Véronique is a French pediatrician, meditation trainer, and Yoga instructor. She was a coordinator of the International Heartfulness Training Programs and a co-founder of the Heartfulness program for cancer patients. She is currently the Director of the Heartfulness Yoga Academy.

VERONIQUE-NICOLAI.jpg

VERONIQUE NICOLAI

<h4>DR VERONIQUE NICOLAI presents the Yoga programs now offered by internationally certified Heartfulness Yoga teachers. These programs integrate the meditative practices of Heartfulness with traditional Yoga postures, and a deep knowledge of the human system from Yoga, Ayurveda and medical science.</h4>“Can you come every day to do these sessions? It will help us to sit through the day.” This 32-year-old man from Switzerland is part of an Executive MBA program in a five-star hotel in Chennai. Like the rest of this group, he is fit and young, hitting the gym several times a week to stay in the competition that his professional life demands.<img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/hfnwellness2_6703100599.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-05T08:13:19.609Z" alt="hfnwellness1">Yet he, and the group in our Yoga session that morning, felt the effect of Transmission. He was sharp enough to understand that starting the day in this condition would help him get through the intense corporate training. So at the demand of the group, we came seven days in a row, teaching them all the tools of Heartfulness. It was our first attempt to integrate Heartfulness Meditation and Asanas.<img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/hfnwellness3_566db6be43.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-05T08:07:49.414Z" alt="hfnwellness3">Heartfulness is Raja Yoga for the modern world. The practice starts directly with the seventh step of Patanjali’s Ashtanga Yoga, Dhyana or meditation. It is a shortcut to human evolution. The possibility of evolution of consciousness is given in this pure and simple approach. There is nothing superfluous; maybe it seems too simple at first glance and therefore it is not attractive. But if you study deeply the philosophy behind Heartfulness, if you experience it genuinely, you will see that the practice encapsulates Ashtanga Yoga, with all the eight limbs concentrated in their purest form.<img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/hfnwellness4_fd7e52bd80.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-05T08:08:22.040Z" alt="hfnwellness4">The fast pace of our daily life is not conducive for all to sit quietly with eyes closed. Asana prepares the person to sit; through body movement the mind is quietened, and Asana allows a deep relaxation. Not many are attracted at first glance by meditation but many are interested in doing something good and holistic like Yoga; and meditation is part of a Yoga class. With the help of Yogic Transmission, there is no need for long hours or years of purification of the body and mind through Asana, Pranayama, and the Shatkarmas, as this is taken care of by the practices of Heartfulness.<h4><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/hfnwellness5_721430f196.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-05T08:09:08.800Z" alt="hfnwellness5"></h4>Since that first attempt to integrate ‘Yoga + Heartfulness’ in a five-star hotel, Heartfulness has developed many wellness programs. With a group of Yoga professionals and Ayurvedic experts, the Heartfulness Wellness and Yoga team offers preventive health weekends, daily Yoga classes, an introduction to Heartfulness Yoga, and a one-month certification program to become a Yoga teacher with international recognition.<h4 style="text-align:justify;">WHAT IS HEARTFULNESS YOGA?</h4>Heartfulness Yoga offers a series of simple Asanas, not only for the sake of exercise, but to improve health and posture. At the same time, these Asanas help us to calm the mental and sit comfortably for meditation. Heartfulness Yoga allows us to experience the fundamental elements of Heartfulness through movement. We discover our subtle structure and the three bodies, we open the heartspace and feel its immensity, introspect and note our inner condition, and witness its transformation through journaling. We start our spiritual journey or Yatra, connect to the Source and stay connected while being in action. We quieten the mind, enjoy meditation, and rejuvenate in order to start a balanced and happy day.<img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/hfnwellness6_e9d5a7825a.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-05T08:09:48.300Z" alt="hfnwellness6">This practice also brings people together: as we refer to the heart throughout the class, and as all the hearts are connected, the group naturally and beautifully moves from ‘me to we’, removing the veils that keep us apart.For those who want to dive deeper, who are interested in the philosophy of Yoga, and who look for a full immersion, we offer the Heartfulness Yoga Teacher Training Course. This TTC is a transformative one-month program that takes us step-by-step through traditional Yoga, its philosophy, the modern schools of Yoga, all the eight limbs of Patanjali’s Ashtanga Yoga, and the transformative effect of Transmission in the Heartfulness Way.<img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/hfnwellness7_349f4ae9b9.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-05T08:10:23.383Z" alt="hfnwellness7">Transmission is pure love and works at the deepest level. At the end of the month, a group of certified Yoga teachers graduate with the possibility to teach all over the world and pass on their experience. They also transform into new beings and witness the changes offered by Heartfulness, when it is practiced intensely for a short time.<h5><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/hfnwellness8_4553cd71e8.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-05T08:10:59.946Z" alt="hfnwellness8"></h5>Heartfulness Yoga programs are open to all: people who already practice Heartfulness, new seekers, Yoga professionals and complete beginners. It is a different way to learn and live Yoga.https://heartfulness.org/education/yoga-trainers/ in.wellness@heartfulness.org<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">Article by DR VERONIQUE NICOLAI</h4><hr>

Wellness & Yoga

<h4
 id="h-veronique-nicolai-is-the-director-of-the-heartfulness-yoga-academy-and-the-coordinator-of-the-yoga4unity-platform-as-a-pediatrician-she-is-also-passionate-about-mental-and-physical-well-being-for-all-ages-especially-children-here-she-is-interviewed-by-varsha-kushwaha-about-her-own-journey">
 VERONIQUE NICOLAI is the Director of the
 Heartfulness Yoga Academy and the coordinator of the Yoga4Unity platform. As a pediatrician, she is also
 passionate about mental and physical well-being for all ages, especially children. Here she is interviewed by
 VARSHA KUSHWAHA about her own journey.
</h4>



<hr class="vertical-space1">



Q: Thanks for joining us Dr. Veronique. We wish to know where
 your journey started, and how is it you’re here today?&nbsp;



VN: Thank you for inviting me. To make it short, I
 started with Heartfulness Meditation, a modern form of Raja Yoga. I didn’t start with Asana and Pranayama but
 directly with meditation. It answered the need I had when young to understand myself better. That’s why I also
 became a doctor, to understand how we work.



Why Heartfulness? I was impressed with the people who were doing it. To be precise, they attracted me because they
 were joyful. I felt they were well established in their family, successful in their profession, fun and authentic. I
 could be who I wanted to be, and it was extremely relaxing. Maybe that’s the purpose of yoga, to feel relaxed. I
 wanted to know what made them like that, and made me feel that way in their presence. There was joy. Only much later
 I discovered that yoga is all about inner joy.



I didn’t stumble into yoga after a trauma or an event. I was having quite a nice life, but I did have a question from
 childhood onward: “Why are we here?” I would ask, “Why go to bed if I have to wake up in the morning?” I felt that
 deep search for the purpose of life.



By the age of 21, I had an apartment, I was studying to be a doctor, I had great relationships with friends, and I
 thought, “If this is life, then I’m done. It can’t just be this! What am I going to do for the rest of my life?” I
 needed to find something deeper. And when I met people who were meditating, I could see that they didn’t have the
 same insecurity.



<hr class="vertical-space1">



<hr>



<h4 class="has-text-align-center">The Heartfulness way
 offers all the limbs of yoga, including asanas and pranayama. It encompasses the entire philosophy
 of yoga, based on the Vedas, Sankhya philosophy, and Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras, all for modern
 life.</h4>



<hr>



<hr class="vertical-space1">



Heartfulness did not give me immediate answers, but it showed me a path so I knew the answers would come. I think
 everyone has the same question at some stage in their life. One day it comes. Some suppress it, but it’s there in
 everyone.



For many years, I was part of a team coordinating an international scholarship program for Heartfulness, with people
 coming from many countries, especially those where we didn’t have trainers. They would spend a month with us and go
 back to their countries as trainers. We had amazing people from all walks of life, from Burkina Faso, Sri Lanka,
 South America, CIS countries, Southeast Asia, the Middle East, etc.



<hr class="vertical-space1">




<figure><img decoding="async" width="700" height="568" alt="" class="lazyload has-img-center"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/yoga_self_development3_700x568_365b5fcd38.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-11T09:40:05.225Z">
</figure>




<hr class="vertical-space1">



Meditation with a trainer, with Pranahuti, is a catalyst for growth. You see the results quickly without
 much effort. It is like climbing a mountain; you can climb up on your own, or you hold onto a rope and go up much
 faster. Pranahuti is the rope that takes you up. You just make the effort to sit in meditation everyday. Of
 course, there is practice, there is continuity, and there is discipline. Once you have all three, you become
 effective in everything you do. You work faster, make better choices, and manage your time better. For me, time
 management equals meditation. When I am all over the place, and I’m not able to get to where I want to be, I first
 align myself by doing my practice well. I then become more efficient, to manage my life successfully and give back.
 I think we’re here for that.



Heartfulness Meditation is simple. You don’t need a mantra, chanting, or any preparation. It’s silent. You don’t need
 an education. Even if you cannot read and write, you will receive the same benefit when you meditate. There is no
 need to speak. That’s its strength. Heartfulness is for everyone.



Nowadays, the Heartfulness way offers all the limbs of Yoga, including asanas and pranayama. It encompasses the
 entire philosophy of yoga, based on the Vedas, Sankhya philosophy, and Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras, all for modern life.
 It’s extremely practical. You cannot know by reading or by watching other people do it.



Heartfulness Meditation is supported by Pranahuti (from the word “prana,” which means energy). We call it
 Transmission in English. It is the subtlest energy that flows from the heart of the trainer to the heart of the
 practitioner, and it was the key for me. I will remember that first experience all my life. After I had my
 introductory sessions, I was walking home from the trainer’s place and I wanted to tell everyone, “This is so
 simple. This is available.” I wanted to wake up my entire city.



I was in France at that time. To this day, that has been my effort, the revelation was so strong. Many Heartfulness
 volunteers have a similar experience and dedication. We want to give time to train others, because it’s the best
 thing that has happened to us. Actually, for yoga teachers, the spirit of service is part of the fiber of our being.
 In Heartfulness, the trainers never charge for the practices.



<hr class="vertical-space1">



<figure><img decoding="async" width="700" height="475" alt="" class="lazyload has-img-center"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/yoga_self_development4_700x475_ca8a9ad202.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-11T09:42:31.559Z">
</figure>




<hr class="vertical-space1">



Q: When you say yoga, I only think of asanas. I think meditation
 comes later in life. So how do asanas, meditation, and all the other parts of yoga fit together?



VN: Heartfulness is known for meditation, but it has
 always been based on Patanjali’s Ashtanga Yoga philosophy.



What is asana? In Patanjali’s words, it means to be comfortable and stable in your posture so that you can sit for
 meditation.



Heartfulness starts with meditation, but there is still a need to take care of the body. Being a doctor, I know it’s
 very important to do something for the body. I used to do all kinds of sports, like anybody raised in the West. I
 came to yoga later. At the beginning, I didn’t like it much, because it was too slow for me, my mind was too fast;
 but asanas have definitely helped me. They are good preparation.



Even if you already meditate, asanas are a fantastic way to take care of your health. You can hit the gym, swim, and
 walk, but if you want to do something that is complete and aligned to your practice of meditation, then yoga is a
 great way to take care of your body.



The asanas evolved that way. In ancient times, when yogis meditated, they sat for hours. Their muscles, their
 strength, even their nervous system started withering away, because they were not using them. So they devised a way
 to take care of the body, too. Asanas support meditation. Start with meditation, then include pranayama, and then
 use asanas to prolong the condition that you have after meditation.



There’s another element that’s extremely important. In Heartfulness we meditate on the heart, reconnecting us to the
 heart. Children bring joy because they’re in touch with their hearts so completely and freely. In psychology, we
 know that children develop ego at the age of three. They start to say “I” when they speak. Before that, they live in
 the present and bring joy to the whole family.



Unfortunately, when we educate the brain, and the mind takes over, we start remembering and worrying, so we’re no
 longer in the present. Linking people back to the heart is the most important thing we can do. In Heartfulness,
 before we do any asanas, we sit on the mat and connect to the heart. Then, throughout the practice, we come back to
 the heart. Meditation connects us to the heart and nourishes the qualities of the heart.



<hr class="vertical-space1">



<hr>



<h4 class="has-text-align-center">Asanas are a fantastic
 way to take care of your health. You can hit the gym, swim, and walk, but if you want to do something that is complete and aligned to your practice of meditation, then yoga is a great way to
 take care of your body.</h4>



<hr>



<hr class="vertical-space1">



From the perspective of the chakras, the heart chakra is the middle one; it’s connected to all the other chakras. So
 we start with the heart chakra, nourish it, and clean it. Asanas and pranayama are also all about cleaning and
 preparing. We prepare the mind to be still. So, in Heartfulness, we start from inside with meditation, developing
 the qualities of the heart, and from outside we also shape the body.




<figure><img decoding="async" width="300" alt="" class="lazyload has-img-center"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/yoga_self_development5_d99710cd56.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-11T09:43:48.871Z">
</figure>




<hr class="vertical-space1">



To be continued.



<hr class="vertical-space1">

Yoga for self-development

<h4>VERONIQUE NICOLAI is the Director of the Heartfulness Yoga Academy and the coordinator of the Yoga4Unity platform. As a pediatrician, she is also passionate about mental and physical well-being for all ages, especially children. Here, Veronique speaks about Yoga4Unity – 100 days of Yoga. What’s on offer and how can you join up?</h4><hr>In traditional Yoga, you have the Kriyas. There are proper cleaning practices, starting with Jal Neti, washing the nose, and the Kunjal Kriya, which are practices for the digestive system. Then you have the Asanas, which clean knots of energy in your shoulders, your hips, etc.Movement also allows energy or prana to flow without any hindrance. This is what we mean by cleaning. We let energy flow from the gross, the physical, to the more subtle with Pranayama, which cleans the nadis. The nadis are channels of vital energy flow. Prana flows through the nadis, and when we do Nadi-Shudhi (alternate nostril breathing) the nadis are cleansed.Beyond this, there are deeper, subtler layers that can be accessed with the inner practices of Heartfulness. We have an every-day cleaning practice that purifies the field of consciousness and the emotional load of the day.So, Heartfulness Yoga covers all the layers of your being – from the physical to the mind, and then to the core, the heart. It’s the only practice that allows a beginner to start working on all the layers from day one, rather than after many years of practice.That’s a revolution! Many other schools already teach Asanas and Pranayama. But Pranahuti (Transmission) and the Cleaning practice add depth to the practice of meditation, which in my experience is the need of the hour.Meditation enables the values that are intrinsic to a human being. We need people to genuinely feel that they don’t want to fight each other, and that comes from the heart. If we can clean the heart, which Heartfulness Cleaning does, if we can nourish the good qualities of the heart, which Transmission does, we grow naturally into confident, balanced human beings, and that will change the world.<hr><hr><h4>Meditation enables the&nbsp; values that are intrinsic to a human being.&nbsp; We need people to genuinely feel&nbsp; that they don’t want to fight each other, and that comes from the heart.</h4><hr><hr>We’re also running a project of unity. Unity is the meaning of the word Yoga. First, unite within yourself. Then, you grow by your neighbors also growing. There’s a need to take care of the entire population. We grow together, and that is the idea behind this program, Yoga4Unity – 100 Days of Yoga. The beauty is to recognize that we grow together. People have started practicing Yoga for that reason. They want to grow, they want to change. When they feel the change, the magic of yoga, they want to become Yoga teachers.You can start wherever you want in yoga. Start with Asanas if you want, or start with meditation. First know that there’s a science behind it, which is ancient and universal. It has nothing to do with religion. It starts with the Yamas and Niyamas, and moves toward Samadhi. We all agree on the same ancient texts, which are the base of the science of Yoga. It is being adapted and re-introduced in the present times, and this is not something we can do working in our own corners in isolation. We need to unite.Fortunately, when we invited some of the great mother Yoga schools of India to join us, such as Parmarth Niketan, Iyengar, Sivananda, Kaivalyadhama, Krishnamacharya, and the teachers abroad, they all said, “Yes, we will give our time.” In this second year, we’ve consciously built the program together and we have a 100-day curriculum for four different audiences. There are programs for the elderly, for children, for enthusiasts, and for Yoga teachers.<hr><h4>Unity is the meaning of the word Yoga.&nbsp; First, unite within yourself.&nbsp; Then, you grow by your neighbors also growing. There’s a need to take care of the entire population.</h4><hr><hr>The directors of all the schools have 30 to 40 years teaching experience. They offer what they can in these sessions. It’s an opportunity, it’s free, and it’s online. You can register whenever you want to. The content is put up, and you follow it at your own pace. It is a 100–day course culminating in June 21, the International Day of Yoga.The Heartfulness Yoga Academy is based in Kanha Shanti Vanam, Hyderabad, at the international headquarters of Heartfulness. It’s a super place. The Academy offers regular yoga classes and meditation training free of charge, both in situ and online. We have introductory Yoga programs, and short trainings for people who want to add to their meditation, for example, yoga on the chair and simple breathing practices.<hr><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/yoga4unity2_700x375_7f5c96d81c.jpg" alt="yoga-4-unity">International Headquarters of Heartfulness, Kanha Shanti Vanam, Hyderabad.<hr>The Academy also offers teacher-training programs, and other educational, paid programs, with the curricula and criteria needed for certification in India and abroad. You can become a certified international Yoga trainer or a yoga professional by taking one of these programs.The best time to practice is early in the morning, but simply start whenever you can. Just do it and things will fall into place. It will change your life. Let the magic of yoga happen.Nowadays, there’s a lot of lightness in the way I look at life and the way I handle difficulties. My yogic practice gives me a line of support, a lifeline to manage any situation I feel uncomfortable with. One of the enormous changes I feel is that I have learned to manage anger. I used to have a very angry side to myself, but I don’t have the energy to be angry anymore. It’s a waste of time. There are other ways to deal with disappointment. I’m sure other things have changed too. I feel that I have cultivated lightness and softness, but you would have to ask my husband and my children, and the team here at the Heartfulness Yoga Academy.&nbsp;Please join us! Thank you.<hr>

Yoga4unity

Vibe was one of the first people to start the Heartfulness practice in Europe. She has been a sincere practitioner for more than 50 years and has devoted most of her life in the service for humanity as a Heartfulness trainer. She is also a Danish architect, who travelled to India as often as she could, first with the Academy of Art in 1963. Later she became a frequent visitor to Ram Chandra of Shahjahanpur, and feels deeply connected to the Indian culture in her heart. 

