Scott is a pioneer of workplace mindfulness programs and advancing compassion at work. He blends his experience as a Silicon Valley executive with his practice and passion as a wisdom seeker. He is the author of The Full Body Yes.

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Scott Shute

<h4>SCOTT SHUTE is a pioneer of creating workplace mindfulness programs and advancing the discussion around compassion at work. He blends his experience as a Silicon Valley executive with his lifelong practice and passion as a wisdom seeker and teacher. In his recent role at LinkedIn, Scott was the Head of Mindfulness and Compassion programs, and he is the author of the highly acclaimed book, The Full Body Yes. Here, he is interviewed by EMILIE MOGENSEN.</h4><hr>Q: I am super happy that Scott has kindly agreed to talk to me about conscious business and entrepreneurship. It means a lot to me in my journey as an entrepreneur and as a student at the <a href="https://innermba.soundstrue.com/">Inner MBA program</a>, where Scott is a faculty lead. His work on how to implement ancient wisdom traditions in modern work life is really cutting edge.In his book, Scott explains how we can learn from each other’s stories. His story really resonates with me, especially the fact he started his spiritual search at a very early age, and later in life became an entrepreneur with an achiever mindset.I take a few deep breaths, like he taught us in one of the programs. I can do this.Hi Scott!(The fact Scott starts by thanking me for the work I do in the world makes me grateful, because I have met a humble and kind man.)I am curious how a young boy in “super rural Kansas” became inclined to seek within.SS: Yes, I grew up in rural Kansas, which is the exact middle of America. I am the youngest of five children and went to a traditional little country church. I always felt I had a deep love for the Divine, but I didn’t really understand or resonate with our religion.When I was ten or eleven, I started asking lots of questions to my parents and pastor, and I didn’t like the answers I was getting, so I started searching for something different. I knew and believed there was something different. One of my brothers had been touring America, and when he came back to run the farm with my dad he kept disappearing for long weekends. Nobody knew what was happening. Finally, my sisters and I pinned him down and he shared that he had found a different path. He was going to spiritual retreats, and when he shared some of the teachings and belief systems from those retreats, I started weeping.It was a feeling of connection – a sort of knowing when I am in tune with something powerful. I knew I had come home after lifetimes of being separated, like two parts of a magnet that knew the other side was out there and finally they were together. It has been a big part of my life ever since.My parents were concerned and thought we had joined a cult. For some people, anything that is not their traditional religion is a cult. But over time they realized we are good people, regardless of what we believe. My mom, especially, has seen the growth and impact it has had on me and in what I do in the world.Q: Is it the same spiritual practice that you do now?SS: Yes, it is. I tend not to give the name of it, because I am out in the working world and I don’t want spirituality to get in the way of what I do at work. But I am also happy to share more about it when people reach out and are interested.<hr><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/mindful_vulnerability2_700x459_1847f65728.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-09T04:50:12.016Z" alt="mindful_vulnerability2"><hr>Q: Can you share what you do in your spiritual practice? Do you meditate?SS: It looks like meditation, but I don’t call it meditation. I call it a spiritual exercise and the purpose is to get in touch with the deepest part of myself. In my worldview, that is soul. I believe that I am soul, that is my true identity, and I have a personality called Scott. The body, the mind, the emotions are the things the soul uses to get around. When I operate from the perspective of soul, then things go better. I have deeper insights, more understanding, and I can be more in tune with life.So, there are several different practices: there is singing the word “HU,” which has been used in different traditions throughout history, and there are visualizations. If I am trying to manifest something, I do a lot of inner work, like the poet Rumi talks about spending as much time in the invisible world as in the visible world. We are creating with our thoughts, so if we want to be more conscious about what we create, it requires constant inner work. That’s some of what I am doing.Q: I am curious to hear more about your entrepreneur side. I’m not the right person to discuss the corporate stuff, as I don’t have much experience, but I have a lot as an entrepreneur. Can you say something about your inner drive as an entrepreneur?SS: Less than two months ago, I left LinkedIn. My vision is to change work from the inside out, and I mean that in the biggest way as 3.5 billion of us are in the workplace. My mission is to mainstream mindfulness and operationalize compassion. I’m trying to be of service. I was an entrepreneur earlier in life, when I created a start-up to help coaches get more business. Back then, I was trying to do good things, but I was also trying to make a living, whereas now I have the benefit of having done well in life, finances are less critical, so I’m really following spirit and what really wants to manifest.Each one of us has a unique set of skills that only we have. I am the only one in the world who is the world expert in “being me.” So, I’m trying to follow the path of bringing consciousness and the business world together, because there are very few of us who have my background with both things. I am trying to let the drive be less “change the work from within,” and more “follow my own heart and soul.”I think that soul is creative by nature. How does soul use personality, like all the skills we’ve developed? It can be as a teacher, a caregiver, a guitarist, or a barista. In my case it’s being a businessperson. How do I use those skills for the greatest and highest good?Funnily enough, the finances flow much more easily when I am focused on that rather than on the finances.<hr><hr><h4>I’m trying to follow the path of bringing consciousness&nbsp; and the business world together, because there are very few of us who have my background with both things.&nbsp; I am trying to let the drive be less “change the work from within,” and more “follow my own heart and soul.”</h4><hr><hr><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/mindful_vulnerability3_700x459_02b60f078e.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-09T04:52:21.542Z" alt="mindful_vulnerability3"><hr>Q: Spiritual entrepreneurship, how does that resonate? It sounds like you’re moving your ego to the background and surrendering to what has to happen?SS: There is a Japanese concept called Ikigai, which is the intersection of four circles: What you’re good at, what you love to do, what you can get paid for, and what the world needs. In building a career, the most satisfying is when you are in the middle of this circle.Had I just become a spiritual bohemian when I was twenty-two, instead of going into the world of business, I probably would have done some good things, but my impact would be limited as I would not have credibility. I created a skillset in my career to make a living, then tried to get closer and closer to what I am good at and what I like. Then, I think, the fourth one has more meaning to us as we get older: What does the world need?So now I try to live with this question in mind: How do I operate from the perspective of soul, and how do I make it practical and survive in this world?Q: To fit in where the world needs you – is that something you feel?SS: Yes, I absolutely feel it as being in the center point. We sometimes talk about our genius zone, where we are our best.<hr><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/mindful_vulnerability4_700x459_44fdf617d5.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-09T04:54:06.701Z" alt="mindful_vulnerability4"><hr>Q: Is it about working from that original place within, closest to the center?SS: When I talk about becoming more aware as soul, it’s the same as, “What is the truth about me?” and getting closer and closer to that truth of why I am here.Q: In many ways, being a person who seeks within can seem like a contradiction to being a busy businessperson or an entrepreneur. I felt this myself at times. Can you put some words to this meeting of these two aspects of yourself, as it somehow seems to be the essence of your soul purpose? How can an achiever let go and let everything unfold as it has to unfold?SS: I think it’s one of the hardest things, and I struggled with it for a very long time. How to be an achiever and be at ease? It makes me think of two stories from the spiritual traditions.The first story is of a teacher and a student. Some sort of baptism is taking place, and the teacher takes the student and dunks his head underwater. The student struggles and, just before he expires, the teacher lifts his head up and the student gets to breathe again. Then the teacher says, “When you want God or truth as much as you wanted air, then you will find it.”The second story goes: When you finally let go of searching for truth or God, you will find it.I was thinking: How can these two stories exist in the same universe? How does this work? I have an understanding of it now. We have this deep inner striving, and it shows up in our human form as a striving to survive. Our human bodies are built to survive, to make money, to make a family, and all that stuff, and we want to be successful in the world. That’s very important, but at some point we have to let go of the results. There is a very powerful and necessary striving,and then there is the letting go.In the early part of our lives and careers, we become really good at certain things, and our focus tends to be on them. But at some point, hopefully we look up and go, “Is there not more to this?” And when we finally say, “Yes, there is more to this, and I want to be of service,” it’s all our skills which allow us to be of service in the world.We have this inherent desire to exercise a skillset, to use what we know. And then we have soul, that wants to create in the world. And then there is the letting go of the result, which is a fine line of development. How do I do both things and live on the razor’s edge, in the middle of these two forces? That’s the beauty of life right there.Q: That’s very difficult!SS: It’s extraordinarily difficult! It’s a continual practice and the road gets narrower the further you go.Q: I have heard you say that we are moving from a me paradigm to a we paradigm. Can you put some words on how that influences entrepreneurship in the future?SS: Sure. Let’s think of it as spiritual development. We spend our lives thinking about “Me, me, me, my own survival, my own success, my own needs.” At some point we wake up and go, “There is more to this.” For me it was a natural process – I got married, I became a leader, and it became obvious that I would not be successful unless “we” are successful. This often happens naturally as we get older, I think, this we-orientation. It becomes the path towards our own freedom, when we learn to give. And I don’t think giving is selfless, as giving includes ourselves. This is when we start to orient to the whole versus just us, and we are then able to do so much more. Research bears this out at every level – at the individual level, the team level, and the company level, in terms of success.If you’re having a discussion with your partner, you might bully your way into having your own way, and it might work a few times. But if you continue to do this over and over again, in the long run, you won’t have a partner. In the long run, being selfish means you end up with less. If you think of serving the whole, you get it your way sometimes and sometimes not, but both people are happy and end up with more.It works in the same way in an organization, with customers and colleagues. If I have a deep awareness of my customers and wish the best for them, I will develop great service and products for them. The third part of compassion is the courage to take action. Sometimes I need to do what is right for my customers, and maybe it’s not great for me in the short term, but over the long term, if I balance the needs of my employees, my customers, and my shareholders, then long term I will be more successful. And the research bears this out; companies who operate this way are fourteen times more profitable. So, if you say you don’t have time for compassion in your organization, I say you don’t have time not to do this.Said in a really crass way, if you wanna build a successful company, if you wanna make more money, then you must work for the whole.<hr><hr><h4>It becomes the path towards our own freedom,&nbsp; when we learn to give. And I don’t think giving is selfless,&nbsp; as giving includes ourselves.</h4><hr><hr><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/mindful_vulnerability5_700x459_492aa431ed.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-09T04:55:27.013Z" alt="mindful_vulnerability5"><hr>Q: So, do you think more and more companies and entrepreneurs will start working from their soul and not their ego?SS: I hope so! All the wisdom teachings go back thousands of years. There is this beautiful quote in the book Atomic Habits by James Clear: “Our lives do not rise to the level of our goals, they fall to the level of our systems.” This was said by the Roman philosopher Gaius Acilius, 2,200 years ago. My point is, this wisdom has always been there, but we haven’t followed it. It seems to be the same in every lifetime; it’s the same with our kids, we can teach them something, but unless they go through it themselves, they don’t learn it.So, my prediction is that it will probably be the same for the rest of eternity [laughter]. And still, I have hope!<hr>To be continued.<a href="https://www.scottshute.com/">https://www.scottshute.com/&nbsp;</a><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottshute/">https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottshute/</a><hr><hr><h4>Illustrations by ANANYA PATEL</h4><hr>

