Jacqueline is the author of two books on spirituality, Wonder and Words and Oceans and Clouds. She has been practicing Heartfulness meditation for over thirty years and is also a Chinese medicine practitioner in France and Switzerland.

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Jacqueline Camisa

<h5 style="text-align: justify">
 JACQUELINE CAMISA explores the nature of the heart, and invites us all
 to experience its wonders.
</h5>

<hr class="vertical-space1" />


 The heart is a fascinating organ to explore, not only for cardiologists.
 Because of its central position, its role is paramount for physical
 health, but who amongst us knows that it also has the upper hand over
 intelligence, thought, judgment, discernment and caring about others?
 Even more, it manages in a masterful way a third, even subtler level –
 our evolution.


 In these days of globalization, with the problems that have arisen, is
 the current instability that we see among human beings being addressed?
 If it is possible for a good gardener to care for and save plants that
 are threatened, is it not possible to do the same by going directly to
 the heart of human nature, and so treat and care for man’s heart? This
 is certainly an ambitious initiative, yet pragmatic and urgent.


 We all feel our heartbeat, this relay point between the animate and the
 inanimate. The heart beats, gets excited, and sometimes misses beats. A
 doctor checks blood pressure and pulse rate, monitors the heart through
 an ECG,&nbsp; performs ultrasound echography, and sometimes does deeper
 functional exploration to secure our physical health, and physical
 exercise and diet contribute to fitness and well-being. Despite all our
 care and efforts the day comes, however, when the heart stops. This is
 the end of our earthly existence. But is it the end of life? This life
 has been infused by the heart, because it is through the heart that life
 is transmitted.

<hr />
<h5 style="text-align: center">
 This life has been infused by the heart, 
 because it is through the heart 
 that life is transmitted.
</h5>
<hr />

 This was revealed in Chinese documents several thousand years ago, in
 which the heart is presented as the conductor of our body symphony. From
 the third week of pregnancy, a ‘little heart’, known as the heart tube
 by embryologists, is already active, generating our organs and
 organizing their physiology, and transforming us continually. Ultimately
 it is helping us evolve. Elaboration and organization, transformation
 and, finally, evolution are the three stages attributed to the heart.


 By giving ‘the little heart’ the name ‘the door of destiny’, Chinese
 philosophy attests the possibility of evolution beyond the physical
 body. So let’s look at the heart in its various stages and rhythms.

<h5 style="text-align: justify">
 The physical level
</h5>

 Physical evolution in human beings has been very slow and rather
 limited. On one hand it has taken thousands of years for human beings to
 reach the stage they are today. On the other hand our parents and their
 descendants’ genetic data continue to impose their limitations. Even in
 the most favorable conditions we can only hope to be a little taller and
 a little more developed physically than our ancestors, as this will
 always be within the limits of a genetic program. To change the color of
 our skin or to stem old age is impossible for us, despite all the
 creams, cosmetics and vitamins displayed on the attractive shelves of
 health food shops.


 The physical body is a temporary but necessary vehicle to carry us
 further through this adventure of life towards another more subtle
 level. And what is that? Perhaps it is the mind level. We are tempted to
 believe so.

<h5 style="text-align: justify">
 The mind level
</h5>

 <img alt="spiritual-relationship" class="lazyload w-100"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/globalization_through_the_heart_img1_ba96eb5b6b.jpg?updated_at=2023-03-30T13:00:34.248Z" />Since
 the Greeks, the mind continues to be the favorite playground of
 the Western world. We just have to look at our bookshelves. This
 academic affluence is proof of an interest to educate and instruct over
 the long term. However, has it really brought about real human
 transformation?


 Fascinating as they are, have all the mental speculations helped us to
 develop simple wisdom embodied in our daily behavior? Or, even more
 modestly, do we now find a simple state of balance in human character in
 general? The present human context raises serious doubts.


 Besides this already distressing observation, we know that we only use
 around 10% of our mental capacity. This&nbsp; compels us to humbly
 acknowledge that our most ambitious and remarkable initiatives are
 accomplished within such a narrow frame that our mental vision exists
 within a very thin beam. We focus upon this thin beam to the extent that
 we are blind to everything outside its sphere.


 If we add to this the intense and accelerated media frenzy bombarding us
 day after day, the question of us having a mind capable of raising us is
 under question. How can we evolve when the mind is becoming heavier and
 heavier? Sensations, passions, urges and desires generate prejudice,
 habits and thought patterns. As the mind becomes heavier, it is less
 qualified to help us reach a higher level of consciousness.


 The brain does, however, have a constant regeneration capacity. So is it
 right to keep it functioning at an optimal level. Reading, attending
 lectures, doing crosswords, mental calculations, games, art therapy,
 yoga, tai qi, chi gong, music and other activities boost our physical
 and psychic energies, but is all this sufficient to lead us to a more
 subtle level? A change of paradigm is required to rise vertically. As
 Einstein said, “No problem can be solved from the same level of
 consciousness that created it.”


 So we must pass on to another stage, subtler than the mind level, for
 our evolution. This is the level of the soul, or the&nbsp;cause of our
 existence.

<h5>The causal level, the soul</h5>

 <img alt="spiritual-relationship" class="lazyload w-100"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/globalization_through_the_heart_img2_36902042c3.jpg?updated_at=2023-03-30T13:01:15.307Z" />To
 consider the soul as being only within the domain of religion is
 another obstacle on the path of a well understood evolution. This
 understanding appeared during the Age of Enlightenment in the 18th
 century.


 When the scientific, rationalist mind tried to free itself from
 religious dominance, there was significant collateral damage: that of
 assigning the soul only to the field of religion. For a certain time
 this prevented any serious observation and scientific experimentation on
 the causal level of our existence.


 But the human soul belongs to no domain, no institution and no religion.
 It belongs to each one of us because we all have a heart. Wherever we
 were born, and whatever our previous cultural, religious (or
 nonreligious) and community background, the soul level is our common
 identity card. It is our only passport to exit from this life to the
 next stage. Today, research on the world of the spirit is evident
 everywhere, in all cultures, and more and more there is a call for inner
 experimentation, even scientific experimentation.

<hr />
<h5 style="text-align: center">
 The human soul belongs to no domain, 
 no institution and no religion. 
 It belongs to each one of us because we all have a heart. 
 Wherever we were born, and 
 whatever our previous cultural, religious (or 
 non-religious) and community background, 
 the soul level is our common identity card. 
 It is our only passport to exit from this life to the next stage.
</h5>
<hr />

 All ancient traditions were aware of the spiritual level of existence.
 The ancient Indian tradition claimed that a regulated and clear mind
 allows access to spiritual spheres. For example, in Raja Yoga, as a
 first step we go deep inside ourselves through meditation to experience
 the vast inner world, and then make use of these discoveries to embody
 them in daily life in a pragmatic way. A mind conscious of the unity of
 everything through experience, and no longer influenced by dogmas and
 theories, becomes calm and keen to care about others, while assuming its
 personal responsibilities.