Vibe.jpg

Vibe Erstad

<h4>VIBE ERSTAD has been a Heartfulness practitioner for 52 years, having started in Copenhagen in 1970. The journey that has unfolded throughout those years is one of heartache and joy, and of participating in something bigger than an individual journey – a collective evolution of humanity looking to the future for all the children of the world.</h4><hr>Relationships have been a source of sorrow in my life. I was 5 when my father ended his own life, and it left me with a deep feeling of not being able to truly count on the connection and love everyone looks for here on Earth. He was a very talented landscape architect, but a politician criticized him in a newspaper for a project he did in Copenhagen, and it was the trigger for him to take his own life. I can only begin to imagine how much pain a father is in, if he chooses to pass forward such a trauma to two little daughters.He did not believe in God, he believed in aesthetics. He took beautiful photos of my mother in our garden. His father(also a landscape architect) and my mother exchanged poetry, and she also had a plant education. There was much beauty on the outside and much nervous energy on the inside.I was gifted in drawing, and I drew portraits, starting in Italy where our family spent two months in our Volkswagen. They were happy days indeed. My mother had built up an artistic papercutting business that did very well, but then she died of cancer when we girls were 19 and 16, so my younger sister took over the business with our stepfather.I became an architect and worked for a town planning firm. I remember a fascination with small-scale houses in communities –places to live while being near the rest of the community. I was not into modern architecture, so square and often so “cold.” I liked the old houses in the countryside and villages, and classical buildings. Both my mother and my stepfather had friends who lived in manor houses, but nowhere did I find an environment that really appealed to my heart. Nice communities of modern design fascinated me in magazines, but they were always a disappointment. And politics and beer also did not interest me!Why do I relate all this? So that you understand how much it meant for me to find what I had come for!When I was 15, I was walking in nature when suddenly I was in another realm. Things did not look different, they were different! It was a spiritual awakening, and I remember saying to myself, “Whoever I marry, and whatever education I get, it is ‘water’ compared to THIS!” From then on, I started reading all Paul Brunton’s books on meditation. I found them on my mother’s shelves – she became interested while grieving the loss of her husband. I also read about mystics from all different religions. But I did not find a practice yet.Through my youth and adult life, I often felt a deep sense of loneliness. I didn’t fit in a modern and material world. Then I met Thomas, who had planned a trip to India with some friends. I left the Academy for a year and spent seven months in India with them, searching for spiritual guidance. Thomas became the father of our two children. Once Thomas heard inside himself, “Vibe has lived as a Brahmin.” On arriving back in Denmark, we found Heartfulness. It had come to our country while we were in India. We started in 1970, and soon we visited Babuji in Shahjahanpur.<hr><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/Inner_Community2_700x496_70d2316cdf.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-11T10:13:53.801Z" alt=""><hr>I spent a lot of time with my spiritual Masters. Those were the most meaningful days in my life. We can’t all go and stay with Masters, but we can all connect deeply to the place inside that I connected to when I was with Babuji – a place of joy and bliss, unknown to me in any other circumstances in life.I brought the joy with me home to Denmark. Once, after a long stay in India with Babuji, I explained to my four-year-old son how the ashram in Shahjahanpur was created with curves on the sides, indicating the idea of a bowl open to receiving Grace (the opposite of a dome). My son replied, “You are like that now, mom.” I felt it was true. My inner condition was more like an empty vessel after those long trips to India, and there was less of me and more space for him. I was able to be more present around my son when I allowed myself to dive into my inner space and meditate.The practice became my sanctuary and my true place of rejuvenation. It has brought so much joy into my life, in a simple and very innocent way. It is not about doing something, but about being something. I feel a meaning in life that my father didn’t feel when he chose to take his own life. It prepared me to appreciate beyond measure the kind of love I found so pure and simple in Babuji, and in those souls who gave their hearts so fully to him that they became like him.<hr><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/Inner_Community3_700x496_c44352e3c8.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-11T10:15:13.388Z" alt=""><hr>It is a role I was put here to play, going far beyond my ability to comprehend. When I assist other people with their meditation, I feel connected to them in a very profound way. It led me to devoting a large amount of time to working as a meditation trainer. I volunteered to leave the architect’s studio when they said they needed to cut their budget. I felt protected financially by the money my parents had left me, a house, and the social system in Denmark. I felt it correct to leave the job so others could keep their jobs, even though nobody in that studio could draw like I could.This allowed me to spend more time with my son and daughter, and I could say “Yes” every time someone asked me for a meditation session. It is a privilege for which I am truly grateful, because I can contribute to people’s lives when I meditate with them.My spiritual practice led me to live near the Heartfulness Meditation Center in the countryside of Denmark. Here I have used my skills in repairing and decorating, and have experienced wonderful moments of true community happiness, even while doing something so simple as washing dishes.I built my own wooden house with a mass oven and solar panels, close enough that I can bike home and meditate. When I do, I feel profoundly connected to the inner community, with a sense of togetherness, despite being alone there in my meditation chair.Offering meditation sessions, meeting and reuniting over the years with people from maybe 30 countries, is a heartwarming part of my life. At other times I am disappointed with myself, because I still suffer from difficulties around relationships. I feel that we humans tend to be so much in competition and irrelevant interaction. But that is life, also, and we learn.Maybe my life is not so much about experiencing community in a time-space reality. Maybe I have come to feel it as a vision, and to hold that vision so dear to me that it becomes contagious, what we call an “egregore,” a community of kindred spirits. Invisible but felt.<hr><hr><h4>My heart believes in communities&nbsp; where people live together&nbsp; in peace and love.</h4><hr><hr>I feel my path interwoven in the collective evolution of humanity, and I can only guess and wonder. My heart believes in communities where people live together in peace and love. When I designed housing in my youth, I felt so happy to draw kids and grown-ups of all ages, while I was going into the details of all the buzzing and happy activity taking place in the vision. My 52 years of spiritual practice have made me able to hold space for that hope, while feeling a deep-felt meaning in life.I hope my grandchildren, and all other children on Earth, will experience life in communities of peace and mutual respect. I hope my contribution of feeling and loving these communities will echo into eternity and leave an impact in the greater intelligence.Actually, the glimpses I have sometimes had, while polishing my windows in the quiet afternoon, is that they are already a reality on subtle levels of consciousness.<hr>

Inner community

Victor has been an avid practitioner of Heartfulness Meditation and a trainer for more than 30 years. As a career CFO he has been able to combine the benefits of meditation in the everyday management of his duties and responsibilities. He lives with his wife in Atlanta and has a daughter

victorkannan.jpg

Victor Kannan

<h5>VICTOR KANNAN challenges the widely-held notion that compassion fatigue is inevitable in a life of service,
 especially the noblest of professions like education and medicine. How does fatigue develop and how can we avoid it?
</h5>

Why do we talk about the idea of fatigue in compassion and empathy in professional life?
 It seems to evince a pendulum swing from recognition to caution; recognition of the need for these qualities instead
 of just having the materialistic instincts of profits and productivity, to caution about sustaining compassion and
 empathy.
Compassion and empathy are natural qualities of a human being. They are positive for
 community building and improving relationships. Why then do we talk about the need to develop them and guard against
 fatigue?

<img class="has-img-center"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/compassion2_45599d5e78.jpg?updated_at=2023-03-29T11:21:26.957Z" />


In this materialistic world, even the noblest professions of education, healthcare and
 spirituality are being sold, contrary to traditional values, which say there should never be any charge for them. They
 are not supposed to be the means to riches but are offered to enrich fellow beings. Those who offer these noble
 services have always been well respected by the community at large and their needs taken care of.
But in the modern era, this whole consciousness is lost. As a result, now there is a
 movement to bring back empathy, compassion and emotional intelligence (EI) into commercial, professional and
 marketplace dynamics. While this is good, commercialization usually cannot be avoided, except in those non-profit
 organizations that are exceptions to the general rule.
While there is a growing recognition of the need for emotional intelligence and social
 intelligence in the business world, the counter-theorists are quick to caution against compassion and empathy fatigue,
 and a number of studies are being conducted in this field.
Fatigue is different from tiredness. Tiredness can be corrected by rest and is a natural
 process of energy flow. Taking care of people can be tiring, but fatigue is like stress, it is chronic. It shows
 imbalance and an inability to cope. How is it that some people can go on longer and others can’t? Whether it is stress
 or fatigue, it is a question of stamina and resilience. Caregivers also need tools to improve their capacity and
 acquire the skill of being compassionate and empathetic for long periods, for it is proven that care with compassion
 and empathy cures better, makes everyone happier, and costs less.

<hr>
<h5 style="text-align: center;">What we need is a new understanding of 
 how to give and receive; a compassionate culture of 
 giving and receiving to usher in 
 an era of total well-being.</h5>

<hr>
So here is what comes to mind: while cautioning people against fatigue, what is unspoken
 is the lack of understanding of how to naturally offer compassion and empathy unconditionally. It is not just an
 attitudinal adjustment. I do believe Heartfulness can help in the development of these qualities.
In his talks and book on emotional intelligence, Daniel Goleman narrates a story about a
 class of Divinity students at Princeton. They had to give a sermon on the parable of the Good Samaritan from The
 Bible, and neither those students preparing the sermon nor the control group showed any significant difference in
 their ability to notice and empathize with a homeless man who was positioned on the way to the Church.
So the first basic human act of noticing the man was not there, irrespective of the
 level of education and the preparation done for the sermon on the Good Samaritan. It is clearly not enough to know
 about empathy and compassion. What is critical in imbibing the qualities of empathy and compassion so that we can
 avoid fatigue?
As we begin to deliberately notice (observe), pay attention, and have positive
 intention, along with our meditation practices, these qualities develop naturally and a new habit is formed. Then
 fatigue will not occur. It will also not occur if there is a reward, and what is that reward? The reward is in the
 appreciation and gratitude felt by the patient or student or co-worker.
We also need to explore the cultural and social paradigms we live in. Our current
 paradigms have reduced most of our service professions to transactional relationships based on economics, whether it
 is in hospitals or hospitality. When we go to a restaurant, we pay for what we eat, but the waiter also expects a tip.
 This culture of tipping shows that what is provided to anyone is an exchange.
Our service professions require something more than a transactional value system. For
 highly paid medical professionals, it could be in the smile and joy of grateful patients. In the hospital industry,
 perhaps it is in the superior positive experience. In the hospitality industry it can be through tipping, which in
 some countries has become an expected part of job performance.
Everyone now knows that tips are part of the earnings of waiters, and hence most patrons
 tip generously. Unfortunately the owner of the business may pay the attendants less, knowing that they make money on
 tips. So, even this has now entered into economic calculations of businessmen.

<hr>
<h5 style="text-align: center;">Compassion and empathy are 
 natural qualities of a human being. 
 They are positive for community 
 building and improving relationships.</h5>

<hr>
When these types of expectations are normal and ubiquitous, how do we engender a culture
 of sensitivity in the community, one where the beneficiaries are generous in expressing their gratitude as much as the
 givers are generous in their caregiving or mentoring? Perhaps it has become necessary to educate the entire community
 of givers and receivers in how to express compassion and empathy. What we need is a new understanding of how to give
 and receive; a compassionate culture of giving and receiving to usher in an era of total wellbeing. We are all
 receivers and givers. When we recognize this, perhaps we will avoid fatigue altogether.
Heartfulness allows us to uncover the qualities of compassion and empathy so that they express in the most natural way.
Then we avoid fatigue. We can then experience a more meaningful way of giving and being.


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

<hr>

How can there be fatigue in compassion and empathy?

<h4>VICTOR KANNAN shares some insights on effective teamwork.</h4>
<h5 style="text-align: center;">Alone we can do so little;
 together we can do so much.
 —Helen Keller</h5>

Have you ever wondered how some teams work effectively and some don’t? Why do some relationships flourish and others
not? Why do some morph over time into better or worse?

In a simple word, we can answer this with ‘compatibility’. The members of the team must be compatible.
The dictionary says,
Compatibility is a state in which two things are able to exist or occur
 together without problems or conflict.
Synonyms: like-mindedness, similarity, affinity, closeness, fellow feeling, harmony,
 rapport, empathy, sympathy.
Can we use these definitions to describe our teams and teamwork?
In their book The Discipline of Teams, Jon Katzenbach and Douglas Smith explain
 that not all groups are teams, and that “teams and good performance are inseparable.” We know teams that don’t perform
 do not exist for long.
Boards, committees and councils are not necessarily teams. Groups do not become teams
 just because they are in one boardroom and have similar titles.
Friends are not always brothers and brothers not always friends. If friends become
 brotherly and brothers become friendly, there is a resonance. In this resonance life flourishes, hearts are inspired,
 wars are won and kingdoms conquered.
Teamwork needs such resonance. There are organically formed teams with natural leaders
 who remain unmindful of their position; these teams thrive while enjoying the process of collaboration. In this sort
 of environment, a team is effective, adding value to what it produces, and there is a collaborative flow among the
 members. Because of this type of flow, the outcomes are good consistently. Good teams will develop direction, momentum
 and efficiency towards achieving their any goal. Teamwork, like work, brings joy and fulfillment when we love what we
 do, and learn how to do it better and better. Then we create a larger flow and we thrive in that environment.
 Productivity and prosperity abound. Our spirits flourish and joy expands.
In order for a group to function as a team, its formation is critical. Formation
 includes persons, values and mutual understanding. This produces a level of maturity, ease and synergy. Those teams
 that form naturally and those that are engineered can both be high-performance teams if we know and respect the
 elements of a good team.

<img class="has-img-center"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/team2_a2b06a5be4.jpg?updated_at=2023-03-29T12:57:52.676Z" />

While most of this seems commonsensical, we often lament the lack of teamwork in most
 groups. Why? We need to study how good teams are formed, as individuals, managers and organizational leaders.
Katzenbach and Smith write, “Teamwork represents a set of values that encourage
 listening and responding constructively to views expressed by others, giving others the benefit of the doubt,
 providing support and recognizing the interests and achievements of others. Such values help teams to perform, and
 they also promote individual performance as well as the performance of an entire organization.”
Teams produce collective work and
 products. In teams, authority and accountability are shared. A team is not an environment of control, power,
 concentration and inequality. It does not include haves and have-nots. Individuals in teams possess complementary
 skills, and teams need this diversity. It is vital for their performance.
A good team flourishes when its members enjoy creative freedom, imbibe discipline of collaboration and coordination,
learn constantly and improve their skills continuously as they complement each other towards a united mission or
purpose. And a good team will fizzle out if this complementarity is devoid of freedom, skills development and continuous
improvement.

There are plenty of causes for which to work. There are plenty of teams that are needed to embrace those causes. So, if
we are not able to be part of such a team, it is more productive to sleep under a neem tree and enjoy life.

<hr class="vertical-space1">

<hr />

<h4 style="text-align: center;">Article by VICTOR KANNAN</h4>

<hr />

What is your team’s vibrational compatibility?

<h4><hr class="vertical-space1"></h4>
<h4>VICTOR KANNAN explores a vision for us collectively ushering in the next dimension of human existence, consciousness and bliss.</h4>
<hr class="vertical-space1">
The idea of giving, in its magnificence, is really the essence of spirituality, bringing forth unity, love and compassion. For some of us, it is even the purpose of existence. But do we all have the same understanding of the purpose of existence? According to Professor Lawrence Krauss, there is no purpose for existence itself.1
He says, “A universe without purpose should neither depress us nor suggest that our lives are purposeless. Through an awe-inspiring cosmic history we find ourselves on this remote planet in a remote corner of the universe, endowed with intelligence and self-awareness. We should not despair, but should humbly rejoice in making the most of these gifts, and celebrate our brief moment in the sun.”
In an LA Times editorial,2 he goes on to say, “Living in a strange and remarkable universe that is the way it is, independent of our desires and hopes, is far more satisfying for me than living in a fairytale universe invented to justify our existence.”
<hr>
<h5 style="text-align: center;">The traditional perspective of success and power 
 are now outdated from the point of view of 
 univervsal existence and the common good.</h5>

<hr>
How exciting! This point of view untethers us. It means there can be individual purpose. Instead of conforming to some imposed worldview, we can create our own mini-universes full of people and their aspirations, and together we can create a purpose for our societies. And these purposes will evolve as our collective experience teaches us how to live better and to aspire.
Society is the sum of individual thinking, and currently we are seeing individual thinking changing very fast. The traditional perspective of success and power are now outdated from the point of view of universal existence and the common good: “An eye for an eye leaves the whole world blind.” In this zero-sum game of economic progress, the polarization of haves and have-nots has been accelerating. Like the rubber band, it is a question of when, not if, it will break and hurt.
Such a polarization also exists in our overall mental, emotional and spiritual well-being, and so many of us have already moved away from the paradigm of success and power on the one hand to the ‘more meaningful’ on the other hand. This global shift is reflected in various fields of research. For example, the psychology of Emotional Intelligence and the science of neural exploration both reflect this movement towards the ‘more meaningful’ in humans all over the globe. Other examples include Theory U by Otto Scharmer,3 and the Big Theory of Everything by physicist Thomas Campbell. Many others are also contributing to this growing discussion. Whether it is the Dalai Lama, Daniel Goleman, Bruce Lipton, Oprah Winfrey or Arianna Huffington, they are assisting in gently increasing the volume on the drumbeat of the call of spirituality.
Anyone who practices true spirituality begets universal love, peace and harmony. Where there is love, it does not brook the suffering of others, let alone cause it. The kind of love we are talking about here is that ‘life-giving energy’, and is not limited to the stuff of romance and passion. Where there is true universal love there is peace. If not, the love is tinged with selfishness and the ignorance of separation.
Where there is love and peace, there is harmony, naturally. Even when the tiger eats a goat, that is part of nature sustaining itself. The tiger stops as soon as its stomach is full. No forest will be destroyed or atmosphere heated up if we feed ourselves only with what we need to survive and aspire – and no more.
<hr>
<h5 style="text-align: center;">Where there is love, peace and harmony, 
 there is total focus, productivity and teamwork of a different kind. 
 This, then, does not just produce more comfort on the material plane, 
 but produces evolution in a para-human context.</h5>
<hr>
Where there is love, peace and harmony, there is total focus, productivity and teamwork of a different kind. This, then, does not just produce more comfort on the material plane, but produces evolution in a para-human context.
It is said that every 100,000 years, life on Earth is ready for a jump in evolution. The last known evolutionary leap was to have come about 100,000 years ago, with the arrival of Homo sapiens on this planet.
Maybe we are on the verge of the next evolutionary jump. If it is not generated by peaceful means, it will be caused by destructive means. When there is no other cure, more of the same is the antidote. The current state of humanity will be cured by itself.
So, perhaps the best is to step aside, wait to participate in the silent and quiet movement of human flourishing, and be a conduit for the next jump in evolution when it is ready to happen. If we participate in that, we will enjoy the next dimension of existence. If not, do we perish?
The choice is ours. In this we embrace the age-old spiritual wisdom of the third metric of existence, as Arianna Huffington puts it in her book Thrive. That third metric includes our well-being, our ability to draw on our intuition and inner wisdom, our sense of wonder, and our capacity for compassion and giving. It is in this understanding and the acquisition of this well-being and, most importantly, it is by passing on this understanding and inspiration to others that we will collectively usher in the next dimension of human existence, consciousness and bliss – a new human species.
<h6>References:</h6>
<h6>1 http://genesis1.asu.edu/essay_Krauss.html 
2 http://articles.latimes.com/2012/apr/01/opinion/la-oe-krauss-cosmology-design-universe-20120401 
3 https://www.presencing.com/theoryu</h6>
<hr class="vertical-space1">
<hr>
<h4 style="text-align: center;">Article by VICTOR KANNAN</h4>
<hr>

