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Kiffer is Assistant Professor in Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, British Columbia, Canada. He is also affiliated with The Pacific Institute on Pathogens, Pandemics, and Society; The Canadian Alliance for Social Connection and Health; and the GenWell Project.

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Kiffer George Card

<h4>Could public health guidelines help stop loneliness?&nbsp;KIFFER GEORGE CARD shares both research and his perspective on how we can address the pandemic of loneliness. He advocates coming together in a whole-of-society response, which means addressing the very problem he is seeking to solve.&nbsp;</h4>United States Surgeon General Vivek Murthy recently called&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/loneliness-surgeon-general-epidemic-covid/">loneliness an epidemic</a>&nbsp;and issued a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/surgeon-general-social-connection-advisory.pdf">public health advisory</a>&nbsp;on the healing effects of social connection and community.&nbsp;The report warned of the considerable adverse effects of loneliness and social isolation – comparing it to <a href="https://doi.org/10.2105/ajph.2013.301261">other leading risk factors</a>&nbsp;for premature death such as smoking, obesity, elevated blood pressure, and high cholesterol.<h4>Loneliness and social isolation can be harmful</h4>In my work as a social and behavioral epidemiologist, I have studied how social and community connectedness shapes health outcomes,&nbsp;<a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s10461-017-1939-7">ranging from HIV</a>&nbsp;to&nbsp;<a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/13691058.2018.1439186">substance use</a>.&nbsp;For example, my colleagues and I have previously shown that social isolation is associated with a&nbsp;<a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s10461-020-03000-2">48 percent increase</a>&nbsp;in odds for premature death, and that lonely people have&nbsp;<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/jech-2019-213566">71 percent higher odds</a>&nbsp;of reporting fair or poor health.&nbsp;Other researchers have also documented the havoc that loneliness wreaks on individuals, showing that lonely and isolated people have&nbsp;<a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/abm/kaaa029">poorer immune function</a>, experience&nbsp;<a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbi.2019.08.189">higher levels of inflammation</a>, and are at greater risk for&nbsp;<a href="https://doi.org/10.1136/heartjnl-2015-308790">heart disease</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/ncponc1134">cancer</a>&nbsp;<a href="https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-017-4948-6">and diabetes</a>.&nbsp;While everybody’s vulnerability to loneliness and social isolation differs, we all need social connection. Perhaps just as importantly,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/the-secret-to-happiness-heres-some-advice-from-the-longest-running-study-on-happiness-2017100512543#:%7E:text=The%20Harvard%20Study%20has%20found%20a%20strong%20association,isolation%20is%20a%20mood%20buster%2C%E2%80%9D%20says%20Dr.%20Waldinger.">Harvard research</a>&nbsp;from the longest-running cohort study ever conducted suggests that warm social relationships are the most important predictor of happiness across the life course.&nbsp;In other words, people who are disconnected lead sicker, sadder, and shorter lives.&nbsp;<h4>Public health guidelines</h4>In response to this epidemic of loneliness, my team at&nbsp;<a href="https://casch.org/guidelines">the Canadian Alliance for Social Connection and Health&nbsp;</a>has&nbsp;<a href="https://www.universityaffairs.ca/news/news-article/university-researchers-are-helping-to-create-a-canadian-guide-for-social-connection/">engaged experts from across Canada</a>&nbsp;and globally to develop the world’s first public health guidelines for social connection.&nbsp;Similar to the&nbsp;<a href="https://food-guide.canada.ca/en/">nutrition</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.participaction.com/">exercise</a>,&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://ccsa.ca/canadas-guidance-alcohol-and-health">alcohol use</a>&nbsp;guidelines promoted by many national governments, social connection guidelines have the potential to improve our health and happiness by helping us all prioritize social connections in our daily lives.&nbsp;They can also raise awareness among healthcare providers and policymakers to ensure these experts are taking actions consistent with the latest evidence highlighting the importance of social health.<h4>Promising guidelines for better social health</h4>Regardless of levels of introversion or extroversion, insufficient social connection is associated with poorer well-being. While everybody’s vulnerability to loneliness and social isolation differs, we all need social connection. Yet, people generally&nbsp;<a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tics.2022.02.007">underestimate the benefits of connecting</a>&nbsp;with others and overestimate the costs, which include the emotional labor and mental energy needed to manage relationships and your self-presentation.<a href="https://doi.org/10.1027/1614-0001/a000048">Regardless of levels</a>&nbsp;of introversion or extroversion, insufficient social connection is associated with poorer well-being.&nbsp;This is because social connection is a biological imperative. We evolved in&nbsp;<a href="https://theconversation.com/dunbars-number-why-my-theory-that-humans-can-only-maintain-150-friendships-has-withstood-30-years-of-scrutiny-160676">close-knit communities</a>. For ancient humans, social exclusion was a death sentence. Loneliness is our body’s way of&nbsp;<a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/02699931.2013.837379">keeping us connected</a>, but sometimes&nbsp;<a href="https://casch.org/theory">we get trapped</a>&nbsp;by it.&nbsp;Public health guidelines can help raise awareness of the importance of social connection and provide us with a road map for better social health. But what should these guidelines look like?&nbsp;This is exactly what&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/from-social-distancing-to-social-connection-the-genwell-project-s-nationwide-survey-reinforces-the-importance-of-human-connection-as-canada-transitions-to-post-pandemic-recovery-822887144.html">my team has set out to understand</a>&nbsp;as part of a multi-phased, mixed-method study funded by and conducted in partnership with the Canadian government.&nbsp;<figure class="image image_resized image-style-align-center" style="width:75%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/7tips_social_connection2_68d5da4a3a.jpg"></figure>So far, we have identified a few promising approaches that each of us can act on right now:<ol style="list-style-type:decimal;"><li>Make sure to have&nbsp;<a href="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/60283c2e174c122f8ebe0f39/t/645a88655583045704102e40/1683654757592/CSCG_Evidence+Brief_Number+of+Friends.pdf">three to five close friendships</a>&nbsp;to call on when you’re in need.&nbsp; Research has shown that individuals who have at least three to five close friends experience the lowest levels of loneliness, anxiety, depression, and a range of other adverse health outcomes. Having too many friends can sacrifice quality for quantity. Having too few can leave you alone in a time of need.</li><li>Get&nbsp;<a href="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/60283c2e174c122f8ebe0f39/t/640e0384b9ce9e602bf93c77/1678640005938/CSCG_Evidence+Brief_Social+Time.pdf">one to three hours of social interaction per day</a>.&nbsp; That’s between 7 and 21 hours of social time per week – far more than the average of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bls.gov/news.release/atus.nr0.htm">34 minutes of socializing most of us get each day</a>. This value aligns with the approximate&nbsp;<a href="https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Robin-Dunbar/publication/235356868_Theory_of_mind_and_the_evolution_of_language/links/53dfc58b0cf2a768e49bddbd/Theory-of-mind-and-the-evolution-of-language.pdf">24 hours per week</a>&nbsp;that tribal and pastoral societies have historically enjoyed. While this may seem like a daunting jump in social hours for some, social interactions can include a wide variety of activities: chit chat with your barista, a phone call to a friend, conversation over dinner.</li><li><a href="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/60283c2e174c122f8ebe0f39/t/640e03a10c9c9c5dbec35801/1678640034544/CSCG_Evidence+Brief_Network+Composition.pdf">Prioritize spending time with those closest to you</a>.&nbsp; We’ve found that individuals need to socialize with both “strong” and “weak” ties, but that the balance of your social energy should be spent on close friends and family with whom you have warm relationships. This is because close relationships fulfil our most important&nbsp;<a href="https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.00901">relational needs</a>: to feel loved, acknowledged and validated. Building these&nbsp;<a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/0265407518761225">strong ties takes time</a>.</li><li>Diversity in your social network is important too.&nbsp; <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/0146167214529799">So-called “weak ties” – those you don’t have a close relationship with – also matter</a>. In fact, studies have shown that&nbsp;<a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/geroni/igaa009">talking to neighbors</a>&nbsp;can build a sense of community;&nbsp;<a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/15555240.2018.1436444">making friends at work</a>&nbsp;can reduce job stress; and even&nbsp;<a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jesp.2022.104356">talking to strangers</a> can create a sense of safety and provide a meaningful source of connection. Different relationships provide different types of support.&nbsp;</li><li>Recognize the risks of&nbsp;<a href="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/60283c2e174c122f8ebe0f39/t/63e67385a6ab9322c8125ea6/1676047237951/CSCG_Evidence+Brief_Living+alone.pdf">living alone</a>.&nbsp; People who live alone are at increased risk of loneliness and&nbsp;<a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eclinm.2022.101677">studies have shown</a>&nbsp;that living alone,&nbsp;<a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/nutrit/nuv024">particularly for men</a>, is hazardous to your health. That means that if you live alone, prioritizing social relationships may be especially important to you.&nbsp;</li><li><a href="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/60283c2e174c122f8ebe0f39/t/6410a513a2173037c04a2141/1678812436160/CSCG_Evidence+Brief_Old+Friends.pdf">Reach out to old friends</a>&nbsp;and don’t be afraid to&nbsp;<a href="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/60283c2e174c122f8ebe0f39/t/640e03cb6924ff0526a018e9/1678640075343/CSCG_Evidence+Brief_New+Connections.pdf">make new ones</a>.&nbsp; Keeping and maintaining relationships can be hard – especially in today’s fast-paced world. Renewing old friendships can be an easy way to keep your social calendar full, but keeping a healthy level of engagement with new people will make sure your friendship well doesn’t run dry.</li><li>Don’t forget the importance of solitude.&nbsp; Just as time with others is important, it’s also important to have time alone. It is perfectly good, and even healthy, to spend time alone. We call this “<a href="https://doi.org/10.1002/9781118427378">solitude</a>.” In fact, for some, time with others may even&nbsp;<a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s10902-023-00661-3">exacerbate feelings of loneliness</a>. Time alone provides an opportunity to restore your social reserves and meet your own personal needs.</li></ol>Following these and other strategies can improve your health and well-being. However, addressing loneliness, like many of the big problems we face today, will require a whole-of-society response. Public health guidelines for social connection can provide the foundation for such an approach.<figure class="image image-style-align-center"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/7tips_social_connection3_6c8c0ad1cd.jpg"></figure>This article is reprinted with permission from the author and The Conversation under Creative Commons license from&nbsp;<a href="https://theconversation.com/could-public-health-guidelines-help-stop-loneliness-7-tips-that-show-how-crucial-social-connection-is-to-well-being-205358">https://theconversation.com/could-public-health-guidelines-help-stop-loneliness-7-tips-that-show-how-crucial-social-connection-is-to-well-being-205358</a>.<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">Illustrations by ARATI SHEDDE</h4><hr>&nbsp;

