Executive Chef Vijay was born in India, graduated from the National Business Management College in Sydney, Australia, then cooked in Thailand, New York, and now Dallas, TX. His samosas and chutneys topped celebrity Bobby Flay’s show, Beat Bobby Flay, and he has appeared on the Food Network’s Cutthroat Kitchen.

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Vijay Sahu

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<h4>VIJAY SADHU is a perfectionist. Whether he is standing in the kitchen of one of
 his many successful restaurants in the United States, competing with Bobby Flay, or simply sitting in meditation,
 Chef Vijay determinedly puts his heart into everything he does. The result? Great food that is filled with love,
 hardearned and well-deserved success, and a daily effort to show up as his best possible self. Sitting at a table at
 Fausto’s, Kanha Shanti Vanam’s Italian Restaurant, he shares more about his passion for cooking and his journey of
 becoming a chef with MAMATA VENKAT, how finding a Guru and diving into
 spirituality changed his attitude in the kitchen, and how all of his experiences have shaped his most important
 role: being a parent.</h4>
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Q: Chef, how did you discover your passion for being in the kitchen?
VS: My experience was very different. I was more
 into dancing when I was growing up, and I was part of a band that my friends used to have. I moved out of home when
 I was 15, and from that age I never depended on anyone. I was a dropout because of the band. We were performing a
 show in a hotel in Hyderabad, and the venue was right next to the kitchen. I was smelling the aroma and air of
 beautiful food, and I said, “Oh my gosh, this is so incredible!”
My eldest brother was a chef. My parents were worried about me. They were like, “What is
 this guy? He doesn’t want to go to school. He doesn’t want to go to college.” I was very careless. I didn’t really
 worry too much. 
 I said, “Take it as it comes.” 
 I started liking cooking, food, and serving people. There was no grandmother inspiration or mother inspiration. I’m
 a self-made person. I started working as an apprentice for some of the big hotel chains. Then, I had the opportunity
 to go to the U.S. at the age of 18 and ended up in Manhattan. There I started working for some of the best
 restaurants, peeling onions, and doing behind-the-scenes work. It was all old-school style.
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Q: What does the journey look like for someone who is trying to be a world-famous
 chef?
VS: Back in the day, not every chef went to
 college. I didn’t go to college to begin with. After working in New York, I made some money, and then I thought
 about going to college. I moved to India for six months, worked for one of the top hotel chains, and wanted to be at
 the management level, but people would say, “No, you don’t have a degree, so you can’t be a manager”. I thought that
 was discrimination, but while having tea with a cousin of mine, looking at a newspaper, I saw something about study
 abroad in Australia. So I packed my bags and moved to Australia. There I finished my hotel management degree right
 off the bat. I worked for a good restaurant there, and then I moved back to the U.S. again. That’s when I really
 started.
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<h5 style="text-align: center;">Whatever I did, I put my heart into it. 
 That’s number one. I don’t compromise at all.</h5>


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Q: What kind of attitude did you have in order to create success for yourself?

VS: From day one, I wanted to be a perfectionist in
 everything that I did. I don’t waste my time. If I do something, I’ll do it perfectly, otherwise I’ll say, “I don’t
 think this is for me” or “I’m not ready for this.” I don’t experiment with things, except recipes. That’s how I
 started working for some great chefs.
I had an opportunity to open my own restaurant in Milwaukee when I was a young guy,
 probably 29 or 30. It was called Saffron Bistro, with a lot of European influence, and it was rated one of the best
 restaurants in the world by Bon Appetit Magazine. My restaurant was a small hole in the wall, no bar, just tables
 and the food, some wines.
From there, it just kept growing, growing, growing. I appeared on television with other
 chefs, I was on the cover of a lot of magazines in New York and Milwaukee, and then I moved to India again. I came
 with my family here and opened a restaurant in Hyderabad. But the mentality didn’t suit me, so I packed my bags and
 moved back to the U.S. again. I opened a beautiful restaurant in Dallas called Northwest Frontier Cuisine. I
 prepared a lot of kebabs and barbequed food. My restaurant was once again rated one of the top restaurants in
 Dallas. I was the first Indian person to do that.
There I was blessed to work under one of the best chefs in the world, Steven Pyles, the
 father of Southwestern cuisine, who invented Tex-Mex. He pulled me out and said, “Hey, why don’t you work with me?”
 I worked for him, and then opened a restaurant called Sutra, with a Portuguese-Spanish influence and an Indian
 touch. It did phenomenally well. Whatever I did, I put my heart into it. That’s number one. I don’t compromise at
 all.
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Q: I imagine that you apply that mentality of perfectionism to your meditation
 practice. What drew you to spirituality and, specifically, to Heartfulness?
VS: In 1998, my brother said, “Hey, why don’t you
 try Heartfulness?” 
 I said, “What is that?” 
 From my childhood, I was never into idol worship. I used to go to the temple with my parents, but I wasn’t really
 into it, although I believe there is a God. I started Heartfulness, and met the Guide, Chariji, in 1998 in Austin,
 did for a month, but I didn’t continue. I was back to my usual stuff. People do service, and cooking for people is
 my kind of service.
Two and a half years ago, I met my wife, who was into Heartfulness, and the first thing
 I told her was, “Don’t try to get me into Heartfulness.” One day, Daaji started coming in front of me in subtle
 form. There was a Heartfulness trainer in Dallas and I went to him and said, “I want to have a meditation session.”
 So I never stopped. I know we all miss parts of the practice here and there, but as I mentioned to you earlier, if I
 like something, I do it.
The first book I ever read was Designing Destiny from cover to cover. I’d never
 finished a book before. It changed my perception about lifestyle and everything. I used to eat meat, breakfast,
 lunch and dinner, but after finishing Designing Destiny I stopped eating meat right away. I used to smoke
 and I just said no and stopped right away. It’s not just respect for the guru; I love him. I’ve started to really
 miss him from the bottom of my heart. I used to only listen to hip-hop and jazz, Cuban jazz. That’s what pumped me
 up in the kitchen or in my car. After finishing that book, now I listen to Babuji’s talks. It changed me so much, my
 way of thinking.
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Q: Do you think that the love for this practice and the connection with your guide has
 positively impacted the way that your food turns out?
VS: I always cooked with love from the beginning. I
 used to call it focus. My mentors taught me that it was all about consistency, quality, using proper ingredients,
 and then putting love, putting your heart and cooking. That’s always been there. It wasn’t because of Heartfulness,
 but Heartfulness added a layer to it.
When I came to Kanha two and a half years ago, I visited Daaji. He looked at me, shook
 my hand, and that was it. Later, my brother came, so I went with my brother to Daaji’s apartment. While leaving, at
 the entrance, I started crying. It just happened. And I didn’t know why I was crying. It was like a child missing
 his mom.
My desire was always to cook for Daaji, and during this visit I started cooking for him
 from the first day. Until today, I’ve been cooking for him. That connection between him and I – I don’t ask for
 anything. I don’t want to ask for anything because I don’t need to. I took a break for two days and went to Vizag
 with my wife. I literally started crying in the cab, saying, “Honey, let’s go back. I miss him.” I don’t expect
 anything from him.
When I open my eyes, I think of him. That has improved my cooking a lot. My flavors have
 changed. The way I cook vegetables is different. The way I use spices. The way I create dishes is natural,
 spontaneous, and it just comes automatically now. When I cook for him, I don’t have to plan, it just comes. My love
 toward food has gone up tremendously. It has improved so much.

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<h5 style="text-align: center;">The way I create dishes is natural, spontaneous, 
 and it just comes automatically now. 
 My love toward food has gone up tremendously. 
 It has improved so much.</h5>


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Q: How do you think your attitude in the kitchen has changed?
VS: There was a tremendous change after practicing
 Heartfulness. Three years ago, when I worked for the W Hotel, I was very tough and very straightforward, I would
 never compromise, and I would yell at my staff. At the end of the day, we all have emotions, so we need to balance
 them. People would sabotage me because I was tough. Ego was there. I was in competition, I was in the newspapers, in
 magazines, and it was a big deal. People would come from the East Coast to try my food. I always wanted more. My
 dream was to get a James Beard Award.
My ego started melting because of this practice. In general, I don’t like to show off,
 and I’m mellow, easy, I need my space. I took Daaji’s advice on how to change, how to look at things in a positive
 way. I had problems with everybody. I looked at the right way, but I didn’t compromise. I wouldn’t let things go.
 Now, every day, I park at my same spot, and before I go inside to work, I pray. I have seen the change, how people
 started approaching me in a positive way. They started approaching me in the kitchen, and that is a big plus.
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Q: Your path during your teens and twenties was unconventional. It was not a
 stereotypical, linear path. I imagine that your parents had moments of deep stress, concern and worry. How has
 your experience impacted the way you parent? What advice would you give to people who are in their teens and
 early twenties who want to follow their passions?
VS: I don’t tell my kids what to do, and what not
 to do. All I tell them is to focus, and put a lot of your love in whatever you do. Don’t give up. Stick to your
 passions. Don’t jump from here to there. Don’t be fickle. Think always that there is a God that is helping you, that
 is always there for you. I don’t see what they study. I don’t go through their homework. I don’t do any of that. I
 am teaching them to be independent, but I’m there for them all the time. With my experiences of what I did in the
 past – smoking and drinking and relationships – I do tell them to be careful.
Every human being makes mistakes. Just don’t repeat the mistakes. I tell my daughter,
 who is sixteen, “If you get a ticket, you will have to pay for it, not just money, but you will have to pay the
 consequences. Do you really want to go through that, or do you just want to be careful?” 
 My son is nineteen: “I know what you do. I’m not asking, but cut it off, don’t do it.” Why? This is the reason. I
 don’t just tell them,“Don’t do it,” I give my own examples as a father and friend to show them why it’s important to
 be careful.

