Mary Ng’ang’a

<h4>
 MARY NG’ANG’A
 is a psychologist and Heartfulness practitioner from Kenya. She shares her
 ideas on the importance of being natural and authentic to finding happiness.
 
</h4>

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 To me, happiness is when I am in a state of “let go.” When I am easy and
 mostly blissful. Happiness is not the same as contentment based on
 achievement, but it is the same as contentment perceived as acceptance of what
 is in the “now” moment. For instance, when working from home, I may
 spontaneously start dancing to music. I feel happy, totally happy at that
 moment. When I have many uncompleted tasks, some of which may be behind
 schedule, I don’t feel content with myself, but if I perceive this dance break
 to be the “now” moment and all that there is, then I am grateful for the
 chance to dance. I am contented with how life is happening at this moment.


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<h4 class="has-text-align-center">
 Happiness is when I am in a state of “let go.”
 When I am easy and mostly blissful.
 
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<hr class="vertical-space1" />


 There are different ways I experience happiness in my life, even though I
 don’t plan for them all. The most beautiful moments are spontaneous, totally
 unexpected. When I want to be happy, I dance or listen to music. I dance to
 move the energy within, not really to be great at technique. I also go outside
 to ground myself with my cats – I remove my socks and shoes and step onto the
 soil and grass with the cats. I really love it. The feeling of the sun on my
 skin, the endless skies, the trees … I love the trees and the greenery, the
 blue mountains. These days I wonder why I was not so outdoor-oriented before.
 I never want to go back inside. Life almost doesn’t allow me enough time out
 there. I purposely moved from an urban area to a less developed areas for
 this.&nbsp;



 Meditation creates a foundation for my happiness. I’d call it bliss. It’s
 indescribable. I am so glad I know that. It’s the first most essential thing I
 do every morning, besides taking water. It positions me differently. It gives
 me the chance to be myself throughout the day; not the ego-self that creates
 or responds to problems in a complex manner, but the me that is core to who we
 all are. Hence, I feel lighter throughout the day, in remembrance of who I
 really am.



 During the pandemic, I’ve had a lot of alone time to witness the patterns
 within me that obscure happiness. I’ve also had the chance to see how I like
 to be happy on my own. I’d say the pandemic has enabled me to understand my
 experience of happiness and allowed me room to transform my perspective of
 what happiness is. Since it has allowed me more time working from home, it has
 given me room to research spirituality, which in turn has transformed my
 understanding of what obscures happiness in me. That has equipped me with
 insights on how I can provide more room for happiness in my life.



 Fear overshadows my joy. The easiest way for me to recover is through dance.
 But the most effective way is to watch the anxiety within. One of the things
 I’ve learned is that fear comes from the ego, and the ego cannot stand
 watchfulness. So, I stop focusing on anything else, and just watch the anxiety
 in my body, the sensation, the agony of it. As I watch, it fluctuates, then
 dissipates and loses energy.&nbsp; It takes practice and a great deal of
 acceptance, but it works. It’s not the easiest way, it’s the most courageous
 way. And it’s worth it, because then I “burn” the fear instead of coating it
 with momentary happiness.


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 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/a_h_700x700_90e0361645.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-10T09:37:56.536Z" />
 </figure>
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 I think more freedom would make the world a better place – freedom to be who
 we really are. I say so because that is the foundation for self-awareness, and
 self-aware people can uncover the falsehood of the ego, creating longer
 periods of happiness and living life more blissfully. I think society should
 work toward making this possible. Changing education systems to favor
 authentic expression rather than accumulating external knowledge would be a
 good start for many. Parents can do the same, raising children in a way that
 fosters authentic self-discovery and provides room for expressing the same.



 Finally, not to sound clichéd, meditation plays a great role toward authentic
 self-discovery, because meditation allows us room to be with ourselves, not
 the mind self, but the egoless self, the true self. Meditation gives us the
 experience of truth, fearlessness, and trust, allowing us to fearlessly
 create. Through creation we become authentic, which keeps us happy because
 happiness is our natural state.


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<hr />

<h4 class="has-text-align-center">
 Meditation gives us the experience of truth,
 fearlessness, and trust,
 allowing us to fearlessly create. Through creation we become
 authentic, which keeps us happy because happiness is our natural
 state.
</h4>

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Authenticity and happiness

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Mary Oliver

What do you plan to do?

Attention Is Devotion

Mary Parker Follett

Unity through variety

Matshona is a Canadianbased philosopher, entrepreneur, and author of books such as The Little Book of Inspiration, Creativity, The Book, 50 Lessons Every Wise Mother Teaches Her Son, 100 Lessons Every Great Man Wants You to Know, and Lalibela’s Wise Man.

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Matshona Dhliwayo

<h4>MATSHONA DHLIWAYO shares his journey of discovery about the secrets of happiness, and some wisdom on how we can all lead happier lives.</h4>When I was young, I admired old people. Now that I’m old, I admire wise people. When I was a youth, I admired strong people. Now that I’m old, I admire meek people. When I was an adult, I admired wealthy people. Now that I’m old, I admire happy people.Since the beginning of time, we humans have been pursuing singular goals, and from the executive on Wall Street to the sheepherder on the rural plains of Kenya, to the stay-at-home mother in China, we have been driven by the ceaseless desire to be happy.What we eat, wear and do are expressions of our pursuit of happiness. So are the books we buy, the shows we watch, and the relationships we pursue. But if humanity has searched for it since the beginning, how come happiness is still elusive? After all, we have gone to the moon, cured fatal diseases, and made countless discoveries in every field you can think of. Knowledge undeniably has increased, but happiness has not.&nbsp;<h5 style="text-align:center;">I came to the conclusion that, as humans being composed of mind, body, and soul, we must nurture all three to achieve our highest happiness.</h5>&nbsp;<hr>This inspired my long, uncertain journey to find out the secrets to happiness. Day after day, month after month, I sat before scientists, saints and sages – intellectual and spiritual heavyweights, ancient and contemporary. Scientists said pleasure was the key, sages said relationships, saints said work and a few said self-denial. While I found truth in many of their points, after much contemplation I remembered the story of King Solomon, who according to the Bible was the wisest and richest man in history. He had all of the above, but he despaired in the end: “Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless.” His pursuit of happiness ended miserably, as he was focused on his mind and body but at times forgot to nurture his soul. I came to the conclusion that, as humans being composed of mind, body, and soul, we must nurture all three to achieve our highest happiness.<img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/Mind_body_soul_cffddca5eb.jpg"> <img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/10insights_7c6c5a44a9.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-03T06:09:31.255Z">&nbsp;&nbsp;<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">Article by MATSHONA DHLIWAYO</h4>&nbsp;<hr>

