Kamlesh Patel is known to many as Daaji. He is the Heartfulness Guide in a tradition of Yoga meditation that is over 100 years old, overseeing 14,000 certified Heartfulness trainers and many volunteers in over 160 countries. He is an innovator and researcher, equally at home in the fields of spirituality and science, blending the two into transcendental research on the evolution of consciousness, and expanding our understanding of the purpose of human existence to a new level.

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Daaji

<h4>DAAJI explores how the inner journey transforms a seeker into a finder, offering a New Year’s call to turn inward and rediscover the infinite within.</h4>A mountain climber once told me something I have never forgotten. He said that the most dangerous moment on any peak is not when you are struggling upward, gasping for breath in thin air. It is when you stop, look back at how far you have come, and decide that is far enough.As we stand at the threshold of another new year, I want to share with you a different kind of journey. Not the familiar resolutions about fitness or finances, but an invitation to the most extraordinary adventure available to a human being: the journey inward toward your own center.<h4 style="text-align:justify;">The Starting Point</h4>Every journey begins somewhere. For most of us, that "somewhere" is a sense of restlessness, a feeling that there must be more to life than what we currently experience. Perhaps you have felt it during a moment of unexpected stillness, or in the gap between one thought and the next. This restlessness is not a problem to be solved; it is a call to be answered.My own Master, Babuji Maharaj, wrote beautifully about this. He said that the soul yearns to be free from bondage. What is this bondage? It is not chains or prison walls. It is the accumulation of coverings, layer upon layer, which have gathered over time around our innermost being. Some are pleasant coverings in which we have wrapped ourselves willingly. Others are dense and heavy, accumulated through hurt, disappointment, or the simple weight of unconscious living. Either way, they obscure the radiance within.The <a href="https://heartfulness.org/magazine/the-spiritual-journey" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">inner journey</a> is a process of removing these coverings, one by one, until the soul shines through unobstructed.<h4 style="text-align:justify;">Three Ways to Understand the Path</h4>Let me offer you three ways to understand this journey, each illuminating a different facet of the same truth.<h4 style="text-align:justify;">The Climb</h4>The first is the image of climbing. Imagine you live in a valley, surrounded by mountains. The valley is comfortable. You know every path, every tree, every stream. But sometimes, when the clouds part, you catch a glimpse of distant peaks bathed in light, and something stirs within you.The spiritual journey is like ascending from this valley toward those peaks. In Heartfulness, we speak of moving from the Heart Region through the Mind Region toward the Central Region. These are not physical places but states of consciousness, each more refined than the last. As you climb, something remarkable happens. The air grows thinner, yes, but also clearer. What appeared solid and defined in the valley reveals itself as mist. What you thought you knew gives way to actual experience.The climb requires effort, indeed. But more than effort, it requires a willingness to leave behind what no longer serves your noble purpose. You cannot carry all your valley possessions to the summit. Some things must be set down along the way.&nbsp;<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:50%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/inner_journey2_054fb28678.webp" alt="inner-journey2.webp"></figure>&nbsp;<h4 style="text-align:justify;">The Unfolding</h4>The second way to understand the journey is through the image of unfolding. Think of a flower that opens petal by petal to the morning sun. It does not struggle or strain. It simply responds to the light with its whole being, and in that response, it becomes what it was always meant to be.Within our spiritual anatomy, there are centers of energy, called chakras, that unfold in just this way. Each center has its own quality, its own gift. The first brings acceptance—the second, peace. Then love, courage, and clarity. As these centers open, we do not become someone different. We become more fully ourselves, expressing qualities that were always present but dormant, like seeds waiting for spring.This unfolding cannot be forced. But it is invited in through practice, stillness, and, most importantly, the catalytic presence of a guide who has walked the path before you.<h4 style="text-align:justify;">The Transformation</h4>The third way is perhaps the most personal: the journey from seeker to finder.This process begins with curiosity. You hear about meditation, or someone mentions Heartfulness. Something resonates, though you cannot say precisely why. You are a curious participant, testing the waters.Soon, you begin to notice changes: a greater sense of calm, a softening of old resentments, moments of unexpected joy. The practice is working. Now you are no longer merely curious but genuinely interested. You begin to recognize that these changes are not accidental. There is an intelligence behind them, an unseen hand at work. This recognition of the Guide, the spiritual alchemist behind your transformation, marks a turning point.From here, the journey deepens. Devotion naturally arises, not as an obligation but as gratitude. You find yourself drawn to practice, not because you “should,” but because you want to. The changes continue, becoming more subtle and profound, until one day you notice something extraordinary: you are no longer changing. You have arrived at a state that is changeless, stable, unshakeable.But even this is not the end. A master of real caliber will take you beyond this becoming, into territories where words fail and only experience speaks.<h4 style="text-align:justify;">The Resolution That Matters</h4>As we approach another <a href="https://heartfulness.org/magazine/start-the-new-year-right" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">new year</a>, I would like to suggest a resolution that is different from the usual ones. Most resolutions are about doing more or doing less. I invite you to resolve to go deeper.Not deeper into complexity, but deeper into simplicity. Not deeper into acquisition, but deeper into release. Not deeper into the noise of the world, but deeper into the stillness at your own center.This resolution does not require willpower or discipline in the way we usually think of them. It requires only willingness. Willingness to sit each morning in meditation. Willingness to cleanse each evening the impressions of the day. Willingness to connect, through prayer, with something greater than yourself.These simple practices, offered with sincerity, will carry you further than you can imagine. They are the starting push that sets the journey in motion.<h4 style="text-align:justify;">The Unfinished Symphony</h4>There is a curious truth about the inner journey: it is never finished, yet every moment can be complete. Each step is both a destination and a doorway. Each insight is both an answer and a new question.This is not frustrating but liberating. It means there is always more to discover, more to become, and more to experience. The journey itself is the joy. The climbing itself is the summit.So, as you set your intentions for the coming year, I ask you to consider: What if your resolution were not to achieve something, but to discover something? What if, instead of adding another task to your list, you committed to subtracting the coverings that obscure your true nature?What if, in this new year, you began the journey inward?&nbsp;<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">There is a curious truth about the inner journey:&nbsp; it is never finished, yet every moment can be complete.&nbsp; Each step is both a destination and a doorway.&nbsp; Each insight is both an answer and a new question.</h4><hr>&nbsp;<h4 style="text-align:justify;">An Invitation</h4>The mountain is there. The path exists. Guides stand ready to help you find your way. All that remains is your first step.That first step might be as simple as sitting quietly for twenty minutes tomorrow morning, turning your attention gently toward your heart, and allowing yourself to be carried by meditation into the depths of your own being.Or it might be reaching out to learn more about Heartfulness practices and connecting with a trainer who can introduce you to transmission, that remarkable yogic principle that accelerates inner transformation in ways self-effort alone cannot.However you begin, begin. The journey awaits. And I promise you this: what lies within you, at the very center of your being, is worth every step of the climb.May this new year be the year you turn inward and discover the infinite within.With love, Daaji<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">The journey awaits.&nbsp; And I promise you this: what lies within you,&nbsp; at the very center of your being,&nbsp; is worth every step of the climb.</h4><hr>&nbsp;

The Inner Journey from Seeker to Finder: A New Year’s Invitation

<h3 style="text-align:center;">A Dialogue on Grace, Pranahuti, Shaktipath, and Prana-Pratishtha</h3><h4 style="text-align:justify;">DAAJI clarifies four transformative processes— and why grace stands apart—compiled by APOORVA PATEL from a dialogue with SUCHIT R. and KESAV S.</h4>&nbsp;Suchit: Daaji, in Heartfulness practice, we hear and read a lot about pranahuti. How is it different from other types of spiritual transmission, such as prana-pratishtha or shaktipath?Daaji: That’s a lovely point to start with. You see, pranahuti is very different from other practices, even though people often mix them up. Let me tell you about four different realities: pranahuti, prana-pratishtha, shaktipath, and grace. Each has its own nature, specific mechanisms, and purposes.&nbsp;Apoorva: Seekers of spirituality might assume that the four of those are just different forms of the same thing—ways of infusing divinity into the material world, right?&nbsp;Daaji: That’s what most people get wrong. Let’s look at each one and see how wonderfully different they are. Firstly, there’s pranahuti, which is the basis of our Sahaj Marg [Heartfulness] practice. In Sanskrit, pranahuti means the offering of prana, or the life force. In our system, as Babuji defined it so clearly, it is the use of Divine power to change people. This is not philosophy! It is real life.&nbsp;Kesav: How exactly does pranahuti work?Daaji:&nbsp;Pranahuti flows directly from the heart of a Master of caliber to the heart of the person who receives it. But the important part is, this transmission is initiated by the power of will. The Master’s conscious will creates two main types of spiritual effects. The first is the ridding of obstacles, in which samskaras, or impressions that get in the way of growth, are broken down. The second effect is the creation of spiritual states. Pranahuti can directly create or bring about certain spiritual states in the aspirant, thereby raising their consciousness. Its effect is a progressive, systematic transformation.Kesav:&nbsp;But what is being transmitted? What is the energy?Daaji:&nbsp;Pranahuti means “life of life” or the prana of prana itself. Thus, pranahuti is not ordinary vital energy, but the most refined, divine essence. You can call it divine energy, ultimate energy, or the most subtle consciousness. This is what makes pranahuti so special—it is what we call “forceless force,” or “powerless power.”Apoorva: But that sounds like a contradiction of itself!Daaji:&nbsp;It does, but these contradictory words capture its essence perfectly. You see, pranahuti works without causing any resistance or reaction, unlike regular force. Let’s take an example. What would happen if you reprimanded your children harshly, really shouting at them?Apoorva:&nbsp;They would react immediately, by getting very upset or defensive.&nbsp;Daaji:&nbsp;Exactly. Force makes people react, but does it actually change them? Usually not. Force always causes an instantaneous reaction, but love can change people without making them react. Pranahuti is the process by which divine love is poured into our hearts. As it is not forced, it will work over infinite distances and through all of time. Love alone can act, breaking all barriers.Kesav:&nbsp;And what is the “powerless power” referring to?Daaji:&nbsp;It can be used to describe the Center, or God, which doesn’t really have power on its own. But powerlessness includes the idea of power that is stuck, as is the case at the Center. This means that the stagnant or static state, which is seen as powerlessness, is the real source of power.<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">Pranahuti means “life of life” or the prana of prana itself.&nbsp; Thus, pranahuti is not ordinary vital energy,&nbsp; but the most refined, divine essence.&nbsp; You can call it divine energy, ultimate energy,&nbsp; or the most subtle consciousness.&nbsp; This is what makes pranahuti so special— it is what we call “forceless force,” or “powerless power.” &nbsp;</h4><hr>Suchit:&nbsp;And what about prana-pratishtha? I’ve heard about this, but I’m not sure I’ve understood what it means. Is it the same as pranahuti?Daaji:&nbsp;This is where many people get confused. While prana-pratishtha is a religious ceremony, it is very different from what we do in Sahaj Marg. Here you would see pujaris, or priests, perform rituals to “install” prana into an idol or maybe a sacred image. They do this by reciting specific mantras to call on the divine presence. They are essentially turning a statue into a living embodiment of the deity, making it worshipable. It depends on external ceremony, on mantras, on things outside the body. The whole point of it is to make some object the focus of worship.Suchit:&nbsp;Whereas pranahuti works from within, from heart to heart.Daaji:&nbsp;It doesn’t need any outside rituals or mantras; it happens because the Master wants it to happen, and the seeker is willing to go through with it. It can happen at any distance, and most importantly, it awakens the Divine within the disciple’s own being, not in an outside object. Prana-pratishtha is essentially ritualistic, while pranahuti is entirely inside and based on the Master’s yogic ability.&nbsp;&nbsp;<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:75%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/divine_mechanics_change2_5e7ba46ad6.webp" alt="divine-mechanics-change2.webp"></figure>&nbsp;<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">Pranahuti can directly create or bring about certain spiritual states in the aspirant,&nbsp; thereby raising their consciousness.&nbsp; Its effect is a progressive, systematic transformation.</h4><hr>&nbsp;Kesav:&nbsp;And what about shaktipath? As you mentioned earlier, is it also different from pranahuti?&nbsp;Daaji:&nbsp;This is another process meant to awaken a particular chakra or level of consciousness by having one’s guru touch the person’s body directly. In traditional shaktipath, the guru touches specific points on the disciple’s body. This touch is meant to awaken or activate particular chakras, and sometimes that awakening can be quite dramatic! But pranahuti doesn’t require physical touch or even proximity. It works over any distance and is gentle and gradual. It also focuses on overall spiritual growth rather than just chakra activation.&nbsp;Apoorva:&nbsp;So pranahuti, prana-pratishtha, and shaktipath all do involve transmission, but the methods of each are very different.Daaji:&nbsp;Yes, and the results too.Kesav:&nbsp;Now, where does grace fit into all of this?Daaji:&nbsp;Grace is different from all other spiritual processes that involve human intermediaries. It is entirely independent of human action and flows only from divine will. This is probably the most important thing to know when practicing spirituality. Grace works on principles that people can’t understand or control. First, divine sovereignty. Grace comes from God’s will alone, not from human effort, ritual, or even transmission. Second, it is beyond demand. One cannot demand, expect, or earn grace. This is why there is a strong taboo in Brahm-vidya [divine knowledge] against expecting the fruits of one’s actions. If we expect results, then we miss the very essence of surrender.&nbsp;Kesav:&nbsp;Then why practice? If you don’t mind my asking, why not just sit and wait for grace to arrive?&nbsp;Daaji:&nbsp;Here is another paradox for you. Grace is not something that can be expected or asked for, since it is independent of human action. However, sincere spiritual practice creates the best condition for receptivity. Grace is not an arbitrary thing; it responds to the seeker’s sincerity, surrender, and effort. <a href="https://heartfulness.org/magazine/simplify-your-life" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Spiritual practice</a> is the expression of one’s sincerity. So, grace interacts with personal practice in ways that enhance it. While sincere effort lays the foundation, grace provides the necessary upliftment to go beyond limitations.<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">Spiritual practice is the expression of one’s sincerity. So, grace interacts with personal practice in ways that enhance it.&nbsp; While sincere effort lays the foundation, grace provides the necessary upliftment&nbsp; to go beyond limitations.</h4><hr>&nbsp;Apoorva:&nbsp;How can we identify grace when it comes? Sometimes, we are not able to say for sure whether what we experienced in a meditation session was transmission or divine grace.Daaji:&nbsp;Grace is the love and help that the Divine gives freely, without expecting anything in return. It is not earned through good deeds or rituals, nor is it the result of bargaining or asceticism. Instead, it comes from the abundant love and compassion of God. When you are under the spell of grace, you melt. Even the power of pranahuti is much smaller than grace. There is actually a sort of hierarchy of power, you see: Grace is more subtle than <a href="https://heartfulness.org/magazine/experiencing-pranahuti" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">pranahuti</a>, which is subtler than shaktipath, which is subtler than prana-pratishtha. Really, grace can do in an instant what hundreds of pranahuti sessions can do over time. What pranahuti does subtly over long distances through the Master’s will, shaktipath tries to do through direct physical intervention. What all three do internally, prana-pratishtha does externally through rituals that usually have very shallow, short-lived effects.&nbsp;<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">Grace is the love and help that the Divine gives freely, without expecting anything in return.&nbsp; It is not earned through good deeds or rituals,&nbsp; nor is it the result of bargaining or asceticism.&nbsp; Instead, it comes from the abundant love&nbsp; and compassion of God or a realized being. When you are under the spell of grace, you melt.</h4><hr>&nbsp;Suchit:&nbsp;Knowing these differences must have some impact on our practice now. In the real world, day-to-day practices, I mean.&nbsp;Daaji:&nbsp;We need to be welcoming of pranahuti with reverential receptivity. Be open and regular, knowing that the Master’s will decides how you progress. And with grace, the keyword is surrender. This means letting go, being grateful when grace touches, and learning to recognize it when it works, even when it’s not so obvious.&nbsp;Kesav:&nbsp;And where does cleaning fit in with all this?Daaji:&nbsp;Now this is an important one. The most important, I would say. I have to tell you that pranahuti won’t help you at all without cleaning. Divine energy makes everything stronger. As Babuji said, “Transmit to a thief, and he will become a perfect thief.” So, cleaning gets rid of the unnecessary things while pranahuti builds spiritual qualities. Together, they make a change that works. You can’t have one without the other.&nbsp;Suchit:&nbsp;So, the combination of cleaning, pranahuti, and grace is the key to spiritual evolution?Daaji:&nbsp;In essence, spiritual evolution is ultimately circular. From God, through the Master, to the disciple, and back to God, transformed and divinized. The process is complete when the aspirant’s refined consciousness merges back into the divine ocean from which it emerged. Remember, pranahuti is a gift like no other, and even then, it pales in comparison to what a single touch of grace can do. This is what really sets the Sahaj Marg path apart: honoring human effort through practice, seeking the Master’s help through pranahuti, and surrendering completely to divine grace, which can do the impossible.&nbsp;<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:75%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/divine_mechanics_change3_8a9ca8544d.webp" alt="divine-mechanics-change3.webp"></figure>&nbsp;<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">In essence, spiritual evolution is ultimately circular. From God, through the Master, to the disciple,&nbsp; and back to God, transformed and divinized.&nbsp; The process is complete when the aspirant’s refined consciousness merges back into&nbsp; the divine ocean from which it emerged.&nbsp;</h4><hr>&nbsp;

