Nate is a Clinical Social Worker, father, and Stockton University’s Assistant Director of Counseling Services and Active Minds advisor. He is also a Heartfulness Trainer, and enjoys pet therapy, cooking, surfing, and Yoga.

Nate-Morell.jpg

Nate Morell

<h4>
 NATE MORELL
 celebrates the healing beauty of the dawn and a beautiful sunrise. Through
 this connection with nature, he also discovers the purpose of our human
 existence.
</h4>

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 It was 6:30 a.m. on a Saturday morning as I walked my dog next to the Mill
 Pond. It was cool and dark with the smell of pine trees and fallen leaves in
 the air, about an hour before sunrise. My photographer friend Susan calls this
 the “magic hour,” because there is a beauty and a stillness to the world only
 experienced during this wondrous moment. The first light of the day began to
 appear over the pond and along the tree-lined horizon. Within minutes, streaks
 of electric pink and tangerine orange spread across the sky and bounced off
 the high, cool, deep, fluffy, purple clouds.



 The entire ecosystem seemed to be alive and celebrating the coming of the new
 day. The fish were jumping from the water, the hawks and ducks were calling
 out, quacking, and screeching, and my pup and I were taking it in, honoring
 the dawn along with the world, absorbing it all, every precious and sacred
 moment.



 In her autobiography, Wild, Cheryl Strayed quoted her mom as saying,
 “There’s always a sunrise and always a sunset and it’s up to you to choose to
 be there for it. … Put yourself in the way of beauty.” That quote resonated
 deeply within my heart and stayed with me, and so there I was, showing up with
 my dog “in the way of beauty.”



 As I continued walking next to the pond, I realized that I was experiencing
 healing from nature. This sunrise felt like an antidote to the painful,
 gripping, pressured, complex, anxiety-producing, and Covid-exhausting thoughts
 and emotions that had entered my life through the tiny cracks of the heart
 over the last eighteen months. These complexities had built up, and until they
 were either felt or released, I would break down again. Here, I experienced
 nature as big enough to hold all my emotional pain, maybe even the whole
 world’s pain, and I smiled and let go of trying to control everything. Nature
 generously received it all.


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<hr />

<h4 class="has-text-align-center">
 I experienced nature as big enough to hold all my
 emotional pain,
 maybe even the whole world’s pain, and I smiled and let go of trying
 to control everything. Nature generously received it all.
</h4>

<hr />

<hr class="vertical-space1" />


 The water on the lake was perfectly still. As the sun rose higher in the sky,
 an unbelievable and overwhelming golden yellow-orange warmth consumed the sky
 and reflected perfectly off the calm clear water, which doubled the beauty of
 the sunrise. I thought to myself, “What could I possibly create that could
 match even one percent of the exquisiteness of this moment?” It was all so
 perfect and freely available; all I had to do was show up and bask in the
 light. How ridiculously lucky was I to be alive? I felt joy for the grace of
 attending mother nature’s church, and sadness because my dog and I were the
 only ones bearing witness. What could be more important than this?



 We walked along the water’s edge and soaked in nature’s gifts. I had the urge
 to meditate and realized that in five minutes a group session would start on
 Zoom. I had a foldable chair and towel in the car, so I gathered everything I
 needed and set up next to the pond under the pine trees. I had not consciously
 packed my meditation things, but they were there, ready for me.



 I activated the Zoom link and began by relaxing my toes, moving upward, and
 letting go of tension in my body, all the way to the top of my head. I felt
 the complexities and stress release from my physical body, especially from my
 shoulders, jaw, forehead, and neck. As my body released the stored stress and
 trauma within, I experienced a release of the weight of the world. I was then
 left feeling light and spacious.



 I became aware of my heart, and of something sacred, precious, and intangible
 within the heart. I took a chance and surrendered to a place of limitless love
 and depth. I went deeper and deeper, letting go, and falling into love. I
 experienced a brief wave of fear, realizing I may never come back, but then
 trusting that the doorway in my heart was creating and supporting this moment.
 I let go completely.


<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<hr />

<h4 class="has-text-align-center">
 I became aware of my heart, and of something sacred,
 precious, and
 intangible within the heart. I took a chance and surrendered to a
 place of limitless love and depth. I went deeper and deeper, letting
 go, and falling into love.
</h4>

<hr />

<hr class="vertical-space1" />


 And then a movement into surrender, merged and absorbed in love. “I” was
 nowhere, and yet somehow still intricately woven into the depths of
 everything. The experience may have lasted one second or a million years –
 time had stopped; being “me” had stopped. The peace of the Center, the root of
 the root, the actors dropping away and the truth shining so brightly that it
 burnt away anything that was not Reality. Words, beliefs, language, culture,
 gender, fear, separateness, desire, aversion all stopped. Breathing and the
 experience of a beating heart stopped, as if a “drop of clear water was
 dropped into the ocean,”1
 except this ocean was infinite love, and the drop of water was the soul.



 At some point, awareness of “self” with a physical body, a social security
 number, a job, and a family loosely reformed. Oh my gosh,
 everything I will ever need is already within me! That is the point
 of this life. There is nothing to think through or figure out. It is not a
 secret written in Sanskrit or locked within the Da Vinci code. It is not some
 huge problem that needs to be solved to earn my way to salvation. It is an
 experience that is available to us here and now, and the pathway is through
 our hearts. We are here to realize the Source for ourselves. How pure, simple,
 and beautiful. It was there all along and I had completely missed it.



 To have experienced this revelation and taken it in was mind-blowing. The
 silliness of spending my life chasing things I desire, and avoiding things I
 don’t desire, hurting others out of fear or to protect myself, worrying about
 what other people think about me, acquiring expensive cars and clothes,
 relationship dramas, having a respectable social media presence, FOMO, job
 stress, politics, saving the world, external recognition, degrees, achieving
 status, and making my family proud seemed unspeakably off the mark. It is not
 that these things are bad; but making them the purpose of my life is deeply
 misguided.


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<div class="block-image">
 <figure>
 <img decoding="async" width="464" height="668" alt="everything_you_need_is_within_you2"
 class="lazyload has-img-center"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/everything_you_need_is_within_you2_fbd3ab93bd.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-10T07:27:05.130Z" />
 </figure>
</div>

<hr class="vertical-space1" />


 I will never achieve deep and lasting happiness through the pursuit of
 external things. Instead, all I have to do is show up and surrender to the
 unfathomable beauty in the essence and depth of the heart. It has been said,
 “Love is always offered and never forced,” so it comes down to that really.
 This entire universe is just one big offering of love, and all we need to do
 is show up and accept it. That’s all.


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1 Swami Vivekananda

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Everything you need is already within you

NATWAR SHARMA

<h3 style="text-align: center;">The Heart is the Key</h3>
 <hr class="vertical-space1">
 <h4>DR. NATWAR SHARMA shares his experience and ideas about the intuitive role of the heart and its critical place in our lives.</h4>
 <hr class="vertical-space1">
 <img class="lazyload has-img-center" src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/heart_key2_4faf8d60f4.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-05T04:06:41.156Z" />
 
 One day my wife and I were watching our two year-old having fun in the playground. Suddenly she expressed concern that the little one was beginning to develop a fever. The physician in me immediately dismissed it – the symptoms simply did not add up. A few hours later, to my astonishment, he was burning with fever! Instead of snubbing me with an “I told you so,” my wife silenced me with her intuition and premonition regarding our son’s health.
 What is intuition? And where does it come from? From my own experience as a mainstream doctor and therapist, as well as a layperson, I am convinced that it is the heart that is the seat of intuition, the sixth sense.
 The HeartMath Institute has been researching the physiological mechanism of the heart and how it communicates with the brain and processes information, what are emotions, and how they are perceived or sensed. Among these, their landmark research is about pre-stimulus response, which is nothing but the science of intuition. In one such very interesting study, conducted by the institute, different images capable of stimulating emotions like fear, joy, grief and so on, were displayed one after the other in front of a sample group of the population, and the heart-rhythm activity, or the heart-rate variability (ECG), and the brain responses (EEG) were recorded in each case. It was observed that people were able to sense the emotion before the image was displayed.
 While both the heart and the brain received the pre-stimulus information about 4 to 5 seconds before being exposed to a future emotional image randomly selected by the computer, the heart actually received the information 1.5 seconds before the brain.1
 There are several other areas of study related to the heart, involving memory and the energy field. In my work as a therapist, when I take people into a deep subconscious state, there are some who reveal memories that go back as far as the time they were in their mother’s womb, as a newly-formed fetus. Medically speaking, pregnancy is confirmed when the heart of the new life inside the mother’s womb starts beating. The brain is not yet formed in any way; it is just a primitive bunch of neurons at that time. But the heart of the fetus is pumping. So when a person recollects and shares an episode which occurred that early in their life, what part of the human system is responsible for that memory?
 In his groundbreaking work, The Heart’s Code, Dr. Paul Pearsall cites several anecdotes on this topic. He combines ancient wisdom, modern education, and scientific research to demonstrate that the human heart holds the secret to the link between body, mind and spirit. His study focuses on the heart’s memory and energy field, showing that the heart is not just a pumping organ, but also retains subtle information and is in itself a source of infinite knowledge yet to be discovered and comprehended by the science of modern times.
 Similarly, there are instances when people in a coma are known to capture or perceive what is happening around them, and some of these episodes are termed Near Death Experiences (NDE). What part of the human system actually perceives these seemingly out-of-body sensations, when the brain activity is clinically nil or negligent? What I find even more fascinating is the fact that, like the birth of the fetus in the mother’s womb, the death of the person is medically certified only when the heart stops beating or functioning. It is an indication that the heart is not only the seat of intuition, but essentially the source or center of life itself. Dr. Raymond Moody’s Life After Life is a wonderful scientific treatise for those who wish to explore this subject in more depth.
 <hr>
 <h5 style="text-align: center;">The heart is not only the seat of intuition, 
 but essentially the source or center of life itself.</h5>
 <hr>
 As a practicing pediatrician, I often notice that children walk into my clinic in a state of fear or anxiety about what’s going to happen next: What will the doctor do? Will he give me an injection? Will he ask me to take bitter medicine? In the light of this awareness I have been doing a small experiment, where I start connecting with my heart before each scheduled appointment. I take a few moments to be silent and dive into the depths of my heart, with the suggestion that “Joy is radiating from my heart to the child’s heart, alleviating all her fear and anxiety.” The moment I connect in this manner, I feel a shift in my own inner condition and outer expression. There is a feeling of lightness within, which usually flashes as a warm smile on my face and, ultimately, that reflects in the child. I have observed that in most cases when I welcome my patients in this manner, there is a sense of ease and comfort in them which is distinctly not visible on other routine days.
 In almost all cultures around the world, a person is described by the quality of their heart: “Oh, he is such a kind-hearted man,” “She is so warmhearted,” or “They are hard-hearted people.” So, if you want to change the nature or behavior of a person, where does the change really need to be effected? The answer seems obvious: the heart. And that is why the Heartfulness Institute recommends meditation on the heart, with the aid of a unique and ancient technique known as yogic Transmission. You will find more details regarding yogic Transmission and its benefits at <a href="https://www. heartfulnessmagazine.com/transmission" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://www. heartfulnessmagazine.com/transmission</a>/.
 During pilot research with Terrablue XT, we studied the flow of yogic Transmission with the help of a device that records physiological functions of the body while the person is involved in different activities like sleeping, resting, relaxing, or meditating. Our findings showed that there is certainly a flow of energy between the trainer’s heart and the one receiving the Transmission, despite the absence of any physical contact between the two people in the meditative state. During every such meditation, the Terrablue device recorded a positive shift in heart-rate variability and galvanic skin response, indicating that the people meditating were in a deep state of calm and rest. Time and again, practitioners have shared the profound changes in their own nature and in their surrounding environment as a result of practicing Heartfulness techniques over a sustained period of time. You may read some of these articles at <a style="color: #c99b3e;" href="https://heartfulness.org/in/humans-ofheartfulness" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://heartfulness.org/in/humans-ofheartfulness/</a>.
 The heart’s wisdom is an ancient science. Shamans or Elders in all cultures were well-versed in using their intuition to predict changes in the season or the weather, in foretelling birth and death, and in identifying nature’s resources for healing and vitality. Even today, there are indigenous tribes around the world who are well-versed in the art of tapping into and using the heart’s secret potential, which may appear incomprehensible and inaccessible to the scientific community of modern times. Surely a lot more research needs to be done on this unassuming little organ, for I am certain the heart is not merely a physical pump and that there is a lot more to what is visible or tangible. It may hold the key to life, death, and perhaps even beyond.
 1 <a href="https://www.heartmath.org/research/science-of-the-heart/intuition-research" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://www.heartmath.org/research/science-of-the-heart/intuition-research</a>
 <hr>
 <h4 style="text-align: center;">Article by DR. NATWAR SHARMA 
 Illustrations by UMA MAHESWARI</h4>
 <hr>