Happiness

Matthew Edward Hall

Breath of the Earth

The Basis of Society

Maureen Hitipeuw is a community builder, speaker, and advocate for women's empowerment. She is the founder of Single Moms Indonesia, a national community providing support, training, and advocacy for single mothers. As one of Indonesia's first Meta Certified Community Managers, Maureen was selected as Her World Indonesia Woman of the Year in 2024 and has represented Indonesia at global leadership platforms including the Vital Voices Visionaries Summit.&nbsp;

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Maureen Hitipeuw

<h4>MAUREEN HITIPEUW reflects on founding Single Moms Indonesia and learning that devotion isn't an emotion but a daily choice to show up for others.</h4>I never planned for this path. There was no grand vision—just a single, painful moment when I looked for a support group for single mothers in Indonesia, and found nothing. That absence stayed with me. When I eventually met a few other single mothers, I realized that maybe I could create what I once needed.I started a Facebook group (now Meta). At first, it was just two friends. We had no agenda or roadmap, but only a willingness to act—along with a kind of devotion I didn’t have a name for yet.That simple action was the beginning. Today, it has grown into a community of over 11,600 women, known as “Single Moms Indonesia.” But back then, it was just a longing to connect, giving birth to a gesture of service.This journey has asked a lot of me: To show up, listen, and grow consistently. There were no templates for what we were building. I learned on my feet. I fumbled and questioned myself. But every time I felt small or unsure, life would offer a gentle nudge forward, a message that this work mattered and was necessary. I began to understand this as karma—doing what must be done, without clinging to results.Along the way, I’ve stumbled into spaces that shaped me further. In 2020, I joined a global community leadership program offered by Meta. I didn’t see myself as a “leader,” but the training, <a href="https://heartfulness.org/magazine/yoga-for-reconciliation" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">mentorship</a>, and support helped me realize that community building was an opportunity to serve.Of course, action without reflection can lead us astray. So reflection has been essential—a constant teacher. I’ve blogged through grief, processed pain in paragraphs, and shared pieces of my story before feeling ready to do so. Through that act of writing, I began to understand myself and others more meaningfully. I didn’t set out to become wiser, but over time, living through questions such as, “Who am I now?” and “What can I give?” has offered unexpected answers.To me, devotion is love expressed through commitment and service—a choice we return to daily. I’ve come to believe that devotion is action. It’s showing up, even when it’s hard. It’s answering messages at midnight. It’s holding space, even when you feel empty yourself.The women in my community have become my greatest teachers. I’ve watched them rise from ashes, whisper their way through darkness, and show up repeatedly for their children and themselves. These women have taught me that healing, forgiveness, and beginning again are the greatest strengths. That sacred love, expressed through motherhood and selfhood, perfectly illustrates that devotion is action.There was one specific moment when I realized that my purpose was to serve. A recently divorced mother posted in our group. She was on the verge of suicide. The community wrapped around her, holding her virtually. And she lived. Today, she’s thriving and finishing her master’s degree. That, to me, is grace. That is why I keep showing up.&nbsp;I recognize that this journey is not mine alone. I call it grace or <a href="https://heartfulness.org/magazine/guidance-from-the-future" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">guidance</a> (call it by any name), but it’s about being faithful to what’s in front of you. To anyone standing at a turning point—lost, grieving, or uncertain—this is what I know: You don’t need to have the whole map. Just take the next small step. That small act itself will guide you, and over time, you’ll find that even your deepest pain might become the soil for something sacred.“Devotion is action” begins each day with the decision to show up, heart open and hands steady, for whoever needs that space.&nbsp;<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">To me, devotion is love expressed&nbsp; through commitment and service— a choice we return to daily.&nbsp; I’ve come to believe that devotion is action.&nbsp;</h4><hr>&nbsp;<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:50%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/devotion_action2_396ed3371a.webp" alt="devotion-action2.webp"></figure>&nbsp;

Devotion is Action

Maxime Lagacé

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Maya Angelou

How do you make people feel?

Change your attitude

Be a rainbow

Loneliness

The light within

Reaching hearts

Infinite Creativity

It Begins with You

The Other Hand

Mayanshi Parthasarathi is a seven-year-old author and award-winning artist. She is the author of the global best-selling book Exploring the Universe and a recognized member of Lean SpaceTech Europe. She is a Top 4 Finalist for Emerging Leader of the Year (Under 12) at the Women Changing the World Awards – Asia Region. Her interests include space, stories, and ancient mythology.

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Mayanshi Parthasarathi

<h4>Seven-year-old MAYANSHI PARTHASARATHI shares a heartfelt tribute to the trees that care for us—and invites us to care for them in return.</h4>We love you, <a href="https://heartfulness.org/magazine/the-secret-of-trees" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">trees</a>, For the air we breathe, We love you, trees, For the fruits we eat, We love you, trees, For the wood we get, We love you, trees, For everything we receive.We love you, trees, Because…You give us so much without asking for anything. You stand tall, silent, and strong, A shelter for birds, A friend to humans, A gift to our Earth.Let us promise to protect you, To plant more of you, And to love you forever! &nbsp;

We Love You, Trees!