The Divine Mechanics of Change

The Magic of Group Meditation

Being with the Guide

<h4 style="text-align:justify;">DAAJI explores the transformative power of pausing—how taking a moment before making decisions, reacting, or acting can lead to greater clarity and wisdom.&nbsp;</h4>Over the years, I’ve cultivated a habit that has guided me toward better decisions. Whether I am discerning where to build the next ashram, finalizing my travel plans, choosing the title of a book, or grappling with the next number in my Sudoku, I have found value in simply sleeping over it. The next day, I arrive at a decision faster and with greater confidence. Giving space before deciding—pausing—often reveals possibilities I hadn’t considered.It felt validating when I read that even in the world of machines, the wisdom of a pause matters. An associate shared with me a research paper from Google titled “Think Before You Speak.” It explored a novel approach in artificial intelligence, introducing something called learnable pause tokens in the language model. These tokens allowed AI to reflect more (pause) before responding. When tested on reasoning and question-answering benchmarks, the delayed inference led to measurable gains of up to 18%.This is a striking reminder: if even artificial intelligence benefits from pausing, imagine what a pause can do for natural intelligence. Wisdom, after all, is not just knowledge—it is knowledge transformed by <a href="https://heartfulness.org/magazine/patience-the-spiritual-path-to-personal-growth" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">patience</a>, humility, and awareness. A pause is a critical element of that transformation.Time and again, I have witnessed how taking a pause invites clarity. In a world where activity is often mistaken for progress, this may seem counterintuitive. But nature offers its own testimony. The human heart beats in a rhythm. Even synaptic transmissions—those lightning-fast messages between neurons—benefit from milliseconds of delay, allowing the nervous system to respond more wisely rather than more rapidly. In times of illness, medicines are most effective when administered in a spaced-out manner—giving the body time to respond. Pause is not a delay; it is part of the process that fosters life.<img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/pause_moment_integration2_69c4b42bc6.webp" alt="pause-moment-integration2.webp">In our own lives, the same truth holds. A pause is a moment of integration, where we allow a deeper intuitive wisdom to guide us. In moments of conflict, a pause can help us shift from a reactive mind to a responsive heart. It gives space for our better angels to find their voice. When someone says something hurtful, for instance, taking a breath—just one—can be the difference between escalating the argument or disarming the other with humor.At work, a pause can lead to clarity. We have all had experiences where, after wrestling with a problem for hours, we step away—and while taking a walk or folding laundry, we have a breakthrough. Insight needs room to surface. This is why I define meditation as the art of pausing with poise—stepping back from doing, thinking, judging, and striving. It is in this sacred <a href="https://heartfulness.org/magazine/vighnas" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">stillness</a> that we rediscover our deeper intelligence.If someone cuts you off in traffic or a colleague says something upsetting—pause. Even a few seconds can help you respond from calm rather than chaos. You may still need to speak firmly, but your words will come from clarity, not fury.If you’re stuck on a creative problem or can’t make a decision, step away. Pause. Let your subconscious do its quiet work. Solutions often emerge during mundane moments—tying shoelaces, washing dishes, walking the dog.Before meals, before a meeting, or just before you go to bed, take a moment to check in with your breath or your heart. These micro-pauses can reconnect you with yourself in powerful ways.And if you’ve tried pausing in the past and found it hard, know this: you are not alone. Like any meaningful habit, the art of pausing takes time to cultivate. Some days you might forget. Other days, you may pause a moment too late. But even the intention to pause begins to reshape us. Over time, it becomes second nature—like a muscle that grows stronger with use.So today, let this be your gentle reminder: Don’t just rush to the next thing. Pause. Let your presence catch up with you. There is wisdom waiting in that stillness.

A Pause is a Moment of Integration

<h3 style="text-align:center;">SPIRITUAL PRACTICES AND ATTITUDES FOR MODERN LIVING</h3><h4 style="text-align:justify;">DAAJI describes the special transformative quality of Heartfulness Meditation, Transmission, which turns the attention inward to the center of the heart.</h4>Transmission is the speciality of <a href="https://heartfulness.org/magazine/heartfulness-mindfulness" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Heartfulness Meditation</a>. It removes the inner complexities in our energy field so that the spiritual centers or chakras are cleaned and illuminated, so that we feel light, pure, and simple. Transmission is love, and it makes meditation truly dynamic.The Sanskrit word for Transmssion is Pranahuti, where prana means energy or essence, and ahuti means offering. Pranahuti is offered by a living Guide who is connected to the infinite Source—so they can go on transmitting without being depleted. It is the divine essence flowing through the Guide into the hearts of seekers, like a mother’s love flows naturally to her children for their growth and sustenance.When a Heartfulness practitioner thinks of Transmission, it starts to flow and they receive it wherever they are instantaneously, because Transmission is not bound by physical laws. Even light cannot travel instantaneously! If we substitute timeless velocity instead of the speed of light in <a href="https://heartfulness.org/magazine/transmission" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Einstein’s</a> E=mc2, the resulting energy is limitless, and its source is also limitless. That is Transmission.The other scientific principle that helps us understand the effect of Transmission is entropy. Entropy is the measure of disorder in any system. For the level of entropy to be low, a stabilizing input is needed so that the system does not disintegrate. When our attention is outwards, our system is unstable and entropic, whereas when it is drawn inwards towards our center it stabilizes. Transmission naturally draws our attention inwards, so our system becomes highly stable, leading to lower and lower entropy. And what is our center? It is the soul. We feel the effect of Transmission as relaxation and stillness of the mind, emotional balance, and quietness.The call of spirituality is change: to transform from whatever we are today to what we can become. What prevents us? The heaviness in our energy field created by samskaras, or impressions, from our past. Transmission frees us from these shackles; like wrinkles in clothing have to be ironed out, Transmission irons out impressions. Transmission goes to the very root of the samskaras and brings their vibrations to zero.&nbsp;<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:75%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/transimssion3_5d559dd54f.webp" alt="transimssion3.webp"></figure>&nbsp;<hr>&nbsp;<h4 style="text-align:center;">When we are unable to regulate our minds or traverse the various layers of consciousness,&nbsp; it is Transmission that acts like a walking stick or&nbsp; crutch to support consciousness to expand into other dimensions.&nbsp; It helps us transcend from one level to another,&nbsp; to soar into superconsciousness and&nbsp; dive deeper into the subconscious depths of the mind. That is its primary role.</h4>&nbsp;<hr>In the Kena Upanishad, pranahuti is described as pranasya pranah, the ‘life of life.’ The moment we receive the first Transmission, the soul is nourished and there is freshness in our life force and existence, like trees after the first monsoonal rains.When we are unable to regulate our minds or traverse the various layers of consciousness, it is Transmission that acts like a walking stick or crutch to support consciousness to expand into other dimensions. It helps us transcend from one level to another, to soar into superconsciousness and dive deeper into the subconscious depths of the mind. That is its primary role.We receive Transmission in the first Heartfulness Meditation session and when we feel the difference between meditating with and without Transmission, we recognize the shift in consciousness Transmission creates. &nbsp;

Transmission can transform the world, if we want it to

<h4 style="text-align:justify;">DAAJI&nbsp;shares a few simple steps to help us declutter what’s weighing us down, let go of what no longer sparks joy, and create space for the freedom and peace we’re meant to feel.</h4>One may become happy by dancing— like sunlight finds its way through moving leaves. The body stirs, and the soul remembers something it had forgotten how to feel.But truer still— it is happiness that makes one dance. A rhythm born not from music, but from the quiet blossoming of being.And this— this cannot be fabricated. No smile stitched in shadow, no step rehearsed in hope, can mimic the grace of joy unbound.For joy is a flame that dances us.Life can be a rollercoaster for young people—school, studies, family, friends, and those maddening moments when the Wi-Fi decides to take a vacation. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed or stuck. So, when I talk to teens about diving into something deeper, like spiritual liberation, they inevitably ask me, “How?”It might sound abstract but think of it as leveling up in a video game. Each level you unlock isn’t about beating a challenge; it’s about discovering new layers of awareness, clarity, and freedom. And what’s the secret? Tidying up your inner world is like a Marie Kondo session for the mind and heart.&nbsp;<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">When the mind is free from these inner burdens,&nbsp; it moves with clarity, courage, and quiet confidence &nbsp;that transforms how you see yourself and the world.</h4><hr>&nbsp;<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:50%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/dance_of_joy2_fd34a9443d.webp" alt="dance-of-joy2.webp"></figure>&nbsp;<h4 style="text-align:justify;">Step 1: Lighten the heart—release the grip of desires</h4>Think of desires as little weeds in your mind, popping up and spreading as they coax you to chase more, to be more, to have more. It’s not that wanting something is bad, it’s when those weeds grow unchecked and start tangling around your happiness, anchoring it to conditions. Remember that time you wanted the latest sneakers everyone was talking about? Or maybe it was getting invited to a party, or reaching a certain number of likes on a post. When you finally got it, the excitement lasted for a while, but then… it faded. And before long, something else became the next “must-have.” The art of lightening the heart lies in recognizing this cycle and stepping out of it. Instead of letting your happiness hinge on getting or achieving something, learn to enjoy the moment as it is. Desires don’t need to define you; let them go before they take root. When you do this, your heart becomes lighter, freer, and open to the effortless <a href="https://heartfulness.org/magazine/quot_workplace_april24" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">joys of life</a>.<h4 style="text-align:justify;">Step 2: Free the mind—break the chains of fear and judgment</h4>Imagine invisible chains binding your thoughts, chains forged by fears, self-doubt, and the judgments of others. These aren’t always dramatic; they’re often subtle, like a quiet voice saying, “What if I’m not good enough?” or “What will they think of me?” Maybe you’ve hesitated to post something online because you were afraid no one would comment, or you stayed quiet in class even though you knew the answer. Breaking these chains is a process of awareness. Notice the stories you’ve been telling yourself and gently rewrite them. Let go of the need to prove, the need to please, and the need to perfect. When the mind is free from these inner burdens, it moves with clarity, courage, and quiet confidence that transforms how you see yourself and the world.&nbsp;<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:50%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/dance_of_joy3_502411f4b9.webp" alt="dance-of-joy3.webp"></figure>&nbsp;<h4 style="text-align:justify;">Step 3: Empty the backpack—let the past stay where it belongs</h4>Picture the mind as a backpack stuffed to the brim with every hurt, regret, and embarrassing memory you’ve ever carried. It’s heavy, isn’t it? And it slows you down. Think about that time you tripped in front of everyone, or when you said something silly in class and felt like you’d never live it down. To be present, you don’t need to erase the past, just stop carrying it everywhere. Take a moment to unpack. Forgive what needs forgiving, release what needs releasing, and leave behind what no longer serves you. With an unburdened mind, the present becomes vibrant and alive, a place where peace is no longer an idea but an experience.&nbsp;<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">Forgive what needs forgiving, release what needs releasing,&nbsp; and leave behind what no longer serves you.&nbsp; With an unburdened mind, the present becomes vibrant and alive,&nbsp; a place where peace is no longer an idea but an experience.</h4><hr>&nbsp;<h4 style="text-align:justify;">Step 4: Embrace the divine—your soul’s true home</h4>At this point, you’re not just lighter. You’re free. Free to experience life in its most expansive form. It’s like stepping through the doors of a grand, sacred hall where you have access to the highest wisdom and the deepest peace. There are no queues, no barriers, just the warmth and light of the universe, embracing you. You walk alongside those who have walked this path before you—Swami Vivekananda, Babuji Maharaj, Thérèse of Lisieux, and you realize that you were never alone. This wisdom and light was always within you, and you’ve always had access to it.Spiritual liberation is yours!<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">Illustrations by GAYATRI PACHPANDE</h4><hr>

