Nirja Parikh

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 id="h-nirja-parikh-is-a-pediatric-physical-therapist-an-ayurvedic-consultant-a-certified-yoga-instructor-and-a-bharatanatyam-dancer-she-shares-her-journey-of-how-scoliosis-impacted-her-dance-career-and-how-yoga-helped-her-body-heal-and-her-mind-persevere">
 NIRJA PARIKH is a pediatric physical
 therapist, an Ayurvedic consultant, a certified yoga instructor, and a Bharatanatyam dancer. She shares her
 journey of how scoliosis impacted her dance career, and how yoga helped her body heal and her mind
 persevere.</h4>



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Growing up in North Carolina, my talented mom taught me my first choreographed dance routines. I felt at ease when
 performing on stage and enjoyed dancing at various cultural events to Bollywood film songs.&nbsp;At 12, I started
 training in Bharatanatyam, a form of Indian classical dance, and by 16 I had transitioned to advanced training. I
 also joined ballet classes and eventually took a gap year in India after graduation, so that I could focus full-time
 on classical dance.



We all grow up having dreams and ambitions, but many of us never see them fulfilled. I did not want to look back and
 regret not having followed my instincts. As a child, I always enjoyed going to India, and dreamt of going back there
 to learn dance and explore my cultural roots. After college, I auditioned for a dance reality show called Dance
 India Dance. During the fifth round, one of the judges disqualified me when he observed my spine curvature.
 I’ll never forget his statement, “I do not think it is safe for you to continue, given the situation with your
 back.”&nbsp;



With that one statement my dreams fell apart. I came back to the US to get my back checked. I knew I had scoliosis
 (curvature of the spine), but I had never thought it would limit me physically. The judge was right: X-rays showed
 that the curvature of my spine had increased from 12 to 60 degrees, affecting my shoulder blades, rib alignment, and
 breathing. I was immediately taken into surgery, and with two rods, fourteen screws, and two weeks in hospital, my
 whole life changed.



After surgery, the orthopedic surgeon remarked, “Look at you! You’ll be able to do backflips now!” I would come to
 resent that statement, because I believed him. Spine mobility is critical for a dancer, and I later learned that I
 had limitations in extension, rotation, and side bending. I had to re-learn how to move my body in a new way, and
 that is how Yoga became a core part of my life.



I had learned Mala meditation, Sanskrit mantra recitation, and Pranayama breathing as a child. Revisiting
 these lesser-known parts of yoga helped me heal after surgery. Yoga saved my body, which at the time had limited
 motion. Yoga helped me appreciate my new movement patterns and allowed me to let go of my ahankar (ego). By
 not comparing my new body to my old one, I began to appreciate the present moment.&nbsp;&nbsp;



Nonetheless, it was a tough journey. It required turning away from media stimulation and focusing entirely on myself.
 With dedicated practice, I eventually felt like my atman (soul) was reborn into a new body, despite being
 only 22 at the time.&nbsp;What helped me most was the practice of Pratyahara, which involves meditating in
 isolation for a couple of hours. Pratyahara is considered the fifth of the eight limbs of yoga, and it
 allows us to calm the wandering mind and senses. Pratyahara helped me find calm, take control of my
 emotions, and improve my psychological immunity.



The more I learned about yoga, the more I realized that elements of it had been instilled in me since adolescence,
 without the label. For example, I regularly attended Swadhyaya every Sunday, in which we studied the
 eighteen chapters of the Bhagavad Gita, recited Sanskrit slokas, prayed, fasted, and maintained a
 sattvik diet.&nbsp;This facilitated my journey to becoming a yoga instructor, because I was already so
 connected to the spiritual roots of yoga.



But I was intimidated by the other instructors when I first started teaching yoga at the local gym. The other
 instructors could handle the physically-taxing poses. To fit in, I molded myself into the Yoga costume, purchasing
 expensive leggings and accessories from popular athleisure brands. Despite my attempt to fit in and demonstrate my
 qualifications, I still felt unsettled, and at times humiliated and belittled. For example, I would hear the other
 instructors make comments like, “I’d love to go to India to practice yoga, but it’s so dirty.”



After finishing a Yoga Teacher (YTT-200) certification in 2016, I started applying for jobs. I was repeatedly not
 selected, despite having a multi-dimensional understanding of yoga.&nbsp;I realized it was because most studios
 cared only about my appearance and ability to handle physically-taxing poses, a symptom of how the West has
 glamorized the physical positions of yoga and the multi-billion dollar “athleisure” industry behind it. In
 subsequent years, I learned how culturally appropriated Yoga was in modern-day society. This fueled my passion to
 educate people on the true roots of yoga.



I am optimistic that change is coming in the yoga industry. I have been inspired by a small group of masters who are
 finally speaking out about this, and are being heard. As I hone my practice, I have started incorporating elements
 of the yogic culture, including Sanskrit chants. I recently began studying the Vedas, the Bhagavad Gita, and the
 Yoga Sutras in depth. Rather than treating yoga just as a profession, I consider it a lifestyle. I try to instill
 yoga into every part of my life – physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.



Yoga is a gift. It is a journey and a way of life that enables people of all races, religions, and body types to
 reach their potential, physically and spiritually.



I thank yoga for connecting me with my cultural roots, for making me stronger physically, and for giving me an avenue
 to cope with stress.&nbsp;



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Yoga helped me heal

Niroop owns and runs the restaurant 615chutney in Nashville, Tennesee. 615chutney started off as the only Indian food truck serving vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free South Indian food. His goal has always been to bring South Indian cuisine to the US.&nbsp;