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<h5 style="text-align: center;">I don’t tell my kids what to do, 
 and what not to do. 
 All I tell them is to focus, 
 and put a lot of your love 
 in whatever you do.
</h5>


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We are missing that relatability between parent and child. Most parents are very
 controlling and they want their children to be doctors and engineers because they are doctors and engineers. But it
 doesn’t make any sense at all. If you want to be a painter, be a painter. If you want to be a magician, be the best
 magician out there. That’s what I tell my children. Be who you are.
We work for money, but that is wrong. Work with compassion, work with love. If you’re
 really interested, do what you want to do. In any field, there is no limit. If you want to be a carpenter, you can
 be the best carpenter. If you want to be a teacher, you can be the best teacher. If you want to be a chef, you can
 be the best chef. That’s how I look at things.
Q: What is the one lesson that has resonated in every moment of your life?
VS: I say, “Be in love, just focus, and think that
 your Beloved is doing everything.” You are just an instrument. Be a perfectionist. Whatever you do, do it perfectly.

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<h5 style="text-align: center;">Work with compassion, work with love. 
 If you’re really interested, 
 do what you want to do. 
 In any field, there is no limit.
</h5>


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<h4 style="text-align: center;">Interview by MAMATA VENKAT</h4>

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The heartful chef

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<h3 class="has-black-color has-text-color">
 Chef VIJAY SAHU has cooked his way from India to Australia, and across
 Thailand, New York, and now Dallas, TX.&nbsp;Here he shares his thoughts on
 preparing a very special meal from the heart, and how important it is to
 fill the food with love.
</h3>

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<h2 class="text-left">
 What is heartful
 cooking?
</h2>


 In my view, it is to cook food with love, compassion and gratitude; to cook
 food in remembrance with a balanced mind; and to eat food in a prayerful
 mood.


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<div class="text-center">
 <img alt="heartful-cooking" class="lazyload has-img-center"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/heartful_cooking3_042b4d7426.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-12T07:12:21.954Z" />
</div>

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Here are 10 tips for heartful cooking:

1. Food needs to be simple, fresh, healthy, and tasty.&nbsp;


 2. Cook with a focused mind by centering yourself, and cook food with love
 from your heart.


3. Never cook in a rush.&nbsp;

4. Follow the techniques to create a well-balanced meal.

5. Maintain hygiene in the kitchen and cook in a cleanly manner.

6. Select quality organic ingredients where possible.&nbsp;

7. Serve food with a loving attitude.

8. Eat in a prayerful mood with gratitude.

9. Cook perfectly – not well or great but perfectly.

10. Never waste food because food is prasad from God.

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<div class="block-image">
 <figure class="has-img-center" style="width: 700px !important">
 <img alt="heartful-cooking" class="lazyload w-100"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/heartful_cooking2_9e559f1548.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-12T07:45:48.919Z" />
 <figcaption>Pickled beets, poached tomatoes, star fruit, micro nasturtiums</figcaption>
 </figure>
</div>

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<h4 class="text-center">
 Cook with a focused
 mind by centering yourself, and cook food with love from your heart.
</h4>

<hr />


 Before my visit to Kanha Shanti Vanam earlier this year, I had a strong will
 to cook a Sufi meal for around 300 of the participants of the 150th
 birth anniversary of Lalaji. Sufi cuisine is a combination of Turkish,
 Lebanese, and Persian flavors. I didn’t know how and where I could find
 people to help me with the cooking as well as serving, so I prayed and
 received help from one of the well-known culinary institutes in Hyderabad. I
 didn’t know any of these students, and had never cooked with them. Nor had
 they heard of Sufi cuisine and they were totally new to this world. But I
 had strong faith in my Master, which helped me during the event.


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<div class="block-image">
 <figure class="has-img-center" style="width: 600px !important">
 <img alt="heartful-cooking" class="lazyload w-100"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/heartful_cooking4_eb69b8d62b.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-12T07:52:13.765Z" />
 <figcaption>
 Karinyarik, mujadra, garlic sauce, zaatar oil, gulab
 </figcaption>
</div>

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<div class="block-image">
 <figure class="has-img-center" style="width: 600px !important">
 <img alt="heartful-cooking" class="lazyload w-100"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/heartful_cooking5_0abb73458f.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-12T07:53:37.368Z" />
 <figcaption>Falafel</figcaption>
</div>


 With my will and faith in him, I built my confidence in cooking. During the
 entire evening my focus was only on cooking – how to get authentic flavors
 and presentation to make everyone happy. Without my Master’s help and
 support, I don’t think the event would have been successful. I am 100%
 convinced that it could happen only because of faith and confidence in
 him.&nbsp;


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<div class="block-image">
 <figure class="has-img-center" style="width: 492px !important">
 <img alt="heartful-cooking" class="lazyload w-100"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/heartful_cooking6_7fce6f2b84.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-12T07:54:40.207Z" />
 <figcaption>
 Arugula salad, labneh, sour beet jam, sweet mustard drizzle
 </figcaption>
</div>
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 I have started applying this new technique both in my spiritual and culinary
 journey. Daaji gave me one piece of advice, which I will remember forever,
 and that is “Listen to your Heart while cooking.” This is really helping me
 a lot.


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<div class="block-image">
 <figure class="has-img-center" style="width: 492px !important">
 <img alt="heartful-cooking" class="lazyload w-100"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/heartful_cooking7_8cdee4176d.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-12T07:55:49.331Z" />
 <figcaption>Aush reshteh soup</figcaption>
</div>

10 tips for heartful cooking

Viji Balasubramanian is a counsellor and professional coach who lives in the U.S.A. &nbsp;With a background in biomedical clinical research and academia, she later became a psychologist and professional coach, empowering people from all walks of life to maximise their potential and shape their well-being and success. She coordinates the Heartfulness CARE for Cancer Program, and is a Heartfulness trainer and practitioner.

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Viji Balasubramanian

<h4 style="text-align: justify;">VIJI BALASUBRAMANIAN takes us, along with her family, on a journey of discovery and
 bonding in a tiger reserve in Kerala India.</h4>
<hr />
<img class="img-float-right has-img-center-in-mobile"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/magnificent_mother_nature_img_1_dbe918cb43.jpg?updated_at=2023-03-29T11:06:17.407Z"
 alt="mother-nature-tiger" width="400" style="width: 400px !important;" />The plan was to take a trip with our
 extended family during the school holidays. We remembered a talk given by Ms Srilekha Venkateswar from The Wild Walk
 (www.thewildwalk.com) at our school’s annual day function. She said that today’s parents think they are bonding with
 their children in front of the TV or in the shopping mall, but that’s not bonding. Real bonding is when we are
 together in Nature, one with our natures, one with each other – our humble selves with magnificent Mother Nature. So,
 off we went, young, old, all in tow, to the Parambikulam Forest Tiger Preserve in Kerala, southern India.
Those four days were filled with so much serenity. I found myself going down on my knees
 to my children’s height while we chatted and it seemed so much more connected. We drank tea from the hut of an 80-year
 old man who was not a tribal native, but had come there as a young man to help build the dams. He had so many stories.
 His self-sufficiency and ability to walk effortlessly through the slopes of the forest were amazing. We slept in tents
 that were so simple yet very modern and convenient. Peacocks climbed on the roofs of the tents and all night long they
 kept ‘talking’ to each other.
<hr />

<h5 style="text-align: center;">All zipped up in a tent … 
 Excited to be in the jungle … 
 Alligators basking in the sun … 
 Peacocks by the dozen, dancing 
 in their colours … 
 Elephants in plenty caring for 
 one baby calf … 
 Spotted and Samba deers with 
 their beautiful eyes … 
 The majestic Indian Gaur … 
 I think I almost saw the flower 
 fairies … maybe in my heart. 
 Magical, 
 magical, 
 magical.</h5>
<hr />
The morning walk by the river was gorgeous. “Look mom, elephant poop. Wow it is huge!”
 My daughter had her binoculars and was able to see the Malabar kingfisher and the hornbills. So many peacocks graced
 our morning walks with their pretty dances.
The astonishing thing was that these safari rides, boat rides and walks filled us inside
 out in a strange way. We would come back for food and respite and everybody would be silent. Just as I thought, “Maybe
 they are getting bored,” somebody would pipe up, “Did you see that Malabar squirrel and the way it was moving from
 branch to branch?” or “Did you see the Langoor black monkey that was hanging upside down?” And there would be a glow
 on everyone’s faces again.
Treasures ...
 Memories …
<img class="my-4 w-100"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/magnificent_mother_nature_img_2_a4d6a0ff84.jpg?updated_at=2023-03-29T11:13:43.932Z"
 alt="mother-nature" />I did not know how my five-year-old would fare. Taking him along was a good lesson for me as a
parent. Never  underestimate them – their love for nature, their curiosity, and their enthusiasm for the wild.

