Based in Dubai, Harpreet Kalra works in marketing and planning in the TV entertainment industry in the Middle East. For a while he has been interested in understanding the cognitive patterns of the human mind, and the science of meditation in achieving inner balance and harmony.

harpreet-kalra-img.jpg

Harpreet Kalra

<h4>HARPREET KALRA discusses the issue of victimization in the workplace, and his experience of what to do about it. How
 much responsibility are we willing to take to change these patterns?</h4>
<hr class="vertical-space1">
It had been two months since I joined MCS Enterprises in their Strategy &amp; Planning department. I prepared the
 first draft of a financial model and submitted it to my boss Linda for her review. After a few hours, Linda called
 me to her room. “Did I ask you to make these assumptions?” she screamed. 
 “No,” I said softly. 
 “You are not at a level where you can make assumptions on your own,” scoffed Linda, walking out of the room.
Conversations like these were a regular affair for me: in corporate jargon, business as usual.
Micromanaging me, not giving me the creative liberty to think, unclear directions on how to go about a work task,
 harsh criticism, pretty much summed up my relationship with my boss at MCS.
“When do I leave this job?” “Should I resign straightaway?” “Do I have the money to pay my mortgage?” were some of
 the thoughts that flooded my mind as I drudged back towards my desk.
There are demanding bosses, there are difficult bosses, there are collaborative bosses, there are easy bosses, and
 then there are psychopaths. Research suggests that one in every five corporate bosses is a psychopath. I knew I was
 dealing with one at MCS.
<hr>
<h5 style="text-align: center;">In some situations, I am the victim. 
 In some situations, I am the one victimizing others. 
 This is the reason I am suffering. 
 The very same tendencies in Linda that hurt me 
 are the ones present within me, although with different intensity.</h5>
<hr>
I believed most of my previous bosses were good, though they had a few traits that were unacceptable to me. After
 dealing with Linda, I indeed realized the goodness of my previous bosses. I would have gladly accepted all their
 unacceptable traits if I had had a chance.
I was in pain, and slowly my underlying thought pattern started to shift towards self pity: “Why me?” “I am being
 targeted,” “I am being victimized.” In a short span of time, I was habitually wearing the victim hat. SO I BELIEVED!

It had been a few months since I had started practicing meditation. One day, after my morning meditation, as I sat in
 a quiet contemplative mood, an inner voice within me echoed: “Every victim identity is a perpetrator of crime given
 the change in circumstances.” I could not fully comprehend my inner voice, so I wrote it in my daily diary and
 signed off. …

<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;">Article by HARPREET KALRA</h4>
<hr>

Am I the victim or am I the one victimizing?

<h4 style="text-align: left">
 HARPREET KALRA explores what is beyond judgement.
</h4>
<hr class="vertical-space1" />

 In mathematical calculus, the act of integration is done by reversing
 the act of differentiation. If we apply the same principle to ‘one
 world, one humanity’, then it is easier to integrate humanity by not
 differentiating. So, how can we avoid differentiating ourselves from
 others?


 Isn’t judging someone the greatest act of differentiation? Judging
 instantly sets us apart from the other person. Ten minutes into a
 conversation with a new person and we are done with the person. Either
 consciously or unconsciously, we have labeled and objectified the
 person. But does judgement alone lead to differentiation, or do we do
 something more to set ourselves apart?


 When we judge, our frame of reference is never absolute, it is
 comparative. “He is intelligent” is in comparison to myself or to
 someone else. The reason we judge others is to evaluate where we stand
 in comparison to the person we are judging. Then, based on our judgment,
 we act; rather we react. If we perceive ourselves to be superior we
 discard the other person. If we perceive ourselves to be inferior we try
 to impress the&nbsp;other person. On most occasions this is how we act.
 At the heart of judging lies our latent desire to establish a sense of
 superiority over others.

<hr />
<h5 style="text-align: center">
 The reason we&nbsp;judge others 
 is to evaluate&nbsp;where we stand 
 in comparison to&nbsp;the person 
 we are&nbsp;judging.
</h5>
<hr />

 So the question is: ‘Why would we stop judging?’ After all, isn’t the
 perception of being superior a reality in our minds? It gives our ego a
 boost, and even more, a sense of survival. The ego loves to do it. So
 why would it behave in any other way? Perhaps if it could be convinced
 that there is no merit in judging, because this judgment-based
 differentiated reality in our head is all an illusion.


 Someone who is good at soccer thinks he is superior to others until he
 has to play with Lionel Messi! Someone who has a flourishing business
 thinks he is superior to others because of the wealth he has amassed
 until he compares himself with Bill Gates.


 In any comparison and external benchmark, be it wealth, beauty,
 intelligence or wit, we will probably fall short compared to someone,
 but often we choose to look only at those who are not as good as us. We
 are happy being a big frog in a small pond, and herein lies a great
 danger.


 When we fall short in comparison with someone else, automatically,
 without any effort on our part, we feel inferior. We become either
 aggressive or defensive, either oppressive or a victim, either sad or
 happy. And this gives rise to perhaps the greatest bane of our life –
 the dual nature of our mind.

<hr />
<h5>
 We can only achieve human integration 
 if each one of us feels oneness with others. 
 How will we feel this oneness 
 if we are still stuck in prejudice and duality?
</h5>
<hr />

 With time and repeat exposure, our tendency to judge strengthens and
 solidifies. Like a wound up coil or a keyed toy, the mind goes into an
 auto mode of judging, and starts operating on its own. Lo! We are stuck
 in duality. On so many occasions, we judge without wanting to judge. It
 is beyond our control.


 <img alt="the-art-of-not-judging" width="446" class="lazyload has-img-center"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/the_art_of_not_judging_img2_c1794667e9.jpg?updated_at=2023-03-31T06:55:11.792Z" />


 So what is the harm in living in duality?


 The harm is that duality is divorced from reality, and only reality can
 perceive reality. We can only achieve human integration if each one of
 us feels oneness with others. How will we feel this oneness if we are
 still stuck in prejudice and duality?


 Fundamentally, we all are from the same source, and hence all the same.
 Even in our outer problems and aspirations we are the same – behavior of
 our spouse, children’s future, health, attitude of the boss at work,
 business expansion, investment returns, spiritual pursuits etc. Our
 desire for a comfortable and happy life is generally the fulcrum of
 everything about our lives.

<hr />
<h5 style="text-align: center">
 All judgements are rooted in past experience 
 – either our own experience or that of others, 
 from which we learn.
</h5>
<hr />

 So if we want to move towards human integration, what do we need to do?
 Stop judging! In fact, doesn’t change in any sphere of our life only
 involve the washing away of just one or two dominant tendencies of the
 mind?


 How do we do that? By fully directing the mind into something that is
 not conditioned by time. After all, all judgements are rooted in past
 experience – either our own experience or that of others, from which we
 learn.


 It is the heart that is the most qualified candidate for our attention.
 If we are true connoisseurs of beauty, only the heart is worth looking
 at. Connected to the Ultimate Being, the magnificence of its splendor
 shines through in whatever form it takes – a loving heart, a joyful
 heart, a courageous heart, a soft heart or an angry heart. Everything
 about it is real. Even if it is a jealous heart, the jealousy is real;
 there is nothing false about it. No hypocrisy. The heart is always
 right.

<hr />
<h5 style="text-align: center">Article by HARPREET KALRA</h5>
<hr />

The Art of Not Judging

<h5>HARPREET KALRA had the job opportunity of a lifetime, but turned it down because his heart said no.</h5>
<hr class="vertical-space1">
The job offer looked promising – an established brand, a healthy pay packet, a great
 role profile, and the location base of my favourite city, Mumbai. I should have grabbed the job straight away. It
 was a golden opportunity, and opportunities should not go begging, I was told. Yet, I was dillydallying in my
 decision. So, what was stopping me from taking up the job, against all odds of a favourable rationale premise?
I was feeling very deeply to say no. Something within me wanted to let go of this
 opportunity; inner guidance, the heart’s voice, a sixth sense, a gut feeling, whatever you want to call it. I prefer
 to call it intuition, my heart’s voice.
My father always says, “When in doubt, refer to the heart.&nbsp; The heart is always right.” For a change, I paid
 heed to my father’s words and refused the job offer. Three months down the line, in a hostile takeover by a
 competitor, all the company staff was laid off. Backing my intuition had paid off.
I believe that intuition can see what the mind cannot see. This is because the mind’s
 vision is myopic, as it is conditioned by space and time. Also, the mind relies on the five senses, which have their
 own limitations. For example, as human beings we can hear only those sounds that fall in a particular audio range,
 which the ears can catch. If the sound is outside that range it is inaudible to our ears. It does not mean, however,
 that the sound does not exist.
<hr>
<h4 style="text-align: center;">Something&nbsp; within me wanted to let go of this opportunity; 
 inner guidance, the heart’s voice, a sixth sense, 
 a gut feeling, whatever you want to call it. 
 I prefer to call it intuition, 
 my heart’s voice.</h4>
<hr>
On the other hand, the heart can see through and through. Connected to the infinite
 Being, it is the seat of Divinity. Neither conditioned by time nor by space, it can see things from a higher ground.
 The magnificence of the heart’s splendour shines through in whatever form it takes.
So, if intuitive decision-making can help us, the question is, “How can we develop
 intuition?” I believe, through practice. By trusting the heart and listening to it more and more. When we are having
 a conversation with someone, the more attentively the person listens to us, the happier we are to continue
 conversing with him. Isn’t it? Similarly, if we are willing to listen to the heart, the heart will be more than
 happy to speak to us. This has been my experience.
Here comes the challenge. Often, however, the heart is not able to be heard, as we have
 been overpowered by the monkey mind, jumping from one branch of thought to another. It just doesn’t stop. It is in
 overdrive mode. We have become so addicted to the mental chattering and noise that the voice of inner silence scares
 us.
So, how can we increase the capability to listen to the heart? I believe, by clearing up
 the mess in the head; washing away the clutter of the mind. How to do that? Through meditation. For thousands of
 years, meditation has been one of the most effective techniques to help us regulate our minds. No wonder,
 increasingly, worldwide, meditation is helping people find inner joy, balance and everlasting change in their lives.

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

Are We Intuitive Enough?