7 tips that show how crucial social connection is to well-being

Kiran is an Indian designer, educationist, education reformer, and social entrepreneur. She founded the award-winning Riverside School in Ahmedabad, along with aProCh to make our cities more child friendly, and Design for Change which is in more than 60 countries. Her most recent venture is the Riverside Learning Center which offers training program to empower schools worldwide using the codified processes from Riverside. Kiran, Riverside and Design for Change have won accolades and awards, including The Earth Prize, the Rockefeller Innovation Award, The Lego Remagine Award, The Lexus Prize, and the Light of Freedom Award.

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Kiran Bir Sethi

<h4>KIRAN BIR SETHI is changing the experience of childhood in Indian cities through her education curriculum and initiatives to build healthy relationships between students and their communities. Here she is interviewed by KASHISH KALWANI.</h4><hr>Q: I’d like to begin by asking, “What book are you currently reading?” and “What book would you recommend children read?”KBS: Well, the book I have at my bedside is The Bhagavad Gita for Daily Living by Eknath Easwaran. It’s something I keep dipping into. Just open any page and you’ll find some wisdom for that day.What would I recommend to children? Again, it depends on which age group. Forget what I recommend – I definitely recommend that they read! I think the worlds that open, the way they can visualize and imagine, and the way they will develop empathy are outstanding.I was always with books. My sister was also an avid reader and we had a fantastic library at home. The worlds that opened up sitting at home in a little corner were literally astounding. I could travel the world! And the way I was able to develop the ability to visualize is unparalleled. Of course, now we have cinema and videos, and while it is great, it is a very passive way to look at the world. With a book, we put the effort into imagining; it’s not just handed to us. It’s not like a pretty picture, or an art gallery. While reading, we put in the paints, the colors, and the spaces. It really activates our neurons. That’s the science behind it.It’s wonderful if children read, or are read to, when they are very young, as part of a family’s traditions.Q: Piggybacking off your mention of the Bhagavad Gita, who has been your biggest teacher and how did they impact your life?KBS: When we are ready to learn, we learn from anybody. We learn from a butterfly, from Gandhiji, from a child, and from Nature. Everything can influence us. When we open up every morning and say, “I’m ready to learn,” we never know where those lessons will come from.Having said that, there are certain places we keep going back to in order to get a dose of inspiration. For me, it started with my own family, who introduced me to the world, and how to engage with the world with empathy, kindness, integrity, and excellence.<hr><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/building_community_education2_86a585ad0b.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-12T03:43:39.971Z" alt=""><hr>Then, my biggest personal learning happened at the National Institute of Design (NID) as a designer. I would attribute my alma mater with figuring out, “Okay, so this is what learning really feels like.”My husband, Geet Sethi, who is a nine-times World Billiards Champion, has taught me a lot about obsession and excellence, and how to stay grounded and understand failure and victory in such a deeply personal way.Then, my children. My son introduced me to what it is to be a mother and what my purpose was. He made my passion find a purpose. My daughter is an incredible source of insight for me because she is a type 1 diabetic, and the way she lives her life is a constant source of learning for me. No matter what you are given, you can make it a gift and then anything is possible.In terms of outer inspiration, Gandhi has been a massive influence in terms of stamina. Through it all he still had a sense of humor and compassion, and there was absolutely no animosity toward anyone. That’s a fabulous lesson to learn.And then there is Nature. Whenever I have a bit of downtime, I sit outside. I am very lucky to have birds, trees and butterflies around in my ecosystem. It’s a beautiful source of renewal to see how the Earth always gives back, no matter what.Q: That’s so true! We are in very uncertain times with Covid, and education spaces have shut down completely. Children are feeling uncertain without the safe space of school and friendships – the experience of a school life. What do you believe are the next steps for education? Is there some learning to be had from all of this?KBS: Absolutely! I think Covid has unmasked the entire dysfunctional system of the world. We were always struggling. I don’t think anybody felt the education system was fantastic. There was always the sense that something was off. We kept delaying the urgency to look at it because, “Oh, maybe it happened in Africa, then in Asia, then in India.” We justified it by saying, “That’s your problem, not my problem.”Suddenly it became everyone’s problem at the same time, with the same urgency, with the same inequity! Nobody could shy away from the fact that we were all in it together. Suddenly, everybody started waking up, as if this was a surprise. But it wasn’t. It was always dysfunctional.<hr><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/building_community_education3_4cd5d58ac7.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-12T03:44:59.263Z" alt=""><hr><hr>Understanding ourselves and each other&nbsp; takes time, space, dedication and intentionality.&nbsp; If we have learnt anything from this,&nbsp; it’s that the heart, ethics, elevation, reflection, kindness&nbsp; and compassion will become the core curriculum.&nbsp; Everything else will flow from that.<hr><hr>Therefore, there were those people who said, “Boss, this isn’t working,” who showed other possibilities. There were pockets, which I won’t call “alternative,” but the other options. There were other ways to look at education. They had been seen as, “That’s a good experiment, but you know we can’t do it at scale.”Covid has shown us that if we don’t start with the heart, we’re not going anywhere. We have to move forward with heart. It’s the only place that is universal, perpetual, and will stand the test of time. If we don’t, and we only study the heart as co-curriculum, just for fun, we will lose the plot again. I think that’s why everybody has got worked up.Understanding ourselves and each other takes time, space, dedication and intentionality. If we have learnt anything from this, it’s that the heart, ethics, elevation, reflection, kindness and compassion will become the core curriculum. Everything else will flow from that.<hr><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/building_community_education4_7e80502c82.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-12T03:46:25.163Z" alt=""><hr>Q: I really love the fact that you use the heart as the guiding factor in going forward.KBS: To fuel us!Q: Yes. Even when we look at the World Health Organization’s reports about suicide and mental health issues, we see an increase for students below the age of fifteen. Girls as young as thirteen are dying by suicide. How do we address the root cause of this?KBS: Well, there are no simple answers. There is a spiderweb of issues. Equity is not just about access, it’s also about intention.For example, when Covid hit, there were a lot of calls for vaccines and everybody kept saying, “No, no, it’ll take at least three years for a vaccine to come up,” because that is what we were used to. Look what happened! In less than eight months, when we got our acts together and worked together, what happened? The point is, when economics was factored in, suddenly the world decided, “We have to do something!”The pandemic of education has been there forever. Nobody has ever thought that collectively we have to work, because it was always somebody else’s problem. When we do come together, we will do dramatic, exceptional, outstanding things. We have never thought that education requires it. There has never been a collective will – for girls, for unreserved communities, for access, for training, for leadership – it’s all of that. A systemic change is needed, but if governments keep cutting education budgets, it gives an understanding of their priorities.Education is by far the greatest national emergency and the greatest national opportunity. If we tackle it, then a nation’s entire citizenship goes up. You suddenly have informed, educated people giving back to the nation. Right now we don’t. So, there is no easy answer to, “Why are they dying by suicide? What can we do?” This is a much bigger spiderweb of issues.