Intuitive science

<h4>
 DR. NATWAR SHARMA explores the world
 of feelings and emotions, their effect on the physical body, and how we
 can learn to manage them effectively.
 </h4>
 <hr class="vertical-space1" />
 
 Our life is largely the interplay of feelings and emotions. It is
 important for us to understand why they surface and how we react to
 them, because that in turn will develop our mental perception and
 improve our physical health.
 
 <h4 style="text-align: justify">
 What Are Emotions?
 </h4>
 
 Emotions are basically ‘energy in motion – e-motion’. They generally
 carry a weight or leave an impression on our physical and subtle bodies.
 They are responses, primarily of ‘flight or fight’, which come from the
 subcortical regions of the brain, especially the amygdala and the
 pre-frontal cortex, when we face a particular situation or condition.
 Thus they are part of the subconscious.
 
 
 Emotions potentiate the memory associated with any incident or event. A
 memory without the backing of any emotion is not strong enough to last
 through time, nor does it have much impact on our current physical and
 mental make-up. In contrast, a memory with an associated emotion is more
 likely to influence our present situation. 
 This is one of the primary reasons that it is so important to be aware
 of and handle our emotions in a sane manner.
 
 <h4 style="text-align: justify">
 How Do Emotions Affect the Human Body?
 </h4>
 
 In the current world, where many of us live in cities with busy
 routines, we are not able to be in touch with our feelings and emotions,
 let alone deal with them. We keep going on and on, until we cross the
 threshold and feel overburdened and stressed. Every individual has a
 threshold for emotional tolerance, and when we overstep that threshold
 it adversely affects our physical health.
 
 
 How does this happen? When our capacity to cope with a particular
 situation crosses this threshold, the subcortical region of the brain,
 or the amygdala, is activated, in turn triggering the neocortex, which
 ultimately produces signals that manifest in the physical body as
 physical sensations.
 
 Try these experiments:
 
 Observe your physical body during various activities. For example,
 note the reactions in your body while watching an emotionally charged
 program on television, like a horror movie or thriller. Your muscles
 may contract without your knowledge and your heart may beat at a
 faster rate. These somatic changes in the body, directly or indirectly
 determine the level of stress you experience during the day.
 
 
 
 Similarly, uttering a word or phrase or sentence that is charged with
 an emotion produces a physical sensation in the body. For example, you
 may feel tightness or heaviness, weakness or pain, or a tingling
 sensation in your body while recollecting something that scares you
 while repeatedly uttering, “I am feeling scared of …”
 
 
 
 Repeat this experiment with different sentences conveying positive
 and negative emotions, and see what reactions they produce in the
 body.
 
 
 You may be amazed with what you observe and feel.
 
 
 Often the words ‘emotion’ and ‘feeling’ are used interchangeably. They
 are two sides of the same coin, yet they are different. For example, I
 may feel left out in a particular situation, but what emotion is backing
 this feeling? As an adult I may be sad that I was not included. As a
 child I may be angry at my parents for leaving me out of some talk or
 activity, or I may even be guilty that I did not do what I was supposed
 to do and automatically missed being a part of something. I may also
 experience a mixture of all these emotions.
 
 
 Thus, one situation can produce a cocktail of emotions – and when such a
 cocktail is suppressed for too long it can be debilitating. Suppressed
 emotions generally manifest in the physical body as some kind of an
 ailment or disease – this I can duly validate through my work and
 research with my patients and clients, both as a physician and a
 therapist.
 
 <h4 style="text-align: justify">
 Emotions in Children
 </h4>
 
 The depth of feeling and emotion in children is much stronger than in
 adults. One reason is that they are empty books: everything is written
 afresh on their pages. A second is that the subconscious mind is very
 powerful when they are young. And a third reason is that their capacity
 to discriminate is not strong enough; they still need to grow in wisdom
 in order to reason and come to a conclusion.
 
 
 <img
 class="has-img-center lazyload w-100 h-auto"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/play_of_emotions2_a5b5f35e72.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-05T11:24:59.250Z"
 alt="play-of-emotions2"
 />
 
 
 Children are very sensitive and receptive, so we must be extra careful
 when we deal with them. How do we explain things to them? How do we
 allow them to come to a conclusion in a simple way?
 
 
 One way is to just be with them and go through whatever they are
 experiencing in that moment. For example, if your child is scared of the
 dark, instead of admonishing her, sit with her in a dark room and go
 through the experience together. In my practice, I have found this to be
 more effective as it may actually help children to open up and confide
 in their parents.
 
 
 Basically, we need to devise different ways and methods to deal with
 children. Once they form an impression and come to a conclusion about
 something, it conditions them for life, so that they run according to
 the same program the mind has created. When writing on a new page,
 ensure that you write it well!
 
 <h4 style="text-align: justify">
 How to Deal With Negative Emotions?
 </h4>
 
 It is important to release negative emotions from the subconscious,
 preferably as soon as they are triggered. Another interesting
 observation is that seemingly negative emotions, like fear and anger,
 may actually be used positively in context to the situation. For
 example, it may be good for a student to feel some tension or stress, to
 the extent that it drives them to work hard and do well in life. But
 when we continue to feel the same over a period of time, when we carry
 the negative emotion, it not only affects our own health but also the
 moods and conditions of people around us. A typical case would be that
 of the boss who walks into the office in an angry mood, which cascades
 down to the employees and everyone else he meets during the day.
 
 
 One way to refine our emotions and feelings, purifying them of
 negativity, is the Heartfulness Cleaning – a proven and effective
 technique in this context.
 
 
 Another method to deal with negative emotional reactions, such as
 anxiety, anger or fear, is to activate the parasympathetic nervous
 system, our ‘rest and digest system’. When such emotions surface, try
 closing the right nostril with your thumb and breathing deeply through
 the left nostril. It helps to activate the parasympathetic nervous
 system.
 
 
 Last but not least, pause before reacting in any situation. By doing so,
 you are most likely to respond in a heartfelt manner instead of
 reacting.
 
 
 Much of the research today in the field of pathology of diseases traces
 their roots to deeply suppressed emotions in the human subconscious over
 a length of time. Medical science is opening up to various alternate
 therapies and modalities of treatment, such as psychotherapy, Emotional
 Freedom Technique, and other cognitive therapies, to deal with the root
 cause at the base of physical ailments. Slowly but surely, we are moving
 towards more holistic ways of healing, combining mainstream medicine
 with alternative therapies, facilitating the well-being of the body,
 mind and soul.
 
 <hr />
 <h4 style="text-align: center">Article by DR. NATWAR SHARMA</h4>
 <hr />

The play of emotions

<h4>DR NATWAR SHARMA shares some thoughts on our current sleep crisis, and why it
 is a good idea to get a good night’s sleep.</h4>
Sleep is defined as an altered state of consciousness wherein the sensory and motor
 systems are relatively inhibited.
Why do we need sleep?
Most of us living in cities have a lot of mental activity, but our physical activity is
 almost zero. Especially with all these gadgets available, there is no need to travel and we can sit at one place and
 work. At the same time, the mind is hyper-stimulated. There is so much to do today, so much to catch up on: movies,
 TV, social media. And how much time is consumed on WhatsApp!
Why do we need sleep? Now when we look at the animal world, we see how beautifully
 they’re aligned with nature. By sunset they fall asleep, and with the first rays of the sun you can hear the birds
 chirping. As human beings what has gone wrong with us?
We too have a circadian clock, which helps us to wake up and sleep. The hormone
 melatonin is responsible for this, and light basically inhibits the secretion of this hormone. We are exposed to a
 lot of artificial light today. Even after sunset, there is light all around. Also, most of us don’t follow sleep
 hygiene: we are awake – on our mobile phones, watching TV or just surfing. Imagine the amount of light entering our
 eyes, not allowing the melatonin hormone to be secreted and function properly.
What happens as a result of all this? Gradually stress builds up. We use our mobile
 phone throughout the day, recharge it at night, and the next day it is ready to be used again. The same is the case
 with our body: it needs to be recharged. In many cases, even if our body is not completely recharged, we can push
 ourselves because there are additional mechanisms. It is like having a back-up battery in your mobile phone. But in
 order to make that happen, there is a lot of extra load on the body’s mechanisms and that’s when stress builds up.

What is needed in today’s scenario is to create a balance in our lives. On the one hand
 we need to have some physical activity in order to tire our body, while on the other we need to reduce mental
 stimulation especially after sunset. It is not possible to avoid stress in today’s world; stress has become part of
 life. But how can we manage stress?
Apart from indulging in physical activities, we may practice techniques like relaxation
 and meditation. They help the mind to calm down and induce much better sleep.
Sleep is a very important aspect of our lives, which we ignore. Please think over this.
 I wish you all a good night’s sleep!
<hr>
<h4 style="text-align: center;">Article by DR NATWAR SHARMA</h4>
<hr>

The science of sleep

Neale is the author of 37 books on contemporary spirituality, including seven New York Times bestsellers. His Conversations with God series has been translated into 35 languages and read by millions around the world. He travels extensively focusing on what he calls the most important question facing humanity today: Is it possible that there is something we don't fully understand about God and about Life, the understanding of which would change everything?