Meenu is a Heartfulness practitioner and trainer who volunteers with the Heartfulness Education Trust in the Delhi NCR region of India, conducting programs for both faculty and students. She works in schools and colleges, sharing practices to help individuals cultivate inner peace and personal growth.

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Meenu Khurana

<h4 style="text-align:justify;">MEENU KHURANA is the Heartfulness Lounge Facilitator at one of the flagship schools of&nbsp;Delhi Government, Sarvodaya School, Sector-8, Rohini, New Delhi. She manages the relationship with the school and all volunteer teams, and here shares a glimpse of the program in action.</h4>On December 12th, 2023, the new Heartfulness Lounge was inaugurated at New Delhi’s Sarvodaya School, Sector-8, Rohini. The commencement came with the blessings of Daaji, the Global Guide of Heartfulness, and the support of Mr. Himanshu Gupta, IAS, Education Secretary of Delhi, alongside Principal Mr. Awdesh Kumar Jha and Vice Principal Mrs. Bharti Kalra.The lounge currently operates three days a week (Wednesday through Friday) from 12 to 2 P.M., offering sessions for students, faculty and parents. Initially catering to students in classes 6 to 9, the program has expanded to include Heartfulness sessions for classes 11 and 12, encompassing both the <a href="https://heartfulness.org/magazine/heartfulness-in-schools" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">HELP program</a> and introductory meditation sessions.The lounge is supported by a dedicated team of volunteers who facilitate these programs regularly. Plans are underway to host Sunday <a href="https://heartfulness.org/magazine/how-heartfulness-meditation-shifts-our-biofield-and-the-energies-in-a-room" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">group meditation</a>s for parents, students, and teachers at the lounge.&nbsp;<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:75%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/model_school_heartfulness2_78f35adb05.webp" alt="model-school-heartfulness2.webp"></figure><hr><h3 style="text-align:justify;">Testimonials</h3>Since the opening of the Heartfulness Lounge, students have been participating in the programs conducted by the volunteers here and we have seen an increased sense of peace in the minds of those children. This reflects in their behavior as well. When there is peace in the mind, I believe that all these children will move towards success in their lives by building their own personalities. So that they can help in building a peaceful society and take the country towards progress. —Awdesh Kumar Jha, Principal&nbsp;In the lounge which has been launched by Heartfulness Institute, many things are being taught which we’ve missed in our school. Personality development courses, in which very practical topics like knowing your goal and how to achieve it, time management, power of thought, courage and self-confidence as well as connecting with oneself, etc. are taught which are useful for them as children of course, but will also prove to be very useful for their later life when they leave school.Children are very stressed at this age and face very emotional situations, so in the activities conducted in the Heartfulness Lounge, we have observed that children become more calm, their stress reduces and they are able to handle situations in a better way. We have also observed that after attending these Heartfulness courses, our children are now more confident and ready for the outside world.Thanks to the success of these courses, we have now started ‘Parvarish’ programs for parents also in collaboration with Heartfulness, the first session of which was loved by all the parents. —Bharti Kalra, Vice-Principal&nbsp;We sent the children of 11th and 12th grades, whose anxiety levels about their studies and futures had increased a lot, to the Heartfulness Lounge. The exercises that were conducted, such as relaxation and meditation, have helped develop a sense of peace as well as confidence in these children. Their focus has increased, and the hidden power within them has also come out. I have also witnessed an increased coordination in their decision-making abilities. It’s great to see how the Heartfulness Lounge has helped children develop their mind, body and soul. —Nidhi Ma’am, School Coordinator&nbsp;&nbsp;It was wonderful to experience the Heartfulness session! In just 10 minutes we felt so relaxed. In my opinion, everyone needs this. We would love to do these sessions again and again. — Parent of Sarvodaya School Student<hr><h3>Student Testimonials</h3>After regularly attending their sessions&nbsp; I noticed some positive changes in myself.&nbsp; I was able to sleep properly. —Student (Shaurya XII-B)<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:75%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/model_school_heartfulness3_4a43b5d8ae.webp" alt="model-school-heartfulness3.webp"><figcaption>&nbsp;</figcaption></figure><hr>It helps met me to know my ability,&nbsp; strength, capabillity and all those things&nbsp; which helps me to achieve my goal. —Student (Pritam XI-E)<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:75%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/model_school_heartfulness4_6fda5720b9.webp" alt="model-school-heartfulness4.webp"><figcaption>&nbsp;</figcaption></figure><hr>I was a part of the 3 day session and needless to say,&nbsp; these 3 days were more than enough for me&nbsp; to realize how just 5 minutes of meditation&nbsp; could significantly change&nbsp; the emotional course of my day. —Student (Shalvika Sharma XI-F)<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:75%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/model_school_heartfulness5_9407ba9b6d.webp" alt="model-school-heartfulness5.webp"><figcaption>&nbsp;</figcaption></figure><hr>&nbsp;<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:75%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/model_school_heartfulness6_15aecd5370.webp" alt="model-school-heartfulness6.webp"></figure>&nbsp;

A model school Heartfulness lounge

Dr. Meenu Tewari is professor of economic development and political economy at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and current director of the Modern Indian Studies initiative there. She is a Heartfulness practitioner and trainer and member of the Research Council.