 Ancient Chinese wisdom recommended meditation, so that men could become
 “true men,” “real men”. Chinese medicine is the practical application of
 these discoveries in the health field through inner experimentation.
 Wise men, real men, of all cultures have always condensed their
 experiences into a few words, such as sutras or aphorisms. Here again
 there has been collateral damage throughout human history, as disciples
 and commentators who have not had the same personal experiences have
 distorted their meaning through interpretation and created dogma from
 their contents. This shows just how much the still narrow beam has
 remained powerless to infuse a rise in consciousness. This is also the
 reason why everywhere in the world the subtle essence of spirituality
 has remained hidden under various and numerous religious expressions.


 Between the spirit, which surpasses our earthly destiny, and the means
 we have to determine our destiny, the heart is our laboratory where
 wonders occur. To put it simply, we can change everything through the
 heart. The heart is joy, laughter, gratitude and love.

<hr />
<h5 style="text-align: center">
 Let us dare to experience this heart globalization. 
 We all have the opportunity to experience this realm, 
 a space with no right of property, 
 with equal access by all, to be shared fraternally. 
 In fact this is its universal value.
</h5>
<hr />

 Let us dare to experience this heart globalization. We all have the
 opportunity to experience this realm, a space with no right of property,
 with equal access by all, to be shared fraternally. In fact this is its
 universal value.

<hr />
<h5 style="text-align: center">Article by JACQUELINE CAMISA</h5>
<hr />

Globalization Through the Heart

Allen (1864-1912) was a British mystic and philosopher, known for his inspirational books and poetry and as a pioneer of the self-help movement. Born in Leicester, England, to a working-class family, he left school at fifteen to support the family, after his father died. In 1903 he retired to devote himself to writing and moved with his wife and daughter to a small cottage in Devon, where he spent the rest of his life. As A Man Thinketh has influenced many contemporary writers and has inspired millions to recognize that our visions can become reality, simply through the power of thought.

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James Allen

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 <img
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/collectorsedition_img_97d38e9149.jpg?updated_at=2023-03-29T11:43:31.955Z" class="has-img-center" />
</div>
&nbsp;
Until thought is linked with purpose, there is no
 intelligent accomplishment. With the majority, the barque of thought is allowed to ‘drift’ upon the ocean of life.
 Aimlessness is a vice, and such drifting must not continue for him who would steer clear of catastrophe and
 destruction.
They who have no central purpose in their life fall an easy prey to petty worries,
 fears, troubles and self-pitying. All of these are indications of weakness, which lead, just as surely as
 deliberately planned sins (though by a different route), to failure, unhappiness and loss, for weakness cannot
 persist in a power-evolving universe.
A man should conceive of a legitimate purpose in his heart and set out to accomplish it.
 He should make this purpose the centralising point of his thoughts. It may take the form of a spiritual ideal or it
 may be a worldly object, according to his nature at the time being. But whichever it is, he should steadily focus
 his thought-forces upon the object which he has set before him. He should make this purpose his supreme duty, and
 should devote himself to its attainment, not allowing his thoughts to wander away into ephemeral fancies, longings
 and imaginings. This is the royal road to self-control and true concentration of thought.
Even if he fails again and again to accomplish his purpose (as he necessarily must until
 weakness is overcome), the strength of character gained will be the measure of his true success, and this will form
 a new starting point for future power and triumph.
Those who are not prepared for the apprehension of a great purpose should fix the
 thoughts upon the faultless performance of their duty, no matter how insignificant their task may appear. Only in
 this way can the thoughts be gathered and focused, and resolution and energy be developed, which being done there is
 nothing which may not be accomplished.

<h4 class="fs-5 lh-lg">Read the complete article in Issue 14 </h4>
<h4 class="fs-5 lh-lg"><a style="color: #cc9a37;"
 href="https://www.heartfulnessmagazine.com/subscribe/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">SUBSCRIBE
 &amp; DOWNLOAD</a></h4>
<hr />

<h4 class="fs-5 lh-lg text-center">From As a Man Thinketh by JAMES ALLEN</h4>
<hr />

Thought and purpose

<h4>JAMES ALLEN is known for his simple and clear explanations of the human condition. In this excerpt from As a Man Thinketh, Allen explores the nature of thought and purpose.</h4>&nbsp;Until thought is linked with purpose, there is no intelligent accomplishment. With the majority, the barque of thought is allowed to ‘drift’ upon the ocean of life. Aimlessness is a vice, and such drifting must not continue for him who would steer clear of catastrophe and destruction.They who have no central purpose in their life fall an easy prey to petty worries, fears, troubles and selfpitying. All of these are indications of weakness, which lead, just as surely as deliberately planned sins (though by a different route), to failure, unhappiness and loss, for weakness cannot persist in a power-evolving universe.A man should conceive of a legitimate purpose in his heart and set out to accomplish it. He should make this purpose the centralising point of his thoughts. It may take the form of a spiritual ideal or it may be a worldly object, according to his nature at the time being. But whichever it is, he should steadily focus his thought-forces upon the object which he has set before him. He should make this purpose his supreme duty, and should devote himself to its attainment, not allowing his thoughts to wander away into ephemeral fancies, longings and imaginings. This is the royal road to self-control and true concentration of thought.<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">The will to do springs from the knowledge that we can do. Doubt and fear are the great enemies of knowledge, and he who encourages them, who does not slay them, thwarts himself at every step.</h4><hr>Even if he fails again and again to accomplish his purpose (as he necessarily must until weakness is overcome), the strength of character gained will be the measure of his true success, and this will form a new starting point for future power and triumph.Having conceived of his purpose, a man should mentally mark out a straight pathway to its achievement, looking neither to the right nor the left. Doubts and fears should be rigorously excluded. They are disintegrating elements, which break up the straight line of effort, rendering it crooked, ineffectual and useless. Thoughts of doubt and fear never accomplished anything and never can. They always lead to failure. Purpose, energy, power to do, and all strong thoughts cease when doubt and fear creep in.The will to do springs from the knowledge that we can do. Doubt and fear are the great enemies of knowledge, and he who encourages them, who does not slay them, thwarts himself at every step.<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">He who has conquered doubt and fear has conquered failure. His every thought is allied with power, and all difficulties are bravely met and wisely overcome.</h4><hr>He who has conquered doubt and fear has conquered failure. His every thought is allied with power, and all difficulties are bravely met and wisely overcome. His purposes are seasonably planted, and they bloom and bring forth fruit which does not fall prematurely to the ground.<h4 style="text-align:center;"> Chapter 4, As a Man Thinketh,&nbsp;1902</h4><hr>

Thought and Purpose

<img class="lazyload has-img-center"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/collectorsedition_img_92a76863f3.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-02T05:31:52.018Z"
 alt="Collectorsedition-img" />

Of all the beautiful truths pertaining to the soul which have been restored and brought
 to light in this age, none is more gladdening or fruitful of divine promise and confidence than this – that man is
 the master of thought, the moulder of character, and the maker and shaper of condition, environment and destiny.

