Pawo is a Bhutanese filmmaker and photographer. His film, Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom (2019), was nominated for Best International Feature Film at the 94th Academy Awards, and had its world premiere at the BFI London Film Festival.

Pawo-Choyning-Dorji.jpg

Pawo Choyning Dorji

<h4>PAWO CHOYNING DORJI is a Bhutanese filmmaker and photographer. His film, Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom (2019), was nominated for Best International Feature Film at the 94th Academy Awards, and had its world premiere at the BFI London Film Festival. Pawo speaks with PURNIMA RAMAKRISHNAN about the making of Lunana, the teachings of Buddha that inspired major parts of the film, and his hopes and wishes for young people today.</h4><hr>Q: Thank you so much for joining me.PCD: Thank you for having me, Purnima.Q: How did the idea of Lunana come about?PCD: I grew up outside Bhutan, as my father was a diplomat. I was born in India, and lived in Europe, the Middle East, and America. After finishing college, I returned to India and joined a Buddhist monastery in Himachal Pradesh. And after all that, I returned to Bhutan.Bhutan is very guarded about exposure to the outside world, so a lot of Bhutanese wonder what the rest of the world is like. When I returned, I went through the same journey as the protagonist of the film. He is reintroduced to his culture and falls in love with it. There is a lot of my own story in the film.One inspiration was the younger population seeking life in Western developed countries like Australia, Canada, and America. In Bhutan, we are going through that right now. Thousands leave, seeking happiness.I thought, “If our people are seeking life in the urban glittering lights of Western civilization, I will create a story where the protagonist goes to the opposite end of the spectrum. Let me take this protagonist to the remotest, most desolate place in Bhutan. ”That happens to be Lunana. In our language, Lunana means “the dark valley,” because it is so far.So the theme was: could we really discover in the shadows and darkness what we are longing for and so desperately seeking in the light? We could have cheated on the location, making the movie in a village with electricity and road connection, but I didn’t want to do that. I wanted us all to go through the experience and live in the darkness. I felt that it would then translate into the film. It is almost a docu-feature.<hr><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/image1_700x617_53a48d34d7.jpeg?updated_at=2023-04-11T09:32:03.034Z" alt="image1"><hr>Q: Lunana is a spark of inspiration. I can’t associate the word “darkness” with it.In many ancient traditions, a teacher is given importance next only to God. You don’t really know God, but you know the teacher who can take you where you need to go. You chose to portray the protagonist as a teacher, rather than a doctor, a social worker, or any other noble profession. That aspect has a deep significance. Can you tell me why you made that choice?PCD: There are two reasons. One is exactly as you say. Bhutan’s culture, tradition, and spirituality are based on Buddhism. And the teacher-student relationship is very important. We have this name “Dalai Lama” meaning “root teacher.” The root teacher takes the most important position in our life. So, I made the protagonist a teacher as he holds the most important role in Bhutanese culture and society, yet he is not happy and he wants to leave.The second reason is that I am trying to bring reality into my films. Reality is my inspiration. In the Bhutan of today, there are two common things. One is that most young people are leaving for Australia. The second is that most of the people who are quitting their jobs are teachers.I had many different aspirations. One was to tell the story of Bhutan, and another was to highlight and preserve our disappearing traditions. Yet another was to reach out to the teachers who are quitting their jobs every year. I told my friends that if I can save one teacher from giving up their profession, it would mean more than any award the film received.Q:That is a very noble idea. There is another interesting thing I observed in your film. Today we live in an age of excess. We produce more food than we can eat and we dump the excess food. We fight wars for trivial matters and aspire for space habitation, and yet you show in your movie that there are extremely joyful people living amongst us who do not have shoes or electricity, and who do not know how to use a toothbrush.While the gap is vast, and I cannot even fathom how it could be bridged, you very sublimely, subtly, and creatively bring this “social activism” to the forefront. My heart is deeply touched. Did you consciously think of these things, or did it just emerge?PCD: I am a lover of Bhutan. I made this film as a love letter from Bhutan to the rest of the world. I wanted to showcase and celebrate our culture and our traditions. I grew up outside Bhutan in a very materialistic world, where, as you said, there is a lot of excess. Where many people are not happy. Bhutan advertises itself as a happy country, and there is some truth in that. Unfortunately, we are losing touch with that because we too are falling into the race to modernize, the race to become worldly. Bhutan’s traditions are rooted in Buddha’s teachings. Buddha always talked about wishing all beings to be happy.<hr><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/love_letter_from_bhutan3_27b2dc7748.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-11T09:33:00.643Z" alt="love-letter-from-bhutan3"><hr>But what is true happiness? In this movie, I wanted to touch upon what happiness is for the people of Lunana. It is really two things. One is contentment. Contentment is a person saying, “I have enough.” He is much wealthier than any rich person. A rich person is never content, always longing for more and more, so they are never happy. In Lunana, the people have very little, yet they are content. Their lives are full. They are not rich but they are wealthy people.Buddha also taught that we must accept impermanence. Much happiness comes from that acceptance because everything is always changing. When we are attached to those things that are changing, then we will not be happy.So I really wanted to put across these two teachings of contentment and acceptance.<hr><hr><h4>Much happiness comes from acceptance because everything&nbsp; is always changing. When we are&nbsp; attached to those things&nbsp; that are changing,&nbsp; then we will not be happy.</h4><hr><hr><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/love_letter_from_bhutan4_8dce6c003c.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-11T09:33:39.621Z" alt="love-letter-from-bhutan4"><hr>Q:The stark difference that you brought out between wealth and richness is a very poignant message.Spoiler alert: for those of you who have not yet watched the movie and wish to do so, please stop here, otherwise, continue reading.The protagonist leaves Bhutan for Australia toward the end of the movie. I was waiting with bated breath to see what he would do. I thought he would have a change of heart and stay back in Lunana to educate the poor children. But he left. I was surprised, yet I felt relieved that it was realistic, not like a Hollywood movie where the impossible happens. The ending made me weep. So, why did you choose for Ugyen to leave Bhutan?PCD: Because my movies reflect reality! In a real story, Ugyen would leave. He has passion and ambition.The second reason is the magic of storytelling, of cinema. If he had stayed in Lunana, the story would have ended there. He stayed for the kids. He stayed for his yak. He stayed for the girl, Saldon. That would be the end of it. But by Ugyen going to Australia, and singing the song he learned in Lunana in the club in Australia, the story continues. When the movie ends you wonder, “What did Ugyen do? He sang that song. Does it mean he will go back to Lunana?”With that thought, each viewer creates their own ending. Then it becomes a much more personal journey.Lord Buddha said that the art of storytelling is the creation of illusion to connect us to reality. And that is also cinema. We create illusory stories and illusory emotions and imaginary story lines to connect us to reality. My hope is that the audience can relate to their own journeys in life.<hr><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/love_letter_from_bhutan2_700x467_4f47fe1c65.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-11T09:34:23.063Z" alt="love-letter-from-bhutan2"><hr>Q: That is eye opening, Pawo. Lunana will always be close to my heart. It talks about the choices we make, our accountability, and the repercussions of our decisions. I hope and wish that all young people will watch this movie.I would like to ask if you have any message for young people today.PCD: I hope you will watch Lunana. It is a small film that my team and I made in the world’s remotest classroom, dependent completely on solar power. We made it with no money, and it went from the world’s remotest classroom to the Academy Awards. At the Academy Awards, I did not represent Bhutan, or myself, or this film. I represented every struggling filmmaker, storytellers who at times do not have the confidence to believe they can make it. If a film like ours can make it, if you put your heart into it, if you have the passion, there is the possibility to make it. That is how amazing this world is.Second, I am from Bhutan and I am a Buddhist. I want to share something about my culture and my spirituality. Buddha said that among all the animal footprints, the elephant’s footprint is the most majestic, powerful, and inspiring. Likewise, the Buddha said that among all the thoughts we might have, the thought of impermanence is the most majestic and inspiring.<hr><hr><h4>My advice to young people is&nbsp; to reflect on impermanence, accept impermanence and change,&nbsp; and use them as tools&nbsp; for your career.</h4><hr><hr>Why I am saying this is because the world we live in has taught us to be competitive and worldly; thoughts like impermanence are rare. They are looked down upon and considered useless and a waste of time. But it is impermanence that makes everything possible. Everything is constantly changing. Impermanence doesn’t mean the end. Impermanence means change. Impermanence means that if you do not have something, perhaps you will have it. Impermanence means that a little film powered by solar batteries and yak dung from the mountains of the Himalayas can make it to the Academy Awards.So, my advice to young people is to reflect on impermanence, accept impermanence and change, and use them as tools for your career.Q: Thank you, Pawo, for your wisdom.PCD: Thank you.

A love letter from Bhutan

Pema-Chodron.jpg

Pema Chödrön

Truth

The sacredness of life

We have a choice

Meditation

The present moment

Peter is a pioneer in the field of professional life coaching, and is the co-founder of the Coach for Life Institute. He has been the co-creator of many coaching and learning models during the last 30 years and has trained over 3,500 people to be professional coaches, all over the world. He is the 2005 recipient of the ICF’s Global Peace Award, and was one of their first Master Certified Coaches.

PeterJReding.jpg

PETER J. REDING

<hr><h4>In October 2019, PETER J. REDING spoke with VICTOR KANNAN about being a pioneer in the field of professional Life Coaching. In part 1, they speak about the role of helping people to be authentic and raising awareness.</h4>&nbsp;<hr>&nbsp;VK: Peter, thanks for joining me. We’re having a great day here in Atlanta; it’s pretty nice, sunny and cool and comfortable.PR: Same here in Orlando, Florida. And Happy Diwali to you and to those who are celebrating that today around the world.VK: Yeah, this is Happy Diwali. The world is becoming a smaller place, with everybody celebrating each other’s sources of joy.PR: That’s absolutely true, and the world needs as much light as it can possibly get, so this is a particularly happy time for the world and not just for the Indian people who are celebrating Diwali.VK: Thanks Peter. You’re a coaching profession pioneer, teaching holistic coaching since 1996. You’re also one of the founders of the Association of Coach Training Organization, and you have a book to your credit called Positively Brilliant Self Mastery: Reclaim Your Authentic Self Now. So you have enough in your DNA as a Life Coach. I would like to start off by asking, what is a life coach, what do you do as a life coach?PR: A life coach is really a facilitator of awareness of the client. We tend not to give it bias, we’re not mentors per se, we’re not educators, nor are we parental authority figures. A professional coach will ask questions to reveal to the client who they really are, and what they really want to do, and what brings a sense of satisfaction, completion, fulfilment to the client. Then we ask the client if they’re willing to do that. So I’m in the business of raising awareness.VK: That’s a pretty broad base. In terms of raising awareness for a CXO, who’s supposedly already aware, how does that happen? When they advance, do they become less aware? Or is it the general risk of life?PR: A CXO is still human. They get caught up in the busy-ness of life and they forget who they really are in many cases. So, if you’re human then get a life coach.VK: What in your experience are the keys to success for a CXO? I thought they are the “aware” people already, and yet you’re raising their awareness.PR: I’ve been one, first of all, and I’ve trained thousands of CXOs, and as you may well know yourself, they are generally task oriented. They’re there to get the job done; they’re there to produce results. And if you think about the number of hours they spend in “getting it done,” it’s an external drive, mostly. There are exceptions; CXOs who are hugely compassionate human beings. They come from the heart, from the soul, they come from a place of supporting individuals as a sense of humanity. But, I would propose to you, there are more CXOs around the world that are driven by the external “What’ve you produced for me lately?” “Where are the results?” “How come this isn’t done?” “You’ve dropped the ball.” And so, in the coaching relationship, its “Who are you?” and “How do you want to bring your most authentic self to your work?”So then there is an internal drive; an internal passion, compassion, that comes through and still gets the stuff done. I’m not saying that CXOs need to switch hundred percent over to Heartfulness. For me it’s a both/and, not an either/or situation, and it’s again raising that level of awareness for the individual on an on-going basis. It says, “What’s the right thing to do here from the place of humanity?” “What’s the right thing to do in terms of …?” “Yes, let’s get the job done, but let’s recognize that we’re working with people who are mothers and fathers, who have great responsibilities beyond their work.” And if they’re in the wrong position, then let’s bring that to the awareness of the employee and to the CXO and reposition them – find a place where they can bring their passion, their strengths, their natural God-given gifts and talents, to a different job, as opposed to the one they’re suffering in right now.And this goes on. I don’t know if you noticed, but learning continues throughout life. So, it’s kind of like that angel on your shoulder that says, “Is this what you really want to do?” “Is there a better way?” “Is there a way of bringing more of your authenticity into these negotiations, into letting this man go?” That’s what we’re talking about here.VK: You talk quite a bit about authenticity. And I’m reminded of an interaction that I had with my spiritual Guide when I asked him once if he had any tips for me so that I could progress faster. He said, “Be yourself.” It was quite a long time ago, and that has helped me just be myself. I understand it’s very difficult to coach a person who’s pretentious, but what do you mean by authentic Self? And also, you’re talking about authentic transformation, so what do you mean by Self and transformation that are authentic?PR: That’s a great question. It’s a compound question, actually, so let me decouple it just a little bit. Authentic transformation – transformation mostly – around the world, and this includes South America and North America, India and Asia, has the connotation of “You’re not okay the way you are. I want to transform you into ______” – it could be a better employee, a better communicator, a better parent, a better spouse, a better citizen of the world. Actually I have a bit of a pushback with the word “transformation,” but the way I use it is a deep, personal, back to who you really are. In the words of your spiritual Guide, “Be yourself.” Exactly “what and who am I?” is at the core of that question. Am I the product of my parenting? Am I the product of being an American citizen? Am I the product of being in the generation I am? Am I the product of the education I received, and all the influences around me? You know, you have to do this or you have to learn this in order to be successful, to be accepted, to be loved. So, for me the “who I am?” is a much, much deeper place. It’s a very spiritual place, it’s “who did my Creator make me to be?” What have I been endowed with from that creator (whatever name you give the creator)?<hr><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/Transforming_Awareness2_5f529227a9.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-05T08:22:45.571Z"><hr>Now, in order to be true to that, comes the authenticity part. To what degree am I honoring those innate gifts? Not the skills and talents that I’ve learned because I had to learn them, but the natural innate God-given gifts and talents that I have been endowed with? Am I developing those? Am I using them in my work? To what degree? Am I true to my life’s purpose? By life’s purpose, I mean in all my different roles – as an educator, as a coach, as a spouse, as a brother, as a son, as a citizen of the world?The third case is core values. Everybody in the world lives by values. My question, has always been, “Yes, I’m living by values, I’m living with a purpose, I’m utilizing strengths that I have; but whose strengths, whose purpose, and whose values? Are they the values of my generation, are they the values of my parents?” Again, it is not all bad. I’m not pointing a finger and saying, “Mom and dad really screwed up.”And, are they my core endowed values from my creator in terms of my most authentic way of being? So, I come back full circle to authenticity.So, transformation is not so much to be somebody different for the sake of my job, or because of what somebody wants from me in the current situation, but to what degree am I living in alignment with who I’m meant to be?Deep, deep dive. There’s a lot of internal returning to my true Self, what I call now my core Self, as opposed to my adapted or adopted self. And therein lies the challenge. It’s life-long learning and a life-long course correction to what degree am I authentic, to what degree have I drifted away from that sense of authenticity.That’s the absolute core of my work, why God put Peter on the planet. I support people to find that core Self.VK: I love that a lot. People are not brave enough and honest enough to confront this primal issue of authenticity, and I don’t think there can be any combination of success and happiness without authenticity. Some may be successful, but at the end of the day if they’re not authentic I think happiness will elude them.PR: I totally agree with that, one hundred percent.VK: Peter, where does acceptance come into the picture? Because acceptance has got a big role to play in authenticity, does it not? And not just the “aware” part.PR: Acceptance, first and foremost, self-acceptance. “I screwed up, I’m human. I hope I can do better the next time.” Again, awareness! Am I aware that I screwed up, or that I didn’t follow the path of authenticity? So it’s self-acceptance, and when I find I’m more and more self-accepting, then coming back to coach or to a CXO, or a good friend, I can hold a bigger space for them.I have more compassion for being human. I have compassion for “it’s not all perfect, it’s not going to be one hundred percent, absolutely straight arrow authenticity.” I strive for that, personally, and I understand when you say it takes a lot of courage to be yourself.I read something by Whoopi Goldberg many, many years ago that said the hardest thing you’ll ever do in your life is be yourself. I think that’s a true statement. It takes courage to stand up to parents: “Mom, dad, I don’t want to be a doctor. I don’t like medicine, I don’t like autopsies, I don’t like biopsies, I don’t like this, that and the other, and I’m not particularly good at all the science that is necessary.” Wow, huge courage for a kid of 18 years old, heading off to university. I tip my cap, because at 18 I didn’t have that courage. That’s something I developed later, in the latter half of my life.<hr><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/Transforming_Awareness3_94db5d4c0a.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-05T08:24:23.850Z"><hr>VK: But to have that choice is a privilege, Peter, because growing up I just needed to get admission into any college, leave alone the subject or career I wanted to choose. I’m talking about 35 to 40 years ago.PR: Right.VK: Today this is a problem because there is choice. And so, there are desires from the point of view of the parents, and fears and concerns on the part of the children. That puts them at odds, and they have to develop courage. So, is courage a necessary thing when you have a choice, when you have choices to make? If there was no choice where is the question of courage?PR: In my experience, in businesses and organizations there are international surveys at least 2 or 3 times a year that talk about employee engagement, or the lack of employee engagement. So now we have a system worldwide, a universal humanity thing, where parents out of the goodness of their heart want their kids to succeed. They want them to be happy, they want them to be good citizens, they want them to be good contributors to their communities. I don’t believe any parent wakes up in the middle of the night and goes, “Let’s see, what can we do to screw up Peter so that he needs therapy at 35 years old.”That was not the case with my parents. They loved me and I loved them. Well, they don’t know what they don’t know, and it’s generational because that’s the way my parents treated me, and I turned out pretty good and my great-great grandparents, and so on. There’s a genuine love that a parent has for their child, for them to succeed, for them to avoid the pitfalls, traumas and dramas of their childhood, their career choices, their choice of partner etc.Nowadays, courage is required at all points of life, not just for the 18 year old; it’s also for the 22 year old, the 30 and 35 year old, to break the pattern of what society or peer pressure wants from them and say, “That doesn’t suit me, that doesn’t conform to what I need to do for myself, to honor who I am.” When they don’t know who they are in the first place it’s a guessing game of trial and error: “Let me try this … nah… that didn’t work. Let me try this … that didn’t work. Let me try this … that feels a little bit better, maybe I’ll stay with that one a little longer.”So, the question of courage when there’s no choice: Well, for one, I believe that there’s always a choice, and again it is tied into the courage of making that choice, and pushing back on bosses, parents, society, peer pressure, my buddy’s from B-School etc. In the modern world, there are billions of choices that are facing all of us right now, not just kids. Again, it comes back to transformation. Am I transforming to a norm in all of those choices? For instance, I need to get so many likes on my Facebook or Instagram posts because that’s what the social media peer group is measured by. Am I making a choice to come into alignment with who I’m meant to be, who I was designed by my creator to be? That conversation really isn’t taking place, not a lot in the world around me.<hr><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/Transforming_Awareness4_05c06b45ee.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-05T08:25:44.007Z"><hr>&nbsp;<hr><h5 style="text-align:center;">One of the sayings that I’ve always shared in my classes is, “You’ll never go wrong being your authentic self; you’ll never go wrong in being your authentic self.”</h5>&nbsp;<hr><hr>In our coach training some 8 years ago, at the end of a self-discovery process, one gentleman in India said, “Wow, this is an accurate description of my original self,” what you and I are talking about, the authentic self.One of the sayings that I’ve always shared in my classes is, “You’ll never go wrong being your authentic self; you’ll never go wrong in being your authentic self.”VK: That’s very powerful, Peter.<hr>To be continued.<hr>&nbsp;<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">Interviewed by VICTOR KANNAN Illustrations by JASMEE RATHOD</h4>&nbsp;<hr>

