Arabic Proverb

The Measure of Our Words

Arati is an artist and a graphic designer by profession. She has worked in the corporate field and is presently working in the design team for the Heartfulness Magazine. She has also worked on media cover designs and illustrations for children's books.

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Arati Shedde

Arohi was born and brought up in Mumbai. She is passionate about penning poetry, and writing about things that resonate with her, parenting, and the soul. She currently pursues all forms of creative writing and can always be found enjoying a warm cup of tea.



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Arohi Bhimajiani

AROHI BHIMAJIANI writes about fear – how fears that develop at a young age can stay with us far into adulthood; and how her fear of dogs helped her to understand what helps us overcome fear.<hr>Fear. It takes a million forms, doesn’t it? Right from that ghost under the bed, to standing at the diving board edge; from being spurned in love to not being well to do. Fear is our mind playing games with us, making assumptions and predictions. Its roots spread deep within us and vertically evolve into dread, anxiety, and panic.It’s fascinating how these little seeds of fear are sown, and how they shoot up into the skies. Sometimes they mushroom and take on other shapes and forms.More often than not, fear can be traced back to childhood incidents. And often they involve the fear of losing love, life, money, status, standing, etc.How to let go of such deep-rooted fears?Letting go of fear is easier as a child, because our patterns haven’t yet become rigid. We are still impressionable. I suffered from fear of heights as a kid. I was a good swimmer, but every time I stood on the diving board and looked down, I saw hissing snakes and jelly legs! In that moment, my natural “good swimmer instinct” would vanish. Yet I would jump. And with each jump, the intensity of the fear reduced.Fear envelops every rational or instinctive feeling and replaces it with panic-stricken darts, most of which are baseless. As an adult, I find it so much harder to recognize fear and deal with it. Over the years, the layers of panic-stricken darts have only thickened. And yet I try.I was petrified of dogs ever since I was little. I am unable to trace the feeling back to anything concrete, but as soon as a dog drew close, my mind and body froze. The very thought of its warm wet nose and mouth coming close to my feet or heels had me screaming.For many years, I would not visit friends or family who had dogs unless they assured me that the dogs were on a leash. Generally, I preferred to meet them outside.Once, I was invited to a friend’s house, and as I entered I was greeted by a gorgeous ebony-black Doberman. She was taller than me, with bright eyes, sharp and alert. I was about to turn around and go, but something about her gaze was positively hypnotic. I attempted to hide behind my husband, while my uncle, sensing my fright, held back the frightening yet majestic one.I kept an eye on her, feeling paralyzed every time she’d enter the room. I was so full of fear that I could barely enjoy the conversations and the company. But, after some time, I was used to her walking around and started liking it. That’s when I got the fright of my life. She walked toward me and sat down on my feet. I froze. I was holding my breath to the point of fainting. I let it out, one puff at a time, praying that my heart would settle. I closed my eyes and began chanting a prayer until my breathing calmed down. As my hand untensed and hung loose, it in advertently rested on her abdomen.That’s when I felt shock number two. I was blown away by how she felt. Alive, breathing, silky soft, yet muscle-hard; it felt like I had touched another being for the first time. My hand moved up and down her length like a puppet pulled by strings. Her face was turned away from me, and yet I knew she was as present and connected with me in that moment as any living being in its purest form could be.Slowly the voices and room came into focus. What must have been a couple of seconds felt like a lifetime. I sat there for the rest of the evening, feeling both alive and at peace, sharing with this living being.I have never feared dogs since – regardless of their shape, size, and how loudly they bark. I no longer run screaming in the opposite direction. Rather I feel drawn to them and, fascinatingly, them to me.It simply took one pure soul to wrench the hardened ball of fear out of my gut. And maybe that is what we all need – a pure, unconditional loving relationship or shoulder, to help us transform our fears into a sense of love and peace. Or maybe to simply extend a caring hand to our scared selves, to hug it tightly and whisper sweet nothings until the fear is gone.Love is and will always be the antidote to fear.<hr><hr><h4>A pure, unconditional loving relationship or shoulder,&nbsp; to help us transform our fears into a sense of love and peace.</h4><hr>

Letting go of fear

<h4>
 AROHI
 BHIMAJIANI shares her experience of the
 power of prayer, and how it has helped her navigate the difficult periods in her life. She is also
 teaching the practice to her daughter.
</h4>



<hr class="vertical-space1">



Have you ever wondered if our prayers work? Have you ever wondered how they work?



I have witnessed my prayers come to life in the most fascinating ways. And it has simply left me in awe of the
 mechanisms of the universe.



I once experienced a severe falling out with my immediate family. The experience shattered every notion of love and
 unbreakable bonds I held deep within. It had me breaking down numerous times during the day, bringing me to my
 knees, praying tearfully.



I remember going about my days on autopilot with a constant sense of loss, pain, and misery. The world took on a
 permanent gray sheen. My anxiety manifested itself in the form of asthma. As I gasped for breath, I came to the
 conclusion that most physical ailments are rooted in psychological trauma.



There was one thing that kept me alive in those days, that helped me wake up and get through the day: my prayers.



I prayed with every fiber of my being. I prayed with an intensity that must have rocked the heavens. Every word
 crystal clear. I simply begged the universe to set things right. To help me recreate bonds of love stronger than
 before. I prayed with complete surrender and faith.



Slowly and steadily, over time, my relations improved. With equal efforts from all ends, frayed ties were lovingly
 mended. Deeper and firmer connections were established. The world took on its beautiful colors again.



I have attempted the same with my little girl. Every time she is faced with a challenge, or when circumstances look
 woeful, I nudge her to pray. She came to me crying the other day, because some kids were bullying her in school.
 They would mess up her table during the break and not clean up afterward. Complaining to the teacher hadn’t
 helped.



I asked her to pray, to ask the universe for strength to deal with the situation. After she had earnestly done so, I
 guided her to change her tone to being confident instead of complaining, and insist the children clean up.



It helped. The incident never repeated itself. I noticed how praying made her feel like she had gained a superpower
 to deal with an unpleasant situation or person. It transformed her from a meek, complaining child to an
 assertive one.



I have witnessed this miracle occurring innumerable times in the last 30 years of my life. And yet there is so much
 more to the miracle than meets the eye.



I realize that my prayers have manifested when:



<ul>
 <li>I wished with the purest intention, from the deepest recesses of my heart.</li>
 <li>I worked toward making the wish come true even though the odds seemed against me.</li>
 <li>There was no sense of time or shape attached.</li>
 <li>There was complete faith that it would come true.</li>
</ul>



Just praying and sitting back never helped. I had to show the universe that I was utterly serious about my intentions
 – that I worked hard for them, even though it looked like an unsurmountable mountain.



An astonishing discovery was that sometimes these wishes manifested in unexpected forms. Like when heartache leaves
 one desolate and one prays to feel whole again, love walks in with violins and roses from unexpected yet even
 more fulfilling people.



Prayer is one of the most powerful tools to attain stability and confidence. I do it with fervor. I put my entire
 heart into it. And I do it with complete faith that someone is carefully listening to every word I say. It is my
 solace and my happy place. It is a cup of tea, a warm blanket, a tight hug, and a blessing hand, all rolled into
 one. I hope every person out there is bestowed with its benevolence.&nbsp;



May we find the rhythm Of the soul song with the winds. May our prayers reverberate And rise magnificently
 to heaven’s gate.



<hr class="vertical-space1">



<hr>



<h4 class="has-text-align-center">Prayer is one of the most powerful tools to attain stability and
 confidence. I do it with fervor. I put my entire heart into it. And I do it with complete faith
 that someone is carefully listening to every word I say. </h4>



<hr>



<hr class="vertical-space1">

My soul song

Arulkumar Selvaraj is a designer and digital animator. He makes movies, short films and TV series. He loves to read and write poetry, paint, play badminton and draw cartoons. He also loves to spend time with family and close friends, and in Nature. He practises Heartfulness meditation, which he believes will lead him towards infinity, serving the purpose of this life.


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Arul Kumar Selvaraj

Aryaan is a young Indian- American actor, musician, composer, and social media personality, who is known for the legal drama Bull, the musical Bhangin It and the film Deli Boy. He is also the Founder and CEO of The Arora Company, a US-based Public Relations and Marketing Consultancy Firm.

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Aryaan Arora

Become your own influence

Ashraf Nehal is the Eco-Faith Focal Point for the UN’s Children and Youth Major Group and Regional Coordinator for the Commonwealth Youth Climate Network, integrating interfaith harmony with climate diplomacy. He presently works at the Grenada High Commission in London on multilateral policy and Commonwealth affairs.

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ASHRAF NEHAL

<h4 style="text-align:justify;">ASHRAF NEHAL speaks to the centuries of correlation between faith and climate, and how, now more than ever, it is critical to reconnect with the Earth through Heartfulness and mindfulness practices.</h4>The planet is gasping. Forests are vanishing, rivers shrinking, and Himalayan glaciers retreating like fragile memories. From Uttarakhand’s flash floods to rising seas in the Sundarbans, <a href="https://heartfulness.org/magazine/heartfulness-mindfulness-climate-crisis-solution" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">climate change</a> is no longer a distant threat but a lived reality. Governments negotiate, scientists warn, and engineers innovate. Yet, beneath these responses lies a more profound reckoning: a need for inner transformation.If the Earth is burning, it is not only because of fossil fuels but also because of fossilized ways of thinking. Disconnection from nature, consumption without reflection, and a moral numbness toward the suffering of both people and ecosystems have brought us to this precipice. As we look outward for policy solutions, we must also turn inward for moral clarity, emotional resilience, and spiritual renewal. Faith, Heartfulness, and <a href="https://heartfulness.org/magazine/mindfulness-heartfulness" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">mindfulness</a>—long embedded in Indian civilizational wisdom and increasingly embraced worldwide—offer a path forward.Environmental psychologist Peter H. Kahn describes a phenomenon called “generational environmental amnesia,” where each generation comes to accept a more degraded environment as the new normal (Kahn, 2011). Once-sacred rivers like the Yamuna and the Ganga are now among the most polluted; Delhi's toxic air is routine; and the rhythms of the seasons seem unmoored. This forgetting transcends environmental boundaries and becomes a crisis of spirit. As the soil erodes, so too does something within the soul.<h4 style="text-align:justify;">When the Soul Forgets the Soil, and Faith Remembers</h4>The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC, 2023) warns of irreversible impacts if global warming exceeds 1.5°C. Despite the scientific clarity and urgency, such forecasts often fail to spark profound, sustained transformation. This is because the climate crisis has deep existential dimensions that technical approaches alone cannot address. It stems from profound alienation: from the Earth, from one another, and from our deeper values. Addressing it, especially in culturally and spiritually rich societies like India, demands more than policy shifts. It requires a shift in consciousness.This transformation of consciousness is not unfamiliar; it is deeply rooted in the world’s faith traditions. Spiritual teachings have long offered ecological wisdom. From Vedic hymns to Islamic ethics, from Sikh reverence for hukam (divine order) to Christian calls for stewardship, nature has always been viewed as sacred, worthy not only of admiration but of protection.&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/reuniting_soul_soil2_bf7cc1eaa9.webp" alt="reuniting-soul-soil2.webp"></figure>&nbsp;Faith, once dismissed in environmental discourse, is now emerging as a vital force. Pope Francis's encyclical Laudato si’ advocates for an integral ecology, “where care for the Earth and care for the vulnerable are inseparable. Faith offers not only ecological insight but moral clarity and urgency (Francis, 2015).”Islamic teachings emphasize khalifah, humankind's role as stewards, and mizan, the balance inherent in creation. The 2015 Islamic Declaration on Global Climate Change urged the global Muslim community to act with restraint and responsibility (IFEES, 2015). Hindu cosmology sees divinity in all elements—agni (fire), vayu (wind), jal (water), prithvi (earth). The ethic of ahimsa (non-violence), which once fueled India's freedom struggle, now shapes low-impact lifestyles and vegetarianism for millions (Coward, 2003). Sikhism, too, teaches humility before nature and critiques the greed that underpins ecological destruction.Importantly, these teachings have moved beyond scripture into lived practice. Faith-based organizations across India are translating belief into action. GreenFaith, a global interfaith environmental coalition working in over 40 countries, has partners helping temples and mosques transition to solar power. Interfaith coalitions are protecting sacred groves in Meghalaya and organizing water conservation drives in Maharashtra. A 2023 study in Nature <a href="https://heartfulness.org/magazine/heartfulness-mindfulness-climate-crisis-solution" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Climate Change</a> confirms that religious framing significantly increases climate engagement, particularly in spiritually inclined societies.In a world grappling with eco-anxiety, disillusionment, and despair, faith also offers solace. Spirituality helps individuals see themselves as part of a larger moral and cosmic arc, where change, though difficult, is both possible and essential. To remember the soil is, in a sense, to remember the soul. In that reconnection lies our greatest hope.<h4 style="text-align:justify;">The Heartfulness Way: Climate Action with Compassion</h4>Beyond belief systems, the act of living with intentional compassion and present-moment awareness is emerging as a powerful response to the climate crisis. Heartfulness, a meditation practice rooted in Indian traditions yet global in reach, emphasizes living from the heart, cultivating empathy, emotional balance, and conscious choices that align with planetary wellbeing. Alongside it, mindfulness—defined by Jon Kabat-Zinn as present-moment awareness without judgment—serves as a complementary force, teaching us to notice, slow down, and reflect before acting.<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">Spirituality helps individuals see themselves&nbsp; as part of a larger moral and cosmic arc,&nbsp; where change, though difficult, is both possible and essential.&nbsp; To remember the soil is, in a sense, to remember the soul.&nbsp; In that reconnection lies our greatest hope.</h4><hr>&nbsp;<img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/reuniting_soul_soil4_0671a8eaac.webp" alt="reuniting-soul-soil4.webp">&nbsp;The Heartfulness Institute in Hyderabad offers accessible tools, including guided meditation, relaxation, and gratitude practices, to millions worldwide. Scientific studies support their impact: a 2022 Ecopsychology study found that heart-based meditation increases willingness to participate in ecological restoration. Similarly, gratitude has been shown to enhance a sense of reciprocity with nature, promoting more responsible consumption habits (Emmons &amp; McCullough, 2003).Youth-focused initiatives, such as Changemakers for Climate Action—supported by the Embassy of Italy and TERI—train Indian students in heart-centered leadership. These programs emphasize acting not out of fear or obligation, but out of love for the Earth. This model of leadership is emotionally resilient, ethically grounded, and inclusive, and is especially vital in today's polarized climate discourse. Heartful leaders are uniquely equipped to build coalitions that are not only effective but compassionate, sustaining long-term efforts without burnout.Where Heartfulness teaches us to feel deeply, mindfulness helps us pay attention and disrupt the autopilot of unsustainable habits. In India, mindfulness is finding renewed relevance in schools, therapy rooms, and tech workplaces. It enables reflection on everyday decisions, whether to take a cab or walk, eat meat or choose plant-based foods, or buy fast fashion or repurpose clothing. A 2019 study in Global Environmental Change found that mindfulness is correlated with reduced materialism and increased pro-environmental behavior (Wamsler, 2019).Moreover, mindfulness builds psychological resilience. As climate anxiety becomes more widespread, especially among young activists, meditative practices offer crucial support. The American Psychological Association (2022) recognizes mindfulness as a key strategy for managing eco-anxiety. Globally, institutions like the Garrison Institute engage corporate and policy leaders through the Climate, Mind &amp; Behavior program, integrating inner awareness with external impact. Bhutan’s Gross National Happiness model, which weaves mindfulness into environmental and educational policy, stands as a compelling template for other nations in the Global South.Together, Heartfulness and mindfulness form a powerful inner ecology. They remind us that climate action need not come solely from crisis, guilt, or fear but can also emerge from stillness, care, and compassion. In a time of accelerating environmental and emotional turbulence, cultivating the heart and mind may be among our most radical and restorative acts.<h4 style="text-align:justify;">Healing the Earth Within and Without</h4>When faith, Heartfulness, and mindfulness converge, what emerges goes far beyond a soft supplement to hard science—it represents a necessary paradigm shift. This synthesis creates a new kind of sustainability: in systems and spirits. It generates sustainability that moves beyond fear-based messaging to hope-filled action, replaces burnout with belonging, and treats the Earth as a relationship to heal rather than a problem to solve.The climate crisis extends beyond carbon emissions—it reflects a deeper crisis of disconnection. In trying to dominate the Earth, we have forgotten that we are of the Earth. This forgetting is now costing lives, livelihoods, and futures. Faith traditions remind us of sacred duty. Heartfulness helps us act with compassion. Mindfulness teaches us to live with awareness. Together, they offer a path forward—rooted, resilient, and radically hopeful.For the world, this integration offers a powerful way forward, in which innovation is matched by introspection and the path to a greener world begins in breath, prayer, and love, flowing outward into policies and action.&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/reuniting_soul_soil5_837e96694d.webp" alt="reuniting-soul-soil5.webp"></figure> &nbsp;<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">Illustrations by ANANYA PATEL</h4><hr>

