the heart</h4>When you hit a roadblock, refer to your heart. Rekindling the interest brings back lost passion and you will&nbsp;end up having a new found enthusiasm to complete the task.<h4>15) Move&nbsp;</h4>We need to move. This creates good blood circulation through the brain and all body parts, releasing a lot of endorphins that stimulate the brain to work and create ideas.<h4>16) Find the glitch</h4>Find out where you’ve come to a standstill and why? Is it because you’re afraid, restless, frustrated or because you feel there isn’t enough time to complete the project.<h4>17) Deconstruct your fears</h4>We are constantly afraid of something or the other. What are we afraid of? We don’t know! Most of the time we are afraid of the unknown. Analyze and dissect known from unknown and make yourself confident to&nbsp;handle the situation with finesse.<h4>18) Plan out your day in advance</h4>I generally plan my day the night before. This gives foresight into what is needed the next day and I can mentally prepare myself to manage it. This also motivates me to look forward to&nbsp;the adventure of new work and completing other things in a very timely manner.<h4>19) Get the right ammunition</h4>The tools and devices we use also have a very important role to play in our motivation.&nbsp;They involuntarily affect our mindset and output. Make sure all your devices are those that are appropriate for the task at hand.<h4>20) Build on success</h4>When you’ve just won a deal it’s easier to get yourself working, rather than waiting or working on a one-time job.<h4>21) Take it step by step</h4>It’s not easy to work on a project as a whole from day one. Take it&nbsp;one step at a time. In this way, your concentration is intact and so is the desire to do your best, as there is one-pointed focus.<h4>22) Find a partner</h4>Company is good. Have a go-to person who inspires you&nbsp;just by talking to you for a few minutes or being with you. For example, many of us have jogging partners, and that person sometimes becomes&nbsp;the reason we&nbsp;go for a jog and enjoy it and vice versa.<h4>23) Attitude determines your altitude</h4>A calm and serene attitude speaks volumes. With such an attitude problems get solved, as we tend to focus on solutions. Motivation is never lacking in&nbsp;such an individual.&nbsp;So, here are a few ways to stay&nbsp;self-motivated and create a life of purpose. Try them out and let us know if you have any more ways of staying motivated.&nbsp;<hr>&nbsp;&nbsp;<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">Blog&nbsp;by DURGA NAGARAJAN</h4>&nbsp;<hr>

How to be self motivated in life - 23 ultimate ways

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<h4>DURGA NATARAJAN shares her favorite tips on how she handles inner turmoil and
 regains a sense of well-being.</h4>
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Many times I find that we cope with stress, anxiety, and inner restlessness by indulging in things outside ourselves.
 The other day after work, a friend of mine had come home to chat about some issues she was going through. As I was
 showering, I heard her singing a melancholy Hindi film song downstairs. Her voice grew louder or softer depending on
 the thoughts in her mind, and I felt heavy in the heart listening to her singing. I could feel that she was trying to
 keep her mind from wandering into the multitude of family and career issues she had on her plate.
Retail therapy is another well-known way that we try to forget about problems, but again, how well does it work?
 These behaviors are just symptoms of our inner disturbance, our way of trying to cope with feeling uncomfortable, so
 how to treat the underlying cause? Our inner apparatus goes through a lot of wear and tear, just like our bodies, and
 often needs attention from us.
When inner turmoil strikes, here are some things that have worked for me:
Relax and calm yourself down.
Sit quietly and connect with your inner self.
For some time of the day, don’t indulge in any activity. Just be in the moment.
When you feel a little better, get up and analyze the situation. It’s not always as bad
 as it seems. Acceptance changes the situation a lot as you start feeling it can be dealt with.
Find out the pros and cons, and what can be done in the present moment.
Listen to your heart’s guidance on what to do and follow it.
In a nutshell, treat it internally. It will take you a long way.
<hr class="vertical-space1">

<hr>

<h4 style="text-align: center;">Article by&nbsp;DURGA NATARAJAN</h4>

<hr>

Rising above inner turmoil

E.M. Forster

Our daily lives

Eckhart Tolle is recognized as one of the most inspiring and visionary spiritual teachers today. His international bestsellers,&nbsp;The Power of Now&nbsp;and&nbsp;A New Earth—translated into 52 languages—have introduced millions to the joy of living life in the present moment.&nbsp;The New York Times&nbsp;has described him as “the most popular spiritual author in the United States." His teachings focus on the significance and power of Presence, the awakened state of consciousness, which transcends ego and discursive thinking. Eckhart sees this awakening as the essential next step in human evolution.

Screenshot 2024-09-01 at 9.31.51 PM.webp

Eckhart Tolle

Thoughtless presence

Allow nature to teach you stillness

Eddie is a yoga instructor from NYC, an author, a researcher, and has created two apps, The Breathing App and Yoga 365. He is the co-founder of the Urban Yogis, and is on the board of the Black Yoga Teachers Alliance. His latest book is One Simple Thing, a New Look at the Science of Yoga and How It Can Change Your Life.

Eddie-Stern.jpg

Eddie Stern

<h4>EDDIE STERN explores the 3 basic attitudes that shape the way we form a relationship with the inner self in yoga. Eddie is the co-founder of the Urban Yogis, and is on the board of the Black Yoga Teachers Alliance. His latest book is One Simple Thing, a New Look at the Science of Yoga and How It Can Change Your Life. He has also created two apps:&nbsp;The Breathing App&nbsp;and&nbsp;Yoga 365.</h4><hr>Yoga is perhaps one of the earliest self-care practices presented in a systematic way. But self-care in yoga is a little different from the way we currently think of self-care, because it is care for our inner consciousness. It is the quest to discover the deepest understanding of who we are, what our purpose is, and what we are doing here during our short time on Earth.When we care for our innermost nature, which is one of the things that meditation teaches, other aspects of our life can fall into place. We sleep better, eat better, relate better, and act better. It is a top-down approach to healing.Take sleep, for example: we don’t try to sleep better, but we try to form a relationship with the person within who is sleeping. Better sleep is a result of that relationship. Meditation brings us into contact with the person within us – the consciousness within us – that is present while eating, sleeping, acting, and relating, so that all these activities become imbued with consciousness, and are no longer compulsive.<hr><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/caring_self_all2_03d715f663.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-12T10:24:15.002Z" alt="caring-self-all2"><hr>Ancient yoga texts discuss three basic attitudes that drive how we form a relationship with our inner self. Each is described as a&nbsp;bhavana. Bhavana&nbsp;is often translated as mood or emotion, but it is more specifically a mood or emotion that accompanies an action. For example, one day you might learn a yoga pose that brings you great joy, or a sense of freedom or lightness. When that happens, you consciously attach that feeling to the action. Each time you do that posture, you can recall the feeling associated with it, until the two become interconnected, and each time you do that pose, it brings joy. The same is true with ritual, prayer, work, creativity, and meditation. The mood we bring to any practice is highly important, and when the mood and action become indelibly connected, we will always enter into that expanded state as we perform the actions. Then all actions become devotional.All too often, we get bored, are tired, have stuff to do, or are rushing to get things done. Sometimes we are simply goal-oriented and miss the sweetness of the practice. So, to recall the&nbsp;bhavana&nbsp;as we do a practice is one of the first tunings of consciousness that takes place as we transform.&nbsp;Here are 3 key&nbsp;bhavanas&nbsp;inspired by one of my professors, Dr. Karuna Nagarajan:&nbsp;<h4>1. Adopt the opposite attitude to a negative thought or emotion</h4>This is known as pratipaksha bhavana. If you feel anger, try to replace it with tenderness. If you feel jealousy, try to replace it with sympathetic joy. Easier said than done, but nobody said yoga was easy!&nbsp;Pratipaksha bhavana&nbsp;is featured in the Yoga Sutras.&nbsp;<hr><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/caring_self_all3_86888d6fee.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-12T10:25:21.562Z" alt="caring-self-all3"><hr><h4>2. Observe your emotions, don’t get lost in them</h4>This is known as saakshi bhavana. Things are going to come up, and we all know by now not to push them away. Observe them, and they gradually lose their energy and power, and we also learn something from them.Remember, you are the observing awareness, not your thoughts. You wouldn’t know you were having a thought, or an emotion, unless something was there to observe it. So, consciously practicing witness-awareness throughout the day is a great practice, and good for our overall mental and emotional well-being.&nbsp;&nbsp;<hr><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/caring_self_all4_58c05f6d98.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-12T10:26:08.636Z" alt="caring-self-all4"><hr><h4>3. Understand that nothing is permanent</h4>This is known as anitya bhavana. The only certainty is change. So, practice with an equilibrium of mind, and also practice having equilibrium of mind. This is described in many places in the Yoga Sutras and is what happens when success in asanas occur. We become balanced and able to withstand the ups and downs of life, the&nbsp;dvandvas,&nbsp;or pairs of opposites.The ability to withstand change is to know and expect that change will come, so we don’t need to be surprised by it. We just need to be strong enough to deal with it.&nbsp;Each of these can act as an anchor. See what happens when you recall any of these at some point during the day, as well as during your practice. When we consciously implement&nbsp;these ideas in our spiritual practice, they can be there for us in our life practices as well.&nbsp;When we care for the inner Self, it is the highest type of self-care, one that reverberates through all aspects of our life.<hr><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/caring_self_all5_01dcd0eb2c.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-12T10:26:50.943Z" alt="caring-self-all5"><hr><hr><h4>Illustrations by ARATI SHEDDE</h4><hr>

Caring for the self in all

<hr><h4>EDDIE STERN has been practicing and studying yoga since he was fifteen, and was drawn by India and the yogic life. Here he explains the science of yoga, and how the practices affect both physical and mental well-being.</h4><hr><h4>What Is yoga?</h4>There are many definitions of yoga. I am partial to Patanjali’s definition, “chitta vritti nirodhah.” Then yoga is like an equation: yoga=nirodhah, the stilling or mastery of the vrittis, which are the fluctuations and movements or activities in the chitta, which is the field of mind, thought, consciousness.And key to Patanjali’s definition is the idea that yoga is an umbrella term for different things we can do to achieve nirodhah. It’s not just one thing. We can use asanas, pranayama, mantra, service, bhakti, and other different modalities.From a scientific view, yoga is a systematic multi-modality intervention of practices that influence our anatomical body and physiological systems, balance and calm our emotional and mental states, increase discernment (buddhi), and increase devotion, gratitude and awe. These last three have been scientifically shown to have a multitude of benefits on cardiovascular health, and the way we relate to the world, and also provide conceptualizations of transcendental principles. For example, there are meditations on tanmantras, panmantras, and panchamahabhutas that expand or dissolve our sense of separateness from the rest of the world, and allow us to integrate ourselves in different ways.<h4>Scientific research</h4>About 12 years ago, a researcher approached me and asked if I could design a yoga protocol to help with pre-hypertensive conditions in African Americans. I’d never done anything like that and I didn’t have a college degree. After high school, I went straight to India and started learning yoga. I learned everything from Mother India.We did a trial, and had very good outcomes on diastolic, systolic, and sleeping blood pressure measures. I did another study with the same researcher, this time with a yoga protocol to help improve grade point average in high school students. We did a 40-week study comparing yoga to gym class, and at the end of the study the students in the yoga group had a 2.7% higher grade point average than the students in the gym class. Yoga helped reduce stress, increase time on task, and help with task completion. Many students who are under a lot of stress have a hard time with task completion.After a few years, I worked on a study about back pain. In between, while developing courses for universities on yoga and physiology, I questioned: how is it that studies on hypertension, grade point average, and other things, had the same outcomes? I use the same protocol – asanas in basically the same sequence, pranayama, meditation, and relaxation – and the outcomes were the same. We don’t find that in medical science. If you have high blood pressure, you are not given diabetes medication. If you have anxiety, you are not given diabetes medication. You are given the medication which suits your malady. But here we had a host of different problems, we were applying the same methodologies, and people were getting better.So my question was: what do hypertension, grade point average, back pain, anxiety, digestive disorders, certain cancers, type 2 diabetes have in common that is driving those diseases? The answer is stress and stress perception.<h4>Stress</h4>Even when we see the word “stress” in huge red letters on a screen it makes us stressed. But if we change the colors, if we use soft blues, all of a sudden we can deal with it. Stress is a term borrowed from physics and it’s a neutral force. When we have a lot of it, and the body can’t deal with the demand, it becomes distressed, whereas when it’s a positive stress, we call it eustress and we grow from it. Stress is something we actually need in our lives to grow; but when there’s too much of it and our body can’t adapt, it becomes chronic and leads to problems.We need to start reframing our perception of stress to understand, “When do I need to pull away? When can I engage? When do I have to manage it because I don’t have a choice?” In yoga, we have lists that help us do this:<hr><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/yogic_lifestyle_well_being2_d04e61afce.jpg"><hr>There are stress-induced states that we can all identify with – when we get super stressed, irritable, angry, aggressive, hostile, or defensive.The yogic states are things like being calm, quiet, content, accepting, surrendered, loving, appreciative. Stress-induced states are associated with chronic inflammation, sympathetic hyperarousal, and out-of-control chitta vrittis. Yogic states are associated with the healing response, and parasympathetic up-regulation, which occurs through Kriya Yoga and Pratipaksha Bhavana. In-control chitta vrittis can lead us into the healing response, while out-of-control chitta vrittis lead us into stress-induced states.<h4>Why is yoga so effective?</h4>One of the hallmarks of yogic practices is top-down and bottom-up information processing. We do things for the body that affect the brain, and we do things for the brain that affect the body downstream, and then we get integration.We think about the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems as complementary paired systems, not antagonistic systems. They’re antagonistic when they’re out of control, while we want to make them complementary. In yoga we see the idea of complementarity with Hatha – ha, sun, and tha, moon. Hatha Yoga is about creating complementary systems and increasing and maximizing them within us. Bottom-up practices are things that we do with the body, e.g. asanas, pranayama, diet, sleep, and exercise. They affect the brainstem, sending messages up toward the prefrontal cortex through the limbic system. Top-down practices are things like meditation, behavioral practices, self-examination, devotion, loving kindness, maitri, karuna, mudita, upeksha, etc. These use the prefrontal cortex, starting at the top level of the brain, which is going to shift the messages coming downstream through the brainstem into the body, changing physiological body states. For example, in Heartfulness Meditation, you’re doing things with your heart and your cognition. When you’re done, you feel relaxed, you feel calm, you’ve entered into a healing response, you’ve had a downstream physiological response.Bottom-up practices affect heart rate, respiration, blood pressure, digestion, elimination, sleep, reproduction, etc. These are our survival functions, and they are targeted through physically-oriented practices. Top-down practices affect cortical processing of compassion, empathy, strategic planning, task completion, pro-social engagement, sensory development and language. These are higher level order practices. We can begin here, we don’t need to start at the bottom and work our way up. That’s what Heartfulness does by beginning with the meditative practices.Bottom-up practices: research shows that<hr><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/yogic_lifestyle_well_being3_afdaebc33e.jpg"><hr>Top-down practices support regulation of the autonomic and neuroendocrine systems, emotions, and behavioral responses to challenge and stress perception. As well, they affect vagal tone. The vagus nerve is 80% of the parasympathetic nervous system, which is directly impacted by these practices, and when vagal tone is low we have inflammatory problems. So these practices are very important for down-regulating the inflammatory response.<h4>Kriya Yoga</h4>Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra 2:1 says, “Tapah svādhyāya Isvarapranidhānāni kriyā yogah.“Tapas, swadhyaya, and Ishwara pranidhana are the practices contained within yoga that are going to have a particular effect. Kriya Yoga is an umbrella term for the physical practices of tapas, the verbal practices of swadhyaya, which include the study of texts, mantra repetition, and self-examination, and Ishwara pranidhana, which includes mental and emotional practices, surrender, devotion, gratitude, a sense of unknowing and of awe at the universe.These three categories of practices do two things. First, they thin the kleshas, which are the reasons we suffer and the things that prevent us from knowing who we truly are. They help reduce the kleshas and prepare us for samadhi, the deeper levels of concentration and absorption.So what are the five kleshas? For those who are not familiar, we have avidya which is an incomplete knowing of who we are. Sometimes it is translated as ignorance, but everyone here is not ignorant. You all know so much about so many things. Maybe what some of us are ignorant of is only reality, truly knowing deeply on a full level who we are. So the idea of avidya is not that you don’t know who you truly are. You’re doing yoga to find out. So avidya is an absence of knowledge, of truth. When we don’t fully know who we are, we start making up stories: I think I’m Eddie, I think I’m a yoga teacher, I think I’m a father, I think I’m a husband, I think I know what I’m talking about.All of these are false narratives that we create, especially that last one – I think I know what I’m talking about, when we don’t truly know who we are. And along with that false narrative are a few other things. One is raga, the things we like, another is dvesha, the things we don’t like. What is my story about myself based upon? The things I like and don’t like – I like the Indian cricket team, I don’t like the Australian cricket team. Not only do I like the Indian cricket team with raga, I’m so attached to them, I dislike all of the other cricket teams in the world.<hr><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/yogic_lifestyle_well_being4_51830ce656.jpg"><hr>By holding fast to raga and dvesha, we get stuck on the things we like, and set ourselves apart from the rest of the world that doesn’t fit with the things that we like, so it becomes quite challenging. Because our likes and dislikes form the entirety of what we think our personality is, then we start to cling to them, we hold fast. And that is called abhinivesha.Abhinivesha is clinging to life, clinging to narrative, and it’s a fear of extinction: “Who will I be if I’m not my likes and my dislikes? Who will I be if I’m not my narrative?” And if that’s pulled out from under us we go into a void, and that’s terrifying. So the idea of abhinivesha is fear of extinction of the false narrative that we’ve created.Now, here’s the key thing. Where does the clinging to life occur? It occurs in our survival function. So for example, right now you’re all breathing. If you held your breath for a few seconds, at a certain point your body is going to tell you it’s time to breathe. Why? Because if you don’t breathe, you’re going to die. One of the primal ways our body works is through survival functions that are clinging to life every moment of the day – every breath is clinging to life, every heartbeat is clinging to life, every moderation of blood pressure, of the chemical balance of our blood, of blood sugar levels, of oxygen saturation. These things are maintaining life. That’s what we like to say.From a yogic point of view, we are clinging to life, we’re stuck on this stuff. Let’s go back to the bottom-up practices. Where’s clinging to life expressed? The brainstem functions are monitoring all of our survival functions. So what do yogis do? They do bottom-up practices to transcend brainstem operations. They do asanas to control blood pressure. They do pranayama to control respiration. They ask, what happens if I don’t breathe for a few minutes every day? What happens if I hold my breath for extended periods of time? Who am I when I’m not breathing? Who am I when my heart rate slows down from 60 to 50 to 40 to 30 to one beat per minute? Who will I be when I don’t depend on my survival functions for my identity? All of the primary practices within Kriya Yoga help us transcend the brainstem functions so that we can have an expanded experience of consciousness, self or reality.<hr><hr><h4>If we don’t support homeostasis through right living,&nbsp; if we don’t sleep enough, eat at the right times,&nbsp; eat the right food, do some exercise, meditate,&nbsp; and be kind and loving and compassionate,&nbsp; we’re not supporting homeostasis,&nbsp; and then homeostasis won’t support our internal balance,&nbsp; and then things go wrong.</h4><hr><hr><h4>Homeostasis</h4>These brainstem functions collectively control the functions that we call homeostasis. Homeostasis is the body’s innate ability to restore balance. And we spend a lot of energy restoring balance throughout the day through micro-adjustments to maintain blood pressure, oxygen levels, etc. So it’s balance within change. If we don’t support homeostasis, through right living, if we don’t sleep enough, eat at the right times, eat the right food, do some exercise, meditate, and be kind and loving and compassionate, we’re not supporting homeostasis, and then homeostasis won’t support our internal balance, and then things go wrong.Where do we see keys to this? Well, verse 6:17 of the Bhagavad Gita says:Yuktaharaaviharasya yuktacestasya karmasu yuktasvapnaavabodhasya yogobhavatiduhkahIn other words, for those who are moderate in food and the enjoyment of life (we enjoy life but we don’t indulge too much), in our work (most of us, at least in New York City are overworked all the time. I like to say I work a lot, my wife likes to say I work all the time), sleep and wakefulness, then yoga will be the remover of suffering.So yoga can be the remover of suffering when we support the practices of yoga through lifestyle. If we’re not eating well, if we’re not sleeping, if we’re not doing yoga at the right time, if we’re not doing it under the right conditions, yoga is not necessarily going to work and give us all the things it promises.So transcending the survival functions changes asmita, our sense of I-ness, by changing our narrative. And then we begin to embody a new narrative on a cellular level. At the same time, our fear of extinction is weakened because our narrative has expanded beyond ourselves. Abhinivesha weakens, our attachment to the things we like reduces, we stop harshly judging the things we dislike, so we’re not so opposed to them even when we know they are not for us. All of these automatically begin to thin.At that stage, we can begin to contemplate the very important questions of life: Who am I? What am I doing here? What is my purpose? What is my dharma? And what do I do next? How do I act upon a new narrative of myself? With the “Who am I?” we create a new narrative that we can embody in an expanded sense. “What am I doing here?” is my purpose. And “What do I do next?” is how I live now, how I behave, from this expanded sense of self that I’m inhabiting.And as we go deep into meditation, we can ask: Does this “I” exist or is it all just being?Personally, I’m studying the effect of Kriya Yoga and the neural correlates of the kleshas, the neural correlates of suffering. Can we somehow correlate where kleshas are expressing themselves physiologically through the brain? Maybe we can also begin to research some of the tremendous physiological and mental benefits put forward by Patanjali, along with an expanded sense of self beyond personal narrative into integrated narrative, global narrative.<hr><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/yogic_lifestyle_well_being5_b1c2d27cbb.jpg"><hr><hr>This article is edited from a talk given at the international conference on an “Integrative Approach to Health and Well-being” hosted at Kanha Shanti Vanam, December 16 to 18, 2022.<hr><hr>

Yogic lifestyle and well-being

Editor

<h5 style="text-align: justify">
 EMILIE VENTUJOL, the designer behind the elegant Danish children’s
 wear, Pierrot la Lune, speaks with Kirsten Rickert about her clothing
 brand, meditation and travelling to India. Excerpts of this interview
 are transcribed here.
 </h5>
 
 <h5 style="text-align: justify">
 <img
 decoding="async"
 alt="Emilie portrait"
 class="w-100 lazyload"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/pierrot_la_lune_img_1_jpg_8f37cb682e.jpg?updated_at=2023-03-29T09:15:50.643Z"
 />Q: Hello Emilie, could you please tell me a little about Pierrot la
 Lune, your children’s clothing.
 </h5>
 
 EV: I have always had a dream to create timeless, sophisticated yet
 playful children’s clothes. Simple, wearable fabrics, with a dreamy
 magic like old movies from the 50s and 60s. So Pierrot la Lune started
 as a way to realise that dream. The clothes are made with pure GOTS
 organic cotton and 100% soft Fairtrade Alpaca wool from Bolivia. My
 family background has contributed to my sense of design also. My
 grandparents were very creative: my grandfather was the furniture
 architect, Børge Mogensen, and my grandmother inspired me with drawing
 and sewing.
 
 <h5 style="text-align: justify">
 Q: Can you tell me about your spiritual beliefs?
 </h5>
 
 EV: I grew up in a family where spirituality was always discussed more
 than politics. For me spirituality is actually not something I believe
 in, it is something I feel and know exists in me, around me and in
 others. It is about being aware of an inner Being – the real me. I
 just read it so clearly the other day: “We are not human beings having
 a spiritual experience; we are spiritual beings having a human
 experience.” That pretty much covers how I live and think. I know I
 incarnated to change and to evolve spiritually, and this is something
 I take more seriously than anything else in my life.
 
 <hr />
 <h4 style="text-align: center">
 I know I incarnated to change 
 and to evolve spiritually, 
 and this is something I take more 
 seriously than anything else in my life.
 </h4>
 <hr />
 <h5 style="text-align: justify">
 Q: Meditation is a big part of this, so do you do a certain type of
 meditation?
 </h5>
 
 EV: I practise Heartfulness meditation, which comes from the Sahaj
 Marg system of Raja Yoga. This is yoga where we use the mind as our
 main tool to be in tune with our heart. I sit with eyes closed and
 focus on ‘Light in the heart’. It is super simple and super powerful
 at the same time. In the evening I practise something called
 ‘cleaning’ which is a more active process, where I focus on removing
 old impressions from the energy body. Sahaj Marg practice is based on
 a philosophy of the human being having a soul, a body and also a
 subtle body (energy body), and it is this energy&nbsp;body we work
 with and refine during meditation. So it is really all about
 vibrations, like when an instrument is in tune or not. The idea is for
 our subtle body to be in tune with the vibration of our soul.
 
 
 <hr class="vertical-space1" />
 
 <h5 style="text-align: justify"></h5>
 <h5 style="text-align: justify"><hr class="vertical-space1" /></h5>
 <h5 style="text-align: justify">
 Q: How long do you meditate for on an average day?
 </h5>
 
 EV: I meditate around an hour in the morning, preferably before waking
 up my children. So it is the first thing I do after brushing my teeth
 and washing my face. Then I practise my evening cleaning for half an
 hour before dinner or after putting the children to bed.
 
 <hr />
 <h4 style="text-align: center">
 When people ask me how I find the time 
 for meditation I always answer: 
 “I don’t have the time not to do it.”
 </h4>
 <hr />
 <h5 style="text-align: justify">
 Q: How does this help your life? Were there things you did prior to a
 life with meditation that you do not do now? Was meditation a cure?
 </h5>
 
 EV: It’s difficult for me to answer because I grew up in a family
 where almost everyone meditates daily, so it’s a bit like eating and
 sleeping for me. It’s just a part of life, a necessary part. I can
 compare periods where I practise less with periods where I practise
 regularly. The time spent on meditation pays back manifoldly in terms
 of fewer emotions like fear, anger and sadness. It gives me more
 energy than sleep does, so I invest very consciously in meditation in
 order to gain time. As a mother of two kids, running my own company, I
 can’t allow myself to waste time. When people ask me how I find the
 time for meditation I always answer: “I don’t have the time not to do
 it.”
 
 <h5 style="text-align: justify">
 <img
 decoding="async"
 alt="spiritual-work"
 class="w-100 lazyload"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/pierrot_la_lune_img_2_jpg_32ee52e07c.jpg?updated_at=2023-03-29T08:05:59.040Z"
 />Q: You have just been away on a spiritual retreat, so can you tell me
 about that?
 </h5>
 
 EV: Yes I just returned from India, where I also do my production of
 children’s clothes; I try to combine work with a retreat in an ashram
 there. First I went to Tiruppur, in south India, where we were 40,000
 people from around the world gathered for a three-day seminar. We
 meditated together three times daily, listened to talks and ate simple
 food together. It was a very intense experience to meditate with so
 many people. It creates a fantastic atmosphere and a very light
 vibration in the inner system and around you.&nbsp; After this seminar
 I went to an ashram in Hyderabad, and here it was more like a real
 retreat, as there were very few people gathered. It may have been some
 of the best days ever in my life. It is difficult to put words to
 something like this. It is like the inner system gets washed and cared
 for, and after two days you feel literally transformed in your inner
 Being. I wish all humans would try this at least once in their life.
 So much love and purity can be found in a place where people come for
 spiritual transformation. I believe atmosphere is being created by
 thoughts, so a place where people come for meditation is somehow
 lighter in vibration as people think less here. It has to be felt.
 It’s a bit like a clear spring day after a rainy day, clear and
 transparent.
 
 <h5 style="text-align: justify">
 Q: I believe while in meditation you can have insights, and feel
 strong connections to other souls. It can expose truths that someone
 or something feels right for you. Can you expand on this idea from
 your personal experience?
 </h5>
 
 EV: Yes, for sure! I believe all humans are brothers and sisters and I
 pray every evening at nine o’clock for this thought to develop in all
 people. The concept is that it creates an ‘egregore’ if everybody does
 it at nine o’clock in their various time zones. That prayer is then
 going on all the twenty-four hours. For me this is the most conscious
 social work I can do. I strongly believe it will change the world very
 fast if more people do this. Thoughts are our most potent and powerful
 tool to change the world.
 
