Mirabai teaches contemplative practices and develops programs based on contemplative principles and values for organizations. Her spiritual studies include two years in India with Neemkaroli Baba; with Buddhist teachers Shri S.N. Goenka, Anagarika Munindra, and IMS guiding teachers; with Pir Vilayat Khan and Tibetan Buddhist lamas Kalu Rinpoche, Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche, Gelek Rinpoche, Tsoknyi Rinpoche; and intensive practice in Iyengar yoga and Aikido under Kanai Sensei.

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Mirabai Bush

The heart is where we experience connection

Women & spirituality

Miriam has been working as a professional silversmith since 2008, creating pieces for private clients and public commissions, including the Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths, Eton College, New College Oxford, The Victoria and Albert Museum and the National Museum of Wales. Her work has been exhibited in numerous exhibitions internationally, including in the UK, Germany, Hong Kong, Malaysia and Finland.

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Miriam Hanid

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<h3 style="text-align: center">AN ART ESSAY</h3>
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<h4>
 <spanundefined>MIRIAM HANID is an artist
 silversmith. In 2016, she was interviewed by
 ROSALIND PEARMAIN for Heartfulness
 Magazine about her art and her motivations. Five years later, they catch
 up again to find out more about Miriam’s journey, and where her art has
 taken her.
</h4>
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 <spanundefined style="color: #b98d30">Q: The last time we reflected on your work it was in&nbsp;<a style="color: #b98d30" href="https://www.heartfulnessmagazine.com/silver-and-water/"
 target="_blank" rel="noopener">2016</a>. Looking at your website, you have been so busy since then,
 continuing
 to create so many exquisite works of sheer beauty. How have you sustained
 this output?


 <spanundefined>MH: Wow, time flies! Thank you, it’s
 always nice to receive good feedback about my work! Many factors come to
 mind about how I have sustained my output, but I would say the main ones
 are rest, motivation, and beauty. While these words may not seem to be
 closely linked, they all work together for me. It is extremely difficult
 to be motivated without proper rest. Working at an optimal level, the best
 possible, work seems more like play and the end of the day comes as a
 surprise. The work is so enjoyable, and one is completely absorbed in it.
 I believe that leads to great rest.


 <spanundefined>As the days and months pass, when reflecting on my career so far, I often
 look back on the most productive times with much amazement. But I have
 found myself overlooking the times of non-doing – those necessary inner
 periods when I’m just resting, relaxing and absorbing all that is going
 on. I now know that these are the opportunities where inspirational seeds
 can poke their heads above the surface to see what the conditions are like
 for growth. If my motivation is replenished (more on that later), and I
 can nourish those seeds, I can catch many new ideas for silver pieces,
 textures, forms and patterns which then come into being.
 


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<img class="w-100" src="
 https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/silver2_6b5bd5181f.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-07T03:15:37.102Z
 " alt="silver" />
<hr class="vertical-space1" />


 <spanundefined>Working in precious metal is laborious, particularly chasing and
 engraving, my two signature techniques. The metal demands care, attention,
 and precision at every step. Nothing can be rushed, or it ends up taking
 longer to correct mistakes.


 <spanundefined>The driving force behind any work, whether the physical sculpting of the
 silver, or planning and designing, is undoubtedly motivation. There are
 countless books on how to find your “why power,” the reason why you do
 what you do. If the mental or emotional “why” is strong, the physical work
 will fall into place and become easier. To brighten up someone’s spirit,
 to give a gift of hope, to surpass my past performance, to thank the
 universe and all the people in it for all the things I’ve learned so far,
 and to express them in a creative expression of gratitude, I find myself
 going back to my why at times of difficulty. It is hard to put into words,
 but I think this is where beauty comes in. The expression and gift of
 beauty is probably my biggest why.
 


 <spanundefined>John O’Donohue writes in his book,
 Beauty: The Invisible Embrace, “When we feel and know and touch
 the beautiful, we feel that we are at one with ourselves – because in some
 subtle and secret way, beauty meets the needs of the soul. The Earth is
 full of concealed beauty,” and all we are doing in art is revealing it
 from the depths of our consciousness – and perhaps from the universal
 consciousness.


 <spanundefined style="color: #b98d30">Q: Evidently, you continue to be inspired so much by the forces of
 nature, especially water, but we can see that you are also interested in
 many forms and patterns that you observe around you.


 <spanundefined>MH: I think the inspirations that
 attract me change and go through seasons. I feel I can always draw on
 water with its never-ending variety of forms and patterns, encompassing
 energy and movement which echoes the great flow of love all around us. I
 also like this to birth in different shapes and matters – those of
 botanical forms such as leaves, buds and flowers, wood, earth, stone and
 ice. I have realized more and more that the manner in which a subject is
 represented in any work is where the real richness lies. The clues around
 the subject, how it has been carefully and lovingly shaped and shaded, as
 well as represented or considered in the overall design, speaks volumes
 about what the artist is actually communicating with the receiver.


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<img class="w-100" src="
 https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/silver3_ver2_482d4e3e87.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-07T03:17:04.963Z
 " alt="silver" />
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 <spanundefined style="color: #b98d30">Q: I can see that Japanese traditional forms, such as Manga, are also
 resonant for your own work and giving you a new direction. Can you say
 more about how you came to this?


 <spanundefined>MH: I have always loved oriental art,
 from the time I studied it in my A levels and the influence it had on Art
 Nouveau, to coming across beautiful woodblock prints and books, such as
 The Grammar of Chinese Ornament, which has many visual motifs
 which excite me and subconsciously feed into my work.
 


 <spanundefined>When writing my latest blog post, “<a
 href="https://miriamhanid.com/?p=1866">Oriental Inspired Works</a>,” I
 explored pen and ink Manga with a natural theme after my creative
 communication assistant, Emma, suggested I look into it. I came across
 many striking examples of exquisite mark making, which I found very
 inspirational. I can see these feeding into my use of hand engraving,
 which uses a series of lines to create different visual effects on
 silver.


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<img class="w-100" src="
 https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/silver4_33cc7e896c.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-07T03:18:03.638Z
 " alt="silver" />
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 <spanundefined>Q: Recently, there were some lovely BBC TV programs by the art
 historian James Fox about Japanese art. He pointed out how Japanese
 artists and craftsmen show a reverence and care for the materials they
 shape; for example, saws and planes are pulled rather than pushed across
 the wood by a master carpenter. They revere
 
 
 <spanundefined>the spirit of the material they are working with, demonstrating the
 beauty of the humble and everyday object. I was wondering, do any of
 these strike a chord with you, too?


 <spanundefined>MH: I haven’t seen this series, but
 will definitely watch it. It sounds fascinating and seems a very natural
 way to work with the materials, which are so precious to us as
 craftspeople. Reverence and care are also very important to me when
 working with a precious metal – listening to it by observing the signs of
 stress and tension, and respecting these whilst being aware that the metal
 can be worked to its limit if treated with respect.
 


 <spanundefined>The Flower of Love Tumbler was a piece where I tried to stretch the metal
 a bit further than normal, and I’m very pleased with the result. I plan to
 continue in this way, refining as I go, and hopefully pushing more
 boundaries. There comes a point where it takes great motivation and vision
 to keep going. It is easy to stop and settle for what the piece may be at
 that moment, but I feel staying true to one’s own vision is important.
 This might equally entail knowing when to stop.


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<img class="w-100" src="
 https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/silver5_117e54b291.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-07T03:18:53.583Z
 " alt="silver" />
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 <spanundefined>Q: You mention the significance of simplicity.
 


 <spanundefined>MH: This has become an element in my
 designs all by itself. Looking at my work, one may think that it is far
 from simple, however, an object can be meticulously worked by hand and
 also be simple in design. That is what I aim to achieve, not adding
 anything unnecessary other than the inherent theme which runs through the
 piece. Many of my pieces are quite busy, yet I aim to imbue each piece
 with a unified feeling so that the piece is inherently harmonious.
 


 <spanundefined>The chasing or engraving often follows the same trajectory of the initial
 shape of the silver piece, and they work in tandem with its nature rather
 than having a different flow. I feel this is the same for simple living,
 and it is one of the great insights of Heartfulness – to be plain, simple,
 and thus in tune with nature. For example, as the sun rises, we also rise;
 as it sets, we rest. We are in harmony.


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<img class="w-100" src="
 https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/silver6_aaee12b833.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-07T03:19:48.087Z
 " alt="silver" />
&nbsp;
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 <spanundefined style="color: #b98d30">Q: Are there any pieces you have been making that are most valued by
 you?


 <spanundefined>MH: Yes, the Cascade Loving Cup,
 which was my major commission for 2020 and was delivered in October, in
 between the lockdowns in the UK. A commission for the Clothworkers’
 Company of London, the cup evokes a swirling piece of cloth and is deeply
 chased with draped fabric and yarn fibres. The piece took 800 to 1000
 hours of chasing, working the metal from the inside and outside in order
 to achieve the depth. I collaborated with a fellow silversmith, Jenny
 Edge, who developed the design of the handles and made them. Working
 together resulted in this key aspect of the design, and a much more
 dynamic piece than I could have achieved on my own, particularly as
 Jenny’s specialty is anticlastic raising, by which the inner curves of the
 handles were formed. It meant she could bring a movement and synergy to
 the handles which complemented my chasing. The turned wooden models and
 maquettes made by my father, an engineer, also greatly help the
 realization of my designs.
 


 <spanundefined>The Mountain Incense Burner is another commission that I look back on
 with particular joy. After my Union Centrepiece was exhibited in the
 “Masterpieces of British Silver: Highlights from the Victoria and Albert
 Museum” in Hong Kong, a client who saw it asked me to design and make an
 incense burner. I really loved researching the mountainous terrain, the
 flora and fauna of rural Chinese landscapes in order to design the chasing
 on this piece. It is one of my most intricate pieces to date, and took
 considerable time to create. It remains one of my favourites.
 


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<img class="w-100" src="
 https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/silver7_9ca66b96ee.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-07T03:20:40.219Z
 " alt="silver" />
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 <spanundefined style="color: #b98d30">Q: I see that you have also been hosting interns. How did you find
 that?


 <spanundefined>MH: It was a great summer of 2019,
 and looking back I value it even more! I really enjoyed the vitality,
 determination and enthusiasm of my two young students, Sana and Julius,
 from Paris and Vienna respectively. They asked to come and learn
 silversmithing and chasing from me, in two-month and one-month
 internships. Their aptitude and curiosity to learn and apply the
 techniques to their own work was really refreshing, and I really enjoyed
 having them in the workshop. We made a road trip to see the master
 engraver, Malcolm Appleby, in Scotland, and had a great time at a hand
 engraving symposium there. I have many fond memories of creating,
 designing, experimenting and sharing.