As a being of Power, Intelligence and Love, and the lord of his own thoughts, man holds
 the key to every situation, and contains within himself that transforming and regenerative agency by which he may
 make himself what he wills.

Man is always the master, even in his weakest and most abandoned state, but in his
 weakness and degradation he is the foolish master who misgoverns his ‘household’. When he begins to reflect upon his
 condition, and to search diligently for the Law upon which his being is established, he then becomes the wise
 master, directing his energies with intelligence, and fashioning his thoughts to fruitful issues. Such is the
 conscious master, and man can only thus become by discovering within himself the laws of thought; which discovery is
 totally a matter of application, self analysis and experience.

<h4>Read the complete article in Issue 14 </h4>
<h4><a style="color: #cc9a37;" href="//www.heartfulnessmagazine.com/subscribe/"
 target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">SUBSCRIBE &amp; DOWNLOAD</a></h4>
<hr />

<h4 style="text-align: center;">From As a Man Thinketh by JAMES ALLEN</h4>
<hr />

The conscious master

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James Baldwin

Facing our wounds

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James Clear

Mastery

Jamie is a natural medium, clairvoyant and clairaudient. She uses her abilities as a mediumship teacher to help people evolve and awaken to their own psychic abilities. In 2011, she created <a href="http://www.withloveandlight.com/">The Center for Love and Light</a>.&nbsp;The Center continues to evolve and host teachers, healers, and lecturers from all over the globe. Her latest venture is <a href="http://www.thelightersidenetwork.com/">The Lighter Side Network</a>.&nbsp;