On the second day he commented, “If we are going to journey through the forest to see the ‘same’ animals again I am not
coming. I’m going to stay in the tent with thatta and patti and speak with the peacocks.” Come time to explore again,
however, he was the first one to roll out, and after a five-hour safari he put his head to rest sleepily on me. But
every time the bus slowed down to let a deer or bison pass, he would wake up to look and tell me if it was a Samba deer
or a spotted deer. The child behind so excitedly remarked, “Bison! Look! Bison!” My son sleepily said, “No amma, that’s
a Gaur. Bisons don’t live in India.’ Wow! I wish all learning was this practical, straight into the head and heart. Some
day.
<hr />

<h4 style="text-align: center;">Article by VIJI BALASUBRAMANIAN</h4>
<hr />

Magnificent Mother Nature

In today’s technological era, Vikram is dedicated to keeping the tradition of storytelling alive. Calling it “an art form as old as human existence itself,” this former software engineer uses storytelling as a bridge between the young and the old. Vikram is the mind behind Around the Story Tree, a conservation initiative through storytelling, and the main contact for the marketing and publicity of Tahatto, a Bangalore-based theater group. He is a frequent TEDx speaker.

Vikram-Sridhar.jpg

Vikram Sridhar

<img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/storyteller2_a42e0971d4.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-06T11:04:29.191Z"><h3 style="text-align:center;">… THERE WAS A STORYTELLER</h3><h4>VIKRAM SRIDHAR is a modern day storyteller from Bangalore, India. Here he shares with MEGHANA ANAND some insights about the art of storytelling and how it is an enabler of the wisdom bridge.</h4>Q: Hi Vikram. Tell us how you came to be a storyteller.VS: Storytelling connects three broad areas of my interest – theater, conservation and social work – though my academic qualification is in engineering and management. Theater for me meant acting, production, backstage, and ticketing; basically producing a play. I used to work with wildlife organizations in the rescue space in Bangalore, rescuing kites, monkeys and snakes. I also used to work with children, senior citizens and others in the social sector.Storytelling first happened once when someone asked me, as a theater person, to come and tell a story. But when I looked at the story world a little more deeply, I understood that actually every folktale has flora and fauna deeply embedded in it. And if you extrapolate that into Indian mythology also, every deity has an animal or a bird and a tree or a plant. That means conservation is not outside, it’s already there in our households and folklore, and these stories are what we today call folktales.Conservation is not only about flora and fauna. It can be about our languages, the textiles we wear, and even our emotions. For example, how do you express anger? How do you use it? That is conserving your own emotions. The Bhagavad Gita says, “Ahankaram balam darpam kamam krodham,” meaning, “Arrogance, strength, pride, lust and anger.” These are all part of our emotional palette. Every story has these emotions. Either as a listener or as a teller we are going through these emotions. That’s what makes us human beings.What I love from a theater perspective is that it is not about performing on stage, where I need to learn lines by-heart. Storytelling is more candid and more open. Second, I can see the audience’s reactions and change or adapt, by listening to their voices. And third, now I had a tool for social work, and in today’s times you definitely need a tool to make a change. That’s what happened.I realized that I love being in spaces with children, telling them stories. Who doesn’t like to laugh? So from the Spastic Society to an old-age home to an orphanage, even in hospitals sometimes, story is a medium that I use. It is not only about going to different spaces; even speaking to another human being itself is social work. In today’s times, when people need a lot more of a human voice, just listening itself is therapeutic.Q: Absolutely. So what kind of stories do you narrate? From where do you get your inspiration and what is the source of your stories?VS:&nbsp;In today’s world, a huge chunk of what we call folktales, which connect us from Kashmir to Kanyakumari, from Gujarat to Arunachal, are found only in the children’s section of bookstores. That is my source. A lot of revival has happened in poetry today, but these folktales that have come down to us through generations, are today to be found in books in the children’s section mostly. Of course I give credit to the writers who have documented them. But this is an oral tradition of our country, and when it is no longer orally transmitted, there is no longer life in it.So my source is just these pure simple tales – The Panchatantra, The Jataka, and even The Stories of King Vikramaditya. If you go deeper into the Vikramaditya stories, there is so much more from an adult’s emotional perspective. Today who knows these stories? They are profound, and told in a simple language which can be understood. For a child it may be just a joke, but for an adult it’s such a strong thing.So my source is digging the folktales of our country itself. Every state has thousands and thousands of folktales, and that’s where I start my collection. The word ‘folklore’ means ‘wisdom of people’, so it could be anything from Tenali Raman to Birbal, Rabindranath Tagore to Bharatiyar. It could be stories from the history of known people and unknown people, stories about the origin of food and so on.So one source is definitely folktales, and the other is listening and digging deeper, questioning. When I question, I discover that everything has a story.Q: Who are your audiences? How do they respond to your sessions?VS:&nbsp;My assumption is that human beings like to listen to stories. We assume that children are the ones who love stories, whereas I feel that anybody who is emotional will love stories. And I think everyone is emotional.It’s also a journey for me. Even if I don’t achieve a certain emotional response today, it may happen tomorrow. I am not a storyteller; I am trying to be a storyteller. I may be a storyteller tomorrow and then I will connect more with someone.Each person responds based on their baggage – on their mindset, how their day passed, and so on. For children there is absolutely no yesterday, today or tomorrow, and that’s the ideal state that we all try to reach. As adults, we are constrained by the traffic, what we are going to make or eat for dinner, and in that, how we express our emotions. So, depending on the day people react to the stories differently.Q: Storytelling for children is popular, but what triggered you to reach out to adults through this medium?VS:&nbsp;One trigger was definitely discovering a deeper meaning to the stories we generally tell, like The Hare and the Tortoise. It’s a story we tell children about life, but if you look at it deeper, are we a mammal like the hare or a reptile like the tortoise? Are we running life like the hare or are we walking life like a tortoise?The original story is in <a href="https://heartfulness.org/magazine/the-tale-of-tales" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Aesop’s Fables</a>; Aesop was a somewhat romanticized character who is depicted as a Greek slave who was freed because of his cleverness, and ended up becoming an advisor to kings and city states. From the little bit of travel that I have done, I have come across the phrase “Haraka haraka haina baraka”, which is a proverb in Swahili that means “Haste makes waste” (Literally it means “Hurry, hurry, no blessing”). In Hindi, it’s dhire dhire (slowly, slowly); in Tamil, arakka parakka (hurry-burry).<img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/storyteller3_ac6a5b8a1f.