Nealdonald.jpg

Neale Donald Walsch

<h4>NEALE DONALD WALSCH addresses the underlying cause of our global dysfunctions
 today and challenges us all to solve them, together, through one single decision. Are we ready for this?</h4>
<img decoding="async" class="lazyload img-float-right has-img-center-in-mobile"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/NEALE_DONALD_WALSCH_8d0cbc76a3.jpeg?updated_at=2023-04-05T06:06:26.097Z">We
 – you and I – have a chance to solve the biggest problem in the world today. All we have to do is make a single
 decision. But so far we haven’t been able to make that decision, because the biggest problem in the world today is
 that most people don’t know what the biggest problem in the world today is.
Now that’s remarkable, because this problem is so huge, it is causing all of the other
 problems, all of the ‘smaller’ problems, that we hear about every day. That includes global warming, planetary
 political upheaval, worldwide economic disparity, endless wars, and widespread individual frustration and
 dissatisfaction with the conditions of life.
All of these predicaments are the fallout, the direct result, of one pervasive
 condition. That condition can be described in one word.
Alienation.
Human beings are alienated from each other. And we’re experiencing more alienation every
 day. Overnight we’ve found ourselves in bigger versions of an ‘Us Against Them’ world than most of us have ever
 encountered before.
Nothing that’s gone wrong with the world is our fault. Nothing. We’re not responsible
 for any of it. Not a single piece of it. It’s all their doing.
It’s those unwanted immigrants, those unsatisfied minorities, those unhappy women, those
 right-wing radicals, those left-wing nut jobs, those unacceptable gays, those uninformed students, those dumb
 conservatives, those empty-headed liberals, those unmotivated government assistance recipients. It’s those ‘others’
 who just keep making things difficult.
Not everyone feels this way, of course, but everyone can feel everyone who feels this
 way. So it’s affecting all of us. Each day it’s producing distressing headlines, angry blogs, name-calling speeches,
 childish rants, attacking tweets, bullying diatribes, finger-pointing tirades, and violence-laden actions.
And not just ‘over there’. It used to be ‘over there’, in that other country, in that
 other town, in that other place. But now it’s right here, in our own town, in our own country, and sometimes, sadly,
 in our own hearts.
Why? Because alienation inevitably arises in the aftermath of ongoing citizen
 frustration. And citizen frustration inevitably arises in the aftermath of ongoing societal dysfunction. And
 societal dysfunction inevitably arises in the aftermath of ongoing systemic failure. And that’s exactly what we’re
 faced with here. Long-term, ongoing, systemic failure.
None of the systems we’ve put in place to make life better for all of us are working.
 There are some rare exceptions, but in the main, most are failing to produce the outcomes they were intended to
 produce.
Wait. It’s worse. They’re actually producing the opposite.
Our political systems, our economic systems, our social systems, even our vaunted
 worldwide Internet systems, are hurting us, not helping us. And, saddest of all, our spiritual systems, which so
 many had hoped would bring us closer to God and closer to each other, have done exactly the opposite.
All of this can be reversed, however, and all with a simple flip of humanity’s Belief
 Switch. We merely have to turn off our belief in Separation.
It is the idea that we are separate from each other and from God that has generated the
 conditions that have produced – and continue to create and tolerate – the predicaments mentioned earlier.
Are you aware that still today, in the first quarter of the 21st century, 1.5 billion
 people have no access to clean water? That more than 1.7 billion still have no electricity? That nearly 2.5 billion
 of our fellow humans still live without indoor plumbing? That’s one quarter of the human race.
Now one might argue that these are but inconveniences. Yet hundreds of thousands die
 each year as a result of the unhealthy conditions arising out of these ‘inconveniences’.
And consider this: Every hour more than 650 children die of starvation on the planet.

Could any of this occur if our species as a whole embraced a consciousness of Oneness?
 No. So what is being invited today by Life Itself is a movement on the part of every individual not just to be aware
 of our Oneness, but to live it.
For humanity, this has become the essential path. This is what it will take for us to
 move forward with our evolution on Earth. And we can do this by making one simple decision.
<hr>
<h5 style="text-align: center;">Adopting the idea that we are Spiritual Beings, One
 Being, 
 is not about creating a science-fictionesque utopian society. 
 But we can create a planetary community of far more loving, 
 peaceful, safe and joyous people, thriving and not constantly struggling, 
 relaxed and not continually straining, 
 celebrating and not endlessly competing or opposing.
</h5>
<hr>
Put into question form, the decision for all humans comes down to this:
1. Are we temporary physical beings, or are we Eternal Spiritual
 Beings Manifesting Physically? 
 2. Are we completely separate entities, or One Essence Manifesting Individually?
Basically, the question is, “What is our True Nature?” Our life as it is now being lived
 offers us a chance to demonstrate our answer. And this is something that each of us is doing, right here, right now.

Should we choose to write a New Cultural Story, one which announces and declares that
 humans are Spiritual Beings and All One – united with each other and with The Creator – everything would change on
 this planet. Our motivations, our intentions, our objectives, and our interactions would be altered at every level.
 Our relationships in this civilization – nation-with-nation, religion-with-religion, race-with-race,
 conservative-withliberal, man-with-woman, straight-with-gay, young-with-old – would become civil at last.
<img decoding="async" class="lazyload w-100"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/solution2_cac2e065c3.jpeg?updated_at=2023-04-05T06:07:25.111Z">

Our problem of Alienation, our idea that violence is a legitimate means of addressing
 differences, our condition of insufficiency and our unnecessary suffering endured by billions … all of this and more
 would disappear from the Earth, dissolved by new ideas of ourselves that would quickly induce the abandonment of our
 most damaging self-concepts.
Does this mean we would create a life on Earth without a single concern or challenge of
 any kind? No, of course not. Adopting the idea that we are Spiritual Beings, One Being, is not about creating a
 science-fiction-esque utopian society. But we can create a planetary community of far more loving, peaceful, safe
 and joyous people, thriving and not constantly struggling, relaxed and not continually straining, celebrating and
 not endlessly competing or opposing.
Can we do it? Can our species embrace a Consciousness of Oneness, of Unity with each
 other and with The Divine? I believe we can. And there are many tools we can use. All we have to do is intend to do
 so, and our intention will act as a powerful magnet, with the awareness of those tools and how to use them being
 drawn to us from many sources – not the least of which may very well be the magazine you are reading right now.
So read on. And read often. And commit to living the truth, if it is your truth, that We Are All One.
This article is adapted from Neale’s latest book, The Essential Path, to be
 published in June and now available for pre-order at most online bookstores. Neale Donald Walsch may be reached
 for personal interaction at www. CWGConnect.com.
<hr>
<h4 style="text-align: center;">Article by NEALE DONALD WALSCH</h4>
<hr>

The  solution to the biggest problem in the world today

<hr class="vertical-space1">
<h4>NEALE DONALD WALSCH addresses the underlying cause of our global dysfunctions
 today and challenges us all to solve them, together, through one single decision. Are we ready for this?</h4>

<hr class="vertical-space1">

We – you and I – have a chance to solve the biggest problem in the world today. All we
 have to do is make a single decision. But so far we haven’t been able to make that decision, because the biggest
 problem in the world today is that most people don’t know what the biggest problem in the world today is.
Now that’s remarkable, because this problem is so huge, it is causing all of the other
 problems, all of the ‘smaller’ problems, that we hear about every day. That includes global warming, planetary
 political upheaval, worldwide economic disparity, endless wars, and widespread individual frustration and
 dissatisfaction with the conditions of life.
All of these predicaments are the fallout, the direct result, of one pervasive
 condition. That condition can be described in one word.
Alienation.
Human beings are alienated from each other. And we’re experiencing more alienation
 every day. Overnight we’ve found ourselves in bigger versions of an “Us Against Them” world than most of us have
 ever encountered before. Nothing that’s gone wrong with the world is our fault. Nothing. We’re not responsible for
 any of it.
<hr class="vertical-space1">


<hr>
<h4 style="text-align: center;">Alienation inevitably arises in the aftermath
 
 of ongoing citizen frustration. 
 And citizen frustration inevitably arises 
 in the aftermath of ongoing societal dysfunction. 
 And societal dysfunction inevitably arises 
 in the aftermath of ongoing systemic failure.
</h4>


<hr>
<hr class="vertical-space1">
Nothing that’s gone wrong with the world is our fault. Nothing. We’re not responsible
 for any of it. Not a single piece of it. It’s all their doing.
It’s those unwanted immigrants, those unsatisfied minorities, those unhappy women,
 those right-wing radicals, those left-wing nut jobs, those unacceptable gays, those uninformed students, those dumb
 conservatives, those empty-headed liberals, those unmotivated government assistance recipients. It’s those ‘others’
 who just keep making things difficult.
Not everyone feels this way, of course, but everyone can feel everyone who
 feels this way. So it’s affecting all of us. Each day it’s producing distressing headlines, angry blogs,
 name-calling speeches, childish rants, attacking tweets, bullying diatribes, finger-pointing tirades, and
 violence-laden actions.
<hr class="vertical-space1">
<img decoding="async" alt="solution-biggest-problem-today2"
 class="azyload w-100"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/solution_biggest_problem_today2_ea70318be1_54628506bc.jpg">
<hr class="vertical-space1">
And not just ‘over there’. It used to be ‘over there’, in that other country, in that
 other town, in that other place. But now it’s right here, in our own town, in our own country, and sometimes, sadly,
 in our own hearts.
Why? Because alienation inevitably arises in the aftermath of ongoing citizen
 frustration. And citizen frustration inevitably arises in the aftermath of ongoing societal dysfunction. And
 societal dysfunction inevitably arises in the aftermath of ongoing systemic failure. And that’s exactly what we’re
 faced with here. Long-term, ongoing, systemic failure. None of the systems we’ve put in place to make life better
 for all of us are working. There are some rare exceptions, but in the main, most are failing to produce the outcomes
 they were intended to produce.
<hr class="vertical-space1">


<hr>
<h4 style="text-align: center;">It is the idea that we are separate from each other and
 from God 
 that has generated the conditions that have produced – 
 and continue to create and tolerate – the predicaments.
</h4>


<hr>
<hr class="vertical-space1">
Wait. It’s worse. They’re actually producing the opposite.
Our political systems, our economic systems, our social systems, even our vaunted
 worldwide Internet systems, are hurting us, not helping us. And, saddest of all, our spiritual systems, which so
 many had hoped would bring us closer to God and closer to each other, have done exactly the opposite.
All of this can be reversed, however, and all with a simple flip of humanity’s Belief
 Switch. We merely have to turn off our belief in Separation.
It is the idea that we are separate from each other and from God that has generated
 the conditions that have produced – and continue to create and tolerate – the predicaments mentioned earlier.
Are you aware that still today, in the first quarter of the 21st century, 1.5 billion
 people have no access to clean water? That more than 1.7 billion still have no electricity? That nearly 2.5 billion
 of our fellow humans still live without indoor plumbing? That’s one quarter of the human race.
Now one might argue that these are but inconveniences. Yet hundreds of thousands die
 each year as a result of the unhealthy conditions arising out of these “inconveniences.”
And consider this: Every hour more than 650 children die of starvation on the planet.

Could any of this occur if our species as a whole embraced a consciousness of Oneness?
 No. So what is being invited today by Life Itself is a movement on the part of every individual not just to be
 aware of our Oneness, but to live it.