The dance of joy

Changing lifestyle to design destiny

Meditation for centeredness

Attention inward

Restlessness to calm

Adventure of consciousness

Elements of the practice

A rightful meditation 

<h3 style="text-align:center;">SPIRITUAL PRACTICES AND ATTITUDES FOR MODERN LIVING</h3><h4 style="text-align:justify;">DAAJI is in conversation with APOORVA PATEL about Constant Remembrance and love, how they are both expressions of each other, and the role they play in our spiritual evolution.</h4>AP: Can you share with us the relationship between remembrance and love? What is their context in our <a href="https://heartfulness.org/magazine/how-to-connect-with-yourself-and-others" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">spiritual practice</a>?Daaji: Well, I think love is the guiding force behind remembering someone. Even when it is not love, even if you hate someone, you remember that person so often! Now, the remembrance of the Beloved carries a different level of vibration in your heart. It’s almost like you are in a state of absorbency while thinking of that person. I’m deliberately using this word “thinking,” though there is a vast difference between thinking and remembering. Where thinking is about your head, your mind especially, remembrance is from the heart. When you think about a particular sloka from the Bhagavad Gita, you are ruminating on it. What does Lord Krishna mean to say by, “Sarva-dharman parityajya, mam ekam sarva-dharm vraja"? [Abandon all varieties of dharma and surrender to me alone. I shall liberate you from all sinful reactions; do not fear.] You keep thinking, contemplating… what is he trying to convey to me? There is the mind’s involvement. But when you go into a different dimension, when you remember Krishna or this verse, it is felt in your heart.AP:&nbsp;Feeling it rather than analyzing it.Daaji: Yes. You feel the presence. You begin to have some shift in your awareness because of this remembrance. So, I would say love is the product, and remembrance is the beginning. According to Babuji Maharaj, even when you reverse this equation, when you love someone, you remember. As God is an unknown entity, we don’t really know how to love, so we begin by remembering and end up with love. This accelerates the journey, because why would you remember someone with whom you do not want to merge, with whom you do not want to become one? So remembrance is a great catalyst for this.AP:&nbsp;Is there a way that we can cultivate remembrance?Daaji:&nbsp;It’s very, very easy. For example, when you remember someone or something, why do you remember that person or that particular moment? It strikes your heart. You are so impressed by that event or by that person, and you remain grateful.So now, how does it apply in the spiritual realm? When we meditate, and arrive at a certain spiritual state, we are overwhelmed by that particular state and say, “Wow, do I deserve this?” A kind of gratefulness begins in the heart and then because of this gratefulness, we start wondering about who is this giver; be it our Guru or be it God. Then we begin to think, to remember, and then we remain absorbed in remembrance with gratefulness. So there is incremental refinement in our remembrance. So meditating on this person, on the guru, will also help.AP:&nbsp;What about in other traditions? For example, in Sufism they have Dhikr, and I am wondering if this is the same thing or similar to what we call Constant Remembrance.Daaji:&nbsp;It is the same thing, just a different word. It is also there in other traditions. Constant Remembrance is the continuous remembrance of the Beloved. Any moment that passes without remembering, is cause for regret: “Why did I, how did I, how could I forget my Beloved?”AP:&nbsp;Babuji said that remembrance is capable of clearing everything from the spiritual path and it keeps us constantly charged from the Divine. Is this something that happens only after a certain point in our Yatra?Daaji:&nbsp;There are actually three questions in one here. The first is about removal of unnecessary things. The second is about infusing us with charge. And the third is: When in the journey does remembrance truly begin?&nbsp;Whenever we remember, we are immediately in osmosis with the Beloved, and we begin to draw grace (the power, the love) transmitted from such a person into our heart. So that sort of remembrance, where you are imbued with Divinity constantly is a love-filled invitation. There is absolute Sharanagati. It’s not that you have surrendered in a defeated way. You have lovingly surrendered to your Beloved, with full trust and respect.Second, what sort of things are cleaned? Whenever we remember such a great personality as Guruji or God or Krishna or the Prophet, peace be upon him, there is an immediate shift in our awareness. Whenever we remember such great personalities, our hearts move tremendously. If we are about to do the wrong thing, this remembrance will prevent it. “How can I do such a thing while I am also thinking of my Beloved?” If we are still interested in doing things despite remembering, it means we don’t have true love.When it comes to remembering, slowly, as we develop the ability to remain in osmosis through remembrance, there will be a qualitative change in us. In chemistry and physics, the process of osmosis is well-explained. In biology and physiology, also, without osmosis we cannot exist at a physiological level. Similarly, at the psychological, emotional, and spiritual levels there is also some level of osmosis between our subtle body and that of the universal body of God. There is osmosis.<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">Whenever we remember,&nbsp; we are immediately in osmosis with the Beloved,&nbsp; and we begin to draw grace (the power, the love)&nbsp; transmitted from such a person into our heart.</h4><hr>Until that moment is reached where our level of purity and His level of purity become equal, osmosis will continue. That is the purpose of yoga, of meditation, of bhakti, and of worshipping God—to trigger this osmosis and attain the state of godliness.AP:&nbsp;You have mentioned that “meditation is the mother of remembrance.” Can this mean that for those who have not yet made it a part of them, regular meditation can bring them closer to remembering the Beloved in such a way that it is a part of their being?Daaji: It was a famous statement by Babuji Maharaj that “Meditation is the mother of Constant Remembrance.” And I do appreciate this statement because it explains the entire essence of our <a href="https://heartfulness.org/magazine/deepen-your-practice" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">spiritual practice</a>. Whether you practice X system or Y system, fundamentally, whoever be your guide or the being you worship, how can you remember them unless you become so grateful? And what drives this gratefulness? It's your own experiments with the processes they share with you. They say, “Okay, meditate like this.” So you go through the process and see in your own heart how it affects you at a consciousness level. If you like it, you become more appreciative, more grateful, and you will continue to remember.This is why I say, and I cannot appreciate more than this, that it’s a magical thing to meditate and arrive at such a refined state.AP:&nbsp;Is there ever a time when the Master is remembering his disciple?Daaji:&nbsp;It is always the case. Masters remember individuals under many categories actually. For example, those who are in trouble, and those who are advancing very fast and attain a very high level spiritually. So you cannot say Master does not remember you, because we all fall into one of those categories. Either we are so advanced or we are always so in need. But is his remembering of his disciples specific, or by choice, or is he conscious of it? What you mean to ask is this: is he consciously remembering some individuals? I would say yes. There are moments when he consciously remembers the people he has met, and so often he remembers people he has never met also! This sounds paradoxical, but it’s a fact.Both those who are in need and those who do not need have vibrations with the Master. They are picked up somehow. But from a Master’s perspective, engaging the conscious mind, that conscious remembering happens very rarely, if at all. If there is a critical moment in a disciple's life, he would pick up on it, for example, if someone is about to die, generally he would notice. Or if someone is about to experience an accident, he would perhaps feel it. More often than critical moments are those when the disciple is transitioning from one level to another level spiritually, or when that disciple’s mind and heart are constantly calling the Master with lots of love. They also pull the attention of the Master at a conscious level.<img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/love_remembrance2_2d216d7956.webp" alt="love-remembrance2.webp">AP:&nbsp;Can you tell us something about those great saints who were known to be in remembrance of their Beloved and how it defined their own life?Daaji:&nbsp;Imagine how it was for a personality like Radha. She is the epitome of remembrance. It is said that whenever she was in the remembrance of Lord Krishna, she would be so absorbed in his memory that she would find herself reciting “Krishna, Krishna, Krishna.” The moment came when she herself became Krishna and finally she was reciting, “Radhe, Radhe, Radhe.” One of the most classical examples is Radha. There are so many more, like Meera, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, Swami Vivekananda, our Babuji Maharaj and Lalaji Saheb. There are many personalities like these who devoted their entire life to the remembrance of God, and they were famous for that throughout history.<img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/love_remembrance3_58f5086d39.webp" alt="love-remembrance3.webp">

Love and remembrance

Your life is an expression of your attitudes

<h2 style="text-align:center;">SPIRITUAL PRACTICES AND ATTITUDES FOR MODERN LIVING</h2><h4 style="text-align:justify;">In the third episode of the series, DAAJI answers some of the most common questions he receives about the Heartfulness practice of Cleaning.&nbsp;</h4>&nbsp;"We are programmed based upon our past impressions such that all kinds of things can cause us to open and close. If you pay attention, you will see it happen regularly throughout each day.”— Michael SingerI will start by sharing the results of a popular study done in 1954 and published in the Journal of Psychopathology and Clinical Science: The football fans of Dartmouth and Princeton were given a questionnaire after they watched a recording of a particularly rough game between their teams, as the researchers wanted to understand what the fans thought happened in the game. The results were so variable that the “game” was many different games. The fans had different versions of events, and each version was just as real to each person. Each fan had their own version of reality.Since then, a large body of research has shown that we see the world through our own filters. Our attitudes, beliefs, and biases define our perception. All of us have this kind of conditioning. We have many blind spots, which stem from our likes and dislikes. They may seem harmless, but our likes and dislikes hijack our awareness. Most of the chatter going on in our minds is because of the constant stream of likes and dislikes.Next time you are in a busy place, like a restaurant, a crowded street, or an airplane, try this experiment. Watch your thoughts as you observe people boarding the flight. Listen to the chatter of likes and dislikes as you observe their looks, what they wear, what they carry, how they talk, how they stow away their luggage, and so on. Most of us are unconsciously judging ourselves and others. With the Cleaning practice, we can move from judgment to acceptance to compassion to love.For that journey to be successful, we need to remove the conditioned patterns within us. That conditioning is like channels formed by rainwater. When water flows over the same ground, it forms a channel. Over time, this channel widens and develops into a gushing river. Once the channel forms, that is the only path the water takes. Our likes and dislikes cause impressions that carve patterns of behavior in us. How we think, react, and what we like or dislike are all the result of these impressions. Yogis call these impressions samskaras.<h4 style="text-align:justify;">What is being removed in the Heartfulness Cleaning practice?</h4>The life that many of us lead is governed by those habits and patterns unfolding in front of us. The life we wish to lead will emerge once the impressions are cleaned.So <a href="https://heartfulness.org/magazine/heartfulness-cleaning" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Heartfulness Cleaning</a> is the way to remove the impressions—the impurities and complexities we accumulate on a daily basis. They are the emotional “charge” of our experiences, and the emotional residue that lingers from our past and our memories. Over time, impressions become fixed as tendencies, causing us to become habitual in our reactions and behavior. They prevent us from being free.&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/on_cleaning2_3ec1da14ec.webp" alt="on-cleaning2.webp"></figure>&nbsp;With the daily Cleaning practice, we become lighter day by day. When we clean the impressions, we remove the filters that distort our perception. These impressions settle in all the layers of the <a href="https://heartfulness.org/magazine/who-is-really-running-the-show" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">subconscious</a>, where they cover the soul. They separate us from the center of our being. As this network becomes denser, it resembles layers like geological sedimentation. And like archaeology, they become a record of our past. The Cleaning process removes the layers, so we are free to design our own destiny.The deeper result is that the practice of Cleaning creates space inside the heart, and this space automatically attracts Transmission. This is one of the reasons for the three introductory sessions with a trainer on commencing the Heartfulness practices. In those initial sessions, the trainer removes impurities and complexities from your system, creating more lightness within. Over time, you will experience greater vacuity and lightness, which will in turn direct the flow of divine energy toward you to a greater extent.<h4 style="text-align:justify;">Do I need to recall all the happenings of the day before throwing them out?</h4>A unique aspect of Cleaning is that we don’t focus on what is being removed. Recalling daily events will only deepen their impact. We don’t need to relive the past by bringing it into our awareness. Instead, we offer a non-judgmental affirmation that all impurities and complexities are being removed. It’s a refreshing dip in the waters of purity and love, and we emerge rejuvenated.<h4 style="text-align:justify;">When should I practice Cleaning?</h4>As Cleaning removes the accumulated impressions of the day, it is best done in the evening, after you have finished the majority of the day’s work. It is like taking a shower to wash off the day’s dirt, but this time for the mind.Cleaning requires alertness, so it is best not to put it off until bedtime, when you are too sleepy to clean properly. Another reason not to postpone Cleaning is that it creates such freshness in us that if you do it too close to bedtime you may be too alert to sleep. Also, with the better state acquired after cleaning, your interactions with family members will witness many refined changes.You can also do “spot” Cleaning at any time during the day, as needed. If you spill ketchup on your shirt in the morning, do you wait till the evening to clean it? Similarly, if something destabilizes you during the day, take a few minutes and wash away its effect right then and there. Spot Cleaning may be done sitting, standing, or walking, with eyes open or closed, depending on circumstances. Make the subtle suggestion to yourself that the impression is leaving from the back, restoring the heart and mind to its normal balanced condition. Then you will not have to carry around the heavy burden of that stain on your consciousness for the entire day.&nbsp;<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">The Cleaning process removes the layers,&nbsp; so we are free to design our own destiny.</h4><hr>&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/on_cleaning3_d4b84f65a1.webp" alt="on-cleaning3.webp"></figure>&nbsp;<h4 style="text-align:justify;">Suppose I miss the Cleaning routine in the evening, what can I do?</h4>If you miss the chance to complete the Cleaning in the evening, you can do it just before going to bed. If you are too tired then, do the Cleaning before your Meditation in the morning.<h4 style="text-align:justify;">Is it possible to clean away certain ailments?</h4>For ailments, it is recommended that you try the Heartfulness Relaxation. At the end of the process, revisit the affected organ and allow the energy from Mother Earth to flow there. Spend more time with that organ, and if necessary you can gently touch the same with your hands and allow the energy to comfort the organ or the region.Also, during Cleaning, you may make the additional suggestion, “In addition to all impurities and complexities, I am also being relieved of this troubling ailment.” Of course, this is not a substitute for regular health intervention by medical professionals.&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/on_cleaning4_094c37c19f.webp" alt="on-cleaning4.webp"></figure>&nbsp;<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">Make the subtle suggestion to yourself&nbsp; that the impression is leaving from the back,&nbsp; restoring the heart and mind to &nbsp;its normal balanced condition.</h4><hr>&nbsp;

On Cleaning

On meditation

<h4 style="text-align:justify;">In the first episode for 2025 on spiritual practices, DAAJI offers us an inspiring and scientific explanation of prayer and its importance on the inner journey. He demystifies prayer by going beyond the religious connotations to its true purpose and the benefits it offers us as a means of evolution.</h4>&nbsp;We offer prayer for many reasons: to repent for wrongs done, to reflect on defects and shortcomings, to resolve to do better, to seek help, and to find meaning through repeated reflection and contemplation. Ultimately, prayer is a very intimate way of connecting, communing, and communicating beyond this world. Prayer attracts the flow of the divine current, and in that flow a state of osmosis and oneness prevails. It immerses us in the love that is eternally springing forth from the Divine. In fact, Babuji once said that prayer is the most important and unfailing method for spiritual progress.&nbsp;So, prayer is not only asking for help, favors or gifts—in fact, that generally happens when circumstances are dire, when we have exhausted our own resources and have nowhere else to turn. Most of the time, prayer asks for nothing, rather, it gently directs the heart’s energies toward the Divine, and dissolves worries and wishes into an all-encompassing universal oneness—like small streams converging into a mighty river that flows into the vast ocean. As life’s worldly concerns fall away, a dynamic vacuum is created within the heart that naturally draws the divine flow, initiating the process of transformation.&nbsp;This sacred flow transforms our inner vibrations from human to divine. Just as water softens river stones, it gently refines and molds us. The process is simple and natural: humility, purity, and innocence create the vacuum in the heart, and the divine current flows into that vacuum.&nbsp;Prayer need not be a ritual or involve the chanting of words. Actually, it is most effective when it is offered in silence in a state of communion.&nbsp;The Heartfulness Prayer is offered twice daily, once before meditation in the morning, and once before sleeping at night. It is offered generously for all beings, not for us alone. You will find words like “we” and “our,” not “I” and “mine,” as we pray for the well-being of the entire universe.The Heartfulness Prayer is offered in silence, and the idea is that you get lost in the words, and go beyond them to the feelings, the vibrations, from which the words originated. Those vibrations continue to resonate in your heart, and the divine flow will carry on during your worldly activities.<h4 style="text-align:center;">Heartfulness Prayer</h4>O Master! Thou art the real goal of human life. We are yet but slaves of wishes putting bar to our advancement. Thou art the only God and Power to bring us up to that stage.Practicing this prayer at bedtime creates the most beautiful atmosphere for peaceful sleep and carries the connection throughout the night. Practicing it in the morning before meditation rekindles the same inner connection, enlivening meditation and the day’s activities. By beginning and ending the day with prayer, you will calibrate your connection throughout the day and night.&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/beauty_transformative_nature_prayer2_d22ecc384b.webp" alt="beauty-transformative-nature-prayer2.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_beauty_transformative_nature_prayer2_d22ecc384b.webp 126w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/small_beauty_transformative_nature_prayer2_d22ecc384b.webp 404w," sizes="100vw"></figure>&nbsp;Prayer is also a potent way of offering your intentions, in which your focused thoughts are backed by the flow from the Divine; yet it is largely underutilized by many of us. It allows us to back any intention with both depth and subtlety so that it becomes potent and far-reaching. The subtler the better!Prayer keeps the heart open, and only when the heart is open and pure are we truly aware of the deep current of faith that flows at the base, where there is steadfast changelessness. In this prayerful state, the ego cannot get a hold on anything—so prayer is the perfect antidote to any sort of egotistical thoughts or actions.And prayer is also a support when circumstances in life challenge us. Sometimes we resist or react, for example, when we face injustice, or have to compromise the principles we hold dear. It can be painful and sometimes we hurt a lot. The simplest way to handle such situations is to go into the heart, prayerfully—yield, vacuumize, and let go. It is also a salve when we hurt others knowingly or unknowingly, and especially when we hold onto guilt. By going into our hearts, and genuinely repenting, we are able to let go of heaviness, re-establish connection so that love can once again flow. Over time, self-mastery develops through this inner connection.What about praying or saying Grace at mealtime? This act of gratitude connects us with the Divine at the beginning of the meal, so that we can continue to hold that subtle connection while we are eating. It activates the divine current that is woven into the fabric of Nature, including every atom of the food we eat. Our prayerful thought combines with the food to promote physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health. The channels of prana (energy) open up, allowing the happiness with which the food is charged to enter and purify the whole system. As a result, eating benefits our physical well-being and our spiritual progress. This is a very potent concept, which has huge implications for health, well-being, and happiness.In yoga, food is valued as a form of prana, and the effect of eating percolates throughout the whole human system, not just the physical body. When the Divinity at the center of every atom of food resonates with the Divinity within us, food becomes a potent source of goodness.&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/beauty_transformative_nature_prayer3_2f654d5c29.webp" alt="beauty-transformative-nature-prayer3.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_beauty_transformative_nature_prayer3_2f654d5c29.webp 156w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/small_beauty_transformative_nature_prayer3_2f654d5c29.webp 500w," sizes="100vw"></figure>&nbsp;Prayer invokes the parasympathetic nervous system, which brings calmness and stimulates the digestive enzymes. In a prayerful state, it is hard to be upset with anyone at the table, no matter what their mood or behavior. So there is <a href="https://heartfulness.org/magazine/a-model-city-of-peace-and-harmony" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">peace and harmony</a>, and this results in better digestion.What happens when you are upset or distracted during a meal? If you feel fearful, you may get indigestion, because your blood moves to your limbs and your body’s energetic processes are busy with other things; they are diverted away from digesting food. Your digestion is affected by the state of your emotions, and so prayer at mealtime helps us to remain balanced and let go of any tension and stress.<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">Our prayerful thought combines with the food&nbsp; to promote physical, mental,&nbsp; emotional, and spiritual health.&nbsp;</h4><hr>There is also a concept in yoga called sankalpa, meaning subtle prayerful intention, which is the foundation for all our spiritual practices and most of our goals in worldly life. We intend various goals and circumstances into being through the power of our thought. Setting an intention is like planting a seed, where the seed aligns our thoughts, feelings, and actions toward achieving our goals.Prayer can also be used in our interactions with others as a subtler, more effective way of communicating and responding, especially when we are tempted to give advice (please consider this especially in your relationships with your partner and children). The first Guide of Heartfulness, Lalaji, used to say, “Never offer advice unless invited, otherwise it is likely to yield bad results. If you find any fault with anybody, pray for his freedom from it.” I have observed over the years that advice is always tricky, because people generally want their own point of view confirmed, even when they ask for advice. It is such a sensitive thing. So, I like Lalaji’s second sentence, “If you find any fault with anybody, pray for his freedom from it.” And sometimes it isn’t the other person’s fault that will be removed by the prayer, but our own narrow-mindedness!&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/beauty_transformative_nature_prayer4_937c13add9.webp" alt="beauty-transformative-nature-prayer4.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_beauty_transformative_nature_prayer4_937c13add9.webp 156w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/small_beauty_transformative_nature_prayer4_937c13add9.webp 500w," sizes="100vw"></figure><hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">The subtler the feelings during prayer, the finer and more potent the communion and the effect pf the prayer, until it reaches the ultimate state where there are no feelings.</h4><hr>The subtler the feelings during prayer, the finer and more potent the communion and the effect pf the prayer, until it reaches the ultimate state where there are no feelings. Even before we reach such subtle states, however, we are reassured by Babuji that “When prayer is offered with a heart full of love and devotion, it shall never go unheard.” Once the connection is established, how could it go unheard?&nbsp;

