Negin is a social entrepreneur and activist, who is committed to inner change. She is also a writer, a dreamer, a consciousness and communication coach, and an educator. She has been meditating for a long time, and rejoices in supporting others to get in touch with their inner being. She also uses poetry and music sessions to bring about catharsis, and unite people in oneness.

Negin.png

Negin M. Khorasani

<h4>
 NEGIN KHORASANI&nbsp;throws light on
 the beauty of the inner Self – its nature and its role in discernment.
</h4>

 Many of us who are in the process of self-refinement are striving to
 become more and more gentle and loving; to respond in a state of love
 rather than fear-based reactions. Sometimes we are unsuccessful.. Later,
 when we review the events and don’t feel so good about them, we justify
 ourselves by saying that being severe is another godly quality that is
 needed, just as Shiva had both qualities. So is it just a matter of
 recognizing the right time for the right response? This complicates
 things – it brings the mind into the picture to decide on the right
 response, and the mind never seems to make it simple for us.

<hr />
<h4 style="text-align: center">
 Our task, as Rumi says, is to remove all our inner barriers against love; 
 barriers that separate us from the Ultimate. 
</h4>
<hr />

 Another approach is through the heart, where we develop Godly qualities.
 Our thinking faculty becomes a field to receive intuition, our intellect
 evolves into wisdom, and our ego becomes as subtle as possible, so that
 we are free from self-centeredness, and self-consciousness, and expand
 into the consciousness of Divinity. We see nothing but the presence of
 God, inside and outside.


 <img
 class="img-float-left has-img-center-in-mobile lazyload"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/ultimate_gentleness2_b9fd2f87d7.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-04T07:09:13.994Z"
 alt="ultimate-gentleness2"
 />In this state, we are no longer driven by plans to be either gentle or
 forceful. We are in a state of utmost surrender and acceptance. If
 applying force is needed from our side, it happens in a natural and
 intuitive way, without us thinking or planning for it. It is not driven
 by our ego but by our higher Self in constant communion with the Divine.
 Love rules it, not defensiveness to protect our ego. Love sees no
 barrier and separation; love sees all as part of the Divine and does
 what is needed.


 When we see all that comes our way as coming from the Divine, as pure
 wisdom and as the ultimate good for all, we develop faith and later
 reach a state of surrender to the Divine. So we go with the flow without
 the least resistance. In this state, our desires and egotistical motives
 have vanished. There are no more personal likes and dislikes, no more
 resistance, and that to me is the ultimate gentleness. I always think of
 water as a lesson in how the gentle conquers the hard. When water
 reaches a big rock, it does not fight with it but just finds its way
 around it, and ultimately rolls the big rock from its place without
 spending any extra energy to do so. Strength is embedded in gentleness.
 There is no need to strive for it.


 I have been always amazed by how ancient traditions consider our inner
 Self to be the feminine side of us. According to ancient collective
 wisdom, we all have a feminine side, our subtler, finer Self; our inner
 self that represents true strength. There is a tarot card, Strength,
 which has a picture of an angelic female who has tamed a lion. This card
 represents our inner Self, which is able to tame our animal nature in
 its primal form. In fact, the will and passion of our instinctive nature
 need not be broken but refined and brought to consciousness, so that all
 levels of creation come into harmony. The persuasive ‘forceless force’
 of the feminine can nurture and induce cooperation from everyone and
 everything, stilling disruptive energies by harmonizing differences in
 the spirit of collective goodwill. That is what the balance between Yin
 and Yang, Anima and Animus means.

<hr />
<h4 style="text-align: center">
 So we go with the flow without the least resistance. 
 In this state, our desires and egotistical motives have vanished. 
 There are no more personal likes and dislikes, 
 no more resistance, and that&nbsp;to me is the ultimate gentleness.
</h4>
<hr />

 Our task is not in trying to think when to be loving and gentle and when
 to be severe and tough. Our task, as Rumi says, is to remove all our
 inner barriers against love; barriers that separate us from the
 Ultimate. To sublimate our ego and purify our consciousness more and
 more. To immerse ourselves in Godly remembrance so much so that the
 right thoughts, words and actions emerge in any situation in a natural
 and effortless way. There is no need to plan to be severe or to protect.
 When we dissolve the ego and remain connected to the Divine, are we not
 just a drop in this vast ocean? Are we not one with all? Are we not
 feeling already protected and safe? The task is just to dissolve
 ourselves – fana, as they call it in the Sufi tradition.

<hr />
<h4 style="text-align: center">Article by NEGIN M. KHORASANI</h4>
<hr />

Ultimate gentleness is the ultimate strength

<h4 style="text-align: justify;">NEGIN M. KHORASANI searches for the quiddity&nbsp;of&nbsp;happiness.</h4>

<hr class="vertical-space1">

What would you wish for if you had a genie? A villa in the Canary Islands? A
 Lamborghini? A luxury vacation? Or something more sustainable: a bank account that never ends, which would maintain
 a high standard of living with all these things and many more? Or perhaps you wish for beauty? Or for the man or
 woman of your dreams, your perfect mate, with whom you can live happily ever after?
Let’s pause right here, on the very last phrase, “happily ever after”, the words that
 all our fairy tale stories end with. Isn’t it the core and the essence of all our endeavors? Isn’t this everlasting
 happiness the reason we need our jobs, titles and money? After all, happiness is what we pursue through all these
 things. We believe they will make us happy, be it our hard work, our career, our leisure activities, our
 relationships, and our material possessions and money. So why not focus on our goal in the first place, instead of
 the tools that might help us to achieve it? Why not focus on happiness?
So let’s look at the quiddity of happiness. How exactly can you define it without
 getting into the trap of equating it with the ways and means to getting it? So to be very clear, happiness is not
 the money, the luxury lifestyle, the most exotic and desirable food you may think of, a perfect relationship, or
 being in a happily balanced family life with your children around you, etc. These are all ways we think will help us
 reach a state of happiness.
In order to define happiness, let’s recall the inner state and condition we have when we
 achieve any of the items on our list. How did you feel in that moment when you reunited with a loved one after being
 apart for a while? How did you feel when you were holding your baby for the first time? Or how do you feel in simple
 moments of satisfaction, for example after a good meal in a nice environment? It seems that in all these moments we
 experience a feeling of our needs or desires being fulfilled, whatever they might be, so we are able to go beyond
 and immerse ourselves in a state of balance, serenity and harmony.
We are where we have to be, in the blissful present moment. We do not want to go
 anywhere else, as we are happy being exactly where we are. We feel a sense of belonging to something bigger than
 ourselves, connected, surrounded by it, and fulfilled. It is a feeling of being safe and supported, complete, whole
 and at home.
This feeling of connection in the moment, of feeling safe and at home, seems to be the
 key factor associated with happiness. So to further our search for happiness maybe it would be wise to search for
 its essence; this feeling of connectedness, unity and inner contentment. This brings us to the heart; not the
 physical pump that we have in our chest, but the field where we receive our emotions. It is the core of our being
 where we can settle in and enjoy the feeling of connectedness to the whole of creation and feel at home. So it seems
 the journey of a thousand miles has brought us to the closest possible corner of the world, right here, available
 anytime; our heart. Isn’t it amazing how available is that we have searched for throughout human history?
Now the question is: how to access this seemingly familiar and close corner, which tends
 to recede and stay far from reach? Both logic and experience says the means to simple things must be simple.
<hr>
<h5 style="text-align: center;">So when we go within, tune into it, 
 feel the connection and behold it, 
 day after day, 
 we start a process of becoming 
 one with it.</h5>
<hr>
Meditation is a simple way to access the simplicity of the heart; to feel the inner
 presence, the joy we all are in our essence, the light that we are. This is our natural state. So when we go within,
 tune into it, feel the connection and behold it, day after day, we start a process of becoming one with it. This
 apparently very insignificant and passive activity of meditation that we do every day is the most potent way to
 explore this inner world. It also allows us to create our day and in perusing it persistently we can create our life
 in a balanced harmonious state that is full of happiness.
Heartfulness is the process of finding the philosopher stone rather than the gold. For
 then we can turn every ordinary thing into gold, every ordinary moment into a joyful experience. That is the
 miraculous alchemy of Heartfulness, when you are in that lovely corner of the whole world, your heart.

<hr class="vertical-space1">

<hr>
<h4 style="text-align: center;">Article&nbsp; by NEGIN M. KHORASANI</h4>
<hr>

Beholding and becoming

default

Negin Motamed

<hr class="vertical-space1">
<h4>NEGIN MOTAMED explores some fundamental principles of Nature about giving and
 receiving, and how we can limit ourselves by a belief system of scarcity and replace it with a new belief system of
 abundance.</h4>

