georgia-o-keeffe.webp

Georgia O’Keeffe

With color and shape

Ghazal is studying neuroscience in the medical program at Texas A&M University and has published research in international journals on the Internet of Things and Special Education, the neuroscience of meditation, and breast cancer.

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Ghazal Yadav

<hr><h4>GHAZAL YADAV asks if we have been sleeping long enough and soundly enough. She explores the relationships between work-life balance, toxic productivity, FOMO, social media, and declining sleep quality around the world.</h4><hr>It is no secret that sleep has slowly been pushed lower and lower on society’s priority list of needs. In the United States, adults average <a href="https://news.gallup.com/poll/166553/less-recommended-amount-sleep.aspx">6.8 hours</a> of sleep, a stark difference from 1942, when the average was 7.9 hours. Sleep disorders are on the rise, and melatonin sales in the US have increased by almost <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28095978/">500%</a>, with sales of 62 million USD in 2003 compared to 378 million USD in 2014.At the onset of 2023, many people probably added “sleeping more” to their New Year’s resolutions. As with many of the items on their list, however, this will be easy to give up quite early into the year. To truly reprioritize sleep in our lives, we need to examine the root of the problem: sleep is no longer considered a worthy need.The concept of work-life balance has dramatically transformed over the past few decades. “Leaving work at work” and fully engaging in our personal lives when we’re at home seems like a distant privilege today. The advent of the smartphone has let work pressure seep into all hours of the day, and most people are expected to remain mentally clocked in after leaving work.Despite the fact that we all face the repercussions of a perimeter-less workplace environment, the modern-day tendency to serve one’s self-interests pushes us to compete with one another and propagate the system, thus compounding the problem. Not only are we now bogged down by an eternal workload, but we feel obliged to cope with it alone. It is now the individual’s responsibility to run the career treadmill and compete, or accept defeat and fall behind. In today’s hypercompetitive environment, choosing to limit one’s ambitions is a death sentence.<hr><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/Getting_better_sleep2_5c29d01618.jpg?updated_at=2023-03-29T10:51:00.644Z" alt=""><hr>What has accompanied this shift in society’s perspective on work is a culture of toxic productivity. Harsh, quantity-driven output metrics now dictate how we spend our time. Life coaches, self-help books, media, etc., all now emphasize how to squeeze out every last bit of work from one’s day, creating the illusion that without quantifiable results life has no inherent meaning. Even the paradox of relaxing productively is now a commonly accepted idea.This is where the issue of sleep being of lesser importance stems from. Why sleep when we can spend the same time making more money? Why sleep when we can study harder? Why sleep when we can spend that time getting ahead of our peers?Most college students, including myself, are familiar with the infamous <a href="https://thepolypost.com/opinion/2015/03/10/article_f5353dc8-c73a-11e4-9bb8-0fe126932886/">College Tripartite Triangle</a>. This is the idea that a student will only be able to attain two out of three main priorities: good grades, enough sleep, and a social life. It is ingrained in us from quite early on that there will never be a point of balance, and that we must sacrifice something in order to live the life we dream of.Maintaining good academic standing is a non-negotiable priority for most, leaving the choice between sleep and socializing. The prevalence of low self-esteem and loneliness issues in this young adult age group makes students more susceptible to the fear of social exclusion, more colloquially known as the Fear of Missing Out. <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8283615/">FOMO</a> doesn’t just encompass the idea of missing out, but creates a sense of “compulsion to maintain social connections.” Naturally, with only 24 hours in the day, college students facing the Tripartite Triangle dilemma find it easiest to compromise on sleep.In this state of constant stress, social media is a convenient outlet. The ability to easily engage our mind in something so enticing that we forget our ongoing struggles creates a cycle of addiction. Social media has shifted from being a means of connection to a means of escapism. Moreover, it seems to solve the FOMO dilemma in that it offers the illusion of staying perpetually connected and up to date with what our peers are doing.Unfortunately, social media use, especially to quench FOMO, can <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0747563213000800?via%3Dihub">affect sleep patterns</a>. Those with FOMO are more likely to check social media within 15 minutes of going to sleep. When coupled with the addictive nature of such apps, it is normal that usage extends into the late hours of the night.Exposure to the blue light emitted by screens at such hours disrupts the production of melatonin. This hormone is integral to our sleep schedule, reducing alertness and signaling to our bodies that it is time to sleep. And in addition, continually stimulating the brain so late into the night makes it harder for the body to wind down. Such high levels of <a href="https://www.sleepstation.org.uk/articles/sleep-tips/social-media/">cognitive arousal</a>, especially when we are physiologically preparing to sleep, disrupt the sleep cycle.<hr><hr><h4>Prioritizing sleep is a crucial first step&nbsp; to spending time at work more efficiently,&nbsp; thus making it easier to engage in&nbsp; meaningful social interactions and remain fully present&nbsp; for our loved ones in the personal sphere of life.</h4><hr><hr><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/Getting_better_sleep3_8e00415d3c.jpg?updated_at=2023-03-29T10:53:17.128Z" alt=""><hr>So, as you plan the changes you have decided to make in 2023, remember to evaluate what systems have prevented you from being able to achieve them until now. Take the time to pause, reflect, and reprioritize. Will you sacrifice sleep for the mirage of productivity? Will you let your fear of social exclusion prevent you from achieving balance in your life? Prioritizing sleep is a crucial first step to spending time at work more efficiently, thus making it easier to engage in meaningful social interactions and remain fully present for our loved ones in the personal sphere of life. In 2023, let’s make sleep high on our priority list.<hr><hr><h4>Illustrations by ANANYA PATEL</h4><hr>

Getting better sleep

Giuseppe is a lawyer from Milan, and founder of BMD LEX Law Firm, specializing in corporate, sports, and entertainment law. He started Heartfulness meditation in 2003, served as the president of Heartfulness Italy from 2018 to 2022, and is now the European ambassador for the Peacefulness project.

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Giuseppe Dottorini

<h4>GIUSEPPE DOTTORINI recently travelled to New York with the Italian National
 Basketball Artists to participate and also to offer Heartfulness Relaxation and Meditation to all the players,
 coaches and spectators, of the Italian Brands Basketball League. He shares the experience of combining relaxation
 and meditation practices before each game of the competition.</h4>
<hr class="vertical-space1">
The month of February marked the beginning of a collaboration between Heartfulness and
 the Italian National Basketball Artists, when we flew to New York with the team for the opening game of the Italian
 Brands Basketball League (IBBL).
It all began with Simone Barazzotto, President of IBBL, who had the idea of launching a
 “never-ending basketball tournament” in New York, involving the National Basketball Artists. They are a team of
 former professional players, journalists, actors, singers and others from the world of entertainment, and they
 compete with other teams representing brands from around the world wanting to expand their business in the United
 States.
<img alt="sport-excellence-and-joy" class="has-img-center lazyload"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/sport2_3a95b9d30e.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-10T07:01:45.698Z">

Heartfulness joined the initiative as a partner with the aim of bringing its own special
 contribution to an event rooted in the values of sport, excellence and joy. Not only did Heartfulness send a team,
 but also offered players and spectators a relaxation session and a few minutes of meditation at the beginning of
 each event. The purpose was to create a feeling of unity and to bring a subtle inner awareness to the competition.

The inaugural event took place on February 5, at the Barclays Center in the heart of
 Brooklyn, home to the NBA league team, the Nets. The match was between the Italian National Basketball Artists and
 an All Star team from the brands that have joined the initiative.
<img alt="sport-excellence-and-joy" class="img-float-left has-img-center-in-mobile"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/sport3_d10c741ce4.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-10T07:02:35.724Z"> 
 Before the starting whistle, all the players gathered in a circle in the center of the court and were led through
 guided Heartfulness Relaxation and Meditation. It only took a few seconds to create a sensation of well-being and to
 bring a sense of oneness to a group of individuals from completely different worlds.
For almost all it was a first experience of this kind. Many came from backgrounds that
 might seem the very antithesis of meditation!
There was radio DJ, Ringo, a well-known Italian with a pure rock soul, who confessed
 that in those few minutes he became so relaxed that he felt he could fall asleep! There was Pippo Palmieri, director
 of a very successful radio program (Lo Zoo Di 105), who went as far as to say that the link between meditation and
 sport “is something that must absolutely be there, because meditation leads you to have total control of body and
 mind.” He also confided that “in those few minutes, I understood how to visualize some things. I immersed myself in
 that moment of absolute relaxation and sincerely managed to find benefit.”
<img alt="sport-excellence-and-joy" class="has-img-center lazyload"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/sport4_938301a6c0.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-10T07:03:29.347Z">

Some asked to meditate with a trainer again in the following days. One of them was Chris
 McNealy, former NBA player from the New York Knicks and several European clubs. After his first individual
 meditation, he told us, “It was a beautiful experience that I’d never had before. During the meditation I no longer
 felt my body. I had the experience of being present, not knowing where, but knowing I was there, with thoughts
 coming in and going out, and not feeling any discomfort. It was an experience that from now on in my life I should
 like to practice regularly.”
The next round of the tournament will take place in New York at the end of May, when it
 is expected that further teams will join. Everyone felt that this initiative has great potential, as it offers a
 winning combination of sporting excellence and a joyful atmosphere, blended by the subtle condition created by
 Heartfulness.
<hr>
<h4 style="text-align: center;">Article by GIUSEPPE DOTTORINI</h4>
<hr>

Sport, excellence, and joy

Glennie Kindred is the author of twelve books on Earth wisdom, creating ceremony, native plants and trees and celebrating the Earth’s cycles. She is a much loved expert on natural lore and Earth traditions with a strong and committed following. She is renowned for her ability to enthuse people with joy, love and wonder for the Earth, to step beyond the everyday into the extraordinary, to tap into the Imaginal Realms within, and to create simple heart-felt ceremony. She is an Earth Restorer and Earth Protector and committed to the power we collectively have to bring about change, both for ourselves and for the Earth.