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Niroop Prabhakar

<h4 style="text-align:justify;">NIROOP PRABHAKAR owns and runs the restaurant 615chutney in Nashville, Tennessee. 615chutney started as the only Indian food truck serving vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free South Indian food. Niroop’s goal was to bring South Indian cuisine to the US. He believes that customer service is the key. The voices of his customers and employees matter to him. Here he is interviewed by the Heartfulness Wellness Team.</h4>&nbsp;Q: Can you please share your journey from India to the US and how you started 615chutney?NP: My dad used to say, you can live without anything else but you cannot live without food. That inspired me to get into this noble art of serving food and making good food accessible to everybody. The journey of my food business started with meeting family, eating food like a feast, and sharing love and affection with all mycousins, uncles and aunts.At the end of the day, I wanted to make sure that food was being served with love and the hope that tomorrow is going to be a better day. I was born and raised in Tamil Nadu, then moved to the US in 2008, and ended up in Tennessee. Both states have the initials TN. Well, 615chutney was born.&nbsp;The main goal is to give authentic South Indian food to the southern part of the country, and give it in a special way with good customer service. I empathize with my customers and make sure that my employees are happy when they’re serving the food.Q:&nbsp;The way you connect with your customers through your service is fascinating. What is the reason for reducing the number of seats in your restaurant?NP: Initially, the business started as a food truck and I was serving vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free food which is nothing but the basics of South Indian cuisine—idli, dosa, vada, and pongal.With gluten-free being the future of food, I was able to align my products with whatever the customers wanted. In 2019, we started a brick-and-mortar setup. In a couple of years, the area was hit by a tornado, then Covid-19.Covid helped us think out of the box. I moved to a different location and reduced the number of seats, making sure I accommodated as many guests as possible but at the same time allowing time to talk to everybody individually.Business is all about relationships, and when it comes to the food business, hospitality is key. In Tamil we say “Virunthombal”and hospitality is in our DNA in the south of India. In the south of the United States, I feel at home just by giving southern hospitality. Of late, hospitality has become zero in the Hospitality industry. We have to revive that.&nbsp;<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:75%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/serving_smiles2_9b45bef70f.webp" alt="serving-smiles2.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_serving_smiles2_9b45bef70f.webp 145w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/large_serving_smiles2_9b45bef70f.webp 800w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/serving_smiles2_9b45bef70f.webp 800w," sizes="100vw"></figure>&nbsp;There's a reason why I connect with the guests who eat in my restaurant. Reducing the seats has given me ample time to talk to everybody individually. Yes, it’s difficult to remember a person by his or her name, but every employee of my restaurant knows every customer, and we believe that every customer is a celebrity.Everybody is treated equally and everybody eats the same food.&nbsp;The goal for 615chutney was to make sure that everybody has access to good food served with love.&nbsp;Q:&nbsp;Beautiful concept! As we say in Indian culture, “Atithi devo bhava,” we have to give from our hearts. Once in the Nashville Voyager magazine, you mentioned, “Do good as much as you can. If you can’t do good then at least don’t do bad.” What inspired you to say that?NP: My dad always said it. I don’t know for what reason, but it went deep into my heart. With anything I do, I make sure there is a good outcome.&nbsp;<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:75%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/serving_smiles3_66daa9d525.webp" alt="serving-smiles3.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_serving_smiles3_66daa9d525.webp 145w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/large_serving_smiles3_66daa9d525.webp 670w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/serving_smiles3_66daa9d525.webp 670w," sizes="100vw"></figure>&nbsp;Everybody has different circumstances, everybody cannot be in the same situation as you are in. My dad was a banker, and he used one word a lot—empathize. Put yourself in their shoes and see what they are going through.Despite what they are going through, they have taken the time to drive to your restaurant. They’ve looked at your restaurant at least ten times. They have heard about you and they’ve seen your pictures, and when you’re giving food that they can cook at home, what makes your restaurant stand out? What makes your food different? So that is when I realized that customer service is key. Whoever comes, whatever situation they are in, make sure that you do your best and make sure that they eat, have a good time, and spend their time with a smile.For this, we need good ingredients, good chefs, and a good environment for employees to work in. It is not easy to source great ingredients, and sometimes your chef is upset. Sometimes a customer thinks the food is spicy, and when the food comes back to the kitchen the chef should make sure he says,“I'm sorry, let me make another one for them.”That’s what it is.It's all about giving and taking. When my dad said “Do as much good as you can and if you cannot do good then don’t do bad,” it is only this. When the food is sent back to the kitchen, my chef can be upset saying, “Come on this is not even spicy for me. Why are they doing it?” but any wrong that happens has to be fixed right away. It’s like a game where everybody wants to win, but no one wins when you don’t empathize.<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">When you give food,&nbsp; give it from your heart.</h4><hr>Q:&nbsp;Talking about ingredients, running a restaurant for the masses is a challenging task. How do you maintain your food supply chain?NP: The sourcing of ingredients is directly from India. Also, I’ve found an importer in Atlanta that guarantees the ingredients will be here within a month. When the ingredients are fresh, it shows in the food, whether you are at home or in a restaurant. If the ingredients are fresh, the food is eaten.Then comes the chef's cooking with love. Our job is to make sure that everybody who is working is happy and is enjoying what they do. When you love what you do then you will end up doing what you love. When this happens, an employer or manager will be excited saying,“My guests are enjoying the food! My chefs are cooking better food! What is the point of me having a long face?”&nbsp;What I’m trying to say is: when you give food, give it from your heart.Every guest or patron is not a dollar sign. They are your family. Food is one way you can connect to somebody, make them laugh, feel happy and light.Then, when they walk out of your restaurant, they will talk about the entire experience, not just the food, or the waiter, or the robot that serves food in my restaurant. The pandemic helped us think out of the box, so I added the robot!&nbsp;Q:&nbsp; That’s amazing. Before we wrap, what is the one thing that you would like to share with our readers as a takeaway?NP: Making sure food is available to everybody. There is no point saying, “This is good food, so I have to charge that extra dollar.” It’s all about quality and quantity, not just quantity and price. We need to make food available and accessible, and not charge extra for good food.<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">Illustrations by LAKSHMI GADDAM&nbsp;</h4><hr>

Serving smiles: from heart to table

Nitin is the Managing Director of the Asia-Pacific, Middle East and Africa business area of Serge Ferrari. Based in Singapore, he is also a family man and is actively involved in Heartfulness activities in SE Asia. Nitin has been a Heartfulness practitioner for almost 20 years and a certified trainer for 16 years.

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Nitin Govila

<hr><h4>Managing Director of the Asia-Pacific, Middle-East and Africa business area for Serge Ferrari, NITIN GOVILA is constantly on the move. But despite very busy days he finds time to recharge his batteries to be in tune with himself. His secret? For 19 years now he’s been meditating as an integral part of his life.</h4><hr><h4><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/Nitingovila_73ce7c67c3.jpg"></h4>After having collaborated for seven years with a French roofing company, Nitin joined Serge Ferrari in 2016, a choice that reflects his desire to meet new challenges in a more extensive geographical area. “Serge Ferrari stands out by their ability to be active in many market segments and have a desire to function as a local company in the countries where they are established. The Group takes on more and more local people to deal with markets that vary from country to country. The scope covered by the Asia-Pacific, Middle East and Africa business area means we rub shoulders and deal with various cultures that lead us to aim at both multiple and unique market segments. Such diversity makes work both very interesting and very demanding,” he explains.His first meditation experience dates back to 1998 when one of his sales managers at that time raised his awareness and introduced him to Heartfulness Meditation. This was a discovery that did not occur without questions. “It took me a certain time and understanding to plunge into the first meditation session but I’ve never regretted making that choice because it turned out to be a very good way to find a balance between my working life and my personal life,” says Nitin.Heartfulness Meditation began in India, and is now practiced in over 130 countries around the world. It is a silent meditation with attention centered on the heart, and it can be practiced anywhere, without excessive requirements. “There is no dress code, nor a position to respect; just close your eyes and direct your attention to your heart. You can meditate anywhere, at any time, even in a noisy environment, in a plane, in a train, or in the office – whenever you have a moment to spare. Depending how much time you have, you can meditate for a short period of 20 or 30 minutes, or for an hour. It doesn’t matter where or how long, it all depends on your willpower,” explains Nitin.&nbsp;<hr><h5 style="text-align:center;">Meditation provides inner peace that ultimately reflects — consciously or not — outwards and is part of our ability to interact with our environment. Meditation improves our concentration. You can really manage to concentrate when your mind is not disturbed.</h5>&nbsp;<hr>As for taking an hour or more each day to meditate, he adds: “Instead of thinking we must take so much time to meditate, we need to reverse the perspective. Meditating enables us to have more time, inasmuch as a mind that has meditated allows us to do everything more efficiently.”During those 19 years of regular practice Nitin has observed many benefits: “Meditation provides inner peace that ultimately reflects — consciously or not — outwards and is part of our ability to interact with our environment. Meditation improves our concentration. You can really manage to concentrate when your mind is not disturbed. In that respect there is also some serious reasoning to integrate: if meditation is introspective and initially requires effort, we don’t concentrate in order to meditate but we meditate to develop the ability to concentrate. At Serge Ferrari, I have considerable responsibilities and so my meditation helps me face up to any problem or react to challenges in that context. That’s one of the reasons why I continue with Heartfulness Meditation. And today I cannot do without it.”&nbsp;<hr><h5 style="text-align:center;">At Serge Ferrari, I have considerable responsibilities and so my meditation helps me face up to any problem or react to challenges in that context. That’s one of the reasons why I continue with Heartfulness Meditation. And today I cannot do without it.</h5>&nbsp;<hr>In 2001, Nitin became a life coach (trainer) for Heartfulness Meditation. In his spare time he accompanies people to discover meditation by giving them some keys to learning. Voluntary coaching satisfies a desire to share with others what he sees as freely accessible kindness. “No money interest motivated that choice. I simply want to exchange with people who would like to understand better what they practice,” he explains. “Briefly, as you will have understood, everyone who feels the need can start and use it. All Heartfulness Meditation coaches are volunteers. Likewise, being a coach has no hierarchical notion. Those who practice are asked to meditate at their own pace and conveniece of time; we lead them all to evolve at their own pace, depending on their own feelings. When I speak for the first time with a beginner, I tell him, ‘You only need only one thing – your willpower.’”In short, you can understand that all who feel the need are capable of meditating. There’s no particular esoteric need or initiation rite liable to stir up skepticism. It’s sufficient to want and be ready to dive deep into yourself.<hr>Reprinted with permission from Serge Ferrari’s internal magazine, Zebu, printed in English, French and German.<hr>