Mindful vulnerability

<h4>SCOTT SHUTE is a pioneer in creating workplace mindfulness programs and advancing the discussion around compassion at work. He is at the intersection of the workplace and ancient wisdom traditions, blending his experience as a Silicon Valley executive with his lifelong practice and passion as a wisdom seeker and teacher. In his recent role at LinkedIn, Scott was the Head of Mindfulness and Compassion programs. He is the author of the highly acclaimed book, The Full Body Yes: Change Your Work and Your World from the Inside Out.&nbsp;</h4><h4>In part 2 of this interview with EMILIE MOGENSEN, he explores vulnerability as a leadership quality, the value of an expanding consciousness, and wisdom practices at work.</h4><hr>Q: So, have we not learned anything collectively? Have we not pushed it to the extent of how far the ego can go?SS: Of course. I think we rise in consciousness, but the challenges are always there. There is still war and destruction, even though we know better. There are still places where terrible things happen, and there are places where beautiful things happen: consciousness, beauty and love happen. I choose to spend my time where the beauty happens, and change the world from the inside out, and if the rest of the world changes, fine. I focus on me.Q: So, I am getting a little personal. I noticed you used the word “vulnerability”a few times in your lectures. At the same time, I sensed a very interesting energy in my own being. I felt it as very vulnerable, which seemed really authentic coming from you. I felt very mesmerized and able to maintain my focus on your messages, despite being a rather impatient, typical entrepreneur. It was very intriguing how you use this quality to come forward with your messages. Is vulnerability a quality we need to be more curious about in the future?SS: Absolutely! First of all, as humans, we are programmed to mirror vulnerability. In other words, if I share vulnerability, people around will do the same – that is how we are wired. There is very interesting research on this.Regarding vulnerability as a leadership quality, we want to follow leaders who feel real. We want to follow leaders we can identify with. So, if a leader is perfect, steely, and never shows any weakness, they are distant from us, whereas, when we can see ourselves in our leaders, we are much more likely to follow them. I think that is a superpower and works for followership.It also serves us as leaders to build strength, because we tend to protect ourselves against harm. But what happens when we share with people who we really are? It sets us free.When we share our weakness and get over ourselves there is some growth that happens. We can’t be harmed, as we have already shared our weakness. Just like I said about desire versus letting go: when we let go of ourselves, we get more in return.Q: Do you think the main purpose of our work and business endeavors can be to expand consciousness?SS: Yes. I think everything in life is about expanding consciousness, and work can be as good as going to a monastery! Of course, I must focus on my organization to succeed when I am at work; but tucked away in my mind, I know it’s to develop myself.The most important work we can do is to develop our own consciousness. Because then, whatever we do, we are going to be so much more effective, we will be so much more!<hr><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/Vulnerable_leaders2_700x458_fa0363c2fc.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-10T07:34:09.098Z" alt="Vulnerable_leaders2"><hr>Q: How would it impact the world if everyone worked with expansion of consciousness as our approach, secondary to whatever we do?SS: Imagine what that would do to the world! It would absolutely benefit the whole if everyone worked for the “we”instead of the “me.”Q: I was touched in one of your lectures, when you said that we use the word “compassion” because we are too shy to call it love. We can even take it a step further – we are way too intimidated to call it Divinity. Can you speak a little bit about that? Is there place for Divinity in modern work life and business endeavors?SS: I think Divinity is everything. Nothing is not a part of the Divine. It’s the language and how we talk about it that we must focus on. My job is to operationalize compassion – how do you develop products and sell them compassionately. That makes sense to everyone. But deep inside, when I talk about compassion, I’m really talking about love. And when I talk about love, I’m really talking about the Divine. So, I am consciously thinking about how to operationalize the Divine at work.We are probably not ready yet to use this language, because some people get confused and think it’s about religion. I’m not talking about religion at all. It’s the last thing I’m talking about.<hr><hr><h4>If I practice wishing others the mindset of kindness and having the courage to take action, then I am living this divine principle of compassion. Work becomes the living expression of my Divinity in the world.</h4><hr><hr>Q: That’s why I’m pushing a bit here. I’m very curious about whether these ancient wisdom practices can be translated and operationalized into modern work life, without losing a bit of their deep transformative potential?SS: I think there are two different things. First, is the path to enlightenment through work? Not exactly, but you can consciously have your path to enlightenment using work as a context. To get enlightened, I don’t need to go and meditate full time under a tree or join a monastery. I can be an executive, or a frontline worker, or a barista, and still have the same spiritual experiences. The context is just as valid.If I pick a religion, let’s say Christianity, I can follow the ethos of one of the key principles, “Treat others as you would want to be treated.” If I practice that at work – wishing others that mindset of kindness and having the courage to take action – then I am living this divine principle of compassion. Work becomes the living expression of my Divinity in the world.If I join a monastery and become enlightened, who cares? Whereas, if I practice these principles among thousands of people at work, then I make a real difference.Q: Yes, you have. Thank you for that, Scott.Can you give some tips to anyone wanting to bring contemplative practices or meditation to their workspace?SS: I have a few tips and playbooks but first, if you’re coming from a spiritual perspective you need to leave some stuff at the door. No gurus, no religion, none of that. The stuff you do at work needs to be secular. You can do a lot within that zone – breathing practices and meditation – but most importantly, you need to use the language of the environment you are in.What do people need? If they just need a break from their mind, to feel some peace, that’s great! Give them that. Second, just start. I started at LinkedIn in a conference room, and there was one guy present. The following week there were three, then five, and it grew organically from there.<hr><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/Vulnerable_leaders3_f7b9d70527.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-10T07:35:19.866Z" alt="Vulnerable_leaders3"><hr>A good thing to do at work is a 30-day challenge – people like to compete, so they join a challenge. Then treat it as a business, once you know who your friends are and you have the top of the funnel. Meet people where they are. We found that when we did a 30-day challenge, we had 1500 people sign up for it. Then we started email marketing and it kept growing and growing. We used the same principles as we use when growing a business. We built a community at work.Why do we do this? We do it to raise consciousness. We do it to serve the employees, because when employees get out of their minds a little bit, it’s goodness all around.Q: Is the world ripe for bringing wisdom practices to workspaces now?SS: Yes, this is absolutely the right time for us to have this conversation!Q: Thank you, Scott.<hr><hr><h4>Illustrations by ANANYA PATEL</h4><hr><hr>

Vulnerable leaders

Senthil is an engineering management professional in the telecommunication and semiconductor domains with five US patents to his credit.&nbsp;He has been a Heartfulness practitioner for 25 years and is a Heartfulness trainer. His interests include yogic psychology, high performance teams using Adizes frameworks, photography and trekking.

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Senthil Viswanathan

<h4 style="text-align:justify;">SENTHIL KUMAR VISWANATHAN shares his experience of meditating with Transmission, and how much easier it is to dive deeper into the spiritual journey because of this very beautiful energy.</h4>&nbsp;I have been meditating with Transmission for 25 years, and I would like to use an analogy to illustrate the difference between meditation with and without Transmission.We are all used to listening to music on airplanes while on a flight. There is a lot of background noise where the music is hardly audible using the regular headphones. One solution to this is to use a noise cancelling headphone. The noise cancelling headphone when switched on, makes the music very clear and audible even with a lot of background humming noise of the aeroplane. How does this really happen? The noise cancelling mechanism uses vibrations that are phase inverted (opposing to the noise), which nullifies the background noise. This makes the music so crystal clear that we are able to hear even the slightest and subtle sounds in the music, though there is a lot of noise all around us.Similarly, what really happens when we <a href="https://heartfulness.org/magazine/meditate-listen" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">meditate</a> with Transmission? Transmission is a subtle transformative energy and it seems to create a field, just like the noise cancelling headphones, where the noise of the mind seems to be nullified in some sense, creating a field enabling us to really feel the subtle happenings beneath the noise. This Transmission is the vibratory energy coming from a living Guide that creates the field where the settling of the activities of the mind seems to occur with relative ease.Meditation without Transmission is like listening to music using regular headphones—there is a lot of background noise. Even though the music is playing, the subtle sounds are overpowered and eclipsed by the background noise. Though we are able to hear something, it is not as good as listening using the noise cancelling headphones. Though we are able to meditate to some extent, it is relatively not as deep and absorbed as meditating with Transmission.&nbsp;<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:50%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/transmission2_3e79e3600c.webp" alt="transmission2.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_transmission2_3e79e3600c.webp 138w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/small_transmission2_3e79e3600c.webp 444w," sizes="100vw"></figure><hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">Transmission is the subtle vibratory energy that creates the field where meditation becomes easy.</h4><hr>Transmission is the subtle vibratory energy that creates the field where meditation becomes easy. But, it is important to be alert in order to feel the subtlety when the clutter of the mind is eased, otherwise it is easy to miss it or even slip into sleep. Similarly, while meditating, the alertness and <a href="https://heartfulness.org/magazine/lack-of-awareness" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">awareness</a> is required to feel, observe and witness what lies beneath the noise and clutter of the mind. This is when Viveka or the mind’s faculty of discrimination is heightened if one is alert enough. Using this heightened and expanding Viveka, one can now see what lies beneath – like that of a still pond. Now, what do we do with such a mind that is alert, aware and absorbed? By carrying this state of heightened absorption through the day, we are able to perform our tasks much better and effectively with a higher sense of discrimination and awareness.<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">Illustrations by ANANYA PATEL</h4><hr>