Transforming awareness: being a life coach - part 1

Transforming awareness: being a life coach - part 2

Peter is said to have the ‘gift of melody’. His love and enthusiasm for the creative process, self-exploration, the healing arts and the natural world continues to inspire his composing and recording. In a career spanning over 3 decades, he has recorded over 60 albums, has written scores for over 100 television and film productions including 11 On- and Off-Broadway plays, and has received many awards and honors, including 13 Grammy nominations and a Grammy Award for Dancing On Water. His music has uplifted, soothed, healed and inspired the lives of millions.

Peter-Kater.jpg

Peter Kater

<h4>PETER KATER experiences the essence of true freedom while on his paddle board in the early morning off the island of Maui. His first of many encounters with a humpback whale, an ambassador of the sacred and free, is for him a wonderful opportunity to explore the unknown.</h4>When I first moved to Maui in 2007 I learned to paddle board and I can honestly say that the ocean experiences I’ve had since have changed my life. Here is a recap of one of my first such adventures.I headed out on my paddle board very early one morning looking for an experience. The ocean and winds were calm so I ventured further out than normal, and probably further than would have been advisable given that the sun had not yet risen and I was the only one in the water as far as I could see. But I really wanted an experience.I paddled for a while, breathing deeply into the fears that sometimes surfaced in my mind and stomach. Fears about sharks and unexpected winds, and my own vulnerability and mortality. As soon as one set of inner disturbances or ripples of fear dispersed, another surfaced. But I kept breathing into them and relaxing my body and mind. Setting my sights on the horizon as I paddled forward, I kept breathing, waiting patiently for the layers of thoughts to disintegrate so that I could simply be present.Finally the thought surfaced, “I’m so far from shore!” Then I looked down at my feet standing on top of my beautiful red striped board and I thought, “But I am here, standing on my board!”<img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/somehtingsacred2_1_5040eee2f6.jpg" alt="">Life isn’t on the shore. Life isn’t elsewhere. It’s here. Like it or not, wherever we go, there we are. And I was here, simply standing on my board, holding my paddle, somewhere out on the ocean with Maui’s shore far in the distance. That is all. And that was the last of my distracting thoughts for that morning.I asked myself, “What was I was searching for out here in the ocean, alone, so early in the morning? And the thought occurred to me, “Something sacred, something free.”I wanted to touch on something that was intrinsically just it-Self. Something completely free and wild. Something that was not defined by its productivity or assigned some relative value or worth based on what it did or didn’t do. Something that didn't need to practice being.<hr><h5 style="text-align:center;">Something completely free and wild. Something that was not defined by its productivity or assigned some relative value or worth based on what it did or didn’t do. Something that didn’t need to practice being.</h5><hr>I wanted an experience that could remind and reconnect me with the essential part of myself that existed before all the concepts, ideals and values were layered upon me. I wanted to experience the part of me that transcended even the loftiest and most well-meaning of spiritual aspirations. Spiritual ideals, values and concepts are merely vehicles to guide and transport us to a place where they are no longer useful or relevant. They are only stepping stones, not a destination. I wanted to experience something natural. I wanted to feel true freedom. I wanted to experience my essence.We hug our concepts and beliefs close to ourselves, like a favorite soft blanket protecting us from the cold. We hug it so close that we don’t realize we’ve not only blanketed our eyes but our hearts as well. Even the most comforting, well-meaning thoughts and intentions can blind and separate us from what is present and right in front of us. It’s like forgetting it is spring and still carrying the blanket and snow boots needed in winter. Being here was very different than anywhere I’d ever been so far in my life. And being here required a lot more breathing and letting go.<img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/somehtingsacred3_1_28df9c07ed.jpg" alt="">True inspiration comes from venturing into the unknown, a new territory. It comes from letting go, into a new awareness.A new breath. You have to be willing to let go of what you know, of what is familiar, to relinquish control and experience something new with open eyes and open heart.I’d started paddling out on my board, hugging my identity, concepts, fears and aspirations close to me. One by one I dropped them into the ocean, and they submerged. I became more and more vulnerable and present as I disarmed myself of my illusion of separateness and identity.Finally, as I stood alone on my board a mile or more offshore, watching the sunrise shimmering brightly over the crater peak of Maui, I heard it. A huge, wet exhale. The sound of water and air spraying out with one giant breath into the atmosphere. Compared to the quiet lapping of water on my board, this new sound was like a freight train blowing its whistle into the dawn. As I heard it again I turned to look, and I saw it! It’s dark long rolling back, surfacing up along the water and then many yards later, rolling back into the ocean. It rolled and rolled, submerging like a giant sea serpent from some mythological fairytale. It gracefully sliced through the water until it completely submerged with a playful slap of its tail fin. This beautiful humpback whale, less than 30 feet away, was now heading directly towards me.This is what I was looking for: first an encounter with myself, and then with a living, breathing ambassador of something sacred and free. The whale just is. A giant symbol of the unknown, from a world I could only peer into for a few seconds at a time. Yet, at that moment, we shared the same water and breathed the same air.I saw it’s huge amazing body slice through the water over and over again. In between paddling hard to keep up with it, I also sat patiently, quietly, waiting for it to resurface again for the air that we both shared. In some ways the waiting and listening was my favorite part.The air was thick with mystery and anticipation. I submerged my head into the water to listen to its whale song and couldn’t believe how loud and clear it was. The whale surfaced and submerged a few more times before heading further out to sea. I had gone as far out as my mind could tolerate and slowly paddled back to shore.That was one of my very first experiences with the humpback whales that migrate from Alaska to Maui from December to April every year, to mate and have offspring. Since then I’ve had dozens and dozens of amazing experiences with them. Their ancient intelligence is palpable, as is the beautiful aloha energy of Maui. I am grateful to live in a place where their presence is so strong and frequent. It has changed my life.Excerpts from the author’s blog <a href="https://peterkater.com/something-sacredsomething-free/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://peterkater.com/something-sacredsomething-free/</a>. Reprinted with permission.<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">Article by PETER KATER</h4><hr>

Something sacred, something free

<h4>PETER KATER is a Grammy Award-winning musician and author, who also conducts musical, healing and creative retreats in beautiful natural settings. Here he talks with MEGHANA ANAND about communicating feelings and ideas through music.</h4><hr>Q: Hi Peter. What does music mean to you? How did your journey begin?PK:&nbsp;Music for me is a way to communicate feelings and ideas that are not easily put into words. When I was a child I didn’t really want to be a musician; my mother made me take piano lessons. But after 10 or 12 years I started to enjoy it. I found that it was very soothing and healing for me to play for myself. I did a lot of improvising even when I was a teenager, and I started writing my own songs also when I was pretty young. But I really played for myself. Sure it was cool in high school, but after I was out on my own I was really mostly doing it for myself. Other people always encouraged me to play publicly, and I would wonder, “Really, you think I should play in this place?” And they would say, “Yes, yes, you should do it.” So I would. One thing just led to another. I always had my own unique style – it’s good to be yourself.Honestly, I now enjoy it more than ever. After all these years I’m starting to come into the fullness of myself, and express that musically in a way that is more complete. I am now talking about the creative process. The creative process is a process of self-acceptance and it’s a process of compassion, spontaneity, listening very closely and deeply to yourself, and to what you hear and feel. There is no censoring.Music is a very interesting path. In my opinion, it’s a very spiritual path.Q: You play music for the healing arts. Can you elaborate on that?PK:&nbsp;I was always into the healing arts, meaning I personally always loved any kind of healing process, any kind of organic bodywork, whether it was massage or something deeper. I have always enjoyed therapy of different kinds, but as far as my music being healing, I never tried to play healing music. I never tried to affect anyone in a way that would be healing. All I have tried to do is show up authentically.There’s a saying that I love (I don’t know who coined it): “Authenticity heals.” If we are authentic, where we are, at any given moment, and transparent in a way that’s genuine, authentic, it heals us and all of a sudden we change. It’s like taking something from the dark and shining light on it. If we say, “Oh, I’m feeling frustrated,” or “I’m feeling grief,” or “I’m feeling angry,” or “I’m feeling nervous” – whatever the truth is about that moment – if we can express that in a real way then it’s transformative.So when I play the piano, I just want to tell the truth. I just want to express what’s really true for me in that moment, and when I express that then I feel differently. Then I have to express what’s true for me in the next moment, what’s true for me now and now and now and now. That becomes a natural unraveling process that I could never orchestrate with my mind. It just organically wells up. And if I allow it to flow, it takes me to some place where I need to go, but I don’t really or necessarily plan that. Does that make sense?Q: Absolutely. I totally relate to that. You started your career in music playing jazz, which was contemporary and mainstream. So how did the transition happen into the healing arts? Did you face any challenges, internally and externally?PK:&nbsp;Well, I went through a period of only improvising for about 6 years, between the ages of 18 and 24. Then I had the opportunity to make an album, and so I decided to compose the songs for the album, because I wanted to be able to play songs from it. And I released my first album called Spirit. It was very close to home; it was very much me. It was a solo piano album.The album did well, but I received some criticism from other musicians around saying, “Oh, he doesn’t really know how to play jazz. He doesn’t know how to do this,” and I felt challenged. So in my next album I incorporated other musicians, some jazz, and I started writing melodies that were catchy and commercial. And that record charted in the USA in the top 20 of National Airplay Contemporary Jazz charts.I thought, “Well, that was pretty easy!” So for the next few records I wrote more and more contemporary jazz songs, almost just to prove that I could do it if I wanted to. And I had several top 10 records in a row, but I was really not that happy with it. I would play at jazz festivals and I would feel, “This is not working. This doesn’t feel like me.”One day I heard a cassette by R. Carlos Nakai, who is a Native American flautist. The Native American flute is so beautiful, so soulful, simple and earthy. So I started playing along with it on the piano. And I thought, “Well, this sounds great,” the piano and the flute. So I contacted him to see about doing a project together. I thought it was just going to be a little aside, just a simple project that I would enjoy for myself. I didn’t really think anyone would care about it. And to my surprise when the record came out – the first album was called Natives – it became very popular, selling 5 to 10 times as many as my contemporary jazz albums. And it felt more authentically me than the jazz stuff.So that gave me a big permission to be more myself, and to stop trying to be someone else. The direction went back to where I started, with my spirit, back inside, being who I am, naturally. Working with Carlos was an invitation to do that.Q: How do you overcome the challenges and biases that you may face trying to be yourself, while following your heart’s pursuit?PK:&nbsp;I almost feel that sometimes the world is like a distraction and misleading, when we focus on the outside. We have to be in the world and we have to participate, but I think we need to take our direction from inside. And we can find it in ourselves. It takes time, but we all have this inner voice that is always questioning: “Is that the right thing?” When you have an idea and you’re excited about it, but then you start to doubt, the mind is talking.When I speak with musicians I respect, we all agree that it’s that first thought, that initial spark of an idea, that is the true idea. And all the thoughts that come after that – wondering, second-guessing, doubting – is the mind. That’s the world coming in and undermining our natural essence, our natural intuition. So when I’m playing or improvising, I’m always saying yes. I get an idea, and I say yes. Yes, yes, yes, yes. I find that when I start second-guessing myself, I feel like I go off the path. So for me playing the piano is about not thinking. It is almost like meditating, you know, very spontaneous. I used to meditate a lot many years ago. I was very, very disciplined. I would fast a lot, I would chant, and I would do all these things to quiet my mind. But I find now that playing the piano is the most honest and true thing I can possibly do, because really it’s in the music that my mind is completely quiet and I’m just being. I’m listening and being. And the more I do that, the better I feel in my daily life as well. It kind of bleeds into my life.<img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/authentic_communication2_1c47b93c40.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-07T12:28:50.354Z" alt="authentic-communication">Q: Peter, you have played and worked with some very big names in the industry, like John Denver, Dan Fogelberg and now with Carlos Nakai. How has the experience been?PK:&nbsp;Beautiful! I was a big John Denver and Dan Fogelberg fan when I was younger. So working with them was really sweet. But I have to say that playing with R. Carlos Nakai and Dominic Miller, who is Sting’s guitarist, and Tina Guo, who is a fantastic cellist, and Snatam Kaur, who is a beautiful vocalist, is where I really found this connection, because none of us really want to discuss or rehearse the music. We want to find a way to just be present with each other and really listen to each other. The musicians who have been doing it for a long time realize that creativity is not about doing something; it’s about listening, being very open and very receptive. It’s letting creativity flow, rather than thinking that we need to do something to create it. Creation and creativity are everywhere. This Earth is the ultimate manifestation of creativity. We live in creativity. So from my perspective, the way to be a part of that creativity is to be very receptive and listen deeply. And not judge, and not question. You know what I’m saying?Q: Yes. It’s wonderful.PK:&nbsp;And also breathing. I do a lot of Internet performances where I talk with the audience quite a bit, and people ask me, “What are you doing? What are you thinking when you’re playing the piano?” And my response, that first thing is, “Don’t think.” The second thing is, “Am I breathing? And where in my body am I breathing? Where can I breathe into? Where in my body is it tight so I can relax? Is my stomach, my abdomen relaxed?” Those are very important things, because if we’re tight, if we’re not breathing, and if we’re in our head, then we’re stuck. So that’s important to me. And you know what I like to do? I like people to lie under the piano while I’m playing!Q: Really? Okay.PK:&nbsp;Yes! No matter where I’m playing – at a home concert or on stage – I invite people to come up and lie under the piano. I feel them under there, and I breathe into it. I connect with them and then I improvise just for them. I transfer the energy – them to me, me to them – circulating the energy. And people have beautiful experiences.Q: That’s very interesting. Do you often do that with your son also?PK:&nbsp;For my son, listening to my music is like breathing, as he’s heard it all his life. He doesn’t need to go under the piano; it’s actually part of him. He’s actually a very talented guitarist. He is only 14 years old, but he is becoming a very good guitarist.Q: How did you feel winning the Grammy in 2017?PK:&nbsp;Well, it was very exciting. It was especially interesting because that was my 13th nomination! I had not won the previous 12 years, so when I did win it was actually quite shocking and very exhilarating. To be honest, I did have a premonition. And it was the first year that I also took my son to the Grammy’s, because he was old enough to go and appreciate. It was great. I have to admit that winning the Grammy gave me the sense of even more permission to be myself. Even though I had worked through a lot of the need or desire to prove something to someone, I think winning the Grammy was the stamp or the proof of what I believe in. Now I play even more from the heart, even more exploring and trying new things, just letting it go.Q: So what next for Peter Kater?PK:&nbsp;You know what I really love doing? It’s the retreats. They are so much fun, and people have such great experiences. They’re very intimate. There are usually 10 to 20 people per retreat. We spend a week together in a beautiful place, either in Hawaii or in Montana. All needs are taken care of, like food, massage, and being in nature, in a beautiful setting. And every day I play the piano for them for at least an hour, sometimes two hours. I invite guest musicians to come at night. We do little exercises in being present and authentic. I talk a lot about what happens when we show up with ourselves, being really present with ourselves and with someone else, and removing the sense of inhibition or the feeling that we can’t be authentic. We create a very safe space where people can take a risk and say, “This is who I am,” and embrace themselves and show who they are to the others at the retreat. It’s not heavy. It’s not serious. But it’s very free and very loving, and within a day or two people are having an amazing time. After a week people feel like they’ve made life-long friends, and no one wants to leave! I started doing these retreats during the last year or two, and I love them. You really get to know everyone. People experience a lot of feelings, a lot of things come up, and – I don’t like to use the word too much – a lot of ‘healing’ does happen even though no one is trying to make it happen. It happens on its own. When we’re authentic and genuine and transparent, healing happens by itself.Q: Last question. What is the significance of listening in your life, especially in your field of music?PK:&nbsp;It’s everything. Listening is one of the most important things we can learn how to do: listen to ourselves, listen to nature, listen to each other, listen to our hearts, listen to what our bodies are doing – all that stuff. We get so wrapped up in doing: Doing, doing, doing, and not being. And that’s basically what we try to do in the retreats. We focus on just being and listening, and getting out of our heads. Listening is the main ingredient in creating music. People think they have to try to be creative or they have to have creative ideas and thoughts. I don’t believe that. I really think that if we are quiet enough, to where we can actually open up and listen to what’s already going on, then things will just happen. I can never make myself play the piano if I don’t want to. I love being in nature. For me being in nature is the easiest place to open up and be present.<img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/authentic_communication3_8b32602ec5.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-07T12:29:43.505Z" alt="authentic-communication">Q: It’s been wonderful talking to you, Peter, and I really want to thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to talk to us.PK:&nbsp;You’re so welcome. Thank you for reaching out.Join me…&nbsp; in the presence of Trees.&nbsp; Where the Earth beckons&nbsp;a deeper listen&nbsp; As it draws you down into its peace. &nbsp; Join me… on the edge&nbsp; of the known and unfamiliar.&nbsp; In the company of intimate strangers. &nbsp; Join me… for an eternal moment&nbsp; Within the eye of spiraling time.&nbsp; As we reclaim what we’ve lost. &nbsp; Join me… in loving emancipation&nbsp; In blinding night and blinding light.&nbsp; To awaken once more and again. &nbsp;&nbsp;—Peter Kater<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">Interview by MEGHANA ANAND</h4><hr>