<hr class="vertical-space1">


<hr>
<h4 style="text-align: center;">What is being invited today by Life Itself 
 is a movement on the part of every individual 
 not just to be aware of our Oneness, but to live it.
</h4>


<hr>
<hr class="vertical-space1">
For humanity, this has become the essential path. This is what it will take for us to
 move forward with our evolution on Earth. And we can do this by making one simple decision.
Put into question form, the decision for all humans comes down to this:
1. Are we temporary physical beings, or are we Eternal Spiritual
 Beings Manifesting Physically?
2. Are we completely separate entities, or One Essence Manifesting
 Individually?
Basically, the question is, “What is our True Nature?” Our life as it is now being
 lived offers us a chance to demonstrate our answer. And this is something that each of us is doing, right here,
 right now.
Should we choose to write a New Cultural Story, one which announces and declares that
 humans are Spiritual Beings and All One – united with each other and with The Creator – everything would change on
 this planet. Our motivations, our intentions, our objectives, and our interactions would be altered at every level.
 Our relationships in this civilization – nation-with-nation, religion-with-religion, race-with-race,
 conservative-with-liberal, man-with-woman, straight-with-gay, young-with-old – would become civil at last.
<hr class="vertical-space1">
<img decoding="async" alt="solution-biggest-problem-today3" width="834"
 class="lazyload w-100"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/solution_biggest_problem_today3_bd3dc87e2b.jpg">
<hr class="vertical-space1">
Our problem of Alienation, our idea that violence is a legitimate means of addressing
 differences, our condition of insufficiency and our unnecessary suffering endured by billions … all of this and more
 would disappear from the Earth, dissolved by new ideas of ourselves that would quickly induce the abandonment of our
 most damaging self-concepts.
Does this mean we would create a life on Earth without a single concern or challenge
 of any kind? No, of course not. Adopting the idea that we are Spiritual Beings, One Being, is not about creating a
 science-fiction-esque utopian society. But we can create a planetary community of far more loving,
 peaceful, safe and joyous people, thriving and not constantly struggling, relaxed and not continually straining,
 celebrating and not endlessly competing or opposing.Can we do it? Can our species embrace a Consciousness of
 Oneness, of Unity with each other and with The Divine? I believe we can. And there are many tools we can use. All we
 have to do is intend to do so, and our intention will act as a powerful magnet, with the awareness of those tools
 and how to use them being drawn to us from many sources – not the least of which may very well be the magazine you
 are reading right now.
So read on. And read often. And commit to living the truth, if it is your truth, that
 We Are All One.
<hr class="vertical-space1">
This article is adapted with permission from Neale’s
 book The Essential Path (June 2019). Neale Donald Walsch may be reached for personal interaction at <a
 style="color: #808080;" href="http://www.CWGConnect.com." target="_blank"
 rel="noopener noreferrer">www.CWGConnect.com.</a>
<hr class="vertical-space1">


<hr>
<h4 style="text-align: center;">Article by NEALE DONALD WALSCH</h4>
<hr>

The solution to the biggest problem in the world today

Neelam is an Aerospace Engineer, who has studied and worked on three continents, and currently lives in Munich, Germany. She is an ardent seeker of Truth, enjoys meditation, and has been a Heartfulness trainer for three years. She believes in making a difference to humanity.

Neelam Shivhare.webp

Neelam Shivhare

<h4 style="text-align:justify;">NEELAM SHIVHARE explores some of the great ancient texts of India on motherhood, compares the behavior of Kaikayi and Yashoda, and realizes the importance of removing fear from our hearts in order to nurture our children.</h4>&nbsp;The Ramayana is one of the finest epics of Indian mythology, with lessons of all kinds. It would be unfair to say one lifetime is enough to understand the essence of each character, the plot, and the overall message, but&nbsp;to explain the context, I will write a few sentences.The Ramayana was set in an ancient kingdom, at a time when King Dasharatha was at the cusp of passing his duties of kingship on to his first born, Prince Rama. A peculiarity about this kingdom was that once a person had given their word, it was valued to be the highest, even beyond human life.The kingship of Prince Rama was no surprise to anyone, being the tradition, however it was not accepted by the king’s third wife, Kaikayi, who had been convinced by her maid Manthara that her own son, Bharat, should be king. Her wishes didn’t yield results until one fateful day she happened to help King Dasharatha during a battle, whereafter he granted her a wish. She kept it as leverage for later, and meanwhile crystallized the dream for her son.Just when the time for Prince Rama came to take over the throne, Kaikayi asked the king to grant her wish, as he had promised. She demanded that her son Bharat be the successor instead of Rama, and that Rama and his new wife Sita be sent into exile in the forest far away for fourteen years.Upon learning&nbsp;what Kaikayi did, what emotions arise in you? You may wonder what made her like this? Was it her maid Manthara’s words? My current understanding says it was neither those words nor her decisions. It was fear in her heart that prevented her from seeing the truth.One wonders how a mother can divide two brothers. Well, it appears that sensitivity is a luxury, cherished by few. Nature might give it to mothers, but doesn’t hesitate to take it back should they not exercise it in the journey of life.Kaikayi&nbsp;was blinded by love for her son, aware that he was not the first born for kingship, attached to a future that tempted her. And the cherry on the top was the company she kept. Was she acting from the heart? Doubtful. Was she entirely wrong in her mind, not at all.Then the fault arises in her choice of being driven by fear. Fear engulfs behavior. It enslaves and conditions us, and doesn’t allow even sane people to act correctly.Compare this with&nbsp;Yashoda, the adoptive mother of Lord Krishna, from the era of the Kali Yuga and the great epic of the Mahabharata. Both Kaikayi and Yashoda were mothers, both deeply attached to their sons. What makes them so different?Yashoda received Krishna as a baby and accepted him as her own. Her heart was so free she didn’t activate her mind at all. The way Krishna made his way to her heart wasn’t a coincidence. What made Yashoda behave that way?&nbsp;She was devoid of fear.<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">We are creative beings, never forgetting the gifts with which we have been bestowed—the love and tenderness, natural instincts, and intuition to feel the right path. It all lies in the mysterious meanderings of the heart.</h4><hr>What remains when there is no fear? Isn’t it a heart akin to God, so loving that it doesn’t know the difference between my child and someone else’s child?Applying these lessons, I have learned how different destinies can be shaped.&nbsp;What does it &nbsp;take?&nbsp;Awareness.&nbsp;Consciousness of behaviors, vices, and virtues.&nbsp;For young women like myself, who are future mothers, I trust we are on the path of becoming self-aware and brutally honest with ourselves. We are creative beings, never forgetting the gifts with which we have been bestowed—the love and tenderness, natural instincts, and intuition to feel the right path. It all lies in the mysterious meanderings of the heart. Are we really listening to our hearts, or confusing the bombarding information on social media with reality?Practically, what can we do to prepare ourselves?Self-work: First, be honest with yourself. Alone, with the heart, not just meditating for the sake of ticking the box, ask yourself, “Do I like my current self? What is preventing me from being whole in this moment? Am I evolving on a daily basis?” &nbsp;Work on it. Meditate ardently, and every week make a reflection: “How was I behaving last week versus how am I feeling now?”Clarity: It isn’t about how well one can raise a life, but rather, “Am I equipped mentally, emotionally, and physically to even start doing so?” The decision is entirely with the woman. I do not hesitate to say that. Remember, we are creative beings, so there is always a way. And this is the most beautiful job, akin to the Creator’s, which is usually not looked upon with reverence.Action: Before the game begins and you invite a new life into the world, what if you map out what kind of mom you want to be?&nbsp;Cool mom, nurturing mom, or something else? Yes, it is possible to carve out a plan, why not? This is your laboratory and you can choose the ingredients in you that you would love to have.Lalaji’s “Principles of Conversation” help multifold, with their simple recipe to speak with love, like a current of the Divine that enters the heart directly. Imagine being spoken to with so much love, so much ease?Working on that plan also helps prepare ourselves in a way that we overcome our&nbsp;genetic traumas, and also release our regrets, unfulfilled needs, and heal&nbsp;to an extent that our future little angels are served in the best way possible. Like Yashoda Maa’s infinite love. After all, kids are life’s longing to express, and we are privileged to host their bodies for the sake of tomorrow.Turns out,&nbsp;Kaikayi and Yashoda were not just characters in stories, but Viveka personified, if only we are looking!<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">For young women like myself, who are future mothers, I trust we are on the path of becoming self-aware and brutally honest with ourselves.&nbsp;</h4><hr>&nbsp;<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:75%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/fear_affect_role_mother2_0a6addd531.webp" alt="fear-affect-role-mother2.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_fear_affect_role_mother2_0a6addd531.webp 145w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/large_fear_affect_role_mother2_0a6addd531.webp 1000w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/fear_affect_role_mother2_0a6addd531.webp 1000w," sizes="100vw"></figure>

How does fear affect our roles as mothers?

Neeraja has been a board-certified pediatrician and specialist in pediatric emergency medicine for the past 25 years. She currently resides in New Jersey, USA, with her three children and manages a general pediatric practice. She enjoys reading, tennis, and travel in her spare time.

Neeraja-Kairam.webp

Neeraja Kairam

<h4 style="text-align:justify;">NEERAJA KAIRAM is a physician based in New Jersey, USA. She shares with us her gratitude for the community she has found as she navigates the complex emotions surrounding grief, and builds bridges of understanding.&nbsp;</h4>&nbsp;November 29, 2020 is a date etched in my brain as the day my life changed forever.&nbsp;My husband, who had been by my side for 27 years, died suddenly and unexpectedly at the age of 50.&nbsp;I think of that time as an inflection point in my life, before his death (B.D.) and after (A.D.).&nbsp;In the three years since, I have become a different person.&nbsp;Looking back on the early days and months, I see a mix of pain and sorrow, gratitude, and resilience.&nbsp;I am still on the journey of navigating this new life that neither my kids nor I asked for. Along the way, I have discovered how the support of community and the connections I have formed allowed me to flourish even in the most difficult of times.&nbsp;In the aftermath of his death, there were so many mixed and complicated emotions, all shrouded in a cloud of intense grief.&nbsp;The sadness, isolation, fear, and sense of helplessness overwhelmed me in those early days. Outwardly, I appeared fine to many, as I mustered the strength to put one foot in front of the other, driven by the sole purpose of providing stability for my children.Balancing this newfound solo life with a full-time career was far from easy, especially when I inherited the task of managing my late husband’s business.&nbsp;His employees were also grappling with losing their beloved boss and their own anxieties about their livelihoods, so they looked to me for leadership. And, the constant concern for my three teenagers—now relying on me as their sole parent—weighed incessantly.&nbsp;<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:70.37%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/transforming_grief2_2f1cd2fd02.webp" alt="transforming-grief2.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_transforming_grief2_2f1cd2fd02.webp 145w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/large_transforming_grief2_2f1cd2fd02.webp 800w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/transforming_grief2_2f1cd2fd02.webp 800w," sizes="100vw"></figure>Grief is a complex and often misunderstood emotion. We all encounter it at some point in our lives, yet it remains challenging to accept and share openly. The discomfort it brings to those around us can result in a heavy burden, as we often feel compelled to hold our emotions in.&nbsp;Even the well-intentioned question of “How are you doing?" can leave a griever in a difficult position, unsure how to respond.&nbsp;For would-be consolers, there are also many complex emotions. In addition to sympathy and empathy, a sense of helplessness often stems from not knowing how to alleviate the griever’s grief.&nbsp;There is anxiety about saying the wrong thing, frustration due to the inability to find the right words, awkwardness in not knowing how to act or what to say, and even a tendency to avoid the situation to circumvent these uncomfortable emotions. I have felt all these things myself.<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">It is about recognizing the shared human experience and acknowledging the importance of supporting one another through life’s most challenging moments.</h4><hr>In our society, it is uncomfortable to discuss grief, and often not openly accepted. So, is there a way to bridge the gap and foster greater acceptance and understanding? It requires us to break down the walls of separation and push open dialogues about grief to the mainstream. In the end,&nbsp;that journey requires a collective effort to dismantle traditional barriers.&nbsp;It is about re-cognizing the shared human experience and acknowledging the importance of supporting one another through life’s most challenging moments.&nbsp;I was fortunate to have key people in my life who provided crucial support.&nbsp;They offered solace and guidance, and insisted I take moments of self-care. Despite their unwavering presence, I still grappled with an overwhelming sense of aloneness, a feeling that no one could truly understand the depth of my loss unless they had walked a similar path themselves. It wasn’t just the loss of my husband, my best friend, and the anchor of support for my children. It was also the loss of the future we had envisioned together.&nbsp;I lost my partner in travel, music concerts, and other adventures.&nbsp;I dealt with the loss of my identity in the world without him, and the loss of a clear sense of purpose in my life.&nbsp;Not long after my husband’s passing, a former colleague and friend, who had recently lost her husband to cancer, introduced me to an online support group for physician widows.&nbsp;Initially, the word “widow” bore the weight of sorrow, but with time, it came to represent strength and resilience. These women gave me a deep sense of belonging and understanding.&nbsp;They empathized with the myriad of emotions that come with widowhood—grief, guilt, fear, “should haves,” and all the expected and unexpected triggers.&nbsp;This supportive community brought me a sense of normalcy regarding my own emotions, and allowed me to extend support to others enduring similar grief.&nbsp;Recently, when one of them shared, “I have lots of people to do things with, but I have no one to do nothing with,” it was a moment of revelation. I connected with the sentiment, even though I struggled for so long to find the right words to express it. In this community of remarkable women I found solace and mutual support.&nbsp;Support also came from unexpected sources.&nbsp;I am still in awe of an experience that took place a year after my husband’s passing as we were approaching the holiday season.&nbsp;Every day for the 12 days of Christmas, a gift arrived on our front porch, accompanied by a card signed, “Your true friends.”&nbsp;On the 13th day, we received the final gift that explained the meaning behind these mysterious presents, a book called The 13th Gift by Joanne Huist Smith. In her book, she shares her own story of what happened after her husband passed away just before Christmas. Like us, her family received 12 daily gifts from strangers that helped them cope with their grief during the holiday season.&nbsp;To this day, the sender of those gifts remains a mystery, but the impact of this unexpected gesture of kindness and compassion has been permanently cemented in our hearts.&nbsp;<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:70.47%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/transforming_grief3_a43a8ade80.webp" alt="transforming-grief3.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_transforming_grief3_a43a8ade80.webp 145w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/large_transforming_grief3_a43a8ade80.webp 800w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/transforming_grief3_a43a8ade80.webp 800w," sizes="100vw"></figure>&nbsp;Looking back on the past three years, I am reminded of the people who stood by me when I wasn’t at my best, who listened when I needed to be heard, and who gave me space when I needed it.&nbsp;They encouraged me to take each day one breath at a time. &nbsp;It remains a powerful testament to the support and kindness of loved ones and strangers alike and exemplifies what it means to truly take care of each other.<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">They encouraged me to take each day one breath at a time.</h4><hr><hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">Illustrations by JASMEE MUDGAL</h4><hr>