With peace on his shoulders

A lifelong writer, Noelle is also a mainstream and academic editor, writing coach, and spiritual counselor, with many publications, including articles in Challenges in Writing Your Dissertation (Rowman &amp; Littlefield, 2015) and Trust Your Life (Unity Books, 2011). She is grateful for the gifts to share and apply spiritual principles.&nbsp;

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Noelle Sterne

<h4 style="text-align:justify;">NOELLE STERNE tackles the most uncomfortable of emotions, envy and jealousy, and how competition with others can either cripple us or force us to try a more positive and enlightened approach.&nbsp;</h4>For me, competition takes the form of predictable pangs of envy seeing the high school science nerd who sat in the back getting a MacArthur Fellowship. Or my friend marrying a billionaire tech mogul. Or a book club member whose novel never seemed to be finished landing a contract with a major publisher. Or, as I was working on this article, a novelist who has written 14 Course in Miracles bestsellers, publishes in the top magazines, and appears on many television shows.&nbsp;In a Unity booklet, 40 Days of Letting Go: Lent 2023, the Reverend Cylvia Hayes describes those envious feelings perfectly: “Competitiveness keeps us focused on who we think we’re supposed to be rather than celebrating who we already are… our sense of worth on a comparison with others’ accomplishments, rather than truly appreciating our own unique talents, traits, gifts, and expressions.”Much as I try distractions, the comparisons and pangs sit heavy on my heart, coloring everything—the wonderful pasta meal, the delicious nap, the invigorating swim. I repeatedly tell myself that the successes of others don’t have to affect mine, but I’m never convinced. Soon the pangs spread and become full-blown depression. &nbsp;<h4 style="text-align:justify;">Strategies</h4>I’ve tried many tactics to dilute the depression. Console myself with the nerd’s lack of a significant relationship (in contrast to my longstanding one). My girlfriend’s losing battle with weight (in contrast to my slimming down and keeping down). The book club member’s frizzy hair (in contrast to my sleek pixie). The multi-novelist’s penchant for formularized paranormal romance, which I’d never do. But, at best, these are band-aids. I immerse myself in my writing, attempting to block out everything else. But soon my plaguing inner editor rears up: This is garbage. Throw it out. You’ll never get anywhere.I go out with friends. Or watch a string of rom-coms or lawyer shows while decimating a whole bag of corn chips. Or sleep too much.None of it works. The feelings can’t be covered, substituted, or held at bay for long. I’ve tried to block them out with whatever method, and I feel no better. And then they spiral into a fireworks of fervent vindictive wishes (the nerd’s latest invention blows up, my girlfriend gains so much weight she can hardly walk, the book club member fails to deliver her manuscript on time and her contract is cancelled, the novelist’s next one is a turkey).I really hate myself for those malevolent wishes of my small mind, ungenerous spirit, and cruelty I didn’t know I was capable of.So, what to do?<h4 style="text-align:justify;">How to counter the cruel competitive feelings?</h4>I’ve learned to turn away from the thoughts that lead to those competitive and depressive feelings. My methods of spiritual reading and meditation may not be for you, but I’ve found them supremely helpful, and you might want to test them out.&nbsp;Turning away is hard when the anguish seems to have me enslaved. If I’m successful, turning away is only half the remedy. It may weaken the intensity and the hold those feelings have on me, but more is needed.&nbsp;Thoughts trigger feelings, and I remind myself that I have the mental capacity and will to change my thoughts. The remedy, again not easy, is consciously to substitute other thoughts.&nbsp;I discovered a Bible passage that became the perfect substitute for my teeth-gnashing envy. In 1 Corinthians, Paul writes to the fledging church at Corinth, Greece, about their conflicts with leadership and personalities. As with many of Paul’s letters, he supports and encourages the members, urges them to solve their disagreements, and always reminds them of the supremacy of God.&nbsp;In the passage that struck me (1 Corinthians 12: 4-11), Paul addresses the erroneous idea that one person’s “gift” is better than another’s. It also resonates down the ages with a priceless lesson, especially when that ol’ devil competition rears up.Appropriate to the culture and time, Paul enumerates gifts each person is given—wisdom, knowledge, faith, healing, working of miracles, prophecy, discerning of different tongues, speaking in tongues and interpreting them, and the crowning conclusion:All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and He distributes them to each one, just as He determines (1 Cor. 12:11).Although Paul’s examples of “gifts” may differ from the ones we covet today, his insights apply. For me, it’s the talents and successes of novelists. For my obese girlfriend, it may be the diet and willpower of an impossibly slender model. For my book club colleague, it may be the perseverance of another author whose books make it into movies. For the paranormal romance novelist, it may be writing a wholly realistic novel.&nbsp;Yet, who is to say that an author has more gifts to share than an airport attendant, a senator than a sanitation worker, a physicist than a plumber?Some of the gifts may seem more important, more contributory. But again, who is to say that the sanitation worker isn’t providing daily blessings to everyone in the neighborhood? A Course in Miracles reiterates Paul: “Love makes no comparisons.”&nbsp;I invite you to think of your own gifts and whom they bless.In The Artist’s Way, Julia Cameron comments that competition and jealousy are “always a mask for fear: fear that we aren’t able to get what we want; frustration that somebody else seems to be getting what is rightfully ours even if we are too frightened to reach for it.”&nbsp;Cameron says that competition is a “spiritual drug.” We focus on the wrong thing, on them and their accomplishments, instead of our own work. Her solution is to “go within,” to what “our inner guidance is nudging us toward.” As we turn within, our own work rises up to greet us, we get excited about it (at least a little), and become engrossed in it rather than bemoaning our ill luck in the wake of another person’s successes.If you’re jealous of a friend who writes good crime novels, Cameron says, “Try writing one.” For me, with gnawing jealousy of the novelists, the answer is to finish my damn novel and start sending it out. Cameron is also reassuring, obliquely echoing Paul: “The truth… is that there is room for all of us.”&nbsp;In addition to her sage advice, I’ve found another antidote for that insidious poisonous devil competition: gratitude—to recognize my gifts and be constantly thankful for them. Every time the devil threatens, I turn away and instead say to Him, “Thank You for what I have and can give.” It works.Paul offers more: Each of us is given gifts or desires “as He determines.” Therefore, should we not thank Him for His particular gifts to us and the many opportunities—places, people, situations—to use them? Yes.&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/devil_competition2_977b3e17d6.webp" alt="devil-competition2.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_devil_competition2_977b3e17d6.webp 145w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/large_devil_competition2_977b3e17d6.webp 381w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/devil_competition2_977b3e17d6.webp 381w," sizes="100vw"></figure>&nbsp;And should we not develop and use them to our utmost? Yes.He has given us gifts according to our capacities for our own and others’ good. Should we not express gratitude? Yes.Reminders such as these show me how to stop fueling the competition engine that erodes my writing, my desire to contribute, and my enjoyment of life. The engine sputters to a stop. With a grateful heart, I return to my work.<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">Thoughts trigger feelings, and I remind myself that I have the mental capacity and will to change my thoughts. The remedy, again not easy, is consciously to substitute other thoughts.&nbsp;</h4><hr>

That ol’ devil competition

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Norman Vincent Peale

Choose Joy

NSN is founder and CEO at Sensei Technologies. He has been practicing Heartfulness meditation for 20+ years and is deeply interested in the science of spirituality, software architecture & design philosophies. He also works with Brighter Minds to develop tools and techniques to enhance cognitive skills, especially for children.