<h4>HARPREET KALRA discusses the issue of victimization in the workplace, and his experience of what to do about it. How much responsibility are we willing to take to change these patterns?</h4>It had been two months since I joined MCS Enterprises in their Strategy &amp; Planning department. I prepared the first draft of a financial model and submitted it to my boss Linda for her review. After a few hours, Linda called me to her room. “Did I ask you to make these assumptions?” she screamed. “No,” I said softly. “You are not at a level where you can make assumptions on your own,” scoffed Linda, walking out of the room.Conversations like these were a regular affair for me: in corporate jargon, business as usual.Micromanaging me, not giving me the creative liberty to think, unclear directions on how to go about a work task, harsh criticism, pretty much summed up my relationship with my boss at MCS.“When do I leave this job?” “Should I resign straightaway?” “Do I have the money to pay my mortgage?” were some of the thoughts that flooded my mind as I drudged back towards my desk.There are demanding bosses, there are difficult bosses, there are collaborative bosses, there are easy bosses, and then there are psychopaths. Research suggests that one in every five corporate bosses is a psychopath. I knew I was dealing with one at MCS.I believed most of my previous bosses were good, though they had a few traits that were unacceptable to me. After dealing with Linda, I indeed realized the goodness of my previous bosses. I would have gladly accepted all their unacceptable traits if I had had a chance.I was in pain, and slowly my underlying thought pattern started to shift towards self pity: “Why me?” “I am being targeted,” “I am being victimized.” In a short span of time, I was habitually wearing the victim hat. SO I BELIEVED!It had been a few months since I had started practicing meditation. One day, after my morning meditation, as I sat in a quiet contemplative mood, an inner voice within me echoed: “Every victim identity is a perpetrator of crime given the change in circumstances.” I could not fully comprehend my inner voice. I wrote it in my daily diary and signed off.&nbsp;<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">In some situations, I am the victim.&nbsp; In some situations, I am the one victimizing others.&nbsp; This is the reason I am suffering.&nbsp; The very same tendencies in Linda that hurt me are the ones&nbsp; present within me, although with different intensity.</h4><hr>I had a business visit to Paris lined up to meet our new research agency team, so as soon as I reached the office, I went to meet Priya, who was our office manager. Priya took care of the administrative work of MCS and the logistics of the MCS staff. “Have my tickets to Paris not been booked yet?” I asked sternly, my tone admonishing Priya for not having done her work. “I am trying to get the best fares. Give me some time. I should be able to get your bookings done by tomorrow,” said a somber Priya. “Really?” I said sarcastically, with a dismissive look as I barged towards my desk.In the evening, as I drove home, the office conversation with Priya that morning played out in my mind – the somber tone of Priya and the disappointed look on her face. Just the way my tone and look was when I was with Linda. Soon, the essence of my inner voice from the morning seeped within.In some situations, I am the victim. In some situations, I am the one victimizing others. This is the reason I am suffering. The very same tendencies in Linda that hurt me are the ones present within me, although with different intensity. In fact, the trait of Linda that pinched me the most was the trait most strongly present within me.That morning, I could not comprehend my inner voice. Perhaps I did not want to comprehend it. After all, I had an ego, and how could my ego without resistance cherish the idea of believing that it was laced with the very same behavioral traits and tendencies it loathed in others?When we feel for others, when we sympathize with others, we would like to believe it is out of genuine compassion. Is it indeed compassion? Or is it the ego veiled under a garb?What happens when things improve at the victim’s end? The body language and behavior of the victim changes. The person becomes confident, assertive and happy. And this changes our perception of the other person.Earlier, we had labeled the person a victim. Now we label the same person as someone with a lot of attitude, who is high and mighty. Worse, we become absolutely intolerant of even his slightest off-the-track demeanor.The moment the ego realizes that the other person is no longer going through pain, the ego no longer identifies with the other person. Why?Because now it is no longer on the same plane as the other person. Which plane? The plane of pain. As unfortunate as it is, the above behavior is seen in our most intimate relationships. Hence, relationships rooted in sympathy suffer a painful ordeal.As I became aware of this harsh reality, it was a matter of time before it’s acceptance seeped into my system. That acceptance though has worked very well for my overall well-being. It has substantially reduced my behavior of swinging like a pendulum, swinging between the emotional extremes of affection – harshness, sympathy – criticism, sadness – joy, etc.A sense of balance and calmness has seeped in, although it is not yet the permanent state of being I would like to have.The awareness and acceptance which subsequently led to balance and calmness has not come without effort. Much of the effort has been directed towards being aware of my thoughts, my emotions, my behavior - when I am alone with myself, and when I am with others.In this pursuit of change and happiness, my strongest ally has been meditation. How has meditation helped? By untying the knots I have been tying for so long. What knots? The knots of ‘I am’ and ‘I am not’ reflected against the backdrop of ‘he/she is’ and ‘he /she is not’.I am smart, I am not a CEO yet, my child is not obedient, my spouse does not listen to me, my boss is not supportive, Mumbai is bad, I deserve a better job.The list can, perhaps, fathom the entire Universe.Why could I not untie these knots on my own without meditation?First, I did not want to untie them. These knots defined me, rather, I defined myself through these knots. Untying them meant I had to let go of a part of me, a part of who I believed I was.Second, and more important, to untie the knots,I should have known in the first place that these were knots. How to untie them was secondary. To me, these knots were so internal to my system that I believed it was normal to live with them.With meditation, as the hyperactivity of the mind quietened, a clearer view of my relationships emerged, with people, with work, with health, with success. The knots started becoming apparent, paving the way for understanding how I behave, more importantly, why I behave the way I do.The knot of victim identification discussed here is one of many knots.

HARRIET is a New York City Climate Hero. She is a sought after speaker, recognized as an influencer and connector in the climate movement, and in 2019 was a featured speaker at the Global Engagement Summit at the United Nations Headquarters in New York City. Harriet is the Executive Director of ClimateMama, an online community in over 110 countries. As a leader and mentor with The Climate Reality Project, Harriet chairs the NYC Metro Chapter and was the recipient of the Climate Reality 2017 Green Ring Award. Harriet is also profiled in former US Vice President Al Gore’s 2017 book: An Inconvenient Sequel, Truth to Power.

Harriet’s book, Talking to Your Kids About Climate Change, Turning Angst to Action, was released in the spring of 2020. She teaches World Sustainability and Climate Change and Society at Ramapo College in New Jersey.

Harriet-Shugarman.jpg

Harriet Shugarman

Let’s talk about climate change

Heartfulness practitioners

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 <div class="col-md-4"><img decoding="async"
 class="lazyload has-img-center" 
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/q1_2e47a30f8e.jpg" alt="3-questions-on-happiness" >
 
 <h4 style="text-align: center;">What brings you happiness in life?</h4>
 </div>
 <div class="col-md-4"> <img decoding="async"
 class="lazyload has-img-center" 
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/q2_4475b4698e.jpg" alt="3-questions-on-happiness" >
 
 <h4 style="text-align: center;">What takes away happiness?</h4>
 </div>
 <div class="col-md-4">
 <img decoding="async"
 class="lazyload has-img-center" 
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/q3_c61a336fdc.jpg" alt="3-questions-on-happiness" >
 
 <h4 style="text-align: center;">Do you feel joy in giving or receiving? Why?</h4>
 </div>
</div>
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<hr>
<hr class="vertical-space1">
<h5><img decoding="async"
 class="img-float-left has-img-center-in-mobile"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/Pubali_Siddharth_ceb7d0d006.jpg" alt="3-questions-on-happiness" >PUBALI
 SIDDHARTH 
 Musician, illustrator and teacher 
 Hyderabad, India
</h5>
Recognizing the inner connection with all life fills me with wonder; tapping into this
 space of oneness, within and around, brings me joy. It may be as simple as observing nature from my balcony: a
 bougainvillea blooming amidst thorns, a moneyplant creating roots to crawl its way up a wall, a tree spreading its
 roots deep before spreading its branches wide, birds singing their songs, clouds floating unmindful of the world
 beneath them, and crimsonhued skies. Each of them exudes a sense of joy and contentment that comes from being in
 tune with what they truly are.
When I stay in touch with who I truly am, I feel a deep sense of joy within. It may be
 as simple as having a heartful conversation with someone, a nourishing meditation, 3questions ON HAPPINESS
 connecting with young hearts in a classroom, reading a book that speaks to my heart, or expressing my inner
 inspirations through words, pictures, art or music.
The moment thoughts start revolving around myself, this inner connection is instantly
 affected and I am dissociated from oneness. The ego then shows up in all its faces – anger, fear, confusion, lack of
 confidence, feeling closed, worthless, victimized – the list goes on and on. At that moment, the way I bring back
 joy is to shift focus back towards my heart and remind myself to practice acceptance and gratitude. It is not easy
 most of the time, but is a work in progress. A quick cleaning of my mental space almost always helps me. And
 sometimes a good book, a melodious song or an inspiring talk are enough to bring back perspective.
Do I feel joy in giving or receiving? In one way both; neither in another. It is based
 on perspective. The truest joy I feel in receiving something is during meditation. The unbounded inflow of
 Transmission brings love and joy; nothing matches that feeling. And the truest joy I feel in giving is also during
 meditation; the process of submitting the heart is a beautifully negating experience.
A flower doesn’t know it is exuding fragrance; it must not know. So I try to focus on
 staying open and allowing whatever I receive to flow through my heart. That is what brings me utmost joy.
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<hr>
<hr class="vertical-space1">
<h5><img decoding="async"
 class="img-float-left has-img-center-in-mobile"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/Suzanne_Richards_63239770a4.jpg" alt="3-questions-on-happiness" >SUZANNE
 RICHARDS 
 Retired teacher 
 Dunedin, New Zealand
</h5>
Often the most joy comes from the little things in life: happy times with family and
 friends, the laughter of a small child, witnessing an act of kindness, and puppies tumbling over each other in play.
 The perfection of nature shown in its myriad ways also brings joy: the countryside covered in newly-fallen snow with
 that hush snow brings to the world, a fragrant flower opening to the sun, the drowsy hum of bees in a summer garden,
 and the trickling sound of a mountain stream. I find that joy is greatest when my heart is open and filled with
 gratitude and love. Then my heart really sings.
Those acts or feelings which close us down are the ones that banish joy in a second.
 Negativity, harsh words, unkindness, envy, prejudice, mean-spiritedness, fear, discontent, resentment and revenge
 are just a few.
Some feelings open us up and others close us down. The ones that close us down close us
 off from the part of ourselves that would enable us to get more enjoyment from life, and also close us off from
 others. At worst we feel isolated and alone.
Joy can be found in both giving and receiving, particularly if the feeling behind the
 giving is heartfelt. But I have noticed that there is perhaps more joy in giving. I think this is because it moves
 us away from focusing on ‘me’ and ‘mine’, and opens us up to others.
I particularly remember an annual event in my childhood. My siblings and I would go into
 a big shop in town with our few pennies of pocket money and buy Christmas gifts for our parents and grandparents. It
 took us forever because each present had to be just right and each item was chosen so carefully, and of course we
 were limited in what we could choose by our budgets. Then there was the joy of wrapping them in secret (all fingers
 and thumbs and giggles and laughter), so they would be a surprise on the day.
Like joy, generosity comes from an open heart. On those occasions all our hearts sang
 with joy.
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<hr>
<hr class="vertical-space1">
<h5><img decoding="async"
 class="img-float-left has-img-center-in-mobile"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/Anand_Thiyagarajan_1404421c47.jpg" alt="3-questions-on-happiness" >ANAND
 THIYAGARAJAN 
 Business analyst 
 Hyderabad, India
</h5>
When there is a disturbance within, the one thing which soothes me is to go out and
 spend time looking at the birds and trees, sitting down under a tree. Automatically I see the condition changing
 within. It gives me a feeling of contentment and happiness.
Joy is different: it’s a condition that prevails or emanates from inside. To be in a
 state of joy, I need to be connected with my own self internally, and that brings me joy no matter what is happening
 outside in the world around me.
Also when I see people around who are happy and joyful, I feel joy. We have a helper who
 always greets us with a smile. That smile is not superficial; it comes from within. When I see her, it gives me so
 much joy. Her husband is no more, and there are so many other things going on in her life, but in spite of all that
 she comes with a big smile. When I see such contentment in an individual, I feel very, very joyful.
When we are not connected within, when there are expectations, there is no joy. Joy is
 forgiveness, selflessness and unconditional.
Do I feel joy in giving or receiving? Both! The moment I feel I’m giving something,
 there is no meaning to it. The importance of giving goes. When I receive something I feel very grateful, because I
 experience what I am receiving. When I give someone what I like the most and see the joy or happiness on their face,
 I feel content and joyful.
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<hr>
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<h5><img decoding="async"
 class="img-float-left has-img-center-in-mobile"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/Teresa_Valentine_ce5edaa4ca.jpg" alt="3-questions-on-happiness" >TERESA
 VALENTINE 
 Academic editor 
 Atlanta, USA
</h5>
What brings joy? Community, cooperation, unity. When people come together for something
 they love – something they share and believe in. When hands and minds are creating, eyes are alight, hearts are
 open. When something that must be Love permeates everything. And engagement – work, learning, helping or just
 enjoying – is important, because joy is not passive. It emanates from the collective hearts, flows through each
 individual and again back to imbue the whole, bringing with it the best that each individual can offer. So, it is
 about working and sharing together from the heart. I can experience peace and serenity on my own, but joy, for me,
 comes from community.
What takes joy away? Isolation, judgment, comparison – on my part. I worry that I’ve
 failed at x, or I wish I could do y, or I hope that z will happen. All things that have to do with me versus life,
 fate, the world. Things that create a sense of separateness, and along with it worry and other forms of fear. When I
 feel this condition, I tend to react to life as if it’s something that is happening to me, not something I am part
 of. And I realize that what I need to get past it is completely internal. It may take some time apart, some
 reflection or cleaning away of negativity, but I have to reconnect with that unitive place within my own heart, and
 the sense of separateness leaves.
It’s easy for me to feel joy in giving; I’m trying to learn the joy of receiving. In
 fact, I became aware of this mystery recently, when several people helped me with a project that was important to
 me. They gave so freely of their time and talents that I felt I couldn’t repay them adequately. I found myself,
 though grateful, also uneasy – and I wondered at it. Because I know in my heart that, as the Buddhist teaching goes,
 ‘There is no giver and no receiver.’ So, what was resisting in me? I pondered it and felt it was my ego; it saw the
 equation of giver and receiver as separate and, ideally, even. But when I looked into my heart, I could see that in
 love we are united and in balance.
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<hr>
<hr class="vertical-space1">
<h5><img decoding="async"
 class="img-float-left has-img-center-in-mobile"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/Judith_Polston_aeddd0dc09.jpg" alt="3-questions-on-happiness" >JUDITH
 POLSTON 
 Therapeutic bodyworker, reflexologist &amp; polarity therapist 
 Langley, B.C., Canada
</h5>
As I age, whenever I see a sweet baby or observe animals – dogs, cows, horses etc. – it
 immediately fills me with joy and my heart feels lighter. Being with my lovely amazing daughter and listening to her
 life stories brings happiness. I actually feel joy from food by eating a healthy vegan diet. On the spiritual side,
 when I see another human being grow and change it fills me with joy for them and their success.
I’m just discovering joy, so really it is a new aspect. I’ve felt peace, profound
 spiritual conditions, but joy eluded me. I’ve not missed it; I just never knew exactly what it felt like. Joy is not
 ‘taken away’ by anything. It’s more allowing it to happen and appreciating it as we become simpler and in tune with
 our own Nature.
When I give to another, regardless if the action is big or small, by supporting another
 person it can bring unexpected joy. This in some ways actually seems stupid to me, as giving to another is a very
 natural thing to do!