The beauty and transformative nature of prayer

The science behind creating  a daily meditation practice

<h4 style="text-align:justify;">DAAJI introduces the second universal principle—the science of filling the heart with love through prayer, the connecting link that unites everything in this universe.</h4>Around the time Babuji was compiling the Ten Maxims, World War II was raging in full swing, taking in its wake tens of millions of precious lives. In addition to young soldiers on both sides of the conflicts, millions of innocent lives were taken as a result of ethnic hatred and religious bigotry. Meanwhile, in India, the country was being torn apart by raging religious fanaticism. Pained by this mindless and monstrous atrocity of person killing person in the name of God and religion, Babuji declared:“God is not to be found within the fold of a particular religion or sect. He is not confined within certain forms nor is he to be traced out from within the scriptures. We have to seek for Him in the innermost core of our Heart.”Though his cry of anguish fell on deaf ears at that time, it has become one of the defining statements of the universal Heartfulness movement that wholeheartedly embraces all religions and faiths without distinction. Babuji envisioned that the movement that started as a mere trickle would sweep the world and lay the foundation for a world based on spirituality defined by love and unity. At that time nobody could even visualize that many spiritual organizations and movements would come together, yet we have already witnessed it starting. It is only the beginning—this silent revolution is slowly and surely transforming human consciousness.In Babuji’s experience, God is the ever abiding eternal presence in the heart of every being. Endowed with the faculties of self-reflection and awareness, we humans have the capacity to realize this presence within ourselves, and that simply happens by refining the mind by removing all the impurities and complexities we have acquired. It also happens as a result of purifying the heart of all desires and passions that weigh it down. To enable this, he created the Heartfulness practices of meditation, cleaning and prayer. The second principle explains the vital importance of prayer, how it is to be done, to whom we should address our prayer, and finally what is the outcome and the end state of prayer.<figure class="image"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/uniting_humanity2_81b24b812b.webp" alt="uniting-humanity2.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_uniting_humanity2_81b24b812b.webp 135w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/small_uniting_humanity2_81b24b812b.webp 431w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/medium_uniting_humanity2_81b24b812b.webp 647w," sizes="100vw"></figure><hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">Prayer is a conscious attempt to establish a connection with the Source, a relationship with the Source, and to allow that relationship to blossom into a deep communion.</h4><hr>He summarized this principle as:<h4 style="text-align:center;">Principle 2:</h4>Begin your meditation with a prayer for spiritual elevation.&nbsp; Offer your prayer in such a way that the heart is filled with love.<h4 style="text-align:justify;">Prayer redefined</h4>In most religions, prayer is offered to ask for something, to appease a deity, or to attain protection from evil. In this framework, God is outside, perhaps in an imaginary heaven.The spiritual understanding is quite different: The Absolute or Center, is also within us. And it is at the center of everything, including every atom. Before creation, there was only this Absolute. When we emerged from there, we started to identify with the world of matter, but that central point is deeply rooted within us.In this context, prayer is a conscious attempt to establish a connection with the Center, a relationship, and to allow that relationship to blossom into a deep communion. This relationship then enables the flow of Grace from the Center to the heart of a human being. And it is devotion that creates the vacuum or pull that attracts the flow of Grace. It is love that creates the relationship or bond. This bond is then strengthened by the closeness that is established by constantly establishing this link, which we know as constant remembrance.In the Heartfulness tradition, our true journey is all about returning back to the Center back to our original home. This begins with the recognition, and gradually grows into a deep realization, that the Center is within us and we are one with it. Prayer is an intentional act of communication or connection. The various steps in the process of establishing a permanent connection with the Center are: Making the connection, creating the pull to invite Grace, and establishing a permanent connection.<h4 style="text-align:justify;">Making the connection and establishing the relationship</h4>A good analogy for understanding the science of prayer is telegraphy, which was the most advanced technology in Babuji’s time to connect over long distances. In today’s world, connecting to the Internet using Wi-Fi could be a better analogy. Initially, you have to identify yourself, establish credentials, use a password etc. as you log in to establish connection. Once you have established the initial connection, it becomes automatic. So this first step is making your presence known and attracting the attention of the Absolute within. In other words, it all about setting the intent.Also, in telegraphy, electric current flows from positive to negative. Without that differential, no message would be transmitted, which brings us to the next step.<h4 style="text-align:justify;">How can prayer fill the heart with love?</h4>In nature, wherever there is a flow it is from a higher level to a lower level; the transference is set by positive and negative polarity. Always a differential is required, as when two things are at the same level, there is no flow. When we create a state of vacuum in the heart when we connect in prayer, the flow of Grace happens. Love fills our being if we create that state of supplicancy within ourselves, which means to place ourselves at the lowest level we can be. We let our heart become so receptive, so yielding. This tilt happens with devotion, the attitude or state of acceptance that we are humble receivers so the heart can be filled by Grace gushing in.Imagine for a moment that, instead of love, your heart is burdened with desires and ego. What can enter such a heart? Any compromise by creating more than one channel during the prayer simply dilutes our efforts. The entire heart is to be engaged in prayer; partial attention does not work. Wholesomeness of the attention of the heart, filled with love, creates holy feelings within. Our heartfelt attitude at such moments ensures our success in tapping into the heart of the Absolute.Babuji refers to a great poet who once said, “O thou thirsty for the divine intoxication! Empty thy heart for the purpose, for the head of the bottle of wine bows down only over an empty cup”. This is probably what Jesus meant when he said, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.&nbsp;Blessed&nbsp;are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted.&nbsp;Blessed&nbsp;are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth,” in his Beatitudes from the Sermon on the Mount. It is an attitude of extreme humility that creates the tilt which enables Grace from the Divine to flow into the heart.<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">It is an attitude of extreme humility that creates&nbsp; the tilt which enables Grace from the divine to flow into the heart.</h4><hr><h4 style="text-align:justify;">Creating a permanent flow of love</h4>Any relationship blossoms through frequent interaction. It is no different in our relationship with the Center, which is nourished by love. Love creates the bond. The relationship matures and deepens with the support of the other Heartfulness practices.Practice with the right attitude and intention eventually creates a permanent state of prayer, which is predicated upon a permanent state of humility, yielding, and tenderness. It becomes a state of constant osmosis with the Divine. Such a person is a master or guide, so when we associate with such a master we immediately feel the Transmission from the Center. We benefit so much by being with him, as he can facilitate this process of connection with the Absolute by removing the obstacles and directing the Transmission into our hearts.<h4 style="text-align:justify;">To whom to pray?</h4>The ideal is that we pray to the highest, the Center within each one of us. Prayer leads to self-mastery, and yet to attain that state we also need to yield before something higher. For that reason, the master has an important role to play to facilitate the connection and guide us toward the Center. So there is no one answer to this question. It must resonate with your heart, so that you feel the Divinity within.<figure class="image"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/uniting_humanity3_6e10c0e4e4.webp" alt="uniting-humanity3.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_uniting_humanity3_6e10c0e4e4.webp 245w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/small_uniting_humanity3_6e10c0e4e4.webp 500w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/medium_uniting_humanity3_6e10c0e4e4.webp 750w," sizes="100vw"></figure>In either case, the idea of prayer that Babuji has proposed is radically different from the prayer of traditional religion. It is a deep craving that we create within, a craving to be one with the Center from which we emanated, and which is still the very foundation of our being. It is a deep cry from the bottom of our heart that signals the Center to move toward us. We don’t ask for anything specific when we pray. It is a relationship that is based on deep trust, an inner knowing that we are already That.<h4 style="text-align:justify;">How to pray?</h4>In the 1940s, a particular prayer was revealed to Babuji from above, and it goes like this:O Master! Thou art the real Goal of human life. We are yet but slaves of wishes putting bar to our advancement. Thou art the only God and Power to bring us up to that stage.This prayer has four parts:The first part makes it clear whom we are addressing—the supreme Master. This has a very deep meaning, which is important to understand. The Center is said to be pure nothingness. It is complete in itself. It is the beginning and the end, all in one. It is beyond creation, beyond consciousness, and beyond the creator. It cannot be touched by anything. How can it hear our prayer and respond?Therefore, there has to be something that is in osmosis with the Center, and can respond, and that is the master—whether you experience it as the inner master at the core of your being or the living master, the guide. It is the master who responds to our prayer. It is the master who is the connecting link. This concept is difficult to understand and accept at the beginning of the practice, but becomes clear through experience as we progress.<figure class="image"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/uniting_humanity4_cb7eab99f2.webp" alt="uniting-humanity4.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_uniting_humanity4_cb7eab99f2.webp 110w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/small_uniting_humanity4_cb7eab99f2.webp 354w," sizes="100vw"></figure>The second part clearly states the Goal of our existence: The master is the purpose of human life. This implies that we are not isolated individuals who are praying for our own individual evolution or personal salvation. We are praying for the highest state available to all human beings. And we are praying for all human beings to become one with that stage. It is an all-inclusive prayer.The third part is a statement of our current collective human situation. Our wishes and desires drag us down and put obstacles on our path. They impede our progress. It is a humble and honest acceptance of our situation. It is an enlightened perspective—we are not blind or in denial of our situation. It helps us to yield, to be supplicant. Our wishes and desires take our attention and focus away from our purpose, to become one with the Absolute, our highest state of being.The final line of the prayer is a humble acknowledgement that the master is the divine power who can help us reach that Goal with the aid of Pranahuti. We cannot reach there only by the effort of the lower self, because our ego fails us. We depend on the higher Self to create the differential with our lower self. This also implies that we address our prayer only to the supreme Absolute to take us to the final destination.The ideal time for this prayer is both before <a href="https://heartfulness.org/magazine/daily-practice-creates-balance" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">morning meditation</a> and at bedtime. The way to practice it is to say it silently a couple of times, and then try to get lost in the words—to go beyond the words to the feeling and vibrations behind the words. Let them resonate in your heart. We don’t chant or use it as a mantra. The meaning of the prayer reveals itself over time, and is much more than the simple summary given above. That is just a starting point for basic understanding, and you are welcome to ignore that and discover the meaning for yourself through experience. You only need to accept what delights your heart.<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">It is a deep cry from the bottom of our heart&nbsp; that signals the Source to move towards us.</h4><hr>Recently I witnessed half a dozen heads of reputed spiritual organizations in their special attires reciting slokas in Sanskrit, praying for unity and universal peace at the end of a meeting. But I had observed them arguing and trying to be more accurate in their articulation of the ancient scriptures. Even while reciting those wonderful slokas, we witness the self-importance of knowledge and position!<h4 style="text-align:justify;">Where do we begin?</h4>Our relationship with our highest Self is an integral and vital part of human life, and hence the Heartfulness practices. Through simple prayer, offered with a heart filled with reverence, we connect with the Center of our existence and invite the attention of the Supreme. It takes practice to reach that prayerful heartful state where prayer becomes automatic. Having said that, I want to draw your attention to the following quote from Babuji that brilliantly summarizes the <a href="https://heartfulness.org/magazine/the-illusion-of-east-and-west" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">philosophy</a> and practice of prayer:“When the world emerged into the present form, the central point was already rooted deep in all the beings. This being a part of the Supreme, it turns our attention towards the Source. In prayer we try to reach up to that point. This is however possible only when we create a similar state within. This requires practice. It can be attained by resigning ourselves to the Divine Will, which is absolutely simple and tranquil. Apparently it seems to be very difficult, though in fact it is not so. It is not difficult for those who aspire for it. When a person creates in themselves a strong craving for the Absolute, they are indeed in a state of prayer and it is for everyone to strive for it. Whenever a person enters into that state even for a moment, their prayer is granted but it requires continued practice to accomplish it.”Read this with an open heart and a contemplative mind, and reflect upon it deeply. Its essence will permeate your consciousness and become one with your being. Then, each time you pray it will reveal itself in magnificent ways. Remember, prayer is not a static link, it is a dynamic link, a lively link with the Center.<h4 style="text-align:justify;">A note of caution</h4>When facing worldly troubles, prayer is to be offered as a last resort. For example, if your sister is suffering due to an accident, would you take her to hospital or only pray and be happy by saying that you have done your part? If you fall overboard at sea, would you only pray for help or would you also start swimming? So, prayer as a means of asking for worldly help is to be offered when we have exhausted all means available to us.The related video can be viewed at: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FMvvk1yiy0s&amp;list=PL1QpxVYcCuCYtRiUo4AoWOZALqkwZUNhT&amp;index=2" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FMvvk1yiy0s&amp;list=PL1QpxVYcCuCYtRiUo4AoWOZALqkwZUNhT&amp;index=2</a>