<hr class="vertical-space1">

When we don’t know how to give in order to receive, we are unaware of one of the most
 powerful laws of Nature. We may continue seeking and never be satisfied in our search. Many of us believe in
 scarcity and are in a state of poverty consciousness. We therefore stay in that state our whole lives. How can we
 receive what we don’t believe exists? The universe seems to always approve our belief, whatever it may be. If we
 believe in scarcity, that remains our reality; if we trust the universe and all its mysterious ways, we will observe
 in a state of wonder how things find their way to us from unknown sources. Even without knowing how, we can live in
 absolute abundance.
Abundance starts with a state of mind. Only when we deeply believe in it, and allow the
 trust that is naturally generated as a result of this belief to prevail, will we no longer be afraid of giving. We
 know we are connected to the treasury of the universe. Even if it seems momentarily gone, it will come again,
 whatever it may be that we are giving – wealth, love, care, etc. Only with this inner condition and mental state
 does abundance appear as our physical reality.
<hr>
<h5 style="text-align: center;">Abundance starts with a state of mind. 
 Only when we deeply believe in it, 
 and allow the trust that is naturally 
 generated as a result of this belief to prevail, 
 will we no longer be afraid of giving.
</h5>
<hr>
It is one of the laws of Nature that there is never an empty space in Nature. 
 As Goethe beautifully says, “It is the nature of grace always to fill spaces that have been empty.” 
 The wise ones know there is no emptiness in Nature. Where an empty space appears, it is immediately filled with
 something else. The emptiness is just momentary. And as a something new appears in the place of the old, its fresh
 energy and newness fills our energy and flows to other areas of our life. So we never have to be afraid of losing
 anything. For example, take a relationship that has not worked, despite all the efforts we have put in to save it.
 Of course it is sad, but can we also ask, “What will come in its place? I am ready to embrace the new and fresh
 energy!”
We make our choices, and in turn they shape our reality. ‘Poverty consciousness’ or
 ‘abundance consciousness’ – the choice is always ours. If we choose poverty consciousness, we remain in a state of
 worry and we stick to what we have, whether in our bank account, in the form of other possessions, or in other
 resources. Worry is an indication that we believe in the absence of what we are worried about. That in itself
 interferes blocks the manifestation of the desired object. If we choose abundance consciousness, we accept abundance
 as our reality and we believe in the presence of it.
<hr class="vertical-space1">
<img decoding="async" alt="giving is receiving" class="w-100"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/giving_receiving2_240e22d7a6.jpg">
<hr class="vertical-space1">
Therefore we enjoy a relaxed state of mind, as we are always spending from the treasury
 of the universe rather than a bank account. When we choose this state, we start giving constantly in the trust that
 it keeps coming. We become part of the flow of Nature. We become a conduit. Nature will know that it has found a
 proper conduit that allows everything to pass through.
I am not talking of wasting resources but of being an open conduit for whatever should
 pass through, according to the wisdom of Nature. And when we are connected to that wisdom, we do not see separation
 between ourselves and Nature, which is the source of everything. Neither do we see separation between ourselves and
 other beings. We have one hand in Nature’s hand, and the other hand&nbsp;in anybody’s we come across. We receive
 from one hand and give from the other. In a state of oneness we naturally give warmth to the cold, food to the
 hungry, wealth to the poor, love and care to the ones in need, companionship to the ones who feel lonely. It is like
 feeling an itch in one hand and the other hand automatically scratches it, or when you wrap your hands around your
 body when you feel cold and rub your arms to give warmth.
If we think about it, nothing remains intact with the winds of change in our world. So
 why cling to things that result in worry, which will block abundance? Instead we can develop our preferred state of
 mind and feeling, and stay there in its safety.
Remaining in a state means maintaining a certain vibration, and that vibration
 translates into matter of the same vibration. That is how we attract certain people, events and circumstances in our
 lives that are in accordance with our state of mind or vibratory level. Therefore the real work is done on our inner
 state, changing our limiting beliefs and thought patterns based on lack and scarcity. We can change them into what
 serves us as well as people around us better. This may seem easier said than done, but we can break it down and make
 it simple.
Our beliefs are the thoughts that we have practiced for a long time. 
 So try to think new thoughts and start practicing them long enough to turn them into beliefs. 
 This is even easier when we are free from the grip of old thought patterns by means of a mental cleaning process.

<hr>
<h5 style="text-align: center;">When we feel supported by the universe, 
 we feel relaxed about life. 
 We trust life and believe in its support 
 whenever and wherever it is needed.
</h5>
<hr>
When we feel supported by the universe, we feel relaxed about life. We trust life and
 believe in its support whenever and wherever it is needed. Then we can smile deeply, expand and dance freely in our
 being. We start to live in abundance, and to live all those beautiful feelings that abundance brings us, as that is
 the reason we seek it in the first place. That sense of freedom, choice, relaxation, ease and generosity is but the
 result of deeply believing in the abundance that surrounds us. And when we live it truly, the vibration that is sent
 to the universe will attract equivalent things, people and events.
The universe has no choice other than yielding abundance to such a person, and that is
 why we see carefree and generous people receiving more and more. They have learned, through their life experiences
 or an inner knowing, that giving is truly receiving. And ultimately when we give something, we are always giving
 ourselves.
<hr class="vertical-space1">
<hr>
<h4 style="text-align: center;">Article by&nbsp;NEGIN MOTAMED</h4>
<hr>

Giving is receiving

NELLA AROSSA

His Excellency, Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela (1918&nbsp;– 2013) was a South African anti-apartheid activist, politician, and statesman who served as the first president of South Africa from 1994 to 1999. He was the country's first black head of state and the first elected in a representative democratic election. By the time of his death, in South Africa Mandela was widely considered both “the father of the nation” and "the founding father of democracy". Outside of South Africa, he was a global icon, with people describing him as one of the most revered figures of our time.Over the course of his life, Mandela was given over 250 awards, accolades, prizes, honorary degrees and citizenships in recognition of his political achievements. Among these awards were the Nobel Peace Prize, the US Presidential Medal of Freedom, and the Soviet Union's Lenin Peace Prize. In 1990, India awarded him the Bharat Ratna, and he was appointed to the Order of Isabella the Catholic and the Order of Canada, and was the first living person to be made an honorary Canadian citizen. Queen Elizabeth II appointed him as a Bailiff Grand Cross of the Order of St. John and granted him membership in the Order of Merit.&nbsp;

Nelson Mandela.webp

Nelson Mandela

Make peace with your enemy

Nicole has 23 years of experience in education. Her drive comes from her commitment to providing the best quality education for all students at Novi High School and beyond. She was honored as the Michigan Secondary Principal of the Year in March 2022 by the Michigan Association of Secondary School Principals and the Michigan Association of Student Councils and Honor Societies.

Lina is a senior at Novi High School. She leads the Student Mental Health Committee and is an aspiring medical professional and programmer, interested in solving problems at the intersection of mental health, epigenetics, and computer science. She enjoys meditating daily and listening to Taylor Swift. She has conducted and published research to explore noninvasive ways to address mental health disorders in teenagers.

Priya is a junior at Novi High School. She is an aspiring scientist interested in mental health and building inclusive community platforms for free and creative expression. She loves playing the piano and singing in her free time. She is an avid member of the student council and volunteers her time to help others. She loves solving problems by developing apps and conducting research to explore the impact of technology in mental health.

NICOLE-CARTER-LINA-PRIYA-IYER.jpg

Nicole Carter, Lina Iyer, and Priya Iyer

<h4>
 NICOLE
 CARTER
 is Michigan’s “High School Principal of the Year, 2022.” Nicole and two of
 her students,
 LINA
 IYER
 and
 PRIYA
 IYER, share how they have been ensuring that Novi High School is a place where
 students feel they belong.
</h4>

<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<h4 class="has-text-align-center">
 “Keep your face to the sunshine, and you cannot see a shadow.” Helen Keller
</h4>

<hr class="vertical-space1" />


 NC:
 Fostering positivity and creating opportunity for self-care in schools can
 help the school community rise above challenges.&nbsp;As the principal of Novi
 High School, Michigan, I have the responsibility of setting a positive tone,
 and developing a school culture where students feel seen, heard, and valued.
 &nbsp;



 I use intentionality to inspire students, staff, and the community. We begin
 every day with “It’s another great day to be a Novi Wildcat.” This simple
 phrase reminds everyone how special it is to be a member of this incredible
 learning community.



 We strive to make our large, comprehensive high school feel small by
 incorporating an advisory circle practice every Tuesday. Developing a safe,
 secure learning environment lends to the social and emotional well-being of
 our students. We prioritize it at the same level as academics. Studies show
 that students who feel they belong achieve a higher level of success.&nbsp;



 Fostering positivity has significant and impactful benefits on the mind. It
 creates a sense of optimism and self-encouragement. MRI scans of the brain
 show evidence of increased neural pathways and brain usage where neural
 activity has increased as a benefit of practicing positive affirmations to
 foster happiness.



 The results from a research study conducted by the Palo Alto Research Center
 and the Computer Science Department of the University of California at Santa
 Cruz, on fostering positivity, concluded that individuals who were initially
 self-affirmative completed a larger percentage of their goals compared with
 those who had no initial self-affirmation.


<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<hr />

<h4 class="has-text-align-center">
 Fostering
 positivity has significant and impactful benefits on the mind. It creates a sense
 of optimism and self-encouragement.
</h4>

<hr />

<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<h4>
 How can we foster positivity in our
 lives?
</h4>


 LI and
 PI:
 One way is through positive affirmations – statements and phrases that empower
 and support us. By practicing self-affirmation, we can look at our different
 aspects in a positive way. We also become better at adjusting to new
 situations.



 Positive affirmations can be used to motivate yourself, encourage positive
 changes in your life, and boost your self-esteem by describing how you want to
 be, or how you want your circumstances to be.&nbsp;



 For instance, heartful affirmations can be used to strengthen the positive
 traits of the heart. These affirmations help you become centered, relaxed, and
 open. When you connect internally, you are better able to connect externally
 to everyone and everything around you.&nbsp;



 Keep a Gratitude Journal to write about things or people that you are grateful
 for. You will focus more on the positive aspects of your life. There is no
 wrong way to do it! Writing for just 15 minutes a few times a week and being
 consistent about it will have a significant impact on your life.


<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<hr />

<h4 class="has-text-align-center">
 When you
 connect internally, you are better able to connect externally to everyone and
 everything around you.&nbsp;
</h4>

<hr />

<h4>
 U
 matter
</h4>


 At our school, we try to foster positivity and self-care through the Student
 Mental Health Committee, which began in 2016 with the support of our
 principal, Ms. Nicole Carter. It spreads awareness about mental health among
 our student community, and increases a sense of compassion among students, to
 reduce the social stigma surrounding mental illness, and to help the students
 maintain physical, mental, and emotional balance.



 One of the main events we hold every year is the “U Matter Week.” It is a week
 filled with activities so that the staff and students feel like they are the
 priority. Throughout the week, each day has a theme that represents an idea
 about mental wellness. This, in turn, serves to raise awareness.


<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<div>
 <figure>
 <img decoding="async" width="700" alt="" class="lazyload w-100 has-img-center"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/U_Matter2_700x466_b257f11fdb.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-13T10:36:51.984Z" />
 </figure>
</div>

<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<h4>
 Mental health
</h4>


 We conduct a multitude of activities, at lunchtime and after school, to help
 students relieve stress and maintain physical, emotional, and mental
 well-being. These activities include tying friendship bracelets, playing with
 puppies, and listening to motivational speakers.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;



 This year, we ended our week with the “Crush the Stigma” event. Students wrote
 down their stressors, challenges, and things that were weighing on them on
 three cars. Eventually, they saw the cars crushed at the end of the week. The
 purpose of this event was to help students anonymously vent things that were
 bothering them.