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Glennie Kindred

<h3 style="text-align: center;">ALDER</h3>
<h4>In Walking with Trees, GLENNIE KINDRED takes us on an intimate and
 profoundly connecting walk with thirteen of the UK’s native trees. She leads us into their world and opens our
 hearts to their wonders, their perfection and their interconnectivity. Here she focuses on the otherworldly Alder.
</h4>

 Walking
 with trees is my delight, my meditation, and my anchor. A daily walk with the trees (not a dog!) helps to deepen my
 relationship with the natural world around me, and opens my heart, my lungs and my mind. If I give myself the time
 to stand still with them, their intrinsic tree-wisdom permeates my consciousness. I feel the presence of their deep
 roots filling the very ground beneath me, and become more aware of the Earth beneath my feet. I breathe more deeply
 and become more rooted, and more fully present. They help me to find my sense of inner stillness and this guides me
 to listen more closely to my intuition and the wild edges of my instinctive self. When I am walking with the trees
 beside me I see a bigger picture, and break free of my old conditioning that would have me believe that I am
 separate from Nature. With the trees beside me I am reminded of my deep interconnectivity with all life here on our
 beautiful complex Earth, and I am made whole.
Trees invite us to stand still a while, to soak up their company and share their
 embedded wisdom and intelligence. By observing their flowers and fruit, the way they grow, their habits and habitat
 preferences, we absorb and internalize their core characteristics. We also experience them at a subtle, emotional or
 vibrational level. Where our observations and subliminal experiences meet, a personality, archetype or signature
 picture emerges. This becomes our guide to a deeper understanding of the trees and what they have to teach us.
Common Alders (Alnus glutinosa) draw me to them at this time of year as their catkins
 begin to open and cast a red haze around the trees. Alders loves to grow in damp boggy places, such as wet woodland,
 marshes, and along rivers. As they reclaim these watery lands, they begin a process of transformation and new wild
 life moves in. Alders are ‘pioneer’ trees and transformation is at the heart of their signature picture. Although
 they are short lived, around sixty to seventy years, their lives count, as they can have a big impact on the land
 and the soil. They will move into ground that is too wet for most other trees, transforming the environment so that
 other trees and plants can follow. Look out for Alder trees when walking the land, as their presence could mean
 hidden water or boggy ground.

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 <img decoding="async" class="lazyload has-img-center"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/walking_with_trees_alder_1_76004c0086.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-06T06:06:57.020Z">
</div>

A lovely piece of woodland local to me is full of Alders, and has several springs running down into it. This makes it
 difficult to navigate for some of the year because of the excess water running through it. I imagine this was once
 just a marshy boggy place, and the Alders have been key to creating the mixed woodland we now know and love. It is
 rich with thriving ecosystems and a wealth of native flora and fauna. It is a testament to the power of Alder trees
 to transform a landscape.
<hr>
<h5 style="text-align: center;">A balanced fusion between our outer&nbsp;and inner modes
 of intelligence 
 opens us to new levels of awareness and capabilities. 
 We develop a quiet strength,&nbsp;and
 move into new levels of inclusiveness 
 and a deeper sensitivity and respect for&nbsp;all the interconnected life forms around us.
</h5>
<hr>
Wet swampy Alder woods or ‘carrs’ were thought to be places of mystery and
 otherworldliness. Alder’s were known in myth and legend as faerie trees and were protected from being cut down by
 their association with the Sidhe (Shee or Si in modern Irish). The feeling of otherness these trees evoke is part of
 their subliminal signature, reminding us to take note of the things we cannot see but can sense and feel, and the
 importance of what is happening below the surface, beneath our conscious and visual radar. This is our inherent
 ability to sense and know things. It is not a logical place, but inspirational and alive with instinctive truths. A
 balanced fusion between our outer and inner modes of intelligence opens us to new levels of awareness and
 capabilities. We develop a quiet strength, and move into new levels of inclusiveness and a deeper sensitivity and
 respect for all the interconnected life forms around us.
In legend, the Alder was known as ‘a battle-witch amongst trees’ and this makes it our
 ally in these changing times. A battle-witch to me is the eco-activist or eco-warrior, who knows how to work
 energetically to create change at a subtle level. Learning to work at an energetic level is the foundation of all
 healing work and transformational change. We can all direct focused positive thoughts and healing energy. All that
 is needed is the intention to do so and the ability to slow down our breathing and slip into a meditative state. We
 can all send healing, protection, and strength to where it is needed. We can put up energetic walls and conjure
 positive outcomes if we put our collective minds to it, and we can do this from wherever we are on the planet.
<img decoding="async" class="lazyload w-100"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/walking_with_trees_alder_2_1203211d4b.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-06T06:10:32.593Z">

Alder wood becomes strong and durable when immersed in water and was used extensively for building bridges over
 water, thus linking communities together. Look for where you can build bridges and heal separation both in your
 local and in your broader communities. Be aware of where your thoughts or energy may be negative, blocked or stuck,
 and work to transform this. Reach out with kindness, cooperation, and generosity.
<hr>
<h5 style="text-align: center;">Look for ways to experience&nbsp;a sense of communion 
 and companionship&nbsp;with the natural world around
 you. 
 Our separation from Nature reinforces 
 our legacy of harm and destruction to the Earth. 
 It is time to change the stories we tell ourselves as we begin 
 to experience all life as sentient and interconnected.
</h5>
<hr>
‘Strengthening what lies beneath the surface’ is a key to Alder’s signature energy, and
 also a key to creating environmental change. Look beneath the surface for other ways to address our present
 ecological challenges. A shift in our thinking patterns creates changes that ripple through our lives and those
 around us. Look for ways to experience a sense of communion and companionship with the natural world around you. Our
 separation from Nature reinforces our legacy of harm and destruction to the Earth. It is time to change the stories
 we tell ourselves as we begin to experience all life as sentient and interconnected.
Look for aspects of your life where you are stuck in the old paradigm of seeing yourself
 as separate from the natural world around you.
Every day consciously affirm yourself as part of a great big beautiful inter-connected
 world.
Illustrations and extract from Walking with Trees by Glennie Kindred.
 Available to buy directly from <a href="http://www.glenniekindred.co.uk/">www.glenniekindred.co.uk</a>

<hr>
<h4 style="text-align: center;">Article and illustrations by GLENNIE KINDRED</h4>
<hr>

Walking with trees

<h4>GLENNIE KINDRED loves trees. Here she inspires us to experience for ourselves
 how trees teach us, help us expand our consciousness, and evoke a sense of wonder for all life on Earth.</h4>
I went to the woods 
 And became aware of myself
As I walked alone 
 I watched the untested parts of myself 
 Awaken, 
 And heard my inner voice 
 Alive and true.
And I built a bridge across…
I welcomed the bright sureness of my instincts, 
 Followed the stirrings of my intuition, 
 Reached out with my heart to touch the trees around me,
I went to the woods and Time slipped… 
 And in that moment 
 I was at One with all of the life around me.
I became aware of myself as part of this
 wonder…
And the trees seemed to stir, 
 And welcomed me in…
Living my life close to the natural world is part of who I am, and more than once I have
 found myself standing at the edge of conditioning to sense an awareness of something more … a sense of communion and
 communication between myself and the plants and the trees, and an absolute certainty of the interconnectedness and
 sentience of all life.
Trees are beautifully present, complex beings, deeply connected with the natural world
 around them, and the flow of the year’s seasonal cycles. They are totally intrinsic to present life on Earth. They
 store and utilize vast amounts of carbon from our atmosphere, and are the co-creators of our weather system and
 climate. These great water-lovers draw up water from below the ground, and fill our air with the circulating waters
 of life, bringing many beneficial nutrients to the surface from deep within the Earth. They generate the oxygen-rich
 air that all of us air-breathing creatures need to breathe. We breathe with them and because of them. Their
 out-breath is our in-breath. They literally give us life.
<div class="text-center">
 <img alt="walking-with-trees" class="lazyload has-img-center"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/walking_with_trees3_e5033f1d39.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-06T08:16:08.060Z">
</div>
I can honestly say I am in love with trees. They fill me with delight and awe in equal
 measure. I collect their leaves, blossom and fruit for my medicine cupboard and they gift me with layer upon layer
 of medicine for my soul. Being in their presence nurtures me, and the more sensitive and open I become to their
 sentience, the more levels of interaction and communication we exchange.
Trees create an interface, and can be experienced through all our senses. They help us
 to expand into parts of ourselves that lie at the edges of our consciousness. When I am walking with the trees
 beside me I feel complete. Their wild beauty opens my heart and can move me to profound joy, and sometimes to tears.
 When I stand with them I breathe more deeply and become more rooted, and more fully present in the here and now.
 They help me to slow down and to find my sense of inner stillness. This guides me to listen more closely to my
 intuition and the wild edges of my instinctive self. I am forever grateful for their blessed presence in my life. …

