Dr. Tyagi is the Executive Director of Gramin Vikas Vigyan Samiti (GRAVIS), an NGO dedicated to working in impoverished rural regions of India, including the Thar Desert in Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, and Bundelkhand. He is a physician and a public health professional by education, and at GRAVIS he oversees administration, coordinates various programs, develops new projects, and fosters new partnerships.

Prakash-Tyagi.jpg

Prakash Tyagi

<h4
 id="h-dr-prakash-tyagi-is-the-executive-director-of-gramin-vikas-vigyan-samiti-gravis-an-ngo-dedicated-to-working-in-impoverished-rural-regions-of-india-including-the-thar-desert-rajasthan-uttarakhand-and-bundelkhand-in-part-1-of-this-interview-with-kashish-kalwani-he-speaks-about-applying-the-gandhian-principles-of-love-non-violence-and-truth-to-support-communities-in-need">
 DR. PRAKASH TYAGI
 is the Executive Director of Gramin Vikas Vigyan Samiti (GRAVIS), an NGO
 dedicated to working in impoverished rural regions of India, including the
 Thar Desert, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, and Bundelkhand. In part 1 of this
 interview with
 KASHISH KALWANI, he speaks about applying the Gandhian
 principles of love, non-violence,
 and truth to support communities in need.
</h4>

<hr class="vertical-space1" />


 Q: Thank you sir, for having this conversation with us. You have
 been on a
 long and inspiring journey with GRAVIS. Could you tell us more about
 it?



 PT: GRAVIS is a
 pioneering organization that was founded in 1983 in the Thar Desert. The
 vision was for constructive rural development on the Gandhian lines of
 philosophy, and at the time there were no organizations working on integrated
 rural development in a holistic way in that area. Since then, GRAVIS has grown
 extensively. It’s currently one of the leading organizations in the region and
 nationally, with some global recognition.



 The Thar Desert is the driest part of India, with severe water scarcity, food
 shortages, and poverty. Since the beginning, GRAVIS has been involved in
 drought mitigation, finding common feasible solutions in consultation with the
 local people. We took up various projects and formed multiple partnerships to
 mitigate the effects of drought. Later, GRAVIS expanded into other areas of
 human development, including healthcare, education, and rural livelihood.



 The core of GRAVIS’ work has been active community involvement, and that
 includes consulting with the community to find solutions, taking their advice,
 and developing future projects and programs. We ensure that they are fully
 involved in many ways. GRAVIS has led to the formation of more than 3000
 community-based organizations (CBOs), and many of them are sustainable,
 self-reliant, confident, working on their own, leveraging government
 resources, and developing their own agenda and priorities. That helps in
 sustaining the initiatives we have taken up.



 We have been extending our work regularly every year, and currently we reach
 about 1.5 million people.


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<div class="block-image">
 <figure>
 <img width="700" alt="love-nonviolence-truth2-700x467" class="lazyload w-100"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/love_nonviolence_truth2_700x467_f4b9f4d432.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-07T10:06:55.238Z" />
 </figure>
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 GRAVIS has three defining aspects. The first is our technical expertise in two
 core areas:


<ol type="1">
 <li>
 Drought mitigation, at the ground level as well as in documenting and
 research. We share this information to facilitate learning and exchange
 across the whole of South Asia. The Thar Desert is the largest desert in the
 world in terms of population and housing, so that makes GRAVIS a leading
 drought mitigation organization.
 </li>
 <li>
 Healthcare: We provide medical services, as well as an integrated public
 health approach, including education, training, and capacity building of
 health workers and communities on general health, nutrition, hygiene and
 sanitation, sexually transmitted diseases, and non-communicable diseases.
 Tuberculosis has been a challenge in many communities and GRAVIS was one of
 the first organizations to highlight the threat of occupational lung
 diseases and mining diseases like silicosis.
 </li>
</ol>


 The second aspect is our philosophy. We work in areas where the need is the
 greatest. We don’t really go to areas where programs are being implemented by
 other organizations, as we want to ensure that our resources are taken to the
 people most in need. So, most of our projects are in very remote
 underdeveloped areas.



 Also at the philosophical level, linking it with the Gandhian model of rural
 development, it is important to work for societies and communities that are
 inclusive, favoring gender equality and harmony at all levels. This is needed
 for decision-making in the distribution of resources, and for making sure that
 there are no disputes and no divisions within the communities.



 The third aspect is community participation. We make sure that people are with
 us. Oftentimes we call community-based organizations, because they are the
 real power, they are the stakeholders of everything we do. That is how I would
 want GRAVIS to be known.



 Q: Thank you, Sir. When I volunteered with GRAVIS, I noticed how
 the
 buildings at the field site were named after the Gandhian values of
 prema (love), ahimsa (non-violence), and
 satya (truth). That really stood out for me. Do you have any
 particular memories that stand out for you in the years spent with
 GRAVIS?



 PT: There are
 many memories, and so much has happened in the last thirty-seven years, but my
 family involvement is extremely important because that is how GRAVIS came into
 existence. My parents decided to do something in an area that was extremely
 underdeveloped at that point of time. It was the late 1970s and I remember
 coming to Jodhpur when I was six years old. The conditions were very
 difficult, and Jodhpur was a very insignificant place. It would have been very
 easy for my parents to live elsewhere, but they took the decision that life
 was going to be spent for a cause in an area where there was a significant
 need. That’s how GRAVIS was founded.



 Another memory I have is that the organization grew through limitations and
 hardship, and that think tanks don’t come overnight. GRAVIS didn’t have a
 vehicle for years, although now it is different. It took years for GRAVIS to
 build its capacity and resources, and to become expert enough to understand
 the community’s needs. I think it requires a lot of dedication. It also
 requires the patience to spend time with people.



 In this era of the Internet, everything seems to be so fast, but that’s not
 real life. In real life you need time, and time cannot be replaced by anything
 else. What you can do in X amount of time, you cannot do in Y amount of time
 by accelerating work horizons. My memories are the memories of those
 hardships, of the struggles I grew up seeing.


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<h4 class="has-text-align-center">
 The core of GRAVIS’ work has been active community involvement, and that includes consulting with the community to find solutions, taking their advice, and developing future projects and programs.
</h4>

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 <figure>
 <img width="700" alt="love-nonviolence-truth3-700x467" class="lazyload w-100"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/love_nonviolence_truth3_700x467_f55da32219.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-07T10:08:49.754Z" />
 </figure>
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 For nearly ten years I traveled from a village to Jodhpur every day in a bus
 to attend school. It was a 12-hour-a-day process from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. All of
 this is important, because that’s how organizations become strong in their
 values and beliefs, and how they make connections to communities.



 GRAVIS faced very severe resistance in 1989-1990, when the whole country was
 burning. At that time, our centers were attacked and destroyed, because we
 worked with the lower castes, the so-called Dalits,
 and we were given a message that it was time to go home and not to spoil the
 community equations and dynamics. But we sustained and we fought back,
 literally from a point where nothing was left. Everything was destroyed,
 everyone was beaten, and then the organization reemerged. That’s a strong
 memory.



 A more recent memory is my own personal decision to stay with GRAVIS. I didn’t
 plan it that way, but with my father’s demise there was a vacuum of
 leadership, so I traveled back from the U.S. to India ten years ago.



 The most significant memories are meeting the social activists, the people who
 really believed in an India and a world free of discrimination, free of
 injustice. I remember meeting
 <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jayaprakash_Narayan" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Jayaprakash
 Narayan</a>, I remember meeting
 <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._B._Kripalani" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Kripalani</a>, I
 remember meeting
 <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vinoba_Bhave" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Vinoba</a>. It was
 quite a thing to do because they are big names.



 Last and not least – the love of the people has always been visible. In the
 rural areas, we receive so much affection, so much love, and that’s what makes
 the difference.



 Q: Yes, indeed. What are some practical tools that we can
 incorporate into
 our lifestyle to be more conscious of the way we are living and more
 involved in community initiatives?



 PT: I wouldn’t
 know. I’m a very unorganized man, I must admit. Everyone has their own way of
 doing things. If you ask me, at a very personal level, being on time is
 extremely important and it helps me measure if what I’m doing is fruitful or
 not. At the end of every 24-hour cycle, I make a calculation of what I did
 today and how I spent my time. It’s important to be accountable to myself
 about how my time was spent. I don’t know if it’s practical or more
 philosophical, but to me it’s important.



 The second thing is to do something new every day. And that “new” could be
 anything. It could be writing about something new or singing a new song.



 Q: Doing something new is such a creative tool! Finally, is
 there anything
 you’d like to share with our readers?



 PT: Mahatma
 Gandhi said, “My life is my message.” Every life is a message, and every life
 is capable of leaving a message. It doesn’t have to be like Mahatma Gandhi’s
 life; it could be Kashish’s life or anyone else’s life. It’s up to you to make
 that message whatever you want it to look like. And your entire life works for
 that message, so it can’t be created overnight.



 Q: What is your life’s message?



 PT: I am still in
 the process of finding that out! I haven’t gone through much of my life – I
 still have a few years left. It doesn’t have to be gigantic, it doesn’t have
 to be global, and it doesn’t have to be noble. It can be anything, as long as
 you have a message. “My life is my message” is my advice to the younger
 generation, or any generation.



 Q: Thank you for taking the time to share your story and message
 with
 us.



 PT: Thank you.


To be continued

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<h4 class="has-text-align-center">Photos by RAJESH MENON</h4>

<hr />

Love, non-violence, and truth

<h4>DR. PRAKASH TYAGI is the Executive Director of Gramin Vikas Vigyan Samiti (GRAVIS), an NGO dedicated to working in impoverished rural regions of India, including the Thar Desert, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, and Bundelkhand. In part 2 of this interview with KASHISH KALWANI, he speaks about how things have changed due to the pandemic and the importance of passion and love for community.</h4><hr>Q: Where does your passion and love for community come from? You mentioned last month that your family played a major role, but what was your personal need to get involved at a deeper level?PT: I can’t take credit for the founding philosophy of GRAVIS, because I was very young at the time. The founders believed that people are often not taken into account when programs are developed. That may still be the case today, but the situation has changed and it must keep changing. It is a dynamic process. People need to be consulted. People need to be given the confidence that they are equal and important partners in what is being done for them.There are always strong representatives in communities, who do not allow others to come forward, like women, the deprived, the lower caste groups, and those with disabilities. Therefore, it is important that inclusive community-based organizations are given training and capacity-building tools, so that everyone can contribute. Equality and solidarity are principles of the GRAVIS philosophy, and they are derived from Mahatma Gandhi’s approach to India’s development.<hr><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/Passion_Love_Community2_610d2e3fe1.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-09T04:28:41.530Z" alt="Passion-Love-Community2"><hr>Q: How has Covid-19 affected GRAVIS’s work, and how did you stay connected with people in the areas you work?PT: Covid-19 has been unprecedented, and it has affected almost all organizations, including GRAVIS. We had to reduce the number of programs significantly because of the lockdown and other public-health concerns. GRAVIS supplied 150,000 people with food and hygiene products between April and July 2020, and, as things started to settle down our projects started reflowing. I would say that 70% to 80% of our activities are back in action.Every crisis comes with some learning, and we gave ourselves time to make long-term plans, think about strategies, and evaluate our partnerships. We were fortunate to receive good support from our funders, so we were never in a financial crunch. Hopefully, next year will be more stable.Q: What are the qualities and values you feel we must imbibe if we want to create an impact in society?PT: Be patient and take your time. It’s not a part-time job that can be done in a couple of months; it is a wholehearted effort, a 100% commitment with patience. These things take time.Also, be very open to what comes from the communities, as every feedback is important. Some ideas might be relevant today, some in the future, so there is always scope for storing all the information that comes through.Then, have self-belief that what you are doing is important. Believe that your vision and mission are making a change. When self-belief is there, you will make progress.<hr><hr><h4>Have self-belief that what you are doing is important.&nbsp; Believe that your vision and mission are making a change.&nbsp; When self-belief is there, you will make progress.</h4><hr><hr><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/Passion_Love_Community4_2c90098bd2.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-09T04:27:31.602Z" alt="Passion-Love-Community4"><hr>Q: Thank you for sharing that. You mentioned that the younger generation is moving at such a fast pace that we lack patience for something to build. We want instant gratification the moment we invest our efforts. This increases the stress in our minds, and nowadays we see more mental health problems. What mental health challenges did you notice during the lockdown periods?PT: It was a time of trapped communities, of people in isolation, and loneliness. I believe that mental health problems are part of life – everyone goes through them. Depression and anxiety are common, they just manifest more visibly in some people than others. The Covid-19 pandemic, with its lockdowns and restrictions, has magnified mental health disorders, especially in groups like the elderly, who have been confined to their homes. Many of them are disabled and dependent on others. A lot of domestic abuse also came to our notice.It was important for people to get resources for their immediate survival, and organizations like ours worked on this. Food exchanges were important, because there was a serious cash crunch and lack of supplies in the local markets. Mental issues have taken a serious toll on people. They were trapped in their homes, and they didn’t have a life with regular in-person meetings and dialogue. Hence, we organized regular webinars with mental-health experts, so that people were given guidance, advice, and encouragement.Mental health is an ongoing public health issue; during the pandemic, it became more visible. Hopefully, the worst is over, and our mindset will be more positive in the coming year.<hr><hr><h4>Photography by RAJESH MENON</h4><hr>