Jamie Butler.webp

Jamie Butler

<hr><h4>JAMIE BUTLER, healer and medium, founded The Lighter Side Network in 2017. Here she speaks with EMMA IVATURI about consciousness, belief, feeling stuck, growing pains, intuition and synchronicity.</h4>&nbsp;<img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/vibrations2_f9a0a247f3.jpg">&nbsp;Q: Can you elaborate on how the brain works as a receptor and filter for the countless vibrations around us every moment?JB: Our brain is not just an organ that runs neurons and sends messages throughout our body. It is also a great transmitter and receiver, much like a radio. In fact, many of our thoughts are not originally ours, but come because of our ability to receive the energy vibrations from all around us. Working this way, our brain can easily be overwhelmed and bombarded with information. Our ability to focus on what we want to attract is how we filter out all the unwanted vibrations on a daily basis. But it is also the way we are able to attract all the things we don’t desire, because we spend time worrying, living in fear and feeling victimized. What you are focused on is what your energy field resonates with. Like attracts like.Let’s say you are pretending to ‘play small’, whether you are pretending to be a mouse or you are pulling in your great charisma to allow someone else to shine. When you do this, you are saying you are willing to receive all the energy around you – from people, from the room, from conversations, from the history of the room, from plants and animals that match this version of ‘playing small’, even though it is not your true nature. The energy you are receiving is going to be the energy you are putting out. We can see now the vicious cycle this can create.We can take this in another direction too. Let’s say you are pretending to be confident, to earn a position at work or to impress a love interest. You adopt a confident posture and spoken language and your energy patterns follow suit. Now, your energy field is vibrating with confidence. All the worry energy in the room is unlikely to vibrate with you any more hence you won’t receive it nor process it.I like this example better. Even reading it allows my energy to fluff up and feel better, however, I have free will and can immediately change this feeling by thinking of all the difficult situations in life and at work. As soon as I begin to focus on all the things going ‘wrong’, I vibrate with things going wrong. I air-quote the word ‘wrong’ because I don’t necessarily believe there is a right or a wrong, but this is the way we use our language to express the situations we don’t want.To help filter and attract the vibrations needed to grow, we must be conscious of our energy. This means being aware of our intent, emotions, thoughts and imagination. What are they expressing? What are they attracting? This simple act gives us insight into the subtle light world around, which is constantly offering information to better our lives.<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">Through my decades of working with subtle light energy, techniques are nothing unless we believe in them. It is time to detangle ourselves from being triggered to stay within the same patterns that hold us hostage.</h4><hr>Q: Our conscious experience is but a small bandwidth of what we pick up on. How can we expand our awareness to integrate information we perceive less clearly that would otherwise create a cognitive dissonance?JB: Expanding our bandwidth of consciousness begins with understanding who we believe we are. In this current lifetime, our body is our instrument and our belief systems are the dial to broaden or narrow how we use this instrument. If we want to receive more clarity it is time to get into the gray areas, to step away from right or wrong, black and white, and the learned belief systems that are not working for us.Through my decades of working with subtle light energy, techniques are nothing unless we believe in them. It is time to detangle ourselves from being triggered to stay within the same patterns that hold us hostage.Next time you feel stuck try this:Center your energy into a neutral space. You can do this through a few minutes of steady breathing.Imagine you are without any attachment. Seriously, use that incredible imagination of yours! Imagination and intuition are roommates and share the same space. When you engage your imagination you are creating more room for intuition to use. Once you can imagine that there is any possible outcome, you are allowing new truths to enter into your consciousness.Mantras can help you create a single focus and allow different energies to come into your energy field to create the changes you are seeking.The mantra I use is: deep breath, re-access, change your perspective.Another mantra is: if you want to remain constant, always change.From this space begin to assess the images and messages coming to you. Please keep disciplining the monkey mind to stay in the ‘gray’ and un-triggered by the images and messages. Grab a pencil and paper and start to document what is coming through.Once you are done writing, walk away. If you can go into nature, allow the outdoors to calm and soothe your energy while continuing to hold the flow of ideas expanding your understanding, connection and energy. When you are activating your body with movement, you are helping these energies to merge with your new discoveries and belief systems.When you feel full or done, go back to writing and jot down your discoveries. Be sure to write keywords that will reconnect you with the ‘ahha’ moments. Re-read your notes frequently. This will help you incorporate your discoveries instead of them being fleeting moments.<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">When life presents you with chaos,&nbsp; congested energy, a feeling of being stuck,&nbsp; hitting walls or whatever you feel awful about,&nbsp; reach in and pull out acceptance, kindness and surrender and see where the nudge takes you.&nbsp; I bet you will find there is ease to this enlightenment.&nbsp; I trust you will begin to notice how the world around you is supporting you</h4><hr>Q: Sometimes we misread the growing pains as we outgrow our current circumstances and are pushed into the next level of evolution. Perhaps the next step may not be clear and a leap of faith is needed to let go and surrender to where we’re going. How do you bridge the gap between these life phases?JB: Bridging the gap between life phases requires the art of acceptance, kindness and surrender. Each shift in our evolution is asking for us to change our beliefs. This can be a tremendous burden to the ego and the heart. I have noticed in the last 27 years of being a medium, there are certain ideals to which we hold strong culturally: these include gaining knowledge, loyalty and politeness. These ideals often lead us into shame and dissonance. When we are trained to value these ideals we create suffering and pain when it is time to grow.Let’s look at acceptance, kindness and surrender, and how these three actions can shift our cultural ideals and ease our way while we are becoming enlightened.When we are taught acceptance from a young age, we transcend loyalty to provide self-care, we transcend the need to gain knowledge with the comfort of the unknown, and we transcend politeness to find authenticity over.When we show kindness to ourselves, we find that loyalty is actually an expression of love not discipline, the act of gaining knowledge is an expression of curiosity, and the use of politeness is the desire to create peace.When we surrender, our truth is found. Surrendering allows us to accept not only possible outcomes but also the very real impossible outcomes. It allows us to walk away from loyalty when it was created out of guilt, regret or fear, and break commitments that no longer serve us. Surrendering allows us to stop comparing and contrasting our every move, to understand who we are and look at the very deep inner light for guidance. It also allows us to see that true politeness can be based in honesty and not the lens of praise.&nbsp;<img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/vibrations3_a518152a4c.jpg">&nbsp;When life presents you with chaos, congested energy, a feeling of being stuck, hitting walls or whatever you feel awful about, reach in and pull out acceptance, kindness and surrender and see where the nudge takes you. I bet you will find there is ease to this enlightenment. I trust you will begin to notice how the world around you is supporting you.Q: Can you speak about the energies we take on from other people and act out with them in relation to our own character work?JB: When we are in communication with someone else it is natural for us to connect to them empathically. This helps us understand them. Our own energy will mimic what the other person’s energy is vibrating and therefore we will hold their pattern in our energy field. Sometimes people will continue to hold that pattern even after the communication is over. They can even take on other person’s energy.I have seen through the years of working as a medium and healer that we are emotional beings. Our first and foremost ability is to feel emotionally: the rest of life follows suit. Once we can identify that we are emotional beings, we begin to observe the amount of energy it takes to maintain our emotions. Everything we do, think and feel is all empowered by energy. Our chakra system, the energetic highways and byways, contains all the possible energetic vibrations and the way we use our emotions dictates the responses of the chakras. Knowing this we can see how natural it is for us to be empathic, having the ability to connect to how others feel.Empathy is a powerful tool but sometimes misused. When we are feeling what another is going through, we often come to believe it is ourselves feeling this way. Our brain is not trained to ask, “Is this feeling mine?” so we begin to believe whatever we are feeling must belong to us. However, I feel there is no guideline on the kind of work we need to do to evolve. There is no one judging your performance except you. This life is a very personal experience and only you can decide what needs to be done to reach the goals you have aligned for yourself. The only true common denominator I can speak to is our ability to feel emotions and have our needs met.<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">Synchronicities pop up in our life when we are agreeing to align ourselves with our truth, that is, when we are ‘in the flow’. For me, synchronicities are not road signs directing us to change directions, but gentle reminders to stay the course.</h4><hr>Q: How can we cultivate a more natural alignment to our intuition?JB: Start building your trust with your intuition through these little activities:THE REAL YES AND NOTake the time to acknowledge how your five senses react to the words ‘yes’ and ‘no’. What color, feeling, location, sensation, taste, sound and more do these words evoke in you? You can use simple yes or no questions to engage your intuition on the myriad of decisions you make on a daily basis.DOCUMENTATION PLEASEWrite down in a list all the intuitive experiences you have throughout the day, even if they are very small and do not seem to be worth much. At the end of the day, go back and put a checkmark next to the ones that played out to be accurate with good insight. You might find it is a full day or week later before you get your validation. Having this on paper allows your brain to see it documented.&nbsp;<img class="image_resized" style="width:602px !important;" src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/vibrations4_4931e8f75f.jpg">&nbsp;WORD ASSOCIATIONPay attention to your words. Most of the time we’re trying to express our intuition, yet our language does not provide accurate words to convey it. Words like ‘lucky’, ‘coincidence’, ‘bright idea’, ‘ah- ha’ are all indicators of intuition. Be confident to share information without knowing the source of its origin. For that is a very intuitive thing!TRUST FALLBuilding trust in your intuition allows it to be stronger. When you find yourself doubting, step back. Claim your intuitive place as a no-doubt zone! When you are doubting, you are not connecting and you are not trusting your experience. Step back, take a breath, and begin to ask very simple yes and no questions about what you are experiencing.BE EFFORTLESSIntuition does not need you. As soon as you insert your voice, you could be wanting to control, compare, contrast and measure your intuition as if it were a logical experience. When you let go and become effortless with answers or intuition, your accuracy level increases.Q: How do synchronicities point us in the right direction in our lives? What are some you’ve experienced?JB: Synchronicities pop up in our life when we are agreeing to align ourselves with our truth, that is, when we are ‘in the flow’. For me, synchronicities are not road signs directing us to change directions, but gentle reminders to stay the course. Synchronicities have helped me create my businesses, especially The Lighter Side Network. I did not have a vision to create an online network, but the universe kept putting people in my path who brought out the creative in me. Once I acknowledged this, I began to see my path clearly. The Lighter Side Network is now over one year old and growing.<hr><a href="http://www.jamiebutlermedium.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">www.jamiebutlermedium.com</a> <a href="http://www.thelightersidenetwork.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">www.thelightersidenetwork.com</a> <a href="http://www.withloveandlight.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">www.withloveandlight.com</a><hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">Interviewed by EMMA IVATURI</h4><hr>

Vibrations

Jane Austen (1775-1817) was an English author, who 6 major novels are still some of the most popular in the English language, and have been made into films and TV series. She particularly used realism, irony, and social commentary to highlight the standing of women at the time.

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Jane Austen

Being with trees

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Jane Goodall

Each one of us

What you do makes a difference

Dialogue

Janine Burke And Mirta Valdes

Janmarie is the CEO of a construction company. A wife, mother and grandmother, Janmarie has spent her adult life bringing heart into predominately male spaces. It’s a continual journey of exploring the heart’s capacity to open, uplift and transcend life’s circumstances. She enjoys seeing this unfold through her volunteer work serving underprivileged Latino youth, and in her work as a certified trainer with the Heartfulness Institute.

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JANMARIE CONNOR

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 <h4>
 <hr class="vertical-space1" />
 </h4>
 <h4>
 JANMARIE CONNOR explores some practical
 ways to create harmony and balance where there is tension, conflict and
 disagreement. How can polar opposites coexist?
 </h4>
 
 <hr class="vertical-space1" />
 
 
 Years ago, I facilitated a weekend workshop with a group of Catholic
 Sisters. They were having great difficulty envisioning a way forward for
 their religious community. From their vantage point, the world they knew,
 including the Church and their place in it, was on its head. Their capacity
 to meet the needs of the inner-city population they served was strained. The
 Sisters’ advancing age and shrinking numbers made it increasingly difficult
 to fulfill their mission. And their mission was bound to their reason for
 being – their purpose in life.
 