 
 Back to the question, yes, I have insights in meditation. The more I
 think less about a certain issue, the faster I take a decision. The
 intuition knows everything, and when I let go of my ideas, the answer
 always comes to me in meditation. A good example is the brand name of
 my children’s clothes. It came in meditation and afterwards I found
 out it was the name my husband was called as a child: a very simple
 little story but with a profound truth hidden in it. It showed me that
 my company comes from the right place in my heart, and it was already
 there before I knew about it.
 
 <hr />
 <h5 style="text-align: center">
 I sincerely see meditation as the best social 
 service we can offer the planet. With all the 
 knowledge and science on the power of thought, 
 this should be common sense in 2015.
 </h5>
 <hr />
 <h5 style="text-align: justify">
 Q: Do you feel that meditation adds to a peaceful collective
 conscious?
 </h5>
 
 EV: Absolutely. Some people think meditation is selfish in a world
 with hunger and war, but I sincerely see meditation as the best social
 service we can offer the planet. With all the knowledge and science on
 the power of thought, this should be common sense in 2015. I believe
 it should be taught in schools, it should be practised in all
 churches, mosques and synagogues. It should be practised on Wall
 Street as well as in ashrams, in hospitals as well as banks. It’s for
 everybody, no matter what religion or nation we belong to. A day will
 come where this is manifested in reality. Let it please be in my
 children’s lifetime!
 
 <h5 style="text-align: justify">
 <img
 decoding="async"
 alt="spiritual-work"
 class="w-100 lazyload"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/pierrot_la_lune_img_3_jpg_a62e7a9e56.jpg?updated_at=2023-03-29T09:18:14.039Z"
 />Q: Do you find meditation helps your creativity?
 </h5>
 
 EV: No doubt. I have to create a lot being a designer and running a
 company. The more I can clean my subtle body, the less I feel
 disturbed by fears. The less fear the more freethinking. It’s easy and
 simple. A free mind is essential as an entrepreneur.
 
 
 Also, I am a very passionate person when it comes to design and
 aesthetics. This passion needs to be directed always towards something
 that I believe I can sell. This is something meditation is regulating;
 I become realistic and able to separate the essential from the less
 essential ideas.
 
 
 Sometimes I observe that meditation has the other effect, where I lose
 interest completely in my work, in the design and the colours. It used
 to scare me but I have learnt to understand that it is more like the
 system is being set back to status quo once in a while. It’s
 fantastic, especially working in fashion where we are always searching
 for the latest trend and the upcoming colours and so on. I love to
 wipe it all out of my mind and start from scratch. It gives me the
 opportunity to maintain authentic and genuine creativity.
 
 <h5 style="text-align: justify">
 Q: Do you reach a point of internal quiet through meditation, or do
 you find your mind is on a journey of self-discovery?
 </h5>
 
 EV: I do reach points of internal peace in meditation, but somehow
 these points change all the time. One of my spiritual teachers once
 wrote a book with the title Towards Infinity. It pretty much
 answers this question. Always swimming towards the point inside where
 eternal peace is still swimming…
 
 <h5 style="text-align: justify">Q: Thank you Emilie.</h5>
 <h6 style="text-align: justify; word-wrap: break-word;">
 The original interview can be found at
 <a
 href="//www.kirstenrickert.com/2015/09/21/meditation-interview-with-pierrot-la-lune/"
 target="_blank"
 rel="noopener noreferrer"
 >//www.kirstenrickert.com/2015/09/21/meditation-interview-with-pierrot-la-lune/</a
 > 
 Reprinted with permission
 </h6>
 <hr />
 <h4 style="text-align: center">Interview&nbsp;by KIRSTEN RICKERT</h4>
 <h5 style="text-align: center">Photography by RASMUS MOGENSEN</h5>
 <hr />

Pierrot la Lune

Love is my mission

<h4>ROSALIND PEARMAIN feels the aftermath of Brexit.</h4>
&nbsp;
Something entirely new and powerful has shown up with the results of the Brexit referendum in the UK. For most of those disappointed with the result – nearly all younger people as well as a good chunk of others, 48% of the vote – there was not only shock but a deep pain and sorrow. It was as if a close relation had died. We felt such a feeling of loss. People wept. They felt disoriented and shocked; the world of space and time, of lived relationships was palpably altered. Who would have predicted such a reaction beforehand?

Without realising, without being conscious, we had truly felt a heart connection with others in Europe. We felt as though we were part of a larger family and suddenly this larger family was torn away from us. It was hard to bear. It has been so illuminating and moving to come across this underlying reality that we did not know we had. Of course, for many young people this reaction was also a fear that the opportunities for travel, work and future life prospects were also shattered and now intensely limited. Even so, the feeling of openness and joy towards the world towards freedom and expansion is the basic condition of soul.
<hr />

<h5 class="text-center">No matter what our differences are 
on the surface, it seems that essentially 
we are so glad to feel connection.</h5>
<hr />
While we also are overly confronted with far harsher and devastating realities of disconnection and disassociation, it is a small comfort to be brought back to this unsought source of sorrow. It reminds us of how profound the role of connection is in life.

Once I asked some students what was the most important value in life and the answer was connection with others. It is the same in measures of happiness and it far exceeds material wealth.

No matter what our differences are on the surface, it seems that essentially we are so glad to feel connection. It is simply enough. Yet of course we feel so lonely when we do not. A few years back, there was a focus on creating the future in our centers in France that also carried into an invitation to others in Europe. We were invited to contemplate and imagine the future. A special group meditation was given. It seemed to show me a vision of the future when we were all truly connected as one and this was the most beautiful and vibrant and soft experience of being, flowing, dynamic and glorious. The field of heart is the most extraordinary space in which we live and it seems to take such a shock as we have had to glimpse its reality in action.
<hr />
<h4 class="text-center">Article by ROSALIND PEARMAIN</h4>
<hr />

The meaning of connection

<h4>Many of us today are interested in keeping our bodies flexible and fit, but how many of us are interested in developing neuroplasticity? ELIZABETH DENLEY shares some tips on mental flexibility.</h4><hr>What does it mean to have a flexible mind? What is neuroplasticity? Observe your own mind for a few minutes. What do you find? Is your mind flexible and open, or is it filled with thoughts and caught up in the patterns and habits of everyday living?Flexibility is everywhere in nature. It is the same quality, whether it is found in a plant, a building, a human body or a human mind. Flexibility is the ability to adapt, to be willing to change, to be open, to bend and to respond with sensitivity. It is the opposite of rigidity. A rigid mind&nbsp;is full of fixed habits and strong views on what is right and wrong, good and bad, intelligent and stupid, just and unjust etc. A flexible mind is open to new ways of viewing the world; it is not prejudiced.Spiritual traditions value mental flexibility for our wellbeing and evolution. It is not hard to understand why, as it is through the mind that we observe <a href="https://heartfulness.org/magazine/uniting-the-fragments" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">the inner life</a> of the heart. The spiritual journey of the heart is full of wonder, taking us into a vast inner universe. There is no room for rigidity when venturing into the unknown!<h4 style="text-align:justify;">Neuroplasticity and Emptiness</h4>In Zen Buddhism it is called shoshin, original mind or beginners mind. Zen Master Shunryu Suzuki says, “If your mind is empty, it is always ready for anything; it is open to everything. In the beginner’s mind there are many possibilities, but in the expert’s there are few.” He also says, “People who know the state of emptiness will always be able to dissolve their problems by constancy.”What is constancy? Perhaps it is the ability to cheerfully accept things as they are, with a mind that is soft and open. It is also that unchanging, immutable base of fluidity. Suzuki also says, “It is the readiness of the mind that is wisdom. … wisdom is not something to learn. Wisdom is something which will come out of your mindfulness. So the point is to be ready for observing things, and to be ready for thinking. This is called emptiness of your mind.”<hr><h5 style="text-align:center;">The spiritual journey of the heart is full of wonder, taking us into a vast inner universe. There is no room for rigidity when venturing into the unknown!</h5><hr>Mexican Shamans understand the same principle. They try to shut down the internal talk, the restless internal chatter of the mind. Carlos Castaneda writes, “We talk to ourselves incessantly about our world. In fact we maintain our world with our internal talk. And whenever we finish talking to ourselves about ourselves and our world, the world is always as it should be. We renew it, we rekindle it with life, we uphold it with our internal talk. Not only that, but we also choose our paths as we&nbsp;talk to ourselves. Thus we repeat the same choices&nbsp;over and over until the day we die, because we keep&nbsp;on repeating the same internal talk over and over&nbsp;until the day we die. A warrior is aware of this and&nbsp;strives to stop his internal talk.”<h4>What Prevents Neuroplasticity?</h4>We clean our houses, our cars, our clothes and our bodies, so they don’t become dirtier and dirtier. Imagine a house that has been lived in by a family for thirty years and never been cleaned! Yet how many of us clean our minds? Do we remove the build-up of mental patterns that we accumulate through our senses, our emotions and our reactions and attitudes to the world?Imagine all the past experiences and emotions that have accumulated throughout our lives. As they accumulate and form patterns, we become more and more fixed and inflexible. It is difficult to change unless we remove them.When we are born we are innocent, open and flexible. As babies we are like a painter’s fresh clean canvas, full of potential. Parthasarathi Rajagopalachari says, “Observing little children growing up around me, I have nothing but wonder, and a sense of tremendous gratitude, for the amazing rapidity with which they shed memories of persons, places and things.” He also says, “For me, spirituality is nothing more than becoming like a child, because the ego is what is associated with becoming adult.”<hr><h5 style="text-align:center;">“If your mind is empty, it is always ready for anything; it is open to everything. In the beginner’s mind there are many possibilities, but in the expert’s there are few.”</h5><hr>He describes this openness and flexibility of mind as being “like the wonder in the eyes of a child – anything it sees is wonderful. Is wonder in the things that we see, or in the way in which we look at things?”Wonder is the way yogis have always observed the world and developed their philosophy of life, based on practical experience.As we grow up, we learn values from our society and family. We learn what is right and wrong. As childhood turns into adulthood, we become more and more set in our ways, creatures of habit. When we are confronted with new situations we resist change. When we meet someone who is different from us, we react with prejudice. We think that we are right and they are wrong, or we are better than them. We are not flexible and open, unless we do something to reverse the accumulation of habits.<img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/how_can_we_improve_mental_flexibility_img_fa684373c0.jpg" alt="is-your-mind-flexible"><hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">Article by ELIZABETH DENLEY</h4><hr>

Is your mind flexible?

The power of love

Nature's work

The stages of work

<hr class="vertical-space1">
<h4>ONIONS</h4>
<h5>2 large onions 
 2 heaped teaspoons of sweet red miso 
 8 tablespoons of dashi or water with vegetable bouillon 
 Another 8 tablespoons of water</h5>
<hr class="vertical-space1">
Preheat the oven to 180°C.
Peel the onions and cut in half. Place in an ovenproof dish so that the onions don’t touch each other.
Dissolve the miso in 8 tablespoons of water and pour into the baking dish.
Place the onions in the dish, cut side down.
Cook for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and cover with a thick cloth, letting it sit for 15 minutes before serving.

Mix the ingredients for the miso sauce and coat the onions.
<hr class="vertical-space1">
<h4>MISO SAUCE</h4>
<h5>The remaining miso from baking the onions 
 1 teaspoon vegetable oil 
 1 teaspoon rice milk 
 1 teaspoon tamari or soy sauce</h5>
<hr class="vertical-space1">
<hr>
<hr class="vertical-space1">
<h4>RICE TRIO</h4>
<h5>¼ cup white rice 
 ¼ cup wild rice 
 ½ cup black rice 
 2 cups water 
 ½ teaspoon salt</h5>
<hr class="vertical-space1">
The previous night, soak all the rice in water. The next day, strain the rice. Bring two cups of water to a boil.
 Pour in the rice and salt. Cook covered for 45 minutes. After turning off the heat, leave covered on the stove for ten
 minutes.
<hr class="vertical-space1">
<hr>
<hr class="vertical-space1">
<h4>GARNISH</h4>
<h5>¼ cup walnuts 
 1 tsp garlic powder 
 A pinch of salt 
 1 small branch of rosemary, with flowers if possible</h5>
<hr class="vertical-space1">
Remove rosemary flowers and set aside.
Puree all remaining ingredients in a hand blender or coffee grinder. Mix in rosemary flowers and garnish the onions
 and rice.
If the red miso is dark it will be strong tasting, as it has been fermented for a long time. Conversely, if it is
 lighter in color, the red miso will be sweeter. White miso is even sweeter and the least fermented, as shown by its
 light color.
<hr class="vertical-space1">


<hr>
<h4 style="text-align: center;">Recipe and photograph by FÉLICIE TOCZE</h4>


<hr>

Miso onions, rice trio, with walnut, rosemary and garlic garnish

Jalāl ad-Dīn Muhammad Rūmī was born in 1207 and was a 13th century Persian poet, jurist, scholar, theologian and mystic. Rumi’s influence is global, and he continues to be one of the most celebrated poets in the world today.
He was born to Persian-speaking parents, either in modern-day Tajikistan or Afghanistan. He was strongly influenced by his father, and also by the two Persian poets, Attar and Sanai. His father was a theologian, jurist and mystic from Balkh, who was also known by the followers of Rumi as Sultan al-Ulamam meaning ‘Sultan of the Scholars’. His mother’s family had been Islamic preachers of the liberal Hanafi rite for several generations, and this family tradition was continued by Rumi.
It was his meeting with the dervish Shams of Tabriz on the 15th of November 1244 that completely changed his life. From an accomplished teacher and jurist, Rumi became a mystic and lover of the Divine.
Shams had travelled throughout the Middle East searching and praying for a person who could endure his company. The story goes that a voice had said to him, “What will you give in return?” and Shams had replied, “My head!” The voice then said, “The one you seek is Jalāl ad-Dīn of Konya.”
On the night of the 5th of December 1248, as Rumi and Shams were together, Shams was called outside never to be seen again. It is widely rumoured that he was murdered.
Rumi’s love for Shams, and his bereavement at his death were expressed in his lyric poems, Divan-e Shams-e Tabrizi. He went searching for Shams journeying to Damascus, but there he realised that that there was no more reason to seek him, as they were one, merged in the spiritual sense of laya avastha. He wrote, “His essence speaks through me. I have been looking for myself!”
<hr>
<h4 style="text-align: center;">The ladder of this world is 
‘me and mine’. 
At last this ladder will fall. 
So whoever sits higher on it 
Will break more bones.</h4>
<hr>

RUMI - The Poet of Love

The intuitive mind

<h4 style="text-align: left;">An invitation by DR J KRISHNAMURTHY to an inner journey of self-discovery.</h4>

<hr class="vertical-space1">

Consciousness as an idea has always intrigued me. Probably I should not refer to it as
 an idea any more. The theoretical idea that was with me a few years ago has now translated into a certain tangible
 experience, thanks to meditation practice. The experience of how my consciousness changes and responds to the
 outside, and impacts the environment and people around me, greatly fascinates me.
What is consciousness?
There are so many definitions in the books and on the Internet. In the beginning I was
 excited by what I read or heard, but eventually it ended up either confusing or tiring me. When I failed to
 establish any practical application of these ideas in my daily routine, it left me frustrated as well. So I turned
 to experience instead, and here is what I have learnt so far. To begin with, let us start with a few common ideas.

Is consciousnesses the state of being aware of something? That is, is consciousness
 synonymous with awareness? Or does consciousness result in certain awareness? Are they actually different?
I ask you to explore this and arrive at your own inference.
For me, it seems like consciousness is something internal, a state of being that I am
 in. Let us say it is a certain condition that I am enjoying inside that actually influences my awareness, which is
 an external-looking thing.
I would like to illustrate this with an example. When, for the first time, I faced the
 vast and mighty Grand Canyon, it was an out-of-the-world feeling for me inside. My heart was instantly filled with
 some unexplainable joy; its condition changed. It was a condition of joy. My mind that had been preoccupied with so
 many little things till then instantly felt liberated and opened up immensely. All of a sudden, what I was seeing
 and appreciating changed alongside. The change in the condition of my heart instantly changed my state of mind, and,
 in turn, my awareness.
So, it seems that consciousness is actually a state of being, a state that is deeper
 than the states of mind which actually influence my awareness or what I appreciate at any given time. These in turn
 influences my actions and reactions on the outside too.
<h4 style="text-align: justify;"><img decoding="async" alt="spiritual-self-being-consciosness-awareness" width="138"
 height="323"
 class="lazyload img-float-left has-img-center-in-mobile"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/consciousness_awareness_invitation_explore_inner_world_awareness_2_img_911ee337e4.jpg">Here is a practical
 exercise:</h4>
Next time you notice some reactions around you, observe the state of mind and
 consciousness behind these reactions. Note them down. Observe your own speech and action, and your underlying state
 of mind and consciousness as well. Note them down too.
This will become an excellent body of research and will greatly enrich your life through
 enhanced understanding of yourself and others. You will start observing yourself and others at a deeper level, and
 this observation in itself will put you in a state of pause. And if the pause becomes your second nature, you will
 have already mastered certain states of mind and consciousness
As you travel on this inner journey, you will realise that there are deeper levels of
 consciousness waiting to be uncovered. Every level enriches you and propels you towards joy and self-realization.
 Consistent meditative practices help you settle on a particular level of consciousness and operate from there.
Can you imagine being permanently centered in your heart, in a meditative state, filled
 with inner joy? Can you also then externalize the same in your thoughts, speech and action? Well, I truly believe
 that is the goal of every single religious and spiritual teaching. And it is quite possible with a simple effective
 meditation practice. I invite you to experience it for yourself.
<hr>
<h4 style="text-align: center;">Article by J KRISHNAMURTHY</h4>
<hr>

Consciousness and awareness - an invitation to explore the inner world

<hr class="vertical-space1">
<h5 style="text-align: center;">KAHLIL GIBRAN</h5>
<hr class="vertical-space1">
Then a ploughman said, Speak to us of Work. 
And he answered, saying: 
You work that you may keep pace with the earth and the soul of the earth. 
For to be idle is to become a stranger unto the seasons, and to step out of life’s procession that marches in majesty and proud submission towards the infinite.
When you work you are a flute through whose heart the whispering of the hours turns to music. 
Which of you would be a reed, dumb and silent, when all else sings together in unison?
Always you have been told that work is a curse and labor a misfortune. 
But I say to you that when you work you fulfill a part of earth’s furthest dream, assigned to you when that dream was born, 
And in keeping yourself with labor you are in truth loving life, 
And to love life through labor is to be intimate with life’s inmost secret.
But if you in your pain call birth an affliction and the support of the flesh a curse written upon your brow, then I answer that naught but the sweat of your brow shall wash away that which is written.
You have been told also that life is darkness, and in your weariness you echo what was said by the weary. 
And I say that life is indeed darkness save when there is urge,
And all urge is blind save when there is knowledge. 
And all knowledge is vain save when there is work, 
And all work is empty save when there is love; 
And when you work with love you bind yourself to yourself, and to one another, and to God.
And what is it to work with love? 
It is to weave the cloth with threads drawn from your heart, even as if your beloved were to wear that cloth. 
It is to build a house with affection, even as if your beloved were to dwell in that house. 
It is to sow seeds with tenderness and reap the harvest with joy, even as if your beloved were to eat the fruit. 
It is to charge all things you fashion with a breath of your own spirit, 
And to know that all the blessed dead are standing about you and watching.
Often have I heard you say, as if speaking in sleep, “He who works in marble, and finds the shape of his own soul in the stone, is nobler than he who ploughs the soil. 
And he who seizes the rainbow to lay it on a cloth in the likeness of man, is more than he who makes the sandals for our feet.” 
But I say, not in sleep, but in the overwakefulness of noontide, that the wind speaks not more sweetly to the giant oaks than to the least of all the blades of grass; 
And he alone is great who turns the voice of the wind into a song made sweeter by his own loving.
Work is love made visible. And if you cannot work with love but only with distaste, it is better that you should leave your work and sit at the gate of the temple and take alms of those who work with joy. 
For if you bake bread with indifference, you bake a bitter bread that feeds but half man’s hunger. 
And if you grudge the crushing of the grapes, your grudge distills a poison in the wine. 
And if you sing though as angels, and love not the singing, you muffle man’s ears to the voices of the day and the voices of the night.
<h6>From The Prophet, reprinted from Project Gutenberg: http://gutenberg.net.au/ebooks02/0200061h.html</h6>

<hr>
<h4 style="text-align: center;">Written by KAHLIL GIBRAN</h4>

<hr>

On work

<h5>Materials Needed:</h5>
<ul>
 <li>1 large round plate around 120 cm in diameter.</li>
 <li>2 or 3 paper or wooden plates, as large as you can find.</li>
 <li>Blue, white and green acrylic paint and brushes.</li>
 <li>Natural materials of all kinds: small and large stones, gravel, soil, straw, grass, moss, pieces of wood,
 plants, branches, sea shells, bones, clay etc.</li>
</ul>
<div class="row create-a-world-our-blue-planet">
 <div class="col-12 col-md-6">
 <img class="mw-100"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/create_a_world_our_blue_planet1_1d24c8e398.jpg?updated_at=2023-03-29T10:11:10.195Z"
 alt="create-a-world-our-blue-planet1" />
 </div>
 <div class="col-12 col-md-6">
 <img class="mw-100"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/create_a_world_our_blue_planet2_c61c0f9140.jpg?updated_at=2023-03-29T10:11:10.102Z"
 alt="create-a-world-our-blue-planet2" />
 </div>
</div>
<h5>Our planet is called the blue planet. Do you know why?</h5>
From space it looks like a blue ball. This is due to the oceans that you find on our planet.
<h5>What else can you see when you look at our blue planet?</h5>
Do you see different continents, cold and warm regions, virgin forests, deserts, mountains, rivers and cities?

Can you also imagine another blue planet: a dream planet that only you know about? Imagine what that world is like.
Now, close your eyes and visualise our mother earth or your dream blue planet. What is the thing that you like most
about it? What would you like to see on your planet?


<div class="row create-a-world-our-blue-planet">
 <div class="col-12 col-md-6">
 <img class="mw-100"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/create_a_world_our_blue_planet3_0ff346b37b.jpg?updated_at=2023-03-29T10:17:08.378Z"
 alt="create-a-world-our-blue-planet3" />
 </div>
 <div class="col-12 col-md-6">
 <img class="mw-100"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/create_a_world_our_blue_planet4_0bfbe35858.jpg?updated_at=2023-03-29T10:17:08.418Z"
 alt="create-a-world-our-blue-planet4" />
 </div>
</div>


Choose a friend or two to build your planet. First spend some time sharing what you would each like to build and how you
see the planet.

Start by painting the large plate blue. Then build up a world together on that blue plate.

Put a sacred place in the centre of the world.

Place stones of all size as mountains and hills. They can be decorated with white paint for snow and green for grass.
Place moss, gravel and earth, and trees. The sea can be a blue painted bowl with water in it.

You can make small animals, humans or any kind of creature for your world, and choose where they should be placed.



 <img decoding="async" alt="spiritual-stories-for-children" width="500" class="lazyload has-img-center"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/create_a_world_our_blue_planet5_3e1e2f9af4.jpg?updated_at=2023-03-29T10:19:38.170Z">


<h4>THINK ABOUT:</h4>
How can we take care of our earth?

How would we like our world to be?
<hr />

<h4 style="text-align: center;">Idea &amp; text: ANNE-GRETHE KOUSGAARD</h4>
<hr />

CREATE A WORLD : Our Blue Planet

Love triggers vitality

Rejuvenate@work

Common plants that lower blood pressure

<h4 style="text-align: justify;">ALANDA GREENE discovers beauty in unexpected places and learns an important lesson in
 the process.</h4>


<h3 style="margin-bottom: 32px;text-align: center;margin-top: 32px;">LESSONS FROM THE GARDEN</h3>

I was at the compost edge with two freshly picked red onions, washing dirt from their
 skins. At the time, my mind was wrangling with unpleasant thoughts, feeling wronged in a particular situation,
 reviewing how I was wronged. Not sure to whom I was stating my case. Not the red onions.
As I peeled back the outer layer of one, the sun caught its redness, lit it up like a
 ruby, and I gasped at the startling beauty of it. Thoughts stilled, and the red glow absorbed my being in gratitude
 and awe.
Suddenly I felt silly for what now seemed a petty absorption. Here I was surrounded in
 beauty, yet not receptive to it, letting myself be mired in thoughts not about now, not helpful, and an obstacle to
 being present.
A moment of grace took me out of that state and showed another possibility, showed yet
 again that the choice I make with my thoughts makes all the difference in my world. I had been grumbly and dark and,
 suddenly, transformed by beauty.
I would like to say that this insight transformed my mental behavior and ever after I
 desisted from irritable thoughts, instead seeking to find beauty and be moved by it. But this is not the case. Red
 onions have, however, continued to be a teacher in this area.
In the winter, retrieving an onion from where they are stored over the long chilly
 months, I was again arrested by the vivid deep red color of a dried skin, its patterns revealed like geometric stained
 glass designs. This experience recalled the former one at the compost. This time I wasn’t mired in grumpiness, I just
 wasn’t really there at all. Where had my mind been when suddenly this luminous deep purple red pulled it into the now?
 Now was full, rich, alive. That other place? I don’t even know.
Pulling a red onion from the soil, peeling the hard, dirt-encrusted outer skin away, I
 see a white layer pasted against the dark red. The dark color behind the pale layer reveals a network of pattern,
 similar to brick work, to skin cells seen under a microscope, to the strata of layers in the inner bark of a tree.
 Again, I am arrested with beauty and the marvel of the patterns in Nature.
This sends me on a walk through the garden with the deliberate intent to look for
 beauty. I discover it everywhere. A radiant squash blossom, so intensely yellow it seems to have a light inside the
 petals, delights both me and also the bee happily wiggling inside, buzzing in pleasure. Light through the cabbage
 leaves reveals patterns of veins that look like the branching patterns of trees in winter. Fernlike carrot leaves
 flutter slightly in a barely detectable breeze, a feathery dance. Everywhere is beauty.
<hr />

<h5 style="text-align: center;">Simone Weil noted,
 “In everything which gives us the pure authentic feeling
 of beauty there really is the presence of God.
 There is as it were an incarnation of God
 in the world and it is indicated by beauty.”’</h5>
<hr />
<img class="w-100"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/red_onions_transformed_beauty2_img_a0893195ed.jpg?updated_at=2023-03-29T10:53:07.264Z"
 alt="red-onions-transformed-beauty" /></a>

I recall part of a poem of the Navajo tribe and understand it in a new way.
With beauty may I walk
With beauty before me may I walk
With beauty behind me may I walk
With beauty above me may I walk
With beauty all around me may I walk
In old age, wandering on a trail of beauty, lively, may I walk
In old age, wandering on a trail of beauty, living again, may I walk
It is finished in beauty.
It is finished in beauty.

What is the mystery of beauty? How can it be explained? It is more than a perspective,
 lying in the eye of the beholder. Simone Weil noted, “In everything which gives us the pure authentic feeling of
 beauty there really is the presence of God. There is as it were an incarnation of God in the world and it is indicated
 by beauty. The beautiful is the experimental proof that the incarnation is possible.”
This beauty – the way it brings a mental gasp, stops thoughts, and brings me to joy in
 the moment – makes me think that this is much of the artistic impulse. There is a desire to capture and share the awe
 experienced, to also create what will bring the moment of stopped thought, absorption, recognition of patterns and
 layers and meaning.
Beauty does have the power to transform. Red onions are not the same anymore – they are
 portals to wonder, remembrance, awe and gratitude. In the garden, it feels easy to find beauty but I am learning also
 that it is everywhere.
Can I turn my mind, tune my attention, to find it?