Passion and love for community

Dr. Prasad did his Ayurvedacharya medical degree in Kerala. During his 22 years of professional practice, he has worked in India, Mauritius, Malaysia, Russia, and Egypt. He was the first Indian Ayurvedic doctor to practice and propagate this Indian wisdom in Egypt.

prasad-veluthanar.jpg

Prasad Veluthanar

<h4>
 DR. PRASAD
 VELUTHANAR
 writes about the day’s routine from the ayurvedic perspective. He
 explains how doing specific activities at specific times of the day will
 help you derive maximum benefits and improve your well-being.
</h4>

<hr class="vertical-space1" />


 Dinacharya is the Sanskrit word for “daily routine,” a simple and
 effective way to balance the body. Our daily activities have a profound
 effect on our health, and a good routine is a stronger medicine than an
 occasional remedy. Dinacharya establishes healthy habits by attuning the
 body to the natural cycles of the day. The energies of each of the three
 doshas – vata, pitta, and kapha – predominate at different
 times within the 24-hour period. By establishing a routine that goes with
 these elemental energies, we enable the body’s natural rhythms and healing
 potential.&nbsp;


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<h4>THE DAILY CYCLE</h4>

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<div class="text-center">
 <img alt=" living-with-natures-rhythms-2" class="lazyload has-img-center"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/living_nature_rhythms2_0792c4004c.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-12T06:48:24.160Z" />
</div>

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2 to 6 a.m. – vata


 Waking Up:&nbsp; Waking up between 4 and 6 a.m. helps us
 develop alertness, vibrancy, enthusiasm, energy, clarity, strengthened
 intuition, and motivation. Vata qualities are prominent, and it is the most
 sattvic, peaceful time of the day, ideal for spiritual practice. If
 you have time constraints, when you wake up take a few deep breaths, and be
 thankful for waking up to an exciting new day.&nbsp;



 Elimination: The bladder and colon may be emptied upon
 rising. Drinking a glass or two of warm water with a little bit of lemon can
 help rehydrate tissues, flush toxins, enkindle digestive fire, and stimulate
 peristalsis.&nbsp;



 Cleansing: Ayurveda recommends purifying the senses every
 day so that you can have new life experiences. Refresh and energize the mind
 by splashing the face and eyes with cool or lukewarm water. Gently wash your
 ears and apply a thin coat of sesame oil to the inside of the ears with your
 little finger. Use a neti pot with saline solution to clean your nasal
 passages. Brush your teeth. Scrape your tongue using a tongue cleaner.
 Finally, gargle with salt water and turmeric to help purify and strengthen
 your voice and keep your gums, mouth, and throat healthy.&nbsp;


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<div class="text-center">
 <img alt=" living-with-natures-rhythms-2" class="lazyload has-img-center"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/living_nature_rhythms3_107ba202e9.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-12T06:50:00.745Z" />
</div>

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 Oil massage: Nourishes and strengthens the body, encourages
 regular sleep patterns, stimulates internal organs, enhances blood
 circulation, and can significantly reduce avataim balance.&nbsp;



 Bathing: Take a bath using a minimal amount of soap.
 Ayurveda sees bathing as a therapeutic activity. It is suggested that you
 bathe with lukewarm water. Do not bathe in a hurry – let the mind and body
 benefit from the bath. Use gentle aromatherapy oils such as lavender and
 sandalwood. The ancient ayurvedic texts also recommend adding rose petals,
 milk, honey, and turmeric to your bath. A leisurely bath relaxes tense
 muscles, irons out a creased brow, opens clogged pores, restores moisture to
 the tissues, and adds a healing dimension to your day. It enhances physical
 energy levels and improves your mental well-being.



 Clothing: Always wear clean clothing, preferably made from
 natural fibers such as cotton, wool, linen, or silk. Ayurveda discourages
 wearing used clothing, especially other peoples’ shoes, because of the
 polluted subtle energies that they collect.&nbsp;



 Gentle exercise: Daily exercise increases circulation and
 oxygenation of the tissues, strengthens digestion, tones the body, reduces
 fat, and enhances vitality. Determine the best time to exercise and what
 form of exercise to practice according to your constitutional type and the
 effects of the seasons. For example, in the fall, a vata person should
 exercise during the kapha time of day, to take advantage of kapha’s
 grounding and stable qualities. Choose an activity that is soothing to the
 nervous system like yoga or tai-chi.&nbsp;



 Meditation:&nbsp; Just as you cleanse your body each day,
 also cleanse your mind of accumulated thoughts that no longer serve you. Be
 still. Direct your attention inward. Notice your breath. Practice pranayama.
 Meditate for twenty minutes or simply invite calm and relaxation into the
 body if time is limited. This practice acts as a protective shield to the
 destabilizing influences of the external environment.&nbsp;


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<div class="text-center">
 <img alt=" living-with-natures-rhythms-2" class="lazyload has-img-center"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/living_nature_rhythms4_2b34bbf9a9.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-12T06:51:07.181Z" />
</div>

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6 to 10 a.m. – kapha


 Aerobic exercise: This period is kapha time, which
 has the qualities of heaviness, slowness, and stability – the later a person
 wakes after dawn, the more of these qualities they imbibe and carry for the
 rest of the day. Kapha time is the best time for active physical exercise
 like jogging, swimming, or cycling.&nbsp;


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<div class="text-center">
 <img alt=" living-with-natures-rhythms-2" class="lazyload has-img-center"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/living_nature_rhythms5_516d74a418.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-12T06:52:06.058Z" />
</div>

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<hr />

<h4 class="text-center">
 Proper absorption of
 minerals, vitamins, proteins, and carbohydrates
 will result in efficient energy production and feelings of
 strength and alertness.
</h4>

<hr />

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10 a.m. to 2 p.m. – pitta


 Work and lunch: This is the most productive time for work,
 especially for problem-solving and tasks that require your full attention
 and focus. It is also the time when the sun is at its peak and when the
 digestive fire is at its strongest.&nbsp; It is the ideal time to eat the
 largest meal of the day.



 Eating at this time allows efficient and maximum digestion, assimilation,
 and metabolism. Proper absorption of minerals, vitamins, proteins, and
 carbohydrates will result in efficient energy production and feelings of
 strength and alertness. There will also be less desire for snacking and
 overeating if your diet is nutritious and properly assimilated. A short,
 leisurely stroll shortly after lunch also aids digestion.&nbsp;


<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<div class="text-center">
 <img alt=" living-with-natures-rhythms-2" class="lazyload has-img-center"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/living_nature_rhythms6_7b70b0cd08.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-12T06:53:08.844Z" />
</div>

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2 to 6 p.m. – vata


 Creative work: Vata comes again in the afternoon. This is a
 good time for mental agility and creative work. Vata types may experience a
 drop in energy at this time and a small snack is valuable for them.&nbsp;



 Evening meal: Eat a light meal in the evening. It is
 important to allow enough time for your previous meal to digest thoroughly
 (generally 4 hours).Ideally, eat before sundown and at least three hours
 before bedtime.&nbsp;


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<div class="text-center">
 <img alt=" living-with-natures-rhythms-2" class="lazyload has-img-center"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/living_nature_rhythms7_606ce0eeba.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-12T06:54:08.610Z" />
</div>

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<hr />

<h4 class="text-center">
 Evening is a time to
 relax, engage in pleasant conversation with family or friends,
 read, or play gentle soothing music.
</h4>

<hr />

<hr class="vertical-space1" />

6 to 10 p.m. – kapha


 Relaxation: The slow, stable qualities of kapha increase as
 the evening progresses and reach their peak a couple of hours before
 midnight. In order to imbibe these qualities and ensure a sound, heavy,
 undisturbed, and restful sleep, go to bed before this period ends.



 Evening is a time to relax, engage in pleasant conversation with family or
 friends, read, or play gentle soothing music. It is a time to unwind from
 the stimulation and activity of the day. About half an hour before bedtime
 is the perfect time to take Triphala tea to gently tone and balance the
 digestive tract.&nbsp;&nbsp;


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<div class="text-center">
 <img alt=" living-with-natures-rhythms-2" class="lazyload has-img-center"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/living_nature_rhythms8_bcc58212fd.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-12T06:55:17.566Z" />
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<h4>10 p.m. to 2 a.m. – pitta</h4>


 Sleep: The next active Pitta period runs from 10 p.m. until
 2 a.m. If you are not asleep during this period, the body will wake up and
 have a second wind around 11p.m., which may have you up till 1a.m.!&nbsp;
 Sleep is then impaired and the elimination of impurities and toxins from the
 body suffers. Being in bed by 10 p.m. will ensure 6 to 7 hours of
 refreshing, detoxifying sleep that will leave you revitalized and energized.
 You may also apply oil to the scalp and the soles of the feet before bed to
 calm the nervous system and promote sound sleep.&nbsp;&nbsp;



 This Pitta period is a second digestive phase, but it is not intended for
 digesting large quantities of food or heavy food. The metabolism work
 differently than at midday and is far less efficient in terms of breaking
 down the contents of the stomach and intestines. It will try to digest them
 but usually leaves the process incomplete, leading to a further build-up of
 undigested food (hence the very furry, white tongue in the morning after a
 late night of alcohol and heavy food). This is why the evening meal should
 be light and easily digestible.&nbsp; Following these daily rhythms is a way
 to bring more awareness to all of the habits and choices we make throughout
 the day. Conscious awareness of living in harmony with the cycles of nature
 is the path to health and freedom.&nbsp;


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<hr />

<h4 class="text-center">
 Illustrations by JASMEE MUDGAL
</h4>

<hr />

Living with nature’s rhythms

<h4>
 DR. PRASAD
 VELUTHANAR
 from the Wellness Center at Kanha Shanti Vanam shares some simple dietary
 principles from the ayurvedic perspective to bring about better nutrition
 and well-being.
</h4>

<hr class="vertical-space1" />


 Eat only when you are hungry. Sometimes a drink is all that is required to
 satisfy a craving.



 Eat breakfast to help prevent a mid-morning energy slump (especially for
 vata types).



 Drink a glass of fresh organic fruit or vegetable juice each day, e.g.,
 carrot, apple, or spinach. Don’t mix fruit and vegetable juices, with the
 exception of carrot and apple together.


Eat the largest meal at midday, when the digestive fire is strongest.

Take ginger pickle half an hour before each meal.


 Sit down while eating and put your full attention on the food being eaten.
 Do not divide the mind and weaken the digestive juices by excessive talking,
 reading, or watching television. Always be conscious of the taste of food
 and the act of eating, and try to eat in a settled, peaceful environment.



 Eat only food that is attractive, wholesome, aromatic, and tasty, as this
 ensures proper digestion.



 Eat fresh organic food whenever possible, and avoid processed and refined
 products. Try to avoid lifeless, nutrient-poor food such as microwaved,
 pre-cooked, left-over, or canned.



 Favor unprocessed, unrefined oils such as Udo’s, flax, pumpkin, ghee and
 olive oil.


Use honey, maple syrup, agave, and stevia extract for sweetening.


 Reduce the use of refined sugar, salt, white flour, hard cheese, and
 processed or microwaved food.



 Avoid tea, coffee, alcohol, pastries, and meat. If you do eat meat, choose
 white meat or fish in preference to red meat, as they are easier to digest.


<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<div class="text-center">
 <img alt="healthy-dietary-principles" class="lazyload has-img-center"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/healthy_dietary_principles2_0c7ea3f454.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-12T08:15:22.952Z" />
</div>

<hr class="vertical-space1" />


 Use soya, rice, almond, hazelnut, coconut, or oat milk as a substitute for
 pasteurized cow’s milk.