<hr><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/building_community_education5_e13c0f5185.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-12T03:50:01.641Z"><hr>Q: Let’s go back to the very beginning, your childhood. Tell us about your personal journey.KBS: My journey is quite a collection of happenstances along the way. There was no real plan. I think that’s been my general flow. I don’t have five-year plans. I was very lucky to have an incredible upbringing. I didn’t know that gender mattered. I think that’s the greatest thing my parents gave me. I’m the youngest of three. I have a brother and an older sister, both exceptionally talented people, and none of us were brought up to think that we were a girl or a boy, and any of us needed something more. It was important not to have those rules in my head. If you’re not brought up to believe the rules, anything is possible. That’s the beauty.When I went to NID, my view opened up so much more. My passion was ignited about the user-centered idea, with the user in mind. I had no plans to start a school. When I was in school, I thought I’d become a doctor.When I became a mum, my passion found its purpose in figuring out, “This can’t be true! Children can’t be so incidental to the whole program!” There is a system that rewards them for being quiet and compliant. That offered me the opportunity to say, “There must be a better way.”When I took my son out of school, it was not like, “I’m changing the education system.” It was just my child, my son’s life. I think that finally resulted in the Riverside School being what it is.Q: Could you share with us your initiatives, “Design for Change” and “aProCh”?KBS: aProCh started when a couple of my students from Grade 7 visited me and asked about my childhood. I told them about playing Gilli Danda and Dabba Ice-spice on the streets where I grew up, and they said, “We cannot go out in the streets, it’s too unsafe.” That prompted us to go to the city and say, “How can a city become friendly for children?” and aProCh started.Design for Change happened in 2009 when we asked, “At Riverside, how do we take it further?” My friend was planning a really interesting idea called “Joy of Giving.” We were talking about a festival of giving in India, so I said, “What about children?” It was a series of opportunities and I was able to respond with design. I thought it would happen only in India, and then TED happened and it went global. A series of pathways opened up: “Okay, what is required? Let me see if I can respond.”<hr><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/building_community_education6_9ff7e04274.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-12T03:51:11.273Z" alt=""><hr>Q: I love the enthusiasm you are sharing with this. You’ve mentioned your parents and children. I have read about your children and the fantastic work they’re doing. Taking inspiration from both, what do you feel is important for nurturing and raising children?KBS: Well, it’s not rocket science. I think it is to be a mother and not a smotherer. We don’t smother children, we mother them, and our role is very clear. Our role is to be on that journey with them as an ally, not as somebody who is forcing them to walk on a particular path.I love what Kahlil Gibran says in his poem ‘On Children’ in The Prophet: They really aren’t ours. They are here to go to the world, and I have learned that it’s an interesting, passionate detachment. We can be passionate about the journey with our children, but can we still stay detached? It is a tough task for a parent, but that’s what I have learned.<hr><hr>I love what Kahlil Gibran says in his poem&nbsp; ‘On Children’ in The Prophet:&nbsp; They really aren’t ours.&nbsp; They are here to go to the world,&nbsp; and I have learned that&nbsp; it’s an interesting, passionate detachment.<hr><hr>My son and my daughter have taught me these lessons. While they’re there and we can reach out, we will find those directions ourselves. And we would love if they come with us on that. I’d rather be that parent who goes on those journeys than one who says, “No. Don’t do that.”It’s really about learning who we are, not about who they are. I think parenting gave me the understanding that, “I thought I was this kind of person, but I’m so neurotic and sometimes I’m so painful!” It awakens stuff in us that we didn’t know existed and that awakening is why they’re children. It is not that we can teach them anything. I think we learn a lot.<hr><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/building_community_education7_3a4943b366.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-12T03:52:45.721Z" alt=""><hr>Q: When you talked about attachment, it reminds me of the example of a flower blooming. If you truly love the flower, you’ll let it be rather than getting attached and needing to pluck it.KBS: Again, none of it is rocket science. You can read a lot about it, but while you might intellectually know it all, putting it into practice is the hard part. I had to grow into becoming detached. It’s easier said than done. One thing I have definitely learned, which has served me well, is to listen and tell stories. Also, always have joy in the house. I think these are far greater ingredients to serve the heart than anything else.Joyfully greet your children. Let their faces light up when they see you, because they’re picking up cues even unbeknownst to you.What you teach is less important than what they’re observing. They’re learning what you’re not teaching them. They’re learning from your body language. They’re learning from the way you interact with each other. They’re learning from the way you talk to your friends. What you say is less important than what you do.Children might not always listen to us, but they will always mimic us. Are we worth mimicking? What do we want them to mimic? They pick up ideas of ethics very early. They pick up all of it. They will pick up the way we talk to a waiter in a restaurant, or the way we talk about saving the Earth. So, all the messages we convey through our actions, our behavior, will determine what we stand for.I tell parents, “The way you greet each other and give each other respect will determine the way your children will respect their own partners when they grow up. Take that very seriously.” I remember so many stories my father used to tell us at the dinner table. Nowadays there are no dinner table conversations. Everybody is on their phone, or an iPad is front of a child.Q: That is unfortunate. I wonder how we can channel technology to help bring us closer, which it indeed has in these times. Even so, I personally have very mixed opinions of social media.KBS: I am of the generation that didn’t grow up with all of this. I am a reluctant convert!<hr><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/building_community_education8_68354ad72f.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-12T03:54:38.124Z"><hr><hr>I have learned that we don’t have tomorrow,&nbsp; we only have today.&nbsp; Find a moment to be kind, to reach out,&nbsp; to love a little bit more and more shamelessly.&nbsp; Be abundant to Nature today, not tomorrow.<hr><hr>Q: The answer might be obvious, but I would still love to know what you feel is better, a degree or experience?KBS: I don’t think it’s either/or. I think if you really make the most of your education, then get a degree and supplement it with experience, as that is a great marriage of the two. Had I not gone to NID and pursued the rigor of the program, I would have been a lesser-skilled practitioner. Of course, the degree alone doesn’t make it work. I had to then go into the world and build a portfolio of work, and that experience was also invaluable. Wherever both are possible, that’s the best.Currently, there is a disregard for degrees. Degrees matter when they are quality education. But if we understand the rigor and value of disciplinary thinking, and supplement it with experience, it’s a great marriage.There is value in putting your head down and writing pieces and getting feedback, even if you’re prodigiously talented. I would not discount the rigor of a disciplinary mind.<hr><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/building_community_education9_78bdf42501.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-12T03:55:47.688Z" alt=""><hr>Q: Finally, is there any last message that you’d like to share with us?KBS: I have learned that we don’t have tomorrow, we only have today. Find a moment to be kind, to reach out, to love a little bit more and more shamelessly. Be abundant to Nature today, not tomorrow.<hr><hr><h4>Interviewed by KASHISH KALWANI.</h4><hr>