<hr />
<h4 style="text-align: center;">Article By ALANDA GREENE</h4>
<hr />

Red onions - transformed by beauty

<hr class="vertical-space1">
<h5>ASHUTOSH KUMAR shares his feelings on how to nurture loving relationships.</h5>
<hr class="vertical-space1">
The other day I was watching the movie P.S. I Love You. As I am away from my wife for long periods due to my job, the first ten minutes of the movie made me cry so much with love that I had to shut my laptop.
After calming down I started wondering, “What made me cry? Why don’t I have such a feeling of love all the time?” And this led to other thoughts. I asked myself, “What kind of feelings do I harbor during the course of a day?” The answers came: hatred towards a colleague who harmed me in the past, irritation toward my mother who cares too much for me, suspicion towards a stranger, mixed feelings towards my wife due to the ups and downs of daily life. With such feelings, how will the condition of love germinate and be nurtured, let alone be overflowing?
To let love grow, how can I give it the right environment all the time, throughout the day? I need to have that feeling of love and benevolence all the time, towards each and every person, towards each and every thing around me.
I cannot be selective and block myself if I want to flow with love. That I can love a certain set of people and not the other – that would not be real love. Anyway, I often have to spend most of my time with the ‘other’ set and the feelings for one set do affect the other.
How to love someone who has harmed me, or backstabbed me in the past? I still have to deal with him. I am learning that when I see him and everyone else as souls, it is easier to love them. Anything they did to hurt me, any mistake they made, was because of the influence of the coverings around the soul. It is the behavior, not the person. In fact, when I feel thankful to them, because everything has a raison d’etre , things are much easier. The whole dynamics change altogether for the good.
With this attitude, coupled with the practices of cleaning and meditation, I am slowly and gradually learning to flow with love and joy. I would like to reach the stage where I feel immersed and soaked in love, so that my way of being will radiate love all the time.
P.P.S. Love. Seek and you will feel its deficit. Give and you will overflow with it.
<hr class="vertical-space1">

<hr>
<h4 style="text-align: center;">Article by ASHUTOSH KUMAR</h4>

<hr>

P.S. let love flow

The universe

<img
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/going_and_coming1_2c012f2327.jpg?updated_at=2023-03-29T11:19:13.168Z"
 alt="spiritual cartoons" width="735" class="has-img-center" />

<img
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/going_and_coming2_5fa071b767.jpg?updated_at=2023-03-29T11:20:08.480Z"
 alt="spiritual cartoons" width="735" class="has-img-center" />
<hr />

<h4 style="text-align: center;">Cartoon by Gabrielle Rajkumar</h4>
<hr />

Going and Coming

The cosmos is within us

<h4>For thousands of years flowers have been used as medicines to cure human diseases. In the 1920s, a London doctor
 decided to explore the healing properties of flowers systematically and scientifically, and his discoveries have
 become well-known today as the Bach Flower Remedies.</h4>
Dr Edward Bach studied medicine at the University College Hospital, London and received
 a Diploma in Public Health from Cambridge. He was a house surgeon and a casualty medical officer at University
 College Hospital. He also worked at the National Temperance Hospital and practiced for over twenty years in London
 as a Harley Street consultant and bacteriologist. He researched in the fields of immunology and homeopathy, and
 joined the laboratories of the Royal London Homeopathic Hospital in 1919, where he developed seven bacterial
 nosodes. And during all this time, he developed a strong scientific research capability.
He believed that illness often result from disharmony between body and mind, so in 1928
 he left London to find a new system of healing involving plant remedies. He worked in Wales and the English
 countryside, and by 1932 he had discovered twelve remedies, using them on the many patients who came to him for
 treatment. In 1933 he discovered the second group of remedies, the seven helpers. In 1934 he moved to Oxfordshire,
 and it was in the lanes and fields here that he found the remaining nineteen remedies he needed to complete the
 series.
His approach was practical and experimental. He would himself suffer the emotional state
 that he needed to cure, and then try various plants and flowers until he found the plant that could help him.
As time went on he abandoned the scientific method he had always used, choosing to rely
 on his intuition to guide him. One by one he found remedies for particular mental states or emotions. His life
 followed a seasonal pattern: during spring and summer he collected flowers and prepared remedies, and during the
 winter he gave help and advice to all who came to him for free.
He found that when he treated the mental patterns and feelings of his patients with
 flower remedies, their distress would vanish and the natural healing potential in their bodies would be unblocked
 and start to work once more.
Bach Flower Remedies are now used all over the world. Here are four examples, with Dr
 Bach’s descriptions of the symptoms that are treated by each remedy.1
<h4 style="text-align: justify;">Cl<img decoding="async" alt="amazing-flowers" width="264"
 height="250"
 class="lazyload"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/amazing_flowers_clematis_img_82bc00ce84.png?updated_at=2023-03-29T11:19:53.566Z">Cematis</h4>
“Those who are dreamy, drowsy, not fully awake, no great interest in life. Quiet people,
 not really happy in their present circumstances, living more in the future than in the present; living in hopes of
 happier times when their ideals may come true. In illness some make little or no effort to get well, and in certain
 cases may even look forward to death, in the hope of better times; or maybe, meeting again some beloved one whom
 they have lost.”
<h4><img decoding="async" alt="amazing-flowers" width="264" height="528"
 class="lazyload img-float-left has-img-center-in-mobile"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/amazing_flowers_elm_img_2_e3b2fd6a89.png?updated_at=2023-03-29T11:21:02.491Z">Elm</h4>
“Those who are doing good work, are following the calling of their life and who hope to
 do something of importance, and this often for the benefit of humanity. At times there may be periods of depression
 when they feel that the task they have undertaken is too difficult, and not within the power of a human being.”
<h4>Pine</h4>
“For those who blame themselves. Even when successful they think they could have done
 better, and are never satisfied with the decisions they make. Would this remedy help me to stop blaming myself for
 everything?”
<h4>Walnut</h4>
“For those who have definite ideals and ambitions in life and are fulfilling them, but
 on rare occasions are tempted to be led away from their own ideas, aims and work by the enthusiasm, convictions or
 strong opinions of others. The remedy gives constancy and protection from outside influences.”
<hr>
<h5 style="text-align: center;">“So long as our personalities and souls are 
 in harmony all is joy and peace. 
 It is when our personalities are led astray 
 from the path laid down by the soul, 
 either by our own worldly desires 
 or by the persuasion of others, 
 that a conflict arises.”</h5>
<h5 style="text-align: center;">– Edward Bach</h5>
<hr>

<hr class="vertical-space1">

<h6>1&nbsp;Bach, E, 2011. The Twelve Healers and Other Remedies, the definitive 1941 edition. The
 Bach Center, UK</h6>
<hr class="vertical-space1">

Amazing flowers

Let your heart vibrate with love

<h3 style="
 text-align: center;
"><img class="has-img-center"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/get_well_soon_3steps_img_154223131e.jpg?updated_at=2023-03-29T11:46:17.452Z"
 alt="get-well-soon" /></h3>

 There is nothing like receiving a visit from a friend to cheer you up when you are sick or are not allowed to come
 out of bed. And you can do more than just a visit, you can participate in your friend’s recovery.

First check with their parents if it is okay to visit him or her. Then prepare yourself:
<h3 style="
 text-align: center;
"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/get_well_soon_step1_img_9efc193586.jpg?updated_at=2023-03-29T11:46:17.952Z" class="has-img-center" style="width: 500px !important;"
 width="500" height="142" /></h3><img class="img-float-right has-img-center-in-mobile" style="
 width: 159px !important;"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/get_well_soon_book_img_0bc546a9ab.jpg?updated_at=2023-03-29T11:46:17.886Z"
 width="159" height="181" />
Take an ordinary notebook and cover the front and back cover with a paper that you will
 stick on it. Then decorate it with more colored papers or with sketch pens and write your own message for speedy
 recovery to your friend.
This notebook will be more than just a card, it will invite your friend to write, draw, what is in his or her mind
whenever there is no one around to listen. It’s a great way to feel better!
<h1 style="text-align: center;">
 <img class="has-img-center"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/get_well_soon_step2_img_81ad0cd299.jpg?updated_at=2023-03-29T11:46:17.790Z" />
</h1>

Take your favorite book and propose during your visit to read it aloud to your
 friend. Everyone likes to listen to a story, especially when one is tired. Don’t hesitate to come again to read the
 next part if necessary. If you have a funny book, choose it. Laughter is the best way to heal faster.
<h1 style="text-align: center;">
 <img style="width: 207px !important;"
 class="has-img-center"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/get_well_soon_book2_img_9a53ccffb5.jpg?updated_at=2023-03-29T11:46:17.963Z"
 width="207" height="149" />

 

 <img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/get_well_soon_step3_img_c3796085a6.jpg?updated_at=2023-03-29T11:46:17.857Z" class="has-img-center"
 width="520" height="225" />
</h1>
<img class="img-float-right has-img-center-in-mobile"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/get_well_soon_relaxation_img_8eebb99517.jpg?updated_at=2023-03-29T11:46:18.128Z"
 width="766" height="923" />

&nbsp;
If your friend falls asleep, leave quietly, leaving the get-well-soon notebook at his or
 her side. You have done a great job!

<h1 style="text-align: center;"><img class="has-img-center"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/practicehfn_img_6d0800f733.jpg?updated_at=2023-03-29T11:59:09.033Z"
 width="384" height="62" /></h1>
Practice the relaxa<img class="img-float-left has-img-center-in-mobile"
 style="height: 317px !important;"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/get_well_soon_braces_img_0fd2eaaf2e.jpg?updated_at=2023-03-29T11:46:17.881Z"
 width="80" height="317" />tion at home before to go to visit your friend.
Read it for yourself.
Read it aloud the second time.
Read it aloud to your mother, your father or your brother or sister.
Soon you will know it by heart and that way your words will be even more effective when
 you want to help someone relax.
You can do all this for your grandparents at home, your mother or father when you feel
 they are tired, and for your brother or sister too!

&nbsp;

Get well soon

<h4 style="text-align: center;">Children have stars as friends. 
 These stars watch over them. 
 If you want to see your star, 
 you do not need to go far into the forest. 
 You can follow it from 
 the window of your bedroom.</h4>

<hr />
Once upon a time there was a little girl called Nathalie. She was often alone at night,
 waiting for her mom to return home from work. While she was waiting, she would stand by the window and speak to a
 star, always the same one.
One night, she decided to join her star, to get closer to her. She put on her little red
 coat and went out into the starry night. She started to walk toward the star, but it moved faster than she did. It was
 like a game and it made her laugh a lot.
Then she began to run towards the star, stretching out her arms toward it as if to kiss
 it or melt into it. Her heart was joyful and leapt in the same way that her little legs were jumping over the bushes.
 She ran and ran behind her star. At each hop, she leapt up to try to touch her beloved star. But when her feet touched
 the ground again, she could see it moving away.
There was no question of giving up; she had to join the star. She started running
 faster, as if her little feet had sprouted wings. She was so enraptured by the star that she was literally flying.
Breathless by this endless race, she stopped and crouched for a while, holding her
 sides. It was very dark now, so she hardly could see the tips of her shoes.
While catching her breath, she started hearing strange noises. They made her jump and
 when she looked around her, she realised that she was surrounded by tall dark trees. Her body stiffened with fear, as
 she was lost. Fear knotted her stomach. It was so dark, so silent. She began to feel cold. Very cold. She pressed her
 little red coat against her body, but the cold was creeping into her bones. She started shivering now.
“I’m so small! I don’t know what to do! Please, help me little star!”
Suddenly she heard creaking branches and footsteps. There! A shadow! Her mind was
 racing: what if it is a wolf? She began to cry, thinking of her cosy home so far away. Nathalie got up and ran. She
 ran wildly, further into the darkness of the forest. Crossing a clearing, she saw her star again and it seemed so
 close to her. Maybe if she could reach for it, her star would swoop her away, but instead she felt a sudden pain in
 her ankle and collapsed on the ground.
She looked behind and saw a massive silhouette appear. “That’s larger than a wolf,”
 thought Nathalie. “It looks like a dog!”
<img class="w-75 h-auto"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/the_little_girl_and_the_star_img2_bf91dd6803.jpg?updated_at=2023-03-29T12:15:33.133Z"
 alt="spiritual-reading-for-children" width="512" height="400" />
She could now clearly see the outline of a large dog, very much like the mountain dogs
 with nice smiles on their faces. The dog approached her and licked her hands. Its eyes were soft and so full of
 expression that they almost seemed to speak. It was strange, she felt as if they could understand each other. The dog
 had a coat as blue as the night, almost black with silver highlights.
With his kind eyes, he seemed to say, “I know you’re tired, little girl. Climb on my
 back, I’ll carry you and you can rest. “
Nathalie felt reassured. She climbed onto his back and clasped his large blue ears.
Still a little worried, she whispered, “Will you take me back to my home?"
The dog seemed to understand and started running.
“But how does he know the way to my home?” the little girl wondered. They flew through
 the forest again, and through some fields, Nathalie bouncing on the dog’s back. They went on for a long time and she
 began to feel safe and almost sleepy. She lost track of time.
Suddenly the blue dog slowed to a halt, as they were standing outside Nathalie’s home. A
 light was on inside and her mother was waiting. Nathalie hugged the dog and ran towards the door. Before pushing the
 door open, she had a look up at her star. The star winked back at her.
From that day on, whenever Nathalie went to bed, she never forgot to go look at the sky
 through the window. Children have stars as friends. These stars watch over them. If you want to see your star, you do
 not need to go far into the forest. You can follow it from the window of your bedroom. And when you grow up, you will
 learn how your star is by your side at any time, and how it guides your life.
It is simple; turn your eyes into your heart! At the beginning it will look like the
 deep dark forest of the story. Whatever the difficulties and while it is dark there, remember the star, remember its
 light. It is always in your heart.


<hr />
Illustrations by GABRIELLE RAJKUMAR


<hr />

The Little Girl and the Star

If we do not expect anything, then we will never despair. When we expect, ‘I’ dominates; when we hope, something higher than us dominates. A discontented mind stokes expectations, whereas the heart kindles hope.
Expectation foils freedom; it leads us to accept only those outcomes that favor the wishes driving the expectation.
But hope unlocks possibilities and enables us to accept anything that may come, keeping us flexible and spontaneous, and empowering us to hope infinitely.
If expectations are the seeds of desires, hope is the soil where faith blossoms.
The gates to disappointment are unlocked by expectations, whereas hope inspires us to one day knock confidently on the door of God.
Expectation entangles us in complexities. When we expect, the mind projects its version of what should happen. Hope? It frees us from the coils of worry. The more we hope the more the heart guides us, so that we achieve what we need to do.
To cover up a lie more lies need to be told. Similarly, to fulfil an expectation we end up expecting exponentially to satisfy the first expectation! Hope, on the other hand, creates a condition of prayer. In this state we patiently strive to overcome obstacles and plant the flag of victory at the summit of self-mastery.
And yet expectations do serve an important purpose. What is that purpose? When we have high expectations of ourselves, the resulting discontent helps us grow faster.
We can hope with a fervent heart for the Divine within us to support and bless us and embrace us in its loving arms.
While expectations trap us in an infinite mess, hope helps us stride with courage towards infinity, so that one day we will become Infinite.


<hr>
<h4 style="text-align: center;">Article by VEENA MISHRA</h4>

<hr>

Expectation vs hope

Simplicity

<h2 style="text-align: center;">Roasted root vegetables and walnut cheese</h2>
<h3 style="text-align: center;">with rosemary peach chutney</h3>

<h3>vegetables</h3>
<h5>An assortment of colored beets, carrots, white and black radishes
 Black mustard seeds
 Olive oil
 Sea salt
</h5>
For a softer texture, peel the vegetables, but for more strength (and fiber!) leave the
 skin on and gently scrub. Cut into similarly sized yet irregular pieces to create an interesting and varied look.
 Precook the vegetables by steaming for 10 minutes while preheating the oven to 180°C. Place the vegetables on an
 ovensafe dish. Space the vegetables tightly, but without overlapping. Sprinkle the salt and mustard seeds and covering
 with a generous amount of olive oil. Stir the vegetables so they are well coated with seasoning. Cook for 20 minutes
 just until golden. Remove from oven and cover with a thick cloth.

<img class="mw-100"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/vegetable_380aae83fa.jpg?updated_at=2023-03-29T12:31:08.554Z" />

<h3 class="pt-3">walnut cheese</h3>
<h5>Option 1, preparing 2 days in advance:
 200 g walnuts
 30 g quality unpasteurized miso
 100 ml mineral water
 One sprig of nasturtium, or any other aromatic fresh flower or herb – borage, parsley,
 sage
</h5>
Soak the walnuts overnight. In the morning, blend with mineral water and miso. Place in
 a large, clean glass jar. Let ferment for 12 to 24 hours, at room temperature, just until the mixture is aerated (it
 will become bubbly and creamier) and a good odor emerges. Mix in the coarsley chopped herbs.

<h5 style="text-align: justify;">Option 2, to prepare the same day, without fermentation.
 Proceed with the previous recipe and use immediately.</h5>
<h3 class="pt-3">chutney</h3>
<h5>2 large yellow peaches, peeled
 1 small red onion
 olive oil
 1 sprig fresh rosemary
 1 tbsp coconut sugar (or honey or
 rapadura)
 1 tbsp red wine vinegar (or apple cider)
 pinch of salt
</h5>
Finely chop the onion and cut peaches in medium pieces. In a small saucepan, sauté the
 onions in the olive oil, just until soft, but not browned. Add rosemary, stirring briefly. Add the peaches, vinegar,
 sugar and salt. Let cook over very low heat, covered for 10 minutes, without stirring to avoid damaging the fruits.
 Remove the cover and allow to reduce for 10 minutes more.
Place the vegetables on shallow plates, next drop a spoonful of walnut cheese, then on top of that, chunks of peach
chutney. Decorate with coarsely chopped nasturtium flowers.
<h3 class="pt-3">to serve</h3>
Place the vegetables on shallow plates, next drop a spoonful of walnut cheese, then on top of that, chunks of peach
chutney. Decorate with coarsely chopped nasturtium flowers.


<hr>
<h4 style="text-align: center;">Recipe by Félicie Tocze
 <a href="http://felicietocze.fr/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">felicietocze.fr</a>
</h4>

<hr>
&nbsp;

<h2 style="text-align: center;" class="pb-3">turmeric latte</h2>

<h3>preparation of
 turmeric paste
</h3>
<h5>ingredients</h5>
1/4 cup turmeric powder
1/2 tbsp ground pepper
1/2 cup filtered water
<h5>method</h5>
Mix all ingredients in a bowl that is sitting in boiling water of medium strength. After mixing for some minutes you
will get a thick paste. Store it in an airtight jar in the refrigerator.

<h3><img class="mw-100"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/turmericrecipe_ea7a6f3cf3.jpg?updated_at=2023-03-29T12:31:41.555Z" />
</h3>
<h3>preparation of
 turmeric milk
</h3>
<h5>ingredients</h5>
1 cup cows milk, coconut milk or almond milk
1 tbsp coconut oil
1/2 tsp turmeric paste and honey
<h5>method</h5>
Mix the milk, coconut oil and turmeric paste in a pot on a low heat. Warm the mixture. Do not let it boil. Add honey at
the end if desired.
<h3 class="pt-3">benefits</h3>
This is an ancient Indian drink. It ensures health and longevity and may even have the
 ability to kill carcinogenic cells. It may also help against the following diseases: arthritis, back pain, female
 reproductive imbalances, sleep disorders, depression and stress.
Studies have shown that turmeric acts as an antioxidant, destroys bacteria, viruses and
 fungi, has anti-inflammatory properties, and contains a multitude of nutrients including protein, fiber, vitamin C,
 vitamin E, vitamin K, sodium, copper, iron, zinc, magnesium and vitamin B3.

<hr>
<h4 style="text-align: center;">Recipe by Sravan Banda</h4>

<hr>

Roasted root vegetables and turmeric latte

Discover your genius

10 reasons to meditate in your workplace

The soul's experience

Unfold

<hr class="vertical-space1">
How often do you observe the things your family and your local community throw out in the trash? What sort of things can you find? Paper, plastic, food, old furniture, magazines, newspapers, clothes, branches and leaves from the garden? Make a list.
When you have some time, see what you can make from these things in the trash, e.g. sculptures from wood, metal or plastic, hanging mobiles from odds and ends, a recycled paper notebook, a skirt or jacket, compost from food scraps, a patchwork quilt from old pieces of clothing. What else can you think of?
Here is a fun and useful activity:
Collect materials for a ‘trash to treasure’ project, and also include glue, scissors, sewing equipment, etc. Make sure you wash anything dirty before handling it.
Create artwork or practical items with your recyclable materials.
If you do this with a group of friends, you could display your recycled creations for others to see. Use this opportunity to build awareness in your local community about waste management.
And think about this:
To eliminate the concept of waste means to design things 
 – products, packaging and systems – 
 from the very beginning 
 on the understanding that waste does not exist.
—William McDonough
Can you design something really innovative that will reduce waste in your local community? You won’t know until you try!
Please share your ideas with us at <a href="mailto:contributions@heartfulnessmagazine.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">contributions@heartfulnessmagazine.com</a>.

From trash to treasure

Commit to never-ending <a href="https://heartfulness.org/magazine/become-the-best-version-of-yourself" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">self-improvement</a> Excel in everything I do Love myself first and extend my love to others Enjoy my achievements as well as the process Believe everything is going to be fine in the end Be responsible for all my decisions Avoid negative energy but still be compassionate Trust people’s actions, not their words Imagine I am a child of the Universe and I belong to a big supportive family Never give up my dreams Be grateful for this life journeyJessica D. Pang

Purpose of life

<hr class="vertical-space1">
Once upon a time, there was a rich, kind and blissful merchant, Boniface, who lived in a village near Montpellier in
 France. His childhood friend, Philibert, the clog maker, lived at the other end of the village. They were very fond of
 each other and they really appreciated being together.
<img decoding="async" class="has-img-center lazyload"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/threeapples1_ef5eac3e11.jpg?updated_at=2023-03-29T12:47:09.020Z">

But times were hard for the clog maker, as nobody wanted to wear wooden clogs anymore. His business had declined and
 he was now as poor as a church mouse. Misery would not leave his door, and he could not feed his twelve children
 properly. 
 On the 1 January, his wife gave birth to a new child.
“Now there are too many,” he cried, sitting on his doorstep with his head in both hands, giving way to despair. 
 Boniface went by and saw that his friend was in tears: “What’s the matter with you Philibert? Should you not rejoice
 on such a day?” 
 “No, Boniface,” the clog maker sighed, “I won’t be able to feed the girl who has just arrived in our family, and I
 will have to abandon her at the gate of the Sisters of Mercy’s orphanage. It hurts my heart, but there is no other
 way.” 
 “Listen, Philibert, I have three boys and no girl. Let me adopt her, if you please.” 
 “Thank you, Boniface. God bless you.”
The girl was named Marylou, and she grew up with the three sons of Boniface. Time passed quickly, and before anybody
 could realize the girl had turned into a beautiful young lady and the three boys were now handsome youth.
One evening in May, sitting in the shade of an olive tree, the father said to his sons, 
 “You love Marylou, don’t you?” 
 “Of course we do! Why are you asking?” 
 “Sons, you should know that she is not really your sister.”
Then he told them how he had come to adopt her. Once he had finished telling the story, one of the sons exclaimed,
 “That’s wonderful news. Father, let me marry her, please!” 
 “I too want to marry her!” 
 “No! I am the eldest and it is for me to marry her.”
<img decoding="async" class="has-img-center lazyload"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/threeapples2_885cb02ed4.jpg?updated_at=2023-03-29T12:48:54.326Z">

The three brothers were stunned, moved, amazed, impatient, frantic, thrilled and restless, and they all spoke at the
 same time, assaulting the armchair of their father, who smiled and tried to keep them at bay. 
 “Well! Keep calm boys! I’m really sorry I inflamed you with such passion. So, before your hearts are set ablaze, here
 is what I suggest you should do. Go to Paris, the magic city. I give you three days to find the present you think she
 deserves and bring it back here. Then Marylou will choose.”
No sooner said than done. They went to Paris, and parted when they were at the gate of Notre Dame. 
 “This is the place where we shall meet in three days, the eldest brother said. “God bless the three of us.” 
 On the third day, when the cathedral bell struck midday, the three brothers were back on the esplanade.
The eldest said at once, “Brothers, I think the matter is settled. It really seems it is my fate to be Marylou’s
 husband. Last night, I met an old coachman who lay dying on the seat of his car. I gave him some water and I stayed
 with him to accompany him in his last moments. He whispered to me, ‘Thou, the obliging one, you will be my heir. I
 bequeath my car to you. It is not really beautiful but it is magic. Just get into it, say ‘Go, Go,’ and it will take
 you wherever you want to go in a trice. It is yours. Don’t forget, it must come from your heart. Farewell and good
 luck!’” 
 “Not bad, not bad,” the middle brother said, “now listen to my story. Last night, in a dark street, I bumped into a
 robber who had just burgled the attic of a famous astrologer. He growled to me, ‘You come at the right moment. Here,
 have this telescope for threepence. A real bargain since it’s as good as new!’ So I bought it.
“We are really blessed, brothers, for it’s an invaluable one. With it we can see anything, including the most distant
 stars. We only have to wish to see a particular thing and there it is. For instance, now I can see Marylou’s face.
 It’s true! I can see all that Nature will let me see. Oh look, Marylou is sighing. She’s longing for me!
“And what about you, little brother, what did you find?” 
 “I’m sorry, brothers, I found only three apples. Your gifts are so incredible; forgive me if I only have a trivial
 adventure to offer. I met an old lady who was having difficulties walking, so I helped her home. Her sons had
 abandoned her, and since she was feeling lonely, sad and forlorn, I stayed with her during these three days.
<img decoding="async" src="//cdn-prod.heartfulness.org/hfnmag/images/2017/oct/threeapples3.jpg"
 class="has-img-center lazyload">
“This morning when I left, she put three apples into my pocket and said, ‘Don’t eat them but keep them for a fatal
 time. They will heal any poison. They can bring the light of Life back to anyone who has already set foot in the
 Dead’s night.’”
Having shared their discoveries, they went, arm in arm, curious and dazzled to walk around the capital. When the mist
 started to darken the banks of the Seine, their legs felt heavy with a burning pain in their feet. 
 The eldest brother said, “It’s time to go back home, brothers. Come on, let’s get into my car. It will take us home in
 no time.”
<img decoding="async" class="has-img-center lazyload"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/threeapples4_2349874c0c.jpg?updated_at=2023-03-29T12:50:41.850Z">

“Wait a minute,” the middle brother said, “I want to see if our soup is ready.” He looked into the telescope and
 cried, “Oh dear! Oh no! It’s a catastrophe. Mother and father are lying in bed, and Marylou is on the floor. They are
 very sick and they are going to die.” 
 The eldest said, “Go, Go,” to his car, and they were home in a minute. 
 The youngest brother ran to the bedroom and gave one apple to Marylou, another to their mother, and the third to their
 father, bringing them all back to life.
Seeing them breathing, the brothers heaved a sigh of relief, laughed and embraced each other, saying, 
 “Come on! Let’s have dinner.” 
 Over dessert the father asked, “Now, Marylou, whom do you choose as your husband?”
The eldest son showed off the magic car parked in pride of place in front of the stone steps. The second brother took
 out the glowing telescope of which he was so proud. The younger one turned out his empty pockets, and showing his
 empty hands said, “I have nothing left!” 
 At this, Marylou seized his hands: “Here is the best of men! He gave everything he had and kept nothing for himself or
 for his salvation. Do you have any objection, dear brothers?”
They all kept quiet.
And so will I. Wishing you sweet dreams.
<hr class="vertical-space1">


<hr>
<h4 style="text-align: center;">Story by PAPIGUY DE MONTPELLIER 
 Illustrations by JULIETTE ALAY HØYRUP</h4>


<hr>

Three apples

If it’s spring where you live, Nature puts on a new face with new shoots and buds. It’s
 the right time to change your menu and introduce salads after the cold winter months. Lets grow sprouts to bring the
 energy of spring to your plate. It’s simple and is a marvel of nature to witness at home, when the small sprouts
 come out of the grains and seeds.
<h3 style="text-align: center;">You will need:</h3>
<img decoding="async" class="lazyload w-100"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/sprouts2_jpg_d556d71391.jpg">
Jars or containers – you can save jam jars from the kitchen. Use transparent glass jar
 so you can watch your seeds coming to life. It is easier if the jar has a wide opening.
Seeds, beans and grains for sprouting. Not all grains sprout so see below to know more.
Fine mesh or cotton cloth.
<hr>
Fill one-third of the container with seeds: the seeds with swell when water is added and then take even more space
 while sprouting.
Pour lukewarm water over the seeds until it reaches two-thirds of the height of the container.
Cover the opening with mesh or cotton cloth.
Let this stay overnight (8 hours) in a clean, well-aired place.
<hr>
The next day, drain the water.
Rinse the seeds well in drinking water, swishing them around.
Drain again.
Repeat this operation twice a day.
<hr>
If you live in a warm place, you might have to do it more often, and make sure that you wash the seeds well so that
 no smell is coming. Be gentle so as not to break the young sprouts.
Watch your seeds turn into sprouts from the first day onwards. It’s spring in your
 house, no matter what the season. It might take two to five days before they are ready to eat.
When they are ready to eat, rinse them well again before you place a lid on the jar and
 store it in the fridge. Add sprouts to your salads, eat them as a snack, or have them as a side dish with olive oil,
 salt and a dash of lemon.
Draw the different stages so that you can share this experience with your friends, and then invite them to share the
 taste also.
<img decoding="async" class="lazyload w-100"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/sprouts3_jpg_93be61d5ab.jpg">
<hr class="vertical-space1">
<h3 style="text-align: center;">Easy things to sprout</h3>


<hr>
Chickpeas*, lentils, moong beans, adzuki beans.
Quinoa, wild rice*, millet, amaranth grains.
Alfalfa*, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds.
Avoid red kidney beans as they contain a toxic
 element.
Only seeds that are wild can sprout, choose them from an
 organic store to make sure they are not treated.
* Needs 12 hour soaking
<hr class="vertical-space1">
<h3 style="text-align: center;">Sprouts as superfoods</h3>


<hr>
Sprouting a grain makes it richer in vitamin C, E and
 beta-carotene and in certain amino acids.
The content of fiber and antioxidants also increases when
 sprouted.
Sprouts increase the absorption of some nutrients by
 increasing the activity of certain digestive enzymes.