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NS Nagaraja

<h4>N.S. NAGARAJA writes about sleep, dreams, cartoon heroes, near death experiences, twisting space and possibilities. What can our senses really tell us about the world around us and inside us?</h4>

Yes, I should have just slept that night. I was half asleep and ready to rest. The inseparable, my phone, caught my attention, and so I checked one last time for the day. There was a message from an old school mate, and it said a thing or two, ending with, “On matters of God, I am undecided.” I stared at it for some time not knowing how or what to say.

This spiritual field of feelings is not easy to explain to the intellectual mind. I felt, “Intellect of this kind could be considered as a state of ignorance for the other kind!” In the same half asleep, I happened to read a short article on Near Death Experiences, which said that NDE research is only records of the experiences of people who went through it, and that is not scientific enough. It said that NDE could simply be a neurobiological condition produced under low oxygen levels in the brain, leading to hallucination. How convincing (not)!

I thought, “Less oxygen leads one to biological death, is it not?” But this particular article was trying to convince us that one day science will be able to show that NDE is a creation of the brain and there will be methods to simulate that condition in the brain. Long ago, when I started meditation, I used to think that meditation could just be triggering a chemical change in the brain. Subsequently, my brain allowed for many possibilities and helped me transcend the trap of theories so that I could explore reality with an open mind. The same questions, time and again, cross many minds. Now it was surely time to sleep.

I slipped into sleep with some sort of awareness. Of course it was not a NDE for sure! Now I was in a dreamy state in which there was an idea: what if, now, at this moment, the physical space around me has another dimension? ...

<h4>Read the complete article in Volume 2, Issue 1
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<h4 class="text-center">Article by N.S. NAGARAJA</h4>
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When I was half asleep

<hr><h4>NS NAGARAJA presents to us an index of some theories of consciousness that have been put forward in the fields of philosophy, science and spirituality. They are not the only theories, but they do awaken the curiosity to discover more!</h4><hr>‘In Search of Consciousness’ is a nicer title than the article itself, and you will find out soon enough! This topic is all about a self in search of itself. For what purpose? When the finder finds oneself, who will know the answer? The finder or the found? Sometimes philosophy sounds like this, doesn’t it! The purpose of this article is to capture key ideas about consciousness from the perspectives of philosophy, spirituality and science, and to motivate you to Google more – this is certainly not an exhaustive list. Not only that, this indexing type of article may encourage you to search, think and tinker with consciousness itself!<h4>What is consciousness?</h4>Let us start with a simple definition by Dr Christoff Koch: “Consciousness is everything that we experience.”We have a physical body that performs many functions. Likewise, we all have, “Something in us that makes awareness or perception possible.” We know the simple sensory inputs of smell, taste, sight, touch and sound, which generate rich inner experience. The inner experience can be joy, pain or complex imagination, and so on.Is the experience a physical phenomenon, arising out of complex information processing in the brain? Or is it a non-physical phenomenon associated with constructs like the soul or the self, or some universal field of energy?Some philosophers consider experience as the hard problem of consciousness. Some scientists argue that once we understand how it works, it will be yet another physical process. This article will list some of the key intuitive approaches (spiritual approaches) and more mechanistic approaches to consciousness.<h4>Theories of Consciousness</h4><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/buddha_ee8681b1fa.jpg" alt="in-search-of-consciousness"><h5 style="text-align:center;">The Buddhist concept</h5>Way back in 400 BC, Buddhist philosophy proposed that consciousness is the life force that continues across rebirths, and also posited that there are 9 levels of consciousness:Levels 1 to 5 arise out of the five senses: eyes – sight, nose – smell, ears – hearing, tongue – taste, and body – touch;Level 6 is the mind consciousness related to ideas and thoughts;Level 7 is the inner life that creates the sense of self and is associated with emotions and attitude;Level 8 is the subconscious, the repository of all karmic effects, that lives beyond this life; andLevel 9 is pure consciousness – a life force that creates complete harmony of the internal and external, and a sense of connectedness or oneness.Buddhism provides a set of practices to expand or deepen consciousness through meditation and contemplation.&nbsp;<hr><hr><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/plato_4882bd57bd.jpg" alt="in-search-of-consciousness"><h5 style="text-align:center;">Plato</h5>Around the same period, Plato theorized that the mind receives information through senses, and the soul uses this information to create form and perception.The allegory of Plato’s Cave is a simple thought experiment that gives interesting insights on how Plato viewed the problem of perception. Aristotle, who was Plato’s disciple, argued that the soul is seated in the heart and is the principal power by which life itself happens. Aristotle seemed to imply that consciousness is the property of the soul itself.&nbsp;<hr><hr><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/Integrated_information_theory_12c9539661.jpg" alt="in-search-of-consciousness"><h5 style="text-align:center;">Integrated Information Theory and Consciousness Meter</h5>Many scientists have tried to derive an understanding of consciousness by starting with the laws of physics, and therelationship between consciousness and the brain is still a subject of deep research. On the other hand, Integrated Information Theory (IIT) is a body of research that seeks to explain consciousness by first accepting its existence, and then reasoning about what sort of physical entity could manifest consciousness.IIT was first proposed by Giulio Tononi in 2004 and has since undergone many improvements. Some characteristics it attributes to consciousness are:It exhibits composition where there are distinct elements in it that are part of the experience.Each experience is distinct and differentiated from other experiences in the past or future.It is unified and it cannot be reduced to smaller experiences of phenomena inside it.IIT lays down certain postulates on what a physical entity like the brain that manifests consciousness needs to have. It should have cause-effect power, meaning it can influence other entities and can be influenced by other entities.IIT also gives an account of why conscious brains might have evolved: brains that reflect the causal structure of their environment in their internal causal structure can adapt better.IIT lays down facts about relationship between the brain and consciousness as well as providing certain inferences and extrapolations about consciousness. For example, the cerebral cortex is more likely to manifest consciousness than the cerebellum, because the neurons in the cerebral cortex can form a complex large enough for consciousness whereas the neurons in the cerebellum do not.IIT also predicts that experiences can be had even when the cerebral cortex is silent, like in states of meditation. This body of knowledge has become an important step in advancing our understanding of consciousness.Tononi and team have developed a tool to measure the consciousness level of a person. The Zap and Zip Technique involves sending an intense magnetic pulse through the skull and recording the induced electrical flow in the neuronal networks. A simple algorithm is then used to compute the complexity of brain activity. When tested on normal people, people under the influence of anesthesia, and people in a comatose state, the values obtained have consistently shown that it is possible to quantify and determine whether someone is conscious or not. Further research might help us understand how widespread consciousness is in nature.&nbsp;<hr><hr><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/tunnel_ba5a6d4163.jpg" alt="in-search-of-consciousness"><h5 style="text-align:center;">Global Workspace Theory</h5>Imagine you are seated in a theater, looking at the stage. On stage there are many actors, objects, the backdrop, movement, colors and sound. Now imagine a spotlight focused only on one actor and his actions. Everything else is still there, but it is not the focus. The director, technicians, audience and all other activities have slipped into the background and the spotlight highlights the one actor and his movement as the main focus. All the complex co-ordination, support and direction processes are all hidden. The conscious part is seen by the audience, directed by the spotlight. Hold on to this idea.Now think that the whole brain is a theater, with many parts of the brain performing various functions. Now assume that our focus (spotlight) is on some set of thoughts or experiences; our conscious awareness is mainly on one thing, and all others are in the background. Global Workspace Theory proposes that all sensory and other inputs are communicated to all cognitive functional components of the brain. The conscious experience is generated as a result of some focused neuronal activities, and many others are hidden in the background to support this. According to GWT, consciousness in an integrative function of the brain to generate the rich experience. Bernard Baars is the architect of this theory, which provides an interesting perspective to origins of consciousness.&nbsp;<hr><hr><h4 style="text-align:center;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/neurons_4172bde57f.jpg" alt="in-search-of-consciousness"></h4><h5 style="text-align:center;">Orchestrated Objective Reduction – the Quantum View</h5>Many scientists have constructed new theories to explain consciousness. Karl Pribam, David Bohm and many others have believed that classical mechanics is not sufficient to explain the phenomenon of consciousness. They propose that the quantum mechanical phenomenon, the entanglement and superposition, may play a role in brain functioning and, in some way, provide the basis for conscious experience.Roger Penrose and Stuart Hameroff have been working since the early ’90s on a theory of consciousness known as Orchestrated Objective Reduction (Orch-OR or OOR). OOR is a new effort to bring physics and neuroscience together to explain how the brain may be involved in the process of consciousness. The fundamental hypothesis is that the neurons have molecular structures (microtubules), which can potentially support quantum processes. This theory argues that consciousness is not because of some complex processing in the brain, but instead it is because of quantum processes inside neurons. Such a possibility in theory opens up large scale information processing, and even takes perception beyond the individual into the realm of a connected universal field. There seems to be some early evidence to prove the existence of quantum activity in brain cells.&nbsp;<hr><hr><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/body_points_eb7a325f26.jpg" alt="in-search-of-consciousness"><h5 style="text-align:center;">Subtle Body Approach – Energy Field</h5>In the Heartfulness philosophy, consciousness is seen as the integrated field of the subtle body, which has a spectrum consisting of the subconscious, conscious and superconscious. The expansion of consciousness from the current level of a person to the depths of the subconscious and the heights of the superconscious is known as spiritual evolution. And this evolution continues beyond the consciousness spectrum. Daaji has written extensively on the spiritual anatomy of the chakras, the subtle bodies and consciousness. Daaji’s integrative approach provides simplified and rich information, and many new insights for all who want to dive deeper in the mysteries of consciousness.In search of consciousness, outwardly, will give you lots of theories. In search of consciousness inwardly, what will you get?Deep within it is bliss; high above it is oneness.Transcending consciousness; what lies beyond?<hr><code>References:</code> <code>Integrated information theory, </code><a href="http://www.scholarpedia.org/article/Integrated_ information_theory"><code>http://www.scholarpedia.org/article/Integrated_ information_theory</code><code>&nbsp;</code></a> <code>Integrated information theory: from consciousness to its physical substrate, </code><a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/nrn.2016.44"><code>https://www.nature.com/articles/nrn.2016.44</code></a><hr>&nbsp;<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">Article by NS NAGARAJA</h4>&nbsp;<hr>