Transforming grief 

Negin is a social entrepreneur and activist, who is committed to inner change. She is also a writer, a dreamer, a consciousness and communication coach, and an educator. She has been meditating for a long time, and rejoices in supporting others to get in touch with their inner being. She also uses poetry and music sessions to bring about catharsis, and unite people in oneness.

Negin.png

Negin M. Khorasani

<h4>
 NEGIN KHORASANI&nbsp;throws light on
 the beauty of the inner Self – its nature and its role in discernment.
</h4>

 Many of us who are in the process of self-refinement are striving to
 become more and more gentle and loving; to respond in a state of love
 rather than fear-based reactions. Sometimes we are unsuccessful.. Later,
 when we review the events and don’t feel so good about them, we justify
 ourselves by saying that being severe is another godly quality that is
 needed, just as Shiva had both qualities. So is it just a matter of
 recognizing the right time for the right response? This complicates
 things – it brings the mind into the picture to decide on the right
 response, and the mind never seems to make it simple for us.

<hr />
<h4 style="text-align: center">
 Our task, as Rumi says, is to remove all our inner barriers against love; 
 barriers that separate us from the Ultimate. 
</h4>
<hr />

 Another approach is through the heart, where we develop Godly qualities.
 Our thinking faculty becomes a field to receive intuition, our intellect
 evolves into wisdom, and our ego becomes as subtle as possible, so that
 we are free from self-centeredness, and self-consciousness, and expand
 into the consciousness of Divinity. We see nothing but the presence of
 God, inside and outside.


 <img
 class="img-float-left has-img-center-in-mobile lazyload"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/ultimate_gentleness2_b9fd2f87d7.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-04T07:09:13.994Z"
 alt="ultimate-gentleness2"
 />In this state, we are no longer driven by plans to be either gentle or
 forceful. We are in a state of utmost surrender and acceptance. If
 applying force is needed from our side, it happens in a natural and
 intuitive way, without us thinking or planning for it. It is not driven
 by our ego but by our higher Self in constant communion with the Divine.
 Love rules it, not defensiveness to protect our ego. Love sees no
 barrier and separation; love sees all as part of the Divine and does
 what is needed.


 When we see all that comes our way as coming from the Divine, as pure
 wisdom and as the ultimate good for all, we develop faith and later
 reach a state of surrender to the Divine. So we go with the flow without
 the least resistance. In this state, our desires and egotistical motives
 have vanished. There are no more personal likes and dislikes, no more
 resistance, and that to me is the ultimate gentleness. I always think of
 water as a lesson in how the gentle conquers the hard. When water
 reaches a big rock, it does not fight with it but just finds its way
 around it, and ultimately rolls the big rock from its place without
 spending any extra energy to do so. Strength is embedded in gentleness.
 There is no need to strive for it.


 I have been always amazed by how ancient traditions consider our inner
 Self to be the feminine side of us. According to ancient collective
 wisdom, we all have a feminine side, our subtler, finer Self; our inner
 self that represents true strength. There is a tarot card, Strength,
 which has a picture of an angelic female who has tamed a lion. This card
 represents our inner Self, which is able to tame our animal nature in
 its primal form. In fact, the will and passion of our instinctive nature
 need not be broken but refined and brought to consciousness, so that all
 levels of creation come into harmony. The persuasive ‘forceless force’
 of the feminine can nurture and induce cooperation from everyone and
 everything, stilling disruptive energies by harmonizing differences in
 the spirit of collective goodwill. That is what the balance between Yin
 and Yang, Anima and Animus means.

<hr />
<h4 style="text-align: center">
 So we go with the flow without the least resistance. 
 In this state, our desires and egotistical motives have vanished. 
 There are no more personal likes and dislikes, 
 no more resistance, and that&nbsp;to me is the ultimate gentleness.
</h4>
<hr />

 Our task is not in trying to think when to be loving and gentle and when
 to be severe and tough. Our task, as Rumi says, is to remove all our
 inner barriers against love; barriers that separate us from the
 Ultimate. To sublimate our ego and purify our consciousness more and
 more. To immerse ourselves in Godly remembrance so much so that the
 right thoughts, words and actions emerge in any situation in a natural
 and effortless way. There is no need to plan to be severe or to protect.
 When we dissolve the ego and remain connected to the Divine, are we not
 just a drop in this vast ocean? Are we not one with all? Are we not
 feeling already protected and safe? The task is just to dissolve
 ourselves – fana, as they call it in the Sufi tradition.

<hr />
<h4 style="text-align: center">Article by NEGIN M. KHORASANI</h4>
<hr />

Ultimate gentleness is the ultimate strength

<h4 style="text-align:justify;">NEGIN M. KHORASANI searches for the quiddity&nbsp;of&nbsp;happiness.</h4>&nbsp;<hr>&nbsp;What would you wish for if you had a genie? A villa in the Canary Islands? A Lamborghini? A luxury vacation? Or something more sustainable: a bank account that never ends, which would maintain a high standard of living with all these things and many more? Or perhaps you wish for beauty? Or for the man or woman of your dreams, your perfect mate, with whom you can live happily ever after?Let’s pause right here, on the very last phrase, “happily ever after”, the words that all our fairy tale stories end with. Isn’t it the core and the essence of all our endeavors? Isn’t this everlasting happiness the reason we need our jobs, titles and money? After all, happiness is what we pursue through all these things. We believe they will make us happy, be it our hard work, our career, our leisure activities, our relationships, and our material possessions and money. So why not focus on our goal in the first place, instead of the tools that might help us to achieve it? Why not focus on happiness?So let’s look at the quiddity of happiness. How exactly can you define it without getting into the trap of equating it with the ways and means to getting it? So to be very clear, happiness is not the money, the luxury lifestyle, the most exotic and desirable food you may think of, a perfect relationship, or being in a happily balanced family life with your children around you, etc. These are all ways we think will help us reach a state of happiness.In order to define happiness, let’s recall the inner state and condition we have when we achieve any of the items on our list. How did you feel in that moment when you reunited with a loved one after being apart for a while? How did you feel when you were holding your baby for the first time? Or how do you feel in simple moments of satisfaction, for example after a good meal in a nice environment? It seems that in all these moments we experience a feeling of our needs or desires being fulfilled, whatever they might be, so we are able to go beyond and immerse ourselves in a state of balance, serenity and harmony.We are where we have to be, in the blissful present moment. We do not want to go anywhere else, as we are happy being exactly where we are. We feel a sense of belonging to something bigger than ourselves, connected, surrounded by it, and fulfilled. It is a feeling of being safe and supported, complete, whole and at home.This feeling of connection in the moment, of feeling safe and at home, seems to be the key factor associated with happiness. So to further our search for happiness maybe it would be wise to search for its essence; this feeling of connectedness, unity and inner contentment. This brings us to the heart; not the physical pump that we have in our chest, but the field where we receive our emotions. It is the core of our being where we can settle in and enjoy the feeling of connectedness to the whole of creation and feel at home. So it seems the journey of a thousand miles has brought us to the closest possible corner of the world, right here, available anytime; our heart. Isn’t it amazing how available is that we have searched for throughout human history?Now the question is: how to access this seemingly familiar and close corner, which tends to recede and stay far from reach? Both logic and experience says the means to simple things must be simple.<hr>So when we go within, tune into it, feel the connection and behold it, day after day, we start a process of becoming one with it.<hr>Meditation is a simple way to access the simplicity of the heart; to feel the inner presence, the joy we all are in our essence, the light that we are. This is our natural state. So when we go within, tune into it, feel the connection and behold it, day after day, we start a process of becoming one with it. This apparently very insignificant and passive activity of meditation that we do every day is the most potent way to explore this inner world. It also allows us to create our day and in perusing it persistently we can create our life in a balanced harmonious state that is full of happiness.Heartfulness is the process of finding the philosopher stone rather than the gold. For then we can turn every ordinary thing into gold, every ordinary moment into a joyful experience. That is the miraculous alchemy of Heartfulness, when you are in that lovely corner of the whole world, your heart.&nbsp;<hr>&nbsp;<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">Article&nbsp; by NEGIN M. KHORASANI</h4><hr>

Beholding and becoming

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Negin Motamed

<hr class="vertical-space1">
<h4>NEGIN MOTAMED explores some fundamental principles of Nature about giving and
 receiving, and how we can limit ourselves by a belief system of scarcity and replace it with a new belief system of
 abundance.</h4>

