Heartfulness practitioners

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        <h4 style="text-align: center;">What brings you happiness in life?</h4>
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        <h4 style="text-align: center;">What takes away happiness?</h4>
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        <h4 style="text-align: center;">Do you feel joy in giving or receiving? Why?</h4>
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<h5><span style="color: #d46e3f;"><img decoding="async"
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            src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/Pubali_Siddharth_ceb7d0d006.jpg" alt="3-questions-on-happiness" >PUBALI
        SIDDHARTH</span><br>
    <span style="color: #1058b5;">Musician, illustrator and teacher</span><br>
    <span style="color: #1058b5;">Hyderabad, India</span>
</h5>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Recognizing the inner connection with all life fills me with wonder; tapping into this
    space of oneness, within and around, brings me joy. It may be as simple as observing nature from my balcony: a
    bougainvillea blooming amidst thorns, a moneyplant creating roots to crawl its way up a wall, a tree spreading its
    roots deep before spreading its branches wide, birds singing their songs, clouds floating unmindful of the world
    beneath them, and crimsonhued skies. Each of them exudes a sense of joy and contentment that comes from being in
    tune with what they truly are.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">When I stay in touch with who I truly am, I feel a deep sense of joy within. It may be
    as simple as having a heartful conversation with someone, a nourishing meditation, 3questions ON HAPPINESS
    connecting with young hearts in a classroom, reading a book that speaks to my heart, or expressing my inner
    inspirations through words, pictures, art or music.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">The moment thoughts start revolving around myself, this inner connection is instantly
    affected and I am dissociated from oneness. The ego then shows up in all its faces – anger, fear, confusion, lack of
    confidence, feeling closed, worthless, victimized – the list goes on and on. At that moment, the way I bring back
    joy is to shift focus back towards my heart and remind myself to practice acceptance and gratitude. It is not easy
    most of the time, but is a work in progress. A quick cleaning of my mental space almost always helps me. And
    sometimes a good book, a melodious song or an inspiring talk are enough to bring back perspective.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Do I feel joy in giving or receiving? In one way both; neither in another. It is based
    on perspective. The truest joy I feel in receiving something is during meditation. The unbounded inflow of
    Transmission brings love and joy; nothing matches that feeling. And the truest joy I feel in giving is also during
    meditation; the process of submitting the heart is a beautifully negating experience.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">A flower doesn’t know it is exuding fragrance; it must not know. So I try to focus on
    staying open and allowing whatever I receive to flow through my heart. That is what brings me utmost joy.</p>
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<h5><span style="color: #d46e3f;"><img decoding="async"
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            src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/Suzanne_Richards_63239770a4.jpg" alt="3-questions-on-happiness" >SUZANNE
        RICHARDS</span><br>
    <span style="color: #1058b5;">Retired teacher</span><br>
    <span style="color: #1058b5;">Dunedin, New Zealand</span>
</h5>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Often the most joy comes from the little things in life: happy times with family and
    friends, the laughter of a small child, witnessing an act of kindness, and puppies tumbling over each other in play.
    The perfection of nature shown in its myriad ways also brings joy: the countryside covered in newly-fallen snow with
    that hush snow brings to the world, a fragrant flower opening to the sun, the drowsy hum of bees in a summer garden,
    and the trickling sound of a mountain stream. I find that joy is greatest when my heart is open and filled with
    gratitude and love. Then my heart really sings.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Those acts or feelings which close us down are the ones that banish joy in a second.