Reuniting Soul and Soil

Ashwin is a writer in the fiction-thriller genre. He is the author of best-selling novels The Rozabal Line, Chanakya’s Chant, The Krishna Key, The Sialkot Saga and Keepers of the Kalachakra. His books are based on mythological and theological themes. He is one of India's best-selling conspiracy fiction writers and is an author of the new era of retelling Indian history or mythology in a contemporary context. Forbes India has included him in their Celebrity 100 list.


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Ashwin Sanghi

<h4>ASHWIN SANGHI is an Indian author in the intersecting genre of mythology, fiction and thriller. Here he is interviewed by RUDY SINGH at Kanha Shanti Vanam about his formative influences, what brought him to writing, and the gray area intersecting mythology and history. In Part 2, the conversation will also move to his own work and his latest books.</h4>Q: Welcome to Kanha Shanti Vanam. What are your first impressions of this place?AS: I&nbsp;am absolutely fascinated by my surroundings. Before I arrived here I didn’t know the scale of Kanha Shanti Vanam. It has been an incredible experience not just because of the infrastructure, which is obviously still coming up, but even what is there is world-class. More importantly, I think what is fascinating is just the amazing environment that you have created.I am told that you have planted over 100,000 trees and plants in this place, which was barren land. That the water table is changing because of the number of reservoirs and the rainwater harvesting that is being done here. The fact that this place is energy self-sufficient because of the number of solar panels that are used. And of course the fact that there have been so many trees that have been translocated, or transplanted, here from other road-widening projects etc.So when you add all of it up, it makes for a fascinating place. And then of course when you factor in Daaji and his vibrations, and the vibrations of all those people who happen to be here meditating, it’s a magical experience. So to sum up: it’s a magical place.Q: Ashwin, I read that when you first started writing, you faced almost 40 rejections for your work, and then you decided to self-publish. Now most of us have a terrible time handling rejection. How did you handle that phase?AS: Well, I think one of the problems in today’s world is that we don’t teach youngsters to cope with failure. And I think failure is a very important learning tool. And I think what we need to understand is how do we motivate ourselves to keep plodding on. When a child falls down while he is learning to walk, he doesn’t think, “Well, maybe this is not for me.” He just gets up and walks. He makes an attempt to walk and finally he learns how to walk. But we don’t do that in later life; we seem to get affected every time we fall down.In front of my desk I had this bulletin board, which had a series of numbers: 12, 18, 30, 34, 38, so on and so forth. When people would come to my study they would wonder what those numbers were.Well, 12 was the number of times that the first book in the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling was rejected by publishers. 18 was the number of times that Jonathan Livingston Seagull was rejected. 30 was the number of times that the first novel by Stephen King, Carrie, was rejected. 34 was the number of times that Chicken Soup for the Soul was rejected. 38 was the number of times that Gone with the Wind was rejected.So I used to psyche myself into believing that I would be a better author than all of them because I was getting rejected more. It’s almost a way of psyching yourself to plod on, and I think that is a very important skill that we need to be imparting to our youngsters.<hr><h5 style="text-align:center;">I think failure is a very important learning tool. And I think what we need to understand is how do we motivate ourselves to keep plodding on.</h5><hr>Q: That is wonderful. So your first book, The Rozabal Line, is based on the hypothesis that Jesus came to India and lived here after he survived the crucifixion. How did that topic come up? How did you decide to take that route?AS: Actually I genuinely have come to believe that it’s the other way round. We, as writers or storytellers, think that we are going out searching for a story, but really stories come searching for us, because that story wants to be told.I happened to be in Srinagar sometime around 2002, attending the wedding of a very dear friend. This was of course the time of peak militancy in Srinagar, so there were road blocks and military check-posts every few yards. I was feeling so completely cooped up in my hotel room and I told my driver, “You have to get me out of here and take me to some place.”He said, “Well, I can take you to a very interesting tomb.”<h5><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/history_intersects_myth2_b2586e4d84.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-06T07:16:42.021Z" alt="where-history-intersects-with-myth-part-1"></h5>So we landed up in the heart of Srinagar, the old part of Srinagar, known as the Khanyar district. And in the heart of this district there is a very unassuming structure. Records indicate that some structure has stood there ever since 124 AD. So something or other has been there on that spot for the last 2,000 odd years. And the person buried there is a Muslim Pir, whose name was Nasiruddin. His was an Islamic burial site from around the 13th or 14th century, with the head pointing towards Mecca.But there was another grave, which was of an older provenance, underneath that of Nasiruddin. It went back to the origin of the tomb, which was almost 500 years before the advent of Islam. And it was an east-west burial, which is the direction in which the ancient Jews buried their dead. Outside the tomb was a metallic plate, which showed the carving of human feet, with marks indicating the points at which the nails of a crucifixion would have been hammered.I was completely blown away and fascinated by the story, and I spent the next two years researching that story, not because I wanted to write the book, but because I was obsessed with the story. At the end of two years, my wife told me, “Listen, it has become painful to have a conversation with you, because this is the only thing we talk about. You need to get this out of your system.” And that’s how I got the idea of writing a book. It never started out with the idea of writing a book.Q: Wow. And in your books of course you use a lot of tales that are rooted in mythology. How much does that have to do with your upbringing?AS: I grew up in an environment where we were surrounded by stories. I had my Daadi [paternal grandmother], who used to narrate stories to me from the Ramayana and Mahabharata. Then there was my Nana [maternal grandfather], who was a terrific storyteller, and he liberally would mix fact and fiction when narrating his stories, which made them even more interesting. His elder brother, whom we called Majle Nanaji, because he was the middle brother, had the habit of sending me a book every week to read. So at a very young age I was exposed to reading. And of course I had to read each book within a certain time frame and reply to him with a letter telling him what I’d read, and why I liked it or disliked it.That entire habit of being surrounded by stories was very much there, as a result of which I think at heart I’m not a writer, I’m not a screenplay writer, I’m not a lyricist, I’m not a playwright, I’m just a storyteller, and that’s what I love doing. So even when I’m sitting having a conversation, I will find something the person will say that will inspire a story. And then I’m very quick to make a note of it, because I don’t want the idea to dissolve into thin air.<hr><h5 style="text-align:center;">We, as writers or storytellers, think that we are going out searching for a story, but really stories come searching for us, because that story wants to be told.</h5><hr>And of course while all these meaningful books were coming from my maternal granduncle, there was also a set of books coming from my mother, and those were always paperbacks, thrillers – the latest Jeffery Archer, the latest Sidney Sheldon, the latest Irving Wallace, the latest Arthur Hailey. On the one hand I was getting all this philosophy, mythology, science, religion and theology coming to me from my grandparents, and then there was the style of a fast-paced novel coming to me from my mother. So a lot of what you see in my storytelling is a combination of those two streams of books.Q: Do you think this style of writing has brought a new generation of readers to literature? A lot of people were disillusioned with the way history was written, and a lot of youngsters would find history a very boring subject.AS: Yes of course. I grew up in a school where history was taught in an exceedingly boring fashion. The other part of it is that, to a very great extent, our history is just … It was the novelist George Santayana who said, “History is a pack of lies about events that never happened, written by people who were never there.” On the other hand, Churchill said, “History is always written by the victors.” So it’s a version of events.<img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/history_intersects_myth3_c648c2b9fd.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-06T07:17:44.260Z" alt="where-history-intersects-with-myth-part-1">The problem is, when you talk about history as a version of events, it means we should also be exposed to alternative versions of those events. For example, in India we learn about the Great Rebellion of 1857, whereas the average English child learns about the Sepoy Mutiny of 1857 – the same event, but very, very different perspectives. To a certain extent I have no problem if you want to teach the so-called Aryan Migration theory or the Aryan Invasion theory, but also teach the Saraswati Civilization along with it, or the Out-of-India theory as an alternative hypothesis, because all of these are at their core precisely that – theories.So my effort has basically been to correct the narrative, and hopefully as these alternative narratives emerge within popular culture, within popular fiction, then eventually researchers, scholars and historians will have to update their research and bring them into the academic mainstream.<hr><h5 style="text-align:center;">I believe that there is that wonderful zone, which is the overlap between history and myth.</h5><hr>Q: It’s wonderful that you mention that, because within the Waldorf education system they actually start teaching children myths. They teach them the world of mythology and it’s only after Grade 5 that they start them on history.AS: And to a very great extent I believe that myths are far more honest. It was C.S. Lewis who said that a myth is imagination that reveals the truth. At least a myth doesn’t have pretensions of being a factual record. A myth does not attempt to be a statement of fact. And I believe that there is that wonderful zone, which is the overlap between history and myth.To be continued.<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">Interview by RUDY SINGH</h4><hr>