<hr>
<h5 style="text-align: center;">Trees create an interface, 
 and can be experienced through all our senses. 
 They help us to expand into parts of ourselves 
 that lie at the edges of our consciousness.</h5>
<hr>
As we celebrate, grow, plant and interact with the trees, we re-find our sense of unity
 with all life on Earth. The trees teach us. We learn from them; grow and expand, regenerate and deepen, as their
 wisdom permeates through to our depths and helps change us from the inside.
As we open ourselves to the belief that everything is flowing in interconnected
 relationship with each other, our consciousness naturally expands, and we find that there is a lot more going on
 within us, and in the natural world around us, than we have been conditioned to believe.
<img alt="walking-with-trees"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/walk_with_tree_1511139523.jpg"
 class="lazyload has-img-center">
As we expand into our interconnectivity, we change, and our relationship with the Earth
 undergoes a dramatic shift as we realize that her well-being is our own well-being. We naturally become Earth allies
 and Earth protectors and live our lives in ways that help the Earth to restore her equilibrium – and this in turn
 helps us to restore our own.
<hr>
<h5 style="text-align: center;">Together, our many actions, 
 both overt and subtle, 
 are creating the great transformation of our time.</h5>
<hr>
The movement towards caring for our unique and beautifully astounding Earth grows every
 day, and this gives me hope for the future. I know that I am just one of many people making this journey, and I
 align myself, my kinship and my heart with all the people who love the Earth as I do, who are redefining themselves
 as one many interconnected complex intelligent life-forms sharing the Earth’s resources; who are filled with a deep
 desire to help the Earth restore and heal the damage we have done. Each one of us has our own strengths and parts to
 play as we collectively do what we can to bring about intelligent compassionate change. Together, our many actions,
 both overt and subtle, are creating the great transformation of our time.
Trees are our wise teachers and our steadfast allies in these changing times, as we
 learn to walk this new path of co-operation and co-creation with all of life. In Walking With Trees, I invite you to
 dive in and deepen your roots, to arrive in the world of trees with a benevolence that creates more benevolence, a
 willingness for enchantment, and an openness to rediscover a sense of wonder for this precious gift of life.
<h6 style="text-align: justify;"><img alt="walking-with-trees" class="lazyload mw-100"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/walking_with_trees4_d08fb35c7f.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-06T08:19:23.841Z">
</h6>
<h6 style="text-align: justify;">From the Preface of Glennie Kindred’s latest book Walking With Trees.
 Reprinted with permission from the author.</h6>
<hr>
<h4 style="text-align: center;">Article &amp; Illustrations by GLENNIE KINDRED</h4>
<hr>

Gopi Kallayil is the Chief Business Strategist, AI, at Google. An avid yoga practitioner, triathlete, global traveler, and Burning Man devotee, he has spoken at TEDx, The World Happiness Summit, and Wisdom 2.0. Gopi’s books, The Internet to the Inner-net and The Happy Human, are available in bookstores and online. He is on the Board of Directors, Grameen Foundations USA.

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Gopi Kallayil

<h4>GOPI KALLAYIL shares his 10 tips for organizing a better life.</h4><hr>I always hear the same lament, no matter who is saying it. CEOs of companies tell me they are overworked. Farmers back in my home village in southern India say they have no time. We can all complain that we are under the tyranny of schedules, that there is no time in our day. Each of us can say that much of our life is driven by someone else’s agenda or outside pressures – things we have to do, things we would like to do, things we are expected to do.When I graduated from business school, I had a terrible time organizing my day. Seven days a week, work was my number one priority. I fed on the thrill of accomplishments. I dashed to meetings, raced to meet flights, and ate whatever food was given to me, like airline food and conference food, which is terrible stuff. My house was a mess, with stacks of bills that I was too busy to open, let alone pay, suitcases half unpacked from the last trip and partially packed for the next. A few times my phone was cut off or my credit card declined. Not because I didn’t have the money, but because I was trying to focus so much on my work and travel that I didn’t have the time to pay bills.It was embarrassing, as though I couldn’t take control of my own life. This chaos went on for almost a year, until I reached breaking point, and started asking myself, “Why am I living this life? What is the purpose of it? What am I trying to do here? And what is the price I am paying?” My life had become travel, bad food, and not enough exercise and meditation. And I realized I had to re-prioritize.I asked myself, “If I only had a few hours, or just one hour, fully under &nbsp;control, what would be the one thing I would do with it that would maximize this quality of joy, presence and life? What would support my five essentials on a day-to-day basis?” I came up with ten items. As the list developed, the idea switched from a theoretical notion to a tactical way to structure my days that would support what’s important to me in my life, what resonates and brings me joy.&nbsp;<img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/time1_a07dc8d16a.jpg" alt="Time">&nbsp;Your list of how to spend your hours in each day might contain different items with different priorities. My list has changed my life, and I’d like to share it with you.Incorporating this list into my daily life shapes how I feel as a human being, and it increases my focus and sense of accomplishment. I become more conscious of investing my time in a manner that maximizes my energy potential. Once you create your list and start following it, once you consciously spend your twenty-four hours each day, I believe you will enjoy increased physical energy and operate at a higher level of performance and productivity. You will alter your perception of time, and change how you view what you focus on. And most important, you will live a life of greater joy and presence.So, what are the ten things by which you will organize your twenty-four hours?&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Time

<h4 style="text-align:justify;">GOPI KALLAYIL is a successful brand marketing executive in one of the largest global companies in the world. Yet it took a group of very ordinary hard-working women to show him how to live a really fulfilling life.</h4><hr>About 7.2 billion people make up our human family. Half of them live on $3 a day, less than what I pay for one cup of gourmet coffee. Several of these people live in my home village in India, Chittilancheri. My parents both grew up in Chittilancheri without electricity, running water or a college education. In one generation, the family’s fortunes shifted. My parents worked hard and created the opportunity for their four children to earn advanced degrees. My parents were ordinary people.Later in life, I learned the extraordinary impact that ordinary people can have yet again, this time from Oseola McCarty. Former President of the United States of America, Bill Clinton, had come to Google to speak, and had given out copies of his book, Giving: How Each of Us Can Change the World. When I read that Oseola McCarty had created her own scholarship at the University of Southern Mississippi, I thought, “Surely she must be a very wealthy woman.” Well, Oseola dropped out of school when she was twelve to care for her sick aunt, and for the next seventy-five years the only job she had was washing and ironing other people’s clothes.<hr><hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">About 7.2 billion people make up our human family. Half of them live on $3 a day, less than what I pay for one cup of gourmet coffee.</h4><hr><hr>She saved her modest income in the bank, and when she turned eighty-seven she asked her bank manager how much money she had in her account. He answered, “Three hundred thousand dollars.” I imagine she must have said something like, “Son, there are no shopping malls on the way to heaven. I want to create a scholarship so that girls from poor families can go to college.”When news of Oseola’s decision was made public, local leaders funded an endowment in her honour, increasing her gift’s reach still more. Before she died, four years later, the University of Southern Mississippi’s most famous donor received acclaim and honour, including the Presidential Citizens Medal — the highest civilian award of the United States — and honorary doctorates from the University of Southern Mississippi and Harvard. Oseola McCarty was an ordinary person, and her resources at the outset were certainly limited. Yet she made an extraordinary impact on the world.Have you ever wondered if you could make an impact like that on others? I did, sitting in a coffee shop. The barista yelled out, “Gopi, your grande caramel cinnamon chocolate Frappuccino is ready. And it is fat-free.” I knew that only the fat was ‘free’, and it struck me that the drink was more abundant than anything many of the people I knew back in Chittilancheri would enjoy that entire day.<hr>&nbsp;<hr>&nbsp;<h4 style="text-align:center;">“Can I, an ordinary&nbsp;person with limited resources, really make an extraordinary impact on someone else’s life?” Yes, you can, starting today.</h4>&nbsp;<hr>&nbsp;<hr>So I wondered, “Could I sacrifice a few cups of coffee and make a big impact?” I found my answer in Kiva, a San Francisco–based organisation that allows ordinary people, like most of us, to give microloans to women in the Third World to start small businesses.That same day, I made my first loan online, for the princely sum of $25. The entrepreneur who received it was Ngô Thi Chung, a 54-year-old woman living in Trung Giã village, Vietnam, who was starting a farm supplies business. She needed a loan of $1,200, and I wondered how my $25 could help. But never underestimate the power of people working together! In four hours, several others had made modest loans of their own, and she had her $1,200. Next month, I gave another loan to Esther Laboso, a 46-year-old widow with five children living in Kericho, Kenya, who was starting a grain store. The following month it was a fisherwoman in Peru, and then a tailor in Pakistan. I was hooked. This was much better than a grande caramel cinnamon chocolate Frappuccino.Recently, I connected with friends from high school. The lovely Lakshmi, voted most likely to succeed in our class, asked, “Gopi, where are you these days? What are you doing?” And I, who was voted most likely to join the circus, replied, “I am an international banker. I finance entrepreneurs around the world.”Perhaps you are inspired by these stories, but still skeptical that this truth could ever apply to you. “Can I, an ordinary person with limited resources, really make an extraordinary impact on someone else’s life?” Yes, you can, starting today. I learned this from my parents, from Oseola McCarty, and through my work with Esther Laboso and Ngô Thi Chung. As Clinton says in his book, “We all have the capacity to do great things,” and we can do it with whatever resources we have on hand. Ordinary people can make an extraordinary impact.<hr>Excerpt adapted from The Internet to the Inner-Net:&nbsp;Five Wats to Reset Your Connection and Live a Conscious Life.&nbsp;<img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/be_creative_with_money_1_img_2defbcb605.jpg" alt="Be Creative With Money">&nbsp;<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">Article by GOPI KALLAYIL</h4><hr><hr>

Be creative with money

Gour Gopal Das is an Indian Hindu monk, lifestyle coach, and motivational speaker from the International Society for Krishna Consciousness. He is the author of Life’s Amazing Secrets, The Way of the Monk, and Energize Your Mind, and has over 17 million followers on social media.