    Negativity, harsh words, unkindness, envy, prejudice, mean-spiritedness, fear, discontent, resentment and revenge
    are just a few.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Some feelings open us up and others close us down. The ones that close us down close us
    off from the part of ourselves that would enable us to get more enjoyment from life, and also close us off from
    others. At worst we feel isolated and alone.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Joy can be found in both giving and receiving, particularly if the feeling behind the
    giving is heartfelt. But I have noticed that there is perhaps more joy in giving. I think this is because it moves
    us away from focusing on ‘me’ and ‘mine’, and opens us up to others.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">I particularly remember an annual event in my childhood. My siblings and I would go into
    a big shop in town with our few pennies of pocket money and buy Christmas gifts for our parents and grandparents. It
    took us forever because each present had to be just right and each item was chosen so carefully, and of course we
    were limited in what we could choose by our budgets. Then there was the joy of wrapping them in secret (all fingers
    and thumbs and giggles and laughter), so they would be a surprise on the day.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Like joy, generosity comes from an open heart. On those occasions all our hearts sang
    with joy.</p>
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<h5><span style="color: #d46e3f;"><img decoding="async"
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            src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/Anand_Thiyagarajan_1404421c47.jpg" alt="3-questions-on-happiness" >ANAND
        THIYAGARAJAN</span><br>
    <span style="color: #1058b5;">Business analyst</span><br>
    <span style="color: #1058b5;">Hyderabad, India</span>
</h5>
<p style="text-align: justify;">When there is a disturbance within, the one thing which soothes me is to go out and
    spend time looking at the birds and trees, sitting down under a tree. Automatically I see the condition changing
    within. It gives me a feeling of contentment and happiness.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Joy is different: it’s a condition that prevails or emanates from inside. To be in a
    state of joy, I need to be connected with my own self internally, and that brings me joy no matter what is happening
    outside in the world around me.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Also when I see people around who are happy and joyful, I feel joy. We have a helper who
    always greets us with a smile. That smile is not superficial; it comes from within. When I see her, it gives me so
    much joy. Her husband is no more, and there are so many other things going on in her life, but in spite of all that
    she comes with a big smile. When I see such contentment in an individual, I feel very, very joyful.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">When we are not connected within, when there are expectations, there is no joy. Joy is
    forgiveness, selflessness and unconditional.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Do I feel joy in giving or receiving? Both! The moment I feel I’m giving something,
    there is no meaning to it. The importance of giving goes. When I receive something I feel very grateful, because I
    experience what I am receiving. When I give someone what I like the most and see the joy or happiness on their face,
    I feel content and joyful.</p>
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<h5><span style="color: #d46e3f;"><img decoding="async"
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            src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/Teresa_Valentine_ce5edaa4ca.jpg" alt="3-questions-on-happiness" >TERESA
        VALENTINE</span><br>
    <span style="color: #1058b5;">Academic editor</span><br>
    <span style="color: #1058b5;">Atlanta, USA</span>
</h5>
<p style="text-align: justify;">What brings joy? Community, cooperation, unity. When people come together for something
    they love – something they share and believe in. When hands and minds are creating, eyes are alight, hearts are
    open. When something that must be Love permeates everything. And engagement – work, learning, helping or just
    enjoying – is important, because joy is not passive. It emanates from the collective hearts, flows through each
    individual and again back to imbue the whole, bringing with it the best that each individual can offer. So, it is
    about working and sharing together from the heart. I can experience peace and serenity on my own, but joy, for me,
    comes from community.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">What takes joy away? Isolation, judgment, comparison – on my part. I worry that I’ve
    failed at x, or I wish I could do y, or I hope that z will happen. All things that have to do with me versus life,
    fate, the world. Things that create a sense of separateness, and along with it worry and other forms of fear. When I
    feel this condition, I tend to react to life as if it’s something that is happening to me, not something I am part
    of. And I realize that what I need to get past it is completely internal. It may take some time apart, some
    reflection or cleaning away of negativity, but I have to reconnect with that unitive place within my own heart, and
    the sense of separateness leaves.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">It’s easy for me to feel joy in giving; I’m trying to learn the joy of receiving. In
    fact, I became aware of this mystery recently, when several people helped me with a project that was important to
    me. They gave so freely of their time and talents that I felt I couldn’t repay them adequately. I found myself,
    though grateful, also uneasy – and I wondered at it. Because I know in my heart that, as the Buddhist teaching goes,
    ‘There is no giver and no receiver.’ So, what was resisting in me? I pondered it and felt it was my ego; it saw the
    equation of giver and receiver as separate and, ideally, even. But when I looked into my heart, I could see that in
    love we are united and in balance.</p>