 Sip hot water during a meal, but otherwise refrain from taking any liquids
 for up to half an hour before and after food. This ensures that the
 stomach’s digestive enzymes are not diluted.



 Drink one to two liters of water or herbal teas daily. Ginger, lemon,
 peppermint, fennel, coriander and digestive teas are good.



 Drink hot water with fresh lemon or fresh ginger to reduce weight and to
 eliminate toxins and impurities.



 Eat fruit separately from main meals to prevent fermentation in the gut.



 If you are a pitta type, or even a kapha type with good digestion, include a
 small salad with dressing before your main midday meal in the summertime.



 Always chew your food thoroughly.This stimulates the salivary glands and
 also ensures food reaches the stomach in a pre-digested liquid form that is
 easier to digest and assimilate.



 Avoid overeating – rest and relax for a few minutes before taking a second
 helping. The amount of chewed food that will fit into your cupped hands is
 equal to a third of the size of your stomach. Your digestive system works
 best when your stomach contains one third food, one third liquid, and one
 third space at the end of a main meal. Leave the table feeling sated, but
 not heavy and bloated. Your energy levels should feel replenished.



 Take a short stroll after a large meal, and then a short rest afterwards if
 desired.


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 <img alt="healthy-dietary-principles" class="lazyload has-img-center"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/healthy_dietary_principles3_9dddbf7abd.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-12T08:16:39.856Z" />
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 If you are a vata type and experience flagging energy during the late
 afternoon, stop and have a small snack or fruit juice.



 Eat at least three hours before bed and only have a light meal. Vata types
 benefit from a milky bedtime drink with added ghee, cinnamon, nutmeg, and
 raisins.



 Aloe vera juice is good for everyone, but is especially beneficial for those
 suffering from pitta imbalances. It is good for digestion, cleansing, and
 elimination. Take 30mls of the juice each day.



 Turmeric is both bitter and astringent and is a blood purifier and
 antioxidant. One teaspoon cooked with your meals is an excellent way to
 increase antioxidant intake. Vata people should use half this amount as it
 can sometimes be too drying and depleting for them.&nbsp;



 The day starts the night before. An early night ensures deep,
 refreshing sleep. Deep, refreshing sleep ensures you wake early, rested
 and revitalized. Waking early, rested and revitalized, ensures time for
 massage, yoga and meditation. Massage, yoga and meditation ensure the
 mind and body are awake and alive. Mind and body fully awake and alive
 ensure a happy countenance. A happy countenance ensures a stress-free
 mind. A stress-free mind creates a positive mind. A positive mind
 imparts love and peace to those around. An atmosphere of love and peace
 creates a wave of harmony throughout the room. A wave of harmony
 throughout the room creates a wave of harmony throughout the house. A
 wave of harmony throughout the house creates a wave of harmony throughout
 the city. A wave of harmony throughout the city creates a wave of
 harmony throughout the country. A wave of harmony throughout the
 country creates a wave of harmony throughout the world.


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<div class="text-center">
 <img alt="healthy-dietary-principles" class="lazyload has-img-center"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/healthy_dietary_principles4_a5fbf851ee.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-12T08:17:34.318Z" />
</div>

<hr class="vertical-space1" />


 If you are fully awake in the present, having learned from and let go of the
 past, the future will take care of itself. You simply need to bathe in the
 joy of being fully alive in every waking moment. And the real beauty is –
 you can start today. And remember the phrase, “This too will pass.”


Wishing you a great ayurvedic natural lifestyle.

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<hr />

<h4 class="text-center">
 Illustrations by JASMEE MUDGAL
</h4>

<hr />

Healthy dietary principles

<h4>DR. PRASAD VELUTHANAR writes about Ayurvedic dinacharya – the day’s routine. He explains how doing specific activities at specific times of the day will help you derive maximum benefits and improve your well-being.</h4><hr>Dinacharya is the Sanskrit word for “daily routine,” a simple and effective way to balance the body. Our daily activities have a profound effect on our health, and a good routine is a stronger medicine than an occasional remedy. Dinacharya helps establish healthy habits by attuning the body to the natural cycles of the day. The energies of each of the three dos has – vata, pitta, and kapha – predominate at different times within a 24-hour period. By establishing a routine that “goes with the flow” of these elemental energies, we can enable the body’s natural rhythms and healing potential.&nbsp;THE DAILY CYCLE<h4>2 to 6 a.m. – vata</h4>Waking Up:&nbsp; Waking up between 4 and 6 a.m. can help us develop alertness, vibrancy, enthusiasm, energy, clarity, strengthened intuition, and motivation. Vata qualities are prominent, and it is the most sattvic, peaceful time of the day, ideal for spiritual practice. If you have time constraints, simply wake up, take a few deep breaths, and be thankful for waking up to an exciting new day.&nbsp;Elimination:&nbsp; The bladder and colon may be emptied upon rising. Drinking a glass or two of warm water with a little bit of lemon can help rehydrate tissues, flush toxins, enkindle agni or digestive fire, and stimulate peristalsis.&nbsp;Cleansing: Ayurveda recommends purifying the senses every day so that you can have new life experiences. Refresh and energize the mind by splashing the face and eyes with cool or lukewarm water. Gently wash your ears and apply a thin coat of sesame oil to the inside of the ears with your little finger. Use a neti pot with saline solution to clean the nasal passages. Brush your teeth. Scrape your tongue using a tongue cleaner. Finally, gargle with salt water and turmeric to help purify and strengthen your voice and keep your gums, mouth, and throat healthy.&nbsp;Oil massage: Abhyanga, oil massage, nourishes and strengthens the body, encourages regular sleep patterns, stimulates internal organs, enhances blood circulation, and can significantly reduce avataim balance.&nbsp;Bathe: Take a bath using a minimal amount of soap. Ayurveda sees bathing as a therapeutic activity. It is suggested that you bathe with lukewarm water. Do not bathe in a hurry – let both the mind and body benefit from the bath. Use gentle aromatherapy oils such as lavender or sandalwood. The ancient ayurvedic texts also recommend adding rose petals, milk, honey, and turmeric to your bath. A leisurely bath relaxes tense muscles, irons out a creased brow, opens clogged pores, restores moisture to the tissues, and adds a healing dimension to your day. It enhances physical energy levels and improves your mental well-being.Clothing: Always wear clean clothing, preferably made from natural fibers such as cotton, wool, linen, or silk. Ayurveda discourages wearing used clothing, especially other peoples’ shoes, because of the polluted subtle energies that they collect.&nbsp;Gentle exercise: Daily exercise increases circulation and oxygenation of the tissues, strengthens agni, tones the body, reduces fat, and enhances vitality. Determine the best time to exercise and what form of exercise to practice according to your constitutional type and the effects of the seasons. For example, in the fall, a vata person should exercise during the kapha time of day, to take advantage of kapha’s grounding and stable qualities. Choose an activity that is soothing to the nervous system like yoga or tai-chi.&nbsp;Meditation:&nbsp; Just as you cleanse your body each day, also cleanse your mind of accumulated thoughts that no longer serve you. Be still. Direct your attention inward. Notice your breath. Practice pranayama. Meditate for twenty minutes or simply invite calm and relaxation into the body if time is limited. This practice acts as a protective shield to the destabilizing influences of the external environment.&nbsp;<h4>6 to 10 a.m. – kapha</h4>Aerobic exercise: This period is kapha time, which has the qualities of heaviness, slowness, and stability – the later a person wakes after dawn, the more of these qualities they imbibe and carry for the rest of the day. Kapha time is the best time for active physical exercise like jogging, swimming, or cycling.&nbsp;<h4>10 a.m. to 2 p.m. – pitta</h4>Work and lunch: This is the most productive time for work, especially for problem-solving and completing tasks that require your full attention and focus. It is also the time when the sun is at its peak and when the digestive fire is at its strongest.&nbsp; It is the ideal time to eat the largest meal of the day.Eating at this time allows efficient and maximum digestion, assimilation, and metabolism. Proper absorption of minerals, vitamins, proteins, and carbohydrates will result in efficient energy production and feelings of strength and alertness. It follows that there will also be less desire for snacking and overeating if your diet is nutritious and properly assimilated. A short, leisurely stroll shortly after lunch also aids digestion.&nbsp;<h4>2 to 6 p.m. – vata</h4>Creative work: Vata comes around again in the afternoon. This is a good time for mental agility and creative work. Vata types may experience a drop in energy at this time and a small snack is valuable for them.&nbsp;Evening meal: Eat only light meals in the evenings. It is important to allow enough time for your previous meal to digest thoroughly (generally 4 hours),and ideally should be eaten before sundown and at least three hours before bedtime.&nbsp;<h4>6 to 10 p.m. – kapha</h4>Relaxation: The heavy, slow, stable qualities of kapha increase as the evening progresses and reach their peak a couple of hours before midnight. In order to imbibe these qualities and ensure a sound, heavy, undisturbed, and restful sleep, go to bed before this period ends.Evening is a time to relax, engage in pleasant conversation with family or friends, read, or play gentle, soothing music. It is a time to unwind from the stimulation and activity of the day. About half an hour before bedtime is the perfect time to take Triphala tea to gently tone and balance to the digestive tract.&nbsp;&nbsp;<h4>10 p.m. to 2 a.m. – pitta</h4>Sleep:&nbsp; The next active Pitta period runs from 10 p.m. until 2 a.m.&nbsp; If you are not asleep during this period, the body will wake up and have a second wind around 11p.m., which may have you up till 1a.m.!&nbsp; Sleep is then impaired and the elimination of impurities and toxins from the body suffers. Being in bed by 10 p.m. will ensure 6 to 7 hours of refreshing, detoxifying sleep that will leave you revitalized and re-energized. You may also apply oil to the scalp and the soles of the feet before bed to calm the nervous system and promote sound sleep.&nbsp;&nbsp;This Pitta period is also a second digestive phase, but it is not intended for digesting large quantities of food or heavy food. The metabolism work differently than at midday and is far less efficient in terms of breaking down the contents of the stomach and intestines. It will try to digest them but usually leaves the process incomplete, leading to a further build-up of undigested food or ama (hence the very furry, white tongue in the morning after a late night of alcohol and heavy food). This is why the evening meal should be light and easily digestible.&nbsp;Following the rhythms of dinacharya is a way to bring more awareness to all of the habits and choices we make throughout the day. Conscious awareness of living in harmony with the cycles of nature is the path to health and freedom.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Keywords; Dinacharya, dosha, vatta, pitta, kapha, daily cycles, Ayurveda, sleep cycles, relaxation, exercise, healthy eating,

<h4>DR. PRASAD VELUTHANAR shares the recipe for a simple ayurvedic detox tea prepared entirely with natural ingredients.</h4><h4>Ingredients</h4>1 liter boiling water &nbsp;1 to 2 tbsp finely sliced ginger &nbsp;1 tbsp finely sliced fresh turmeric, or ½to 1 tspturmeric powder &nbsp;1 to 2 tsp coriander seeds &nbsp;1–2 tsp cumin seeds &nbsp;1–2 tsp fennel seeds &nbsp;1to 2 teabags (or tbsps) green tea, mint tea, ginger tea, yerba &nbsp; A squeeze of lemon<h4>Method</h4><ol><li><code>Place all ingredients in a French press.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</code></li><li><code>Let the mixture stand for 5 minutes before plunging.</code></li><li><code>Refill the press one more time with boiling water.</code></li><li><code>Alternatively, simmer all ingredients together for 5 minutes in a saucepan.</code></li><li><code>Strain before drinking.</code></li><li><code>Try to drink a total of two liters a day.</code></li></ol>