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Meenu Tewari

<h4 style="text-align:justify;">MEENU TEWARI and HESTER O’CONNOR reflect on the Third International Conference on Health and Wellbeing and its call for integrative, heart-centered approaches to health and healing.1</h4>The Third International Conference on Health and Wellbeing convened at Kanha Shanti Vanam in Hyderabad, India, from October 10–12, 2025, bringing together over 800 healthcare professionals, researchers, students, and members of the public to advance a bold vision of fostering genuine dialogue between modern allopathic medicine and traditional healing approaches.This focus on mind-body medicine for cardiac health, lifestyle, and mental wellbeing allowed the conference to combine perspectives from physiology and biomedical sciences with those from spirituality, ayurveda, and yoga. The event was co-sponsored by the Heartfulness Institute, the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), the Ministry of AYUSH, the Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR), and the Institute for Teaching and Research, Jamnagar (ITRA), highlighting the integrative spirit through its alliance of varied perspectives.What distinguished this conference was its atmosphere of openness and genuine curiosity. Biomedical professionals and traditional practitioners engaged with each other’s perspectives, not as competitors but as collaborators, exploring how different systems describe, research, and address the same cardiovascular challenges. Rather than defending disciplinary boundaries, participants sought common ground in their shared goal of mitigating, curing, and preventing cardiovascular diseases.This collaborative atmosphere created a rare space for engaged inquiry in which evidence from diverse traditions could be examined side by side. Through authentic dialogue across disciplines, the conference set the stage for lasting collaborations and for developing public policy rooted in truly integrative, ethical, evidence-based, and genuinely patient-centered care.In an era when healthcare fragmentation threatens chronic disease treatment, this gathering offered a hopeful and innovative path: ancient wisdom and modern science working together.Several powerful themes emerged from the conference, signaling a fundamental reimagining of cardiac health and inner and outer human wellbeing.<h3 style="text-align:justify;">Heart, Mind, and Healing: Key Themes from the Conference</h3><h4 style="text-align:justify;">The Heart as a Bridge</h4>A central insight was the call to move beyond viewing the heart solely as a mechanical organ that circulates blood. Speakers repeatedly framed the heart as a bridge—connecting mind, body, emotions, consciousness, and overall wellbeing. In this expanded view, the heart links the visible and the invisible: biology and awareness, physiology and meaning. When the heart, mind, and body function in harmony, wellness is no longer something to be pursued; it becomes a lived state of balance, coherence, and inner peace. Seen this way, the heart is simultaneously a physical organ, a neurological hub, a center of emotional regulation and consciousness, and a gateway to our deepest humanity. True cardiac health, the conference argued, must engage all of these dimensions.<h4 style="text-align:justify;">Personalization, Specificity, and New Evidence</h4>This integrated view found support across disciplines in a second major theme on the need for greater specificity and personalization in preventive and therapeutic approaches. Daaji captured this succinctly when he observed that “anger can trigger a heart attack, while compassion can protect the heart.” Emotional responses affect individuals differently, he explained, because vrittis—the subtle fluctuations of consciousness—shape each person’s tendencies and physiological reactions differently. He proposed a novel research direction: mapping fundamental emotions to distinct ECG patterns and correlating them with yogic chakras, opening the possibility of precise, meditation-based interventions for emotional imbalance.A prominent neuroscientist reinforced this perspective with evidence from brain imaging, showing that the heart and brain function as a synchronized system. Emotional stability arises from this bidirectional interaction: the rhythm of the heart shapes brain activity, while mental states such as anxiety can destabilize cardiac rhythms. Breathing, he emphasized, acts as an accessible bridge between the two. His research demonstrated that personalized breathing practices significantly reduced anxiety and racing thoughts while strengthening heart–brain–lung synchrony within weeks.&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/bringing_medicine_divide_2_0d584a16f5.webp" alt="bringing-medicine-divide-2.webp"></figure>&nbsp;<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">When the heart, mind, and body function in harmony,&nbsp; wellness is no longer something to be pursued;&nbsp; it becomes a lived state of balance, coherence, and inner peace.&nbsp;</h4><hr>&nbsp;Another biomedical presenter placed these insights within a broader life-course framework, highlighting how mind–body medicine aligns with emerging scientific evidence highlighting these connections through the neuroendocrine axis, gut-brain axis, epigenetics, and the role of the trifecta of stress, sleep, and infection in cardiac health. Together, these findings underscore why prevention must begin early and address both internal states and external exposures.<h4 style="text-align:justify;">Ayurveda: Restoring Balance in Body and Mind</h4>Ayurveda offered a complementary lens, defining health as a dynamic balance among body, mind, senses, and consciousness. Wellness is expressed not only through the absence of disease but through clarity of thought, restorative sleep, efficient digestion, and enthusiasm for life. Conference discussions highlighted how these ancient principles resonate with modern understandings of inflammation, metabolism, and chronic disease. Practices such as dietary regulation, cleansing, and herbal therapies were presented as pathways to support the body’s innate capacity to heal. Importantly, the mind was recognized as the vital link between physical and spiritual health, reinforcing the importance of addressing emotional and mental wellbeing in any serious approach to cardiac care.&nbsp;<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:75%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/bringing_medicine_divide_3_8b22302b61.webp" alt="bringing-medicine-divide-3.webp"></figure> &nbsp;<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">Wellness is expressed not only&nbsp; through the absence of disease but through clarity of thought, restorative sleep, efficient digestion, and enthusiasm for life.