Where history intersects with myth - part 1

<h4>ASHWIN SANGHI is an Indian author in the intersecting genre of mythology,
 fiction and thriller. In this second part of his interview with RUDY SINGH, he
 speaks about mythology, history, his approach to writing and his upcoming books. Ashwin continues the conversation
 from where he left off.</h4>
<hr class="vertical-space1">
AS:&nbsp;In India we always called our epics
 itihas [history]. The Ramayana and Mahabharata are itihas. It’s only since Max Müller that we were
 taught: Hey listen, this is myth, this is not historical narrative. I’m not willing to accept that. Take the
 Mahabharata. It started off with less than 25,000 verses of a work called Jaya, which morphed into a work of roughly
 50,000 verses called the Bharat, which then morphed into the 100,000 verses of the Mahabharat. We attribute all of
 this to one single writer, the Rishi Vyasa. I believe that’s almost like a nom de plume, a pseudonym, for
 multiple writers who wrote through the generations. But do you think multiple generations would have spent their
 time narrating that story if there wasn’t a kernel of truth to the events that happened?
We have 300 versions of the Ramayana, and each version is remarkably different. You have
 the Valmiki Ramayana, in which Ram is simply a human being, a mortal. You have the Tulsi Ramayana, in which he is
 elevated to the status of a God. You have versions like the Adbhuta Ramayana, in which it isn’t Ram who kills
 Ravana, but Sita who manifests as Durga. You have the Jain Ramayana, in which Lakshman kills Ravana. You have
 versions like the Muslim Ramayana, in which Ram is a Sultan, or the Lao Ramayana, in which Ram is a Bodhisattva. But
 at the core there are elements of the story that remain common throughout. And why would there be 300 versions of a
 story that never happened? So I believe what we need to do is to find that enticing, exciting overlap zone where
 history intersects with myth. And there is a lot we can gain by examining it closely. The problem is that mainstream
 academia has shied away from looking at these things. I have always believed that the reason why people like reading
 these stories, and the reason why this new generation is reading them, is because if you take these two words – myth
 and history – and put them into a particle collider and bring them charging at superfast speed towards one another,
 they fuse into a new word, which is myth + history = mystery. That’s typically what I try to do.
Q: Wow, that’s wonderful. As you mentioned, there are many, many local myths and
 different variations of myths. Every 200 kilometers you have a new myth; every district has their narrative. Do
 you think we are at a stage where there is a danger of the homogenous narrative subsuming all these? For
 example, the overarching Mahabharata is pan India, and the overarching Ramayana is pan India.
AS:&nbsp;The way I see it is that mythology has
 been in a constant state of flux. The packaging and repackaging of mythology has been happening over generations. We
 spoke about 300 versions of the Ramayana, and there are probably more than a 1,000 versions of the Mahabharata. And
 even if we look at today’s narratives, we are finding that actually the narratives do not depend on the popular
 mainstream.
If you take someone like Anand Neelakantan, for example, he is actually giving you a
 perspective of these epics from the angle of the so-called villains of the story, because he feels that injustice
 has been done to the villains. So why can’t we narrate the Mahabharata from the point of view of Duryodhana? Or why
 can’t we narrate the Ramayana from the point of view of Ravana?
You take someone like Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni. Chitra’s books narrate the stories
 from the angle of the female leads within those epics. What would the Ramayana look like from Sita’s perspective? Or
 what would the Mahabharata look like from Draupadi’s perspective?
So I think we are opening up new vistas in our narratives, which is wonderful because a
 myth should not be compartmentalized. The whole idea of myth is that you have multiple versions, and this has been
 the great thing about our country, that we’ve said that, “No, we don’t have one version of the truth; we can have
 three hundred versions. And the fact that I have one version of the truth doesn’t make your version any less. It’s
 still the truth.” And I think that is where we need to be going. And I think that that is already happening. So in
 fact we’ll see more narratives, we’ll see more dimensions. We’ll see this exploration increasing.
<img alt="" class="has-img-center lazyload"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/history_myth_part2_2_9c1f110377.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-07T07:32:27.259Z">

Q: You’ve recently started writing a series of self-help books. How did the motivation
 for that come about?
AS:&nbsp;Well, I had just started writing. I was at
 the point where my first book was not getting published.&nbsp;There was a family friend of ours, who used to come
 home on the weekends and enjoy having a drink along with my father. One day, he saw I was very upset. 
 He saw me depressed and said, “What’s the matter?” 
 I said, “Well, 47 publishers have declined my book.” 
 Between publishers and literary agents it had become 47. 
 “What is the problem? Apply to a few more.” 
 And I said, “There’s no one left on the list. The universe has been targeted already.” 
 So he said, “Beta, remember one thing: in life 99% is about good luck.” 
 So I asked him, “But Uncle, what about the one percent? That must be hard work, talent, efficiency, networking,
 resources, management, so many things.” 
 He laughed at me. He said, “99% is about good luck, and one percent is about bloody good luck.” 
 And I came out of that meeting and I was wondering, “What is he talking about?”
Later on in life, once I had already become a bestselling author, someone asked me, “To
 what do you attribute your success?” and I said, “Luck!” And that was not the answer they were expecting. My
 publisher was standing next to me, and he started laughing. He said, “I think you need to write a book about it, to
 explain what is meant by luck. Demystify this topic.” And that resulted in the first book: 13 Steps to Bloody
 Good Luck.
At that time, it was not meant to be a series. It was meant to me a “one-off” book, the
 ramblings of Ashwin Sanghi about what makes lucky people lucky. As it turned out, then I started receiving e-mails
 from people saying, “If we can demystify luck, then why can’t we demystify something else?” So one of my school
 friends, who is also a venture capitalist, said, “People don’t know how to manage their money, so why don’t we write
 a book on wealth?” So we wrote 13 Steps to Bloody Good Wealth.
Then a teacher got in touch with me, who was an expert in coaching kids. And he said,
 “Why can’t we write 13 Steps to Bloody Good Marks, so that people can study better?” And then Dr. Batra got
 in touch saying, “Why can’t we write on health – 13 Steps to Bloody Good Health?” And we then had a book by
 a blogging mom, Kiran Manral, who wrote 13 Steps to Bloody Good Parenting. We now have someone who has been
 in the sales profession for 20 odd years writing a book on sales. Someone else is writing on communication. So there
 are so many things which look like rocket science, but they actually translate into some rather simple fundamentals.
 And that is what we’re attempting to present in a very easy to read format.
Q: I really liked the way you said “demystifying good luck,” because one of the
 objectives of the book, The Heartfulness Way, is to demystify meditation.
AS:&nbsp;Absolutely.
<img alt="where-history-intersects-with-myth-part-2" class="has-img-center lazyload "
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/history_myth_part2_3_3c0ee1213e.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-07T07:33:19.698Z">

Q: You have now been a part of two Heartfulness sessions. Do you think there’s a
 certain resonance with that also?
AS:&nbsp;Absolutely. I think one of the main
 attractions of the Heartfulness Way is the utter simplicity. I have been through several meditation sessions prior
 to this where the instructor is focused on how you sit, what mudras you do, your breathing and your
 concentration, the fact that you should not move, and the fact that you should develop an ability to deal with
 pleasure and pain, even though you’ve been sitting in that position for several hours.
In comparison, the Heartfulness Way is almost childlike: focus on your heart and
 feel rather than think. That is where true meditation comes from. I’m still to get there, but I love the
 utter childlike simplicity of what is explained in The Heartfulness Way.
<hr>
<h5 style="text-align: center;">The Heartfulness Way is almost childlike: 
 focus on your heart and feel rather than think. 
 That is where true meditation comes from. 
 I’m still to get there, but I love the utter childlike simplicity 
 of what is explained in The Heartfulness Way.
</h5>
<hr>
Q: Finally, what next for Ashwin Sanghi?
AS:&nbsp;Well, currently I’m working on a number of
 projects. In the 13 Steps series there are several books in the pipeline, and they will happen at the
 frequency of two or three titles per year. In addition to that, currently I’m working on the sixth book in the
 Bharat series.
The first book in the series was The Rozabal Line, followed by Chanakya’s
 Chant, then The Krishna Key, The Sialkot Saga, and Keepers of the Kalachakra. The sixth
 one turns its attention down South and talks about the Pallava kingdom. I hope to complete it soon, so that it is
 released in December or January. That is one of the main projects I am working on. In addition to that, I am also
 working on an original web series, as well as an adaptation of one of my books for the web. So at any given point of
 time I have multiple projects going on, and that’s one of the reasons why I need a technique to keep me a little
 more focused. I am hoping that Heartfulness can help me, because I have to keep switching tracks. On a particular
 day I’ll be working in the space of history and mythology; on another day I’m working on a crime thriller; on the
 third day I’m working on a self-help book. So in order to be able to change gears and still come back and focus on
 what I am required to focus on that particular day, that’s a critical element of what I do.
Q: Thank you so much. It’s been wonderful having you here.
AS:&nbsp;It’s been a pleasure talking to you. Thank
 you very much for having me here. What a delightful experience this has been. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

<a href="https://www.heartfulnessmagazine.com/where-history-intersects-with-myth-part-1/">Read Part 1 of the interview&gt;&gt;</a>
<hr>
<h4 style="text-align: center;">Interview by RUDY SINGH</h4>
<hr>

Where history intersects with myth - part 2

Ashwin is the Assistant Cultural Secretary and the Vice President of the Debate Club in his school. His passion includes chess, quizzing, and writing. He wants to study Computer Science to find elegant solutions to everyday challenges. 



Ashwin-Vinod-Kumar.jpg

Ashwin Vinod Kumar

<hr><h4>ASHWIN VINOD KUMAR is wise for a 16-year-old. With a little kindness from a loving grandpa, he managed to overcome a negative pattern that threatened to derail his success at school. How many similar challenges could we all overcome with a little help from our friends and family?</h4><hr>When we think of kindness we imagine grandiose acts of charity, or experiences of random acts of kindness with strangers. However, the simplest and most profound acts of kindness are often those we take for granted in our everyday existence.“The world is full of obvious things if one only takes the time to observe them,” said Sherlock Holmes. The world is full of kindness if we take time to observe, I say.Ever since I was 6 years old and in the 1st grade at school, I have faced difficulty with the Tamil language. I lost the top rank at my school 10 years in a row because of my grades in Tamil. My parents never had any expectation, either academic or otherwise, other than that I pass Tamil so that I could go into the next grade. So coming to the end of grade 10, my freedom was at last in sight – the last year of studying Tamil. Ten long years of struggle, an entire saga of my life, would finally draw to a close. But this was also going to be the most difficult time of my life, because the exam would be graded by the Central Board of Examiners, and who knew what destiny awaited me.I shared this most agonising secret with my grandfather one day, and he graciously offered to help me, saying that he had studied Tamil for 15 years. It was as if an angel had descended to answer my prayers; his help was exactly what I needed. But he and I lived in different cities. Thankfully, one thing the pandemic has taught us is that distance doesn’t matter.And so it began. We studied (to my dismay) every single day. He would call me at 2 p.m., just as I finished lunch, and we would study for an hour on video call. He had downloaded the textbook onto his laptop, and he read out and explained every single word, not once, not twice, perhaps fifteen times or more, until I finally understood, finally remembered, and finally expressed some confidence.I did not want to study Tamil because early on I had performed badly. Then, I continued to do worse because I did not want to study. It was a vicious cycle. Now I studied, not because I enjoyed it – I absolutely did not – but because I got caught up in my own request. I couldn’t disappoint my grandpa who called me sincerely every day at 2 p.m.I started looking forward to his calls, and enjoyed the time immensely. Forget about Tamil, I just enjoyed talking with him. He is my grandpa. We bonded. And that bond made me resent Tamil less. How could I dislike something my loving grandfather was talking about? Looking back, those 7 hours a week, and all the tales with which he regaled me so that I would enjoy Tamil, were astonishing. He shared humorous and interesting anecdotes, and in between stories of his school and university days, he showed me glimpses of how to appreciate my mother tongue, and indeed how beautiful any language can be.Well, like all good stories, this has a happy ending – I got good grades in Tamil. But that is not the end of the story, is it?This story is about the kindness of a grandfather to his grandson – not only teaching him his mother tongue, but helping him fall in love with it. This ending is about grandpa roping in grandma in all the fun, so that the grandson learns higher lessons in togetherness and bonding. This ending is about how all of us have a coping ability, immense resilience, and the human spirit, which decides to shine if we kindle it with love and joy.And the ending of the story is not what matters. The journey does. The world is full of kindnesses if we take the time to observe them. A lot of them are invisible and present in our own backyard. When we learn to see them, and sow those seeds of kindness in the world, letting them shine, the world will be as inspired as I am.<hr><hr><h4>The world is full of kindnesses if we take the time to observe them.&nbsp; A lot of them are invisible and present in our own backyard.&nbsp; When we learn to see them, and sow those seeds of kindness in the world,&nbsp; letting them shine, the world will be as inspired as I am.</h4><hr>

Invisible kindness

Dr. Parvaiz was the Vice Chancellor of Maulana Azad National Urdu University in Hyderabad, India, from 2015 to 2020, and before that was the Principal of Zakir Husain College, Delhi University. He is a science communicator with six books and many articles and book chapters to his credit. Since 1994, he has also been the founding editor of Urdu Science, a popular science and environment monthly, and heads the Islamic Foundation for Science and Environment (India), a non-profit charitable organization.



Aslam-Parvaiz.jpg

Aslam Parvaiz

<h4
 id="h-dr-aslam-parvaiz-is-a-teacher-with-a-passion-coming-from-the-islamic-tradition-he-integrates-the-wisdom-of-the-quran-with-a-scientific-attitude-toward-nature-the-environment-and-our-responsibility-as-human-beings-in-november-2020-dr-parvaiz-was-interviewed-by-elizabeth-denley-and-kambiz-ravan-from-the-heartfulness-institute"
>
 DR. ASLAM PARVAIZ
 is a teacher with a passion. Coming from the Islamic tradition, he integrates
 the wisdom of the Quran with a scientific attitude toward Nature, the
 environment, and our responsibility as human beings. In November 2020, DR.
 PARVAIZ was interviewed by
 ELIZABETH DENLEY and KAMBIZ RAVAN
 from the Heartfulness Institute.
</h4>

<hr class="vertical-space1" />


 ED: Welcome, Dr. Parvaiz. Since we first met a few years back, I have been
 touched by your passion for integrating modern scientific approaches about
 Nature and our current climate crisis with the wisdom traditions of the
 Quran and Islam. Why is this so important for you?



 <a href="AP:"
 >AP:</a
 >
 It’s not science per se, but the need to have a scientific attitude. My
 passion is for Muslims all over the world to understand the logic behind the
 practices in the Quran. Whatever is happening around the globe today in the
 name of Islam is not what is offered in the Quran, which is a book for the
 entire humanity.



 What you find there will depend on your capacity, your willingness, and your
 desire to know and internalize the teachings. While I challenge the way people
 currently practice Islam, my approach is not at all controversial, as it is
 based on the Quran.