The art of authentic communication and listening

Peter is a forester in the best sense of the word – protecting the ancient forests of Germany rather than logging them. He is the author of a number of books, including The Hidden Life of Trees: What They Feel, How They Communicate – Discoveries from a Secret World, which was a New York Times bestseller. His latest book, The Heartbeat of Trees: Embracing Our Ancient Bonds with Forests and Nature, will be released in June 2021.

Peter-Wohlleben.jpg

Peter Wohlleben

Our bond with trees

Born in Algeria, Pierre Rabhi (1938-2021) was a French farmer, writer and philosopher. He promoted a way of life that respects both humankind and nature, and worked to promote agro-ecology throughout the world, par­ticularly in Africa.&nbsp;Recognized as an international expert on food safety,&nbsp;he participated in the drafting of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification.&nbsp;He created many associations with the goal of recon­necting people to nature, and personally embodied his philosophical ideals to inspire people to make changes in their lives.

Pierre Rabhi.png

Pierre Rabhi

<hr><h4>PIERRE RABHI was interviewed by SYLVIE BERTI-ROSSI in 2018 on a life of purpose, traditions, and modernism, agro-ecology, Socrates, and transcendent love.</h4><hr>Q: You spent your childhood in an oasis in Algeria, but then had to face the modern world quite early in your life. How did such opposing cultural experiences mold the man you are today?PR: It was not easy for me. I was born and raised in a Muslim environment, in an oasis in the South of Algeria. When I was 4 years old, I lost my mother and that was a defining moment in my life. Soon after that, coal was discovered in our region and so the French came to operate the mine, as Algeria was still one of their colonies then. Coal mining caused a deep change in our lives, in our culture, in our traditions and in our biotope. It upset everything. Our little oasis, which had been so quiet for so long, was suddenly in a sort of turmoil fraught with extremely rapid changes.Many of our people became miners and were exploited, and that is when my father started to worry about our future. He thought that the rules of the game were no longer in our hands, so he entrusted me to a childless French couple, and they took care of me and introduced me to a new culture. That is how I lived alternatively in the modern world and tradition, Christianity and Islam, in a constant duality. I was confronted with totally incompatible beliefs, especially as far as religion was concerned. The credo of Islam states that God did not have a child, whereas the Christians claim that Jesus was the Son of God. So I found myself stuck between a rock and a hard place, as it were, and it was not very comfortable. That is how my humble life started.When I was a teenager, my questions became more pressing. No answer was ever obvious, however, as I was aware of the impossibility of both religions agreeing. Then I thought that philosophers might be able to give me another answer, so I read a lot. I was not really brilliant at school, where I felt bored, and having read so many philosophical works I gave the last word to Socrates, who said, “All I know is that I know nothing.” That is how it was, and that is how it still is.Q: A few years later you went to France. Can you explain what pushed you to settle down in a secluded area of the Cevennes, a choice that was going to change the rest of your life?PR: First I landed in Paris, at the heart of the hectic circle of self-satisfied modernism, where people claimed they had found the answer to humankind’s quest for happiness.I had to earn a living, so I became a skilled worker in a company, where I had a new opportunity to observe the human condition. That experience helped me question the Parisian belief at the time of what defined happiness. Little by little I understood what human bondage meant: bartering one’s existence for a salary, even if it meant risking one’s life. It was not about how to live but how to exist. Then I kept thinking about the wealth nature offered; such beautiful things that no one could ever possibly appreciate, because life meant eleven months spent in a coma and one month to resuscitate every year, and nothing more.Then I met a girl whose aspirations were similar to mine. We asked ourselves, “Could we really spend a whole life being stuck behind closed doors within a city? Why shouldn’t we go towards nature, towards large spaces and the infinite world with its vast skies and areas?” So, we decided to go back to the land and settle as small farmers.&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/unnamed_2_eec1bbdcb4.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-13T10:09:15.142Z" alt="unnamed_2"></figure>&nbsp;Q: How did you do it? How did you manage to live in the country, far away from everything?PR: We did not have the skills or training for it. Returning to the land was for us a new initiation. How to become farmers ? First I went to agricultural college and graduated, and then I worked on a farm in order to learn the real practical skills and what it really meant. For me, it was a first awakening. I immediately understood that what we call modern agriculture is about becoming a murderer of nature and of the soil, due to the constant use of toxic chemicals. They were used for everything – sprayed on the ground, on the vegetation, in the environment etc. Agriculture had become a destructive practice.That was how I came to see it, all the more so because the doctor who introduced me to the country worked in public healthcare and could testify to the damage that had resulted from such extensive use of pesticides. So I was in good hands, at the heart of a very practical training that was not limited to theoretical principles. Then I said to myself that if I could not do without such destructive practices, I’d better do something else than tilling the land.My friend the physician led me to discover Rudolf Steiner’s biodynamic principles. I read the books of Ehrenfried Pfeiffer, one of Steiner’s colleagues, who explained that biodynamic methods in accordance with nature would even have a positive impact on the soil. So I practiced biodynamic farming to begin with, then I devoted myself to organic agriculture, and now I specialize in agro-ecology. On our farm we experimented with non-toxic farming, in both agriculture and breeding, and everything went well.From that period onwards I became a sort of spokesperson, an advocate of natural, ecological and organic agriculture. I wanted to share my experience so I wrote a book entitled, From the Sahara to the Cevennes. It was published and I received an award from the Cevennes Academy. In the book, I exposed only facts and gave no lectures; I just wanted to talk about the course of my life and show what changes I went through, changes that in fact revealed the general trend of modern life would take. I wrote more books and as they were successful I went on writing. At the same time, I became more engaged.Having managed to survive and produce food within our own space, I wanted to see if agriculture that complied with the laws of life could work for the poorest farmers. So I went to Africa and we created our first agro-ecological center in Burkina Faso. I had a foot in the door, and I wanted to go much farther, so I did. My observations went hand in hand with philosophical reflections about society, with a spiritual quest and with a practical approach. Thus were born the three poles upon which I wanted to act and bear witness.Q: So you left for Burkina Faso in the 1980s to share the principles and techniques of agro-biology and to experiment with your discoveries in another part of the world.PR: I found myself in a very particular context, in the Sahel, where the people were mostly farmers. They had been living off the land for ages, even though they had not always done so wisely. For example, at one point they had started deforestation, but they had survived. Then, since they represented an important workforce, the farmers were mobilized to grow export goods and bring foreign money into the country. They had to use fertilizers and pesticides, which they were obliged to buy. As in many other places, they could no longer produce food to feed themselves and had to buy food for their families with what they managed to earn. As a result, they were deep in debt and the system led to a complete degradation of their living conditions. Actually, I blame these things for having contributed to the great Sahel famines.So, we opened an agro-ecological center, which gave birth to a group who disseminated our agricultural methods all around the country and in other parts of Africa. Today, many people in Burkina Faso are involved in eco-agriculture. Clearly, even when the land is poor, it can still feed us sufficiently and qualitatively, provided we respect it.Q: You have inspired so many people through your commitment, through the lectures you have given and the books you have written! Who are your own thought leaders, the people who inspire you?PR: I have read quite a lot, as I mentioned already. I had my Catholic phase, then a Muslim one, and progressively a spiritual one, devoid of any church or religion. That is the one I am still in. All through the course of my life, the person who has inspired me most is Socrates. When he said that he knew nothing, he spoke the truth. I don’t think anybody would disagree with that. What do we really know? Very little, I am afraid.Then I went through a very complex phase in my life: I did not feel clear about things and felt miserable, even though we had just succeeded in our back-to-the-land operation, and even though our children were feeling well. We had all the so-called trappings of happiness. In such moments, one can feel and live a strange intimate experience, which may be related to our past or whatever. Anyway, I was not well at all, and I was looking for a way out.Then I discovered Krishnamurti and things began to change. He would not teach lessons, or teach how to think. He had that Socratic approach that made me realize that I had been trying to understand myself through the environment and through other people, whereas I needed to understand my inner self. Such an approach had a salutary effect on me because I could not resort to any religion or philosophy of any sort. Through Krishnamurti, I was confined to that sort of solitude that triggered in me, beyond mere thinking, a way to analyze myself, to understand myself and to find out all by myself. Then, I only needed a kind hand. So I went back to the Socratic approach and I said to myself: “Rely on nobody but yourself. ”So I entered a mode of investigation related to direct feeling and thinking, to experience. Then I understood that I need not rely on anyone else’s thought, and that I’d rather take into account the clear thinking I was endowed with, a thinking that was not within me but that had been and would be given to me, as long as I stopped looking for solutions. I just had to listen to myself, pay attention to the way I was evolving, the way I reacted, and the reasons why I was jealous, why this, and why that. It was an initiation of my self by my self. That really helped me fare better, in a very strong and powerful manner. I recovered all the energy I needed to pursue my journey on earth and on the land in the way it had been envisioned.Q: So since you discovered Krishnamurti, have you resorted to that inner voice in order to be guided in whatever you do, in all your choices?PR: Absolutely. I make sure I am following the right path. We are all on the right path, but we have to make sure of it. For that, we can ask ourselves: “Will it harm others if I do that? Is it merely conforming ? Am I being influenced by preconceived ideas ? Am I attached to dogma, to anything?” Once you have no attachment to anything, then you are really connected ; you are not attached but connected, open to the Absolute. Regarding the Absolute, it makes me think of the quote of Meister Eckhart: “Stop talking about God. All you will say about Him is nothing but lies.”Q: And what happens when you are no longer attached to anything ?PR: The last question to ask yourself then is whether your imagination was at work, trying to reassure and comfort you, or whether it was silence that let you know, a silence that can say so much more than any word you hear! It is a silence in which, at long last, something can be expressed, something that does not come from torments, or from a quest for Truth that was far too intense. Being silent does not mean you have to be lost in the desert. In the desert, there is a particular silence, the absence of noise, that silence that makes you say that you are no longer within your self. You are lost in the very center of the desert. Maybe. But that is not the silence I mean. I am talking about the silence you can hear when you are in the middle of a crowd. There is no need to be in an empty environment to hear that silence. And it is a very ‘active’ silence, which doesn’t come just by magic, because it requires you to be present.&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/unnamed_4_d05e18b713.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-13T10:10:42.327Z" alt="unnamed "></figure>&nbsp;Q: Being connected to that inner silence is important indeed. But how can we do that?PR: Well, do you expect someone will give you a recipe just to be applied? Today’s recipes are more like relaxation than like silence. When you are very relaxed, you may think you are bathing in silence, but true silence is different. Its nature is transcendent. You have to open yourself to it. It is like the air you breathe. The air is there, and you breathe it. It is like love – the love you experience and the love you live. In all these deeds you are by yourself, completely alone, isolated, but without actually being so. When you want to be isolated you are really connected; on the contrary, the more you want to be connected the more isolated you feel. This silence is of a very peculiar nature. Speaking about it is no easy matter.Q: You have just evoked love. You often talk about the strong energy there is in love, which is like an engine that will help you change and change things around you.PR: That’s right, but the word ‘love’ strikes a particular chord, which is open to different interpretations and fantasies. Love is, in fact, transcendent by essence. I think human beings are tailor-made for it. Love means loving trees, loving the earth, the fish, loving, loving and loving again; it’s all about love.Then there is also particular love, more intense, like the one you feel for your companion, for your children, for your dearest ones, the love between a man and a woman, the sort that ‘I’ will see and live as a great celebration! But love is not only that. When you love a tree, it is not personalized. It is like an essence, a transcendent reality to which you connect yourself. That is the reason why unconditional love can never ignite dissent. It is not its role; it is not in its essence.I think that love is rich with multiple tones and intensities. There is a first circle, the circle of the human love we feel for our loved ones. Then, there is a second circle, and a third one… until we reach the love that embraces everything and everyone.&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/unnamed_3_ca0da041b0.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-13T10:09:58.634Z" alt="unnamed "></figure>www.pierrerabhi.org<hr>To be continued.<hr>&nbsp;&nbsp;

Agro-ecology, love, and Socrates

<hr class="vertical-space1">
<h4>In part 2 of this exclusive interview with PIERRE RABHI, he speaks about
 Colibris and some of the other projects he has taken up to bring awareness and change in society. In particular, he
 speaks about the pressing need for moderation and reduction in human consumption, and the importance of transcendent
 love and joy.</h4>
[distance2]
Q: In the first part of this interview, you said that your
 approach and action developed in 3 ways: through philosophical reflections about society, a spiritual quest and
 a practical approach. Does the creation of Colibris in 2007 fit into this scheme? How did this movement start,
 and how do you explain its incredible development?
PR: In 2007, along with several friends, including Cyril Dion and Isabelle Desplats, we
 decided to create a grass roots movement for active reflection and practical ways to build a greener and more humane
 society. Today, Colibris has grown enormously! It has three main objectives: to inspire, to connect and to support
 citizens engaged in individual and collective transition processes. These days, Colibris implements so many projects
 that I would have a hard time presenting them all to you.
To highlight just a few, we have the series, Domaine du Possible, published by
 Actes Sud, some of which is co-published by Colibris; many local action groups; the University of Colibris which
 offers free online training on eco-construction, permaculture, agro-ecology and education; and finally Fabrique,
 which is a platform for everyone to do their bit by offering time, talent, material resources and donations in the
 service of inspiring projects. In short, there are so many things, and I am very happy today about the work
 accomplished and the number of projects that have been implemented.
This growth has accelerated because now libraries and bookshops are full of books that
 take note of our human excesses, but now people want to act, to find solutions, and this is what Colibris offers!