3 questions on happiness

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 <h4 style="text-align: center;">What do you feel is the relevance of science in the field of spirituality and
 Yoga?</h4>
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 <h4 style="text-align: center;">What fascinates you about neuroscience’s understanding of meditation?</h4>
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 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/q3_c61a336fdc.jpg" alt="on-neuroscience" >
 
 <h4 style="text-align: center;">How are the discoveries of neuroscience changing our perception of
 consciousness?</h4>
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<hr>
<hr class="vertical-space1">
<h4><img decoding="async" class="lazyload img-float-left has-img-center-in-mobile"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/Ruby_Carmen_519d489bde.jpg" alt="on-neuroscience" >RUBY CARMEN 
 Psychologist and social worker 
 London, UK</h4>
In ancient times, science, spirituality and Yoga were often treated as one, and science
 was viewed in a more holistic sense that included spiritual aspects as well as the mundane. More recently, you could
 say that there is a reunion of science and spirituality, as both can compliment one another with different
 perspectives, illuminating our vision of the world across multiple spectrums.
One of the most fascinating aspects of the growth of neuroscience is its investigation
 of internal phenomena, such as meditation. As a meditator and meditation trainer with a background in psychology, I
 am intrigued to know about the different areas of the brain that are activated or de-activated during meditation.
 Indeed, longitudinal studies in neuroscience offer possibilities of examining changes within the structures of the
 brain over time. This is providing evidence that correlates to the personal experience of meditators.
The journal, The Neuroscience of Consciousness, is devoted to the study of
 consciousness, which traditionally fell within the realm of philosophy before a distinction emerged between
 philosophy and psychology. The development of neuroscience enables another perspective on our understanding of
 consciousness. It provides an alternative means of exploring consciousness, including possibilities of ‘locating’ it
 within the human system. The renewed appreciation that exists for the study of consciousness goes beyond a
 ‘reductionist’ view of the mind to take into account the richness of our internal worlds.

 https://academic.oup.com/nc
 https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/03/180322125028.htm

<hr>
<hr class="vertical-space1">
<h4><img decoding="async" class="lazyload img-float-left has-img-center-in-mobile"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/Jim_Otis_1ee65c9d7b.jpg" alt="on-neuroscience" >JIM OTIS 
 Certified Functional Neurologist 
 Oakland, California, USA</h4>
I think science and spirituality are relevant to each other. Right now what is
 increasingly important in society is that we’re going through a really big transformation on our planet. As our
 official intelligence is growing and growing and growing, spirituality and neuroscience need to embrace each other;
 they need to enhance each other. And there’s no bigger example of this than the development of a direct Brain-
 Computer Interface (BCI). That will be happening sometime within the next 15 years – that’s the prediction – where
 we just think a thought and that’s our interface with the cloud or computer, rather than speaking through Siri or
 typing through a keypad. That’s going to change human experience on this planet in a really big way and demand a lot
 of spiritual wisdom to ground this thing.
What fascinates me about neuroscience’s understanding of meditation? Everything! Number
 one, as we develop a neuroscientific understanding of what happens in the brain in meditation, that will and does
 have practical implications. There will be ways to enhance the quality of our life as we can identify the brain
 states associated with different forms of experience, meditation included.
The discoveries of neuroscience are changing our perception of consciousness. Number
 one, consciousness shifts states all the time. We are waking, sleeping, meditating, in Samadhi, absorption; there
 are all different kinds of manifestations or presentations of consciousness. And neuroscience is pretty good at
 understanding the neurological signatures of different states of consciousness. So if there’s an astronaut out in
 space and we’re measuring the brain signals only, we know when they’re awake, when they’re dreaming, when they’re
 sleeping, when they’re meditating, and what kind of meditation they’re doing. So that’s just fascinating and it does
 have practical implications.
I think of spirituality as seeing the big context – helping to give meaning to life. In
 every experience there are two poles: the context and the content, the big picture and the small picture, the
 details. Spirituality helps gives the big picture, and that’s a function of the right side of our brain. The right
 side of our brain is context-providing – the big context, the emotional, the body language. The left side of the
 brain is more content-oriented – the verbal meaning of the language. Artificial Intelligence is developing in a way
 that gives us so much more capability: if I want to find out what the weather is like in Jakarta at this moment, I
 can find out what the temperature is, the wind velocity; I can speak into a computer and order a 3D printer to print
 a cup.
We’re developing a huge capability that needs to be contextualized. So when we do that
 brain-computer interface, there will be a huge data stream that will be available to us. We have to slow it down and
 contextualize in order to make meaning and sense of it. That meaning and sense needs to in turn guide the big data
 stream, that AI, which we can now harness.
https://braintime.com/story/
<hr>
<hr class="vertical-space1">
<h4><img decoding="async" class="lazyload img-float-left has-img-center-in-mobile"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/Krishnamurthy_cab7ae4ebb.jpg" alt="on-neuroscience" >DR KRISHNAMURTHY J 
 Global Community Health Specialist 
 Bangalore, India</h4>
Today, we know quite a lot about the effects of meditation on the brain and behavior. Of
 course, there are methodological and conceptual limitations in meditation research and we may not be able to study
 all changes as objectively as we would like to, but the progress made in the last few decades in uncovering neural
 correlates of meditation is worthy of appreciation.
Functional MRI scans among long term meditators have revealed structural changes
 (neuroplasticity) in the prefrontal cortex and anterior insula, the brain regions associated with improved
 attention, interoception and sensory processing. Changes include thickening of the somatosensory cortex associated
 with heightened self-awareness, and the shrinking of the amygdala associated with fear and anxiety.
Electroencephalogram (EEG) studies, which analyze electric activity of brains, have
 revealed heightened theta and alpha pattern among meditators, reflecting calmer and more relaxed states.
Studying neural correlates of consciousness is gaining a lot of momentum today. By
 default, our minds are in a restless state, not accustomed to living in the present, and this is akin to a state of
 unhappiness. This state is reflected by the activation of a neural network that deals with self-referential
 processing, known as the default mode network (DMN). Studies have revealed that in experienced meditators, the main
 modes of DMN are actually deactivated indicating reduced restlessness. In long term practitioners, this change has
 become permanent.
Several theoretical frameworks are postulated to study consciousness. I personally find
 the ‘Global neuronal workspace framework’ very fascinating, which tries to explain the conscious and unconscious
 processing of information. It also relates to long distance connectivity between workspaces. Yes, these are still
 theoretical at the moment, but I feel science has made a bold attempt to begin exploring these aspects that were
 once regarded as mystical and subjective. There is some initial learning from neurophysiological, anatomical, and
 brain-imaging data to support a major role of the prefrontal cortex, anterior cingulate, and the areas that connect
 to them, in creating the postulated brainscale workspace. The future of consciousness-related research will only be
 even more exciting!
<hr>
<hr class="vertical-space1">
<h4><img decoding="async" class="lazyload img-float-left has-img-center-in-mobile"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/Hester_O_Connor_7e31d83b43.jpg" alt="on-neuroscience" >DR HESTER O CONNOR 
 Clinical Psychologist 
 Wicklow, Ireland</h4>
We can change our brains!
I love hearing about the capacity of the brain to change. The idea of neuroplasticity,
 our inbuilt capacity to form new neural connections in our brains, gives me hope that it is possible with repeated
 practice to form new habits. Why do most of us find it incredibly difficult to keep up with our own good intentions?
 The concept in neuroscience of neuroplasticity helps to answer this question.
Neuroplasticity means the brain can and does change throughout our lives. The brain is a
 dynamic interconnected power grid with billions of connections that light up every time we think, feel or do
 something. If we think of these pathways like an oak tree with billions of interconnecting roots, then it is not
 difficult to understand that when we want to form new habits it is going to take time to weaken the old ones.
An example is deciding after a big meal that you are going to start walking every day.
 The next morning it is raining and you reassure yourself that you will start the next day. It takes a lot more than
 good intentions to form a new habit. The encouraging thing about neuroplasticity is that it means that because we
 have plastic brains we can learn new habits, and with a lot of practice we can reach our goal.
Two things are critical here: One, in order to change an old habit we need to practice
 the new one hundreds of times for the neural connections to become ‘automatic’ and hard wired. Two, we need to have
 a lot of compassion for our failed efforts knowing that we are doing our best and we are willing to keep trying.
 Berating ourselves will serve to reinforce existing pathways because that is what most of us have always done when
 we try to learn a new habit. Learning to meditate is no different. It is better to sit for ten minutes every day
 than for an hour once a week. The ten minutes will really help the new neural pathways to get firmly established.
 Along the way we need to be kind to ourselves. In the words of Samuel Beckett, “Try again. Fail again. Fail better.”