 ED: Can you please tell us about the importance of Nature, ecology, and the
 environment in Islam?



 AP: I would start
 with the first verse of the Quran, which says that God created the Earth for
 all living beings. Second, the Quran says that if you wish to count
 the bounties of God, you will not be able to do so. Nature has gifted us all
 with countless bounties in the form of resources. Third, the Quran says that
 whatever resources are there, they are to be distributed amongst us all. All
 creatures in the Universe reflect the creativity of God. Fourth, the Quran
 defines the position of humankind as the custodians, the khalifa,
 with the role of protecting the environment and protecting the Earth’s
 resources.


<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<hr />

<h5 class="has-text-align-center">
 All creatures in the Universe reflect the creativity of God.
</h5>

<hr />

<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<div>
 <figure>
 <img
 width="600"
 height="371"
 alt=""
 class="has-img-center lazyloaded"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/Ancient_Wisdom_nature_2_2e9fc1798e.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-19T14:50:36.600Z"
 />
 </figure>
</div>

<hr class="vertical-space1" />


 Whatever resources are there in Nature move from one place to another by the
 Law of Diffusion, which tells us that things move from a region of high
 concentration to a region of low concentration. For example, when you add
 water to a bowl of dry soil through a dropper, the water will spread
 throughout the bowl. Only once the soil becomes saturated with the water will
 it start accumulating on top of the soil. The movement of air, which controls
 the temperature and the climate, uses the same process of diffusion. When air
 pressure decreases, air rushes in. The same is true of the action of gases in
 our body, in our lungs. Hemoglobin in our blood has the capacity to bond with
 carbon dioxide and with oxygen, depending upon the concentration. If more
 oxygen is there, hemoglobin picks up oxygen, whereas if more carbon dioxide is
 there, it picks up carbon dioxide. So, our capacity to breathe in oxygen and
 breathe out carbon dioxide is because of diffusion. This Law of Diffusion is
 operating everywhere in Nature.



 Similarly, the Law of Diffusion tells us how to share resources: Where there
 is a need, the resources must go. There is no need for hoarding or reserving
 things for near and dear ones for generations to come, whether it is money,
 property, food, or anything else. The planet is for all. Distribution of
 resources should be as per the need of the moment.


<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<div>
 <figure>
 <img
 width="600"
 height="400"
 alt=""
 class="has-img-center lazyloaded"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/Ancient_Wisdom_nature_3_dea73f0a29.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-19T14:53:30.361Zlazyloaded"
 />
 </figure>
</div>

<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<hr />

<h5 class="has-text-align-center">
 The planet is for all. Distribution of resources should be as per the need of the moment.
</h5>

<hr />

<hr class="vertical-space1" />


 The Quran also says to establish balance. Don’t disturb the balance of Nature.
 Don’t spread impurity, like corruption and pollution. Air pollution is an
 imbalance of gases in the atmosphere. In Islamic countries we don’t have a
 strong awareness of environmental consciousness and protection, yet it is part
 of Islam.



 The Quran talks of Ibadat, which means submission to the divine laws
 or principles. Often the word is understood as “worship” or “prayer,” which
 has then been reduced to praying five times a day, fasting for thirty days a
 year, traveling once a year to Mecca for Hajj, and giving 2.5% of
 wealth to charity as Zakat. I call this cherry picking. We have
 picked those few practices from the Quran and made them mandatory, forgetting
 all the other practices that are there, including those about the environment
 and Nature, about service, and so many other things that are designed to make
 a person a wonderful human being.



 The human-centric approach is missing. While it is wonderful to do prayer five
 times a day, is your prayer helping the poor lady who is your neighbor, who
 has nothing to feed her kids? There are so many people who are hungry, and the
 Quran tells us that giving food to a person in need is our duty.



 KR: Why is the color green associated with Islam?



 AP: For us, green
 is the symbol of peace, productivity, and tranquility. When we talk about
 peace, there are two important words: one is “Islam” and the other is
 “Iman.” Iman is usually translated as “faith,” but it also
 has the same root as the word for peace, “Aman.” The root word
 “slm” has eight meanings, one of which is “peace,” and another is
 “productivity and growth.” So, if someone says they are a Muslim, the true
 meaning is that they are a harbinger of peace. They are at peace with
 themselves, and everyone should feel peaceful with them.


<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<div>
 <figure>
 <img
 width="600"
 height="400"
 alt=""
 class="has-img-center lazyloaded"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/Ancient_Wisdom_nature_4_jpg_336089c5cc.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-19T14:55:45.625Z"
 />
 </figure>
</div>

<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<hr />

<h5 class="has-text-align-center">
 For us, green is the symbol of peace, productivity, and tranquility.
</h5>

<hr />

<hr class="vertical-space1" />


 They do not give any offense to anyone or anything, either mental or physical.



 How does Nature work? After the Industrial Revolution, with the fallout of air
 and water pollution, it dawned on us that the green trees in our neighborhoods
 are themselves a huge industry. They produce so many resources and chemicals,
 giving so many products to humanity, such as dyes and medicines, yet the
 industry inside the tree is creating all these things without pollution,
 without heat, and without noise. That is why the shift is now toward
 bioproducts, because we know that Nature’s models are better than our
 human-made models. In Nature, things are always in balance.


<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<div>
 <figure>
 <img
 width="600"
 height="400"
 alt=""
 class="has-img-center lazyload"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/Ancient_Wisdom_nature_5_7ffa99e44d.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-19T14:57:43.496Z"
 />
 </figure>
</div>

<hr class="vertical-space1" />


 Balance is important everywhere. Now, balance and justice are the same thing.
 Where there is justice, there will be balance without chaos, because things
 are at peace. In Nature, peace is prevalent because the divine laws are in
 operation. When we are in sync with Nature, we feel peace. The entire Universe
 is tuned with us, and I call this, “Swimming with the current.” The moment we
 don’t follow the natural laws, for example, when we hoard wealth, disrespect
 our spouse, are cruel to our kids, a neighbor, or workers, we feel uneasy and
 not at peace, because these things are against Nature.



 We become disturbed, then angry, frustrated, depressed, and eventually we may
 even feel suicidal. This is the sequence which arises from the internal
 situation where we are not comfortable. So being in sync with Nature is
 important, and this is what the Quran tells us.


<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<hr />

<h5 class="has-text-align-center">
 Balance is important everywhere. Now, balance and justice are the same
 thing. Where there is justice, there will be balance without chaos,
 because things are at peace. In Nature, peace is prevalent because the
 divine laws are in operation. When we are in sync with Nature, we feel
 peace.
</h5>

<hr />

<hr class="vertical-space1" />


 ED: If you were to advise young people today how to find peace, what would
 you tell them?



 AP: I would tell
 them what I have practiced and implemented myself, which is to follow the
 natural laws. For example, in the Quran it says, “We have created the children
 of Adam [meaning all human beings] to be respected.” It is a divine principle
 to respect all people. Whatever their color, religion, race, language, and
 gender, they must be respected. This is binding on all of us.


<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<div>
 <figure>
 <img
 width="600"
 height="400"
 alt=""
 class="has-img-center lazyload"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/Ancient_Wisdom_nature_6_2dd97fedad.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-19T15:04:52.322Z"
 />
 </figure>
</div>

<hr class="vertical-space1" />


 When we respect people, it means we respect their likes and dislikes, we
 respect their faith, their dress, and everything else. We have ours, but we
 have no problem with theirs being different. When we are able to do this, it
 is Ibadat. If we are respectful 24/7, it is acceptance of the divine
 laws.



 Next, the Quran tells us to speak in the best way – no foul language, no
 abuse, no taunts, no sarcasm, etc. This is again a divine principle. So, if
 someone abuses us, no matter who it is, do nothing! Our duty is to be nice.
 This is a hot topic today, just as it has always been. The Quran tells us that
 when we are in the company of people who are speaking badly, simply move away
 and join them again after they have finished. Don’t react. The human
 connection is very important, as all human beings are brothers and sisters
 coming from one source. There is no specific Islamic brotherhood. The human
 brotherhood is supreme – we must respect everyone. If we don’t respect a
 household helper, or even our spouse or partner, it doesn’t help.


<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<hr />

<h5 class="has-text-align-center">
 When we respect people, it means we respect their likes and dislikes,
 we respect their faith, their dress, and everything else. We have
 ours, but we have no problem with theirs being different. When we
 are able to do this, it is Ibadat. If we are respectful
 24/7, it is acceptance of the divine laws.
</h5>

<hr />

<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<div>
 <figure>
 <img
 width="600"
 height="286"
 alt=""
 class="has-img-center lazyload"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/Ancient_Wisdom_nature_7_bc9bbb6ec5.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-19T15:07:08.680Z"
 />
 </figure>
</div>

<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<hr />

<h5 class="has-text-align-center">
 The human connection is very important, as all human beings are brothers and sisters coming from one source.
</h5>

<hr />

<hr class="vertical-space1" />


 The Quran also tells us to accept all the revered books from all traditions,
 right from the Vedas, to the Torah and the Bible, etc., and to accept all the
 Prophets that have been sent. A few we know, thousands we don’t know. I
 believe that the Vedas were the first divine books. The wisdom is the same.
 Many of the slokas of the Vedas are exactly the same as the verses of the
 Quran. These wonders are waiting to be discovered and practiced.


<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<hr />

<h4 class="has-text-align-center">
 Interview by
 ELIZABETH DENLEY and KAMBIZ RAVAN
</h4>

<hr />

<hr class="vertical-space1" />

Ancient wisdom on nature and the climate crisis

Atul Patel has been a Heartfulness Meditation trainer for over fourteen years and has worked at Dominion IT for more than twenty years. An electronics engineer, he focuses on AI and emerging technologies and has contributed to several renewable energy and power generation projects.

atul-patel.webp

Atul Patel

Audrey calls herself a pilgrim of life. She has had an unconventional journey, starting with her non-violence studies at UC Berkeley, where she embarked on a walking pilgrimage in Silicon Valley. She’s also known for her work on the compassion quotient, and is the co-visionary behind the iconic 6-week laddership circles of ServiceSpace. Recently, with a team of volunteers, she’s launched karunavirus.org, which is an online platform for amplifying everyday stories of courageous kindness.