Uniting humanity

<h4 style="text-align:justify;">DAAJI introduces the third universal principle of goal-setting by connecting with our life’s ultimate purpose.</h4>In his much celebrated book, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, Stephen Covey presents habit #2, “Begin with the end in mind.” This habit is the ability to envision what you want, or want to be, even though you cannot presently see it. In yoga, this ability to imagine and visualize a goal is known as kalpana. It is based on the principle that what you create in your mind is what will manifest in your life. Per contra, if you do not consciously envision what you want, then you will be shaped by the influence of others and the environment around you.Covey’s book has had a huge impact on how individuals and companies proactively set their goals and work toward fulfilling them. The scope of their goal setting is limited to achievements and values in the worldly domain.When Babuji presented the Ten Maxims to the world in the 1940s, goal-setting was not well understood in management theory. In fact, it was not until 1960 that some of the nascent theories related to goal-setting were published. In the ancient world it was a different story. For example, Swami Vivekananda was famous for saying, “Arise, awake, and stop not till the goal is reached,” and his inspiration for this statement is thought to have come from verse 1.3.14&nbsp;of the Katha Upanishad (5th-1st century BCE). Plato also described the goal-directed nature of the soul in The Republic, and Aristotle’s view was, “First, have a definite, clear practical ideal; a goal, an objective. Second, have the necessary means to achieve your ends; wisdom, money, materials, and methods. Third, adjust all your means to that end.”In the last four decades, research in the fields of management and psychology has validated this correlation between goal-setting and performance. When we have a clear goal we are energized, with purpose and direction. This creates the motivation we need to keep going when we face the inevitable obstacles and challenges. People with goals are more likely to go farther than people without them.&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/ultimate_goal_in_life2_ba1d8aa53e.webp" alt="ultimate-goal-in-life2.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_ultimate_goal_in_life2_ba1d8aa53e.webp 110w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/small_ultimate_goal_in_life2_ba1d8aa53e.webp 354w," sizes="100vw"></figure>&nbsp;Babuji’s idea of setting a goal went a step further. It encompassed other dimensions of existence, not just this world. He talked about the highest goal of human life in the following principle:<h4 style="text-align:center;">Principle 3:&nbsp;</h4>Fix your Goal, which is complete oneness with God.&nbsp; Rest not till the ideal is achieved.So what happens when we adopt this ultimate goal of life for ourselves, and what does it take to reach that state?<h4 style="text-align:justify;">The importance of fixing the goal</h4>When we start meditating, we are generally interested in feeling peaceful, removing the burden of emotional turmoil, and learning to manage thoughts. Initially, we focus on our own well-being and wishes. Through practice, we develop an attraction toward the heart and mind—the subtle body—and we start to long for <a href="https://heartfulness.org/magazine/silent-teaching" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">inner happiness</a>. Later on, we long for the happiness of everyone, and when we are attracted by the soul we go beyond pleasure, happiness, and bliss, into the state of nothingness associated with the Center. That pure state is difficult to describe, as there is no weight and no quality to it.This journey toward subtler and subtler states requires purposeful awareness and consciousness of where we are headed, but knowledge alone is not enough. Just as lighting a candle or turning on the light is for the purpose of doing things, like reading, cooking, or eating dinner, similarly, we enlighten ourselves with knowledge so we can do things. Knowledge has no significance without being used.When we keep our goals in view, our efforts are intensified enough to ensure success. When we fix our thought on a particular goal, the thought itself becomes an intention, powered by our interest and longing, and that helps to pave the way to it.We can use the metaphor of a boat here. Life without a goal is a like a boat without a rudder or a helm. Without applying the helm in the direction of the destination, the boat is unlikely to reach there. For our own inner development, what is that helm? It is our strong interest, longing, and determination, along with the courage and confidence to navigate the eddies and currents that are obstacles along the way. This helm-steering involves doing something, action, and here the “doing” involves the Heartfulness practices and lifestyle principles.The third ingredient is enthusiasm—the vitality and passion that develops in a seeker to continue on the journey toward their goal. This is also known as love and devotion, or bhakti. Without the inspiration and soothing effect of love and devotion, the journey would be dry, unforgiving and lifeless. Love propels us forward and upward. It ignites the fire of transcendence.So setting our sights on the ultimate goal involves the three great streams of yoga: Karma Yoga (action), Jnana Yoga (knowledge), and Bhakti Yoga (love and devotion).This raises another big question:<h4 style="text-align:justify;">What is the ultimate goal of human life?</h4>Sages, scientists, religious leaders, philosophers and thought leaders have tried to answer this question throughout human history, along with a few related questions:Who am I? Why am I here? What is the purpose of my existence? Where did I come from, and where will I go afterward?The answers to these age-old questions are not only linked to what happens during this lifetime, but are also linked to what happens before, after, and beyond this life. Some traditions promote the idea of heaven and hell, while others teach that we are reincarnated until all our karmic debts are paid, and then we are liberated. Other people believe that there is nothing before or after this life.Babuji asked a simple question, “What is that one thing, having which we will have everything?”It is not wealth, or power, or fame, or knowledge, or love, or happiness, but the source of all those things. And what is the source of everything? It is the source of creation itself; the Center or the Absolute. If we have that, we have everything.This begs another question: What is complete oneness with the Center? We can substitute “Center” with various terms—Reality, God, the Absolute, the Ultimate, and the Source—to describe the changeless state that existed before creation. All creation is a manifestation of that oneness. There is creation and dissolution, evolution and involution, expansion and contraction, but the Center remains as it is, changeless.If everything in creation is energy and vibration, then nothing within that sphere is really created or destroyed. There are only different levels of vibration. And everything emanates from the Center, which is beyond vibration, and in perfect balance.The fundamental substratum of existence is consciousness. Consciousness is the field of being. We are all at different levels of vibration of consciousness. We can, therefore, trace our way back to the Center, first via the mastery of consciousness, then via the mastery of the potentiality that lies at the base of consciousness, and eventually we may reach the absolute state of oneness with the Center. These three stages or regions of existence of the human being were classified by Babuji in terms of our spiritual anatomy as the Heart Region, the Mind Region and the Central Region, in his book Efficacy of Raja Yoga.<figure class="image"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/ultimate_goal_in_life3_2886c73e43.webp" alt="ultimate-goal-in-life3.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_ultimate_goal_in_life3_2886c73e43.webp 110w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/small_ultimate_goal_in_life3_2886c73e43.webp 354w," sizes="100vw"></figure>And Babuji also created a method by which we are able to refine and expand our consciousness through the journey of the thirteen chakras of these three regions, in order to realize that ultimate goal, oneness with the Center. He outlined this journey in another book, Towards Infinity. All this may sound like science fiction, but it can be experienced by anyone who is willing to try it.So fixing the goal is the first step in completing this journey.<h4 style="text-align:justify;">What happens when we fix that goal?</h4>When we fix our attention on this goal of oneness with the Center, with interest and longing, the thought creates a stir in the Infinite and the Divine starts moving toward us. Think of a lover and her beloved. The beloved first hears the call of the lover. Once the relationship is established, the lover and the beloved move toward oneness, until the mergence is permanent and lasting. This demonstrates the importance of bhakti on the journey. Then, the swimming in the infinite ocean starts, and this brings us to the realm of Reality. Here we are free of all the attachments of the world, but we still have to go farther to reach the final destination.<h4 style="text-align:justify;">What is the key to success?</h4>First, fix the goal. Next, create an intense longing for the goal. Then, make an intention, which creates the initial momentum, and which in turn promotes effort. Our interest goes on increasing as we gain a deeper understanding of the goal and we begin to get a taste of its magnitude. Eventually it develops into a deep longing.Our pursuit of the goal involves the heart and the mind. Longing is created in the heart while determination is generated in the mind. In other words, the heart creates the pull while the mind creates the push. Interest and confidence help us navigate obstacles, and willpower is strengthened by applying it through the practices. Confidence grows with practice. In short, the secret of success has three elements: Consistent practice, clear intention, and intense longing—again, karma, jnana, and bhakti.When we adopt these three things, the tendencies of the mind are diverted toward the goal with focus. All our mental faculties work together as one powerful stream, instead of being fragmented into multiple channels. This develops with consistent practice.<h4 style="text-align:justify;">In summary</h4>Each of these 10 principles stands on its own as well as being part of a whole, just like the pearls in a necklace. There is no hierarchy here; each one is equally important. Yet this third principle contains the entire philosophy of Heartfulness in its essence. It is only through consistent practice that we may experience and understand the purpose of fixing the goal.Many people ask about the difference between principles 2 and 3. In fact they are intricately connected. We establish a connection with the Center when we pray. When we pray just before <a href="https://heartfulness.org/magazine/how-to-meditate" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">meditation</a>, we are offering a deep cry from the bottom of our hearts, and that has the power to summon the Center toward us. Fixing the goal is a conscious process of keeping that connection alive and allowing it to be enlivened more and more. It is a longing, like falling in love multiplied a million times.<figure class="image"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/ultimate_goal_in_life4_3bdd2abda8.webp" alt="ultimate-goal-in-life4.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_ultimate_goal_in_life4_3bdd2abda8.webp 131w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/small_ultimate_goal_in_life4_3bdd2abda8.webp 420w," sizes="100vw"></figure>When the goal is foremost in our mind, desires drop off, attachments lose their intensity, and expectations vanish. Everything else is absorbed within this central longing. We continue to value our worldly lives, and they are greatly enriched by the love and potential that develop in us as we journey onward. In fact, the worldly riches are embellished by making these 10 principles a part of our life.But our focus shifts: The central purpose of our existence takes center stage, and the mind is directed toward it with full vigor. There is extreme impatience and restlessness until the goal is achieved. That is what it takes.There are three apparent paradoxes that are worth exploring here:The first involves the guidance given by Lord Krishna in the Bhagavad Gita. While Babuji tells us to fix our goal and rest not until it is achieved, Lord Krishna tells us that while we are entitled to fix our goal, we have no right to the goal itself—the results of our actions are in the hands of God. This concept leads us to another principle—that of acceptance. We do our part, and cooperate to the best of our ability, but the timing and milestones are not in our hands. There can be no transaction between God and us, and we can only proceed onward by accepting this fact with a yielding heart overflowing with humility. The whole of life is governed by the same principle.The second paradox is quite abstract: The goal is a receding, never-ending goal. How can we fix a goal that is not finite? We approach it asymptotically. To offer a hint, this paradox is one reason why the master is so important in our journey. He represents the goal that cannot really be defined.No one can really grasp or understand the goal that has Infinity at its base. The only way to experience it is through the feeling of incrementally refined consciousness.The third and related paradox is this: We may have fixed the ultimate goal of human life, but what about today’s goal? We live in the world, where whatever comes our way in the moment is our immediate goal; for example, we may want to get rid of stress and have peace. Then, as we enjoy more and more peace, it will lead to the loosening of attachments, greater compassion, empathy, and generosity of heart. Each stage leads to the next, and the next, and so on. Finally, we understand the difference between pure consciousness and perceived awareness. Having arrived at a pure state of consciousness, we are ready to embark upon the base that supports consciousness. At this level, purity reigns supreme.Purity enhances self-awareness. It demands nothing. In turn, it keeps our senses in check. As a result, we arrive at single-pointedness and total clarity, because the senses don’t interfere any more. Such a focused mind allows contemplation that results in harmony. It is in this field of harmony that we cultivate true happiness.Throughout this incremental journey, our goals may not be visible. It is like climbing a mountain through a forest; we cannot always see how far we have come and where we are going. It is only when we reach a lookout that we can look back to where we have come from and get a glimpse of where we are headed.So one way to manage this process of goal-setting is to appreciate what has been given in every meditation, absorb it, digest it, and expand it further until we become one with it. In that sense, our goal doesn’t exist in the future at all, it is here and now. And that requires cultivating extreme receptivity in our hearts.I wish you every success in your journey to the goal.The related video can be viewed at: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SqK-oPuabYU&amp;list=PL1QpxVYcCuCYtRiUo4AoWOZALqkwZUNhT&amp;index=3" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SqK-oPuabYU&amp;list=PL1QpxVYcCuCYtRiUo4AoWOZALqkwZUNhT&amp;index=3</a>

What is your ultimate goal in life?