Transmission: The field that makes it possible

<h4 style="text-align:justify;">SENTHIL VISWANATHAN explores the concept of zero, from both computing and spiritual perspectives. Through this, he uncovers the very origins and base of our existence as human beings, and also why this hidden part of ourselves is eclipsed by whatever manifests from it. He highlights the importance of the attitudes of insignificance and humility in our personalities if we are to glimpse the nothingness at the center of our being.</h4>In the world of computers, the basic representation of information uses the binary system. In the binary system, there are just two states of information—presence (one) or absence (zero) of a bit of information.Any number can be represented by a combination of these data of ones and zeroes. The operations permitted on this binary system of data—addition, multiplication, division, negation etc.—permit both the representations of complex data as well as computation, thereby enabling it to become both the storehouse of information and the logic that transforms and uses it.This Zero or Nothingness is contained in every number (zero added to any number is the same number). Similarly in a graph, the center of the graph is denoted by the coordinates 0, 0. Every other coordinate is anchored in reference to this center, and is contained within it.In computer science, this binary representation is used to represent every bit of information, perform mathematical operations using the same binary logic, and transform information from one dimension to the other—like representing sound as a series of zeros and ones and bringing it back as music by doing the inverse. All this is possible by the base representation of just two states—presence and absence of just ONE bit.The core of the computer is an oscillator which generates this series of alternate ones and zeroes, or as a sinusoidal wave. This crystal oscillator is the lifeline and heartbeat of the computer. Everything else is derived from this base; however, it is easily forgotten and eclipsed by the creations and representations which are derived from it.In the book, Truth Eternal, the Heartfulness Guide, Lalaji states the following:“The Vedas are liable to be questioned because the real mantra, shruti, or udgeet, is OM. In them are found “becoming-ness,” the quality of being counted, and the sentiments of the hearts of human beings. That is why there appears some difference whenever they are caught in words. For example, one and the same integer or unit assumes different forms of sums under the principles of addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. The whole sum, in spite of inversions and seeming contradiction, is an integer or unit only, and has the form of integers alone—in just the same way as water assumes various forms on passing through various channels as a fountain, well, tank, river, or canal. Nevertheless, it remains the same water.”&nbsp;<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:50%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/power_of_zero2_d279a15e06.webp" alt="power-of-zero2.webp"></figure>&nbsp;On the topic of spirituality, he states:“Where there is only one thing, there is no motivation of idea. Nor is there any opportunity for discrimination, addition, or subtraction, multiplication, or division. Where is knowledge, where is action and where is bliss when there is only one? When there are two, then only is a third state produced by their combination, as also discrimination between this and that, you and me. The knot is in the middle, and at one end there is one head and at the other end there is another. Mind is the middle knot, at one end of which there is the higher self of consciousness and at the other end there is the lower state of inertness or unconsciousness. The mind, taking the shadow and influence of both, becomes a knot of consciousness and inertness, and is compelled to think and understand.”&nbsp;&nbsp;<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:50%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/power_of_zero3_2a292822f4.webp" alt="power-of-zero3.webp"></figure>&nbsp;The above two quotes are akin to the binary system in computers enabling us to represent and compute everything, thereby creating the digital world.It seems to me that the subtle and physical bodies are caused and manifested by the causal body.Consciousness (Chit) and the functions that play out in the field of <a href="https://heartfulness.org/magazine/evolution-of-consciousness-2" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Consciousness</a>—including Mind (Manas), Intellect (Buddhi), and Ego (Ahankara)—originated out of a base, but they easily eclipse the base from which they manifested and get caught in the web of their own creation.Our journey seems to be to become aware of this base, which is the root of all existence, which animates us from inside out, and to be in tune with the base and be the best manifestation possible of it. It is almost like the leading edge of a perennially moving wave. It is an energy point which keeps moving up and down as a series of points. When we look back it is a wave, but it is also a point which is in continuous and rhythmic motion.My <a href="https://heartfulness.org/magazine/the-dualities-of-existence" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">spiritual Guide</a>, a fellow human being who is anchored to the base through his own negation and attitudes of insignificance and humility, makes me aware of the possibility of such an existence, and reminds me of what it is that animates me from inside out. Being in sync with such an individual, I realize the possibility to resonate with the same frequency and manifest similar qualities.<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">Our journey seems to be to become aware of this base, which is the root of all existence, which animates us from inside out, and to be in tune with the base and be the best manifestation possible of it.</h4><hr>&nbsp;<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:75%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/power_of_zero4_1c9fed6125.webp" alt="power-of-zero4.webp"></figure>&nbsp;

The power of zero

<h4 style="text-align:justify;">SENTHIL VISWANATHAN reflects upon keeping the human engine running in top condition.</h4>Let us consider the workings of a piston engine—the piston moving in a cylinder harnesses the energy provided by the mixture of fuel and air. The engine comes alive when the initial spark is ignited and is combined with the fuel-air mixture. This initial spark is the infusion of life into the engine. The energy released by the combustion caused by the initial spark is then harnessed and transferred to the crankshaft, which then powers everything else. After the vehicle is set in motion and sufficient momentum is attained, the engine continues to draw in the fuel and air mixture as long as they are available, provided the vehicle is not turned off. The engine’s energy is then transferred through gears and a transmission to power the various other parts of the vehicle. This includes setting the wheel in motion or powering an alternator, which then produces electricity to power the car audio system, etc.Likewise, in the human system, it seems that the heart is the engine that is set into motion when the initial spark of life descends into it. Once set in motion, it harnesses the vibrational energy of life, powering the entire existence from within. The <a href="https://heartfulness.org/magazine/a-users-guide-to-living-part-8" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">life-giving force</a> of the heart draws its energy from the “fuel-air mixture” of food and breath, powering the physical existence, which then becomes the foundation for the mind and intellect to blossom. The saying, sarvam annam, translated to “everything is food,” is seen in action in our human body. The life-giving force of the heart serves as the food or energy for both the physical and subtle bodies, each having a spiraling effect on the other. The way this energy is utilized depends on the mind, which seems to control the physical self (akin to the vehicle’s steering wheel, accelerator, and brakes), influenced by the gunas, the three qualities of nature, buddhi, intellect, and the heart’s qualities, which are then manifested as what one thinks and does.This life-giving force also enables the essential property of embryonic stem cells in the umbilical cord to become any type of cell in the body, which can be used to regenerate or repair diseased tissue and organs.In a vehicle, what is visible is only the external manifestation of the energy, such as a wheel moving or the stereo system working. The engine is completely eclipsed and covered by layers of gears, transmission, and crankshaft. Similarly, what powers our existence inside out, starting from the life-giving force in the heart, is eclipsed by the internal organs, the external physical self, the mind, and the intellect. Hence, we miss out on what animates us from the inside out and fuels this entire being.To keep the engine running in top condition, the friction between the parts must be minimal, with no energy wasted. Additionally, the deposit of soot must be removed periodically to maintain the engine’s optimal performance and keep it in pristine condition.Similarly, the soot covering the heart must be cleaned up so that the vibrations received in the heart are transformed and utilized without any loss, contamination, or additions. The soot of human existence is due to the residue or impressions of our day-to-day actions (karma), our gunas, and our subsequent likes and dislikes influenced by our ego.To keep the machine running efficiently, the Transmission loss must be minimal. As a human being, the energy that animates my existence, both inside and out, must also be regulated and balanced so that it is utilized for the right pursuits. All of this is possible when the mind is regulated, so that it is in tune and guided by <a href="https://heartfulness.org/magazine/the-intrinsic-goodness-of-the-heart" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">the heart</a>, in turn driving the physical existence in a balanced manner.<figure class="image"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/engine_existence2_073d4de13a.webp" alt="engine-existence2.webp"></figure><hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">As a human being, the energy that animates my existence, both inside and out, must also be regulated and balanced, so that it is utilized for the right pursuits. All of this is possible when the mind is regulated, so that it is in tune and guided by the heart, in turn driving the physical existence in a balanced manner.</h4><hr>

The Engine of our Existence

Serge Nicolai was born in France of Corsican heritage. As a teenager he started reading about philosophy and experimented with different paths of self-development. He started meditation in earnest at the age of 21 with the help of an Indian master of Raja Yoga. After finishing his MA in linguistics, he moved to India and has since worked in international schools in South India as a modern language teacher. He continues to practise Raja Yoga and reads widely on religions, philosophy and psychology. He is married with two children and lives in Chennai.

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Serge Nicolai

What is maturity? How does it manifest in an individual, or in a nation? This is my take on it.Maturity is to live from the heart, which is the deeper part of ourselves, rather than living from the head, which is the superficial part of our mind.Instead of just reacting to fears and desires, mature individuals, or a mature society, act out of their deeper core.How does this show? The life of the heart is mainly expressed in<h3><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/maturity_img2_f7d3f59436.jpg?updated_at=2023-03-29T12:47:29.531Z" alt="Maturity"></h3>In societies with long spiritual traditions, you will find the majority of people directing their LOVE towards others, at the very least to their families, and their WILL towards themselves, to perfect themselves.In younger societies, I find the majority of people turning their WILL towards the others, or the world, while directing their LOVE towards themselves, in the pursuit of comfort and self-aggrandisement.<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">The mature person sacrifices so that others may live; the immature person enjoys life at the expense of everyone else.</h4><hr>In a nutshell, the mature person sacrifices so that others may live; the immature person enjoys life at the expense of everyone else.I am not saying the latter is bad. Only that the person is just a child, with a long way to go on the road to express inner nobility.<hr>Article by SERGE NICOLAI<hr>

Maturity

<h4 style="text-align:center;">SERGE NICOLAI explores beauty and its source, the beauty unfolding within.</h4>Who is not after beauty? What is real beauty? And why are we looking for it?Beauty gives pleasure to our senses, be it a beautiful landscape, a beautiful face, a beautiful artifact, or a beautiful piece of music. One may argue that as a community or a civilization frees itself from the struggle to cater to its basic needs of food, clothing and shelter, there is more effort and resources given to fulfilling this search for beauty.A poet said, “A thing of beauty is a joy forever.” But is it? Experience shows us that the possession of one thing never satisfies us and, as soon as we get it, we embark upon the next pursuit, ad infinitum. So what are we really after?I would say that we are attracted to beauty because it reminds us of a lost harmony, of a subtle balance of forms. We would not recognize it outside if it were not already imprinted in us.We are really looking for our own lost beauty, a beauty not of this world, a light that alone makes everything resplendent.When we find it, whether in a child, a sage, or a pure person, we stand in awe. Something from another dimension beckons us. For a moment we are transported out of this mundane existence. And that is what we are looking for in this pursuit.Alas, this self-forgetfulness doesn’t last and we are back where we were. What is the solution?The only way is to turn our pursuit inwards, turn our efforts to our own making, so that we cultivate inner beauty. As this grows, our dependence for outer beauty will diminish.Finally, sages say that a time comes when the beauty unfolding inside is an unceasing wonder, making one forget everything else.That, this mystery, is what we are all really yearning for.<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">Article by SERGE NICOLAI</h4><hr>

The quest for beauty

An international speaker, author, and spiritual teacher since 2000, Shai Tubali is one of Europe’s leading experts and innovators in the field of the chakras and the subtle system. Currently based in Berlin, he tours and guides seminars and retreats in Germany, Switzerland, Austria, the Netherlands, Croatia, Spain, and Greece. Formerly the head of the Berlin holistic center Chiro-Yoga, he has now established the new international center Human Greatness. Shai has published 23 books in English, German and Hebrew, in spiritual non-fiction, prose and poetry. His latest book is Unlocking The 7 Secret Powers of the Heart.