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-06T11:06:02.968Z">And in Sevagram, where Gandhi lived, there’s a huge placard which says “Mad Rush,” and he talks about how the world will keep running. He quotes Aristotle, Socrates, Vivekananda, Buddha, and says that every generation will have people running, running, running. There will only be a few who run slow. And when these runners look back in life, it will be an empty road. Now if you look at The Hare and the Tortoise story from this perspective, it’s symbolic of this fact of life. And that for me was a trigger.The second trigger was when I went to the Sabarmati Ashram about two or three years back. I was at their bookstore, and there were these three monkeys that Gandhi is famous for. A grandparent was showing the three monkeys to the grandchild, asking, “You know what these three are?” And the grandchild said, “Speak no evil; hear no evil; see no evil.” I wondered, “Is the child seeing evil, hearing evil or speaking evil? Shouldn’t we be instead asking ourselves? That means the stories we are trying to tell our children are actually meant for ourselves.”That for me was a big trigger. Maybe that is why adults tell stories! It was not for the children but for the sake of themselves. We are telling stories to ourselves and the children are merely spectators. We are bombarding the spectators today and expecting children to know everything, whereas us adults have lost the charm of relating to something wonderful.Q: How far does this tradition of storytelling go back?VS:&nbsp;&nbsp;I think it is from the time we had to do time-pass. Somebody told me a beautiful thing, “Life is between birth and death, and in between we are time-passing.” And if you look at our basic needs, and you take them away, aren’t we doing just storytelling in between? For example, apart from hunting and gathering, our ancestors did storytelling. You can see it in cave paintings and cave architecture.If you look at storytelling as plain art, it has a start, an end, and in between there’s a curve of adventure, and we either go to a new state or we come back to the earlier state, transformed. That is a simple way to look at a story.Q: Storytelling is an age-old tradition: it’s a pity we see it dying today. How do we keep it alive for the future generations?VS:&nbsp;I think as long as human beings are there in this world, there will be arts. The mediums for these traditional arts will definitely adapt and go on. Unfortunately the word ‘storytelling’ is skewed, because today everyone is a storyteller. A moviemaker is a storyteller, a photographer is a storyteller. I don’t have a word for myself; I sometimes wonder what I should call myself. I am just a storyteller. The media have changed. There is now a movie maker and a storywriter.What storytelling means etymologically is ‘something told by a human being orally’. So as far as human beings are there, and as far as there’s a need to listen to the human voice, storytelling will exist. The media of course will change based on distance and time.<hr><h5 style="text-align:center;">Storytelling is an educational tool. It is a performance.&nbsp;It is connecting. When you do any art form – not only storytelling – you express&nbsp;and touch others with your emotions.</h5><hr>Q: How is storytelling therapeutic?VS:&nbsp;Storytelling is an educational tool. It is a performance. It is connecting. When you do any art form – not only storytelling – you express and touch others with your emotions.Why do you feel so relaxed when you listen to a song? You may not have even seen the person in your life, but their singing immediately triggers something within you. It is because the human voice is a deeper connector than a visual. So when you throw it on the mike, you are touching the audience in some way – it’s a comfort. And comfort is a therapy in itself.If I go deeper, when I am performing the story live in front of an audience, it has something to do with Nada Yoga, the Yoga of Sound, which is the bhava, the voice from within. This voice from within is why we do a satsangh or sing together. And as much as there is silence-soundsilence, there is sound-silence-sound. Nada comes from different parts of our body.<img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/storyteller4_0994a1377f.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-06T11:07:12.267Z">The Indian system of Nada is from our nabhi, the navel. When you listen to someone’s voice, you are receiving that voice, that energy, and cleansing your own self with it. Your voice takes a form with your riyaz, your practice, your energy. That is why when you speak to people, you find some energies are positive and some are negative.And because storytelling itself is an oral tradition, I believe Nada Yoga is a sublime part of it. It means that the sound which comes from me has to be with the right mindset, with positivity, with the right lifestyle. My own riyaz has to be solid, because when it is expressed through the voice, there are at least 20 pairs of ears listening. The voice is flowing into their body and doing something to the listener.<hr><h5 style="text-align:center;">“Once upon a time” for me is simply going into your own self, away from everything else.&nbsp;It’s detoxing in a different way, because in that one hour,&nbsp;how many people are actually thinking of something else?&nbsp;It’s just my space, my spiritual space.</h5><hr>Q: You have practically covered almost all parts of India with your storytelling performances. Do you have any plans of taking your stories abroad?VS:&nbsp;I want to cover the country more, because I think this country itself is so large. I traveled abroad in my professional life when I was working with an IT giant, but as far as storytelling is concerned, this country itself is enough. If in the process I have to go outside, it’s okay, but the number of children in India itself is humongous.I can be myself here. When I was in Srinagar in Kashmir, it was amazing to see the children there laugh aloud. I find joy in that. There is enough work to be done here as a storyteller, I feel, and I am happy with that. I think it’s an ocean.I’ve started to also look at the lullabies of our land. Lullabies are such important oral traditions, which don’t have words. In a recent session I tried this lullaby that I’d learnt for the first time, and the children said, “Can you sing it again? We want to lie on your lap and sleep.” And they slept! One child was lying on my lap while I was singing. It was really beautiful.Q: Is there any single underlying message that you carry through your stories?VS:&nbsp;If at all anything, I would like my stories to inspire children to just love being in this world, instead of saying, “Why am I born into this world?” Children should be allowed to celebrate life. Everything is a celebration. Today is a celebration; this moment is a celebration.And for the adults my message is that no one is perfect. That’s something I have accepted a long time back. I find the perfect in the imperfect. Who has not been guilty? We are human beings, and the idea of presenting ourselves into this world is maybe just to understand this and come back. Imperfection is something very beautiful.Q: That’s very motivating. What does the art of storytelling mean to you personally?VS:&nbsp;It’s my mode to fulfill my spiritual, emotional and financial needs. Some people do three different things in life to satisfy these three needs, and I used to do that once upon a time. But today my spiritual, emotional and financial – everything is storytelling. I don’t bring in anything and I don’t take back anything. I am there for today and in that sense I am not cluttering the world.Q: That brings us to the last question: As a storyteller, what does “Once upon a time” mean to you?VS: “Once upon a time” for me is simply going into your own self, away from everything else. It’s detoxing in a different way, because in that one hour, how many people are actually thinking of something else? It’s just my space, my spiritual space. I go completely gaga, and I don’t know what’s happening on any side. When I say or hear “Once upon a time”, it’s a different form of meditation in that space. And when so many people come together in that space, it’s a journey that can happen only once in a lifetime.Q: Thank you so much Vikram, and I wish you all the very best.<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">Interviewed by MEGHANA ANAND</h4><hr>