 After the Oxford shooting last year(at a neighboring school), many students
 had difficulty managing the new level of anxiety. They felt uneasy coming to
 school. We wanted to do something, so we held a Self-care Week, which gave
 students the time and opportunity to try out different mental health
 activities. We also encouraged them to try out Heartfulness tools.&nbsp;



 Earlier this year, we conducted an Institutional Review Board approved study
 at our school to explore the impact of self-care programs on students and
 staff; to see the effects of these programs on anxiety, life satisfaction, and
 loneliness, using widely accepted scales. A total of 44 individuals
 participated.



 The study showed a significant decrease in levels of anxiety and loneliness,
 as well as increased life satisfaction scores in those trying the Heartfulness
 tools from weeks 0 to 4,and this was maintained through weeks 4 to 8. In the
 control group, there were no significant changes from weeks 0 to 4, but a
 significant decrease in the levels of anxiety and loneliness and increase in
 life satisfaction scores from weeks 4 to 8.&nbsp;


<h4>
 Looking ahead
</h4>


 We are looking forward to working with our school community, and inspiring
 other schools to enhance the learning experience of every student, while
 giving them a safe, positive, and caring environment in which to grow.


<hr />

<hr class="vertical-space1" />

References:


 Cascio, C.N., M.B. O’Donnell, F.J. Tinney, M.D. Lieberman, S.E. Taylor, V.J.
 Strecher, E.B. Falk, 2016. Self-affirmation activates brain systems associated
 with self-related processing and reward and is reinforced by future
 orientation. Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci.Apr, 11(4):621-9. doi:
 10.1093/scan/nsv136.&nbsp;<a
 href="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.google.com/url?q%3Dhttps://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4814782/%26amp;sa%3DD%26amp;source%3Deditors%26amp;ust%3D1668000920231478%26amp;usg%3DAOvVaw2wG7OZt2M_vsteHisBL_C8&amp;sa=D&amp;source=docs&amp;ust=1668000920239363&amp;usg=AOvVaw1nTJUKIrcQ3rT62hverMRG">https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4814782/</a>



 Springer, A.,&nbsp;A. Venkatakrishnan,&nbsp;S. Mohan,&nbsp;L. Nelson,&nbsp;M.
 Silva,&nbsp;P. Pirolli, 2018. Leveraging Self-Affirmation to Improve
 Behavior Change: A Mobile Health App Experiment.
 JMIR Mhealth Uhealth, 6(7):e157. doi:&nbsp;<a href="https://doi.org/10.2196/mhealth.9151" target="_blank"
 rel="noreferrer noopener">10.2196/mhealth.9151</a>&nbsp;

U matter

Nilakshi is the Director, Office of Public Affairs at the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha’is of India. She promotes social change, including fostering a new culture of equality in India and the transformation of society structures that prevent women’s full and meaningful participation in public life.

Nilakshi-Rajkhowa.webp

NILAKSHI RAJKHOWA

<h4 style="text-align:justify;">NILAKSHI RAJKHOWA is the Director, Office of Public Affairs, National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha’i Faith in India. During the Mahotsav, she challenged everyone to join together to overcome our current crises, by starting with the heart.</h4>&nbsp;Heartful greetings on behalf of the Baha’i Community to each and every one of you. I’m delighted and honored to be part of this Global Spirituality Mahotsav. Thank you for bringing us all together.I would like to begin with a quote from the Baha’i writings, “O SON OF SPIRIT, my first council is this: possess a pure, kindly, and radiant heart that thine may be a sovereignty ancient, imperishable, and everlasting.”&nbsp;It all starts with the heart, and what Heartfulness is trying to do is unlock the hearts of everyone so that we can embrace love, unity, compassion, and break our barriers of caste, religion, and gender. I’m so happy to be part of this, and want to share a few thoughts from the Baha’i community.&nbsp;Friends, we see many factors keeping India together as a nation. One vital cohesive force binding the nation is spirituality. It finds expression in valuing human beings as the creation of the Divine, and is open and accepting of people of all backgrounds who view the reflection of the sacred in all living beings. This enjoins respect, gentleness, and nonviolence in relationships as the ideal way of life. It is this spirit of all-embracing oneness that is conveyed in the ancient ethos of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam—the world is one family.&nbsp;The unity of nations will be a stage in the progressive manifestation of oneness in the social and political realms. It will reach its fruition when the principle of oneness of humanity is established in the consciousness of people, and when nations across the world unite as one family.&nbsp;Over the past few decades, there has been a resurgence of religious fundamentalism that represents religious extremism and intolerance. It has increasingly entered the political and social mainstream, and in many countries it dominates public discourse. This has created confusion around the concept of religion, as its unifying and constructive role has been obscured by the tendency to view it solely through an identity lens. These challenges come at a time of great uncertainty, when the need for unity is vital to successfully navigate the waves of present and impending crises. These crises include the Covid pandemic, geopolitical instability, war, economic recession, climate change, terrorism, the food crisis, and the energy crisis.&nbsp;<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">History bears witness to the fact that only religion is capable of stirring the depths of human motivation and calling forth the spirit of nobility, sacrifice, and initiative needed to achieve such an objective.</h4><hr><figure class="image image_resized" style="width:75%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/human_fellowship2_68674c19de.webp" alt="human-fellowship2.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_human_fellowship2_68674c19de.webp 145w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/large_human_fellowship2_68674c19de.webp 502w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/human_fellowship2_68674c19de.webp 502w," sizes="100vw"></figure>&nbsp;The need of the hour is constructive dialogue, a discourse involving leaders and representatives of all religions on religion’s contribution to social harmony. The ground for such a discourse can be laid by clarifying the fundamental nature and purpose of religion, and the common foundations of all religions. Such a discourse must show a practical path forward for inter-religious collaboration. Preserving the tradition of inter-religious fellowship requires efforts from individuals, communities, religious leaders, and institutions. However, such efforts can close in on themselves if inter-religious unity is considered an end in itself, and is not viewed from the context of society’s needs.&nbsp;At this moment in history, unless united communities are driven by a common objective to contribute to the transformation of society, and to ever-increasing material and spiritual prosperity, unity can become a pretext for passive conformity with the status quo, with all its attendant challenges and injustices.&nbsp;The most secure basis of inter-religious harmony lies in coming together to apply spiritual principles to build a united, just, and prosperous world. The complex and unprecedented challenges of the 21st century will require us to make deep changes in our patterns of thought and behavior, and the willingness to make profound sacrifices for the common good. The kind of structural and systemic changes needed to become more united and restore our balance with nature will require selfless efforts on a scale and for a duration never before witnessed.<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">Youth can move the world. They have a critical role to play in the fields of development, peace, &nbsp;and the prosperity of humanity.&nbsp; Young people want a better society, no matter where they live. &nbsp;They tend to believe in unity and be relatively &nbsp;unburdened by biases and prejudices. They want &nbsp;peaceful and prosperous futures for themselves and their peers.</h4><hr>History bears witness to the fact that only religion is capable of stirring the depths of human motivation and calling forth the spirit of nobility, sacrifice, and initiative needed to achieve such an objective. The world is in dire need of religion to once again course through our veins, to stir a common and collective response to our challenges.&nbsp;Religious leaders have a role to direct the attention of their congregations to the needs of the world. Many heartening examples of this were witnessed during the worst phases of the Covid-19 pandemic. Twenty-five leaders of religions and interfaith movements in India issued a joint statement to reiterate those religious principles having the greatest bearing on people’s responses to the crisis. The statement, which was coordinated by the Baha’i community of India, called upon all religions to unite in a common commitment to spiritual principles relevant to the crisis. And that statement is just as relevant to the current challenges we all face: recognizing the oneness of religion, the oneness of humankind, selfless and sacrificial service to the common good, and complementarity between science and religion. Although it was a modest effort, it illustrates the tremendous potential for positive social change that resides in the untapped spirituality of the common people, which faith leaders can together inspire for the well-being of all.&nbsp;Another group with great capacity and potential is our youth. Youth can move the world. They have a critical role to play in the fields of development, peace, and the prosperity of humanity. Young people want a better society, no matter where they live. They tend to believe in unity and be relatively unburdened by biases and prejudices. They want peaceful and prosperous futures for themselves and their peers.&nbsp;It is time to let unity and harmony become the dominant narrative, and strongly associated with our identity, relegating conflict among religions to an earlier and less mature stage of our history. Let us harness the edifying power of religion toward constructive endeavors that can bring about spiritual and material prosperity. In this way, India can contribute to global peace and harmony, assuring its place as a leader in spirituality and inter-religious harmony.&nbsp;<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">It is time to let unity and harmony become the &nbsp;dominant narrative, and strongly associated with &nbsp;our identity, relegating conflict among religions &nbsp;to an earlier and less mature stage of our history. &nbsp;Let us harness the edifying power of religion &nbsp;toward constructive endeavors that can bring &nbsp;about spiritual and material prosperity.</h4><hr>&nbsp;<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:75%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/human_fellowship3_a1c7741c40.webp" alt="human-fellowship3.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_human_fellowship3_a1c7741c40.webp 145w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/large_human_fellowship3_a1c7741c40.webp 600w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/human_fellowship3_a1c7741c40.webp 600w," sizes="100vw"></figure>&nbsp;<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">Illustrations by JASMEE MUDGAL</h4><hr>

Human fellowship

Nimo is a child at heart. He loves animals, finds heaven in nature, expresses himself through the performing arts, loves food while enjoying a health-conscious lifestyle, and finds deep joy in seeing others in joy, good health and peace. His journey has led him on a path of service and love. A world-renowned musician, he’s a simple dude who likes to laugh and share his heart with all beings.

Nimo-patel.jpg

Nimo Patel

<hr class="vertical-space1" />
<h4>
 With an Ivy league education, this MTV rap/hip hop star was living the
 American dream and working on Wall Street when the events of 9/11 unfolded
 in front of his eyes. Giving up the corporate world,
 NIMO PATEL decided to pursue his
 passion for music in LA, but a chronic health issue led him to seek
 Ayurvedic treatment in India. He stayed back for 6 months to volunteer at
 the Gandhi Ashram in Ahmedabad, and continues to this day working with the
 slum children of the city when he’s now working for his own non-profit
 organization, Empty Hands Music.
 VANESSA PATEL caught up with him in
 June to learn more about his mantra, “Service, Simplicity &amp;
 Songwriting.”
</h4>
<hr class="vertical-space1" />

 Q: Hello, Nimo, so happy to have this opportunity to chat with you. How
 are you doing during this lockdown?