 <spanundefined style="color: #b98d30">Q: How does Heartfulness affect your work?


 <spanundefined>MH: I would say that the practices of
 Heartfulness enhance my connection to my work, and transform it from
 something merely physical into a day-to-day and lifelong passion and
 personal practice. This cannot be put into words, but I would attempt to
 describe the process by saying, “If Heartfulness were not there, I would
 not be able to see in order to create.”


 <spanundefined>The inspirational people I’ve met through Heartfulness seminars and
 groups in the UK and around the world form a network of creative
 connections with beauty of spirit as a running theme. The exceptional
 talent and enthusiasm for their work of many Heartfulness practitioners –
 whatever form that work may take – has inspired and nurtured me throughout
 my career and life so far.
 


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<img class="w-100" src="
 https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/silver8_424632ff61.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-07T03:21:32.494Z
 " alt="silver" />
<hr class="vertical-space1" />


 <spanundefined>
 I should also say something about the times I find it difficult to carry
 on, when I feel depleted, tired, lacking in vision or clarity, or just
 can’t see the point of my work anymore. It’s my own regular Heartfulness
 practice that always reveals a helpful insight about the situation. That
 daily silent time with my Self brings forth new inspiration, energy,
 resources, and clarity. It supports my adventure in life generally, which
 then undoubtedly influences my silversmithing practice with a fresh
 perspective. This cannot be underestimated. It also confirms that without
 rest, motivation and beauty, I question whether any of my work would exist
 in the way it does today.


 <spanundefined>I found this quote, which is from The Creative Fire by Clarissa
 Pinkola Estés: “Because there must be a decline and a time of utter
 stillness, creativity can never be paradisical. It can never be utopia
 wherein it just flows and flows and flows with no maintenance, with no
 waiting periods. In everything manifest, there is vibrancy then decline
 followed by restoration.”


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<img class="w-100" src="
 https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/silver9_fac883be14.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-07T03:22:21.725Z
 " alt="silver" />
<hr class="vertical-space1" />


 <spanundefined style="color: #b98d30">Q: What next?


 <spanundefined>MH: The effect of the current
 pandemic has marginally reduced my commissions, so, whilst working on
 various silver projects at a more relaxed speed, I have enjoyed exploring
 new techniques, working on a building conversion project with my father,
 spending more time supporting Heartfulness practitioners through various
 online programs and virtual meditation sessions, reading and gathering new
 inspiration.
 


 <spanundefined>I have also been having a slower pace of life, which, as I mentioned
 earlier, is very necessary.&nbsp;Thankfully, I have been fortunate to have
 consistent income from my work, which is very encouraging. My next project
 will be a Roses Beaker, as part of a collection of four beakers on the
 theme of the four nations of the UK – a concept which my client is
 commissioning from four different silversmiths. The climbing roses will be
 chased in my usual style and softly gilded with gold fading out from the
 centre of each flower.


 <spanundefined>In the long term, my husband and I have always dreamed of setting up a
 center where people can come to retreat from their busy lives, learn
 silversmithing and experience the rural beauty of Suffolk. It would be a
 creative sabbatical and a retreat from technology. I’m looking forward to
 seeing what unfolds in the years to come and to exploring how we can bring
 this project into being in order to provide a space where interested
 people can slow down and open up the ground for inspirational seeds to
 grow.

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<hr />

<h4 style="text-align: center">
 <spanundefined>
 Interviewed by ROSALIND PEARMAIN
 
</h4>

<hr />

Silver

Monu Singh

<h3 style="text-align: center;">A PHOTO ESSAY IN RURAL TELANGANA</h3>
<h4>Members of the Heartfulness Media Team traveled with DAAJI to rural Telangana on the Deccan Plateau, to document the
 meditation sessions he has been conducting with the villagers in Mahbubnagar District. Here MONU SINGH treats us to just a glimpse of the silent revolution that is sweeping
 the villages of India through meditation programs in the heartland of the country.</h4>
Clean air, green farms, simple hearts and village life … it sounds so idyllic, but rural
 life in India can be very difficult. Here are some snippets from conversations with eight local villagers in
 Mahbubnagar District, about their lives before starting meditation and how Heartfulness has transformed them.
<img decoding="async" alt=""
 class="lazyload w-100"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/silent_revolution2_5589d1ee9a.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-10T07:52:26.056Z">

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Elderly lady: “I had so many fears about finances, family matters. I
 used to fear seeing everybody, I was scared of everything.” 
 Potter: “I was always scared that other people may harm me.” 
 Farmer: “It has been a long time since I slept well.” 
 Mother: “I would get very angry without realizing it.” 
 Elderly gentleman: “I was losing my confidence.” 
 Mother: “I don’t know how to change.”

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<img decoding="async" alt=""
 class="lazyload w-100"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/silent_revolution3_4145e598c6.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-10T07:53:46.292Z">

During our conversations, they said that in the past they tended to solve their problems
 only with their minds, and using the mind they were stressed. They came to understand that they could try a
 different approach. They all decided to try meditation, with the hope that the mind would also follow the direction
 of the heart.
Potter: “When I would see the picture of Shiva, he was in a meditative
 pose. I would ask myself, ‘What is God doing?’” 
 Elderly lady: “We used to do what everyone did, puja etc. 
 Husband of a married couple: “People used to say that meditation is only needed once you are old,
 so why do you want to do it now?” 
 Potter: “I never really understood what meditation was.”

These villagers learnt about meditation, experimented and had experiences in meditation.
 After a while, they also shared the changes they found in themselves.
<img decoding="async" alt=""
 class="lazyload w-100"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/silent_revolution4_622925b734.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-10T07:54:38.823Z">

Second elderly gentleman: “When I make the suggestion that there is
 Divine Light in the heart, I feel like a bird escaping the cage and flying freely. I do not know what happens after
 that.” 
 Potter: “After I started meditating, I lost most of my fears.” 
 Elderly lady: “Even when there is a problem, we don’t feel its presence.” 
 Potter: “I started noticing everybody around me after I started meditating.” 
 Shopkeeper: “After starting meditation I felt many changes and began to develop myself.” 
 First elderly gentleman: “Now I can do a lot of things with courage.” 
 The mother: “Anger has decreased to a great extent.”

<img decoding="async" alt=""
 class="lazyload w-100"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/silent_revolution5_844b799dbf.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-10T08:00:18.872Z">

Farmer: “I have been sleeping peacefully ever since I started
 meditating.” 
 Husband: “We will be peaceful only with meditation. We will develop mentally, and the family will
 become peaceful too.” 
 Elderly lady: “When we are meditating there is no need for fear.” 
 Potter: “You will not get the same happiness anywhere in the world that you get from meditation.
 Happiness is within us. The only way to be happy is to meditate. It is inside us. That’s all.” 
 Elderly lady: “Meditation need not be restricted only to our families or a few of us.” 
 Husband: “Everybody needs meditation.”

<hr>
<h5 style="text-align: center;">One lamp lights another lamp. 
 One heart inspires another heart. 
 From one house to another. 
 From one village to another.</h5>
<hr>
Elderly lady: “Now it is the heart’s turn.”
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HPJFnqeVVQ4
<hr>
<h4 style="text-align: center;">Article by MONU SINGH 
 Photos by the HEARTFULNESS MEDIA TEAM</h4>
<hr>

A silent revolution in the heartland of India

Mother-Teresa.jpg

Mother Teresa

The fruit of silence

How much love

Love in action

The greatest gift to a family

Mudrooroo

Oneness

Mr. Haniff is the Director of Pure Land Learning College Association Inc., Toowoomba, Australia. In 2010, he was invited by Professor Master Chin Kung AM to establish the Multifaith and Multicultural Centre.