A new human species

<h4>VICTOR KANNAN shares some thoughts on being grateful, and the health benefits of this wonderful attitude, calling it an elite quality.</h4><hr>To be grateful is the greatest of all attitudes. It opens up so much peace, harmony and happiness and positively affects individuals, families, workplace and communities. Grateful people are more consistent in their behavior and hence approachable. They emanate a vibration and live in a frequency that propagates harmony in and around them. With this attitude, a person emanates a subtle loving and positive energy all the time.Though the niceties of gratitude are easily understood, there is also now enormous scientific evidence about the benefits of this attitude. Research shows that we sleep better, stress less, and undo negative effects on cardiovascular health and so on.Like anything we learn, imbibe and make part of our own being, the development of this attitude starts with recognition of the need to be grateful. Then we develop a pathway to cultivate this gratitude.<hr><hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">A grateful heart is a well-cultivated heart.</h4><hr><hr>Where do we cultivate this attitude? Of course in our hearts. A grateful heart is a well-cultivated heart. A heart that is devoid of complexities and impurities, upon receiving impulses of love begins to blossom much more beautifully,&nbsp;similar to rose bushes well fertilized and fed.We are constantly faced with positives and negatives in life. We profit from hard work as much as with luck and serendipity. We lose in spite of hard and smart work. Whether these profits and losses are in material wealth or inner health or relationships, we can explore how to cultivate gratitude so it drowns the negative experiences in life, dissolves resulting impurities and complexities from the heart.Gratitude is such an elite quality in a human being.<hr><hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">Article by&nbsp;VICTOR KANNAN</h4><hr>

Being grateful

<h4>VICTOR KANNAN asks: How does the evolution of human consciousness reflect in the way we interact with each other and the world around us?</h4><h4>The River of Time</h4>From time immemorial, from all over the world and in all religions, one of the definitions of God is love. Why is this?Love creates. Hate destroys. It is easy to understand; we see this in everyday life.Love is the unifying and ennobling factor of all creation, manifestation, life and existence.Love is what gives meaning to life, and without meaning life is as good as dead.Love and meaning provide inspiration and intrinsic motivation to do good things and to even reach to the stars.Love is at the center of giving and sacrificing.Love exists when the lover does not.God has been the domain of religion, as religion is supposed to reconnect us with God. Spirituality develops the relationship with God in a more personal or intrinsic manner. This also means a more conscious lifestyle, adopting certain universal values of what is ethical and nourishing for the soul. We are not bound by dogma and are open-minded to scientifically explore the subtle, using physics to explore metaphysics. Generally it is oriented towards the principle of love and unity, while fully appreciating the diversity of existence.<h4>Unity in Diversity</h4>This is a powerful principle to fathom, and its proper appreciation results in engaging in a path of self-transformation while serving creation. In Turkish, to serve means to adore. When we learn to adore all of creation in its variety and multiplicity, we serve it. A self-transformed person never shuns the society they live in; they are forever grateful for the circumstances that made them.The idea of unity in diversity speaks to the interconnectedness of all life and its manifest journey. How can we participate and be part of this interconnectedness? How do we beget this sentiment of being interconnected? It is through our consciousness – through feeling, knowing and being. This is the crux of spiritual humanism.<h4>Interconnectedness</h4><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/deeper_path_consciousness1_5944d19c5f.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-04T11:52:05.090Z">The ancient Vedic prayer of Sarvam Bhavantu Sukhino (May all be happy) deeply reflects this awareness of the interconnectedness of all. Prayer for everyone and the well-being of everything was part of meditation during the Vedic times, 5,000–10,000 years ago, long before Lord Buddha.Lord Buddha exemplified the interconnectedness of life on a grand scale. He postulated the theory of reincarnation and the need to achieve eternal life called enlightenment or Nirvana, and at the same time he did not forget dharti1, the field of service. He was a model human being: the love and respect he had for all, including his patient waiting for enemies to transform, was the ultimate in compassion, kindness and universal love. While he educated people to live a life befitting acquisition of ascetic wealth and for the purpose of enlightenment, he also realized that this state had to be personally experienced, repeatedly, and that it is beyond faith and hallucination. It is a permanent state of being.<h4>Compassionate Inquiry</h4>The Buddha practiced compassionate inquiry. He questioned everything, but the basis of that inquiry was compassion. This is one of the most revealing and yet less spoken lessons from him. He was humble enough to seek gurus and fearless enough to change them. He was loyal enough to remember everyone gratefully who helped him and compassionate enough to wait for enemies to transform. His passion for finding the solution for human suffering was the most admirable aspect of his life, and his renouncing of his family has to be understood in the context of compassion and generosity for all humanity.<h4>Universal Love and Awakening</h4><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/deeper_path_consciousness2_15fd75c1a5.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-04T11:52:56.489Z">This sort of unconditional universal love arises from an awakening of a different order and a <a href="https://heartfulness.org/magazine/finnegas-and-fionn" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">deep knowledge</a> of the interconnectedness of life. It is the foundation of spirituality, with only human welfare at its heart. Universal love is the ultimate knowledge of an awakened being.Opposite to this sort of awakened existence of love and compassion is the awkward existence of ignorance. It may at best make one numb and insensitive to suffering. But as long as we have a mind, our conscience is dormant and waiting to confront us one day, and when that happens, awakening begins.Along with awakening comes pain and suffering, and with the right orientation this very suffering becomes the pathway of spiritual evolution – not for the sake of the awakened, but for the benefit of the entire humankind. This sort of noble suffering is possible only due to the thorough absorption of the knowledge of interconnectedness and the emanating feeling of universal love. Gratitude, generosity, fortitude and forbearance all come from this deep state of being in universal love for that which contains all.<h4>The Masters</h4>2000 years ago, Jesus exalted the need to embrace the same simple human values, like non-judgment, kindness, love, forgiveness and helping fellow humans, as Lord Buddha and others who came before him.Then in the first millennium after Jesus, Sufism seems to be the most predominant philosophy of this human approach to spirituality. The turning and returning, the rotating and swirling portrayed in the dance of the Sufis signify this aspect of awakening and journeying towards Oneness. The turning happens when an individual spirit is awakened to an alternate life. The path of selfishness and ignorance is shunned when suffering awakens the conscience. The turn is the starting point of returning, and this returning is full of suffering and demands cheerful acceptance. The only panacea for this suffering is divine love and longing for Oneness. This very suffering provides the material for transformation, while love for all and longing for Oneness provides the direction and speed to achieve that state of inter and inner connectedness.Another stalwart of spiritual humanism is Swami Vivekananda, who in his short span of 39 years made an incredible impact on humanity. His belief in the indomitable potential of a human being is unparalleled. He says, “What is the individuality of man? Not Tom Brown, but God in man. That is the [true] individuality. The more man has approached that, the more he has given up his false individuality. The more he tries to collect and gain everything [for himself], the less he is an individual. … We must first understand what is meant by individuality. It is attaining the ideal. You are man now, [or] you are woman. You will change all the time. Can you stop? Do you want to keep your minds as they are now — the angels, hatreds, jealousies, quarrels, all the thousand and one things in the mind? Do you mean to say that you will keep them? … You cannot stop anywhere… until perfect conquest has been achieved, until you are pure and you are perfect.”During the same era, we find numerous saints like Ramana Maharishi (1879-1950), Swami Ramakrishna Paramahansa (1836-1886), Shri Ram Chandra of Fatehgarh (1873-1931), Shri Ram Chandra of Shahjahanpur (1899-1983), Paramahansa Yoganananda (1893-1952), and Neem Karoli Baba (1900-1973). There have also been so many unknown teachers of caliber, some who could not travel or be discovered by international seekers, but they served the human community they lived and died in.The lives of these Masters are powerful examples of the two sides of existence, namely, personal evolution while contributing to universal well-being. This is, in a nutshell, the essence of spiritual humanism.<h4><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/deeper_path_consciousness3_4fe03494ca.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-04T11:53:45.402Z">Conscience to Conscious Action</h4>Spiritual humanism encompasses much more than philanthropy. Spiritual humanism embraces the personal and communal aspects of transformation, progress and evolution. Anyone who contributes to serving human beings to ultimately make them free, pure and perfect is a true servant of humanity. Mahatma Gandhi’s statement, “Be the change that you wish to see,” implores the personal aspect of this starting point.At times, service to humanity can be so intoxicating it might become the sole preoccupation. Then the danger of ego cannot be underestimated. But when we adopt a practice such as meditation to evolve our consciousness, then service to humanity becomes pure and all encompassing. It starts with one’s own self and extends to serving all humanity and beyond.<h4>Consciousness and Connectedness</h4>As long as there is consciousness there is connectedness, and through this connectedness we learn, grow, move, expand and evolve. A deep understanding of this connectedness makes us compassionate and empathetic, generous and kind.Thus, the content of this consciousness is our personality: we see ourselves in our thoughts and actions. The world is a mirror of our consciousness, and we can use that mirror to adjust, clean and stay well. Our interconnectedness is also seen through that mirror. What we do comes back to us, since the very nature of interconnectedness is circular. In the giving is receiving.Spiritual humanism is essentially the field of deep service and a deeper path of evolution of consciousness. They are two sides of the same coin.The noblest of services is to free people from bondage. In the words of Confucius, it is to teach people how to fish rather than feeding them fish. According to Ram Chandra of Shahjahanpur, the highest form of service is to inspire and help people expand their consciousness and attain freedom to solve their problem of life.This is the central theme of the lives of saints and Masters of high order in overall human welfare.1 The word dharti is the root of Dharma. Dharti has its origin in dhru, which means to uphold one’s duty.<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">Article by VICTOR KANNAN</h4><hr>

A deeper path to consciousness

<hr class="vertical-space1">
<h4 style="text-align: center;">A PERSPECTIVE</h4>
<hr class="vertical-space1">
<h4>Knowing the self is a topic of great interest in psychology and also in philosophy. VICTOR KANNAN reflects on this question that has been intriguing us from time
 immemorial, and shares the insights he has gained from introspection.</h4>
<hr class="vertical-space1">
All aspects of existence – temporal and real – are included in this question, who am I?
 The idea of who I can be and who I ought to be are also part of this larger question. A simple 10-minute
 introspective exercise takes us through several answers that reveal our roles, temperaments, achievements and
 relationships, and eventually our potentiality.
Mel Schwartz, blogger of ‘A Shift of Mind’, writes in Psychology Today, “The
 universe purportedly exists in a state of flowing potential. And it is essential to understand that we are indeed
 part of that universe. The goal then is to access that potential, keeping the parts of our identity that continue to
 serve us well and shedding the old, habitual pieces that constrain us. This process is known as positive
 disintegration. This permits us to find balance between the extremes … and enter into a relationship with self that
 commits to our personal evolution.”1
Swami Brahmavidananda, in his expositions on the Bhagavad Gita, writes, “The search for
 identity is nothing new; it is as old as the human race. One recognizes instinctively that one is more than what one
 has believed oneself to be. ‘Who am I?’ is the most fundamental question. … If you understand that, everything in
 Vedanta is answered.”2


<hr>
<h5 style="text-align: center;">I am a
 manifestation of 
 where I put my attention, 
 which is supporting 
 my intention.
</h5>


<hr>
In the past I have explored God as a principle instead of a named entity: what is God
 rather than who is God? There have been several attempts to define God by various philosophers and saints from
 different cultures and eras in history. The Hindu philosophy accommodates a wide range of possibilities of defining
 who or what God is, and puts them all into two categories: gods with forms and attributes are in the category of
 akar, and the definitions of God without any form or attribute are clubbed into nirakar. ‘Who’
 bogs us down in the akar and ‘what’ leads us to nirakar.

‘Who’ gives God a form and name? It is we humans who identify God and assign it a name
 that is mangiven. Hence, to me God as a principle makes the most sense. It belongs to the nirakar 
 category, and the right question would be ‘What is God?’ not ‘Who is God?’ If there is any parallel for humans, then
 the question for us would also address what I am instead of who I am.
<h4>SO, WHAT AM I?</h4>
According to Schwartz, I am a potential. 
 Is this potential a driving force, and until I understand and achieve this potential do I keep changing? 
 In other words, does who I am keep changing until it is synonymous with what I am?
As I considered these questions, something in me expanded and a simple revelation emerged: I am a manifestation of
 where I put my attention, which is supporting my intention.
I AM is composed of Intention leading to
 Attention leading to Manifestation.

<img decoding="async" class="lazyload has-img-center"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/who_ami2_7843b5a57a.jpg" alt="who-am-i">
<hr class="vertical-space1">
<h4>HOW DO WE FORM INTENTIONS?</h4>
An intention is a mental state that represents a commitment to carrying out an action or
 actions in the future. An intention involves mental activity such as planning and forethought. An intention
 constantly evolves. It seems to emanate from some place deeper within our consciousness. This consciousness is a
 constantly transforming and evolving inner space and hence is dynamic. It is the result of our heart–brain– mind
 interaction with the environment and the way we process that interaction. The uniqueness with which each one of us
 processes this interaction is due to the particular signature we have on our consciousness at any moment in time.

An intention may be positive or negative, deliberately acquired in this moment or
 inherent to our nature. But in that deliberate, volitional space of our existence we can act to acquire positive or
 negative intentions. Life is a school; we can learn to change our intentions, as we learn from their past
 manifestations and their implications.
If we are not born with positive intentions we can acquire them. 
 If we are born with negative intentions we can change them.
Irrespective of whether our intentions are deliberate and conscious or autonomous and
 unconscious, we change constantly, so what we manifest also changes constantly. From that point of view, if we
 change constantly, who ‘I am’ also changes constantly. When this reaches a level of constancy, ‘I am what I ought to
 be’, that is, a unified individual fully integrated and balanced. Here both my inside and outside match. What I
 mean, what I say and how I act are all part of my integrated personality.
<h4>HOW CAN WE WORK WITH THE I AM
 EQUATION TO REACH OUR FULL POTENTIAL?</h4>
One thing we can do is to cultivate positive intentions. This brings us to the attention
 part of the equation. Attention is a cognitive process in which we notice, pause, learn, and then act to manifest
 the intention more effectively. It is a skill, and when we develop it into a habit, it becomes a continual and
 dynamic process of transformation. When we finally manifest our intention via attention and action, these
 manifestations then produce their own results in our life. These results, whatever they may be, good or bad, painful
 or desirable, form a part of the next reaction pattern influencing our consciousness. This then becomes a new basis
 for the next intention to surface.
<hr class="vertical-space1">
<img decoding="async" class="w-100 lazyload"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/who_ami3_84dd81cf09.jpg" alt="who-am-i">
<hr class="vertical-space1">
So intention, attention, manifestation, its consequences and our learning all contribute
 to our transformation of consciousness. Since intention arises from our consciousness, the purity of consciousness
 determines the type of intention we will have. The rest is a process of manifestation, and the level of purity of
 consciousness determines the nature of manifestation.
Thus, who I am is largely predicated by what I am as a level of
 consciousness.3
At times we are not able to achieve the self-development goal we had set out to achieve.
 There are hindrances, which are the manifestations of prior intentions and circumstances that we have created. The
 complex mixture of all our previous intentions, attentions and manifestations is the base we live in and must
 transcend. Each of us can make that leap by overcoming our old self, changing old circumstances, and creating new
 intentions that manifest through positive attention in a new self.


<hr>
<h5 style="text-align: center;">Attention is a cognitive process 
 in which we notice, pause, 
 learn, and then act to manifest 
 the intention more effectively. It 
 is a skill, and when we develop 
 it into a habit, it becomes a 
 continual and dynamic process 
 of transformation.
</h5>


<hr>
If we don’t like who we are, we can change, for our potential is nothing short of
 spectacular. This is the great transformation. When we evolve to a place of constancy and purity, then our
 intention, attention and manifestation become consistent with that constancy, which is the potentiality that
 Schwartz talks about in ‘A Shift of Mind’. When we reach and realize that state of mind and feeling, awareness and
 intuition, intellect and wisdom, confidence and humility, we reach a state of absolute balance. That potential is
 what I ought to be. When I reach there, then I can say “This I am,” or “That thou art.”.
<hr class="vertical-space1">
References: 
 1<a style="color: #333333;"
 href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/blog/shift-mind/201006/who-am-i">
 https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/shift-mind/201006/who-am-i</a> 
 2 <a style="color: #333333;"
 href="https://bhagavadgitablog1.wordpress.com/2013/09/05/chapter-2-sankhya-yogah-topic-of-knowledge/">https://bhagavadgitablog1.wordpress.com/2013/09/05/chapter-2-sankhya-yogah-topic-of-knowledge/</a> 
 3 The Evolution of Consciousness is a huge subject in itself, which is dealt with exhaustively by
 Daaji in his series <a style="color: #333333;"
 href="https://www.heartfulnessmagazine.com/evolution-of-consciousness/">https://www.heartfulnessmagazine.com/evolution-of-consciousness/</a>.

<hr class="vertical-space1">


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


<hr>

Who am I?