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GOUR GOPAL DAS

<h4 style="text-align:justify;">GOUR GOPAL DAS is an Indian monk, lifestyle coach, motivational speaker, and former electrical engineer. He talks about the inevitability of problems and how developing a state of inner peace can help us to navigate those problems, and not allow them to hold us back from living a fulfilling and whole life.&nbsp;</h4>&nbsp;How many of you were good at spelling in school? How many of you were terrible at spelling in school? How many of you didn’t care about spelling in school?&nbsp; One boy was asked by his teacher, “Which state of India are you from?”&nbsp; He said, “I’m from Arunachala Pradesh, Ma’am.”&nbsp; “Can you spell it for me?”&nbsp; He said, “I’m from Goa, actually.”Who spells Arunachala Pradesh? But if you spell the word “success,” the second letter is “u” (you). You cannot spell the success of such a grand event without you. You can’t have the word success without “u.” Without all of you, this would be no event. My respects to all of you for coming with such open hearts and such open minds to explore this diverse deep space of spirituality.&nbsp;How many of you have problems? Any health problems? Any workplace politics? Any financial liabilities? Emotional issues? Mental health issues? Relationship problems? The biggest issues in finding inner peace are problems. How many of you would like to have a solution to problems? All of us.Whoever you are, problems are an integral part of your life. Do you think the esteemed guests sitting on this dais don’t have problems? Do you think they don’t have health crises, or logistical issues when it comes to building things of this scale? Spiritual or not spiritual, when we are human beings living on this planet, we all experience problems. Life bothers us every single day. Life is causing a threat to our inner peace. Challenges, issues, problems, calamities, trying circumstances, and difficulties are ruining our inner peace.&nbsp;How many of you have felt, “Now my health is better.” Have you ever given a sigh of relief? As soon as a problem goes away, you give a sigh of relief. For a lot of people the definition of peace is the absence of problems.<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">The world is a collective reflection of individual consciousness. If I am not peaceful, how will the world be peaceful? If the citizens on this planet don’t find peace, how can the world be peaceful?</h4><hr>Why have you come here? You’ve come to disconnect and find some peace. People think, “Let all the problems go away and then I’ll be peaceful.” It’s the complete opposite. When you are peaceful, you’ll deal with your problems better. Today one problem will go away, tomorrow there’ll be another. When your health is better, there are financial problems. When your finances are better, there are relationship problems. When relationships are better, there are social problems. When social life is better, there’s a weather problem. Problems will never end.&nbsp;When you find your inner peace, you will deal with your problems effectively. Today the world lacks individuals who can navigate through their challenges. The world is a collective reflection of individual consciousness. If I am not peaceful, how will the world be peaceful? If the citizens on this planet don’t find peace, how can the world be peaceful?I will tell you a story. There was once a king who was extremely fond of art. After four days as a practicing disciple, he announced that the person who could make the best painting depicting peace would be rewarded with a thousand gold coins. Thousands of artists started painting, and out of the thousands of paintings two were selected to show the king. Both were covered.&nbsp;The king unveiled the first painting. He saw beautiful crystal clear aquamarine waters. He could see the bottom of the lake. There were beautiful mountains, birds flying, clear skies with fluffy clouds, and beautiful swans swimming on the surface of the lake. He said, “This seems to be the best painting depicting peace.” He then unveiled the second painting, which had a dark, gloomy, depressing sky with lightning and torrential rain. There was a dry mountain, with no greenery but one tree with a tiny branch, and on the branch was a nest. In that nest was a mother bird feeding her little ones.&nbsp;Guess which one the king awarded? The second painting, because the first one is a myth. Life is not serene, calm, and clear. Life is not peaceful; life is challenges, chaos, mayhem, issues, difficulties, trying circumstances, and tribulations. In the middle of all the darkness, I can have my inner nest in my heart. My heart is like that nest under the gloomy sky. I lost my job, I lost my parents, I lost my spouse, I lost my health, I lost my money… lost, lost, lost. That is the world outside, but when I enter into the space of my heart, like the bird feeding her chicks, that is the real depiction of peace—finding peace within a world full of chaos and mayhem.That is what happened on the battlefield of Kurukshetra 5,000 years back. Arjuna didn’t know what to do. His properties were taken away, his rights were taken away, his wife was disrobed, their sons were killed, and in the middle of all of that he was on the battlefield trying to do his duty. In the confusion and darkness, he turned toward his friend and guide, Shri Krishna, and said, “I don't know how to navigate this darkness, Krishna, please guide me.”<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">Life is a journey, things evolve, and you don’t need everything sorted right away. If you’re a believer, turn to God. If you’re a non-believer, turn to life or the universe. You don’t have to do it alone. Turn to somebody to connect and take that stuff from your head.</h4><hr><figure class="image image_resized" style="width:75%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/problems2_ff48519289.webp" alt="problems2.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_problems2_ff48519289.webp 145w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/large_problems2_ff48519289.webp 600w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/problems2_ff48519289.webp 600w," sizes="100vw"></figure>&nbsp;We need a guide, a spiritual teacher, to help us find that nest. We have such spiritual mentors sitting here today. Listen to them not to follow them, otherwise you will simply be a blind follower of another guru. Listen to them not to listen to their voice; listen to their voice so you can start listening to your own voice. If you cannot listen to your own voice, the whole spiritual journey has been a failure.&nbsp;I’d like to recommend four things. First, when you’re going through challenges and you want to find your inner peace, say to yourself, “In an equation there is pi, 3.1814, which you cannot change, and there is x.” Focusing on the x empowers you. The more you focus on pi, which cannot change, the more frustrated you will be. So say to yourself, “I will not waste my energy and peace on pi.”&nbsp;Second, say to yourself, “The world’s problems are not my problems at the moment. I’m not an enlightened being yet; I’m okay to deal with my own share of troubles.”&nbsp;Third, say to yourself, “I don’t need all the answers and everything sorted out right now.” Life is a journey, things evolve, and you don’t need everything sorted right away. If you’re a believer, turn to God. If you’re a non-believer, turn to life or the universe. You don’t have to do it alone. Turn to somebody to connect and take that stuff from your head.&nbsp;Fourth, Daaji said, “In this world today, let religions not divide us.” Two plus eight is ten. Seven plus three is also ten. Six plus four is also ten. Nine plus one is also ten. There are multiple ways to reach ten, the end goal. Let us respect each other. As Daaji mentioned, let us not just tolerate each other, let us accept each other; from tolerance to acceptance. And take it even further, let us celebrate each other’s connections as a great humanity.&nbsp;&nbsp;

There will always be problems

Grainne is the CEO of Airfield Estate in Dublin, Ireland. Airfield was home to the Overend family since 1894, and was left in trust to the people of Ireland by the trailblazing Overend sisters, Letitia and Namoi, in 1974. Today it’s a social and charitable hub, investing in people and reaching every corner of the community to inspire and enable people to make better food choices – better for health, better value for money, and better for the environment.