Audrey-Lin-img.jpg

Audrey Lin

Kindness is key to resilience - part 1

<hr><h4>In June 2020, AUDREY LIN from ServiceSpace spoke with PURNIMA RAMAKRISHNAN about the qualities needed to live a life of kindness, and the relationship between kindness and resilience. In part 2, Audrey continues by focusing on the Compassion Quotient, the concept of leading with inner transformation, and how easy it is to integrate simple acts of kindness into everyday life.</h4><hr>AL: You can’t draw an easy and clear line of cause and effect with compassion. It’s such a distributed, ethereal thing. It’s a quality that’s there. And we don’t really have metrics to measure it, so you might not notice because it’s not something we quantify. We don’t have a system in place to account for it, so I like the idea of the Compassion Quotient.We focus so much on IQ, but what about the next generation? Will they be good neighbors? Will they be good citizens? How will they have meaningful lives and meaningful relationships? What’s the value of these things?Will they get you a job? Maybe, maybe not. But, when you’re on your deathbed, will they lead you to smile, feeling like you lived in a meaningful way and you did what you could while you were here? It’s hard to say what matters more.The Compassion Quotient is our capacity to offer ourselves, to respond with kindness again and again.Q: Thank you Audrey. That reminds me of Mark Twain’s quote, “Kindness is the language the deaf can hear and the blind can see.” Qualities like kindness, friendship, compassion and courage are the qualities that define who we are, as humans, and propel us toward what we ought to be in this world.AL: Adding on to that, I’ve heard you use the phrase “lead with inner transformation.” What does it mean? And can you share a story from your own life?It’s an interesting idea, because oftentimes we lead with impact or profit, or we’re motivated by changing some sort of structure in the world. And so inner transformation is like compassion, right? You can’t really measure it. You can’t copy and paste it, you can’t replicate it. It’s something that happens when the time is right and you’re in a space where the conditions have ripened for you to transform in a beautiful way and as a person.<hr><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/Kindness_Key_Resilience_part2_img_6dc9dac6fb.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-10T07:06:41.874Z" alt="Kindness-Key-Resilience-part2-2"><hr>How do you lead with that and why do you lead with that? That seems like such a personal thing. We all have those moments in our lives where we might feel like something shifted in a very deep way and we almost never tie it to anything we do for a living, or anything we do to move and shake the world. Often times we just think of it as this very personal thing that was really meaningful in our lives. But why is that not the center of what we do, and how we engage, and how we operate in the world? Why is that just a thing on the side?So, in some of the projects we are exploring, that has become the central question. Like how do we lead within our transformation? How do we design in a way that engages these values of compassion, of generosity, of kindness, and what does that look like?I think it requires a certain degree of operating from a space of emergence. And actually, it’s very relevant now during the coronavirus pandemic, because we don’t really know. There is so much uncertainty in the world. How do we design for an uncertain future?In a way, our future has always been uncertain, right? We might have a five-year plan but it gets revised every month. Or we might develop a business plan with target goals, and of course the targets always move; they are uncertain. So, why don’t we just say we don’t know what will happen, and it is an uncertain future. And we are banking on that uncertainty actually.And how do we lead from a space where we are anchored in values, and that’s all that really matters? Are you leading from a space where all the projects you do are an excuse for these values to take form in some way? So, there have been a lot of ways this has surfaced.One of our platforms is called KindSpring. It’s a website where people can read and share stories of kindness that they have done or they have received. And everyone who writes there uses an anonymous alias. There is no “Look at what I did!” The cool thing is the way this website came about. One of the volunteers was having a conversation with his cousin about the phenomenon called hazing, which happens in fraternities or sororities at university. To get into one of those social clubs you go through this period of hazing, which is organized bullying. It’s like a rite of passage. You go through ridiculous situations where you need to endure silly things and make a fool of yourself. And at the end of that “rush week,” then you’re either accepted into the club or not.So, this volunteer was talking with his cousin, who was studying in college, and it was hazing season. People were trying to get into these fraternities and sororities, so they were talking about bullying and pranks, and how usually when you’re doing a prank on someone you’re trying to make their day less convenient.What would it look like if, instead, you did a prank that made someone’s day better? They thought of a little smile card that said, “Smile, you’ve been tagged. An experiment in anonymous and kindness is the name of the game. And now you’re hit.” So, the idea is to do a random act of kindness, anonymously, and leave the card behind to invite the recipient to pass it on. You could go through a toll booth, pay for the person behind you, and leave a card there to give to that person, just to make their day a little easier. Or you might pick flowers and leave them at your neighbor’s door with a smile card. When they open the door, they see a bouquet of flowers just for them. No reason attached to it. It’s just a nice act by someone anonymously.<hr><hr><h5 style="text-align:center;">Inner transformation is like compassion, right? It’s not something you can really measure. It’s something that happens when the time is right and you’re in a space where the conditions have ripened for you to transform in a beautiful way and as a person.</h5><hr><hr>So, they thought of this idea as a way to counteract hazing, to counteract bullying. It wasn’t planned, it was just about, “How do we decrease instances of bullying?” because bullying is a big issue in schools. There is that element of, “What can we do to prevent bullying, and what can we do to decrease the incidents of bullying?” What are the statistics on it? That’s also important and very valid, but when we are talking about leading with inner transformation, it stems first from the relationship – from a cousin to his younger cousin, having an honest conversation about the dilemma he is experiencing at university of bullying and hazing. So naturally this idea just came up.<hr><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/Kindness_Key_Resilience_part2_3_img_67b77c3b4a.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-10T07:06:41.694Z" alt="Kindness-Key-Resilience-part2-3">&nbsp;<hr>They printed up a bunch of smile cards and started doing random acts of kindness and leaving the smile cards behind. And then they thought, “Each card is going somewhere and it’s inviting some sort of experience for someone. And there is a story behind every card that goes out. So, what if we set up a website to capture some of those stories?” They put the name of the website on the card and said, “If you want to share the story of how you received this card, or what you did with it, you can post it here.” They set up this website to capture the harvest, all the stories.And that became a portal on kindness. Typically, you’d think about the issue and how to plan and execute something to that end. In this case, it started from the relationship. It started from, “How can I help my cousin out? How can I make his day? And what might surface from that?” From there, impact naturally happened. It was focused on the transformation first. I guess that’s an example.Q: Audrey, the mainstream media tends to broadcast sensational news that capitalizes on fear, anxiety, stress, scarcity and competition, rather than collaboration. In this context, how can we create cultural dialogues around kindness? How can we allow this culture of kindness to percolate into the civilization?AL: That’s so important. We are the stories we believe in, to some extent. So much of what I see, so much of how I interpret the world, is a reflection, a mirror of what my own inner compass is in the world. So much of what’s inside me is projected outward. There are so many times where I have interpreted a situation based on my state of mind, and later on realized that I totally missed something at that time.<hr><hr><h5 style="text-align:center;">We are the stories we believe in,&nbsp;to some extent. So much of what I see,&nbsp;so much of how I interpret the world, is a reflection,&nbsp;a mirror of what my own&nbsp;inner compass is in the world. So much of what’s inside me&nbsp;is projected outward.</h5><hr><hr>We are so very much impacted by the media, by the stories and narratives we are bombarded with. This is the age of information, and especially right now, during the coronavirus, it is a virtual sphere of stories. It’s so present. How do we create a culture of kindness around that? It’s really a call for all of us to start sharing stories of the goodness we see. And not just sharing them, but seeing them.We are so primed to operate in the world, looking for our end goal. Whatever we’re looking for we start to see around us. And how do we tap into a space where we start seeing the value everywhere? Where we see the value of even an argument we have, or something that’s a setback but ends up benefiting something else.It’s a great question: How do we engage a greater culture of kindness in our media? One thing we have been doing in the last couple of months is the website called Karunavirus. “Karuna” means compassion in Sanskrit. In late March, with all the things happening around the world, it just seemed like there was so much fear, there was so much anxiety, there was so much stress because of unknowns, and everyone was sitting with all that. At the same time there was so much compassion flowing out into the world. There were so many stories of young people buying groceries for elder people. There were so many stories of people checking up on neighbors they hadn’t spoken to in years; stories of teachers delivering lunches to their students; stories of police officers forming a heart shape outside a hospital with their police cars to thank the healthcare workers.It’s been an outpouring of such goodness of the humanity that’s rising up in the world. And so we thought: How can we share that? How can we bring more awareness that people are choosing love over fear? And what happens when we do that? We start to see a new possibility and engage in different ways. How does it affect our day? How does it affect the way that we think? How does it affect the actions that we are doing? It can be really powerful.I’m not sure if I’m answering your question, but I think it’s been beautiful to see that flow. It is in our nature to want to be kind. It is in our nature to want to be compassionate. It is in our nature to want to support each other. And when that comes into our consciousness in a strong way, we start to see it everywhere. Even with coronavirus.We started the website out of feeling the need for it, and a group of over twenty volunteers came together in less than two weeks to start working on it. We get the sweetest intentions. For example, someone wrote, “I am in my 60s and I can still learn. Give me your least-fulfilled volunteer opportunity and I’ll do it.” Wow! That is such a blessing to put out in the world.<hr><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/Kindness_Key_Resilience_part2_4_img_104f8e26e6.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-10T07:06:41.810Z" alt="Kindness-Key-Resilience-part2-4"><hr>In today’s age, where so much of the media is focused on sensational news, headlines and topics, how do we give rise to greater sincerity and humanity? I think that’s the beautiful thing in some of the stories we see. All the celebrities, and the congressman who gave out his phone number to everyone – he made his phone number public and said, “If you feel scared, feel free to call me and I’ll listen to you and talk with you.” And there is Miss England, who was working as a doctor before she became Miss England. She said, “I’m going to hang up my crown and re-enlist as a doctor, because that is the need right now.”I think we have a culture that’s so focused on the extraordinary, the sensational, the things that are at a distance in the limelight. What about the extraordinariness of simple humanity and the simple moments of connection? It is the simple things that connect us all. I feel that it’s so important to create a culture of kindness in the stories that we tell, and I think it starts with being able to see those stories that are right in front of us, and see the beauty in them, see the gold in them.Q: So poignant. One thing which has stood out in today’s conversation is the power of being the change we wish to see in the world. So, can these small acts make a difference?AL: I invite whoever is interested to do an act of kindness during the week. It doesn’t have to be a big thing, but just not something that is in your usual routine – an extra act of kindness. And tell us how it goes. We will have a follow-up conversation to share some reflections and experiences.Q: Thank you, Audrey. Let’s see how small acts make a difference in all our lives and in the lives of the people who are the beneficiaries of this kindness.<hr>To watch the full interview visit: <a href="https://youtu.be/UTYqYntJwFI">https://youtu.be/UTYqYntJwFI</a><hr><hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">Interviewed by PURNIMA RAMAKRISHNA Illustrations by ANANYA PATEL</h4><hr>

Kindness is key to resilience - part 2

B. Rathinasabapathy is an ecologist with 37 years of experience in forest restoration, biodiversity conservation, and environmental education. He has led ecological projects across India, including the Western Ghats and urban eco-parks. His work focuses on afforestation, biodiversity monitoring, and conserving endangered species, also a recipient of the Jagannatha Rao Endowment Award in 2024, for conservation education.

B. Rathinasabapathy.png

B. Rathinasabapathy

<h4 style="text-align:justify;">B. RATHINASABAPATHY is an ecologist who works at Forests by Heartfulness at Kanha Shanti Vanam. He shares some information on the various endemic Indian species of Syzygium that belong to the myrtle family, which has a distribution from Africa and Madagascar to southern Asia through to the Pacific. The most famous species is the clove, Syzygium aromaticum, native to Indonesia, but in this article he explores the widely celebrated Jamun tree and various other species that also have medicinal benefits.</h4>&nbsp;Jamun (Syzygium cumini), also known as black plum or Indian blackberry, is a revered fruit in India, celebrated for its nutritional, medicinal, and cultural significance. Native to the Indian subcontinent, it thrives in tropical and subtropical climates and is a favorite during the monsoon season. Its sweet-tart flavor, paired with its deep purple hue, makes it a prized fruit across the country.<h4 style="text-align:justify;">Diverse Jamun varieties in India</h4>India boasts a range of Jamun varieties, cultivated to suit regional climates and preferences. All Jamun in India fall under the species Syzygium cumini, but there are specific cultivars according to region, characteristics, and agricultural development, including:<ol style="list-style-type:decimal;"><li style="text-align:justify;">Rajamun: Known for its large size, deep purple skin, and small seed; widely cultivated in Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, and Maharashtra. Its juicy pulp and balanced sweetness make it highly sought after.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Narendra Jamun: Developed by the Narendra Deva University of Agriculture and Technology in Faizabad; known for its high yield and resistance to diseases. It produces large fruits with a rich flavor.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Jumbo Jamun: Produces oversized fruits with a high pulp-to-seed ratio. Popular in southern India for commercial cultivation.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Seedless Jamun: A newer variety; seedless Jamun is gaining popularity among urban growers. It offers ease of consumption and is favored for its sweetness.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Konkan Bahadoli: Native to the Konkan region; a medium-sized variety known for its intense flavor and adaptability to coastal climates.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Chhattisgarh Jamun: Wild and semi-domesticated, smaller in size but rich in antioxidants, often used in traditional medicine.</li></ol><h4 style="text-align:justify;">Health benefits</h4>Jamun is a superfood packed with nutrients. It is rich in vitamin C, iron, potassium, and dietary fiber. The fruit is renowned for its ability to regulate blood sugar levels, making it a natural remedy for diabetes. Its seed powder is used in Ayurveda to improve digestion and manage sugar metabolism. Additionally, Jamun is beneficial for <a href="https://heartfulness.org/magazine/heart-health" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">heart health</a>, liver function, and skin rejuvenation.<h4 style="text-align:justify;">Other Syzygium species</h4>In addition to Jamun, there are other species of Syzygium endemic in India, especially the Western Ghats and Andaman Islands. They are both edible and medicinal.<ol style="list-style-type:decimal;"><li style="text-align:justify;">Syzygium cumini: Fruits treat <a href="https://heartfulness.org/magazine/from-isolation-to-solitude" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">diabetes</a>, diarrhea, and digestive issues; seeds have hypoglycemic properties.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">S.palghatense: Edible fruits, antioxidant properties.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">S.singampattiana: Endemic, fruits are edible, medicinal value under study.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">S.jambos: Rose apple used for digestive issues and inflammation.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">S.malaccense: Malay apple aids digestion and boosts immunity.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">S.zeylanicum: Antimicrobial properties; bark and leaves used medicinally.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">S.travancoricum: Endangered; fruits edible, antimicrobial use.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">S.caryophyllatum: Edible fruits, antioxidant-rich, treats infections.</li></ol>&nbsp;<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:50%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/rich_legacy_taste_health2_6655e3c512.webp" alt="rich-legacy-taste-health2.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_rich_legacy_taste_health2_6655e3c512.webp 234w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/small_rich_legacy_taste_health2_6655e3c512.webp 500w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/medium_rich_legacy_taste_health2_6655e3c512.webp 750w," sizes="100vw"><figcaption>Syzygium cumini</figcaption></figure>&nbsp;All these species possess rich antioxidant, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory properties and are widely used in traditional medicine. And all the species are present at Kanha Shanti Vanam. The last two, previously endangered, were propagated through the tissue culture laboratory at the Heartfulness Tree Conservation Center, which focuses on generating, planting, and conserving rare, endangered, and medicinal plant species in diverse locations, ensuring their preservation and ecological impact.<h4 style="text-align:justify;">Cultural significance</h4>Jamun is deeply connected with Lord Krishna in Indian mythology. It is believed that the dark purple color of the fruit resembles Krishna’s skin tone. According to folklore, Krishna often rested under a Jamun tree while grazing cows in Vrindavan.&nbsp;<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:50%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/rich_legacy_taste_health4_af7f98aabd.webp" alt="rich-legacy-taste-health4.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_rich_legacy_taste_health4_af7f98aabd.webp 126w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/small_rich_legacy_taste_health4_af7f98aabd.webp 405w," sizes="100vw"><figcaption>Syzygium singampattiana&nbsp; (Jungle guava)</figcaption></figure>&nbsp;One popular story involves Krishna climbing a Jamun tree to steal butter stored in earthen pots hanging from the branches. The playful association of Krishna with Jamun trees highlights his bond with nature and simple village life. Additionally, it is said that the tree provides shade and shelter, symbolizing Krishna’s protective and nurturing qualities.The Jamun tree holds deep spiritual significance. In Shaivism, it is considered sacred and often associated with Shiva temples, symbolizing tranquility and enlightenment. For Jains, the Jamun is revered as the site where the 9th and 13th Tirthankaras, Suvidhinath and Vimalnath, attained spiritual awakening. And the tree is connected with meditation as its serene shade fosters introspection and inner peace. The Jamun serves as a living symbol of meditation, transcendence, and union with the Divine. It is also a common feature in home gardens and community spaces, symbolizing abundance and vitality.&nbsp;<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:50%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/rich_legacy_taste_health3_630e387aa3.webp" alt="rich-legacy-taste-health3.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_rich_legacy_taste_health3_630e387aa3.webp 208w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/small_rich_legacy_taste_health3_630e387aa3.webp 500w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/medium_rich_legacy_taste_health3_630e387aa3.webp 750w," sizes="100vw"><figcaption>Syzygium samaragense var alba</figcaption></figure><h4 style="text-align:justify;">Challenges and opportunities</h4>Jamun cultivation faces challenges like seasonal dependency, short shelf life, and lack of organized marketing. However, growing awareness of its health benefits has increased demand for products like Jamun juice, vinegar, and seed powder, offering immense potential for agribusiness.Jamun varieties in India reflect the nation’s agricultural richness and biodiversity. From traditional orchards to modern plantations, Jamun continues to be a beloved fruit, merging health, culture, and taste in every bite. By promoting sustainable cultivation practices and value-added products, Jamun’s legacy can reach <a href="https://heartfulness.org/magazine/inspiring-and-ethical-businesses" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">global markets</a>, enhancing its importance as a truly Indian superfruit.&nbsp;<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:50%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/rich_legacy_taste_health6_77f694aec1.webp" alt="rich-legacy-taste-health6.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_rich_legacy_taste_health6_77f694aec1.webp 215w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/small_rich_legacy_taste_health6_77f694aec1.webp 500w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/medium_rich_legacy_taste_health6_77f694aec1.webp 750w," sizes="100vw"><figcaption>Syzygium alternifolium</figcaption></figure><figure class="image image_resized" style="width:50%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/rich_legacy_taste_health5_70f69fae06.webp" alt="rich-legacy-taste-health5.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_rich_legacy_taste_health5_70f69fae06.webp 180w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/small_rich_legacy_taste_health5_70f69fae06.webp 500w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/medium_rich_legacy_taste_health5_70f69fae06.webp 750w," sizes="100vw"><figcaption>Syzygium caryiphyllatum (South Indian plum)</figcaption></figure>