&nbsp;<h4>VICTOR KANNAN inspires us to cultivate our original state of purity and simplicity.</h4>I am intrigued to see new brands of clothing, nutrition and perfume called ‘Purity’ and ‘Pure’. Despite this trend, I feel that the idea of purity is repugnant to many people. It has a religious or moral connotation, and people cringe and their minds close. They withdraw and avoid the conversation, for they feel uncomfortable with any ritual or worship that focuses on purity. They don’t associate purity with the presence of love, forgiveness, empathy and compassion that could inspire them. Instead they feel judged because of their impurity, and dislike the self-righteousness of those who preach purity. Also, in many people’s minds the idea of purity is limited to fidelity in the conjugal relationship of marriage. Lack of purity in relationships creates separation, feelings of guilt, and other complications of insecurity, disappointment, anger and loss of discernment. No one is perfect, and yet the idea of cheerful acceptance of each other is farfetched.Adulteration of any kind causes impurity, not just in relationships or in the mind. Can we mix oil and water? Do we rear goats and lions in the same cage? When everything is in its own space and time, in character and content, we can say there is purity. In other words, when there is no adulteration there is purity.This leads us to explore the idea of simplicity. Simplicity is related to purity, while complexity is not. Everything in its own nature is pure and anything pretentious is not. Don’t we say ‘pure and simple’ all the time?Ram Chandra of Shahjahanpur says, “Be simple to be identical with Nature.” Is Nature simple? It has so much variety and grandeur. Its origin is fascinating and its sustenance mind-boggling. Still we say that to be simple and in tune with Nature begets happiness and joy in living.Natural forces can be powerful and awe-inspiring. They may be simple, yet when unleashed they can create huge disasters and also sustain the creation on an enormous scale. The sun shines daily and sustains the life of trillions of life forms. It is a blind force. It is majestic and serene at the same time. What is this character in Nature that makes it simple in spite of being so majestic?In Nature there is predictability. The laws of nature operate inexorably. There are no double standards or pretention. In other words, there is no complexity. Nature is diverse and yet it has no complexity in its character. It is pure and simple.Looking at human beings through the same lens, we can say we are physiologically complex, with so many organs, connections and signals passing through us, with extraordinary interdependence, yet the human body works like Nature. Where we find the most complexity is in the mind.When we describe people as simple on one side and complex on the other, what is the characteristic that defines that spectrum? Let us look at it from the same standard of viewing Nature. Are we the same externally as we are internally? Do we exhibit trustable, predictable behavior?Think about the distinction between man-made versus natural. Even in shoes, the label distinguishes manmade materials from natural leather. So simplicity and complexity, too, may have to be understood from the point of view of what comes from nature and what is man-made.When the mind creates things for the sake of itself or its identification, it ends up complex. Such complexity is adulteration or impurity. It is not simple addition but complex accumulation that takes us away from our true nature of purity.&nbsp;<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">When we become pure: We see the interconnectedness of being. We respect and cherish each other. We contribute to the communal and collective well-being. We begin to weave our destiny.</h4><hr>Our intuitive appreciation of purity drives us to value purity, while we also struggle with the tendencies that make us impure. It took time for us to become impure, so it’s reasonable to think that it will take time to become pure once more, when we are awakened to the possibility. If we have impure thoughts and actions, we need to examine them and reverse them, like rewinding a tape in forward motion, for the past is the past. A conscious process will take less time than the unconscious one that resulted in our current state.The true nature of our being is to be pure. As Nature is also pure, it becomes our ally once we undertake a conscious journey towards purity. Nature cooperates: when we head in the wrong direction, there are obstacles, pain and suffering. When we head in the right direction, we feel happy joyful and expansive, and that is also Nature cooperating. We can also augment our level of purity by acts of kindness and generosity.When we become pure: We see the interconnectedness of being. We respect and cherish each other. We contribute to the communal and collective well-being. We begin to weave our destiny.If we accept that purity weaves destiny, then our destiny is here awaiting us. We shape our existence so that our life is infused with purity – and this shaping is in the proper learning, doing and becoming. We weave it into our existence by becoming pure and simple as Nature intended us to be.&nbsp;

The principle of purity

<hr><h3 style="text-align:center;">A HEART-BASED APPROACH</h3><hr><h4>VICTOR KANNAN shares what heart-based leadership means and defines ten essential qualities for excellence in leadership.</h4><hr>“If you don’t understand that you are in service to the people below you, then you don’t know anything about leadership.”Dee Hawkes – writer, teacher, and football coach.<hr>The other day, out of curiosity, I searched for scholarly articles on “mind-based leadership” and “heart-based leadership.” This yielded more than 3.9 million searches for the former and 3.8 million for the latter. I felt very relieved to see such a return, and I was happy to note that a lot of work has already been done in this area. The search takes us to interesting reading on transactional <a href="https://heartfulness.org/magazine/four-core-qualities-of-listening" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">leadership</a> versus transformational leadership, profit versus purpose, and reward versus emotional investment in team members.&nbsp;But most modern-day leaders in corporations are held to account for short-term results and stock performance. Cut-throat practices are overtly and covertly encouraged due to competition and short-term orientation. This results in chronic stress for all those who are stuck on the Catherine wheel of corporate life.&nbsp;While we have higher standards of living today than in the past, our quality of life is still wrought with worrisome consequences. Stress, depression, sleeplessness and loneliness are on the rise. This is causing dissociation from family, friends, faith, and even facts.&nbsp;Though my search results indicate what people are looking for, it does not give us any indication of the prevailing culture in <a href="https://heartfulness.org/magazine/the-superpower-of-listening" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">leadership</a>. Historically, leadership in businesses is for profits and career promotions. In other words, it is based on quantitative aspects of a person’s corporate experience. For over half a century, however, we have come to realize that material success alone is not adding to our happiness and well-being. Also, society has pockets of material prosperity and better health, while an enormous number of people and the world are unaffected by this prosperity.&nbsp;This unfortunate trend is not limited to corporate life but has spread to other professions, from school teachers to factory workers. Chronic stress and helplessness create hopelessness and deeper mental issues. They also affect physical health adversely. As body, mind and spirit are connected, if we lose our mental health along with our physical health, where is the question of excellence?&nbsp;The statistics and trends are alarming, cutting to the very purpose of organizations, people, nations and our civilization. The industrialization, urbanization and materialism that we have adopted over the decades for GDP growth, personal success and the alleviation of disease, have become the essence of our current problems of mental illness and social inequity. The combination of these two is a fertile ground for personal and social unrest. And the lack of an holistic humanistic approach has resulted in the current situation. What are we doing about this?&nbsp;<hr><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/excellence_leadership2_85429f8410.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-08T07:39:38.970Z" alt="excellence-leadership2">&nbsp;<img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/excellence_leadership3_c745ad3a59.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-08T07:41:29.469Z" alt="excellence-leadership3"><hr>It is in this context that I am encouraged by the search results. An overwhelming number of people are doing research on <a href="https://heartfulness.org/magazine/why-not-to-measure" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">heart-based leadership</a>, to help pull us out of the current and imminent danger of losing all the gains we have made as human beings.&nbsp;Heart-based leadership is a qualitative approach to engendering the lasting well-being of all those with whom we surround ourselves. It is servant leadership. It is interconnected and interdependent. Corporations that are successful in making a profit, are innovative so that they can adapt and thrive. Those lacking dynamism perish. They either flourish or perish based on how dynamic they are. So, what leadership qualities are needed for such an innovative and dynamic approach?&nbsp;The leadership of any corporation with a certain corporate culture can be identified by the priorities it has in its value system. The corporate vision, mission, values and goals are not just ritualistic statements – they are the compass providing direction and stability for the organization over time. The words must be lived through day-to-day actions and periodic reinforcements and corrections. They gradually become ingrained into the DNA of the corporate culture. Such a dynamic organization will continue to evolve to greater heights.Corporate culture is always top-down. It succeeds according to the authenticity of its leaders’ behavior and the transparent corrective action when the top falters.“Culture eats strategy for breakfast.” Peter Drucker, authorThe order of many older organizations is hierarchical, top-heavy, and structural. The expectation of contribution from employees is limited to doing their jobs and making their bosses happy. The emphasis on “out of the box” thinking is not encouraged. As a result, the speed of innovation and competitiveness is also less. As a result, many older organizations are not as great as they used to be.&nbsp;In comparison, a heart-based organization is flat, productive, inclusive, innovative, and provides a porous ceiling for talents to move up in the organization quite easily.&nbsp;<h4>What is heart-based leadership?</h4>Stephanie McDilda, a motivational speaker and leadership coach, says, “Heart-based leadership is the ability of an individual to inspire loyalty and build powerful relationships by being kind, caring, and courageous – virtually by leading from the heart.”She goes on to say, “I’ve asked thousands of people to tell me about the best manager for whom they have ever worked. They say things like:She cared about me, He listened well, She was concerned about my development, and He appreciated me.“These are all heart-based traits that connect you with your team at the heart. Virtually no one has ever said:&nbsp;She was strategic, or He was good with numbers.“These are head-based traits. I cannot deny that these are important skills for a good manager, but they are not the qualities that inspire passion in your team. Remember that your goal is to manage resources, but lead people.1”&nbsp;It will not be out of place to mention the concept of servant leadership in this context. As Aristotle said, “He who cannot be a good follower, cannot be a good leader.” In a nutshell, this talks about leading by example. When Jesus said “Love thy neighbor as thyself,” it is leading by example. In a leader today we value the virtues of authenticity and empathy more than being an extrovert.&nbsp;“When you love your employees, they will love you back … and they will walk on hot coals to give you what you need,” says Stephanie.&nbsp;<h4>Changing the panorama of leadership&nbsp;</h4>Today’s leaders are more diverse, technically savvy, rationally minded, and independent. A recent survey by the MIT Sloan School of Management shows that younger managers prefer narrower, more technical approaches, while older ones tend to work through others and focus on the big picture. One way to interpret these results is to say that the mental frame of reference is uniquely different between the two age groups. The younger group has the potential to use the heart-based leadership values while the older group is more set in their ways. This is a generalization and not indicative of individuals or particular corporations.&nbsp;It is gratifying to note that “Managing yourself ” is the predominant characteristic of both younger and older leaders, followed by “Anticipating people’s emotional reactions during a change process.” Both these management techniques point to the need to improve the emotional intelligence of leaders.Emotional intelligence “is the capability of individuals to recognize their own emotions and those of others, discern between different feelings and label them appropriately, use emotional information to guide thinking and behavior, and adjust emotions to adapt to environments.2” D r. Daniel Goleman popularized this term in 1995 via his best-selling book, Emotional Intelligence, where he lists an array of heart-based qualities such as attention, empathy, authenticity, and resilience that drive leadership performance.In Yoga, many practices are prescribed to improve mental acumen and purity of the heart. Both go hand in hand, along with a certain amount of physical agility and well-being. The eight steps of Patanjali’s Ashtanga Yoga provide a road map for us to cultivate heart-based qualities and lead a balanced life, integrating physical, mental, emotional, social and spiritual values and activities. A proper understanding and practice of these eight steps of Yoga results in well-being, which is essential for today’s leaders.&nbsp;<hr><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/excellence_leadership4_54e81ebf18.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-08T07:41:59.151Z" alt="excellence-leadership4"><hr>&nbsp;<hr>&nbsp;<h5 style="text-align:center;">The eight steps of Patanjali’s Ashtanga Yoga provide a road map for us to cultivate heart-based qualities and lead a balanced life, integrating physical, mental, emotional, social and spiritual values and activities.&nbsp;</h5>&nbsp;<hr>&nbsp;<hr><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/excellence_leadership5_d4cedeba35.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-08T08:40:51.012Z" alt="excellence-leadership5"><hr>I consider the above 10 qualities to be essential for a heart-based leader.&nbsp;While working on the above, we may incorporate breathing and meditation practices to improve our physical and mental health and our awareness. In this way, we will remain dynamic, alert, emotionally intelligent, and able to manage change and lead people. This is the Heartfulness way, a heart-based leadership pathway.<hr>References: 1 https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/what-heart-based-leadership-stephanie-mcdilda/ 2&nbsp;Source: Wikipedia<hr>&nbsp;<hr>&nbsp;<h4 style="text-align:center;">Article by VICTOR KANNAN</h4>&nbsp;<hr>

Excellence in leadership

<h4 class="has-black-color has-text-color"
 id="h-victor-kannan-explores-the-components-of-our-mental-well-being-and-how-the-refinement-of-intellect-helps-our-consciousness-to-evolve">
 VICTOR
 KANNAN
 explores the
 components of our mental well-being, and how the
 refinement of intellect helps our consciousness to evolve.
</h4>

<hr class="vertical-space1" />


 When we talk about consciousness, we are also indirectly including three
 other aspects of mental functioning – the mind, the intellect, and the ego.
 Why? Because these three play out within the canvas of our individual
 consciousness, and consciousness only evolves when these functions of mind,
 intellect, and ego evolve. Mind evolves from thinking to feeling, intellect
 evolves from instinct to wisdom, ego evolves from identifying with our
 individual self to identifying with the universal being, using the qualities
 of wonder and humility.1



 The idea of “intellect” is not explored much in faith traditions. A lot more
 emphasis is given to love, devotion, faith, and surrender. Many who are
 moved by faith and devotion seem to lead a life of irrationality and
 emotional excess, devoid of much self-awareness. They do not seem to take
 self-responsibility seriously. This leads the skeptics and the rational to
 deny the existence of mystery, esoterism, and the magical.



 When we observe the universe, we wonder at some phenomena, and we doubt
 others. Doubt is a poison, even for intellectual reasoning. Wonder is the
 best way to approach the things we don’t know about. There is so much that
 is majestic all around us. A healthy dose of skepticism, along with wonder,
 keeps the mind’s door open and observant for non-judgmental learning.



 This is more important when we take up a self-transformational journey
 through yoga, meditation, and spirituality. Spirituality is an art and
 science of exploring our true connection with nature, and our inner reality
 and ultimate potential. This is a process of transforming the self from who
 we are to who we can be. In this process, we transform from inside out. We
 start from the center of our being, and the transformation eventually appear
 sat the circumference. This naturally influences the environment and the
 community we live in.



 Spiritual self-transformation is also called the “evolution of
 consciousness.” Consciousness has been defined2 as the degree of
 awareness and unawareness, and the quality of our response to such
 awareness. As consciousness begins to unravel its potential, it evolves and
 expands. This results in an increase in our ability to perceive clearly and
 act with focus and purpose.



 Mind is a thinking instrument. Given a set of mental and emotional
 circumstances and backdrop, it finds new solutions. Thinking results in a
 new thought. This thought becomes a seed for future thinking. Intellect is a
 tool that helps us dissect, analyze, and understand. It is a tool of
 discernment. Ego is the part that gives us a sense of identity: what is I,
 me, mine, and ours. The identity is questioned when we feel threatened and
 constrained. The ego suffers. It triggers the other counterparts of
 intellect and mind to analyze a problem and think of a solution. When
 overcome, the new solution re-establishes our identity.&nbsp; All these
 three work together in a complex fashion; it is difficult to say where one
 ends and the other begins.



 Let us assume, for the sake of discussion, that the intellect is the
 connecting link between thinking and identification. Intellect is the
 discriminating or discerning faculty. It is like a knife, dissecting and
 analyzing the world around us, in the pursuit of meaning. It can cut off a
 lifeline or make things around us sharper for better use! It makes sense of
 our thinking. However, intellect has to be refined and evolve. How? By
 purifying, regulating, and focusing it. If the intellect is not pure, it can
 justify all evil acts.


<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<hr />

<h4 class="text-center">
 We start from the
 center of our being, and the transformation
 eventually appears at the circumference.
</h4>

<hr />

<hr class="vertical-space1" />


 The spectrum of intellect stretches from instinct to wisdom, and eventually
 to direct perception. Though humans are supposed to be at the pinnacle of
 the evolution of species, all forms of life have a form of intellect called
 instinct. Research shows that trees, too, have a nervous system.3
 They communicate among themselves. Electrons pass from the external field to
 the central nervous system of a plant, and then a feedback loop creates an
 action. That action protects the plant, or preys on food, and helps the
 plant understand what is around it.


<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<div class="text-center">
 <img alt=" the-role-of-the-intellect-2" class="lazyload has-img-center"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/role_of_intellect2_44e37a7a9e.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-12T06:20:18.384Z" />
</div>

<hr class="vertical-space1" />


 So instinct is the first element of intellect. That instinct is necessary
 for survival. Many a time we ask, “What is your gut feeling?” Where is that
 gut feeling coming from? Research shows that the source of brain function is
 not only in the brain.4 For example, the vagus nerve from the
 heart stimulates the brain into certain action and not the other way
 round.5 The autonomic functions are shared between the brain, the
 gut, and the heart. They control both the sympathetic and parasympathetic
 responses, whether they are fight, flight, or freeze responses or post
 stress feelings of calm, peace, happiness, and joy. Our instinct is all over
 our body-mind complex. Neurons from the gut send signals to the brain, and
 the brain sends back a signal for response. This is all instinct. Instinct
 is directly related to brain function and hormones. It is our inheritance to
 protect and safeguard our lives. It is this instinct that protects the ego,
 and it draws from the resources of the memory bank and thinking of the mind.



 The second element of intellect is intuition. We know that some people are
 more intuitive than others. All of us have felt a sense of things and events
 before they happen. This is intuition. A feeling. A premonition. A
 forethought. A foresight. An aha moment. Intuition develops when we quieten
 our mind, observe, and witness.



 Meditation is an important way to develop intuition, as it helps us to open
 our minds to their subconscious and superconscious states.


<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<hr />

<h4 class="text-center">
 Meditation is an
 important way to develop intuition, as it helps us
 to open our minds to their subconscious and superconscious
 states.
</h4>

<hr />

<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<div class="text-center">
 <img alt=" the-role-of-the-intellect-2" class="lazyload has-img-center"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/role_of_intellect3_6af88e52fd.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-12T06:26:17.373Z" />
</div>

<hr class="vertical-space1" />


 The third element is intelligence. Intelligence is a variable, but all of us
 have it. Animals have it and plants have it. Intelligence can be improved by
 acquiring knowledge and knowing how to apply it, and most knowledge comes
 from experience and observation. This knowledge includes emotional
 intelligence, which is acquisition of emotional and mental soft skills such
 as listening, pausing, reflecting, focusing, and being attentive. The more
 emotionally intelligent a person is, the more successful and happier they
 can be. Yet once again, without the evolution of that intelligence by proper
 and pure intentions, it can be wasted on inhumane enterprises. The power of
 intention cannot be underestimated in the growth of our consciousness. Pure
 and generous intentions are the principles of an evolving mind, intellect,
 and ego. It is when it goes instead toward self-aggrandizement that the
 problems begin.


<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<div class="text-center">
 <img alt=" the-role-of-the-intellect-2" class="lazyload has-img-center"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/role_of_intellect4_6b2144a29a.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-12T06:27:41.016Z" />
</div>

<hr class="vertical-space1" />


 The fourth element is wisdom. When does intellect evolve to become wisdom?
 By conscious effort to purify, regulate, and focus our intellect. The
 evolution of the mind and the ego also helps in the evolution of the
 intellect and vice versa. How does wisdom help us?&nbsp; When we are wise,
 we make better choices. Should I speak or not? What to say? How much to say?
 When to say? Whether to go here or there? As we become wiser, our choices
 become consistent with the goal we have taken up for our lives. We may not
 know how to define wisdom, but we definitely know when we see a wise person
 or hear words of wisdom.&nbsp;



 In a nutshell, the role of the intellect is a crucial one. Intellect also
 sheds light on faith. Faith is a state of mind. I struggled with the term
 “faith” for a long time. I didn’t understand it in the context of how it has
 been practiced – to get from the Almighty what we want, with faith
 increasing if expectations were met. This did not inspire me. In one of my
 meditations, it occurred to me that the role of faith is to beget hope; hope
 begets positive action, and positive action produces positive results. So,
 to my understanding, intellect actually embellishes the understanding of
 faith and puts it in its right place.



 One way to explain the evolution of consciousness is to say that it is a
 release from the limitations of the mind, the intellect, and the ego. It
 results from their continuous refinement so that they become feeling,
 wisdom, and appreciation of the world around us. It is an ever-growing
 subtle-fication of the body-mind-spirit complex, ever tending toward
 moderation and balance in all aspects of life. In this process, intellect
 plays a very big part. If the mind is not refined, the intellect is not
 refined, and the ego is not refined, then love, obedience, and surrender
 will remain misplaced, and will be counterproductive to our evolution.