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Shai Tubali

&nbsp;<hr>&nbsp;<h4 style="text-align:justify;">SHAI TUBALI helps us understand the value of keeping the heart open, vulnerable and willing to experience whatever challenges life gives us, without becoming defensive and closing the heart.</h4>&nbsp;<hr>&nbsp;Your mind cannot tell the difference between “vulnerable” and “breakable.” It thinks it is obvious that if you are vulnerable you are also breakable. Since this sounds logical enough, your mind chooses the strategy of remaining invulnerable as much as possible.Of course, your mind only wants to protect you, as its main role is to keep you safe in a world full of dangers. It registers moments when you were vulnerable and, as a result, became deeply disappointed, rejected, betrayed, or abandoned. This left you not just with an unbearable pain but also with a profound sense of weakness.We are all afraid of being weak. It is a survival instinct: we must not show that we are powerless and defenseless in a hostile and overpowering environment. To conceal this weakness, we put on armor, a thick layer of protection with which we defend our vulnerable heart. This is why we become hard and sometimes react quickly to insults or criticism with anger, hatred, and vengefulness, and harbor grudges.Your mind strives to become so strong and impenetrable that you will never be harmed or feel pain. To achieve this impregnable condition, it surrounds the heart with a protective wall. This wall is not just a metaphor – you could easily sense it in your chest as a thick layer separating you from the environment and protecting your fragile true being. This wall is not necessarily such a bad idea. If you have no coping mechanism for intense emotions and profound disappointments, it is perhaps wise to keep a thick protective layer around your heart. However, in light of our knowledge of the powers of the heart, we should reexamine this strategy: Does it really work? Do we actually feel safer when our hearts are closed?<hr><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/myth_fragile_heart2_46e9a1ecd2.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-10T06:38:13.695Z" alt="the-myth-of-the-fragile-heart"><hr>A quick, honest look at our life experience tells us, of course, that this strategy does not work very well. The more we feel threatened and in need of defending and protecting ourselves, the more intensely and deeply we feel our own fragility. In the end, the effort to become invulnerable makes us more vulnerable. The great irony is that the more we contract our heart, the more we feel it needs additional and even more sophisticated layers of protection, with the result that, slowly but surely, we stop feeling pain but scarcely feel anything else. We become cautious and numb, hurting little but also loving little.<h4 style="text-align:justify;">The secret power of the open heart</h4>Your wise heart offers a different strategy. With this secret power, you can finally remove the wall: vulnerability is your key to indestructibility. The heart’s wisdom confidently defies the effectiveness of the wall. Historically, walls have never really worked, and this is also true for your internal wall. From the point of view of the heart, it is clear that what we believe makes us stronger actually makes us weaker. And what we believe makes us weaker actually makes us stronger.The mind’s strategy is based on resistance. It refuses to open up because it wants to avoid potential disappointments. It strives with all its might to minimize the pain of betrayal and rejection, pushing people away as a result and keeping a clear distance, since people are able to upset our mind-body system by failing to be there for us.<hr><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/myth_fragile_heart3_26081046ac.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-10T06:39:01.768Z" alt="the-myth-of-the-fragile-heart"><hr>The heart’s strategy is based on love. It continues to trust and open up even if this could lead to painful experiences. It agrees to pain, because it knows that it is better to feel pain than to feel nothing. That is because it knows the secret that, as long as it remains open, even if it bleeds a little it will not be weakened. In fact, it gets stronger with each opening up, despite the disappointment and hurt.In reality, it is your mind’s resistance to pain that makes these past experiences so painful, imprinting upon you dark and trenchant conclusions about life and people. When you closed your heart in response to the pain, it took hold of you. Opening up to breathe into it and to contain it completely in fact has the effect of melting it away, leaving the heart refreshed and intact.This is the excellent “contain and include” heartpractice: when there is no resistance and you choose instead to open up even more widely, you become greater than the situation. Contained within your heart, the situation fades away without leaving an unforgettable impression.<h4 style="text-align:justify;">Use disappointments as opportunities</h4>Generally speaking, the heart is in one of the following three different kinds of conditions:MOSTLY CLOSED:&nbsp;This is when the mind decides that we’ve had enough disappointments and betrayals for one lifetime, and so even with those with whom we are close we make sure our heart remains essentially invulnerable and untouched.HALF OPEN:&nbsp;This is when we open and close our heart, depending on circumstances. We open it up with certain people in a safe environment, but even then only when they are kind to us. The opening is conditional on circumstances and, therefore, is fluctuating.ESSENTIALLY OPEN:&nbsp;This is not only a condition, but also a statement of being. An essentially open heart never closes the door of trust, faith, and communication, despite all disappointments and betrayals.<hr><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/myth_fragile_heart4_54dbcc850b.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-10T06:39:48.460Z" alt="the-myth-of-the-fragile-heart"><hr>The state of being half open is the most common – the heart only opens when the situation is clearly safe. It is the mind that allows us to be vulnerable only when there are good reasons to trust. However, this dependency keeps us weaker; it means that our heart opens and closes in response to each and every stimulation, however negligible. This is a fragile heart, constantly searching for signs of approval and recognition and needing to fear any change of circumstances.For the half-open heart, deep emotions such as love and tenderness are too delicate and can only be expressed in a wholly supportive and nurturing environment. The half-open heart is based on what is probably the greatest myth surrounding the heart – that since it is fragile, it requires a safe environment and cannot handle a difficult or hostile world. When the heart encounters intense situations, it withdraws behind the wall, leaving the mind on the front line to fight and negotiate.The heart’s secret power tells us something completely different: Love and compassion are not tender but rather invincible powers of our being that channel tremendous cosmic waves. They do not need a secure environment to be revealed; they can be expressed proudly and openly even in the most strident and noisy marketplace and in the face of strong opposing forces.Try this exercise the next time someone offends you or when the next hurt inevitably strikes:Remain with an open heart. You will feel an impulse to contract your heart, but make the decision not to do so, instead retaining the flow of openness and tenderness, and see what happens as a result.<img class="image_resized" style="width:409px !important;" src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/myth_fragile_heart5_5fcedc394a.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-10T06:40:36.818Z" alt="the-myth-of-the-fragile-heart">With&nbsp;your heart exposed, work with the unconscious expectation that has caused you pain – that people should never be disappointing. The reality is that not only will people disappoint you every now and then, but this plays a crucial role in your own heart’s development. Translate your disappointment into the thought that obviously this person should have offended me, and keep the heart open and flowing. Open your chest fully to the event. Agree to the pain. Direct love toward the person who caused you pain. You will soon discover that this pain flows through you and is transformed into a greater power of love.<h4 style="text-align:justify;">The paradox of indestructibility</h4>Your heart does not need protection, it is your best protection. Living life with an open heart is not just less damaging than having to defend it, it is, ironically, the very state in which nothing and no one can hurt you. As the heart lets go of expectations and remains wide open, agreeing to feel unconditionally, a point will come when it no longer feels pain but only love.Since that pain was caused by your own expectations, you will grow confident enough to keep your heart as an open door that never closes, and which constantly allows the natural flow of goodness and compassion from within your heart.Here we return to the difference between vulnerable and breakable. Vulnerability means fearlessly keeping the door to your heart open. A tender heart that does not try to protect itself and remains open to experience, accepting, loving, and forgiving under all circumstances, is an unbreakable heart. There is nothing that it cannot envelop and contain, no power that it cannot melt away, since it agrees to receive whatever penetrates it. What enemy could defeat such a heart? Even the most powerful assailant becomes helpless, as it tries with all its might to attack, hurt, and ruin. The love of such a heart keeps it unharmed.We can only suffer hurt as long as fear lives within our hearts. Aggression and destruction feed on our fear, but they lose all their power in the face of love. Together, love and the heart’s openness form the most formidable power in the world – a power that only increases when we love at those times when it makes no sense to open up at all. We fear being hurt, but what can happen if we are willing to get hurt and commit ourselves to love, even in such circumstances?Many people consider the life of Jesus a perfect example of the heroism of the heart: the way he lived in this harsh world like the most delicate flower – wide open, exposed, and loving. Do we think that those who crucified him defeated him? No, we know that the heart of Jesus could never be crucified, only his body. You cannot crucify a heart whose last words are “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”<hr>An adapted excerpt from the author’s latest book, Unlocking the 7 Secret Powers of the Heart, available at https://shaitubali.com/en/webshop/unlocking-the-7secret-powers-of-the-heart-a-practical-guide-to-livingin-trust-and-love/. Reprinted with permission.<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">Article by SHAI TUBALI Illustrations by ANANYA PATEL</h4><hr>

The myth of the fragile heart

Shantanu Mandal has a background in fashion design and fine arts. During his time as a reporter for La Croix in Paris, he played a key role in helping create the UN Youth Manifesto, and since then has been a key member of the Youth Forum at the UN Convention on Combating Desertification in 2019, a mentor in the Climate Ambassadors Program, and involved in area of “Major Growth for Children and Youth.”  He is based at Mount Abu in India, the spiritual headquarters of the Brahma Kumaris, and has practiced Raja Yoga for 20 years. Shantanu is a facilitator, mediator, and bridge between different communities, helping collaboration and providing a space where they can co-create.