Once upon a time ...

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Vinoba Bhave

Nothing is so powerful as love and thought

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Violeta Chamorro

Reconciliation

Virginia is a multi lingual intercultural relations consultant, health, wellness and neuro language coach, with over 25 years experience. Virginia helps professionals cultivate language skills and adapt to new environments and lifestyles. Virginia explores the role of neuroscience in learning, evolving value systems, and the significance of inner alignment for outer change.

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Virginia Cutchin

<h4>VIRGINIA CUTCHIN is a multilingual intercultural consultant and neurolanguage® coach who helps professionals cultivate language skills and adapt to new environments and lifestyles. Here, JAYATI DESAI of the Heartfulness Institute interviews Virginia about the role of neuroscience in bridging intercultural differences and learning new languages.</h4><hr>Q: Welcome Virginia. Despite the globalization of the workforce, there are still differences in the attitudes and ways we work around the world. I am curious to understand how neurolanguage coaching helps us to collaborate more effectively.VC: Sure. First, let me thank you for this chat.Neurolanguage coaching was developed and registered by a wonderful woman named Rachel Paling, who established a worldwide network of neurolanguage coaches. It is a method of language acquisition and learning that places heavy emphasis on neuroscience – how brains like to learn.All brains are basically the same, but with subtle differences that play out in how we interpret challenges – what happens when we feel anxious or threatened. This happens when we learn something, like learning to drive or learning a new language, especially when the pressure to learn is great.Neurolanguage coaching is a process of co-creation with the learner, considering every learner as a unique case and discovering how best they learn. We present information to them accordingly and keep them as engaged as possible from the very beginning. An absolute beginner who doesn’t know anything about the language can speak and remember in a short amount of time, just by knowing how the brain accesses different blocks of information.<hr><hr><h4>Neurolanguage coaching is a process of&nbsp; co-creation with the learner,&nbsp; considering every learner as a unique case and&nbsp; discovering how best they learn.</h4><hr><hr>Q: Our understanding is that children absorb information and learn new languages faster than adults. Does this method specifically cater to children or adults?VC: It’s for both. My clients include 7-year-old children and 60-year-old adults. We do take into consideration that children learn faster, so our approach is tailored to their energy level, their brainwave patterns, the development of the physical brain, and the physical capacity to learn the language. It’s fascinating, because it allows us to engage at such a personal level that it builds closeness and trust very quickly, and that’s lasting.<hr><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/language_culture3_700x466_823e75f57d.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-10T12:44:02.687Z" alt=""><hr>Q: So, is this method faster than traditional methods?&nbsp;VC: Yes, there is evidence that those who use neurolanguage coaching learn the language faster. Neurolanguage coaching focuses on mechanical skills, such as grammar, pronunciation, and vocabulary, and also mastery skills, such as subject matter and target audience? What do you need to learn about? If you’re using it for business, you don’t need to know how to ride a bicycle, you need to know how to negotiate.Neurolanguage coaching is tailor-made to the specific needs of the learner. It’s dynamic, so the learner stays engaged throughout the coaching, as they help identify what is to be learned. It is meaningful and relevant for the learner.I lived in Italy as a teenager, and I’ve forgotten most of my Italian, so I’m going to re-learn it using this method. There are language families across the world, and we are constantly building bridges from your native language to the target language that you want to learn. And even though it could be wildly different, say English and Chinese, there are connections to be made, and the brain loves connections and patterns, and to be as efficient as possible. When we can build those bridges – we call it scaffolding –starting from a good foundation, connections between languages are made quickly.Q: Scaffolding and building bridges between languages was the crux of the cultural counseling you provided me. But there is still a blind spot when we move from one part of the world to another, and work with people who have a different primary language and a different understanding of the language spoken.In your role as a cultural awareness counselor, how do you enable people to make that link between different cultures?VC: That’s a great question. We know that when people feel anxious or incompetent, when they don’t know what their role is, or where to buy socks in a new country, the learning part of the brain shuts down. Not completely, but we have less access to it, because at that point the brain wants to survive and protect us. Whether it’s protecting us physically, emotionally, or protecting our self-esteem, it is one of the components of culture shock or transition stress. The harder we try to learn in fight-or-flight mode, the less effective we are.My background in intercultural training informs my activities as a language coach, and vice versa, because we learn best when we are calm and centered. Different brains accomplish calm in different ways, but physiology is physiology. When we practice techniques to keep the brain calm, it’s fascinating how much we can learn.<hr><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/language_culture2_700x466_2407ae9dce.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-10T12:44:45.346Z" alt=""><hr>Q: Are there any specific hacks we can apply? When we onboard new staff into their roles, I see them panic or become nervous when they’re being presented with a lot of new information. What are some techniques we can apply to calm down?VC: You can’t be anxious and relaxed at the same time. Many years ago, I was in the dentist’s chair. I was already anticipating the drill in my mouth and I was getting anxious. So, I focused on relaxing my hands on my lap and I laser focused on feeling relaxed. I did some deep breathing because oxygen in the blood is key to relaxation. If the mitochondria in your cells don’t have oxygen, you don’t have energy. I’m in the dentist’s chair and I’m actively practicing relaxation, and all of a sudden the procedure was done.It’s not that we must use consciousness that way, but just two minutes of relaxation and deep breathing can change your brainwave patterns. It’s a paradigm shift. I do it when I’m practicing coaching or training, or whenever someone is anxious. It’s such a simple technique that’s 100% effective.Q: I can totally relate because Heartfulness Relaxation is recommended when you feel anxious or need to center yourself.VC: It’s often passed off as trivial, but it’s truly effective. Everyone can try it out intentionally.To be continued.<hr><hr><h4>Interview by JAYATI DESAI</h4><hr>

Language and Culture

<h4>VIRGINIA CUTCHIN is a multilingual, intercultural relations consultant, a health and wellness coach, and a neurolanguage® coach. In part 2 of her interview with JAYATI DESAI, Virginia talks about how values evolve.</h4><hr>Q: You have spoken about acquired versus core values, and how they are likely to shift when we move from one place to another. We are taught a set of values by our family and immediate surroundings when we are young, and as we maneuver though different stages of life those core values may evolve. How can we differentiate between the two, and develop a better understanding of ourselves and our values?VC: Great question. When I encounter difficulty and confusion in identifying an underlying value, I ask myself, “What is it that you can’t not do?”What is it that you can’t help but do every day? How is it that you must show up in the world, because not doing that creates such discomfort. This is different from your comfort zone. A core value is something you can’t not do, whether it’s an activity or a way of thinking. Sometimes, it has to do with your DNA, and what’s passed on.If it is not something you have to do, then it’s probably an acquired value. Acquired values come early in life. We learn them from parents, siblings, teachers, friends, the neighborhood, guests, and television. We evaluate everything that comes into our world, and sense it as a possible acquired value. Because we are constantly bombarded with external influences, we owe it to ourselves to manage the incoming assault of influences and to take time to really untie the knot of what is a core value and what is an acquired value.When people move to different countries, or when they acquire a new language and the idiosyncrasies of that new language, sometimes confusion, disappointment, or anger can come from the clash of their core values versus incoming influences.I’ve rejected some of my acquired values because they conflicted with my core values. Some acquired values served me well, helped me serve others – so I keep those. I’ve lived in other countries and I’ve been able to evaluate a lot. You can’t choose your core values, though. You can modify them, but you can’t reject them, because they are so essential to your being. Personal reflection is essential to keep your values in check.Q: I’m curious – based on the number of people you’ve coached over the years across the world, do you see any patterns in the way values are evolving or shifting in the last few years?VC: Yes, absolutely. In the past couple of years, as the world has been impacted by the pandemic, I see a couple of things happening. Those who benefited from the pre-Covid materialist world want to hang on to it and rebuild it into what it was before. For others, there’s more willingness to explore core values, consciousness, and to question our willingness to adhere to the old ways. There are those who say, “Wait a second. This doesn’t feel right, look right, or serve me anymore.”We are willing to be more discerning. We are willing to assert what works and doesn’t work for us anymore. According to me, this comes from a long history of self-reflection and growth. It boils down to alignment with the inner Self.<img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/Evolving_social_values2_700x466_03e6e6b017.jpg" alt="">Q: In an earlier conversation, you mentioned our relationship with nature, and aligning our core values to the internal and external environment. Can you elaborate on that?VC: It’s been liberating for me to go small. A huge revelation for me has been the recognition that when we are in the present we aren’t thinking about anything else. I am aware of my feet as I walk, the breeze and the sunlight on my face, and the feeling of my dogs’ leads in my hand as I take them for a walk. I became aware of the fact that I have enormous power to affect my immediate environment with my energy level. We are exchanging energy with the environment all the time, and I want that energy to be positive, because that’s what I want from the universe.I start every day by breathing in the goodness of the universe. The universe is governing without any judgment. I breathe out what I’m willing to do on my part. It could be showing gratitude, or it could be acknowledging fear and embracing the protection of the universe and my well-wishers.&nbsp; I’m willing to go very small and realize that I can only affect my little world that fits inside a hula hoop. That’s all I can influence. If we all uplifted our world with good energy, the world would be uplifted.Everything we see in nature has the whole universe inside of it. One of my favorite quotes is “Even the smallest flame has all the qualities of fire.” Whether it’s a little child or the trees, the entire universe is inside them. It’s right there, it’s limitless, it’s accessible, and it’s limited by our willingness to tap into it. If I’m in alignment with myself and the natural world, eventually it translates into better alignment with society at large, with the people around me.<hr><h4>Everything we see in nature has the whole universe inside of it.</h4><hr>Sometimes people don’t want change, don’t like realignment; but I am under no obligation to perpetuate that which does not work for me anymore – if it doesn’t allow me to show up as my best self in the world then I can reject it. That’s my obligation. I’m a part of many different communities, as we all are. My strongest, most meaningful community is with those people who are showing up, trying to be their best selves so they can help others be their best selves. There is so much ego-less ness in that, it’s absolutely intoxicating. Everyday, I wake up with this energy, this determination and gratitude to show up in the world and do what life expects and asks of me that day.To be continued.