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Grainne Kelliher

<h4>Winner of the Irish Tourism Industry Award for Best Food and Beverage Experience in 2017, the Airfield Estate in Dublin, Ireland, tries to connect visitors to farming and agriculture through food. Spanning 38 acres, the working farm, gardens, restaurant and estate aim to inspire people to refresh their connection with food and the land it comes from. KATHERINE WALLA of Food Tank had the opportunity to talk to GRAINNE KELLIHER, the CEO of Airfield, about her work to expand the Airfield Estate’s impact through new programs, techniques and offerings.</h4>Q: What inspired the educational working farm?GK: The Overend Family originally owned and operated the Estate as a working farm. The family produced food self-reliantly and maintained a prize Jersey herd. The family was very charitable and played an important role addressing food-related challenges of their time. For example, in the early 1920s, they supplied pasteurized milk to clean milk depots in Dublin, reducing infant mortality. In 1974, the Overends established a charitable trust leaving their farm, gardens, and surrounding properties to the Irish people for educational and recreational purposes. We honor their wishes, continuing what they started by addressing food challenges of our time in an innovative and engaging way.Our relationship with food is clearly in trouble – many don’t think to look past the shelves in the supermarkets for food. We have lost our connection with food, where it comes from, its seasonal nature, what it takes to produce, and how precious it is. The Estate aims to reconnect people with the land and the food it produces, teaching them greater empathy for food, and benefiting their health and the environment.Q: As an educational working farm, what is Airfield doing specifically to change the way visitors look at the food system and their daily food experiences?GK:&nbsp;We lead a number of educational programs and activities that encourage our visitors to engage with the food system. We teach visitors about the real outdoors, giving them the opportunity to milk cows, feed animals, collect eggs, and plant and harvest food. We deliver educational programs to 10,000 school children each year and engage with local universities on food research, bio-diversity education, farm safety, and food production.For visitors less interested in a hands-on farm experience, they can experience the Estate through eating at Overends Restaurant, which serves produce straight from the farm. To provide an impactful experience, we have created our own food rules within the restaurant called GLAS, the Gaelic word for Green. This acronym stands for:Go with the seasons, Local produce, Avoid food waste, and Sustainably produced ingredients.This is not an easy route for us to take, but we believe it is the right one.Annually, we offer festivals and events for visitors seeking a special experience. Our Festival of Food incorporates themes of waste, seasonality, recycling, climate, nutrition, health, and unique food experiences. The Woolapalooza showcases the production processes of sheep products such as shearing, sheep dog trials, and cottage pie making. Our Food Series conferences generate debate, discussion, and dialogue around food-related topics. And, we have pop-up events such as Trash Bash Suppers and Nose to Tail dining experiences that highlight and rethink food waste.On a daily basis, we post informative signs around the Estate explaining the energy and time required to produce and use up calories from food. We want visitors to understand their food and how their food choices impact people, the planet, and their pocket.Q: Have there been obstacles in maintaining Airfield’s values of heritage and tradition amidst modernizing farming techniques?GK:&nbsp;We proudly use more natural farming methods integrated with new equipment and technology. Our aim is to show a snapshot of Irish agriculture and how it operates. Airfield uses an organic fruit and vegetable production system and a Best Practice system for meat, milk, and eggs. This demonstrates that traditional and natural farming methods and newer farming equipment and agricultural technology both have a place in Irish agriculture. We show how farming responsibly, efficiently and productively will improve the land for the next generation.<img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/Connect_with_land_food2_1_8b18cbdd8f.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-05T07:56:18.615Z" alt="connect-with-land-and-food">Q: Airfield was renovated in 2014. What new features have you added to the farm since this renovation, and how would you evaluate the impact they’ve made?GK:&nbsp;We now welcome over 150,000 visitors to the farm on an annual basis. We offer additional public courses on wellness, cooking, foraging and gardening. The renovations benefit visitors, teaching them even more about farming and growing processes, seasonality, and sustainability. The new farmyard allows visitors to view processes like milking, pasteurization, births and animal feeding, and it is designed with walking paths that allow visitors to see the farm animals.Three acres of food gardens showcase innovative and traditional methods of food production. We use poly-tunnels to grow fruit and vegetables for the restaurant and have expanded our biodiversity efforts, planting more than 3,000 native trees in a woodland setting.Q: What are some of the biggest challenges you have faced in developing Airfield?GK:&nbsp;Our biggest challenge is convincing visitors to adopt sustainable food habits after they leave the farm. We want to have a lasting impact on them by reconnecting them with their food and the land it comes from. We strive to change the way our visitors engage with the food system and hope they develop a better understanding of the impact their food choices have on their health and the environment. We hope their experience here leads to deeper behavioral changes, but we understand this is a challenging transition that takes time.Q: If you could select one lesson for visitors to take away from Airfield to inspire change in the local food system, what would it be?GK:&nbsp;That they take away an empathy and understanding of where their food comes from and the human and environmental input required to produce it. Furthermore, visitors should treat food like the precious resource it is. We want them to see that Ireland produces some of the best food in the world thanks to its amazing natural resources, weather, soil, and farmers.<hr>Reprinted with permission from Food Tank: the think-tank for food, <a href="https://foodtank.com/news/2018/02/grainne-kelliher-airfield-estate-ireland-food-tank-interview/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://foodtank.com/news/2018/02/grainne-kelliher-airfield-estate-ireland-food-tank-interview/</a><hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">Interview by KATHERINE WALLA</h4><hr>

Connect with land and food

Grant is an American cartoonist, comic strip artist, writer, and orthodontist. His strips have been
featured in The New York Review of Books and The New York Times Magazine, and in books like The Shape of Ideas and I Will Judge You by Your Bookshelf. His latest books are The Art of Living and One Boy Watching.

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Grant Snider

A closed book

<hr><h4>GRANT SNIDER began drawing and writing before he knew what he was doing. His comics have appeared in The New York Times Book Review,&nbsp;The Kansas City Star,&nbsp;The Best American Comics 2013, and all across the internet. You can explore his work at <a href="http://www.incidentalcomics.com/">http://www.incidentalcomics.com/</a>. Here he is interviewed by KASHISH KALWANI about what inspires him and brings him such success.</h4><hr>Q: So, Grant, how are you doing?GS: Good, I just got my daily run in, went through some puddles, my socks are wet. Good feeling for the middle of the afternoon here.Q: Nice. When I first saw your comics, I was curious about you – they are not necessarily humorous, but they are so relevant, so thoughtful. When I see the thoughtfulness behind your work, your intentional seeing of the world, it makes me feel very relevant, like, “Yes, I see you, and I feel you.” So could you tell us more about this style of comics?GS: Well, a lot of comics come from that first person perspective, basically because it’s easy to draw a single character moving through the panel and encountering the world. Over time, that’s how I started drawing them. It became like a conversation with myself in the form of my character avatar, walking around thinking deep thoughts or not too deep ones, coming up with various conflicts, usually internal, and hopefully resolving them by the last panel.Ever since I started in single comics in 2009, I’ve had the goal to draw a single page comic strip per week. And most weeks I have achieved that goal. I’ve done a few that are more than one page, some I don’t quite get to the page, but it’s been a nice recurring conversation with myself.It’s nice to hear you say that you can find some relatability in them because I don’t want to just be a solo conversation, you know?Q: Yes, absolutely. I know so many people from the Heartfulness community who follow your page on Instagram, and it’s fun to pick it up and share the comic with one another.GS: That’s much appreciated. It’s the cool thing about the internet – if you like something you retweet it, or send it to somebody on Facebook, or Instagram message, and it’s really powerful how social media can be a force for good if the artist’s message is worth sharing.Q: Truly, yes.<hr><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/comic_joy2_325ffec609.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-26T07:55:01.576Z" alt=""><hr><hr><h4>I think with anything,&nbsp; like a writing practice,&nbsp; a meditation practice,&nbsp; a spiritual or non-spiritual practice,&nbsp; it’s really about consistency.</h4><hr><hr>Q: I know you already touched upon one comic per week, but could you share more about your drawing routine? What does your process look like?&nbsp;GS: It really changes based on where I am in life. I used to cram it all in on a Saturday, when I had not as many work or family obligations. That got to be pretty exhausting. When my kids were a little bit younger, I would wake up really early in the morning, which you’ll see because a lot of the comic strips reference those early morning hours, like looking out the window to see the sunrise, because I was literally sitting at the drawing table watching the sunrise, you know, a couple cups of coffee down. And now that my work schedule is different, and my youngest child is two, so he’s not quite waking up at the crack of dawn anymore, I do more in regular hours, a few hours a day, a few times a week, which is much more mentally healthy.I really think it’s about finding that balance of the practice. It doesn’t really matter when I’m doing the work, it’s that I’m revisiting it and doing it consistently. I think with anything, like a writing practice, a meditation practice, a spiritual or non-spiritual practice, it’s really about consistency rather than, “Oh, I’m going to do this amazing thing once a month,” then the next month you’re not doing it at all.Q: I really like the word “consistency,” because even the Heartfulness meditation practice that I follow requires consistency. Even though it is recommended that we meditate for an hour every morning, if that’s not possible, it’s still good to show up for five minutes every day and be consistent about it. That works wonders.GS: It’s about showing up. I’m speaking mainly from a cartooning standpoint, but this could be applied to a lot of other practices. Some days, it feels like “Man, I really want to get to the drawing table.” I have so many good ideas that are bursting with possibility. Other days it feels like a chore. But inevitably, like I had to do yesterday, I sit through the drudgery until it eventually drops away. And even if it isn’t the most pleasant experience, I get a good day’s work done. Obviously, it’s more fun when it is joyous, but that’s not going to be every single time you show up. Unfortunately.<hr><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/comic_joy3_23914ae203.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-26T07:56:19.298Z" alt=""><hr><hr><h4>Something important is an openness to experience,&nbsp; to your own thoughts and feelings, and a willingness&nbsp; to share those thoughts and feelings with others&nbsp; – in my case through art, for others it might be a different form.&nbsp; I hope people see that attitude of openness&nbsp; and can be inspired by it in their daily life.</h4><hr><hr>Q: I truly understand that.So what are your sources of inspiration? How do you sustain your motivation?GS: It depends on what kind of project I’m working on. To be generic about it, my sketchbook is the source of all the ideas. But what I put in my sketchbook varies.At times I’ll be into life drawing, so I’ll go out on my lunch breaks or on a weekend with colored pencils and do detailed drawings. And they eventually get filtered into the comics in a scene in a panel. Sometimes I’ll be reading an amazing book, and it’ll be like, “Oh, this is such a great insight, I need to put this down.” I’ll do a little spin on it, maybe have my character commenting on it somehow. That’ll work its way into a comic strip.Occasionally, it’ll be my daughter or one of my sons doing something ridiculous: “This is just too good, I have to make this into a drawing.” It’s finding those little snippets of interest in my daily routine, capturing them in the sketchbook and then taking that sketchbook with me later to the drawing table when I’m working. “Okay, what piece of this can I turn into a part of a bigger project? What is really speaking to me today?”And sometimes it’s a matter of combining things. I’ll have an idea from a couple years ago, with a spin on something I came up with last week, and together that makes something completely new.Q: I really like how you bring your kids into the process. How do they view you as an artist?GS: I’ve probably shared this anecdote before. My son Trent is eight and he’s really into comics. He always compliments my work and says he likes to read it, but then he puts a caveat, “Dad, you need to do something funny.” I do sometimes feel like I’m a little serious or lacking that sense of humor that I look for when I read comics. But I really liked that feedback, and I’ll try to put something funny in my next book, especially for Trent.Q: I love honest feedback.&nbsp;<hr><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/comic_joy4_37e0f4a2dd.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-26T07:57:39.996Z" alt=""><hr><hr><h4>When people get busy with everyday obligations,&nbsp; a lot of times their art or their writing falls through the cracks and is lost.&nbsp; Just keeping that consistent routine of writing or drawing,&nbsp; of being alone with your thoughts, is a really powerful thing.</h4><hr><hr>Q: What message do you hope people can take away from your comics?&nbsp;GS: I don’t want to limit it to a single message, but something important is an openness to experience, to your own thoughts and feelings, and a willingness to share those thoughts and feelings with others – in my case through art, for others it might be a different form. I hope people see that attitude of openness and can be inspired by it in their daily life.I’ve never thought about the broader reason why I’m doing it. I do get a lot of joy out of it, and I hope other people do too. Really, finding those small pieces of joy would be another overarching goal for my comics.Q: It’s wonderful that you have chosen happiness and joy.GS: Yes, and I’ve tried the other way as far as the art style goes. Occasionally I’ll do a comic from a space of negative emotion that doesn’t have an ending that is uplifting or hopeful. And when I show it to my first readers, my wife Kayla and my brother Gavin, they say, “This is falling flat; it doesn’t really work for me.” While it’s good to capture those negative emotions honestly on the page, I always want to leave the reader, and more so myself, with hope at the end, even if I’ve still not quite resolved that negativity.Q: What is your advice for a beginner in this field?GS: Just keep doing it and sharing it. I know that if at age 20 I had seen where I would be with my comics now at age 37, I might not recognize that person. But I would be really happy that they’d been read by a lot of people, that they were still doing it, and still finding the motivation and the time to make it a big part of their life. When people get busy with everyday obligations, a lot of times their art or their writing falls through the cracks and is lost. Just keeping that consistent routine of writing or drawing, of being alone with your thoughts, is a really powerful thing.Q: Thank you.<hr><hr><h4>Comics by GRANT SNIDER</h4><hr>