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Shantanu Mandal

<h4>SHANTANU MANDAL has a background in fashion design and fine arts. During his time as a reporter for La Croix in Paris, he played a key role in helping create the UN Youth Manifesto, and since then has been a key member of the Youth Forum at the UN Convention on Combating Desertification in 2019, a mentor in the Climate Ambassadors Program, and involved in area of “Major Growth for Children and Youth.” &nbsp;He is based at Mount Abu in India, the spiritual headquarters of the Brahma Kumaris, and has practiced Raja Yoga for 20 years. Shantanu is a facilitator, mediator, and bridge between different communities, helping collaboration and providing a space where they can co-create.</h4><hr>Any action that we want to happen at a bigger level starts from a single and a very humble individual origin. Something cannot be done “outside” if it is not embraced inside. For example, if Mahatma Gandhi wasn’t free inside, he could not have helped free his country. If Nelson Mandela wasn’t free inside while sitting in prison, he could not have visualised a free country. So, when I wanted to do something for the environment, I started believing in the things I was doing.The first thing that motivated me was changing my lifestyle. I became minimalistic, not purchasing anything unless and until it was necessary. I changed my diet to become vegan. These little things built good energy inside me, so I started volunteering. That is how I have approached personal responsibility.For big businesses, every stakeholder has their share of responsibility as an individual, then they take on responsibilities as part of the organization that extend to the dynamics of the group – are they aligned to the well-being of Mother Nature? Every stakeholder, whether an individual, a group, or a big company, has a role to play in climate action.Some companies have a massive potential in shaping future society. They could start now, with the simple idea of promoting “flourishing.” Flourishing is different from progress. The word progress conveys a linear aspect of earning and earning, whereas the concept of flourishing, regeneration, is when everybody inside the team is progressing and flourishing, and nature and the environment are also flourishing. The problem right now is that even when the individual, the group, and the organization progress, Mother Nature is not progressing. Instead, it is being depleted.A flourishing way of dealing or trading is when we also focus on the health of nature and the surroundings, because that’s our resource center. My computer, my jacket, and everything else has come from Mother Nature, and if I understand that beautiful connection, I will think holistically; I will consider every aspect of that connection. Every small or big stakeholder can do that.It is something that comes naturally within faith-based communities. They look at development projects in a very holistic way – no aspect is left out. Even if the process is slow, it is substantial and powerful. Everybody flourishes, everybody’s good wishes are there, everybody’s good energy is there.At an individual level, it can start from a very simply approach – look to make a healthy life. Thinking about the planet and other people can be a bit overwhelming, but having a very healthy lifestyle only requires four things:<ol><li>A healthy, nourishing diet.</li><li>Proper rest so the body can function.</li><li>Good mobility, exercise, and fitness.</li><li>A positive attitude.</li></ol>These four keep us healthy, and you can start with any one of them.Is there something in your diet you can do without? Why are you attached to it? Do you need it for health? Can you manage without it? The answers to these questions will lead you to a more natural, eco-friendly diet. That’s what happens if you keep asking the right questions.Looking at mobility and exercise, if you can’t spend a lot, walk to the market or local shop, instead of using a car or public transport. It will make a difference. I have been living in the UK for the past three months and whenever I can I walk. My colleagues don’t always understand it, but I walk as my exercise. The concept must come from a lifestyle practice.Living non-violently and holistically in nature is not an add-on activity. Even if you can’t change your food, rest, and exercise, start with positive thinking. For instance, when you have gratitude for the things around you, it creates a bond with Mother Nature and the environment, and you will cause less harm. You will be eco-friendly in your choices. This will come very naturally, and you won’t have to work for it.<hr><hr><h4>When you have gratitude for the things around you,&nbsp; it creates a bond with Mother Nature and&nbsp; the environment, and you will cause less harm.&nbsp;</h4><hr><hr>So, start with any of these four aspects. The easiest one to adopt is a positive attitude, an attitude of gratitude for everything. It is free of cost and it will light up your heart; everything will start radiating from there. You will feel like eating non-violent food, walking in nature, and it will become natural for you. I know because it happened to me. It starts with a gentle inner commitment, because if it is not gentle it is not sustainable.Going forward, my hopes for the future revolve around flourishing, love, friendship, and security: love for myself, love for each other, and love for the actions of others. I can openly appreciate what others do and show my love for what they’re doing. That includes love for Mother Nature, and for the Divine.My hopes for the longer term also focus on strong friendships, strong collaborations, strong networks. Having all these, we will have a life full of protection, safety, and security, whether it’s emotional, financial, or physical. &nbsp;Strong friendships help us feel safe, and when we are safe and secure we can focus on what needs to be done right now. An anxious mind cannot act in the right direction, whereas a safe and secure mind will act appropriately and look at the needs of the time.To do that, we need to become friends of ourselves, and find a very strong friend, like the Divine, Mother Nature, or anyone in whom we have great confidence. When we communicate within that friendship, we create a safe space where working becomes very easy.<hr><hr><h4>To do that, we need to become friends of ourselves,&nbsp; and find a very strong friend, like the Divine, Mother Nature,&nbsp; or anyone in whom we have great confidence.&nbsp; When we communicate within that friendship,&nbsp; we create a safe space where working becomes very easy.&nbsp;</h4><hr><hr>It requires actions, not just romantic words and thoughts – actions of friendship. I cannot just sit here and think, “Maybe it would be nice if that person and I were friends.” We must come together, speak, call, or WhatsApp. Some action is needed to feel safe, and some action is needed to help everything flourish.<hr>

Start with small beginnings

Shanthi Venkat is a Heartfulness Meditation trainer, a certified Tai Chi instructor, and a retired physical therapist based in the United States. She balances her love of the sciences and healthcare with her creative passion for cooking, baking, and gardening.

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Shanthi Venkat

<h4 style="text-align:justify;">SHANTHI VENKAT is a physical therapist based in the United States. Here, she details how a deeply personal experience as a caregiver pushed her to reflect on the stigma around aging and her own professional work, and the easy steps we can take to prepare ourselves for growing older.</h4>&nbsp;My husband and I have been in the healthcare industry for over three decades; he provides home visit physical therapy services for the geriatric population and I work with the Veterans’ Affairs clinic, where I treat elderly veterans of war, and young veterans returning from recent tours. Because of the nature of our work and our adaptation to the ever-changing landscape of geriatric healthcare, both of us developed what we believed to be a thick skin to caretaking.That thick skin has been tested and recreated over the last seven years, after my husband decided to move his parents, in their eighties, from India to the US, so we could care for their growing medical concerns. Neither of us had any apprehension about this caretaker role, until his parents actually moved in.The months and years following their arrival have been an eyeopener for us. Much changed quickly: the energy in the house shifted as our lives revolved around their needs, wants, emotions, and illnesses. Prior to their arrival, we were empty nesters planning for our retirement, but the immensity of their health issues postponed those plans indefinitely.We were also inching closer to our 60s. Little aches and pains magnified in intensity, and no matter how preemptive we were in managing them, we were not rebounding quite as quickly. Neither of us will ever regret the choice we made to bring my in-laws here; at the same time, caretaker burnout is very real. Whether we were willing to accept it or not, we were also aging.What is aging? It is a degenerative process that we undergo physically, mentally, and emotionally. The changes do not happen in any certain pattern or proportion. But each change does affect the others. When our physical health is not good, our mental and emotional well-being are compromised, which in turn leads to even poorer physical health. We get trapped into a hamster wheel of sickness, one giant unending cycle.&nbsp;Aging is hard. It can feel like all the control and independence built over several decades is gone in the blink of an eye. Many elderly people must make the emotional adjustment of returning to an almost childlike state, in which they constantly have to ask for help for even the simplest of tasks. It can be lonely, embarrassing, frightening, and often completely unfair.Aging is also a challenge for caretakers. I have wondered what has made the circumstances with my in-laws so challenging, when over the past three decades, my husband and I have helped so many elderly people rehabilitate themselves to live healthy, independent lives.&nbsp;The challenge, I have realized, is the emotional attachment we have with family members. Even when we know it is coming, it is hard to watch a parent grow older. It is hard for the role of parent and child to reverse. And it is hard to care for ourselves when our energy is going toward taking care of someone else, especially loved ones.<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">What is aging? It is a degenerative process that we undergo physically, mentally, and emotionally.</h4><hr>Because of my work, I understand that aging is a taboo topic, one that we are hesitant to learn about, because it is frightening to think about getting older. We teach young people how to become adults. We teach them how to be financially independent, to save for retirement, to pay bills, to buy a house, to build a family. But we don’t teach them how to age. We do not successfully educate people on how to care for the inevitable: an aging body.At work I watch young veterans struggle after being discharged from service: Their bodies and minds have physically and psychologically aged significantly because of the impact of war, and they are left feeling hopeless as they try to navigate life under different circumstances.So I encourage you to apply these five simple steps to keep your bodies and minds healthy and strong, and preempt the effects of aging:<h4>1. &nbsp;Exercise regularly&nbsp;</h4>Even something as simple as a walk around your neighborhood can do wonders. I spend an hour each day walking on the treadmill or doing strength-training exercises.<img class="image_resized" style="width:38.88%;" src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/Aging_Gracefully2_ac6efaca60.webp" alt="Aging-Gracefully2.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_Aging_Gracefully2_ac6efaca60.jpg 166w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/large_Aging_Gracefully2_ac6efaca60.webp 250w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/Aging_Gracefully2_ac6efaca60.webp 250w," sizes="100vw"><h4>2. Find a consistent hobby&nbsp;</h4>It keeps your mind sharp and engaged. My husband and I have green thumbs and spend a lot of time in our garden.<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:36.93%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/Aging_Gracefully6_35bbf06b80.webp" alt="Aging-Gracefully6.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_Aging_Gracefully6_35bbf06b80.webp 145w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/large_Aging_Gracefully6_35bbf06b80.webp 250w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/Aging_Gracefully6_35bbf06b80.webp 250w," sizes="100vw"></figure><h4>3. Spend time with friends&nbsp;</h4>Every demographic is impacted by loneliness. Keep your personal connections strong. I make a point to pick up the phone and call my friends a few times a week, or drop by a friend’s home even just for an hour.<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:38.56%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/Aging_Gracefully3_b7c8c19bf5.webp" alt="Aging-Gracefully3.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_Aging_Gracefully3_b7c8c19bf5.webp 145w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/large_Aging_Gracefully3_b7c8c19bf5.webp 250w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/Aging_Gracefully3_b7c8c19bf5.webp 250w," sizes="100vw"></figure><hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">Even when we know it is coming, it is hard to watch a parent grow older. It is hard for the role of parent and child to reverse.</h4><hr><h4>4. Engage in mind-body activity&nbsp;</h4>Meditation, yoga, and other contemplative activities can create a fit mind and body. In addition to my meditation practice, I became a certified tai chi instructor a few years ago, which has been another successful way of keeping me connected to myself.<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:38.41%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/Aging_Gracefully4_608c60cf24.webp" alt="Aging-Gracefully4.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_Aging_Gracefully4_608c60cf24.webp 145w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/large_Aging_Gracefully4_608c60cf24.webp 250w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/Aging_Gracefully4_608c60cf24.webp 250w," sizes="100vw"></figure><h4>5. Take time for yourself&nbsp;</h4>Alone time is necessary to keep yourself sharp and healthy.&nbsp; &nbsp;<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:38.87%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/Aging_Gracefully5_a1b916e083.webp" alt="Aging-Gracefully5.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_Aging_Gracefully5_a1b916e083.webp 145w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/large_Aging_Gracefully5_a1b916e083.webp 250w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/Aging_Gracefully5_a1b916e083.webp 250w," sizes="100vw"></figure><hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">We must do a better job of taking care of our aging family and friends; especially in the last leg of life, people need support and love.</h4><hr>These steps may seem like common sense, but knowing what we can do to stay strong and healthy can help to make the process of aging more manageable. When that education is coupled with compassion, acceptance, and patience, aging can be graceful. We must do a better job of taking care of our aging family and friends; especially in the last leg of life, people need support and love.The last seven years challenged the way I thought of myself as a caregiver. More than anything, it challenged my own perception of aging, and the ways I was taking care of myself. After all, I want to age gracefully too.<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">Illustrations by JASMEE MUDGAL</h4><hr>

Aging gracefully

Sharat is a Software Architect and Heartfulness trainer based in Bangalore. He currently serves as a Director of Heartfulness Institute and of Ripples of Change Foundation, an NGO. Recreationally, he enjoys badminton and DIY home improvement projects.