Evolving social values

<h4>VIRGINIA CUTCHIN is a multilingual intercultural relations consultant, a health and wellness coach, and a neurolanguage® coach. In part 3 of her interview with JAYATI DESAI, Virginia talks about building trust-based relationships and building community through communication.</h4><hr>Q: How can we make conscious changes in the ways and means we communicate, in order to develop authentic connections?VC: It comes down to core values and acquired values, and making adjustments. We need not negotiate on core values, but we can be flexible with acquired values, regardless of how strong they are.I love what you said about communicating versus connecting. Language is much more than words. Take a look at the communicative heritage between humans and other animals. They communicate well – they exchange a few words, but it’s mostly tone of voice and how they approach, whether it’s welcoming or menacing. We have this enormous communicative power and a large part of it is nonverbal. Our presence speaks for itself.Because of the world we live in, we often lose touch with our core values. We get on the treadmill, and we run to try to keep up. I have done that, too, in the past, but I know that I am a product of my choices. Habits are choices that are repeated. If I want to be a different product, I change my choices. I change my habits. Right now I am a product of that effort,and there is a lot of “been there, done that” in my past. Not all of it is pleasant. So I am changing the choices I make today. I focus on the end goal and on the systems in my life that support that goal. If I fail, it’s not because I’m a horrible person, it’s because the systems don’t support that goal effectively. I have learned this from James Clear’s book, Atomic Habits. It’s helpful to focus on the systems that support my progress.Q: A lot of our readers are young professionals, constantly working to evolve in all aspects of life. Do you have any suggestions on how to overcome stereotypes, and how to cultivate empathy, alignment, and connection when building authentic relationships?VC: The first thing is to develop a sense of curiosity about others and yourself.The second thing is the suspension of judgment, which is one of the most effective skills anyone can develop, including young professionals.What do I mean by that? When we witness a situation or have an experience with another person, so often we jump to an evaluation, largely to protect ourselves so that we know how to respond. We are constantly evaluating because our brain is constantly scanning the environment for threatening situations. Some of that is physiological and we can’t completely escape it, but we can override it by developing a healthy sense of curiosity to find out why it is happening. We can use that curiosity and test the boundaries of our own vulnerability. We are a lot stronger than we think we are. The brain is going to protect us regardless. So while trusting that it will continue to do what it does best, we can test the boundaries of our own vulnerability.The third this is developing self-confidence, which comes from knowing what your core values are, knowing what your boundaries are, and knowing that sometimes your boundaries can be flexible and sometimes they can’t, and that’s okay.It helps to know that people from different cultures behave, respond, react, and initiate differently, so developing curiosity without judgment is really important. At the same time, if we are going to live in the world we have to adapt to certain things like credentials, education, etc. We don’t need to reject those things, we just have to choose the life we want to live. When we suspend judgment, we don’t have to criticize, we just have to discern.<hr><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/Building_Community_Through_Communication1_1_700x303_b5dd2fd8fc.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-11T13:28:57.773Z" alt="Building-Community-Through-Communication1-1"><hr>Q: Any final messages for our readers?VC: Don’t be afraid to participate. We’re all involved in a lot of meetings and networking events, and we are sometimes tempted to say, “I’m not going to say anything. I’m just here to learn.” That’s great, but what if everyone did that? We’d all be sitting around looking at each other. An affirmation I set for myself many years ago is, “Today I choose to participate in the abundance of life.” If it resonates, you’re welcome to take it.Today, make a conscious choice to participate in the abundance of life that is there. Whether we stay home, unable to go out, we are connected through the energy of the universe. When we recognize that, we welcome it into our lives. Participate means to show up. Be an active participant in your own life. You don’t get to judge the value of what you contribute – you just have to put it out there with a positive intention.Q: That was incredibly inspiring, Virginia! Thank you so much for sharing that.VC: Thank you, it’s been an absolute delight.

Building community through communication

Virginia Woolf was an English writer. She is considered one of the most important modernist 20th-century authors and a pioneer in the use of stream of consciousness as a narrative device.

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Virginia Woolf

Creative power

Vivan is the Managing Director of Yesha Electricals, is a trained pilot and was the President of the Gujarat Flying Institute for 15 years, and is currently chairman of an industry association in Gorwa Vadodara. He has been a Heartfulness trainer since 2015.

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Vivan Patel

<h4>VIVAN PATEL decided it was time to build cognitive reserve in his brain by doing a few simple tasks. The results speak for themselves: he became much more aware instead of functioning on autopilot.</h4><hr>In order to build and retain cognitive reserve, our brain needs fresh challenges almost on a daily basis to keep our neural pathways open and maintain a healthy central nervous system. I decided to take up this challenge by practicing a few simple exercises I learned in the Brighter Minds Restart program for adults.One of the things I took up first was to take a different route to work and try to take only left turns to get to the office and … well, it’s not always possible! I was able to make it eventually but I had to get quite creative and think of different options while I was driving. I was fully aware rather than operating like we normally do from the subconscious mind and following our habitual patterns.<hr><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/Jump_Start_Your_Brain2_187006091a.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-12T06:15:37.620Z" alt="jump-start-your-brain"><hr><hr><h4>In order to build and retain cognitive reserve, our brain needs&nbsp; fresh challenges almost on a daily basis to keep our neural pathways open&nbsp; and maintain a healthy central nervous system.</h4><hr><hr>The other thing I tried was cycling to work, which is actually quite amazing because I was able to observe things minutely as well as engage all the senses. For instance, cycling behind a fruit vendor’s cart I could actually smell the bananas. Curiously, depending on how ripe the bananas were, I could perceive different smells on different days – I began to understand the different stages of ripening and whether they were ready to eat simply by cycling in their wake!The olfactory experience is really something you cannot ignore when you’re on a bike. I would pass by some popup shops and street vendors, each selling a different snack with its telltale aromas. I learned about other people’s eating habits on a working day and, more interestingly, how the different vendors engage with their clientele. I missed all this from the car with the windows rolled up and the AC on. I became more observant of the faces of these vendors as I passed by, noting their expressions. When you do this for a few days, they start smiling at you because they see you every day, and you form a connection by this gesture of acknowledgment!You see, and you can hear the birds, especially early in the morning, something that you miss out on completely while driving. I observed that some birds had a preference for certain trees – some trees were teeming with them and others not as popular. Maybe it was the berries or fruit that attracted them.At the same time, I began to appreciate the difficulties that cyclists face. One of the biggest disturbances I found was the constant honking of vehicles. In a car you are insulated from even your own honking, because cars nowadays are so well sound insulated. It’s actually very irritating for other people out there, cyclists and pedestrians. Another appalling discovery was how some people don’t take cyclists into consideration, and instead tend to “nudge” them aside and not give way. It actually felt somewhat disconcerting to be riding a bicycle in peak hour in the hurtling traffic.The other activity I took up while cycling was alternating finger exercises with my hands on the handlebar. I could only do this when the road was empty, as I didn’t want to risk running into something, ha ha! I rediscovered my neighborhood by noticing different signs, even the little ones stuck on trees by vendors, for example someone selling coconuts or an advertisement for after-school tuition.Another challenging thing I did is to use my less dominant hand to do the daily tasks. I used my left hand to brush my teeth, shave, and eat my food. I would walk backward whenever I had the opportunity, especially when going up stairs. I would wake up to a different alarm tone, and this would surprise me awake rather than make me groan. Something fun we tried as a family is eating a meal in silence, using only visual clues. Another was trying to use the mobile phone upside down – this was frustrating and hilarious at the same time.All this made me more mindful, aware of every activity. I didn’t operate on autopilot in a habitual manner. Instead, thought went into every moment. Just this recalibration stimulated my neural pathways!<hr><hr><h4>Illustrations by ANANYA PATEL</h4><hr>

Jump start your brain

Wakanyi is a Global Education Specialist, writer, editor, storyteller, and founder of the African Folktales Project. The theme of peaceful, cross-cultural cooperation is a common thread in her writing and personal life. For more than a decade she has lived in 7 countries, on 3 continents, as a global nomad, developing a rich intercultural intelligence built upon her training as a journalist.

Wakanyi-Hoffman.jpg

Wakanyi Hoffman

<h4
 id="h-wakanyi-hoffman-is-a-global-education-specialist-and-founder-of-the-african-folktales-project-here-she-speaks-with-sara-bubber-about-the-value-of-storytelling-and-passing-down-wisdom-through-generations-her-kikuyu-culture-and-how-all-of-us-are-indigenous-people-contributing-to-the-world"
>
 WAKANYI HOFFMAN
 is a Global Education Specialist and founder of the African Folktales
 Project. Here, she speaks with
 SARA BUBBER
 about the value of storytelling and passing down wisdom through generations,
 her Kikuyu culture, and how all of us are indigenous people contributing to
 the world.
</h4>

<hr class="vertical-space1" />


 Q: Hello Wakanyi. It is a pleasure to meet with you today. I love listening
 to stories, reading them, and meeting people who tell stories, so I’m very
 happy we are talking.



 WH: Thank you!
 I’m also quite excited to have this conversation with you, Sara.



 Q: In the Heartfulness community, we often talk about the Wisdom Bridge –
 the transfer of wisdom from elders to youth, and from youth to elders,
 because learning is a dual process. It signifies the relationship between
 traditional cultural heritage and wisdom, and the present. What is the
 importance of the Wisdom Bridge from your perspective?



 WH: Wow, that’s a
 really important way of framing it! Off the top of my head, the Wisdom Bridge
 is a rite of passage from one generation to another. It signifies the idea of
 passing the baton from the old to the young, so that they become custodians of
 knowledge, whether that is cultural knowledge, spiritual knowledge, or values.



 Of course, there is reciprocity as well. Children offer wisdom to the old, so
 there is a kind of remembrance for our elders that wisdom is an ongoing
 pursuit, and that they can gather wisdom from the young as much as they can
 gather from their peers. Then, the other way around, elders are passing down
 wisdom to the younger generation, signifying, “It is our task to carry you
 forward.”



 To some degree, I see the Wisdom Bridge as a reminder that we are all
 indigenous to this planet. It is very important to hold that in our hearts, to
 understand that we’re all human beings and our knowledge is ancient. It has
 been growing. It never ended. We tend to put indigenous people to the side and
 have parallel worlds going on. I think it’s important to recall, and to recall
 from each other, that we are all indigenous to our planet.