Spring sprouts

Choose a night when the moon is dark, so it is easier to see the stars. How will you find out when it is the new moon?
Take a piece of paper and a pencil outside with you and find a comfortable place to be.&nbsp;Invite some friends to join you.
Find a star pattern that you like. These are called constellations. Do you have a favourite star or group of stars? Get to know the names of the common constellations you can see from your place.
Observe the way the stars twinkle. Which ones are brighter? Which ones are blue, or white, or red? Which ones do you like the best? Why?
Nature speaks – when you look at the stars they speak to you. Take some time to figure out what they are saying.
Draw your favourite star pattern in pencil on your piece of paper.
When you go back inside, work on the drawing until you are happy that it is good. Where each star is in the pattern, make a small hole in the paper. You can use a sharp pencil to do this.
Use black paper, or paint your paper black so it is like the night sky.
When you have punched holes in the paper for all the stars, take a candle or torchlight and put the paper in front of it. Turn the lights out and see your constellation shining in the dark room. You can make posters, cards and sculptures like this.

STAR PATTERNS

Once upon a time, on a gray December day, the sky in northern France was crying its fog
 out. The wind was giving the beat with long hooting gusts that were gnawing at everything and wrapping the bodies of
 a wet breath. In the muddy refugee camp of Grande Synthe, near Calais, some children huddled around an improvised
 brazier, while some others gathered in the corner of a shack, and lay down on cardboard to listen to a young man,
 Zaïr, who told them the strange story of Jomo the Brave.
<img class="img-float-left has-img-center-in-mobile"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/jomo_the_brave1_img_6a7ad0a87b.jpg?updated_at=2023-03-29T12:55:57.424Z"
 alt="jomo-the-brave" width="315" height="500" /></a>
<h3>Jomo was twelve years old.</h3>
I met him as he was roaming the Nouakchott streets in Mauritania…

He had been living in a big Malian village, Kangara, situated between the savannah and the Niger River. Water had
brought riches and prosperity in the village. The soil in the fields was rich and generous. The village had a variety of
resources. The villagers had everything they needed to support themselves, plus a little more. They would sell their
surplus on the market in Bamako. So they had a comfortable and easy life. The village became well known as a destination
for tourism. New businesses bloomed like bacopa flowers after the rain. From rich the villagers became very rich.

Young Jomo lived on the edge of the village. His father had died at war and his mother of illness. He was living all by
himself, very poorly, eating whatever his neighbors gave him for his services to them. He could be seen from afar with
his fiery hair and his lighter skin color. He was different.
<h3>The village inhabitants were wealthy, but ....</h3>
The passing travellers were always surprised when they came across the proud villagers – their fake smiles were too
quickly replaced by greedy looks, reflecting their piggy bank hearts. Almost every day a crowd gathered in the town
square, beneath the palaver tree, for court cases. Everyone was involved in a conflict with someone else. The moment
something annoyed your neighbor, he would sue you without even trying to discuss the problem with you.

The elders were fed up with all these cases. People no longer trusted each other. Fear was sneaking in and the villagers
would no longer leave their houses; they were doing nothing.
As for the younger ones, they enjoyed themselves by playing stunning endless games. Why
 should they work? They had all they wanted, and they could make the neighboring villagers work, those who did not
 have such luck.
So most of the inhabitants ended up loitering and gossiping all day long in the shade of
 the baobabs or in tearooms. Idleness is the mother of all vices, as the saying goes. And that is actually all you
 could see in the village.
Boredom is a sly poisonous snake that embraces laziness and incites you to speak ill of
 one another. At first, you will do it just to show off, inventing things about other people: “Have you heard about
 Jane? Did you know … ?” Gossip turns into something sour, that will hurt your heart. It becomes wicked and
 destructive. In the whole village, they were gossiping in unison.
Jomo, a delicate and shy child, did not mix easily with the other kids in his
 neighborhood. He did not disturb those who were chatting, and he could not bear the jeering and gossiping that was
 going on. So he found himself alone and isolated.

<h3 style="text-align: justify;">One day, Jomo becomes the focus of all the talk and gossip.</h3>
“Who does he think he is, to not even come and talk with us? Aren’t we good enough for
 him?”
“Yeah, he takes pride in the fact his skin is lighter than ours, that’s why! But what of
 all the stains on him? It looks as if he had confetti on his skin? Or maybe he used a strainer to try and get
 tanned!”
“Well, he is always very kind to me.”
“A sheer hypocrite, that’s what he is.” “Do you think so? Still, he is nice.”
“Come on! Open your eyes, kids. He is not nice. He is as smarmy as a swarm of bees
 waiting for the right time to sting. Satan sent him here, for sure. He is white and his parents were Peuls. A
 disgrace to us! He brings bad luck.”
“Don’t you think it is strange that he’s always alone?”
“And quite strange, the way his parents died, isn’t it? And that he lives all by
 himself, isn’t that odd?”
“He does not even go to school. That’s definitely weird.”
“Believe me, he has a shameful disease, an old knitter said. If he remains alone, it is
 only to hide that he’s got it. Have you seen the state of his skin, with all the scabs on it?” “My mother says it is
 leprosy and we must keep away from it.”
“He is a leper, for sure. Yes, he is! It is horrible!”
“Fatima, have you heard about Jomo? He is a leper!” That is how the word spread. In the
 village, rumors were not just circulating, they were swirling. Overnight, he was pushed aside. There was no more
 work for him. They all closed their doors at him. Children started chasing him and throwing stones at him. If he
 passed by, women would threaten him.
They shouted: “Buzz off, you nasty leper. Go away!”
As for him, he couldn’t understand. He did not feel ill. Of course, the red stains on
 his legs and arms were itching and made him scratch. Was it leprosy?
He went to see one of the ancient villagers, an old chieftain, Moussa Diallo, who served
 under the palaver tree. He was known as the wisest man in the village. Jomo asked what he thought about it.
“Where there is smoke there is fire,” the old man said. “You are probably ill and you
 will have to go.”
Jomo went to the river and bent over the water to see his image. He touched his skin and
 asked the river, “Please river, tell me if I am a leper.” No answer. He could only hear his heart beating and feel
 the shame that made a knot in his tummy. Then he felt really bad.
He decided to leave and find peace in his heart. He walked on and on, going further and
 further away. He went across the Sahel, tredding sand and dust for weeks and weeks. He met with hunger and thirst
 and even bandits on the roads in Mauritania.
He reached the sea, not far from Nouakchott.
That is where I found him and suggested he join us. Our group of a dozen young men had
 fled their homes and we reached El Dorado, a place where we could at last eat our fill and have a decent life.
I was moved seeing the exhausted young boy roam the streets, his poor body so weak and
 his vacant look staring at the ground and his worn-out shoes. I decided to protect him as a younger brother. We
 would cross the sea and find that paradise we were looking for so that everything would be all right. We would
 certainly all feel better there than in this country where people were so frequently at war and always in extreme
 poverty.
So here we see our Jomo ending up on an incredible expedition. Since he was absolutely
 penniless, paying any smuggler was out of the question. So, after days spent walking or waiting, he found himself
 boarding a small fishing boat which sailed along the Moroccan coasts. Then he disembarked in Spain. During the
 voyage, Jomo told his story to me. The other passengers heard the word ‘leper’ and panicked. They claimed he could
 not be kept on the boat. I had to fight to save Jomo from being cast into the sea and promised we would disembark at
 Tarifa, in Spain. But the Marine Police intercepted the boat and we were sent to a refugee camp, near Tarifa, in the
 South of Spain.
Jomo was segregated from all the others, to prevent him infecting other people. So all
 the refugees became suspicious and he was rejected and even ill treated.
“This is worse than in my village,” Jomo thought. “I left to find peace and serenity and
 have found only troubles. Is not there any place I can rest? Will it ever stop? Why so much misery? What have I done
 to deserve it? God, I understand nothing about my life. I have tried to accept all that happened to me, but it is
 really too much. There is only darkness around me.
“Dad, Mum, where are you?”
Suddenly, he remembered the fervour of his father’s prayers: “O my Lord! I implore you,
 please help me!” He also remembered how his father used to meditate with his eyes closed. So, maybe I can do the
 same? He closed his eyes: “What else can I do?”
After a few times, he heard a voice from inside saying, “Listen to the music of your
 heart.”

<h3 style="text-align: justify;">Back in France </h3>
“We have to stop here, children. Our meals have arrived,” Zaïr said. “Your story is a
 sad story,” one child said. I know. But next time, we will learn whether everything can change if a sincere heart
 prays, and how we can go ahead without worrying what is happening around us.”

<hr />

<h4 style="text-align: center;">Illustrations by PAULINE CLAIR</h4>
<hr />

Jomo the brave

<h2 style="text-align:center;">LET A CHILD LISTEN TO HIS HEART</h2>&nbsp;<hr>&nbsp;<h4>PURNIMA RAMAKRISHNA shares some personal experience about the joys of heart-based parenting.</h4><hr>Yesterday night at bedtime my nine-year-old son said, “I am so happy to be going to school tomorrow.” I asked, “What is so special tomorrow?” “We have science lab tomorrow.” “So why do you like the science lab?” “There are so many jars with specimens in them, and if I ask my teacher she tells me about them again and again. There are different bottles with chemicals and very funny names to pronounce, and my friends and I like to say them aloud and play with the sounds. There are charts and charts of the internal organs of the body, and there is a skeleton too.” He continued excitedly for half an hour.&nbsp;Need I say more? My day was made to note his interest in science.I have always asked myself, what is my goal as a parent, as a mother? What are my duties and responsibilities to my little one? When I gaze at him, with all my love, thoughts fly away. It is like my heart takes over, and my mind stills. And then my parenting obligations do not stand out, only my love does.<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">What is my goal as a parent, as a mother? What are my duties and responsibilities to my little one?</h4><hr>I can let him be that eager science student in the science lab and answer his eager questions patiently. I can let him observe nature and people. I can let a him be curious and feed his curiosity.I can take him up to the terrace on a starry night and point out the stars. I can get him an amateur telescope and look at the craters in the moon. And we did that. Now he proudly points to the Great Bear constellation. We speak of Indian names too – like this is the Saptharishi constellation, which denotes the seven sages. This has become a ritual, each time we are out in the dark, he feels compelled to search for this constellation. It is interesting to note his enthusiasm.<img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/conscious_parent_img2_4df572a203.jpg">We can let children see the wonders of Nature. Plant seeds together. See them germinate; observe the buds, how they open up into flowers, and how they wither away. And eventually become sweet fruits instead.We can show children how people are different, with different languages and colours, residing in different countries. At the same time, we can show them how they all smile the same way, hug the same way, and live as mothers and fathers with babies in a family, in the same way. We can show them differences, yet explain how it all culminates in oneness.We can tap everyday experiences to show them resilience and grit, when they are hurt physically. And when they lose friends and make new friends, we can show them how to be in a state of acceptance and move on in life. These everyday incidents create deeper understanding in their hearts and minds. And a parent is the best person to do that.To show your child that the world is a beautiful place with beautiful people is not a major feat. But we also have to show them that other not-so-beautiful elements exist, when they are ready for it. We can watch the news together for a few minutes, and let them know what is happening in other parts of the world. Business, inventions, war and crime – they all bring growth in a child. Even war can be explained to an older child, and how it can be avoided. Gautama the Buddha’s father shielded him from the miseries of life, but eventually he found out, and with a shock. So, problems need not be avoided completely.<h4 style="text-align:center;">I want my son to learn the art of introspection too. I want him to correlate all experiences to deeper understandings. And for that he needs to look within, listen to his heart…</h4>&nbsp;We can teach values and morals in everyday life. Let children learn about poverty in poor homes and hence not waste food in the kitchen in their own homes.I want to be that science teacher from his school whom my son adores so much. I want to teach him as she does, and create wonder and excitement, and fun and joy. I want my son to learn, to open his heart to life.I want him to focus on happiness and contentment over and above the race for success.At the same time, I want my son to learn the art of introspection too. I want him to correlate all experiences to deeper understandings. And for that he needs to look within, listen to his heart, follow it with courage and conviction, be responsible and mature.So many wishes, I have for my nine-year-old son, already!<img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/conscious_parenting_img3_0990b53b99.jpg" alt="spiritual-relationship">But when the heart takes over, all of these are fulfilled, and much more beyond my vision and&nbsp; understanding.Conscious Parenting is not an art or a science. It is that ability in a parent to bring out their child’s willingness to listen to his heart, and develop that courage in his heart to do so.<a href="https://heartfulness.org/magazine/where-nonviolence-begins-emotional-intimacy-in-family-life" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Conscious Parenting</a> means to develop the confidence in a child that no matter what happens their heart will always guide them rightly.A parent is truly successful when a child grows up to be an adult who is fully content and satisfied with the way he is living his life and fulfilling his goals.And in this context, I am reminded of this beautiful letter written by a parent to his son’s teacher, and often attributed to Abraham Lincoln:&nbsp;<hr>&nbsp;<hr>He will have to learn, I know, that all men are not just, all men are not true. But teach him also that for every scoundrel there is a hero; that for every selfish Politician, there is a dedicated leader… Teach him for every enemy there is a friend, Steer him away from envy, if you can, teach him the secret of quiet laughter. Let him learn early that the bullies are the easiest to lick… Teach him, if you can, the wonder of books… But also give him quiet time to ponder the eternal mystery of birds in the sky, bees in the sun, and the flowers on a green hillside. In the school teach him it is far honourable to fail than to cheat… Teach him to have faith in his own ideas, even if everyone tells him they are wrong… Teach him to be gentle with gentle people, and tough with the tough.Try to give my son the strength not to follow the crowd when everyone is getting on the band wagon…Teach him to listen to all men… but teach him also to filter all he hears on a screen of truth, and take only the good that comes through. Teach him if you can, how to laugh when he is sad… Teach him there is no shame in tears, Teach him to scoff at cynics and to beware of too much sweetness… Teach him to sell his brawn and brain to the highest bidders but never to put a price-tag on his heart and soul. Teach him to close his ears to a howling mob and to stand and fight if he thinks he’s right. Treat him gently, but do not cuddle him, because only the test of fire makes fine steel. Let him have the courage to be impatient… let him have the patience to be brave. Teach him always to have sublime faith in himself, because then he will have sublime faith in mankind. This is a big order, but see what you can do… He is such a fine fellow, my son!&nbsp;<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">Article by PURNIMA RAMAKRISHNA</h4><hr>

Conscious Parenting

Soul search

<img class="has-img-center py-4"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/beingpresent4_bf387cf694.jpg?updated_at=2023-03-29T13:02:15.563Z" />

<img class="has-img-center py-4"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/beingpresent42_9626e640ce.jpg?updated_at=2023-03-29T13:03:29.689Z" />

<img class="has-img-center py-4"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/beingpresent43_fcdcdedc19.jpg?updated_at=2023-03-29T13:04:12.502Z" />

<img class="has-img-center py-4"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/beingpresent44_2662b570b7.jpg?updated_at=2023-03-29T13:04:42.061Z" />

<img class="has-img-center py-4" src="//cdn-prod.heartfulness.org/hfnmag/images/2017/oct/beingpresent2.jpg" />

For the last decade I have been photographing monks throughout Asia. Not only because it has a timeless element, but
also because it brings me peace. Photography to me is a form of meditation. It brings me into that moment, and in that
moment I am completely present. I think in life it is important for us to take time during our busy schedules to focus
on being present and fully in the moment.

<img class="has-img-center py-4"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/beingpresent3_7c8dc91bcf.jpg?updated_at=2023-03-29T13:05:47.428Z" />

While looking for the right subjects to photograph on my travels, I like to find a quiet place to take it all in. And
sometimes in this moment the perfect shot presents itself to me. I think when all the elements line up for the perfect
shot there’s nothing more tranquil.


<hr>
<h4 style="text-align: center;">Photo Essay by JOSH BULRISS</h4>

<hr>

Being present

Perception

<h4 style="text-align: justify;">DR YVES BENHAMOU presents us with the science of neuroplasticity but asks whether this
 is all there is to meditation.</h4>
<hr class="vertical-space1">
Some words deeply, infinitely and definitely echo in us. They give rise to questions.
 The word ‘recovery’ is one of them.
<h5 style="padding-left: 30px;">recovery |ri’kəvərē|</h5>
<h5 style="padding-left: 30px;">complete disappearance of the symptoms of a disease and return to the previous state –
 regaining normal health.</h5>
What is most concerning is the return to the previous state of health. If such is the
 case, recovery is impossible, since that previous state cannot possibly exist in our present, just as the past
 cannot be called back.
Let’s take a practical example. I have been diagnosed with cancer, I consult a
 specialist, and I scrupulously comply with the treatment prescribed. I suffer, I hope, I lose hope, and eventually I
 recover. Or at least the medical system says I have. But what does my own physical system say? Is it back to what it
 was before such a big trial? Not at all! The disease has left its marks: pains, neuritis, physical fatigue,
 digestive troubles and other stigmas. If the return to the previous state is recovery, I will never really recover,
 not even from ’flu. Somehow, my body is going to remember.
<hr>
<h5 style="text-align: center;">Here dwells one of the immense gifts we receive from meditation: 
 the ability to consciously treat a painful event as a boon, 
 as a springboard, by removing fear.</h5>
<hr>
And what of my soul, my mind, my consciousness? How can I recover from that dis-ease?
 Such an outbreak may be repeated or may even be permanent, as I know from experience. And if a particular episode
 has taught me anything, what was the lesson?
So the body can never really fully recover, but the disease gives us an opportunity to
 recover something else that is revealed. Our mind was sick without our knowing it. We become aware of that dis-ease
 only when recovering from it. It is rebirth, a birth to something greater, vaster and softer, provided we make the
 most of our body’s dis-ease and don’t succumb to it. If our body is lucky enough to recover, in the general sense of
 the term, then we can be reborn; born a second time.
Here dwells one of the immense gifts we receive from meditation: the ability to
 consciously treat a painful event as a boon, as a springboard, by removing fear.

<hr class="vertical-space1">

<hr>
<h4 style="text-align: center;">Article by DR YVES BENHAMOU</h4>
<hr>

Recovering

A love story

Conductor of divinity

Two personalities

Stimulus and response

Natural forces

<h5 class="lh-base">VEENA VERMA and NEHHA LOHIYA explore the possibilities for global peace that start with learning the art and science of appreciation.</h5>

The corporate business world has given it a very unpleasant and gross terminology which we know as ‘ego massaging’. But if we go dem kls, especially our hearts, we would realize that it is not about the ego of a person, but more to do with how the spiritual anatomy of our hearts work.

Let us try to explain what the great spiritual masters have discovered in this field. Our heart has the dual qualities of both a positive and negative nature – good and bad, light and heavy, right and wrong – and putting this in scientific logic, a negative quality would obviously create a negative field and a positive quality a positive one.

One of the many such qualities which can prove to be a very effective tool for reconnecting with one and all, and hence the ultimate Source, is appreciation towards one another. Appreciation means identifying that genius in each and every one of us and expressing a feeling of happiness to have come across that piece of art in every being. It means being gratified to that ultimate Source of existence for manifesting it through that particular human being.

When we appreciate the sacred quality of another being, this attitude and vibe of appreciation creates a very coherent positive field around both the hearts and revives a very sacred link between our hearts, which goes deep down to our Soul. It reconnects each one of us with that pure energy which exists in our hearts as a part of that one ultimate Source from which we have all descended. Thus we tap into the eternal connection, taking it beyond this physical realm towards the eternal bond of existence. This makes the relationship and the journey ahead with the other person very smooth and coherent, empowering each other with continuous exchange of positive energy.

Scientifically, the point from which the expression originates governs where it reaches, so if we appreciate from our heart ...


<h5>Read the complete article in Volume 2, Issue 1
</h5>
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<hr />

<h5 class="text-center">Article by VEENA VERMA and NEHHA LOHIYA</h5>
<hr />

The science of appreciation

<h4>In part 2 of this interview, LUKE COUTINHO and SAMARA MAHINDRA speak about the role meditation plays in healing, as
 well as the importance of food and nutrition at the cellular level.</h4>
<hr class="vertical-space1">
<h4>MEDITATION</h4>
<img decoding="async" alt="luke-coutinho-7566" width="300" height="200"
 class="lazyload img-float-right has-img-center-in-mobile"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/luke_coutinho_img_738bebe788.jpg">Q:
 Luke and Samara, welcome back. Your field is&nbsp;Integrative and Lifestyle Medicine. Last time&nbsp;you had started
 talking about meditation and its&nbsp;role in holistic medicine. Can you elaborate further?
LC: I used to be scared of meditation because I&nbsp;had
 limited knowledge. I believed you had&nbsp;to sit cross-legged and because I cannot sit cross-legged&nbsp;I never
 wanted to explore it. But then I&nbsp;realized that I can sit, I can stand, I can meditate, I&nbsp;can be talking to
 you – it is brilliant when you can&nbsp;explore knowledge and discover how easy things&nbsp;can be.
I started off with two minutes of meditation. I never&nbsp;believed I could silence my mind, and today an
 hour&nbsp;is not enough sometimes. It’s an integral part of&nbsp;healing.
<hr>
<h5 style="text-align: center;">I started off with two&nbsp;minutes of meditation. 
 I never believed I could&nbsp;silence my mind, 
 and today&nbsp;an hour is not enough&nbsp;sometimes. 
 It’s an integral&nbsp;part of healing.</h5>
<hr>
Q: What about you Samara?
<img decoding="async" alt="samara-mahindra2" width="200" height="300"
 class="lazyload img-float-left has-img-center-in-mobile"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/samara_mahindra_img_30c028e936.jpg">SM: I think there are a lot of preconceived&nbsp;notions about
 meditation. I was like Luke,&nbsp;assuming I had to be a certain way, and not have any&nbsp;thoughts, concentrate,
 etc. It’s not like that. I got into&nbsp;meditation a bit later in my life – I was trying to find&nbsp;space, trying
 to find oneness, trying to calm myself&nbsp;down, but for a while I couldn’t find anything. Then&nbsp;the same thing
 happened, and I found Heartfulness&nbsp;meditation. I remember one of the doctors from the&nbsp;Heartfulness care
 team said to me, “With this type&nbsp;of meditation there is no anchor. You can go into&nbsp;your heart space
 anywhere, anytime.
“You don’t need music, you don’t need the voice of&nbsp;another person, you don’t need anything else. You&nbsp;can
 just go into your own space.”
So I have started incorporating it into my life and&nbsp;I realize the impact, and there are
 physiological&nbsp;changes that happen in the body. A lot of people&nbsp;think that it is just in the mind, but
 there are actual&nbsp;physical changes that take place. So meditation is&nbsp;…

<hr class="vertical-space1">

<h4>Read the complete article in Volume 2, Issue 1 
 </h4>
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<hr>
<h4 style="text-align: center;">Interviewed By ELIZABETH DENLEY</h4>
<hr>

An integrative foundation to healing - part 2

Next time you are on the beach, in the forest, or by a river, choose some stones to collect to paint with your
 friends or family. Make sure you check that they are not stones with moss, lichen or other living things growing on
 them, as that will disturb the local ecology.
While having each stone in your hand, you can ask yourself:
What kind of stone have I found?
What kind of pattern would be nice on the stone?
Are there some marks on the stone that call for a theme?
Acrylic colours are more permanent than watercolors and Uni-Posca paint marker pens make fine lines very easily.
Enjoy and have fun!