Comic Joy

Guila was appointed UNESCO Artist for Peace in January 2012, in light of her commitment to promoting and defending human rights through art. She has taught at Sciences Po, Harvard University, Boston and Oxford Universities, University of Geneva, and the St. Petersburg Conservatory, amongst others.

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Guila Clara Kessous

<h4>
 GUILA CLARA
 KESSOUS
 is a member of Harvard University’s affiliated Institute of Coaching,
 the UNESCO artist for peace, and an art therapist.&nbsp; Here she
 writes about the recent paradigm shifts in leadership and how
 present-day leaders require subtle collective skills rather than being
 super humans.
</h4>

<hr class="vertical-space1" />


 In recent years, we have challenged the narrow vision of a leader as
 someone “strong, knowledgeable, and a great communicator,” someone who
 can leverage their expertise to mobilize and create followership. Behind
 this heroic fantasy leader stands a human being who has spent their life
 accumulating knowledge, without worrying too much about its application
 and, especially, without worrying about relationships. For a
 super-leader, managing relationships is the manager’s prerogative (those
 nice facilitators who spend their time managing ego conflicts). So as
 soon as the leader faces the reality of also being a manager, trouble
 starts.



 Without managerial skills, a leader is not really up to the task. Even
 the most technical management position involves cross-functional
 interactions with other departments, and connections with other teams.



 The key to success in this delicate transition from controlling
 leadership to equitable management is behavioral skills, particularly
 the so-called “subtle” skills.


<h4>
 From Ego to
 Eco
</h4>

The word “subtle” derives from Latin and refers to two notions:

<ol type="1">
 <li>Something difficult to perceive, and</li>
 <li>Finesse and delicacy in realization.</li>
</ol>


 Subtle skills are twofold: if they are difficult to perceive because of
 their intangible nature, they are also highly accurate and incisive for
 those who can apply them.



 Let’s take the example of an executive expert promoted to a managerial
 position. When an organization uses the function of management, it means
 either “management of” or “management over.” Panicked by the new level
 of coercive power they have, the executive often seeks refuge in the
 skills they acquired during their years of study, however, this is not
 what is expected of a leader, who must not only inform which direction
 to take (a GPS can also do that) but also be the direction.



 Here is the subtlety: those who follow will no longer follow the
 information, but will seek to emulate a leader. They will be inclined to
 follow someone who knows how to use emotional intelligence and
 relational management to utilize the power of the collective.



 This is what Professor Otto Scharmer presented in his Theory U at MIT,
 highlighting the five necessary stages of collective intelligence:
 observation, perception, being present, crystallization, and deployment
 to bring about a stage of collective consciousness.



 The subtle skills required by the new manager are to meet the team,
 listen to the directions of the different participants, and understand
 what directional synthesis is proposing about the concerns of the system
 by comparing them with the reality of the market.



 Theory U is based on the success of the collective synthesized by the
 sagacity of an open-minded leader to be completely present to others.
 “New leaders will have to be able to drive attention on change without
 driving too much attention on themselves,” said Ronald Heifetz, director
 of the Harvard University Leadership Education Project. Subtle skills
 invite us to shift from egocentricity to eco-centricity; they reflect a
 greater maturity of leadership compared to a top-down pyramidal system.


<h4>
 New Leadership
 Subtleties: How to Systematize Enthusiasm and
 Embodiment?
</h4>


 The most remarkable subtlety happens when leadership is paired with
 concepts that seem to be at odds with a traditional view: progressive
 leadership, emotional leadership, situational leadership, and benevolent
 leadership. Spiritual leadership is the best example of two juxtaposed
 notions, because any form of spirituality is suspect in the management
 sphere, immediately evoking a religious figure who wants to lead their
 flock like a guru. And for the followers of spirituality, the word
 “leadership” distorts the very essence of a transcendental idea, so much
 so that the implied resonance of profitability is offending.



 Spiritual leadership is an apparent paradox because it brings the
 material and the immaterial together, but there is a genuine craze for
 the term in business nowadays and it can be explained by the need to
 include more subtle criteria among the indicators of managerial success.



 Far from being an incursion of religion into the corporate sphere,
 spiritual leadership explores an “energetic” dimension of governance,
 with the concept of followership no longer subject to a simple
 technocratic hierarchy, but instead to a charismatic figure who embodies
 its messages. First mentioned by Professor Louis Fry at the University
 of Texas, this approach to leadership insists on the importance of
 intrinsic motivation through the leader’s values, attitudes, and
 behavior. It is based on a schematic model in the form of quadrants,
 just like emotional or situational intelligence.


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<img alt="authentic-leadership2" width="525" class="lazyload has-img-center" style="width: 525px !important"
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 As with presencing, the starting point is always a leader’s awareness of
 their relationship with self, which allows them to be fully available to
 build cohesion through three main components: vision, hope and faith in
 the future, and benevolence toward others.



 There is a growing interest in France in spiritual leadership, thanks to
 the debate on enthusiasm and incarnation. Both enthusiasm and
 incarnation imply a transcendental relationship based on a charismatic
 rather than an intellectual energetic presence. Therefore, the subtlety
 is to understand the importance of self-giving in a leader who wishes to
 inspire followership. Self-giving is fundamental to spiritual
 leadership.


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<h4 class="has-text-align-center">
 The subtlety is to
 understand the importance of self-giving in
 a leader who wishes to inspire followership. Self-giving is
 fundamental to spiritual leadership.
</h4>

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<img width="700" alt="authentic-leadership3" class="lazyload has-img-center" style="width: 700px !important;"
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<h4>
 Leadership at
 Heart: Heartificial Intelligence
</h4>


 Self-giving does not mean “forgetting yourself in others.” Today’s
 leaders cannot afford a sacrificial posture that is lost in a kind of
 wild empathy. Instead, it involves a heart-to-heart resonance with
 followers, which allows them to better understand the ecology of their
 system.