Ayurvedic detox tea

<h4>DR. PRASAD VELUTHANAR describes the roles of the three doshas – the natural elements in our system – in our health and well-being. He also shares what can be done if one or more doshas are out of balance in order to restore health.&nbsp;</h4>Ayurveda is one of the world’s oldest systems of medicine. In Sanskrit,&nbsp;ayur&nbsp;means “life,” and&nbsp;veda&nbsp;means “knowledge;” so it means “knowledge of life.”&nbsp;It was developed over 6,000 years ago in India and is still widely practiced all over the world. The main principle behind Ayurveda is that the mind and body are inextricably connected. Ayurveda promotes good health through balancing the body, mind, and spirit as a preventative to having to fight diseases through medicine and treatment.Ayurveda is based on the premise that we consist of three governing elements of nature - vata (air), pitta (fire), and kapha (earth). Everyone is a unique combination of these elements or doshas, containing different proportions of each. The combination&nbsp;dictates our eating habits, sleeping habits, and overall way of living life. Symptoms of mental and physical illness are signals that one or more of the doshas is not in balance. &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;<figure class="image image-style-align-center"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/vibrant_health2_f74fe7ca67.jpg"></figure><h4 style="margin-left:0cm;">1. "Healthy” means something different to everyone</h4>We all know the fundamental rules of eating healthy – stick to natural clean foods. Simple, right? So why is there so much debate over diets? Ketogenic, paleo, Whole30, Mediterranean, low-carb, raw, vegan, dairy-free – the options for healthy eating are overwhelming these days. The debate is probably because everyone responds to foods and diets differently, something that Ayurveda discovered thousands of years ago.If you’re working on becoming healthier, eat what’s best for&nbsp;your&nbsp;body, knowing that something different might work for someone else. Ayurveda tells you to eat according to your dosha, or which of your doshas is imbalanced – warm heavy foods balance vata;&nbsp;cool refreshing foods balance pitta; and lightly cooked or raw foods balance kapha. &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;<h4 style="margin-left:0cm;">2.&nbsp;Use six tastes in every meal</h4>Ayurveda recognizes six different tastes: sweet, sour, salty, bitter, pungent, and astringent. Every fruit, vegetable, grain, nut, etc., has a particular taste, or a combination of tastes. The idea is that each taste has a specific connection with one of the doshas. Here are the foods and their tastes.Sweet:&nbsp;carbohydrates and natural sugarsSour:&nbsp;organic acids and fermented foods (probiotics)Salty:&nbsp;salts (that contain crucial minerals)Pungent:&nbsp;spicy foods (promote digestion)Bitter:&nbsp;dark leafy greens and herbs (antiseptic and detoxifying qualities)Astringent:&nbsp;legumes, raw or dry produceWhen you include all these tastes in each meal, it balances the&nbsp;doshas and ensures you’re getting all the nutrients your body needs. Biologically speaking, it makes perfect sense, as each taste represents a different set of nutrients our bodies need.<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">If you’re working on becoming healthier,&nbsp; eat what’s best&nbsp;for your body,&nbsp; knowing that something different&nbsp; might work for someone else.&nbsp;</h4><hr>3. Focus on how you eatDigestive problems include Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), indigestion, nausea, stomach pain, weight gain/loss, constipation, diarrhea, and bloating; but they also show up as skin blemishes, hair loss, and sluggishness.&nbsp;Ayurveda suggests that digestive problems occur because&nbsp;the digestive fire (agni) is weak, so igniting it before meals is crucial to improve digestion, e.g. adding spices like cumin or turmeric to meals will&nbsp;help; a teaspoon of fresh ginger with a few drops of lime juice and a pinch of salt before meals can activate the salivary glands to produce the proper amounts of digestive enzymes.&nbsp;Ayurveda focuses on proper digestion, as it recognizes that it’s how our bodies absorb nutrients.&nbsp;So, eat slower, better, and drink ginger tea every single day to keep your digestive system&nbsp;on track!<hr><h4 style="margin-left:0cm;text-align:center;">Ayurveda focuses on proper digestion,&nbsp; as it recognizes that it’s how our bodies absorb nutrients.&nbsp;</h4><hr><figure class="image image-style-align-center"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/vibrant_health3_6a46ed1f84.jpg"></figure><h4 style="margin-left:0cm;">4. Lifestyle (Vihara)&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;</h4>Daily routine (Dinacharya), seasonal routine (Ritucharya), and behavioral routine (Sadvritta) are measures of an ideal lifestyle in the classic Ayurvedic texts. They promote a long, healthy, active life, and provide relief from pain and disease.&nbsp;Daily routineI have described the Ayurvedic approach to the daily cycles in depth in “<a href="https://www.heartfulnessmagazine.com/living-with-natures-rhythms-2/">Living with Nature’s Rhythms</a>.”&nbsp; Seasonal routine&nbsp;In Ayurveda, the year is divided into six seasons, and a detailed dietary regime is prescribed for each season:&nbsp;In the spring, a bitter, hot, and astringent diet is advised, avoiding salty, sour, and sweet food.&nbsp;In the summer, due to the heat, a pitta-pacifying cold, liquid, sweet, and oily diet is advised. Excessively hot, spicy, sour, and salty foods are avoided.&nbsp;In the rainy season, aggravation of vata&nbsp;occurs, so vata-pacifying sweet, sour, and salty food and drinks are preferred. Food should be hot, dry, oily, and easily digestible.&nbsp;In the autumn, aggravation of pitta occurs. Diets dominant in bitter, sweet, and pungent foods are advised in this season.&nbsp;In the pre-winter and winter seasons, aggravation of vata occurs due to the cold, dry climate. Hence a vata-pacifying diet of hot, sweet, sour, and salty food, oils and fats is advised.<figure class="image image-style-align-center"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/vibrant_health4_bf24198bf1.jpg"></figure><hr><h4 style="margin-left:14.2pt;text-align:center;">Whenever possible,&nbsp; devote your services to God,&nbsp; to the wise, and to respectable&nbsp; and elderly individuals.</h4><hr><figure class="image image-style-align-center"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/vibrant_health5_d8ad7eb615.jpg"></figure><h4>Behavioral routine&nbsp;</h4>Ayurveda prescribes certain guidelines for maintaining a healthy mind that have come from yoga. These principles are applicable to all people at all times and places. Practicing them brings balance and harmony to the mind. They are:&nbsp;<ul><li>Whenever possible, devote your services to God, to the wise, and to respectable and elderly individuals.</li><li>Speak the truth.</li><li>Do not lose your temper.</li><li>Do not get addicted to sensory pleasures.&nbsp;</li><li>Do not harm anyone.&nbsp;</li><li>As far as possible, do not expose yourself to hardship.&nbsp;</li><li>Try to control your passions.&nbsp;</li><li>Endeavor to speak pleasant and sweet words.&nbsp;</li><li>Meditate every day for tranquility of mind.&nbsp;</li><li>Observe cleanliness in all things.&nbsp;</li><li>Be patient.&nbsp;</li><li>Observe self-control.</li><li>Try to distribute knowledge, good advice, and help to others.&nbsp;</li><li>Be straightforward and kind.&nbsp;</li><li>Avoid irregularity in daily activities.&nbsp;</li><li>Avoid overeating, overdrinking, too much sexual activity, and too much or too little sleep.&nbsp;</li><li>Behave according to the time and place where you are residing.&nbsp;</li><li>Act in a courteous and polite manner.&nbsp;</li><li>Control your sense organs.&nbsp;</li><li>Make a habit of doing all that is good and avoiding all that is bad.<img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/vibrant_health6_f936ad9182.jpg"></li></ul>

Vibrant health

<h4>DR. PRASAD VELUTHANAR shares some simple Ayurvedic tips for beautiful skin, focusing on the oils and herbs Ayurveda uses to promote healthy skin.</h4><h4>Oils for the skin</h4>In general, coconut and olive oils are considered better for the skin than sesame oil for regular application. Coconut oil can be used for all skin types. “Keram” refers to those preparations with a coconut oil base and “tailam” refers to those with a sesame oil base.Kumkumadi tailam:&nbsp;Contains saffron, improves the fairness and glow of the skin. This oil can be used for all skin types, especially kapha and vata types.Eradi tailam and keram:&nbsp;Contains a mixture of herbs that aid in curing skin discoloration, allergies, blemishes, fungal infections, and other skin diseases. Not advised for general daily use as it can make the skin dry.Nalpamaradi tailam and keram:&nbsp;Nalpamaradi means “four ficus,” the sacred Peepal and Banyan trees, known for their skin cleansing and clarifying properties. Application of this oil is also effective in sunburn, hyper-pigmentation, discoloration of the skin, and eczema. Can be used for regular application and for babies as well.&nbsp;Dinesavallyadi tailam and keram:&nbsp;Contains a red creeper found across India. The bark is used to create the oil. It is used to heal wounds, improve skin color and complexion, cure minor skin eruptions, allergies, herpes, abscesses, psoriasis and eczema, and control itching from bites.Durvadi tailam and keram:&nbsp; Contains Durva or Bermuda Grass, which helps to cure minor cuts, burns and wounds. It improves skin color and cures burning sensation and itching. It can be used to regain skin color from wound scars. It is cool in nature and thus suitable for pitta-type skin.<h4>Herbs for the skin</h4>Turmeric (Curcuma longa): An anti-toxic, anti-allergenic, and anti-oxidant spice. It has a direct effect on the skin in preventing and curing diseases, and improving skin color and luster when applied externally. It can also be taken internally.&nbsp;Turmeric can be added to food or taken as capsules. Recent studies have shown that the active ingredient in turmeric, curcumin, has anti-cancerous property. It can be applied externally by making a paste with cream or rose water for improving fairness and removing blemishes. Turmeric is a “warm” herb. So people with pitta-type skin should be careful while applying it externally.<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:50%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/ginger_7d63010640.webp" alt="ginger.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_ginger_7d63010640.webp 182w," sizes="100vw"></figure>&nbsp;Neem (Azadirachta indica): A powerful anti-microbial and anti-toxic used for both external and internal application. It purifies the blood and is an anti-oxidant. It cures skin diseases, fungal infections, and allergies. It can also heal cuts and wounds. Turmeric and neem can be used together internally and as a paste for external application in many skin conditions.<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:50%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/neem_67fbac1a03.webp" alt="neem.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_neem_67fbac1a03.webp 148w," sizes="100vw"></figure> Aloe vera: A cooling and cleansing plant that alleviates pitta and can be used for many conditions like pimples, menstrual problems, cuts, burns, etc. Aloe is beneficial for both internal use and external application. Externally, aloe is beneficial for burning sensations, burns, cuts, skin blemishes, skin dryness, and more. Internally, it serves as an anti-oxidant, anti-toxic, and a mild laxative.<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:50%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/aleo_vera_ayurveda_0a8cdf1239.webp" alt="aleo-vera-ayurveda.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_aleo_vera_ayurveda_0a8cdf1239.webp 182w," sizes="100vw"></figure> Saffron: Can be used externally with milk, sandal powder, or rose water to improve skin color and glow. Internally, its benefits range from being an aphrodisiac to improving digestion, boosting the immune system, and repairing tissue damage.<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:50%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/saffron_372db5e960.webp" alt="saffron.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_saffron_372db5e960.webp 148w," sizes="100vw"></figure>Sandal (Santalum album): A cooling plant that alleviates pitta. It enhances skin complexion, is anti-toxic, and relieves inflammatory reactions when used both internally and externally. It purifies the blood, is nourishing, cures fatigue, induces sleep, and relieves stress and anxiety. Sandal can be applied externally as a perfume, while also providing a cooling sensation.<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:50%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/sandalwood_0f19a82dcb.webp" alt="sandalwood.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_sandalwood_0f19a82dcb.webp 187w," sizes="100vw"></figure><hr><h4 style="margin-left:40px;text-align:center;">Illustrations by LAKSHMI GADDAM&nbsp;</h4><hr>&nbsp;