 
 The complexity of the situation and the chaotic circumstances around them
 had taken a toll on these dedicated women. Fractures began to appear within
 the group, resembling the fractures in the community they served, and in the
 broader societal landscape. Individual perspectives on how or how not to
 advance had become hardened and polarized. Even simple decisions, like where
 to have lunch, required facilitation. By their own account, the group
 members were feeling isolated, angry and sorrowful.
 
 <h4 style="text-align: justify">
 Sound familiar?
 </h4>
 
 The sisters might have been channeling the voice of our present collective
 experience. You don’t have to go far to find an angry disagreement on just
 about anything under the sun. Rigid perspectives and emotional outbursts are
 no longer confined to topics on religious, economic and political power,
 although they remain root culprits. For example, an online forum of
 neighborhood birdwatchers that I previously enjoyed is now off my list after
 several group members came to verbal blows. Was it a Black-headed Grosbeak
 or a Spotted Towhee? It wasn’t a battle over the birds, per se. It was a
 battle of who was right and who was wrong, and neither side would relent.
 Whichever side you were on depended on your vantage point – quite literally.
 
 <h4 style="text-align: justify">
 How have we come to this?
 </h4>
 
 We are under an extraordinary amount of pressure as a society, with problems
 so big they boggle the mind. No need to name them as we can all fill in the
 blanks. If left unchecked, this sort of pressure short-circuits our ability
 to stay grounded and make space for a variety of perspectives which are
 needed for creative problem solving. The greater the pressure or complexity,
 the more polarized the reaction.
 
 <hr class="vertical-space1" />
 
 <hr />
 
 <h5 style="text-align: center">
 If left unchecked, this sort of pressure short-circuits our ability
 to stay grounded and make space for a variety of perspectives
 which are needed for creative problem solving.
 The greater the pressure or complexity,
 the more polarized the reaction.
 </h5>
 
 <hr />
 
 
 <hr class="vertical-space1" />
 <img
 alt="zero-balancing-point2"
 class="w-100 lazyload"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/zero_balancing_point2_f3764c524c.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-12T12:55:26.202Z"
 />
 <hr class="vertical-space1" />
 
 <h4 style="text-align: justify">
 Fortunately for us – an expanded vantage point on polarity
 </h4>
 
 It is our good fortune that there is a principle inherent within polarity
 that eases the pressure and provides a bridge which unites divergent poles
 and perspectives. When we think of a polarity, we think in terms of
 dualistic pairs: up-down, good-bad, right-wrong, etc.
 
 
 Polarity can be described as two sides possessing a high degree of contrary
 tension, as in the positive and negative poles of a magnet or the
 Israeli-Palestinian conflict. In cases of extreme polarity, it is easy to
 believe that polar opposites cannot co-exist. But the integrative principle
 is operative at every level, until such a high level is reached where
 opposites no longer exist. Nature provides endless examples.
 
 
 We find it easy to accept tension in contrast when appreciating color or
 pairing flavors in a recipe. Opposing colors on a chromatic wheel are called
 complementary contrasts. Our sensory perception heightens the contrast while
 our brain works to unify it, resulting in a coherent experience. It’s a
 hard-wired response.
 
 
 According to The Art of Color, by Johannes Itten, “Two such colors
 make a strange pair … they require each other. They incite each other to
 maximum vividness when adjacent; and they annihilate each other, to
 gray-black, when mixed – like fire and water.”
 
 
 <hr class="vertical-space1" />
 <img
 alt="zero-balancing-point3"
 class="has-img-center lazyload"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/zero_balancing_point3_fd40f0b08a.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-12T12:55:26.133Z"
 />
 <hr class="vertical-space1" />
 
 
 Bringing water to the fire is a nice analogy for finding balance in our
 polarized world. From this expanded vantage point, we can have faith in our
 and others’ inherent ability to integrate what presents as fixed positions
 and polarities. In the material realm, we are crossing the bridge from
 reaction to response.
 Now we have possibilities for a more balanced way forward.
 
 <h4 style="text-align: justify">
 Even greater fortune awaits us
 </h4>
 
 Even greater fortune awaits us when we begin exploring this same inherent
 principle, but now in the subtler realms. Take another look at the color
 wheel. Consider again that opposites require one another when divining a
 more holistic and balanced life flow. Now look at the gray circle at the
 center and consider it as the heart of the wheel. And the white space around
 it as the field that supports the wheel. Has the gray circle in the center
 been formed by the opposing color pairs, or vice versa? And could the color
 wheel even exist without the field?
 
 
 Dr. Joe Dispenza beautifully describes this:
 
 
 “The heart serves as our connection to the unified field and represents the
 union of duality or polarity. It is where separation, division, and
 polarized energy merge to become one – where opposites unify.”
 
 
 The heart waits patiently for us to shine the light of our attention on it.
 When we do this, through heart-focused meditation, we begin to experience
 the union of polarities that Dr. Dispenza describes. And when we approach
 the heart with humility and an openness toward what we might discover, our
 union can take us to indescribable heights. It’s as if the loving light of
 our attention is mirrored in the heart, and the heart shines back on us.
 
 
 From this vantage point, balance is very real, and practical. We are
 released from the play of action and reaction. We are given divine resource,
 allowing the heart, the field, and all of the contrast to carry out their
 unified purpose.
 
 
 <hr class="vertical-space1" />
 
 
 <img
 alt="zero-balancing-point4"
 class="w-100 lazyload"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/zero_balancing_point4_89ae8fe029.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-12T12:55:26.245Z"
 />
 
 <hr class="vertical-space1" />
 
 
 <hr />
 
 <h5 style="text-align: center">
 “The heart serves as our connection to the unified field
 and represents the union of duality or polarity.
 It is where separation, division,&nbsp;and polarized energy merge&nbsp;to become one – where opposites unify.”
 – Dr. Joe Dispenza
 </h5>
 
 <hr />
 
 
 <hr class="vertical-space1" />
 
 <h4>What happened to the Sisters?</h4>
 
 You might wonder what happened to the Sisters. Me too. I can tell you this
 much. They came to the weekend with pressure to consider ten vital questions
 and to make movement in some direction. We spent the first half of our
 weekend in silence, standing side by side on a masking tape line. The line
 represented Zero. It was the position in the room without a position. It
 held the heart, the field, and the Sisters. It was where they were silently
 reacquainted with the Essence of their mission – their reason for being. It
 was the place where they stood together, with open hearts, tenderly
 receiving come what may.
 