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Muhammed Haniff Abdul Razak

<h4>MUHAMMED HANIFF ABDUL RAZAK, Coordinator at the Multi-Faith Multicultural Center and Pure Land Learning College, shares how the organization has been involved in building social and cultural harmony in diversity in the city of Toowoomba in Australia. Their vision for peace is practical and based on the vision of their founder, the Venerable Master Chin Kung A.M.&nbsp;</h4>Toowoomba is a regional city to the west of Brisbane in Queensland, Australia. It has several heritage façades, many parks, and a population of about 200,000. In 2001, the Venerable Master Chin Kung A.M. decided to make this city the home for Pure Land Learning College Association Inc. Since that time, as well as being a Buddhist Center, it has also become a Peace Advocate Center that brings everyone together, building a shared future for a better world to live in. In June 2013, Toowoomba was declared by the Mayor, Paul Antonio, a Refugee Welcome Zone.Today Toowoomba is a city proud to have residents from eighty different ethnicities, beliefs, customs, and cultures, coming from Germany, the British Isles, Malaysia, Singapore, Nepal, Korea Afghanistan, Syria, Sudan, Congo, Iraq, South Africa, Sri Lanka, China, Somalia, Libya, and Pakistan, just to name a few of those making Toowoomba their home. We have a school where 26 languages are spoken daily. It is a mini-United Nation in Australia. And the demographics are growing. This has sparked the eminent Venerable Master Chin Kung to have the vision of making Toowoomba a model city of peace and harmony.&nbsp;<img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/model_city_peace_harmony2_c2be9c01ce.webp" alt="model-city-peace-harmony2.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_model_city_peace_harmony2_c2be9c01ce.webp 145w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/large_model_city_peace_harmony2_c2be9c01ce.webp 600w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/model_city_peace_harmony2_c2be9c01ce.webp 600w," sizes="100vw"><h4 style="text-align:justify;">How the journey began: Friendship Dinners since 2001</h4>What sparks a community initiative from this seemingly simple gathering over meals and sharing stories? Allow us to reflect some understanding of the basics and fundamentals that have helped us to make this journey possible. We hold on to the principles that:⦁ Humans are bundles of potential. ⦁ The basic building blocks of life are relationships. ⦁ Educate and communicate, don’t teach. ⦁ Technology cannot replace human conversation. ⦁ Leadership reminds—authority tells.The Friendship Dinners have created opportunities for conversation. They have created a safe space for all community members to be together. They have built bonds and fellowship, and as a result trust has emerged. Why do people want to journey with us, be a partner? They believe in what we believe. When we build trust, people are willing to take risks, experiment, and explore. We create a sense of purpose for others to journey with us.&nbsp;<img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/model_city_peace_harmony4_b893550110.webp" alt="model-city-peace-harmony4.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_model_city_peace_harmony4_b893550110.webp 145w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/large_model_city_peace_harmony4_b893550110.webp 600w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/model_city_peace_harmony4_b893550110.webp 600w," sizes="100vw">&nbsp;<img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/model_city_peace_harmony3_3bba2c2334.webp" alt="model-city-peace-harmony3.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_model_city_peace_harmony3_3bba2c2334.webp 145w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/large_model_city_peace_harmony3_3bba2c2334.webp 500w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/model_city_peace_harmony3_3bba2c2334.webp 500w," sizes="100vw"><hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">When we build trust, people are willing to take risks, experiment, and explore. We create a sense of purpose for others to journey with us.</h4><hr>The Toowoomba guidelines in promoting religious harmony and social cohesion are:⦁ A strategic road map which includes core programs. ⦁ A tagline that is easily identifiable, “Everyone Matters.” ⦁ An organized platform, an action plan. ⦁ A Secretariat: the Multi-Faith Multicultural Center established to support the agenda.&nbsp;<img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/model_city_peace_harmony5_95950eac8d.webp" alt="model-city-peace-harmony5.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_model_city_peace_harmony5_95950eac8d.webp 145w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/large_model_city_peace_harmony5_95950eac8d.webp 800w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/model_city_peace_harmony5_95950eac8d.webp 800w," sizes="100vw">Our programs and action plan are crafted along the four cardinal principles of Sharing, Kind Words, Beneficial Acts, and Cooperation. These are at the center of the Venerable Master Chin Kung’s teachings, in order to connect and engage, and to enhance social flourishing. Examples of the four cardinal principles in action are:Sharing: friendship dinners, harmony lunches, tea gatherings, harmony day, language and cultural festivals.Kind Words: social values and ethics classes, faith sharing.Beneficial Acts: sponsorship of medical research, community development programs, Clean Up Australia Day, working together, First Nations Endowment Scholarship Fund, Toowoomba Hospice Community Fund, Community Labyrinth.Cooperation: collaboration in conferences, workshops, training, talks, and activities with government and other community and voluntary organizations.We thrive because we believe in conversation not debate. We constantly remind ourselves that “The mind debates, the heart relates.” We educate rather than teach, we practice servant leadership, we adopt the 101% principle, we follow the simple tagline “Everyone Matters,” and we invest in our emotional bank.&nbsp;<img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/model_city_peace_harmony6_9dc0405fcc.webp" alt="model-city-peace-harmony6.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_model_city_peace_harmony6_9dc0405fcc.webp 145w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/large_model_city_peace_harmony6_9dc0405fcc.webp 800w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/model_city_peace_harmony6_9dc0405fcc.webp 800w," sizes="100vw">&nbsp;<img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/model_city_peace_harmony7_d1956eac17.webp" alt="model-city-peace-harmony7.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_model_city_peace_harmony7_d1956eac17.webp 145w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/large_model_city_peace_harmony7_d1956eac17.webp 800w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/model_city_peace_harmony7_d1956eac17.webp 800w," sizes="100vw"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/model_city_peace_harmony8_105ac218d4.webp" alt="model-city-peace-harmony8.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_model_city_peace_harmony8_105ac218d4.webp 145w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/large_model_city_peace_harmony8_105ac218d4.webp 603w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/model_city_peace_harmony8_105ac218d4.webp 603w," sizes="100vw"><h4 style="text-align:justify;">Examples of positive outcomes of our initiatives:</h4>Toowoomba was designated a “Safe City” in May 2018.A research project undertaken by Deakin University on “How Religious and Social Harmony Thrives in Toowoomba” made special mention in the finding that Toowoomba is the only city that has a working mechanism in place to bring religions together.Attachment of an intern from Harvard University to look at our programs and activities that inspires religious and social harmony.Finalist in 2018 State of Queensland Multicultural Award.Inspired and assisted in the opening of a Multi Faith and Cultural Dialogue Center in the Shire of Moreton Bay by the Abbey of St Michael’s Church.Publication of the 360 Sayings of the Scriptures of 10 main religions.Publication of 360 Words of WisdomAcceptance of having a common prayer or affirmation by religious and community groups, which is read at services, functions, and on Australia Day.A radio program on customs, beliefs, and cultures aired every Friday and Sunday over our community station 102.7FM. The program is into its tenth year on air.The formation of the Venerable Community Group headed by the Executive Director, Toowoomba Base Hospital, in response to managing the Covid-19 pandemic. Thirty-five government and community organizations met via zoom every Wednesday to share resources and support.Establishment of an advisory board made up of academics from Singapore, Malaysia, Brunei, and Australia that advises and provides direction for our agenda.Pastoral care that provides support for families of different beliefs and practices.Winner of “Community Group of the Year,” Australia Day Award Local Region 2022.Defusing of tensions and conflicts, with two documented case studies.<img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/model_city_peace_harmony9_28cc6cb901.webp" alt="model-city-peace-harmony9.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_model_city_peace_harmony9_28cc6cb901.webp 145w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/large_model_city_peace_harmony9_28cc6cb901.webp 800w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/model_city_peace_harmony9_28cc6cb901.webp 800w," sizes="100vw"><hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">Photographs and diagrams from PURE LAND</h4><hr>&nbsp;

A model city of peace and harmony

Myrian Castello is from Minas Gerais, Brazil. She’s an entrepreneur and a silent change maker. As the co-founder of Fábrica dos Sonhos and the International Right to Dream Movement, she’s making sure people do not give up on their right to dream.

myrian-castello.jpg

Myrian Castello

Dreams: Our birth right

N. Divya

Nancy is a Tanzanian author, businesswoman and social entrepreneur. She is the Managing Director of Bongo5 Media Group Ltd, the Executive Director of The Neghesti Sumari Foundation and The Jenga Hub, as well as a published author of the children’s book series, Nyota Yako. In 2017, Africa Youth Awards named her among the 100 Most Influential Young Africans.

NANCY-SUMARI.jpg

NANCY SUMARI

<h4>NANCY SUMARI, former Miss Tanzania and Miss World (Africa), is also a published
 author of children’s books, a businesswoman and social entrepreneur. Here she speaks with PURNIMA RAMAKRISHNAN as part of the GLOW Webinar series, on her roots, being crowned
 Miss World (Africa), her work with children and youth, and the role of the heart.</h4>
<hr class="vertical-space1">
Q: In 2017, Africa’s Youth Awards named you one of the 100
 Most Influential Africans. You are a business graduate from the University of Dar es Salaam and the managing
 director of Bongo5 Media Group Ltd, which focuses on digital media creation. You are the founder and the executive
 director of The Neghesti Sumari Foundation and the Jenga Hub that runs programs to teach kids from marginalized
 backgrounds how to do software coding. You are interested in improving the state of your community by working
 towards digital literacy for all. And your foundation has transformed learning outcomes for youth and little
 children through its digital literacy programs and applying design making methodology to create value. Welcome
 Nancy.
NS: Thank you so much for having me, this is a
 great honor.
Q: Likewise. Tell us a little bit about yourself.

NS: I’m the third-born of five children. One of my
 parents is a farmer and the other runs her own hotel business, she’s into catering. I had a very interesting
 childhood, I grew up on a farm and as you can imagine it was full of adventure, mischief, joy and love. My parents
 were very keen for us to get a good education, and to also grow up in a close-knit loving family. I have very fond
 memories of my childhood.
Beyond that, I went to school in Kenya, graduated from high school and came back to
 Tanzania, and did my bachelor’s degree here in Business. I hope to still continue with my studies at some point, soon
 hopefully. I’m married with a daughter who’s wonderful. I feel like I’ve had an interesting journey so far, and I’m
 very thankful for that. But I often reflect and feel that it’s almost like an out-of-body experience where I couldn’t
 imagine having the love that I have right now and the work that I’m doing, the opportunity to meet people. To offer
 what I have been given throughout my life is something I’m very thankful for.
Q: Thank you. What was it like going from a beauty queen
 to a philanthropist working for the education of children? Can you tell us a little bit about that journey?

NS:&nbsp;I think the journey through the beauty
 pageant was almost by chance. It was an opportunity that just happened to me. I suppose it was meant to be part of my
 journey, but it was a very big surprise, because I had just finished high school and I was hoping to pursue my
 university education at that point in time. By chance, at a local restaurant here in Dar es Salaam, I met a young lady
 who felt that I should be part of the competition, that it was a great opportunity. It felt like it was an
 opportunity, and when an opportunity comes knocking, I’ve always been one to make the most of it, so I did.
But beyond the beauty pageant, which was great and left a big mark on my life, I’ve
 always felt that it was my purpose to give back as much as I have been given. There have been many opportunities where
 people held my hand, where people helped me. A lot of people were there for me through my journey, to help me to be
 the best that I could be. They saw the potential in me. So giving back through the work that I do comes naturally –
 the same way people have been there for me, I feel I should be there for others, and be there meaningfully. That’s why
 our work in providing and widening the education emphasis in Tanzania is very important; education will unlock the
 potential in young people, so that’s what I want to work very hard at.
<img class="lazyload img-float-left has-img-center-in-mobile"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/Mediocrity2_d77aabee2f.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-05T03:34:02.173Z">

Q: Can you tell us a little bit about the initiative of
 transforming children, and of transforming the ways of education in Tanzania?
NS: The education system in Tanzania has a lot of
 challenges, everything from an outdated curriculum to not having well enough trained teachers, to the overall
 infrastructure. So, we thought to do something meaningful and long-term, but also to be more future-ready, and so we
 started programs that will empower and equip children with the skills and knowledge necessary in an ever transforming
 technological world. And so, our programs are focused primarily on giving children these very important skills, as we
 continue to work towards the fourth industrial revolution. Thus, although they go to school with a curriculum that is
 outdated, they are able to gain skills through our hub and its program to allow them to be a lot more competitive.
 They are able to take advantage of the opportunities in the technological industry and sector, and then come up with
 ideas of value to serve their communities.
<hr>
<h5 style="text-align: center;">It’s about character building, 
 it’s about building self, 
 about training children through values, 
 like being respectful, honorable, loving, 
 caring, being of service, 
 and knowing who they are and 
 reflecting that to the world.
</h5>
<hr>
Q: How have you been able to make this difference for
 children? What do you think is the key factor which can help them in decision-making and wisdom?
NS: I think we try to have a more holistic
 approach. It’s not just about technology, because that’s not enough. It’s also about character building, it’s about
 building self, about training children through values like being respectful, honorable, loving, caring, being of
 service, and knowing who they are and reflecting that to the world. I think what sets us apart is the fact that we pay
 extra attention to character building, and I feel that is quite important in today’s world to be able to build self,
 and acknowledge self, and another person. We have a saying here – it’s from South Africa but it’s also applied here a
 lot, and it is the spirit of Ubuntu. It speaks of the fact that you are able to see yourself in someone else or,
 rather, you able to see someone and empathize and acknowledge them, their self and their spirit, and just be equal in
 that sense. I think we’re moving more than ever into machines and artificial intelligence and robots, but it’s really
 important to focus back on ourselves. This is especially so with children and young people who will be the force in
 the next generation. I think it’s very important to instill these values in them.
Q: What do you think is the role of the heart in
 transforming a child’s growing process, in transforming the learning or educational initiatives?
NS: To be honest, everything starts from the heart,
 everything emanates from the heart and the soul. I think the heart plays a central key role in learning overall, in
 seeing our place in the world and what our world means. I think the heart is a window and a reflection of the world,
 and what the world is to us and what we are putting out into the world. A lot of the time, people are not able to be
 intentional enough when it comes to matters of the heart and learning, or feeding the heart. It plays a central and
 crucial role in learning, and definitely requires us to break down those walls and be able to approach learning and
 each other more from the heart. I think that would change the world, to be honest.
<img class="lazyload w-100"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/Mediocrity3_730fae2733.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-05T03:34:58.781Z" />