<hr>
<hr class="vertical-space1">
<h4><img decoding="async" class="lazyload img-float-left has-img-center-in-mobile"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/Vasco_Gaspar_c146d40d64.jpg" alt="on-neuroscience" >VASCO GASPAR 
 Mindfulness Corporate Trainer 
 Lisbon, Portugal</h4>
More and more I believe that science is finding out through the objective 3rd person
 perspective what yogis and practitioners of spirituality have know for millennia from the 1st and 2nd person
 perspectives. Unifying these three perspectives allows a more integrative view of the whole, leading to a better
 understanding of yoga and spirituality. And since science serves as the 21st century’s religion for many people, to
 have scientific studies proving spiritual claims gives trust to some people to try these practices.
What fascinates me the most about neuroscience is what is yet to be discovered.
 Phenomena like neuroplasticity, showing that parts of the brain change according to the type of meditation we do, is
 very inspiring. It gives confidence that meditation is not just something to believe but something that changes us
 at the core level of our being.
One of the main discoveries is that mind and consciousness are not limited to the brain.
 That is a very narrow view, I believe. The more scientists ‘dig’ into the brain and the activities of neurons to
 understand and explain consciousness, the more they realize that they don’t find it there. It is much more complex
 than that, and I believe that fields like Yoga bring complementary views that give us a better understanding of the
 whole picture.
<hr>
<hr class="vertical-space1">
<h4><img decoding="async" class="lazyload img-float-left has-img-center-in-mobile"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/Natwar_Sharma_1e7ab4e141.jpg" alt="on-neuroscience" >DR NATWAR SHARMA 
 Pediatric Intensivist 
 Chennai, India</h4>
Science takes an evidence-based approach and needs explanations for everything. It
 requires formulae, objective tools, machines and equipment to gauge anything, while spirituality is largely
 subjective. Can you measure the calmness or peace felt during meditation in absolute terms? We can only explain the
 relative effect or difference in our states of mind.
Although today we have several psychological and mental scales, like the stress scale,
 and equipment like EEG and MRI to assess what difference we feel with the practice of Yoga and meditation, science
 has not developed enough to measure the effects of meditation completely. For example, if a person today were to go
 back 200 years in time, he would wonder why people are struggling with small things. If a person from 200 years ago
 travels to today’s time, she would be wonderstruck at the advancements! She is likely to look at a plane flying in
 the sky and exclaim, “Is that a new species of bird?” Similarly may be science backing spirituality, which we have
 not discovered yet. Ultimately, at any point in time it’s difficult to explain everything scientifically, because
 science is also evolving.
As a doctor I am trained to look for evidence, so the empirical approach of neuroscience
 is what interests me. There is enough research to show how meditation helps with health, not only in the mind but
 also it reduces cortisol levels and heart rate variability, thereby reducing the occurrence of cardiovascular
 disease, strokes, stress, hypertension and even diabetes. It is found to improve sleep, mental cognition functions,
 focus and memory. I have been meditating for 24 years now and absolutely enjoy the experience, so much so that as
 part of my PhD I am conducting a study to see the effect of meditation on the body, mind, heart and aura of a
 person.
In my own work I have found that when people see and understand things objectively, it
 boosts them to move forward. Their awareness or consciousness expands with the changes they perceive over time. Here
 we are talking about individual consciousness, but if things have to change at a global level there has to be some
 groundbreaking discovery that can produce a shift in the consciousness of human beings collectively. Neuroscience
 also shows the potential of meditation to affect people on a large scale and bring about a change in our global
 consciousness.
<hr>

On neuroscience

Heather is the founder of the Minded Institute, a professional yoga therapy training organization, and the Director of the Yoga and Healthcare Alliance. She specializes in the treatment of trauma and anxiety, and the use of physiological assessment in yoga therapy.

Heather.jpg

Heather Mason

<h4
 id="h-heather-mason-is-a-yoga-therapist-who-has-pioneered-yoga-and-mindfulness-in-the-healthcare-sector-including-for-the-national-health-services-in-the-united-kingdom-here-she-is-interviewed-by-ekta-bouderlique-of-the-heartfulness-yoga-academy-in-the-yoga-4-unity-2022-program">
 HEATHER MASON is a yoga therapist who has
 pioneered yoga and mindfulness in the healthcare sector, including for the National Health Services in the
 United Kingdom. Here, she is interviewed by EKTA
 BOUDERLIQUE of the Heartfulness Yoga Academy in the <a href="https://www.yoga4unity.com/" target="_blank"
 rel="noreferrer noopener">Yoga 4 Unity 2022</a> program.
</h4>



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Q: Welcome, Heather. Thank you for being with us.



HM: Thank you so much. It’s a delight.



Q: How were you introduced to yoga?



HM: I started practicing yoga in 1996, when I was 19,
 while studying in India, but it was really in 2000, when I went to Asia and Southeast Asia to work on my mental
 health, that I developed an appreciation of what yoga could offer. I was a gymnast, so at first I thought yoga was
 an adult form of gymnastics. It took some time to understand the real value.



Q: What is the aspect of Yoga that has attracted you the
 most?



HM: First and foremost, the philosophy. For many people
 it’s the movement, the idea of doing all these interesting poses, whereas I have always been drawn to the concept of
 oneness, to the dispelling of the illusion of the mind. From a young age, I have known that the mind can envision
 things that are not the truth. I wanted a practice that would allow me to cultivate wisdom and let go of confused
 and false views. Later, I understood that wisdom is also supported through movement, through breath work, through
 the further cultivation of the Yamas and Niyamas, the disciplines and observances.



I always had an inkling that there was something more than mundane reality. I have always questioned the nature of
 truth. I went to Costa Rica when I was 18, took a malarial medication, and had a really bad reaction to it. It led
 me to realize that there is not always stability in the mind. It was quite an intense realization for a young person
 to have; I really thought I was crazy.



When I returned to Manhattan, I went to see a psychiatrist. He said to me, “I’m sorry, I know you want a pill to
 fix what’s happening to you, but some people have special experiences, and I believe you’re one of them. The only
 thing you need to manage is your anxiety.”



Soon after that I was on a bus in New York, and a man sat next to me, handed me two tickets and said, “You don’t know
 me, but I would like you to go to Gurumayi’s ashram in New York.” So I went to visit Gurumayi, and she gave me a
 mala and said, “If you want more answers, Heather, go to India.” I went home and said to my father, “Listen, I
 know this is a strange request, but I need to go to India. Since you said I could study abroad for a semester,
 that’s where I want to go.” That’s where I started yoga.



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<figure><img decoding="async" width="653" height="978" alt="" class="lazyload has-img-center"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/journey_of_lifetime2_9f9dde9b8d.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-11T10:24:44.749Z">
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Q: What an adventure! I can only imagine what it must have been
 like for you to discover a country like India, the cliché of an ashram, and yet you have done something very
 different with it. You often speak of mental health issues, which are not easy for people to talk about. Many of
 us are haunted by these things that affect some part of our lives. How did you deal with your depression? And
 what were the lessons you gleaned from it?



HM: I worked with yoga and mindfulness practices from the
 Buddhist tradition in two ways. First, I learned that all mental phenomena are processes. Now that isn’t easy. You
 have to meditate for long periods for that to be anything more than an intellectual concept. Being psychologically
 unwell, it was extremely difficult to meditate. Critical thoughts and feelings of self-loathing would overcome me.
 Thankfully, I was fortunate to have a very dedicated teacher.



Second, asanas helped me to be with very clear sensations in my body. When I practiced asanas that were challenging
 enough to direct my mind to the body, I would find my thoughts settling, simply by experiencing the pulsing
 sensation of the here and now. When I stayed present with that, tension would release, and I would have the clarity
 to sit and meditate. I started to see through the illusion of my thought processes, such as, “You’re not lovable,
 you’re not good enough.” These thoughts were because of things that had happened to me in the past.



So the dual approach of asanas and meditation allowed me to work with my depression. I understood that it is actually
 our own processes that give rise to these painful experiences. That is difficult, because it puts the onus of
 responsibility back on us, but it also means we can let go of the habit of negative thinking and supplant it with
 clear vision, seeing, and positive thought.



I gleaned that I could help other people, which is probably the most important part of my journey. I went to the
 depths of being unwell, and I worked really hard to become well, so often I know what it’s like to be there.



Q: Suppose somebody is just a beginner yoga practitioner. How
 long do you think it will take them to feel well, whether it’s depression, anxiety, stress, or any other
 difficulties related to the mind?



HM: It’s person specific. We also need to realize that if
 we have mental health issues we need to see yoga as hygiene, and continue to do it for the rest of our lives.
 Evidence suggests that months of regular practice, for example, five days a week, thirty minutes a day, yield
 significant results. Practicing for six months regularly seems to be more effective than practicing once a week for
 a number of years. Of course, there are people whose mental health challenges are very extreme, and it may take them
 years.



One of the most important things I learned is that I wear the scars of my past. I had depression and PTSD. I don’t
 expect to always be a perfect, balanced human being. I accept who I am, with some level of dysregulation. That is
 the arising Heather Mason in this life, and that is part of the healing.



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<hr>



<h4 class="has-text-align-center">I could help other
 people, which is probably the most important part of my journey.</h4>



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<figure><img decoding="async" width="653" height="744" alt="" class="lazyload has-img-center"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/journey_of_lifetime3_df5b7968a6.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-11T10:26:41.173Z">
</figure>



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Q: This is the first time I am hearing somebody speak about yoga
 inducing self-kindness and self-acceptance, especially with mental illness. Could you tell us more about working
 with trauma?



HM: I’m a yoga therapist and I run the <a
 href="https://themindedinstitute.com/">Minded Institute</a>. Some time back, I was delivering an eight-week yoga
 therapy course for depression and anxiety when one of my students said to me, “There’s a course in Boston on yoga
 for trauma. Nobody’s done it in this country, so can you do it?”



So I did it, and it was so important. yoga has so much to offer people with PTSD, because it allows a gradual sensing
 into the body. For many people with PTSD, the body has been compromised in some way, and attending to the body
 causes fear. yoga offers breathing practices that regulate the autonomic nervous system, and a key feature of
 managing PTSD and trauma is that regulation.



Yoga allows for gentleness within the self, so that the body can become a place of safety rather than a place of
 fear. It’s a potent strategy. When I did the training in 2008 or 2009 there were not that many openings for yoga and
 PTSD. Now it’s burgeoning. The trauma community has a clear understanding that yoga can help their clients.



Q: This is an extremely relevant issue. With war a major reality
 in Europe, what measures do you think need to be taken? Do we need to do prevention rather than just
 healing?



HM: Well, prevention for sure. Unfortunately, for the
 people of Ukraine, prevention is not currently accessible, but for everyone, building the resilience of the nervous
 system is important.



I’m a huge proponent of breathing practices. Personally, I have found pranayama, the breathing practices
 offered by yoga, to be the most potent aspect. If you elongate the exhalation, you increase the messaging to your
 heart through your vagus nerve, the nerve that starts at the brainstem and travels to many different places,
 including the heart. Every time you exhale, the vagus nerve releases acetylcholine to the heart, reducing the heart
 rate, which is further picked up as a message from the body to the brain, allowing for a stilling of the mind.
 Practicing that for ten minutes a day has the potential to calm you down and cultivate resiliency.



Another thing is coherent breathing – inhaling for the count of six and exhaling for the count of six, so each breath
 cycle is twelve counts. That means five breaths per minute, which has significant effects on cardiovascular
 measures, and physical and psychological flexibility. I wish that the world would practice pranayama. No matter what
 tradition a person comes from, no matter how flexible they are, no matter what philosophical system they espouse,
 everyone can improve their breathing. We would enhance the capacity of our nervous systems to become robust,
 protecting us from some of the tragedies that befall us. Breathwork could become part of the healing regime offered
 in different therapies, and it could be done in large groups to support the social aspect, as we do need social
 bonds in order to support our well-being.



<hr class="vertical-space1">



<hr>



<h4 class="has-text-align-center">No matter what tradition a
 person comes from, no matter how flexible they are, no matter what philosophical system they espouse,
 everyone can improve their breathing.</h4>



<hr>



<hr class="vertical-space1">



Q: I noticed that through the Minded Institute you have extended
 your work to the National Health System in the UK. What is the difference you are making? And what do you expect
 to achieve in the years to come?



HM: Just to clarify, the Minded Institute is a training
 organization for yoga therapists. Many of my graduates do enter the health system through their own efforts. I’m
 also the Founding Director of the <a href="https://www.yogainhealthcarealliance.com/" target="_blank"
 rel="noreferrer noopener">Yoga in Health Care Alliance</a>, which has created a yoga protocol for health, and
 that’s what we are doing within the NHS. The NHS has something called social prescribing, which is based on the
 understanding that social isolation is a major risk factor in a host of different diseases, due to both poor
 self-care and to the overall effects on the body. The cardiovascular and neurological systems are impacted by
 isolation. Cutting-edge research also shows that there are different genetic expressions in those who are isolated.
 Based on this understanding, the UK innovated a scheme of social prescribing whereby people are referred to activity
 groups, and yoga is one of the activities.