<img decoding="async" width="369" height="245"
 class="img-float-left lazyload has-img-center-in-mobile"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/PIERRE_RABHI_3_2_img_c8aecf4fbb.jpg">Q: In recent
 years you have also supported other projects that spread the same
 values as yours, especially in Crete and Morocco. Can you tell us about them?
PR: Indeed, we are doing a lot. An endowment fund was created in 2013 with the aim of
 raising funds so&nbsp;that we could help. This is a small fund associated with the economic model proposed by
 Schumaker in his book, Small Is Beautiful.
To the extent that our meagre finances allow, we support initiatives that share our
 values of humanism and respect for living things and biodiversity. In Morocco, the NGO called Terre &amp; Humanisme
 Maroc has created a training center for agro-ecology not far from Marrakech. In collaboration with Kaligraines and
 Melitakes, the Endowment Fund has helped to build an eco-hut to house their volunteers in Crete. The Pierre Rabhi
 Endowment Fund has also supported projects led by NGOs in Africa, one in the Navajo Reservation in the southern
 United States, and the actions of Navdanya, the women’s seed movement.
Q:&nbsp;Your life’s journey, your reflections, your
 meetings and your readings have led you to place human beings and Nature at the heart of your thought and
 action. Can you share some of your thoughts and ideas?
PR: I told you earlier what I think about our model of a ‘slave’ society; the kind of
 barter where people give their life for a salary. They give their life to a system that is not fair, because there
 is a hierarchy of powerful owners and poor people. In human evolution, the concern for distribution and equity has
 not been very evident.
Society has been based on a hierarchy of ‘having’ to the detriment of ‘being’. In the
 acquisition of money there are very rich people, very poor people, and those in between. All this establishes&nbsp;a
 hierarchy of destinies that I cannot bear, because the fact that money can determine our social structure is
 offensive to me. Money should be at the service of something else.
We have just launched a collection of books called Carnets d’Alerte, to try to
 help people understand these issues by providing an integrated approach. For example, in the book on finance,
 Les Excès de la Finance ou l’Art de la Prédation Légalisée, we have highlighted the way society has
 legalized and standardized predation or ‘grabbing’: the moment I pay I acquire something legally. This form of legal
 acquisition may satisfy society, but not morality.

<hr>
<h5 style="text-align: center;">Society has been based 
 on a hierarchy of ‘having’ 
 to the detriment of ‘being’.
</h5>
<hr>
Is it right that because an individual has money he can buy the Amazon rainforest, or
 that the big cartels can ‘grab’ and confiscate the property owned by the whole of humanity, that they did not even
 create? If human beings were intelligent we would recognize what Nature or the Divine has given us totally free of
 charge, as a common good to all people and all creatures. Unfortunately we are not intelligent. Instead, we have
 proclaimed human beings as the best, and from there we have defined a set of rules in our own interest, in a totally
 arbitrary way.
In addition, the male world has completely dismissed the feminine dimension. For
 millennia our societies have been based on the subordination of women. Even the Bible promotes and supports this
 subjugation of women. I read the Old Testament, and it is difficult to find a woman who ‘stands up’. And it’s to Eve
 that we owe all these troubles : what an idea to eat the apple! So we start from this idea, which has then become
 ingrained, then fossilized, and finally an accepted fact.
In the first place, God is masculine. I do not see why he would not be both masculine
 and feminine. From there, an entire civilization has been influenced by precepts, principles and arbitrarily
 established creeds. This asymmetry or imbalance between the feminine and masculine principles&nbsp;creates chaos and
 destruction. The woman as creative energy, as childbearer and mother of humanity, is naturally inclined to protect
 life, and we must pay tribute to the guardians of life and listen to the feminine in each of us. Without her, there
 is no change.
All these arbitrary rules have built a society where fear dominates and where we think
 we are intelligent because we make weapons, the apotheosis being the atomic bomb. When we see all this, it is not
 easy to say that humanity is intelligent. In fact, we have confused our abilities with intelligence. We have skills
 but not intelligence. If our wonderful abilities were governed by intelligence, everything would be in an
 intelligent order.
<hr class="vertical-space1">
<img decoding="async" width="834" class="w-100 h-auto lazyload"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/PIERRE_RABHI_2_3_img_21578e2e47.jpg">
<hr class="vertical-space1">
Today we are so very far from an intelligent order: slaughter and violence are defended
 better than life. Violence is encouraged with the advent of more and more new killing machines, and Nature is
 destroyed. What this means is that the human phenomenon – just a short minute and a half or two minutes in the
 equivalent of a 24-hour history of the Earth – has been a real catastrophe. The human being is the ecological
 catastrophe number 1.
We wrote a book with Jean-Marie Pelt, in which he made a retrospective of the way life
 has evolved on Earth through cooperation and association, a principle that governs nature. He showed that life owes
 more to alliance than to rivalry. I often tell people that a lion eats an antelope, but does not have a bank of
 antelopes. He must survive, but he does not survive by accumulation or by speculation, but only by the necessity to
 which he is subjected, as is the case with all of us. This&nbsp;is the big difference with the indefinite hoarding
 of a few human beings who confiscate legitimate property from the rest of humanity.
Q: You speak about the urgent need to reduce our needs and the responsibility to leave
 a better world for future generations. What is your vision of what tomorrow’s society could be?
PR: I have indeed said a lot about degrowth, or the reduction of wants, because in
 France I was pushed to run for the 2002 presidential elections. After much hesitation, asking myself, “What am I
 going to to do in this gallery?” I eventually proposed myself. The only thing that motivated me was that this
 candidacy could create a dynamic, a pretext for dialogue between people. Today, citizens need to talk to each other
 and not just listen to politicians. So I thought it was an opportunity.
Our campaign was more of a manifesto: “What planet will we leave our children, but also
 which children will we leave to the planet?” It was a call to elevate consciousness: to go beyond all the divisions,
 all the tendencies that bury us in incurable differences, and try unity. Our campaign was therefore based on
 anything that could contribute to unity, and contribute to a different world, a paradigm shift. Among our proposals
 was the famous idea of degrowth. I tried to explain this concept of negative growth, but it was not always well
 understood.
When we launched our campaign, a number of politicians heard us, joined us and signed up
 to our program, which was a great encouragement&nbsp;to us. Our whole process was centered on public debate, and
 people talked, discussed and exchanged in a multitude of places.
And then time passed, and the idea of degrowth was misunderstood. Maybe we did not know
 how to explain it. But what is certain is that a fundamental thing was said: we cannot, humanity cannot have
 unlimited aspirations and unlimited appetites in a system that is limited. The planet cannot reproduce a forest as
 it is cut, cannot replenish the seas with fish as they are fished, and so on.
Some people have accepted and adhered to the idea, others not. We have no statistics on
 the impact of the proposal, but we have had a lot of positive feedback. I have never been aggrieved by this idea
 that we need to reduce our footprint, as for me simplicity and moderation are the true power. It is a conscious
 choice that everyone can make for the Earth and for equity. Then I wrote a book entitled Vers la Sobriété
 Heureuse. My publisher told me that it would be miraculous if it sold more than 4,000 copies, and today it
 has sold 350,000.
<hr>
<h5 style="text-align: center;">Our campaign was more of a manifesto: 
 “What planet will we leave our children, 
 but also which children will we leave to the planet?” 
 It was a call to elevate consciousness: 
 to go beyond all the divisions, 
 all the tendencies that bury us in 
 incurable differences, and try unity.
</h5>
<hr>
It has nothing to do with me personally, it’s just that today people do understand that
 wanting a complex society to which one gives one’s whole existence, and being happy at the same time, does&nbsp;not
 work. On the contrary! People living in the developed world have never consumed so many anxiolytics and watched so
 much entertainment of all kinds. They are escaping from reality. Why? Maybe because this reality scares them. We try
 to escape by all means. Of course, escape is easier than tackling the issues and dealing with them with the
 rationality and determination that would be required.
Today the situation is difficult for everyone, at least in France, because nobody is
 guaranteed of having a job in 5 years. We see a general disintegration of the social system, which is not likely to
 stop. We can try everything we want, but it will not change because it is the logic itself that ensures that it
 cannot stop. What is needed now is to praise the power of moderation, and to consider moderation and simplicity as
 the keys to our survival. To aspire to simplicity is to make a fair, moral and structurally just choice. That’s
 why&nbsp;there’s a growing craze for simplicity. Simplicity rather than complexity can lead us to joy.
Q:&nbsp;Can you explain this idea further?
PR: Joy is free. It is something that comes from elsewhere, of a transcendent essence.
 As we no longer have access to joy in our society, we fill our lives with pleasure. I have nothing against pleasure,
 but when it becomes industrial and ephemeral it is consumed like the rest. I know people who should be happy and
 fulfilled because they have everything, but are they joyful? That is another question.
I sometimes find joy in people who have almost nothing, but every hour that passes is an
 hour of happiness for them. They do not have a moment of despondency! It shows us that reaching something
 transcendent through the material way is simply not possible. But when we have nothing, we are also not happy. So
 having just what is necessary brings us inner contentment and predisposes us to joy.
<h5><a href="//www.heartfulnessmagazine.com/agro-ecology-love-socrates-part-1/">Read Part
 1</a></h5>
<hr class="vertical-space1">
<hr>
<h4 style="text-align: center;">Interview by SYLVIE BERTI ROSSI</h4>
<hr>

Agro-ecology, love & Socrates - part 2

Pierre is a DJ, producer, high-end fashion collaborator, club-headliner, certified yoga teacher, and meditation trainer. He introduced the KaRavan concept of combining music, yoga, and meditation into the Eternal Journey. He is now introducing luxury fragrances, writing a new chapter of the Eternal Journey.

pierre-ravan.webp

Pierre Ravan

<h4>Q: You are a successful DJ who also lives a spiritual life. What does spirituality mean to you?
 </h4>
 
 We read that spirituality is about living inwardly and being in the ‘present’ moment. What does that really mean
 in practical life? Where is that ‘inside’ in us where we should live? How can we feel it? Can we ultimately
 reach it?” . The answer is simple: Spirituality is the science of the heart.
 When we learn to connect with it we will find that everything is there. Most
 amazingly we find out that we are all connected to each other through our hearts. When we tune ourselves to the
 same frequency, we will be in the same vibratory plane where we are all one. It is like being in a big nightclub
 and tuning ourselves to the sound that the DJ is playing, enjoying ourselves.
 When we have less resistance in our hearts, we let go and become a part of that
 journey. Then we become unified as one single entity, lost in the music. But what is the force behind this
 unity? It is obviously love; having no prejudice towards others.
 <h4 style="text-align: justify;">Q: Is it challenging to have a disciplined spiritual practice and also be
 in the club scene?</h4>
 <h4 style="text-align: justify;">
 <hr class="vertical-space1">
 </h4>
 <img decoding="async" alt="" class="has-text-align-center lazyload w-100"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/tuning_the_soul_1_82898936f1.jpg?updated_at=2023-03-30T10:35:33.340Z">
 
 <h4></h4>
 <h4 style="text-align: justify;">
 <hr class="vertical-space1">
 </h4>
 To live spiritually, you need to overcome desires. You can enjoy good food and good
 life, but you cannot be driven by them. The art is to live in the world but not be driven by temptations, and
 that is a tough call because at the human level we are tempted and we have desires. There is nothing wrong in
 saying something is beautiful, but wanting to possess it all the time is something else. So it is all about
 attitude towards life.
 Attitude is important in everything, even your meditation practice. If you don’t
 have the right attitude you will still cheat people, because you still have that element of impurity in you. If
 you go to a dance club and judge people because you meditate and they do not, that is wrong. First of all you
 did not have to go, and also there you can be an example. Without even opening your mouth, people will recognise
 something special about you and be attracted by that.
 People respect you a lot when they see that on one hand you are with them, but at
 the same time you have your own priorities. For example they say, “It is 4 a.m. and he goes to his room to
 meditate, to reset what is happening in his system before sleeping.”
 As a musician you are exposed to so many things – sex, drugs and alcohol. I am
 convinced that even highly elevated people who can resist alcohol and drugs would still struggle with sexual
 attraction, as it is a strong pull.&nbsp; So it has been the downfall of many. The trick is not to lose sight of
 where you are going, so you do not lose the inner connection with that anchor.
 <h4 style="text-align: justify;">Q: What do you hope to achieve?</h4>
 We need to find a way of balancing the inner and outer life, and I feel that
 spirituality is the only way. I think balance in life is a huge art. So if spirituality teaches people how to
 achieve that, the work is done. I feel it is achievable.
 Whether I am a teacher, a banker, a gardener, a baker, or whatever, I am here to
 fulfil the call of Nature. We do not have to be a priest or a master to become the conduit of Nature’s work.
 There are a lot of beautiful souls out there, but we do not have the capacity to
 realise it. It is in our inability to see this that we judge the world and people. Wherever we find ourselves we
 need to be like a candle to see and attract people. Sometimes I feel that people on the dance floor are more
 connected than those in an ashram. It is not about where you are.
 We need not give up life and joy. No! Without joy, good humour and laughter there is
 no spirituality. Spirituality is joy. We misunderstand spirituality. It is the freedom of a bird with the two
 wings of balance. It is hard work! Life is work!
 If I were to achieve one thing, one state, it would be that I am at peace with
 myself. I think that is the ultimate. In that, ‘balance’ is vital; outer and inner balance. The outer deals with
 material life, with work, society, family, etc. Then I find an inner way, a guide, something in me, in my heart
 to which I give my full trust and faith. This is not giving up freedom. If I have faith, and the willpower to
 use that faith, and the patience and I do the work, I realise, “Wow! Life is not so difficult!”
 The moment we are in balance and in tune, then we go, “Ahhh! I see things so
 differently,” and we wonder, “How come I could not see this before?” We no longer see problems; we see things
 totally differently, and our level of acceptance goes up. We accept fully with our heart, although not blindly,
 and when that happens, everything changes again. So life is a fascinating school!
 I think a Master is a person who is in tune with Nature, so he can see and feel
 Nature. He does not even know what he knows. That is so beautiful. He is so in tune that he is not even aware.
 It is so spontaneous. To me the ultimate goal is to become one with yourself, where you are so much in tune with
 yourself that you are not even aware.
 <h4 style="text-align: justify;">Q:&nbsp;&nbsp; How does all of this relate to your work as a DJ with the
 younger generation?</h4>
 People who come to a dance club come for different reasons. One is to get relief
 from the pressure and tension of life. Now imagine if they could find an alternative means of relief,
 intoxication and trance. By turning inside and connecting to the Source inside themselves, they can find it.
 That is the real ecstasy. And my experience is that the more we rely on drugs to achieve trance, the more we
 lose our ability to do it naturally.
 Youth need to learn that while they are here to enjoy life, they also need to make
 that inner connection. Meditation is the first step.
 If you don’t know yourself, understand yourself and love yourself, then what is
 life? Knowing why am I here … all this comes from within.
 <h4 style="text-align: justify;">Q: Thousands of people dance at your concerts. What drives you?
 </h4>
 I never understood love. I feel I am so much in love. If you ask me with what, I
 don’t know. I feel there is a power that affects me deeply. I have learnt that love is love. You cannot even
 describe it. I realise that love is the only way. Until we develop love in us, life is a big struggle.
 <h4 style="text-align: justify;">Q: Tell us about music. How are music and spirituality connected?
 </h4>
 I love this saying by Hazrat Inayat Khan that, “Music is nothing less than the
 picture of the Beloved.” Music is ultimately about tuning the soul.
 Through music you can work and connect with many people, because when they come to
 listen and dance they have no resistance. In a club they are totally open. That is why I see music as a very
 potential means for connecting and that is why at forty-six I am still a DJ.&nbsp; After each concert I need to
 rest for one week because I give my everything.
 <h4 style="text-align: justify;">Q: Tell us more about your work as a DJ.</h4>
 For the past twenty-five years, I have been involved in the world of music and
 nightlife. I consider myself a successful DJ and producer and I am trying to be part of the evolution of the
 club scene. I have met so many beautiful souls who gather in that place I call the club, where language and
 preaching are not involved. Through music they celebrate life, joy and love.
 If we look at the roots of the club culture, we find that the main purpose was to
 create an atmosphere where people could put aside all their differences, leave behind their problems, and come
 to a place with no resistance, letting themselves being carried away by the music. Was that achieved? Did they
 get satisfaction? The answer in most cases is no. Why? Because drugs and alcohol were there. Instead of learning
 to connect inwardly through the heart to the main Source of Life, people relied on a false feeling of temporary
 intoxication and ultimately the inner connection was lost. This is far away from feeling the true peace and
 ecstasy.
 <h4 style="text-align: justify;">Q: What is the solution to restore this frequency?</h4>
 As far as my own experience as a DJ is concerned, I feel that clubbing can be like a
 group meditation where no one is being judged. Through music, people tune their hearts to the same vibratory
 dimension. By looking inside, the real intoxication which is permanent and subtle can be achieved. That can
 happen only when there is love, for themselves and for everybody around – all connected to the same source of
 existence.
 We can be courageous, experience the inner Self and reach this ecstasy, simply by tuning to the heart.
 