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Sharat Hegde

<h3 style="text-align:center;">DEVELOPING PEACE INSIDE OUT</h3><h4>DR. RANJANI IYER, SYLVIE BERTI-ROSSI, and SHARAT HEGDE from the Peacefulness Movement explore the need for peace with globalization and increasingly rich diversity across the world.&nbsp;</h4>&nbsp;According to the Oxford English Dictionary, “diversity” is defined as “the practice or quality of including or involving people from a range of different social and ethnic backgrounds and of different genders, sexual orientations, etc.” We see diversity as a huge strength in developing creative and critical thinking to promote excellence, efficiency, and overall well-being. This applies to corporates, educational institutions, and other organizations that work collaboratively to utilize diverse perspectives to increase engagement and robust interactions.&nbsp;With diversity comes the need for conflict management due to differences in perspectives, knowledge, and points of view. One of the ways to embrace diversity is to “TAP into Peacefulness” and learn to maintain an attitude of mutual respect, open-mindedness, willingness to listen, and collaborative working in peace.&nbsp;TAP into Peacefulness can build skills to connect within and with each other. By becoming peaceful, by being peace, we radiate peace and become peaceful ambassadors. Here is how to do it:<h4 style="text-align:justify;">1. Take a moment to pause:&nbsp;</h4>Research suggests that the practice of pause helps in creating the space to relate emotions and activates the parasympathetic nervous system to induce the feeling of calmness.&nbsp;<a href="https://hbr.org/2015/02/5-ways-to-become-more-self-aware">Self-awareness</a> lies at the root of strong character, giving us the ability to lead with a sense of purpose, authenticity, openness, and trust.&nbsp;You can use a daily check-in to create self-awareness and develop an inner connection to understand your&nbsp;<a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1DNjq_k9BPlW6bh9v2Dg6w5RabuHkbJ0S/view?usp=sharing">feelings and emotions</a>, use the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mindful.org/the-power-of-pause/">power of pause practice</a> to schedule a one to two minute break in between your busy schedule, or even take an unscheduled short break to avoid mental fatigue. A calm and reflective mind leads to correct thinking and right understanding, that will help you be more efficient, avoid stress and be at peace.&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/TAP_into_Peacefulness2_dfe40483c4.jpg"></figure><h4 style="text-align:justify;">2. Adopt the attitude, be one with yourself:&nbsp;</h4>A positive mindset promotes creativity, empathy, connection, and resilience to overcome difficulties more quickly. Working toward a positive attitude and an attitude to excel, you will connect with self and others by expressing&nbsp;<a href="https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/how_gratitude_changes_you_and_your_brain">gratitude</a>, heartful&nbsp;<a href="https://6fb734da-c7da-4a3e-97f2-70aba86275fd.filesusr.com/ugd/d7a5fa_63ec707c66824868971e763876c18021.pdf">affirmations</a>, setting short-term and long-term goals, working towards them, and creating a community that offers a sense of belonging. Finding time to reflect, relax, and rejuvenate opens up space for reflective thinking as well as prioritizes self-care.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.lybrate.com/topic/heartfulness-meditation-how-it-is-beneficial/2d8cb243d75765dce2379d82fddaf777">Heartfulness practices</a> take us on an inner journey, and that journey starts in the heart as we develop the 5 Cs of Contentment, Calm, Compassion, Courage, and Clarity, which are the foundation of our mental, emotional, and social intelligence.<h4 style="text-align:justify;">3. Practice peace, your way:&nbsp;</h4>A variety of resources and intentional ways to practice peace can be utilized to connect with the heart and think peaceful thoughts that can promote peace from the inside out.&nbsp;Peace is our true nature and, when we connect with peace within ourselves, we radiate it to others and to our environment.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.peacefulness.org/">Peaceful Intentions</a> will give you time to center and ground yourself, connect to your heart, and finally choose an intention. Silently repeat the words of the intention, and go slowly enough that you can both imagine and feel its true meaning. Let it spread to everything and everyone around you.<figure class="image"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/Hand_ebebb9124c.webp"></figure>Everyone can benefit by learning ways to tap into peace, as it promotes interconnectedness and inclusion that help us to handle conflicts and collaborate in a more empathetic and effective way. In this complex world, as new perspectives are developed, they can provide better opportunities for innovation, creativity, and problem-solving.

TAP into Peacefulness  

Shelly Burgess is a longtime Heartfulness practitioner and a Heartfulness trainer. She has taught physics for the past twenty-four years at a suburban Midwestern high school where she serves as chair of the science department. She’s a wife and the mother to two very active teenagers. When free time exists, she likes to read, bike, and hike.

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Shelly Burgess

<h4>SHELLY BURGESS is a high school physics teacher and a meditation trainer. Here, she tells her story about losing sight of her purpose in the midst of the Covid pandemic, and how positive intention renewed her focus and allowed her to accept the last year through a lens of self-compassion, grace, and optimism.&nbsp;</h4><hr>We’ve all had challenges since the pandemic began. Some challenges have certainly been greater than others, but we’ve all had our share of struggles and pain. An effective meditation practice can help us immensely with such life stressors. I know this, of course. I’ve been practicing Heartfulness for thirty years, so of course I was primed to ride out pandemic turbulence with a good measure of serenity and grace … except that I did a terrible job of meditating for over a year.It’s embarrassing, but I am admitting this for a reason. Let’s first rewind, so I can tell you why my terrible job of meditating led me to one of the most important revelations of my life.Allow me to introduce myself. I am a mother of two active teens, a wife, and a daughter. Like many women, I work hard at home to make life nice for my loved ones. I also teach advanced high school physics to teens with serious college aspirations. In a normal school year, I run myself ragged trying to give my children their best start in life and care for my family, while also striving to provide a world-class education to the hundred or so students who count on me at school. My responsibilities are pretty demanding, but my Heartfulness practice keeps me balanced, and I also enjoy sharing meditation with others as a trainer. I’m busy, but it works.Enter 2020, which was a period of upheaval. I make no suggestion that my pain has been anywhere near what others have suffered, but as the pandemic began I struggled. My children switched to online learning while I switched to online teaching. In one room, I led my classes through Zoom, and during breaks I checked on my kids and tried to keep them as motivated and happy as possible. So began the daily cycle. In order to give my own kids my all, while providing a superior education to my students, I was working longer and longer hours. While transitioning a lab course to a digital format, encouraging my suffering students, and holding my family together, I had less and less steam to keep myself running. Slowly my meditation practice began to erode. When I sat in the evenings to meditate, it felt like I had nothing left to set my meditation in motion because I had let myself become so run down.When my alarm went off in the morning so I could meditate before work, I couldn’t get up. I needed sleep. As the school year went on, and my workload and my family’s needs compounded, I slept fewer and fewer hours and had less and less to give. My meditation practice became a skin-and-bones version of its former self, but I had so much to do to serve others, what choice did I have, right?Three weeks before the school year ended, I was concerned that I couldn’t make it. I felt as if a panic attack was lurking around every corner, but I pushed. By this time, I felt that my spiritual condition was really run down, a shadow of its former state. This added to my anxiety. I love meditation. I love what it does for me. Now, not only had I not used it to get through the school year, but I felt like I had slid backward. My heart no longer felt like a glowing sanctuary. It felt like a racing heartbeat. It was distressing. Had I damaged myself physically? Yes, definitely. My body had lots of ways of telling me. Had I damaged myself spiritually? This was a real worry.<hr><hr><h5>I raise my children and serve my family with love&nbsp; in line with my spiritual goal.&nbsp; I serve my students with care in line with my spiritual goal.&nbsp; I serve the hearts of those I encounter,&nbsp; and in doing so, my own heart grows in purity.</h5><hr><hr>Heartfulness offers us <a href="https://www.heartfulnessmagazine.com/a-users-guide-to-living-part-1/">ten universal principles</a> to help navigate life’s challenges in an ennobling way. The third principle suggests that we set a goal of the highest spiritual attainment. In a normal year, I think about this all the time. It helps me frame everything I do within that higher purpose. I raise my children and serve my family with love in line with my spiritual goal. I serve my students with care in line with my spiritual goal. I serve the hearts of those I encounter, and in doing so, my own heart grows in purity. At least, that’s the way it is in a normal year.This year? It took until May to realize that I had been serving the wrong master, so to speak. My goals had become mundane: “I have to write multiple versions of this test to make it fairer, in case kids try to cheat.” “I have to come up with a way for students to run this experiment at home using household tools, and then create an online format for them to post their data.” “I have to hang out with my kids while they do their homework so they feel supported.” “I have to cook dinner and do laundry!”<hr><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/rediscovering_my_purpose2_8a3e3e2799.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-06T12:21:45.659Z" alt="rediscovering-my-purpose2"><hr><hr><h5>When I serve others in tune with my spiritual goal,&nbsp; I do a better job – I am more loving and more balanced.&nbsp; The self-care that comes with my meditation&nbsp; practice allows me to be better in all my roles,&nbsp; and better to myself.</h5><hr><hr>Ah … the pressing immediacy of meeting responsibilities. I had allowed this to become my goal.I didn’t even see it coming.By not attending well enough to my heart, by not balancing my mind regularly enough through d meditation, by letting myself become so mentally exhausted that I got sidetracked from my goal, I “served the wrong master.” For a year. And where it led me was not good at all. I could barely even tap into that glowing goodness that was formerly an ever-present reservoir in my heart.Well, the story would have had a terrible ending if I had stopped there and given up! And who wants a lousy ending to a story? So now comes the good stuff!First, I dived back into my daily practice, along with lots and lots of positive suggestions. The good news: I can tell I’m rebounding. The bad news: I still have a way to go. The bottom line: There’s always hope.Second, I’m proof that Heartfulness works, because when I let my practice and my goal slip, I saw the dark side of losing sight of them.And that leads to my huge revelation: Third, serve the right master, remember my goal. When I do this, everything else falls into balance. Losing sight of it led me down a dark path. Returning my focus has offered me a way back.Does that mean I should not serve my family and my students? Not at all. In fact, when I serve them in tune with my spiritual goal, I do a better job – I am more loving and more balanced. The self-care that comes with my meditation practice allows me to be better in all my roles, and better to myself.One last little gem popped into my memory as I re-established my practice. A doozy of a positive suggestion came to me, and it has made a huge difference. Decades ago, a Heartfulness meditator known as sister Kasturi said something to someone, and eventually it reached my ears many years later. She told this person that we can do spiritual work in the past. In other words, if we make suggestions in the present, we can reset our past selves. Wild, right?So I sat down and tried it. I made the mental suggestion in May that all along, throughout the school year, I had been serving everyone heartfully, in tune with my goal. The amazing thing was that as I made this positive suggestion I could feel pieces of the past year shifting back into balance, like a mixed-up puzzle where the pieces assemble themselves. I was resetting my goal for my past self. I felt it working. So cool. So wonderful. So grateful.<hr><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/rediscovering_my_purpose3_74b7a897c4.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-06T12:23:10.956Z" alt=""><hr><hr><h5>The main point is that I realized I don’t want to&nbsp; ever give myself wounds again. I love my practice.&nbsp; It keeps me balanced and takes me to my goal.</h5><hr><hr>What is the moral of this story? Let’s be clear that I do not believe there’s a “get out of jail free” card if I just redouble my efforts and make positive suggestions from the present to my past self. This is not the lesson, although I am grateful that I’ve found what I needed to heal my wounds. The main point is that I realized I don’t want to ever give myself wounds again. I love my practice. It keeps me balanced and takes me to my goal. Like Dorothy says at the end of The Wizard of Oz, “I’m not going to leave here ever, ever again.” I’m lucky to have this nice moral to my story, because it could have been much worse. I have pretty good grounds for feeling optimistic, and I’m grateful to be home.<hr><hr><h4>Illustrations by ANANYA PATEL</h4><hr>