Building community through education

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Kishore Debnath

<hr><h4>KISHORE DEBNATH explores how science, art, and spirituality all take us beyond the physical world into subtler realms where we must understand and describe phenomena through abstraction.</h4><hr>In a world that often demands clear-cut answers and tangible results, the concepts of spirituality and abstraction may seem elusive and intangible. Yet, these ideas offer a profound understanding of the true nature of reality.As we delve deeper into the subtleties of life, we begin to perceive reality more accurately, even if expressing these insights proves challenging. Abstraction, while seemingly vague, provides a more accurate representation of physical phenomena than concrete objects alone.<h4>Spirituality: The Subtle Path to Perceiving Reality</h4>Spirituality is a journey towards the subtle aspects of existence, transcending the physical, and delving into the essence of life. As we progress on the spiritual journey, we develop a heightened awareness of the interconnectedness of all things, often leading to experiences that defy conventional explanations.Discussing spiritual experiences can be challenging because they often extend beyond the limits of language. Words cannot adequately capture the essence of these profound experiences, as they are deeply personal and unique to each individual. To overcome this limitation, spiritual practitioners may rely on metaphor, allegory, and symbolism to convey their insights. In doing so, they embrace abstraction as a means to communicate the ineffable nature of reality.<hr><hr><h4>Spirituality is a journey towards the subtle aspects of existence,&nbsp; transcending the physical, and delving into the essence of life.</h4><hr><hr><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/spirituality_abstraction2_bbed90288a.jpg" alt="" sizes="(max-width: 491px) 100vw, 491px"><hr><h4>Abstraction: A Path to Greater Accuracy</h4>The purpose of abstraction is not to be vague, but to create a new semantic level in which one can be absolutely precise.—Edsger W. Dijkstra, Dutch Computer Scientist, Turing Award WinnerAt first glance, abstraction may appear vague or ambiguous. However, it is an essential tool for accurately representing complex and multifaceted phenomena. Through abstraction, we can generalize and simplify concepts, enabling us to grasp the underlying patterns and structures that govern the physical world.In both science and art, abstraction allows us to understand phenomena that may be too intricate or vast for direct observation. For example, theoretical physicists use abstract mathematical models to describe the behavior of subatomic particles, while artists employ abstraction to evoke emotions or convey ideas that transcend the literal representation of objects.<hr><hr><h4>By transcending the limits of the physical world, we can develop&nbsp; a greater sense of interconnectedness, compassion, and empathy – qualities&nbsp; that are essential for spiritual growth.</h4><hr><hr><h4>The Interplay of Spirituality and Abstraction</h4>The relationship between spirituality and abstraction is one of mutual reinforcement. As we delve deeper into spirituality, we develop a greater appreciation for the abstract nature of reality. This understanding, in turn, enables us to perceive the world more accurately and holistically.Similarly, abstraction fosters spiritual growth by challenging our reliance on concrete objects, and encouraging us to explore the more subtle aspects of existence. By transcending the limits of the physical world, we can develop a greater sense of interconnectedness, compassion, and empathy – qualities that are essential for spiritual growth.While spirituality and abstraction may seem elusive, they offer a profound understanding of the true nature of reality. By embracing the subtle aspects of existence, we perceive the world more accurately and develop a deeper connection with ourselves and others. The interplay between spirituality and abstraction challenges our reliance on concrete objects, encouraging us to explore the intangible and ineffable aspects of life. As we continue to develop our spiritual and abstract understanding, we can foster a more compassionate and interconnected world.The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched – they must be felt with the heart.—Helen Keller.<hr><hr><h4>Illustrations by JASMEE MUDGAL</h4><hr><hr>

A journey beyond the concrete

Executive Vice President and the Group Head of Human Resource Development at Infosys. Krish has facilitated organizational transformation and building a strong talent pool. He is passionate about organizational development.

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Krish Shankar

<h4>
 KRISH SHANKAR is an Executive Vice
 President and the Group Head of Human Resource Development at Infosys.
 Krish has over 30 years of experience and has facilitated
 organization-wide transformation and capability development, and been
 instrumental in building a strong talent pool through a series of
 leadership development initiatives. He is an avid reader, and loves
 wildlife photography and trekking. A football enthusiast, he is
 passionate about teaching and exploring new ideas in Human Resources and
 organization development. In this exclusive interview, he speaks with
 V SRINIVASAN and
 SHARAT HEGDE in his hometown of
 Bengaluru, India.
</h4>

 Q: What is your understanding about the role and importance of
 character from a leader’s perspective?


 KS: Character is what I would call a
 set of values that are very strongly expressed. If you were to take
 three or four values that a person strongly believes in and
 demonstrates, then that really becomes his or her character. These
 values are basic, like honesty, transparency and trust. While skills are
 there, connection with leaders comes from their character, these deeper
 values. We build trust with people through these values, through the
 integrity and honesty that we show. And I think they are very important
 for building relationships, teams and long-term things. They are very
 important for leaders, because they describe what kind of leader we
 really are.


 Skills are also important. I think both go hand in hand, but if you look
 at really successful leaders, it’s their character that stands out. They
 may or may not be very successful at work, but they’re always
 well-regarded by people, they’re always the ones who people look forward
 to meeting. If they also have skills, if they are also good at strategic
 thinking, then they will be good at their jobs also.


 
 Q: A lot of conventional interventions in organizations emphasize the
 importance of building role-based capabilities and competencies, etc.
 Do you feel that the element of character, and its formation and
 development, needs attention, or is it something that you expect the
 candidate to have brought along with them?


 KS: A lot of character is formed
 early on: the family has a lot to do with a person’s character. But as
 people enter organizations, organizations can give them time to reflect
 on this, and give them good role models, because in the end all of this
 is through role models. If you look at it, the first job that you have
 in any company, and the first leaders you interact with, have a big
 impact on how you think about leaders and leadership. Exposing employees
 to role models with character helps them, and they say, “Okay, these are
 the things I want to see in myself.” So role models are very, very
 important.


 Character is not formed in a day; it is formed over time. It takes a
 long time to form, and even longer to change. Though the basic stuff is
 from your childhood, it can still be shaped as you go along, because
 your mental model is how you deal with people, your mental model is how
 you deal with adversity, your mental world can be shaped over time. It
 can be sharpened over time. I think character can be developed, and I
 think leadership development has to focus on the following things: role
 models, mode of mentorship, time for reflection, feedback, and giving
 people the opportunity to decide what they want to be, what is it that
 they want to be known for.

<hr />
<h5 style="text-align: center">
 If you’re not enjoying what you’re doing 
 then look for something else. 
 There is always enough to do, 
 but enjoying your work is more important.
</h5>
<hr />

 
 Q: What is your advice to young professionals who are at the start of
 their career today?


 KS: Wow, this is the mega question I
 think. We need to write a complete book on this! Well, I shouldn’t be
 giving you clichés or preaching here. It’s very tough, because the world
 is different today, and people are different. There are a few principles
 that I will share, and then we’ll leave the individuals to decide how to
 take them forward.


 Enjoy what you’re doing. 
 When considering a career path, I would say explore, decide, look around
 and enjoy what you’re doing. If you’re not enjoying what you’re doing
 then look for something else. There is always enough to do, but enjoying
 your work is more important.