 NP: Wonderful! Breathing, and deep
 breathing, doing good. You know, it’s a time of reflection and
 introspection, to reflect on the way we live, how we interact with each
 other, with humanity. It’s really a blessing. There’s so much suffering
 going on, so this is a gift of transformation. Obviously, we will get
 through this suffering, but hopefully, we can use it for the betterment of
 humanity. So, collectively and individually, this is a gift in many ways,
 although in the short term it’s tough to digest.
 


 How are you doing?


 Q: Doing well. As you said, using this time to reflect. And one of the
 things I realize is that we don’t need a lot of the stuff we’ve
 accumulated in our lives. You already started this process several years
 ago when you took up a life dedicated to service. So, when you did a
 U-turn from your previous lifestyle and did a ‘material’ cleanse, would
 you say this was a spiritual shift?


 NP: For me, the spiritual journey is
 such a gradual process, so even the word ‘U-turn’ feels a bit abrupt, as
 though I saw the sign right away and it fixed everything. Instead, I would
 say, my journey has been ongoing – from the seeds that were planted when I
 was young, from memories of going to the temple, to being exposed to such
 a diverse group of friends and community in elementary school, high
 school, then college. Just the diversity around me was a spiritual
 teacher, in a sense, to accept and embrace all faiths. Whether I’m in an
 honors class with people with a certain mindset, or on the sports team
 playing basketball with people of a different mindset, that for me laid
 the foundation. It’s hard to capture, and I feel so honored and blessed to
 have grown up in that diverse community outside Los Angeles, and later on
 going through college.
 

<hr class="vertical-space1" />

 <img
 class="w-100 lazyload"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/service2_068f4ad2dc.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-10T07:31:04.057Z"
 alt="service2"
 />

<hr class="vertical-space1" />

 I feel one of the major triggers for me happened when I was working on
 Wall Street and 9/11 happened before my eyes; seeing that happen and then
 embracing things, the ongoing process of healing and reflection. That was
 literally the biggest trigger. I was one and a half years out of college,
 and it hit hard: “What are you actually doing with your life?” You never
 know, you could have literally been gone today. You don’t know when this
 is going to end, when this magical journey you’re blessed with on planet
 Earth is going to end. So, that triggered me to say, “I don’t think I’m
 having a purpose at this company at a deeper level.” I needed to follow my
 passion and it pushed me to leave New York to pursue music, media and
 entertainment.
 


 And then, another thing triggered me along the way, which was my health
 journey. I got this chronic illness in my hand, called carpel tunnel
 syndrome or repetitive stress injury, which gradually got worse. I was
 doing a lot of computer work at that time in 2002, as my friends and I had
 just started an online comic strip that turned into a media company and
 animation studio. And through that, by 2005 the problem started
 increasing, and by 2006 it was unbearable. By 2007, it was so bad I
 couldn’t even brush my teeth or hold a bag.
 

<hr class="vertical-space1" />
<hr />
<h4 style="text-align: center">
 “What are you actually doing with your life?” 
 You never know, you could have literally been gone today. 
 You don’t know when this is going to end, 
 when this magical journey you’re blessed with 
 on planet Earth is going to end.
</h4>
<hr />
<hr class="vertical-space1" />

 It was then that my dad suggested getting Ayurvedic treatment, and my
 parents knew a healer in India. I had tried everything in the allopathic
 world and alternative medicines, and I had nothing to lose, because it
 wasn’t getting better.
 


 In 2004, because of this suffering, which was both physical and mental –
 we create it in our mind because of what’s going on – it led me to pursue
 meditation at a deeper level. My roommate in NY had once told me about
 Vipassana and it was the perfect time to try it. It became a big part of
 my life. Being in a deeper connection with my mind and body was one
 benefit. I stopped drinking alcohol; I thought if I really want to heal,
 then I need to purify my mind and body. I became more health conscious
 than before, took a deeper stand.


 When I came to India, another seed was planted. I arrived in Ahmedabad
 and stayed with my cousin and his wife (whose house I’m at now). I
 volunteered for 6 months at Manav Sadna, the NGO that I have been
 volunteering with for 10 years. The seed planted in my heart back then was
 working with children; we recorded a music album called Let Them Sing. It
 was an album of their voices, their stories. When I went back to the US
 the journey continued. There was funding to open an animation studio and I
 got into that. Again, a trigger came up, “What are you doing?”.
 


 You know, Vanessa, when I graduated from high school my dream was to
 become the CEO of Warner Bros. I always had a passion for media and
 entertainment. I chose Wharton Business School because I wanted to bridge
 business and entertainment; that was my vision. So, this animation studio
 was a dream for me. I’m not even mentioning the music stuff, which I loved
 – that was definitely my passion. But this career dream was as a
 businessman blended with entertainment, so, having the studio gave me that
 space and all the partners I was working with were amazing. It was in that
 space that I realized I wasn’t happy. I had worked so far in my life for
 this career goal, and I was finally in the space that resembled it, and
 still I was suffering in my heart. I was not feeling any sense of
 fulfillment or purpose. So either I could go with what the mind said,
 which was “You’re successful, you’re on a successful path”, or I could
 follow this soft, quaint voice which was not really able to reveal itself
 because the mind and the ego were more deceiving. But I’m so happy that,
 somehow, the suffering in whatever form it was, was calling out to say,
 “Please listen.” It was saying, “You need to start again.”
 


 I said to myself, “These last 10 years of your career have been amazing.
 You’ve been able to experience the world in such an amazing way.” I mean,
 we were touring as a music group, and the media and entertainment
 opportunities were really exciting, but there was something missing. And
 to listen to that voice was the key thing for me. I didn’t know what that
 meant, to be honest, and that was the scary part of it. The vulnerability
 that came with the change – from a mindset of set a goal and reach the
 goal to the mindset of surrender, but you don’t know where it’s going to
 lead you – was scary, but I felt that that was the only way I was going to
 realign myself at a stage in my life where I could still do it. I think we
 can do that at any stage, but I felt that at 30 I still had the capacity
 to follow my heart instead of going with what seems to be right in
 everybody’s mind or in the outside world, or from a material point of
 view.
 


 There’s a quote from Mahatma Gandhi that I always like to share, and it
 helped me at that time: “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself
 in the service of others.”

<hr class="vertical-space1" />

 <img
 class="w-100 lazyload"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/service3_6c384719d1.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-10T07:32:21.973Z"
 alt="service3"
 />

<hr class="vertical-space1" />

 
 I had felt lost in my own way, because my heart was not connecting with
 the external. So, basically, the next phase of the journey of my life
 became: What does it mean to serve? Not merely because I want to help
 others, but because I really need to understand myself. If service is the
 best medium to find myself, then what a win-win!


 After I moved to Ahmedabad, although I had external goals, for the next
 two years I was really focused on, “How am I purifying my own mind and
 heart in being a part of others’ journeys?” And that then became the
 formula.


 Q: You said that you didn’t want service to be ego-based, to have as
 little attachment to it as possible. So, you went out there with the idea
 to serve and actually felt yourself being served. That must have been a
 very humbling experience. Were there people in your life, your peers,
 perhaps, who questioned your new way of life?


 NP: Yes, there are all types of
 resistance when you’re going against the external grain, and also going
 against the internal wiring of your own conditioning. So, for sure, the
 journey with mom and dad, with friends and family, and with college mates
 especially, because they are all successful in different ways – for them
 to see me living this new life, a lot of questions kept coming up. But,
 the most important thing was to keep digging and trying to understand
 myself – why I was doing what I was doing. In the beginning phase it was
 an experiment! I remember thinking, “I can do this for a year, why not?
 And then start something else, or get a nice paying job, whatever it is,
 I’m fine, I have enough savings.”
 


 That’s how it started, and I said to myself, “I need to commit at least
 one year, and I need to go all in.” I remember one of my mentors, someone
 I’m close to here in Ahmedabad, said something that had such an effect on
 me: “Beta, you should live life like a flashlight. In the dark, you have a
 light and you see 6 feet in front of you. You don’t need to see more than
 that, actually, because with every step you take you’ll still have 6 feet
 of light in front of you. So, what’s the need to look back and stumble?”
 That really clicked with me, because it had always been, “What’s your 5,
 10, 15-year plan, your retirement plan?” So, this became an experiment to
 learn, to grow, and to rewire myself, because I realized that my wiring
 was not the way it should be. Why? Because I was suffering.


 I truly felt, and still feel, that we have the full capacity to minimize,
 if not eradicate, our suffering, but there are so many layers on us. So,
 it was really an opportunity to find out what’s creating the suffering
 and, in the process of service, how I was going to touch upon these
 layers, one at a time. We’re not going to clear everything in one go; it’s
 a lifelong journey.
 


 In that first year, my parents gave me the benefit of the doubt: “He was
 doing good, now he wants to do this, okay.” And in the second or third
 year, my dad specifically said, “You realize that if you want to live this
 type of life, you have to be passionate about it, and you’re going to have
 to simplify your life. Are you okay with not having so much and not doing
 all these things?” And after the third year, he was like, “Is this really
 what you want to do? Are you sure?” Then, little by little, they embraced
 the work I was doing, they were exposed to it, they started taking part in
 it. They started understanding, and being around me, with me. I think they
 started seeing the value in it, the purpose and joy in it, and the meaning
 in it.


 Q: And the fact that it was making you happy.


 NP: Absolutely! That was the impact
 on them. They were thinking not only of my own joy, but also what is it
 doing for the world, and they started seeing value in it. And when I
 reconnected with my music, in the third year after I moved to Ahmedabad, I
 started sharing that with the world as a gift. I didn’t want to charge for
 it. I wanted it to be pure, from a space of offering and not from me as an
 artist. A lot of people started questioning me then, too. And my dad and
 my uncle started wondering what I was doing.
 