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<h5><span style="color: #d46e3f;"><img decoding="async"
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        POLSTON</span><br>
    <span style="color: #1058b5;">Therapeutic bodyworker, reflexologist &amp; polarity therapist</span><br>
    <span style="color: #1058b5;">Langley, B.C., Canada</span>
</h5>
<p style="text-align: justify;">As I age, whenever I see a sweet baby or observe animals – dogs, cows, horses etc. – it
    immediately fills me with joy and my heart feels lighter. Being with my lovely amazing daughter and listening to her
    life stories brings happiness. I actually feel joy from food by eating a healthy vegan diet. On the spiritual side,
    when I see another human being grow and change it fills me with joy for them and their success.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">I’m just discovering joy, so really it is a new aspect. I’ve felt peace, profound
    spiritual conditions, but joy eluded me. I’ve not missed it; I just never knew exactly what it felt like. Joy is not
    ‘taken away’ by anything. It’s more allowing it to happen and appreciating it as we become simpler and in tune with
    our own Nature.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">When I give to another, regardless if the action is big or small, by supporting another
    person it can bring unexpected joy. This in some ways actually seems stupid to me, as giving to another is a very
    natural thing to do!</p>

3 questions on happiness

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        <h4 style="text-align: center;">What do you feel is the relevance of science in the field of spirituality and
            Yoga?</h4>
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        <h4 style="text-align: center;">What fascinates you about neuroscience’s understanding of meditation?</h4>
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        <h4 style="text-align: center;">How are the discoveries of neuroscience changing our perception of
            consciousness?</h4>
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<h4><img decoding="async" class="lazyload img-float-left has-img-center-in-mobile"
        src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/Ruby_Carmen_519d489bde.jpg" alt="on-neuroscience" ><span
        style="color: #11aac2;">RUBY CARMEN</span><br>
    Psychologist and social worker<br>
    London, UK</h4>
<p style="text-align: justify;">In ancient times, science, spirituality and Yoga were often treated as one, and science
    was viewed in a more holistic sense that included spiritual aspects as well as the mundane. More recently, you could
    say that there is a reunion of science and spirituality, as both can compliment one another with different
    perspectives, illuminating our vision of the world across multiple spectrums.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">One of the most fascinating aspects of the growth of neuroscience is its investigation
    of internal phenomena, such as meditation. As a meditator and meditation trainer with a background in psychology, I
    am intrigued to know about the different areas of the brain that are activated or de-activated during meditation.
    Indeed, longitudinal studies in neuroscience offer possibilities of examining changes within the structures of the
    brain over time. This is providing evidence that correlates to the personal experience of meditators.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">The journal, The Neuroscience of Consciousness, is devoted to the study of
    consciousness, which traditionally fell within the realm of philosophy before a distinction emerged between
    philosophy and psychology. The development of neuroscience enables another perspective on our understanding of
    consciousness. It provides an alternative means of exploring consciousness, including possibilities of ‘locating’ it
    within the human system. The renewed appreciation that exists for the study of consciousness goes beyond a
    ‘reductionist’ view of the mind to take into account the richness of our internal worlds.</p>
<p style="word-wrap: break-word;">
    <em>https://academic.oup.com/nc
        https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/03/180322125028.htm</em>
</p>
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<h4><img decoding="async" class="lazyload img-float-left has-img-center-in-mobile"
        src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/Jim_Otis_1ee65c9d7b.jpg" alt="on-neuroscience" ><span
        style="color: #11aac2;">JIM OTIS</span><br>
    Certified Functional Neurologist<br>
    Oakland, California, USA</h4>
<p style="text-align: justify;">I think science and spirituality are relevant to each other. Right now what is
    increasingly important in society is that we’re going through a really big transformation on our planet. As our
    official intelligence is growing and growing and growing, spirituality and neuroscience need to embrace each other;
    they need to enhance each other. And there’s no bigger example of this than the development of a direct Brain-
    Computer Interface (BCI). That will be happening sometime within the next 15 years – that’s the prediction – where
    we just think a thought and that’s our interface with the cloud or computer, rather than speaking through Siri or
    typing through a keypad. That’s going to change human experience on this planet in a really big way and demand a lot
    of spiritual wisdom to ground this thing.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">What fascinates me about neuroscience’s understanding of meditation? Everything! Number
    one, as we develop a neuroscientific understanding of what happens in the brain in meditation, that will and does
    have practical implications. There will be ways to enhance the quality of our life as we can identify the brain
    states associated with different forms of experience, meditation included.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">The discoveries of neuroscience are changing our perception of consciousness. Number
    one, consciousness shifts states all the time. We are waking, sleeping, meditating, in Samadhi, absorption; there