A rich legacy of taste and health

<h4 style="text-align:justify;">B. RATHINASABAPATHY, ecologist, Forests by Heartfulness (FBH), shares a heart-warming tale about a rare rainforest tree species that has been brought back from the brink. It gives us hope that with a little bit of care and concern, other extinctions can be prevented.&nbsp;&nbsp;</h4>&nbsp;“In the depths of Tamil Nadu's rainforests lies a tree so rare that it is represented by just three known specimens—the Palani Hill Rudraksha (Elaeocarpus blascoi).”The enigmatic Elaeocarpus blascoi, commonly referred to as the Palani Hill Rudraksha, is among the rarest known plant species on Earth. With its native habitat confined to the pristine rainforests of Kodaikanal, Tamil Nadu, at the southern tip of India, this critically endangered tree has intrigued botanists and conservationists alike. Today, only three known adult specimens exist: two on a private estate and one in the wild.<h4 style="text-align:justify;">A glimpse into the past</h4>Discovered in the 20th century, E. blascoi quickly gained attention for its rarity and ecological significance. Its survival has since been jeopardized by <a href="https://heartfulness.org/magazine/healing-our-planet-one-seed-at-a-time-world-environment-day-2024" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">deforestation</a>, habitat fragmentation, and natural germination challenges. The seeds of E. blascoi often fail to thrive due to harsh environmental conditions, including soil erosion and water runoff that wash them out of the Dindigul Plain.<h4 style="text-align:justify;">A turning point: conservation initiatives</h4>In 2006, two saplings of E. blascoi, affectionately named Bob and Tanya, were planted to bolster the species’ survival. These saplings flourished, thanks to the dedicated efforts of conservationists, and symbolized the possibility of restoring the species.&nbsp;<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:75%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/journey_conservation_hope2_28845064eb.webp" alt="journey-conservation-hope2.webp"></figure>&nbsp;The Heartfulness Institute took a decisive step in 2022 by launching a structured conservation program for E. blascoi. Recognizing the critical need to secure its future, the program adopted tissue culture techniques to propagate the species and ensure genetic diversity.At FBH, we understand that conserving E. blascoi goes beyond preserving a rare tree species. It’s a commitment to safeguarding biodiversity and maintaining ecological balance. Our multidisciplinary team has been working tirelessly to:<ul><li style="text-align:justify;">Develop propagation techniques: Tissue culture technology has emerged as a beacon of hope, allowing us to propagate E. blascoi under controlled conditions.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Create suitable habitats: By mimicking the natural rainforest <a href="https://heartfulness.org/magazine/think-ecosystem" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">ecosystem</a>, we aim to provide ideal growth conditions for young saplings.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Engage the community: Awareness programs and educational initiatives are crucial for fostering a collective sense of responsibility toward conservation efforts.</li></ul><h4 style="text-align:justify;">Challenges and triumphs</h4>The journey of conserving E. blascoi is not without its challenges. The species’ natural germination rate is low, and ensuring successful transplantation requires meticulous care. Yet, each thriving sapling represents a victory for nature and humanity.&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/journey_conservation_hope3_59fdb4db8a.webp" alt="journey-conservation-hope3.webp"></figure>&nbsp;In collaboration with global and local partners, we are witnessing the fruits of these efforts. The sight of birds and insects returning to habitats with E. blascoi reinforces the interconnectedness of life and the vital role this species plays in its <a href="https://heartfulness.org/magazine/a-journey-of-conservation-and-hope" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">ecosystem</a>.&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/journey_conservation_hope4_c395cc90eb.webp" alt="journey-conservation-hope4.webp"></figure>&nbsp;<h4 style="text-align:justify;">A call to action</h4>The story of E. blascoi is a testament to the resilience of nature and the impact of human determination. As we strive to bring this species back from the brink, we invite individuals, institutions, and governments to join hands in conserving our natural heritage.Together, we can ensure that future generations marvel at the majestic Palani Hill Rudraksha, not as a relic of the past but as a thriving testament to our collective commitment to biodiversity conservation.“The survival of Elaeocarpus blascoi is more than a conservation effort; it is a symbol of humanity’s ability to restore what we have endangered. Let us act now for the future of this majestic tree, and the world it inhabits rests in our hands.”&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/journey_conservation_hope5_4652a2d116.webp" alt="journey-conservation-hope5.webp"></figure> &nbsp;

A journey of conservation and hope

<h4 style="text-align:justify;">B. RATHINASABAPATHY, Ecologist at Forests by Heartfulness, describes the building of the Asana Mandala Garden, which blends Vedic wisdom, sacred geometry, and ecological harmony. This living Mandala offers seekers a serene space for meditation, transformation, and alignment with nature’s rhythm.</h4>The Asana Mandala Garden is a Tree Temple that embodies the profound spiritual synergy of sacred geometry and nature, integrating the square and the circle—symbols deeply rooted in the traditions of all cultures, ancient and modern. In Sanskrit philosophy, the square (chaturbhuja) represents stability, structure, and the earthly realm, while the circle (mandala) signifies wholeness, cosmic unity, and the infinite cycle of life. Their harmonious integration channels spiritual energy, aligning the five elements or pancha bhutas (earth, fire, water, air, and ether) within the temple, creating an environment conducive to meditation and <a href="https://heartfulness.org/magazine/love-in-action" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">inner transformation</a>.<h4 style="text-align:justify;">A sanctuary within Nature</h4>At Kanha Shanti Vanam, the serene headquarters of Heartfulness near Hyderabad, nature thrives in abundance. Residents and visitors alike delight in exploring its verdant landscapes. While the formal Yatra Garden and the tropical rainforests are well-loved, there are hidden gems that offer quiet reflection. One such sacred space is the Tree Temple, a unique mandala-inspired grove just beyond the nursery.At the heart of the Tree Temple lies a lotus pond, embraced by a geometric arrangement of Indian Bullet Wood trees. Four entrances, marked by pairs of standing stones, invite seekers into this tranquil sanctuary. A circumambulatory path allows you to walk in quiet contemplation, immersed in the rhythm of nature’s symmetries.<img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/sacred_confluence_nature2_023fa10e42.webp" alt="sacred-confluence-nature2.webp"><h4 style="text-align:justify;">The role of geometry in temple design</h4>Great temples arise from profound simplicity. Much like a mighty tree grows from a tiny seed, the architectural marvels of the ancient country of Bharat (India) can be traced back to a single, potent point, a bindu. (The Sanskrit “bindu” means a point, dot, or seed.) The Tree Temple was envisioned in this spirit. Unlike traditional temples that take years to be carved in stone, this living temple was brought to life as a 10-month project at the dawn of 2024.The timeless principles of Euclidean geometry guide the transition from simple forms to intricate structures. To create our Tree Temple, we followed a classical approach: beginning with an asana mandala grid of 10 x 10 squares, we carefully selected key elements that echo the sacred proportions of ancient temples. The transformation unfolded step by step, a progression that mirrors the methods of the sthapatis, the master temple builders of old.<h4 style="text-align:justify;">A living tribute to tradition</h4>While the sthapatis took their creations to extraordinary complexity, we chose a simpler more organic path. Our Tree Temple stands as a humble yet profound homage to sacred geometry, inviting nature to breathe life into its form. Here, the unseen energies of the devatas or nature spirits find space to reside, blessing this sacred grove with their sublime intelligence and boundless grace. This temple in trees is not just a structure, it is an experience—a space where earth and sky meet in harmony, where silence speaks, and where the spirit finds solace in the eternal embrace of nature.&nbsp;<img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/sacred_confluence_nature3_59d481ee72.webp" alt="sacred-confluence-nature3.webp"><h4 style="text-align:justify;">The inception of the garden</h4>In December 2023, a particular area that was once a barren wasteland at Kanha Shanti Vanam evolved into a thriving wetland. First, we dug a pond at the end of the nursery area, then Dr. V. Ramakantha introduced Paul Glassop from the USA, renowned for his Tree Temple designs, who visited the pond area. Captivated by its beauty, Paul shared his insights with Dr. Ramakantha.“The Language of Geometry, a language that is loved by Hindu, Christian, Buddhist and Muslim. This geometry is a fundamental language that can help unify everyone and everything. It can reunite individuals to their own hearts, so it surely has to do with Heartfulness… What does a tree want? Water, air, soil, sunshine, and the love of humans. And if we want to give the tree a little more, we let it be part of a temple, which we call a Forest Heart. The heart has four chambers, so in our Forest Heart we also have four chambers one each in the East, North, West, and South. For a spiritual devotee to gain liberation, they must have a heart. For a forest to achieve its full purpose it must have a Forest Heart.”<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">Designed with profound intention,&nbsp; the Asana Mandala Garden is a sanctuary of spiritual&nbsp; and ecological harmony, inviting seekers&nbsp; to immerse themselves in the sacred geometry of life,&nbsp; fostering an inner journey toward balance,&nbsp; tranquility, and connection with the universe.&nbsp;</h4><hr>And so the concept of the Asana Mandala Garden emerged. Architect Deepika Pothuraju was entrusted with demarcating the site, and her survey team was deployed for site assessment. Upon receiving clearance from the administration, the groundwork commenced, laying the foundation for a spiritually enriched landscape.<img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/sacred_confluence_nature6_b437aaed9c.webp" alt="sacred-confluence-nature6.webp"><h4 style="text-align:justify;">The design and spiritual alignment</h4>Mandala gardens are sacred spaces designed to facilitate meditation and spiritual alignment. The Asana Mandala Garden embodies this essence, structured around a central pond that draws inspiration from natural water bodies. Encircling this serene core, sacred plants such as Bullet Wood (Mimusops elengi), Sandalwood (Santalum album), and Malabar Jasmine (Jasminum malabaricum) enhance the ambiance. These species symbolize purity, devotion, and divine fragrance, fostering a deeper connection with nature and the cosmos.The sacred arrangement aligns with yogic principles, where the square represents the stability of an Asana (posture) and the circle symbolizes the continuous flow of Prana (life force energy). This unique garden serves as a space for deep contemplation, bridging the physical, spiritual, and cosmic dimensions.<img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/sacred_confluence_nature4_ca5d56e030.webp" alt="sacred-confluence-nature4.webp"><h4 style="text-align:justify;">A living mandala of spiritual awakening</h4>Guided by Dr. Ramakantha, with conceptual inputs from Paul and architect Deepika, and support from the Forests by Heartfulness team, the Asana Mandala Garden integrates ancient wisdom with modern ecological consciousness. It stands as a testament to the coexistence of spirituality and sustainability, offering seekers a living, breathing mandala.Designed with profound intention, the Asana Mandala Garden is a sanctuary of spiritual and ecological harmony, inviting seekers to immerse themselves in the sacred geometry of life, fostering an inner journey toward balance, tranquility, and connection with the universe. As this garden flourishes, it stands as a beacon of the timeless synergy between nature and the Divine, inspiring all who walk its sacred path.<img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/sacred_confluence_nature5_ad679def9d.webp" alt="sacred-confluence-nature5.webp">