Rediscovering my purpose

Shiwani Gurwara

<h4>SHIWANI GURWARA shares her personal experience of learning to speak less and listen more, and how she is learning to improve the quality of her listening.</h4>
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In the last few years there have been many times when I have decided that I will learn to talk less and listen more. Being quite a loner, there are long periods of time when I am totally by myself, so somehow I feel I am trying to make up for lost time when I do interact and meet people. However, I recently started my journey towards becoming a Life Coach and there was something I discovered on the way – something that I would like to share.
<h4>Why so much talk?</h4>
Personally, there seems to be so much to share. I feel that I should put my opinion out there. At a conscious level, the intention for saying stuff is completely altruistic. I feel that what I have to say may help someone else in their life, their thoughts and decisions.
I have come to realize with introspection that this need to talk and share all that I know on a topic comes from a belief that “I know.” It is a belief that tells me that I have the right answers and can positively influence others in some way.
Irrespective of the fact that the talking comes from good intention, it is an arrogant thought to believe that I have any kind of power to change or influence others. I have learnt to respect that every person has their own life, their own individual personality, values, beliefs and circumstances, and they have every right to live it and think about it in their own way. The one thing that helped me achieve this was to look at every human being (and animal) as a soul.
<h4> Types of listening</h4>
At times we are not listening at all. This is what we call inactive listening. While we may be able to hear the words that are being said, we are not really listening. In such a situation, we find ourselves wandering off or asking the other person what they just said. All of us are guilty of such listening at times – at parties, with children, in conferences etc.
Conversational listening is the most common type of listening. This is when we are talking to a friend, colleague or relative, merely keeping up with what is being discussed. The moment something that is more interesting pops up, we listen more intently to them.
Deep listening is not something that most of us do. This is the kind of listening where you don’t listen just to the words that are being said, but those that are not being said, too. It is listening with all your senses including the sixth sense that can give you insight into the other person.
How to listen well? How to listen well? All of us have our own reasons why we are not able to listen well. While some of us may be plain bored in a situation, others may be preoccupied with something else. If you feel that you need to listen better, ask yourself some of these questions, as I did:
Do I feel that I know how this person will end his sentence and therefore finish it for him or her? 
Do I want them to get to the point quickly? 
Do I feel I am wasting my time listening to jabber that I already know? 
Do I not listen because I disagree with the other person’s point of view and block it out? 
Am I just not interested in this person? 
Am I so preoccupied with my own life that I do not want to take time out to listen to another? 
Am I so arrogant that I feel I know what the other person may want to communicate?
Identifying the barriers that do not allow us to listen well is half the battle won. I did this for myself, and the points I ticked above were too many! The trick, I guess, is to be conscious of these in every conversation, and check yourself when you feel you are getting into any of these modes. I have hope! Practice makes perfect and over time we can replace old habits with new ones. So, all the best if you are someone like me, trying to learn to talk less and listen more.
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<h4 style="text-align: center;">Article by SHIWANI GURWARA 
Illustration by JASMEE RATHOD</h4>
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The art of listening

Acharya Shree Varma, also known as Dr. Krishna Varma, comes from a lineage of Ayurvedic doctors who have been practicing for over four centuries. With a vision to share this wisdom with the wider humanity, he founded the Shree Varma Organization in 2001.

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Shree Varma

<h4>ACHARYA SHREE VARMA comes from a lineage of Ayurvedic doctors who have been practicing for over four centuries. With a vision to share this wisdom with the wider humanity, he founded the Shree Varma Organization in 2001. &nbsp;Here, he is interviewed by MARION MARCEAU from the Heartfulness Yoga Academy about the Ayurvedic approach to mental health.</h4>Q: Hello, Dr. Shree Varma, welcome. You are from a long lineage of Ayurvedic practitioners. Could you tell us a little bit about your background?SV: Happy to meet you, Marion. I’m from the Durango tradition and my birth village is on the border of Tamil Nadu and the Kerala Kanyakumari district in South India. The family has treated chronic ailments with Ayurveda, yoga and varma for nine generations. I’m the first graduate in Ayurvedic medicine from the family. My father believed that Ayurveda has been proven over centuries, but he also wanted me to be qualified and sent me to Chennai to Dr. MGR Medical University to do a Bachelor of Ayurveda Medicine and Surgery. From that degree, I have the title Ayurveda&nbsp;acharya.We teach preventive healthcare for a disease-free life, maintaining positive health in a healthy person, and curing diseases with the help of Ayurveda, yoga and&nbsp;varma.Q: What is the relationship between yoga and Ayurveda?SV: Ayurveda is not a medical science alone. We say it is shraddhayu – if someone has the desire to live for 100 years without disease, Ayurveda will teach that philosophy and the associated principles, and it has three different dimensions.<figure class="image image-style-align-center"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/mental_wellbeing_ayurveda2_c2e3b8b3f3.jpg"></figure>The first is prevention: the guidelines of dinacharya, the daily regimen, and ritucharya, the seasonal regimen. It speaks about the principles of life, how to start the day, how to design your day. It prescribes a healthy life. You get up one and a half hours before sunrise and start your day with breathing practices. And it speaks about meditation, and physical exercise. So the first priority in the morning is yoga to ensure a healthy life of 100 years.&nbsp;What is the definition of health in Ayurveda? A blissful state of body, mind, and soul. We talk about equilibrium of the energy in the physical doshas,&nbsp;vata, pitta, and&nbsp;kapha; and balancing the emotional&nbsp;doshas for the mind,&nbsp;sattva, rajas, and tamas. So, start your day with yoga to lead a healthy life. That is&nbsp;dinacharya, how to design your day.&nbsp;And ritucharya describes how to adjust the daily routine as the seasons change – what to eat, how to drink, how to breathe, how to keep your physical body and mind flexible, and your soul peaceful. They decide your inner health. So Ayurveda and yoga are absolutely interconnected.&nbsp;<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">The first is prevention:&nbsp; the guidelines of dinacharya, the daily regimen,&nbsp; and ritucharya, the seasonal regimen.&nbsp; It speaks about the principles of life,&nbsp; how to start the day,&nbsp; how to design your day.&nbsp; It prescribes a healthy life.</h4><hr>The first philosophy of Ayurveda is preventive health – yoga and meditation. The second philosophy is about cures. For someone who doesn’t practice yoga, doesn’t take care of their body and mind, there is the possibility of disease due to improper food, improper lifestyle, accidents, infections, and&nbsp;heredity.There are causative factors that produce toxins in the body, leading to disease. So, Ayurveda cures from the root cause, so how to disconnect from the causative factors is the first line of treatment. First, understand what has produced the disease, then practice&nbsp;pratyahara by disconnecting from the disturbing substances, or withdrawing from your senses, which give you discomfort inside. Once the disconnection is done, then the treatment can start.&nbsp;Treatment is based on curative principles that have to be followed until the healing completes. When someone doesn’t follow them, they don’t heal from the root, so the disease becomes deep-rooted, and it is termed incurable. Even if your disease is termed incurable, Ayurveda says that an excellent physician can teach you how to heal yourself. With the practices of yoga and the medicines that eliminate toxins, the physician can guide the patient to recover permanently. Somebody has to handhold and support the patient –&nbsp;it can be a yoga teacher, a doctor, or a family member. They give confidence and aid in recovery. However, unless the patient makes an effort, recovery is a challenge.So Ayurveda looks at prevention, cure, and rehabilitation,&nbsp;and&nbsp;reduces the suffering of miseries. When Ayurveda and yoga are combined, we can reduce the suffering of the individual. Yoga is a tool for Ayurveda to help the patient not necessarily recover, but at least stabilize their health.&nbsp;<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">So Ayurveda looks at prevention, cure, and rehabilitation, and reduces the suffering of miseries.</h4><hr><figure class="image image-style-align-center"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/mental_wellbeing_ayurveda3_0f196a3219.jpg"></figure>Q: How does Ayurveda tackle mental health? Is it something new or is mental health something that has been treated for a long time in Ayurveda?SV: Ayurveda specializes in healing the mind. We look at a human being as a combination of five&nbsp;koshas: Annamaya, Pranamaya, Manomaya, Vignanamaya and&nbsp;Anandamaya, the metaphorical layers that comprise the human body and mind, and house the soul.&nbsp;An excellent physician of Ayurveda learns how to heal through these five&nbsp;koshas. The&nbsp;Annamaya kosha&nbsp;is the very basic structure of you, and the&nbsp;Pranamaya kosha is the energy that connects the human body and mind. The&nbsp;Manomaya kosha is very dominant in a human, as manushya comes from the Sanskrit&nbsp;manas, meaning mind. A human being is absolutely mind dominated in their world.&nbsp;Any sickness that comes starts from the koshta, the stomach, and affects the&nbsp;Annamaya kosha, the physical body; and when it’s not taken care of, it affects the Pranamaya kosha,which then makes an impact on the&nbsp;Manomaya kosha.As human beings, we have emotions.When the emotional challenges or requirements are not properly addressed, we encounter an improper lifestyle, improper association of people, improper understanding of emotions. This leaves samskaras or impressions on the mind. When they are not properly cleaned, this emotional imbalance can impact the&nbsp;Pranamaya kosha, which in turn can bring on the onset of physical diseases.&nbsp;In Ayurveda, although we address all five&nbsp;koshas, the&nbsp;Manomaya kosha is very, very important.&nbsp;In this we differ from allopathic medicine, which says that diseases are either curable or incurable. Ayurveda says that when you define a disease as&nbsp;“incurable,” the mind takes it very strongly, feels nothing can be done, and won’t make an effort to cure it. There is a lot of research and good documentation on the benefits of Ayurveda; even our ancestors committed themselves to write about everything they did. But we don’t rely only on these papers.We look at the person as a living example of this.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;A good physician takes his knowledge as a base, and with every patient he decides how Ayurveda can improve their life. Whether it is an emotional challenge, a mental disorder, or a physical problem, we take a positive approach to healing and convey to their mind, “Yes, it’s possible to cure you.” Of course, they have to make the effort, otherwise it’s a false promise – we help them to cure themselves. The physician, the medicine, the therapies, yoga and meditation, all comprise 75% of the healing; the remaining 25%, the rogi&nbsp;or the sufferer, must believe it’s possible to recover and make an effort to work toward it.&nbsp;<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">It gives a lot of confidence,&nbsp; a lot of energy inside, &nbsp;to understand what is happening in your mind.&nbsp; Ayurveda has a very deep&nbsp; understanding of the mind.</h4><hr>If the patient is not able to put in the effort, Ayurveda treats the&nbsp;Annamaya kosha, the physical body. It does the detox and teaches the basic breathing practices. That’s the&nbsp;Pranamaya kosha, which gives energy. When the&nbsp;Annamaya kosha has toxicity, trying to reach the&nbsp;Pranamaya kosha is difficult. After the&nbsp;Annamaya kosha is cleansed through the&nbsp;Panchakarma, you can start very simple breathing practices.It gives a lot of confidence, a lot of energy inside, to understand what is happening&nbsp;in your mind.&nbsp;Ayurveda has a very deep understanding of the mind. So treating emotional challenges are easy with Ayurveda and yoga.I really like the teamwork between the patient and the therapists, the doctor and the yoga teacher, to restore health. I really feel it is important. We start from the physical body by doing a detox. This generates energy and also helps the mind so the patient can take over their own healing.&nbsp;To be continued.<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">Illustrations by JASMEE MUDGAL</h4><hr>&nbsp;