 At one point, I was in Denver with my family and I remember asking my
 father, “Dad, when somebody is working for a company, he’s adding value to
 the company, and for that he’s getting compensated with a cheque every two
 weeks. So, that’s the materialistic business world we’re talking about.
 So, don’t you think that when, from my heart of hearts, I try my best to
 do my small part for the world, whatever that might be, God is going to
 support me, just as the boss supports his employee?” And I think it
 clicked for my dad at that point, and it was a nice turning point for him,
 as well, to realize that it’s much beyond the numbers game.

<hr class="vertical-space1" />
<hr />
<h4 style="text-align: center">
 We have the full capacity to minimize,&nbsp;if not eradicate, 
 our suffering, but there are so many layers on us. 
 So, it was really an opportunity to find out 
 what’s creating the suffering and, in the process of service, 
 how I was going to touch upon these layers, one at a time.
</h4>
<hr />
<hr class="vertical-space1" />

 It has been amazing, Vanessa, this journey of surrendering. As a human
 being and as a being full of ego, there are a lot of things that come up
 and it happens in phases. I’m much more grounded and connected to the
 Source during certain phases, and then I get karmically oriented, and I
 start doing projects and get caught up in the doing – even though it might
 be service, you’re still in this mindset of trying to account for
 something. Then I lose that stillness in me, which is the most important
 thing to me, the whole process. But I go back to “I’m not doing this to
 accomplish something, I’m doing this to purify my heart,” &nbsp;then it
 comes back.
 


 I’m on this journey with noble friends and family, who are walking this
 path together, not only to serve externally, but also purify internally.
 To me, that’s been the blessing on this path, and I couldn’t care less
 what I accomplish. If I die today, it would be feeling so humbled and
 blessed, crying tears of joy, and thanking God and all those people around
 for this journey that has unfolded.
 


 To be continued


 <a href="https://manavsadhna.org/">https://manavsadhna.org/</a> 
 <a href="https://www.emptyhandsmusic.org/"
 >https://www.emptyhandsmusic.org/</a
 > 
 <a href="https://gandhiashramsabarmati.org/"
 >https://gandhiashramsabarmati.org/</a
 >

<hr class="vertical-space1" />

 <img
 class="lazyload w-100"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/Simplicity_Colors_fe5a4b5f32.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-10T07:33:24.316Z"
 alt="Simplicity_Colors"
 />

<hr />
<h4 style="text-align: center">
 Interview by
 VANESSA PATEL 
 Photographs courtesy of NIMO PATEL
</h4>
<hr />

Service, simplicity, and songwriting - part 1

Service, simplicity, and songwriting - part 2

Founder of ServiceSpace, Karma Kitchen, DailyGood and KindSpring, he successfully works to integrate the Gift Ecology, technology and volunteerism. He is recognized globally for creating a culture that brings harmony and inclusiveness.

Nipun-Mehta.jpg

Nipun Mehta

Gift ecology

<h4>
 NIPUN MEHTA is one of the founders
 of ServiceSpace, Karma Kitchen, DailyGood, KindSpring and other
 organizations that successfully work within the Gift Ecology. From a
 young age, he was inspired by the need to serve others. Early role
 models like J. Krishnamurti, Gandhi, Swami Vivekananda and Goenka
 further fuelled that urge so that it has blossomed into a life of
 joyful, cheerful service. He was the recipient of the Dalai Lama’s
 Unsung Heroes of Compassion Award in 2014, and appointed to President
 Barack Obama’s Council on Poverty and Inequality in 2015. Here Nipun
 continues to explain the principles underlying the Gift Ecology to
 ELIZABETH DENLEY.
</h4>

 Q: What happens in that dynamic of trust in relationships when
 people’s innate tendencies and fears surface? And of course they will,
 because we’re all human. We’re all carrying baggage from the past –
 culture, family, whatever – and these things arise. How do we deal
 with it?


 That’s why relationships are complicated. Anyone who has been in any
 relationship will tell you that it’s not so simple. It’s not like I give
 you five bucks, you give me the food and that’s the end of it. If I’m
 actually engaging with you in a multidimensional way, that’s going to
 evoke something – it may trigger me in certain ways. It may be much
 simpler and more convenient for me to not have that relationship and
 just engage in a transaction. So then why engage in relationships when
 it requires so much of me?


 Q: This is the critical question, Nipun, because this is at the root
 of so much that needs to change in our societies globally today. Not
 just in the West. It’s the same in India, and it’s the same in China.
 This is the million dollar question.

Yes indeed.

 Q: How do we work with relationships? It’s not transactional in the
 sense that people are not doing something for money, and they’re not
 even doing something for recognition a lot of the time. The whole
 ethos of service, seva, is anonymity, humility, the Gandhi
 values etc. So how do we build this culture of trust without having
 transactions, without having carrots, if you like?


 <img
 class="has-img-center lazyload w-100 h-auto"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/nipun_mehta2_a6290a9527.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-05T06:14:55.643Z"
 alt="nipun-mehta2"
 />


 It takes many inner capacities that we need to cultivate. And if we do
 cultivate those inner capacities, the reward is that we get a high
 bandwidth engagement with life. So then we may ask: What actually
 happens when I’m in a relationship and certain parts of the relationship
 are difficult? And I have to now deal with those difficult parts to get
 to the high bandwidth engagement with life. I need to grow in
 equanimity, I need to grow in tolerance, and I need to grow in patience.


 It’s much easier in a consumeristic mindset, where we think, “Hey, I
 want this, I want it now, and I want to get to the next thing.” And if
 we keep doing it, that consumerism is going to get us to a very cheap
 engagement with life. So how do we build the virtues that lead to a
 higher engagement with life? And as we inch towards that high engagement
 of life, what we understand is that it’s never been between us and the
 other person in a one-to-one way ever. It’s just that we have reduced it
 to that.


 One of my friends was in San Quentin prison with people who had
 committed at least one murder. They were in a circle and they were
 sharing. At one point my friend got a board and asked, “Can you tell me
 how long you’ve been in jail?” He started writing it down and everyone
 shared: 20 years, 40 years, 12 years, and so on. He added it up and it
 was something like 484 years. Then he created another column and asked,
 “How long was your moment of rage?” 2 minutes, 7 minutes, 40 minutes, 1
 minute, and he added it up and said, “In this circle, for a couple of
 hours of rage we have spent hundreds of years in jail.”


 That kind of a mirroring created a very powerful vibe in the room.
 During the follow-up circle of sharing, one of the guys said, “You know
 what I think? Hurt people hurt people. A person is never negative to you
 in a one-to-one sort of way. Just as we pay forward kindness, we also
 pay forward negativity. We also pay forward selfishness.” So he said, “I
 hurt somebody because someone hurt me.” The circle continued, and a
 little bit later another member of the circle said, “I’d like to add to
 that. Hurt people hurt people, but I think healed people heal people.”

<hr />
<h5 style="text-align: center">
 So when we look at relationships and the inconvenience of them, 
 it is actually an invitation to grow in virtue, 
 so that we’re able to go from that cheap bandwidth 
 to a much deeper engagement in a much more multidimensional
 way. 
 And if we do that, then in that field so much can grow, 
 and in turn we can build trust in society.
</h5>
<hr />

 So who do I have to be when I see somebody harming me? Who do I have to
 be to hold that whole lineage of conditions and have a big enough heart
 to say, “I will endure this and rebound it back with compassion.” The
 reward for that is not just that the other person might be healed in
 some way, but that you are graced with an incredibly high bandwidth
 engagement with the present moment.


 We saw people like Gandhi do exactly this. Godse put 3 bullets through
 him, and Gandhi’s response was, “Bless you, bless you, bless you.” He
 was not condoning the negative action, but rather he was saying, “I
 oppose the action, but you are much more than that action, and I love
 you.” That larger ‘you’.


 So when we look at relationships and the inconvenience of them, it is
 actually an invitation to grow in virtue, so that we’re able to go from
 that cheap bandwidth to a much deeper engagement in a much more
 multidimensional way.


 And if we do that, then in that field so much can grow, and in turn we
 can build trust in society.


 <img
 class="has-img-center lazyload w-100 h-auto"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/nipun_mehta_381fdf86a8.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-05T06:15:55.703Z"
 alt="nipun-mehta"
 />


 Q: So will this spread, do you think, to all the Afro-American kids
 who are in prison, all the Latino boys who are in prison? You know
 there is a lot of cultural divide, even in a wealthy country like the
 US. And I know there are people like the Greater Good Science team who
 are trying to address those social issues, because it isn’t an equal
 playing field either. So who is responsible for this?


 You and I! We can’t lose our agency through this process. Even with
 generosity – we tend to view generosity as a luxury sport. We say,
 “Look, if you accumulate like me and become very successful, then you
 can give.” But actually it’s not a luxury sport. Those who have the
 least end up giving the most.


 My wife and I were on a walking pilgrimage in 2005. We ate whatever food
 was offered and slept wherever place was offered, and those who had
 absolutely nothing would borrow food to feed us. We are wired to care,
 we are wired to give, we are wired to be related&nbsp;– and neuroscience
 now confirms all this. So we know that we want to do this, but we need
 spaces where we can explore it further. Of course it will take time.
 This isn’t a quick fix; it’s not going to happen overnight; .


 As you said, we have a lot of inequities. But fortunately, generosity,
 compassion, kindness are not reserved for those who have ‘made it’.
 There is no worthy destination until we arrive at acting with compassion
 in any moment&nbsp;– even if it’s silent, even if it’s a humble prayer.
 I have had homeless people on the streets start out by asking me for
 money, and by the end they offer me money. It’s not that I’m asking for
 money, but it’s just that they feel a kinship, they feel a brotherhood.
 And when you feel that brotherhood, you want to serve that brotherhood.


 So how do we tap into that kind of agency and trust the ripple effect?
 This is not going to happen overnight, because the problem was not
 created overnight. It took a long time. It’s just that we weren’t paying
 attention when it was drip by drip by drip. We were de-capacitating
 ourselves drip by drip by drip. And now, drip by drip by drip we have to
 turn it around.


 So if you ask, “What’s the quick fix solution?” I would say there isn’t
 any. And so you may ask, “Are you still committed to that? Are you
 committed to spread love, to do that small act of kindness, to plant
 that tree under whose shade you will never sit, whose blossoming you may
 never get to witness?” I’m willing to do that. It makes me come alive. I
 don’t need that immediate feedback loop. So if you and I are willing to
 step into the space, then I think that’s the start of the revolution.