    are all different kinds of manifestations or presentations of consciousness. And neuroscience is pretty good at
    understanding the neurological signatures of different states of consciousness. So if there’s an astronaut out in
    space and we’re measuring the brain signals only, we know when they’re awake, when they’re dreaming, when they’re
    sleeping, when they’re meditating, and what kind of meditation they’re doing. So that’s just fascinating and it does
    have practical implications.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">I think of spirituality as seeing the big context – helping to give meaning to life. In
    every experience there are two poles: the context and the content, the big picture and the small picture, the
    details. Spirituality helps gives the big picture, and that’s a function of the right side of our brain. The right
    side of our brain is context-providing – the big context, the emotional, the body language. The left side of the
    brain is more content-oriented – the verbal meaning of the language. Artificial Intelligence is developing in a way
    that gives us so much more capability: if I want to find out what the weather is like in Jakarta at this moment, I
    can find out what the temperature is, the wind velocity; I can speak into a computer and order a 3D printer to print
    a cup.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">We’re developing a huge capability that needs to be contextualized. So when we do that
    brain-computer interface, there will be a huge data stream that will be available to us. We have to slow it down and
    contextualize in order to make meaning and sense of it. That meaning and sense needs to in turn guide the big data
    stream, that AI, which we can now harness.</p>
<p><em>https://braintime.com/story/</em></p>
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<h4><img decoding="async" class="lazyload img-float-left has-img-center-in-mobile"
        src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/Krishnamurthy_cab7ae4ebb.jpg" alt="on-neuroscience" ><span
        style="color: #11aac2;">DR KRISHNAMURTHY J</span><br>
    Global Community Health Specialist<br>
    Bangalore, India</h4>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Today, we know quite a lot about the effects of meditation on the brain and behavior. Of
    course, there are methodological and conceptual limitations in meditation research and we may not be able to study
    all changes as objectively as we would like to, but the progress made in the last few decades in uncovering neural
    correlates of meditation is worthy of appreciation.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Functional MRI scans among long term meditators have revealed structural changes
    (neuroplasticity) in the prefrontal cortex and anterior insula, the brain regions associated with improved
    attention, interoception and sensory processing. Changes include thickening of the somatosensory cortex associated
    with heightened self-awareness, and the shrinking of the amygdala associated with fear and anxiety.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Electroencephalogram (EEG) studies, which analyze electric activity of brains, have
    revealed heightened theta and alpha pattern among meditators, reflecting calmer and more relaxed states.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Studying neural correlates of consciousness is gaining a lot of momentum today. By
    default, our minds are in a restless state, not accustomed to living in the present, and this is akin to a state of
    unhappiness. This state is reflected by the activation of a neural network that deals with self-referential
    processing, known as the default mode network (DMN). Studies have revealed that in experienced meditators, the main
    modes of DMN are actually deactivated indicating reduced restlessness. In long term practitioners, this change has
    become permanent.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Several theoretical frameworks are postulated to study consciousness. I personally find
    the ‘Global neuronal workspace framework’ very fascinating, which tries to explain the conscious and unconscious
    processing of information. It also relates to long distance connectivity between workspaces. Yes, these are still
    theoretical at the moment, but I feel science has made a bold attempt to begin exploring these aspects that were
    once regarded as mystical and subjective. There is some initial learning from neurophysiological, anatomical, and
    brain-imaging data to support a major role of the prefrontal cortex, anterior cingulate, and the areas that connect
    to them, in creating the postulated brainscale workspace. The future of consciousness-related research will only be
    even more exciting!</p>
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<h4><img decoding="async" class="lazyload img-float-left has-img-center-in-mobile"
        src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/Hester_O_Connor_7e31d83b43.jpg" alt="on-neuroscience" ><span
        style="color: #11aac2;">DR HESTER O CONNOR</span><br>
    Clinical Psychologist<br>
    Wicklow, Ireland</h4>
<p>We can change our brains!</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">I love hearing about the capacity of the brain to change. The idea of neuroplasticity,
    our inbuilt capacity to form new neural connections in our brains, gives me hope that it is possible with repeated
    practice to form new habits. Why do most of us find it incredibly difficult to keep up with our own good intentions?
    The concept in neuroscience of neuroplasticity helps to answer this question.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Neuroplasticity means the brain can and does change throughout our lives. The brain is a
    dynamic interconnected power grid with billions of connections that light up every time we think, feel or do
    something. If we think of these pathways like an oak tree with billions of interconnecting roots, then it is not
    difficult to understand that when we want to form new habits it is going to take time to weaken the old ones.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">An example is deciding after a big meal that you are going to start walking every day.