 
 And from this line, vantage point zero, they moved. There were ten lines in
 front of zero and ten lines behind. They allowed their hearts and bodies to
 move them to the place on the scale which matched their degree of resonance
 with the question. And between each question they returned to vantage point
 zero. Not long after the weekend, I received a letter from one of the
 Sisters. She ended by saying she would carry the experience with her for the
 rest of her life.
 
 <hr class="vertical-space1" />
 
 <hr />
 
 <h4 style="text-align: center">
 Article by JANMARIE CONNOR Illustrations by ANANYA PATEL
 </h4>
 
 <hr />
 
</div>

The zero balancing point

Jasmee is a graphic designer with Heartfulness Magazine, and she is also a Klayzen potter. She aspires to open a studio where underprivileged women from the villages can make art and support themselves.

Jasmee-Mudgal.jpg

Jasmee Mudgal

<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<h3 class="text-color" style="color: #aa1a1a">AN ART ESSAY</h3>

<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<h4>
 JASMEE MUDGAL
 reflects on her love for Rumi, the much-loved 13th-century Persian
 poet.
</h4>

<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<img
 class="has-img-center lazyloaded"
 alt="rumi"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/rumi2_067ffbd7c2.jpg"
/>

<hr class="vertical-space1" />


 Rumi’s poetry has always touched my heart. Every line has some deep meaning,
 which also resembles my life. It looks simple, but every aspect reveals
 something real and mystical, and that’s what I am also looking for.



 I decided to paint Rumi, and I envisioned him as a colorful being. When I
 think about spirituality, I want to paint all the colors in my palette onto
 the canvas.


<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<img
 class="has-img-center lazyloaded"
 alt="rumi"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/rumi3_8280bdffaa.jpg"
/>

<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<img
 class="has-img-center lazyloaded"
 alt="rumi"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/rumi4_458909b545.jpg"
/>

<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<hr />

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

<hr />

<hr class="vertical-space1" />

Rumi

Jason is an exercise and nutrition expert, who began in the US Air Force, evolving into a certified coach specializing in fat loss, performance, and nutrition. Co-founder of ONE GYM in Greenville, SC, and creator of the Living Lean Blueprint, his work emphasizing personalized fitness solutions.

jason-nutting.webp

Jason Nutting

<h4 style="text-align:justify;">JASON NUTTING explores the benefits of mindful eating, and takes it to the next level by introducing a core principle of Heartfulness to bring about physical, mental, and spiritual well-being at mealtime.</h4>&nbsp;In a world where the pace of life seems to accelerate with each passing day, the ancient wisdom of Indian sage Patanjali offers a beacon of light, guiding us toward the virtues of mindfulness and moderation. Patanjali, revered for his Yoga Sutras, emphasized the importance of harmony between the body, mind, and spirit—a concept that feels more relevant now than ever, especially in the context of eating and well-being.<h4 style="text-align:justify;">The foundation of mindful eating</h4>Mindful eating is not just a practice but a philosophy. When embraced, it can transform our relationship with food. It’s about engaging all our senses, recognizing our responses to food, without judgment, and acknowledging our emotions and physical cues. This approach stands in stark contrast to today’s fast and often mindless eating habits, which contribute to weight gain and also detach us from the joy and nourishment food is meant to provide.<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:53.32%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/eating_slowly2_15ba877e28.webp" alt="eating-slowly2.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_eating_slowly2_15ba877e28.webp 145w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/large_eating_slowly2_15ba877e28.webp 400w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/eating_slowly2_15ba877e28.webp 400w," sizes="100vw"></figure><h4>Patanjali’s teachings and modern research on the art of eating</h4>Patanjali taught the importance of Sthira (steadiness) and Sukha (ease) in our practices, which can be beautifully applied to the act of eating. Eating slowly and with intention encourages a steadiness of mind and body, allowing for a deeper appreciation of each meal, promoting better digestion, and satisfying us with smaller portions.Research echoes these teachings, showing that slower, more mindful eating can lead to weight loss and improved health. A study in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics found that people who eat slowly tend to consume fewer calories, experience increased fullness and, ultimately, see a reduction in weight. Slow eating allows the body time to signal fullness, reducing the likelihood of overeating.<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">It’s about creating a moment of calm in our otherwise hectic day, turning a simple meal into an opportunity for meditation and reflection.</h4><hr><h4 style="text-align:justify;">Mindfulness and Heartfulness: a harmonious blend</h4>Mindful eating is deeply connected with the principles of Heartfulness, which include conscious awareness and heart-centeredness. One of the key Heartfulness principles advises us to eat in a state of inner connection, inviting us to tune in to our food and our bodies. It’s about creating a moment of calm in our otherwise hectic day, turning a simple meal into an opportunity for meditation and reflection.<h4 style="text-align:justify;">Ways to eat slowly and mindfully</h4><figure class="image image_resized" style="width:25%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/gratitude_5700896aab.webp" alt="gratitude.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_gratitude_5700896aab.webp 145w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/large_gratitude_5700896aab.webp 300w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/gratitude_5700896aab.webp 300w," sizes="100vw"></figure>Begin with gratitude:&nbsp; Before eating, take a moment to express gratitude for your meal.&nbsp; This can help center your mind and prepare you for a mindful eating experience.<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:25%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/use_senses_cc99d3fcf3.webp" alt="use-senses.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_use_senses_cc99d3fcf3.webp 145w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/large_use_senses_cc99d3fcf3.webp 300w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/use_senses_cc99d3fcf3.webp 300w," sizes="100vw"></figure>Use all your senses:&nbsp; Observe the colors, smell the aromas, and savor each bite. &nbsp;This not only enhances the experience but also slows down the pace of eating.<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:25%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/chew_thoroughly_1ffacb52e0.webp" alt="chew-thoroughly.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_chew_thoroughly_1ffacb52e0.webp 145w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/large_chew_thoroughly_1ffacb52e0.webp 300w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/chew_thoroughly_1ffacb52e0.webp 300w," sizes="100vw"></figure>Chew thoroughly:&nbsp; Make a conscious effort to chew your food multiple times.&nbsp; This aids digestion and gives your body time to recognize when it’s full.<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:25%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/put_down_utensils_716364901c.webp" alt="put-down-utensils.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_put_down_utensils_716364901c.webp 145w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/large_put_down_utensils_716364901c.webp 300w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/put_down_utensils_716364901c.webp 300w," sizes="100vw"></figure>Put down your utensils:&nbsp; Between mouthfuls, put down your utensils.&nbsp; This simple act can help pace your eating and encourage mindfulness.<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:25%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/eliminate_distractions_ab7f37d91e.webp" alt="eliminate-distractions.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_eliminate_distractions_ab7f37d91e.jpg 241w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/large_eliminate_distractions_ab7f37d91e.webp 300w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/eliminate_distractions_ab7f37d91e.webp 300w," sizes="100vw"></figure>Eliminate distractions:&nbsp; Turn off the TV and put away your phone.&nbsp; Eating without distractions encourages you to focus on the meal and your body’s cues.<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:25%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/pause_bad3ad0a69.webp" alt="pause.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_pause_bad3ad0a69.webp 145w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/large_pause_bad3ad0a69.webp 300w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/pause_bad3ad0a69.webp 300w," sizes="100vw"></figure>Check in with yourself:&nbsp; Pause periodically during the meal.&nbsp; This helps prevent overeating and promotes satisfaction with less food.<h4 style="text-align:justify;">Reflective questions to deepen your practice</h4><ul><li style="text-align:justify;">What emotions or thoughts arise when I eat slowly and without distractions? How do they differ from when I eat quickly or mindlessly?</li><li style="text-align:justify;">How does the practice of expressing gratitude before meals change my eating experience?</li><li style="text-align:justify;">In what ways can I incorporate the principles of Heartfulness into my daily eating habits?</li></ul>By integrating these practices into a daily routine, we embark on a journey not just toward weight loss, but toward a deeper connection with our food, our bodies, and ultimately, our inner selves. This mindful approach to eating, inspired by the wisdom of Patanjali and the principles of Heartfulness, offers a path to a healthier, more harmonious life.<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">Illustrations by LAKSHMI GADDAM</h4><hr>