 Q: Right. So what are the projects in your revolution at the moment?
 What’s happening and what’s going to happen? What’s your vision?


 So ServiceSpace is an incubator of many different projects. We have some
 that are online, like DailyGood and KarmaTube. These projects create
 online communities, spread inspiration. Some are offline, like Awakin
 Circles and Karma Kitchen. Some are in-between, like KindSpring, home of
 the Smile Cards, that create an online community, where people share
 stories, but the Smile Card act is actually in person, in offline space.


 So we have been creating this ecology of many different projects. But
 what binds all of them together is not the projects but the process.
 That process, for the entire ServiceSpace ecosystem includes an
 alignment with three basic building blocks:

<ol>
 <li>
 The first principle is that we’re volunteer run. When no one is paid,
 we are driven entirely by intrinsic motivations. Initially, that
 sounds cute, when you’re starting and you say, “We’re five
 volunteers.” But when you’re 500,000, the field of intelligence, that
 field of purely intrinsically motivated intelligence, is just
 profoundly different in its patterns of innovation.
 </li>
 <li>
 The second principle is that we work with what we have. Not seeking or
 scheming. And the way it manifests concretely is that we never
 fundraise. We just say, “This is what we have,” so we work with what
 we have, which forces us to look at multiple forms of capit We’re no
 longer only thinking that money equals wealth; that is, we don’t think
 without money we can’t do anything. Quite the opposite. Money is one
 form of capital, but so is time, so is attention, so is technology, so
 are stories, cultures and so on. Our creative constraint invites us to
 engage with other forms of capital.
 </li>
 <li>
 The third principle is that we focus on small, which means that we
 never say, “Go out and try to change the world.” We never design for
 that threshold of impact. And when you’re small, the onus is on you to
 be the change. You can’t say, “Oh, I’m trying to change this in this
 person.” You say, “Oh, am I being the change?” And if I’m being the
 change, am I growing in equanimity? Am I growing in tolerance? Am I
 growing in patience? Am I growing in compassion, generosity, and
 kindness? Am I manifesting that in every relationship? And am I then
 trusting the ripple effect of that, as opposed to trusting the ripple
 effect of the might of one’s organization?
 </li>
</ol>

 <img
 class="has-img-center lazyload w-100 h-auto"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/nipun_mehta4_f0946607fc.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-05T06:16:32.444Z"
 alt="nipun-mehta4"
 />


 So these creative constraints are what encompass the whole ServiceSpace
 ecosystem. So we have many projects, doing so many things and touching
 millions of people on a regular basis, but underneath them, the way I
 parse it is that it’s actually about the process underneath, which are
 these core values.

Now, looking at the field, what is emerging right now?

 One thing that has recently emerged is this idea of a Laddership Circle.
 We talk about leadership, which is command and control, whereas
 laddership is about being in the back of the room, tuning into the
 myriad relationships that make up that community. And you change an
 ecosystem not by power, not by control, not by force and coercion, but
 actually by nudges, predicated on your capacity to know the
 interrelationships between everybody.


 For example, look at the way acupuncture works. If I have a neck ache,
 the acupuncturist may place a little pin on my arm – because the knee is
 connected to so many other parts and it creates this ripple effect that
 heals my neck. Similarly, we do that in a social context. It works in
 the same way, and it’s far less violent than other options.


 Then, the question is – how can we &nbsp;create a whole context,
 especially for young people, to hold all this, not as a leader, not as
 somebody who is mighty and centralized, but as a decentralized ecology
 that you hold with this kind of a heart? And that’s not something that
 is taught, and we don’t explore it. So we’ve started these Laddership
 Circles, which have been remarkable. We just had a Nobel Peace Laureate
 who joined one of these circles. They are peer-learning circles, so one
 person doesn’t teach another person. There are small groups of 6 to 8
 folks, with 2 or 3 anchors who are just holding space on the side. And
 you’d be amazed how much we can learn from each other if get out of that
 hierarchical mindset.

<hr />
<h5 style="text-align: center">
 How do you create a whole context, 
 especially for young people, 
 to hold all this, not as a leader, 
 not as somebody who is mighty and centralized, 
 but as a decentralized ecology that 
 you hold with this kind of a heart?
</h5>
<hr />

 Q: So it’s an enabling model.


 It’s a model for growth. It’s not a manufacturing model but a gardening
 model. It’s something that’s emergent.


 Another project, which isn’t released yet, but which I’m excited about,
 is actually creating an eBay-like space, where you can pay not just with
 financial capital but also with other forms of capital. So I knitted
 this beanie for the love of it, because I enjoy knitting. Now you may be
 able to pay and maybe I need to get some money out of it. But I may also
 be happy if you go out and do an act of kindness and share the story
 with me. Or if you donate money to another NGO and send me the receipt.
 Or if you meditate for an hour and send me a reflection. We all know we
 value these actions, but we have never connected people in that sort of
 a way. And why not?


 So I’m very excited about this idea. There was a monk who came out with
 a CD, and he came to us and we were talking about how he was going to
 distribute it. We said, “You know, instead of just putting a price tag
 and doing the regular kind of distribution, why don’t you give people
 the option to also do an act of kindness and send you the story?” And
 hundreds of people sent stories! Can you imagine being a producer of
 value, in that sense, and receiving payment in alternate forms of
 wealth? Sure, I am not denying the power of financial capital. We all
 need money to pay our rent and pay our bills and things like that. But
 at the same time we can’t just blindly be focused on it. We can’t
 discount the immensity of other forms of capital that satisfy us, that
 nourish us, and that actually are regenerative, that nourish the person
 who gives, that nourish the person who receives. So how do we create a
 platform to facilitate these kinds of connections in a many-to-many sort
 of a way? I am excited about that.


 Q: That’s a real gifting ecosystem.


 Yes. And isn’t it amazing that we have all these innovations and
 technologies and we don’t think about alternate capitals? It’s almost
 like back in the days when NBC, CBS, and other centralized TV stations
 were there doing the work, but none of them could come up with a
 YouTube, because they were so entrenched in that worldview.


 Similarly I think that this is the time when spiritual people really
 need to get active, and active people &nbsp;get spiritual. We’re in a
 time when that kind of intelligence needs to arise. The innovation that
 came from YouTube disintermediated the NBCs of the world, and we saw it
 happen across the board: CDs turned into iTunes, billboards turned into
 Google AdWords. But now how do we bring these spiritual qualities into
 greater circulation, leveraging modern technologies and their new
 possibilities? And I think that’s the potential of our times and the
 need of our times. If we don’t do that we are going to continue to strip
 down of what it means to be alive.


 Q: And if we do do it?


 If we do do it, then I think we’ll have a higher engagement with life
 and a lot of virtue will grow in the field of our relationships, of our
 deep relationships. And I’d rather see that kind of a world.

Thank you.
<hr />
<h4 style="text-align: center">Interviewed by ELIZABETH DENLEY</h4>
<hr />

Gift ecology - part 2

Many to many

Nirja Parikh

<h4
 id="h-nirja-parikh-is-a-pediatric-physical-therapist-an-ayurvedic-consultant-a-certified-yoga-instructor-and-a-bharatanatyam-dancer-she-shares-her-journey-of-how-scoliosis-impacted-her-dance-career-and-how-yoga-helped-her-body-heal-and-her-mind-persevere">
 NIRJA PARIKH is a pediatric physical
 therapist, an Ayurvedic consultant, a certified yoga instructor, and a Bharatanatyam dancer. She shares her
 journey of how scoliosis impacted her dance career, and how yoga helped her body heal and her mind
 persevere.</h4>



<hr class="vertical-space1">



Growing up in North Carolina, my talented mom taught me my first choreographed dance routines. I felt at ease when
 performing on stage and enjoyed dancing at various cultural events to Bollywood film songs.&nbsp;At 12, I started
 training in Bharatanatyam, a form of Indian classical dance, and by 16 I had transitioned to advanced training. I
 also joined ballet classes and eventually took a gap year in India after graduation, so that I could focus full-time
 on classical dance.



We all grow up having dreams and ambitions, but many of us never see them fulfilled. I did not want to look back and
 regret not having followed my instincts. As a child, I always enjoyed going to India, and dreamt of going back there
 to learn dance and explore my cultural roots. After college, I auditioned for a dance reality show called Dance
 India Dance. During the fifth round, one of the judges disqualified me when he observed my spine curvature.
 I’ll never forget his statement, “I do not think it is safe for you to continue, given the situation with your
 back.”&nbsp;



With that one statement my dreams fell apart. I came back to the US to get my back checked. I knew I had scoliosis
 (curvature of the spine), but I had never thought it would limit me physically. The judge was right: X-rays showed
 that the curvature of my spine had increased from 12 to 60 degrees, affecting my shoulder blades, rib alignment, and
 breathing. I was immediately taken into surgery, and with two rods, fourteen screws, and two weeks in hospital, my
 whole life changed.



After surgery, the orthopedic surgeon remarked, “Look at you! You’ll be able to do backflips now!” I would come to
 resent that statement, because I believed him. Spine mobility is critical for a dancer, and I later learned that I
 had limitations in extension, rotation, and side bending. I had to re-learn how to move my body in a new way, and
 that is how Yoga became a core part of my life.



I had learned Mala meditation, Sanskrit mantra recitation, and Pranayama breathing as a child. Revisiting
 these lesser-known parts of yoga helped me heal after surgery. Yoga saved my body, which at the time had limited
 motion. Yoga helped me appreciate my new movement patterns and allowed me to let go of my ahankar (ego). By
 not comparing my new body to my old one, I began to appreciate the present moment.&nbsp;&nbsp;



Nonetheless, it was a tough journey. It required turning away from media stimulation and focusing entirely on myself.
 With dedicated practice, I eventually felt like my atman (soul) was reborn into a new body, despite being
 only 22 at the time.&nbsp;What helped me most was the practice of Pratyahara, which involves meditating in
 isolation for a couple of hours. Pratyahara is considered the fifth of the eight limbs of yoga, and it
 allows us to calm the wandering mind and senses. Pratyahara helped me find calm, take control of my
 emotions, and improve my psychological immunity.