 Have a measure of what will keep you motivated. What is it that you
 want to achieve? 
 A little bit of deeper thinking and road mapping your career is very
 important. It’s difficult to say what you will be doing by a particular
 time, but at least have a principle of saying: What keeps me happy? What
 is it that I really want to be doing? What is it in five years from now
 that I want to be doing for my community, for myself, and for my family?


 <img class="lazyload w-100 h-auto"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/cultivating_leadership2_220a98788d.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-03T07:54:38.149Z"
 alt="cultivating-leadership2" />


 Take everything you do as a learning opportunity – every job and
 every activity.


 You can keep doing the same things, but if you step back and say, “Okay,
 what did I learn from it? What can I do better?” then the next time it
 will be something very different. With every mundane thing that you do,
 consider it as a learning activity and see how you can improve.


 Career is not just work, but a set of mentors, a set of friends, a
 set of people with whom you want to interact. 
 Build this right from day one. Have mentors in the company, and mentors
 outside the company. Have friends in the company, and friends outside.
 It will give you a fuller understanding of what is happening.


 In this day and age there is no one career that you will
 follow. 
 I would say that everybody will go through two or three different
 inflexion points in their career. You may be doing something for five to
 ten years, and then you may move and do something else. So you’ve got to
 be learning and ready for those pivot points, moving around and doing
 something different.


 
 Q: Can you give one example of any initiative that you have launched
 in a company, for example Infosys, which has had a profound impact on
 people in terms of any of those values we have discussed so far?


 KS: One of the things we thought
 about in Infosys was: How do we get people to connect with their
 purpose? So about a year or two back we came up with the concept of
 ‘power teams’. It was a small experiment. We got people to come together
 as a team and think about what they’ve loved doing; what they’ve
 enjoyed; what they’d like to see for their own learning and development.


 We talked and brainstormed, and at the end of it we asked them to give
 feedback to others in the team on: What are you good at? What will make
 you great? So the others would say, “Yes, you are good at this, this and
 this, but by doing this you’ll be greater,” which created a real bond
 among them.


 Many of our HR people ran this program across the organization. The idea
 was to give people time to reflect on what they want, their own
 development and the purpose of their team, but also at the same time
 bond with the team. They were exploring how they could really help each
 other, which they had never done before. It was a small thing that we
 did to bring a little more focus on themselves, their teams and their
 purpose.

<hr />
<h5 style="text-align: center">
 There is a cognitive surplus, 
 so they want to do something more. 
 That’s why so many people are writing blogs, 
 because they want to express their interests; 
 their minds are working and they’re not able to 
 really utilize all of their capacity.
</h5>
<hr />

 Q: You mentioned that individuals have to reflect on balancing their
 individual work life, family, serving humanity, and developing their
 own interests, hobbies and things like that. Do you see organizations
 taking these ideas and enabling their employees to contribute to
 social and community causes outside their work?


 KS: Well, there are many! If we just
 take Infosys, there are many people who are doing things other than
 work. We have something called Samarpan, which is all about giving
 people opportunities to do CSR projects. They go to nearby schools and
 teach. They’re part of various clubs. We also have the Samaritans
 Counseling Network, where people are trained to be counselors. They
 learn, they’re trained, and they can identify when people are in
 difficulty.


 We found that many people are interested in things other than work.
 Generally their minds are not fully occupied. There is a cognitive
 surplus, so they want to do something more. That’s why so many people
 are writing blogs, because they want to express their interests; their
 minds are working and they’re not able to really utilize all of their
 capacity. Many organizations are using CSR, and they also have internal
 clubs and various other initiatives. For example, at Infosys there is a
 running club. Many people are members, and some are organizers. They’re
 trying and doing something. Many companies are starting clubs and
 activities in their organizations, because they get people together,
 remove some of the stresses of life, and build a stronger social
 bonding.


 Q: Finally, would you like to speak about someone who has been your
 role model?


 KS: I have had many role models
 during my career. When I was a student at Xavier Labour Research
 Institute, Father McGrath, one of the founding Fathers, was one such
 role model. An American Irishman who came to India at an early age and
 stayed in India for 50 years, he embodied many admirable human qualities
 and did a lot for the community. He was respected and trusted by the
 workers of Tata Steel and the local villagers. He was a great listener,
 not at all pretentious and he valued people.


 I also remember one of my first HR Directors at Unilever. When my mother
 was going through an operation within two weeks of my joining Unilever,
 he empathetically listened to me and granted me leave with an open
 heart. He became a mentor to me and even today we are connected and
 meet. Such people make a big difference to us. They stand out in their
 humanness, empathy and the fact that they are prepared to invest a lot
 of time in us.

Q: Thank you so much.
KS: Thank you!
<hr />
<h4 style="text-align: center">
 Interviewed by V SRINIVASAN and SHARAT HEGDE
</h4>
<hr />