</h4><hr>&nbsp;Indeed, modern research is beginning to validate the detoxification benefits of panchakarma. For example, under proper guidance, abhyanga (therapeutic oil massage, often a preparatory step in panchakarma) has been shown to reduce anxiety and lower cortisol levels (stress hormones that increase in response to stress). Similarly, vamana therapy significantly decreases lipid peroxidation (a process in which free radicals damage fats in cell membranes, considered a marker of oxidative stress) while increasing catalase activity (an antioxidant enzyme that protects cells by breaking down hydrogen peroxide). In addition, virechana therapy can improve metabolic parameters by reducing excessive hepatic glucose output (the liver’s release of glucose into the bloodstream), thereby helping to better control blood sugar levels. Basti therapies—considered in ayurveda to be “half of all treatment” due to their broad systemic impact—have also demonstrated immunomodulatory effects, such as modulating T-helper immune cells (cells that help regulate immune responses) and reducing pro-inflammatory cytokine levels (cytokines are signaling proteins that promote inflammation). However, significant evidence gaps remain. For example, systematic reviews found that among hundreds of studied ayurvedic cardiovascular herbs, only one herb, arjuna, had sufficient clinical trial data for meta-analysis, establishing effective cardiovascular impact. This highlights the urgent need for more well-designed, multicenter clinical trials on ayurvedic interventions to conclusively establish their benefits and safety and integrate them into modern cardiology practice.&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/bringing_medicine_divide_4_3a5d99cfb9.webp" alt="bringing-medicine-divide-4.webp"></figure>&nbsp;<h4 style="text-align:justify;">Integration as Imperative</h4>The conference advocated a paradigm shift from episodic treatment to integrated, preventive care, emphasizing plant-based nutrition, physical activity, and stress reduction to reverse coronary blockages.Evidence demonstrated that yoga, meditation, and specifically <a href="https://heartfulness.org/magazine/transmission" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Heartfulness meditation</a>, reduce cardiovascular stress, regulate the nervous system, and foster emotional balance and stability. Notably, these practices also reduce inflammation and burnout while supporting immunity. Additionally, an emerging focus is on simplifying lifestyle and eating patterns; for example, reducing meal frequency to allow digestive rest has been shown to improve weight regulation and glycemic control, aligning traditional practices with current metabolic science.<h4 style="text-align:justify;">Challenges and Preventive Care</h4>Presentations highlighted that integrated, preventive approaches—combining precise medicine, plant-forward nutrition, physical activity, stress management, and sleep hygiene—can halt or reverse coronary disease, reflecting the fact that heart-rate variability mirrors emotional and nervous system regulation.<h4 style="text-align:justify;">Responding to a Global Health Crisis</h4>On the closing day of the conference, presenters addressed the growing global crisis of non-communicable and cardiovascular disease, with particular attention to the alarming rates of premature CVD cases in countries such as India. Speakers emphasized that addressing this burden requires more than better drugs or diagnostic technologies; it demands a paradigm shift toward holistic, ethical, and people-centered health systems that tackle social determinants, environmental exposures, and lifestyle root causes of disease.&nbsp;<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">Presentations highlighted that integrated, preventive approaches—combining precise medicine, plant- forward nutrition, physical activity, stress management, and sleep hygiene—can halt or reverse coronary disease, reflecting the fact that heart-rate variability mirrors emotional and nervous system regulation. &nbsp;</h4><hr>&nbsp;To exemplify this integrative approach, presenters highlighted the scientific relevance of traditional Indian systems, including emerging evidence on panchakarma therapies and the urgent need for rigorous clinical validation of ayurvedic cardioprotective plants. Modern integrative innovations were also showcased—from non-invasive neuromodulation techniques for complex mental health conditions to the successful integration of ayurveda with precision nutrition for metabolic disorders.&nbsp;<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:50%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/bringing_medicine_divide_5_dab4d62c88.webp" alt="bringing-medicine-divide-5.webp"></figure>&nbsp;Behavioral and internal health emerged as critical frontiers, with research demonstrating <a href="https://heartfulness.org/magazine/pranayama" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">how pranayama</a> and embodied psychology regulate physiological systems. One presenter spoke of healing “breath prints.” The importance of long-term, structured workplace wellness initiatives was also emphasized as a public health priority. Across discussions, participants agreed that meaningful progress will require new collaborative approaches. &nbsp;Success, they argued, requires overcoming what one presenter termed the three entrenched fragmentations: epistemological (Western science as sole arbiter of truth), institutional (siloed governance), and evidence-based (lack of community-level implementation research). Only by enabling diverse medical knowledge systems to genuinely collaborate can unified, effective health care policy emerge.&nbsp;<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">The conference embodied that spirit,&nbsp; creating what one participant described as&nbsp; “a life-changing mark on both medicine and spirituality”— a reminder that healing, in its truest sense, begins in the heart. &nbsp;</h4><hr>&nbsp;<h4 style="text-align:justify;">A Vision of Wholeness</h4>One message resonated throughout was that healthcare’s future lies in integration: Not East versus West, but wholeness over fragmentation. By combining modern science’s precision with ancient wisdom’s depth, medicine can evolve from treating disease to nurturing complete wellbeing—fostering harmony of body, mind, and consciousness, in a shared commitment to human flourishing.As one participant reflected: “The first night dialogue closing with Daaji’s message set the stage for the beginning of new integration in allopathic, ayurvedic, and meditation for higher consciousness to manifest healing approaches in new ways that the three individually cannot achieve.”This vision aligns with Heartfulness founder Daaji’s call for unity. The conference embodied that spirit, creating what one participant described as “a life-changing mark on both medicine and spirituality”—a reminder that healing, in its truest sense, begins in the heart.&nbsp;<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:75%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/bringing_medicine_divide_6_3f31b0d221.webp" alt="bringing-medicine-divide-6.webp"></figure><hr>References:1 This article was written with valuable inputs from Ishaprasad Bhagwat, Margaret Schenkman, Krishnamurthy Jayanna, Jaswitha Balaji, and Raghuveer SN. We gratefully acknowledge their support. &nbsp;