<hr class="vertical-space1">

When we don’t know how to give in order to receive, we are unaware of one of the most
 powerful laws of Nature. We may continue seeking and never be satisfied in our search. Many of us believe in
 scarcity and are in a state of poverty consciousness. We therefore stay in that state our whole lives. How can we
 receive what we don’t believe exists? The universe seems to always approve our belief, whatever it may be. If we
 believe in scarcity, that remains our reality; if we trust the universe and all its mysterious ways, we will observe
 in a state of wonder how things find their way to us from unknown sources. Even without knowing how, we can live in
 absolute abundance.
Abundance starts with a state of mind. Only when we deeply believe in it, and allow the
 trust that is naturally generated as a result of this belief to prevail, will we no longer be afraid of giving. We
 know we are connected to the treasury of the universe. Even if it seems momentarily gone, it will come again,
 whatever it may be that we are giving – wealth, love, care, etc. Only with this inner condition and mental state
 does abundance appear as our physical reality.
<hr>
<h5 style="text-align: center;">Abundance starts with a state of mind. 
 Only when we deeply believe in it, 
 and allow the trust that is naturally 
 generated as a result of this belief to prevail, 
 will we no longer be afraid of giving.
</h5>
<hr>
It is one of the laws of Nature that there is never an empty space in Nature. 
 As Goethe beautifully says, “It is the nature of grace always to fill spaces that have been empty.” 
 The wise ones know there is no emptiness in Nature. Where an empty space appears, it is immediately filled with
 something else. The emptiness is just momentary. And as a something new appears in the place of the old, its fresh
 energy and newness fills our energy and flows to other areas of our life. So we never have to be afraid of losing
 anything. For example, take a relationship that has not worked, despite all the efforts we have put in to save it.
 Of course it is sad, but can we also ask, “What will come in its place? I am ready to embrace the new and fresh
 energy!”
We make our choices, and in turn they shape our reality. ‘Poverty consciousness’ or
 ‘abundance consciousness’ – the choice is always ours. If we choose poverty consciousness, we remain in a state of
 worry and we stick to what we have, whether in our bank account, in the form of other possessions, or in other
 resources. Worry is an indication that we believe in the absence of what we are worried about. That in itself
 interferes blocks the manifestation of the desired object. If we choose abundance consciousness, we accept abundance
 as our reality and we believe in the presence of it.
<hr class="vertical-space1">
<img decoding="async" alt="giving is receiving" class="w-100"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/giving_receiving2_240e22d7a6.jpg">
<hr class="vertical-space1">
Therefore we enjoy a relaxed state of mind, as we are always spending from the treasury
 of the universe rather than a bank account. When we choose this state, we start giving constantly in the trust that
 it keeps coming. We become part of the flow of Nature. We become a conduit. Nature will know that it has found a
 proper conduit that allows everything to pass through.
I am not talking of wasting resources but of being an open conduit for whatever should
 pass through, according to the wisdom of Nature. And when we are connected to that wisdom, we do not see separation
 between ourselves and Nature, which is the source of everything. Neither do we see separation between ourselves and
 other beings. We have one hand in Nature’s hand, and the other hand&nbsp;in anybody’s we come across. We receive
 from one hand and give from the other. In a state of oneness we naturally give warmth to the cold, food to the
 hungry, wealth to the poor, love and care to the ones in need, companionship to the ones who feel lonely. It is like
 feeling an itch in one hand and the other hand automatically scratches it, or when you wrap your hands around your
 body when you feel cold and rub your arms to give warmth.
If we think about it, nothing remains intact with the winds of change in our world. So
 why cling to things that result in worry, which will block abundance? Instead we can develop our preferred state of
 mind and feeling, and stay there in its safety.
Remaining in a state means maintaining a certain vibration, and that vibration
 translates into matter of the same vibration. That is how we attract certain people, events and circumstances in our
 lives that are in accordance with our state of mind or vibratory level. Therefore the real work is done on our inner
 state, changing our limiting beliefs and thought patterns based on lack and scarcity. We can change them into what
 serves us as well as people around us better. This may seem easier said than done, but we can break it down and make
 it simple.
Our beliefs are the thoughts that we have practiced for a long time. 
 So try to think new thoughts and start practicing them long enough to turn them into beliefs. 
 This is even easier when we are free from the grip of old thought patterns by means of a mental cleaning process.

<hr>
<h5 style="text-align: center;">When we feel supported by the universe, 
 we feel relaxed about life. 
 We trust life and believe in its support 
 whenever and wherever it is needed.
</h5>
<hr>
When we feel supported by the universe, we feel relaxed about life. We trust life and
 believe in its support whenever and wherever it is needed. Then we can smile deeply, expand and dance freely in our
 being. We start to live in abundance, and to live all those beautiful feelings that abundance brings us, as that is
 the reason we seek it in the first place. That sense of freedom, choice, relaxation, ease and generosity is but the
 result of deeply believing in the abundance that surrounds us. And when we live it truly, the vibration that is sent
 to the universe will attract equivalent things, people and events.
The universe has no choice other than yielding abundance to such a person, and that is
 why we see carefree and generous people receiving more and more. They have learned, through their life experiences
 or an inner knowing, that giving is truly receiving. And ultimately when we give something, we are always giving
 ourselves.
<hr class="vertical-space1">
<hr>
<h4 style="text-align: center;">Article by&nbsp;NEGIN MOTAMED</h4>
<hr>

Giving is receiving

NELLA AROSSA

His Excellency, Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela (1918&nbsp;– 2013) was a South African anti-apartheid activist, politician, and statesman who served as the first president of South Africa from 1994 to 1999. He was the country's first black head of state and the first elected in a representative democratic election. By the time of his death, in South Africa Mandela was widely considered both “the father of the nation” and "the founding father of democracy". Outside of South Africa, he was a global icon, with people describing him as one of the most revered figures of our time.Over the course of his life, Mandela was given over 250 awards, accolades, prizes, honorary degrees and citizenships in recognition of his political achievements. Among these awards were the Nobel Peace Prize, the US Presidential Medal of Freedom, and the Soviet Union's Lenin Peace Prize. In 1990, India awarded him the Bharat Ratna, and he was appointed to the Order of Isabella the Catholic and the Order of Canada, and was the first living person to be made an honorary Canadian citizen. Queen Elizabeth II appointed him as a Bailiff Grand Cross of the Order of St. John and granted him membership in the Order of Merit.&nbsp;

Nelson Mandela.webp

Nelson Mandela

Make peace with your enemy

Nicole has 23 years of experience in education. Her drive comes from her commitment to providing the best quality education for all students at Novi High School and beyond. She was honored as the Michigan Secondary Principal of the Year in March 2022 by the Michigan Association of Secondary School Principals and the Michigan Association of Student Councils and Honor Societies.

Lina is a senior at Novi High School. She leads the Student Mental Health Committee and is an aspiring medical professional and programmer, interested in solving problems at the intersection of mental health, epigenetics, and computer science. She enjoys meditating daily and listening to Taylor Swift. She has conducted and published research to explore noninvasive ways to address mental health disorders in teenagers.

Priya is a junior at Novi High School. She is an aspiring scientist interested in mental health and building inclusive community platforms for free and creative expression. She loves playing the piano and singing in her free time. She is an avid member of the student council and volunteers her time to help others. She loves solving problems by developing apps and conducting research to explore the impact of technology in mental health.

NICOLE-CARTER-LINA-PRIYA-IYER.jpg

Nicole Carter, Lina Iyer, and Priya Iyer

<h4>
 NICOLE
 CARTER
 is Michigan’s “High School Principal of the Year, 2022.” Nicole and two of
 her students,
 LINA
 IYER
 and
 PRIYA
 IYER, share how they have been ensuring that Novi High School is a place where
 students feel they belong.
</h4>

<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<h4 class="has-text-align-center">
 “Keep your face to the sunshine, and you cannot see a shadow.” Helen Keller
</h4>

<hr class="vertical-space1" />


 NC:
 Fostering positivity and creating opportunity for self-care in schools can
 help the school community rise above challenges.&nbsp;As the principal of Novi
 High School, Michigan, I have the responsibility of setting a positive tone,
 and developing a school culture where students feel seen, heard, and valued.
 &nbsp;



 I use intentionality to inspire students, staff, and the community. We begin
 every day with “It’s another great day to be a Novi Wildcat.” This simple
 phrase reminds everyone how special it is to be a member of this incredible
 learning community.



 We strive to make our large, comprehensive high school feel small by
 incorporating an advisory circle practice every Tuesday. Developing a safe,
 secure learning environment lends to the social and emotional well-being of
 our students. We prioritize it at the same level as academics. Studies show
 that students who feel they belong achieve a higher level of success.&nbsp;



 Fostering positivity has significant and impactful benefits on the mind. It
 creates a sense of optimism and self-encouragement. MRI scans of the brain
 show evidence of increased neural pathways and brain usage where neural
 activity has increased as a benefit of practicing positive affirmations to
 foster happiness.



 The results from a research study conducted by the Palo Alto Research Center
 and the Computer Science Department of the University of California at Santa
 Cruz, on fostering positivity, concluded that individuals who were initially
 self-affirmative completed a larger percentage of their goals compared with
 those who had no initial self-affirmation.


<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<hr />

<h4 class="has-text-align-center">
 Fostering
 positivity has significant and impactful benefits on the mind. It creates a sense
 of optimism and self-encouragement.
</h4>

<hr />

<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<h4>
 How can we foster positivity in our
 lives?
</h4>


 LI and
 PI:
 One way is through positive affirmations – statements and phrases that empower
 and support us. By practicing self-affirmation, we can look at our different
 aspects in a positive way. We also become better at adjusting to new
 situations.



 Positive affirmations can be used to motivate yourself, encourage positive
 changes in your life, and boost your self-esteem by describing how you want to
 be, or how you want your circumstances to be.&nbsp;



 For instance, heartful affirmations can be used to strengthen the positive
 traits of the heart. These affirmations help you become centered, relaxed, and
 open. When you connect internally, you are better able to connect externally
 to everyone and everything around you.&nbsp;



 Keep a Gratitude Journal to write about things or people that you are grateful
 for. You will focus more on the positive aspects of your life. There is no
 wrong way to do it! Writing for just 15 minutes a few times a week and being
 consistent about it will have a significant impact on your life.


<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<hr />

<h4 class="has-text-align-center">
 When you
 connect internally, you are better able to connect externally to everyone and
 everything around you.&nbsp;
</h4>

<hr />

<h4>
 U
 matter
</h4>


 At our school, we try to foster positivity and self-care through the Student
 Mental Health Committee, which began in 2016 with the support of our
 principal, Ms. Nicole Carter. It spreads awareness about mental health among
 our student community, and increases a sense of compassion among students, to
 reduce the social stigma surrounding mental illness, and to help the students
 maintain physical, mental, and emotional balance.



 One of the main events we hold every year is the “U Matter Week.” It is a week
 filled with activities so that the staff and students feel like they are the
 priority. Throughout the week, each day has a theme that represents an idea
 about mental wellness. This, in turn, serves to raise awareness.


<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<div>
 <figure>
 <img decoding="async" width="700" alt="" class="lazyload w-100 has-img-center"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/U_Matter2_700x466_b257f11fdb.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-13T10:36:51.984Z" />
 </figure>
</div>

<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<h4>
 Mental health
</h4>


 We conduct a multitude of activities, at lunchtime and after school, to help
 students relieve stress and maintain physical, emotional, and mental
 well-being. These activities include tying friendship bracelets, playing with
 puppies, and listening to motivational speakers.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;



 This year, we ended our week with the “Crush the Stigma” event. Students wrote
 down their stressors, challenges, and things that were weighing on them on
 three cars. Eventually, they saw the cars crushed at the end of the week. The
 purpose of this event was to help students anonymously vent things that were
 bothering them.