Cultivating leadership values - part 2

<hr><h4 style="text-align:justify;">KRISH SHANKAR is the President of the Bengaluru Chapter of the National Human Resource Development Network, and Executive Vice President and Group Head of Human Resource Development at Infosys. Krish has over 30 years of experience and has facilitated organization-wide transformation and capability development, and been instrumental in building a strong talent pool through a series of leadership development initiatives. He is an avid reader, and loves wildlife photography and trekking. A football enthusiast, he is passionate about teaching and exploring new ideas in Human Resources and organization development. In this exclusive interview, he speaks with V SRINIVASAN and SHARAT HEGDE in his hometown of Bengaluru, India.</h4><hr><hr>Q: Krish, as an HR leader, you have served in several eminent global organizations. What are the values which you have deeply cherished as an individual and which have really helped you to serve at the highest levels?KS: Over the last 30 years, the best thing is that I’ve learnt from a lot of people, a lot of leaders, and when I really look at the best people, some of their values are the ones I have internalized and applied to my life and built around.The first value is all about being genuine and authentic. It is not always easy, but if you can be genuine and authentic, and people know that what you say is what you mean, I think that’s the first step.The second value, which is behind all of this, is transparency. I have found that whatever the difficult problems or tough things, if you’re transparent about your intent – why you want to do it – and if people see the purity of the intent coming across, then even the toughest problems can be managed. For example, when you have a tough performance conversation with somebody, by telling them, “Listen, I know, but this is something that is important for you and for the company and so we want to give you…”, they accept it. So being transparent about why you are doing something is very, very important.The third value I learned when I was at Unilever. It has stayed with me right through. We called it ‘self-confident integrity’. It was actually a mix of a couple of values. One is self-confidence, in terms of why you’re saying something; you need conviction. The integrity is all about professional integrity. If you’re an HR professional, or whatever field you are in, there has to be some integrity to what you’re doing as a profession. So there has to be conviction, and you have to be true to the values of the profession, true to the values of the role you’re playing.These three values – authenticity, transparency and selfconfident integrity – I would keep as the base of how I define myself. On top of that, I found that one thing that people valued in me was what I call the ‘helping relationship’. They liked me to be a mentor, they liked me to talk, they liked me to help, and they liked me to be a coach. So I found that trying to help people is something that they valued, and they thought I was good at it. Therefore, that’s something I have built upon.&nbsp;<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">I have found that whatever the difficult problems or tough things, if you’re transparent about your intent – why you want to do it – and if people see the purity of the intent coming across, then even the toughest problems can be managed.</h4><hr>Q: How do you resolve moments of conflict between the mind and the heart at work?KS: Well, it’s a tough thing. Maybe it’s easy to say but difficult to do, but I believe you’ve really got to see how they can work together. Because if you think that the mind and heart are in conflict, then you’re not going to make things work. Somehow we’ve got to integrate the mind and the heart. Therefore your mind should think with your heart, in the sense that your mind should look at emotions, people, this and that. As you start processing those things, your decisions will become more relevant and more correct.There could be decisions where your heart is saying something, but the mind or the compulsion of the mind says something else. That will always be there, but if you really discuss and explore emotions at that time and say, “Okay, what emotions are there? Why are we feeling that?” then I think your decisions can be even better. So a little bit of reflection is what I would suggest; a little bit of using emotions and empathizing at every situation. These are the two tools that you can use to ensure that both the mind and the heart work in tandem.The reflection is always, “Why am I feeling this? What is happening? What are my fears?” And putting yourself in the shoes of other people, empathizing with them: What do they feel? How do they feel? Why should they do it? So those are the two things. Reflection and empathizing are two strong practices, which will help you to get both your mind and your heart working together.&nbsp;<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">Reflection and empathizing are two strong practices, which will help you to get both your mind and your heart working together.</h4><hr>Q: In today’s fast-paced business environment, which is very demanding in terms of results and dynamism, how do you keep your own journey joyful and also vibrant?KS: In everything that we go through in life, we always go through ups and downs. Especially over the last couple of years, there’ve been lots of instances where I have been through a lot of pressure personally. How to manage this?I look at it from the perspective of three principles that I’ve tried to use. I’m not a master at this; I’m also learning and I don’t claim that I’ve reached the stage where I can manage everything. I also go through problems, and sometimes it’s tough to really pick myself up. But there are three practices which I have seen others using, and I’ve also tried to use them:Always try and take some time off to reflect on a problem and see it as a learning opportunity. For example, suppose there’s an issue, ask yourself, “Okay, what can I learn from this?” Try to separate yourself from the problem and look at it objectively. That always helps, and sometimes I see that these issues could have been managed differently.Ensure there are other parts of your life that you want to really work on. For example, I do a bit of fitness training and running. I do a little bit of reading and writing and working for the community and writing a blog. You’ve got to keep some time so that your mind is really working on different elements and not just one type of work. Then there is family. Working and spending time with family and being there. So those are the other elements of your life to invest in.Put things in perspective. When you go through a tough situation, put the whole thing in perspective, acknowledging, “Yes, there it is.” There are others who go through even tougher problems, and there have been times when you’ve survived a tough problem, so revisit how you went through it.Also, look at where you want to be in the future: “Wow, I know all this, but this is what I want to do. This is what I want to be. This is what I want to see in the future for my team or group.” So by putting things in perspective you can look at any problem from a larger context. If you put your own journey into perspective – what you’ve been through, your tough times, and the things you’ve overcome – then you see that the issues don’t become so big. So change your perspective, and identify where any problem fits in the larger journey or objective.These three principles will definitely help you to keep going. Even if you go through ups and downs, you will move forward. I don’t say that I’ve mastered this. There are others who’ve done much better, and we should learn from them.I would say that by nature we’re all adaptable, we’re positive, that’s how we’re wired. So we’ll grow, we’ll adapt, and move on and develop. But if we spend just a little bit of time reflecting to see how we can be better, it really helps.Q: You mentioned the importance of giving time to family. Is family time compromised for most professionals in today’s business environment? What has been your own experience and insight on this subject?KS: There are two things: family and friends. Both are important. Over the last few years, spouses are also working and traveling, and to get time together is tough. But I think it’s very important. Given all the pressures that we are going through, we have to find time for this. Our family members are also going through the same thing. They’re also going tough times, and sometimes they want us there.Q: As a leader at the helm of your organization, are there any specific techniques you practice or methods you apply to stay emotionally composed and poised? The organization looks up to you, they observe what you say, they observe your body language, and they see your moods. How are you able to maintain that centeredness?KS: My experience over time has taught me two things. If you suppress all your emotions, if you don’t recognize them, that may not be the best thing in the long run. You’ve got to understand the emotions you’re going through. And some of them are okay to express also, because people also want to see a genuine human being. It is inconceivable for somebody to go through life and still be emotionless. Not many can do that; it needs a high level of nirvana to do that! But most people are not like that. Where appropriate, a little bit of emotion helps. Therefore, I believe that we’ve got to show it.Now, while I’m showing how I feel, there’s also a role I’m playing. In addition to the emotions that I’m facing, I need to also show certain emotions needed in the moment. While I may be angry about something, I can express that anger but equally I have to immediately change to show an emotion that gives people a little more hope and optimism. I have to keep both in mind. While I express emotions, I also step back and say, “Well, I feel it. But listen, we’ve got to move forward for the good of the company, for the good of the group, for the good of the team. These are some things we need to do, so let’s do this and see how we can move forward.” You have to enable that.&nbsp;<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">As an organization grows, the whole thing about managing yourself becomes very important. First, in your role as a leader there are many more things that you’re doing. You owe a lot to your team, you owe a lot to your people. That realization comes, and therefore you start thinking about your teams, you start thinking about others.</h4><hr>Q: Conventional management wisdom and the journeys of leaders seem to be hinting that a great deal of leadership is about how you manage your own self. How does managing yourself really fit into the overall equation of leadership?KS: As an organization grows, the whole thing about managing yourself becomes very important. First, in your role as a leader there are many more things that you’re doing. You owe a lot to your team, you owe a lot to your people. That realization comes, and therefore you start thinking about your teams, you start thinking about others.And you also have to manage how you are coming across. Therefore, an understanding of the role of self is very important. It’s a discipline you have to build from early on, but it’s also something which you can do by making space for the right moments of reflection and mentoring. More empathy, and more understanding of where you come from and what you’re doing, help you to be a better leader and also help you develop a perspective of more people.<hr>To be continued.<hr>&nbsp;

Cultivating leadership values – part 1

Krishnamurthy is a physician, a public health specialist and a researcher, active in the space of public and global health for two decades. Currently he is Professor of Public Health, Dean of the Faculty of Life and Allied Health Sciences, and Dean of the Office of Research and Innovation at Ramaiah University of Applied Sciences, India. 

He is a certified Heartfulness trainer and part of research team that examines the effects of contemplative and integrative practices on well-being and quality of life. He established the Center for Integrative Health and Wellbeing in Bangalore, India, and has published a book, Science & Practice of Integrative Health and Wellbeing Lifestyle, to inspire people to embrace a healthy lifestyle for holistic well-being.