Skin health

<h4 style="text-align:justify;">PRASAD VELUTHANAR shares a practical approach to autism that has evolved out of his role as an Ayurvedic doctor, and research in the field of Ayurveda.</h4>&nbsp;The incidence of autism in modern societies continues to increase at rates never before observed. In the US and Canada, for example, diagnoses of autistism have increased nearly fiftyfold over the last forty years. Ayurvedic medicine has been very effective in supporting autism, utilizing specialized diets, herbs, yoga, and massage. Children have improved through treatments that include food elimination, sensitivity testing, herbal supplements, yoga, and social normalization.<h4 style="text-align:justify;">Nutrition, probiotics, and immune support</h4>One factor thought to contribute to autism and autism spectrum disorders is impaired serotonin metabolism in the central nervous system. Autistic children contain significantly higher amounts of blood serotonin than normal, indicating a metabolic issue with serotonin (Hoshino et al., 2008).Autistic children have digestive issues and food sensitivities. Certain foods, additives, and pollutants appear to have a significant impact, e.g., dairy products; nightshade vegetables like tomatoes, eggplants, potatoes, and peppers; citrus fruits; peanuts; preservatives, colors, food additives, insecticides, pesticides, and heavy metals. They may block serotonin metabolism or contribute to gastrointestinal discomfort. These issues may be reduced or avoided by eliminating some of these foods.Digestion is supported by herbs like ginger, long pepper, black pepper, and the combination of all three, known as Trikatu. Trikatu stimulates the production of digestive enzymes and promotes the absorption of essential nutrients.<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">Children have improved through treatments that include food elimination, sensitivity testing, herbal supplements, yoga,&nbsp; and social normalization.</h4><hr>Autistic children are more likely to suffer from food sensitivities resulting from improper digestion, often a result of weakened digestive and immune systems. This may cause partially digested food to move into the bloodstream, causing an autoimmune response or a response similar to an allergic reaction.Digestive health is supported by the naturally occurring probiotic flora found in raw organic foods, fermented vegetables like sauerkraut and kimchi, and high-quality multi-strain probiotic supplements. Low levels of probiotics in the intestinal tract are associated with over 170 diseases and health conditions, including leaky gut, irritable bowel syndrome, colitis, and food allergies.&nbsp;<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:75%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/yoga_ayurveda_autism2_b2d781294c.webp" alt="yoga-ayurveda-autism2.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_yoga_ayurveda_autism2_b2d781294c.webp 145w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/large_yoga_ayurveda_autism2_b2d781294c.webp 616w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/yoga_ayurveda_autism2_b2d781294c.webp 616w," sizes="100vw"></figure>A healthy digestive system contains over 100 trillion bacteria. For optimal digestive and immune system function, it is good to maintain a ratio of 9:1 probiotic to harmful bacteria. This ratio provides appropriate immune function and reduces the incidence of food sensitivity, including digestive disruption and food allergies.A good multi-strain probiotic source should include at least three key probiotics, such as:<ul><li style="text-align:justify;">Bifidobacterium lactis&nbsp;for the relief of leaky gut, constipation, and inflammation. &nbsp;</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Lactobacillus salivarius to decrease the level of harmful bacteria forming in the mouth, throat, and digestive tract, reducing gum sensitivity and a host of digestive disorders. &nbsp;</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Saccharomyces boulardii&nbsp;for immune system support, an increase in average blood cell count, and a decrease in overall inflammation, even during periods of high stress.</li></ul>In addition to providing digestive support, probiotics provide support for the immune system. This is important for many autistic children, who have a compromised or weakened immune system.<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">Supplementing the diet with herbs and natural treatments&nbsp; has been effective in promoting the regeneration of neurons.&nbsp; Several natural treatments are resulting in improved cognitive function&nbsp; and response in autistic children.&nbsp;</h4><hr>Ayurveda focuses on proper immune function. In addition to probiotics, several herbs are recommended, e.g., Giloy (Tinospora cordifolia), Amla (Emblica officinalis), Long Pepper (Piper longum), Trikatu, and Milkvetch (Astragalus membranaceus).<h4 style="text-align:justify;">Regeneration of neurons</h4>Supplementing the diet with herbs and natural treatments has been effective in promoting the regeneration of neurons. Several natural treatments are resulting in improved cognitive function and response in autistic children. For example, the fresh leaf extract of Gotu kola leads to significant improvements in neuron function in areas of the brain associated with learning and memory.Essential fatty acids, EFAs, are used by nearly 30% of children with autism. A systematic review (Bent, Bertoglio and Hendren, 2009) found favorable outcomes and measurable improvements in the language and learning skills of autistic children supplementing with EFAs, indicating a correlation between the improvement of neuron function and regeneration and EFA use among children with autism. Other fats found to be beneficial are medium chain triglycerides, MCTs, found in coconut oil, and grass-fed organic butter and ghee.Several herbs, including Gotu kola (Centella asiatica), Brahmi (Bacopa monnieri), Ginkgo biloba, Velvet bean (Mucuna pruriens), and Ashwagandha have been shown to increase blood circulation to the brain, protect and repair neurons, improve mental strength, concentration and memory, and enhance concentration, intelligence, attention, and overall cognitive ability.<h4 style="text-align:justify;">Ayurveda for autism-related aggression</h4>Autism impacts areas of the brain responsible for social interaction and aggression. While not all children with autism are aggressive, a significant percentage experience frustration that expresses as self-harm, ticks, and emotional outbursts.Herbal supplementation with Bacopa monniera leads to a significant reduction of symptoms. Researchers concluded the herb is beneficial due to its anti-anxiety, antioxidant, and neuroprotective activity.In addition, regular massage with the oils of Gotu kola, sandalwood, lavender, and rose provide calming relief. Massage also stimulates blood flow, stimulating neuron response between the brain and various parts of the body. Research has shown that massage improves eye contact, on-task behavior, social relatedness, sleep, and reduces stereotypic behavior.Proper sleep habits contribute significantly to reducing aggressive tendencies in autistic children. In addition to sleep routines and the removal of electronic devices, melatonin supplementation has demonstrated significant results (Whitehouse, 2013). Malow (2011) found that the behavior and sleep patterns of children with autism significantly improved after only one week of melatonin supplementation.&nbsp;<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:75%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/yoga_ayurveda_autism3_d8dca517cc.webp" alt="yoga-ayurveda-autism3.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_yoga_ayurveda_autism3_d8dca517cc.webp 145w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/large_yoga_ayurveda_autism3_d8dca517cc.webp 400w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/yoga_ayurveda_autism3_d8dca517cc.webp 400w," sizes="100vw"></figure><h4 style="text-align:justify;">Other treatments for autism</h4>Sheetali Pranayama or cooling breath helps to manage autism in children. It reduces stress, frustration, irritation, and anger while promoting inner calmness and tranquility. Sheetali also assists in promoting healthy digestion and inducing sleep, both beneficial for children with autism. The key to this deep breathing exercise is to ensure cooling breath is inhaled through the curled tongue.“So Hum” meditation is another way for children to calm the mind and body. So Hum utilizes deep breathing and repeating the word “hum” to expand consciousness and promote relaxation and self-awareness. While So Hum meditation is most effective in 20 to 30 minute sessions, children generally start with one or two minutes, increasing the length as they can.Children experience reduced agitation and calmness when exposed to the natural world, e.g. walking in the forest, picnicking in a field, swimming in the sea. Exposure to nature provides many benefits, including a peaceful environment; soothing, natural sensory experience; exposure to animals, plants, rocks, mountains, water, and clouds; a fun outing with family and friends, providing valuable social interaction; physical activity.Children with autism often lack social skills. In fact, many have to be taught how to play and communicate with others. Just as some children struggle with math or reading, autistic children struggle with relationships. Practice in controlled environments and proper behavioral modeling are both powerful methods to assist these children.&nbsp;<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:75%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/yoga_ayurveda_autism4_0a33bdf24e.webp" alt="yoga-ayurveda-autism4.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_yoga_ayurveda_autism4_0a33bdf24e.webp 145w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/large_yoga_ayurveda_autism4_0a33bdf24e.webp 800w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/yoga_ayurveda_autism4_0a33bdf24e.webp 800w," sizes="100vw"></figure><h4 style="text-align:justify;">Early treatment program</h4>An early treatment program may greatly improve the outlook for young children with autism. Treatment is most successful when it is geared toward the individual child’s particular needs. A variety of therapies are available, including applied behavior analysis (ABA), medication, occupational therapy, physical therapy, speech-language therapy, and Ayurvedic treatments such as thalapothichil, shirodhara, abhyangam, ksheeradhara, and internal medicines.the practices of herbal supplementation, yoga, meditation, and a specific and controlled diet, children with autism may live more active fulfilling lives.1 <a href="https://ayurvedicscience.com/ayurvedic-practice-for-assisting-patients-of-autism/2013/.">https://ayurvedicscience.com/ayurvedic-practice-for-assisting-patients-of-autism/2013/.</a> This article is the reference for all scientific data in this article.<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">Illustrations by ANANYA PATEL</h4><hr>

Yoga and Ayurveda for children with autism

<h4 style="text-align:justify;">DR. PRASAD VELUTHANUR of the Wellness Center at Kanha Shanti Vanam shares some of the dietary characteristics associated with the three dosha types—vata, pitta, and kapha. What is your dosha type? Many of us are a mixture of the doshas, so we need to combine the relevant qualities listed in the tables below. For a more accurate diagnosis, please consult an Ayurvedic doctor.</h4>&nbsp;<img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/vata_f7ed8b5af0.webp" alt="vata.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_vata_f7ed8b5af0.webp 145w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/large_vata_f7ed8b5af0.webp 595w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/vata_f7ed8b5af0.webp 595w," sizes="100vw"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/pitta_9f702b1d61.webp" alt="pitta.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_pitta_9f702b1d61.webp 145w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/large_pitta_9f702b1d61.webp 595w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/pitta_9f702b1d61.webp 595w," sizes="100vw"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/kapha_82815b4b8e.webp" alt="kapha.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_kapha_82815b4b8e.webp 145w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/large_kapha_82815b4b8e.webp 595w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/kapha_82815b4b8e.webp 595w," sizes="100vw">&nbsp;

Ayurvedic diets for the dosha types

Prince

A new beginning

Priya Hegde

<hr>Silently, smoothly love glides. A sliver of interest here, A spark of connection there, A touch of wonder here, A stroke of beauty there, A stir, a shake, creating radiant little pockets of love.Flowing through chasms, Glowing in darkness, Shining through hearts, Growing, covering, spreading, Expanding, no longer a beginning or an end.The heart yearns for this love, The gentle caress of its strength. To remain forever immersed in its depth, Diving deep into that stillness, Guided by the glow, leading us to eternity.Alas, the mind pulls us away, Steering us with thoughts. The slightest stroke of blame, A hint of criticism, a flash of fury, a tide of anger Creates a roar so loud, love hides, fearful and small.The heart shrinks, love disappears, Until it rises with the strength of its creator, Pushing all else away, Churning, twisting, molding, Until love becomes that which it is – Divine.Eternal Divine Love!<hr>&nbsp;<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">Poetry and Illustration by PRIYA HEGDE</h4>&nbsp;<hr>

Love

Purnima is a UN award-winning writer and blogger. She is a fellow of Journalism by The International Reporting Project of the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies and the recipient of the BlogHER International Activist Award 2013. The is one of five senior editors at World Moms Blog, a Forbes Top 100 website for women writing from 30 countries. She is a Heartfulness practitioner and trainer, and on the Heartfulness Magazine editorial team.&nbsp;