 It involves the principles of Social Permaculture and the Symbiotic
 Economy, linking intellect and personal responsibility to the
 collective. As Isabelle Delannoy advocates in
 The Symbiotic Economy, it is based on the symbiosis of human
 intelligence, the power of ecosystems, and tools. The leadership
 challenge is in finding the right balance to regenerate them instead of
 exhausting them; to create a system that works without burning out
 either the leader or the followers. This is also what Gunter Pauli
 advocates when he talks about the
 <a href="https://www.theblueeconomy.org/en/">Blue Economy</a>.



 How to apply this level of subtlety to the very heart of inspiration at
 the corporate level? How to re-consider what we think is at the bottom
 of the ladder in our systemic worldview and, instead, make it the engine
 of a humanistic recycling economy?



 In this sense, the leader and the follower are two sides of the same
 coin in a circular economy. Restoring a person’s pride can have benefits
 for everyone in the system since all are intimately connected. This is
 what we call leadership from the heart: not only human and benevolent
 leadership but also courageous leadership of being oneself in front of
 others, and especially for others.



 Could this subtle Heartificial Intelligence save leadership from the
 dehumanization of Artificial Intelligence, while we wait for leaders to
 have an NFT rating? This is highly possible!


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<h4 class="has-text-align-center">Illustrations by Мария Гисина</h4>

<hr />

Subtle skills for authentic leadership: heartificial intelligence

<h4>GUILA CLARA KESSOUS, UNESCO Artist for Peace and art therapist, uses drama therapy to help people “let go” of their suffering through a cathartic process. It is a way for people in Rwanda, Bangladesh, Congo, and Afghanistan to find solace. Guila paints the portrait of four people suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder who she accompanied to their respective countries. She has also designed a course on “Theatre and Humans Rights” that is taught at Harvard University.</h4><hr><h4>The Prince and the Poor Man</h4>The woman with black eyes has a wonderful way with French words. Intimidated, she clicks her tongue against her teeth and looks up to me. I reassure her and make it clear that I will not ask her to talk, but to express what lies within her, deep within her, to let it out. I know about her story: Martha lives in Ngoma, in Rwanda’s eastern province, near the women’s prison. This mother of five witnessed the slaughter of the Tutsis in 1994. She, too, once sincerely believed she could kill “for the good of humanity,” as the saying went back then on the waves of Mille Collines radio.I suggest we perform the exercise of “The Prince and the Poor Man” that Peter Brook used to teach a person to find “the right posture.” Asking her to portray a noble personality, I see the body of the septuagenarian straightening up and I watch her as she finds a glorious way to hold her head, so typical of faith in oneself and faith in humanity, found only in people who have not lost the beauty of their ingenuity. I try to spur her on, suggesting she tries to walk like a queen, taking care to slowly spread her feet on the ground, heel first and then toes. I notice the effort of her leg. It carries the history and muscles of thighs that were strong enough to drag themselves out of this hell. She looks around her with an air of Banyiginya haughtiness; the Nyiginya clan, who represent the nobility of the Batutsis.I then submit a text to her from Hamlet:… I know not “seems.” ’Tis not alone in my inky cloak, good mother, Nor customary suits of solemn black, Nor windy suspiration of forced breath, No nor the fruitful river in the eye, Nor the dejected haviorof the visage, Together with all forms, moods, shows of grief, That can denote me truly. These indeed seem, For they are actions that a man might play; But I have that within which passeth show, These but the trappings and the suits of woe.Before it even ends, I see her body shrivel up, withdrawing from the bliss of forgetfulness to return to what Peter Brook called “the Poor Man,” the human broken by their condition. She utters each and every one of these words distinctly while facing me. She concludes with a whisper, “Mu-ra-ko-ze,” which is the Kinyarwanda word for thank you, and then she curtsies!<h4>I have no hatred in me</h4>Francesca is repeating the sentence to me. She emphasizes every word and makes sure I’m jotting everything down. “How could I only explain that to my family? Since they’re rejecting me and think this is all my fault. I’m a disgrace to them.” I ask her if she’s willing to work on this feeling of shame with acting. She nods. Francesca was raped in the Congo, as so many other women have been, since rape is a weapon of war in the DRC.When she talks to me, she blinks a lot, just to be absolutely sure that she is still alive. So often have men imposed their will on her that at some point she was not sure of anything anymore. “I felt this predator had no desire, he just wanted to dominate.” Francesca lives in Bunia, the capital city of the Ituri province. She has endured many sexual assaults since she was a little girl, including in school where this kind of punishment is common. I suggest trying a body awakening exercise that will allow her to slowly come back to herself and to possess her sore body again.<hr><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/art_therapy_human_suffering2_700x480_e35c0c82ad.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-12T06:54:35.060Z" alt="art-therapy-human-suffering2"><hr>The “Energetic Shower” exercise involves “stretching one’s arms toward the sky” while imaginary drops “run” from the ceiling by moving one’s fingers and slowly bringing them down to micro-massage the forehead, the eyes, the cheeks, the chin, the back of the neck and then the neck. I watch her as she proceeds meticulously. I can feel the skin untighten on her forehead, the wrinkles fade out. Once the neck area has been reached, it’s time to switch to soft right-hand taps on the left side of the body. She talks to me: “If my daughter saw me doing this, she’d tell me ‘Mom, stop, you’re almost fifty now.’” She pats her left shoulder with her right hand and then the full length of her left arm. Then, the opposite. I can see her body stretch out and ready itself to “embody” a role that will help it healing. Francesca is looking at me, intrigued.I hand a poem to her: So long as the blade has not&nbsp;   Cut off that brain …These lines from Rimbaud make her smile. And I see her surrendering to the role, a sheer force getting hold of her. She now hits me with verse: That white, green and fatty parcel,  Whose steam is never fresh…At the end of the poem, she repeats to me, “He won’t get his hands on that one.”Clearly, he won’t get his hands on that one.as if, for a fleeting moment, she had managed to break free from tragedy.<h4>I would have preferred not to choose</h4>The interpreter is looking at me because he doesn’t know whether he must translate what has just been said. Hossain is a twenty-four-year-old father who doesn’t understand why he should stay with his child since his wife is there to look after him. As the others, he has fled and tries to live here in Cox’s Bazar under this makeshift tent strapped to bamboo pegs.Despite humanitarian aid, the Rohingyas’ situation has not really evolved, and Hossain is nervous. The interpreter resumes his translation: “I would have preferred not to choose. If I had known, I never would have done this. I would not have chosen to get her pregnant. She shouldn’t have kept the child.” I ask the interpreter to tell him that I’m not here to judge him but to offer him a way to explore the emotions he’s experiencing through drama-therapy. “Now is not the time for drama. How is drama going to help me find a solution?” he says, rolling his eyes. He seems exasperated.<hr><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/art_therapy_human_suffering3_700x480_1ebb3b3b2c.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-12T06:55:06.212Z" alt="art-therapy-human-suffering3">I suggest we perform a breathing technique called “the sniper’s breathing.” He listens to me, suddenly showing interest. “Sniper?” he asks. I smile, “Yes, snipers do this to calm down and enter a state of great focus. Try and you’ll see. Close your eyes.” I teach him this deep, abdominal breathing, taking in the air for four seconds, holding your breath for another four, and then breathing out for eight seconds. I see his puny body carrying it out. Then, after three times, I tell him he’s free to open his eyes.He has calmed down; his chest isn’texpanding as much and his eyes have narrowed. “Now, let’s play,” I say. He raises his eyebrow. “You’re going to be your pregnant wife and you’re going to tell me what you think of Hossain.” He laughs and sits immediately, pretending to cover himself with something. “What are you doing?” I ask. He tells me that his wife always wraps herself in a coat to protect her child from the damp atmosphere. This delineation brought by the coat is symbolic, but it will eventually help him realize, while impersonating her, how difficult it is to be a mother. And when the role play ends, he will agree to try to stay by her side.<h4>All the faces in the world</h4>I’m on the phone with Sabba and I ask her if she wants us to start working together using art. In precarious English, she tells me that yes, she does: “I want to become other, different roles, different faces. I’d like to be all the faces in the world today.”She lives in the small town of Charikar where she hasn’t had the opportunity to go to school for over a month now. She listens to the radio fervently because it’s her only way to stay connected with the world and to catch educational broadcasts. I suggest we do a little focusing exercise by describing her radio set. “It is small, rectangular, black.” I encourage her to speak in a louder voice and dare her to be more confident.And she follows up. “The radio set has buttons to choose the frequencies.” I now ask her to insist on some words, which she does willingly. “This radio is BEAUTIFUL, POWERFUL, and MINE.” This last word comes with a bang, and I can hear the pride that emanates from it.I tell her what we will do next: “Now Sabba, try to become this radio set and to speak out about what you’re going through on a daily basis and how you’re here to comfort Sabba.” Silence. Absorption of the information, then an imaginative effort. There’s a dilemma in the mind of this fourteen-year-old girl. I can hear her questioning herself, “How am I supposed to do this, I, who don’t have a professor anymore, to know if I’m following the instructions correctly?” And then she lets go, a breeze of courage ushers in the role play.She’s a symbol of courage and a symbol of hope.<hr><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/art_therapy_human_suffering4_700x480_5f564ad18a.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-12T06:55:54.845Z" alt="art-therapy-human-suffering4">