In search of consciousness

<h4>NS NAGARAJA shares some thoughts on the science of peace.</h4><hr>Peace is something everybody wants. Perhaps it is one of the top ten highly prized items! What is this peace?Peace is “freedom from disturbance.” A disturbed state comes when there is disruption from normal and steady functioning. This applies to an individual inside, as well as to a community, a state or a country. By the time I finished writing this line, almost accidentally I read something about T. S. Elliot’s The Waste Land. I was sure that I would not be able to read and understand 434 lines of poetry, but I wanted to check what it was about. The ending caught my attention: “Shantih shantih shantih.”. I was not interested in The Waste Land any more, but in the person who wrote it, and what made him write “Peace, peace, peace” at the end. He must be a noble soul.The Nobel prizewinner had a great amount of disturbance in his personal life. It pushed him to create great literary works like The Waste Land that left a yearning with the signature saying, “We want peace, peace and peace.” Elliot moved on from The Waste Land and produced other great works, perhaps in the state of peace.This led me to explore more of the science of peace. The first reference I came across is from the field of practical philosophy taught in the Upanishads. I must warn you that I know very little about the Upanishads, but they talk about Tapa trayas, the three kinds of troubles (I had a lot of them!) and how to resolve them and achieve peace. Adi bhautika (physical realm) troubles arise out of external circumstances, Adi daivika (divine realm) troubles arise out of karmic laws and Adhyaatmika troubles arise out of one’s own self – body and mind.The Upanishads preach that shanti mantras (prayers for peace) can bring the troubled individual out of this troubled condition. Now my curiosity started growing. We all know that a particular state of being embodies a certain level of consciousness, but that itself is a knowledge and we may not have of full understanding of it. In the ancient teachings, mantras were used to invoke certain knowledge and a condition in the person reciting them, whereas repeating them mechanically is a ritualistic act with little or no results.&nbsp;<img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/peace_from_the_waste_land_other_realms_1_img_bf1ec4f39c.jpg">&nbsp;Here are some of these prayers called shanti mantras.One from the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad says:Aum! That (Brahman) is infinite, and this (universe) is infinite. The infinite proceeds from the infinite. (Then) taking the infinitude of the infinite (universe), It remains as the infinite (Brahman) alone. Aum! Peace! Peace! Peace!This evokes a sense of the vastness of existence. The “I” is part of such infinity. Moving the mind in this thought itself can be elevating. Attaching the mind to that higher ideal, that Reality, even if it is temporary, will produce corresponding vibrations and feelings.This one from the Taittiriya Upanishad brings a simple idea of togetherness. If we truly immerse our minds in the meaning, will we not start caring about our co-travelers?Aum! May He protect us both together; may He nourish us both together; May we work conjointly with great energy, May our study be vigorous and effective; May we not mutually dispute (or may we not hate any). Aum! Let there be peace in me! Let there be peace in my environment! Let there be peace in the forces that act on me!&nbsp;<img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/peace_from_the_waste_land_other_realms_2_img_ae4136f5d7.jpg">&nbsp;The following shanti mantra from the Aitareya Upanishad is about integrity and being truthful:Aum! May my speech be in accord with my mind; May my mind be in accord with speech. O Self-effulgent One, reveal Thyself to me. May you both (speech and mind) be the carriers of the Veda to me. May all that I have heard not depart from me. I shall join together day And night through this study. I shall utter what is verbally true; I shall utter what is mentally true. May That (Brahman) protect me; May That protect the speaker (i.e. the teacher), may That protect me; May That protect the speaker – may That protect the speaker. Aum! Peace! Peace! Peace! Lead us from the unreal to the real Lead us from darkness to light Lead us from death to immortality Aum! Peace! Peace! PeaceNow, can all this knowledge and understanding of peace come without truly being in that state of being, that spiritual condition? Ponder over it.Let the spiritual condition create the necessary awareness and knowledge in us. If pursued under proper guidance and with the help of Yogic Transmission, meditation can truly create that spiritual condition in us. Let peace not remain as knowledge or definition. Let it be the foundation of our existence and help us launch our consciousness into a realm yet to be known.&nbsp;