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Krishnamurthy Jayanna

<h4>Dr. KRISHNAMURTHY JAYANNA is focused on the big picture: how do we ensure health and well-being for all? Here he writes about Sustainable Development Goal 3, the importance of Integrative Health, and the actions we will need to make to realize that goal.</h4><hr>The third UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) is about health and well-being. It aims at “ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being for all at all ages.” Before this, the UN’s Millennium Development Goals focused on disease, and those conditions that contributed to the most illness-related deaths around the world. While that continues to be a priority, the current SDG also showcases the UN’s commitment to improving people’s well-being and quality of life. This is a huge, progressive leap in terms of how we envision the betterment of humanity and the world as a global community.Is this realizable by 2030?While it is good to be ambitious and aspirational when setting goals, unless our approach is backed by effective intervention and implementation processes that are contextually and culturally relevant, realizing the vision will be a challenge.It is also important to be creative and innovative as we design ways to solve complex challenges, by bringing together the problems and the stakeholders. “Integrative approaches” appear to be promising, based on the evidence, and it is important that we review them critically for adoption within the public health ecosystem.The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH), the lead agency of the U.S. Government for scientific research in this space, describes Integrative Health as “an approach that brings together conventional and complementary healing processes in a coordinated way. It lays emphasis on multi-modal interventions for treating the whole person, rather than, for example, one organ system.”The integrative approach focuses on the “person,” with various disciplines collaborating to achieve a common goal. The focus is also on the “whole person,” including feelings and emotions, not just the physical symptoms and physiological factors.<hr><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/realize_SDG_3_2_da86b5168b.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-13T04:04:33.979Z" alt=""><hr>Research points to the gaps in well-being and quality of life due to the rise of chronic diseases. Treatment can be lifelong, with a greater demand for lifestyle management and treatment compliance, which can be stressful, hampering the quality of life. 40% of the U.S. population is engaged in complementary and alternative approaches (CAM) such as Tai chi, natural products, yoga, and meditation. The CAM approaches are perceived by clients as friendly and holistic, while providing more autonomy. Integrative approaches like Ayurveda recognize the unique nature of the human body-mind constitution, and offer personalized recommendations for treatment and lifestyle change. Yoga and meditation have been studied to understand their effects on physical and mental well-being, and are explored as complementary approaches to mainstream treatments.In this context, the adoption of “Integrative approaches to Health and Well-being” within national health policies is a welcome change. In India, the AYUSH systems of Ayurveda, Yoga, Unani, Siddha, and Homeopathy are integrated within the primary health care systems. More recently, “Ayush man Bharat,” a flagship program of the Government of India, is giving renewed impetus to well-being by setting up 150,000 Health and Wellness Centers across the country. The Western nations have also demonstrated openness to researching the effects of integrative approaches in specific conditions.<hr><hr><h4>Countries across the world have to focus&nbsp; on strengthening the implementation of integrative approaches through methodologies such as Implementation Science and Implementation Research.</h4><hr><hr>While these developments are certainly encouraging, they are not enough from a public health perspective. Countries across the world have to focus on strengthening the implementation of integrative approaches through methodologies such as Implementation Science and Implementation Research. These methods focus not on a single intervention, but a package of interventions, and an intervention model as well as implementation processes that influence community health and well-being.Research agendas and investments need to align in this direction. The small pilot studies, predominantly conducted in hospital settings, can expand into large-sample, community-based studies. Disease-centric studies can expand their focus to address the entire continuum of health – from disease prevention to treatment to rehabilitation.Integrative health policies have been framed. The next step is to strengthen the science and research for a population-wide impact. Collaboration between implementation stakeholders and institutions is going to be critical, as we continue our march toward this vital SDG.<hr><hr>References<ol><li><code>Sustainable Development Goals [Internet]. https://sdgs.un.org/goals. UN [cited 2022 October 11]. Available from: </code><a href="https://sdgs.un.org"><code>https://sdgs.un.org</code></a><code>.</code></li><li><code>Complementary, Alternative, or Integrative Health: What’s in a Name? [Internet]. https://www.nccih.nih.gov. [cited 2021 Jul 19]. Available from: </code><a href="https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/complementary-alternative-or-integrative-health-whats-in-a-name"><code>https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/complementary-alternative-or-integrative-health-whats-in-a-name</code></a><code>.</code></li><li><code>Clarke, T.C., L.I. Black, B.J. Stussman, P.M. Barnes, and R.L. Nahin, 2015. “Trends in the use of complementary health approaches among adults: United States, 2002-2012.” National Health Statistics Reports.10, 79:1-16.</code></li><li><code>Lobb, R.and G.A. Colditz, 2013. “Implementation science and its application to population health.”Annual Review of Public Health.34:235-51.</code></li><li><code>Roy, R, 2010. “Integrative medicine to tackle the problem of chronic diseases.” Journal of Ayurveda and Integrative Medicine.1, 1:18-21.</code></li><li><code>Lahariya, C, 2018. “Ayushman Bharat” Program and Universal Health Coverage in India. Indian Pediatrics. 55, 6:495-506.</code></li></ol><hr>

How can we realize SDG 3 by 2030?

Krista Tippett

Turning up and doing it again

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Kristi Ling Spencer

Honor your needs

Kristin Neff

Transforming lives

Kumaresh is widely regarded in Indian classical music for his collaborative project with his brother, Ganesh. They have captivated worldwide audiences for over four decades with their remarkable creativity and technique steeped in Carnatic traditions. Their music is international and their communication through music crosses all boundaries.&nbsp;

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Kumaresh Rajagopalan

<h4 style="text-align:justify;">KUMARESH RAJAGOPALAN performed at the Global Spirituality Mahotsav, along with Shankar Mahadevan and Shashank Subramanyam, and here he speaks about music and how it unites us.</h4>&nbsp;It is so important to show the world the beauty of being spiritual, and of our country being spiritual by nature. Being spiritual can take away the differences, take away the violence between people, and bring everyone together in this divided world.And music is one element that brings all of us together. It is beyond meaning. It is beyond division. It is beyond race and religion. Just like you cannot see the Divine, you cannot see music. You can only perceive the Divine, and you can only perceive and experience music. You cannot grasp the Divine, and you cannot grasp music in your fingers. The Divine is beyond; it’s not the earth, nor the wind, nor the air, nor the fire. Music is also none of these. So it is good fortune that we have the ability to connect to that soundscape. And the Divine is using us as a channel to express that sound, which evokes a lot of different emotions in people. So we feel blessed, so honored to be part of this very unique spiritual program.The source of sound, the source of music, is the aural and visual reflection of silence. Music is an aural medium, but when we sing a song, there are words. So the words bring out the visual element. If you take the melody without the words, it is just an aural experience. Beneath that, where does it come from? Silence. To be silent is very important, to be silent within, so that we can grasp the nuance of that sound.Each swara (note) is connected to each chakra in our body. The seven notes, sa re ga ma pa dha ni, are connected with the seven chakras, from Muladhara to Sahastra Dal Kamal. So, it is a beautiful journey. We are so fortunate that we are able to embark on that journey to unravel the mysteries of sound, the mysteries of what is music. It's a kaleidoscopic reflection of Om. The seven swaras are the kaleidoscopic reflection of all. And we are able to connect to that and sit in silence and then let the music happen. It’s beautiful.It is very important to be spiritual. I would say natural rather than spiritual, because that’s our natural state, to be musical; all of us are musical in our own way. The music has an impact on us. Some people are able to experience music, some are able to express music, some are able to find joy in music, some are able to create music. It’s all each person’s connection to that beautiful source. Like a Wi Fi connection, those who can access the network feel blessed.I play my violin, and people say it is good. I don’t know. What makes it likeable? It is what is called the Divine, and a blessing. So I cannot thank my guru, my parents, my spiritual gurus enough for their guidance. I’m ever grateful.Music is such an important part of my family. My brother and my wife are absolutely phenomenal musicians. The conversation helps us all a lot to give different perspectives. The beauty is this: when our father guided both my brother and me, he never wanted us to follow one path. He wanted us to find our own identity so that we could identify with our own sound, our own philosophy. “What do you want to convey through your music? There is a lot of information given by great saints, great spiritual gurus, great musicians, but what do you have to say? Each of you should have a story to tell, it should not be the same.” That is the guidance he gave us.And my wife has a totally different thought process. So the conversation enhances my experience, my expression, my understanding. I love being a student of music, as it unravels so many beautiful things.<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">Each swara (note) is connected to each chakra in our body.&nbsp; The seven notes, sa re ga ma pa dha ni,&nbsp; are connected with the seven chakras,&nbsp; from Muladhara to Sahastra Dal Kamal. So, it is a beautiful journey.&nbsp;</h4><hr><figure class="image image_resized" style="width:50%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/mysteries_of_music2_5ae8de7124.webp" alt="mysteries-of-music2.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_mysteries_of_music2_5ae8de7124.webp 145w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/large_mysteries_of_music2_5ae8de7124.webp 600w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/mysteries_of_music2_5ae8de7124.webp 600w," sizes="100vw"></figure>While playing with other musicians, it’s just like having a conversation. We are talking; you ask me something, I tell you something, and we carry the conversation forward. So, for an ensemble to happen, it is very important to understand the personalities. When somebody sings, or somebody creates art (music is an art), it is their personality that is being expressed. When we understand the personalities, it becomes that much more comfortable to communicate through music. We seek to speak the same language, sapt swara, so it should work. As long as we complement each other, as long as there is no competition, it’s beautiful.The beauty is the way our rishis have set it up to have a direct reflection on life. To understand something in life, you need discipline and freedom in your thought process. Similarly, in music, you need discipline and freedom, the freedom is a melody, the discipline is a thought. Only if you have freedom with discipline will you be able to express things in an expanded manner. With freedom in thought, then the discipline of the subject takes you deeper to get an expanded idea of what it is. What are the different things you understand from the depth of that subject? What is your inner impression? How can you say it better than previously, because music changes with each generation. What we play now is totally different from what was played forty to fifty years ago. Fifty years on, it will be a different sound altogether, because the impression of the social and economic goes in and comes out as sound. The more tapasya you do, the more disciplined you are, the better you will express.For example, the South Indian Manodharma is an improvised form of Carnatic music that uses the discipline of the raga, the melodic composition, and the tala, the rhythmic composition, as a framework in which to allow freedom. The same principle applies in both Carnatic and Hindustani ragas. It’s a beautiful parallel between life and music.You create within the freedom that is given to you. It is like creating your own identity, creating your own thoughts, your own way of life, which can be different from everybody else, while the social structure, the framework is the same. You have to work within that framework. Raga and tala is the same; the same Raga Bageshree is played differently by each musician, but the core structure of the raga cannot change.And in this time of incredible change, music is always in safe hands. We are talking about the Divine. There’s always somebody who will take it up and bring about a larger picture for their generation to look up to. As long as humankind is there, music is there.Experiencing music within is the best music you can ever hear. It’s like this: There are so many things you can think, but you can’t say everything when you start talking. The thought process changes completely. Similarly, when you listen to music in silence, unheard melodies are the best.&nbsp;