Art therapy for human suffering

Guy is from Montpellier, France. He is a retired psychotherapist and trainer, who retains the youthful spirit to learn through the heart. Under the pseudonym of ‘Papiji l’escoutaire’ he is our storyteller, retelling beautiful tales from different traditions about love, the different shades of love, and the qualities of the heart. This issue has the last of the stories from King Vikram. We can’t wait to see what Papiji will share with us next!

guy-de-montpellier-img.jpg

Guy De Montpellier

Guy Finley is the best-selling author of more than 40 books and audio albums on self-realization. He is the founder and director of Life of Learning Foundation, a non-profit center for Spiritual Development located in southern Oregon where he gives talks four times each week open to the public. For more information visit www.guyfinley.org.

guyfinley.jpg

Guy Finley

Victory over our own lower nature is now or never.We can’t end conflict later. We can’t stop being sad, cruel, angry, scared, or anxious later. Thinking, or hoping, that any destination we have in mind is going to be superior to where we’re presently standing is exactly why we’re still standing in that same place where we have to hope that some tomorrow will be better.Later does not exist in reality.Only to the lower self does the concept of ‘later’ have any merit. This self-created, false concept of time allows it to create yet another ‘you’ in another time when you’ll be wiser, stronger, and generally superior.But your higher nature knows for you to experience the miracle of real inner transformation, to step up to a superior life level, you must no longer think in terms of how you’ll be next time. It understands, as we must, that a change in nature is immediate; it is now, or it won’t be at all.And so it’s imperative to meet each moment of your life with this realization: it’s only what you do right now that is the seed of change. And in the endless beauty and mystery of what is the now, this same seed of change is also the seed of a New Self.Here’s why this is true: If you choose to change right now, then you won’t have to worry about how to be different next time!In fact, choose to change now and your conscious choice for real change in the present moment automatically cancels the need for a better you in a better future. All will be better for you now, which is the only time it really matters!Make it your moment-to-moment practice to stay awake, and to watch for all the opportunities that your own now presents. Keep your efforts personal, practical, and to the point. If your inner work doesn’t transform the whole of your life into a more relaxed, amazing, and uplifting experience, then you’re dreaming, not changing.Your awareness of the power of the present can transform each challenging life moment into a new and true beginning for you. Learning how to use these moments leads to real inner change, which is the same as being in command of your own destiny.From Guy’s 1994 book, Freedom From The Ties That Bind, Llewellyn Publications, USA.<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">Article by GUY FINLEY</h4><hr>

Change is now or never

Guy is an energetic healer who also wrote Transforming Autism about how his family enabled their son to transform from a highly autistic toddler to a happy six-year-old, living a full contented life. He proposes a radical inspiring way to understand autism.He is also a Heartfulness trainer.

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Guy Shahar

<h4>GUY SHAHAR embarked on a career in energy healing with little understanding of what it entailed, after experiencing Dr. Bradley Nelson’s method, The Emotion Code. The results spoke for themselves. After becoming certified as a healer, Guy is now watching with wonder how the method is unfolding and evolving, and how he is growing through the process.</h4>I never gave energy healing any serious consideration until after my first visit to Kanha Shanti Vanam Ashram in 2020.&nbsp; The idea of sitting in a room and being able to heal another person in another town or on another continent seemed interesting but fantastical to me.A few years before that, I’d had a health breakdown following a long difficult situation at work. I was housebound for 3 months, and one of the things I’d been doing was receiving online energy healing with a practitioner. I didn’t really know what it was or how it worked, but I figured it was worth a try.It was during one session after that visit to Kanha that I heard a voice in my own head saying, “You should do this!” I almost dismissed it because energy healing was so far from anything I ever thought I’d do, or would be able to do.<h4>The Emotion Code</h4>But having heard the voice, I couldn’t ignore it. So I half-heartedly looked up the method I’d been receiving, The Emotion Code. It is based on the idea of releasing “trapped emotions” that come up at various points in our lives but are not fully processed. Perhaps it is because we are too overwhelmed or triggered at the time, and instead repress them, so they lodge as excess and disruptive energy in our system, and lead to all sorts of physical and mental issues.I discovered that it was actually a very simple method, and very easy to do, but required an ability that I didn’t think I had – “muscle-testing” to obtain clear yes or no answers from the subconscious mind of the person being treated.The man who created The Emotion Code, Dr. Bradley Nelson, has written a book of the same name which guides people how to do it. It includes a chapter on how to muscle test. I had zero confidence that a written chapter in a book would enable me to learn this important new skill, but I picked up a copy and by the end of the chapter, doing the exercises he suggested, I was surprised to get some reasonably clear answers.So I persisted with learning the method, using it on myself and my family, without any expectation of results. None came until one day when I was suffering from severe back pain and inflammation, and my wife suggested I try The Emotion Code to help. I wasn’t hopeful but had nothing to lose, so I went upstairs and released a number of trapped emotions. By the time I had finished, I was surprised to find that the pain had halved, and it continued to diminish as the day went on. When I told my wife, she took a look at my back and exclaimed that the inflammation had also gone down. That was the first time I genuinely felt there was something in energy healing.I had similar results when working with others in need. People’s pains disappeared in front of my eyes on Zoom calls. People who’d been depressed started smiling with an inner joy they’d not felt for ages. Children’s issues started to be resolved when we worked on them through their parents. Even pets showed dramatic improvement. And each time, it was me who was more surprised than the other person, as if I couldn’t quite believe the results that were happening.&nbsp;I had the good fortune to record&nbsp;<a href="https://youtu.be/HZ8zQVgOuvc">an interview with Dr. Nelson</a> recently, where he said that he shared the same surprise at good results, even after many years of practicing his own system. When asked how his approach brings about changes, he just shrugs and says, “I just work here.”My surprise at the results was a little ironic, however, because I’d been a Heartfulness trainer for nearly 20 years, and I was used to sitting at home giving meditation sessions to people far away, which I had no doubt were effective. But for some reason the idea of working in the same way to bring about more material health benefits hadn’t occurred to me.I was starting to field calls from people who’d been referred to me by friends and family, and I realized I needed to start doing this professionally. So I got certified in The Emotion Code, and then in a vastly expanded version of it known as The Body Code, and then launched a company, <a href="https://heartfulhealing.co.uk">Heartful Healing</a>.<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">Perhaps it is because we are too overwhelmed or triggered at the time, and instead repress our emotions, so they lodge as excess and disruptive energy in our system, and lead to all sorts of physical and mental issues.</h4><hr><figure class="image image-style-align-center"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/energy_healing2_98cae58348.jpg"></figure><h4>How does energy healing work?</h4>One of the questions I’m often asked is how energy healing actually works, and I’m no closer to having an answer. But having reflected on it, there are now 3 steps I always take at the start of a session:&nbsp;<ol style="list-style-type:decimal;"><li>Connect to a Higher Power Make a deep connection to a higher power, whatever that means to you. Dr. Nelson advocates this. As a Heartfulness practitioner, this is an easy step: I bring my attention to the constant inner presence in the heart that we’re gifted when we meditate with Heartfulness regularly and sincerely. It becomes an ever-present and vital part of our existence. That way, I’m not dependent of my own ultra-limited capabilities.</li><li>Connect with the client I focus my attention on them so that the answers I get from muscle testing reflect their own responses. I do this with as much love and prayerfulness for their well-being as possible.</li><li>Positive intention Together with the client, we set a positive intention for the results of the work. This is really important, as dwelling on problems actually exacerbates them. As the old saying goes, “Where attention goes, energy flows.” I invite them to put their attention on the positive outcome that they want, rather than the current negative situation they don’t.</li></ol><figure class="image image-style-align-center"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/energy_healing3_a799de95aa.jpg"></figure><hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">I bring my attention to the constant inner presence in the heart that we’re gifted when we meditate with Heartfulness regularly and sincerely.</h4><hr><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/energy_healing4_b0a3ffd2e3.jpg"><hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">“Where attention goes, energy flows.”</h4><hr>For example, if they can’t sleep, we don’t focus on “I want to be free of these sleeping problems,” but rather, they picture themselves waking up happy and refreshed in the morning, full of positive energy. They connect with how that will feel, and experience joy and gratitude as if they have it now. If they do this while the work is going on, it is especially powerful. The more they keep this changed perspective through their daily lives, the better.Then the session begins. We identify the imbalances in the person’s system which need to be released, and use a simple technique to release them. But I can’t help feeling that this and other healing methods are a little superfluous, as the essentials of the work are established in those initial 3 steps.&nbsp;Those 3 steps are a sort of prayer for a particular manifestation, and perhaps it is the ultimate destination of any healer to end up in a place where the healing occurs through prayer alone.I’ve started to move in this direction with some more pioneering clients, using a method I call “Accelerated Healing,” which bypasses the need to identify each individual imbalance. It uses the release technique to release or rebalance whatever needs it, to bring the result they want. I find the results to be at least as effective as an established modality. It’s a step in the direction of where I suspect healing will ultimately take me.<figure class="image image-style-align-center"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/energy_healing5_53a3332abf.jpg"></figure><hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">Illustrations by JASMEE MUDGAL</h4><hr><img>

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