Q: How do you think children can be encouraged to use
 their heart as often as possible; how can we help them to learn this art of using the heart?
NS: I think we can definitely practice a lot more.
 Children look at the older generation as a mirror, like an oracle, and the more they see us applying this, constantly
 and consistently, that is one way to do it. It’s like parenting – when a child is growing up, the first people they
 look up to are the immediate family surrounding them. These types of habits begin in the home, so I feel that is the
 game-changer right there – the importance of the role of the heart in the home, in the family. Then we move beyond
 that to schools, to education institutions on all levels, and to governments, to how we lead our people. I feel it
 will be a multiplying butterfly effect. But it really does begin in the home. That is the most powerful place where
 values are instilled, where behavior is taught, and where love is shared.
Then it multiplies to all other areas of our lives, but it begins at home. We can all
 have a role to play when it comes to leading with the heart, teaching from the heart, and learning and feeding our
 heart when we are around our children and our young people. Then it will take hold. For now perhaps it can start in
 all corners where people who believe in it can start small and then multiply and take the effect within our circle of
 empathy.
Q: When we look at our society today, we are becoming more
 and more dispersed. Single parenting is on the rise, parents are not together in many families, and even when they
 are together they have very little time with their children because both are working. Even the role of grandparents
 is becoming less these days. We no longer have families with uncles and aunties around, the joint family has broken
 down or vanished completely, and we are moving towards the nuclear family and single parenting. Such is our age.
 When we speak about the family, the home being the center, where the role of the heart is nurtured, children spend
 more time in day care, in school where other people are primary care givers. So, how can teachers or the school
 impart this, when it cannot happen at home?
NS: I feel that we can utilize a lot of these
 platforms that young people access. Reaching out to teachers is very important, like you mentioned, because a teacher
 can use the first or the last five minutes of class to simply share whatever is going on in the heart, or hear from
 other people’s hearts. We are able to reach out to a lot of religious institutions as well, for instance, here we have
 a lot of families going to the mosque, to church, and to the temple. They all preach about the heart but perhaps to
 break down the silos and have a more relatable approach is also important. It can be styled in a manner which young
 people find a lot more relevant. It needs to be dynamic, it needs to be true to our time, and it needs to be
 reflective. It could be available on a platform that young people access, like Instagram or Facebook, or these social
 platforms that have a lot of traffic of young people. It can be packaged in a way that they will find interesting and
 then, before you know it, it’s cool, and it’s being applied, and it sticks, and it goes on and on from there.
<img class="lazyload w-100"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/Mediocrity5_e7706aadca.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-05T03:37:11.078Z" />

Q: How can this role of the heart help in breaking free
 from mediocrity to greatness?
NS: I would say it starts with our own self. I
 think mediocrity stems from the fact that we are not able to believe in ourselves, be ourselves, and take advantage of
 our own purpose, our own journey. The role of the heart plays a central role for staying true to our self, staying
 true to our purpose, and following our calling. That ultimately takes us then from mediocrity and elevates us all the
 way into greatness, because there is nothing greater than being able to walk our own path, heed our own calling and be
 the highest, truest expression of ourselves, of who we are meant to be in this world. I think being mediocre is
 turning away from that, turning away from the journey and applying something that does not necessarily fit you. I feel
 that the only way is to switch back from that entirely and take heed of one’s heart.
Q: Thank you Nancy for joining us and for your inspiring
 story.
NS: Thank you.
<hr>
<h4 style="text-align: center;">Interviewed by PURNIMA RAMAKRISHNAN</h4>
<hr>

From mediocrity to greatness

Naomi is the author of Raising Our Children, Raising Ourselves, and one of the leading parenting guides in the world today. She has been featured in the media internationally, and guides parents but about how to have peace without control so that children do their best, not because they fear us or seek our approval but because they want to. Her SALVE communication formula has been praised as providing the best of the work of Byron Katie and Nonviolent Communication combined and more.

Naomi-Aldort.jpg

Naomi Aldort

<h4
 id="h-naomi-aldort-is-the-author-of-raising-our-children-raising-ourselves-published-in-nineteen-different-languages-she-guides-parents-via-phone-skype-and-workshops-internationally-bringing-peace-and-clarity-to-both-difficult-situations-and-everyday-family-issues-including-marriage-pregnancy-birth-diet-and-lifestyle-and-child-development-for-children-of-all-ages-her-s-a-l-v-e-communication-formula-has-been-praised-as-providing-the-best-of-the-work-of-byron-katie-and-nonviolent-communication-combined-in-this-exclusive-interview-with-lakshmi-aravind-naomi-shares-her-wisdom-on-how-we-can-raise-emotionally-resilient-well-adjusted-authentic-children">
 NAOMI ALDORT is the author of Raising Our
 Children, Raising Ourselves,
 published in nineteen different languages. She guides parents via phone,
 Skype and workshops internationally, bringing peace and clarity to both
 difficult situations and everyday family issues, including marriage,
 pregnancy, birth, diet and lifestyle, and child development for children of
 all ages. Her S.A.L.V.E. communication formula has been praised as providing
 the best of the work of Byron Katie and Nonviolent Communication combined.
 In this exclusive interview with
 LAKSHMI ARAVIND, Naomi shares her wisdom on how we
 can raise emotionally resilient,
 well-adjusted, authentic children.
</h4>

<hr class="vertical-space1" />


 Q: All kids encounter stress in their lives to varying
 degrees, and despite
 our best efforts as parents we can’t always protect them. Kids get sick,
 they have to move schools and environments, deal with bullies, cyber
 bullies, exams and tests. They may face family breakups and grief due to
 loss. On top of all this, we also live in a fast-paced world, where we want
 quick solutions to problems. But this is the time to pause and think of how
 we can do the best for our children.



 Naomi, welcome and how are you today?



 NA: I’m doing
 well, thank you, and I’m delighted to be here with you.



 Q: Awesome, so let’s get started. The first question is: What
 are the basic
 tenets of your philosophy for raising children, and why emotionally
 resilient?



 NA: Where I
 depart from the mainstream way of parenting is that I am not into shaping
 children and making them. I hold children as creation (if you’re religious
 that means God, otherwise Nature) and they are perfect creations just as they
 are. So my whole approach is about allowing children to be rooted in
 themselves rather than in what we want for them. Parents want children to
 learn this, to be there, to sleep in their own room; all this “wanting” for
 our children. We cannot chew food for another person, we cannot breathe for
 another person, and likewise we cannot want for another person. A baby is a
 time bomb. It’s a grown-up in a small body with its potential not yet
 unfolded. We need to know the limitations, but we need to respect them like we
 respect God. This is not our making.



 So that’s the main difference in my philosophy. It’s not permissiveness, it’s
 not license. We still need to guide and be leaders, but we need to be leaders
 who enable children to unfold who they already are.



 I always use the analogy of watering a flower so it will bloom – not so that
 it blooms your way, your color, or to your timing. It’s already in the design.
 They’re going to walk at a certain time, they’re going to talk at a certain
 time, they’re going to sleep by themselves at a certain time, they’re going to
 read at a certain time – anytime between age four and thirteen or fourteen. It
 makes no difference later on. Whether children learn to walk at one or two, we
 all learned to walk at different times and talk at different times. Einstein
 didn’t talk until he was four. What difference does it make once we’re
 unfolding ourselves into adults? And in terms of resilience, again, with the
 utmost reverence and spiritual recognition of who a baby, a child, a human
 being is, they are born resilient.


<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<div>
 <figure>
 <img alt="how-to-raise-emotionally-resilient-children-part-1" class="has-img-center lazyload"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/emotionally_resilient_children2_dc11a5b2ce.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-12T04:10:19.456Z" />
 </figure>
</div>
<hr class="vertical-space1" />

 Our job is not to ruin that. And unfortunately, we ruin it a lot. We get in
 the way, and then, when it’s ruined and things aren’t going well, we ask,
 “Gee, what do we do? Our child is doing this.” And then we are convinced that
 we have to shape them because we unshaped them to a point where it’s not
 working. My teaching is about nurturing who is already there, not shaping
 them; watering the flowers, not painting the color of the petals or telling
 them when to come out.



 Let me say a little bit about how we do harm. What do we do? Well, we’re
 taking the inner power of the child and we’re destroying it in many ways. We
 give messages to children that their inner voices are somehow wrong. They have
 to do what we say, not what they say to themselves. It starts in babyhood –
 that’s why I always say that everything I teach is from babyhood to adulthood,
 because it’s the same principle.



 So many parents ask me, “How do I get my child to move out of the family bed?”
 – if they even sleep with the child. And I say, “Well, if you have to trick
 them and make them go to their own bed, then they’re not ready.” You’re
 teaching them not to listen to their own voice.



 Then they tell me, “Well, to be independent, don’t they need to sleep by
 themselves and soothe themselves?” I say, “No. You’re not sleeping right
 yourself. You’re not soothing yourself. You go for therapy if you’re really
 upset, or to your friends. Why should a baby, who is scared to death for
 survival, or a young child, sleep by themselves? And when you give them the
 message, ‘You should sleep by yourself,’ even though they feel inside, ‘I want
 to sleep next to mommy and daddy,’ then you’re telling them, ‘Don’t listen to
 yourself.’ And that kills self-confidence, that kills the self, because we
 constantly tell them how they feel inside is wrong.”


<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<div>
 <figure>
 <img width="377" height="533" alt="how-to-raise-emotionally-resilient-children-part-1" class="has-img-center lazyload"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/emotionally_resilient_children3_693ac37925.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-12T04:03:42.039Z" />
 </figure>
</div>

<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<hr />

<h5 class="has-text-align-center">
 In terms of resilience, again, with the utmost reverence
 and
 spiritual recognition of who a baby, a child, a human being is, they
 are born resilient.
</h5>

<hr />

<hr class="vertical-space1" />


 And another way we kill resilience is by distracting babies and young children
 from suffering. It is almost contradictory. On one hand, we tell them that
 they shouldn’t suffer. On the other hand, we cause the suffering when we put
 them to sleep somewhere else and tell them, “Hey, put up with it!” That
 stresses them because it is a primal need. Then, when they have suffering that
 is not a primal need – they don’t get their candy, their friend isn’t playing
 with them anymore, later on their girlfriend/boyfriend leaves them – then we
 try to distract them. We start with babies; when a baby cries, we say, “Look
 here, look there!” or “Here, play with this!” and we tell them, “Hey, you know
 you can handle suffering, you can handle pain.”