Screenshot 2024-05-04 at 2.39.22 PM.webp

Purnima Ramakrishnan

<h4>PURNIMA RAMAKRISHNAN went on a family holiday to Bhutan in 2016, and the impression it left has stayed with her. She shares some of the important lessons she learned during that visit. &nbsp;</h4>&nbsp;I visited the Himalayan Kingdom of Bhutan almost a year ago. Today, I am still transported back to that land of the Thunder Dragon from time to time. Reflecting on my time in Bhutan, I see how it taught me lessons that I find myself applying every day. After my trip, my life remains the same on the outside for anyone who saw me every day, but my heart is open in such a tender and simple manner. Below are some lessons I picked up from Bhutan.<hr><h4>Happiness is the highest factor</h4><hr><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/mindfulness_lessons_from_bhutan_941c06f5ef.jpg">Dr. Saamdu Chetri, the Executive Director of the Centre for Gross National Happiness in Bhutan says, “It only takes 10% of a group to decide to make a change, in order for it to make an impact on the whole group.” Bhutan does not measure the country’s well-being and success by Gross Domestic Product (GDP) but by a measure known as Gross National Happiness (GNH).Gross National Happiness acknowledges that material wealth is important, but it equally values the importance of community well-being, including culture, governance, knowledge, wisdom, health, spirituality, psychological welfare, a balanced use of time, and harmony with the environment.Now, that is not a tall list. When I landed in the country, I was transported to a beautiful place where there was so much joy. The attitude of the people did not feel materialistic at all. Their attitude was filled with love, care, concern and they always smiled. It was a genuine smile, one where you could feel an uplifting energy all around the person.When I think about it, what is the reason we do all that we do, throughout our lives? We work hard, get good jobs, pursue relationships, and achieve success. Ultimately, we do all this to be happy and to make our near and dear ones happy as well. So why not be happy in the first place, and allow the rest to automatically follow? That is perhaps the law of Nature, which the Bhutanese people have already discovered.I was reminded of the words of the modern-day saint, Ram Chandra of Shahjahanpur who says, “Joy attracts Grace.” Yes, it does indeed, and Bhutan is a fine example of that. &nbsp;<hr><h4>Technology is neither a want nor a need; it just has its place</h4><hr><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/mindfulness_lessons_from_bhutan3_73ea284314.jpg">We stayed in a wonderful hotel, in one of the finest and best in Bhutan, according to travel sites. No, it was not expensive at all. That is one thing I liked about the country. One evening there was a power cut. We were strolling around the hotel grounds, enjoying the scenery and waiting for power to be restored. “Please come inside for dinner sir,” the Maître requested, seeking us out. “Maybe after an hour, it is so early,” we insisted. “The power may not be back until midnight, so we suggest you have an early dinner,” he insisted. I kept wondering all the time, why was there no generator or back-up power installation? When I enquired, he looked at me like I was asking an unusual question, and said, “But Ma’am, it will be back in the night. There must have been some avalanche in the mountains and the lines must be cut. It will be restored soon. And we have a lot of candles. Why should we waste fuel?” Yes, of course, his rationale was sound. Why should we, indeed? With our own cozy first-world lifestyle, we can’t imagine such an answer from hotel personnel. It was not that they did not care for power back-up. They just didn’t think it was worth having; it was seen as a waste.Did you know, Bhutan got its first TV in 1999 and access to Internet only a few years ago? By that time many of us were already arguing over which channels to watch, and who should have absolute control over the remote, and perhaps even buying separate TVs for the bedroom and the living room.I observed that for the Bhutanese, TV or Internet was not the center of their lives. Rather, they are tools that can be used intentionally to get information or connect with each other. I never saw a single Bhutanese checking his mobile phone in my entire trip. When I finally enquired whether they owned mobile phones, the receptionist took out his iPhone and asked me if I would like to make a call or borrow it. So they did have phones, but they only seemed to use it when they had to.Similarly, there was no Wi-Fi available in our rooms, only in the hotel lobby, even though we stayed in a wonderful place. When I enquired about the Wi-Fi, one hotel staff member responded, “But Ma’am, do you want to use the internet? Do you want to check for flights or emails or perhaps do your official work?” I am sure he would have laughed if I had said, “I think I have 500-odd messages in my WhatsApp from today which I want to check, lest it becomes 1000 tomorrow.”<hr><h4>Wealth is Nature</h4><hr><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/mindfulness_lessons_from_bhutan4_fb51797ab9.jpg">Bhutan is also the only ‘carbon-negative’ country in the world. Its constitutional laws have declared that, at all times, its forest grounds should be greater than 60 percent of the total land area. At present, the green area is 70 percent.When Bhutan’s Crown Prince Jigme Namgyel Wangchuck was born in 2016, the country gifted 108,000 saplings to the prince. In Buddhism, trees are providers and nourish all life forms. Planting a tree is the most wonderful gesture for someone we love. A tree symbolizes longevity, health, beauty and even compassion.Bhutan doesn’t allow any smoking in public, public product advertising or large-scale mining or extraction projects. In addition, plastics are completely banned. These are huge steps to improving the environment. The country has also remained completely organic; there are no pesticides or insecticides used. I could go on with my endless list of things that Bhutan does for the environment, rather, avoids doing to prevent spoiling the environment.<hr><h4>An everyday routine of meditation</h4><hr><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/mindfulness_lessons_from_bhutan5_d73d4a0ad8.jpg">Buddha Purnima is the day Buddha was born, attained enlightenment, and passed on to the Brighter World. I had a great curiosity to visit Bhutan on Buddha Purnima. So we planned this trip to happen on that day to see how Buddhists celebrated. I noticed that on this day people meditated a lot. It was not a festival but rather a day of rumination, a day of meditative silence and contemplation, spent deep in prayer. Spirituality felt like an integrated part of their lives. It is not a unique or special concept, like a mindfulness class you might join, once a week. For them, they meditated as if it was an everyday routine.Similarly, the Heartfulness meditation I practice has a routine of morning meditation and evening rejuvenation which has been so effective for me personally. I noticed that the disposition of such Heartfulness practitioners was so similar to the Bhutanese people. They have this all-encompassing super calm around them, a disposition of cheerful acceptance, and a balance in their life. For them, everyday is a Buddha Purnima because of their regular practice of meditation and rejuvenation. If you haven’t tried Heartfulness meditation yet, I sincerely encourage you to try it .It was also interesting to observe how the Bhutanese people did not have to motivate each other to meditate. I think that is the key to maintaining their kind of peaceful disposition.Before visiting, I had wondered why Bhutan was listed as one of the happiest countries in the world.After visiting I know the answer – they know that the purpose of human existence is to learn how to love. And therefore, they’ve placed their efforts in the right direction by creating an environment of peace, care and joy.Traveling to Bhutan for me was a unique, life altering experience. I felt transported to an alternate reality, like a paradise situated in the mysterious mountainous kingdoms of Shangri-La.It wasn’t that the Bhutanese have no challenges. I observed that in spite of challenges, their hearts were always open and their attitude loving.These lessons do not end here. They have helped me strive to improve from day-to-day and begin a journey towards my own Ultimate Reality, as Ram Chandra of Shahjahanpur describes in his book, Reality at Dawn. But that is another article for another time.&nbsp;

Mindfulness lessons from Bhutan

<h4>PURNIMA RAMAKRISHNAN shares a list of 51 small acts that will make a difference in the lives of others and yourself. See which ones resonate with you, and try one or two this week.</h4>&nbsp;Have you met a stranger who completely changed the way you looked at this world?That someone at the departmental shop who let you ahead of him in the queue, because your child was losing patience, or that someone in a public transport who offered you a seat because you looked so exhausted, or a vendor who waived you away the change you owed him, just because you had no coins in your pockets.Well, this world is full of such compassionate – kind and beautiful souls! This everyday kindness is a blessing; it gives an instantaneous joy, which is refreshing, and pleasant.Today, in our current lifestyle, how could one make a difference in this world? As the New Year dawned, when the whole world made plans and resolutions, what did you chose to do?Here are 51 ways to make a difference in the world.<h3>&nbsp;</h3><h3>GIVING</h3><hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">“It's not how much we give but how much love we put into giving.”&nbsp; ―Mother Teresa</h4><hr><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/51_giving_img_80ce55473f.jpeg?updated_at=2023-03-29T15:16:34.271Z">&nbsp;1. 1 pint of blood can save up to 3 lives. You can save 3 lives if you choose to donate blood.2. Got a lot of shoes and clothes, gathering dust in the closet? Donate them to an orphanage.3. Donate a month’s color pencil supplies to the kindergarten class of your local school. Kids love colors. See the joy in their eyes.4. Pay-It-Forward to assist the local farmer. And motivate him/her to go completely organic.5. Feed stray animals. Make one of them your pets, if you like to.6. Say sorry to someone from whom you expect an apology. Yes, that is the only way to mend fences. Give, don’t expect to get.7. Blog about a social issue which needs attention. And share it on Social Media.8. Dedicate a complete day to help out a friend in his/her aspirations and goals.9. Grow out your hair for a couple of months religiously. Cut it all out, and donate to an organization which makes cute wigs for kids.10. Rescue stray animals to hand them over to an animal shelter like the Blue Cross.Save<h3>&nbsp;</h3><h3>DOING</h3><hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">“Stop doing what is easy or popular. Start doing what is right.” ―&nbsp;Roy T. Bennett,&nbsp;The Light in the Heart</h4><hr><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/51_doing_img_121ee04972.jpeg?updated_at=2023-03-29T15:21:57.305Z">&nbsp;11. All that trash lying around in your neighborhood? Organize a weekend clean-up drive.12. Got some talent? Is it singing? Or dancing? Or playing the lute? Teach a few kids for free.13. Visit the old-age home in your locality and spend an hour reading out books to the elders. Their smile would warm your heart.14. Volunteer at the Suicide Hotline in your city. Save a life.15. Plant a tree (sapling) in your backyard.16. Volunteer to babysit a few hours at the orphanage.17. Collect reusable plastic for recycling. Clean up the environment.18. Bake cookies for a relative whom you have not met in a year. Surprise him/her.19. Gift a tree (sapling) to your best friend on his/her birthday.20. Babysit to help out a single-parent. Tell him/her to go have some “me-time.”Save<h3>&nbsp;</h3><h3>SHARING</h3><hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">“Love only grows by sharing. You can only have more for yourself by giving it away to others.” ―Brian Tracy</h4><hr><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/51_sharing_hfn_mag_img_a8b5f92519.jpg?updated_at=2023-03-29T15:22:40.255Z">&nbsp;21. Share your snacks, lunch or coffee with a friend at work.22. Show an embarrassing photo to friends. Give them a good laugh.23. Have a lot of grocery coupons? Give some to the first person you meet on the sidewalk.24. What is your aspiration? Share it with a complete stranger and ask him/her what he/she thinks about it. Their no-nonsense response could change your life.25. Upgraded to the latest iphone? What did you do the older model? Give it to someone who needs them.26. Buy two copies of the <a href="//www.heartfulnessmagazine.com/subscribe/">Heartfulness Magazine</a>. Give one to a friend who does not yet read it. And subscribe your friend to the free digital version of the e-magazine.Save Save<h3>&nbsp;</h3><h3>COMMITTING</h3><hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">"Commitment is what transforms a promise into reality." –Abraham Lincoln</h4><hr><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/51_committing_img_ddc007aaaf.jpeg?updated_at=2023-03-29T15:23:25.343Z">&nbsp;27. Mentor someone.28. Avoid plastic bags for a month. If you can create the habit, avoid them for a year.29. Plant a vegetable crop in your porch and water them every day.30. Create vegetable/fruit waste compost for your vegetable garden.31. Save an hour’s electricity, than your usual consumption, every day.32. Do not waste leftovers for a week. Save food. At the end of the week, you would have learnt to cook adequately, not more than what you need.33. Have you heard of the of the United Nations Foundations? Lobby for at least 2 of them. I chose #5 and #16. Check out what they are.34. Teach a girl child to write. Take a tiny step towards women-empowerment.35. Sponsor an entire year’s education for a girl child, if you can afford it.Save Save<h3>&nbsp;</h3><h3>LOVING</h3><hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">“Love is that condition in which the happiness of another person is essential to your own.” ―Robert A. Heinlein,&nbsp;Stranger in a Strange Land</h4><hr><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/51_loving_friend_img_f3ea0286a3.jpg?updated_at=2023-03-29T15:25:19.554Z">&nbsp;36. Cook for a friend.37. Tell someone they look beautiful. And mean it. And if they smile back at you, you meant it.38. Launder for your spouse. Give him/her a rest.39. Share favorite recipes with complete strangers and follow up to see if they cooked them.40. Buy a cup of coffee for the person standing next to you, at Starbucks.41. Give a hug to a homeless person today morning.42. Sing nursery rhymes to your neighbor’s toddler.43. Surprise your spouse with a gift he/she would cherish for all his/her life.44. Say “Thank You” and “I Love You” to 10 people today.<h3>&nbsp;</h3><h3>&nbsp;</h3><h3>MEDITATING / FEELING</h3><hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">“The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched. They must be felt with the heart.” ―Helen Keller</h4><hr><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/51_masterclasses_banner_img_135edae2dc.jpg?updated_at=2023-03-29T15:27:13.380Z">&nbsp;45. Make a list of things you are grateful for, at the end of the day. How do you feel when you thank God for those? Write your feelings in your diary.46. Hug a tree. Feel the energy. Ask a friend to do the same. Make this a weekly habit.47. When you wake up, count the number of people who would be happy to see you. Call one of them randomly to say “Good Morning.”48. Help a child relax. If necessary, recite the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HuiV395xI4I">Relaxation</a>. Give a mental hug!49. Learn to meditate by getting in touch with a <a href="https://heartspots.heartfulness.org/">Heartfulness Trainer</a>.50. Take a friend to meditate along with you, to your Heartfulness trainer.51. Enroll yourself for three masterclasses in Meditation through this link - <a href="https://en.heartfulness.org/masterclass/">https://en.heartfulness.org/masterclass/</a>. Resolve to achieve something amazing through the science of meditation.Save SaveSaveGo on. Do more. Let the list grow to #101. And share it with us.Write to <a href="mailto:contributions@heartfulness.org">contributions@heartfulness.org</a> and tell us what you chose to do from the above list, and why. Share with us your experience of making a difference in the world.Save Save Save