<hr class="vertical-space1">

<h4><a href="//www.heartfulnessmagazine.com/subscribe/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">SUBSCRIBE &amp; DOWNLOAD</a></h4>

<hr class="vertical-space1">

<hr>
<h4 style="text-align: center;">Article By&nbsp;ANNE-GRETHE KOUSGAARD</h4>
<hr>

Painting stones

We perceive differently

<h3 style="text-align: center;">QUINOA, FRESH HERBS AND VEGETABLES</h3>
<h4 style="text-align: center;">Vegan, plant-based, organic, low-glycaemic index and gluten-free</h4>
<hr class="vertical-space1">


<hr>
<h3>FRESH SPRING ROLLS</h3>
<h4>FILLING</h4>
<ul>
 <li style="padding-left: 30px;">10 round rice paper wrappers</li>
 <li style="padding-left: 30px;"> Herbs and spinach lettuce</li>
 <li style="padding-left: 30px;"> 1 cup coriander (cilantro)</li>
 <li style="padding-left: 30px;"> 1/2 cup fresh mint leaves</li>
 <li style="padding-left: 30px;">1 handful fresh spinach leaves or fresh lettuce</li>
 <li style="padding-left: 30px;">2 cups fresh bean sprouts or any sprouts</li>
 <li style="padding-left: 30px;">2 carrots</li>
 <li style="padding-left: 30px;">1/2 red pepper or 1 green pepper</li>
 <li style="padding-left: 30px;">2 avocados</li>
 <li style="padding-left: 30px;">1/2 or a small courgette</li>
 <li style="padding-left: 30px;">1/3 red cabbage</li>
 <li style="padding-left: 30px;">1 lemon, the juice</li>
 <li style="padding-left: 30px;">1 lime, the juice</li>
 <li style="padding-left: 30px;">1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil</li>
</ul>
Extra delicious variation:
<ul>
 <li style="padding-left: 30px;">8-10 asparagus</li>
 <li style="padding-left: 30px;">1 cup cooked quinoa, any color mixed with juice from 1/2 lime and 1 tsp Himalayan
 salt and set aside.</li>
</ul>
<h4>PREPARE THE VEGETABLES</h4>
Wash them all.
1. Thinly slice or julienne all the vegetables (carrots, bell peppers and courgette) 
 2. Wash the herbs and green lettuce/spinach 
 3. Slice the avocados
Choose one of the following vegetables or all of them:
4. Thinly slice the red cabbage and mix in a bowl with the juice from 1/2 lemon and 2
 tbsp oil for 1/2 hour 
 5. Thinly slice courgette and toss them in a dressing or sauce you choose. 
 6. Sauté the asparagus over medium high heat, stirring until tender 3 minutes.
<img decoding="async" class="lazyload has-img-center m-0"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/fresh_springrolls2_769e42c8c1.jpg">

<h3>DIPPING SAUCES</h3>
<h4>SPICY SAUCE</h4>
<ul>
 <li style="padding-left: 30px;">1 tbsp almond butter</li>
 <li style="padding-left: 30px;">1 cup cashews, soaked for 15 minutes</li>
 <li style="padding-left: 30px;">1 cup water</li>
 <li style="padding-left: 30px;">1 tbsp soy-free seasoning sauce / low sodium soy sauce / Braggs liquid amino</li>
 <li style="padding-left: 30px;">1 fresh chilli</li>
 <li style="padding-left: 30px;">1/4 red pepper (option)</li>
 <li style="padding-left: 30px;">2 tsp ginger root</li>
 <li style="padding-left: 30px;">1/2 lime, the juice</li>
</ul>
In a blender mix all ingredients. 
 Blend it and taste with Himalayan salt and pepper.
<img decoding="async" class="lazyload w-100"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/dipping_sauces_jpg_9bf4622043.jpg">

<h4>GREEN DIPPING SAUCE</h4>
<ul>
 <li style="padding-left: 30px;">1 handful of parsley/coriander</li>
 <li style="padding-left: 30px;">1 tsp lemon zest</li>
 <li style="padding-left: 30px;">1 garlic</li>
 <li style="padding-left: 30px;">1/3 cup extra virgin coconut oil</li>
 <li style="padding-left: 30px;">1/3 cup water</li>
</ul>
In a blender mix all ingredients. 
 Blend it and taste with Himalayan salt and pepper.
<hr class="vertical-space1">
&nbsp;
<h3>NOW THE ROLLING</h3>
Fill a bowl with warm water.
<img decoding="async" alt="" width="600" class="lazyload m-0 mw-100"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/rollpart1_1870845e2e.jpg">
Take one piece of rice paper and make a quick dip in the a bowl to soften the rice paper,
 about 3-5 second. 
 Transfer to a cutting board with a smooth damp surface or on a clean damp cloth and gently spread out into a
 circle. 
 Start adding 3-4 different vegetables and always use herbs and lettuce for each roll.
<img decoding="async" class="lazyload mw-100"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/dipping_sauces_jpg_9bf4622043.jpg?updated_at=2023-03-29T17:16:04.487Z">

I like to make them look different.
Add the vegetable to the bottom third of the wrapper:
1. Place a spoonful of quinoa, and layer carrots, red peppers, courgette, and fresh herbs
 and spouts on top. 
 2. Add a spoonful of quinoa, and l fresh herbs, 2 sliced avocado, few leaves of spinach and sprouts on top. 
 3. Arrange a layer of herbs, 1 asparagus, spiralized courgette and sprouts on top.
<img decoding="async" class="lazyload mw-100"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/rollpart3_94284c385c.jpg">
4. Fold uncovered sides inward, then tightly roll the rice paper and continue rolling
 until seam is sealed. 
 5. Place seam-side down on a serving platter.
<img decoding="async" class="lazyload mw-100"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/rollpart4_66d18698c0.jpg">
6. Don’t be afraid of making your own spring rolls with any vegetables you like. 
 The first few rolls might be a bit messy, but they will still taste good.
Serve your homemade fresh spring rolls with the sauces and enjoy!
To serve for later you can cover the rolls with a moist towel to keep them fresh.
<hr class="vertical-space1">
<h5 style="text-align: center;">ALKALINE-INSTITUTE</h5>


<hr>
<h4 style="text-align: center;">Photos &amp; recipes by SIMONNE HOLM</h4>


<hr>

Fresh spring rolls & flavorful sauces

Work is love made visible

Our quest for a lasting sense of happiness often has us looking for a change of some sort – a change of job, a change of routine, a change of wardrobe, a new car, a new iPhone, etc. It never ends. These are only our external changes. Deeper, personal levels of change, with an aim to create a shift in our own character, require much more effort. This inner change might include – changing our diet, overcoming anger, becoming less judgmental or not being jealous of others success. The elusive happiness that we seek often boils down to, “If I could only change this about myself, I would be much happier.”This is why the Self Help business has been so popular, and lucrative for so long, it’s all about the secrets of change – The 10 Best Ways to a New You, 5 Secrets to Being a <a href="https://www.heartfulnessmagazine.com/entropy-human-relationships/">Success in Relationships</a>, How to Be Confident in Decision Making, on and on. It’s all about CHANGE.The problem we face in this non-stop roller coaster called life is that change is hard. It feels like we just added another 5-mile leg to an ever-steepening up-hill run. Change is work! Change takes effort, consistency and staying motivated. Replacing old habits of thinking and doing isn’t easy like pressing a button to reformat our hard drive.So, is there a way to create new pathways of growth without the effort required to change? It’s possible, but we may need to rethink the word “change” and what it means to us.Is change really a process that we participate in? Is change something we do?My wife loves planting flowers; she creates an amazing garden, all in pots arranged on the deck of our house. All summer we enjoy our morning coffee amongst the flowers and steady stream of hummingbirds. One morning I was alone on the deck happily enjoying the sounds of nature waking up. I had just finished my morning meditation when I had a simple realization – nothing in nature is trying to change.If you plant a maple tree seed, give it the proper soil and water and sunlight – it begins to sprout. After a couple of years of growth it looks quite different, it’s now a sapling. In a few more years it fills out, the young tree trunk becomes stronger. In a hundred years it towers over us, endless branches reaching up to the sky. All of the change that we witness is the result of growth. The tree grows and change is the result.If we look at photos of ourselves from an infant to a youth to an adult, we see we had changed dramatically. Our body doesn’t think about changing, it just grows. Change is the result.There is a saying that says, “The only thing that never changes is change itself.” After that morning I realized this is not completely correct. It may be better to say that the only thing that never changes is growth. Growth is the process and change is the result. So, if change is the result of growth shouldn’t we be focusing on growth? Actually no! Growth also happens on it’s own. It’s a natural process. When we’re born we grow. We can’t get any taller each day by stretching our legs.So, if we want to participate in our own evolution in a way that enhances the process of growth and results in personal change, what is our job?<h3>Our job is to create and nourish an environment that promotes growth and results in change.</h3>How simple! Let’s again look at the example of growing a small garden. We plant some seeds in the earth, water them and on occasion pull the weeds. The rest of the time they grow without much care on our part. The results are the fruits and vegetables.Shifting our mindset from one of struggling with self-imposed change to creating a nurturing environment, we no longer need to struggle. The process of growth also becomes easier and natural.There is a saying: “If you break an egg from the outside, life ends. If the egg breaks from inside, life begins.”Inner growth itself brings the required effort to break out of the shell and emerge into a different dimension of life. That growth is the result of a proper environment.<h3>Inner Environment</h3>Successful growth is determined by environment. If the soil is prime and water is plentiful seeds will grow and flourish. If the environment is a desert – dry and sandy, the seeds will not grow, or in the best case will not grow to their full potential.On the external level we all know how environment can affect our comfort zone: when it’s too hot we go inside and put the AC on. We just don’t perform well when our environment is too difficult to function in. We may be in a school that doesn’t suit us or a work environment that feels stifling. When it becomes too much to bear and begins to affect our emotional comfort zone, we’ll usually say that we have to make a change. What we’re actually looking for is a new environment. If our environment is not conducive to our growth we become unhappy and less productive.Creating an external environment, one that provides us a field for growth and happiness is easy to understand but what about our inner environment? What about the environment that I live in 24/7, the one I never leave? We rarely even think about it.What are the things I can do to design and nurture my inner environment and make it conducive to my growth? What type of soil, water, nutrients, air and sunshine can create the super-environment for my own evolution?Inside us are many levels of systems that all work together which, when in harmony, create the baseline or comfort zone for our life. Just as water has differing states from solid ice to fluid state to mist in the air, the body has layers of density: the dense skeletal system, the pliable muscles and our fluid system. It gets even subtler: we need oxygen from the air; we have an electro-magnetic field, our mind, our thoughts and feelings. Many of us believe there is yet something even subtler: the essence of life, what some call the soul, Self or <a href="https://www.heartfulnessmagazine.com/consciousness/">consciousness</a>.If any of these are out of balance we experience discomfort and in the extreme case – disease. Science has proven that our subtle mental environment, the state of our thoughts, feelings and emotions, has a profound impact on all the other denser body systems. It makes sense that if we can improve our subtlest system it will impact the whole.This brings us to the question:<h3>How do I create and nourish an inner environment that promotes growth and results in change?</h3>The flowers on our back porch require nourishment from various levels of nature’s energy spectrum to grow, from the densest to the subtlest in order: earth, water, air and sunlight. Just as we nourish our body with food and nourish our mind with knowledge we need to be an active participant in the nourishment of our consciousness. The tool for cultivating that subtlest inner environment is meditation.The practice of Heartfulness offers a couple of unique ways to develop our inner environment.In order to prepare the field it’s necessary to remove the weeds and stones so that our seeds can have room to grow. This we call the cleaning or rejuvenation process. Through this cleaning we remove the inner clutter and impressions, which are the root cause of those patterns and traits in our life that we want to change.After clearing the way, we need to add water, sunlight and nutrients. Heartfulness draws from the subtlest energy resource – referred to as pranahuti or life essence. We call this transmission. Just as sunlight is the subtlest energy source for our plants, through transmission we receive the finest life essence, invigorating the Self within. This transmission is something that you can feel and experience for yourself.Like the example of the egg, by cultivating and nurturing our inner environment as offered through <a href="http://en.heartfulness.org/">Heartfulness meditation</a>, we bring about the possibility of breaking out into a new dimension of life, thus expressing our true potential. So, if instead of working to change, we spend a little time each day watering that subtle Self, we’ll be able to grow in an infinite field of possibilities.Soon we’ll find that, instead of pushing our car uphill we are crossing life’s difficult terrain in a hot air balloon. Instead of us forcing to change our life, life is leading us forward.Happy journey.<hr>&nbsp;<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">Article by Brian Jones</h4>&nbsp;<hr>Brian Jones is very active in answering questions on <a href="https://www.quora.com/profile/Brian-Jones-339">Quora</a>

Change is easier than you think

Wake up!

Love one another

<h4>In accordance with the promise they had made as children, the three brothers, Polo,
 Jack and Danny met again ten years later in Montpellier. Polo and Jack had, by now, already told their stories.
 Danny was twenty-two. But what had he done during all these years? Nobody knew.</h4>
<hr class="vertical-space1">
From Montpellier, the three brothers took a small country train to Serverette to see
Sister Mary Magdalena, and this gave them plenty of time together to share more of their stories.
<img decoding="async" width="834" height="310"
 class="lazyload has-img-center"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/threebrother3_img2_6c23296a32.jpg">
“Come on Danny, it’s your turn now. Have you had any extraordinary experiences?” 
<img decoding="async" width="273" height="215"
 class="lazyload img-float-right has-img-center-in-mobile" style="width: 273px !important;"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/threebrother3_img3_2154bf013f.jpg">“Well! You know, I have been studying mostly.” 
“We can remember as a kid you used to chase butterflies! You would have long bike rides with your friend in search
of rare butterflies, wouldn’t you?” 
“Oh, butterflies! Yes!” exclaimed Danny. “Do you want to know why? During our first years at the orphanage, I missed
mum terribly. So I used to sigh. One day, as I sighed deeply I felt a wave of love filling my heart. It was a
strange mixture of sadness, sweetness and love. Like a sour candy that leaves a sweet taste in your mouth at the
end. The sweetness of that tender motherly love was appeasing the bitterness due to separation. Then I tried to sigh
a second time to feel it again, but it didn’t work anymore. So I said to myself that there must be sighs everywhere
in the countryside, under the trees, behind the bushes, near a fountain, or even under a gutter, and that if I could
catch them I would fill my heart with our mother’s love.

<img decoding="async" width="268" height="300"
 class="lazyload img-float-left has-img-center-in-mobile" style="width: 268px !important;"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/threebrother3_img4_28d6f9b6fc.jpg">“I made a net for capturing sighs and started chasing them. I heard plenty of
sighs – under the park benches, in churches, in public gardens, in gazebos, under the lime tree in the village
square, near barns and by the river. So many sighs: long, languid sighs; short, exasperated sighs; desperate sighs;
deep sorrowful sighs; sighs of exhaustion; and some whispered loving sighs. But the latter were rare and rather
difficult to catch.
“Yet I found them. I caught some in my net, but when the wind blew there was a ‘whoosh’
and they were gone! Although I could find and hear them I couldn’t catch them. The old men sitting on the park
benches asked me what I was looking for. When I told them about my hunt they smiled and said, ‘You’d certainly be
luckier with butterflies! Don’t we say that love is as light as the flight of a butterfly? Do you know that?’ 
‘I don’t. Why?’ Danny asked, his curiosity awakened. 
‘Love is like the flutter of a young mother’s eyelashes as she bends over her baby’s cradle. Once a young mother
from Rieutord, a nearby village gave birth to an extremely fragile baby girl. She was so frail that it could hardly
breathe. The whole family took the greatest care of the baby. But one morning, she just ceased to breathe. The
mother was desperate. She clasped her baby to her bosom and she cried, she sang, she prayed and she wept. Her face
was close to her baby’s face. “Oh! Ye, the vital force! Please, stay with my child,” she begged.
“‘The mother’s eyelashes started fluttering faster and faster, shedding the tears that
were filling her eyes. Then, through her misty eyes she saw a sort of fuzzy eiderdown surrounding her baby’s head.
As she looked closely she could make out that there were tiny creatures with small wings on their backs buzzing
around the baby.
<img decoding="async" width="601" height="578"
 class="lazyload has-img-center"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/threebrother3_img5_ef33fc9b61.jpg">“‘Mother Michèle says that these creatures are called devas. There were over
twenty of them around the baby’s face and they were flapping their tiny wings as fast as they could. The mother’s
long and beautiful eyelashes started fluttering again. Then she perceived a sort of vibration, a sort of light
draught that entered the baby’s nose. The baby had a hiccup and breathed in deeply. Then she breathed out with half
a sob and opened her eyes. The little fairies clapped their hands and disappeared in a chaotic flight, like a cloud
of butterflies. The mother went on blinking, but now her eyes were shedding tears of joy.’
<img decoding="async" width="600" height="424"
 class="lazyload has-img-center" style="width: 600px !important;"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/threebrother3_img6_b285d087e1.jpg">
“Since that day when I was so moved by this story, I have been chasing butterflies with
my friend P’tit Louis. I caught a good many of them awed by their beauty and their delicate shades. I&nbsp; admired
them, I respected them, I loved their beauty. But I couldn’t feel our mother like I did that first day.
<img decoding="async" width="257" height="216"
 class="lazyload img-float-right has-img-center-in-mobile" style="width: 257px !important;"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/threebrother3_img8_7b81b55c8e.jpg">“P’tit Louis told me that it was because I was not chasing the right ones. I had
to find the Butterfly King, the Monarch butterfly. He said his father had seen a group of them in the tall pine tree
forest near Lake Charpal.
“We dedicated the whole summer to our search for the precious Monarch. From Severette we
would bike as far as St Ferréol. I felt that the three-hour bike ride was worth the effort even if it landed us one
Monarch butterfly. One day, at long last, near a copse of milkweed, we spotted one! It was a big, impressive
Monarch. Without the slightest hesitation P’tit Louis cast his net and the Monarch was caught. There it was, the
elusive Monarch, fluttering in the net. We didn’t dare touch it. I waited for something to happen.
“Suddenly these words came tumbling from my mouth, ‘Seeing that butterfly caught in a
net makes me sad. P’tit Louis, please, how about letting it free?’ 
P’tit Louis stared at me for a long while. He understood I was disappointed. I had not felt the love I had expected
for such a long time. He shook the net loose and let the Monarch flutter away. It landed on a leaf close to us and
we stared at it completely silently.
“Then suddenly it seemed that I heard a voice from the butterfly. It was saying to us,
‘Hunting butterflies won’t fetch you love. Look for it in your hearts.’
“Now you can understand why I said to Sister Mary Magdalena that I wanted to find my
heart’s desire.” 
“Okay, but what happened to you while you were at the Montpellier Brothers’ boarding school?”
<img decoding="async"
 class="lazyload w-100"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/threebrother3_img9_73afe64b48.jpg">

The train slowed to a stop. “Nîmes. Five minutes stop. Connection with Alès at Platform
2. Connection with Marvejols-La Bastide – St Laurent-les-bains at Platform 3.” The three brothers got out at Nîmes.

We shall probably meet them again in the next train, next month, to hear more about
Danny the dreamer’s story.
<hr class="vertical-space1">


<hr>
<h4 style="text-align: center;">Story by PAPIGUY OF MONTPELLIER 
Illustrated by JULIETTE ALAY</h4>


<hr>

The three brothers - part 3

<img class="has-img-center"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/smile1_389bc14301.jpg?updated_at=2023-03-30T05:19:33.388Z" />


Dear children, 
 
 Have you ever wondered whether you smile because you are happy, or you are happy because you have smiled? The
 movements of joy produce joy. 
 
 And here we have this great word, Joy. Do not hesitate to put a capital letter! 
 
 Did you know that while you use around 43 muscles to frown, only 17 muscles participate in a smile on your face? 
 
 Last but not least, what does the smile of another person convey to you? 
 
 Well, we have a wide range of smiles at our disposal:


 <img class="has-img-center"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/smile3_63d00bf15b.jpg?updated_at=2023-03-30T05:20:12.561Z"
 alt="" width="650" height="291" />


 <img class="has-img-center"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/smile4_5805b73a35.jpg?updated_at=2023-03-30T05:20:47.260Z"
 alt="" width="650" height="312" />


 So can we say that a smile reflects the heart of a person? Is it unique to that person? Think about it.


 A smile has several benefits:
It relaxes both the person who smiles as well as the person who receives it.
When you are in pain, try smiling and observe how it reduces the sensation of pain.
Smiling is contagious: smile and the world smiles with you!
<h3>Activity</h3>
Try this simple and fantastic experiment at school, home or even while walking on the street:
Be still for a few moments, close your eyes, and dive within your heart space. Feel that
 particular smile which not only stays on your lips but also rings tiny bells and sparkles in your chest.
Then open your eyes and let this smile and the feeling of joy stay with you. Share it
 with the people you meet.
Observe how many people smile back at you.
Maybe you will even observe that they carry on smiling at others. You might very well have changed their day.


<hr>
<h4 style="text-align: center;">Article by YVES BENHAMOU</h4>

<hr>

Smile

The next generation

Heart and skill

<hr class="vertical-space1">
My intention is to capture images that elicit emotion, for what we feel and see endears us to the beauty of nature
 and we move to protect it.
I think of my camera as the tool that connects me in intimate ways to my world, giving me the opportunity to capture
 a moment of time. It is much like a runner ‘in the zone’ and it often allows me to experience the deep sense of
 Oneness that is.
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<h5 style="text-align: justify;"><img decoding="async" alt="" width="600" class="lazyload has-img-center"
 style="width: 600px !important;"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/Janvineyphotography2_4ea446d718.jpg?updated_at=2023-03-30T05:51:01.060Z">
</h5>
<h3 style="text-align: center;">SEIZE THE DAY</h3>


<hr>
A juvenile trumpeter swan with a wingspan of 7 to 8 feet seemed to be greeting the new day as it turned to the
 morning sun. It arrived in early October in the Puget Sound area of Washington State, after a 3,000-mile first
 flight from Alaska with its family.


<hr>
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<img decoding="async" alt="" width="600" class="lazyload has-img-center" style="width: 600px !important;"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/Janvineyphotograph4_6767c68f02.jpg">
<h3 style="text-align: center;"></h3>
<h3 style="text-align: center;">ONE MIND</h3>


<hr>
A group of dunlins, small shorebirds, who often gather in large groups in the late
 winter across Puget Sound, move together like a choreographed dance, from one form to another in a split second. Are
 they practicing for their next journey north to Alaska to have their young? The Olympic Mountains are in the
 background.


<hr>

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<img decoding="async" alt="" width="600" class="lazyload has-img-center" style="width: 600px !important;"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/Janvineyphotography_3_0947763db1.jpg">
<h3 style="text-align: center;">ODE TO JOY</h3>


<hr>
A juvenile snowy owl greeted me at Boundary Bay, BC, on a cold and frosty morning. The warm
 morning light seems to fill her with joy.


<hr>

<hr class="vertical-space1">

<h3 style="text-align: center;"></h3>
<img decoding="async" width="834" class="lazyload w-100"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/photoessay_janviney_b61253a186.jpg">
<h3 style="text-align: center;">POTENTIAL OF A NEW DAY</h3>


<hr>
Holland Lake, Swan Valley, Montana.


<hr>

<hr class="vertical-space1">



My focus is on nature, the awe and wonder of it all, and humanity experiencing life. I
 have come to know that the experience is more important than the photography. My spiritual practice is to just be
 present and ready for what shows up. More often than not I am overwhelmed by the beauty that I witness, and then all
 there is to say is thank you.
Back at my computer my first goal is to find the image that clearly expresses the
 emotional impact I felt at the moment. The second is to display the photography in a way that will allow others to
 share in the beauty I’ve experienced. I am so grateful for this Planet Earth and all its Beings.

<hr class="vertical-space1">

<h5 style="text-align: center;"><a style="color: #b89239;"
 href="//www.janvineyphotography.com/">www.janvineyphotography.com</a></h5>


<hr>
<h4 style="text-align: center;">Photo Essay&nbsp; by JAN VINEY</h4>


<hr>

Oneness in Nature

Spaceship earth

<h4 class="mb-3">Have you ever come across a tree that looks as if it is standing upside down? If the answer is yes, then you have probably come face-to-face with the strange and mighty Baobab. This majestic tree, tall and shrouded in mysteries, is known to have a lifespan of more than 1000 years. This time we present to you some of its intriguing features and medicinal properties.</h4>
<h3>botanical name:</h3>

Genus: Adansonia. Species: There are various varieties, including A. digitata, A. grandidieri, A. gregorii, A. kilima, A. madagascariensis, A. perrieri, A. rubrostipa, A. suarezensis and A. za.
<h3>common names:</h3>
Baobab, boab, boaboa, tabaldi, dead-rat tree, monkey-bread tree, upside-down tree, bottle tree.
<h3>habitat:</h3>
Baobabs thrive in arid or semi-arid climate and they grow in abundance in the low-lying sandy belts of Africa. Of the nine known species, six are native to Madagascar, two are native to Africa and the Arabian Peninsula, including India and Sri Lanka, and one is native to Australia.
All species of the Baobab are deciduous and they mostly grow as solitary individuals, largely scattered over the thorny woodlands of the African savannahs. If the soil type is suitable, they may also grow in small groups; they cannot grow if the sand is deep. These trees are sensitive to water-logging, frost and strong winds and can be uprooted by storms.

<h3>legends and mythology:</h3>
Tribes along the Zambezi believe that when the world was newly created the Baobabs stood upright and proud. However, they looked down upon the smaller plants and growths around them. Their vanity angered the gods who, in turn, uprooted these mighty trees and shoved them back into the ground upside down. The natives love to narrate different versions of this story from generation to generation.
One of the largest Baobabs, found in Kafue National Park in Zambia, is called ‘Kondanamwali’, which literally means, ‘the tree that eats maidens’. Legend says that once four beautiful maidens took shelter in the shade of this enormous tree, and the tree fell in love with them. Soon the maidens came of age and started looking for prospective husbands, which made the tree very jealous. One stormy night it opened its trunk and took in all the four maidens, and even today people claim to hear the maidens crying inside the trunk.
Certain tribes along the Limpopo and in the Transvaal Province bathe young boys in the water used to soak baobab bark, believing that by doing so they will grow up into big men, as mighty and strong as the Baobab.
There is a scientific basis to some of these native beliefs. For example, women living in kraals where Baobabs grow in large numbers are believed to be more fertile. These women regularly consume a soup made out of Baobab leaves, which are a rich source of vitamins, and this soup compensates for any deficiency in their diet. Physicians have confirmed that it also improves the fertility rate.
There are several superstitions attached with this strange-looking tree. Some people believe that if you pluck a flower from the Baobab tree you will be eaten by a lion. Others are of the belief that drinking water in which seeds of this tree have been soaked will save you from crocodile attacks.

<h3>description:</h3>
The Baobab has very distinguishing features that sets it apart from other trees. It is massive and can easily grow up to a height of 5 to 30 meters. An adult tree usually has a vast trunk with a diameter of about 2 to 10 meters, appears pinkish grey or copper in color and, unlike most other trees, the texture of the bark is smooth and shiny with longitudinal fibers.
The tree branches out widely and, when it is bare of leaves, the branches look like roots sticking out into the air as if the tree has been turned upside down. The actual roots of the old trees are tuberous at the tips and rarely grow beyond 2 meters into the soil.
The leaves of the tree are simple, and the first leaves appear mostly at the end of the season or just before the first rains. This is also the time when flowering begins. Large whitish flowers bloom late in the afternoon and fall off by dawn the next day. The flowers have a rather pungent fragrance that attracts bats, the main pollinators of the tree. The fruit can grow up to a foot long and has an acidic pulp with large seeds.

<h3>plant parts used:</h3>
Bark, leaves, flowers, fruit, roots, seeds and pollen.
<h3>therapeutic uses:</h3>
Various parts of the Baobab have been used in preparing traditional medicines since ancient times. It is a multipurpose tree that not only provides shelter and protection to several species in the ecosystem but also provides human beings with food, clothing, medicine and raw material for preparing useful items
The Baobab has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antiviral, antimicrobial, anti-malarial, analgesic and astringent properties:

<ul>
 	<li style="text-align: justify;">The fruit pulp, which is a rich source of Vitamin C and tartaric acid, can be soaked in water to make a refreshing drink. It can be roasted and grounded into a powder that may be consumed as a supplement or even added to certain culinary preparations as a seasoning and thickening ingredient. The pulp is widely used in native medicine to treat dysentery, smallpox and measles, and promote perspiration.</li>
 	<li style="text-align: justify;">The leaves are generally boiled to make a delicious soup that is known to increase fertility in women, and they are sometimes harvested for their essential oils. Fresh leaves are quite similar to spinach, and can be used to treat asthma, gastrointestinal diseases, insect bites and other ailments.</li>
 	<li style="text-align: justify;">The seeds contain significant quantities of phosphorous, magnesium, zinc, sodium, iron, manganese, calcium and iron, and are used to treat diarrhea and hiccoughs. They can be dried, roasted and consumed as a tasty and nutritious snack.</li>
 	<li style="text-align: justify;">Oil from the seeds can be applied on swollen gums to ease toothache.</li>
 	<li style="text-align: justify;">The bark is mostly used in place of quinine to treat malaria. The natives are known to bathe children with rickets in a decoction made from the bark, as a cure for the disease. The bark also produces a white sap, like gum, which is used to clean sores. Bark fibers are used in making clothes, ropes, mats and baskets.</li>
 	<li style="text-align: justify;">The pollen is mixed with water to make glue.</li>
</ul>
<h3>current ecology:</h3>
The Baobab has the unique ability to regenerate upon being burnt or stripped of its bark. When it perishes, it simply rots from the inside and collapses into a heap of fibers, which makes it look as if it just disappeared! But this magical tree is under threat today because of overexploitation for its multipurpose utility as well as due to climate warming. It is also adversely affected by pests and fungal diseases.
The Baobab has been identified as one of the most important tree species to be conserved in Africa and other parts of the world. It calls upon us to recognize the mutual dependence of all life and preserve this magnificent being by using its resources wisely. After all, wisdom is like a baobab tree; no one individual can embrace it.