Bridging Medicine’s Divides

Megha is a bestselling author, film script writer, passionate educator, influencer, and ardent seeker based in Mumbai.  She is the author of The Breakthrough, Thank You, Cancer, and I Inspire among others. She has been a well-loved speaker at premier institutes like The World Confluence of Spirituality and Ficci. She received a 25 most inspiring and influential women of Mumbai award by World Women Leadership, and was featured in the top 50 most influential authors of 2021 by Delhi Wire. She loves working with fellow visionary educators and spiritualists toward the upliftment of society.

meghabajaj.jpg

Megha Bajaj

<hr><h4>MEGHA BAJAJ tells a beautiful simple story about a monk and his disciples, and relates this to her own experiences of the power of now, the present.</h4>&nbsp;<hr>&nbsp;Stories can teach in ways that only stories can teach. For days I had held a question in my mind about how I can progress on the spiritual path. Last evening, finally, the answer came with the birth of this story. Through me, and for me, this story has become a milestone. A realization has become my realization. Perhaps, it can become yours too.Years ago, when finding peace was still the most important quest for all, there lived a great Buddhist monk. High above the mountains iced by snow, and sprinkled by cherry sunrays, was his little monastery. People sought him from all over the world. The scaling heights, the brazen winds, the wild animals – nothing could stop them from flocking to the monk – for they knew he could pave the way to peace for them. However, after a few days, many got restless and left. The reason? The monk hardly spoke. He just carried on in his usual fashion. For many, this was hard to deal with.&nbsp;<hr>&nbsp;&nbsp;<hr><h5 style="text-align:center;">If I can learn to do what I am doing, and immerse myself in it completely, meditation will cease to remain a part of my day. It will become a part of me. And gradually, it will become me.</h5>&nbsp;<hr><hr>The great monk had a merry laugh and a twinkle in his eye. He seemed ancient and yet just like a child. He never invited anyone and he never refused anyone, and when someone did come he made sure his home was their home. Many came, many went – but a few, a small group of eleven, stayed behind. The monk knew he had finally filtered the ‘seekers’ from the ‘questioners’. This was the group who had left everything to find peace, and they wouldn’t return knowing about peace, they would return knowing peace ! The monk did all that he needed to in a day, while the group followed around, hoping to get a cue as to how they too could be in constant blissful union with their Lord.In the evenings the monk would sit under a tree, while the group gathered around him. Some put their head in his lap and he caressed them lovingly, while others were content to just watch him from afar. The seekers asked questions and sometimes the monk would answer at length, and sometimes he would choose silence to speak. Either way, the night would rise only when all the doubts had drowned.During one of those twilights, the youngest girl in the group, Mira, asked him, “Beloved one, tell me the secret to your peace. I want to know.” Knowing that the words that would follow could change their lives the entire group moved closer. Silence fell over them as the monk replied, “When I walk, I walk.” The seekers moved closer still. They wanted to know more. They wanted to transform. Something told them that the answer would be revealed. The monk, however, spoke no more. He just sat with his eyes skywards, wondering at the stars.The seekers were disappointed. They had thought some profound, complex secret would be revealed. But no, the monk had just spoken a single sentence: When I walk, I walk. What could this mean? All of them went to sleep that night with questions chasing his words around … answers nowhere in sight.<hr>&nbsp;<hr><h5 style="text-align:center;">The beauty about this moment is that when you are in it, completely and absolutely, nothing else matters…. All that exists is the activity that you are involved in and you. Get immersed even further and nothing but the activity remains. You dissolve. And in those moments, when there is no ‘you’, what is, is. And that ‘is’ is peace!</h5>&nbsp;<hr><hr>The next day, the monk went about his day as always and the seekers followed step. As he plucked the weeds out of his tiny garden, the group helped. The monk smiled to himself as he sensed a peculiar restlessness in the air. However, no one said anything. They had already learnt that answers would come only when answers would come. Usually one amongst them would stumble upon the answer to the monk’s words and share his realization with all the others. The group would internalize it, ponder upon it, and wait until the realization became a part of them. Today, however, revelation didn’t seem to be in the mood of befriending any of them.The guru chuckled silently and asked the young girl, “Mira, what are you doing right now?” Surprised by the monk’s question, she replied, “Helping you pluck out the weeds, beloved one.” He smiled and asked, “What else?” Mira spontaneously replied, “Nothing else!” The monk asked, “Are you sure you aren’t doing anything else?” Mira thought for a minute and said, “Well, I am thinking about your words.” “And?” asked the monk mischievously. “Umm … wondering what is there for dinner tonight,” replied Mira with a giggle.<img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/walk2_b21969f09b.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-04T07:05:10.602Z" alt="walk2"> The monk smiled and said, “When I am plucking weeds, I am plucking weeds.” And with that he went back to doing this chore with the same intensity that he used to meditate, or eat, or watch a sunrise, or speak with them.The entire group spontaneously burst into smiles. This was the first time that they had all understood something together. Restlessness changed into excitement, and within moments, excitement became peace. The little group of twelve – one master and eleven disciples – plucked weeds as they plucked weeds, that afternoon.Ever since this story wrote itself out, the very perspective with which I look at life has changed. Queen of multi-tasking, I believed I should not waste a single moment of my life. I packed in as much as I could in every second. I watched movies while exercising. I had breakfast while reading books. I enjoyed a sunrise while chatting on the phone. At any given point I was involved in at least two or three activities … and I wondered why I wasn’t enjoying any.When I walk, I walk. So simply answered the master. Since yesterday I have been doing this. When I ate, I ate. When I was with my husband Arun, I was with Arun. When I listened to music, I listened to music. Initially it almost appeared too difficult to do just a single thing at a time. I felt restless. I felt irritated. But I didn’t give up. As I pursued a single activity long enough and gave myself to it completely, I realized something within me suddenly shifted. No longer was I living in the past or the future – rather I fell into the coveted ‘now’, the ‘as is’, the ‘present continuous’.The beauty about this moment is that when you are in it, completely and absolutely, nothing else matters. The unpaid bills, the chores for tomorrow, the aching knee, the worrisome child – in the now none of these exist. All that exists is the activity that you are involved in and you. Get immersed even further and nothing but the activity remains. You dissolve. And in those moments, when there is no ‘you’, what is, is. And that ‘is’ is peace! It sounds almost too simple to be true, doesn’t it? Too commonplace. I always believed finding peace was a treacherous, arduous, difficult process, however I now realize that it is so simple that we miss it.I always wondered what the difference was between me and a monk. Now I know. Even while meditating I am thinking, planning, scratching and wondering. A monk, even while thinking, planning, scratching and wondering is meditating. If I can learn to do what I am doing, and immerse myself in it completely, meditation will cease to remain a part of my day. It will become a part of me. And gradually, it will become me.Usually when I write it is while sipping a masala chai, chatting on Facebook and checking my mails. Today, as I write, I write. I can feel the difference. I can almost experience you sitting beside me, a friend, a fellow seeker, as together we live this message: When I walk, I walk.<hr>&nbsp;<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">Article by MEGHA BAJAJ</h4>&nbsp;<hr>

When I walk , I walk

<h4>
 MEGHA BAJAJ shares a few tips on
 building healthy relationships by dealing with emotions in the right way
 and at the right time.
 </h4>
 
 There is this strange thing that many of us do in relationships. If we
 didn’t do it I believe we would have much better relationships. We
 displace our emotions from one relationship to other relationships. Does
 it sound familiar?
 