The Yoga for Health program was commissioned by the West London clinical group, created and evaluated by the
 University of Westminster. Paul Fox, the CEO of the Yoga in Health Care Alliance, and myself have trained hundreds
 of Yoga teachers in the UK and beyond. I see a lattice arising, where every clinic, or every small region of the UK,
 will have this program available for people who are isolated.



We built the program for the early intervention of type 2 diabetes, mild depression, mild anxiety, and people at risk
 of a cardiovascular event in the next ten years. By addressing these groups in the early stages, we hope to save the
 NHS a lot of money, and also shift the health trajectories of many people. Many health conditions fall into a social
 isolation risk for a cardiovascular event, mild mental health issues, and type 2 diabetes.



Q: I hope we will see this happening in other European
 countries. Why just Europe? I know that you have worked a lot in the US, too. How is it different from what you
 saw in India? Can yoga be seen as something more than just physical exercises in the West?



HM: The idea that yoga is perceived first and foremost as
 exercise in the West is misconstrued. The US does a complementary health survey every few years. The last one, done
 in 2012 and published in 2016, showed that a third of the population uses complementary treatments. That’s around
 100 million people. 9.5% of those 100 million were practicing yoga specifically for health conditions. If we fast
 forward another ten years, it will probably be closer to 20%.



So a good proportion of people understand the stress relieving effects of yoga. When I speak to people I usually
 hear, “It’s really good for relieving stress.” So the common mindset is changing and will continue to do so.



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<figure><img decoding="async" width="153" height="214" alt="" class="lazyload has-img-center"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/journey_of_lifetime4_643f0b5e90.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-11T10:28:00.643Z">
</figure>




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Q: Wonderful. Heather, what is your plan for Yoga Day?




HM: I sent a proposal to the Indian High Commission, as
 we want to have a big event in Trafalgar Square. Two other things will happen, regardless: Paul Fox and I have
 authored a book called Yoga on Prescription, and we will launch the book on June 22;and on June 27 there’s
 a parliamentary group on Yoga in Society that’s going to meet in Parliament. I hope a representative of Heartfulness
 will come for this.



Q: We will be happy to join you, Heather, and with your future
 endeavors.



Finally, what led you to call your organization the Minded
 Institute?



HM: One day I was driving home, and I had an epiphany
 that I would create programs for yoga for mental health. I thought of Yoga for the Mind, but that was not
 descriptive enough. I think sometimes things just arise when you meditate a lot. Knowing sometimes comes from the
 ether, and it’s not analytical.



Q: Thank you so much, Heather. We have benefited from
 understanding how you set up your work on trauma, and how you see it changing the world in the days to come.
 We’ll be following you closely, and hope that a lot of people will read this and be inspired to join you. Thank
 you so much for being with us, and for what you do.



HM: Thank you. It was lovely being here.



<hr class="vertical-space1">

The journey of a lifetime

<h4 style="text-align:justify;">HEATHER MASON is the Founder and Director of The Minded Institute, a professional yoga therapy training organization. She is also the recipient of four master’s degrees. She is interviewed by RUBY CARMEN on the simplicity and strength of coming back to the mind, body, and spirit through yoga, and how her own yoga practice has changed her life.</h4>&nbsp;Q: Good morning, Heather. Thank you very much for this interview with Heartfulness magazine. What inspires you on this path of yoga and yoga therapy?HM: The first thing is the felt experience of the practice. The world shifts because you shift. Perception is everything. When you calm the mental processes, the nervous system, while also invigorating an awakening inside, the world shifts. You see things more clearly and with greater ease. When that happens, there’s an organic inspiration and a love for the practice, for the arising experience of self, which is not all about ego. Then, it also arises for the external world.&nbsp;I am also deeply inspired by colleagues, students, and clients who overcome great adversity through these practices. First and foremost, it’s the practice itself.&nbsp;It’s easy to get caught up in all the trappings of the world. It’s easy to externalize and worry about the vicissitudes of life and the problems that emerge, which may be great or small. So, the spiritual teachings of yoga are incredibly important, even if we already know them intellectually—to embody them and find nourishment.&nbsp;I lived in Buddhist monasteries for about three years. When you’re enmeshed in that world, day in and day out, the remembrance is there moment by moment. But when you’re not in that environment, it helps to have an active process of being with other people, reminding you of the values, reading literature, maybe spiritual texts, so you inculcate those ideas on a daily basis. You can choose the approach yourself; I’m not suggesting any indoctrination because there are so many competing factors, and we live in a world that’s very much based on success being material gain and prestige. Unfortunately, chasing those things doesn’t lead to joy.&nbsp;It's important to keep coming back to what it feels like to be present in your energy—to watch, feel, stretch, breathe.Q: It’s important to think about interiorization, especially when there are many external distractions. You specialize in yoga therapy and have a keen interest in neuroscience. What can we learn from the ancient past, from yogic psychology, and how can it help us with modern issues?There’s also a lot more discourse around trauma. Many people are opening up and being more honest about struggling and needing support. How can yoga help with understanding trauma?&nbsp;HM: There are two different questions here. In terms of yoga psychology, we all possess an indestructible but obscure perfected nature. No matter what has happened to us, wellness is always present. That has been an invaluable reflection, especially when I have felt broken to the core of my being, as if there was no coming back from it. Adhering to the atman [soul], connecting to the greater whole, which can never be tarnished, is very supportive. Also, we all have the capacity to build mental faculties through practice.&nbsp; That doesn’t mean we can entirely extricate pain and memories from life. I don’t want to sell it as, “Do this and life will be easy.” Many of us have undergone things for which we will wear scars for life, and yet we can tap into unattainable wellness. It’s vital for the field of PTSD.Here, we touch upon neuroscience. There is an appreciation now that PTSD has a common neurological signature for everybody; it shows up in the brain and the nervous system in common ways, which is why we can diagnose it as a condition with common symptoms. And as we understand the impact of the practices, we can apply them in ways that support the regulation of the nervous system.&nbsp;One of the core things in PTSD is dysregulation of the autonomic nervous system, the part of the nervous system that is associated with “rest and digest” (parasympathetic) or “fight or flight” (sympathetic). For example, Pranayama, yogic breathing practices, elongate the exhalation and that increases parasympathetic activation. So, yoga can help in a moment or over time with repetition by promoting greater regulation. A similar thing happens through movement.Other limbs of yoga that require the mind can be tougher when there is trauma, like meditation, the Yamas, and the Niyamas, because the mind is the very thing causing us agitation.&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/world_shifts2_862b97d1ec.webp" alt="world-shifts2.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_world_shifts2_862b97d1ec.webp 145w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/large_world_shifts2_862b97d1ec.webp 357w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/world_shifts2_862b97d1ec.webp 357w," sizes="100vw"></figure><hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">So, yoga can help in a moment or over time with repetition by promoting greater regulation. A similar thing happens through movement.</h4><hr>Q: In your journey, was there one significant moment when you realized that yoga would be significant in your life, or was it a series of different events?&nbsp;HM: I think it was a series of events. When I was doing my yoga therapy training in India, I wasn’t sure what I would get out of it and the ultimate purpose. I was in an ashram, and they let us out for the day after two weeks. Afterward, I was driving back to the ashram and everything fell into place. I remember a mountain in the distance and beautiful greenery. I had spent so much of my life focusing on mental health, with a Masters in Psychotherapy, and a degree in Buddhist Studies with a focus on psychology. I had struggled with my mental health for many years, and was using Buddhism and yoga practices to transform my mind. Suddenly, I thought, “Okay. I need to use yoga therapy to help people with mental health issues,” and the course emerged out of the ether. It was an epiphany, and I started teaching that course when I returned to the UK. It’s something that people can learn to teach.&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/world_shifts3_5558c89daa.webp" alt="world-shifts3.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_world_shifts3_5558c89daa.webp 145w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/large_world_shifts3_5558c89daa.webp 357w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/world_shifts3_5558c89daa.webp 357w," sizes="100vw"></figure>&nbsp;There’s great potential for yoga to help people suffering with mental health issues. There also has to be consistency and a willingness to face difficulties, because sometimes you have to come up against the most difficult things within yourself for there to be change. I think it’s essential to do yoga with lightness, take your time, and practice over a broad period to know that transformation is possible. I’m an example. It hasn’t been an easy life, so I know what’s possible.<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">There’s great potential for yoga to help people suffering with mental health issues.</h4><hr>Q: You touched upon two things: the first is change, transformation. Sometimes people feel stuck in their lives and don’t know how to change. Yoga and meditation are certainly tools for transformation. The second thing you touched upon was consistency. That’s practice, what we call abhyas. It’s not a one-off quick fix. That’s important.&nbsp;You also mentioned the idea of processing. If you have experienced trauma and challenges, you can process them through yoga practices. One thing that has come up for me in the last couple of years is the concept of spiritual bypassing, saying something like, “Okay, I’ve done this six-week course and I’m healed now,” whereas from my own experience, and from what you’ve shared, it’s an ongoing process.&nbsp;HM: And using spiritual practices is also a way to avoid ourselves.&nbsp;Q: Actually, a lot of people have the misconception that meditation is an escape, whereas you’re actually coming to yourself, seeing yourself as a mirror.&nbsp;HM: Yes, meditation is very revealing.Q: Is there anything you wish to share with young people?&nbsp;HM: Start to practice early! Realize that if you are struggling, so is everybody else, even if they look like they’re not. Have empathy for other people’s challenges. Even if it’s hard, reach out to your peers; you are not alone, and growing up is a challenge. When adopted early, these tools help you to meet some of those challenges, and influence the development of the brain. You can set up a lifetime of different neurological circumstances, making it easier to manage life. The brain doesn’t become fully formed until the ages of 23 to 25.&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/world_shifts4_e498a1914b.webp" alt="world-shifts4.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_world_shifts4_e498a1914b.webp 145w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/large_world_shifts4_e498a1914b.webp 357w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/world_shifts4_e498a1914b.webp 357w," sizes="100vw"></figure><hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">There also has to be consistency and a willingness to face difficulties, because sometimes you have to come up against the most difficult things within yourself for there to be change.</h4><hr>I really wish I had practiced yoga from a young age. I was a gymnast, and I was competitive, so I could make a lot of shapes with my body, but it was all about show and not about embodiment. I wish somebody had offered me yoga practices then. My life would be so different.&nbsp;Q: I studied psychology in the ’90s, and back then they thought that neuroplasticity disappeared after puberty. Newer research shows that neuroplasticity continues later in life, and that yoga and meditation support neuroplasticity.&nbsp;&nbsp;HM: It continues to the very last stages of life; there is neuronal growth even during dementia, and while parts of the brain are atrophying, which can be prevented through practice. At all stages of life, we have the potential for neurogenesis and neuroplasticity.Q: There are a lot of stereotypes out there about yoga. A lot of time is spent busting myths about yoga and meditation. Can you give some examples?HM: One thing is that yoga teachers think we breathe in through the left nostril to activate the left side of the brain, and breathe in through the right nostril to activate the right side of the brain. That is not true. Alternate nostril breathing has the potential to balance the nervous system. We don’t breathe from our left nostril into the left part of our brain, and the sensory pathways from our noses (except those involved with smell, which do go straight to the brain) go all the way back down to the brain stem.&nbsp;Q: Brilliant. Thanks so much, Heather. Is there anything else you want to share?HM: Yoga for dogs!&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/world_shifts5_e9f43a9425.webp" alt="world-shifts5.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_world_shifts5_e9f43a9425.webp 145w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/large_world_shifts5_e9f43a9425.webp 357w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/world_shifts5_e9f43a9425.webp 357w," sizes="100vw"></figure><hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">Illustrations by JASMEE MUDGAL</h4><hr>

The world shifts when you shift

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Hector Elizondo

Food is love

Helle is a certified Mindful Self-Compassion (MSC) teacher, with over 20 years’ experience. She is on the faculty of the Center for MSC in the US and their European partner in Holland, and works with a Chinese-based organization. &nbsp;Helle is a dedicated Heartfulness meditation student and trainer.