 The 20th century spiritual teacher, Babuji (Ram Chandra of Shahjahanpur),
 added the term “real” before love, life, and surrender, perhaps to indicate
 the importance of the pure form of these attitudes to guide us to the truth.
 Also, when all the elements of consciousness are purified, regulated, and
 focused, direct perception is enabled. This is what saints and spiritual
 scientists like the Buddha and Babuji are able to do. We also have the
 possibility to perceive directly when we embrace an evolutionary practice
 like Heartfulness.&nbsp;


<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<div class="text-center">
 <img alt=" the-role-of-the-intellect-2" class="lazyload has-img-center"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/role_of_intellect5_d0dac36a18.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-12T06:28:51.311Z" />
</div>

<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<hr />

<h4 class="text-center">
 When all the elements
 of consciousness are purified, regulated, and
 focused, direct perception is enabled.
</h4>

<hr />

<hr class="vertical-space1" />


 1
 <a href="https://www.heartfulnessmagazine.com/editions/december-2016/" target="_blank"
 rel="noreferrer noopener">https://www.heartfulnessmagazine.com/editions/december-2016/</a>


2 By Daaji


 3
 <a href="https://www.science.org/content/article/plants-communicate-distress-using-their-own-kind-nervous-system"
 target="_blank"
 rel="noreferrer noopener">https://www.science.org/content/article/plants-communicate-distress-using-their-own-kind-nervous-system</a>



 4
 <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3845678/" target="_blank"
 rel="noreferrer noopener">https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3845678/</a>



 5
 <a href="https://www.news-medical.net/news/20210624/Researchers-observe-brains-responses-to-vagus-nerve-stimulation-during-sleep-and-wakefulness.aspx"
 target="_blank"
 rel="noreferrer noopener">https://www.news-medical.net/news/20210624/Researchers-observe-brains-responses-to-vagus-nerve-stimulation-during-sleep-and-wakefulness.aspx</a>


<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<hr />

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

<hr />

The role of the intellect

<h4>VICTOR KANNAN shares some insights on how to cultivate a clear mind, something essential to a happy and healthy life. He presents 3 Gs as the way to achieve a clear mind – goal, generosity, and gratitude.</h4><hr>Clarity is an important mental quality. Clarity of mind and purity of heart make for a high level of discernment and proper decision-making. They both help in correct thinking and right understanding of the people and situations around us. Lack of clarity results in a downward spiral of confusion, fear, anger, restlessness, and lack of happiness. It makes things worse and causes harm to our near and dear ones.How to develop clarity, leading to correct thinking and right understanding? I contemplated this question for a few days and came to the conclusion that we need these 3 Gs.<h4>G1: Be Goal-Oriented</h4>Having a goal helps with clear thinking. Without a goal we are without direction, purpose, and meaning. When we are goal-oriented, we are not bothered by unnecessary things.Having multiple main goals is a problem. Multiple channels of attention scatters our focus, so we are not effective in the pursuit of any goal. It helps to set one overarching goal. Such a goal is generally big and aspirational. It holds deep meaning and profound purpose. Most of us have one main goal, like becoming the best version of ourselves, or realizing our ultimate potential.A big goal energizes us as we proceed in life. It continues to be more inspiring, and we become more enthusiastic as we march along. There is no fatigue when we set a goal of this nature. It is not limited. An unlimited goal keeps on going, and we keep asking, what’s next? That’s exciting. Every day, like a lotus flower that keeps coming up, anew, lovely conditions continue to emerge. Not all of them can be expressed, but we look forward to them. However subtle the flowering may be, we are able to feel it. It is tangible. That kind of goal keeps us excited and enthusiastic to keep going. It determines our orientation to the infinite.The goal determines the orientation, and the orientation decides the journey. When that happens, we adopt a conducive lifestyle. If we are serious and clear with our goal, we simplify our life and make sure that everything is conducive to this goal-oriented existence.The goal demands that we avoid unnecessary things. For example, many of us say “there’s nothing wrong with acquiring things; it is only attachment to them that is the problem,” but I’m not able to understand that completely. Why acquire things? It requires effort, and that effort can be applied to something more conducive for the goal. It is worthwhile to talk about balanced existence in this context. It doesn’t mean balancing every good activity with something questionable. Balanced existence is not balancing necessary things and unnecessary things. It is best to avoid unnecessary things.Right understanding is essential, and correct thinking precedes right understanding. To have correct thinking we need to clear out the inner cobwebs and simplify the inner environment. This is usually facilitated by Heartfulness rejuvenation practices and other practices to remain meditative. But for right understanding we need to have generosity.<hr><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/3gs_personal_growth2_4f7fe4f22d.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-12T07:52:28.060Z" alt="3gs-personal-growth2"><hr><h4>G2: Be Generous</h4>How to ensure right understanding? To answer this, we may have to ask one more question: How to avoid mis-understanding and wrong understanding?Misunderstanding happens due to prejudice, jealousy, impatience, anger, fear, insecurity, etc. Wrong understanding is due to the conviction we have in our misunderstanding. This is because we are defensive, proud, and egoistic. All this colors our vision and perception.What is the antidote? Generosity. If we are generous towards ourselves, we have self-compassion. We are not hard on ourselves. If we made a mistake it’s okay. Pause, be self-compassionate, take the time to fix it.If we are generous, we listen to others, we’re empathetic toward others. This again gives us the necessary pause. When somebody says or does something, we can either misunderstand them or understand them correctly. Understanding them correctly doesn’t mean that they have said or done the right thing, only that we have given ourselves the possibility of not misunderstanding.Often, misunderstanding of others comes from jealousy, fear of failure, and insecurity. Jealousy arises mainly in close quarters, such as at work. The boss may praise somebody else for our work and we feel jealous. Jealousy can exist in the worst form between siblings. It is less talked about, like guilt, but it is extremely counterproductive to peace and progress.The antidote to jealousy is also generosity. Jealousy and generosity cannot go together. When we are generous with our hearts, our time, our space, our minds, and our thoughts, it facilitates right understanding.How to develop generosity? Generosity is fostered when we give and love giving – time, space, things, and the emotional space everyone needs to express themselves. Give and see. When you put a smile on people’s faces, help them feel safe and welcome, and reduce their pain and suffering, see how you feel in your heart. If you repeatedly do this from a heart full of love, an enormous good will await you.<hr><hr><h4>How to develop generosity? Generosity is fostered when we give&nbsp; and love giving – time, space, things,&nbsp; and the emotional space everyone needs&nbsp; to express themselves. Give and see.</h4><hr><hr>Another way to develop generosity is to develop contentment. It is difficult to be generous if you are not contented. If you think that what you have is not enough, how are you going to be generous? If you think you have enough, you will be generous.Generosity is mainly in the giving. However, without a proper attitude towards receiving, life’s day-to-day interaction of give and take is not complete.<h4>G3: Be Grateful</h4>Being grateful also sets our inner climate very nicely. Generosity and gratitude go together – we put others first when we are generous, and we put others first when we are grateful. We are not complete without the many things that others do for us in our lives. Remembering those givers and those moments help to promote mutual respect, appreciation, and harmony.<hr><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/3gs_personal_growth3_dd7317e656.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-12T07:52:57.428Z" alt="3gs-personal-growth3"><hr>Generosity in the giving and gratitude in the receiving completes the cycle of human interactions. If we develop generosity and gratitude, it takes care of the entire relationship cycle; giving and taking is what makes a relationship. We give time, we take time; we give things, we take things; we give knowledge, we receive knowledge; etc. We give generously and we receive with gratitude. It is a beautiful thing.Generosity and gratitude also foster authenticity and humility. With these qualities in the heart, there is no room for jealousy or competition, anger or hatred. There is only harmony and contentment. When generosity and gratitude moderate our reactions and responses to situations, we maintain our steadiness and remain centered. With this sort of a heartful condition and inner environment, we will have correct thinking and right understanding. This helps with purity of heart and clarity of mind, irrespective of the situations we grow out of, just like a lotus.&nbsp;<hr><hr><h4>Illustrations by ANANYA PATEL</h4><hr>

3Gs for personal growth

<hr><h4>VICTOR KANNAN explores the concept of carefreeness and what that means. He also offers us 4 simple steps to regaining lightness and carefree happiness.</h4><hr>The term carefree is generally used to characterize our lives as children, when we roam around without a care in the world. “Carefree” is a state of mind without worries. This may be true for children, but as we grow older we are beset with a ton of responsibilities, and worries pile up. Our energy flow is affected, and we lose freshness in our feelings. This grows into a debilitating situation, and we are drowned in a state of helplessness. How then can we be carefree as adults?Carefree does not mean indifferent, careless, or uncaring. We tell others, especially young ones, to pay attention and be careful as they go to school, play, bike, or participate in sports activities. We inspire partners and employees to be caring, and pin them for their uncaring attitude. We blame others for being careless when we damage a valuable item, such as a vase or a statue. Being uncaring, careless, and not paying attention are vastly different from being carefree.In the middle of it all is the idea of caring: “How much to care?” and “What to care for?” are the questions that surround the attitude of being carefree.Caring is a value, whereas being careful and uncaring are personality traits. Values are taught early in life and are part of our up bringing. Children catch these critical values from their parents, families, and the environment in which they grow up. Values form a foundation for life. Caring unfolds in how we treat people and do things. It shows in kindness, compassion, and generosity, and in the ability to pay attention to detail when doing things. Many of us go after knowledge, as it gives us power. But power is not easily sustained without a caring attitude. The American President Theodore Roosevelt said, “No one cares how much you know, until they know how much you care.”What happens when we behave in an uncaring manner? Uncaring is selfish, and it lacks etiquette. It has a high concentration of ego, self-centricity, and uncouthness. Over time, this results in isolation and loneliness. Who will associate with someone who does not care for etiquette and relationships?&nbsp;Carelessness, on the other hand, is a lack of interest, pride, patience, faith, and passion. It shows in sloppy work, lack of progress, constant turmoil, and chaos in teams and relationships. Careless work results in unintended consequences. A careless person speaks without restraint and awareness. Carelessness means lack of attention to work and people, and also means not handling things properly. Carelessness is a state of ignorance. While an uncaring attitude is due to the ego, carelessness is due to the lack of development of our real intelligence.<hr><hr><h4>Caring unfolds in how we treat people and do things.&nbsp; It shows in kindness, compassion, and generosity, and&nbsp; in the ability to pay attention to detail when doing things.</h4><hr><hr>Amidst the caring, careful, uncaring, and careless people, we also come across people who are carefree. Carefree people exhibit a condition of flow, joy, and happiness. They don’t take up the gossip and curious inquiry of their friends, family members, or colleagues. When we are in their presence we feel expanded and safe. We don’t feel the need to be guarded. A person who is doing a spiritual practice for self-development will enjoy this condition of being carefree at times. And as they grow in spirituality, the carefree condition becomes more and more permanent.The carefree condition is a balanced condition of the mind, free of excitement or dejection. To develop such a condition takes practice – a practice that helps in the moderation of tendencies and reducing the swings of the mind.<hr><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/4steps_becoming_carefree2_89b486af48.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-12T09:30:56.490Z" alt="4-steps-to-becoming-carefree"><hr><hr><h4>The carefree condition is a balanced condition of the mind,&nbsp; free of excitement or dejection.</h4><hr><hr>The spiritual Guide, Lalaji (1873–1931), describes how we can reach the condition of carefree happiness: “The mind has the middle position where there is the mixed condition of happiness and sorrow. And when the mind rises above these two stages and reaches the spirit or the causal body, it gets peace, stability and carefree happiness.”1<hr><h2>Steps to Becoming Carefree</h2><h4>1. Moderate your tendencies</h4>Become aware of your excesses and accept them as a challenge to overcome. Then practice self-development to overcome these personality challenges and shortcomings. Try to get rid of your negative personality traits, which we formed due to the collection of impressions or samsakaras. Adopt practices such as Heartfulness Relaxation, Meditation, Cleaning, introspection, and visualization to reprogram your personality. Eventually you will gain control over your mind and behavior. You will start thinking correctly, which helps in processing future possibilities and choices in a more positive manner.<h4>2. Reduce your wants and needs</h4>This will help you develop a carefree state of mind, as there is less to worry about. The tendency of wanting more and more to be comfortable, or to have a sense of self or safety, can be moderated and refined. Otherwise, you won’t know the difference between wants and needs. You will be mentally captured by the things you accumulate. More things, more to worry about. More unnecessary things, more unnecessary worries. There is wisdom in simplifying your life. It will tremendously improve your carefree status.<h4>3. Clean as you go</h4>The micro-practice of “spot cleaning” in Heartfulness will help you to remove mental impressions as they are forming throughout the day. Otherwise, left untended they may trigger a samskaric engagement. Spot cleaning helps to develop a carefree state of mind.<h4>4. Have faith</h4>Have the faith that when you do your best, only the best possible outcome will follow. Faith also contains the attitude of total acceptance, and if the outcome is less than optimal, more effort will follow, without a doubt, or a trace of concern.<hr><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/4steps_becoming_carefree3_b8cbec7685.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-12T09:31:53.129Z" alt="4-steps-to-becoming-carefree"><hr>Finally, every now and again try to be carefree. Feel it and enjoy it.&nbsp; It does not mean being irresponsible. It is like resting before activity begins. You are fresh, light, creative, and productive. Adding wonder and gratitude to this carefree condition will take your whole being to a new dimension of existence. Only when you experience such a condition of being, will you appreciate it. It is worth striving for.<hr><hr>1Ram Chandra (Lalaji), 2018. Truth Eternal. Shri Ram Chandra Mission, India.

4 steps to becoming carefree

<h4>VICTOR KANNAN is a longtime Heartfulness practitioner and trainer from Atlanta, USA, who shows us how the universal lifestyle principles of yoga can reduce our carbon footprint.</h4><hr>With heightened awareness of global warming, many of us are looking to governments and corporations to change their policies and practices, and they are struggling to make the necessary changes. While it is easy to point the finger at them, what about us? What is our level of awareness of the carbon footprint we create? What are the changes we are willing to make in our consumption behavior? Rich or poor, we can all improve our awareness of the effects our actions have on the environment.Ask yourself, “Am I leading a life that will leave the Earth a better place than when I found it when I was born? How am I mitigating the risks and uncertainty of my own future and that of my children and grandchildren?”1“The average carbon footprint of a person in the US is 16 tons per year, one of the highest in the world. Globally, the average carbon footprint is around 4 tons. To have a chance of avoiding a 2˚Crise in global temperatures, the average global carbon footprint needs to drop to under 2 tons per year by 2050.”2Since nations like the US have a larger carbon footprint than others, those of us living in these nations have more responsibility to lower our carbon footprint.One way to reduce our footprint is to reduce food waste. The US Environmental Agency calculates that an average American wastes a total of 4.9 pounds of solid waste a day.3 Even a small reduction in this waste would help greatly. By eating less meat, taking fewer connecting flights, taking reusable bags to the shops, and reducing food waste, we can lower our individual carbon footprints from 16 tons per year to less than 14 tons.In the world today, there are still significant levels of childhood hunger and malnutrition stunting children’s growth. About 11 million children suffer food insecurity in the US alone, and according to World Vision, about 690 million children around the globe go to bed hungry.5 This is heart wrenching. A conscious lifestyle, reducing carbon footprint by reducing food waste, will help to mitigate hunger for others.<hr><hr><h4>A conscious lifestyle,&nbsp; reducing carbon footprint by reducing food waste,&nbsp; will help to mitigate hunger for others.</h4><hr><hr>Saving on food waste also has a multiplier effect. The less we purchase, the less refrigeration we need, both before and after cooking. Raw unprocessed food can be stored easily, and any excess can be given to food relief organizations. We can also urge manufacturers of food products to consider longer shelf lives, based on storage conditions at home. Many companies insert food expiration dates and best sell by dates as a way to increase their sales. WebMD states that dairy products are good for a week later than sell-by dates.6Arresting global warming is everyone’s responsibility. Compared with other excesses, those of our consumption-based lifestyles affect our future disproportionately. Spiritual teachers have always said, “Waste is immoral.” Waste happens because of ignorance. How can we flourish spiritually without dispelling our ignorance of over-consumption and waste?The Earth and its inhabitants have been constantly ravaged over time, because of the tumultuous nature of existence and the evolution of life. However, life in general is resilient. It regenerates after destruction. Chaos begets order. Order decays into chaos. Thus goes the cycle.As human beings, we are conscious of our actions, and suffer the consequences. We make choices every day. If we are ignorant in the choices we make, the pain and suffering that follow can become agents of self-knowledge and transformation. The demand for real self-transformation has never been greater.Heartfulness has ten guidelines for charting a good life. Three of these can specifically help us reduce our carbon footprint.They are:<ul><li>Simplify your life so as to be identical with Nature.</li><li>Be happy to eat in constant divine thought whatever you get, with due regard to honest and pious earnings.</li><li>Mold your behavior and way of living to such a high order as to rouse a feeling of love and piety in others.</li></ul><hr><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/carbon_free3_700x233_6bbb044d8a.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-11T13:13:22.949Z" alt=""><hr>Nature recycles and replenishes constantly. It gives as it takes. It keeps itself in balance. Nature is simple and purposeful in its working. Similarly, if we lead a simple life, we will only take what we need, and we will give back to Nature. When human-generated consumption and excess waste affect Nature, Nature will adjust and rebalance. This rebalancing of Nature creates havoc. An example of such an adjustment is what we call Climate Change. Similarly, when we as individuals consume much more than we need or can afford, our body also behaves like Nature. It starts aching and paining all over.The idea of being happy and content is consistent with simplifying life. Happiness is possible when we make the money we need by proper means. A life of contentment is a simple life, arousing a feeling of love and calmness in others. It does not evoke jealousy in others. It does not evoke competition or one-upmanship. These simple guidelines help in reducing our carbon footprint, while making us happy, content, and responsible global citizens.<hr><hr><h4>A life of contentment is a simple life,&nbsp; arousing a feeling of love and calmness in others</h4><hr><hr>As we simplify our life to live optimally, we contribute to the reversal of Climate Change – not only the Earth’s climate, but also the social and emotional climate of our family, friends, and neighbors. Gandhi spoke about simple living and high thinking. The above guidelines all help in high thinking and noble living, creating a positive climate at all levels.<hr><hr>References<ol><li><code>The Nature Conservancy. “How to help calculate your carbon footprint.” </code><a href="https://www.nature.org/en-us/get-involved/how-to-help/carbon-footprint-calculator/"><code>https://www.nature.org/en-us/get-involved/how-to-help/carbon-footprint-calculator/</code></a></li><li><code>The Nature Conservancy. </code><a href="https://www.nature.org/en-us/get-involved/how-to-help/carbon-footprint-calculator/"><code>https://www.nature.org/en-us/get-involved/how-to-help/carbon-footprint-calculator/</code></a></li><li><code>The Environment America.</code><a href="https://environmentamerica.org/reports/amc/trash-america"><code>https://environmentamerica.org/reports/amc/trash-america</code></a></li><li><code>United States Environmental Agency. “National Overview: Facts and Figures on Materials, Waste and Recycling. </code><a href="https://www.epa.gov/facts-and-figures-about-materials-waste-and-recycling/national-overview-facts-and-figures-materials"><code>https://www.epa.gov/facts-and-figures-about-materials-waste-and-recycling/national-overview-facts-and-figures-materials</code></a></li><li><code>World Vision. “5 world hunger facts you need to know.” </code><a href="https://www.worldvision.org/hunger-news-stories/world-hunger-facts"><code>https://www.worldvision.org/hunger-news-stories/world-hunger-facts</code></a></li><li><a href="https://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/food-poisoning/news/20210917/food-dating-labels-explained"><code>https://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/food-poisoning/news/20210917/food-dating-labels-explained</code></a></li></ol><hr>