 <hr>
 
 <h4 style="text-align: center;">Interview with&nbsp;PIERRE RAVAN</h4>
 
 <hr>

Tuning the Soul

<h4>PIERRE RAVAN is interviewed by ELIZABETH DENLEY about the launch of his new brand, Eternal Journey, starting with 3 exquisite perfumes designed to keep you in tune with the natural rhythms of the day.</h4>Q: Hi Pierre. Tell us about your new perfume range.PR: Thank you. First there’s the brand, Eternal Journey, which was inspired by my spiritual path. I believe that life creates life, and it is an eternal journey.&nbsp;&nbsp;When we created this brand, we wanted to have different products and we started with fragrances. Because of my musical background and luxury background, I wanted to create something that covers the whole 24 hours of the day, and this is also linked with the circle of the eternal journey.&nbsp;When this first collection of three fragrances was created, we wanted to evoke the feelings from the time we wake up in the morning, then into the afternoon, through the night, and till we wake up the next morning. The journey never stops.&nbsp;I believe in the idea of trinity, so the first fragrance is Sunrise to Sunset, the second is Sunset to Midnight, and third is Midnight to Sunrise. With all 3 we are closing the circle through the 24 hours.When we use a perfume, we want it to correspond to the time of day. Even scientifically, we know that when we wake up, when the night becomes day, our breathing shifts so that we move from left nostril dominant breathing to right nostril dominant breathing. The first perfume, Sunrise to Sunset, has been created to activate and facilitate this transition. So the olfactory family of this fragrance has two very important ingredients – orange blossom, neroli, and a woodier petit-grain. Together, they facilitate the shift, while still maintaining a meditative mood.In the morning, you may do yoga, walk your dog, go for a bicycle ride, or go to the forest to pick mushrooms – whatever is your morning ritual, you can use this perfume. At that time of day, you don’t need something spicy; it would disturb others and your own inner condition.&nbsp;Later, when you come home and take a shower, you need something more active. So the second perfume we created is Sunset to Midnight. It is spicier, more sensual, while still creating a meditative mood. One of the main ingredients is frankincense and another is myrrh. And so as not to give the feeling of being in church, I added saffron from Iran, a little marshmallow, which gives sweetness, and a little patchouli and vetiver. This combination gives the sensual, spiritual, fresh, and warm, which correspond to the day’s activities.<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">What is spirituality? It is when you do everything from the heart.&nbsp; Then you are connected with your inner self,&nbsp; and through that you lead your life.&nbsp;</h4><hr><figure class="image"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/eternal_journey2_afa999fc31.webp" alt="eternal-journey2.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_eternal_journey2_afa999fc31.webp 149w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/small_eternal_journey2_afa999fc31.webp 478w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/medium_eternal_journey2_afa999fc31.webp 717w," sizes="100vw"></figure>The third fragrance, Midnight to Sunrise, is for night time, going out to dinner, the opera, a party, etc. It is designed to create a presence. It contains a lot of woody spices, like cashmere, sandalwood (the best quality sandalwood from Australia), black pepper, and oud (the best quality oud from Vietnam). The formula was created so that the oud kicks in after 20 minutes. That way it is not a woody-dominated perfume.We also created the 3 formulas so that each one blends with the others, creating a 24-hour atmosphere and evolution. That is the whole concept.<figure class="image"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/eternal_journey3_ba20be3828.webp" alt="eternal-journey3.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_eternal_journey3_ba20be3828.webp 244w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/small_eternal_journey3_ba20be3828.webp 500w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/medium_eternal_journey3_ba20be3828.webp 750w," sizes="100vw"></figure> Q: Pierre, where can people buy these fragrances?PR:&nbsp;In India, we are launching them with the company, Baccarose, through their Parcos shops. We selected 50 shops across India to introduce this brand along with our storytelling. &nbsp;What is the story they will tell? It is a marriage of luxury, spirituality, entertainment, and well-being. We have incorporated all these elements into the perfumes. You will also see this in the packaging, which uses glass and organic wood.&nbsp;Eternal Journey is a gender fluid product. Without even considering gender we created this perfume, so it is for everyone. It evokes all the feelings.Q: Some people would say that spirituality and luxury don’t go together. How do they fit, in your view?PR:&nbsp;I personally do not see them as separate. In spirituality we can incorporate luxury, and vice versa. What is spirituality? It is when you do everything from the heart. Then you are connected with your inner self, and through that you lead your life. What is luxury? In my understanding, a luxury item is something unique and precious. Imagine, if you create something of luxury with your heart, you make something that is not only consistent it’s also permanent. So the people who are using the product will be affected by how profound and how deep it is.&nbsp;On top of that, with my musical background, I am aware that all sound and vibration also creates an effect. Imagine a perfume that you can hear while you smell it. Our sense of smell has a big role to play for us in memory and nostalgia, and so does music. If we blend these together, the journey is complete.Q: Thank you Pierre, we wish you all the best with your perfume launch.&nbsp;PR:&nbsp;Thank you Elizabeth.<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">Photographs by RASMUS MOGENSEN</h4><hr>

Eternal journey

Pir Zia is a Sufi scholar, meditation teach, and the spiritual leader of the Inayati Order (www.inayatiorder.org), an interfaith mystical fellowship carrying on his grandfather’s teachings. He is the author of Mingled Waters, Saracen Chivalry, and Immortality.

Pir-Zia-Inayat-Khan.webp

Pir Zia Inayat Khan

<h4 style="text-align:justify;">PIR ZIA INAYAT KHAN, the esteemed Sufi scholar and key luminary of the 2024 Global Spirituality Mahotsav at Kanha Shanti Vanam, describes the Sufi concept of the “Invisible Gardens” of our lives.</h4>I can hardly imagine a more perfect place for the convening of the Global Spirituality Mahotsav than Kanha Shanti Vanam. Imagine, just eight years ago, this land was all dust, and now we see the result of the care given to the land by the venerable Daaji and the Heartfulness community. It is something of a miracle.The meditation hall is impressive no doubt; but to me, much more impressive are the gardens here—the trees that have been planted, the endangered plants that have been collected, the cultivation that is happening, so that this Vanam can truly be a living garden. Daaji has brought endangered species here, and when trees are about to be cut down elsewhere, he has them dug up and transplanted here so that they may live on. This can be a paradigm for the whole country and for the whole world.While we may find ourselves appreciating these visible gardens, the ones we see with our own eyes, here we also find invisible gardens as well. The Sufis speak of four spiritual gardens.<h4 style="text-align:justify;">The Garden of Deeds</h4>The first of these is called the Garden of Deeds, and this is the place where we rediscover everything that we have put out into the world. The world is like a dome-whatever we say re-echoes and bounces back to us eventually. If we want to find generosity, be generous. If we want to find kindness, be kind. Whatever we bring to the world, sooner or later will circle back and return to us. But we have to be careful when we cultivate our “garden of deeds” not to take pride in those deeds. May it be that the left hand does not know what the right hand has given.The great Hazrat Rabi’a Basri used to walk around with a bucket of water in one hand and a torch in the other hand, and people would ask, “Why are you carrying these things?” She answered, “I want to burn down the garden of paradise and quench the fires of hell, so that those who worship you will worship you for your own sake, and not for any reward.”<h4 style="text-align:justify;">The Garden of Friends</h4>And so we move beyond the Garden of Deeds, and come to the Garden of the Friends of God. This is the garden of the legacy of the Holy Prophet and the sages who have brought wisdom to this world. In this garden, we seek to follow in their footsteps and to realize that although these great beings may come from many different traditions, they all ultimately bring one message—the message of the Divine Consciousness that is seeking its fulfillment in our lives and in this world. We come close to the prophets when we live a life of service.<h4 style="text-align:justify;">The Garden of Names</h4>Going further, we come to the Garden of the Names, the names of God. In our world, the Divine Being is known by many names. Whichever name we choose, if we give our whole heart to it, we will be lifted up by it. In this invisible realm, the Garden of Names, it is said that the angels plant trees whenever human beings intone the name of God. One day, someone saw that an angel was no longer watering their tree or caring for it, and they asked why that tree was being neglected. The angel answered that humans on Earth had stopped reciting the name; they were not glorifying the name. And until they did, it would not be possible to nurture this garden.&nbsp;That is the possibility that exists for all of us—to ensure these trees in the garden of the invisible world continue to grow and thrive. That can only occur when we, with hearts full of love, dedicate ourselves to the glorification of the one to whom we belong.&nbsp;<img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/invisible_gardens2_6e6d29df20.webp" alt="invisible-gardens2.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_invisible_gardens2_6e6d29df20.webp 145w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/large_invisible_gardens2_6e6d29df20.webp 508w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/invisible_gardens2_6e6d29df20.webp 508w," sizes="100vw"><h4 style="text-align:justify;">The Garden of the One</h4>Finally, there is a fourth garden, the Garden of the One.&nbsp; A seeker went to that door and a voice asked, “Who is there?”&nbsp; The seeker answered, “I am here, Beloved.”&nbsp; The voice replied, “Then go away.”&nbsp; The seeker went away, and continued his search and meditation for many years, until finally he returned and once again the voice met him with the same question as before.&nbsp; This time, the seeker answered, “You are here.”&nbsp; Then the seeker entered and there was no seeker and no sought, there was no lover or beloved, there was only the “One” forever and ever.May this garden of Kanha Shanti Vanam continue to flourish under the benevolent guidance of Daaji. May the gardens of our own lives—The Garden of Deeds, The Garden of the Friends of God, The Garden of the Divine Names, and The Garden of the One—proliferate throughout this world so that we all may live in paradise. Amin.<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">May the gardens of our own lives— The Garden of Deeds, The Garden of the Friends of God,&nbsp; The Garden of the Divine Names, and The Garden of the One —proliferate throughout this world&nbsp; so that we all may live in paradise.&nbsp;</h4><hr>

Invisible gardens

<h4 style="text-align:justify;">In this inspiring interview, PIR ZIA INAYAT KHAN, the head of the Inayati Order and grandson of Hazrat Pir Murshid Inayat Khan, shares the Sufi perspective on integration, consciousness, the dimension of the soul, the rhythm of the heart, and how we illuminate the inner landscape with PURNIMA RAMAKRISHNAN.</h4>Q: Namaste, Sir. I’m very honored and happy to speak with you today. Can you give me a little context about the Inayati Order?PZIK: It’s a pleasure to be with you, Purnimaji. Thank you so much.The Inayati is a lineage of Sufism traced back to my grandfather, Hazrat Pir Murshid Inayat Khan, who was born in Baroda into a family of musicians and became a great musician himself. He traveled throughout India as a musician and eventually went to Hyderabad as a young man, where he met the man who would become his Murshid, his Sufi teacher, Sayyid Abu Hashim Madani.He studied and practiced for several years until the passing of his Murshid. Before his passing, his Murshid said, “Go forth, my son, and unite East and West with the harmony of your music, for to this end you are blessed by Allah, Subhanahu wa Ta’ala” [May He be praised and exalted].With that blessing, he continued his travels in India before eventually journeying by ship with his brothers, first to America, then onward to Europe, where he spent many years traveling and teaching in the West. In this way, a new Sufi order was born, the first to be established in the Americas and Western Europe.Q:&nbsp;Thank you. It is said that Murshidji brought Sufism to the West. I’ve read The Inner Life, and it’s an amazing book.PZIK: Yes, I’m glad you mentioned <a href="https://heartfulness.org/magazine/interconnectedness-2" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">The Inner Life</a>, my grandfather’s classic work. In that book he describes a method of spiritual unfoldment that involves a reintegration of the wholeness of our being. Each of us has multiple inheritances. We have our angelic inheritance, and inheritances from the jinns, the stars, the elements, the plants, and the animals. All of this is within us. We are a microcosm of the whole universe. At the same time, we are also divided within ourselves, fragmented. The path of initiation and awakening is about reuniting these various strands of our being.The first thing he emphasizes in <a href="https://heartfulness.org/magazine/is-your-mind-flexible" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">The Inner Life</a>, after making space for the journey and fulfilling one’s obligations and duties, is the rediscovery of the animal dimension. In spiritual philosophies, the animal dimension is either overlooked or dismissed as something beneath the human condition. For Hazrat Inayat Khan, the animal condition is an essential dimension of our humanity. Rather than simply transcending it, it is important to integrate it.This means being in touch with our physical body; rather than fleeing from it, we must fully inhabit it. It involves coming to know the depths of the rhythm of our breath, the rhythm of our heart, the magnetism that radiates from our core and limbs, and the light that flows through our gaze. All of this contributes to the crystallization of spirit within our physical form.<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">Ultimately, all initiations are inner openings&nbsp; within the one who experiences them.</h4><hr>Animals are profoundly in tune with their bodies, fully embodied beings. So, the first step for a seeker on the path is to return to this state of full embodiment, as represented by the animal world.Q:&nbsp;Can I ask about your work with the John Coltrane Church?PZIK: Certainly, you may ask anything. Regarding John Coltrane, recently, we had the joy of connecting with a group that listens to A Love Supreme as a spiritual practice every Sunday. This group is called the Church of Saint John Coltrane.While I was in San Francisco, I had the opportunity to meet the founders and hear about how important the teachings of Hazrat Inayat Khan have been for the church. They also spoke about how influential these teachings were for John Coltrane himself, who studied the mysticism of music and sound, a subject my grandfather wrote about extensively. Coltrane used to share these teachings with other musicians, which allowed them to circulate widely in the jazz community.Q:&nbsp;Your grandfather also wrote about initiation. Nowhere else have I read about this subject except in the Heartfulness tradition and the Sufi tradition. So I would love to hear your views on this.PZIK: There are so many levels of initiation. Some initiations are given from one person to another. Other initiations occur naturally in a person’s life, arising from an inner opening, a discovery, or an unfoldment of the spirit.Ultimately, all initiations are inner openings within the one who experiences them. But some are facilitated, brought about through a blessing given by someone who has walked the path of initiation, experienced an awakening, and can kindle the fire in others.Someone who has caught fire blazes and burns, and can spread that fire to those who are ready to receive it. In this way, the fire of initiation spreads across the world, and this is how it is transmitted.Q:&nbsp;What do you think are the duties and responsibilities of someone who has been initiated?PZIK: Some initiations involve entering into the blessings of a lineage. In Sufism, there are two kinds of entry:<ol><li style="text-align:justify;">The Ashiq initiation, known as Baya’ al-Tawarruk is a pledge of blessing. This means that one simply becomes a friend of the Sangha. One expresses respect for the lineage and friendship toward those on this path. There are no special duties attached to it, and the individual may still follow a different spiritual path.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">The Tālib initiation, known as Baya’ al-Haqiqah is for those who truly feel they have found their spiritual home. They have discovered the school of inner learning where they wish to study. Such a person is ready to dedicate their focus, effort, and concentration to this sacred work.</li></ol>This second initiation is not given automatically. One may need time to prepare or it may turn out that what seemed like a connection was just a passing idea. This is why true initiation is given only when it is meant to be, and when it is serious and real.When initiation is given, it means one has entered into a spiritual current. My grandfather described it as a tool being plugged into an electrical outlet, once connected, it lights up, receiving energy directly from the source.Being plugged into this stream means receiving all the Grace, Barakah, and awakening that has flowed through generations, from teacher to student, from being to being. Each initiated soul is linked to a tremendous wave of spiritual energy.&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/uniting_fragments2_6b71cd0d49.webp" alt="uniting-fragments2.webp"></figure>&nbsp;<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">When initiation is given, it means one has entered into a spiritual current. My grandfather described it as a tool being plugged into an electrical outlet, once connected, it lights up, receiving energy directly from the source. &nbsp;</h4><hr>This is the marvel of initiation, it carries you beyond the limitations of your own egoic identity. Awakening is not something we undertake in isolation. The very meaning of awakening is to transcend the illusion of separateness.So, what brings us beyond separation? It is the wave, a force that connects us with multiple beings, all undertaking the same realization of oneness.Q: How can we contribute more to the evolution of consciousness on a larger scale?PZIK: The best contribution that we can make, first and foremost, is to be what we wishes to see in the world, to embody it, to live it.If we wish for peace in the world, our first calling is to find peace within ourselves and live accordingly. In doing so, we can be certain that we have done all that we possibly can, because while we cannot change others, we have one unique privilege: We are responsible for ourselves. We can choose our thoughts, our words, and our actions. If we take this responsibility seriously and align our choices with our highest vision of beauty and truth, then that, in itself, is the greatest service we can offer to the world, the very purpose for which we were born.<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">We are responsible for ourselves.&nbsp; We can choose our thoughts, our words, and our actions.&nbsp; If we take this responsibility seriously and&nbsp; align our choices with our highest vision of beauty and truth, then that, in itself, is the greatest service&nbsp; we can offer to the world,&nbsp; the very purpose for which we were born.</h4><hr>&nbsp;Q:&nbsp;So, you suggest that we should continue to become better and better versions of ourselves, striving to embody the change we wish to see in the world.PZIK: I don’t know if I would use the word “better.” I would rather say “more whole.” Because we have become fragmented. The journey is about reintegrating those fragments—body, mind, heart, and soul—creating linkages so that all of these faculties function as one unified entity.&nbsp;<img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/uniting_fragments4_a159b60b0a.webp" alt="uniting-fragments4.webp">&nbsp;This universe is a singular reality, a unity of body, mind, and soul, and each of us is a microcosm of that unity. But we live in a flatland, a limited perception of reality where we give our attention only to what is visible. There are multiple dimensions beyond the physical.We overlook the dimension of the soul, where all is experienced as a spiritual union, where living lights commune through presence. This level is forgotten because we are preoccupied with formalities, the external structures, and the appearances of life.Similarly, we neglect the dimension of the heart, where emotional resonance occurs. The feelings we experience at this level are not mere abstractions. They are as real and tangible as this table or chair. The emotional currents of the heart create landscapes that endure long after physical objects crumble into dust.<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">The journey is about reintegrating those fragments —body, mind, heart, and soul —creating linkages so that all of these faculties&nbsp; function as one unified entity.</h4><hr>&nbsp;But at the same time, we must not disregard the physical world or view it as something fallen or unworthy. The physical world is a crystallization of the inner world. The soul itself wished to manifest in this way, to take on a body, to experience incarnation. However, in the process of incarnation, the soul forgot itself. It lost its original awareness. We have come to believe that we are merely this body with a fixed outline. So, the first step is to blur the outline, to recognize that the boundaries we perceive are not absolute.For example, we assume that our body ends at our skin. But our breath extends beyond us, intermingling with the breath of others. Right now, in this moment, we are interbreathing, sharing air, sharing energy. We are also exchanging light, as the body exudes illumination and magnetism.Our thoughts do not remain confined within us. They travel, they enter the minds of others. There is a tremendous interchange happening at all times.&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/uniting_fragments3_72d3b44c72.webp" alt="uniting-fragments3.webp"></figure>&nbsp;Thus, the boundary of the self is not fixed or static. It is fluid and dynamic. When we begin to rediscover this interconnectedness, it carries us beyond our preconceived egoic limits. It expands our capacity for empathy and opens us to the vast, multidimensional nature of existence, where many planes intersect, all expressing one eternal life.Q:&nbsp;Thank you!PZIK: Thank you so much, Purnimaji. It has been a pleasure to meet you and speak with you.