HelleLaursen.webp

Helle Laursen

<h4 style="text-align:justify;">HELLE LAURSEN prompts us to reflect on how we communicate with ourselves and others with compassion, in order to develop trust. Helle teaches the evidence-based Mindful Self-Compassion (MSC) program worldwide. She has also been a student of Heartfulness for more than 25 years and is a Heartfulness trainer.</h4>&nbsp;Kindness and compassion are powerful ways of supporting others. When someone we care about fails at something or feels imperfect, it seems natural for us to meet them with understanding and support.Responding with kindness, understanding, and support is one of the building blocks of trust. It is also the definition of compassion. Compassion is the ability to hold the suffering and have the wish to lessen the suffering.We also need to trust&nbsp;our own ability&nbsp;to navigate difficulties. The warmhearted response of understanding and support is called compassion when directed at others, and self-compassion when directed at ourselves.Ample research shows a clear correlation between our ability to be self-compassionate and mental health. Research suggests self-compassion is the starting point for building solid relations with others, because self-compassion is the training of relational skills.<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">Research suggests self-compassion is the starting point for building solid relations with others, because self-compassion is the training of relational skills.</h4><hr>Self-compassion is including ourselves in the circle of those we wish to support. This is much more difficult than responding with warmth to someone we care about.&nbsp; You may reflect on these questions to recognize this:<ol style="list-style-type:decimal;"><li style="text-align:justify;">Do you respond with kindness, support, and compassion toward yourself when you feel inadequate or make a mistake? If you are like most of us, you tend to judge and criticize yourself instead. &nbsp;</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Can you hold the emotions that naturally arise when you experience discomfort? If you are like most of us, you will either be consumed by emotions or tend to avoid, bypass, or suppress them.</li></ol>When we respond with kindness and self-compassion in challenging situations, we strengthen the connection to our inner Self. We untangle from difficult emotions more quickly. We gain humility, seeing our own imperfections more clearly.Self-compassion is far from priding oneself, being enough in oneself, becoming self-indulgent, or being better than others. It is the opposite of all that. Research is unequivocal on this. We become less self-centered and more compassionate to others when we are self-compassionate.When we respond with kindness and self-compassion amid difficult emotions, we stay connected to ourselves through what is happening. In Heartfulness, we would say, “I’ll stay connected to my heart through difficulties.” This means not diminishing, not pushing away, and not avoiding what is happening inside. This demands both clarity and courage. After all, avoiding or pushing away the reality of unpleasant emotions involves less effort and is often our default.Trust starts with how we respond. Let it be a kind, passionate, and openhearted response to ourselves as well as to others.&nbsp;Read more about self-compassion at <a href="https://nordic-compassion.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Nordic-compassion.com</a>&nbsp;

Do you trust yourself?

defualt-profile-image.png

Henry Van Dyk

Time is eternity

Dr Hester O Connor is a Clinical Psychologist who manages a psychology service in the Irish Health Service. She lives in Wicklow, the Garden of Ireland, loves chatting with friends, drinking Darjeeling tea, and listening to pop music.

hester-o-connor-img.jpg

Hester O Connor

<h4>DR HESTER O CONNOR shares some tips on how to support children after a death in the family.</h4>
<hr class="vertical-space1">
When someone in the family dies, it can be daunting for parents to manage their own grief. How can we help our children face what may well be their first experience of death?
<h5>Routine Is Important</h5>
We all need routine and structure. It helps well-being and recovery for all the family. Your children will do better if they keep up with normal routines such as going to school before or after the funeral. More sleep is always helpful and again sticking to the normal routine can help everyone to feel safe at this sad time. The bedtime routine might be a good time to let your child tell you about their day. It’s best if you can listen and not be frightened by what you hear or try to stifle feelings.
<h5>Attending Funerals</h5>
Death is a natural part of life, and the ritual of a funeral helps. Your child gets to experience an important social ritual. Prepare the child for the funeral by explaining what happens so that there are no surprises. If you sense attending a funeral is going to distress your child it’s okay if they don’t attend. It is very beneficial to have a sense of a spiritual dimension to life. If you have beliefs, share them with your child; if it helps you, it will help them too. There are no rules. It is best to trust your sense of what your child can manage. The most helpful attitude is one of lovingly sensing what is needed and trusting this.
<h5>Talking About Death</h5>
Is your child ready to talk about death? Children aged seven to eight years begin to understand permanency. At this stage they feel a bigger impact of loss as they know it is forever. Before this, a child may be upset because a parent is upset, but they might be fine otherwise, as they do not grasp the permanency of death.
Use simple language and avoid euphemisms like “Grandma has gone to sleep.” It is good for children to uunderstand that the period after a death can be a sad time. It is normal to be sad and it will get better. Sadness need not be avoided.
<hr>
<h5 style="text-align: center;">Loss and sadness are part&nbsp;and parcel of life, 
and if a child is helped to face loss 
they will be better prepared for other losses in life. 
It&nbsp;is helpful for a child to know&nbsp;that 
everyone feels sad or unhappy from time to time.</h5>
<hr>
If you can talk about death in a natural way, a child is more likely to ask questions when they are ready to understand more. Be sensitive to the age of the child and what you feel they can manage. You are not obliged to give all the details. This applies especially to deaths where there are unpleasant details such as a road traffic accident or suicide. You do not want to burden a child with unnecessary details, as the images are likely to stay in their minds. You can give more details when the child asks in the months to come.
Don’t pretend, as making up stories will lead to mistrust. It is best if children hear the truth explained simply by you. Avoiding the topic is not helpful, especially as a child is likely to hear stories elsewhere, such as in school.
<h5>Children Take Their Cues From You</h5>
Are you okay speaking about death? If you are frightened or uncomfortable, your child will pick this up and become fearful too. Transmit the understanding that death is part of life. Encourage children to remember good things about the person, and look at photos or make a scrap book.
Children often communicate with behavior, not words. If a child’s behavior changes following a death, perhaps they are communicating their sense of grief and loss. Find a loving way to empathize and see how the child is feeling will make a difference. Loss and sadness are part and parcel of life, and if a child is helped to face loss they will be better prepared for other losses in life. It is helpful for a child to know that everyone feels sad or unhappy from time to time.
<h5>Creating An Atmosphere Of Trust</h5>
It is much easier to talk about sadness and difficulties if there is already an atmosphere of openness and trust in the family. One of the best ways to foster such an atmosphere is by spending quality time with children. Quality time with a child will reap more rewards than anything you can give them that costs money.
<hr>
<h5 style="text-align: center;">Article by DR HESTER O CONNOR</h5>
<hr>

Children and Death

<h5>Clinical psychologist, Dr HESTER O CONNOR, offers some insights into keys aspects of having a good relationship with
 your teenage children.</h5>
<hr class="vertical-space1">
Did it ever occur to you why flight attendants suggest before take-off, “In the event of an emergency put on your own
 oxygen mask first before you assist others?” On reflection it is obvious that you will be able to help others in an
 emergency if your own oxygen supply is stabilised. Similarly, it is important as a parent to try to stay calm during
 the inevitable turbulence of adolescence when your teenager children assert their autonomy and strive for
 independence.
<h5>A NARRATIVE: 
 ANNA’S PLAN FOR A SLEEPOVER</h5>
It’s summer holidays and twelve-year old Anna says she is staying over at Poppy’s house
 tonight. Anna’s mum Judy doesn’t feel comfortable with Poppy’s family, so Judy says, “No”. A row breaks out. Anna
 finally calls her mum a ‘fat ….’ and leaves the room banging the door. Judy starts feeling very conscious of her
 weight, and wants to tell Anna exactly what she thinks of her in this very moment.
Anna sits in her room sobbing. She feels confused, misunderstood and totally overwhelmed
 by life right now. She does not know why she feels so bad, but she just feels like trashing things. Judy calls out
 to Anna that she is taking Beanie the dog for a short walk. She does this to draw breath. Judy feels sad, wounded
 and fearful but decides to respond to what it must feel like for Anna right now.
She wants to give them both space, and so she texts Anna: “I know how hard and
 frustrating it must feel for you when I say no, but maybe later when we have both calmed down we can have a chat.”
 Judy plans to explain why she is not happy for Anna to go to Poppy’s for a sleepover.
<hr>
<h4 style="text-align: center;">It is important as a parent to try to stay calm 
 during the inevitable turbulence of adolescence 
 when your teenager children assert their autonomy 
 and strive for independence.</h4>
<hr>
<h5 style="text-align: left;">RESPONDING VERSUS REACTING</h5>
In this little story there are a few key elements at play. Anna has gone into fight or
 flight mode. Fight or flight is what happens instantaneously when we have a response of deep fear to any situation.
 We are hard wired as humans to have the fight or flight response to protect us when faced with a real threat, such
 as being chased by a wild animal.
Many of us go into fight or flight mode several times a day in the face of minor
 challenges, such as getting stuck in traffic. We over-respond because our bodies don’t know the difference between
 the traffic and being attacked by a tiger! They gear up to protect us from real danger.
Anna finds herself in a state of heightened awareness, she is fearful and she reacts as
 if she is under real threat by attacking her mother with strong words. It is very confusing for most of us to know
 what is going in moments like this.
<hr>
<h4 style="text-align: center;">We are hard wired as humans to have the fight or flight response 
 to protect us when faced with a real threat, 
 such as being chased by a wild animal.</h4>
<hr>
Initially Judy responds in a similar way to Anna and her own fight or flight response is
 also triggered by Anna’s anger. Judy does something different though: she catches herself and chooses not to react
 on impulse, as she remembers that this time a new response is needed. Judy pauses and goes for a short walk. This
 helps bring harmony with her daughter.
<h5 style="text-align: left;">BUILDING A RELATIONSHIP OF TRUST</h5>
Let’s see the simple things in Judy response that help build a relationship of trust
 with Anna:
By letting Anna know she is going for a short walk, Judy communicates that she will be
 back soon. This communication is very important for twelve-year-old Anna, who fears the intensity of her own anger.

Although Judy is also feeling fearful, she decides not to retaliate and instead she
 senses what is needed, calms herself and responds calmly.
If Judy had yelled back or gone out without telling Anna where she was going or when she
 would come back, Anna would have felt punished by the withdrawal of love and kindness. Her confusion would have
 deepened, creating distance. But she didn’t.
Judy was also able to stay firm in saying no. By communicating with love rather than
 automatically falling into defensive mode herself, she kept the relationship open, did not punish Anna, and also was
 able to explain why she said no, wanting to keep her daughter safe.
<img decoding="async" alt="Loving the Teenage Years" width="661" class="lazyload has-img-center" style="width: 661px !important;" 
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/loving_the_teenage_years_1_img_fd491e9ea1.jpg">
<h5>WHO CARES FOR THE PARENT?</h5>
It is sometimes tough being a parent, and it is vital that you have someone to talk to
 who will listen to you. Then it is easier to guide your teenager with kindness when challenged by them. Parenting
 with love and kindness is the base of the security that all children need.
<hr>
<h4 style="text-align: center;">Article by HESTER O CONNOR</h4>
<hr>

Loving the Teenage Years

<h4 class="block-heading"
 id="h-dr-hester-o-connor-a-clinical-psychologist-shares-some-simple-ways-to-help-children-know-what-is-going-on-inside-their-hearts-and-minds">
 DR. HESTER O
 CONNOR, a clinical psychologist, shares some simple ways to help children know
 what is going on inside their hearts and minds.
</h4>

<hr class="vertical-space1" />


 The ability to recognize and manage feelings and emotions is very protective
 for the mental health and the well-being of children. Yet it is not automatic
 for children to grow up knowing about their feelings and emotions. We teach
 children many wonderful and valuable lessons at home and in school, but there
 is still a big gap in teaching children how to understand what is going on
 inside their hearts and minds.