51 ways to make a difference in the world

Darkness has a way of revealing how lost we are, literally and metaphorically. Just when the fear settles that we may have strayed too far from the path, someone appears. That happened to me for the first time on a mountain.The Triund trek in Himachal Pradesh is renowned for its breathtaking views of the Kangra Valley and the snow-capped Dhauladhar Range. It’s moderately difficult: a few hours up, a rewarding view at the top, and back to the plains by sundown. That was our plan.In the summer of 2022, my husband and I embarked on this beautiful trek. After a scenic climb and a stunning view, we lingered a little too long on the summit before beginning the descent later than we should have. The mountains have a way of making time slip past unnoticed. The towering peaks cast long shadows, and the crisp mountain air filled our lungs. But as the sun dipped behind the ridges, the rhythm of the trail shifted. What was once peaceful became unfamiliar. The path blurred into darkness, and unease settled in. We heard the howls of animals, along with the buzzing of insects and the occasional slither of a snake.By then, it was fully dark. We switched on our phone torches, only to find both batteries nearly drained. The trail was uneven, narrow, and becoming treacherous to follow.I thought I saw something—a glimmer, like a pair of eyes glowing faintly from behind the trees. I didn’t want to assume. My heart palpitated. I blinked, and the glimmer was gone. Maybe I imagined it, I thought.That moment opened something in me. A silent prayer arose. It was not for safety or help. It was beyond words. When all options run out, we do not ask for help, because help is logical. We ask for something beyond logic. We ask for a miracle. Though, as Spock from Star Trek might say, “There are no such things as miracles.”But then, just like that, someone appeared.“What are you guys doing here so late?” he asked, stepping toward us like he’d been there all along.“We lost track of time,” my husband said. “And we may have lost the trail, too.”He nodded, not surprised. “I’m a mountain guide. My group is camping at the summit. I’m heading down. You can come with me if you like.”&nbsp;<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:50%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/mountain_guide2_f29c75cf34.webp" alt="mountain-guide2.webp"></figure>&nbsp;It was surreal. One moment, we were unsure. Next, the guide was there. Calm, steady, and completely at ease. His presence changed the atmosphere. My heart settled.He walked with us for the next couple of hours, sharing stories of other treks and routes beyond Triund, like the Indrahar Pass. Eventually, we reached the base. A tea shop was still open, although it was late at night. We bought some water to pause and catch our breath. He asked where our car was, chatted briefly, and then quietly disappeared, with just a goodbye.We hadn’t asked his name. We didn’t even remember how we’d addressed him. But I only remembered the moment of fear, the silent prayer, and the man who arrived just after.When Guidance Becomes PresenceI think of this experience often. But I don’t want to reduce it to an interesting anecdote or story. It is too real. There was a sense of meaning that didn’t come from understanding, but from recognition, as if some part of me already knew this was not chance. It was a moment that transcended time and quietly became part of me. It didn’t belong to time, space, or any person.The universe had responded to a signal I had sent out hours earlier. But what stayed with me was the realization that I had always been in touch. The universe didn’t have to respond, because how can something respond to itself? Would you respond to yourself?&nbsp;<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:50%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/mountain_guide3_b8a5ef5815.webp" alt="mountain-guide3.webp"></figure>&nbsp;<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">It was a moment that transcended time and quietly became part of me. It didn’t belong to time, space, or any person.</h4><hr>&nbsp;We often hear quotes like those from Rumi, who said, “You are the universe in ecstatic motion,” or from Kabir, who wrote of the drop that becomes the ocean when it merges with it. I once understood these as lofty spiritual metaphors. But in that moment, I recognized they were not just poetry. They pointed to something real. The universe is me. It didn’t have to respond. It simply revealed itself.In my spiritual life, guidance has come through my father, mother, husband, mentors, and even through my son. And sometimes, through strangers, like this mountain guide. But in that moment, I felt that all of it was part of the same orchestration—a conversation, a communication, a communion from my Self to myself.There’s a line in the book, Role of the Master in Human Evolution by Parthasarathi Rajagopalachari, that expresses it with simplicity:“If there is one thing more important than truth, than spirituality itself, it is the Master who gives it to us.” —Vorauf, June 28, 1986And this Master, this guiding force, is the universe itself, communicating through myriad ways. We often think of the spiritual guide as a revered figure who teaches, shares, and leads. But in Heartfulness, the guide is not merely a teacher or advisor. Their role goes deeper. It is an inner transmission, subtle, silent, and often unexplainable, that lights up something within. The guide doesn’t hand you a map. They help you discover your compass.That night on the mountain, our guide, of course, pointed us to the path. But he also walked with us, trusted the trail, and invited us to do the same. That’s what a true spiritual guide does. Their help isn’t loud or obvious. Sometimes, it's a feeling of calm in confusion, or a shift in how you see something. A moment of quiet clarity. But it’s all more than that.To receive that, we have to take the first step, often without knowing what comes next. Trust does not begin with certainty, but with willingness.What stayed with me most was how the guide left. Without ceremony. Without asking for anything. And it reminds me again of the guide’s role. True gurus don’t create dependence. They walk beside us until we can walk on our own, and then quietly step back, revealing that they are part of our very own being.Life, as the Master IntendedSpiritual journeys, like mountain treks, come with their own unique terrain: breathtaking views, steep climbs, valleys, and detours. Having a guide doesn’t mean we’re incapable. It means we walk with more grace and fewer stumbles. Over time, the outer guidance becomes something inward. The reassurance we first sought grows into inner strength. We begin to sense direction even when things are uncertain. True guidance transforms us rather than rescuing us. The guide shows us that life itself is the curriculum. Every moment, every silence, every uncertainty becomes part of the teaching.And perhaps that is the guide’s true intention—not to shield us from difficulty, but through difficulty, to awaken something within us. The path isn’t laid out to be followed blindly, but rather, it is shaped step by step, according to our willingness to walk. In this way, life itself becomes both the teacher and the terrain. In Heartfulness, the guide is a presence of clarity and love that walks with you, showing you the light, until you realize that you are the light.<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">The guide’s true intention—not to shield us from difficulty, but through difficulty, to awaken something within us.&nbsp;</h4><hr>&nbsp;<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:75%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/mountain_guide4_5f4f4811fe.webp" alt="mountain-guide4.webp"></figure>&nbsp;When I first began meditating in my teenage years, I didn’t feel much. The teachings of Heartfulness were interesting and even inspiring, but I didn’t feel any earth-shattering transformation. Back then, I didn’t understand what I was receiving, or even what I was doing.Later, when life’s terrain grew more complex, I began to understand. I recognized the gift that I had. I took refuge in the spiritual practice. We don’t look for guides on smooth roads or when we are admiring breathtaking views. We look for them when the trail vanishes, and when torch batteries run out.The Heartfulness practice and the spiritual guide who offers it are both deceptively simple—no grand rituals and no promises. But with time, something inside begins to shift. Eventually, the path we once feared to walk in darkness becomes the one we tread, illuminated by light from within. Looking back, I see that the mountain guide belonged to that moment, emerging from the same darkness that had frightened me, appearing when I was ready to see him. That night, providence took the form of a stranger with a flashlight.<hr>Illustrations by ANANYA PATEL<hr>

The Mysterious Mountain Guide

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Qui-Gon Jinn (Star Wars)

Focus

R. Sriram has been working as a Yoga teacher in Germany since 1988. For years, Sriram taught under the guidance of Sri T.K.V.Desikachar at the Krishnamacharya Yoga Mandiram in Chennai and contributed to the development of the institute.

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R. Sriram

<h4>R. SRIRAM has been teaching Yoga since 1977. He is a disciple of T. Krishnamacharya and his son T.K.V.Desikachar, and he now lives and teaches Yoga in Germany. During the Yoga4Unity 2022 program, he conducted a masterclass on breath as the link between body and mind. Here are the first two parts of this wonderful masterclass.</h4><hr>About Mantra and BreathThe word “mantra” is about speaking, producing a sound. But it is not just producing a sound, as you are also listening to it. A mantra only has strength and only becomes powerful if you chant it and listen to the sound that is being chanted.It is both the voice as an instrument of the body, a karmendriya, an action organ, as well as hearing as a sense organ. Both go together. What is special about chanting is that you are coordinating the words, coordinating the sounds, making sure that the flow of the word, the sounds, is beautiful and unstrained. It is almost like you are modulating the breath when you chant. So chanting a mantra well is equivalent to good breathing.&nbsp;Looking at the breath itself, when you do conscious breathing, what we call Ujjayi in Yoga, you not only use the throat to produce the sound but you also listen to it. Ujjayi is not about producing a big sound, nor is any other breathing technique in Yoga. It is about producing a reverberation that you can listen to. It is reverberation plus listening, as is the case of mantra.Therefore, breath is very close to mantra. It brings a spiritual quality to something very mundane, like an Asana practice, where we are “merely” moving and adjusting the body.<h4>Tuning the Trunk</h4>Coming back to Asana practice, if you are doing Trikonasana or Sirsasana or Veerabadrasana, try to breathe slowly and consciously. Where is the sound coming from? It is coming from your trunk. Your trunk is very important, not just your throat. Without your chest –the expansion of the chest giving it strength, and the air in the chest reverberating – the sound will not come.Whether you are breathing or making a sound, you are using the whole trunk. When you do a posture, whether it is a headstand, a Samasthiti or a balanced posture standing on one leg, you are mainly using the trunk. The leg is just supporting the body. It is always about the trunk in Asanas, as the trunk is like an instrument. It is like a veena or sitar, or any instrument that you tune. You are tuning it with the breath and the sound you produce, not with some sort of muscular external adjustment and alignment.Make sure the tone or the tune of the breath or sound that emanates when you are doing a posture is correct, has the right reverberation.So, when you go into Trikonasana, focus on your trunk. The trunk is in a diagonal twist posture, so let it feel like a tuned instrument. It doesn’t matter if your hand is a little bit this way or that. Don’t worry about unnecessary details. You are not doing gymnastics, you are not doing Western physical training, you are doing something about the trunk, about the Merudanda as we call it in Yoga.To discover more, please enjoy the masterclass at:<hr>&nbsp;<hr>

Breath as the link between body and mind

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Rabindranath Tagore

The meaning of life

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Rachel Carson

The balance of nature

Rachel has an M.A. in Classical Studies and an M.Litt. in Ancient Cultures and lives in Edinburgh, Scotland. She works in social media and marketing, and in her spare time is a volunteer for Heartfulness charities.