3 ways to reduce your carbon footprint

<hr><h4>&nbsp;</h4>VICTOR KANNAN explores the nature of gentleness, and why it brings lightness in its wake.&nbsp;<hr>The other day I was wondering why the word “gentle” is used often in Heartfulness practices. “Please close your eyes very gently and very softly.” With these words begins the guided Relaxation practice. The guided Cleaning says, “Gently brush the impressions aside.” And many of the other practices guide us to gently do this and that.Adopting gentleness prevents scratches on the surface of action, whether we are cleaning the floor or a table, speaking with people, or cooking and cleaning.&nbsp;Gentleness in everything. Gentle people seem to have mastered the art of awareness, empathy, compassion, and grace.&nbsp;<hr><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/being_gentle_light2_311dcc09c9.jpg" alt="Cbeing_gentle_light">&nbsp;<hr><hr><h4>Gentleness is not to be confused with lack of strength.&nbsp; It is like the strength of flexibility.&nbsp; Being gentle is not to be confused with lack of courage.&nbsp; It is like patience and courage itself.</h4><hr><hr><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/being_gentle_light3_ffa2dad52f.jpg" alt="Cbeing_gentle_light">&nbsp;<hr>Gentleness is not to be confused with lack of strength. It is like the strength of flexibility. Being gentle is not to be confused with lack of courage.&nbsp;It is like patience and courage itself. Mahatma Gandhi says, “Be truthful, gentle, and fearless.”&nbsp; Developing gentleness is an art of a skill in real being.&nbsp;“They say that at the last day there will be judgments, and that our dear Friend [God] will be in anger. But from pure goodness only goodness emanates. Be then without fear, for finally you will see that He is full of gentleness.” —Omar KhayyamLife can be beautiful, but living is challenging. If we live consciously, we make a chosen destiny. We can be strong or weak, we can be gentle. We may make mistakes, but we can become gentle by introspection. We may misspeak, which we can correct with gentleness. We can be gentle in our movement, conversation, communication, and consumption. Yes, consumption. Zero waste is impractical. But gentleness in consumption will minimize waste, save the planet, and feed the hungry.<hr><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/being_gentle_light4_0a1c29adcd.jpg" alt="Cbeing_gentle_light">&nbsp;<hr><hr><h4>Life can be beautiful, but living is challenging. If we live consciously, we make a chosen destiny.</h4><hr><hr>Gentle does not know hurry, it moves swiftly. Gentle does not rattle, it speaks clearly. Gentle does not fear or panic, it pauses. Gentle is not heavy, but light! Be gentle is to travel light in the journey of life.<hr><hr><h4>Illustrations by ARATI SHEDDE</h4><hr><hr>

Being gentle is being light

<h4>Does the Unified Field Theory – the theory of everything – really explain everything? VICTOR KANNAN explores this question and examines the meeting point between scientific thinking on the subject and the observations of the great yogic scientists of the last century.</h4>&nbsp;There is a struggle in the scientific community to neatly tie together all the theories of physics: many scientists believe there is an inherent structure and order to the universe and it operates inexorably. All exceptions, like objects out of orbit colliding with each other, are still explained as the force of energy from the Big Bang carrying them through the unstable process, but eventually towards an equilibrium arising out of a collision with other planetary objects in motion, or finding an orbit around a planet or a moon with gravitational equilibrium.But this theory has again missed the world of metaphysics – a word clearly coined because of the inadequacies of physics alone to explain all things manifested in the universe. The word came about in the mid-16th century, the Latin metaphysica, based on the Greek ta meta ta phusika, ‘the things after physics’, referring to the sequence of Aristotle’s works. The title came to denote the branch of study treated in the books, later interpreted as meaning, ‘the science of things transcending what is physical or natural’.1So, what is beyond the physical? Of course it has to do with the mind, which is at the core of manifesting physical and philosophical things. Thoughts, feelings, moods and imagination form part of this mind. The mind is not an organ in the body, like the heart and the brain. The mind is a well-recognised metaphysical organ! Out of the mind comes consciousness – the field of action of the mind. But then the components of thinking and their association with the ego (one’s own self) and not the collective oneness of everything, limits its expansion.The other important core element of metaphysics is consciousness, which is said to be in all things living. Of course, metaphysicists talk about a range of consciousness, from the consciousness of a stone to that of angels.Now coming to the search for a unified theory of everything both physical and metaphysical, can there be such a theory? It may be possible only if we combine matter with energy, and both with consciousness.Pictorially, we can explain the components of the unified fields of the physical and the metaphysical as follows:<img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/matter_energy_what_else1_img_7024acb6b4.png?updated_at=2023-04-03T06:33:59.375Z" alt="matter-energy-what-else1-img">The participants in the triangle at the base partake more of matter and energy. As they incorporate more of the life-giving force for consciousness, it becomes possible for them to move up the pyramid to an existence that is in the metaphysical world.We have the traditional view that matter produces energy and that the two are related. But I wonder if energy can be created without matter. For instance, today I was tired and did not want to exercise. I meditated and relaxed. Then I found some energy and went to exercise. As I went beyond 45 minutes, I felt a second wind and continued beyond what I had ever done. It was a physical breakthrough for me, and I came away wondering what gave me this energy. I had not eaten anything and had only relaxed and meditated. Where did this physical motivation and energy come from?So, a metaphysical act gave a boost to physical manifestation. Energy came out of an act of doing nothing – an act of nothing, or meditation, which perhaps worked on my thinking or conscious resting.Another equation that came to mind in this context isLq = Pc (m+e)The quality of life (Lq) is exponentially proportionate to the use of matter and energy (m+e) in the furtherance of purity of consciousness (Pc). If matter and energy are used for the furtherance of ME, the ego in me, then development of consciousness can be expressed asX = C / MEwhere X is the level of frequency of life.&nbsp;The higher the frequency, the more present is the being. Conversely, as ME approaches zero, than X tends towards infinity.So, as we reduce our ego towards zero, consciousness soars towards infinity, and joy, peace and universal love reign supreme.While these may be dismissed as clever imaginations, it was worth exploring the connection between matter, energy and its utilization for boosting one’s ego or for understanding its relationship to one’s consciousness.<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">If consciousness can expand, then the question comes: what nurtures consciousness?</h4><hr>If consciousness can expand, then the question comes: what nurtures consciousness?In this context, it is necessary to recognize the saint from India named Ram Chandra (1899- 1983) who talks about a type of energy called Transmission that nurtures human consciousness. He defines transmission as the energy needed for the transformation of man. In his words, “Transmission works in the conversion of matter into energy, and energy into the Ultimate.”2The Big Bang is largely accepted as the theory that explains how the current universe came into existence from a singularity. From that singularity, massive energy was released, which in turn created matter and eventually life. If this expansionary process reversed itself, what would happen?In a paper published in ‘Physical Review Letters,’ physicists Nemanja Kaloper at the University of California, Davis, and Antonio Padilla at the University of Nottingham, have proposed the cosmological collapse mechanism and analysed its implications, which include an explanation of dark energy.3What Ram Chandra says may be a precursor to the possibility of a black hole absorbing all of the manifest universe into its singularity. So, this idea of transmission helping us make that journey back home is where physics and metaphysics meet. So with this, do we also have a unified theory?I leave it to scientists, with this axiom: What saints have intuitively known for a long time seems now for scientists to prove._________________1Google search of the meaning of the word ‘Metaphysics’ 2Ram Chandra, Complete Works of Ram Chandra, Volume 2,&nbsp;Shri Ram Chandra Mission, USA 3https://phys.org/news/2015-03-universe-brink-collapsecosmological-timescale.html#jCp

Matter, energy, and what else?

<h4 style="text-align:justify;">VICTOR KANNAN recently visited the Inner Peace Museum at Kanha Shanti Vanam, and invites us inside its doors to feel the calmness that inner peace brings.</h4>&nbsp;In the heart’s core, A sacred calmness resides, Inner peace endures.Most peace museums around the world are dedicated to wars. Indeed, they are peace museums because they remind us of what passed, and that which should never come to pass again. However, in Kanha Shanti Vanam, on the outskirts of Hyderabad in India, there is a museum that is dedicated to a different kind of peace: peace of mind, peace of heart, and peace of soul. It is first of all a humble tribute to the great souls of humanity who tread the path of unity and love, the path of spirituality, and of the Almighty. And it is also more than that. The Inner Peace Museum is unique in that it is an experiential museum. It proffers to the visitor an opportunity to soak in its lush, verdant surroundings, meditate in its atmosphere effused with subtle Divinity, be inspired by its art and installations, and feel inner peace.&nbsp;<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:75%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/inner_peace_museum2_fc03401664.webp" alt="inner-peace-museum2.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_inner_peace_museum2_fc03401664.webp 145w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/large_inner_peace_museum2_fc03401664.webp 800w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/inner_peace_museum2_fc03401664.webp 800w," sizes="100vw"></figure>&nbsp;<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:75%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/inner_peace_museum3_1d6d947b92.webp" alt="inner-peace-museum3.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_inner_peace_museum3_1d6d947b92.webp 145w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/large_inner_peace_museum3_1d6d947b92.webp 800w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/inner_peace_museum3_1d6d947b92.webp 800w," sizes="100vw"></figure>&nbsp;World peace is achievable once individual peace is at hand. And peace is already there. Our philosophy makes us understand that: peace is our fundamental nature. A meditative practice helps us arrive at a meditative state and constantly keeps fuelling peace within as well as with people we meet, wherever we go; we are in some way contributing to peace because of who we are.The intensity of your inner peace will be exposed the moment you drop all ideas of pride, ego, desires, etc. You will be unburdened so much that you will be surprised with your own nature which is full of peace. —Daaji&nbsp;<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:75%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/inner_peace_museum4_a0a8a6efda.webp" alt="inner-peace-museum4.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_inner_peace_museum4_a0a8a6efda.webp 145w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/large_inner_peace_museum4_a0a8a6efda.webp 600w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/inner_peace_museum4_a0a8a6efda.webp 600w," sizes="100vw"></figure>&nbsp;The exhibits of the Inner Peace Museum reflect humanity’s quest for the highest through the ages, and the inner journey inspired by the world’s rich spiritual heritage, realized through meditation.The artists who contribute their original work for the museum come from around the world. Inspired by their stay and experiences in the pristine environment of Kanha Shanti Vanam, they create in the museum studio. These individual and collective works represent diverse faiths and schools of thought from around the world, ranging from the ancient forms of worship to modern scientific ideas, all united in the singular urge of all life to evolve to the Highest.&nbsp;<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:75%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/inner_peace_museum5_fa710c0e26.webp" alt="inner-peace-museum5.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_inner_peace_museum5_fa710c0e26.webp 145w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/large_inner_peace_museum5_fa710c0e26.webp 800w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/inner_peace_museum5_fa710c0e26.webp 800w," sizes="100vw"></figure>&nbsp;The Inner Peace Museum inspires us to focus on true peace, the inner peace in our hearts, which if established will automatically lead to external peace. It also brings to light the universal concept of Unity, the fact that we are all united by that singular urge to evolve to the highest as human beings, whether through religious thought, science, philosophy, literature, art, music, spirituality, or simply by virtue of being human.&nbsp;<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:75%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/inner_peace_museum6_42e42e7523.webp" alt="inner-peace-museum6.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_inner_peace_museum6_42e42e7523.webp 145w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/large_inner_peace_museum6_42e42e7523.webp 800w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/inner_peace_museum6_42e42e7523.webp 800w," sizes="100vw"></figure>&nbsp;<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:75%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/inner_peace_museum7_36e143b71a.webp" alt="inner-peace-museum7.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_inner_peace_museum7_36e143b71a.webp 145w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/large_inner_peace_museum7_36e143b71a.webp 600w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/inner_peace_museum7_36e143b71a.webp 600w," sizes="100vw"></figure>&nbsp;<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:75%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/inner_peace_museum8_b68c0711e7.webp" alt="inner-peace-museum8.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_inner_peace_museum8_b68c0711e7.webp 145w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/large_inner_peace_museum8_b68c0711e7.webp 600w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/inner_peace_museum8_b68c0711e7.webp 600w," sizes="100vw"></figure><hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">The Inner Peace Museum inspires us to focus on true peace, the inner peace in our hearts, which if established will automatically lead to external peace.</h4><hr>For more information, please contact us at ipm@heartfulness.org.

Inner peace museum

<h4 style="text-align:justify;">VICTOR KANNAN explores the debate around whether AI has consciousness. He comes up with a very compelling logic for how it can easily be solved.</h4>&nbsp;There is a growing debate about whether AI has consciousness.I find this question amusing. The seriousness with which we debate this question seems to be misplaced. After all, we are not asking if an intelligent being is devoid of consciousness. If we are not asking that, why then are we asking if programs that are powered by <a href="https://heartfulness.org/magazine/ai-spiritual-life" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">artificial intelligence</a> have a human type of consciousness.We seem to have understood intuitively what <a href="https://heartfulness.org/magazine/human-intelligence-artificial-intelligence" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">artificial intelligence</a> is and what consciousness is. Because the responses we get from our prompts to Gemini or Chat GPT seem to be personal and contextual, we are surprised, and we ask if AI is conscious.&nbsp;&nbsp;<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:75%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/Ai2_f954cb4d42.webp" alt="Ai2.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_Ai2_f954cb4d42.webp 145w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/large_Ai2_f954cb4d42.webp 601w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/Ai2_f954cb4d42.webp 601w," sizes="100vw"></figure><h4 style="text-align:justify;">What is intelligence?</h4>According to the Oxford dictionary, “intelligence” is the ability to acquire and apply knowledge and skills. When this is done by programming a computer, it is artificial intelligence as opposed to natural intelligence, which is innate, such as found in living beings like plants, animals and humans. They use innate intelligence to respond to situations, while machines are programmed to respond.&nbsp;It is a different discussion to ask if we are not programmed or influenced by our past memories and present socio-economic conditions. This takes us to behavioral science and psychology. &nbsp;Let us, however, stay focused on this question of AI having consciousness.&nbsp;<h4 style="text-align:justify;">What is consciousness?</h4>According to the Cambridge dictionary, “consciousness” is “the state of being awake, thinking, and knowing what is happening around you.” Consciousness is the degree of awareness and unawareness, thinking and not thinking, knowing and not knowing. Somehow this definition is short on the sleep and dream states of consciousness.&nbsp;<h4 style="text-align:justify;">What does AI do when it is “sleeping”?</h4>We might say AI is learning while “sleeping” based on the previous set of interactions. This is machine learning. We might say this is similar to how the brain functions while a person is sleeping. Just as the brain consolidates and stores information obtained during the day, AI machines are continually indexing the knowledge obtained during the period of interaction for future use. This sounds like a valid argument.&nbsp;&nbsp;<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:75%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/Ai3_85d442febf.webp" alt="Ai3.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_Ai3_85d442febf.webp 145w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/large_Ai3_85d442febf.webp 800w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/Ai3_85d442febf.webp 800w," sizes="100vw"></figure><h4 style="text-align:justify;">Repetition and creativity</h4>The fundamental difference is the repetition of a machine versus the creativity of innate consciousness. We might ask the same question to AI repeatedly and it would keep on producing slightly different answers; hence, we can claim it to be creative or imaginative. The random number generator in a gaming device appears to produce unpredictable outcomes. Those who know the rule that the house always wins, know&nbsp; the sum of all outcomes is profitable for the house and not the sum of all players.Many lose so a few can win. The predictable outcome is that the house always wins, though individual outcomes are random. The fact that the house always wins means the aggregate outcomes are pre-programmed.Pre-programmed and uniqueness&nbsp;Similarly, AI machines are pre-programmed. They have artificial intelligence but not the consciousness to create the intelligence to begin with. Machine learning algorithms do not make them originally creative and unique, while human consciousness does. Consciousness is a composite of the ability to think, process, decide, and act in a unique manner based on circumstances and past learning. It all seems programmable. But two people respond totally differently to the same set of circumstances and this highlights the uniqueness in behavior.Knowing and how we know are aspects of consciousness. Intelligence is a means to know, and hence is part of consciousness. Knowing includes feeling, and feeling instigates thinking. Thinking results in understanding, and that helps in choices and decision making. All these are aspects of consciousness. Hence AI is an extension of human consciousness; it is not that AI has any consciousness of its own or even the possibility of having its own consciousness.Humans can behave in a mechanical way, but machines cannot behave like humans. Here lies the confusion and pathway for clarity! The best we can do is to define the existence of artificial consciousness as an explanation for the learning aspects of Artificial Intelligence engines. If we call it Artificial Consciousness would the debate end?&nbsp;

Why not artificial consciousness?