 With the external stimulation and distraction of social media, it is hardly
 surprising that many children are growing up with little sense of who they are
 on the inside. So when young people face difficulties at home, in school, or
 in relationships, they can find themselves at a loss to make sense of their
 feelings and emotions. Some feel totally overwhelmed and frightened of what is
 happening to them on the inside. Helping a child to develop the ability to
 understand their own mental states and feelings, and to make sense of the
 feelings of others, is a crucial skill that will build their resilience and
 enable them to manage better in the world.


<h4 class="block-heading">
 Why is the
 ability to know one’s heart and mind important?
</h4>


 Research has found that each one of us will experience issues with our mental
 health from time to time throughout our lives. This means we all need the
 skills to know how to navigate our inner world so that when we face
 challenges, when we fall out with friends, fail an exam, or experience family
 hardship, we have the ability to interpret what is going on. If we can make
 sense of the turmoil, we will be able to put our difficulties into perspective
 and learn from our experiences.



 A friend told me a story about a three-year-old, who said to his mum, “I’m not
 cross that you sent me to Liz’s house today, I’m angry.” This is clearly a boy
 who is secure enough in his relationship with his mother to express his
 feelings. She can tolerate his angry feelings so he does not have to protect
 her from them. This preserves their trust in each other.



 It is ideal when children grow up in environments where they are encouraged to
 notice and express a whole range of emotions, including anger, sadness, joy,
 happiness, frustration, etc. The movie,
 Inside Out, from 2015,expresses this theme perfectly.


<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<div class="block-image">
 <figure>
 <img decoding="async" width="700" height="469" alt="Minefield2" class="has-img-center lazyload"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/Minefield2_9a44f73789.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-12T10:38:51.913Z" />
 </figure>
</div>

<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<h4 class="block-heading">
 How to help
 children know their hearts and minds?
</h4>


 When young children hear their parents say what they think and feel, it helps
 them. The adult saying what is going on gives permission for the child to be
 in touch with what they are feeling. An example is when a parent is curious
 about their baby’s cry and says, “Let’s see, are you hungry or do you need
 your nappy changed?”



 Ten-year-old Claire does not believe in eating vegetables. Her parents can see
 that agreeing to her protest will not be good for her health and will set the
 stage for protests over other issues. Her dad Tom playfully explains the
 reasons why eating vegetables is good for her, and agrees to sit with her
 while she eats them. During the ensuing tears, Tom softens his tone of voice
 so that Claire can let in what he says, even though she doesn’t like it. He
 explains that he knows she is upset, and that it cannot feel nice for her to
 try food she doesn’t like. He reminds her of when she didn’t like swimming,
 but quickly over came her fear.



 Tom’s tone of voice is very important in how he explains to his daughter what
 is going on. He is empathetic, which helps to diffuse her frustration and
 resistance. The crucial part of helping a child to know their own feelings and
 emotions, is to build a loving relationship with the child. The kindness with
 which Tom speaks is central to helping Claire develop curiosity rather than
 fear about what is going on inside her.



 The ability to recognize and manage feelings and emotions is very protective
 for the mental health and the well-being of children.


<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<hr />

<h4 class="has-text-align-center block-heading">
 Illustrations by ARATI SHEDDE
</h4>

<hr />

Helping children to make sense of their hearts and minds

<h4
 id="h-hester-o-connor-shares-an-account-of-her-personal-research-into-the-experience-of-a-3-day-meditation-retreat-how-easy-it-was-to-look-for-distraction-afterward">
 HESTER O
 CONNOR
 shares an account of her personal research into the experience of a 3-day
 meditation retreat. How easy it was to look for distraction
 afterward!
</h4>

<hr class="vertical-space1" />


 I have been practicing Heartfulness Meditation for almost 30 years, and this
 September I participated remotely in a 3-day spiritual retreat presented by
 Heartfulness. In line with many spiritual traditions, we are encouraged to
 study our meditative experiences and keep a diary of what we feel and discover
 –in other words, to do our own research.



 Live-stream meditations were conducted by Daaji, and here is a narrative
 account of what I experienced during and after the retreat.



 On Day 2, I was aware of an inner feeling of purity, and a longing to be like
 my guide. I would describe it as a feeling of wanting to be the absolute best
 version of myself. There was an inner stillness like a pond with no ripples. I
 had a feeling of moving closer to my teacher, as if the gap between us was
 less than it had been in previous days. I was conscious of not wanting
 anything to spoil this inner atmosphere. I had been ill for a few days with
 the flu, so I was relieved that I did not have to leave the house and be
 around others. I did not want to be pulled out from inside into conversation.
 I was happy to be quiet, savoring and absorbing what I received in the
 meditations with Daaji.



 In addition to those group meditations, I meditated twice a day at home. I
 found myself clearing a corner of clutter in my kitchen, something I had been
 meaning to do for months. The daily preoccupations that I am so easily caught
 up in were not present. I went to bed in this state of ease.



 I woke early for the final meditation of the 3-day event. The rest of the day
 was filled with inner spaciousness and ease. I did not feel pulled out of this
 state in the office during the day.


<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<hr />

<h4 class="has-text-align-center">
 When you couple clean
 eating with quality sleep, adequate movement,
 rest and recovery, emotional wellness, and your spirit, you help the
 natural in-built intelligence of your body to work for you and aid
 prevention and recovery.
</h4>

<hr />

<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<h4>
 The allure of
 distraction
</h4>


 When I got home from work that evening, I noticed a shift. I longed to party,
 to let my hair down as if I was coming out of a period of isolation. I mulled
 over what I would do to distract myself. I had a moment when I could have
 chosen to stay with the inner experience and not be distracted, but I wanted
 distraction. I sat and watched an hour of the UK Channel Four News, and was
 very distracted by the dire events. I felt like praying for the plight of the
 suffering in the world. After that, I said to myself, “Enough.”


<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<div>
 <figure>
 <img decoding="async" width="700" height="480" alt="" class="mx-auto d-block lazyload has-img-center"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/allure_of_distraction2_700x480_a41063dca6.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-12T11:02:50.507Z" />
 </figure>
</div>

<hr class="vertical-space1" />


 Why would I choose to return to the familiarity and comfort of distraction, of
 thinking and action? What was going on in these moments of choice between the
 spaciousness and beauty within, an inner gift arising from meditation, and
 seeking the familiar daily round of thinking and doing?



 It is helpful for me to question the ideas that underpin how I live my life
 every day. We all have beliefs that influence how we behave, yet we rarely
 stop to think about these underlying beliefs, or the assumptions that inform
 our thinking and actions. What I received from my Catholic upbringing was the
 trust that all would be well in life. My mother was a fan of the Christian
 mystics. The Julian of Norwich quote,“All shall be well, and all shall be
 well, and all manner of things shall be well,” comes to mind when things feel
 difficult. My father had a simple faith. Where I differ from my parents is
 that I believe in reincarnation of the soul. I believe that I have the
 capacity for goodness and destruction. Goodness is expressed as action to
 alleviate suffering, which includes well-intentioned action for all of
 creation. Destruction is any kind of harm to anything animate or inanimate –
 judgmental thoughts, cheating, and wasting resources like time, energy, and so
 on.


<h4>
 The spiritual
 purpose
</h4>


 The purpose of my existence is a spiritual one. The journey of my life is for
 my soul to return to the essence of its origin, which is spiritual energy in
 its original state. It is my assumption that the spiritual purpose of my life
 is fulfilled through a silent inner connection with my living teacher. It is
 through this inner connection, experienced within my heart, that I can evolve
 to the goal of the highest spiritual level in my lifetime. The effect of yogic
 Transmission from the teacher is for me evident in how I observe changes
 within myself and in others.&nbsp;



 I considered myself to be flaky when I began Heartfulness Meditation in 1994.
 I now have a grounded-ness within, like an oak tree rooted to the eternal. The
 deepest longing of my heart is simultaneously satisfied and expands with the
 simple act of connecting to the core of my human essence. Many unnecessary
 preoccupations have fallen off over years of practice. Changes happen in a
 natural manner. The road ahead is still long and many more layers of ego
 require pruning.


<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<div>
 <figure>
 <img decoding="async" width="700" height="493" alt="" class="mx-auto d-block lazyload has-img-center"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/allure_of_distraction3_700x493_5aefd2ba26.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-12T11:04:43.371Z" />
 </figure>
</div>

<hr class="vertical-space1" />


 So, it is very challenging for me to see how utterly bound I am to thinking
 and action, because it is how I live my life. It is hardly a surprise then
 that having an experience of a very subtle and beautiful state devoid of
 choice-making felt like the satisfaction of my longing. It was so subtle and
 unfamiliar, and therefore it was hard to rest there. I needed time to adjust
 to the new inner atmosphere, which was lighter and subtler. I was scared to
 remain in the unknown, to remain not choosing by being without the churning of
 thoughts. I opted for choosing the familiar merry-go-round of doing and
 thinking.


<h4>
 Satisfying your
 heart’s desire
</h4>


 Does this story shed any light on your experience of your spiritual journey? I
 invite you to question the beliefs and deeply held ideas that inform how you
 live your life every day.



 Does it ring any bells that you might long for something deep inside, yet the
 distractions of life keep getting in the way?



 Life is full of endless distraction. It is hardly surprising then that my
 research into my own experience sheds light on my fear of letting go, despite
 an intense spiritual longing. Zero has few reference points for me.
 Distraction on the other hand is the stuff of the material world.


<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<hr />

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

<hr />

The allure of distraction

<h4>
 MARGARET
 SCHENKMAN,
 ROSALIND
 PEARMAIN,
 HESTER O
 CONNOR,
 and
 KRISHNAMURTHY
 JAYANNA
 address some of the challenges of doing research on consciousness, and
 explore the various approaches that give them the best understanding of how
 consciousness evolves.
</h4>

<hr class="vertical-space1" />


 Throughout the ages, spiritual practices have helped to expand human
 consciousness. This expansion changes our relationships with our selves, with
 others, and with our environment. A few years ago, Daaji encouraged scientists
 in the Heartfulness community to study consciousness, so we took up this
 challenge. Here, a few of us wish to summarize some of what we have learned.



 In order to describe and measure consciousness, we needed to define what we
 meant by the term. Consciousness is defined and measured in very different
 ways, depending on whether it is in medicine, philosophy, or quantum physics.
 Daaji has described consciousness as “the degree of awareness and
 unawareness,” which changes to a large extent according to the refinement of
 three other mental functions – mind, intellect, and ego. Consciousness evolves
 to the extent that mind, intellect, and ego evolve. Mind evolves from thinking
 to feeling, intellect from intelligence to intuition to wisdom, and ego from
 arrogance to love and humility.&nbsp;



 We quickly realized that there were no available measures to capture
 consciousness from this perspective. Therefore, our first step was to
 interview people who practice Heartfulness meditation. Eleven Heartfulness
 practitioners were asked an open-ended question about how Heartfulness
 affected their everyday life. Their responses were surprising and brought new
 insights into how people experience a meditation practice.



 The practitioners gave new insights into the experience of meditation as it
 permeates everyday life, and four themes emerged:


<h4>
 1. Tangible,
 deeply felt effects that give a sense of being true or
 real&nbsp;
</h4>


 Embarking on Heartfulness Meditation can lead to changes that are tangible,
 and recognized as authentic or real. For some, they include the experience of
 a new sense of inner spaciousness associated with the heart focus, and inner
 experiences that are described as sublime, profound, pure, and inspiring.


<h4>
 2. Groundedness
 and a deeper context of existence, altering
 relationships
</h4>


 Sometimes, inner changes led to a feeling of groundedness. Over time, some
 participants experienced a real and authentic inner source that supports a
 more solid sense of self and grounding within. This inner grounding allowed
 for more openness, trust, and honesty with others, and more empathy.