Eating slowly

<h4 style="text-align:justify;">JASON NUTTING calls upon his experience as an exercise and nutrition specialist and a meditation practitioner to offer 3 strategies for breaking the cycle of stress eating. You may not have heard of them before, but his unconventional approach works!</h4>&nbsp;We’ve all been there. Staring down a bag of chips or a pint of ice cream, feeling the weight of the day’s stress pressing down. It’s almost as if that food is the answer to all your problems, even if just for a moment. But here’s the thing—while it might feel good in the short term, stress eating often leaves you feeling worse in the long run.As someone who’s been coaching clients on nutrition and wellness for over 15 years, I’ve seen first hand how common emotional eating is. In fact, more than 60 percent of my clients say they struggle with it. And that was before the world turned upside down with a global pandemic. Whether it’s stress, anxiety, sadness, boredom, or grief, turning to food for comfort is understandable. Food is more than just fuel—it’s tied to emotions, memories, and comfort. But when we start using it as a crutch, that’s when the cycle of stress eating begins.Stress eating is like putting a Band-Aid on a wound that needs stitches. It might cover up the problem temporarily, but it doesn’t heal it. And worse, it often makes us feel guilty afterward, perpetuating the cycle. So, whether you’re trying to help a friend or you’re looking for solutions for yourself, here are three strategies that might help. These aren’t your typical “just eat healthier” tips. They’re a little unexpected, but they just might be the key to breaking the cycle.<h4 style="text-align:justify;">Strategy 1: Permission to Overeat (Yes, Really)</h4>This might sound counterintuitive, but hear me out. Our brains love patterns, and when we stress eat, it’s often an automatic response to certain triggers—a stressful phone call, a difficult conversation, or even just a tough day at work. These triggers set off a chain reaction in our brains, leading to overeating without us even realizing it.Here’s a wild idea: Give yourself permission to overeat. Instead of trying to fight the urge, lean into it as a learning experience. When you allow yourself to overeat without judgment, you start to pay closer attention to what’s really going on. You might notice that every time you talk to a certain person, you reach for a snack. Or that you’re more likely to overeat when you’re bored or anxious.<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:50%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/stress_eating2_af2afce10b_1_05031e7199.jpg" alt="stress_eating2_af2afce10b (1).jpg" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_stress_eating2_af2afce10b_1_05031e7199.jpg 171w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/small_stress_eating2_af2afce10b_1_05031e7199.jpg 500w," sizes="100vw"></figure>By treating it as an experiment, you can start to identify your triggers. Once you know what’s causing the overeating, you can begin to address the root of the problem. And often, just giving yourself permission to overeat takes away the urge. When something isn’t forbidden, it loses some of its power over you.<h4 style="text-align:justify;">Strategy 2: Create a “Nourishment Menu”</h4>One of the most effective ways to break the cycle of stress eating is to create a “nourishment menu.” This isn’t a list of foods to eat—it’s a list of actions to take before you reach for that snack. Think of it as a way to interrupt the automatic response of stress eating.Here’s how it works: Before you reach for food, pick an action from your menu. It could be something as simple as taking three deep breaths, drinking a glass of water, or going for a short walk. The idea is to give yourself a moment to pause and check in with yourself. Are you really hungry, or are you just trying to soothe your emotions?&nbsp;<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:50%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/stress_eating3_edde55d21b_1_ec643557d9.jpg" alt="stress_eating3_edde55d21b (1).jpg" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_stress_eating3_edde55d21b_1_ec643557d9.jpg 171w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/small_stress_eating3_edde55d21b_1_ec643557d9.jpg 500w," sizes="100vw"></figure>&nbsp;Your nourishment menu should include actions that align with your values and goals. For example, if you value your relationships, calling a friend could be one of your options. If you value your health, maybe a quick workout or a few stretches would be a good choice.The key to making this work is to keep it simple and doable. Your menu should include options that take no more than 15 minutes—and ideally, you should have one or two options that take a minute or less. Keep any materials you need handy, like a water bottle or a notepad, so it’s easy to follow through.If you’re looking to connect more deeply with yourself and clear your mind, consider incorporating a mini Heartfulness Cleaning practice. Heartfulness Cleaning is a simple yet powerful technique to cleanse your mind of any accumulated stress, heaviness, and emotional burdens. It’s a way to reset and refocus, making it easier to address your true needs rather than reaching for food as a quick fix.Here’s how you can try it: Close your eyes and sit comfortably. Imagine that all the heaviness, impurities and complexities within you are being removed and leaving your system from your back, from your tailbone to the top of your head. Visualize them leaving your body in the form of smoke or vapor, dissolving into the atmosphere. This practice can take just a few minutes, but it can have a profound impact on your state of mind.To learn the whole process of cleaning, go to <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XrBojZA8YbA" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XrBojZA8YbA.</a><h4 style="text-align:justify;">Strategy 3: Practice Self-Compassion</h4>We’re often our own worst critics, especially when it comes to eating. Negative self-talk can be a powerful trigger for stress eating. “Why did I eat that?” “I’m such an idiot for finishing the whole bag.” Sound familiar? This kind of thinking doesn’t just make us feel bad—it can actually reinforce the cycle of stress eating.Here’s where self-compassion comes in. Instead of beating yourself up, try being kind to yourself. Acknowledge that stress eating is something many people struggle with, and it’s okay to have setbacks. When you approach yourself with kindness and understanding, you’re less likely to fall into the “screw it” mentality that leads to overeating.Self-compassion isn’t about giving yourself a free pass to eat whatever you want. It’s about recognizing that you’re human and that you’re doing your best. It’s about seeing the big picture and treating yourself with the same kindness you’d offer a friend.&nbsp;<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:50%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/stress_eating4_b25076e51e.jpg" alt="stress-eating4.jpg" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_stress_eating4_b25076e51e.jpg 157w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/small_stress_eating4_b25076e51e.jpg 500w," sizes="100vw"></figure><h4 style="text-align:justify;">Putting It All Together</h4>Stress eating is a complex problem, and there’s no one-size-fits-all solution. But by developing awareness, creating new habits, and practicing self-compassion, you can start to break the cycle. Remember, this isn’t about perfection—it’s about progress. Each time you pause before eating, choose an action from your nourishment menu, or practice self-compassion, you’re taking a step toward healthier habits.It’s also important to remember that your behavior around food doesn’t define you as a person. You are more than what you eat. So the next time you find yourself reaching for that snack out of stress or emotions, take a moment to check in with yourself. What do you really need? Is it food, or is it something else?By taking the time to understand your triggers, nourish yourself in other ways, and be kind to yourself, you can begin to change your relationship with food. It’s not an easy process, but it’s one that’s worth the effort. After all, the best way out of a difficult situation is through it. And you’re strong enough to make it through.<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">Stress eating is a complex problem, and there’s no one-size-fits-all solution. But by developing awareness, creating new habits, and practicing self-compassion, you can start to break the cycle.&nbsp;</h4><hr>