Some amazing medicinal plants - the Baobab tree

Colors of the spirit

What you think you become

<img
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/ritual_gold_1_992f055845.jpg"
 class="mw-100"/>

<h3 style="text-align: center;">In conversation with MAGENTA PIXIE</h3>

<h4>MAGENTA PIXIE is an author, YouTube personality, and channeler. As a seven year old, Magenta had memories of being
 able to move things by using her mind, and she sensed entities. At the time she thought they were fairies. It was her
 brother, who practiced meditation, who encouraged Magenta to develop her natural psychic gifts. In her 20s, she began
 to connect with a higher dimensional entity she called ‘White Spirit’, which eventually morphed into a collective
 consciousness she called the ‘White Winged Collective Consciousness of Nine’. Magenta shortens this to ‘The Nine’ in
 conversation.</h4>
Q: Magenta, in your books and
 videos, you describe this time now on Earth as a very special period. To quote one of your recent YouTube videos, “The
 period will be known throughout your future timelines and within other planetary systems and dimensions as ‘the time
 of the great gathering’, ‘the return of the bird tribes’, ‘the transition of Gaia’, and ‘the resurrection and
 ascension of the rainbow children’.” Can you explain what is so special about now on Earth?
MP: As a race, we have been in one
 particular state of existence since the beginning of our known history, if you like from the period around the
 dinosaurs to now. We have been in a specific state known by many as the third dimension.
We are in a transitional period right now. If you can imagine a caterpillar transforming
 into a butterfly, we are currently in the cocoon, in the transformatory phase. We are moving from one state to
 another. The Nine have always used the metaphor that we are in the third dimension, going through the fourth
 dimension, into the fifth. That is the model they use, however other spiritual teachers and researchers talk about
 third density to fourth density – that is true as well. It’s confused a lot of people, but actually we are all saying
 the same thing. There are just different models to explain the shift.
Q: In your messages, you refer to
 a group of people you call ‘starseeds’. Who and what is a starseed?
MP: My definition of a starseed is
 someone who is aware that they are more than what presents in human form. It’s not so much about being from the stars,
 having memories of an incarnation in the Pleiades or Lyra, as it is about having expanded consciousness beyond the
 planet. A starseed embraces the planet, the cosmos, the stars, the galaxy, and fully accepts the galactic community,
 whatever that may mean.
Starseeds accept a greater reality than we’ve seen in this particularly system on this
 planet, which is restricted. They have never been limited by that restriction. They are born like this and in their
 own way are helping other people to expand their worldview.
There are so many ways to explain starseeds. You can use the words ‘starseed’, ‘light
 worker’ and ‘healer’; all would be appropriate. But ‘starseed’ seems to be the most fitting, because they realize they
 are from the stars, and they are connected to the stars and beyond.
<hr>
<h5 style="text-align: center;">When you open your heart,
 you feel unconditional love.</h5>
<hr>
Q: And for the average person who
 is not so familiar with these terms, what is the message for them? What do we need to do as common people on this
 planet during this ascension period?
MP: We need to absorb this
 information outside of a linear analysis. For example, if we are looking at different labels for starseeds – indigo,
 crystal, rainbow, awakened one – a linear-thinker will ask, “Which one am I? There are eight or nine different labels
 and I must fit into one camp.” I am not suggesting we go away from linear thinking, because we need it.
 Compartmentalized thinking is how we survived within this reality, as our brain is an interface to translate higher
 dimensional frequencies into a third dimensional way of thinking. But the way forward is about perspective. The Nine
 say that perspective is the teaching.
You can instead say, “I am a crystal child, a rainbow individual, a starseed and a light
 worker.” If you resonate with all of them, you are eight or nine things all in one. It’s like a rainbow. When you see
 a rainbow you see the entire thing and you call it a rainbow. You don’t call it, “Red, orange, yellow, green, blue,
 indigo and violet.” That’s why the rainbow children can think in more than one stream. The teaching is to think in
 more than one stream.
The Nine teach us to embrace opposing viewpoints. There have been so many differences of
 opinion throughout religion, from the beginning of time and certainly now in the new age community. One of the big
 arguments is about the higher dimensional energy or guides or God: is it a being outside of us or is it actually
 inside us? Both are correct. We need to embrace these different viewpoints.
You will not be able to work out why we are here, who we are, and what’s going by
 thinking in a linear way. You will only get a story or a model, and if you stay within a linear framework you will
 stick to that particularly model or story, to the exclusion of all others. You will say, this is truth and everything
 else is not. That is never going to get you answers, and that is never going to give truth.
Try to resonate with any or all of the goodness in all of the perspectives. The higher
 dimensional guidance system is not going to give us all the answers on a plate. We have to do our own discovery. We
 have to take the quest. It’s a partnership. So, if we start asking questions, researching, going into meditation and
 doing whatever it takes to discover the answers to the questions we have. then that higher dimensional energy steps in
 and meets us half way and we work together as a partnership.
Q: Are you familiar with the term
 ‘egregore’? You mention these starseeds and light workers are coming together and working together, even though they
 might not consciously know that it is happening. There is a group energy that is manifesting on the Earth and this
 group consciousness can be thought of as an egregore.
MP: This egregore is the source
 energy manifesting in a large group here on this planet. It’s the collective awareness that is growing and growing and
 growing. It is actually a manifestation of the planet, of the Earth, of Gaia, and because it’s growing that’s creating
 the dimensional density. It’s growing because the density and dimension is already there waiting for us to move into
 it. This is the time. This is ascension. It’s a normal organic process. That egregore is an entity and is expanding
 all the time, just as we are.
Q: I have one last question. Can
 we talk about the role of the heart? You mentioned that ascension is “the quest of the heart”. What is the heart’s
 role in this awakening and this ascension process?
MP: On a spiritual level and
 metaphoric level, the heart, the heart chakra, the emerald ray, the pink ray, the opening of unconditional love, is
 fifth dimensional or fourth density. Either way you want to describe it, it is the dimension of love. You cannot
 access this dimension if you do not have an open heart.
That’s on a spiritual level, but you can take this also to a biological level. It’s my
 understanding that when you open your heart, you feel unconditional love, and a very connected emotion to that is
 bliss. And a very connected emotion to that is compassion. So bliss, compassion and unconditional love together create
 a wave formation or pulse formation within the energy of the body and within our DNA. It actually changes the
 structure of the DNA, so the DNA is no longer sort of cycling round and round and round. It can now actually go
 somewhere; it gives the DNA momentum and creative ability. This changes the formation of the DNA.
<hr>
<h5 style="text-align: center;">So bliss, compassion and unconditional love together
 create a wave formation or pulse formation within
 the energy of the body and within our DNA.</h5>
<hr>
So the quest of the heart is unconditional love, bliss and compassion. That is the key.
 Many teachers talk about this, but a person who is just waking up may not understand any of it. They may feel as if
 they are going to be left behind because they don’t understand. The Nine say you don’t need to understand; all you
 need to do is open the heart and live with compassion, unconditional love and bliss.
We are ultimately connected to the geology of this planet. Our DNA is connected to
 gravity, the sun, the stars, the movement of the tides and the weather. We are connected to our environment, to this
 planet, to nature. This is the big secret that we have not been told. Why has it been hidden from us? Because the
 minute we discover it, we realize how powerful we are as co-creators. The word you mentioned earlier, egregore, is a
 huge divine being that can actually manifest new planets and new worlds and new dimensions.
That is how crop circles are created, that is how the pyramids were built, and that is
 who the extraterrestrials are. That is who the group souls are, the logos, and we are the anchors for them. We are not
 just connected to the planet, but also to the cosmos, space, the galaxy, and we create the coordinates to the star
 gates through the galaxy. We create the coordinates for the star gates on the planet. We are so entwined with our
 reality, and that’s the teaching here.
<hr>
<h5 style="text-align: center;">We are not just connected to the planet,
 but also to the cosmos, space, the galaxy,
 and we create the coordinates to the star gates through the galaxy.</h5>
<hr>
This doesn’t mean you must sit there in a state of bliss and unconditional love 24/7. If
 you can do it, that’s amazing, but it is not necessary because the collective starseed energy is always present.
 Imagine each individual as a light: if one goes out because the person is depressed, another one will come up because
 they are connected and they are meditating. It’s always there! We are always adding to it, so even if you feel
 dreadful and take a week off, it will still be there collectively.
Most starseeds don’t take much time off, however, as they move through the lower
 emotions very quickly. They deal with challenges on this planet very well. Many starseeds have the ability to feel a
 lower emotion and higher ones simultaneously. For example, if they are worried about some bill that needs to be paid,
 and they don’t have the money, at the same time they move to gratitude, the 4D experience. They are able to feel a
 higher mergence simultaneously, constantly feeding that grid, changing their reality, and moving them from one
 dimension to another.
<hr>
<h4 style="text-align: center;">Interviewed by CHRIS MILLS</h4>

<hr>

Starseed awakening

<hr class="vertical-space1">
<h3 style="text-align: center;">IN THE FIELD</h3>
<hr class="vertical-space1">
<h4 style="text-align: justify;">Over the New Year, a group of 8 young Kenyans traveled to Kanha Shantivanam, the Heartfulness Center near Hyderabad in India, to become Heartfulness Trainers. They all work for an NGO in Kenya called the CAP Youth Empowerment Institute, where they help vulnerable and disadvantaged youth to develop skills and find jobs. They have so far helped around 16,000 youth, and plan to help 60,000 by 2021. In 2016, CAP successfully introduced Heartfulness Meditation as part of life skills training. Here is what they had to say:</h4>
<hr class="vertical-space1">
<h5>Elizabeth Wambui Njuguna 
Naivasha</h5>
<hr class="vertical-space1">
The smile on my face signifies the happiness in my heart here in Kanha. The two dimples are much deeper. The joy in my heart cannot be measured.
Working with CAP for the last four years has been a major boost in my life, especially since the introduction of the Heartfulness classes. The youth have been able to relax and meditate before lessons. We always get positive feedback from the parents, who ask us, “How is it that these students are able to meditate and concentrate?” I would say that Heartfulness has really helped the youth in their learning.
Heartfulness Cleaning has played a major part in my life. I sleep very well and start the next day feeling fresh and rejuvenated.
<hr>
<hr class="vertical-space1">
<h5>Francis Mwago Mbugua 
Meru</h5>
<hr class="vertical-space1">
After I started practicing Heartfulness suddenly I started changing. Sometimes you don’t know whether you are changing until people tell you. So with good compliments from people I became very serious in meditation. I am now able to focus in my life, with my family and with everyone around me.
Quite an amazing takeaway is the understanding that our world is determined by the way we are from the inside. If we can change from the inside, we will change everyone around us and the environment also.
<hr>
<hr class="vertical-space1">
<h5>Harun Mwau Watuka 
Nairobi</h5>
<hr class="vertical-space1">
I’ve come to realize that some things that I thought could never be achieved are achievable. Heartfulness has contributed to my becoming and being what I am right now. When you have love in your heart and peace of mind as a result of Heartfulness, you are able to concentrate on your work, you are able to make the right decisions, you are able to save time, and all that has made me succeed in everything that I do.
<hr>
<hr class="vertical-space1">
<h5>Juliana Wambui Mwangi 
Kakamega</h5>
<hr class="vertical-space1">
I have been working with CAP since 2014, with youth who appear lost when they start. So their transformation to becoming people who are considered important in the community has really touched me immensely.
After being in Kanha I am so happy, so transformed. I have met beautiful and wonderful people, and feel more at home than I have ever been. My inner self has changed – I have no words to express this feeling, how happy I am. I will take the whole of Kanha back to Kenya with me; the love, the joy, the hospitality, the beauty, everything.
<hr>
<hr class="vertical-space1">
<h5>Jacob Nyang’Owo 
Nairobi</h5>
<hr class="vertical-space1">
Coming to Kanha has given me more knowledge and education about meditation, and more insights into many things. It has changed the way I do meditation. This place is so quiet and peaceful compared to anywhere I have known. Then there is the love that you find here. Everyone has been so hospitable. Spiritually, we have been trained to offer Transmission to groups of people and to clean them.
<hr>
<hr class="vertical-space1">
<h5>Lilian Chepng’Etich Lelei 
Thika</h5>
<hr class="vertical-space1">
Kanha is a place where you find peace and experience something you do not experience in the outside world. It’s a very beautiful place to connect with yourself. I have learnt a lot about how to behave, how to meditate well, and how to relate with others well. I have a lot of things to take from here: the main one is meditation, which helps us tackle daily challenges and solve problems.
The students who come to us at CAP have a lot of problems. Through Heartfulness we are able to help them accept themselves, connect with themselves, and solve their problems by realizing that everything is within their control.
<hr>
<hr class="vertical-space1">
<h5 style="text-align: justify;">Nicholas Mmaitsi Mwole 
Nairobi</h5>
<hr class="vertical-space1">
In CAP we give the youth life skills that will help them swim the ocean of life. Three mornings a week, we start with 35 minutes of Heartfulness Meditation, and we see the positive effect on students in attending to issues, making decisions and dealing with anger.
Kanha is awesome. I have never felt anything like this. We live all together as brothers and sisters. The love here is unbelievable. I have changed spiritually. Now I can make a prayer, meditate, and know the procedure for each practice. When I go back to Kenya, I will tell my family and friends the advantages of Heartfulness.
<hr>
<hr class="vertical-space1">
<h5>Sellah Opanga Achwanya 
Kisumu</h5>
<hr class="vertical-space1">
Kanha is full of love. People come from many different countries and you can feel the love amongst them. They care and they are concerned. People are at peace with everything that is around them. So I am taking the peace and love inside me back home to share with others.
I have seen Heartfulness really help the students in Kenya, especially the cleaning process. Students with pain in their hearts, who could not forgive or let go, open up and share their background and their stories. When they are not able to let go of their burdens, they do not perform in their jobs, so this has really helped them.
<hr class="vertical-space1">
<hr>
<h4 style="text-align: center;">Interviewed by ELIZABETH DENLEY</h4>
<hr>

Youth empowerment in Kenya

<h3 style="text-align:center;">Alkaline Juice</h3>&nbsp;<hr>&nbsp;<h4 style="text-align:center;">High-Energy, High-Vibration, Living Food A recipe for energy</h4>&nbsp;<hr>&nbsp;&nbsp;<hr>Sunlight gives energy to plants, which give life on Earth.&nbsp;<hr><hr>Wheatgrass is vibrant because it is high in chlorophyll. Chlorophyll uses light energy from the sun, air and water to produce energy to grow. Wheatgrass contains chlorophyll, proteins, fats, carbohydrates, iron, <a href="https://heartfulness.org/magazine/boost-your-vitality" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">vitamins</a> A, B5, B12 and E, calcium, magnesium, selenium, enzymes, amino acids and more. In addition, chlorophyll has a detoxifying effect due to its antioxidant activity that cleanses the body and eliminates heavy metals. Antioxidants reduce free radicals, one of the fundamental causes of premature aging. A complete food rich in essential vitamins, minerals, complete protein, fiber, fatty acids and phytonutrients, it is one of the most abundant nutrient-dense foods on the planet.&nbsp;<hr>Make your own powerful and affordable vitamins, simply with wheatgrass seeds, soil, water and light – nature’s most health-promoting nutrient.&nbsp;<hr>Wheatgrass is the young wheat plant which can be grown indoors on a window sill with sunlight or on a sunny terrace. It is best to grow the wheatgrass in trays with at least 1” soil in the bottom.Alkaline juices maintain a healthy alkaline level in our bodies. From juices, our bodies receive the maximum benefit of the pure extract from the vegetables, without the pulp, fiber and peel. The intestines are spared the work of digesting which saves your body some energy. This enables you easily to absorb lots of alkaline mineral salts, vitamins, phytonutrients and antioxidants. Juicing also has an important cleansing effect for the body and is the fastest way to achieve real health.<hr><h3 style="text-align:center;">How to sprout wheatgrass seeds</h3><hr><h4>You need</h4>A plastic gardening tray with holes, 25 cm x 30 cm ( 10” x 12”). 100 gm of organic wheatgrass seeds for this tray. A drip tray underneath without holes. Compost or potting soil. Spray bottle filled with water.<hr><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/alkaline2_0ead179c6f.jpg"><hr><h4>How to do</h4>Rinse the wheatgrass seeds in cold and clean water and drain well. Put them in a bowl (glass or metal) with cold clean water about 3 times as much as the seeds. Cover the bowl with a towel and soak overnight, 8–10 hours. The next day rinse with cold and clean water and drain the seeds in a strainer. Add cold water again and soak for another 10–12 hours. The seeds should begin to sprout shoots and roots, and are then ready to plant. Carefully rinse and let drip free of water. In a tray spread a two-inch layer of the compost or potting soil. Place gently the seeds in an even layer on top of the compost or potting soil. Spray to moisturize the seeds. Cover the tray with damp newspaper or a towel for 2 days and keep the seeds moist. Place the tray in a light place (not directly in sun all day). Water the tray every morning and keep seeds moist every evening. Harvest after 7–9 days. Keep watering the wheatgrass to grow and to produce a second crop.<hr><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/alkaline3_9e1fd4b6b0.jpg">&nbsp;<hr><h3 style="text-align:center;">Nourish with wheatgrass juice</h3>&nbsp;<hr>When the grass is harvested, use a wheatgrass juicer to squeeze the juice out of the grass.To get your nutritional supplement, drink 2-4 ounces of wheatgrass juice daily until the wheatgrass is used, about 8-10 days. Then hold a break for some weeks.&nbsp;<hr><h3 style="text-align:center;">Wheatgrass Juice Recipes</h3>&nbsp;<hr>It’s best to drink your juice on an empty stomach, half an hour before eating or 2 hours after eating.Use some of these vegetables together with wheatgrass and alternate between different vegetables: cucumber, ginger, celery, kale, broccoli, leafy greens and for the more sweet versions you can add beetroots and carrots. Spice it up with fresh chili, ginger or fresh turmeric. Remember to alternate the wheatgrass with different vegetables. Be mindful to keep the juice alkaline by avoiding sweet fruits.Start slow with the wheatgrass if you are a beginner and not used to its highly alkalizing and detoxifying effect.Alkaline Juice1 bunch wheatgrass 1 beetroot 2 leaves of kale 1/2 cucumberAlkaline Juice1 bunch wheatgrass (a handful) 2 medium carrots 2 celery stalksHighly Alkaline Juice1 big bunch wheatgrass (a big handful) 2 inches of ginger 1 cucumber<hr>&nbsp;<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">Photographs &amp; recipes by SIMONNE HOLM Alkaline-Institute.com</h4>&nbsp;<hr>

Wheatgrass juice

<h3 style="text-align: center;">THE SCIENCE OF SPIRITUALITY</h3>
<h4></h4>
<h4>Last month, in Part 4, KAMLESH D. PATEL explored in some detail the impressions caused by our emotions, where they
 form knots in the spiritual anatomy of a human being, and what we can do to remove these impressions. In this issue,
 he shares with us some more thoughts on the spectrum of consciousness.</h4>
<hr class="vertical-space1">
‘Consciousness’ is a popular word these days in the field of mind-body medicine, and
 also at the cutting edge of research in science and spirituality and the quantum field. The idea of a spectrum of
 consciousness is not new. Yogis and mystics have written about it since time immemorial, and more recently also
 western psychoanalysts and psychologists like Carl Jung and Ken Wilbur1.
What do we learn from this literature? It tells us there is a vast spectrum of
 consciousness in a human being, spanning the subconscious mind through consciousness and all the way to the
 superconscious realm, most of which we don’t understand.
As we discussed in Part 2, the great Swami Vivekananda once said, “Consciousness is a
 mere film between two oceans, the subconscious and the superconscious.” He understood the infinite, limitless nature
 of this spectrum, because his own state had expanded across that spectrum. He could observe and describe exactly
 what he found.
This was also the case with Ram Chandra of Shahjahanpur, who researched and described
 the states of consciousness and superconsciousness of the various chakras in the Heart Region, the Mind Region and
 the Central Region of a human being. In the light of these findings, science still lags a long way behind Yoga in
 describing the spectrum of consciousness.2
Modern psychologists are also generally studying the mind that is compromised, with very
 little research done on a healthy mind. Even less has been done researching higher consciousness, as found in
 personalities like Buddha, Jesus and Swami Vivekananda. And how will we study such higher individuals who we can
 count on the fingers of one hand when the scientific approach requires a large amount of data to verify observations
 in order to conclude? From a scientific perspective, we are also limited in another way: when we observe and record
 results, we can only analyse the outcome from our own level of consciousness.
Persons with a higher, more evolved consciousness see from their perspective. Both are
 right, from their level of observation and understanding. Because a person can observe the world from the peak of
 the mountain, the people in the valley should not decry and criticize his wider vision. Similarly, astronomers who
 view the heavens through a mile-wide, gazing at the beauty of the stars and galaxies, have a greater advantage over
 our normal eyesight. So scientists and their logic are also correct, but this correctness is from a limited level of
 understanding and vision.
<hr>
<h5 style="text-align: center;">If you meditate with Yogic Transmission or Pranahuti, 
 you will experience more and more deeply and broadly 
 this spectrum of consciousness, and go beyond experience 
 into the realm of direct perception and knowledge.</h5>
<hr>
If you meditate with Yogic Transmission or Pranahuti, you will experience more
 and more&nbsp;deeply and broadly this spectrum of consciousness, and go beyond experience into the realm of direct
 perception and knowledge. Gradually more and more of this vast field of consciousness will open up to you.
Swami Vivekananda once said: “What does consciousness matter? Why, it is nothing
 compared with the unfathomable depths of the subconscious and the heights of the superconscious! In this I could
 never be misled, for had I not seen Ramakrishna Paramahamsa gather in ten minutes, from a man’s subconscious mind,
 the whole of his past, and determine from that his future and his powers?”3
These days, scientists measure brainwave frequencies and electro-magnetic frequencies of
 the heart in order to try to describe and understand various states of consciousness, e.g. normal waking
 consciousness, various stages of sleep, a relaxed mind, and a meditating mind, just to name a few. They have already
 realized that the electromagnetic field of the heart is much stronger than that of the brain.4 This is
 inline with the findings of those yogis of calibre, who have considered the heart as the centre of our
 being.5
Yogis have also told us that the heart and mind are not two separate entities, but
 instead there is a heart-mind field, known as the subtle body or sookshma sharir.6&nbsp;This
 vibrational field spreads outwards from the centre of our existence, the heart, into every aspect of our spiritual
 and worldly life.
The field of the heart and mind can extend across the full spectrum of consciousness,
 from the depths of subconsciousness all the way to the heights of superconsciousness. In the middle sits our
 conscious mind, affected at every moment by what is happening along the full spectrum, from both the subconscious
 and superconscious states. There is always a dynamic interplay.
For example, even when we are fully aware and alert to the present moment, our fears,
 likes and dislikes from past experiences affect the way we feel. We may fear a specific situation that stops us from
 embracing an opportunity, or our desires pull us towards other activities. So at no time is the conscious mind
 unaffected by our subconscious past. Similarly, inspiration from our superconscious can come at any moment. We may
 have some unexpected insight or inspiration that drives a decision that we would not normally consider. All three
 levels are always operating at any moment in time.
This interplay is known in Yoga as the interplay of the subtle bodies – chit, manas,
 buddhi and ahankar. We have explored these four subtle bodies in Part 2. Chit is
 consciousness, manas is our contemplative mind, buddhi is intellect and ahankar is ego.
 As they become refined and purified, through the process of&nbsp;yogic cleaning, our awareness expands to
 encompass&nbsp;more and more of the spectrum of consciousness.
When you meditate intensely with Yogic Transmission, your heart opens and you develop
 the ability to experience the spectrum of consciousness as an integrated field. This is what ‘Yoga’ actually means –
 integrating, unifying the field. You become aware of all dimensions at the same time. Your consciousness expands.

The mind is capable of being fully awake and in the world, and yet deeply absorbed in
 the Absolute at the same time. This is the state known as sahaj samadhi, where everything can be
 known through superconscious perception – the direct perception of Nature. Traditional samadhi is often
 defined as a stone-like consciousness where you don’t feel anything, but that is not as subtle as sahaj
 samadhi, where we develop a three-hundred-and-sixty-degree consciousness all around.
<hr>
<h5 style="text-align: center;">In sahaj samadhi we see everything to the extent possible 
 – front, back, past, present, future – everything is in our view. 
 The extent to which one can expand in consciousness 
 is nothing but the reflection of evolution.</h5>
<hr>
In sahaj samadhi we see everything to the extent possible – front, back, past,
 present, future – everything can be in our view. The extent to which one can expand in consciousness is nothing but
 the reflection of evolution. So while we are working, we are focused on work, on the surroundings, on the TV if it
 is on in the room, on something happening outside the office, and also on the Source. We are focused on the
 transmission that is happening inside, and the condition that is prevailing within, on something that is about to
 come into our system, on the thoughts that are arising, and on the next step we should be taking; and yet we remain
 peaceful seeing all these things at the same moment.
Automatically, this consciousness becomes three-hundred-and-sixty-degree consciousness.
 We are not focusing on any particular thing. The moment we focus on a particular thing, it is no longer meditation,
 but concentration instead.
So in this state we see how our consciousness can expand and we are able to utilize our
 minds in such a dynamic way.
There is also another way of looking at the spectrum of consciousness, and that is from
 personal, or individual, to collective. This is the spectrum of mind to heart. Our mind gives us our individual
 identity through the ego, ahankar, whereas the heart is collective. In the words of Ram Chandra Fatehgarh,
 “What is this ‘we’ of ours? It is our heart.”7&nbsp;It is through the heart that we are all connected.
 This is the hope of our future and Yoga is the key to unlocking this whole spectrum of consciousness.