<h4>
 3. Focus on the
 heart as the center in the midst of flux and
 change&nbsp;
</h4>


 Over time, a focus developed on sustaining a connection with the heart center.
 As life brings inevitable tests and changes, this heart focus is like an
 anchor in a stormy sea. It offers a continuous presence, a peacefulness, a
 field of sensibility, and a deeper orientation, in the midst of flux.
 Reconnecting with the heart could be challenging when distracted by daily
 stresses and pressures.


<h4>
 4. Immersion in
 love with less sense of “I”
</h4>


 Increasingly, understanding emerged through the heart field, along with a
 feeling of no separation from others. It was possible to be in two states of
 consciousness at the same time: being completely immersed in the
 practicalities of work and life, and at the same time completely removed from
 daily preoccupations in the sense of expanded understanding, compassion, and
 oneness.


*


 We then faced a dilemma: It is not practical to use interviews with large
 groups of people (50,100, or thousands), yet studying large groups is
 necessary to adequately observe changes in consciousness with meditation. We
 needed to translate what we had learned into something that could be measured.



 The themes that emerged from the interviews, along with specific comments of
 the participants, guided the development of a “Measure of Expanded
 Consciousness.” We tested this measure with over 400 participants, including
 Heartfulness meditators, meditators in other systems, and non-meditators. The
 resulting measure, which is in its final stages of development, is based upon
 the answers to35 questions contained in the following five categories:


<ol type="1">
 <li>Relationship with others</li>
 <li>Judgment of self</li>
 <li>Connection to inner self (heart)</li>
 <li>Greater dimension beyond self</li>
 <li>Acceptance and surrender</li>
</ol>

<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<div>
 <figure>
 <img decoding="async" width="500" height="750" alt="" class="mx-auto d-block lazyload has-img-center"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/conundrum_of_consciousness2_c9d987e9ba.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-13T09:40:54.061Z" />
 </figure>
</div>

<hr class="vertical-space1" />


 The conundrum of measuring changes in consciousness is not trivial.&nbsp; The
 two approaches – interviews and quantitative measures – give very different,
 yet related information, each with strengths and weaknesses, neither of which
 can fully capture consciousness among meditators.



 Qualitative descriptions from meditators tap into personal feelings and
 awareness not previously described. There is a move from a focus on thinking
 to a focus on feeling, and changes in ephemeral constructs such as intuition,
 inspiration, humility, and love. Furthermore, this approach offers flexibility
 and variability of responses, as each person’s lived experience is described
 in their own words.



 In contrast, quantitative data from the “Measure of Expanding Consciousness”
 can easily be used to study groups of people or populations, but the
 information is limited by the very nature of trying to fit abstract feelings
 into concrete words. The data obtained from one measure only provide
 information based on the content and specific wording within that measure; the
 information is necessarily limited.



 Our solution to this conundrum is to combine the two approaches – to obtain
 quantitative data from a large group, while simultaneously obtaining
 qualitative data from a sample of the participants. These qualitative data
 will allow us to add depth and texture to that which is learned from the
 “Measure of Expanding Consciousness.” Using this combination, we will explore
 questions such as:


<ul>
 <li>How does consciousness change with meditation?</li>
 <li>
 How do those changes relate to other important concepts such as loneliness,
 resilience, and depression?&nbsp;
 </li>
</ul>


 Although we may never fully answer the fundamental question of how
 consciousness evolves, we may perhaps begin to approach an understanding with
 increasing precision through combining these two approaches.



 References



 Lanfranco, R.C.et al, 2022. Towards a vision from within.&nbsp;
 Adaptive Behavior. DOI: 10.1177/10597123221080193



 Patel, K.D., 2022.The Evolution of Consciousness. Talk given for the
 150th birth anniversary of Shri Aurobindo.
 <a
 href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&amp;v=eFMWZ_0hDtA">https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&amp;v=eFMWZ_0hDtA</a> 



<hr class="vertical-space1" />

The conundrum of consciousness

Hetty is a portrait and commercial photographer. She emigrated to South Africa where she documented social issues and specialized in editorial photography. Back in the Netherlands, her journey and art projects continue in connecting with others, fostering the spirit of ubuntu.

Hetty Zantman IMG_9197.webp

Hetty Zantman

<h4>Under the Trees&nbsp; Saratoga Springs, New York, 2024 FIONA NEARY</h4><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/expressions_of_peace2_eef369b889.webp" alt="expressions-of-peace2.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_expressions_of_peace2_eef369b889.webp 145w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/large_expressions_of_peace2_eef369b889.webp 1000w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/expressions_of_peace2_eef369b889.webp 1000w," sizes="100vw"><h4>Finding Joy Saratoga Springs, New York, 2024 FIONA NEARY</h4><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/expressions_of_peace3_7881dcc714.webp" alt="expressions-of-peace3.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_expressions_of_peace3_7881dcc714.webp 145w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/large_expressions_of_peace3_7881dcc714.webp 800w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/expressions_of_peace3_7881dcc714.webp 800w," sizes="100vw">&nbsp;<hr><h4>May Their Innocence and Joy Continue to Flower South Africa, 2015 HETTY ZANTMAN</h4><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/expressions_of_peace4_9fb2448418.webp" alt="expressions-of-peace4.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_expressions_of_peace4_9fb2448418.webp 145w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/large_expressions_of_peace4_9fb2448418.webp 1000w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/expressions_of_peace4_9fb2448418.webp 1000w," sizes="100vw">&nbsp;<hr><h4>Tree RAMYA SRIRAM</h4><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/expressions_of_peace5_4e2b2479bb.webp" alt="expressions-of-peace5.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_expressions_of_peace5_4e2b2479bb.webp 145w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/large_expressions_of_peace5_4e2b2479bb.webp 800w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/expressions_of_peace5_4e2b2479bb.webp 800w," sizes="100vw">&nbsp;<hr><h4>In Tune with Nature 2007 BRIGITTE SMITH</h4><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/expressions_of_peace6_b40f508c95.webp" alt="expressions-of-peace6.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_expressions_of_peace6_b40f508c95.webp 145w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/large_expressions_of_peace6_b40f508c95.webp 1000w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/expressions_of_peace6_b40f508c95.webp 1000w," sizes="100vw"><hr><h4>Expressions of Love 2023 SANTANU CHATTERJEE</h4><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/expressions_of_peace7_dc37aae479.webp" alt="expressions-of-peace7.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_expressions_of_peace7_dc37aae479.webp 145w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/large_expressions_of_peace7_dc37aae479.webp 1000w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/expressions_of_peace7_dc37aae479.webp 1000w," sizes="100vw">&nbsp;

Expressions of peace from around the world

The medieval saint, Hildegard von Bingen (1098-1179), was a German Benedictine abbess and polymath who was a mystic, composer, writer, philosopher, botanist, naturalist, and medical practitioner. Hildegard's spiritual awareness was based on the umbra viventis lucis - the reflection of the living Light.

Hildegard-von-Bingen.png

Hildegard von Bingen

<h4 style="text-align: center;">God is the foundation for everything.</h4>
<h4 style="text-align: center;">This God undertakes, God gives.</h4>
<h4 style="text-align: center;">Such that nothing that is necessary for life is lacking.</h4>
<h4 style="text-align: center;">Now humankind needs a body that at all times honors and praises God.</h4>
<h4 style="text-align: center;">This body is supported in every way through the Earth.</h4>
<h4 style="text-align: center;">Thus the Earth glorifies the power of God.</h4>
<h4 style="text-align: center;">-HILDEGARD VON BINGEN</h4>
<hr class="vertical-space1">

Prayer of awareness

Hippocrates of Kos (460-370 B.C.) was an Ancient Greek physician, who is widely regarded as one of the greats in the history of medicine. He is referred to as "the father of medicine."

Hippocrates.png

Hippocrates

Food as medicine

The 14th Dalai Lama, Gyalwa Rinpoche, is the spiritual leader of Tibet. He is considered a living Bodhisattva; specifically, an emanation of Avalokiteśvara in Sanskrit and Chenrezig in Tibetan. He is highly awarded, including the Nobel Peace Prize, the Templeton Prize, and the U.S. Congressional Medal.

dalia-lama.jpg

His Holiness, 14th Dalai Lama

<h4 style="text-align:justify;">HIS HOLINESS the 14th DALAI LAMA met with UNESCO Artist for Peace, Dr. GUILA CLARA KESSOUS, on May 8, 2023. Evoking her commitments to UNESCO, Dr. Kessous asked about issues such as equality and women’s rights, intercultural dialogue, the societal role of art and the importance of yoga for mental health. Here is an excerpt from the conversation.</h4>GCK: Your Holiness, do you think yoga has a real role to play in addressing the mental health and psychological suffering felt by so many people on the planet right now?HHDL: Yes, I do. Yoga, which is an art of discipline, has its place in responding to the complexity of our world. If I make a gesture, I go beyond my intellect, which makes me suffer, by concentrating on that gesture. If this gesture is followed by ten people, not only do those people go beyond their intellect, but they each release an awareness of belonging to a whole, to a collective gesture. This is the genius of yoga. We think it’s gesture, but it’s humanity.GCK: In your book, New Reality: A Manifesto of Collective Responsibility, co-written with the remarkable Sofia Stril-Rever, you describe yoga as a kind of new language that would enable us all to communicate differently, to transcend our physical and mental boundaries. How can we achieve this degree of understanding, of “interdependency,” as you like to call it?HHDL: You are a UNESCO Artist for Peace. You know what it means to want to help others, to want to save others. This can only be done if we leave behind the desire to perform. Many people think that doing yoga implies doing the right postures. ... Many people think that doing meditation is forcing them to absolutely think about nothing. But in fact, everyone should be their own barometer. Each of us is capable of knowing where we stand today and where we stand right now. That’s what being “mindful” is all about. It’s being there, fully there, with what you are today.<figure class="image image-style-align-center"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/yoga_mental_health2_07eed9dc30.jpg"></figure><hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">The only thing that will keep us going&nbsp; in our difficult times is the awareness that we are all products of generations and links in the human chain.&nbsp; By being aware of this filiation,&nbsp; of this feminine part within us,&nbsp; we return to our healthy matrix,&nbsp; and heal ourselves.</h4><hr>GCK: So, for mental health, yoga is not a way of distracting from illness, of pretending it doesn’t exist, but of living this moment of painful life. So, how can we avoid sinking?HHDL: By connecting with our universal mother being. I’m aware of your commitment to women’s rights, and you’re right – as long as we don’t recognize our being connected with our inner mother, there will always be war. By connecting to that part of us that honors us and makes us worthy of being human. We all have two eyes, a nose, a mouth. ... We each and every one of us can say we are crazy. The only thing that will keep us going in our difficult times is the awareness that we are all products of generations and links in the human chain. By being aware of this filiation, of this feminine part within us, we return to our healthy matrix, and heal ourselves.GCK: Does it mean that our disease comes from the way we function in the world? Does our state of mental health depend on our ability to extract ourselves from this world of efficiency?HHDL: Absolutely. We have to get out of the vicious circle of performance, profitability, and productivity. Our being is not made for that. Our being is unique and needs to be treated as such. Leaning toward ourselves gently with a smile, as we would do toward a newborn in the cradle who is discovering his body’s capacity for flexibility, its treasures of suppleness. This is what yoga is all about. This is what heals.<figure class="image image-style-align-center"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/yoga_mental_health3_cc9ae3956c.jpg"></figure>GCK: Can this healing be achieved through artistic or cultural means?HHDL: This healing comes through attention. Attention to oneself. Attention to others. That’s what art and culture are all about. A way to be attentive, to capture a moment of oneself in otherness. It’s what we should cherish above all else. It’s what makes us human ... and it’s why your UNESCO home is so important.&nbsp;For more information: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nLmzlBurfNM">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nLmzlBurfNM</a><hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">Photographs courtesy of GUILA CLARA KESSOUS</h4><hr>&nbsp;

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