Uniting the fragments

plato.webp

Plato

Music

Pooja is based in San Francisco and loves to cook, read, drink coffee, and take long walks with no destination. She recently graduated from UC Santa Barbara after studying Economics and Accounting, and now works in finance. You can find her on Instagram @poojxk.

pooja-kini.jpg

Pooja Kini

<h4
 id="h-pooja-kini-is-a-master-of-finding-simple-ways-to-eat-healthy-food-while-living-a-busy-lifestyle-here-she-shares-a-kale-salad-that-is-full-of-goodness-without-taking-loads-of-time-to-prepare">
 POOJA KINI
 is a master of finding simple ways to eat healthy food while living a busy
 lifestyle. Here she shares a kale salad that is full of goodness without
 taking loads of time to prepare.
</h4>

<hr class="vertical-space1" />


 Ah, kale. The green that made an appearance out of nowhere, became everyone’s
 favorite overnight, and has apparently decided to stay for good. It’s the star
 of salads, grain bowls, and even chips! While intimidating and seemingly
 bitter, if you prepare it properly, it can taste amazing. And we all know it’s
 super good for you. Amongst other health benefits, kale is packed with
 antioxidants, vitamin C, and vitamin K.



 I love this salad when I’m looking for something quick, simple, and filling to
 eat for lunch on a weekday. It’s my go-to for a reason: it’s colorful,
 crunchy, and packed with flavor, while being healthy and light! I like to make
 a batch of dressing and pre-portion my veggies so that when it comes to lunch
 time, all I have to do is combine them, which takes less than 5minutes!
 Getting your greens in can be difficult, but this makes it easy.



 This recipe is vegetarian and can be made vegan easily with the removal of the
 cheese.


Ingredients:

<ul>
 <li>
 Kale (any
 variety), washed and stems removed
 </li>
 <li>
 Cheese of choice
 (I prefer goat cheese or feta cheese)
 </li>
 <li>
 Slivered almonds
 or sunflower seeds
 </li>
 <li>
 ½
 avocado
 </li>
 <li>
 ½ cup chickpeas,
 white beans, or kidney beans
 </li>
 <li>
 Any extra veggies
 you like (I enjoy tomatoes, sliced apples, or sweet
 bell peppers).
 </li>
</ul>

Dressing:

<ul>
 <li>
 Extra virgin olive
 oil (1 tbsp)
 </li>
 <li>
 Lemon juice (½
 lemon)
 </li>
 <li>
 Salt (to taste,
 but a generous pinch or a few healthy cracks)
 </li>
 <li>
 Pepper (same as
 salt)
 </li>
 <li>
 Red chilli flakes
 (to taste depending on your spice tolerance)
 </li>
 <li>
 Optional: a little
 honey for sweetness
 </li>
</ul>


 Combine the ingredients for the dressing, whisking with a fork quickly until
 emulsified, in a small bowl or jar. You can make extra and keep it for the
 next day if you like.


<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<div class="block-image">
 <figure>
 <img decoding="async" width="700" height="676" alt="easy-kale-salad2" class="has-img-center lazyload"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/easy_kale_salad2_e1736e08ac.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-12T05:38:16.386Z" />
 </figure>
</div>

<hr class="vertical-space1" />


 In a salad bowl, add your kale, pour the dressing over it, and massage it in
 with your hands. This tenderizes the kale and takes away the bitterness.



 Add the avocado–a trick is to cut it in half, cut a checker board shape in to
 the half that isn’t pitted, and then simply squeeze down on the skin, pushing
 out the avocado pieces.



 Add in the remainder of your ingredients, and toss with the rest of the salad
 until everything is coated. Enjoy!


<hr class="vertical-space1" />

Easy kale salad

<h4>POOJA KINI shares her experience and tips for setting intentions and caring for your health on a daily basis. She also shares a great recipe for a quick, healthy and very tasty breakfast.</h4><hr>I’ve experienced a great deal of change during my transition to adulthood; perhaps the most poignant being how I invest my energy and set my intentions. As a teenager in high school, I would not think beyond the next “big thing” – an exam, a competition, a party, college admission. Up until I graduated from university, every effort I made went towards crossing an item off a list or achieving an external goal.If you work a traditional 9 to 5 job, your routine can cause your days to blend together. While this may result in monotony (and it’s important to make sure it doesn’t!), it can also create a sense of stability. This external stability caused a shift in my priorities. I started seeking fulfillment internally. I made choices that centered on my happiness, peace, and well-being. I set long-term, less specific intentions, like reading more, moving my body, and eating better. Essentially, I prioritized taking care of myself – something I did not realize I had been neglecting earlier.Recently, I realized that my days are far more productive when I wake up earlier. I feel like I have accomplished more, and I get an extra few hours in the morning to myself before work. I can clean my room, get a quick workout in, go for a walk, read…the possibilities are endless. The caveat? I have never been a morning person.I’ve been a night owl for the last ten years. So no matter how much sleep I get, I associate the early morning with feelings of grogginess and crankiness. But the pros certainly outweigh the virtually nonexistent cons of being an early riser, and I’ve been making a serious effort to get myself out of bed.Here are some things I’ve been trying that seem to be working:<h3>Get some sun</h3>It’s far too easy to snooze your alarm and fall back asleep, but one hack I’ve discovered is to get some sunlight on my face as the key to an immediate wake-up. Keep your blinds open, move to a sunny area of your home, or even step outside for a moment. You’ll feel your body realize it is time to get the day started.<hr><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/interest_intention_yummy_breakfast2_d04aab33ae.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-12T06:36:35.681Z" alt=" interest-intention-and-a-yummy-breakfast"><hr><h3>Wait to drink caffeine</h3>I used to require my daily cup of coffee as soon as I got up, but drinking it on an empty stomach made me jittery and tired by noon. Now, I drink a glass of water first and pair my coffee with breakfast. This allows me to enjoy my beverage and avoid any unpleasant side effects.<hr><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/interest_intention_yummy_breakfast3_005b659b78.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-12T06:37:52.823Z" alt=" interest-intention-and-a-yummy-breakfast"><hr><h3>Stay hydrated</h3>Drinking water is so important, and so easy to neglect. I try to fill my water bottle as soon as it empties so I constantly have water near me when I feel thirsty. Drinking enough water has helped me stay more alert and refreshed throughout the morning.<hr><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/interest_intention_yummy_breakfast4_937ac7b5ed.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-12T06:39:05.187Z" alt=" interest-intention-and-a-yummy-breakfast"><hr><h3>Eat a nourishing breakfast</h3>This might be the biggest game-changer for me. I used to avoid eating breakfast, and now I have found the additional nourishment powers me through the morning until lunch.<hr><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/interest_intention_yummy_breakfast5_5a0a2ae781.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-12T06:40:31.028Z" alt=" interest-intention-and-a-yummy-breakfast"><hr><h2>RECIPE</h2>My go-to oatmeal recipe is easy, quick, and super nutritious.<hr><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/interest_intention_yummy_breakfast6_a2fb82d30a.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-12T06:41:42.474Z" alt=" interest-intention-and-a-yummy-breakfast"><hr><h2>Oatmeal</h2><h3>Ingredients:</h3><h5>½ cup rolled oats Water Frozen fruit (I use wild blueberries and peaches) Fresh fruit, cut up (I use strawberries) Milk of choice (I use almond milk) Something crunchy (I use hazelnuts, but feel free to use any nuts, granola, etc.) Nut or seed butter (I use almond butter) Optional: chia seeds</h5><hr>Cook your oats on the stovetop to the consistency you prefer. I am not a fan of solid or mushy oats, so I make sure my oats are fully submerged in a ½ water, ½ milk liquid mixture.Add frozen fruit and chia seeds. Bring everything to the boil, stirring regularly.Take off the heat, add to a bowl, and top with fresh fruit, nuts, and a spoon of nut or seed butter. If you want, you can drizzle some honey on top!<hr><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/interest_intention_yummy_breakfast7_87a503af0c.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-12T06:43:20.532Z" alt=" interest-intention-and-a-yummy-breakfast"><hr>Intentional self-care is a work-in-progress, an ongoing practice that changes often. And as you might have figured, prioritizing isn’t as easy as saying you will do something. But, if you take baby steps that progress naturally, and remind yourself why you’ve set the intentions you have, it’s possible!

Interest, intention, and a yummy breakfast

<h4
 class="block-heading"
 id="h-pooja-kini-simplifies-the-art-of-eating-healthy-food-to-4-simple-principles-that-are-easy-to-follow-she-brings-joy-to-eating-well-and-encourages-us-to-start-the-new-year-with-an-approach-to-food-that-is-both-realizable-and-sustainable"
 >
 POOJA KINI
 simplifies the art of eating healthy food to 4 simple principles that
 are easy to follow. She brings joy to eating well, and encourages us
 to start the New Year with an approach to food that is both realizable
 and sustainable.
 </h4>

 <hr class="vertical-space1" />

 
 January has truly earned its reputation as a fresh slate. Every year
 without fail, the departure of the festivities is followed by an outpour
 of resolutions. We are filled with excitement for the future, for
 possibility, and for opportunity. Naturally, this translates into the
 goals we set for ourselves.&nbsp;&nbsp;
 

 
 While healthy eating and fitness are among the most common New Year’s
 resolutions, they are also some of the toughest to achieve. Much of this
 has to do with setting unrealistic expectations and approaching wellness
 as a chore. Think restricting certain foods, crash dieting, and saying
 you’ll go to the gym every single day. While it may seem like quite the
 achievement to go from never working out to running a marathon
 overnight, jumping from one extreme to the other is not sustainable.
 Your body and mind will exhaust themselves, and as a result, your
 progress will be short-lived.&nbsp;
 

 
 Thankfully, there is a way to incorporate healthy practices – from food
 to exercise to meditation –into your routine so they become part of your
 lifestyle. It starts with eliminating the idea that these practices are
 a means to an end. Detach from the need for instant gratification and
 think deeply about how things make you feel.
 Do you feel refreshed or drained after your workout? Does
 incorporating a variety of foods into your diet make your meals more
 exciting?
 

 <hr class="vertical-space1" />

 <div class="block-image">
 <figure>
 <img
 alt="4ideas-healthy-eating-newyear2"
 class="lazyload has-img-center"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/4ideas_healthy_eating_newyear2_5d2582e3a7.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-13T11:04:05.474Z"
 />
 </figure>
 </div>

 <hr class="vertical-space1" />

 
 Think about this as you zone in on healthy eating as a practice, rather
 than another task on your to-do list. If you’ve never been a fan of
 fruits and vegetables, or you’ve never cooked for yourself before,
 approaching healthy eating can be daunting. Forget about the cooking!
 Just assembling the components of a “balanced” meal can seem
 intimidating when the public image of health is a boring salad.&nbsp;
 

 
 When it comes to healthy eating, I do away with the notion of rules.
 Rules, especially strict ones that take a “black and white” angle, make
 any deviations from them seem like failures. This is very unrealistic
 when you’re trying anything new, let alone eating, something we as
 humans depend on for survival.
 

 <hr class="vertical-space1" />

 <hr />

 <h4 class="has-text-align-center block-heading">
 Zone in on healthy eating as a practice, rather than another
 task on your to-do list.
 </h4>

 <hr />

 <hr class="vertical-space1" />

 <div class="block-image">
 <figure>
 <img
 alt="4ideas-healthy-eating-newyear3"
 class="lazyload has-img-center"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/4ideas_healthy_eating_newyear3_82220c98b3.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-13T11:04:54.270Z"
 />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>
 </div>

 <hr class="vertical-space1" />

 <h4 class="has-text-color block-heading" style="color: #7fb67b">
 FOUR IDEAS FOR HEALTHY EATING
 </h4>

 <ol type="1">
 <li>
 Make sure your plate is colorful and includes all three
 macronutrients: carbohydrates, fats, and protein.
 </li>
 <li>Understand where your food comes from.&nbsp;</li>
 <li>Be excited about the meals you are going to eat.</li>
 <li>
 Know that by healthy eating you are nourishing your body and mind so
 you can maintain and improve your quality of life.
 </li>
 </ol>

 Let’s explore these:

 
 Rather than targeting specific fruits and vegetables, adding color to
 your plate allows you to try new things and get the essential nutrients
 that give these foods their vibrant hues: lycopene in tomatoes,
 anthocyanins in blueberries, anthoxanthins in potatoes, beta-carotene in
 carrots … the list goes on.&nbsp;
 

 <h4 class="block-heading">
 1.
 A colorful plate with all three macronutrients
 </h4>

 
 Rather than targeting specific fruits and vegetables, adding color to
 your plate allows you to try new things and get the essential nutrients
 that give these foods their vibrant hues: lycopene in tomatoes,
 anthocyanins in blueberries, anthoxanthins in potatoes, beta-carotene in
 carrots … the list goes on.
 

 <hr class="vertical-space1" />

 <div class="block-image">
 <figure>
 <img
 alt="4ideas-healthy-eating-newyear4"
 class="lazyload has-img-center"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/4ideas_healthy_eating_newyear4_708ed9d6b1.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-13T11:09:23.402Z"
 />
 </figure>
 </div>

 <hr class="vertical-space1" />

 
 Macronutrients, on the other hand, are nutrients your body depends on to
 survive. These come in many forms, for example, carbohydrates as starchy
 vegetables and grains; fats as dairy, avocados and nuts; plant-based
 proteins as tofu and lentils. This is just the tip of the iceberg, and a
 simple online search can help you find foods that fit your dietary
 needs, budget, and preferences.&nbsp;
 

 
 Following these guidelines gives you enough flexibility to customize
 your meals while being more-or-less certain that you’re feeding yourself
 everything you need to thrive.
 

 <hr class="vertical-space1" />

 <div class="block-image">
 <figure>
 <img
 alt="4ideas-healthy-eating-newyear5"
 class="has-img-center lazyload"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/4ideas_healthy_eating_newyear5_0b02766778.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-13T11:08:20.500Z"
 />
 </figure>
 </div>

 <hr class="vertical-space1" />

 <h4 class="block-heading">
 2. Where does your food come from?
 </h4>

 
 When you connect with whomever is growing your food, or you grow it
 yourself, you develop a personal investment in your healthy eating
 practice. One of the simplest ways is to center your grocery shopping
 around your local farmer’s market.
 

 
 The best part about getting your produce from the farmer’s market is you
 will eat local foods that are in season. Our bodies require different
 nutrition for different seasons, and seasonal produce is healthier,
 cheaper, tastier, and fresher.
 

 
 Visiting the farmer’s market gives you an idea of what fruits and
 vegetables are locally available, so you can plan your meals and gain
 insight into the nutritional value of what you are eating. You also meet
 the people who grow your food, and are supporting local farmers.
 

 <h4 class="block-heading">
 3. Be excited
 </h4>

 
 If you approach healthy eating with the thought that you’re sentenced to
 a lifetime of rabbit food, it’s going to be miserable and impossible.
 Instead, think about the foods you love and try to incorporate them into
 the meals you eat. Learn about spices and put together visually
 appealing dishes that feature a variety of textures and flavors.
 