<hr class="vertical-space1">

<h6>1Wilbur, Ken. 1974. Psychologia Perennis, The Spectrum of Consciousness, Journal of
 Transpersonal Psychology, Vol. 7, No. 2. 
 2Ram Chandra of Shahjahanpur. 1989. Complete Works of Ram Chandra, Vol. 1. 
 3Swami Vivekananda. 1947. Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda, Vol. 8, ‘Saying and
 Utterances’. 
 4&nbsp;McCraty, Rollin. 2015. Science of the Heart, Vol. 2. 
 5Patanjali, Yoga Sutras 
 6Ram Chandra of Fatehgarh, 1973. Truth Eternal, ‘Karma’.
</h6>
<hr class="vertical-space1">
<hr>
<h4 style="text-align: center;">Article by KAMLESH D. PATEL</h4>
<hr>
<div class="row" style="background-color: #f7f7f7; padding:15px;">
 <h4>About KAMLESH D. PATEL</h4>
 <a
 href="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/daaji1_img_64ba277814.png" rel="attachment"><img
 decoding="async" alt="daaji1" width="221" height="245"
 class="img-float-right has-img-center-in-mobile lazyload"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/daaji1_img_a085916835.jpg?updated_at=2023-03-31T10:17:50.594Z"></a>Kamlesh
 Patel is the world teacher of Heartfulness, and
 the fourth spiritual Guide in the Sahaj Marg system of Raja Yoga. He oversees Heartfulness centers and ashrams
 in over 130 countries, and guides the thousands of certified Heartfulness trainers who are permitted to impart
 Yogic Transmission under his care. Known to many as Daaji, he is also an innovator and researcher, equally at
 home in the inner world of spirituality and the outer world of science, blending the two into transcendental
 research on the evolution of consciousness, and expanding our understanding of the purpose of human existence to
 a new level.
</div>

The evolution of consciousness - part 5

<hr class="vertical-space1">
<h4 style="text-align: center;">AN EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW</h4>
<hr class="vertical-space1">
<h4>CHÖKYI NYIMA
 RINPOCHE speaks&nbsp;about
 consciousness and how it develops through kindfulness.
</h4>
<hr class="vertical-space1">
&nbsp;
Q: … Respected Rinpoche, you were saying that it is difficult to talk about
 consciousness.
CNR: Yes. If we speak about how consciousness develops – when, how, why – it is
 difficult, but let’s consider it from a different angle. We humans are also animals who give birth to young and are
 subject to all the ups and downs of biology and existence. So why is it that a healthy man and a healthy woman don’t
 always conceive and produce a baby, whereas another couple who is not so healthy is able to easily produce
 babies&hairsp;? Why&hairsp;? What is it that enters to create new life sometimes and not at other times&hairsp;? There
 is some other energy entering. Buddhists call this energy consciousness.
We can also try to understand consciousness in another way, by examining what we think
 we are. With what do we identify? Are we our body, or our wealth, or our family&hairsp;? You can say that the whole
 world is our living area and we develop a strong attachment to the physical body, to wealth, to family, and even to
 name, fame and power. We really think these things are ‘mine’. We sign documents stating that we own certain things,
 and then we definitely think&hairsp;: “I am the owner. I own this much.” But if we really examine it, we are not the
 owner. We fool ourselves – we only think we own things and actually we don’t even own our body. These are all rented,
 like a guesthouse or hotel. It is like staying in a hotel and thinking, “This hotel is mine.” We cling so strongly to
 the physical.
Whereas we really need to think how consciousness entered into this physical body, and
 what happens to consciousness afterwards, because we will not live more than one hundred years. Then what happens to
 consciousness&hairsp;? Does it die, evaporating like water? If not, where does it go&hairsp;? Do we have the power for
 our consciousness to go wherever we want it to go, or is that out of our control&hairsp;? If it is not in our control,
 in whose hands is it&hairsp;? Is it in God’s hands, or Buddha’s hands, or Allah’s hands, or Ishwar’s hands&hairsp;? If
 it is in their hands, what is the proof&hairsp;&hairsp;&hairsp;? And if we obey them and surrender to them, will they
 take us to some nice place after death or not&hairsp;? Who knows&hairsp;? Who guarantees&hairsp;? What proof is
 there&hairsp;?
So here today, among the billions of humans living, we have believers and non-believers.
 Most religions are based on faith. Faith is also belief in the Divine or God. For example, if you are a Buddhist but
 you do not study deeply, you may think that Buddha Bodhisatva will help you and guide you. But Buddha says, “I cannot
 protect you. I cannot save you. I cannot heal you. I can only teach you how to save yourself, how to heal yourself and
 how to protect yourself.”
Now the question comes, who protects whom&hairsp;? Who saves whom&hairsp;? Will wealth
 save me&hairsp;? Will name, fame and power save me&hairsp;? Will family save me&hairsp;? Will the Divine God save
 me&hairsp;? I am a Buddhist and Buddha says that he cannot save me. It is disappointing on one hand, but on the other
 hand it is very logical. When we are sick we think the doctor can cure us, but it is not the doctor who cures us –
 medicines cure us.
So in Buddhist teaching, the most important thing is impartial loving kindness and
 compassion. We all have love and care – not only humans, animals also have love and care – but we are partial. We
 trust those who trust us, help and care for those who help us, love those who love us. It is like a business. It is
 not that pure. So the Buddhist way of loving kindness and compassion must be impartial, equally for those who love you
 and who hate you, who help you and who harm you. They equally need love and help, directly and indirectly.
<hr class="vertical-space1">

 <img class="lazyload w-100"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/CHOKYI_NYIMA_2_img_2ac206aa64.jpg?updated_at=2023-03-30T08:25:32.141Z">



<hr class="vertical-space1">

Q: So how is that possible?
CNR: It is for this that we take care of our consciousness. Where does consciousness
 enter&hairsp;? And how does it look&hairsp;? What shape&hairsp;? What color&hairsp;? In science nowadays, they talk
 about the brain and there is a lot of research going on, but for thousands of years we have been interested in
 consciousness.
<hr class="vertical-space1">
<hr>
<h5 style="text-align: center;">Where does consciousness enter ? 
 And how does it look ? 
 What shape ? What color ? 
 In science nowadays, 
 they talk about the brain and 
 there is a lot of research going on, 
 but for thousands of years 
 we have been interested 
 in consciousness.
</h5>
<hr>
<hr class="vertical-space1">
You will eventually have to drop all the rest – wealth, fame, family, and even this
 body. The body is built of five elements but after death it is just a handful of ashes and that also disappears. But
 does consciousness die&hairsp;? If it does not die, then we need, urgently, as a matter of priority, to take care of
 our consciousness. Now. We shouldn’t wait one day.
We never know when we will need to leave this guesthouse. It is unpredictable. What to
 do with consciousness&hairsp;? When to develop consciousness&hairsp;? Right now. Each second is our precious time.
Q: How do we develop consciousness?
CNR: Impartial loving kindness and compassion is the number one important thing.
 Why&hairsp;? That brings consciousness itself to a floating state. It makes it clean. But that is not enough. We need
 realization, and what is that realization&hairsp;? That we are deluded, confused. Nothing is real that we think is
 real. Nothing is permanent that we think is permanent. We cannot pinpoint ‘me’ or ‘I’, because ‘me’ and ‘I’ are
 deluded. It is a wrong belief. So we need to learn more about consciousness.
How do we learn about consciousness&hairsp;? Where do we find this education&hairsp;?
 Who teaches us this&hairsp;? I would not say that Buddhism is higher than any other system, but there is so much
 literature available on consciousness in the Buddhist teachings. The answers about consciousness can be found in
 Buddha dharma. Also, some modern science is very helpful. We respect the scientists and I think they respect us. One
 scientist told me, “Now I know that I shall never know.”
I travel here and there and I see that the main problem in this world is not lack of
 education, nor lack of technology, nor even an economic lack. If we really try to balance, everyone can live well. The
 problem is that instead we go to extremes, where some people have much more than they need and others find it
 difficult to survive. And so much money is going into weapons. Those weapons, those awful technologies, are for
 whom&hairsp;? Human to human. Humans are smart, but humans make awful things. Humans make weapons, pistols, handcuffs
 and big machines. For whom&hairsp;? For other humans. It is extremely sad and painful to see how it is going on,
 getting worse and worse. Technology has become so powerful.

 <img class="img-float-left has-img-center-in-mobile lazyload"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/CHOKYI_NYIMA_3_img_a7b2936b72.jpg?updated_at=2023-03-30T08:27:56.572Z" />

Now we hear about Artificial Intelligence, and how robots can have feelings. This is not
 a joke or a toy. We give so much power and energy to technology. In the process we become less and less, and we let
 technology control us.
So it is time to develop loving kindness and compassion for our individual happiness,
 each in our own areas and countries. The problem right now is lack of loving kindness and compassion. Consciousness
 has so much power that if it goes wrong the whole world will be destroyed through technology. If we go to the positive
 side, consciousness can help and it will not only help humans. Our natural environment will be benefited also, and
 this is more important than technology. Without water, how can we survive&hairsp;? How can unhealthy water help
 us&hairsp;? Without healthy soil, what can we produce&hairsp;? Technology may look good, but we need to eat, and not
 just vitamin A, B, C and D tablets. Real vitamins come from water, earth and air&hairsp;; it is undeniable. It is time
 to take care of our global environment.
These days I am thinking more and more, what is the lack in this world&hairsp;? I am one
 of the human beings in this world. We need to help each other. So it is important to reach out not only to Buddhist
 people but also to anyone who wants to know more about consciousness.
We need to live with kindfulness, moment by moment. This way we are contributing to the
 global whole. This contribution is so proper, so clean. It heals – and through it we heal each other. All will become
 peace, harmony and a happy world.
Q: How to develop kindness? Can we develop this through
 meditation?
CNR: These days, people so easily use the words ‘meditation’ and ‘mindfulness’, but
 meditation is so profound and there are so many steps. And who is teaching you meditation&hairsp;? The teacher is very
 important. He or she needs to study the mind and consciousness in detail, and have some experience. Only then can he
 or she teach or share. We shouldn’t play with each other in the mental realm. It is much more sensitive than the
 physical realm.
We don’t expect doctors to play around with our physical well-being, giving wrong
 medication, as it can be dangerous. It is even more important to be careful with our mental well-being. We shouldn’t
 play around with different sorts of meditation with each other, as it can also be dangerous.
But these days, many people don’t want to learn from a proper teacher, as they think
 that is religion. So they get stuck into methods that claim all sorts of things, and are then not able to develop
 their consciousness.
<hr>
<h5 style="text-align: center;">I can think and understand, 
 but I need to realize and have experience. 
 I get experience through the heart. 
 Only then can I understand through the mind.
</h5>
<hr>
People are very interested in mindfulness and meditation. It is nice, but they really
 need to know why, how and what effect results from what quality of meditation.
So you asked&hairsp;: how to develop kindness? Kindness is based on calmness. No calm,
 no kind. No kind, no realization. It’s connected. No foundation, no wall and no ceiling.
Q: And what about the heart?
CNR: These days we talk about the mind, the brain, the heart and feeling, but if you put
 it a very simple way, I think [pointing to his head] and I feel [pointing to the heart]. I can think and understand
 [pointing to the head], but I need to realize and have experience [pointing to the heart]. I get experience through
 the heart. Only then can I understand through the mind.
We need to live moment by moment, healthily, happily. And this is based on kindness.
 With negative emotion, we are unhappy, and with positive emotion we are happy. Check whenever you are unhappy. The
 number one reason is that you do not appreciate what you have. The number two reason is that you are not getting along
 with someone. The number three reason is that you are jealous of someone. These are the three negative emotions. The
 result is unhappiness.
Now, you surely don’t want to be unhappy. You want to be a happy person. So how to do
 it&hairsp;?&nbsp;But people say, “I don’t want to meditate. I am not interested. I am a free thinker, and I am very
 smart. I am a scientist, and a doctor. I don’t want to do religious things. I don’t want to pray. Where is the
 Divine&hairsp;? Where is God&hairsp;? I don’t believe in all this. I trust pills because they work. I trust alcohol,
 and even other substances. They make me calm and bring me some kind of good feeling.”
But they will not bring you total happiness, only mental dullness and dumbness, damaging
 your brain and heart. This leads to addiction. Now what do you do&hairsp;? Definitely you still want to enjoy life. So
 you go away on vacation, thinking that maybe your unhappiness will disappear. You look at panoramic views. You listen
 to unusual music. You eat the best food in the world. Does that bring you ultimate happiness&hairsp;?
Now, what is the positive emotion, the positive approach&hairsp;? Appreciate whatever
 you have. In that moment you are happy. Then, how can you not get along with others&hairsp;? Practice forgiveness,
 apologize, don’t let problems continue, or they will destroy your health. Fix problems as soon as possible. If you are
 jealous because others are more successful, you will indulge in useless mental torturing. You will not get anything
 beneficial from it. You will only experience anger, suffering, and maybe even worse than that&hairsp;! So what to
 do&hairsp;? Rejoice. Positive emotion results in happiness.
<hr class="vertical-space1">
<hr>
<h4 style="text-align: center;">Interviewed by GABRIELE FONSECA</h4>
<hr>

Take care of your consciousness

<h4>
 Infinity, the Endless, Ananta in Sanskrit, Ayn-Sof in Hebrew, has became
 a universal symbol through mathematics.&nbsp; This symbol is
 called&nbsp;the lemniscate.
 </h4>
 
 <img
 class="lazyload has-img-center"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/infinity_text_75c7801f93.jpg?updated_at=2023-03-30T07:27:09.264Z"
 alt="infinity_text"
 />
 
 
 Before speaking about it, I invite you to take two coloured pencils, if
 possible two complementary colours, like red and green, or blue and
 yellow. Draw first a lemniscate with one of the coloured pencils, then
 double the first line with the other colour. The two lines have to be
 close together.
 
 
 Do it again if necessary until you get a nice two-coloured
 lemniscate. 
 Then look at your drawing, and let it speak to you. 
 Take your time, you have got eternity on your hands!
 
 
 The lemniscate let me hope that one day I would reach a condition of
 constant divine remembrance. To be One and manifest both. To have my
 cake and eat it too!
 
 
 The centre of the lemniscate is one and the other. Therefore it is also
 neither this nor that. It is whole and nothingness simultaneously.
 
 <hr />
 <h4 style="text-align: center">
 Life is not fixed. It is an endless beginning, 
 from the centre to the periphery, 
 to give form to the spring. 
 To set the nothingness.
 </h4>
 <hr />
 
 The Infinity of all possibilities, coiled in its nothingness, is
 brooding but springing. 
 A nothingness matrix guarantees us a renewal never repeated. 
 It is never definitive, but there is always the certitude of coming back
 to the source to be reborn. 
 Life is not fixed. It is an endless beginning, from the centre to the
 periphery, to give form to the spring. To set the nothingness.
 
 
 The great danger is not to want to return to the centre.&nbsp;
 Nothingness, which is elusive, frightens us. In the Occident, we have a
 civilisation that wants to master everything. Therefore we become tense,
 we get entangled, we become crystallised and the lifeflow is disturbed,
 creating a knot.
 
 
 The middle of the lemniscate is simultaneously the right wing and left
 wing, and both wings are also either one or the other. They have a
 dominating external aspect and a dominated internal aspect, which are
 reversed by going through the centre. Between the two lines is a meeting
 space. The internal world and the external world are inseparable.
 
 
 Meditation leads us to the internal world, and material activity to the
 external world. By meditating we go from the external wing to the
 internal wing. By working with matter, physically or intellectually, we
 should start from the internal wing and go towards the external wing.
 Like a mutual enrichment, tirelessly, towards infinity.
 
 
 Western civilisation’s dominant wing is the external world. We have
 excelled in wanting to model matter. We still have to learn to listen to
 our heart: the heart-centre, the One. This is the other dimension that
 take us beyond the limits of our confined, separate condition.
 
 
 We have to learn to respect the principle of returning and of letting
 go. The evening return, the winter and the old age withdrawal.
 
 
 The lemniscate is for me the symbolic expression of what I seek, and
 that is to be both One and manifested. 
 Heartfulness is the way. Morning meditation allows me to drink at the
 Source and to stay linked to the heart all day long. The evening
 cleaning and even deeper cleaning with transmission allow me to become
 free from a past that I don’t need anymore.
 
 
 Heartfulness is, in my view, the infinity lemniscate way which springs,
 takes form and returns to the Source. It is Life.
 
 <hr />
 <h4 style="text-align: center">Article by ANNE GRAFF</h4>
 <hr />

Infinity

<h3>Graciousness, Good Humour and Buoyant Spirit</h3>
<hr />
<h4 style="text-align: justify">
 At the age of ninety-five, EMMA HAWLEY’s maternal grandmother is as
 supportive and inspirational as ever.
</h4>
<hr class="vertical-space1" />

 <img alt="spiritual-relationship" class="img-float-right has-img-center-in-mobile lazyload"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/grandparents_1_16765c021a.jpg?updated_at=2023-03-30T08:24:57.373Z" />My
 maternal grandmother, Nana Flora, has always been a beautiful,
 supportive presence in my life. As she enters her ninety-fifth year this
 month, I’m left in awe and gratitude for her graciousness and good
 humour. Her late husband, Franklin – Frank for short, is always spoken
 of fondly. Though I never knew him, his memory lives on in the humorous
 antics my family retells.


 Nana always remains vibrant and poised. The way she can easily make
 conversation with anyone inspires me to stay as open and accepting. She
 always comments about her own mother and father-in-law: “You would never
 hear them criticise anyone.” This esteem she reflects in her own
 amiability.


 I feel in awe of her buoyant spirit under all circumstances. Her
 devotion and trust in the triumph of goodness are a legacy I’m proud to
 inherit.


 Nana grew up on a farm in rural Saskatchewan that her father built from
 the ground up. She rode a horse to a one-room schoolhouse, snow or
 shine. She lived through the depression, met my grandfather during World
 War II, and has seen monumental changes around her since her youth.


 <img alt="spiritual-relationship" class="lazyload w-100"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/grandparents_img2_eba08e11e6.jpg?updated_at=2023-03-30T08:25:38.070Z" />


 My mother remembers her sewing their clothes as a child. I remember her
 agile fingers playing Scott Joplin on her baby grand piano. Then there
 is the distinct, sweet smell of her house. I can picture her gentle hand
 movements that punctuate her thoughts.


 <img alt="spiritual-relationship" class="img-float-left has-img-center-in-mobile lazyload" style="width:auto;height:auto;"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/grandparents_3_2a2203a443.jpg?updated_at=2023-03-30T08:26:24.457Z" />Though
 Nana never used a computer, my grandfather was an engineer at
 IBM when computers took up entire rooms. He is hailed as one of the
 fathers of computer-aided design. I now work as a graphic artist because
 of the pioneering he did. His memory lives fondly in her heart; I can
 feel why she still wears her wedding band over thirty years after his
 passing. As I type, the solitaire of the engagement ring she passed down
 to me flashes on my ring finger. She has set a high precedent for a
 spiritual, loving, laughter-filled marriage, which we have every
 intention to live up to. When I asked her yesterday if she was looking
 forward to being a great grandmother, her smile lit up. My heart did
 too.

<h3 style="text-align: justify">
 The Old Man Who Walks With His Stick In The Air
</h3>
<hr />
<h4>
 MEGHANA ANAND’s maternal grandfather is still a lively and active member
 of the household.
</h4>
<hr class="vertical-space1" />

 <img alt="spiritual-relationship" class="img-float-right has-img-center-in-mobile lazyload grandparents" style="width:auto;height:auto;"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/grandparents_4_cfc9c870c0.jpg?updated_at=2023-03-30T08:27:27.218Z" />Knock,
 knock… 
 Who’s there? 
 Circle. 
 Circle who? 
 Full circle. 
 Like beginning to end? 
 No… back to the beginning.


 Each morning, I savour the aroma and the flavour of South Indian filter
 coffee with my thatha. As I hear the tapping sound of his walking stick
 on the stairs, I hasten to brew a fresh round of coffee. “Meghana, I can
 smell fresh coffee! Is it ready?” Thus thatha greets me before he starts
 his routine for the day.


 One of the earliest memories of being with my grandparents is that of
 riding on an old geared Bajaj scooter, sitting on my nani’s lap behind
 my thatha, as he drove us everywhere in the city – dropping and picking
 us up from school, visiting the doctor for our routine check-ups, taking
 us to the park in the evenings, and running household errands. Today I
 sometimes drop and pick up my eighty-nine year old thatha from the
 meditation centre every morning and evening on my Honda Activa.


 A favourite pastime as a little girl was to solve word puzzles with
 thatha. He introduced me to the world of the alphabet: solving anagrams,
 searching for words in a word grid and verbal word games. I inherit my
 love for language and books from him.


 I was brought up by my maternal grandparents from the age of three till
 I was ten years old in Ahmedabad. The bonding has been natural. While
 nani was a strick disciplinarian, I enjoyed breaking the rules with
 thatha. Watching our favourite cartoons, sneaking sweets and savouries
 behind nani’s back – oh, we had a gala time in the company of thatha!
 But now I also see how nani’s adherence to timings and schedules has
 groomed me in the finer aspects of managing my day-to-day life. The best
 thing I have learnt from her: never procrastinate. She would insist upon
 us finishing our school homework first thing after lunch, and then be
 free for the rest of the day. I would really despise it then, but it has
 helped me to develop the habit of tackling difficult things first to
 sail through the easy times – a philosophy that has helped me deal with
 life’s ups and downs.


 After nani’s passing I have grown especially close to my thatha, and two
 years back he moved in with us. Initially we had to make a few
 adjustments to accommodate his routine into our family life; now it
 feels natural to have him around. The bond seems to have deepened. Many
 times I lack the patience and understanding in my interactions with him,
 but more often I am filled with a sense of wonder and inspiration to see
 him taking each day as it comes, living every moment to the fullest, and
 doing whatever he likes despite all the odds posed by his ripe old age.
 I cannot help wondering how life would treat me if at all I get to live
 to that age!


 His daily routine includes morning and evening walks, meditation,
 television, solving word puzzles, reading books and the newspaper, and
 tinkering with his collection of antiques that he has preserved over the
 years. His prized possession is the wristwatch that was gifted to him by
 his company on the day of his retirement from service, and his face
 beams like a kid who has won the world whenever he shows it off!


 <img alt="spiritual-relationship" class="lazyload w-100"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/grandparents5_img_de18ef08e0.jpg?updated_at=2023-03-30T08:28:02.933Z" />


 I hesitate to visit his room, as the neatness with which he maintains it
 puts me to shame. He prides himself to be very independent, and does not
 like being called or treated as ‘old’. People in the neighbourhood know
 him as ‘the old man who walks with his stick in the air’!


 These days, I find thatha younger than ever. His mental and physical
 faculties have definitely withered with time, but he seems to have grown
 younger in his spirits, in his heart. I have never seen him dull or
 brooding over anything; he is always positive. With the passing of time,
 thatha seems to be going back to the Source of his existence. What he
 means to me is something I am still in the process of discovering. His
 absence will always remind me of his presence. That life comes full
 circle is definitely not a myth!

<h3 style="text-align: justify">That Bond Of Trust</h3>
<hr />
<h4>TILDE MONTAGNOLI reminisces about her maternal grandmother.</h4>
<hr class="vertical-space1" />

 <img alt="spiritual-relationship" class="img-float-left has-img-center-in-mobile lazyload"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/grandparents_6_432c494eff.jpg?updated_at=2023-03-30T08:28:48.421Z" />I
 was especially close to my mother’s mother. I think because we spent
 a lot of time with her when we were young, the trust that built was
 always present. She was not the classic grandmother: she was tall and
 skinny and very serious about things like duck-shaped shoes when I
 wanted cowboy boots. You know, she was her own person. We never spoke a
 lot – we just hugged and sat together. We grew closer after my mother
 died when I was thirteen, partly because I always looked like her in
 build, so she gave me a feeling of coherence, of belonging to this
 family, and also because we moved on together. She would always roll her
 eyes because I insisted on digging up the painfully unsaid, but it was
 also unsaid that she appreciated it, that she would take my hand just
 then and just know. It is that bond of trust that never broke.


 I learned from her to make elderflower syrup, to love wool and to buy
 shoes for my son with lots of space in the front: the simple life. She
 lived close to the ocean and we would stay on the beach for hours.
 Visiting her was like a different world in the end, and she would just
 sit next to me and hold my hand. One thing I have often thought about is
 that she never asked me what I was doing, she always asked, “How are
 you?” She never worried about what I had accomplished, but she did care
 about me not letting anything stand in the way of doing what I wanted.
 She was that mix of being quiet and a will-driven tank!


 My grandmother was presence-less presence. I don’t remember her ever
 interfering or playing with us; she just wanted to sit wherever we were,
 and stay close to us. I used to think it was a little weird that she
 wasn’t really passionate about music or art or food or sports, like I
 saw in other adults. But now that I have a child myself I truly
 appreciate the consciousness she represents in my life. She was never
 busy doing other things, she was just around in an ‘empty’ way, kind of
 like the air between us.


 Her own mother died when she was very young and her father remarried a
 woman with whom she never got along. When she was young she wanted to be
 a mason, as she was a tomboy, but her father refused and sent her to a
 housekeeping school. She didn’t like it at all and she often remembered
 how the teachers spoke to her. Later on in life, when she was married
 with children, she went to university and got a degree in English
 literature, not because she had to work but because she wanted to. She
 let us play with the tapes she used for her students, with a woman’s
 voice saying sentences in English over and over again, and she would
 listen to us say the words. She really loved her job.

Grandparents

Travel

“Please Zaïr, can you tell us the end of the story of Jomo the Brave?”
“Come on children, let’s go into that container. Well! It’s warmer, in here, isn’t it?
 Oh I see, some of you weren’t here last time. So let me give you a brief summary.
Jomo was convinced he was a leper, and so he left for a
 better place to live. His journey led him to Guinea, then along the Senegal River, and finally to Mauritania and
 Nouakchott city, at the border of the Mauritanian desert. A trip by boat along the Moroccan coast took him to
 the refugee camp at Tarifa in Spain.
JOMO REACHES THE END OF THE ROAD AND THEN AN
 AWAKENING
“It’s still worse here than in my village,” Jomo thought. “I left to find tranquility
 and peace and I have only met troubles and pointless adventures. Isn’t there a place where I can rest and live
 happily? Won’t it ever stop? What did I do to deserve all these troubles? Oh God! I can’t understand anything
 concerning my life. I did try to accept my lot, but it’s really too hard. There’s only darkness around me. Dad! Mum!
 Where are you?”
Then he remembered how fervently his father used to pray: “Please God, please, will you
 help me?” He had seen his father close his eyes and meditate. I’ll do that, he thought. What else could he do,
 anyway? Suddenly, he heard a voice whispering to him: “Listen to the music of your heart!”
He felt a presence near him and opened his eyes.
An old lady was standing there. So far, Jomo had never seen a woman dressed that way,
 with a long full brightly patterned skirt and large moon-shaped earrings. Her eyes were lined with mascara.
“What is your heart’s desire my child?”
Jomo automatically uttered these words, “My heart wants to be back in my village and be
 happy with the people there. I wish peace would prevail and we had no feeling of any difference between black and
 white people, between a Peul and a Bambara, and between a Bobo and a Dogon.”
“See, light is back within you. If you want to preserve that light, keep it very
 preciously in your mind and make it the goal of your journey. Don’t worry about whatever shapes your adventures
 take. Keep your goal in your heart and live in the present. Give, whenever you can help. To begin, go to the camp
 infirmary.”
On the following day, he went to the infirmary and asked a young doctor about his
 disease. The doctor examined him and said, “It’s not leprosy, but only psoriasis, which is neither dramatic nor
 contagious. But your foot is malformed.”
“I was born with it and so I got used to it.”
“Yes, but it must be terribly painful.”
“I’ve always felt that pain while I walked, so I just forget about it. For me, walking
 means being in pain, as others would say, but I found it normal.”
“Listen. If you want, I can arrange for an operation so that the deformity is
 corrected.”
“Would it be better for me?”
“Sure, and very easy to do.”
JOMO WENT TO HOSPITAL
<img decoding="async" alt="jomo-brave-part-ii" width="261" height="437"
 class="lazyload img-float-right has-img-center-in-mobile"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/jomo_the_brave1_img_6a7ad0a87b.jpg?updated_at=2023-03-29T12:55:57.424Z">There he found himself lying in a bed,
 together with many other kids in the surrounding beds and infant incubators in the center of the room.
The nurses and the health assistants were so kind, looking after him and accepting him
 as he was unconditionally. He had never felt so well and so happy. Such benevolence brought about a long awaited
 peace and he felt completely relaxed.
Some people from humanitarian associations came to visit him. With their help he learnt
 to read. Then he read whatever books he’d come across or that people would lend him. In the evenings, he helped the
 attending nurse to roll bandages. Hopping on his good leg, he would also pay visits to the younger children who were
 not feeling so good.
SIX MONTHS LATER, HE WAS BACK TO THE CAMP
He was still more or less abused, but he was able to take things differently. He had
 learnt how to respond, how to hold an argument, how to defend himself and how to smile most of the time. And also,
 he could go on improving his reading, now that books were a-plenty. That allowed him to escape, far away, beyond
 time and space! Moreover, a passing student taught him how to play the flute.
Some time later, the young doctor was back. He explained that a claim had been made for
 his return to his home country for health reasons and been accepted. Jomo was very happy. He accepted the offer, but
 he felt just a bit scared.
AFTER A LONG JOURNEY, JOMO WAS BACK NEAR HIS
 VILLAGE
He did not want to go there straight away. He sat by the river. Two years had elapsed.
 The small kid he was had grown up, but he still did not know how to approach the villagers. After being in the
 hospital, he had realized that the people around you don’t always change so easily. They imagine all sorts of
 superstitions and they hang on to them confidently.
So, he asked the river, “What can I do with these people who insist on believing I am a
 leper? I do know now that it’s all a question of superstition and prejudice, but what should I do?
“So, you have never been a leper?’ a voice said behind him.
THE MAN WITH BRIGHT KIND EYES
Jomo turned around and saw an old puny man with bright kind eyes, who was very simply
 dressed.
“He must be a marabout,” thought Jomo.
Standing there, with his bag on his shoulder, he leaned on his walking stick. Then he
 sat down in front of Jomo and crossed his legs. His heart shone with kindness and he smiled at the world.
“Do you want to be completely sure?” he asked.
“At the camp where I was kept, I met a doctor who examined me and said it was only a
 light psoriasis, which was very comforting.”
“Show me,” said bright eyes. “Take off your shirt. Yes. You still have some scabs and
 white stains but no red sores, so everything is all right.”
The old man, who had come of nowhere, prepared a healing ointment with some clay he got
 from the river, and he mixed it with leaves and chamomile flowers.
“Put it on your skin twice a day and in two weeks time it will have all disappeared. You
 look perfectly healthy. What made you think you were a leper?”
Jomo told him about the rumors that had ruined all possibility of him staying in the
 village, so that he had fled from there.
“Poor people,” the old man said. “They saw leprosy outside, on you, whereas it was
 really a part of their inner selves.”
“Sir, you are a saint. Why don’t you come and cure them as you have just done with me?”