 I teach the opposite. Meet your baby’s needs, be kind with your teenager, and
 with all ages, but sometimes life offers challenges. Sometimes there is
 suffering. Grandma does die. Uncle cancels his visit. Toys break. Friends
 won’t always play with them. So, I always tell parents that instead of fixing
 everything – which tells children that they can’t handle it, and that weakens
 them – let them know that it’s all right. Validate their feeling.



 Let’s say a child comes out of a room full of children and says, “They won’t
 play with me. They told me to leave,” most parents say, “Oh no! Let’s go in
 and I’ll fix it for you.” The parent talks to the other children: “What
 happened? Please be inclusive,” and what is the child learning? “I’m weak and
 dependent, and I need the adult to come and rescue me so that I get what I
 want.”


<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<div>
 <figure>
 <img width="377" height="533" alt="how-to-raise-emotionally-resilient-children-part-1" class="has-img-center lazyload"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/emotionally_resilient_children4_54b9a2f56d.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-12T04:04:53.213Z" />
 </figure>
</div>

<hr class="vertical-space1" />


 Now the response I advocate, when the child comes out of the room saying,
 “They won’t play with me. They told me to leave,” is, “Oh, you want to talk
 about how that’s feeling?” Maybe they’re crying. After they express their
 feelings (and sometimes they don’t express much because they look for “What am
 I supposed to feel?” from the parent), I would just say, “Okay, what would you
 like to do instead?



 Would you like to help me in the kitchen? I’m making lunch,” or “Would you
 like to sit here? I have some nice books and puzzles here.”



 If it’s not my own child, but a guest, I would say, “Would you like me to call
 your mom to pick you up?” I’m letting the child know that they can handle the
 fact that the others are not playing with them. I don’t ask, “What did you do
 that they’re not playing with you?” That’s blame and shame. Definitely not a
 good idea.



 I don’t make it seem like it’s a big problem, but if it is a problem for them,
 I listen. “Tell me, I see you wanted to play so badly, so do you want to tell
 me how you feel about it?” I listen to them. Then, the next step is, “I
 understand how you feel. What would you like to do instead?”


<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<hr />

<h5 class="has-text-align-center">
 I always tell parents that instead of fixing everything
 – which tells
 children that they can’t handle it, and that weakens them – let
 them know that it’s all right. Validate their feeling.
</h5>

<hr />

<hr class="vertical-space1" />


 We often teach them to want things, and we teach them to always get what they
 want. Then they can’t handle not getting what they want. We say, “No, don’t
 call him stupid! It will hurt his feelings.” We’re teaching them to be weak
 and to be hurt. When I see a child calling another child “stupid,” I say, “Me
 too!” and I give an example of how I’m stupid. Then they learn to accept.



 It’s like the Zen story, “Without Blinking an Eye.” I’ll tell the short
 version. It’s about the General of an army in Japan that is going from village
 to village killing everyone. Most people run away and escape. He comes to one
 village, and he’s told by his soldiers that the Zen master at the top of the
 hill in the monastery hasn’t escaped. The general is enraged: “How come?
 Doesn’t he know who I am?”



 So he goes up to the monastery, looks at the little old man and says, “How
 dare you! Don’t you know who I am? I could run you through with my sword
 without blinking an eye!”And the little Zen master says, “ And do you
 know who I am? Someone who can have your sword go through me without blinking
 an eye.”



 Can we raise children to hear bad words – the sword, the criticism – with
 gratitude? When somebody criticizes them and calls them names, can they say,
 “Tell me more”? There is nothing we don’t have. We may be generous, but we’ve
 been greedy. We may smell good, but we’ve been stinky. We may be peaceful, but
 we’ve been angry at some time. It’s like, “Tell me more. I’m learning.
 Everyone is a teacher for me.”



 We are teaching to “wants” and teaching children to defend themselves and to
 think that they’re always good. We are teaching instant gratification. We are
 teaching by distraction – “Here, here, have some ice cream, it will help you
 forget about what happened with the other kid.” We are teaching children to
 run away from suffering. Also, we are praising, creating a need for children
 to seek approval all the time, rather than being themselves.



 We teach them to run away from the self, which creates insecurity and low
 self-esteem. And we run them toward success – everybody has to know so much.
 And we put them on the competitive mill to be successful, to have money, to
 have a profession, to be the best. And then they are afraid and develop
 anxiety, anxiety to please others, anxiety not to be oneself, to avoid what
 they really want and feel inside, and to do all this stuff that is expected of
 them. That’s very anxiety-provoking, because it’s easy to be oneself, but it’s
 very hard to read other people and please them.


<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<div>
 <figure>
 <img width="377" height="533" alt="how-to-raise-emotionally-resilient-children-part-1" class="has-img-center lazyload"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/emotionally_resilient_children5_f7573245f1.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-12T04:06:17.530Z" />
 </figure>
 </div>

 <hr class="vertical-space1" />

 
 Q: I think we all need to hear that. I’m one of those
 parents who used to
 step in and fix it for them right away. And we don’t realize how hurtful it
 can be for our children in the long run. We’re really not teaching them to
 be resilient. As you say, we have already destroyed their resilience, and
 somehow we have to undo all that.
 

 
 We live in a world where there’s immediate gratification,
 and all the time
 we want to give the best to our children. We don’t want them to get hurt at
 all. In a world where there’s constant comfort and stimulation, what can we
 do about that?
 

 
 NA: To teach
 emotional resilience, we have to not unteach it, because they already have it.
 Look at babies, who behave like they’re the most deserving creatures on Earth.
 A little discomfort and they cry. They want to nurse and they tell you. You
 put them to sleep somewhere else, they scream. It’s very clear that they’re
 resilient, they can handle it, they can express feelings, and they can handle
 life and our mistakes, too.
 

 
 But to teach emotional resilience, we need to avoid teaching them to be
 triggered. Like what I said before, instead of teaching them that name calling
 is a bad thing, ask them to find how it’s true for them. Teach them not to be
 defensive. We teach them by modeling. If our spouse tells us, “Hey, you’re
 lazy,” or “You did this or that,” what is our automated reaction? “No, I’m
 not! No, that’s not what happened.” What I teach to create resilience is,
 “Yes, I am.”
 

 
 I actually teach healing games where members of the family get together and,
 through games, through play therapy, learn to accept when somebody criticizes
 them or calls them a name. We need to stop blaming others, making all this
 justice thing, which is part of why people are so emotionally weak. Take
 sibling rivalry, for example: “Mommy says I am wrong.” Don’t ever take sides.
 Just listen to each one and help them find the solution simply by listening to
 them. You don’t ever have to fix things. They solve it themselves. When you
 come into their room and they’re fighting, listen to each one of them until
 they’re done. Let each one tell their side, and when the other interrupts and
 says, “No, that’s not what happened,” I say, “Wait till she’s done, and then
 you’ll tell what happened to you.” I don’t ever take sides.
 

 <hr class="vertical-space1" />

 <hr />

 <h5 class="has-text-align-center">
 To teach emotional resilience, we need to avoid
 teaching them to be
 triggered. Like what I said before, instead of teaching them
 that name calling is a bad thing, ask them to find how it’s true
 for them. Teach them not to be defensive. We teach them by
 modeling.
 </h5>

 <hr />

 <hr class="vertical-space1" />

 <div>
 <figure>
 <img width="377" height="533" alt="how-to-raise-emotionally-resilient-children-part-1" class="has-img-center lazyload"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/emotionally_resilient_children6_b52e559292.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-12T04:08:53.014Z" />
 </figure>
 </div>

 <hr class="vertical-space1" />

 
 Another way to help children to be strong is to let them find their own
 solutions and express themselves. The first chapter in my book talks about
 self-expression. But the main thing is that we’re killing strength through the
 constant need for approval, by expecting children to live based on external
 rewards, praise and grades. In order to enable inner peace, children need to
 be rooted in themselves, responsible for creating their own inner joy, no
 matter what another person is saying about them. That’s true power.
 

 <hr class="vertical-space1" />

 To be continued.

 <hr class="vertical-space1" />

 <hr />

 <h4 class="has-text-align-center">Interviewed by LAKSHMI ARAVIND</h4>

 <hr />

How to raise emotionally resilient children - Part 1

Narendra lives in California and is an avid Raja Yoga practitioner. He is the co-founder and CEO of Global Touchpoints, and is involved in Real Time Analytics. One of two identical twins, he believes in spiritual, emotional, mental and physical balance. He loves music, writing and sketching. His illustrations have been rendered in the book Karmic Rhapsody, authored by his daughter. www.facebook.com/4artfulness kininaren.wordpress.com

naren.jpg

Narendra Kini

<h4 style="text-align: justify;">NARENDRA KINI is an artist among other things. He
 shares with us his own experience of creating, and what helps him most.</h4>

What inspires minds?
What triggers creativity?
What persists in a creatively inspired mind?
Several folks have shared their perspectives on some or all of these questions. Among
 the inspiring minds are novelists, poets, playwrights, painters, philosophers, scientists and mathematicians. They
 describe how they subtly manoeuvre in order to overcome the obstacles and daily routines so that they can complete
 the work they love.
It may be by waking early or staying up late; skipping mundane distractions or attending
 events that motivate them; drinking vast quantities of coffee; taking long daily walks; or just sitting in
 meditation, like I do. When I divert my attention inward where it probably truly belongs, that which resides inside
 seems to manifest itself.
Surprisingly the manifestation is profound.