Simplify your life

<h4 style="text-align:justify;">DAAJI introduces the sixth universal principle—to know everyone as brethren and treat them as such. As a starting point, this sixth principle helps us to overcome prejudice, and develop mutual love and respect with all beings. As we take it further, it unfolds into a state of unity and oneness that is a reflection of the original Source.</h4><h4 style="text-align:center;">Principle 6:</h4>Know all people as thy brethren and treat them as such.The principle of universal brotherhood is fundamental to all religions and spiritual traditions of the world. In practice, however, we still also see sectarianism, prejudice, and even outright hatred, a world torn apart by violence, and a deep mistrust between nations and various factions within nations. We are a human race fractured by deep divisions, based on religion and race, even in the so-called civilized countries. You only have to read the news to know that we are far from universal brotherhood after thousands of years of religious teachings.From time to time, great teachers and leaders have appeared in different parts of the world to bring the message of peace and love. Their pleas have fallen on deaf ears, and many of them have been rejected, persecuted, and even crucified. How many Jews were killed by the Nazis? How many people were killed by Stalin, Idi Amin, Mussolini, and during the border migration on the eve of 15 August 1947 between India and Pakistan, the ethnic wars in Rwanda, the Congo etc.? When you add up the deaths resulting from calamities due to hatred, the statistics way surpass the deaths due to the Covid virus. Yet this pandemic drew so much of our attention. Perhaps we all have some level of this deeply-buried hatred for something or the other which prevents an all-out removal of hatred.It is against this backdrop that we need a fresh perspective on universal brotherhood, and in Heartfulness it emanates from the authority of a deeply experiential understanding of Reality.The principle is actually very simple. Babuji writes, “All things descending from the origin should be treated as coming from the same source.” To bring home this point, he uses the analogy of a mother and her children: “Just as children born of the same mother are related to each other in one and the same way, so also are all bound together by the same common ties of brotherliness and are related to each other in the same way.” So simple!When you try to hurt someone who has the same Godly soul in them—your soul and theirs are actually the same—now ask yourself, who is hurting whom? The same souls only look different because they have different personas arising out of karma. This awareness dawns upon us when we remain imbued in the deeper pools of the soul chakra, the second point within the Heart Region. Unfortunately, many of those who pass through this chakra miss out on the awareness of universal brotherhood due to a lack of acquiring the condition, enlivening it, imbibing it, becoming one with it, and uniting with it (AEIOU).When we do experience and adopt this universal principle of unity, we get to first base. We cannot be devotees without embracing it, because it is fundamental to existence—in fact it is very scientific.<h4>We are all connected</h4>The Heartfulness vision of universal brotherhood comes from the repeatable experience that at the center of our being we are all connected with the same Reality. This is the common Source from which everything was set in motion at the time of creation. At this level, there is no separation, and that center exists in every atom in the universe.This is also recognized by modern western science. Scientists claim that some 13.7 billion years ago, just before the Big Bang occurred, there existed an infinitesimal point called a singularity. It was so small that it had no dimensions. The universe as we know it today came into being from that Big Bang. As the first atoms were formed, they became the building blocks of everything animate and inanimate.It takes one hundred trillion atoms to form a single cell in our body, and there are some 37 trillion cells in the human body, all originating from the same Source.Further, genome studies have concluded that there is hardly any difference between one person and another in terms of our DNA. In fact, the entire human ancestry can genetically be traced back to a common origin in Africa.If this is true, then why is it that we feel separate?Babuji explains it: “It is our thoughts and actions that created the separation. It is our feelings of selfishness that alienate us from other human beings. The separative feeling is the root cause of our alienation.”<h4>Separation is an illusion</h4>Most psychologists agree that when a baby is born it does not know it is separate from the mother. Gradually, over the first year of life, it begins to develop a separate sense of self, and starts identifying with beings and objects in its surroundings. This phenomenon of separation and identification is a part of the process of ego formation.<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">When you try to hurt someone who has the same Godly soul in them—your soul and theirs are actually the same—now ask yourself, who is hurting whom? The same souls only look different because they have different personas arising out of karma.</h4><hr>&nbsp;<img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/community2_34f81505fa.webp" alt="community2.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_community2_34f81505fa.webp 194w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/small_community2_34f81505fa.webp 500w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/medium_community2_34f81505fa.webp 750w," sizes="100vw">As the child grows into an adult, rivalries may occur, creating separation laced with competition, and possibly an element of enmity. Remoteness is another factor that increases separation, and most of us experience it in our lives. As we become adults, we leave our families and sometimes settle far away. This remoteness further increases separation—initially we feel a strong connection, but it wears away over time.The feeling of separation seems to be part of our conditioning. It is a veil of maya that impacts every facet of our being. Once this veil is peeled away, we recognize the reality that we are all from the same Source. We must accept and embody this if we are to become human.<h4>From me to we</h4>How can we peel away this veil of illusion? It happens naturally through heart-based meditative practices because we experience the oneness; knowing about it is not enough. While our ego’s sense of individual identity is all about “I,” the heart is all about “we.” The heart is where we are all connected, where we naturally feel <a href="https://heartfulness.org/magazine/what-is-love" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">oneness</a>, especially when our field of consciousness has been purified. When heart-based meditation is supported by yogic Transmission, we are naturally infused with love. As our capacity for love expands, so does our feeling of brotherhood.As we grow in our practice, we are able to identify and break up the individual network formed by our thoughts and actions, which leads to an expansion of consciousness. When this expanded state of consciousness percolates our lives, in our day-to-day dealings with others, we eventually rest in that connection constantly. Connection is nurtured through constant practice, and can be applied in our lives with awareness. It comes from within, not from any external authority. It transforms all our relationships, with our family and with all humanity. We feel love for everyone, as a first step; it is a true paradigm shift that enriches our lives. Later on, we go beyond the level of feeling, as love radiates from us, naturally. We no longer need to love, we become love itself.&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/community3_fd3aa47376.webp" alt="community3.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_community3_fd3aa47376.webp 139w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/small_community3_fd3aa47376.webp 447w," sizes="100vw"></figure>&nbsp;And in Babuji’s words, “It will naturally lead to mutual association and greater attachment, and our dealing with one another will be molded accordingly, ensuring greater peace and contentment to everyone. How nice it would be to have it thus.”<h4>Our success here leads to our success there</h4>Yet it doesn’t end there. There is a great truth about worldly life that many of us don’t grasp. We mistakenly believe that our life in this world is transient and hence not important. But that could not be further from the truth. Whatever we do here also determines our destiny beyond this worldly plane.What is meant by that? In Babuji’s words, “This world is in fact a reflection of the other world. When this one is molded properly, its effect extends on to the other world whose reflection it is and that too will begin to be purified.”This world is a projection of the astral or cosmic world, the Brahmand Mandal, where everything happens in astral form before it manifests here. There are several such higher regions, each more subtle than the other. When we refine our worldly existence on Earth, the effect is carried to each of the higher regions, all the way to the highest. We are multidimensional beings, and what we do in this layer affects all other layers. This life is a precious opportunity for us to change all levels of our being. When we act in alignment with these universal principles, it transforms all the dimensions of our being. This is yogic science.<h4>Universal brotherhood in action</h4>Now, imagine that a single act of compassion welling up from the bottom of our heart has the power to transform all levels of our being. Principle 6 states, “Know all people as thy brethren and treat them as such,” so we can look at this principle as having two aspects—knowing and doing.The first aspect of “Know all people as thy brethren …” is a realization that comes from a state of being, and creates a perceptual shift that helps us make the choice between separation and unity. Knowing removes ignorance and resistance, and brings enlightenment, clarity, and purity. It acts as a bridge between being and doing.&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/community4_09a6eed7e8.webp" alt="community4.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_community4_09a6eed7e8.webp 150w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/small_community4_09a6eed7e8.webp 481w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/medium_community4_09a6eed7e8.webp 721w," sizes="100vw"></figure>&nbsp;The second aspect is doing: “… and treat them as such.” Once you know from the depths of your being that we are all brethren, then how will you treat others?Knowing is the embodiment of being. Doing is the embodiment of knowing.The third aspect, being, is something we often miss out on. The tastes of spiritual conditions are not to be taken as a buffet dinner; “Taste and forget” should not become our tragic culture. That is why the practice of AEIOU is so important. It allows us to savor the experience, and let it be imbibed and enlivened within us, so that we become one with it.And there is a fourth aspect, non-being. But rather than venturing into it philosophically, let’s prepare ourselves for the true encounter and merger in that state. Then, it will happen naturally.<h4>Embodying universal brotherhood</h4>What does it mean to embody universal brotherhood in our lives? Before addressing that question, I would like to clarify the confusion and common misunderstandings associated with this principle.Embodying universal brotherhood does not mean that we go about hugging everybody in the street. It does not mean that we agree with everything that others say, and avoid confrontation at any cost. It does not mean we are always trying to please others and appease them. It does not mean that we believe everything we hear. It does not mean that we force ourselves to stay in an abusive relationship. It does not mean that we allow ourselves to be intimidated, taken advantage of, and manipulated.We cannot have true compassion for others unless we have compassion for ourselves, nor can we love others unless we love ourselves. We are here to learn from one another. We are here to help and be helped. We grow only when we are fully engaged with others in healthy relationships, with a mutuality of <a href="https://heartfulness.org/magazine/ropes-to-god" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">love and respect</a>.As we grow in our practice, our awareness expands. We uncover a deeper understanding of the belief systems that color our perception of reality, which include the feeling of separation. Over time, this feeling of separation gives way to a feeling of oneness. When this knowing leads us to change our behavior in a natural way, we start treating others as brethren. When this becomes our natural habit, we will have embodied the principle of <a href="https://heartfulness.org/magazine/volunteers" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">universal brotherhood</a>.&nbsp;<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:75%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/community5_3bae34698e.webp" alt="community5.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_community5_3bae34698e.webp 155w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/small_community5_3bae34698e.webp 496w," sizes="100vw"></figure><hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">We cannot have true compassion for others unless we have compassion for ourselves, nor can we love others unless we love ourselves.</h4><hr>When we embody this principle, our lives transform in a fundamental way. We build meaningful and fulfilling relationships with our family members, friends, and colleagues, as well as members of our community, humanity as a whole, and all life forms. We develop genuine love and compassion for others, even when the feelings are not reciprocated, because we are all connected to the same reality. We are all one.To view the related video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GfBo3gyLsvo&amp;list=PL1QpxVYcCuCYtRiUo4AoWOZALqkwZUNhT&amp;index=6

CommUnity

The art of gratitude

Happiness, food, and resources

Love in action

Become the best version of yourself

<h4 style="text-align:justify;">DAAJI offers us a guide to daily living and human transformation. This series is based on a book written more than 75 years ago, by Ram Chandra, called Commentary on the Ten Maxims of Sahaj Marg, which is still relevant for anyone wishing to evolve to their highest potential in today’s world.</h4><h4>Origins</h4>Some 75 years ago, a holy man in a remote town in Uttar Pradesh in the north of India decided to to put into words some amazing truths that he had received through direct perception from the universe. As a result, he came up with a method by which people could completely transform themselves and reach the highest level of consciousness possible, and go beyond. This method was based on taking the essence of the ancient practices of Raja Yoga, and modifying them for the present era of humanity. His name was Ram Chandra, and we know him today as Babuji.&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/babuji_5a8f005eed.webp" alt="babuji.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_babuji_5a8f005eed.webp 115w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/small_babuji_5a8f005eed.webp 369w," sizes="100vw"></figure>&nbsp;Here is the preface to his first book, Commentary on the Ten Maxims of Sahaj Marg, which was originally written in the Urdu language, and has now been translated into over 30 languages worldwide:<h4>A Word</h4>In this book I have endeavored to put up in words those spiritual secrets which have up till now come down from heart to heart. But since they relate to direct perception, which depends upon the study of Nature and can be revealed by means of vibrations, it is not only difficult, but almost impossible to express them adequately in words.“True love cannot be expressed by words. This is the very reality which is inexplicable in any way.”In this respect, I may therefore say that it is proper for the readers to try to reach up to the real spirit, ignoring the defects of expression and language, and be profited, and help others to be profited by it.Ram Chandra 8 December 1946He was eager to share this knowledge with everyone, to help us all experience those elevated states of consciousness that he had experienced. Being a householder he knew that <a href="https://heartfulness.org/magazine/spirituality-in-daily-life" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">spirituality</a> and materiality are like the two wings of a bird, and no one can soar on one wing alone. He was a humble man of simple means, but in the spiritual field he was a giant, the like of whom no one had seen before. His concern was not for himself, or for humanity alone, but for the whole universe. In order to bring positive change, peace and growth to suffering humanity, he knew that inner transformation was needed. He had developed a simple method that was easy to practice, and that was available to everyone, irrespective of culture, race, age, class, religious belief, education, and sex.<h4>Direct perception through superconsciousness</h4>The discoveries Babuji made were simple but revolutionary in the field of consciousness, much like the discoveries that Einstein made a few years earlier in the field of physics. In some ways these two men were alike. Their greatest ideas came to them through direct perception or inspiration. More importantly, unknown to each other, they were both exploring similar phenomena—one from the perspective of spirituality and the other from the perspective of science. Through his now famous equation E=mc2, Einstein proposed the interchangeable nature of mass and energy, creating tremors in the world of science. But Einstein was limited to the manifested world of physics. Babuji was able to express the inexpressible, and he gave us an understanding that transcends the aspect of interchangeability of mass and energy, writing in a letter to one of his associates:The energy itself in the long run returns to the Absolute—the cause of the power. The whole of matter, every particle of the body, becomes energy and then goes to its absolute.Einstein only knew the method to convert mass into energy, and not beyond it. In short, I can say that energy can also be converted into mass and this is a very easy job.Having only studied up to high school level in rural India, Babuji would not have been taken seriously by those scientists in the evolving field of quantum physics, yet the discoveries he made through direct perception were literally mind-blowing. He not only perceived directly that matter and energy were different vibrational states of the same manifestation, but that consciousness was the basic stuff of creation: Everything created since the Big Bang has emanated from consciousness.There is a sweet story of a meeting between Babuji and a physicist in London in 1972, through a mutual friend. The physicist did not consider Babuji worth listening to, as an uneducated simple man from rural India, until Babuji proceeded to describe to him in detail the intricate structure and movement of the particles in an atom. The physicist was astounded and asked Babuji how he knew this, to which Babuji replied, “I penetrated matter and I have described to you what I observed.”&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/introduction2_4f58b14f82.webp" alt="introduction2.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_introduction2_4f58b14f82.webp 245w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/small_introduction2_4f58b14f82.webp 500w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/medium_introduction2_4f58b14f82.webp 750w," sizes="100vw"></figure>&nbsp;During this same period, quantum scientists were spooked by the observer effect—the fact that an observer can affect the outcome of an experiment. Some held the view that it could be because everything is fundamentally made up of consciousness, so the consciousness of the observer will influence the consciousness of the object of the experiment. This idea did not initially go down well with the scientific community and even today scientists are divided on this issue.The subject of consciousness is now being researched and debated not only by scientists, but also by people in all fields and walks of life. We have come full circle, in fact, as this was also the case in ancient times in many cultures.<h4>The discovery of the Center and the mapping of consciousness</h4>In the meantime, back in the 1940s, Babuji not only demonstrated that we can change our consciousness by a special <a href="https://heartfulness.org/magazine/become-faster-emotions" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">method of meditation</a> on the heart, utilizing Pranahuti or yogic Transmission, he also went on to discover and map the various incremental levels of consciousness, and what lies beyond consciousness.Spiritual scientists from ancient India were familiar with the seven chakra system of energy consciousness, and most believed that the crown chakra was the pinnacle of spiritual achievement. Babuji was to change all that. Along with his teacher, another great sage of the 19th and 20th centuries, Lalaji, they together described a more complete chakra system, culminating in the 16th chakra, which Babuji called the Central Region, the source of everything. They had opened human awareness to an entirely different dimension of existence.&nbsp;<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:75%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/introduction3_f306287e27.webp" alt="introduction3.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_introduction3_f306287e27.webp 204w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/small_introduction3_f306287e27.webp 500w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/medium_introduction3_f306287e27.webp 750w," sizes="100vw"></figure><figure class="image image_resized" style="width:75%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/introduction4_b33ec8246f.webp" alt="introduction4.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_introduction4_b33ec8246f.webp 245w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/small_introduction4_b33ec8246f.webp 500w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/medium_introduction4_b33ec8246f.webp 750w," sizes="100vw"></figure><figure class="image image_resized" style="width:75%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/introduction5_ec9163f705.webp" alt="introduction5.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_introduction5_ec9163f705.webp 164w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/small_introduction5_ec9163f705.webp 500w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/medium_introduction5_ec9163f705.webp 750w," sizes="100vw"></figure>&nbsp;Lalaji transmitted the knowledge of the Central Region to Babuji, and also taught him the techniques to master that Region. Based on his own personal research and experience, Babuji then mapped the stages of consciousness, from the most solid levels of matter to the Center. This was the first time in the history of humankind that anyone was able to accomplish such a task.<h4>Meditation is a quantum experiment</h4>Babuji taught a simple method of meditation on the heart, rooted in the ancient traditions of Raja Yoga, yet simplified and modified to meet the needs of modern life. He explained why meditation is the best way to change and expand consciousness. And unlike traditional methods of yoga that took years of austere practice to bring the mind to balance, Heartfulness gave instantaneous results, because of the revolutionary use of Pranahuti.&nbsp;<figure class="image"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/introduction6_4f295ef50e.webp" alt="introduction6.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_introduction6_4f295ef50e.webp 234w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/small_introduction6_4f295ef50e.webp 500w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/medium_introduction6_4f295ef50e.webp 750w," sizes="100vw"></figure>&nbsp;What happens in meditation? In the last fifty years, scientists have made impressive strides in understanding how meditation impacts our physiology, especially the brain. This has been made possible by advancements in measuring technology, like brain scanning and its ability to pinpoint what function of the brain is improved with meditation. Some of the conclusions are that meditation reduces stress, improves sleep, reduces blood pressure, improves learning and memory, and increases happiness. The human brain is an amazingly complex system and science has only taken small steps in understanding it.Yogic scientists have known the value of meditation since ancient times. They knew about the observer effect long before science figured it out. In fact ancient texts like the Vedas and Upanishads could describe the various stages of consciousness in meditation that correlate with the brain waves now identified by EEG machines at each stage. For example, the ultimate depth of meditation, a stage called Samadhi in yoga, correlates with the very slow delta waves produced by the brain during deep sleep. Typically it takes many years of meditation to achieve a deep delta state, but Babuji enabled his students to experience Samadhi when they first started meditating.Each one of us transmits his or her vibration to the universe, and an evolved master of caliber, who is in osmosis with the Center, can transmit the essence of that Center, Pranahuti, into the heart of a student, thus enabling the student to advance faster and more effectively. This is what happens in the Heartfulness tradition.Yogic scientists also recognized the role of the Central Nervous System in a much wider context than just the brain. The heart, the spinal cord, the connection between heart and brain as two aspects of the spectrum of consciousness, and the consciousness at the cellular and atomic levels, have all been vital components of physiology in yogic science, which modern scientists are now starting to understand.<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">Each one of us transmits his or her vibration&nbsp; to the Universe, and an evolved Master of caliber,&nbsp; who is in osmosis with the Center, can transmit the essence of that Center, Pranahuti, into the heart of a student, thus enabling the student to advance faster and more effectively.&nbsp; This is what happens in the Heartfulness tradition.</h4><hr>Babuji perfected the method of Heartfulness and the science of yogic Transmission as a means to help human beings evolve through the various incremental stages of consciousness. But he was equally clear that this was not enough. Without working on personal development and character, this would lead nowhere, as there would be no integration of the physical, mental and spiritual bodies of the human being. Spiritual transformation is an internal transformation of the vibrational field of consciousness, whereas personality transformation is equally important for the process to be complete.As a result, his first book, Commentary on the Ten Maxims of Sahaj Marg, is a practical guide for both—how to live our lives in harmony on a daily basis. The maxims follow the 24-hour daily cycle, starting with waking in the morning, and finishing with going to sleep at night, guiding us in all areas of living. For that reason, this series is called “Heartful Living.”It &nbsp;may surprise you to know that at the time Babuji wrote his book on the Ten maxims in the 1940s, there were just a handful of books published in the area of self-help, including the hugely popular Self-Help by Samuel Smiles, Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill, As a Man Thinketh by James Allen, and How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie. Babuji was the first author in this era to give us a comprehensive guide to living by incorporating the five key elements of self-development: an effective practice, essential values, regulative behavior, leadership, and continuous improvement (see diagram 1). Within those five elements there are also ten principles. Even today, only a handful of books offer such a rich and all-encompassing road map to a fulfilling life.<h4>The five elements and ten principles of self-development</h4>The ten principles for living follow a daily cycle and inherent sequence, which unfolds like a flowering. At the center of this unfolding is the practice. It is the practice that triggers the flowering of consciousness. And it is the first thing that we do in the morning, preparing us for the day, setting the tone, and centering us for what is to happen. As consciousness expands, and purity and simplicity emerge, we are able to peek into our essential nature and start relaxing into our inner being. Our thoughts and actions are then guided by the essential values of the heart.The next segment of &nbsp;the unfoldment is behavior. When we are established in the state of being, our behavior resonates with that state. As being and doing reinforce each other, our consciousness evolves naturally to a level where we want to help others. Hence the capacities and qualities of leadership unfold naturally. The last segment of the unfoldment is continuous improvement which consists of daily review and corrective action before sleeping at night. This framework is dynamic and fluid. All the segments are co-emergent and seamless. It is holistic, a complete system, a living guidance. As we grow, our work itself becomes our teacher.&nbsp;<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:75%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/introduction7_d15486016e.webp" alt="introduction7.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_introduction7_d15486016e.webp 161w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/small_introduction7_d15486016e.webp 500w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/medium_introduction7_d15486016e.webp 750w," sizes="100vw"></figure><figure class="image image_resized" style="width:75%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/introduction8_1e07863a37.webp" alt="introduction8.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_introduction8_1e07863a37.webp 125w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/small_introduction8_1e07863a37.webp 402w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/medium_introduction8_1e07863a37.webp 603w," sizes="100vw"></figure>