 
 Let’s say, for example, you have a husband who is very dominating. It’s
 his way or the highway, and you really don’t have much choice but to
 follow him. You have tried speaking to him, you have wept, you have done
 everything you could, but to no avail. Ultimately you resign to your
 fate and start finding ways to deal with the issues within, without
 really letting them out.
 
 
 Yet, the nature of emotions is that they are never buried dead, they are
 buried alive. You can suppress them but not for long. The pain shows up
 in your body through aches and pains or disease, and it also expresses
 itself in other relationships. These are the relationships where you
 feel the ease that the person won’t leave you, or sometimes it is with
 support staff like house help or drivers. You start behaving like the
 dominating person in your life, and project your emotions onto others to
 somehow deal with the pain. It could be your children, or your own
 parents, or anyone. The emotions from one relationship are displaced to
 another, and the people who are subjected to them have no clue why you
 are behaving the way you do – just like the way you keep wondering why
 your husband cannot be a little more empathetic.
 
 
 The problem with displacing emotions is just that – they are displaced.
 In no way does it provide a permanent solution, because somewhere you
 know that you are not doing the right thing. There is a sense of guilt,
 a sense of not feeling good enough about yourself, that hinders life
 from flowing the way it should.
 
 
 Think of some of your relationships that aren’t as beautiful as you want
 them to be. How do you deal with the negative emotions that you go
 through in those relationships? What do you do to ease yourself?
 
 
 Here are some of the positive ways I have realized to deal with the
 emotions in a dysfunctional relationship:
 
 &nbsp;
 <h4 style="text-align: justify">
 CONSISTENT COMMUNICATION
 </h4>
 <h4 style="text-align: justify">
 <img
 class="img-float-left has-img-center-in-mobile lazyload"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/about_relationship_2_d8c012d660.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-07T09:50:03.499Z"
 alt="about-relationship"
 />
 </h4>
 
 Although most of us may be communicating how we feel with the person
 concerned, we probably don’t do it consistently enough. We express, then
 let go, believing he or she won’t understand. Yet the secret to good
 relationships is consistent communication. Instead of blaming and
 saying, “You are …” say “I feel …”. When you express what you are
 feeling instead of blaming others, they are a little more open to
 listening.
 
 
 <img
 class="img-float-right has-img-center-in-mobile lazyload"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/about_relationship_3_aa0bb445af.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-07T09:50:48.069Z"
 alt="about-relationship"
 />
 
 &nbsp;
 <h4 style="text-align: justify">
 NATURE
 </h4>
 
 Nature absorbs negative emotions like nothing else. Taking a long walk
 in the garden or near the sea or mountains, as part of your daily life,
 is bound to help you clear your heart and mind of residual emotions so
 that they don’t form a chain and hurt others into the bargain.
 
 &nbsp;
 <h4 style="text-align: justify">
 WRITING
 </h4>
 
 <img
 class="img-float-left has-img-center-in-mobile lazyload"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/about_relationship_4_5cbfc38ab1.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-07T09:51:27.711Z"
 alt="about-relationship"
 />There is something incredibly healing about the writing process.
 Writing helps you to understand all that you are feeling. In a way it is
 your innermost core on paper and allows you to release and vent emotions
 that may be burdening your within for God alone knows how long. Writing
 letters to people who hurt you, whether or not you let them read them,
 helps you to deal with the emotions within the relationship.
 
 &nbsp;
 
 The world is in dire need of better relationships. A lot more love.
 Compassion. Whether someone is good to us or not, somehow we need to
 ensure that a lot of good flows from us to the world outside. Break the
 chain reaction and, in our own way, we will create a better world.
 
 <hr />
 <h4 style="text-align: center">Article by MEGHA BAJAJ</h4>
 <hr />

About relationships

<h4>MEGHA BAJAJ shares some simple tips on how to develop the capacity for intuition, which can be cultivated in daily life.</h4>For as long as I can remember, I have been an intuitive person. Whether it has been choosing people to work with, or projects to undertake, intuition has helped tremendously. Intuition is nothing but a hunch, a feeling, which may not necessarily be based on facts. You see someone, and you just know they are going to play an integral role in your life. You see another person and the caution blinkers go ballistic. “Stay away, stay away,” a siren rings in your head, for no particular reason. You just know that a certain person is going to call you on a particular day. All these are instances of intuition.So while some people are highly intuitive and base much of their decision making on it, others are not. I have been asking myself: How can I make my intuition more powerful, and how can I develop it further?Some answers that I have discovered are:First, the more the mind is quiet, the more intuition works. When the mind is a drunken monkey, running helter-skelter, objectivity cannot be attained. There is so much activity going on in the mind that the whispers of intuition go unnoticed. So, to begin with, using meditation to calm the mind and prepare it to develop intuitive powers seems a must.Second, I have come to realize that when I am in a sway of emotions, intuition doesn’t work. When I have very strong likes, dislikes, intense mood swings, it becomes difficult for the faculty of intuition to guide me. Emotions are all encompassing – and when we are feeling something, it once again becomes difficult to remain neutral and to hear the intuitive mind. A calm, emotion-free mind seems to be the first step towards beginning to tap the power of intuition.Third, I believe, is openness. Sometimes what the intuitive mind is trying to tell us goes beyond our conscious mind. Say we meet someone and the conscious mind feels everything is great. The person looks fine, speaks well, and in every way seems to be a great fit for whatever it is that we are looking for. And yet, something within doesn’t seem completely “right,” or “in place.” The intuitive mind is connected to the cosmos and knows – way beyond – what the conscious mind does. So it is important for us to be open and accepting to views contrary to what seems obvious. Only with this openness, can the intuitive mind really speak to us.Last, but not least, there are some psychic ways to develop our intuitive powers. The human body has a number of chakras and the third eye chakra, the Ajna (between the eyes), is considered to be the one connected to intuition. The sound OM is associated with balancing this chakra. When we focus between the eyes and chant OM, we activate the intuition center and allow more energy to flow there.Intuition is a wonderful tool to have. It guides. It protects. Developing this could make relationships, decision-making and hence life itself a more beautiful process. I have a hunch that you are going to agree!<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">Article by MEGHA BAJAJ</h4><hr>