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Rachel Nelson

<h4>RACHEL NELSON works in marketing and social media. And yet here she challenges the way it is infiltrating our lives, changing workplace norms, how we see ourselves, and how we live our lives.</h4><hr>I was searching for a job during the pandemic. One of the first things I was told was: Have a social media presence. It will improve your chances of being hired. Employers want to see who you are as a person. They want to see your private life to know how you might act in your professional life.This felt like a huge invasion of privacy. It would neither have been possible nor acceptable before social media. Why should an employer see what goes on in my life outside of work? Why would a prospective employer base their decision to hire me on the front I show on social media?I was told to comb through my social media accounts, check if there was anything an employer might find objectionable, and make them as professional as possible. Having grown up when social media was for connecting with friends, the transition from a personal, generally private network to the public sphere has meant scrambling back to see if I posted anything stupid as a fourteen-year-old. Who didn’t?I first got Instagram when it was only two years old and still essentially a photography app. There was no concept of influencers, and social media was as separate from work as home life. I still use Instagram primarily as a photo gallery, a place to store memories, and it has been private almost as long as I have had it. I have never been bothered about having followers, so the switch from this mindset has been a difficult transition.In the past decade, social media has become a ubiquitous presence. It is less of an individual choice and more of a societal obligation. When getting and maintaining a job relies in part on an online presence, saying no to <a href="https://heartfulness.org/magazine/unplugging-to-reconnect" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">social media</a> is a difficult decision. Its role in our professional lives means it is also difficult to turn off from work. It is even worse since the pandemic and working from home, culminating in a state where we can be contacted any time. Through our phones, we are constantly alert to notifications. This alert-feedback makes it incredibly difficult to relax or “turn off” from both work and social obligations.<hr><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/socialmedia_obligation2_700x382_58c5ac44c0.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-10T07:11:24.372Z" alt="socialmedia_obligation2"><hr>As someone who works in marketing, I have four separate social media accounts per platform on my phone at any one time (not including my own personal accounts), all of which give me constant feedback. While many people get a separate phone for work, the obligation to keep it on and nearby, in case someone needs to contact us, still remains. And so, the feedback also remains.The second aspect of social media obligation is that of the uncalculated, unpaid labour which goes into a social media presence for work purposes. We are expected to contribute to the conversation on platforms like Twitter and LinkedIn, to keep up with trends, promote our work, and promote our successes. Employers look to see if a LinkedIn account is up-to-date and relevant, or if it has been left to stagnate. For many of us, these tasks are performed in our time off. They are unpaid, and often time-consuming and stressful.It creates an enforced, performative element in which people feel as though they have to put on a front which is not true to their lives and personalities. All we end up seeing are curated snippets of that person’s existence. We are not seeing the reality of the person; we are seeing what they want us to see. This results in a culture where everyone appears to be doing well at work, progressing, and thriving. Others feel as if they are stuck, less successful, and less able to juggle work and other aspects of life. It is the professional equivalent of seeing social media influencers on yet another trip to a country half-a-world away, while you’re stuck at your desk at home, having forgotten what fresh air smells like.<hr><hr><h4>Social media creates an enforced, performative element in which people feel as though they have to put on a front&nbsp; which is not true to their lives and personalities.</h4><hr><hr>Professional use of social media is not all bad, and many people enjoy using it. There are some jobs that might not require a LinkedIn account as much as others – a farmer, for example. Farmers might have Instagram accounts in which they show snippets of their daily lives. This can be interesting and informative, as it presents insights into the lives of others and can be an amazing way to equalize and to connect us, showing a common human experience across borders.It is when social media is not a choice, particularly when there is pressure to present a perfect life – whether for work or personal use – for fear of being seen as less competent, that we may feel constantly on show or watched. This level of scrutiny can produce the feeling of being hunted, activating the fight or flight response. This evolutionary survival mechanism served us well in the past when we would either overcome danger or be killed, because either way the problem disappeared. Now, the alert-feedback of social media acts as a trigger which does not disappear. So, neither does our stress.This takes us to the third issue, the blurring of lines between social media as a hobby and social media as a job. For individual creators, artists, small businesses, or anyone who wants to be seen but doesn’t have a lot of money to pay for advertisements, social media can be anything from a casual marketing tool to a lifeline that brings in their only income stream. As social media grows, however, more and more people are turning their own lives into their product. They use social media to catalogue their day, their house renovations, their trips around the world. Through advertising and sponsorship, they make money from it. While there is nothing inherently wrong with this, the impact of having your life become your product, your social media become your marketing, and your attention always jumping to work through the easy access of your phone, will begin to take its toll on your ability to relax and step away from social media and work.<hr><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/socialmedia_obligation3_700x382_aa510b0627.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-10T07:12:37.330Z" alt="socialmedia_obligation3"><hr>This is the point in an article where the conclusion drawn would usually be along the lines of “ultimately it is up to you how you use social media,” but we are now seeing that this is not the case. Many people are advocating for reduced social media exposure, or even getting rid of it all together, but with it so prevalent in our jobs and lives it is hard to reduce it, even when we want to.We are starting to see where the next evolution of social media is taking us. With a focus on online living and virtual reality, it already sometimes feels like we spend more time updating people about our lives on social media than actually living them. As social media becomes a normal part of existing in society, we need to think about how we are expected to use it, and how we wish to do so.Please share your own experience and viewpoint on this topic at contributions@heartfulnessmagazine.com or in the comments.<hr><hr><h4>Illustrations by ANANYA PATEL</h4><hr>

When social media becomes an obligation

Radhika practices and teaches yoga for therapy and optimal health, having studied with Saraswathi Vasudevan at YogaVahini, Chennai, India. She is a co-founder of the reStore organic shop in Chennai and has a deep understanding of the issues in modern food production and consumption.

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Radhika Rammohan

<h4>RADHIKA RAMMOHAN is a yoga practitioner and therapist with Yogavahini, a school in the tradition of Krishnamacharya. During the Yoga4Unity Program 2022, she shared her experiences of how yoga has helped her to refine her inner and outer environments. She also offered us some tips on how to deepen our own holistic well-being.</h4><hr>I have always been involved with the idea of holistic health. My first concern was environment and health, then I came to yoga three decades after that. And when I did, I realized that holistic health goes far beyond food.I was always drawn to the idea of being able to connect directly with the food I ate with as few intermediary steps as possible. When I lived in the USA in the mid-1990s, I saw packaged, mass-produced, and processed foods. I felt uncomfortable about using chemicals for increasing yield or quality without reverence for the land. It felt intuitively wrong.So I sought out and started buying organic foods from smaller retailers, who were not selling popular or branded items. This was also the time when genetically modified crops (GMOs) were being introduced in the USA. For instance, dairy cows were given rBGH (recombinant bovine growth hormones) to increase milk production, and in Wisconsin, where I lived, there was activism against this. I always bought milk from dairy farmers who did not use rBGH.At that time, food production and policy were skewed toward corporate interests, at least in the West. I started volunteering at an organic farm and doing some gardening, and I was shopping at cooperative natural food stores. Eventually my interest in food and food systems led me to care for a broader set of issues: land energy, regeneration of the environment, and human rights. I started reading books like Small Is Beautiful by F. Schumacher, and a few by the Indian environmentalist Vandana Shiva, and they helped me envision solutions. I also became associated with an NGO in the USA called Association for India’s Development.Once back in India, a friend and I started a community-based organic store, called reStore in Chennai in 2008. To this day, it remains an active place, a center for direct farmer support, local and traditional foods, zero waste, etc.I was very busy and was running into difficulties in my ability to work with people. I realized I didn’t understand my mental patterns very well, or what was leading to the difficulties I had dealing with the world. I wanted to find a quieter space for myself from where I could understand myself better and the world better. This brought me to studying yoga. I did not want to only be a practitioner, but also understand the philosophy behind it and understand the yoga sutras. So I joined a yoga teachers training program.The program led me to the affirmation that the Hindu tradition is really a holistic view of the universe, which is made up of the 5 elements or bhutas – akasha (space), vayu (air), agni (fire), apas (water), prithvi (earth).Everything is essentially made up of these basic elements.In the last few generations, we have been leaning toward a reductionist view of life. We break down everything to its atomic or molecular structure, which is very practical, but in doing so we miss the interconnectedness between things. It’s not so evocative to say that you and I are made of the same elements, so we reduce it to a very atomic level, rather the level of the pancha bhutas.<hr><hr><h4>In yoga, it is about leading to a quieter mind that is able to witness itself a and see from where these actions arise. a Yoga is for everyone, including people a with busy lives, with a family, etc.</h4><hr><hr>We are not so very distinct from each other when we look at it this way. Any sense of competitiveness is reduced when we lose this sense of individual distinction. This is how I’ve seen yoga and sadhana bringing our minds to a quieter location that increases our sensitivity and lets us reflect. That’s also how I feel yoga helps us develop environmental sensitivity.Yoga influences the way I handle relationships, which includes with other beings and the environment, and, of course, my work. Earlier, I thought of health in a very physical sense, and I related it mostly to food and exercise. But mental, emotional and spiritual well-being is actually the space we act from, and where our deepest aspirations come from. Very often we don’t get in touch with that core.<hr><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/inner_outer_ecology2_700x378_f5ff63af47.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-11T07:27:18.206Z" alt="inner-outer-ecology2">&nbsp;<hr>My way of thinking has shifted to inside-out. Our ways of relating to ourselves and to the world are mostly programmed or habituated. In yoga, it is about leading to a quieter mind that is able to witness itself and see from where these actions arise. Yoga is for everyone, including people with busy lives, with a family, etc. Yoga isn’t about the asanas or pranayama alone. It doesn’t have anything to do with a mat. It is about principles like satya (truth) and ahimsa (non-violence). So, while having a regular life with children, pets, and other people around me, if I can make sure that my interactions have the qualities of the yamas and niyamas, then the residue I leave behind in each of these interactions will be minimal. That is the practice of yoga.So, even if you come to yoga for physical exercise, you will naturally gain more sensitivity. Hopefully, after finishing your practice, you will reach work and be able to see the behavior you are upholding in your workplace. Or coming home to your kitchen, maybe the way you are interacting with your house help, or someone else. Hopefully some of that stays with you, and you are able to say, “What am I doing here?”Adding yoga to ecological campaigns is a wonderful idea. When we see environmental injustice, damage, or inequality, and we are not able to do very much about it, it can lead to a lot of anger. Being stuck in that anger is not very conducive for good activism. We might turn into angry activists who people love to hate. It’s not very efficacious.<hr><h4>When what we are practicing is contributing to some kind of quietness,&nbsp; and we’re able to see everything&nbsp; around us with a little more compassion,&nbsp; then we are definitely in a good place.&nbsp;</h4><hr><hr>When what we are practicing is contributing to some kind of quietness, and we’re able to see everything around us with a little more compassion, then we are definitely in a good place. It gives us a happier way to wake up in the morning, compared to saying, “Oh, the climate has not changed, abuse has not changed, and injustice has not changed.” Then it’s not a happy way to wake up.I hope that yoga teachers impart to their students not only the knowledge of the asanas, but also the deep, transformative potential of the practice. Krishnamacharya once said, “The location for a yogi ought to be shantam.” That is equanimity – not in the sense of being unable to respond appropriately to different situations, but to respond from the space of shantam. To bring out whatever is appropriate – anger, courage, wonderment, love, compassion – but not to get carried away with it. To come back to the equanimous&nbsp;location.<hr><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/inner_outer_ecology3_700x378_840fdddf15.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-11T07:28:35.323Z" alt="inner-outer-ecology3">&nbsp;<hr>It is difficult to practice yoga for a short time and expect your problems to be solved. You need to dive deeper. As a teacher, that’s my aspiration – to help my students take their practice deeper, to understand their minds and their yoga, to study some texts, to understand the underlying foundations behind what we are teaching them.For others, I would say get involved with a community or sangha. Study together. It could be a formal teacher training course. We can create communities of practitioners who learn from each other and take their practice deeper.<hr><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/inner_outer_ecology4_700x378_8ad0ab2e90.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-11T07:29:58.318Z" alt="inner-outer-ecology4">&nbsp;<hr>I think it’s important that we have some way of knowing if what we are practicing is transformative. If we can sense that we are more sensitive today than yesterday, we can say we are progressing. It’s a sense of refinement. If we are not feeling that, it’s okay, but we have to keep trying and learning.

Inner and outer ecology

Dr. Rahul Mehrotra is an experienced cardiologist with an academic career spanning more than two decades. He possesses a sharp intellect and is keenly interested in managing various cardiac ailments optimally utilizing different investigative modalities. He is currently the Chief of non-invasive and clinical cardiology at Artemis Hospitals.

RAHUL MEHROTRA

Rahul Mehrotra

<h4>RAHUL MEHROTRA shares his experience as a busy cardiologist who also loves bird-watching and meditation.</h4>It has been more than a decade now that working as a cardiologist, watching birds around my house, and practicing meditation have gone on side by side. There seems to be a whole world to explore in the field of medicine, in the realm of birdlife, and in the world inside us. All it requires is tuning in.As I go to my terrace and hear the bird calls, spot them with ease and feed them, I realize I am becoming better at it. Discoveries are made: the white eyes, the tailor birds, the spine-tailed green bee-eaters informing us of the much-awaited monsoon rains, and many more.Birdwatching and meditation are not two separate hobbies. Along with my professional and family life, they are part of a whole, complementing each other. If my meditation makes me calmer, it also makes me more perceptive of the happenings around me. I more meaningfully observe the birds go about their daily business. I realize the value of being regular in feeding them, ensuring the bird feeder and the water bowl are never left empty.Their biological clocks work perfectly. Birds are there at the same spot and the same time every morning to have their breakfast. How simple a life they lead! The same food over and over, happily accepted. The same schedule – waking up at dawn, flying for food, a whole day of chirping, resting, moving about and going back to rest. In the rainy season they go hungry at times, yet they are happy when it rains: the small puddles on my terrace serve as the house sparrows’ bathing pools!Acceptance comes naturally to them. I should learn from them.They do not horde or worry for the future. Is that plain stupidity or instinctive faith in the provider? They live in the moment, meeting their needs diligently, with alertness. How do they learn to make the perfect nests? By instinct. With what instincts are we humans born? What is our innate nature? To be peaceful, calm, grateful, joyous and perhaps responsible for the rest of creation.Birds seem to have so much time during the day. Do they overeat? I wonder as I prepare a lecture on heart disease and the obesity epidemic that is engulfing the world.Why do I feel so much at ease when I meditate? I am with that eternal, original me, who does not require any of the props, the sensory inputs. The birds are perhaps in that state all the time, with their original selves, at ease, as they were meant to be.It is all there inside us, all around us, provided we take interest and tune in.<img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/tuning_in2_657e25d409.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-06T05:59:47.440Z">&nbsp;

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