A sacred confluence of nature and spirituality: Asana Mandala Garden

<h4 style="text-align:justify;">B. RATHINASABAPATHY and DR. ANANTHANENI SREENATH, Heartfulness Institute, Forests by Heartfulness.</h4><h4 style="text-align:justify;">Planting a tree is not just about placing a sapling in the soil—it’s about ensuring it thrives for generations to come. At Forests by Heartfulness (FBH), we don’t just plant trees, we cultivate soil sustainability, and long-term ecological balance. Through mindful planning and sustainable techniques, we are transforming barren landscapes into lush, thriving forests.</h4>The Science Behind Mindful PlantationOn the eve of <a href="https://heartfulness.org/magazine/healing-our-planet-one-seed-at-a-time-world-environment-day-2024" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">World Environment Day</a>, June 5, 2025, we take a moment to celebrate the remarkable transformation of Kanha Shanti Vanam in Telangana state into a thriving green oasis. Through dedicated conservation efforts, strategic plantation initiatives, and a deep commitment to ecological restoration, Kanha has blossomed into a haven of <a href="https://heartfulness.org/magazine/where-flowers-hide-the-mystery-of-the-fig" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">biodiversity</a>, setting an inspiring example of sustainable greening.Forests by Heartfulness (FBH) follows a unique plantation strategy inspired by our global guide, Daaji. Every plantation initiative is planned with deep ecological insight, ensuring not just survival but thriving growth. Our approach, called Blue, Black, and Green (BBG), is a scientifically-backed technique that optimizes plant health and soil sustainability.Before any plantation, we study the natural water flow across the landscape, especially during rainfall, to determine the most effective locations for rainwater harvesting ponds (Blue). These ponds enhance groundwater recharge and support plant hydration.A week before planting, we dig one-meter-deep pits (Black), allowing the soil to cool and become aerated.The pits are then layered with essential soil amendments, fostering a nutrient-rich environment for plant roots (Green). This method has been successfully implemented across various FBH plantations, yielding an impressive 90 to 95% plant survival rate.Just as a balanced breakfast fuels our bodies, our BBG method provides all essential ingredients for a plant’s strong and healthy growth. By sharing these best practices, we invite others to adopt this holistic approach in their own plantation efforts.The BBG Approach: A Sustainable Formula for Growth1. Blue—Rainwater Harvesting and Water ManagementStrategic rainwater harvesting ponds capture and store water during monsoons, ensuring year-round availability and reducing dependence on external water sources.<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:75%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/greening_the_future2_f32a1ddbfb.webp" alt="greening-the-future2.webp"></figure>2. Black—Soil Enrichment for Maximum Water Retention and Nutrient EnhancementWe incorporate a scientifically-balanced mix of soil conditioners to enhance fertility and moisture retention:Black Cotton Soil— Retains water effectively, preventing moisture loss and supporting deeper root absorption.Biochar— A porous, carbon-rich substance soaked in Jeevamrutham, boosting microbial activity and nutrient retention.&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/greening_the_future3_f5c727b8ac.webp" alt="greening-the-future3.webp"></figure>&nbsp;Vermicompost— Organic compost derived from leaf litter and food waste, enriching soil with beneficial microbes.Gel Polymer— Helps retain moisture, reducing water stress and ensuring steady hydration for plant roots.Neem Powder— A natural remedy against harmful nematodes, ensuring strong and healthy roots.Support Stick— For the tall trees planted, we provide staking to help them withstand strong winds and prevent them from bending.3. Green—The Right Plants for a Thriving EcosystemOur plantations prioritize well-grown saplings, typically over six feet tall (depending on species), to ensure a strong start. We use a mix of mother soil and red soil for top layering, maintaining natural fertility while providing structural stability.&nbsp;<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:50%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/greening_the_future4_7cb66e7f81.webp" alt="greening-the-future4.webp"><figcaption>Nurturing plants with care to meet our goal of 50 million plantations, fostering a greener future.</figcaption></figure>&nbsp;Transforming LandscapesThis science-backed method has not only transformed degraded lands but has also become a replicable model for sustainable <a href="https://heartfulness.org/magazine/think-ecosystem" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">afforestation</a>. The growth and survival rates of trees planted with this approach have inspired many to embrace sustainable plantation practices.Visitors to Kanha Shanti Vanam often marvel at the thriving greenery. At the main gate, after seeing the coconut tree in the median, their curiosity is piqued—why plant a fruit-bearing tree in such a location? This leads them to realize the success of tree translocation at Kanha. As they explore the Rainforest, Yatra Garden, Mandala Garden, Agroforestry, and Pond Ecosystem, they come to understand that plantation is not just about planting and watering; it requires deep dedication and scientific care.&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/greening_the_future5_ffc3b70123.webp" alt="greening-the-future5.webp"></figure>&nbsp;Most visitors experience a rejuvenating breath of fresh oxygen, the calming green landscapes, and the fragrance of diverse flowers. Their ultimate question remains: How old are these plants, and how do you maintain such an atmosphere?Our answer to all who ask is simple: First, we ensure a reliable water source and rainwater harvesting provision. Second, we use black cotton soil to retain water, reducing the need for frequent irrigation. Third, biochar enhances soil nutrients. Finally, we plant taller, well-grown saplings to ensure robust growth. This is the secret of BBG at Kanha.In alignment with the 2025 World Environment Day theme of “Ending Plastic Pollution,” Forests by Heartfulness (FBH) emphasizes sustainable practices that reduce environmental harm. Our Blue, Black, and Green (BBG) approach not only fosters thriving ecosystems but also minimizes reliance on plastic-based agricultural products. By utilizing natural soil conditioners like biochar, vermicompost, and neem powder, we eliminate the need for synthetic fertilizers often packaged in plastic. This commitment to eco-friendly methods aligns with global efforts to reduce plastic waste and promote a healthier planet.A tree planted today is a promise for tomorrow. With BBG, we ensure that every tree is nurtured with the right care, the right soil, and the right environment to flourish. The transformation we see at Kanha Shanti Vanam is a testament to this commitment. Join us in this journey of mindful afforestation—because together, we are not just growing trees; we are growing a greener future!B. Rathinasabapathy is an ecologist with 37 years of experience in forest restoration, biodiversity conservation, and environmental education. He has led ecological projects across India, including the Western Ghats and urban eco-parks. His work focuses on afforestation, biodiversity monitoring, and conserving endangered species, also a recipient of the Jagannatha Rao Endowment Award in 2024, for conservation education.&nbsp;<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:75%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/greening_the_future6_9e7eb18127.webp" alt="greening-the-future6.webp"></figure>&nbsp;Dr. Ananthaneni Sreenath, Conservation Scientist at FBH, specializes in rare plant conservation, afforestation, and advanced propagation techniques like tissue culture. He plays a key role in enhancing biodiversity at Kanha Shanti Vanam and other afforestation sites, advancing conservation research despite resource challenges.&nbsp;<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">A tree planted today is a promise for tomorrow. With BBG, we ensure that every tree is nurtured with the right care, the right soil, and the right environment to flourish.</h4><hr>

Greening the future: science, care, and sustainability

<h4 style="text-align:justify;">They crawl, fly, wiggle, and buzz—but we barely notice them. Yet, without invertebrates, life on Earth would come to a standstill. As ecologist B. RATHINASABAPATHY explains, invertebrates are the unseen workforce that pollinates our crops, cleans our soil, and feeds our ecosystems. In a world where ninety-eight percent of animal species are invertebrates, can we afford to ignore their silent disappearance?</h4>When we think of wildlife conservation, majestic elephants, soaring eagles, or the elusive tiger often come to mind. Yet these iconic creatures are just a few examples of vertebrates, which make up only two percent of the animal kingdom. The remaining ninety-eight percent are invertebrates—organisms without a backbone—ranging from bees and butterflies to earthworms, ants, spiders, snails, and numerous other species. These creatures may be small and often overlooked, but they form the very foundation of life on Earth.<h4 style="text-align:justify;">Why Invertebrates Matter</h4>Invertebrates play a crucial ecological role in maintaining the balance of ecosystems.<ul><li style="text-align:justify;">Pollination: Bees, butterflies, and beetles are key pollinators for a majority of our food crops and wild plants. Without them, both natural and agricultural landscapes would collapse.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Decomposition: Earthworms, termites, and flies break down organic matter, recycling nutrients and enriching the soil.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Food Web Support: Invertebrates play a crucial role in the food chain. Birds, reptiles, amphibians, and even mammals (including humans through seafood) rely on them as food.</li></ul>&nbsp;<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:75%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/invertebrates2_33ff418147.webp" alt="invertebrates2.webp"></figure>&nbsp;Despite their importance, invertebrate populations are facing alarming declines due to several human-induced factors:<ul><li style="text-align:justify;">Urbanization has led to the fragmentation and destruction of natural habitats, severely limiting the spaces where these species can thrive.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">The widespread use of pesticides in agriculture poses another significant threat, as these chemicals not only eliminate pests but also harm essential pollinators and other beneficial insects.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Climate change is disrupting ecosystems by altering weather patterns, which in turn affects the breeding cycles and availability of food sources for invertebrates.</li></ul><h4 style="text-align:justify;">A Call to Action</h4>It’s time we shift our focus to include these unsung heroes in our conservation efforts. Protecting invertebrates does not require massive interventions—it starts with small, meaningful actions:<ul><li style="text-align:justify;">Establish Pollinator and Butterfly Gardens: Native flowering plants attract local pollinators and provide them with the resources they need to survive.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Restore Native Habitats: Planting native trees and shrubs recreates microhabitats essential for invertebrate survival.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Conduct Biodiversity Assessments: Parks, gardens, and urban green spaces should be surveyed to understand the existing invertebrate diversity and identify threats.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Reduce Chemical Use: Encourage organic and sustainable farming and landscaping practices.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Raise Awareness: As the Heartfulness spiritual guide, Daaji, says, “Each One, Teach One and Plant One Tree.” This philosophy embodies the spirit of grassroots conservation.</li></ul>&nbsp;<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:75%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/invertebrates3_4305e030d8.webp" alt="invertebrates3.webp"></figure>&nbsp;<h4 style="text-align:justify;">Hope for the Future</h4>Year after year, if we continue to plant, nurture, and educate, we will begin to see the return of vibrant butterflies, buzzing bees, colorful beetles, and other invertebrates to our gardens and parks. With time, we can rebuild the invisible network that sustains life, one pollinator at a time.Invertebrate conservation is not just about saving insects—it’s about preserving the intricate web of life that sustains us all. Let us not wait until silence fills the skies where bees once buzzed. The time to act is now.Protecting invertebrates is protecting life itself. Let’s act now—plant one, teach one, save many.<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">Invertebrate conservation is not just about saving insects— it’s about preserving the intricate web of life that sustains us all.&nbsp; Let us not wait until silence fills the skies&nbsp; where bees once buzzed. The time to act is now.&nbsp;</h4><hr>&nbsp;<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:75%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/invertebrates4_c46ad47b72.webp" alt="invertebrates4.webp"></figure>&nbsp;

Invertebrates: The Silent Majority in Need of Conservation

<h4 style="text-align:justify;">ECOLOGIST B. RATHINASABAPATHY connects the Indian chameleon’s way of being at Kanha Shanti Vanam to spiritual practice—cultivating harmony with place, patience, and focused awareness.</h4><h4 style="text-align:justify;">Masters of Disguise</h4>Chameleons are among nature’s most fascinating reptiles, best known for their ability to change color and blend seamlessly into their surroundings. While most chameleon species are found in Africa, particularly Madagascar, they also inhabit parts of Europe and Asia, including India and Sri Lanka. Unlike their forest-dwelling relatives, some species have evolved to thrive in extreme environments, such as the arid Namib Desert, where they have adapted to a ground-dwelling lifestyle.India is home to just one species—the Indian chameleon (Chamaeleo zeylanicus). This diurnal lizard moves slowly and relies on its exceptional camouflage to evade predators and ambush prey with precision. Beyond its biological marvels, the chameleon symbolizes patience, adaptability, and inner awareness—qualities that resonate deeply with spiritual seekers.&nbsp;<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:75%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/chameleon2_b64ecdddb9.webp" alt="chameleon2.webp"></figure>&nbsp;<h4 style="text-align:justify;">Chameleons at Kanha—A Symbol of Harmony</h4>At Kanha Shanti Vanam, a spiritual and ecological sanctuary dedicated to inner transformation and environmental conservation, chameleons emerge as hidden gems of the dry, thorny scrub forests. After the rainy season, young chameleons can be seen exploring their surroundings, while adults remain more elusive. When sensing danger, they crawl away cautiously before vanishing into the environment, blending perfectly with leaves and branches. Their ability to disappear in plain sight makes them one of the most intriguing reptiles found in mainland India.Just as the chameleon seamlessly adapts to its surroundings, spiritual seekers at Kanha learn to harmonize with nature, cultivating <a href="https://heartfulness.org/magazine/insight-of-the-heart-part-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">mindfulness</a> and a deep connection with the environment. Observing these elusive creatures can be a reminder of how stillness, patience, and awareness can transform one’s experience of life.<h4 style="text-align:justify;">The Perfect Arboreal Hunter</h4>Chameleons are built for life in the trees. Their long limbs and specialized zygodactylous feet—two toes facing forward and two backward—allow for a firm grip on branches. Their prehensile tails further aid in balance and stability. When moving, chameleons perform a distinctive swaying motion, rocking back and forth to mimic the movement of leaves in the wind. This slow, deliberate gait helps them avoid detection by both predators and prey, mirroring the grace and discipline of a <a href="https://heartfulness.org/magazine/emotional-wisdom" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">meditative practice</a>.&nbsp;<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">Observing these elusive creatures can be a reminder of how stillness, patience, and awareness can transform&nbsp; one’s experience of life.</h4><hr>&nbsp;<h4 style="text-align:justify;">A Deadly Precision Strike</h4>Despite their sluggish movement, chameleons are highly efficient hunters, thanks to their astonishingly fast, projectile-like tongues. The chameleon’s tongue can extend up to 1.5 times its body length, launching at an acceleration comparable to a car going from zero to sixty km/h in a split second. This remarkable feat is powered by an accelerator muscle, which catapults the tongue forward, and a retractor muscle, which swiftly pulls it back with captured prey.Adding to this efficiency is the chameleon’s incredibly sticky saliva, nearly a thousand times more viscous than human saliva, ensuring that even the fastest of insects—such as grasshoppers, butterflies, and dragonflies—have little chance of escape.<h4 style="text-align:justify;">360-Degree Vision for the Ultimate Predator</h4>Chameleons have another extraordinary advantage—their independently rotating eyes. They can scan their surroundings in two different directions at once, covering nearly 360 degrees. However, when locking onto prey, both eyes align to provide precise depth perception, allowing for an accurate tongue strike. Rarely does a chameleon miss its mark, making it one of the most formidable insect hunters in the reptile kingdom.<h4 style="text-align:justify;">Nature’s Living Marvel—A Spiritual Perspective</h4>Chameleons are a testament to nature’s ingenuity, blending remarkable adaptations of camouflage, vision, and hunting precision into a single species. Whether swaying gently in the trees or unleashing their lightning-fast tongues, these reptiles continue to captivate and inspire those fortunate enough to encounter them in the wild.At Kanha Shanti Vanam, where conservation and spirituality merge, the presence of chameleons is a reminder of nature’s delicate balance and resilience. They teach us the art of adaptability, patience, and focused attention—qualities essential not only in the animal kingdom but also on the path of self-discovery. As seekers learn to attune themselves to nature’s rhythm, the chameleon serves as an emblem of mindful living, seamlessly blending into its surroundings while maintaining an unwavering inner purpose.&nbsp;<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:75%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/chameleon3_3b7f18368c.webp" alt="chameleon3.webp"></figure>&nbsp;