<h4 style="text-align:justify;">VICTOR KANNAN explores the process of aging, with a focus on aging gracefully. How can you be at peace with yourself as old age approaches? How can you develop maturity in behavior and focus on life’s best interests?</h4>&nbsp;For a few months now I have been asking the question, “How to age gracefully?”I turned 65 a few months back. I don’t feel it, and I don’t know how it feels to be 65, since I have never been 65 until now. It is a good milestone, as perhaps two-thirds of the time on Earth is completed. There is a lot to be grateful for.The idea of aging gracefully is a great one. It is a very important threshold, especially in the 21st century. We say that 50 is the new 40, and so on, to improve the outlook on aging. It is true we are living longer and more actively. However, aging invariably calls for maturity in behavior and focus on life’s best interests.Maturity is possible when we process our life’s experiences like fruit ripening slowly to its full sweetness. Introspection is a tool for developing awareness. It promotes alertness and it helps us to keep up with positive associations of ideas, people, books, and more. Not only do we associate with the positive regenerative moments in life but also actively avoid unnecessary, harmful, or hurtful circumstances.&nbsp;Friction is needed for movement. Lack of resistance is needed for expansion. In the Heartfulness way of meditation, as we progress we shift our consciousness over time from movement to expansion, through the continuous process of contemplation. The daily <a href="https://heartfulness.org/magazine/love-in-action" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">practices of meditation</a>, observation, introspection, and visualization help us understand how to adjust our thoughts and actions so we can be in line with the expectations that arise rightfully as we age.Would you accept a mango that looks ripe but is rotten inside? Can you imagine aging without maturity? Can you accept growing old without gracefulness? It is an insult to life itself. It is a colossal waste of time and effort. It is a misdirection of life and its blessings.The need for gracefulness challenges us to balance growth opportunities with our ability to respond to them. We choose our physical environment and develop forethought. We become more diligent, agile, and resilient in our mental and emotional responses.<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">The need for gracefulness challenges us to balance growth opportunities with our ability to respond to them. We choose our physical environment and develop forethought. We become more diligent, agile, and resilient in our mental and emotional responses.</h4><hr><figure class="image"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/aging_gracefully2_251944ba28.webp" alt="aging-gracefully2.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_aging_gracefully2_251944ba28.webp 145w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/large_aging_gracefully2_251944ba28.webp 810w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/aging_gracefully2_251944ba28.webp 810w," sizes="100vw"></figure>Have more time alone and with nature and grandchildren if possible. Associate with people without agenda. Listen and share with young people. Avoid the contact of peers who are focused on competition and comparison: some peer groups are riddled with jealousy and prejudice. Avoid being curious and most importantly transcend FOMO, the fear of missing out.Good luck aging. Time moves inexorably. It is a beautiful thing. It signifies the movement of nature. Day comes and the sun is shining. Seasons change, we celebrate; flowers and fragrance fill our homes. Life cycles through and wisdom is accumulated. Humanity is better off because of it.If we did not age and time stood still what would happen? I shudder to think. Look forward to aging more gracefully as time clicks on perfectly.There are three principles I love to follow: Love one who loves all. Love all who are loved by the one.&nbsp; Love all and hurt none—including plants and animals.Yes, we can take what plants and trees give us without hurting them. They happily give us seeds and fruits as they ripen. Similarly we hope to give our wisdom to the next generation to improve the lives of all.<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">Illustrations by ANANYA PATEL</h4><hr>

Aging gracefully

<h2 style="text-align:center;">&nbsp;</h2><h2 style="text-align:center;">CULTIVATING FOCUS BY&nbsp; DECLUTTERING OUR LIVES</h2><h4 style="text-align:justify;">&nbsp;</h4><h4 style="text-align:justify;">VICTOR KANNAN reflects upon the connection among focus, silence, and space. The more we develop these attributes the more we understand ourselves and others at deeper and deeper levels. The deeper we go, the more our inner spiritual journey unfolds before us.</h4>In our modern, fast-paced world, the ability to focus has become a rare commodity. Distractions are ubiquitous, ranging from cluttered physical spaces and overloaded digital screens to jam-packed calendars and emotional entanglements. However, there is a direct connection among focus, silence, and the space we create within ourselves and our surroundings. By intentionally managing this space, we can cultivate clarity, efficiency, and a deeper <a href="https://heartfulness.org/magazine/wild-intelligence" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">spiritual awareness</a>.<h4>Silence and focus</h4>Silence is not merely the absence of noise; it is a state of being that allows us to access clarity and peace. When we reduce our involvement and interest in external distractions and random curiosities, we create a fertile ground for focused attention. Focus and attention are abilities that we naturally discover when we remove the intrusions that tend to stampede our minds.When we take the time to pause and introspect, we can identify what serves us, and what is just a distraction. We can consciously reduce the proliferation of these unwanted and unnecessary attractions of sensory objects, ideas, events; even people. Make a list of these distractions. You will find them mostly related to your tendencies, which express themselves in your behaviors. In all of us, such behaviors are protected by our defensiveness and our lack of acceptance of the need to change.<h4>Create space for silence &nbsp;</h4>Silence is inherently tied to the space we create, both externally and internally. Physically, an uncluttered environment fosters calmness and order. When our surroundings are chaotic, they mirror and amplify internal disarray. Organizing our spaces, whether our desks or digital devices, creates a sense of ease that enhances focus.Internally, creating space involves letting go of unnecessary emotional baggage, outdated beliefs, and endless mental chatter. Heartfulness and <a href="https://heartfulness.org/magazine/meditation-health-part-2" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Mindfulness meditative techniques</a>, and journaling, are conducive ways of allowing us to observe our thoughts without attachment. The more internal space we cultivate, the more room we leave for silence and, in turn, for focus.Consider this: A room filled to the brim with clutter or odds and ends can feel tiresome to stay in. It exudes the vibrations that caused the clutter. Are we hiding things under the bed? Are we stashing away things we never use in corners, to simply gather dust? These things represent fear, confusion, chaos, and lack of focus. These thought vibrations, protected by the things we have kept there, affect our mind constantly when we occupy those spaces. The space in our mind is constantly encroached. A cluttered mind, like a cluttered room, is a cacophony of fragmented thoughts and unprocessed emotions, which in turn create noise, contaminating the inner space, jamming the signals, and diminishing our ability to see clearly. Lack of focus becomes our permanent condition and state of being.<h4>Avoid clutter: A holistic approach &nbsp;</h4>Clutter comes in many forms. Physical clutter, such as unused items or disorganized workspaces, distracts and drains energy. Digital clutter, like an overload of apps or notifications, fragments our attention. Similarly, an overcrowded calendar filled with commitments can leave little room for reflection or spontaneity.Emotional clutter—lingering resentment, unresolved conflicts, and excessive emotional involvement—also takes up valuable internal space. Mental clutter, such as the constant need to impress others, or to recall unnecessary details, or add ifs and buts to more thoroughly explain a situation that is quite plain for everyone else, inhibits our ability to live in the present.By avoiding clutter, we open pathways to silence, which enables focus. Minimalism, time management, and emotional detachment are not just practical strategies but transformative practices that create harmony in every facet of life.<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">Silence is not merely the absence of noise; it is a state of being that allows us to access clarity and peace. When we reduce our involvement and interest in external distractions and random curiosities, we create a fertile ground for focused attention.</h4><hr><h4 style="text-align:justify;">The spiritual connection &nbsp;</h4>As we declutter and simplify, we naturally shift from superficial distractions to a deeper understanding of ourselves.Our ability to focus is directly related to the silence we keep. Silence is directly related to the internal space we create in our hearts and minds, while space is directly related to the clutter we avoid by choosing a conscious lifestyle. The clutter we create and find ourselves in makes us wonder who let the dogs in but ourselves. &nbsp;This applies to physical spaces, digital apps on our screens, events on our calendars, emotional entanglements, the tendency to form impressions, etc. The more of these we are able to filter out of our lives, the smoother our journey to spiritual betterment.For more insight into these aspects, please read the chapter on “Less is More” in Daaji’s recent book,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.amazon.in/Power-Paradox-Kamlesh-D-Patel/dp/0143459309" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">The Power of Paradox</a>.&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/power_of_silence2_a18942ee06.webp" alt="power-of-silence2.webp"></figure>&nbsp;<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">Illustrations by ANANYA PATEL</h4><hr>

The power of silence

<h4 style="text-align:justify;">VICTOR KANNAN on going back to basics—a practical reset for leaders and seekers that renews intention and sharpens practice in work and life.</h4>Every so often, whether in business, leadership, or inner life, we need to go back to basics. This practice helps us review, reset, and recommit to our best intentions and to renew our best practices.Over time, even a healthy routine can become mechanical. As we age, the relevance of past good habits fades, and in the complexity of our lives, we lose sight of our primary goal. Gradually, we veer from our intended path. What began as a straight line toward our goal has slowly curved away from its target. Returning to fundamentals helps us straighten that curve and refocus on our true goals.For a leader, going back to basics might mean re-examining purpose and objectives, reviewing and renewing the vision and mission statement, or re-evaluating stakeholder alignment. To make corporate culture thrive, we must revisit the values that once defined its character before complexity set in. The same is true for anyone who is practicing self-improvement or talent development. For a seasoned Heartfulness meditator, going back to basics could mean sitting once again with a beginner’s mind, free from expectations of inner peace or joy. It could also mean returning to the fundamental practices of relaxation, meditation, cleaning [a practice for releasing emotional impressions], prayer, and introspection exercises—doing them deliberately and consciously, with every step fully and properly incorporated, without haste, hurry, or casualness.&nbsp;<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">Returning to fundamentals helps us straighten&nbsp; that curve and refocus on our true goals. &nbsp;</h4><hr>&nbsp;Going back to basics is a smart strategy. It is about ensuring progress remains aligned and practices are followed correctly. A musician who has mastered their instrument still returns to scales. A top athlete revisits form. Likewise, every discipline, every craft, every life benefits from a deliberate pause—a reset that clears the accumulated noise and restores clarity. When we do this periodically, we rediscover something fresh, even if are supposedly adepts. We remember what truly matters and gain further clarity on what is important. Going back to basics also simplifies our lives and helps us stay focused on the important goals we set for ourselves.A periodic exercise or habit of going back to basics arrests the inevitable onslaught of entropy. This process redirects our energies and removes entropy, making fresh waves of progress possible. We realign our intention and our joy in doing what we do.In the corporate world, returning to basics has become a trend. Recently, under the new CEO Andy Jassy, Amazon has embarked on a large‐scale reset of its culture and operating model. He is returning Amazon essentially to what originally made it successful. According to recent reporting, Jassy has reinforced Amazon’s founding “Day 1” mindset and re-emphasized its original Leadership Principles, tying them directly to performance reviews and compensation. Similarly, when Nestle’s board selected insider Laurent Freixe as CEO in 2024, they noted a move “forward to basics” after years of acquisitions and diversification had left the company feeling adrift.Many attend <a href="https://heartfulness.org/magazine/communication-and-diversity" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">meditation retreats</a> for these going-back-to-basics renewals. Even corporate heavyweights attend Heartfulness or <a href="https://heartfulness.org/magazine/the-power-of-observation" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">mindfulness meditation</a> retreats for periodic resets. Such retreats do more than any other back-to-basics exercise. They help us return to the center of our being and core of our principles before moving forward again with clarity, conviction, and confidence. We emerge from them with greater energy and enthusiasm.Try this out—whether on your own or as a leader in your company or community—and feel the difference. Even one day of deep introspection and recommitment will be sufficient. If you cannot spare a day, choose a short, intentional reset—a quiet walk, a few lines in a journal, or a single deliberate pause. It will end in the unmistakable joy of a homecoming.&nbsp;<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:75%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/back_to_basics2_553e8a16bb.webp" alt="back-to-basics2.webp"></figure>&nbsp;<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">A periodic exercise or habit of going back to basics&nbsp; arrests the inevitable onslaught of entropy.&nbsp; This process redirects our energies and removes entropy, making fresh waves of progress possible. We realign our intention and our joy in doing what we do. &nbsp;</h4><hr> &nbsp;

Back to Basics

<h4>VICTOR KANNAN examines why those on a spiritual path may feel more stressed—and how that very turbulence can become a catalyst for peace and inner transformation.</h4>The universal pursuit of peace and happiness is a multifaceted drive with profound roots in both ancient wisdom and modern understanding. Scriptures across traditions mandate this search as a path to divine connection and righteous living, framing true peace not as the absence of struggle but as an inner state achieved through a deeper understanding of life and its purpose. It is rooted in faith, <a href="https://heartfulness.org/magazine/reset-part-2" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">forgiveness</a>, service to others, and adherence to a moral purpose.This spiritual perspective aligns remarkably with scientific findings, which identify specific reward systems and neurotransmitters, such as dopamine and serotonin, involved in feelings of contentment and joy. Psychology further supports the scriptural emphasis on community and meaning, showing that strong social bonds, a sense of purpose, and practices such as gratitude and mindfulness are the most robust predictors of long-term well-being and emotional resilience.Whether viewed through the lens of spirituality or the science of evolutionary psychology, human flourishing seems dependent on transcending self-interest, fostering strong relationships, and cultivating a mindset that values inner tranquility and purpose over fleeting external pleasures. This combined understanding provides a comprehensive basis for humanity’s enduring quest for a more peaceful and fulfilling existence.Peace indeed is the characteristic of the soul, which longs for peace and rest. However, the soul is at the mercy of the mind, intellect, and ego. And they, in turn, are expressed through the faculties of the body and senses. So, all three aspects of life—body, mind, and soul—work together in an astonishing and wonderful manner.A spiritual seeker leads their life consciously, practicing a discipline to improve themselves every day. However, experience shows that they also appear to go through exalted levels of stress. Why is it so?First, the comparative state of mind that seeks peace gets more irritated by even small things in life, magnifying any experience of stress. This is especially common in the early days of spiritual practice and progress. For a spiritual seeker, a stress score of six on the PSS-10 (Perceived Stress Scale) could easily feel like an eight or a nine on the same scale. This is because they seek peace and expect peace around them. When they get stressed, they feel its effects in an exaggerated way. It’s like the sound of a pin dropping in a silent room—more striking than a loud clank in a crowded New York City subway station.Another aspect of this is that when we are on a path of self-improvement, especially through practices like mindfulness, Vipassana, or Heartfulness, our awareness increases, our sensibilities are refined, and our ego is challenged. Taken together, these three shifts form a spiritual trifecta that, I believe, is how Nature accelerates our progress. It is through the refinement of the ego that we advance more rapidly. &nbsp;Refinement of the ego results from both conscious practice and how elegantly we deal with our difficulties.In Heartfulness, our earlier Masters, Babuji and Chariji, often reminded us that “Nature always cooperates.” I heard this line many times when I began my practice about forty years ago, but I struggled to accept it. My mind went instead to other sayings, like the Tamil proverb “the toe that is hurt will be injured repeatedly,” or the Japanese proverb “the nail that sticks out shall be hammered down.” And although it isn’t literally true, we also hear people say that suffering comes in threes. If that were the case, I would say it is Nature’s mercy to get the job done quickly and efficiently when the ego is weak. When we suffer and ask, “Why me?”, it would seem that more suffering piles on us. When we learn to accept and cultivate the qualities of gratitude, love, and compassion, our ego transforms into humility, the final gate to complete spiritual emancipation. You see, from suffering we have the possibility of accelerated progress, and our self-transformation is assured, provided we have the right attitude.The true transformation of the self begins as our consciousness evolves. This evolution is an intimately lived process that touches every part of who we are. As consciousness grows and expands, the mind gradually gives way to the heart. Our thoughts start to carry the warmth of feeling and empathy. We experience these feelings with our deep presence and sensitivity. We vibrate at a different frequency, calming others around us.&nbsp;<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">As consciousness grows and expands, the mind gradually gives way to the heart. Our thoughts start to carry the warmth of feeling and empathy. We experience these feelings with our deep presence and sensitivity. We vibrate at a different frequency, calming others around us.</h4><hr>&nbsp;<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:75%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/spiritual_seekers_stress2_45402b01ef.webp" alt="spiritual-seekers-stress2.webp"></figure>&nbsp;In this state, we begin to detach from both material and emotional turbulence. Success and failure, praise and blame, pleasure and pain lose their power to shake us. The intellect becomes clear, guided by discernment and quiet wisdom. We start seeing life as it is, without the fog of emotional reaction or the pull of desire.Even the ego, often misunderstood as the enemy of spiritual growth, transforms. It no longer drives us toward control or recognition. Instead, it matures into courage, wonder, and humility: the courage to face the truth, the wonder to keep learning, and the humility to know that we are part of something larger.This <a href="https://heartfulness.org/magazine/resonating-with-the-being-s" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">inner shift</a> is why spiritual seekers sometimes appear to struggle more. They are undergoing deep reconstruction. The old structures of mind and ego dissolve, making space for something more expansive, more luminous, and far more peaceful. This process is like a butterfly forcing its way out of the chrysalis: a long period of apparent stillness followed by intense effort and a new form of life.If you have chosen a spiritual path, why resist life’s gifts even if some of them are in the form of suffering, grief, and loss? As your awareness expands, the layers of resistance begin to dissolve. In time, what once felt like turmoil gives way to stillness. The struggle subsides, and in its place arises a constant connection to the divine and hence a lasting peace. In that peace, the soul is joyful, and the evolution of consciousness is in full swing. &nbsp;

Do Spiritual Seekers Experience More Stress?