The more I learned about yoga, the more I realized that elements of it had been instilled in me since adolescence,
 without the label. For example, I regularly attended Swadhyaya every Sunday, in which we studied the
 eighteen chapters of the Bhagavad Gita, recited Sanskrit slokas, prayed, fasted, and maintained a
 sattvik diet.&nbsp;This facilitated my journey to becoming a yoga instructor, because I was already so
 connected to the spiritual roots of yoga.



But I was intimidated by the other instructors when I first started teaching yoga at the local gym. The other
 instructors could handle the physically-taxing poses. To fit in, I molded myself into the Yoga costume, purchasing
 expensive leggings and accessories from popular athleisure brands. Despite my attempt to fit in and demonstrate my
 qualifications, I still felt unsettled, and at times humiliated and belittled. For example, I would hear the other
 instructors make comments like, “I’d love to go to India to practice yoga, but it’s so dirty.”



After finishing a Yoga Teacher (YTT-200) certification in 2016, I started applying for jobs. I was repeatedly not
 selected, despite having a multi-dimensional understanding of yoga.&nbsp;I realized it was because most studios
 cared only about my appearance and ability to handle physically-taxing poses, a symptom of how the West has
 glamorized the physical positions of yoga and the multi-billion dollar “athleisure” industry behind it. In
 subsequent years, I learned how culturally appropriated Yoga was in modern-day society. This fueled my passion to
 educate people on the true roots of yoga.



I am optimistic that change is coming in the yoga industry. I have been inspired by a small group of masters who are
 finally speaking out about this, and are being heard. As I hone my practice, I have started incorporating elements
 of the yogic culture, including Sanskrit chants. I recently began studying the Vedas, the Bhagavad Gita, and the
 Yoga Sutras in depth. Rather than treating yoga just as a profession, I consider it a lifestyle. I try to instill
 yoga into every part of my life – physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.



Yoga is a gift. It is a journey and a way of life that enables people of all races, religions, and body types to
 reach their potential, physically and spiritually.



I thank yoga for connecting me with my cultural roots, for making me stronger physically, and for giving me an avenue
 to cope with stress.&nbsp;



<hr class="vertical-space1">

Yoga helped me heal

Niroop owns and runs the restaurant 615chutney in Nashville, Tennesee. 615chutney started off as the only Indian food truck serving vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free South Indian food. His goal has always been to bring South Indian cuisine to the US.&nbsp;

niroop-prabhakar.webp

Niroop Prabhakar

<h4 style="text-align:justify;">NIROOP PRABHAKAR owns and runs the restaurant 615chutney in Nashville, Tennessee. 615chutney started as the only Indian food truck serving vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free South Indian food. Niroop’s goal was to bring South Indian cuisine to the US. He believes that customer service is the key. The voices of his customers and employees matter to him. Here he is interviewed by the Heartfulness Wellness Team.</h4>&nbsp;Q: Can you please share your journey from India to the US and how you started 615chutney?NP: My dad used to say, you can live without anything else but you cannot live without food. That inspired me to get into this noble art of serving food and making good food accessible to everybody. The journey of my food business started with meeting family, eating food like a feast, and sharing love and affection with all mycousins, uncles and aunts.At the end of the day, I wanted to make sure that food was being served with love and the hope that tomorrow is going to be a better day. I was born and raised in Tamil Nadu, then moved to the US in 2008, and ended up in Tennessee. Both states have the initials TN. Well, 615chutney was born.&nbsp;The main goal is to give authentic South Indian food to the southern part of the country, and give it in a special way with good customer service. I empathize with my customers and make sure that my employees are happy when they’re serving the food.Q:&nbsp;The way you connect with your customers through your service is fascinating. What is the reason for reducing the number of seats in your restaurant?NP: Initially, the business started as a food truck and I was serving vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free food which is nothing but the basics of South Indian cuisine—idli, dosa, vada, and pongal.With gluten-free being the future of food, I was able to align my products with whatever the customers wanted. In 2019, we started a brick-and-mortar setup. In a couple of years, the area was hit by a tornado, then Covid-19.Covid helped us think out of the box. I moved to a different location and reduced the number of seats, making sure I accommodated as many guests as possible but at the same time allowing time to talk to everybody individually.Business is all about relationships, and when it comes to the food business, hospitality is key. In Tamil we say “Virunthombal”and hospitality is in our DNA in the south of India. In the south of the United States, I feel at home just by giving southern hospitality. Of late, hospitality has become zero in the Hospitality industry. We have to revive that.&nbsp;<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:75%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/serving_smiles2_9b45bef70f.webp" alt="serving-smiles2.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_serving_smiles2_9b45bef70f.webp 145w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/large_serving_smiles2_9b45bef70f.webp 800w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/serving_smiles2_9b45bef70f.webp 800w," sizes="100vw"></figure>&nbsp;There's a reason why I connect with the guests who eat in my restaurant. Reducing the seats has given me ample time to talk to everybody individually. Yes, it’s difficult to remember a person by his or her name, but every employee of my restaurant knows every customer, and we believe that every customer is a celebrity.Everybody is treated equally and everybody eats the same food.&nbsp;The goal for 615chutney was to make sure that everybody has access to good food served with love.&nbsp;Q:&nbsp;Beautiful concept! As we say in Indian culture, “Atithi devo bhava,” we have to give from our hearts. Once in the Nashville Voyager magazine, you mentioned, “Do good as much as you can. If you can’t do good then at least don’t do bad.” What inspired you to say that?NP: My dad always said it. I don’t know for what reason, but it went deep into my heart. With anything I do, I make sure there is a good outcome.&nbsp;<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:75%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/serving_smiles3_66daa9d525.webp" alt="serving-smiles3.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_serving_smiles3_66daa9d525.webp 145w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/large_serving_smiles3_66daa9d525.webp 670w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/serving_smiles3_66daa9d525.webp 670w," sizes="100vw"></figure>&nbsp;Everybody has different circumstances, everybody cannot be in the same situation as you are in. My dad was a banker, and he used one word a lot—empathize. Put yourself in their shoes and see what they are going through.Despite what they are going through, they have taken the time to drive to your restaurant. They’ve looked at your restaurant at least ten times. They have heard about you and they’ve seen your pictures, and when you’re giving food that they can cook at home, what makes your restaurant stand out? What makes your food different? So that is when I realized that customer service is key. Whoever comes, whatever situation they are in, make sure that you do your best and make sure that they eat, have a good time, and spend their time with a smile.For this, we need good ingredients, good chefs, and a good environment for employees to work in. It is not easy to source great ingredients, and sometimes your chef is upset. Sometimes a customer thinks the food is spicy, and when the food comes back to the kitchen the chef should make sure he says,“I'm sorry, let me make another one for them.”That’s what it is.It's all about giving and taking. When my dad said “Do as much good as you can and if you cannot do good then don’t do bad,” it is only this. When the food is sent back to the kitchen, my chef can be upset saying, “Come on this is not even spicy for me. Why are they doing it?” but any wrong that happens has to be fixed right away. It’s like a game where everybody wants to win, but no one wins when you don’t empathize.<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">When you give food,&nbsp; give it from your heart.</h4><hr>Q:&nbsp;Talking about ingredients, running a restaurant for the masses is a challenging task. How do you maintain your food supply chain?NP: The sourcing of ingredients is directly from India. Also, I’ve found an importer in Atlanta that guarantees the ingredients will be here within a month. When the ingredients are fresh, it shows in the food, whether you are at home or in a restaurant. If the ingredients are fresh, the food is eaten.Then comes the chef's cooking with love. Our job is to make sure that everybody who is working is happy and is enjoying what they do. When you love what you do then you will end up doing what you love. When this happens, an employer or manager will be excited saying,“My guests are enjoying the food! My chefs are cooking better food! What is the point of me having a long face?”&nbsp;What I’m trying to say is: when you give food, give it from your heart.Every guest or patron is not a dollar sign. They are your family. Food is one way you can connect to somebody, make them laugh, feel happy and light.Then, when they walk out of your restaurant, they will talk about the entire experience, not just the food, or the waiter, or the robot that serves food in my restaurant. The pandemic helped us think out of the box, so I added the robot!&nbsp;Q:&nbsp; That’s amazing. Before we wrap, what is the one thing that you would like to share with our readers as a takeaway?NP: Making sure food is available to everybody. There is no point saying, “This is good food, so I have to charge that extra dollar.” It’s all about quality and quantity, not just quantity and price. We need to make food available and accessible, and not charge extra for good food.<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">Illustrations by LAKSHMI GADDAM&nbsp;</h4><hr>

Serving smiles: from heart to table

Nitin is the Managing Director of the Asia-Pacific, Middle East and Africa business area of Serge Ferrari. Based in Singapore, he is also a family man and is actively involved in Heartfulness activities in SE Asia. Nitin has been a Heartfulness practitioner for almost 20 years and a certified trainer for 16 years.

nitin.jpg

Nitin Govila

<hr class="vertical-space1">
<h4>Managing Director of the Asia-Pacific, Middle-East and Africa business area for Serge Ferrari, NITIN GOVILA is constantly on the move. But despite very busy days he finds time to
 recharge his batteries to be in tune with himself. His secret? For 19 years now he’s been meditating as an integral
 part of his life.</h4>
<hr class="vertical-space1">
<h4><img decoding="async" class="lazyload img-float-right has-img-center-in-mobile"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/Nitingovila_73ce7c67c3.jpg"></h4>
After having collaborated for seven years with a French roofing company, Nitin joined
 Serge Ferrari in 2016, a choice that reflects his desire to meet new challenges in a more extensive geographical
 area. 
 “Serge Ferrari stands out by their ability to be active in many market segments and have a desire to function as a
 local company in the countries where they are established. The Group takes on more and more local people to deal with
 markets that vary from country to country. The scope covered by the Asia-Pacific, Middle East and Africa business area
 means we rub shoulders and deal with various cultures that lead us to aim at both multiple and unique market segments.
 Such diversity makes work both very interesting and very demanding,” he explains.
His first meditation experience dates back to 1998 when one of his sales managers at
 that time raised his awareness and introduced him to Heartfulness Meditation. This was a discovery that did not occur
 without questions. 
 “It took me a certain time and understanding to plunge into the first meditation session but I’ve never regretted
 making that choice because it turned out to be a very good way to find a balance between my working life and my
 personal life,” says Nitin.
Heartfulness Meditation began in India, and is now practiced in over 130 countries
 around the world. It is a silent meditation with attention centered on the heart, and it can be practiced anywhere,
 without excessive requirements. 
 “There is no dress code, nor a position to respect; just close your eyes and direct your attention to your heart. You
 can meditate anywhere, at any time, even in a noisy environment, in a plane, in a train, or in the office – whenever
 you have a moment to spare. Depending how much time you have, you can meditate for a short period of 20 or 30 minutes,
 or for an hour. It doesn’t matter where or how long, it all depends on your willpower,” explains Nitin.