 After the Oxford shooting last year(at a neighboring school), many students
 had difficulty managing the new level of anxiety. They felt uneasy coming to
 school. We wanted to do something, so we held a Self-care Week, which gave
 students the time and opportunity to try out different mental health
 activities. We also encouraged them to try out Heartfulness tools.&nbsp;



 Earlier this year, we conducted an Institutional Review Board approved study
 at our school to explore the impact of self-care programs on students and
 staff; to see the effects of these programs on anxiety, life satisfaction, and
 loneliness, using widely accepted scales. A total of 44 individuals
 participated.



 The study showed a significant decrease in levels of anxiety and loneliness,
 as well as increased life satisfaction scores in those trying the Heartfulness
 tools from weeks 0 to 4,and this was maintained through weeks 4 to 8. In the
 control group, there were no significant changes from weeks 0 to 4, but a
 significant decrease in the levels of anxiety and loneliness and increase in
 life satisfaction scores from weeks 4 to 8.&nbsp;


<h4>
 Looking ahead
</h4>


 We are looking forward to working with our school community, and inspiring
 other schools to enhance the learning experience of every student, while
 giving them a safe, positive, and caring environment in which to grow.


<hr />

<hr class="vertical-space1" />

References:


 Cascio, C.N., M.B. O’Donnell, F.J. Tinney, M.D. Lieberman, S.E. Taylor, V.J.
 Strecher, E.B. Falk, 2016. Self-affirmation activates brain systems associated
 with self-related processing and reward and is reinforced by future
 orientation. Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci.Apr, 11(4):621-9. doi:
 10.1093/scan/nsv136.&nbsp;<a
 href="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.google.com/url?q%3Dhttps://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4814782/%26amp;sa%3DD%26amp;source%3Deditors%26amp;ust%3D1668000920231478%26amp;usg%3DAOvVaw2wG7OZt2M_vsteHisBL_C8&amp;sa=D&amp;source=docs&amp;ust=1668000920239363&amp;usg=AOvVaw1nTJUKIrcQ3rT62hverMRG">https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4814782/</a>



 Springer, A.,&nbsp;A. Venkatakrishnan,&nbsp;S. Mohan,&nbsp;L. Nelson,&nbsp;M.
 Silva,&nbsp;P. Pirolli, 2018. Leveraging Self-Affirmation to Improve
 Behavior Change: A Mobile Health App Experiment.
 JMIR Mhealth Uhealth, 6(7):e157. doi:&nbsp;<a href="https://doi.org/10.2196/mhealth.9151" target="_blank"
 rel="noreferrer noopener">10.2196/mhealth.9151</a>&nbsp;

U matter

Nilakshi is the Director, Office of Public Affairs at the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha’is of India. She promotes social change, including fostering a new culture of equality in India and the transformation of society structures that prevent women’s full and meaningful participation in public life.

Nilakshi-Rajkhowa.webp

NILAKSHI RAJKHOWA

<h4 style="text-align:justify;">NILAKSHI RAJKHOWA is the Director, Office of Public Affairs, National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha’i Faith in India. During the Mahotsav, she challenged everyone to join together to overcome our current crises, by starting with the heart.</h4>&nbsp;Heartful greetings on behalf of the Baha’i Community to each and every one of you. I’m delighted and honored to be part of this Global Spirituality Mahotsav. Thank you for bringing us all together.I would like to begin with a quote from the Baha’i writings, “O SON OF SPIRIT, my first council is this: possess a pure, kindly, and radiant heart that thine may be a sovereignty ancient, imperishable, and everlasting.”&nbsp;It all starts with the heart, and what Heartfulness is trying to do is unlock the hearts of everyone so that we can embrace love, unity, compassion, and break our barriers of caste, religion, and gender. I’m so happy to be part of this, and want to share a few thoughts from the Baha’i community.&nbsp;Friends, we see many factors keeping India together as a nation. One vital cohesive force binding the nation is spirituality. It finds expression in valuing human beings as the creation of the Divine, and is open and accepting of people of all backgrounds who view the reflection of the sacred in all living beings. This enjoins respect, gentleness, and nonviolence in relationships as the ideal way of life. It is this spirit of all-embracing oneness that is conveyed in the ancient ethos of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam—the world is one family.&nbsp;The unity of nations will be a stage in the progressive manifestation of oneness in the social and political realms. It will reach its fruition when the principle of oneness of humanity is established in the consciousness of people, and when nations across the world unite as one family.&nbsp;Over the past few decades, there has been a resurgence of religious fundamentalism that represents religious extremism and intolerance. It has increasingly entered the political and social mainstream, and in many countries it dominates public discourse. This has created confusion around the concept of religion, as its unifying and constructive role has been obscured by the tendency to view it solely through an identity lens. These challenges come at a time of great uncertainty, when the need for unity is vital to successfully navigate the waves of present and impending crises. These crises include the Covid pandemic, geopolitical instability, war, economic recession, climate change, terrorism, the food crisis, and the energy crisis.&nbsp;<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">History bears witness to the fact that only religion is capable of stirring the depths of human motivation and calling forth the spirit of nobility, sacrifice, and initiative needed to achieve such an objective.</h4><hr><figure class="image image_resized" style="width:75%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/human_fellowship2_68674c19de.webp" alt="human-fellowship2.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_human_fellowship2_68674c19de.webp 145w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/large_human_fellowship2_68674c19de.webp 502w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/human_fellowship2_68674c19de.webp 502w," sizes="100vw"></figure>&nbsp;The need of the hour is constructive dialogue, a discourse involving leaders and representatives of all religions on religion’s contribution to social harmony. The ground for such a discourse can be laid by clarifying the fundamental nature and purpose of religion, and the common foundations of all religions. Such a discourse must show a practical path forward for inter-religious collaboration. Preserving the tradition of inter-religious fellowship requires efforts from individuals, communities, religious leaders, and institutions. However, such efforts can close in on themselves if inter-religious unity is considered an end in itself, and is not viewed from the context of society’s needs.&nbsp;At this moment in history, unless united communities are driven by a common objective to contribute to the transformation of society, and to ever-increasing material and spiritual prosperity, unity can become a pretext for passive conformity with the status quo, with all its attendant challenges and injustices.&nbsp;The most secure basis of inter-religious harmony lies in coming together to apply spiritual principles to build a united, just, and prosperous world. The complex and unprecedented challenges of the 21st century will require us to make deep changes in our patterns of thought and behavior, and the willingness to make profound sacrifices for the common good. The kind of structural and systemic changes needed to become more united and restore our balance with nature will require selfless efforts on a scale and for a duration never before witnessed.<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">Youth can move the world. They have a critical role to play in the fields of development, peace, &nbsp;and the prosperity of humanity.&nbsp; Young people want a better society, no matter where they live. &nbsp;They tend to believe in unity and be relatively &nbsp;unburdened by biases and prejudices. They want &nbsp;peaceful and prosperous futures for themselves and their peers.</h4><hr>History bears witness to the fact that only religion is capable of stirring the depths of human motivation and calling forth the spirit of nobility, sacrifice, and initiative needed to achieve such an objective. The world is in dire need of religion to once again course through our veins, to stir a common and collective response to our challenges.&nbsp;Religious leaders have a role to direct the attention of their congregations to the needs of the world. Many heartening examples of this were witnessed during the worst phases of the Covid-19 pandemic. Twenty-five leaders of religions and interfaith movements in India issued a joint statement to reiterate those religious principles having the greatest bearing on people’s responses to the crisis. The statement, which was coordinated by the Baha’i community of India, called upon all religions to unite in a common commitment to spiritual principles relevant to the crisis. And that statement is just as relevant to the current challenges we all face: recognizing the oneness of religion, the oneness of humankind, selfless and sacrificial service to the common good, and complementarity between science and religion. Although it was a modest effort, it illustrates the tremendous potential for positive social change that resides in the untapped spirituality of the common people, which faith leaders can together inspire for the well-being of all.&nbsp;Another group with great capacity and potential is our youth. Youth can move the world. They have a critical role to play in the fields of development, peace, and the prosperity of humanity. Young people want a better society, no matter where they live. They tend to believe in unity and be relatively unburdened by biases and prejudices. They want peaceful and prosperous futures for themselves and their peers.&nbsp;It is time to let unity and harmony become the dominant narrative, and strongly associated with our identity, relegating conflict among religions to an earlier and less mature stage of our history. Let us harness the edifying power of religion toward constructive endeavors that can bring about spiritual and material prosperity. In this way, India can contribute to global peace and harmony, assuring its place as a leader in spirituality and inter-religious harmony.&nbsp;<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">It is time to let unity and harmony become the &nbsp;dominant narrative, and strongly associated with &nbsp;our identity, relegating conflict among religions &nbsp;to an earlier and less mature stage of our history. &nbsp;Let us harness the edifying power of religion &nbsp;toward constructive endeavors that can bring &nbsp;about spiritual and material prosperity.</h4><hr>&nbsp;<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:75%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/human_fellowship3_a1c7741c40.webp" alt="human-fellowship3.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_human_fellowship3_a1c7741c40.webp 145w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/large_human_fellowship3_a1c7741c40.webp 600w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/human_fellowship3_a1c7741c40.webp 600w," sizes="100vw"></figure>&nbsp;<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">Illustrations by JASMEE MUDGAL</h4><hr>

Human fellowship

Nimo is a child at heart. He loves animals, finds heaven in nature, expresses himself through the performing arts, loves food while enjoying a health-conscious lifestyle, and finds deep joy in seeing others in joy, good health and peace. His journey has led him on a path of service and love. A world-renowned musician, he’s a simple dude who likes to laugh and share his heart with all beings.

Nimo-patel.jpg

Nimo Patel

<hr class="vertical-space1" />
<h4>
 With an Ivy league education, this MTV rap/hip hop star was living the
 American dream and working on Wall Street when the events of 9/11 unfolded
 in front of his eyes. Giving up the corporate world,
 NIMO PATEL decided to pursue his
 passion for music in LA, but a chronic health issue led him to seek
 Ayurvedic treatment in India. He stayed back for 6 months to volunteer at
 the Gandhi Ashram in Ahmedabad, and continues to this day working with the
 slum children of the city when he’s now working for his own non-profit
 organization, Empty Hands Music.
 VANESSA PATEL caught up with him in
 June to learn more about his mantra, “Service, Simplicity &amp;
 Songwriting.”
</h4>
<hr class="vertical-space1" />

 Q: Hello, Nimo, so happy to have this opportunity to chat with you. How
 are you doing during this lockdown?


 NP: Wonderful! Breathing, and deep
 breathing, doing good. You know, it’s a time of reflection and
 introspection, to reflect on the way we live, how we interact with each
 other, with humanity. It’s really a blessing. There’s so much suffering
 going on, so this is a gift of transformation. Obviously, we will get
 through this suffering, but hopefully, we can use it for the betterment of
 humanity. So, collectively and individually, this is a gift in many ways,
 although in the short term it’s tough to digest.
 


 How are you doing?


 Q: Doing well. As you said, using this time to reflect. And one of the
 things I realize is that we don’t need a lot of the stuff we’ve
 accumulated in our lives. You already started this process several years
 ago when you took up a life dedicated to service. So, when you did a
 U-turn from your previous lifestyle and did a ‘material’ cleanse, would
 you say this was a spiritual shift?