A Lightning-fast Tongue and the Art of Camouflage

<h4>BHUVARAGASAMY RATHINASABAPATHY and ANANTHANENI SREENATH explore the hidden world of Ficus—keystone trees whose secret blooms, faithful wasps, and unwavering generosity sustain Kanha’s forests through every season.</h4>&nbsp;<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">Ficus—silent architects of forest life,&nbsp; feeding the forest when times are scarce.</h4><hr>&nbsp;<h4 style="text-align:justify;">Ficus—The Keystone of Forest Life</h4>At Kanha Shanti Vanam, 24 species of fig trees (Ficus spp.) thrive, forming the backbone of the forest ecosystem. Often called keystone species, figs provide food and shelter to a wide range of fauna—from birds, bats, and butterflies to monkeys and insects. Their unique year-round fruiting ensures a continuous food supply, sustaining wildlife even during scarce seasons. By nurturing this diversity, the Ficus trees play a vital role in maintaining ecological balance and enriching Kanha’s <a href="https://heartfulness.org/magazine/greening-the-future-science-care-and-sustainability" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">biodiversity</a>.<h4 style="text-align:justify;">Why Do Fig Trees Fruit in Pre-Summer?</h4>When the land begins to dry, the figs start to feed. They fruit precisely when scarcity peaks, ensuring no life is left unfed. The summer heat accelerates fruit ripening and dispersal, while the sacred fig wasps emerge exactly on cue. Soon after, the monsoon arrives—and the forest is reborn.<h4 style="text-align:justify;">A Bloom the World Cannot See</h4>Figs never show their flowers. They bloom inward, hidden within the syconium—a secret universe of hundreds of microscopic flowers. Only one being may enter: a fig wasp, born for this one sacred act.This is one of evolution’s most intimate relationships: one fig and one wasp, forever bound.&nbsp;<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:75%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/mystery_of_fig2_58246ae75e.webp" alt="mystery-of-fig2.webp"><figcaption>Photo: Within the fig lies a silent universe—flowers blossoming inwards, tiny fruits forming in darkness, visited by a wasp through one sacred opening.</figcaption></figure>&nbsp;<h4 style="text-align:justify;">Fig-Wasp Mutualism: A Perfect Partnership</h4>Each species of fig tree at Kanha has its own unique pollinator wasp, ensuring precise and effective pollination. Here’s how the cycle unfolds:<ul><li>Entry Through the Ostiole: A female fig wasp enters the syconium through a small opening called the ostiole, carrying pollen from another fig tree.</li><li>Pollination and Egg-Laying: While depositing eggs inside certain flowers, the wasp inadvertently pollinates others.</li><li>New Generation Emerges: The next generation of wasps matures within the fig, males emerging first to mate with the females before they exit, carrying pollen to another fig tree to repeat the cycle.</li><li>Seed Development: Flowers that wasps do not use develop into seeds, ensuring the propagation of fig trees.</li></ul>&nbsp;<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">Fig trees prepare the feast before&nbsp; the forest knows it needs one.</h4><hr>&nbsp;<h4 style="text-align:justify;">Fig Highlights from Kanha</h4><ul><li style="text-align:justify;">Banyan (Ficus benghalensis): a cathedral-like canopy, feeding parakeets, orioles, squirrels, and bats.&nbsp;</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Peepal (F. religiosa): ever-fruiting, oxygen-giving, revered across faiths.&nbsp;</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Cluster Fig (F. racemosa): trunk-fruiting miracle of streamside forests.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Indian Bat Fig (F. amplissima): beloved by fruit bats, perfect rewilding pioneer.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Elephant Ear Fig (F. auriculata): among the tastiest figs—with leaves large enough to shelter dreams.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Krishna Fig (F. krishnae): sacred, mythic, with butter-cupped leaves of legend.</li></ul>Most fig fruits are edible, nourishing wildlife and humankind alike. People also value figs for their taste and health benefits. They can be sweet or tangy and are eaten fresh or dried in many dishes. Species like the Common Fig (Ficus carica), Peepal (Ficus religiosa), and Banyan (Ficus benghalensis) all produce useful fruits. Because of their wide variety, fig trees feed both people and wildlife, making them a vital part of tropical and subtropical forests.&nbsp;<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">Sit beneath a fig tree. Do nothing.&nbsp; Say nothing. Feel the forest breathing through you— in light, in stillness, in love.</h4><hr>&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/mystery_of_fig3_2067e4c550.webp" alt="mystery-of-fig3.webp"></figure>&nbsp;<h4 style="text-align:justify;">Seeds That Travel Beyond Imagination</h4>Birds. Bats. Monkeys. They carry figs, and with them, they support forests. That is why fig saplings are found on temple walls, ruined forts, and forgotten shrines. Where humans abandon, figs begin again.<h4 style="text-align:justify;">Sacred, healing, timeless</h4><ul><li style="text-align:justify;">Bodhi Tree: Awakening of the Buddha.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Peepal: <a href="https://heartfulness.org/magazine/how-to-meditate" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Meditation</a> sanctum of the Rishis.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Banyan: Symbol of eternal life.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Krishna Buttercup: Essence of Krishna’s Grace.</li></ul>The Ficus is honored in Ayurveda and folklore, and revered as a symbol of stillness. Many meditators report feeling a living peace while sitting beneath its branches.&nbsp;

Where Flowers Hide: The Mystery Of The Fig

<h4>Ecologist B. RATHINASABAPATHY reflects on how a humble grass carries stories of suffering, sustenance, beauty, and devotion.</h4><h4 style="text-align:justify;">The Bead That Remembers</h4>Among grasses that carpet our planet, Job’s Tears (Coix lacryma-jobi) stands out for producing perfectly formed, pearl-like beads that resemble tears. Named after the biblical figure Job, known for deep suffering and unwavering faith, the plant’s scientific name refers to the lacrimal glands of the eye—the producers of tears.Across cultures and continents, these tear-shaped beads—known as David’s Tears, Mary’s Tears, Christ’s Tears, and simply Tear Drops—symbolize the same universal truth: that sorrow can be transformed into strength, beauty, and devotion.<h4 style="text-align:justify;">A Grain That Nourishes the Body</h4>Native to tropical Asia, Job’s Tears has been part of <a href="https://heartfulness.org/magazine/salt-a-culinary-staple-with-a-rich-history-in-india" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">traditional diets</a> for centuries. Known also as Adlay or Adlai, its grains sustained communities long before the rise of commercial cereals.<h4 style="text-align:justify;">History Rooted in Simplicity</h4>Agnes Arber, in her classic work The Gramineae, records that a Chinese general introduced the grain to China in the 1st century A.D. He brought back cartloads after discovering its popularity in Tongking. Farmers in Java, Celebes, and the Far East cultivated it on the margins of rice fields.<h4 style="text-align:justify;">A Versatile and Nutritious Food</h4>Several soft-shelled cultivars exist. These are prized for their sweet, <a href="https://heartfulness.org/magazine/4-ideas-for-healthy-eating-in-the-new-year" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">high-protein</a> kernels. Across Asia, Job’s Tears is:<ul><li style="text-align:justify;">Boiled like rice</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Parched or roasted</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Ground into flour and baked into bread</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Cooked into soups and porridges</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Brewed into traditional beverages—zhu in India and Ma-Yuen in Japan</li></ul>This humble grass demonstrates its value by feeding the poor, sustaining culture, and showing that nature often conceals abundance in simple forms.<h4 style="text-align:justify;">Nature’s Perfect Bead</h4>If Job’s Tears nourishes the body, it also nourishes art. People around the world, in places such as Central America, Africa, and Southeast Asia, use these dried beads to create necklaces, rosaries, bracelets, and other traditional ornaments.What truly defines the beauty of Job’s Tears is its natural design for craftsmanship. Unlike almost any other seed, they possess a natural hole through their center. This biological hollow makes them incredibly easy to string into ornamental pieces without drilling or complex tools.They are naturally polished and perfectly perforated by nature. Their coolness and gentle sheen seem to say, “Beauty need not be manufactured.” While the natural white beads can be dyed into bright colors, the original pearl-grey remains most beloved. Often, the best art grows by the wayside, prepared by nature for the artisan’s hand.<h4 style="text-align:justify;">Job’s Tears in Music: The Rhythm of the Earth</h4>One of the most striking uses of the beads is found in African shaker gourds.Hundreds of beads are woven into a loose net over a hollow gourd. When played, the beads hit the gourd in a cascade of earthy, ancient, and living sound. It is music born of seeds, an expression of the world’s natural heartbeat.<h4 style="text-align:justify;">Tears as Symbols of Devotion</h4>The tear-shaped bead naturally draws spiritual associations. In many cultures, Job’s Tears becomes an object of prayer, reflection, and meditation.&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/tears_become_prayer_3_31116db520.webp" alt="tears-become-prayer-3.webp"></figure>&nbsp;<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:75%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/tears_become_prayer_2_dde6e10a5f.webp" alt="tears-become-prayer-2.webp"></figure>&nbsp;<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">The tear-shaped bead naturally draws spiritual associations.&nbsp; In many cultures, Job’s Tears becomes an object&nbsp; of prayer, reflection, and meditation.</h4><hr><h4 style="text-align:justify;">A Bridge to Contemplation</h4>The shape of a tear invites introspection. It reflects:<ul><li style="text-align:justify;">The suffering we encounter</li><li style="text-align:justify;">The compassion we cultivate</li><li style="text-align:justify;">The grace that guides us beyond sorrow</li></ul>Each bead on a rosary marks a sacred moment of remembrance. The beads of Job’s Tears show the rhythm of human experience—joy, pain, surrender, and transcendence.&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/tears_become_prayer_4_75e0fc0350.webp" alt="tears-become-prayer-4.webp"></figure>&nbsp;<h4 style="text-align:justify;">Mother Teresa: A Living Rosary</h4>The contemplative style of a rosary finds its spiritual parallel in Mother Teresa’s life.In the Roman Catholic tradition, the rosary is prayed in reflection of three divine mysteries: the Joyful, the Sorrowful, and the Glorious. Mother Teresa’s life beautifully embodied all three. Her serene smile held the joy that grows from service.Her deeply lined face and contemplative eyes bore the sorrow of having witnessed immense human suffering. Her folded hands, entwined with the rosary, surrendered the glorious to a realm beyond human grasp.Like the beads she held, Mother Teresa turned every tear into compassion and every sorrow into light.&nbsp;<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:50%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/tears_become_prayer_5_4f8362c1a5.webp" alt="tears-become-prayer-5.webp"></figure>&nbsp;<h4 style="text-align:justify;">A Spiritual Reflection for Heartfulness</h4>In Heartfulness, we speak often of purity, simplicity, and inner surrender.Job’s Tears symbolizes exactly that.<ul><li style="text-align:justify;">Purity—in its naturally polished, unaltered bead.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Simplicity—in its humble presence as a grass that nourishes both body and spirit.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Surrender—in its tear-like shape that carries pain into the realm of prayer.</li></ul>Just as Mother Teresa used her rosary to align the heart with the Divine, Job’s Tears reminds us that nature provides tangible tools for contemplation. Every bead—whether as a necklace, rosary, or seed ornament—becomes a small universe of remembrance, grace, and gratitude.<h4 style="text-align:justify;">Tears That Become Light</h4>Job’s Tears teaches a profound lesson:What starts as a tear can become nourishment, beauty, rhythm, and prayer.From Asia’s rice fields to prayerful hands’ rosaries, from the music of African gourds to Mother Teresa’s silent strength, these humble beads teach that transformation is key in both nature and spiritual life.A tear is not an end. Rather, it is often a beginning—a symbol of hope and transformation, and a renewal in nature, devotion, and the human heart.&nbsp;<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:50%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/tears_become_prayer_7_4f0017be62.webp" alt="tears-become-prayer-7.webp"></figure>&nbsp;<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">&nbsp;Every bead—whether as a necklace, rosary, or seed ornament— becomes a small universe of remembrance, grace, and gratitude.</h4><hr>

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