Developing intuition

<h4 style="text-align:justify;">MEGHA BAJAJ is a new mother. She celebrates the life-changing joy of <a href="https://heartfulness.org/ca/humans-of-heartfulness/parenting-tips-for-the-modern-day-family/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">parenting</a>, and the way the equilibrium of parental love keeps the world intact.</h4>&nbsp;<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:25%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/parenting4_7fc16b030b.webp" alt="parenting4.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_parenting4_7fc16b030b.webp 103w," sizes="100vw"></figure>&nbsp;Mom is no longer present in physical form. And I have no regrets because I feel I loved her with every breath, with every heartbeat, while she was with me. She was unwell for a few years, and I did everything for her—from combing her hair to bathing her, from rubbing oil on her back to feeding her. I feel very complete about the relationship we shared for close to four decades of my life. Truth be told, I was her softest spot and her love for me was completely biased, irrational, and divine. I carry her crazy love with me, wherever I go.The one thing I find myself often wishing (I know the irrationality of it, but as if wishes are ever rational) is that I could have told her “Thank you” after becoming a mother. Athyasaa happened to me after my mother moved on. I now value my mother even more intensely, even more poetically, and in an even more fulfilled way than ever. I wish I could tell her all I am feeling.It takes a lot to parent a child. I used to be in a different city almost every week, creating impact through WoW, my company, in every way I could. I am a flow, and I loved to be here, there, doing this, that. I would jump into anything that felt soul fulfilling. Yet here I am, for nine months of pregnancy and nine months of looking after our daughter, where I barely step out. There are one-off breaks when I really need it, and both my father and husband Arun wholeheartedly support me, along with our wonderful staff I feel blessed to have. But I can no longer just take off. You would think it would make me feel confined, but how do I express the fulfillment I feel?&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/parenting2_b8b3058db9.webp" alt="parenting2.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_parenting2_b8b3058db9.webp 168w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/small_parenting2_b8b3058db9.webp 500w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/medium_parenting2_b8b3058db9.webp 750w," sizes="100vw"></figure><hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">We simply want to love our little ones because they are part of us— the most sacred part of us—we will leave behind.</h4><hr>It’s not about the big things, but the little things: Feeding her every meal with my own hands; planning every meeting or outing so that it’s done while she is napping. I feel that when she wakes up she should see me. Long back, I heard of a Rabindranath Tagore quote, which went something like: Love is when an infant wakes up from her afternoon nap, sees her mother, smiles, and goes back to sleep. And that’s what I want to be for Athyasaa.I read to her, though she prefers chewing books. I talk to her and she responds with coos. If she is unwell, I shed tears sometimes and she quietly holds my finger as if reassuring me that she is fine. For hours, I hold her in my lap and simply watch her sleeping face, wanting to somehow protect her even in her dreams.Arun is the most incredible dad. He simply melts watching Athyasaa and even the simplest gesture from her makes this 6’3”er giggle like a little child. They have some daddy-daughter bond that is sacred, and I simply allow them to blossom in the space they have created for themselves, which is sometimes beyond me. A man who could not function without his regular daily sleep, today waits to see his daughter’s smile and will stay up till whatever time she needs him. He’s so much softer, so much more tender, and she draws something so divine from him.I wonder why we do what we do as parents. I have never processed a single thought of what I want Athyasaa to do for me, and I am sure my parents also did not; nor you if you are a mother or father. We simply want to love our little ones because they are part of us—the most sacred part of us—we will leave behind. Athyasaa is going to be my proudest legacy, and I want the best of everything for my baby, for her to be someone who spreads bliss, love, and the abundance of all things good wherever she goes.To anyone who feels there is no love left in the world, simply sit in a park or on the beach and watch a parent with their child. The way the eyes shine, the soft smiles, the subtle pride. The feeling that here is the most beautiful part of me, in the form of my child, and I will give her or him a life far greater than I have or ever imagined. If this is not love, what is?Better still, go hold your parents’ hands and look into their eyes. Through the years of experiences, baggage, love, laughter, pain, and evolution, you will definitely find that deepest love for you shining softly forth.I believe it is this love that keeps the equilibrium of the world intact. The love that a parent feels for their child, which asks for nothing and only wishes to give everything it has.To every beautiful parent out there, thank you. How will we ever tell our children what we went through at 2 a.m. when they had fever or when we first held them? What words will we use to describe to them what we went through when those babbles suddenly became momma or daddy? All we can possibly do is smile at one another, at our shared experience of being parents and know in the deepest part of us that <a href="https://heartfulness.org/magazine/parenting-the-art-of-preserving" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">parenting</a> is probably one of the most purifying spiritual experiences we will ever know.<img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/parenting3_1b5881b331.webp" alt="parenting3.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_parenting3_1b5881b331.webp 185w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/small_parenting3_1b5881b331.webp 500w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/medium_parenting3_1b5881b331.webp 750w," sizes="100vw"><hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">I believe it is this love that keeps&nbsp; the equilibrium of the world intact.&nbsp; The love that a parent feels for their child,&nbsp; which asks for nothing and only wishes to give everything it has.</h4><hr>

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