Peace from "The Waste Land" and other realms

<h4>N.S. NAGARAJA introduces the methods and practices of Brighter Minds, which help children develop cognitive and intuitive abilities and confidence. It is a difference approach to education that opens the heart.&nbsp;</h4><hr>&nbsp;<h4 style="text-align:center;">The capacity to learn is a gift; the ability to learn is a skill; the willingness to learn is a choice. –Brian Herbert</h4><hr>Can we improve all three? How much of learning is predetermined and how much can be molded? What really goes on in the brain when we are learning something? Do we have tools and methods to continually enhance learning effectiveness and experience?We have been exploring these questions at Brighter Minds. Recent advances in the field of neurosciences, particularly in brain neuroplasticity, suggest that learning is continuously possible. The process of learning is an outcome of the connections and re-connections among the 80 billion neurons that make up the human brain, with each cell having a potential to make several thousand connections with other cells.Learning in a way is directly proportional to the number of connections possible in a person’s brain. Scientists have observed that the connections start happening soon after birth. Initially they happen at the rapid pace of 2 million connections per second, so that by the age of two the brain has made over a trillion connections. After that the connections start pruning, particularly those that are not used, and by the age of 12 years 50% of connections are lost. So the exposure that the child has between the ages of 2 and 12 decides how much of the brain stays wired. And this determines the extent of learning that is possible.It also tells us that this age group needs attention. Recent evidence indicates that appropriate tools and training in a conducive environment can stimulate neuroplasticity in the brains during this age and beyond.Inspired by the vision of creating a brighter world for tomorrow and taking cues from the latest advances in neurosciences, the Brighter Minds team developed an innovative cognitive training program for children. Its mission is to inspire and equip every child with ways to enhance cognitive functioning so as to achieve personal excellence and instil self-confidence.The initial research not only helped to design the ongoing product and program, but also showed encouraging results. Parents of the children who participated reported improved focus, comprehension and memory, emotional stability, self-confidence, empathy and calmness among their children. The program not only enriches the intelligence quotient (IQ), but also the emotional quotient (EQ) as well, which is recognized as a vital element to effectively problem solve in today’s world.Initiated in India, the program is now present in 12 countries across Asia, the Americas, Europe, Oceania and Africa. Additional research is being done to understand the long term impact of the program.For more information, visit www.brighterminds.org.&nbsp;<hr>References:Eagleman, D. 2015. The Brain: The Story of You, Pantheon, USA. Goleman, D. 1995. Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More Than IQ, Bantam, USA. Shichida, M. 2009. Children Can Change Through Right Brain Education, Shichida Educational Institute, Japan.<hr>

Enhancing learning effectiveness: the Brighter Minds experience

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Oprah Winfrey

Challenges

Wounds to wisdom

Becoming a mother

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Oscar Wilde

A lifelong romance

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Osho

Truth

<h4>Enjoy these profound truths about simplicity from SWAMI VIVEKANANDA, DAAJI, OSHO and BABUJI.&nbsp;</h4>The greatest truths are the simplest things in the world, simple as your own existence.The greatness of a teacher consists in the simplicity of his language.Oh, to live even for a day in the full light of freedom, to breathe the free air of simplicity! Is not that the highest purity?—Swami Vivekananda<hr><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/simplicity2_b06e3a3ccc.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-05T14:55:22.361Z">Sitting for that first meditation session was the most amazing experience I had ever had in my life – it was so profound and proved to me that this system was right for me. I thought, “If a trainer of the system can transmit like this, imagine what the Guide can do!”His name was Ram Chandra and he came from Shahjahanpur – and now I was longing to meet him. But I had to wait. I could only visit him during my college vacation almost a year later in 1977. When I reached Shahjahanpur, I found him to be a loving, simple, genuine, down-to-earth person. His utter simplicity amazed me. Just looking at him made me wonder how there could be such purity in a person, such simplicity. His whole being radiated love. And I could feel the Transmission flowing through him all the time. There was never a dull moment, even when he was silent, which he was most of the time. There was always inner communion, and I was busy inside feeling his presence. That was the beginning of my journey with my Guide.—Daaji<hr><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/simplicity3_8fa70ee14a.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-05T14:55:56.408Z">If you are simple you will be able to observe yourself. A complex man cannot observe himself because he is so divided. He has so many things around him: so many desires, so many thoughts, and so many problems arising out of these desires and thoughts. He is continuously in a crowd. It is difficult to attain to self study. Only an austere man eats, sleeps, loves, and that is all. He has ample time and ample energy left to observe, just to be, just to sit and look. And he is so happy. … Things are so simple that he can do them easily. And simple things have a quality that even while doing them you can study yourself. Complex things are too much for the mind. It gets too involved and fragmentary, and self study becomes impossible. … You never have enough energy. And without energy there is no possibility of being aware. At the point of low energy, low level energy, you cannot be aware; overflowing energy is needed. An austere man has so much energy left – what to do with this energy? … You are sitting silently; the energy moves to the subtlest layers – it goes higher and higher, it goes on accumulating, it becomes a pinnacle, a pillar of energy. You can study yourself now. Even the subtlest nuances of your thoughts, emotions, feelings, you can watch.—Osho<hr><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/simplicity4_d717ea4018.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-05T14:56:26.650Z">Simplicity is the very essence of Nature. It is the reflection of that which existed in the Absolute in a latent state. It promotes growth. It can be aptly described as the quintessence of the Ultimate. This is in fact the life-substance of Nature.—Ram Chandra of Shahjahanpur

The free air of simplicity

Ovid

Habits change into character

Krishna is an innovator and educator, with more than thirty years of experience in designing, producing and marketing innovative products and services. He is known for his management of the design and construction of houses and ashrams in various parts of India. He is also the Chairman of the Lalaji Memorial Omega International School in Chennai.