Mental well-being and Ayurveda

Treating emotional challenges

ACHARYA SHREE VARMA comes from a lineage of Ayurvedic doctors who have been practicing for over four centuries. In part 2 of an interview by MARION MARCEAU from the Heartfulness Yoga Academy, he goes into more depth about the Ayurvedic approach to mental health. Q: Are there specific treatments in Ayurveda for mental well-being o you use medicines?&nbsp; SV: We should first understand that the mind is a spectrum, not a structure. For the physical body, the Annamaya kosha, we need medicine. For the Pranamaya kosha, we need the breath, energy. When these two layers are addressed, then it’s very easy for the physician and the patient to understand the mind. The mind is the connective material which connects the Annamaya kosha with the Pranamaya kosha, and together they connect with the Vignanamaya kosha, which connects the body with the soul, the atman.&nbsp;The mind is a spectrum, but how do we see inside the mind? There is a remote wireless connection that our eyes can’t see. The body and the soul are connected by the mind, so how do they connect? In Ayurveda, there exist seven major chakras and 108 minor chakras that we call marmas, which are energy points. How do emotions operate through these energy centers? It depends on what we eat. And not only what we eat; the body needs all the pancha bhutas, the nutritional substances, for its survival. The body consumes food, water, and oxygen, without which metabolism is not possible.&nbsp;So what is food for the mind? It’s very simple. The mind is nourished by what we see, hear, do, and feel; and with these emotions, the mind moves between the past, present, and future. The mind never stays in a particular space, it’s always moving.&nbsp;Solidity is the nature of Earth, fluidity is the nature of water, heat is the nature of fire, and mobility or challenge is the nature of the mind. So, the mind moves from past to present to future. Those Ayurvedic doctors who work with varma (marma) are known as varmanis and practice the secret art of divine healing. They know about emotions.What are these basic energies? How do they move in our seven major chakras, and how do they create changes in the 108 marmas? The varman treatment is given to eliminate the toxins of the body. And the practices of yoga are given to clean the impressions from the mind. This is the way we treat emotional issues.In today’s environment, people are often really stressed and face challenges at work. We can’t get away from mobile phones and screens. Even when we don’t want to, there is always some reason to be in front of a screen. Our senses are challenged, we see and hear things that maybe we shouldn’t; it’s very difficult to protect ourselves from that.&nbsp;Q: So let’s say a patient comes to your clinic with a sleep disorder, burnt out, depressed, or anxious, will you start directly with a Panchakarma detox? How will you help them to come out of the situation?&nbsp;SV: Ayurveda looks at a human being as a whole. We are the combination of a physical body, energy body, emotional body, intellectual body, and spiritual body. So when we do a basic assessment of the illness, we look at where the patient has challenges, in which layer they have the impurities.&nbsp;We do a diagnosis, we listen to the challenges they are facing. Can we treat them simply on the basis of this? No, because they are in a disturbed and difficult state, and they’re complaining, not explaining. Instead, we use our training and experience to understand the causative factors. To reconfirm the causative factors, we read the pulse, the nadi pariksha, to gauge how energy is traveling in them. Is it vata, pitta, or kapha in the Annamaya kosha? Any trained Ayurveda doctor is able to diagnose what is happening by checking the nadi. Then, with the Pranamaya and Manomaya koshas, we feel the flow of energy.&nbsp;When we are touching the nadi, we connect our energy with the patient’s and understand which layer is affected. Treatment will start from the Annamaya kosha. If palliative treatment is needed, we give only herbs; but when the toxins are deep rooted, we recommend Panchakarma, the intensive 14 to 21 days of detox to ensure that the accumulated toxins are eliminated. This is followed by potentiated medicines, and energy to heal the mind. Ayurveda teaches that we are not just a structure or a substance, we are the energy inside the substance.First, we detox the physical body, then we guide the patient on how energy can heal them.<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">The mind is nourished by what we see, hear, do, and feel; and with these emotions, the mind moves between the past, present, and future.&nbsp;</h4><hr><figure class="image image_resized" style="width:50%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/inner_flowering2_1875e0bd07.webp" alt="inner-flowering2.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_inner_flowering2_1875e0bd07.webp 110w," sizes="100vw"></figure>&nbsp;Q: It’s very beautiful how you give the power to the patient to heal themselves. It’s restoring the healing power within the person for a mental disorder, which may have occurred through some imbalance in the body. SV: Yes, it can be something common like sleeplessness or it can be schizophrenia. For both, we look at what impact it is having on the emotional level, on the mind. The brain is the structure, the hardware; but we work with the software, the mind. And the effect isn’t only on the brain. It can be on the whole central nervous system, from the brain to the base of the spine. The nervous system directly connects with our endocrine glands, and it connects with our chakras. The gut has neurons, and our thyroid, thymus, and sex hormones are interconnected with the nervous system. &nbsp; Modern scientific research shows that we have neurons in the brain, nano-neurons in the thyroid, and micro-nano-neurons in the thymus. Centuries ago, Ayurveda and yoga established that the mind operates with our chakras, so when we accumulate toxins in different chakras, they manifest through different signs and symptoms. In modern medicine, the diagnosis says, “These are the symptoms, this is the disease.” We don’t look at symptoms first, we look at energy. We treat the human, and the symptoms are cured.&nbsp;Food is important, sexual activity is important, and sleep is important for a human being to maintain a healthy life. When sleep is disturbed, we ask, “What is the causative factor?” Prolonged screen time is one factor – we spend a lot of time on our mobiles and the internet. Too much of anything is not good for us. A sedentary life, excessive eating, not enough exercise – all of these are contributing factors. We need moderation.&nbsp;<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">To reconfirm the causative factors, we read the pulse, the nadi pariksha, to gauge how energy is traveling in them.</h4><hr>When you approach an Ayurvedic doctor, they won’t say “Stop all these things,” but rather “Reduce them, and make every effort to recover from your illness.” And when you start reducing from within, you can get out of anything that is not allowing you to progress. All human beings have a basic desire to be healthy and happy, and happiness is directly proportional to your state of health. Science today talks about the happy hormones, like oxytocin and serotonin. Stay far from everything that elevates stress hormones and fear hormones. Anything that makes you flower inside, add to your life.&nbsp;<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:50%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/inner_flowering3_31a47383cf.webp" alt="inner-flowering3.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_inner_flowering3_31a47383cf.webp 127w," sizes="100vw"></figure> Q: That’s a very nice philosophy – add what makes you happy and remove what makes you stressed to keep a mental balance in this chaotic world.&nbsp;So, when patients are very agitated, are there key points they can follow to remain happy, to remain balanced? SV: Ayurveda talks about prevention, cure, and rehabilitation. We have a very clear understanding that only 10% of people have a physical problem that needs treatment. The other 90% are healthy. But 90% of people have emotional challenges, so they are on the waiting list to contract a disease. These emotional challenges can lead to disease if they are not properly addressed. When the disease is not cured, it turns into a chronic disease, and you think it is incurable.&nbsp;<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">Anything that makes you flower inside, add to your life.</h4><hr><figure class="image image_resized" style="width:50%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/inner_flowering4_522f43f789.webp" alt="inner-flowering4.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_inner_flowering4_522f43f789.webp 103w," sizes="100vw"></figure>&nbsp;Try to learn yoga and understand Ayurveda for a healthy life. It’s important what time you get up and it matters how you start your day. It’s like preparing for a marathon: the first step you take matters, how you train every day. It makes you stronger if you have the highest goal in life. Start the day with meditation. Do some physical activity – it can be asanas, cycling, running, walking, or swimming. Whatever it is, your physical body needs training at least six days a week, one hour a day. Then, concentrate on your work. You will deliver 100%. At the end of the day, sit and recollect the day – what unwanted things have you accumulated in your emotions? Do a cleaning practice. When you go to bed, be in a prayerful mood. These three things are mandatory. This is the takeaway.&nbsp;<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:50%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/inner_flowering5_c49f85caa8.webp" alt="inner-flowering5.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_inner_flowering5_c49f85caa8.webp 113w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/small_inner_flowering5_c49f85caa8.webp 361w," sizes="100vw"></figure><hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">It’s important what time you get up and it matters how you start your day. It’s like preparing for a marathon: the first step you take matters, how you train every day.</h4><hr>&nbsp;You can learn a cleaning practice from trained yoga teachers and Ayurveda doctors who are connected with Heartfulness. They know how to guide you in all these practices. Going to sleep with a prayerful attitude makes you healthy and happy. If you have challenges, don’t hesitate to reach us. We are here to help you to have a healthy and happy life. Thank you Marion. Q: Thank you very much.<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">Illustrations by JASMEE MUDGAL</h4><hr>&nbsp;

Inner flowering

Shruti Negi

<h4>SHRUTI NEGI tells us how she cherishes friendship and the qualities she values most among friends.</h4><hr>I value honesty the most in a friendship. Two people truly honest with each other can create a strong bond, which is required for a long-lasting relationship. If you are honest with a friend, you don’t have to hide anything or lie. You both will understand each other anyway.As a friend, I wish to be a caregiver and a listener. If I can truly understand my friends’ feelings, I can maintain the sacred communication between us. I may not solve problems, but I can listen.Being heard is the best feeling in friendship. It gives us the feeling that we have a stress-buster for every upcoming situation. We can never be alone in our good and bad times as long as we have good friends. It has changed my outlook. I started believing that the world can be a better place. Around friends, we are complete.Freedom of speech is very important, and with a friend we know we have that. Having a friend is like having an extended family.

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