    The next morning it is raining and you reassure yourself that you will start the next day. It takes a lot more than
    good intentions to form a new habit. The encouraging thing about neuroplasticity is that it means that because we
    have plastic brains we can learn new habits, and with a lot of practice we can reach our goal.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Two things are critical here: One, in order to change an old habit we need to practice
    the new one hundreds of times for the neural connections to become ‘automatic’ and hard wired. Two, we need to have
    a lot of compassion for our failed efforts knowing that we are doing our best and we are willing to keep trying.
    Berating ourselves will serve to reinforce existing pathways because that is what most of us have always done when
    we try to learn a new habit. Learning to meditate is no different. It is better to sit for ten minutes every day
    than for an hour once a week. The ten minutes will really help the new neural pathways to get firmly established.
    Along the way we need to be kind to ourselves. In the words of Samuel Beckett, “Try again. Fail again. Fail better.”
</p>
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<h4><img decoding="async" class="lazyload img-float-left has-img-center-in-mobile"
        src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/Vasco_Gaspar_c146d40d64.jpg" alt="on-neuroscience" ><span
        style="color: #11aac2;">VASCO GASPAR</span><br>
    Mindfulness Corporate Trainer<br>
    Lisbon, Portugal</h4>
<p style="text-align: justify;">More and more I believe that science is finding out through the objective 3rd person
    perspective what yogis and practitioners of spirituality have know for millennia from the 1st and 2nd person
    perspectives. Unifying these three perspectives allows a more integrative view of the whole, leading to a better
    understanding of yoga and spirituality. And since science serves as the 21st century’s religion for many people, to
    have scientific studies proving spiritual claims gives trust to some people to try these practices.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">What fascinates me the most about neuroscience is what is yet to be discovered.
    Phenomena like neuroplasticity, showing that parts of the brain change according to the type of meditation we do, is
    very inspiring. It gives confidence that meditation is not just something to believe but something that changes us
    at the core level of our being.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">One of the main discoveries is that mind and consciousness are not limited to the brain.
    That is a very narrow view, I believe. The more scientists ‘dig’ into the brain and the activities of neurons to
    understand and explain consciousness, the more they realize that they don’t find it there. It is much more complex
    than that, and I believe that fields like Yoga bring complementary views that give us a better understanding of the
    whole picture.</p>
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<h4><img decoding="async" class="lazyload img-float-left has-img-center-in-mobile"
        src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/Natwar_Sharma_1e7ab4e141.jpg" alt="on-neuroscience" ><span
        style="color: #11aac2;">DR NATWAR SHARMA</span><br>
    Pediatric Intensivist<br>
    Chennai, India</h4>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Science takes an evidence-based approach and needs explanations for everything. It
    requires formulae, objective tools, machines and equipment to gauge anything, while spirituality is largely
    subjective. Can you measure the calmness or peace felt during meditation in absolute terms? We can only explain the
    relative effect or difference in our states of mind.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Although today we have several psychological and mental scales, like the stress scale,
    and equipment like EEG and MRI to assess what difference we feel with the practice of Yoga and meditation, science
    has not developed enough to measure the effects of meditation completely. For example, if a person today were to go
    back 200 years in time, he would wonder why people are struggling with small things. If a person from 200 years ago
    travels to today’s time, she would be wonderstruck at the advancements! She is likely to look at a plane flying in
    the sky and exclaim, “Is that a new species of bird?” Similarly may be science backing spirituality, which we have
    not discovered yet. Ultimately, at any point in time it’s difficult to explain everything scientifically, because
    science is also evolving.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">As a doctor I am trained to look for evidence, so the empirical approach of neuroscience
    is what interests me. There is enough research to show how meditation helps with health, not only in the mind but
    also it reduces cortisol levels and heart rate variability, thereby reducing the occurrence of cardiovascular
    disease, strokes, stress, hypertension and even diabetes. It is found to improve sleep, mental cognition functions,
    focus and memory. I have been meditating for 24 years now and absolutely enjoy the experience, so much so that as
    part of my PhD I am conducting a study to see the effect of meditation on the body, mind, heart and aura of a
    person.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">In my own work I have found that when people see and understand things objectively, it
    boosts them to move forward. Their awareness or consciousness expands with the changes they perceive over time. Here
    we are talking about individual consciousness, but if things have to change at a global level there has to be some
    groundbreaking discovery that can produce a shift in the consciousness of human beings collectively. Neuroscience
    also shows the potential of meditation to affect people on a large scale and bring about a change in our global
    consciousness.</p>
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