 
 The internet is overflowing with food content, from recipes to cooking
 videos.You are sure to find a blog or YouTube video that resonates with
 you. Eating is such an essential part of life, you might as well make it
 fun.
 

 <hr class="vertical-space1" />

 <div class="block-image">
 <figure>
 <img
 alt="4ideas-healthy-eating-newyear6"
 class="lazyload has-img-center"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/4ideas_healthy_eating_newyear6_d78d8eadd1.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-13T11:05:59.591Z"
 />
 </figure>
 </div>

 <hr class="vertical-space1" />

 <h4 class="block-heading">
 4.
 Know that healthy eating is improving your quality of life
 </h4>

 
 This is self-explanatory, but perhaps the most important of the four. We
 have to eat to survive; providing our bodies and minds with the fuel
 they need to thrive is critical.
 

 
 Whether you wish to spend time with your loved ones, explore your
 passions, or achieve your goals,&nbsp;nourishing yourself gives you the
 energy and ability to do the things you love to the best of your
 ability.&nbsp;
 

 
 Healthy, balanced eating shouldn’t be a chore; it can instead become a
 natural part of your lifestyle. Hopefully this guide makes it a little
 less intimidating.
 

 <hr class="vertical-space1" />

 <hr />

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

 <hr />

 <hr class="vertical-space1" />

4 ideas for healthy eating in the New Year

<h4 style="text-align:justify;">POOJA KINI shares one of her simple superfood salads to brighten up your Monday and give you a burst of nutrients.&nbsp;</h4>Sometimes, ordering delivery can seem like the only way to get a filling lunch on a busy Monday. But eating well doesn’t have to require thinking too much – it’s about keeping the right things in your pantry.This salad is packed with superfoods and color. Arugula is full of Vitamins C and K, beta-carotene, and magnesium. Blueberries are rich in antioxidants and anthocyanins. Cherry tomatoes contain lycopene, while extra virgin olive oil is full of heart healthy fats.&nbsp;Another plus? Chopping is optional and you don’t have to make a dressing. This is a lunch that looks good and makes you feel even better. It also takes 5 minutes to put together, so you can really take your time and enjoy it.<hr><h3>The Easiest Superfood Salad</h3><hr><h4 style="text-align:justify;">Ingredients:</h4>Arugula Blueberries Cherry tomatoes (optionally cut in half) Extra virgin olive oil (make sure you’re using a good quality one!) Goat cheese or feta cheese Lemon Salt and Pepper&nbsp; Honey Method:Add your arugula to a bowl, then add a handful each of blueberries and cherry tomatoes.&nbsp; Sprinkle in a good amount of cheese of your choice.&nbsp; Top with a pinch of salt and freshly cracked pepper. Squeeze lemon over everything.&nbsp; Finish with a healthy drizzle of olive oil and honey.

Case of the weekday blues? Eat some blueberries

Prakash is a high school student, passionate about nature and functions of the brain. He writes a blog, chalagullaprakash.blogspot.com/, and has developed an app for mental wellness, SOLACE. He wants to study neuroscience to understand how memory works.

prakash-chalagulla.jpg

Prakash Chalagulla

<h4>
 PRAKASH CHALAGULLA explores the
 relationship between memory and concentration. He suggests
 that one of the common reasons we forget things is because we are unable
 to concentrate due to so many distractions. He also provides the
 solution!
</h4>

<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<hr />

<h2 class="has-text-align-center">
 Connecting Concentration and
 Memory
</h2>

<hr />

<hr class="vertical-space1" />


 Do you sometimes forget your cell phone? Have you ever walked into a room
 for something then forgotten what it was? Are you unable to recollect names,
 phone numbers, or street names?&nbsp;You probably answered yes to at least
 one if not all of these examples. You are not alone. We are all prone to
 absentmindedness at times. These lapses in memory are caused by breaks in
 attention, which happen when our focus is somewhere else.



 Professor of Psychology at Harvard University, Daniel Schacter, offers seven
 ways our memories fail us1. He calls them the seven sins of
 memory and categorizes them into three groups: forgetting, distortion, and
 intrusion. One of these sins is absentmindedness, forgetting caused by
 lapses in attention.


<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<figure class="block-table overflow-auto">
 <table class="mb-3">
 <tbody>
 <tr>
 <td>
 Sin
 </td>
 <td>
 Type
 </td>
 <td>
 Description
 </td>
 <td>
 Example
 </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>Transience</td>
 <td>Forgetting</td>
 <td>Accessibility of memory decreases over time</td>
 <td>Forgetting events that occurred long ago</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>absentmindedness</td>
 <td>Forgetting</td>
 <td>Forgetting caused by lapses in attention</td>
 <td>Forgetting where your phone is</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>Blocking</td>
 <td>Forgetting</td>
 <td>Accessibility of information is temporarily blocked</td>
 <td>It’s on the tip of your tongue</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>Misattribution</td>
 <td>Distortion</td>
 <td>Source of memory is confused</td>
 <td>Recalling a dream memory as a waking memory</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>Suggestibility</td>
 <td>Distortion</td>
 <td>False memories</td>
 <td>Resulting from leading questions</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>Bias</td>
 <td>Distortion</td>
 <td>Memories distorted by current belief system</td>
 <td>Aligning memories to current beliefs</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>Persistence</td>
 <td>Intrusion</td>
 <td>Inability to forget undesirable memories</td>
 <td>Resulting from traumatic events</td>
 </tr>
 </tbody>
 </table>
</figure>

<h4>
 Is it a memory problem or a concentration
 problem?
</h4>


 Concentration is our ability to focus the mind on one subject, object, or
 thought, and at the same time exclude other unrelated thoughts, ideas,
 feelings, and sensations. As my mother often likes to point out, when I play
 games or watch movies everything else ceases to exist for me.



 Memory is our ability to store information, past experiences, and events for
 future learning and understanding.



 “For the majority of people, [forgetting] is not a memory problem per se,
 but it’s more of a concentration or organizational problem where they’re not
 getting the information initially or they’re not processing it correctly in
 the first place,” says Aaron Bonner-Jackson, a neuropsychologist with
 Cleveland Clinic’s Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health. “They say they have a
 memory problem when in fact trouble with concentration, focus, or
 organization is the underlying issue.”


<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<hr />

<h4 class="has-text-align-center">
 One of the biggest challenges our generation faces
 is lack of
 focus. Due to constant distractions, we are unable to come out
 of the clutches of scattered thinking. Lack of focus means we
 either don’t complete tasks or don’t execute them well.&nbsp;
 
</h4>

<hr />

<hr class="vertical-space1" />


 One of the biggest challenges our generation faces is lack of focus. Due to
 constant distractions, we are unable to come out of the clutches of
 scattered thinking. Lack of focus means we either don’t complete tasks or
 don’t execute them well.&nbsp; “We’re really wired to be mono-taskers,
 meaning that our brains can only focus on one task at a time,” says
 neuropsychologist Cynthia Kubu of the Cleveland Clinic. “When we think we’re
 multitasking, most often we aren’t really doing two things at once, but
 instead, we’re doing individual actions in rapid succession, or
 task-switching,” she says.



 Improving concentration and memory power is important when we want to
 accomplish anything. The age-old mantra – to have a sharp memory we need
 complete focus – is really vital. Meditation plays a significant role in
 improving concentration. In meditation, we focus the mind on a particular
 object, thought, or activity in order to train attention and awareness, and
 achieve a mentally clear and emotionally calm and stable state. In other
 words, it is a tool to create a state of mind where one thought prevails. It
 helps us move from fickle-mindedness to one-pointedness.


<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<div class="text-center">
 <img decoding="async" width="700" alt="" class="lazyload has-img-center"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/do_you_forget_things2_e3eaa9aa7b.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-10T13:57:25.677Z" />
</div>





<hr class="vertical-space1" />


 As a meditator, I feel it enhances my ability to focus a million-fold,
 enabling me to be resourceful. Because of meditation, I am able to strike
 the right balance between hard work and smart work. One prominent change I
 have noticed is a drastic improvement in my level of concentration. Tasks
 that would earlier take two to three hours to complete, I can do in half
 that time now. I am more level-minded in demanding situations and as a
 result I am less stressed.


<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<hr />

<h4 class="has-text-align-center">
 As a meditator, I feel it enhances my ability to
 focus a
 million-fold, enabling me to be resourceful. Because of
 meditation, I am able to strike the right balance between hard
 work and smart work.
 
</h4>

<hr />

<hr class="vertical-space1" />


 Our generation faces a lot of challenges today, but we also have a lot of
 tools we can use to overcome them and set the right example for the future.


<hr class="vertical-space1" />


 1Schacter, D., 2002.
 The Seven Sins of Memory: How the Mind Forgets and Remembers. Mariner Books, USA.


<hr class="vertical-space1" />

Do you forget things?

<h4>
 PRAKASH CHALAGULLA shares his insights and some
 research findings on being open and staying relaxed while navigating the teenage years. It’s all in the
 attitude!
</h4>



<hr class="vertical-space1">



Being open is a fundamental <a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/basics/personality">personality</a> trait
 that indicates receptiveness to new information, ideas, and experiences. So that we can retain new knowledge in our
 memory, related brain changes need to occur. New connections between neurons and synapses are formed in places such
 as the amygdala, the hippocampus, the cerebellum, and the prefrontal cortex, which are all involved in memory
 processing. It was once believed that, as we age, the neural networks became more rigid due to insufficient exposure
 caused by lack of learning. But in the past two decades, research has revealed that the brain never stops changing
 and adjusting. This capacity of the brain to change with learning is called plasticity.



Neuroplasticity is the capacity of neurons and neural networks in the brain to change their connections.
 Neuroscientist <a href="http://www.ucl.ac.uk/cdcn/aboutus/steering/Maguire">Eleanor Maguire</a> of University
 College London conducted a study on London’s taxi drivers. They navigate the smog-filled streets with ease,
 instantaneously calculating the swiftest route between any two points. In her <a
 href="http://rstb.royalsocietypublishing.org/content/364/1522/1407">earliest studies,</a> she discovered that
 London taxi drivers had more gray matter in their posterior hippocampus (responsible for memory) than people who
 were similar in age, education, and intelligence, but who did not drive taxis. Although some neural functions appear
 to be hard-wired, certain neural networks exhibit adaptability and carry out specific functions while also retaining
 the capacity to deviate from their usual functions and reorganize themselves. Hence, neuroplasticity is generally
 considered a complex, multifaceted, and fundamental property of the brain.



<hr class="vertical-space1">



<hr>



<h4 class="has-text-align-center">Neuroplasticity is
 considered a complex, multifaceted, and fundamental property of the brain. We have exceptional brain
 flexibility as teenagers.</h4>



<hr>



<hr class="vertical-space1">



I feel we have exceptional brain flexibility as teenagers. Personality traits and interactions with family, friends,
 and the community play a vital role in our holistic development. The studies of adolescent health and well-being
 also show the importance and impact of such interactions in shaping our resilience, self-esteem, self-efficacy,
 sense of coherence, and level of perception.



Adolescent psychological well-being includes self-acceptance, positive intrapersonal relationships, autonomy, and
 life satisfaction. It’s important to observe and adjust our attitude as we journey toward adulthood. A major
 milestone of becoming a teenager is finishing one phase of life, childhood, and entering another. Being independent
 is paramount. This, in turn, causes a lot of stress and anxiety, and they build up, leading to attitude issues.
 Relaxing activities like gardening, meditation, reading, drawing, etc., help to de-stress. If we embark on this
 phase with the right attitude, our life journey will be smoother.



Motivational speaker and author, Zig Ziglar, once said, “Your attitude, not your aptitude, will determine your
 altitude.” Our mental attitude makes the world what it is for us. Our thoughts make things beautiful or ugly.
 According to the Oxford dictionary, “Attitude can be described as a settled way of thinking or feeling about
 something or someone.”



<hr class="vertical-space1">




<figure><img decoding="async" width="700" height="464" alt="" class="lazyload has-img-center"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/Being_Open2_700x464_1500f7dfd1.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-12T05:41:11.996Z">
</figure>



<hr class="vertical-space1">



<hr>



<h4 class="has-text-align-center">Positive thinking fosters a
 positive attitude that improves self-esteem and promotes resilience even in difficult times.
</h4>



<hr>



<hr class="vertical-space1">



Most successful people, including professional athletes, actors, business people, artists, politicians, and spiritual
 leaders, attribute their success to one thing – the “power of positive thinking.” Positive thinking fosters a
 positive attitude that improves self-esteem and promotes resilience even in difficult times.



Research has shown how a regular practice of meditation can relieve stress and anxiety and enhance the state of
 awareness and concentration level, thus elevating positivity and level-mindedness. One of the most interesting <a
 href="http://www.pnas.org/content/108/50/20254.short">studies</a> in the last few years, carried out at <a
 href="http://www.forbes.com/colleges/yale-university/">Yale University</a>, found that mindfulness meditation
 decreases activity in the default mode network, the brain network responsible for mind-wandering and
 self-referential thoughts – the “monkey mind.” A channelized mind works as an effective and efficient tool for our
 overall well-being.



We have all been witness to the changes the pandemic has brought throughout the globe. I feel qualities like
 compassion and empathy are essential for my generation as future leaders to develop an attitude of openness.



<hr class="vertical-space1">



<hr>



<h4>References</h4>



Openness. Psychology Today, Sussex Publishers: <a
 href="http://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/basics/openness">www.psychologytoday.com/intl/basics/openness</a>.



Rugnetta, M. Neuroplasticity. Encyclopedia Britannica: <a
 href="https://www.britannica.com/science/neuroplasticity">https://www.britannica.com/science/neuroplasticity</a>.




Hoiland, E. Brain Plasticity: What Is It? Learning and Memory.&nbsp; <a
 href="https://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/plast.html">https://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/plast.html</a>.




Walton, A.G., 2015. 7 Ways Meditation Can Actually Change The Brain. Forbes Magazine: <a
 href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/alicegwalton/2015/02/09/7-ways-meditation-can-actually-change-the-brain/?sh=39c975f14658">https://www.forbes.com/sites/alicegwalton/2015/02/09/7-ways-meditation-can-actually-change-the-brain/?sh=39c975f14658</a>.




Chou, W., 2018. The Difference Between Open-Minded and Closed-Minded People. <a
 href="https://willyoulaugh.com/open-minded">https://willyoulaugh.com/open-minded</a>.



Spring, S., 2015. &nbsp;6 Keys to an Open Mind. The Good Men Project. <a
 href="https://goodmenproject.com/featured-content/six-keys-to-an-open-mind-fiff/">https://goodmenproject.com/featured-content/six-keys-to-an-open-mind-fiff/</a>.




Cherry, K., 2021. How to Become More Open-Minded. Verywell Mind. <a
 href="https://www.verywellmind.com/be-more-open-minded-4690673">https://www.verywellmind.com/be-more-open-minded-4690673</a>.




Gordon, S., 2022. 16-Year-Old Child Development Milestones. Verywell Family. <a
 href="https://www.verywellfamily.com/16-year-old-developmental-milestones-4171922">https://www.verywellfamily.com/16-year-old-developmental-milestones-4171922</a>.




Malinowska-Cieslik, M., J. Mazur, H. Nalecz and A. Malkowska-Szkutnik, 2019. Social and Behavioral Predictors of
 Adolescents’ Positive Attitude Towards Life and Self. International Journal of Environmental Research and
 Public Health. MDPI, 11. <a
 href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6888235/">https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6888235/</a>.




Jabr, F., 2011. Cache Cab: Taxi Drivers’ Brains Grow to Navigate London’s Streets. Scientific American. <a
 href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/london-taxi-memory/">https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/london-taxi-memory/</a>.