<hr>

<h4 style="text-align: center;">Practice feeds inspiration. 
 Once we commit to doing something creatively,
 we draw inspiration for that work from around us.
</h4>

<hr>
<img class="img-float-right has-img-center-in-mobile"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/the_heart_of_the_matter_2_587eb04523.jpg?updated_at=2023-03-29T10:37:56.006Z"
 alt="self-being" width="249" height="222">My experience gives me belief in two things: the
 10,000 hours of practice that Malcolm Gladwell writes about in his book, Outliers, and disciplining the
 mind. Interestingly, when you combine both, meditation ensures that my mind is regulated and able to direct itself
 to perform a committed task within an allocated time, and discipline channels my creative energy to that activity I
 have committed to. Unusual as it may seem, everything comes to me – ideas, inspiration, motivation, clarity in
 thinking – during my committed practice of meditation. I will be the first one to admit that I did not get there
 overnight. Over twenty years of practice has probably helped. I am yet to reach the proverbial 10,000 hours that
 Malcolm Gladwell writes about, yet I cannot deny the benefits that are already obvious in most walks of my life:
 calmness within, filtering the clutter to take a decision, resting well without nightmares or restlessness,
 responding to situations instead of reacting, etc. These are very natural outcomes of my meditation practice.
To some extent creative work is no different than training in the gym. You can’t
 selectively choose your best moments and decide to only work on the days when you have great ideas. There certainly
 are those magic moments – which also surface during meditation – but the only way to unveil the great ideas inside
 is to make a commitment and show up over and over again. Set the time, set the schedule, and preferably set the
 place and environment.
It is easy to start judging your own work and convince yourself not to share something,
 not publish something, and not market something because “it isn’t good enough yet,” but the alternative is even
 worse. If we don’t have a schedule forcing us to deliver, then it is easy to avoid undertaking the work itself. The
 only way to be consistent enough to make a masterpiece is to give permission to create something along the way –
 feed that creative instinct, do not starve it.

<img class="has-img-center"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/the_heart_of_the_matter_3_8348d867d3.jpg?updated_at=2023-03-29T10:38:48.429Z"
 alt="The Heart of the Matter">

Sincere practitioners in any field don’t just work harder than everybody else. At some
 point they fall in love with their practice to the point where they want to do better in less time, more in the same
 time, and generally excel.
It is true in any profession. The elite football player is the guy who spends all day on
 the practice field with his teammates, and after practice he goes home to watch game films. The elite physician
 listens to medical podcasts during a long commute. The elites are in love with what they do, and it does not feel
 like work.
This leads to the other benefit of discipline and practice. Practice feeds inspiration.
 Once we commit to doing something creatively, we draw inspiration for that work from around us. We coach our minds
 to be aware, conscious and mindful about aspects in the moment that could feed our creativity. During my initial
 work, I drew inspiration from the spiritual images and personalities that influenced me greatly in my journey to
 ‘inside-out transformation’.&nbsp;Gradually the canvas widened, and the themes changed. I find subjects in events,
 happenings, award-winning&nbsp;photographs, life moments and nature.
I try to celebrate significant days like birthdays, anniversaries and other events
 through my sketches and share them. I have realised that it has become a way for me to share love – genuine love –
 albeit through my art. So, what is the common denominator for me? In short it is the heart. I can commit, schedule,
 discipline, channel and nurture my mind, but only when my heart is in the right place does it become the origin and
 abode of my creativity and inspiration; hence, the source of joy, love and contentment. Once that is okay, any
 creativity that feeds to that sentiment draws inspiration from within and without.


<hr>

<h4 style="text-align: center;">Article and drawings by NARENDRA KINI</h4>

<hr>

The heart of the matter

<h5>
 NARENDRA KINI asks some thought provoking questions about beauty and the
 way we see ourselves.
</h5>
<hr class="vertical-space1" />

 Inner beauty always reflects on the outside. This is something we have all
 heard time and again. But then, do we spend less time in front of the
 mirror? Do we still pay attention to outward appearances and draw a lot of
 conclusions based on those? We have not stopped making external
 appearances a topic of conversation at most social gatherings – business
 or otherwise. We still spend a lot of time getting ready for an event,
 office, function or a party.


 Roald Dahl wrote, “You can have a wonky nose and a crooked mouth and a
 double chin and stick-out teeth, but if you have good thoughts it will
 shine out of your face like sunbeams and you will always look
 lovely.”&nbsp; This makes me wonder what it would be like if the way we
 lived reflected in our looks. Perhaps we would all try harder to be better
 people.


 What if one day our inner self and physical self were turned inside out?
 How would that impact our looks and confidence? Would most of us be able
 to come to terms with what we see?

<hr />
<h4 style="text-align: center">
 Roald Dahl wrote, 
 “You can have a wonky nose and a crooked mouth and 
 a double chin and stick-out teeth, 
 but if you have good thoughts 
 it will shine out of your face like sunbeams 
 and you will always look lovely.”
</h4>
<hr />

 If we were to develop a visible scar on our skin for every ill intention
 or negative thought, would we continue to 
 have such thoughts?


 If we would lose clumps of hair every time we were mean, would it stop us?


 If every time we hurt someone intentionally it added a few pounds to our
 weight, would we still do it?


 Per contra, what if every time we teach a child or feed the needy, or show
 kindness, we drop some weight around our waist or grow back some hair or
 lose a wrinkle, would we be more willing?


 If taking the time to answer children’s questions or helping senior
 citizens needing assistance could reduce signs of ageing, maybe we all
 would develop patience and kindness.


 Looking good has become so important to us that it could inspire us to
 take steps that we usually would not consider.


 Maybe if we lived our lives the way Dahl suggests we would be very
 different people. I wonder how radically different our priorities,
 decisions and personalities would be in a world where doing good is
 rewarded so visibly and tangibly that it becomes second nature.

<hr />
<h4 style="text-align: center">
 So it is with our lives. 
 Those who want to live meaningfully 
 and well must help enrich the lives of others, 
 for the value of a life is measured by the lives it touches. 
 The quality of response and joy 
 depends on the quality of thoughts 
 and love we share and spread.
</h4>
<hr />

 Often I look in the mirror and wonder if I can confidently say my inner
 self is better than my reflection.


 Am I almost at a point where I do not have to look at it to check myself
 for anything more than the necessary daily activities like shaving,
 flossing and combing?


 There is a short story that could lend its moral to nature’s way of
 working when we are able to see good thoughts and share good thoughts for
 others also to seed.


 <img decoding="async" width="461" class="lazyload has-img-center"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/inner_beauty_img2_49188eb7e1.jpg?updated_at=2023-03-29T12:27:08.535Z">


 There was a farmer who grew excellent quality corn. Every year he won the
 award for the best corn. One year a newspaper reporter interviewed him and
 learned something interesting about how he grew it. The reporter
 discovered that the farmer shared his seeds with his neighbours.


 “How can you afford to share your best seed corn with your neighbours when
 they are entering in competition with yours each year?” the reporter
 asked.


 “Why sir,” said the farmer, “Don’t you know? The wind picks up pollen from
 the ripening corn and swirls it from field to field. If my neighbours grow
 inferior corn, cross-pollination will steadily degrade the quality of my
 corn. If I am to grow good corn, I must help my neighbours grow good
 corn.”


 So it is with our lives. Those who want to live meaningfully and well must
 help enrich the lives of others, for the value of a life is measured by
 the lives it touches. The quality of response and joy depends on the
 quality of thoughts and love we share and spread.


 And those who choose to be joyful must help others find happiness, for the
 welfare of each is bound up with the welfare of all.

<hr />
<h4 style="text-align: center">Article and artwork by NARENDRA KINI</h4>
<hr />

Inner Beauty

<h4 style="text-align: center">AN ART ESSAY</h4>

 The Buddha said: These four are the foodstuffs, ye bhikkus,
 which sustain the creatures that are born, and benefit the creatures
 that seek rebirth. The first is edible food, coarse or fine; touch is
 the second; the thinking capacity of the mind is the third; and the
 fourth is consciousness.


 <img
 class="has-img-center lazyload"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/bhikkumonks2_8d1ea2d7ca.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-05T11:05:29.208Z"
 alt="bhikkumonks2"
 />


 Understand that you own nothing; everything that surrounds you is
 temporary; only the love in your heart will last forever.


 Whatever is not yours, let go of it. Your letting go will be for your
 long-term benefit and happiness.


 <img
 class="has-img-center lazyload"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/bhikkumonks3_0811044985.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-05T11:06:02.426Z"
 alt="bhikkumonks3"
 />

<hr />
<h4 style="text-align: center">Art and article by NAREN KINI</h4>
<hr />

Bhikku monks

<hr class="vertical-space1">
<h3 style="text-align: center;">An Art Essay</h3>
<hr class="vertical-space1">
<h4>NARENDRA KINI integrates his work as a successful
 Silicon Valley-based entrepreneur with being an artist, a poet and a seeker of higher truth through meditative
 practices. He is currently the co-founder and CEO of Global Touchpoints, and here he talks of how he finds his
 inspiration for creativity and art.</h4>
<hr class="vertical-space1">
<h5 style="text-align: center;">Meditation is evolving from thinking to feeling, 
 from feeling to being, being to becoming, 
 and finally going beyond.” 
 — Daaji
</h5>
<img class="has-img-center lazyload" 
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/The_fountain_within2_392b3f76db.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-07T07:40:56.784Z" alt="The_fountain_within2"/>

<h5 style="text-align: center;">APPROACH</h5>
<hr class="vertical-space1">
<h4>Meditation inspires</h4>
I have found that my own approach to art is inspired by
 meditation. It is a process of letting go of control and allowing something to emerge. I took to art after I was
 inspired by an inner calling that happened after a meditation session about five years ago. 
The efficacy of a meditation practice can be also assessed
 by its impact on our attitude towards life. It provides us with a sense of perspective and creative freedom that
 is unmatched. Through invoking stillness in the mind and relocating our awareness center to the heart,
 meditation – within minutes – offers a blank canvas with a wide range of possibilities. “Writer’s block” and
 “artist’s cul-de-sac” are common terms. Creativity can get stumped and inspiration can dry up, and we often look
 for external sources to revive these things. This approach is sometimes successful, but I have found the real
 fan to the creative flame lies within us. And if we lose that spark, we may irreparably dry up our authentic
 sense of creative direction. A visit to the fountain within will rarely fail to quench the thirst for
 inspiration. My personal realization is that paying attention to the inner condition, being centered in
 stillness and contemplation enables the manifestation of creative work. It is not to say that the work will be
 perfect, but it will be truly your own. 
 