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P.R Krishna

P.R.KRISHNA shares his observations on the background chatter in the mind, the quantum field of realities we create for ourselves, and what is beyond both in the realm of pure universal consciousness.&nbsp;<hr>&nbsp;Recently, while sitting in meditation I was troubled because of some events that had taken place. As a result, it was difficult to center myself and go deep into meditation. I tried to apply my will to control the flow of thoughts and after a while my mind became more or less still. Even after this, though, I observed that a sort of background chatter persisted. It was not very strong, but it was noticeable.I thought about why it was there, and it occurred to me that this background chatter is like the background radio waves that are prevalent throughout the universe. All of us know of SETI, the search for extraterrestrial intelligence.The scientists at SETI listen to and filter radio waves that form the background chatter of the universe. They apply algorithms to see if any of these waves are intelligible. The theory is that if they have a coherent structure then there is a good probability that someone with intelligence is out there trying to communicate with us.The other idea of relevance is that of the quantum field of physics. The quantum field is the field of un-manifested probability. Physicists tell us that as observers we cause certain realities to manifest from out of the vast sea of probabilities that exists, just by the mere fact of observing them. This is the essence of the Special Theory of Relativity proposed by Einstein.What is this quantum field? Think of it as a wok full of oil. A cook tests the oil’s heat by sprinkling a few drops of water on it. If the oil is hot enough, the water droplets make a loud spluttering noise and dance on the surface of the oil as soon as they hit the surface. The quantum field is similar. In the beginning, before we have regulated and trained our minds through meditation and rid our minds of the unnecessary complexities that exist, the surface of the&nbsp;oil is covered with a scum made up of our samskaras (complexities). Thus, every time we observe the quantum field of probable realities for the future, we see stuff that is from our past. This is visible to us because it is what we have created and therefore what we see.<hr>What is the nature of this background chatter? I have observed that this chatter is our baggage, largely composed of our samskaras, which determine our desires and attitudes and beliefs.<hr>We create our own reality and our own future. We observe what we want to see with our colored vision, and think that there is no other reality other than the one we create for ourselves, without even being aware we are doing so.Until we are ready to accept that our reality is not the real one, there can be no change in us nor in the world around us. At the beginning of a spiritual journey our consciousness is very narrow, so our field of view is limited and often very negative as well. In a sense, we are running our own version of SETI every day, trying to make sense of our personal background chatter. The problem is that our algorithm is governed by our state of being, often full of desires, fears and insecurities, all compounded by our attitudes and beliefs.This is the best and most important reason for ‘positive thinking’. If we continue to conjure up doomsday scenarios from the quantum field, they will manifest, simply because we cause them to manifest.This is also the philosophy behind the importance of prayer and positive suggestion.The will, I believe, is the instrument that we use to pick one un-manifested probability from out of the vast field of such probabilities. This is why in a spiritual practice we stress the development of the will so much.Now, the question is: What is the nature of this background chatter? I have observed that this chatter is our baggage, largely composed of our samskaras, which determine our desires and attitudes and beliefs.When we do a serious spiritual practice, we are trying to alter the very nature of our personal quantum field, to rid it of all the accumulated fears and desires and insecurities. By cleaning the heart and mind regularly, we change the nature of the field as it becomes purified.When we receive Yogic Transmission from a Guru of caliber, the very nature of the field is changed over time. In this way our attempts at changing ourselves from the inside are reinforced. These two processes go hand in hand: Yogic Transmission changes us and we change ourselves, until we become a very different person from the one who started the process. Our view of the quantum field now is significantly different from the old view, since we have changed. Therefore, the reality that we now create for ourselves is very different from the ones of the past. The very nature of the field of probabilities has changed. At this stage, the background chatter is still there, but it is muted to a faint shadow, even though it still has the capacity to disturb!I believe that this is the real transformation that takes place as we evolve. We exchange our lower level quantum field, composed of all the dross and grossness of our past, and replace it gradually with a quantum field that is upward-looking, light and devoid of negativity; in a sense, more spiritual.Then there is an even more profound change. The very nature of the field changes from one that is personal and narrow to one that is universal: our entire outlook changes. All our fears, desires, insecurities and ambitions of the past are replaced by a more aspirational outlook, one that is now asking the real question, “How do I reach the goal of life?”As we evolve, we become less and less concerned with ourselves, and more and more concerned with others and how to help them. Our consciousness itself transforms over time to become more and more universal, subtle and spiritual. When our consciousness expands to a breadth where there is very little of us and almost all of it is concern for our fellow beings, then we approach what can be called ‘universal consciousness’.What is the role of the will in all of this? Our will is the tool that we use to interact with the quantum field. It is the instrument that we use to pick one probability out of the vast field, and to make that one probability manifest as our very own reality. The will is thus a slave to our nature and does our bidding.If we are full of desires and fears and ambition, the will acts in a certain manner. As we change, the very nature of will changes also.The ego plays a very large role in the way in which we use our willpower, as it controls the way in which we transform intent into action. When the ego is sublimated and refined, intent is translated into action that is towards our spiritual progress. When we think with the heart and not with the mind, the ego is regulated and this results in correct action. This is why, when in doubt, it is better to ask the heart and not the mind. The voice of the conscience is the voice of the heart.<hr>When our consciousness expands to a breadth where there is very little of us and almost all of it is concern for our fellow beings, then we approach what can be called ‘universal consciousness’.<hr>As we evolve and become less egoistic, we are less concerned with the results of our actions and more concerned with doing our best, leaving the result up to God. The more we learn to do this, the more the will becomes pure, until we reach a stage when our will is almost divine. Man’s will is coloured by all the stuff that rules man, whereas God’s will does what needs to be done to restore balance, and is not clouded by human frailty.So, we can do away with the background chatter if we:<ul><li style="text-align:justify;">Clean the heart and mind and meditate regularly so that the very nature of the quantum field changes over time,</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Learn to sublimate the ego through changing our nature, replacing ambition with aspiration and controlling our desires and fears and insecurities,</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Allow the will to become pure, so that it becomes a wonderful instrument, capable of creating awe and growth. Why is it important to eliminate background chatter from our lives?</li></ul>All of us know that in order to think and act efficiently and effectively we need silence. Chatter prevents clear thinking and confuses us, so that we are not able to choose wisely. When there is silence, we are able to think and act with clarity. We can also see God’s creation in all its wonder. We marvel at it, and aspire to become one with it.I have always gone into some sort of retreat when I am stressed or disturbed. This helps me to center myself and regain touch with my core. It produces the peace and quiet that is essential for a spiritual life.<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">Article by P.R.KRISHNA</h4><hr>

Background Chatter

P.V. Sindhu is a professional badminton player. She has won medals at multiple tournaments, including the Olympics, and a gold at the 2019 World Championships. She is also the recipient of the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna sporting honor, and both the Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan civilian awards in India.