 For me, the Wisdom Bridge is a symbolic movement of knowledge from one
 generation to another. It is also a symbolic movement from one culture to
 another. That way, we’re not stuck. You can take the wisdom and knowledge that
 has been passed down to you and recreate it, using it to learn about others.
 It is also a bridge to other worlds. There’s a lot there. I see it as a rite
 of passage from one generation to the next, and a way to connect with others
 who do not come from your cultural background.



 It is the gift of elders to the next generation, and it is a way for elders to
 recall who they were when they were younger, receiving that gift from others.
 There’s a whole exchange of knowledge that goes on when that is allowed to
 happen.



 Q: I really like what you said about it being a rite of passage and a gift.
 It’s a wonderful gift! As you said, we often keep indigenous people aside,
 so we are losing out on their wisdom.



 The Wisdom Bridge is creaky and in need of repair. The relationships
 between grandparents and grandchildren, tribes and urban populations, are
 not so strong now. Many of our ancient cultures are either being absorbed
 into modern urban life, or people are moving away from them. So we are
 losing a lot of wisdom from our past. This affects all areas of lifestyle.
 What can we do to save and preserve the bridge that we have?


<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<div class="block-image">
 <figure>
 <img
 alt="Indigenous-Global-citizens2"
 class="has-img-center lazyload"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/Indigenous_Global_citizens2_3a54c866bc.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-05T12:42:44.502Z"
 />
 </figure>
</div>

<hr class="vertical-space1" />


 First of all, I want to start on a hopeful note. I’d like to think of this as
 the audacity of hope – we are all human beings, and we are all indigenous to
 this world. Yes, there is a crisis around how much of our old oral traditions
 and cultural knowledge have been passed on, whether it’s to global modern
 culture, or national modern culture. There is definitely a big divide between
 indigenous knowledge and the rest of the world, however, I believe that all
 the knowledge is carried in every generation. Like we started off with the
 idea of the Wisdom Bridge, I believe my mother holds within her heart the
 knowledge of the past. Now she’s living as a modern woman, but that knowledge
 lives somewhere in her.



 It’s less a question of where to find the knowledge, and more an issue of how
 to open up the path; for people to open their hearts to share the knowledge.
 It’s a living thing. And we can recover that knowledge through storytelling.
 Telling stories is something inherently human.



 We all tell stories. You and I are telling stories now, and we’re telling
 stories on social media, and we’re telling stories on the news. We’re telling
 stories with friends when we gather, and when we’re at the supermarket we’re
 telling a story. I believe a story is a living thing, and it lives from one
 person to the next. As soon as we have a conversation, we exchange some form
 of story. You will carry part of my story with you, and I will carry part of
 your story with me. That’s the link.



 We can bring storytelling into classrooms, so that children who no longer live
 in their indigenous communities, or rural communities, where a lot of this
 culture and wisdom is practiced don’t have to lose it. We just shift it to the
 masses.


<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<div class="block-image">
 <figure>
 <img
 alt="Indigenous_Global_citizens3"
 class="has-img-center lazyload"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/Indigenous_Global_citizens3_700x400_8e8a660169.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-05T12:52:13.020Z"
 />
 </figure>
</div>

<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<hr />

<h5 class="has-text-align-center">
 The Wisdom Bridge is a symbolic movement of knowledge from one
 generation to another. It is also a symbolic movement from one
 culture to another.
</h5>

<hr />

<hr class="vertical-space1" />


 Also, indigenous knowledge and wisdom is not something that is stuck in the
 past. It is not lost; it is living in modern populations. It’s just not being
 utilized in the same way that it was in its indigenous settings. There’s a
 need to recall it from each other. The power of storytelling is such that we
 can recall the past by beginning from where we’re standing.



 If you know a folktale from your own community, that is a way to recall some
 part of your indigenous heritage. The more people are telling stories from the
 past, the more we are recollecting that knowledge and bringing it into the
 present. We don’t necessarily need to move backwards. In fact, that’s what the
 hesitation usually is.



 There is the challenge of how to embrace indigenous cultures in the modern
 world. I think that’s the wrong question to ask. We are all indigenous. We’re
 indigenous to this planet. The question should be, “How do we work together?
 How do we bridge the gap?” One good way is to open up the avenues of
 storytelling, whether it’s digitally, through social media, or orally. Create
 storytelling sessions. In that way, we begin to discover where we have
 deviated, and the cultural values and principles we’re still applying to our
 modern world that are from the indigenous past.



 Don’t forget, also, that indigenous folk have been moving on. They’re not
 stuck in the past. They are using knowledge that they have refined over time.
 Through storytelling and openly wanting to learn about each other, we create
 the space where knowledge is considered as another source of being, rather
 than separate from who we are.



 I think storytelling is the answer to your question. I have realized that we
 are made up of stories; it is our stories that feed us. If we’re able to
 understand that and bring indigenous wisdom into schools, without distorting
 the way knowledge is passed down (usually, orally is the best way to do it)
 then we will regenerate and recollect this wisdom.



 Q: This dialogue is breaking a lot of myths: for example, indigenous people
 are not stuck in the past, we are all indigenous, and we are not separate
 from each other. These are great insights.



 WH: There are
 age-old traditions all over the world. What are the initiatives you are taking
 up in your culture as a storyteller to bring them back, to tap into them, and
 to open things up?



 I’m a Global Education Specialist, and through my research I discovered the UN
 Sustainable Development Goals. I discovered that there’s a lot of talk about
 how to engage children in classrooms to understand and embrace the SDGs, and
 how they can become better-informed global citizens who can find solutions to
 the challenges of achieving these goals.



 But the SDGs are complex for young children. So how can we package them for
 young children who just want to be children? They want to play and learn and
 be happy. They don’t want to be bothered by big ideas about what the world
 looks like, and what the problems of the world are. Take climate change, for
 instance. Even though we’ve seen an amazing movement of children around the
 world protesting for climate justice, there’s still a big question mark around
 how they truly understand the crisis itself. They can understand that there is
 a lot of pollution, there are a lot of fires and earthquakes, but to what
 extent do they understand that this major crisis could signify the end of
 times as we know them?



 As a result of my research, I founded the African Folktales Project. I
 collected African folktales that contain ideas about sustainability, and
 through that process I discovered that all folktales have some lesson or idea
 about the future. A lot of stories are about conflict between humans and
 wildlife, and about climate issues like drought. There are a lot of African
 folktales related to climate change. This was a very exciting discovery for
 me. I realized that storytelling was one of the ways I could bring the
 Sustainable Development Goals to the classroom, so as to help kids understand
 them and get inspired to do something.



 So, I started taking stories tied to the 17 SDGs and reimagining them. For
 example, I have taken a story about a big fire that happened, and how the fire
 was put out and the land was regenerated and recovered. I’ll use the same
 characters, the moral of the story remains, but I reimagine it in the present
 time. Often, folktales are set in the past, so they are not relevant to kids
 growing up in today’s world, especially when you’re telling stories to
 children in modern settings versus indigenous settings. As I tell these
 stories, I ask the children to take them and remake them, recreate them. It is
 that Wisdom Bridge you were talking about initially – passing down stories and
 leaving them incomplete, so they can have ownership of the stories.


<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<hr />

<h5 class="has-text-align-center">
 I’m trying to create an environment in which we can embrace the
 idea that these are our stories 
 – all of us indigenous people on planet Earth.
</h5>

<hr />

<hr class="vertical-space1" />


 I’m deconstructing the idea of folktales being held by a certain group of
 people. I’m trying to create an environment in which we can embrace the idea
 that these are our stories – all of us indigenous people on planet Earth. I
 don’t discount the fact that the stories came from a certain space, but even
 within an indigenous population there is a clear understanding that stories
 never had an original storyteller anyway. A story was always meant to be
 passed down. When I heard a story from my grandmother, she couldn’t possibly
 tell me where the story originally came from. The objective was for me to take
 the story, use it in my own life, and pass it on to my children. That keeps
 the stories going.



 This is one of the ways I’m trying to promote storytelling, promote indigenous
 wisdom, especially in my country, Kenya, where there is a rich oral tradition
 from indigenous cultures that is not seen any more in classrooms.



 I’ve transformed the stories into podcasts, and next year I will publish a
 book of the first series of UN SDG folktales. I’m trying to use as many forms
 of communication and media as possible – digital, audio, and live sessions in
 schools. These stories can become our stories, not stuck in one space.