Heartful Living

Authenticity and acceptance

<h2 style="text-align:center;">YES, YOU CAN DO IT!</h2><h4 style="text-align:justify;">DAAJI shares some thoughts on heartfelt acceptance and all it has to offer. He says, “Therefore, all that can happen will always be for all of us.” Enjoy the activity he proposes to support the intrinsic goodness of our hearts!</h4>&nbsp;Dear friends,There is intrinsic goodness in all of us. We do not have to think about how to be good—it just happens. For example, when someone asks you your name, you don’t think, it spills out. Does it require effort or imagination to speak the truth? Only lies require effort. Goodness flows naturally from within.Allowing our innate goodness to manifest is effortless, it is the heart’s natural tendency. When the mind is at rest, the heart automatically responds to creation. Supporting a family is natural, and it is the heart that lovingly responds to this call. If the mind interferes, it can create layers of complexity. An evolved mind is naturally aligned with <a href="https://heartfulness.org/magazine/mind-body-connection-energy-management-in-spiritual-life" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">the heart</a>. When the mind is a witness to a receptive heart, the two attain perfect synchronicity; our conscience remains clear and our goodness manifests naturally.In life, we carry many responsibilities—toward our family, society, and even the world. Our hearts are able to innately respond to each responsibility if we let them.At the same time, we must be responsive to our own needs—to prepare, refine, and sensitize our hearts and bring our minds to rest. This is achieved through sincere meditation. A meditative mind allows intuition to arise from within our hearts. The inspirations we receive guide us gently toward our transformation. Meditation fosters this transformation into better individuals. It is then that we are more responsive in our duties to ourselves and to others, and we discharge them with clarity and heartful intent.There is no need to compare our effectiveness or skill with others. That is not a healthy use of ego. When we look upon others, it can be for the sake of inspiration. The healthy way to channel the ego is through competition with ourselves, where we attempt to continuously improve by being better than we were before.Consequently, we set higher and higher goals for ourselves. Like peaceful warriors, we work with our own imperfections, performing each act with greater skill each time. As we manifest the heart’s intrinsic values, we naturally awaken to our responsibilities.Transformation deepens when we shift our understanding from “I belong to this world, what can it do for me?” to, “The world is mine! What can I do about it?” This may perhaps sound egotistic, but without the feeling of ownership, of belongingness, we will always short-change ourselves.With a sense of belonging, we build relationships. And without a sense of belonging, we break relationships. This sense of belonging is inclusive and accepts everyone and everything in the universe.Acknowledging and accepting the intrinsic goodness in everyone’s heart is also the beginning of forgiveness. This heartfelt acceptance allows us to surpass the need to tolerate or to surrender to anything. It is the intrinsic goodness of the heart that allows me to accept all that is, as mine. By the same token, it also allows me to become theirs. Therefore, all that happens will always be for all of us. Together we shape our shared destiny.<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:25%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/intrinsic_goodness2_44e11f79c6.jpg" alt="intrinsic-goodness2.jpg" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_intrinsic_goodness2_44e11f79c6.jpg 92w, https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/intrinsic_goodness2_44e11f79c6.jpg 200w" sizes="100vw"></figure><hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">An evolved mind is naturally aligned with the heart.&nbsp;&nbsp; When the mind is a witness to a receptive heart,&nbsp;&nbsp; the two attain perfect synchronicity;&nbsp;&nbsp; our conscience remains clear and&nbsp;&nbsp; our goodness manifests naturally.</h4><hr><h4 style="text-align:justify;">Activity 1:</h4>Think over the phrase, “intrinsic goodness of the heart.” What does it mean to you? Write any insights in your journal.<h4 style="text-align:justify;">Activity 2:</h4>Meditate for a few minutes, thinking that everyone is being filled with love and devotion and that real faith is growing stronger in them. May this entire Earth be engulfed with peace, with love, with grace.<h4 style="text-align:justify;">Activity 3:</h4>Starting today, practice seeing the intrinsic goodness in your heart and in the hearts of all you come in contact with:<ul><li style="text-align:justify;">In the morning before you start your day, remind yourself of this intention and imagine practicing it in various situations. Expand it from yourself to your loved ones, to your community, to work colleagues, to staff in restaurants, grocery stores, your city, etc. Note the nature of any feelings that arise.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">If a situation arises where you are irritated or angered by someone, pause and place a thought that there is goodness in that person’s heart, even if you can’t see it straight away. End the pause with a prayer for that person—may they be free of negativity.&nbsp;</li><li style="text-align:justify;">During the day, pause and remind yourself of the intrinsic goodness in yourself and others as it radiates out from your heart.</li></ul>I wish you all the best in your onward journey,&nbsp; Daaji

The intrinsic goodness of the heart

<h2 style="text-align:center;">LETTERS TO FAMILY AND FRIENDS</h2><h4 style="text-align:justify;">DAAJI shares some insights on the idea of surrender and why it is often misunderstood.</h4><h4 style="text-align:justify;">&nbsp;</h4><h4 style="text-align:justify;">Dear Daaji,</h4><h4 style="text-align:justify;">The concept of surrender doesn’t resonate well with me. What can I do?</h4><hr><h4>Dear Robert,</h4>Many people have misunderstood the concept of surrender. Perhaps it is because of the idea of losing freedom. We must understand one thing—in spirituality, the simple invertendo happens where heartfelt surrender brings about real freedom.Let me dive deeper into this topic by quoting from one of Babuji’s messages: “The simple fact of the matter, anyway, remains that whatever is there, be surrendered to Him. If the Lord be had at the cost of your head, you should know the bargain as quite cheap [Sheesh diye yadi Hari mile, tho bhi sasta jan]. The sages of yore regarded the state of acceptance of, and happiness in, the Lord’s will as surrender.”Many seekers would perhaps choose this way of offering the head. Like the tradition of sati, it is simple and a one-time pain in order to have the Ultimate.I have experienced time and again, and witnessed the same in others as well, that it is more difficult to let go of ideologies, opinions, fancies, and viewpoints—in short, the many faces of the ego. In Hindi, the many faces of the ego are also called the manifestations of the head, the mind. Once again, it is the ego and not the actual physical head. Fear of death is nothing in comparison with letting go of negative aspects of the ego.If the ego is mastered, you will master even death and be truly gifted with the boon of “fearlessness,” the condition of abhayam. Mastering death does not affect the soul, for how is it possible for something that is never born to die? The death of the soul would mean the disappearance of Divinity, and can that ever happen? When the ego is tamed, metamorphosed, fine-tuned, and transcended we find true freedom, leading to bliss. Then we are reborn in the true sense. Can our identity ever disappear? No. The ego is the shadow of the soul—it can be a brighter shadow or a darker shadow—and it is the degree of darkness of this shadow that gives character to a person.Babuji offers a simple approach to solve this nagging issue: “Now I give a prescription: ‘Yearning’ pure and simple to reach Him and Him alone! If the real thing is not there to begin with, just imitate it. If someone continually imitates a mad person, he is bound to go mad. Even so, if man continues to reach the Lord (Ultimate), the real is bound to be his lot, at last. Amen.”The statement, “Yearning pure and simple to reach Him and Him alone,” is loaded with profound suggestion.Yearning Pure Simple Reaching the Ultimate The Ultimate aloneOur yearning to reach the Ultimate ought to be pure and simple, without any selfish motives or desire of, “If I reach the Ultimate, this can be prevented, and that can be gained,” etc.Babuji also inspires us indirectly, by saying that sages have ascribed the states of acceptance and happiness in the Lord’s will to surrender. For these sages, acceptance was a way to express their state of saranagati [surrender in the sense of shelteredness and protection]. Simple attention toward the goal works like magic in dissolving an impressive ego. Acceptance—not just any type of acceptance, but joyful acceptance—changes the outcome to an instantaneous possibility.It is impossible to escape the <a href="https://heartfulness.org/magazine/mindful-listening-reflective-responses-communication-skills" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">mindful attention</a> of the Guru when the disciple is in this state. The Guru cannot help but remember such a disciple with so much affection and great appreciation. For such a gift, the Guru keeps singing in praise of the Lord for availing such a disciple. He remains grateful to his Master on one side, while on the other side his affection for the disciple keeps building. The resonance between the Guru and disciple keeps mounting in mutual remembrance, mutual admiration, and mutual love, where both hearts come together like two giant oceans.Henceforth, there is one way for both—to keep building this mergence.After nine months, a mother must deliver her child, and if she does not, then both remain in danger. The long sleep ends for the fetus, who is now ready to embark upon limitless possibilities. Yet, it is a separation and not without fear.The pure saranagati from the side of the disciple matures, and from the side of the Guru extreme love for the disciple takes hold. Within seven months, the disciple will take birth in another dimension as a Spiritual Entity (S.E.). The mutual bond of love keeps nourishing the soul of the disciple in the limitless womb of the Guru.Souls taking this leap to become an S.E. are rare. It is all about a second birth, a spiritual birth, traditionally called “twice-born” or dwij. With such a birth, there is no feeling whatsoever of the fear and pain associated with all births into this material world.Thus, we witness the life of a seeker slowly changing to that of a disciple, who in turn becomes a devotee and takes birth as an S.E. in the Brighter World. The growth of an S.E. in the Brighter World depends upon the lifestyle of the devotee here in this world.It serves no purpose to crush your ego, what they call the little self. The same self, when realized, will shine forth as the atman [soul] as part of the Param-atman [universal soul]. If you try to destroy the little self, the little drop, how will it ever merge in the infinite ocean?Please be assured of a safe journey.All the best to you, Kamlesh&nbsp;

Love and surrender

<h2 style="text-align:center;">YES, YOU CAN DO IT!</h2><h4 style="text-align:justify;">DAAJI explores the softer side of life and its benefits, drawing from Nature to illustrate why tenderness is a mature approach to life, self and relationships with others.</h4>&nbsp;Dear friends,These days there is a growing realization of the need to become more humane, tender, loving, and accepting in an increasingly changing and complex world.We can learn a lot about this from Nature; for example, the trees that grow tall, sturdy, and strong, like mahogany, oak, and acacia, cannot easily be cut. Yet, they do not provide us with bountiful fruit. Compare them with chikku and mango trees, whose branches bend easily in a breeze. Though their wood is soft, they yield delicious nourishing fruit. Softness is associated with yielding and sweetness in life.At the human level, we can observe how women are generally more loving and tender. It is their inherent nature, which has been bestowed lavishly on them. It is love that makes them tender, and this innate feeling keeps humanity alive. Come what may, they go through it all with love and acceptance.Without love, we struggle to become truly humane beings. Having only limited love in the heart, we invest it in a limited way, and miss out on the broader scheme that comes with letting it expand to become universal. So, the flow of the river of love remains stagnant in our own backyard.Now, what if we could ensure that this river of love reaches the ocean? Meditation is the key! Heart-based meditation nurtures the qualities of tenderness, softness and love. Even reading or saying these three gentle words melts our hearts. When love shines supreme in the meditative heart, whatsoever it touches is alchemized. Inwardly remaining meditative and externally remaining focused on our daily work and activities, our inner loving state transforms the very nature of the work we are doing.Even so-called emotional toxins are transformed when we are meditative. Greater understanding develops that can transform the toxins into nectar. The heart becomes like a prism, through which anything that passes becomes nectar.At times we can be drawn to respond to revenge with revenge, or anger with anger. No doubt, the energy arising out of anger is unique, and anger cannot be destroyed, but surely it can be transformed into compassion if we allow a few seconds to pause, reflect and apply understanding with wisdom. Taking a deep breath and counting to ten is an old saying that works! Instead of instinctively responding with anger, when we are in a state of love instinctively the response is colored with compassion. This is evolution.<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">Meditation is the key! Heart-based meditation nurtures the qualities of tenerness, softness and love.</h4><hr><figure class="image image_resized" style="width:75%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/tenderness2_29cff7d533_1_259cbeedee.jpg" alt="tenderness2_29cff7d533 (1).jpg" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_tenderness2_29cff7d533_1_259cbeedee.jpg 245w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/small_tenderness2_29cff7d533_1_259cbeedee.jpg 500w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/medium_tenderness2_29cff7d533_1_259cbeedee.jpg 750w," sizes="100vw"></figure><h4>Compassion and love</h4>We can try to transform ourselves to become instinctively responsive with love and a smile, or with a little joke, instead of sarcasm and insults. This small exercise can help to change from strong emotions in the heat of an argument, to compassion and love instead.<ul><li style="text-align:justify;">Imagine a scene or evoke a memory where you were arguing with someone and responded with anger, or if you hurt someone with harsh words. What was the outcome?</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Now imagine yourself in that same scene, thinking that the person is there with you.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">During the argument you realize it is not going to lead you anywhere and will disturb your consciousness for the rest of the day.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">You terminate it in the middle, perhaps saying “I am sorry” and taking a step back. Pause and take a deep breath, connecting with a state of love and tenderness. Choose the wiser option.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">To help reinforce a more loving response to similar situations, you can note it in your journal, even rehearsing it so that it becomes more natural.</li></ul><h4 style="text-align:justify;">Remove the physical effects</h4>Anger and fear can also affect the physical body, so releasing physical tension eases the inner body, emotions and thought flow. Try this simple relaxation method to allow the flow of softness and love.<ul><li style="text-align:justify;">Sit comfortably, gently closing your eyes.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Relax your hands and fingers, feeling the tension reducing.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Let your shoulders drop.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Bring your awareness to your face, dropping your jaw and relaxing your mouth.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Feel all your facial muscles softening.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">Allow your breathing to naturally slow down.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">With each breath your mind is relaxing and letting go.</li><li style="text-align:justify;">When you are ready, slowly open your eyes.</li></ul>I recall advice once given by an associate to another who had been disturbed by negative gossip. Softly and gently, he said, “We must treat each other with tenderness and care.” So simple, universal, and profound in its application.Wishing you all the best, Daaji