 NP: For me, the spiritual journey is
 such a gradual process, so even the word ‘U-turn’ feels a bit abrupt, as
 though I saw the sign right away and it fixed everything. Instead, I would
 say, my journey has been ongoing – from the seeds that were planted when I
 was young, from memories of going to the temple, to being exposed to such
 a diverse group of friends and community in elementary school, high
 school, then college. Just the diversity around me was a spiritual
 teacher, in a sense, to accept and embrace all faiths. Whether I’m in an
 honors class with people with a certain mindset, or on the sports team
 playing basketball with people of a different mindset, that for me laid
 the foundation. It’s hard to capture, and I feel so honored and blessed to
 have grown up in that diverse community outside Los Angeles, and later on
 going through college.
 

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 <img
 class="w-100 lazyload"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/service2_068f4ad2dc.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-10T07:31:04.057Z"
 alt="service2"
 />

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 I feel one of the major triggers for me happened when I was working on
 Wall Street and 9/11 happened before my eyes; seeing that happen and then
 embracing things, the ongoing process of healing and reflection. That was
 literally the biggest trigger. I was one and a half years out of college,
 and it hit hard: “What are you actually doing with your life?” You never
 know, you could have literally been gone today. You don’t know when this
 is going to end, when this magical journey you’re blessed with on planet
 Earth is going to end. So, that triggered me to say, “I don’t think I’m
 having a purpose at this company at a deeper level.” I needed to follow my
 passion and it pushed me to leave New York to pursue music, media and
 entertainment.
 


 And then, another thing triggered me along the way, which was my health
 journey. I got this chronic illness in my hand, called carpel tunnel
 syndrome or repetitive stress injury, which gradually got worse. I was
 doing a lot of computer work at that time in 2002, as my friends and I had
 just started an online comic strip that turned into a media company and
 animation studio. And through that, by 2005 the problem started
 increasing, and by 2006 it was unbearable. By 2007, it was so bad I
 couldn’t even brush my teeth or hold a bag.
 

<hr class="vertical-space1" />
<hr />
<h4 style="text-align: center">
 “What are you actually doing with your life?” 
 You never know, you could have literally been gone today. 
 You don’t know when this is going to end, 
 when this magical journey you’re blessed with 
 on planet Earth is going to end.
</h4>
<hr />
<hr class="vertical-space1" />

 It was then that my dad suggested getting Ayurvedic treatment, and my
 parents knew a healer in India. I had tried everything in the allopathic
 world and alternative medicines, and I had nothing to lose, because it
 wasn’t getting better.
 


 In 2004, because of this suffering, which was both physical and mental –
 we create it in our mind because of what’s going on – it led me to pursue
 meditation at a deeper level. My roommate in NY had once told me about
 Vipassana and it was the perfect time to try it. It became a big part of
 my life. Being in a deeper connection with my mind and body was one
 benefit. I stopped drinking alcohol; I thought if I really want to heal,
 then I need to purify my mind and body. I became more health conscious
 than before, took a deeper stand.


 When I came to India, another seed was planted. I arrived in Ahmedabad
 and stayed with my cousin and his wife (whose house I’m at now). I
 volunteered for 6 months at Manav Sadna, the NGO that I have been
 volunteering with for 10 years. The seed planted in my heart back then was
 working with children; we recorded a music album called Let Them Sing. It
 was an album of their voices, their stories. When I went back to the US
 the journey continued. There was funding to open an animation studio and I
 got into that. Again, a trigger came up, “What are you doing?”.
 


 You know, Vanessa, when I graduated from high school my dream was to
 become the CEO of Warner Bros. I always had a passion for media and
 entertainment. I chose Wharton Business School because I wanted to bridge
 business and entertainment; that was my vision. So, this animation studio
 was a dream for me. I’m not even mentioning the music stuff, which I loved
 – that was definitely my passion. But this career dream was as a
 businessman blended with entertainment, so, having the studio gave me that
 space and all the partners I was working with were amazing. It was in that
 space that I realized I wasn’t happy. I had worked so far in my life for
 this career goal, and I was finally in the space that resembled it, and
 still I was suffering in my heart. I was not feeling any sense of
 fulfillment or purpose. So either I could go with what the mind said,
 which was “You’re successful, you’re on a successful path”, or I could
 follow this soft, quaint voice which was not really able to reveal itself
 because the mind and the ego were more deceiving. But I’m so happy that,
 somehow, the suffering in whatever form it was, was calling out to say,
 “Please listen.” It was saying, “You need to start again.”
 


 I said to myself, “These last 10 years of your career have been amazing.
 You’ve been able to experience the world in such an amazing way.” I mean,
 we were touring as a music group, and the media and entertainment
 opportunities were really exciting, but there was something missing. And
 to listen to that voice was the key thing for me. I didn’t know what that
 meant, to be honest, and that was the scary part of it. The vulnerability
 that came with the change – from a mindset of set a goal and reach the
 goal to the mindset of surrender, but you don’t know where it’s going to
 lead you – was scary, but I felt that that was the only way I was going to
 realign myself at a stage in my life where I could still do it. I think we
 can do that at any stage, but I felt that at 30 I still had the capacity
 to follow my heart instead of going with what seems to be right in
 everybody’s mind or in the outside world, or from a material point of
 view.
 


 There’s a quote from Mahatma Gandhi that I always like to share, and it
 helped me at that time: “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself
 in the service of others.”

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 <img
 class="w-100 lazyload"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/service3_6c384719d1.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-10T07:32:21.973Z"
 alt="service3"
 />

<hr class="vertical-space1" />

 
 I had felt lost in my own way, because my heart was not connecting with
 the external. So, basically, the next phase of the journey of my life
 became: What does it mean to serve? Not merely because I want to help
 others, but because I really need to understand myself. If service is the
 best medium to find myself, then what a win-win!


 After I moved to Ahmedabad, although I had external goals, for the next
 two years I was really focused on, “How am I purifying my own mind and
 heart in being a part of others’ journeys?” And that then became the
 formula.


 Q: You said that you didn’t want service to be ego-based, to have as
 little attachment to it as possible. So, you went out there with the idea
 to serve and actually felt yourself being served. That must have been a
 very humbling experience. Were there people in your life, your peers,
 perhaps, who questioned your new way of life?


 NP: Yes, there are all types of
 resistance when you’re going against the external grain, and also going
 against the internal wiring of your own conditioning. So, for sure, the
 journey with mom and dad, with friends and family, and with college mates
 especially, because they are all successful in different ways – for them
 to see me living this new life, a lot of questions kept coming up. But,
 the most important thing was to keep digging and trying to understand
 myself – why I was doing what I was doing. In the beginning phase it was
 an experiment! I remember thinking, “I can do this for a year, why not?
 And then start something else, or get a nice paying job, whatever it is,
 I’m fine, I have enough savings.”
 


 That’s how it started, and I said to myself, “I need to commit at least
 one year, and I need to go all in.” I remember one of my mentors, someone
 I’m close to here in Ahmedabad, said something that had such an effect on
 me: “Beta, you should live life like a flashlight. In the dark, you have a
 light and you see 6 feet in front of you. You don’t need to see more than
 that, actually, because with every step you take you’ll still have 6 feet
 of light in front of you. So, what’s the need to look back and stumble?”
 That really clicked with me, because it had always been, “What’s your 5,
 10, 15-year plan, your retirement plan?” So, this became an experiment to
 learn, to grow, and to rewire myself, because I realized that my wiring
 was not the way it should be. Why? Because I was suffering.


 I truly felt, and still feel, that we have the full capacity to minimize,
 if not eradicate, our suffering, but there are so many layers on us. So,
 it was really an opportunity to find out what’s creating the suffering
 and, in the process of service, how I was going to touch upon these
 layers, one at a time. We’re not going to clear everything in one go; it’s
 a lifelong journey.
 


 In that first year, my parents gave me the benefit of the doubt: “He was
 doing good, now he wants to do this, okay.” And in the second or third
 year, my dad specifically said, “You realize that if you want to live this
 type of life, you have to be passionate about it, and you’re going to have
 to simplify your life. Are you okay with not having so much and not doing
 all these things?” And after the third year, he was like, “Is this really
 what you want to do? Are you sure?” Then, little by little, they embraced
 the work I was doing, they were exposed to it, they started taking part in
 it. They started understanding, and being around me, with me. I think they
 started seeing the value in it, the purpose and joy in it, and the meaning
 in it.


 Q: And the fact that it was making you happy.


 NP: Absolutely! That was the impact
 on them. They were thinking not only of my own joy, but also what is it
 doing for the world, and they started seeing value in it. And when I
 reconnected with my music, in the third year after I moved to Ahmedabad, I
 started sharing that with the world as a gift. I didn’t want to charge for
 it. I wanted it to be pure, from a space of offering and not from me as an
 artist. A lot of people started questioning me then, too. And my dad and
 my uncle started wondering what I was doing.
 


 At one point, I was in Denver with my family and I remember asking my
 father, “Dad, when somebody is working for a company, he’s adding value to
 the company, and for that he’s getting compensated with a cheque every two
 weeks. So, that’s the materialistic business world we’re talking about.
 So, don’t you think that when, from my heart of hearts, I try my best to
 do my small part for the world, whatever that might be, God is going to
 support me, just as the boss supports his employee?” And I think it
 clicked for my dad at that point, and it was a nice turning point for him,
 as well, to realize that it’s much beyond the numbers game.

<hr class="vertical-space1" />
<hr />
<h4 style="text-align: center">
 We have the full capacity to minimize,&nbsp;if not eradicate, 
 our suffering, but there are so many layers on us. 
 So, it was really an opportunity to find out 
 what’s creating the suffering and, in the process of service, 
 how I was going to touch upon these layers, one at a time.
</h4>
<hr />
<hr class="vertical-space1" />

 It has been amazing, Vanessa, this journey of surrendering. As a human
 being and as a being full of ego, there are a lot of things that come up
 and it happens in phases. I’m much more grounded and connected to the
 Source during certain phases, and then I get karmically oriented, and I
 start doing projects and get caught up in the doing – even though it might
 be service, you’re still in this mindset of trying to account for
 something. Then I lose that stillness in me, which is the most important
 thing to me, the whole process. But I go back to “I’m not doing this to
 accomplish something, I’m doing this to purify my heart,” &nbsp;then it
 comes back.
 


 I’m on this journey with noble friends and family, who are walking this
 path together, not only to serve externally, but also purify internally.
 To me, that’s been the blessing on this path, and I couldn’t care less
 what I accomplish. If I die today, it would be feeling so humbled and
 blessed, crying tears of joy, and thanking God and all those people around
 for this journey that has unfolded.
 


 To be continued


 <a href="https://manavsadhna.org/">https://manavsadhna.org/</a> 
 <a href="https://www.emptyhandsmusic.org/"
 >https://www.emptyhandsmusic.org/</a
 > 
 <a href="https://gandhiashramsabarmati.org/"
 >https://gandhiashramsabarmati.org/</a
 >

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 <img
 class="lazyload w-100"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/Simplicity_Colors_fe5a4b5f32.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-10T07:33:24.316Z"
 alt="Simplicity_Colors"
 />

<hr />
<h4 style="text-align: center">
 Interview by
 VANESSA PATEL 
 Photographs courtesy of NIMO PATEL
</h4>
<hr />

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