<hr class="vertical-space1">
<img class="has-img-center lazyload" 
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/The_fountain_within3_764761039f.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-07T07:42:57.234Z" alt="The_fountain_within3"/>

<h5 style="text-align: center;">CONSCIOUSNESS</h5>
<hr class="vertical-space1">
The way in which meditation liberates an artist’s creativity
 can be very nurturing to the soul. No matter how focused we are while working on art, no matter the physical
 environment we are in, if the mind is not steady and the body is not relaxed, very little is actually
 created. By turning inward, centering our awareness, and being heartful, we are free to express our own
 truth. Furthermore, we are able to trust ourselves and our innate creativity. 
Meditation is food for the soul and the very source of
 inspiration for my creativity. When under stress, inspiration can become elusive. A relaxed body and a calm mind
 provide us the opportunity to become observers of ourselves, pause with patience, and wait for an idea, image,
 or concept to germinate at the core of our being. This puts us in a “flow,” or a rhythm of sorts. While the
 ultimate purpose of meditation could be spiritual, a way to expand our consciousness, it can very well be a
 beautiful and simple way to tap into the limitless potential of our being.
<hr class="vertical-space1">
<img class="has-img-center lazyload"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/The_fountain_within4_c40fce2b09.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-07T07:45:11.595Z" alt="The_fountain_within4"/>

<h5 style="text-align: center;">GURU &amp; GUITAR</h5>
<hr class="vertical-space1">
<h4>Inner inspiration</h4>
In his book, The Outliers, Malcolm Gladwell prescribes 10,000 hours of practice
 as the “magic number for true expertise.” Inspired by the idea behind this, I challenged myself to turn creating
 art into a habit. It is said, “Sow a habit and reap a destiny.” Now, I am not sure if I have gone that far, but
 I have certainly reaped a touch point. I like to think that the art I create is not just something to look at,
 but something that hopefully touches and inspires hearts. 
<hr class="vertical-space1">
<img class="has-img-center lazyload" 
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/The_fountain_within8_508428f5df.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-07T07:47:30.341Z" alt="The_fountain_within8"/>

<h5 style="text-align: center;">VIBRATIONS</h5>
<hr class="vertical-space1">
If anyone is on a creative journey – be it writing, sculpting, painting or singing – when
 we take silent time to meditate, a shift happens within. Our consciousness expands, our awareness deepens, and
 we come into the presence of what Albert Einstein described as the most beautiful emotion we can experience –
 the underlying power of all true art and science. Now, neuroscience is showing through brain mapping that such
 qualities are available to all who meditate regularly, creating the mental and emotional conditions in which
 they are most likely to flourish.
<hr class="vertical-space1">
<h4>Inner guidance – intuition</h4>
Regular meditation, like the practice of Heartfulness, has the potential to help us get
 into a deep state each time, thereby strengthening our inner intuition and connection to the heart. The heart is
 where feelings reside, and connecting to it strengthens our sense of intuition. This intuition fans the creative
 spirit in us, guiding us to pursue the right idea or concept. When regular meditation is intensified, it becomes
 the very inner bedrock of spiritual confidence to progressively invest in a vocation. 
<hr class="vertical-space1">
<img class="has-img-center lazyload"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/The_fountain_within5_82b10d7ca0.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-07T07:49:34.495Z" alt="The_fountain_within5" />

<h5 style="text-align: center;">TOWARD THE CENTER</h5>
<hr class="vertical-space1">
<h4>Inner true self – authenticity</h4>
Meditation helps us connect with the inner true self – the soul – awakening us to who we
 really are, independent of perception of the outer world. Meditation helps create a balance between the mind and
 the heart (soul), thus enabling us to birth creativity with equanimity and ease.
<hr class="vertical-space1">
<img class="has-img-center lazyload"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/The_fountain_within6_a88fa137c3.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-07T07:52:03.134Z" alt="The_fountain_within6" />

<h5 style="text-align: center;">INNER LIGHT</h5>
<hr class="vertical-space1">
<h4>Inner cleaning – rejuvenation</h4>
When we open the gateway to our soul and nurture our inner
 self, a natural sense of grace ensues, and light becomes our very being. That aspect of our prana –
 that enlightened, elevated state – allows us to embrace the magnificent completeness of our being, despite its
 blemishes, limitations, fears, inadequacies, imperfections and other barriers. As we travel on our own
 yatra (journey), even with the simplest of meditation practices, true expression as an artist emerges.
 All we need is an open mind, an open heart and a willingness to explore our inner world. 
<hr class="vertical-space1">
<img
 class="lazyload mw-100"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/The_fountain_within7_70e14dcc74.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-07T07:52:44.591Z" alt="The_fountain_within7" />

<h5 style="text-align: center;">FIRE PURIFIES</h5>
<hr class="vertical-space1">
Meditation cleanses and nourishes the spirit. It helps us
 approach our empty canvas with an unbiased subconscious and enables us to arrive at calmness. Cleaning out our
 impressions at the end of each day enables us to remove past impressions – thoughts bound by emotions. It
 enables us to let go of feelings of fear, sadness, and anger, which can make us emotionally weak and unbalanced,
 in turn affecting our creative expression.
<hr class="vertical-space1">


<hr>
<h4 style="text-align: center;">Article and art essay by NARENDRA KINI </h4>


<hr>

The fountain within

<hr class="vertical-space1" />
<h4>
 <spanundefined
 >NARENDRA KINI uses the simple analogy
 of a mechanical flywheel to help us understand the role of meditation in
 generating love and positive feelings.
</h4>
<hr class="vertical-space1" />

 <spanundefined
 >What is a flywheel? A flywheel is essentially a very heavy wheel that
 takes a lot of force to spin around. So, when it is spinning at high speed
 it tends to keep on spinning. We say it has a lot of angular momentum,
 which means it can store a great deal of kinetic energy. You can think of
 it as a kind of mechanical battery, but it is storing energy in the form
 of movement or kinetic energy.
 


 <spanundefined
 >How does this relate to the heart? For the purpose of this exercise:
 


 <spanundefined
 >Flywheel = Human heart 
 Angular Momentum = Intensity of meditation 
 Kinetic energy = Love or positive energy 
 Moment of inertia = I


 <spanundefined
 >“Moment of inertia” sounds abstract and confusing, but it’s much easier
 to understand than you might think. What it really means is that the
 effective mass of a spinning object depends not just on how much actual
 mass it has but on where that mass is located in relation to the point
 it’s spinning around.
 


 <spanundefined
 >In essence, when we go through our day at work, we have several
 distractions, resistances and negative energies that tend to play on our
 hearts and minds. If we are aware of the reservoir of positive energy
 (love), it can overcome the inertia and loss of positivity at work.


 <spanundefined
 >The most sophisticated flywheels float on superconducting magnets, so
 they spin almost entirely without friction. They are also sealed inside
 vacuum chambers, so there are no losses due to air resistance.
 


 <spanundefined
 >When we create a vacuum in our hearts, we attract, store, generate and
 expand more of this positive love energy. Essentially, we become a mobile
 love generator with an unlimited reservoir of positive energy.

<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<hr />

<h5 style="text-align: center">
 <spanundefined style="color: #4812a1"
 >When we create a vacuum in our hearts, 
 we attract, store, generate and expand 
 more of this positive love energy. 
 Essentially, we become a mobile love generator 
 with an unlimited reservoir of positive energy.
</h5>

<hr />

<hr class="vertical-space1" />

 <img
 decoding="async"
 alt="heart-love-generator2"
 class="lazyload has-img-center"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/heart_love_generator2_b98da17690.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-08T10:10:57.409Z"
 />

<hr class="vertical-space1" />

 <spanundefined
 >There are some other analogies about flywheels that we can apply to our
 situations:

<h4>
 <spanundefined
 >Create a balanced existence by letting the mind refer to the
 heart:
 
</h4>

 <spanundefined
 >A flywheel helps to smooth out the power the wheels receive. So, while
 the engine’s cylinder might add power to the flywheel every thirty
 seconds, the wheels can then take power from the flywheel at a steady
 continuous rate. The engine will roll smoothly instead of jerking along in
 fits and starts.

<hr class="vertical-space1" />

 <img
 decoding="async"
 alt="heart-love-generator3"
 class="has-img-center lazyload"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/heart_love_generator3_93f194db90.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-08T10:14:04.842Z"
 />

<hr class="vertical-space1" />
<h4>
 <spanundefined
 >Use pauses to prevent domination of the mind over the heart:
 
</h4>

 <spanundefined
 >The flywheel can be used to slow down a vehicle, like a brake. As it
 does, energy is transferred from the vehicle to the flywheel, which picks
 up speed and keeps spinning. You can then disengage the flywheel to make
 the vehicle stop completely.

<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<hr />

<h5 style="text-align: center">
 <spanundefined
 >If you take the flywheel (heart) 
 and spin it twice as fast 
 to double its angular velocity (double the intensity of
 meditation), 
 you’ll quadruple how much energy (love) it stores.
 
</h5>

<hr />

<hr class="vertical-space1" />

 <img
 decoding="async"
 alt="heart-love-generator4"
 class="has-img-center lazyload"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/heart_love_generator4_e4d1fdc980.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-08T10:15:59.636Z"
 />

<hr class="vertical-space1" />
<h4>
 <spanundefined
 >Let the heart become a love energy generator:
 
</h4>

 <spanundefined
 >A flywheel can be used to provide temporary extra power when an engine
 can’t produce enough. Suppose you want to overtake a slow-moving horse and
 cart. Let’s say the flywheel has been spinning for some time but isn’t
 currently connected to either the engine or the wheels. When you reconnect
 it to the wheels, it provides extra power.


 <spanundefined
 >Now, if you take the flywheel (heart) and spin it twice as fast to double
 its angular velocity (double the intensity of meditation), you’ll
 quadruple how much energy (love) it stores.
 


 <spanundefined
 >That’s why flywheel designers (meditators) typically try to use
 high-speed wheels (regular practice) rather than a few long sessions. Even
 better, when the Inner Self directs our lives, the spinning continues
 non-stop, and we constantly generate love.

<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<hr />

<h4 style="text-align: center">
 Article by
 <spanundefined
 >NARENDRA KINI <spanundefined
 >Illustrations by JASMEE RATHOD
</h4>

<hr />

Let your heart be a love generator

<hr class="vertical-space1">

 <img class="has-img-center lazyload" alt="threads-of-life"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/naren_part2_1something_a5905c40ba.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-10T12:02:27.148Z" />


<hr class="vertical-space1">

<h4 style="text-align: center;">Something</h4>
There is nothing like looking, if you want
 to find something. 
 You certainly usually find something, if you look, 
 but is not always quite the something you were after.
—J.R.R. Tolkien
<hr>
<hr class="vertical-space1">
<img class="has-img-center lazyload" alt="threads-of-life"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/naren_part2_2_81a8d0f875.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-10T12:03:51.418Z" />

<hr class="vertical-space1">
<h4 style="text-align: center;">Fear</h4>
It is said that before entering the sea 
 a river trembles with fear.
She looks back at the path she has
 traveled, 
 from the peaks of the mountains, 
 the long winding road crossing forests and villages.
And in front of her, 
 she sees an ocean so vast, 
 that to enter 
 there seems nothing more than to disappear forever.
But there is no other way. 
 The river cannot go back.
Nobody can go back. 
 To go back is impossible in existence.
The river needs to take the risk 
 of entering the ocean 
 because only then will fear disappear, 
 because that’s where the river will know 
 it’s not about disappearing into the ocean, 
 but of becoming the ocean.
—Kahlil Gibran


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

 <img class="has-img-center lazyload" alt="threads-of-life"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/naren_part2_4_8ffe43cd59.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-10T12:05:03.963Z" />

<hr class="vertical-space1">
<h4 style="text-align: center;">Rivers</h4>
By the rivers of Babylon, where we sat
 down. 
 Yeah, we wept, when we remembered Zion. 
 …
Let the words of our mouth and the
 meditation of our heart, 
 be acceptable in thy sight here tonight.
—Boney M.