“I have neither the energy nor the time for it. I have to go back to the source,” said
 bright eyes, pointing upstream along the river. “It is my goal and it looks far enough.”
BRIGHT EYES PAUSED
He closed his eyes, and Jomo had the sudden impression that the old man had gone far
 away I his mind, and was no longer there. It was quite impressive.
“Is he an extra-terrestrial, or what? Or maybe he is going to die just now,” Jomo said
 to himself.
A few minutes later, the old man opened his eyes again. All the stars and planets in the
 universe were reflected in his eyes. Jomo really felt that the old man was looking deep within him, and that he
 could see everything inside him and beyond.
Then bright eyes said: “You can speak to them yourself. You have gone through all those
 trials, which made you better understand the human soul and the complicated behavior of people. Words and speeches
 will be useless, but you can speak to them without uttering a single word.”
THE FLUTE
Bright eyes searched his bag and found a flute.
“Music will help you touch their hearts. Can you play it? A German flautist gave it to
 me. Ignorant people think it is magic, because every time he would play, rats, children and animals were enchanted.
 In fact, it is only the sweet melodies of love that touch the hearts of the creatures in this world. There is no
 magic. There is no power. There is only love.
“Every time you hear someone slander, snigger or behave wickedly with a passer-by, play
 your flute. Play as if it were a shrilling bird, or a grinding magpie. Reflect the vibrations they produce. Then go
 on with your own musical reflection and let your flute vibrate the sweet notes that come from your heart.
“Go, my son, love life and life will love you. Love God who is in you, and you will love
 God in the others. Love all and they will all love you.”
The old man went away along the river without looking back. Jomo went to the small hut
 he used to have in the village.
THE SURPRISE OF THE VILLAGERS
The villagers were so surprised to see him back and to hear him tell the story of his
 journey, and of all the miseries he had seen while he was roaming the dusty paths in deepest Africa.
They felt embarrassed when he stated confidently that he was not a leper. And they were
 still more surprised when they saw him pull out a flute from his pocket and play every time they would speak. They
 were dumbfounded when they heard him play.
The musical echo of their slandering sounded so mischievous that they felt ashamed. It
 was as if their own thoughts were being sung in a bird language that was even clearer and more explicit than human
 words. Then followed the notes from Jomo’s heart. They were so sweet and smooth that they finally touched and
 softened their hearts.
Little by little, men and women stopped tearing themselves apart with their sharp nasty
 words. They discovered simple pleasures and they all felt the better for it. And so felt Jomo.

<hr class="vertical-space1">

<hr>
<h5 style="text-align: center;">“The hardest thing of all 
 is to find a black cat in a dark room, 
 especially if there is no cat.”</h5>
<h5 style="text-align: center;">– Confucius</h5>
<hr>

Jomo the brave - part 2

Of all the beautiful truths pertaining to the soul which have been restored and brought to light in this age, none is more gladdening or fruitful of divine promise and confidence than this – that man is the master of thought, the moulder of character, and the maker and shaper of condition, environment and destiny.
As a being of Power, Intelligence and Love, and the lord of his own thoughts, man holds the key to every situation, and contains within himself that transforming and regenerative agency by which he may make himself what he wills.
Man is always the master, even in his weakest and most abandoned state, but in his weakness and degradation he is the foolish master who misgoverns his ‘household’. When he begins to reflect upon his condition, and to search diligently for the Law upon which his being is established, he then becomes the wise master, directing his energies with intelligence, and fashioning his thoughts to fruitful issues. Such is the conscious master, and man can only thus become by discovering within himself the laws of thought; which discovery is totally a matter of application, self analysis and experience.
Only by much searching and mining are gold and diamonds obtained, and man can find every truth connected with his being if he will dig deep into the mine of his soul. That he is the maker of his character, the moulder of his life, and the builder of his destiny he may unerringly prove, if he will watch, control, and alter his thoughts, tracing their effects upon himself, upon others, and upon his life and circumstances, linking cause and effect by patient practice and investigation, and utilising his every experience, even to the most trivial, everyday occurrence, as a means of obtaining that knowledge of himself which is Understanding, Wisdom and Power.
In this direction, as in no other, is the law absolute that, “He that seeketh findeth, and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.”1 For only by patience, practice and ceaseless importunity can a man enter the Door of the Temple of Knowledge.
Chapter 1, from As a Man Thinketh, 1902
<h6>1 St James Bible, Matthew 7:8 and Luke 11:10</h6>
<hr />

<h4 style="text-align: center;">Excerpt by JAMES ALLEN</h4>
<hr />

The conscious master

<hr class="vertical-space1">
 <h4>This is a hearty and decorative recipe that you can serve as a delicious meal.&nbsp;Instead of pasta, the thinly sliced raw zucchini and baked eggplant make a very nutritious, delicious&nbsp;and fresh alkaline lasagne. It is simple and can be made as a lasagna dish as well.</h4>
 <h4>As you prepare, stay centered and peaceful, and feel how your loving vibrations help you enjoy making&nbsp;this life-giving meal for the people you love.</h4>
 <hr class="vertical-space1">
 <h3 style="text-align: center;">Fresh ‘Pasta’ Layers</h3>
 <hr class="vertical-space1">
 1 big zucchini (courgette) 
 1 big eggplant (aubergine) 
 1/2 lemon, the juice 
 Extra virgin olive oil 
 Himalayan salt to taste
 Prepare and wash all the vegetables. Leave the skin on. 
 Pre-heat oven to 3550 F/1800 C.
 <hr class="vertical-space1">
 <h4>MARINATED ZUCCHINI</h4>
 Prepare the zucchini, thinly sliced with a mandolin or cut with a sharp knife,&nbsp;roughly 1/8 inch or 1/4 cm. 
 Marinate the slices with 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 3 tablespoons of lemon juice and 3-4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, for about 30 minutes.
 <hr class="vertical-space1">
 <h4>ROASTED EGGPLANT</h4>
 Cut the eggplant into thin slices with a sharp knife or a mandolin, roughly 1/8 inch or 1/4 cm. 
 Lay the eggplant slices on a baking sheet. 
 Brush on both sides with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. 
 Grill or roast until the slices of the eggplant are tender, about 5 minutes for each side of the eggplant. 
 Pay attention it doesn’t burn.
 <h4>Variations:</h4>
 You can use zucchini only or you can bake or grill both, the zucchini a little less than the eggplant.
 <hr class="vertical-space1">
 <h3 style="text-align: center;">Fillings</h3>
 <hr class="vertical-space1">
 <h4>TOMATO SAUCE</h4>
 1 cup sun-dried tomatoes, soaked 1 hour or more 
 2 big tomatoes 
 2 cloves garlic 
 1 small onion 
 1 tablespoon dried oregano 
 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 
 Himalayan salt to taste
 Process in a food processor or blender until smooth. 
 Drain the tomato sauce if it becomes too watery, and use it in other meals.
 <hr class="vertical-space1">
 <h4>GREEN PESTO</h4>
 2 cups fresh parsley 
 2 cups basil leaves 
 1/8 cup extra virgin olive oil 
 1 clove garlic 
 1 tablespoon lemon juice 
 Himalayan salt to taste
 Blend all ingredients. Keep a thick consistency.
 <hr class="vertical-space1">
 
 <img class="lazyload w-100 h-auto" src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/NAPOLEON_LASAGNE_2_img_12e832a504.jpg?updated_at=2023-03-30T08:35:22.809Z"/>
 
 <hr class="vertical-space1">
 <h4>RICOTTA DE MACADAMIA</h4>
 2 cups macadamia nuts, soaked at least 2 hours 
 2 tablespoons lemon juice 
 1 teaspoon yeast-free bouillon 
 1 tablespoon fresh oregano (or dried) 
 1/2 teaspoon Himalayan salt 
 Fresh-ground pepper to taste 
 1/4 cup water (or more)
 Process all ingredients together in a blender or&nbsp;food processor, adding as little of the water as&nbsp;possible, until a fluffy consistency is achieved.&nbsp;You can use 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil&nbsp;for flavor and richness.
 As an alternative to macadamia nuts, you can use&nbsp;cashew nuts or a mix of both.
 <hr class="vertical-space1">
 <h4>SPINACH LAYER</h4>
 2 handfuls of fresh spinach.
 Mix the spinach, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Let it stay for 10 minutes.
 <hr class="vertical-space1">
 <h3 style="text-align: center;">Assembly</h3>
 <hr class="vertical-space1">
 Now we come to the fun part, where you create your beautiful dish.
 Place one marinated zucchini slice layer, then one layer tomato sauce, then a slice of eggplant and one layer of the ricotta. 
 Repeat with zucchini, green pesto, spinach, eggplant and tomato sauce. 
 Add the last zucchini layer. 
 Place your Napolean lasagne dish in the fridge for 1-2 hours.
 <hr class="vertical-space1">
 <h3 style="text-align: center;">Just before serving</h3>
 <hr class="vertical-space1">
 Top with a little layer of ricotta and sprinkle green pesto on top. 
 Garnish the Napoleons with fresh ground pepper.
 <hr class="vertical-space1">
 <hr>
 <h4 style="text-align: center;">Recipe and photography by SIMONNE HOLM</h4>
 <hr>

Napoleon lasagne

<h4>MEGHANA ANAND challenges our doorways of perception to open and our consciousness to expand into absolute oneness.
</h4>
<hr class="vertical-space1">
Here is a small and interesting experiment.
___________________ 
 A
Is line A short or long? Is it dark or light? 
 Perhaps drawing line B may help.
___________________ 
 A
_____________ 
 B
Now try answering the same questions.
Line A is longer and lighter than line B. In absolute terms, A is neither short nor
 long, dark nor light. It is what it is. Similarly, the world around us is a product of our perception, which is
 relative and conditioned. Rare is a person who is able to perceive things as they are, in their absolute, pure
 condition. If we were able to do so then perhaps there would be no question of likes and dislikes, preferences and
 prejudices.
But in real life we have our likes and dislikes, preferences and prejudices. In fact,
 there are as many universes as there are individuals. Do we ever question why? Swami Vivekananda once said, “Every
 human being has the right to ask why, and to have his question answered by himself, if only he takes the trouble.”
 Our ancient ones have time and again prescribed meditation as the tool to reveal the true nature of everything.
 Meditation, along with inner purification, can present the world to us in its absolute form, above these dualities,
 into the realm of absolute oneness.
Albert Einstein’s theory of relativity shows us that what we perceive as the force of
 gravity in fact arises from the curvature of space and time, and that the speed of light within a vacuum is the same
 no matter the speed at which an observer travels.
This absolute, unchanging vacuum is also within us, from which everything else emerges.
 As one of our artists in this issue says: “The question before us is not the process of how. The bigger question
 ceaselessly resonating within us always is why.”

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<hr>
<h4 style="text-align: center;">Article by MEGHANA ANAND</h4>


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Dimensions of perception

Creation myths and stories exist in all cultures and religions around
 the world. We have always wanted to know from where we came. It was
 originally an oral tradition of storytelling, so there would have been
 many versions although the essence was always the same. The stories are
 symbolic and sacred, and show how the world emerged out of chaos and how
 the first peoples came into being. They often speak of transformation,
 both physical and of the spirit, and have deep meaning to the different
 cultures to which they belong.


 The DreamTime presents various creation stories from around the world,
 illustrating the universality of all human beings and how they define
 their place in time and history.

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<h4>The Haida</h4>

 <img class="img-float-left has-img-center-in-mobile lazyload"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/the_dream_time1_81428e7246.jpg?updated_at=2023-03-30T08:40:07.809Z"
 alt="the-dream-time1" />This creation story is from the Haida, an indigenous tribal group in
 the Pacific Northwest of Canada on the archipelago of Haida Gwaii, the
 Queen Charlotte Islands. It is a mystical area of coastal rainforest
 which is home to many wildlife species. Before the first contact with
 Europeans, the peoples developed a culture enriched by the abundance of
 the land and the sea. Human habitation on the islands has been recorded
 as far back as 13,000 years.


 This is one variation of how Raven created the world. To the Haida,
 Raven was the Bringer of Light. He was the maker of things, the
 transformer, the healer and the magician. He had other more mischievous
 attributes – his insatiable curiosity, his innate need to play tricks,
 and to provoke and meddle with the world and its creatures.


 The Haida continue to live on the west coast, on the stormy shores
 between the land and the sea, honouring their ancestors and traditions.


 “Our culture is born of respect, and intimacy with the land and sea and
 the air around us. Like the forests, the roots of our people are
 intertwined such that the greatest troubles cannot overcome us. We owe
 our existence to Haida Gwaii. The living generation accepts the
 responsibility to ensure that our heritage is passed on to following
 generations.”

(Council of the Haida Nation)
<hr />
<h4 style="text-align: justify">Raven Creates the World</h4>

 The world was covered by water. When Raven became hungry the waters
 receded and land was formed so that he could find food. Raven flew about
 looking for a place to land and spied a seemingly empty beach. There was
 nothing to eat, and nothing with which to play tricks. He sighed and
 walked up and down looking for any sign of movement. The mountains, the
 land, the sea, the sun, the moon and the stars – all that he had created
 was very beautiful, but there was no life. He cried out in frustration
 to the empty sky, but before the echoes of his cry faded he heard
 strange sounds coming from Clamshell, half-buried in the sand.


 Peering into the opening he saw several tiny creatures cowering in fear.
 He was filled with joy, as here were creatures to play with; he was no
 longer alone. Now, how to get them out? Here his trickster nature
 asserted itself and Raven began to sing to Clamshell, thinking to tempt
 the little creatures out. Raven has two voices – the loud and piercing
 caaaw-caaaw, and a sweet crooning voice that seems to come from the
 depths of the sea, or from the caves where the wind is born, an
 irresistible and seductive sound. This is how he sang to Clamshell.

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<h4 style="text-align: center">
 Slowly one of the strange creatures emerged. 
 It had two legs like Raven, arms, 
 pale skin and long black hair on a round head, 
 but no beak and no feathers. 
 These were the First People.
</h4>
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 Slowly one of the strange creatures emerged. It had two legs like Raven,
 arms, pale skin and long black hair on a round head, but no beak and no
 feathers. These were the First People. Their curiosity aroused, the
 others slowly emerged.


 <img class="lazyload w-100"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/the_dream_time2_jpg_40a4daf749.jpg?updated_at=2023-03-30T08:40:47.492Z"
 alt="the-dream-time2" />Raven played with them for a long time, teaching them tricks and
 enjoying their wonder at this new world. They were very active and would
 fight with each other as well as help each other. But Raven was easily
 bored and he soon tired of their ceaseless activity and their
 helplessness. They were small and fearful and needed looking after and
 shelter from the sun and the rain. There were only boys, no girls. He
 was ready to tuck these annoying creatures back in their shell when he
 had an idea to prolong the fun.


 “Somewhere there must be girls,” he thought. “After all, it is the way
 that there are both females and males of every creature.” So he began
 his search. He looked everywhere, under rocks and logs, but he could not
 find where any girls were hiding. As the tide was reached its lowest
 point, Raven spied huge Chitons clinging tightly to the rocks. He pried
 one loose with his beak, and there he found a girl of the First People
 underneath its shell. Each Chiton held a girl, and they were like the
 creatures from Clam but soft and round. They were frightened of Raven,
 and he had difficulty gathering them on his back.


 When he brought them to the boys, he thought they would be happy and
 excited, but to his surprise they ran away, some of them even going back
 inside Clamshell! The girls were shy and fearful, huddling together and
 watching the boys with curious eyes. They all became modest and covered
 their bodies with kelp and seaweed.


 The boys also became embarrassed and confused by feelings they had not
 had before and didn’t know what to do. Some began to show off the tricks
 they had been taught, running and wrestling to get the attention of the
 girls. Some of the girls overcame their shyness, and from their quick
 glances the boys were encouraged to approach them. The two groups came
 together and overcoming all their fears they walked off hand in hand,
 absorbed in each other.


 Raven was amazed as he watched all this unusual behaviour with great
 interest. The boys were proud, strong and athletic and the girls were
 soft and gentle. If the boys were rough, there would be tears in the
 eyes of the girls. Then these tears would bring out the protective
 instincts in the boys. Their strengths brought balance to each other’s
 weaknesses.


 Since then, Raven has been fascinated and never bored, though he may
 have sometimes regretted bringing the first men and women together. From
 Clam and Chiton, from the pairings of the First People came the first
 families. Many generations have succeeded each other, at times with more
 success than others. Some say that Raven played a big joke on humanity,
 with the complexity of human relationships of male and female energies
 that are needed to survive a life on earth.

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<h4 style="text-align: center">Story retold by CHRISTINE PRISLAND</h4>

 Illustration by AMANDA EPSY

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The Dream Time

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 <h4>
 MEGHANA ANAND writes about the demands and joys of motherhood, and the
 beauty of giving time to children.
 </h4>
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 <img
 class="lazyload w-100 h-auto"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/leisure_img_acfc146b30.jpg?updated_at=2023-03-30T08:44:03.158Z"
 alt="leisure_img"
 />
 
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 I read this poem, Leisure, for the first time when I was in
 school. It’s simplicity yet profundity touched me. Even today, upon
 reading it I feel like taking the time out from my routine to cherish the
 simple joys and beauties surrounding me. Being a parent gives me greater
 reasons to do so.
 
 
 I recollect swinging my five month-old son to sleep in my arms, softly
 humming a lullaby. Suddenly a smile flashed across the little one’s face –
 the very first smile that he had ever gifted his mother. The memory is so
 vivid: twinkling bright eyes staring at me, melting my heart in a strange
 way. For a moment I&nbsp;could do nothing but stand and stare. I felt
 loved. I felt blessed. I felt healed. When he was five years old, those
 same twinkling eyes would peep from behind the windows of the yellow
 school bus, as I waved him goodbye on his way to kindergarten every
 morning.
 
 
 The aspect of time is the greatest challenge I have faced since my son was
 born. It seemed very difficult to move away from a routine that was
 centered around myself to a lifestyle that completely revolved around my
 child. Often I would be at a loss as to how to encourage him spend his
 energy in a fruitful and constructive manner. He would not be satisfied
 with my physical presence alone, but sought my attention even mentally and
 emotionally. While he jumped from one activity to another, with what
 seemed like an inexhaustible storehouse of high-power energy, I struggled
 to maintain my enthusiasm and patience while trying to keep pace with his
 energy level.
 
 
 I wonder how, in the olden days, families with at least half-a-dozen
 children prospered and thrived with ease and naturalness, and all without
 playgroups, day-care centers and kindergartens. There were always several
 children, but there were also many more elders around to give attention
 and help with the upbringing of the children. The atmosphere was very
 conducive for the wholesome upbringing of the child, with a beautiful
 blend of love, freedom and discipline. I see this naturally reflected in
 my son: his happiness knows no bounds when he is with his grandparents!
 
 
 After initially trying to hold on to my time and space, I slowly learnt to
 let go. The more I let go, giving priority to my child’s needs over my
 wishes, the more it made him happy. The happier he was, the more I felt
 healed and at peace with myself. I tried to ensure that when I was with
 him, I was with him in every sense of the word – physically, mentally and
 emotionally. He was so sensitive that he could sense even the slightest
 preoccupation in me and would immediately demand my undivided attention.
 Whether it is an outing with him or reading from his favorite storybook, I
 sensed that these moments with him are special and may not be replicated
 in future.
 
 
 Sometimes I would join my son and his group of friends from the colony in
 their games and bicycle rides, mostly as a spectator. These hours of play
 would be punctuated by small fights, bickering, patching up and studying
 the surroundings. The smallest of nature’s creation seemed to be a source
 of wonder for the little ones. From a dump of freshly-laid cow-dung to the
 very fascinating touch-me-nots, their innocent squeals and exclamations
 reflected the freshness with which they viewed things. As they explored
 and discovered the world around them, I discovered the meaning of being
 young at heart.
 
 
 Some of the most beautiful moments that I get to spend with my son are at
 bedtime. There is something sacred about this hour, during which I find
 him most receptive and willing to listen and absorb. Most of the time, he
 insists upon listening to a story or a song before going to bed. Sometimes
 he says, “Mumma, talk to me,” so I talk to him about the day and its
 happenings, about him and me, about this and that. He seems to absorb
 everything with the joy of togetherness. He is eight years old now, but he
 still takes profound interest in going through this bedtime ritual almost
 every day. And I am more than happy to oblige and indulge.
 
 
 I remember one particular evening when he was riding his scooter up and
 down a slope. Suddenly he came and sat on my lap. Looking up into the
 clear blue sky, he seemed amused with the passing clouds. As he pointed at
 the different shapes, I began to share his amusement. There was nothing
 out of the ordinary, yet time seemed eternal. As the two of us sat and
 stared into the vastness of the blue sky, I felt loved. I felt blessed. I
 felt healed.
 
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 <hr />
 <h4 style="text-align: center">Article by&nbsp;MEGHANA ANAND</h4>
 <hr />

On time and healing

<h4>SHARADA NATARAJAN explores various ways of responding to feeling hurt and angry over an incident with a close family
 member, and shares with us how she learnt to keep harmony and love in such situations.</h4>

<hr class="vertical-space1">

How do you react when someone dear to you hurts you? My earlier immediate response was a
 momentary paralysis of my ability to understand what went wrong, and then a sudden bout of anger towards whomever
 caused that hurt.
When I allowed myself to be angered by the ‘hurt’, then I would find myself engulfed by
 two powerful negative emotions – hurt and anger. So I have been exploring how I can handle this with no damage to
 the relationship between the other person and myself.
The first and foremost step is to avoid that sudden bout of anger that joins with the
 hurt to precipitate the issue, and instead concentrate on how to handle the hurt from the level of hurt alone. I
 have discovered that handling hurt is easier with a little wisdom, a little thoughtfulness, and a lot of
 understanding and compassion.
The most common form of hurt that bothers us seems to be caused by the words and actions
 of the people we love, who play a significant role in our lives. Most of us inadvertently depend on our loved ones
 to make our lives happier and more secure.
Let me explain how I faced this type of hurt recently, how I was able to respond to the
 situation, and how I emerged a happier, friendlier person in the end, with no trace of the hurt to spoil the love we
 had.
The other day I sent a WhatsApp message to a member of our family – a close one at that
 – conveying the news of an important event that called for celebration. She is very dear to my heart and I expected
 her to feel equally happy and feel the same way, but the message she sent back was as though the news had no
 significance to her. I had expected her to be in sync with my mood of fulfilment and joy, and respond with equal
 gusto, so I was naturally disappointed, sad and deeply hurt.


<hr>
<h5 style="text-align: center;">I decided to meditate and let things cool down. 
 When I came out of meditation, 
 my mind was enveloped in a beautiful serenity of its own. 
 In that clarity,&nbsp; I found new vistas 
 opening up to accommodate 
 a wider range of perspectives, 
 so my mind was able to review different options 
 to bring harmony and move forward.</h5>


<hr>
<h4>SHARADA NATARAJAN explores various ways of responding to feeling hurt and angry over an incident with a close family
 member, and shares with us how she learnt to keep harmony and love in such situations.</h4>

<hr class="vertical-space1">

How do you react when someone dear to you hurts you? My earlier immediate response was a
 momentary paralysis of my ability to understand what went wrong, and then a sudden bout of anger towards whomever
 caused that hurt.
When I allowed myself to be angered by the ‘hurt’, then I would find myself engulfed by
 two powerful negative emotions – hurt and anger. So I have been exploring how I can handle this with no damage to
 the relationship between the other person and myself.
The first and foremost step is to avoid that sudden bout of anger that joins with the
 hurt to precipitate the issue, and instead concentrate on how to handle the hurt from the level of hurt alone. I
 have discovered that handling hurt is easier with a little wisdom, a little thoughtfulness, and a lot of
 understanding and compassion.
The most common form of hurt that bothers us seems to be caused by the words and actions
 of the people we love, who play a significant role in our lives. Most of us inadvertently depend on our loved ones
 to make our lives happier and more secure.
Let me explain how I faced this type of hurt recently, how I was able to respond to the
 situation, and how I emerged a happier, friendlier person in the end, with no trace of the hurt to spoil the love we
 had.
The other day I sent a WhatsApp message to a member of our family – a close one at that
 – conveying the news of an important event that called for celebration. She is very dear to my heart and I expected
 her to feel equally happy and feel the same way, but the message she sent back was as though the news had no
 significance to her. I had expected her to be in sync with my mood of fulfilment and joy, and respond with equal
 gusto, so I was naturally disappointed, sad and deeply hurt.


<hr>
<h5 style="text-align: center;">I decided to meditate and let things cool down. 
 When I came out of meditation, 
 my mind was enveloped in a beautiful serenity of its own. 
 In that clarity,&nbsp; I found new vistas 
 opening up to accommodate 
 a wider range of perspectives, 
 so my mind was able to review different options 
 to bring harmony and move forward.</h5>


<hr>
I could not immediately organize my thoughts and decide how to handle the situation, so,
 as I am learning to do when confronted with some negativity, I decided to meditate and let things cool down. When I
 came out of meditation, my mind was enveloped in a beautiful serenity of its own. In that clarity, I found new
 vistas opening up to accommodate a wider range of perspectives, so my mind was able to review different options to
 bring harmony and move forward with the issue at hand:
The first idea was to just ignore… but I knew that the residual hurt would stay embedded
 in me and eventually form an impression, which may not augur well for the otherwise beautiful relationship we have.
 So I ruled that out.
The question of forgiving did not arise since no deliberate insult would have been
 intended on her part. She may not have even meant it. It might have been just the way she felt at that moment. So I
 let that go.
Perhaps I could communicate my hurt to her, but then it would amount to begging her to
 sync with my mood. She may not like that, and she may try to convince me by faking enthusiasm. So I ruled that out.

Why not convert the whole issue into one of absolute insignificance and respond to her
 with humor? The sanctioning authority in me said, “This is the spirit, go ahead.”
So I wrote back chiding her with a fake anger that was not there, coupled with a few fun
 emojis. That spirit paid off. She felt sorry for her reaction and attributed it to her mood at the time. All ended
 well. What started on a depressing note ended with laughter and celebration.
If I had reacted with hurt and anger, she might have reacted in the same manner and
 things would have gone really sour. But instead a sense of humor acted as an antidote to hurt and anger.
<hr class="vertical-space1">


<hr>
<h4 style="text-align: center;">Article by SHARADA NATARAJAN</h4>


<hr>
&nbsp;
&nbsp;
I could not immediately organize my thoughts and decide how to handle the situation, so,
 as I am learning to do when confronted with some negativity, I decided to meditate and let things cool down. When I
 came out of meditation, my mind was enveloped in a beautiful serenity of its own. In that clarity, I found new
 vistas opening up to accommodate a wider range of perspectives, so my mind was able to review different options to
 bring harmony and move forward with the issue at hand:
The first idea was to just ignore… but I knew that the residual hurt would stay embedded
 in me and eventually form an impression, which may not augur well for the otherwise beautiful relationship we have.
 So I ruled that out.
The question of forgiving did not arise since no deliberate insult would have been
 intended on her part. She may not have even meant it. It might have been just the way she felt at that moment. So I
 let that go.
Perhaps I could communicate my hurt to her, but then it would amount to begging her to
 sync with my mood. She may not like that, and she may try to convince me by faking enthusiasm. So I ruled that out.

Why not convert the whole issue into one of absolute insignificance and respond to her
 with humor? The sanctioning authority in me said, “This is the spirit, go ahead.”
So I wrote back chiding her with a fake anger that was not there, coupled with a few fun
 emojis. That spirit paid off. She felt sorry for her reaction and attributed it to her mood at the time. All ended
 well. What started on a depressing note ended with laughter and celebration.
If I had reacted with hurt and anger, she might have reacted in the same manner and
 things would have gone really sour. But instead a sense of humor acted as an antidote to hurt and anger.
<hr class="vertical-space1">


<hr>
<h4 style="text-align: center;">Article by SHARADA NATARAJAN</h4>


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