<hr class="vertical-space1">

Being open and relaxed – for teenagers

<h4>PRAKASH CHALAGULLA explores the process of change, and turning routines into habits.</h4>Are you happy with the person you have become? Most of us experience a disparity between who we are and who we wish to be. To attain the desired goal, it may seem essential to alter our personalities. We get frustrated and irritated with ourselves, more and more with each failed attempt. As with most things in life, knowing “why” makes things simpler.Due to the preconditioning of the brain, it is increasingly difficult to change old habits and form new ones. To explain, imagine your brain as a rich and dense forest. It is challenging and energy-consuming to move through it. All of our actions and behaviors leave trails in the forest of the brain because our brain dislikes expending energy, so it uses a trick. We begin by trampling some plants to make routes through the bush. The more we do it, the more noticeable the trail becomes. Over time, it is a more pleasant road to travel, so we use it more frequently and eventually it becomes a street. When we do the same thing again and again over the years, the roadway transforms into a motorway. It becomes effortless, familiar, and pleasant to traverse. The more apparent the brain highways, the more involuntary they become. We keep using them, which means we keep doing what we’ve always done. This is why change is difficult, especially when we are adults, because our brains have already created concrete paths and roads.To understand how such highways are built, we must first distinguish between routines and habits.A routine is a series of acts that we repeat over and over because they are successful. For example, we buy the same ingredients for cooking, then cook them in a specific order to get the desired flavor. Or we set an alarm for 6:30 a.m. to wake up at that time every day.Imagine you have a smart planner that plans all your routines thoughtfully, with awareness of the future and careful consideration for the results. Based on that, you choose actions to achieve specific outcomes, even if they are uncomfortable, like taking a shower after waking up. Routines can eventually become habits.Habits seem much more comfortable because they happen without thinking, which is why they are also called muscle memory. We’ve done those things so many times that the brain finds them rewarding and an excellent response to the problem. As a result, a habit makes us feel like we’re on autopilot. We don’t have to persuade ourselves to do something when it has already become a habit. The crucial thing to remember about habits is that they are put in motion by triggers, which have context cues, that send a signal to the brain to begin the behavior or activity. We may have many triggers in our life, such as when we see our phone we almost always unlock it. When we sit in a car, we put on the seat belt. When we buy coffee before work, we get a cookie even if we aren’t hungry.Toddlers help us understand habits. They react to their current desires based on what is nearby, without regard to any longer-term objectives. Toddlers have no concept of the future, so when they detect a trigger, they steer down the simple path inside the brain that leads to a familiar pleasant outcome. Most of our challenging habits began with this satisfying feeling: chocolate is good, or browsing Reddit is moderately entertaining. This is why we continue to do these things, even if they are unhealthy for us. Rewarding feelings are linked to an active urge for repetition, thus forming habits.While toddlers may appear to have built-in sabotage mechanisms, they are just as necessary as the smart planner, and they function well together most of the time. We need our smart planner for big ideas, parallel parking, and tax preparation. However, allowing our smart planner to accomplish everything would consume too much energy. Outsourcing dull and repetitive chores to toddler-managed habits lets our brain manage daily life, while also coping with more sophisticated mental issues. So, if we wish to modify and incorporate new behaviors into our lives, we need to employ these energy-saving methods to help us.We can concentrate on minor details rather than major ones. Improving our life incrementally is far preferable to aiming high and altering nothing. Tiny adjustments can have a big impact over months and years. If we want to make change easy, the greatest solution may not be to push but to convince our brain that it isn’t such a huge problem. We simply develop new routines and make them habitual. We want our smart planner to build the initial trail and then utilize our toddler to smoothly launch the action.<hr><hr><h4>If we want to make change easy, the greatest solution may not be to push but to convince our brain that it isn’t such a huge problem. We simply develop new routines and make them habitual.</h4><hr><hr>So, we begin by attempting to establish a pattern, and add clear triggers that the toddler can take up later on. Remember that a trigger is simply a signal that we always identify with an action. It can be a visual cue, such as seeing our exercise attire, a specific time of day, or a specific location. What matters is that we always begin the action in a precise setting. This trigger is the start button that will initiate the activity. If we continue, it will transform from a routine into a habit, from a path to a highway. Don’t get me wrong, squats will still require energy, but doing them will seem less like a job and more like a regular part of your day.Wanting to exercise to get into shape is a relatively common objective. The first step is to break down this generic goal into distinct, discrete activities, to make the action as simple as possible – small enough to be feasible, and detailed enough that we don’t have to think about it. For example, a tangible, controllable action could be “performing ten squats” every morning.While this is straightforward, it is not simple. Many things you want to turn into habits don’t provide as much immediate enjoyment as squandering time on Reddit. The trick is to make the new activity delightful, so it is easier to repeat and more likely to be picked up by the toddler.Try to make the action or behavior more joyful in and of itself, for example, listen to your favorite music or podcast while working out. The beginning is the easiest phase, especially during the first week or two. The difficult part is continuing every day, however, as you progress, it will become easier. Finally, change is a continuous journey, leading to a destination.“Sow an act, you reap a habit; sow a habit, you reap a character; sow a character, you reap a destiny.”<hr><hr>References:Manson, M., 2022. How to Change Your Life. Mark Manson. 10 June 2021. Web. 28 Aug. 2022: <a href="https://markmanson.net/how-to-change-your-life">https://markmanson.net/how-to-change-your-life</a>.Kurzgesagt. Change Your Life – One Tiny Step at a Time. Kurzgesagt – In a Nutshell. 07 June 2022. Web. 28 Aug. 2022: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=75d_29QWELk">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=75d_29QWELk</a>.<a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1097/00004647-200110000-00001">https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1097/00004647-200110000-00001</a><a href="https://www.cell.com/action/showPdf?pii=S0960-9822%2817%2931258-7">https://www.cell.com/action/showPdf?pii=S0960-9822%2817%2931258-7</a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11468377-thinking-fast-and-slow">https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11468377-thinking-fast-and-slow</a><a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/229351035_How_do_habits_guide_behavior?%20Perceived_and_actual_triggers_of_habits_in_daily_life">https://www.researchgate.net/publication/229351035_How_do_habits_guide_behavior? Perceived_and_actual_triggers_of_habits_in_daily_life</a><a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.00560/full#h5">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.00560/full#h5</a><a href="https://www.inc.com/jeff-haden/change-any-habit-painlessly-6-tips.html">https://www.inc.com/jeff-haden/change-any-habit-painlessly-6-tips.html</a><a href="https://learningcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/changing-habits/">https://learningcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/changing-habits/</a>

How to change your life

Prakash Seshadri

<h4>In this series of articles, PRAKASH SESHADRI takes the reader on a journey from survival mode to a mature leadership model, by sharpening Emotional and Heartful Quotients, and using examples of the challenges that an individual and organization undergo.</h4><h4>Is there a way to move from a survival mindset to a growth mindset? Do we understand how human beings evolve their competencies? Are we clear on the role of Emotional Intelligence in leadership? Does the heart have a role to play in sharpening our <a href="https://heartfulness.org/magazine/from-inner-stillness-to-outer-agency" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">leadership skills</a>?</h4>Often leadership is thought to be a skill that is only relevant for those with fancy titles and the responsibility for managing large group of people. But leadership is required for all of us, regardless of the role we play at work, at home, in the society or any other place of interaction. Each individual has the ability to make a difference if they can “sharpen the saw” on their ability to empathize and interact with other fellow human beings. The art and science of leadership has evolved over the last decades, thanks to management gurus and their books and lectures etc. In the recent past we have seen increased involvement of Mindfulness in making leadership more empathetic. But very little has been written about the role of the heart in leadership, even though it plays a very important role in most critical decisions that organizations and individuals make on a daily basis.<h4>Survival Instincts</h4>Let us begin with a story of a lion and a deer. One morning, there was a hungry lion on the prowl. He had to run with all his might to catch the deer, else he would die of starvation. The same morning, there was a deer out crisscrossing the landscape of the forest. To avoid being in the jaws and paws of the lion, the deer was constantly changing her trajectory to survive.What is the substance of the story? The entire thing boils down to survival. Whether you are a deer or a lion, you must run.If you are a business leader still waiting for a successful moment, think twice: Have you been running the show like a lion or a deer? It is not the force with which you run that counts, it is the attitude that makes all the difference.Drawing a parallel between this animal story and what we do as humans, if we ask who the lion would be in our office environment, generally it would be the boss. Who are the deer? Usually the employees. And what are the parallel survival instincts in organizations? They are quarterly-based targets, performance pressures, productivity pressures, research etc. My personal observation going back to the 1980s and 90s is that even though the most successful corporate or a fortune 500 company had back-to-back quarters of great performance, a single poor performance in the subsequent quarter led to layoffs. This still prevails today.<h4>The Pressure of Survival and Productivity</h4>Wherever we go for corporate engagements, there’s a standard tone: “I am highly stressed,” “I have a lot of pressure,” “My boss is at my throat,” “I have huge targets to achieve.” A cross section of employees who have been living through similar ordeals have decided to draw the curtains on their lucrative careers to settle for relatively quieter jobs. The reason? Cut-throat competition and stress, the silent killer responsible for many lives. No one is immortal, so why the struggle? The so-called corporate hierarchy is pushing each one to the brink with unrealistic expectations and goals created by every fabric of society, be it the boss, manager, family or yourself. In my last 34 years of experience I have realized that this thread of hierarchy is inscrutable.Let’s face it, as long as we are at this place, we must run the human race. There are many questions that arise:How do we face it? What set of skills, knowledge and capabilities are needed to scale up in an organization structure? How to be more productive in order to be successful? How to achieve expertise? How to seize new opportunities? How to deliver value to customers?<img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/Leadership2_5b1a41efa4.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-04T13:00:37.439Z" alt="leadership-from-the-heart-part-1"><h4>The Competency Spectrum</h4>The human survival instinct is reflected in the concept of core competencies, which is a very simple model to build core competencies (Broadwell, 1969; Hamel &amp; Prahalad, 1990). You start with Unconscious Incompetency (UI) then move on to Conscious Incompetency (CI), then to Conscious Competency (CC), and finally to Unconscious Competency (UC).Let me illustrate with an example. There is a family living in a big apartment complex with a swimming pool. When the parents are not aware, the toddler finds her way out of the house, sees other people moving on top of the water from one end to another, slides into the water but can’t swim. Fortunately, the child is saved. After six months she starts speaking and yet has a fancy to do what the elders are doing. All in all, the child never knew that she has to learn to float on top of the water.In the CK Prahalad model, this is called Unconscious Incompetency, when are are ignorant, when we are not even aware that we are not aware.This is what happens to many employees when they are pushed down by severe work pressure, or when there is a new technology to be learnt, or a new framework to be developed. They are exposed to unconscious incompetency. They don’t know that they don’t know.Now, when the toddler starts to speak, she expresses her interest in going to the pool. Her father tells her that she has to learn to swim. So now she has moved from UI to Conscious Incompetency. She knows that she has to learn to swim, but she doesn’t yet know swimming. So Conscious Incompetency is when we are aware that we are not aware. When a task is assigned to an employee, they are aware they cannot do it and move to CI.Now let’s consider performance measures, such as goals. If my goal, by the age of 10, is to become the under 10 state swimming champion, then I have to learn the art of swimming. This is termed the “conscious building process of acquiring knowledge and putting that knowledge into practice.” The knowledge that we get through books is not enough; we consciously and consistently put our acquired knowledge into practice so that it becomes our expertise and we implicitly achieve goals.This process of developing competency in a conscious manner is what Professor Prahalad called Conscious Competency (CC).For example, you are driving on an unfamiliar road and in an unfamiliar vehicle, which has a new driving system that you have never used. The moment you get into the car, you start checking out the driving system, its settings etc. You also load the maps to check the route in advance. Now you are in high alert mode as the vehicle and the roads are not familiar. This is akin to the process of competency building. When you need to build a competency, you need to be sure of the skills you need and also be conscious of building that competency. Hence the term Conscious Competency (CC).If these stages are understood by training managers, HR managers and the leadership team, then they will be able to delegate and choose the skilled personnel to implement tasks who can achieve their goals.Lastly, we move into the ultimate aspect, Unconscious Competency (UC), where everything happens automatically and unconsciously, like your breath – effortless and seamless – because of mastering knowledge and skills to perfection.This is how Professor Prahalad introduces core competencies into any organization, bringing harmony between multiple resources and skills to make it unique.To be continued.<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">Article by PRAKASH SESHADRI</h4><hr>

Leadership from the heart - part 1

<h4>PRAKASH SESHADRI takes the reader from survival mode to a mature leadership model, by sharpening Emotional and Spiritual Quotients through the practices of meditation, introspection and inquiry.</h4><h5 style="text-align:center;">Is there a way to move from a survival mindset to a growth mindset? Do we understand how human beings evolve their competencies? Are we clear on the role of Emotional Intelligence in leadership? Does the heart have a role to play in sharpening our leadership skills?</h5><h4>Challenges to Graduating Up the Competency Spectrum</h4>Why is that some people do not learn fast, and what stops them? I was reading an interesting article recently, in which it was suggested that everyone in the world who has ever been born or will be born has the same hardware as Albert Einstein or Newton, and our brains are also wired in a similar manner. Einstein could achieve so much in his lifetime, but most of us are ineffective though we have the same set of capabilities. What is the difference? For hardware to work efficiently we need software and unfortunately people are never taught how to build it. I may buy readymade Windows or Mac software and install it, and it works. But how do I write my own code, build my own operating system, or write my own app? These are the biggest challenges. Today we cannot build our own software because we are not inquisitive; we have lost the ability to ask questions. Every question you ask can be replaced by a higher level of questioning, which will expand your consciousness, your state of being and your awareness.The second biggest challenge is to look within and introspect, and we do not make the time to do so, so we have lost the art of introspection. Looking within with distractions is very different from looking within without distractions. So it brings us back to the competency model. We need to develop these tools. Like the Lion and the Deer story, we humans are also busy with our survival, and we do not have the time to hit the pause button, to spend time asking questions, and to introspect. In fact, 99.99% of the time many of us are in perennial survival mode. Realizing that is the first step: we are moving from Unconscious Incompetency to Conscious Incompetency mode.<img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/leadership_from_the_heart_part2_2_b58dfd307e.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-05T10:51:26.248Z" alt="Leadership from the heart">Is all corporate work related to survival? 99.99% of the time no. It’s all about growth, inclusion, collaboration and compassion. It’s about getting people together. We need teamwork and, yet, when the team comes together, what do we do? The survival instinct, the “fight or flight” instinct, takes over. At a leadership level, this survival instinct is embedded in us as power. In most organizations, people are in fight or run-away mode. All the key decisions are with one or two people at the top, while others are free to take a tea break or a lunch break, but by afternoon they have to accomplish the targets given.The fight or flight instinct is associated with the older parts the brain as a survival mechanism, and it usually generates an emotional response. But where does the root of that emotion come from? It has been scientifically shown that feelings and emotions are generated in the heart, which is why we call a person cold- or warm-hearted, but we never say a cold-minded person. When a leader leads with true feelings emanating from the heart, leading to mutual, respectful engagement and creative work involvement, they build trust and respect and take the business further. Such a leader is respected and loved. Employees open up, feeling safe and appreciated, without much being said.It is commonly understood that communication is 10% data and 90% feeling. For example, when an HR person is listening to an employee sharing their woes and grievances, it helps if they are empathetic and compassionate and relate to the person’s mindset. The same holds true with a customer; we want to instill in them a feeling of security and trust. To develop these skills, we have to go deep within our hearts and connect to our inner self, invoking the connection between the mind and the heart. When we can do that, we deem <a href="https://heartfulness.org/magazine/the-inevitability-of-change-and-its-repercussions" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">to be a leader</a> – one who has the ability to listen and empathize.But generally, either we are talking, or, while others are talking, we are busy getting ready to respond. We are unable to listen while we are creating our own response. For a leader, it’s of paramount importance to still the mind. It becomes so still that whatever the other person is saying is amplified by itself and multiplies by itself.The second essential quality of a leader is to suspend prejudice. While conversing with someone, do not see through a predefined set of filters based on past experiences. We put everyone in multiple slots and make judgments about them even before we meet them.<h4>The Role of Meditation</h4>A successful leader develops stillness of the mind by calming and subsiding thoughts. A successful leader also stops being prejudiced, instead developing a motherly attitude and understanding. We can intensify our concern and affection for our employees, in spite of their recurring mistakes. We can step into their shoes and feel their mindset without an air of prejudice. That kind of essential bonding can be acquired in abundance through the practice of meditation.<img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/leadership_from_the_heart_part2_3_262bde7321.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-05T10:52:21.584Z" alt="leadership from the heart - part 2">Meditation brings down the reactive instinct, even in catastrophic situations. But how many life and death situations do we face in a normal day? Not many. Instead we activate the fight or flight response regularly for smaller things, because our system still responds the same way. For example, if someone snatches your water bottle, do you react and get agitated, or are you polite and let them take it as a courtesy? Once the response is triggered, with the release of hormones, it can take from one minute to 45 minutes to calm down, depending on our physiology. Now here is the warning bell: when we are emotional and feeling stressed, it is better not to talk, not to decide, and not to react.It was beautifully put up by a speaker in a leadership lecture recently: the Ramayana would not have happened if King Dasharatha had been silent when Kaikeyi put her hand in the chariot wheel. He granted her two boons and one thing led to another, then another, and the Ramayana happened. Even when Dhobi told Rama, “Your wife is not chaste,” what did Rama do? Abolished her to the forest. What do these incidents teach us? Don’t take any decision in a state of impulse. Allow your system to calm down, and the best way to do that is to turn your external focus to an internal focus. To attain a peaceful state, take up meditation, although the outcome will depend on your level of interest, intention and the intensity with which you practice.So, let’s go back to the Lion and the Deer story. There is a famous quotation: “People don’t care how much you know, till they know how much you care.” A true leader understands the pulse of their employees. As years pass by, their technical know-how may come to a standstill, but their ability to manage people cannot fall down, otherwise it’s over. Their ability to manage people comes from their ability to understand them through the heart, and also accept their faults. Nobody is perfect, neither you nor I. We may indulge in presenting a perfect demeanor externally, but we are aware of our internal challenges. I can say with certainty that over a period of time it’s quite easy to scale up to the next level of leadership, emanating from the heart.What did the lion and the deer learn? They learnt to co-exist. It is possible.<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">Article by PRAKASH SESHADRI</h4><hr>

Home› Contributors