3 strategies for breaking the cycle of stress eating

Dr. Jayaram Thimmapuram is an academic hospitalist in internal medicine at Wellspan York hospital. He has a special interest in research and has several articles published in medical journals. He is a recipient of Gold Humanism award, outstanding teacher of the year and resident of the year awards. He has completed several research projects on Heartfulness meditation and its effect in lowering stress levels and burnout and improving sleep. He regularly conducts stress management workshops using Heartfulness meditation techniques for health care professionals and patients. He is a TEDx speaker.

Jay-Thimmapuram-img.jpg

Jay Thimmapuram

<hr><h4>DR. JAY THIMMAPURAM explores the science of loneliness and how it impacts our health and well-being. He also shares some simple things we can do in order to feel better about being alone without having to feel lonely.</h4><hr>Loneliness is a painful sense of isolation, a lack of belongingness and an absence of social contact. It refers to a discrepancy between social needs and their availability in the environment. Though humans are fundamentally wired to be social, we are slowly but surely drifting into the zone of loneliness. This perception of loneliness has been increasing with successive generations. Generation Z, our younger generation, are reportedly lonelier than any of the previous generations. It is also a fact that we are more digitally connected with people than any other time in the past, which seems to be a paradox.The consequences of loneliness are many. It poses a significant health problem for a sizeable sector of the population, leading to increased risks of depression, anxiety, suicidal ideation, behavior and health care utilization. There is also an increased risk of cardiovascular problems, and even Alzheimer’s disease. The odds of mortality go up significantly. Some studies suggest that the health consequences are almost equal to smoking 15 cigarettes per day. The data are striking. According to recent studies, more than 40 percent of the population feel lonely and left out. And the actual statistics may be higher, as loneliness is perceived as a stigma and often goes unmentioned. The 19th Surgeon General of the United States, Dr. Vivek Murthy, has pointed out that loneliness is an epidemic and has mentioned how he felt very lonely as a child and reported an associated sense of shame.This takes us to a much deeper aspect. Loneliness is often influenced by our relationship to our own self. When we feel lonely, we often erect a barrier around ourselves. This not only prevents others from coming to us, but also prevents us from stepping out of the barrier. As it is a self-created barrier, breaking it is rather difficult. The only way is to dissolve it! This barrier lies at the foundation of our own ideas of ourselves. We may be bogged down by feelings of inferiority or carried away by feelings of superiority. Both are ideas that we create for ourselves. It stems from a fundamental state of not being comfortable with ourselves in our current state. When we are not comfortable with ourselves, it is difficult to be comfortable with others, and for others to be comfortable with us. How do we get over this? A simple awareness of how we feel may help us recognize the issue. Attention to our well-being starts from there.<hr><hr>Loneliness is often influenced by our relationship to our own self. When we feel lonely, we often erect a barrier around ourselves. This not only prevents others from coming to us, but also prevents us from stepping out of the barrier.<hr><hr>Inner well-being is a state of contentment, joy and having a positive outlook on life. Simple needs, when fulfilled, can yield excellent results. Sleep plays a significant role in our well-being and even our perception of loneliness. A study conducted recently shows that lack of sleep actually causes loneliness. When sleep is disturbed, we are usually not in the best state of mind. Such a mind does not like to socialize. A good night’s rest is the foundation on which our day’s activities are based. Without this strong base, our day is not optimal. In addition, sleep may also contribute to our personality. Going to bed in a state of calm, and resting our attention on the inner intrinsic goodness of the heart, can help us mold our personality.<hr><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/alone_butnot_lonely2_img_ac4537eecf.jpg" alt="alone-but-not-lonely"><hr>When physical, mental, emotional and spiritual wellness are taken care of, they act as antidotes to loneliness. They create a good foundation for positive interactions and yield fruitful results. Another simple solution is to train the mind to give it a good direction, and meditation is one way to do this. As we keep meditating, we begin to experience a change in the inner landscape and a feeling of self-acceptance develops. We become more comfortable and accepting of ourselves, and that lays the foundation for social interaction in a positive way.<hr><hr>As we keep meditating, we begin to experience a change in the inner landscape and a feeling of self-acceptance develops. We become more comfortable and accepting of ourselves, and that lays the foundation for social interaction in a positive way.<hr><hr>Day-to-day challenges, stresses and strains often play a role in loneliness. When we encounter blows in life, our state of mind is not congenial to socialize. An evening practice of <a href="http://www.heartfulness.org">Heartfulness Cleaning</a> is a remedy. It helps us to remove the emotional sediments that have accumulated within our system. A mind that is cleared of the emotional burden is in an ideal state for social interactions.With a peaceful inner disposition, even when we are alone we are not lonely, for there is always an inner state of calmness, contentment and joy. In such a state, when we do interact with others, we will affect them in a positive way and uplift those who feel down or lonely.<hr>REFERENCES:<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4225959/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Mushtaq, R. et al, 2014.</a> <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25870400/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Hawkley, L.C, &amp; J.P. Capitanio, 2015.</a> <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4941164/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Holt-Lunstad, J. &amp; T.B. Smith, 2016.</a> <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-018-05377-0" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Ben Simon, E. &amp; M.P. Walker, 2018.</a> <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20668659/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Holt-Lunstad, J., T.B. Smith &amp; J.B. Layton, 2010.</a> <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1207/S15324834BASP2304_2" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Pinquart, M. &amp; S. Sorensen, 2001.</a><hr><hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">Article by DR. JAY THIMMAPURAM</h4><hr>

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