<hr>
<hr class="vertical-space1">
<img class="has-img-center lazyload" alt="threads-of-life"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/naren_part2_5_adb1c703d5.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-10T12:06:20.010Z" />

<hr class="vertical-space1">
<h4 style="text-align: center;">Sorrow
 </h4>
Sorrow … It pulls up the rotten roots, 
 so that new roots hidden beneath 
 have room to grow. Whatever sorrow 
 shakes from your heart, far better 
 things will take their place. … Maybe 
 you are searching among the branches 
 for what only appears in the roots.
—Rumi


<hr>
<hr class="vertical-space1">
<img class="has-img-center lazyload" alt="threads-of-life"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/naren_part2_6_ad95eb0289.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-10T12:07:43.686Z" />

<hr class="vertical-space1">
<h4 style="text-align: center;">Threads of life</h4>
O Servant of God, where do the Ida, Pingala
 and Sushumna nadis go when the thread of life breaks? 
 One who holds the thread is beyond time, but where does he live? 
 The thread is neither tied nor breaks. 
 Who is the master and who is the servant? 
 Only He knows his secret as He is the Eternal. 
 What is the warp [lengthwise threads] and what is the weft [cross threads]? 
 What are the threads from which the chadar [cloth] is woven? 
 Ida and Pingala are the warp and weft. 
 Sushumna are the threads from which the chadar is woven. 
 Eight are the Lotuses and ten are the spinning wheels. 
 Five are the elements and three the qualities of the chadar.
—Kabir


<hr>
<hr class="vertical-space1">
<img class="has-img-center lazyload" alt="threads-of-life"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/naren_part2_7_e93946455c.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-10T12:09:07.804Z" />

<hr class="vertical-space1">
<h4 style="text-align: center;">Gathering </h4>
This is a gathering of Lovers. 
 In this gathering 
 there is no high, no low, 
 no smart, no ignorant, 
 no special assembly, 
 no grand discourse, 
 no proper schooling required. 
 There is no master, 
 no disciple.
—Rumi


<hr>
<hr class="vertical-space1">
<img class="has-img-center lazyload" alt="threads-of-life"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/naren_part2_8_22eff1272e.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-10T12:09:56.168Z" />

<hr class="vertical-space1">

<h4 style="text-align: center;">Depths</h4>
You’ve been walking the ocean’s edge, 
 holding up your robes to keep them dry. 
 You must dive naked under, and deeper, 
 Under, a thousand times deeper! 
—Rumi

<hr class="vertical-space1">



<hr>
<h4 style="text-align: center;">Art essay by NARENDRA KINI</h4>


<hr>

Threads of life

<h2 class="has-text-align-center">
 An Art Essay
</h2>

<hr />

<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<div>
 <figure>
 <img width="500" height="610" alt="" class="lazyload has-img-center"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/hope1bnew_522275deb8.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-11T05:31:18.536Z" />
 </figure>
</div>

<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<h4 class="has-text-align-center has-text-color" style="color: #1a66e0">
 HOPE FOR TRANSFORMATION
</h4>


 Nobility of the soul requires cultivating. This opportunity is granted to wise
 hearts every day. Many wise hearts are now dispersed across the world. This is
 a good thing. We need not despair for humanity; it already possesses the seeds
 of the future.


<hr />

<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<div>
 <figure>
 <img width="360" height="505" alt="" class="lazyload has-img-center"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/hope2_5a6103762c.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-11T05:37:52.695Z" />
 </figure>
</div>

<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<h4 class="has-text-align-center has-vivid-red-color has-text-color">
 HOPE FOR THE GOAL
</h4>


 “On a day when the wind is perfect, the sail just needs to open and the world
 is full of beauty. Today is such a day.” 
 —Rumi


<hr />

<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<div>
 <figure>
 <img width="360" height="505" alt="" class="lazyload has-img-center"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/hope3_5d50977c57.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-11T05:40:28.886Z" />
 </figure>
</div>

<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<h4 class="has-text-align-center">
 HOPE FOR GUIDANCE
</h4>


 The meaning of diksha is initiation, and one definition is “Induction
 into a new realm of awareness and practice by a teacher or trainer through the
 bestowing of blessings and the transmission of prana.” It denotes a
 deepening connection with the Source.


<hr />

<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<div>
 <figure>
 <img width="360" height="505" alt="" class="lazyload has-img-center"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/hope4_729b52352a.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-11T05:42:45.734Z" />
 </figure>
</div>

<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<h4 class="has-text-align-center">
 HOPE FOR ESSENTIAL SERVICE
 
</h4>


 “And he gave it for his opinion, that whoever could make two ears of corn, or
 two blades of grass, to grow upon a spot of ground where only one grew before,
 would deserve better of mankind, and do more essential service to his country,
 than the whole race of politicians put together.” —Jonathan Swift,
 Gulliver’s Travels


<hr />

<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<div>
 <figure>
 <img width="360" height="456" alt="" class="lazyload has-img-center"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/hope5_42c31acf5f.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-11T05:44:39.479Z" />
 </figure>
</div>

<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<h4 class="has-text-align-center">
 HOPE TO MEET
</h4>

<hr />

<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<div>
 <figure>
 <img width="360" height="505" alt="" class="lazyload has-img-center"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/hope6_c60e9f17ec.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-11T06:25:26.444Z" />
 </figure>
</div>

<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<h4 class="has-text-align-center">
 HOPE FOR THE PLANET
</h4>


 The simple Mantra Om Shree Gaia Ma calls for the healing of Mother
 Earth. It will align you with the feeling of gratitude and the elements of
 Earth, Air, Fire, Water, and Spirit. It is powerful in cultivating your
 intuitive communication with Nature, and it serves to rebalance the energy of
 the collective consciousness toward that of wholeness, peace, and abundance.



 I offer all of my prayers to thee, my respect and gratitude, and may this be a
 conscious oath to protect you and to honor you as I recognize the great need
 for your healing.



 May your fields be rich and your soil fertile, and may they be sown and reaped
 with care.



 May your mountains attest to your splendor and strength and your valleys hum
 with the lullaby of your receptive embrace.



 May your oceans, waters, rivers, and glaciers be pure and nourishing, as the
 life-blood of the planet.



 May your air be clean and free of toxins so that all may breathe deeply and
 fully the great life-force.



 May your turning invoke an understanding of all cyclical things in nature; of
 growth and decay, of planting and harvest, of karmic cycles; and that as we
 give, so do we receive.



 May your children learn to care for you and love you, and teach their children
 the same.



 You are the Earth, and I am your child.


So it is!

<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<hr />

Hope

<hr class="vertical-space1" />


<h3 class="has-text-align-center has-text-color block-heading" id="h-an-art-essay" style="color: #cf2d6f">
 AN ART ESSAY
</h3>


<hr class="vertical-space1" />



 What an insight it could be to travel in a Commitment Train called
 Ma, to have a window seat, but this time look inside rather
 than out. Just a silent witness along for the ride.



 I would then see the inner workings of a pure soul, full of love,
 moving on the tracks of life. Through rivers, fields and all
 the rife, nothing seeming to deter those flywheels.



 An engine of commitment, fueled just by purity and love to stop
 and go. Life’s signals of red and green guided by conscience
 as the driver keeps one eye on the road and another inward.



 On a silent night, when the winds are still you may hear a quiet
 voice, and feel sometimes steam, sometimes tears. Yet this
 journey that seems endless in distance feels like a pilgrimage,
 abundant with blessings.



 This commitment train never rests. There are different
 destinations and stops but, unspoken commitment bound, into
 the nights and days, on an endless journey. So, there is promise
 in the morrows for ones who follow.


<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<div class="block-image">
 <figure>
 <img alt="commitment-train2" class="lazyload has-img-center"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/commitment_train2_a2d1f551ed.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-13T07:58:38.344Z" />
 </figure>
</div>

<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<div class="block-image">
 <figure>
 <img alt="commitment-train3" class="lazyload has-img-center"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/commitment_train3_0d3b90b414.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-13T07:59:20.941Z" />
 </figure>
</div>

<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<div class="block-image">
 <figure>
 <img alt="commitment-train4" class="lazyload has-img-center"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/commitment_train4_4547895e69.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-13T08:00:24.165Z" />
 </figure>
</div>

<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<div class="block-image">
 <figure>
 <img alt="" class="lazyload has-img-center"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/commitment_train5_2e33b60eb3.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-13T08:01:06.824Z" />
 </figure>
</div>

<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<div class="block-image">
 <figure>
 <img alt="commitment-train6" class="lazyload has-img-center"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/commitment_train6_d7789fa114.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-13T08:01:51.442Z" />
 </figure>
</div>

<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<hr />

<h4 class="has-text-align-center block-heading">
 Art and Poetry by NARENDRA KINI
</h4>

<hr />

Commitment train

Natalia Kalenova

<h4>
 NATALIA KALENOVA has learnt techniques
 of spiritual healing , intuitive healing, energy work and psychology in
 the UK, from Joe Dispenza in the US, and in Russia from the Institute of
 Innovative Psychotechnologies and an energy coach and healer. Here she
 explores 7 ways to develop healthier and happier relationships.
 </h4>
 
 It took me about 5 years to realize how to manifest the relationship of my
 dreams. Traveling and working in different parts of the world I realized
 that most of us suffer from similar issues and that relationships are an
 ongoing and interesting topic that we strive to understand and learn more
 about. Both women and men in the USA, the Dominican Republic, UK,
 Switzerland, Greece and other countries suffer from feeling unloved,
 lonely or being in the wrong relationship. They strive for a loving and
 fulfilling relationship, but feel like they are always attracting the
 wrong people.
 
 
 After doing some research, and working with healers and energy coaches
 around the world, I have created 7 steps that have helped me and others to
 bring relationships to a higher level – a level that we hadn’t even
 imagined possible in life. I believe that it is possible for everyone to
 have a loving and fulfilling relationship. It is just a matter of healing,
 learning, appreciating, accepting, and reshaping our mindset.
 
 <hr class="vertical-space1" />
 
 <img
 alt="7steps_1"
 class="has-img-center lazyload"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/7steps_1_f6d4eb34e1.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-04T06:57:05.902Z"
 />
 
 <h6><hr class="vertical-space1" /></h6>
 <h6>
 www.nataliakalenova.com 
 www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100016549020905 
 Instagram @sunrisezaika
 </h6>
 <hr class="vertical-space1" />
 
 <hr />
 
 <h4 style="text-align: center">Article by&nbsp;NATALIA KALENOVA</h4>
 
 <hr />

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