<h4>VICTOR KANNAN on beauty, joy, spiritual growth, and the search for what endures.</h4>What is a thing of beauty? We experience beauty as something that gives joy. But beauty commonly fades. If that is so, can the joy it brings endure forever? And if our joy can endure, must there be a kind of beauty that does not fade? And would enduring joy remain unchanged, or deepen as our understanding deepens?We often take beauty to mean form, color, or expression. But these change, diminish, and disappear. That kind of beauty cannot sustain joy.I have heard it said that simple is beautiful, small is beautiful. There is something true in this—but not in the way we usually take it. Beauty is not decoration. It is not something added. There is something innate about beauty—original, natural, uncontrived, authentic. It is without pretension. It is true to itself, and for that reason, it is grounded in reality. What we recognize as beautiful has a certain quality: it does not depend on conditions to sustain it. It does not exhaust itself. It is this kind of beauty that gives rise to a joy that does not fade.In <a href="https://heartfulness.org/magazine/make-a-difference-volunteer-and-serve" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">spirituality</a>, we seek reality. All our seeking—whether in love, relationship, work, or meaning—is for that reality. Even if we seem to seek in the wrong places, we are only seeking that. We do not knowingly seek in the wrong places; we do so unconsciously. As we grow in our seeking, we become pattern-bound, and those patterns are supported by unawareness.As our seeking evolves, we begin to experience joy—an inner condition that is subtler, steadier, and more satisfying. As awareness deepens, this inner condition begins to guide our seeking, becoming a key indicator that we are moving in the right direction and guiding our spiritual practice.Daaji talks about AEIOU—acquiring a spiritual condition, expanding it, imbibing it, becoming one with it, and uniting with it completely. It is a matter of receiving a condition and deepening it until we become that condition. In time, another condition arrives and settles upon it, and the process continues.Through such practice, we are transformed. Yet this transformation is not the creation of something new; we discover that what we have become is what we originally were. The condition we experience now is what we had when we were first created—innocent, pure, radiant. A thing of beauty.<h4 style="text-align:justify;">Joy in Wisdom</h4>As Daaji explains in his book, The Power of Paradox, the innocence of a child is not sustainable as we grow into adulthood. We must develop wisdom. Wisdom in the adult is the equivalent of innocence in the child. Both arise from purity. Purity and wisdom are inseparable.We say that we are growing older and wiser. But aging does not guarantee wisdom. Wisdom brings the right perspective in life, and that perspective sustains the inner condition of joy. A joyful heart shows even in an aging face—settled through time, integrated with the evolution of life itself.What does this inner condition of joy consist of? We have many terms to describe it—happiness, pleasure, fun, feeling good. These are often used interchangeably, but they do not refer to the same thing. They describe how we feel at a given moment.Joy is often spoken of in this way. We say that when shared, it multiplies."Shared joy is a double joy; shared sorrow is half a sorrow" is a well-known Swedish proverb that emphasizes the importance of community, companionship, and empathy in life's highs and lows. It means sharing positive news magnifies happiness, while sharing pain or grief with others lightens the emotional burden.<h4 style="text-align:justify;">Joy in Service</h4>I read a Chinese saying when I was a very young boy: “If you want to lift yourself up, lift someone else up.” This stayed with me. When you help someone in need, their heart fills with gratitude, and that feeling reflects back to you. You feel happy.&nbsp;<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">Wisdom in the adult is the equivalent of innocence in the child. Both arise from purity. Purity and wisdom are inseparable. &nbsp;</h4><hr>&nbsp;Joy in service is the fulfillment that comes from giving time, energy, and love to others without expecting anything in return. It shifts our attention away from ourselves and gives meaning even to small acts. In this sense, service becomes a condition for the emergence and continuity of joy.“We cannot give what we do not have” is a truism. Not all of us have money, time, or energy to give. But love is not limited in this way. We can always give love, because it does not require anything else as a precondition. As Mother Teresa reminds us, it is not the scale of what we do, but the love with which we do it that matters.As I was leaving for the US in 1983, my Master Chariji advised me to serve unobtrusively. &nbsp;To serve in this way is to be attentive without drawing notice—anticipating what is needed, responding quietly, and creating ease for others without interrupting or placing oneself at the center. When love is present, it expresses itself naturally in this way—without effort, without display.<h4 style="text-align:justify;">Joy in Greeting</h4>When joy exudes from the heart in a natural manner, one cannot help but greet others <a href="https://heartfulness.org/magazine/the-art-of-aging" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">joyfully</a>. Joyful greetings go beyond simple pleasantries—they express warmth, care, and genuine interest.&nbsp;<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:75%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thing_of_beauty2_d06a76c308.webp" alt="thing of-beauty2.webp"></figure>&nbsp;<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">Joyful greetings go beyond simple pleasantries—they express warmth, care, and genuine interest.</h4><hr>&nbsp;We see this most easily in the way we greet children, especially when they are young—“Good morning, sunshine.” When this becomes natural in us, it extends to others as well.When someone greets us with that same warmth—“It is wonderful to see you”—we respond in kind. Such greetings acknowledge the other person and create a natural connection.<h4 style="text-align:justify;">Losing and Finding Joy in the Jungle of Life</h4>We know life is no bed of roses—even if they do come with thorns. Most of the time, it is because we take joy as being conditional. When joy depends on circumstances, it becomes unstable—rising and falling as those circumstances change. Recognizing and fostering unconditional love, happiness, and joy alone make them real.Babuji often placed the word “real” before qualities like love, happiness, and joy to emphasize that, when tied to material conditions, they are ephemeral. &nbsp;Pleasure is ephemeral. If pleasure becomes the basis of happiness, happiness becomes ephemeral. And if such happiness becomes the basis of joy, that joy cannot endure.The Katha Upanishad distinguishes between preyas and shreyas—the pleasant and the truly good. Pleasure appeals to the senses and gives immediate satisfaction. But when the conditions that gave rise to pleasure pass, sorrow follows. To avoid that sorrow, we seek the same pleasure again, and in doing so, become bound to the very action that produces it. Pleasure-seeking is therefore not wise. And where there is no wisdom, can there be room for joy?Whereas, if we recognize that inner joy is unconditional and can only be attained through the spiritual orientation of our being and our seeking, we attain freedom. Preyas brings about ignorance and bondage. Shreyas begets joy and freedom.&nbsp;<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:50%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thing_of_beauty3_5ada865110.webp" alt="thing of-beauty3.webp"></figure>&nbsp;If material well-being becomes the basis on which we depend for love, happiness, joy, and even the fulfillment of our goals, then all of these remain uncertain and cannot endure. For even in the pursuit of material goals, if we seek something lasting in them, we are in fact reaching beyond the material to the real. Otherwise, the beauty and joy with which we were greeted at birth are lost in the jungle of life.The good news is that only in this jungle of existence can we find beauty, joy, and lasting reality. No amount of reading about it can convince us. It requires a change in orientation—a turning toward the divine, keeping it in view—and, above all, a direct, felt experience of that forceless force that carries life within it.Without existence, we cannot experience reality, nor can we experience bliss. Existence is given. We are in it. We are part of it. The real question is: how do we exist in such a way that this becomes a living reality?<h4 style="text-align:justify;">Joy in Spiritual Search and Finding</h4>The great saints and sages who came before us walked the earth like us. They toiled to find answers to the eternal question of why we are here and the purpose of creation. As we move through this search, cultivating joy becomes a companion. As we live our lives cultivating joy in all our expressions, we begin to attract grace. Even in the normal course of life, when we feel joy in our hearts, we act with patience. We greet people with warmth and concern. We open doors for others. We yield while driving. We understand when someone cuts us off. We do not react unnecessarily. We remain centered, connected, and in the flow of life.Babuji expressed this simply: “Joy attracts grace.” I take this to mean not only in the spiritual sense, but in all dimensions of life.&nbsp;&nbsp;<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">As we live our lives cultivating joy in all our expressions, we begin to attract grace. Even in the normal course of life, when we feel joy in our hearts, we act with patience.&nbsp;</h4><hr>&nbsp;How can we separate spiritual life from daily life? How can we separate night from day? How can we separate ourselves from others? We are connected in many ways—not by a single fiber, but by many.Joy is one such fiber, along with love, humility, and authenticity. When life becomes well-connected in this way, it becomes a thing of beauty. So it is joyful. This is a certainty, not merely a hope. Get involved in life in a way that reveals the real beauty within. Then joy is no longer something we seek, but something that expresses itself naturally in all that we do.&nbsp;<hr>1 Chariji refers to Shri Parthasarathi Rajagopalachari (1927–2014), the third guide of the Heartfulness tradition.2 Babuji refers to Shri Ram Chandra of Shahjahanpur (1899–1983), the second guide of the Heartfulness tradition. &nbsp;<hr>Illustrations by LAKSHMI GADDAM<hr>&nbsp;

A Thing of Beauty:  On Joy That Endures

Vidhya S. Vijayan is a senior yoga teacher at Heartfulness Yoga Academy, rooted in the Krishnamacharya tradition, where her teaching emphasizes breath, awareness, and individualized practice. She conducts retreats, training, and wellness programs, and is passionate about making yoga a deeply experiential journey. She lives with her family at Kanha Shanti Vanam and is a mother to a young daughter.

vidhya-1.webp

Vidhya S. Vijayan

<h4>A yoga teacher reflects on how asana practice deepens when the pursuit of progress gives way to breath awareness, embodied presence, steadiness, ease, and conscious living.</h4><h4>BY VIDHYA S. VIJAYAN</h4>When I first began asana practice, my body moved with ease. Flexibility was never a challenge for me. Most postures came naturally, and I found deep joy in exploring them. I would move from one asana to another with curiosity, trying, learning, and going deeper. There was excitement in discovering what the body could do, and over time, that naturally led me toward more advanced postures.This felt like growth—like progress—and in many ways, it was. Yet, without realizing it, my practice slowly became centered around activity: doing more, going deeper, reaching the next posture.Nothing in my body was hindering me. There was no discomfort forcing me to slow down. Everything felt perfectly smooth. Perhaps that is why I did not notice what my practice was lacking. I was moving through the asanas but not fully embodying them.At that time, I knew how to assume a posture, hold it, and transition out of it. But I had not yet learned how to live in a posture with awareness, sensitivity, and breath. My attention was often on where I was going next rather than on what was unfolding in the present.Looking back, I realize this pattern was not limited to yoga alone. Nor was I alone in this. Many of us live, moving from one task to another and from one achievement to the next, constantly progressing, but rarely allowing ourselves to fully inhabit the present moment. We become so focused on movement that we lose touch with presence.The shift in my journey began when my teacher introduced me to the Krishnamacharya tradition. To be honest, the transition was not comfortable. For a period of time, I felt as though I had lost something. The certainty with which I had previously approached my practice and my teaching was now shaken. I had never experienced such a lack of confidence.This new approach was asking me to unlearn what I thought I knew for sure. Not superficial things, but deeper assumptions and attitudes I had carried for years.Adding more knowledge is easy; learning to see differently is a challenge!I remained in that space of uncertainty for a long time. But gradually, instead of resisting it, I began to surrender. I allowed myself to become a student again. That is when the practice began to reveal its depth.&nbsp;<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">“Many of us live, moving from one task to another and from one achievement to the next, constantly progressing, but rarely allowing ourselves to fully inhabit the present moment.”</h4><hr>&nbsp;I began to understand what it means to truly breathe in an asana, not as a separate technique, but as something inseparable from the movement itself. I began to recognize the importance of preparation: how we must prepare not only the body but also the mind as we enter any posture. I discovered the value of pauses—the silent spaces between the movements where observation deepens and awareness becomes clearer.Even the way I understood sequencing began to change. I learned how one posture prepares the body for the next, how counterposes restore balance, and how thoughtful progression creates steadiness and avoids strain.&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/how_present_can_i_be2_c684d37a10.webp" alt="how-present-can-i-be2.webp"></figure>&nbsp;These were not mere technical learnings; they reflected a deeper intelligence intrinsic to the practice itself, supporting not only the body but also the mind and inner state.The moment I began understanding the essence of this approach, it no longer felt as though I had to choose between what I had learned before and what I was learning now. Integration happened naturally. What I had learned earlier did not lose its value. Rather, my flexibility, familiarity with postures, and experience of movement all found a deeper foundation through my new awareness.Gradually, Patanjali’s words, sthira sukham asanam [posture should be steady and comfortable], began revealing themselves to me in a new way.1&nbsp;For years, I had understood this sutra in its simplest sense: an asana should feel steady and comfortable. But through my new understanding, I began to sense that <a href="https://heartfulness.org/magazine/the-mind-according-to-patanjali" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Patanjali</a> was pointing toward something far deeper than physical posture.How often do we move through life with neither steadiness nor comfort, always rushing, reaching for what’s coming next, and carrying tension, even in moments of rest?I began to understand that steadiness is not simply the ability to hold the body still. It is the ability to remain present within ourselves. I understood that comfort is not merely physical ease, but the sense of connection that arises when breath, attention, and awareness come together.&nbsp;<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">"Awareness changes the quality of everything. A complex asana may look refined from the outside, but without attention, it remains superficial. At the same time, even the simplest movement can become deeply transformative when approached with presence."</h4><hr>&nbsp;Over time, I began to experience this balance when I wasn’t on the mat. I found it in the way I spoke, the way I listened, the way I responded to uncertainty, and even in the way I held silence. To move through life with both steadiness and ease is itself a practice. Perhaps this is what asana practice was trying to teach me all along.&nbsp;Awareness changes the quality of everything. A complex asana may look refined from the outside, but without attention, it remains superficial. At the same time, even the simplest movement can become deeply transformative when approached with presence.This understanding extends far beyond yoga. In many areas of life, we are taught to value progress, achievement, speed, and outward growth. Rarely are we taught how to pause, observe, and fully experience what is happening within us. Yet without that awareness, even success can begin to feel empty.Today, whether I practice a simple or an advanced posture, the question is no longer “How far can I go?” Instead, it is, “How present can I be here?”That question continues to change my relationship with practice and with life. It suggests that the real purpose of practice may not be mastery. Perhaps it is learning how to be fully present in our own experience—even in our failures.Asana practice is where this learning began, and I continue learning it each time I return to the mat, one breath at a time.&nbsp;<hr> FROM THE HEARTFULNESS YOGA ACADEMYHeartfulness Yoga Academy offers accredited, tradition-rooted programs that integrate asanas, pranayama, and Heartfulness <a href="https://heartfulness.org/magazine/all-zen-now" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Meditation</a> with Yogic Transmission for a holistic approach to yoga. yogaacademy.heartfulness.org1 Patanjali, Yoga Sutra 2.46, translation adapted by the author.&nbsp;<hr> &nbsp;

How Present Can I Be?

Vihaan

Meditation

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.

vijay-sahu.jpg

Vijay Sahu

<hr class="vertical-space1">
<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>
<hr class="vertical-space1">
&nbsp;
<img class=" has-img-center lazyload" alt="the-heartful-chef"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/heartfulchef3_bc8a48b117.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-10T08:27:57.951Z" />

<hr class="vertical-space1">
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.
<hr class="vertical-space1">
<img class="has-img-center lazyload" alt="the-heartful-chef"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/heartfulchef2_6e1331e0fa.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-10T08:28:53.621Z" />

<hr class="vertical-space1">
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.
<hr class="vertical-space1">


<hr>
<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>


<hr>
<hr class="vertical-space1">
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.
<hr class="vertical-space1">
<img class=" has-img-center lazyload" alt="the-heartful-chef"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/heartfulchef4_312642df14.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-10T08:29:55.809Z" />

<hr class="vertical-space1">

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.
<hr class="vertical-space1">
<img class="has-img-center lazyload" alt="the-heartful-chef"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/heartfulchef5_df79ed9c0f.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-10T08:30:56.174Z" />

<hr class="vertical-space1">
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.

<hr class="vertical-space1">



<hr>
<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>


<hr>

<hr class="vertical-space1">

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.
<hr class="vertical-space1">
<img class="has-img-center lazyload" alt="the-heartful-chef"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/heartfulchef6_12574372e5.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-10T08:32:00.972Z" />

<hr class="vertical-space1">
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.

<hr class="vertical-space1">



<hr>
<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>


<hr>

<hr class="vertical-space1">

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.

<hr class="vertical-space1">


<hr>
<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>


<hr>
<hr class="vertical-space1">
<img class="has-img-center lazyload" alt="the-heartful-chef"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/heartfulchef7_3341a49627.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-10T08:33:05.603Z" />

<hr class="vertical-space1">

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

<hr>

The heartful chef

<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<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>

<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<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.


<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<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>

<hr class="vertical-space1" />

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.

<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<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>

<hr />

<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.


<hr class="vertical-space1" />


<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>

<hr class="vertical-space1" />


<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;


<hr class="vertical-space1" />


<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>
<hr class="vertical-space1" />


 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.


<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<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

Passionate about saving rare trees, Dr. Juturu combines science and conservation to protect endangered species at the Heartfulness Tree Conservation Center. His work bridges research and restoration, ensuring these trees thrive for future generation.

vijaya-naresh-juturu.webp

Vijaya Naresh Juturu

<h4>B. RATHINASABAPATHY and VIJAYA NARESH JUTURU share how the Heartfulness Institute is preserving a tree steeped in legend and ecological significance.</h4>Among India’s sacred trees, few carry a story as tender as the Krishna Buttercup Tree. Its leaves, folded like tiny cups, are believed to have once held butter lovingly taken by young Lord Krishna. A tree with a legend etched in its leaves, it continues to inspire devotion, ecological respect, and conservation efforts to this day.<h4 style="text-align:justify;">A Legend Written in Leaves</h4>The Krishna Buttercup Tree (Ficus krishnae) is a unique species of fig, celebrated for its spiritually evocative leaf structure. Each leaf forms a natural cup or pouch—a feature deeply intertwined with Hindu mythology. According to popular lore, young Lord Krishna once stole butter and, to avoid being caught, hid it in a curled leaf. This legend gave rise to the tree’s name and its affectionate moniker: the buttercup tree. This story has kept the tree sacred for centuries, and its curled leaf is regarded as a divine signature—a living relic of Lord Krishna’s playful devotion.<h4 style="text-align:justify;">A Tree Struggling to Survive</h4>Unlike many other fig species, Ficus krishnae faces unique biological constraints that make natural regeneration extremely difficult. Studies have shown that only about 10% of seedlings grown from its seeds remain true to type, while nearly 90% revert to the common Ficus benghalensis. This means that even when seeds germinate, the chances of preserving the unique identity of Ficus krishnae are very low.Additionally, the species relies on specialized pollinators, whose decline further disrupts its reproductive cycle. These compounded biological constraints place the tree at high risk of vanishing from its natural landscapes.<h4 style="text-align:justify;">Conservation at Heartfulness Tree Conservation Center</h4>To safeguard this culturally and ecologically significant species, the Heartfulness Institute, through the Heartfulness Tree Conservation Center, has undertaken extensive research on clonal propagation techniques. Propagation methods such as stem cuttings, air-layering, and tissue culture were systematically attempted to overcome the limitations of natural seed-based reproduction. Among these, tissue culture emerged as the most effective and reliable approach. Years of dedicated experimentation have enabled the development of robust protocols that ensure not only high survival and multiplication rates but also the preservation of the true genetic identity of Ficus krishnae in every sapling produced. As a result, hundreds of healthy saplings have been successfully raised at the center, a significant proportion of which are being distributed across diverse regions under our ex situ conservation programs. These efforts represent a critical step toward ensuring the long-term survival and restoration of this rare and culturally revered species. Beyond conserving a single rare tree, this work embodies the harmony between science and spirituality—protecting biodiversity while honoring cultural heritage.&nbsp;<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:75%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/krishna_buttercup_tree2_6c27c4965e.webp" alt="krishna-buttercup-tree2.webp"><figcaption>Krishna Fig leaf—front and back, revealing its divine scoop, said to cradle Lord Krishna’s butter.</figcaption></figure>&nbsp;<h4 style="text-align:justify;">Why This Tree Matters</h4>Conserving Ficus krishnae is not just about protecting one species. It represents a broader message about the delicate balance between nature and culture, science and <a href="https://heartfulness.org/magazine/creativity-and-spirituality" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">spirituality</a>. Every threatened species lost is a thread removed from the intricate web of biodiversity, weakening ecosystems and diminishing cultural heritage.&nbsp;<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">Beyond conserving a single rare tree, this work embodies the harmony between science and spirituality—protecting biodiversity while honoring cultural heritage.</h4><hr><figure class="image"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/krishna_buttercup_tree3_cb1f8a1b08.webp" alt="krishna-buttercup-tree3.webp"><figcaption>Krishna Fig—Planted in devotion (2021) nurtured by time, now a sacred shelter of grace (2025).</figcaption></figure>&nbsp;At Heartfulness Institute, we believe conservation is both a scientific responsibility and a spiritual duty. Through our work with Ficus krishnae, we aim to set an example of how modern propagation techniques, combined with cultural wisdom, can address the challenges of conserving rare and threatened species.<h4 style="text-align:justify;">A Tree Worthy of Worship and Wisdom</h4>Krishna Buttercup Tree reminds us that every leaf can tell a story—in this case, a divine tale with ecological urgency. It connects the ancient with the future, myth with science, and devotion with action. May the curled leaf of Ficus krishnae inspire us to protect not only our sacred stories, but also the <a href="https://heartfulness.org/magazine/think-ecosystem" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">ecosystems</a> that hold them.The Krishna Buttercup Tree is more than a botanical rarity. It is a living link between myth and ecology, faith and responsibility. More than a tree, it is a story. A place where devotion meets conservation, and every leaf whispers a timeless bond between nature and faith.&nbsp;

The Krishna Buttercup Tree

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.

viji-balasubramanian-img.jpg

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>

Home› Contributors