<hr>
<h5 style="text-align: center;">Meditation provides inner peace 
 that ultimately reflects 
 — consciously or not — 
 outwards and is part of our ability 
 to interact with our environment. 
 Meditation improves our concentration. 
 You can really manage to concentrate 
 when your mind is not disturbed.
</h5>


<hr>
As for taking an hour or more each day to meditate, he adds: “Instead of thinking we
 must take so much time to meditate, we need to reverse the perspective. Meditating enables us to have more time,
 inasmuch as a mind that has meditated allows us to do everything more efficiently.”
During those 19 years of regular practice Nitin has observed many benefits: 
 “Meditation provides inner peace that ultimately reflects — consciously or not — outwards and is part of our ability
 to interact with our environment. Meditation improves our concentration. You can really manage to concentrate when
 your mind is not disturbed. In that respect there is also some serious reasoning to integrate: if meditation is
 introspective and initially requires effort, we don’t concentrate in order to meditate but we meditate to develop the
 ability to concentrate. At Serge Ferrari, I have considerable responsibilities and so my meditation helps me face up
 to any problem or react to challenges in that context. That’s one of the reasons why I continue with Heartfulness
 Meditation. And today I cannot do without it.”


<hr>
<h5 style="text-align: center;">At Serge Ferrari, I have considerable
 responsibilities 
 and so my meditation helps me face up to any problem or 
 react to challenges in that context. 
 That’s one of the reasons why I continue 
 with Heartfulness Meditation. 
 And today I cannot do without it.
</h5>


<hr>
In 2001, Nitin became a life coach (trainer) for Heartfulness Meditation. In his spare
 time he accompanies people to discover meditation by giving them some keys to learning. Voluntary coaching satisfies a
 desire to share with others what he sees as freely accessible kindness. 
 “No money interest motivated that choice. I simply want to exchange with people who would like to understand better
 what they practice,” he explains. “Briefly, as you will have understood, everyone who feels the need can start and use
 it. All Heartfulness Meditation coaches are volunteers. Likewise, being a coach has no hierarchical notion. Those who
 practice are asked to meditate at their own pace and conveniece of time; we lead them all to evolve at their own pace,
 depending on their own feelings. When I speak for the first time with a beginner, I tell him, ‘You only need only one
 thing – your willpower.’”
In short, you can understand that all who feel the need are capable of meditating. There’s no particular esoteric
 need or initiation rite liable to stir up skepticism. It’s sufficient to want and be ready to dive deep into yourself.

<hr class="vertical-space1">
<h6 style="text-align: left;">Reprinted with permission from Serge Ferrari’s internal magazine, Zebu, printed
 in English, French and German.</h6>
<hr class="vertical-space1">

With peace on his shoulders

A lifelong writer, Noelle is also a mainstream and academic editor, writing coach, and spiritual counselor, with many publications, including articles in Challenges in Writing Your Dissertation (Rowman &amp; Littlefield, 2015) and Trust Your Life (Unity Books, 2011). She is grateful for the gifts to share and apply spiritual principles.&nbsp;

noelle-stern.webp

Noelle Sterne

<h4 style="text-align:justify;">NOELLE STERNE tackles the most uncomfortable of emotions, envy and jealousy, and how competition with others can either cripple us or force us to try a more positive and enlightened approach.&nbsp;</h4>For me, competition takes the form of predictable pangs of envy seeing the high school science nerd who sat in the back getting a MacArthur Fellowship. Or my friend marrying a billionaire tech mogul. Or a book club member whose novel never seemed to be finished landing a contract with a major publisher. Or, as I was working on this article, a novelist who has written 14 Course in Miracles bestsellers, publishes in the top magazines, and appears on many television shows.&nbsp;In a Unity booklet, 40 Days of Letting Go: Lent 2023, the Reverend Cylvia Hayes describes those envious feelings perfectly: “Competitiveness keeps us focused on who we think we’re supposed to be rather than celebrating who we already are… our sense of worth on a comparison with others’ accomplishments, rather than truly appreciating our own unique talents, traits, gifts, and expressions.”Much as I try distractions, the comparisons and pangs sit heavy on my heart, coloring everything—the wonderful pasta meal, the delicious nap, the invigorating swim. I repeatedly tell myself that the successes of others don’t have to affect mine, but I’m never convinced. Soon the pangs spread and become full-blown depression. &nbsp;<h4 style="text-align:justify;">Strategies</h4>I’ve tried many tactics to dilute the depression. Console myself with the nerd’s lack of a significant relationship (in contrast to my longstanding one). My girlfriend’s losing battle with weight (in contrast to my slimming down and keeping down). The book club member’s frizzy hair (in contrast to my sleek pixie). The multi-novelist’s penchant for formularized paranormal romance, which I’d never do. But, at best, these are band-aids. I immerse myself in my writing, attempting to block out everything else. But soon my plaguing inner editor rears up: This is garbage. Throw it out. You’ll never get anywhere.I go out with friends. Or watch a string of rom-coms or lawyer shows while decimating a whole bag of corn chips. Or sleep too much.None of it works. The feelings can’t be covered, substituted, or held at bay for long. I’ve tried to block them out with whatever method, and I feel no better. And then they spiral into a fireworks of fervent vindictive wishes (the nerd’s latest invention blows up, my girlfriend gains so much weight she can hardly walk, the book club member fails to deliver her manuscript on time and her contract is cancelled, the novelist’s next one is a turkey).I really hate myself for those malevolent wishes of my small mind, ungenerous spirit, and cruelty I didn’t know I was capable of.So, what to do?<h4 style="text-align:justify;">How to counter the cruel competitive feelings?</h4>I’ve learned to turn away from the thoughts that lead to those competitive and depressive feelings. My methods of spiritual reading and meditation may not be for you, but I’ve found them supremely helpful, and you might want to test them out.&nbsp;Turning away is hard when the anguish seems to have me enslaved. If I’m successful, turning away is only half the remedy. It may weaken the intensity and the hold those feelings have on me, but more is needed.&nbsp;Thoughts trigger feelings, and I remind myself that I have the mental capacity and will to change my thoughts. The remedy, again not easy, is consciously to substitute other thoughts.&nbsp;I discovered a Bible passage that became the perfect substitute for my teeth-gnashing envy. In 1 Corinthians, Paul writes to the fledging church at Corinth, Greece, about their conflicts with leadership and personalities. As with many of Paul’s letters, he supports and encourages the members, urges them to solve their disagreements, and always reminds them of the supremacy of God.&nbsp;In the passage that struck me (1 Corinthians 12: 4-11), Paul addresses the erroneous idea that one person’s “gift” is better than another’s. It also resonates down the ages with a priceless lesson, especially when that ol’ devil competition rears up.Appropriate to the culture and time, Paul enumerates gifts each person is given—wisdom, knowledge, faith, healing, working of miracles, prophecy, discerning of different tongues, speaking in tongues and interpreting them, and the crowning conclusion:All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and He distributes them to each one, just as He determines (1 Cor. 12:11).Although Paul’s examples of “gifts” may differ from the ones we covet today, his insights apply. For me, it’s the talents and successes of novelists. For my obese girlfriend, it may be the diet and willpower of an impossibly slender model. For my book club colleague, it may be the perseverance of another author whose books make it into movies. For the paranormal romance novelist, it may be writing a wholly realistic novel.&nbsp;Yet, who is to say that an author has more gifts to share than an airport attendant, a senator than a sanitation worker, a physicist than a plumber?Some of the gifts may seem more important, more contributory. But again, who is to say that the sanitation worker isn’t providing daily blessings to everyone in the neighborhood? A Course in Miracles reiterates Paul: “Love makes no comparisons.”&nbsp;I invite you to think of your own gifts and whom they bless.In The Artist’s Way, Julia Cameron comments that competition and jealousy are “always a mask for fear: fear that we aren’t able to get what we want; frustration that somebody else seems to be getting what is rightfully ours even if we are too frightened to reach for it.”&nbsp;Cameron says that competition is a “spiritual drug.” We focus on the wrong thing, on them and their accomplishments, instead of our own work. Her solution is to “go within,” to what “our inner guidance is nudging us toward.” As we turn within, our own work rises up to greet us, we get excited about it (at least a little), and become engrossed in it rather than bemoaning our ill luck in the wake of another person’s successes.If you’re jealous of a friend who writes good crime novels, Cameron says, “Try writing one.” For me, with gnawing jealousy of the novelists, the answer is to finish my damn novel and start sending it out. Cameron is also reassuring, obliquely echoing Paul: “The truth… is that there is room for all of us.”&nbsp;In addition to her sage advice, I’ve found another antidote for that insidious poisonous devil competition: gratitude—to recognize my gifts and be constantly thankful for them. Every time the devil threatens, I turn away and instead say to Him, “Thank You for what I have and can give.” It works.Paul offers more: Each of us is given gifts or desires “as He determines.” Therefore, should we not thank Him for His particular gifts to us and the many opportunities—places, people, situations—to use them? Yes.&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/devil_competition2_977b3e17d6.webp" alt="devil-competition2.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_devil_competition2_977b3e17d6.webp 145w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/large_devil_competition2_977b3e17d6.webp 381w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/devil_competition2_977b3e17d6.webp 381w," sizes="100vw"></figure>&nbsp;And should we not develop and use them to our utmost? Yes.He has given us gifts according to our capacities for our own and others’ good. Should we not express gratitude? Yes.Reminders such as these show me how to stop fueling the competition engine that erodes my writing, my desire to contribute, and my enjoyment of life. The engine sputters to a stop. With a grateful heart, I return to my work.<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">Thoughts trigger feelings, and I remind myself that I have the mental capacity and will to change my thoughts. The remedy, again not easy, is consciously to substitute other thoughts.&nbsp;</h4><hr>

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