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P.V. Sindhu

<h4>Youth icon, sportswoman, and multi-award recipient, P.V. SINDHU has many
 national and international titles under her belt, the latest being the 2019 World Badminton Championships. A
 never-say-never attitude, a magnetic smile and twinkling eyes, she is an epitome of humbleness and graceful poise.
 Here she speaks with SATYA SAHAY at the inauguration of the P.V. Sindhu Badminton
 Academy at the Lalaji Memorial Omega International School in Chennai, India.</h4>
<hr class="vertical-space1">
Q: I’m very grateful and super excited to have a
 heart-to-heart conversation with you.
PVS: It is a great pleasure for me to be here at
 LMOIS in Chennai, where I’m coming for the first time to inaugurate this new badminton facility that is named after
 me. I hope that those youngsters you take up badminton will come here to practice and train hard, and in future be
 more successful.
Q: You have ignited so many lives by being who you are,
 and you have inspired so many girls to take up sports and dream of reaching the same heights. This is an
 encouragement and support to them all.
PVS: Thank you so much. It’s nice to be told that,
 but it’s not just my hard work; it’s a lot of people’s hard work who have supported me. My parents have been very
 supportive, and my coach, and I’m thankful to them. Parents’ support is much needed by anyone who gets into sports;
 it’s not just a few months of hard work, but years of hard work, and success is not immediate. But with hard work you
 will definitely get there. Not only in sports, but in other things like studies, ups and downs are always there. Some
 might find success early and some find it late, but there’s a process and it will take time. You have to be patient
 and you have to believe in yourself.
Q: So, tell us a little about your childhood and
 upbringing.
PVS: I started playing badminton at the age of
 eightand-a-half, just for fun, and when I started I never thought I’d become an Olympic medalist or a World Champion.
 My parents are volleyball players and they always supported me with whatever sport I wanted to do. Step by step, I got
 better. My mom and dad guided me, because they knew how it was coming from a sports background and the experiences
 they had faced. Even now, whenever I play and make a few mistakes here and there, they tell me, “You need to do this,”
 or “You need to do that.” That helped me in improving my game and I’m very thankful to them.
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 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/hfn_sindu4_ce7f02518b.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-05T04:17:33.931Z" />
 The Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi with the Rio Olympic Silver Medal Winner &amp; Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna
 Awardee of 2016, Indian shuttler P.V. Sindhu, in New Delhi on August 28, 2016. Image credits: Wikimedia Commons
Q: What were the values in your family? Are there any
 qualities that you are grateful for?
PVS: As I said, hard work is one of the most
 important things, because you won’t achieve success so easily. You have to keep working hard. Also, whenever I would
 lose – you know there are always ups and downs – I learnt never to think it’s over, there’s always a next time. When I
 lost, obviously I would feel sad, but my parents would say, “There’s always a next time.”
Q: So how do you cope with failure in an individual sport
 where you’re not part of a team?
PVS: It’s not only in individual sports, but also
 in team sports, every player feels sad or bad whenever they lose a match or come up with failure. But failure doesn’t
 mean it’s over, and you learn a lot from your loss. The next time you face that same opponent, you won’t make the same
 mistakes again. It’s not that you shouldn’t lose, that you always have to win, because that can’t happen. So, you have
 to be strong and you have to come back stronger to face the next challenge.
<img
 class="lazyload img-float-left has-img-center-in-mobile"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/hfn_sindhu2_5ec01973ee.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-05T04:19:05.462Z" />
 Q: And how do you cope with winning?
PVS: Winning is always a very positive thing. You
 feel happy, you are motivated, and it’s important that you stay grounded and be aware that you won’t keep winning
 every time. You can’t become overconfident because that will lead to something else. You can be happy with your win,
 and the next time you face the same opponent you have to give 100% to the game. In badminton there are a lot of
 strategies, and every time you play the game changes. So you have to be mentally and physically strong.
Q: How did you discover your ability as a sports person?
 Was it easy to follow your passion?
PVS: It wasn’t easy, but at the same time I really
 enjoyed it. I think you need to enjoy sports; you need to enjoy whatever you do. It shouldn’t be a forced thing where
 you’re playing and winning for someone else. You need to feel happy doing it. It wasn’t easy, and there were times
 when I kept losing, and people started asking me, “What’s happening?” But then I came back much stronger, and I gave
 the answer to them with my racket. Criticism always comes, so don’t take it to heart, and let it go. You have to think
 what’s good for you and not spoil your mental condition.
Q: Is there any routine or act that you do before big
 matches?
PVS: It’s very important to take proper rest. You
 practice all the time, but before a match you can’t exhaust yourself. So to feel fresh and rested is important. Before
 any match the preparation is to get to know your opponent, what her strategies are, and how to play against her. And
 in case Plan A doesn’t work, you need to have a Plan B, and to decide on the court in the spur of the moment, under
 pressure, in a matter of seconds. That is crucial.
<hr>
<h5 style="text-align: center;">Hard work is one of the most important things, 
 because you won’t achieve success so easily. 
 You have to keep working hard
</h5>
<hr>
Q: And is there anything that you feel brings you
 luck?
PVS: I believe in God. There’s no lucky action, or
 any such thing, and I do believe that on a particular day whoever plays better wins. I’ve taken up Heartfulness
 practices, which really help me, and they have made a huge difference. There were times when I got angry with myself,
 when I lost points in a match, and I didn’t know what I was doing. But with this practice, I now find those answers
 within myself. I keep calm and keep going, which is very important when you’re playing long matches and feeling
 impatient. For example, when you’re leading by seven points and eager to finish, it’s important to close your eyes for
 a few seconds and get ready. These small changes help you a lot to stay focused and calm.
Q: What does it take to become a great sportsperson? How
 much of it is talent, how much attitude and hard work?
PVS: It is not any one thing; you need everything
 in equal parts. It’s like a chain, where you need to have determination, the right attitude, hard work, and also
 talent. It’s connected and everything together makes a champion. You also need to be grounded when you taste success;
 that’s important.
Q: How do you maintain your graceful poise under
 pressure?
PVS: Every player faces pressure, and that is when
 you need to just keep going, keep calm. People want me to win, the expectations are always there, there are
 responsibilities. That is when you think, “I need to win.” So it’s very important to bear in mind that you’re not
 playing for other people; it’s for yourself. And when you go on court and give one hundred percent and win, it’s for
 yourself and for the people too, for the country. If you let others’ expectations affect your mind, that brings extra
 pressure on you.
<hr>
<h5 style="text-align: center;">Learning to meditate makes a huge difference when you’re
 on court. 
 It makes you feel in control when you’re impatient and under pressure; 
 it calms you down. Nothing else comes into your mind.
</h5>
<hr>
Q: Would you say that meditation has helped you maintain
 your balance, and has kept you centered?
<img
 class="lazyload img-float-left has-img-center-in-mobile"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/hfn_sindhu3_84328df2c8.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-05T04:20:29.986Z" />
 PVS: Definitely. It’s a process and it takes time. Slowly I understood its effect. It makes a huge difference
 when you’re on court. It makes you feel in control when you’re impatient and under pressure; it calms you down.
 Nothing else comes into your mind. You’re able to just play your game. Otherwise, when you’re at game point, when
 you’re leading and about to finish a match, you have this anxiety, “What’s next?” So meditation keeps you going until
 the end. That’s been my personal experience. Every individual has a different mindset, has a different experience, and
 with me, I’ve seen a big change. I used to get angry whenever I lost points or when I was losing, but now that has
 reduced a lot. I’m able to keep calm.
Q: Who has helped you along the way in your career. Who
 are your mentors?
PVS: Of course, my parents and my coach. They’ve
 been very, very supportive, especially through the hard times. My parents have made a lot of sacrifices and I’m very
 appreciative. The stadium where I trained was very far from where we lived, so we had to shift house so we could be
 near the academy. My mom and dad took early retirement from their jobs, so they could travel with me wherever I went,
 and mentor me constantly. Still today, whenever I go home tired, my mom cooks what I like to eat. All that really
 matters and helps me a lot.
Q: What guidance can you offer young people who want to
 follow their dreams?
PVS: A lot of youngsters are taking up sports as a
 career, so I would say to them, “Enjoy your sport. Winning and losing is secondary. Follow your passion. It’s very
 important to play your heart out and do your best.”
To parents, I’d say, “Fully support your child in whatever sport they are playing. Your
 child has to want to play that sport. It’s not enough to put them in an academy and expect them to perform well, just
 because it has produced top players. It doesn’t work like that. Everyone has a different talent and ability, and it’s
 important to know your children’s needs when giving support.”
Q: They need constant nurturing.
PVS: Yes. Joining an academy doesn’t make you a
 world class player. It requires much more; it takes time, too, during which you need parents’ support and
 encouragement.
Q: How important is mental health in sports?
PVS: In any sport it’s important to keep yourself
 both physically and mentally fit. If you’re physically fit but mentally not strong, that won’t work, and vice versa.
 If you’re not mentally prepared, you’ll go and play blindly. At some point, suddenly you’ll go blank and won’t know
 what to do next in your game. Mentally you need to be very, very fit, so you’re aware of what’s happening within you
 and what needs to be changed. Doing meditation won’t necessarily bring you success and let you beat the world, but
 you’re doing it for yourself, for your heart. You get clarity through that. But that’s not the reason for doing
 meditation. You need to feel good within yourself, you need to understand and agree with the inner you, and use it in
 a positive way. When you start meditating, you start getting that clarity in your life. It helps you go with the flow.
 It has made a big difference in my personal life.

 <img class="lazyload w-100"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/hfn_sindu5_f247084a8b.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-05T04:25:55.869Z" />
 
Q: Now we have some rapid fire questions where you answer
 with one word within a few seconds. What does the following stand for you? 
Happiness.
PVS: Life. Happiness is life.
Q: True success.
PVS: Hard work.
Q: Would you say hard work is success in itself?

PVS: You are working hard with yourself and that is
 a critical condition. Success is not just to beat everyone and win. Success is step-by-step with what you’re achieving
 gradually.
Q: One thing you do when you are stressed out.
PVS: I just sit and think. I also meditate.
Q: ‘Sindhu’ as a brand stands for …
PVS: I would like to see me at the top of the
 world.
Q: Youth.
PVS: Youth stands for youth. There’s nothing that
 we can’t do if we set our minds to it.
Q: Cheeky moment in school. Any breaking rules?
PVS: No, I was a very good student.
Q: Who inspires you the most?
PVS: My parents are my inspiration. They were both
 volleyball players, and they worked hard at it 
 too. And the sacrifices they have made mean a lot. Earlier on, their support meant defending my choice of career and
 my chosen sport. They believed in me from the start and that is why they inspire me.
Q: Your message to school students who wish to pursue
 success?
PVS: It’s very important for students to start any
 sport at the grassroots level. Exercise is important. Keep fit. Spend one or two hours every day doing exercise or
 playing a sport.
Q: Thank you for having such an openhearted conversation
 with me, inspiring all of us to follow our dreams fearlessly. On behalf of everyone here I wish you continued
 success at the upcoming Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. All the best.
<hr>
<h4 style="text-align: center;">Interviewed by SATYA SAHAY</h4>
<hr>

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