The mysteries of music

Music brings us together

Kunal is a clinician in the field of infectious diseases in Dayton, Ohio. He is also medical director of employee health for Kettering Health Network and director of the antimicrobial stewardship program at So in Medical Center. He is involved in research projects on the effect of Heartfulness Meditation on lifestyle.

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Kunal Desai

<h4>KUNAL DESAI is
 an infectious diseases clinician from Ohio, whose research highlights the relationship between gut microbes and
 health. He explores how an imbalanced gut microbiome can affect our immune system, leaving us vulnerable to disease
 – physical and mental. Inner harmony is key, he suggests, and meditation can help us achieve It.</h4>

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 Various events and life experiences teach us and help us evolve, if we accept
 them with an open heart and a contemplative mind. All of us have experienced
 how a subtle single-celled microbe can influence the entire humanity
 –Covid-19. The pandemic not only impacted our physical health; it tested our
 mental strength and well-being. We clearly noticed a significant rise in
 mental health problems during and after the pandemic. As an infectious
 diseases specialist and a seeker embarking on a spiritual journey, I witnessed
 this pandemic unfolding from a different vantage point. It led me to an
 obvious question: what can we learn from this experience? What message does
 this subtle microbe have for us?



 Let us first explore some science! We may not like microbes, but we are home
 to millions of them, primarily in the gut, known as the gut microbiome. Many
 chronic lifestyle diseases, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and
 obesity, are considered risk factors for severe infections such as
 Covid-19,and studies have shown a clear link between these health problems and
 a disturbance in homeostasis among gut microbes, defined as dysbiosis.1
 It can be understood simply as a “subtle disturbance in a harmonious
 relationship among widely diverse colonies of microbes.” Have you ever had a
 nervous stomach when you were stressed or anxious? We have all experienced how
 our mental state impacts our gut at one time or another. In fact,
 psychological stress is considered to be one of the most common causes of gut
 dysbiosis. Research has now described a link between the gut microbiome and
 mental health problems in the context of the Gut-Microbiome-Brain axis.2
 The millions of microbes present within us seem to react subtly to our
 thoughts and emotions, positively or negatively, resulting in significant
 physiological and immunological changes. These changes influence mental and
 physical health.


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<h4 class="has-text-align-center">
 The millions of microbes
 present within us seem to react subtly to
 our thoughts and emotions, positively or negatively, resulting in
 significant physiological and immunological changes. These changes
 influence mental and physical health.
</h4>

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 When we carefully observe the spectrum of Covid-19 infections, we see that the
 degree of immune response to the virus determines the severity of the illness
 to a large extent. Studies have shown that gut dysbiosis contributes to a
 dysregulated immune response to Covid-19.2 An optimal immune
 response is vital in fighting such infections with or without vaccines. Based
 on scientific evidence, we can deduce that pre-illness health status and
 stress, and the anxiety associated with the disease play a considerable role
 in the outcome of many illnesses.



 So, how does this science help us? What is the message from the Covid-19
 microbe? Unexpected events, illnesses, and difficulties, small or big, are
 inevitable. In his book, As a Man Thinketh, James Allen explains,
 “Anxiety quickly demoralizes the whole body, and lays it open to the entrance
 of disease.” We can certainly strive to improve our response to such
 challenges.



 Entrepreneur and author Jack Canfield gives us a simple equation: Event +
 Response= Outcome.



 Psychological and emotional well-being are not only vital in maintaining good
 health, but also impact the outcome of an unexpected physical alignment. It is
 only wise to learn techniques to maintain emotional balance as a caregiver or
 patient. An inner state of balance and harmony is a hallmark of our
 psychological and emotional well-being.



 The simple practice of Heartfulness Meditation has helped me maintain this
 inner state of balance during both challenging and good times. It allows me to
 access inner resources to cultivate poise, leading to calm amidst crisis and
 chaos. Don’t we all seek such a state of mind?



 We conducted a study during the Covid-19 pandemic where we assessed the
 effects of an 8-week Heartfulness Meditation practice on psychological
 well-being, as measured by the level of stress, sleep quality, and subjective
 experiences.3 Interestingly, when we asked how worried the
 participants were about acquiring Covid themselves or in their families during
 the study period, no change was noted during the 8 weeks. We did observe,
 however, a significant stress reduction and improved sleep quality.
 Participants were also able to cultivate inner peace and resilience. Only a
 few weeks of Heartfulness practice helped to change the “R = Response” to the
 event or crisis.&nbsp;


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<h4 class="has-text-align-center">
 An inner state of balance
 and harmony is a hallmark of our
 psychological and emotional well-being.
</h4>

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 <figure>
 <img decoding="async" width="600" height="821" alt="" class="mx-auto d-block lazyload has-img-center"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/message_from_microbe2_29d51f3c30.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-13T04:20:18.019Z" />
 </figure>
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 Some of us from a purely scientific background may question contemplative
 practices like meditation. The word “yoga” is often misunderstood to mean
 physical exercises, whereas yoga truly means the union with the higher self.
 Heartfulness incorporates all eight limbs of Ashtanga Yoga, but unlike many
 yoga traditions, it starts with the contemplative practices first – the sixth,
 seventh, and eighth limbs, Dharana, Dhyana, and Samadhi.4
 Science helps us understand that the practice of meditation is not merely for
 spiritual pursuit. It impacts all aspects of human well-being, including
 psychological and physical. This pursuit of inner balance and harmony is
 possible through simple practices that are practical in everyone’s daily
 routine, regardless of vocation. A virus, considered an enemy, and the
 millions of microbes living within us, seem to convey a subtle but profound
 message that humans must strive to seek inner balance and harmony. Future
 research may shed more light and bring an eclipse of science and spirituality.
 In the meantime, we have enough reasons to embrace yogic practices like
 Heartfulness, that bring us inner harmony and health.



 References


<ol class="has-text-color" style="color: #57697d">
 <li>
 Cuevas-Sierra, A.,et. al., 2019. Diet, Gut Microbiota, and Obesity: Links
 with Host Genetics and Epigenetics and Potential Applications. In:
 Advances in Nutrition. Vol. 10. Oxford University Press. S17-S30.
 doi:10.1093/advances/nmy078
 </li>
 <li>
 Rieder, R., et. al., 2017. Microbes and mental health: A review.
 Brain Behav Immun. 66:9-17. doi:10.1016/j.bbi.2017.01.016
 </li>
 <li>
 Desai, K. et. al., 2021. Impact of virtual heartfulness meditation program
 on stress, quality of sleep, and psychological wellbeing during the covid-19
 pandemic: A mixed-method study. Int J Environ Res Public Health.
 18(21). doi:10.3390/ijerph182111114
 </li>
 <li>
 van’t Westeinde, A. and K.D. Patel, 2022. Heartfulness Meditation: A Yogic
 and Neuroscientific Perspective. Front Psychol. 13(May).
 doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2022.806131
 </li>
</ol>

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