<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<div class="block-image">
 <figure>
 <img
 alt="Indigenous_Global_citizens4"
 class="has-img-center lazyload"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/Indigenous_Global_citizens4_700x428_3887ecdec5.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-05T13:02:46.494Z"
 />
 </figure>
</div>

<hr class="vertical-space1" />


 Even within indigenous communities, there is a concern that children are not
 always told stories by their elders, because of the formalities of going to
 school and the way in which the culture has been separated from formal
 education. So, I’m hoping that these storytelling sessions will also engage
 indigenous elders in the process of recollecting, retelling, and recreating
 their stories. Then we’re all learning from each other, and we’re doing
 something relevant for the times with what we already have.



 I’m trying to bridge and marry cultures through storytelling, using folktales
 as a pedagogical approach to learning more about who we are.


To be continued.

<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<hr />

<h4 class="has-text-align-center">
 Interview by SARA BUBBER Illustrations by SANTANU CHATTERJEE
</h4>

<hr />

We are all indigenous global citizens – part 1

<h4>
 WAKANYI HOFFMAN
 is a Global Education Specialist and founder of the African Folktales
 Project. In part 2 of her interview with
 SARA BUBBER
 from the Heartfulness Institute, Wakanyi shares the value of storytelling,
 passing down wisdom through generations, her Kikuyu culture, and how we are
 all indigenous global citizens.
</h4>

<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<h3 class="has-text-align-center">
 We Are All Indigenous Global Citizens – Part
 2
</h3>

<hr class="vertical-space1" />


 Q: A lot of change has taken place from previous times to modern
 times. But
 one thing that really stands out as central in this dialogue is
 storytelling. What is the role of stories in the transfer of wisdom?



 WH: That could be
 another session, couldn’t it? Storytelling is a living thing. It is who we
 are. We tell stories using all forms of communication: Through song, through
 dance, through nonverbal communication, we use the art of storytelling to
 communicate our feelings, our ideas, our fears, and our concerns. And so, the
 role of storytelling in communicating wisdom is central.



 Children are like sponges: They are very good at receiving a story, and then
 interpreting it for themselves and reenacting it. Whenever I hold a
 storytelling session with a group of children, I will hear the story later on
 from another child who was not part of the group, because that story was
 shared. That’s clearly the way we’ve always passed down knowledge. Even in
 schools, whenever I speak to educators, especially teachers involved in global
 citizenship education, every single discipline that children are taught in
 school, whether it is mathematics or science or music or art, is a form of
 storytelling. If children imagine it as a story, there’s a lot more retention;
 that has been scientifically proven.


<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<div class="block-image">
 <figure>
 <img width="531" alt="indegenous-global-citizens-part2-2" class="has-img-center lazyload"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/indegenous_global_citizens_part2_2_f3532515cd.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-06T12:48:34.467Z" />
 </figure>
</div>

<hr class="vertical-space1" />


 The role of storytelling in passing down wisdom is key to understanding how to
 do it, and there is no one way that is better than another. Take oral
 storytelling – I could claim that stories are best told orally, but that’s
 just one way in which indigenous communities have done it. Now we have other
 tools, and we can use the digital tools we have. We can use any space in which
 human beings are gathering to tell stories. We need to open up our minds to
 what is available to us, and get excited that we can scale the process of
 telling stories with these tools.



 Q: Storytelling has been going on for a long time in oral form.
 We’d like
 to know about the oral traditions of Africa.



 WH: There are so
 many! I think I will focus on my own culture. I come from a tribe known as the
 Kikuyu people of Kenya. The communities of the Kikuyu are based around the
 mountain region. We border the Masai and other tribes, and there’s a lot of
 intermarriage. My maternal grandfather was part Masai, so there’s a bit of
 Masai blood in me.



 Some of the oral traditions are reflective of this intermarriage and
 intercultural exchange, but there are also certain ways of the Kikuyu I can
 speak to, for example, the oral tradition around naming. We name our children
 after ancestors; for example, my name, Wakanyi, is my maternal grandmother’s
 name, and she was named after either her maternal grandmother or paternal
 grandmother. It really depends on the line and the birth order. I’m the last
 born, and the second daughter of my mom. My sister is named after my father’s
 mother. That’s one of the very strict traditions of the Kikuyu culture. You
 know the birth order and you also know if it’s from your mother’s side or your
 father’s side.


<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<hr />

<h5 class="has-text-align-center">
 Our indigenous cultures are so important, and we need to
 honor their
 importance to this world. They provide the map to show us where we’ve
 come from, and where we’re heading.
</h5>

<hr />

<hr class="vertical-space1" />


 There’s a creation myth: The first Kikuyu that settled around Mount Kenya
 climbed up the mountain. From there, he experienced a spiritual awakening by
 encountering the God of the Kikuyu, and he was presented with a wife. The wife
 then bore nine daughters, and the nine daughters started the Kikuyu’s nine
 tribes. We are all descendants of those nine tribes. Depending on your name
 and your clan, you can trace your ancestors back to one of those daughters.



 There’s also a tradition of building houses, which is an interesting one.
 According to the Kikuyu, a house – a round hut – had to be built in a day.
 That doesn’t happen anymore, but in the olden times, each hut was built from
 morning till evening. A lot of organizing had to go on to complete the task.
 The reason? An incomplete house could invite the wrong kind of energy, evil
 spirits. To avoid them, you had to build your house, move into it immediately,
 and begin living in it. Then you’d have the blessing of the right kind of
 spirits.



 There are a lot of stories around ancestors, and how the ancestors live with
 us, in us, and around us. There’s a lot of respect for ancestors who have
 departed, as well as rules and ideas about how not to upset the ancestors. You
 cannot invoke certain names or people in any old way. You must pay your
 respects to certain people that have passed before you. And the naming culture
 also has a lot to do with respecting those who have left, and showing the
 continuation of life, in a reincarnation kind of way.



 A lot of traditions are still practiced within modern Kikuyu culture, such as
 traditions around marriage. When you get engaged, you go back to your home and
 stay, and perform a ceremony, which is basically a marriage ceremony, before
 you do the formal modern wedding ceremony.


<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<hr />

<h5 class="has-text-align-center">
 We’re all living on the same planet. We are experiencing
 the same
 changes, and the same landscape, on the whole, and we breathe
 the same air. So, I think it is important for us to understand
 that we are called to work together as indigenous citizens of
 this planet.
</h5>

<hr />

<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<div class="block-image">
 <figure>
 <img width="628" alt="indegenous_global_citizens_part2" class="lazyload has-img-center"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/indegenous_global_citizens_part2_3_a16c47ec3d.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-06T12:50:44.267Z" />
 </figure>
</div>

<hr class="vertical-space1" />


 Q: As you were talking, it reminded me so much of the
 similarities in my
 culture, like what you said about naming. In India, the first son in many
 cultures is named after the paternal grandfather. Regarding marriage, you
 cannot marry someone from a certain village because they are your brothers.
 You should marry someone from seven villages away. These traditions are
 still followed – the ones with ancestors that live on, and the rites after
 death, also continue.



 As you were talking, the thought that came that these stories
 are unifying.
 There are so many things that are similar: The folktales are similar, the
 rituals are similar, and we all feel a sort of brotherhood. We resonate with
 each other. The whole circle of storytelling is complete.



 WH: I agree
 completely. Which is why we need to start embracing the idea that we are all
 indigenous to this world. Our indigenous cultures are so important, and we
 need to honor their importance to this world. They provide the map to show us
 where we’ve come from, and where we’re heading. If we ignore this, it’s like
 taking off to sea without a compass. We don’t know where we’re going.



 It’s not to say that we need to be like they used to be, or that they are
 better than us. There’s no “us” and “them.” We’re all one. Like you say, there
 are so many similarities that bring us together. There are more similarities
 than there are differences, and the reason for that is because we have
 originated from the same kind of indigenous populations. The way to bridge
 that gap is to tell our stories. And when we find a point of difference,
 that’s an opportunity to recall a story that might bring about the connection.



 It makes me excited to hear that within Indian cultures there are similarities
 to my own Kikuyu culture. And I know this is true for my own people back in
 Kenya, where there are 50 to 60 tribes. Within those tribes, there are many
 ways in which we are interconnected, but we tend to differentiate ourselves
 based on something as abstract as language. When we overcome the language
 barrier, we discover that we’ve all intermarried.



 We obviously share some of these ideas and ways of being. Ultimately, we’re
 all living on the same planet. We are experiencing the same changes, and the
 same landscape, on the whole, and we breathe the same air. So, I think it is
 important for us to understand that we are called to work together as
 indigenous citizens of this planet.



 Q: I’m so happy to end on the note that stories connect, and we
 are all
 indigenous to this planet. Thank you so much for talking with us today. It
 was wonderful to have you.



 WH: It was my
 pleasure. I hope that we get to talk again sometime soon!


<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<hr />

<h4 class="has-text-align-center">
 Interview by SARA BUBBER Illustrations by SANTANU CHATTERJEE
</h4>

<hr />

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