On tenderness, softness, and love

<h2 style="text-align:center;">LETTERS TO FAMILY AND FRIENDS</h2>&nbsp;Dear Daaji,Why is it important to absorb the inner state of meditation and take it into our daily routine?<hr>Dear Satha,Navigating the demands and challenges of the objective world requires a meditative mind. Meditating at a certain time and then allowing the mind to wander aimlessly for the rest of the day is not what is meant by a meditative mind. Meditation must be completed so that the charge created lasts for an extended period. It is like charging our phones—we look for phones that require less frequent charging. The ideal phone would keep its charge for all our lives. Is this possible with meditation?When working in an office, cooking, playing a game, conversing, studying, or being with your beloved in silence, all with a meditative mind, you will surely appreciate the beauty and power of meditation.&nbsp;With a meditative mind, you won’t have to maintain mindful awareness, or remind yourself to observe the breath, since you are “all awareness.” With a <a href="https://heartfulness.org/magazine/a-touch-of-heaven" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">meditative mind</a>, you become kind and compassionate; the heart finds comfort and contentment in being empathetic. You don’t have to adjust your breathing to find a comfortable niche in the heart. Instead, you allow the inner meditative state to become dynamic and change your behavior, including your breathing.There is a fundamental difference between allowing the breath to create your mood and allowing the meditative state to regulate your breathing. Both bring about change, but the effects of the outside-in approach of focusing on the breath will last for only a few minutes. In contrast, the inside-out approach of creating a permanent meditative state will develop and intensify incrementally.Godliness emanates from a simple and pure heart in the way the fragrance of a golden Champa flower fills the atmosphere. Godliness is all that is precious, simple, pure, and full of love. Does the word “godliness” not evoke a feeling of something noble? And, if I am going to allow the divine impulse to pervade my being, then is it not paramount for me to display its godly manner—like the conduct of a benevolent king, a friend sharing happiness, or a true nobleperson who is graciously indifferent to the imperfections of others and generous toward those who are miserable?It means always acting from the depths of your being. In other words, while being meditative and pursuing spirituality, be steadfast in displaying your spiritual heritage and nobility—what revered Lalaji calls akhlaaq. The aim is to arrive at a natural state akin to a flower that can only radiate its fragrance. The whole pursuit is to arrive at this naturalness; it is the dream of every seeker.With love and respect, Kamlesh &nbsp;

The benefits of a meditative mind

<h4 style="text-align:justify;">DAAJI explains why a plant-based diet is good for your health and well-being, and for the planet. Some of the reasons may surprise you. Yogic science is very comprehensive on this subject, and now medical science is catching up. Daaji then challenges us all to do an experiment for three months.</h4>&nbsp;Studies show plant-based diets reduce the risk of heart disease, diabetes, dementia, high blood pressure, obesity, some cancers, and more. —David SuzukiWhile we ourselves are the living graves of murdered beasts, how can we expect any ideal conditions on this Earth?&nbsp; —George Bernard ShawDear friends,If you wish to do something positive for the planet, and for your own health, you may want to consider eating a plant-based diet. Excessive meat-eating is a luxury that our species can no longer afford if we are to address the climate crisis and our chronic health diseases. I’m not talking about tribes like the Inuit in Alaska, where meat eating is a necessity, but those communities that have access to fresh vegetables and fruit throughout the year.An Oxford University study published in 2023 (Scarborough et al.) demonstrates that people eating a plant-based diet significantly improve the health of the planet. “The study linked dietary data from 55,504 people—vegans, vegetarians, fish-eaters, and meat-eaters—with food-level data on greenhouse gas emissions, land use, water use, eutrophication risk, and potential biodiversity loss from a review of 570 life-cycle assessments covering more than 38,000 farms in 119 countries.”Vegans had 25% of the dietary impact of high meat-eaters on greenhouse gas emissions, land use, and eutrophication, 34% of the impact for biodiversity loss, and 46 % of the impact for water use. Given that food systems create about a third of global emissions, and are responsible for 70% of freshwater use and 78% of freshwater pollution, these findings are highly important. And methane emissions were 93% lower for plant eaters than high-meat eaters!Their conclusion: a shift in the way people eat&nbsp;and drink will have the greatest overall effect, even though other ways to reduce food system impacts are needed, e.g. reducing food waste, increasing sustainable and regenerative agriculture, and supporting local food production.Another study published in the&nbsp;European Heart Journal&nbsp;in 2023 demonstrated that “plant-based diets can play a significant role in reducing blocked arteries, thereby lowering the risk of heart and blood vessel diseases, such as stroke and heart attacks.”<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">Plant-based diets can play a significant role in&nbsp; reducing blocked arteries, thereby lowering the risk of heart and blood vessel diseases,&nbsp; such as stroke and heart attacks.</h4><hr>Today we look to science for answers, but from ancient times, sages of all cultures and eras have given special attention to eating lightly, reducing their footprint on the Earth, and taking minimum input and giving maximum output. They have defined morality as the care and conservation in the use of all resources, including food and water. The yogic science of Ayurveda is based on this approach.Many famous people have been vegetarian, for example, Leonardo da Vinci, who said, “If you are, as you have stated, the king of the animals… why not help other animals, rather than take their offspring to feed your gluttony?”Food is prana, a source of energy. Not only does it nourish the physical body, but the effect spreads through all three bodies of the human system—the physical body, subtle body (mind), and causal body (soul).Food is part of our energetic relationship with the environment, and a wise person will not disturb one atom of the universe unless it is necessary, because of their respect for all life. Nothing is wasted. This creates the lightest human footprint, and an attitude of living every moment in tune with Nature, content with Nature’s bounty in whatever form it is available.My teacher and guide, Ram Chandra of Shahjahanpur (Babuji) offers the following advice:“Food should be cooked neatly and cleanly in a proper manner. That is the hygienic point, but if it is sattvic and is cooked in constant remembrance of God, its effect will be surprising. And if it is taken meditating all the while on God, it will cure all kinds of spiritual diseases and remove things which hinder our progress.”&nbsp;<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:75%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/simple_way_to_improve2_781b12a284.webp" alt="simple-way-to-improve2.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_simple_way_to_improve2_781b12a284.webp 145w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/large_simple_way_to_improve2_781b12a284.webp 800w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/simple_way_to_improve2_781b12a284.webp 800w," sizes="100vw"></figure><hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">To minimize our human footprint, we can choose to eat plants, and so cause the least pain possible to other beings.</h4><hr>What is sattvic food? Sattvic&nbsp;qualities are pure, natural, vital, energy-containing, clean, conscious, true, honest, wise. A sattvic diet reflects Ahimsa, meaning not harming other beings. It leads to moderation in eating, and regular fasting is also done to detoxify the system.A sattvic diet emphasizes seasonal foods—fruits, nuts, seeds, oils, ripe vegetables, legumes, whole grains, and plant-based proteins. Dairy products can be included when the cows are fed and milked according to regenerative principles. Many people adopt a plant-based diet after understanding how food impacts their health, and how animal farming is destroying the environment.Consciousness studies add a deeper perspective: consciousness is the canvas upon which prana plays, including in the food we eat, and animals have a different level and quality of consciousness than plants.The yogic science of the three bodies of minerals, plants, animals, and humans shows us how it is beneficial to eat light sattvic foods for the evolution of our consciousness. Animal foods are heavier in vibration, whereas plant foods maintain the lightness of our whole system. And the lighter we become, the more we adjust to subtlety in everything we do.Also, the bodies, minds and souls of plants are more closely bound together than in animals; and the more evolved the animal, the greater the separation and flexibility. The freer this tethering of the mind to the body, the more possibility there is of pain in death. To minimize our human footprint, we can choose to eat plants, and so cause the least pain possible to other beings.The food we give to our bodies has a definite impact on our minds and souls. So, whether it is for the sake of your own health or the planet’s health, are you ready to experiment with a plant-based diet? You could try it for three months and see how you feel.I wish you the all the best with this experiment, Daaji<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">The food we give to our bodies has a definite impact on our minds and souls.</h4><hr>&nbsp;<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:75%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/simple_way_to_improve3_f60c6a7709.webp" alt="simple-way-to-improve3.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_simple_way_to_improve3_f60c6a7709.webp 145w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/large_simple_way_to_improve3_f60c6a7709.webp 800w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/simple_way_to_improve3_f60c6a7709.webp 800w," sizes="100vw"></figure>

A simple way to improve your health and the health of the planet

<h2 style="text-align:center;">LETTERS TO FAMILY AND FRIENDS</h2>&nbsp;Dear Daaji,How can we develop unity when we experience so many difficulties working together?<hr>Dear Eva,Glad you could secure admission in the most prestigious management school of Europe. Be it the corporate world or a spiritual organization, what matters most is the ability to work together in harmony, with mutual trust and respect.Can these aspects become a subject of the academic world? At the most, we can share the importance of integrating various traits in a personality and erasing the unnecessary negative traits. Such a lofty aim is attainable naturally when we adhere to the ten principles given to us by Babuji. All these principles, including our meditative practice, are meant to create peace and harmony within while we grow in consciousness.The peace and harmony that develop become a canvas in our life. The integrated self can integrate well with others. It is impossible to expect unity from individuals who lack personal integration.The tendency to fight, argue, and dominate comes from the dominant influence of the lower chakras. What makes us human is the Heart chakra. As it blooms and unfolds, many qualities come alive, such as generosity, kindness, compassion, courage, etc. The discriminating intelligence is sharpened.The tendency to create ripples in a harmonious environment is like the entry of a tiger in ambush mode. Many people fall into this category when they express themselves. External behavior, words, and actions reveal the true spiritual dimension of an individual. The movement across various chakras is always dynamic. One day, I may be totally absorbed in a state prevalent at the third chakra, and a few hours later the condition of the ninth chakra may take over. Perhaps you are at the twelfth chakra with the grace of the Great Master, displaying all the traits of that environment, but due to carelessness you become fearful, plummeting your absorbency to the fourth chakra. Hence, there is a need for vigilance all the time.Finally, naturalness must exist among us when true unity prevails. No one needs to inspire us or remind us of its necessity. Let our spirit speak for itself. The guiding force is always the voice of the heart. Meditation with Pranahuti is a game changer in the field of yoga.Hope to see you all soon.With love and respect, Kamlesh

The integrated self

<h2 style="text-align:center;">YES, YOU CAN DO IT!</h2><h4 style="text-align:justify;">On the 42nd anniversary of the UN International Day of Peace, DAAJI explains how we can bring peace into our own lives, our families, and our communities, so that it radiates into the universe.</h4>&nbsp;Dear friends,The International Day of Peace (IDP) was established in 1981 by a unanimous UN resolution, and in 2001 the UN chose a set day of September 21 for 24 hours of nonviolence and ceasefire,1 thanks to the tireless work of British NGO Peace One Day and the UK delegation to the UN. This year, the theme is “Cultivating a Culture of Peace.”A culture of <a href="https://heartfulness.org/magazine/the-descent-into-stillness" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">peace</a> is defined by the UN as a set of values, attitudes, modes of behavior, and ways of life that reject violence and prevent conflicts by tackling their root causes to solve problems through dialogue and negotiation among individuals, groups, and nations.The 6 values that correspond to the UN culture of peace are: Spirituality, &nbsp;Justice, Compassion, Dialogue, Active nonviolence, and Stewardship of/sense of kinship with the Earth.That is, we are invited to treat others as we wish to be treated. This ethical principle applies at all levels-personal, family, community, and national. When honored, dignity and stability follow. When violated, instability results.<h4 style="text-align:justify;">Can we change the global situation?</h4>We may wonder what we can do to change things at the global level. Bringing peace to the various violent conflicts in the world is a big challenge and overwhelming. However, I am reminded of the song, “Let there be peace on Earth, and let it begin with me.” We can make a difference in our own lives. Peace is our true nature, so when we nurture and connect to the peace at the Center of our being by practicing meditation, it will naturally radiate out to others and to our environment. The intention, attention, and awareness with which we live our lives will filter out to our neighbors, communities, countries, and the planet.<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">Peace is our true nature, so when&nbsp; we nurture and connect to the peace at the Center of our being, by practicing meditation, it will naturally radiate out to others and to our environment.</h4><hr><h4 style="text-align:justify;">How to lay a foundation for Peace</h4>Studies have shown that many people creating a vision can manifest it. Imagine joining millions around the world to create a vision of peace. What a world that would create!To contribute to a more peaceful world, try using these three intentions for peace as you go about your daily activities.These intentions will contribute to your peace of mind, as well as create harmony within your family, friends, and communities. Almost everything starts with thought, and a thought with a purpose is an intention. The energy of an intention has a ripple effect when it goes out into the world, and it can become a reality.First, choose one of the Peacefulness intentions. Then, take a moment to center yourself in the present moment. Think of the intention, connect with its meaning and imagine its effect spreading to everyone and everything around you. Most importantly, put your heart into it!&nbsp;<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:50%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/intention1_e0f05ee075.webp" alt="intention1.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_intention1_e0f05ee075.webp 145w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/large_intention1_e0f05ee075.webp 351w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/intention1_e0f05ee075.webp 351w," sizes="100vw"></figure>&nbsp;<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:50%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/intention2_e5045c2a0c.webp" alt="intention2.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_intention2_e5045c2a0c.webp 145w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/large_intention2_e5045c2a0c.webp 351w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/intention2_e5045c2a0c.webp 351w," sizes="100vw"></figure>&nbsp;<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:50%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/intention3_ab3370935b.webp" alt="intention3.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_intention3_ab3370935b.webp 145w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/large_intention3_ab3370935b.webp 351w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/intention3_ab3370935b.webp 351w," sizes="100vw"></figure>&nbsp;By uniting our intentions in a collective adventure, we will catalyze a wave of change that will resonate across borders and generations.“First, it is an intention. Then a behavior. Then a habit. Then a practice. Then a second nature. Then it is simply who you are.” —Brendon BurchardGo to the <a href="http://www.peacefulness.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Peacefulness</a> website to become a peace partner and to find further activities for all age groups to promote peace.I wish you all the best in your efforts to bring peace to the world, Daaji<hr>1 Between 1982 and 2001, IDP was observed on the day of the opening of the annual sessions of the UN General Assembly on the third Tuesday of September every year.

A culture of peace

Dear Master,What qualities allow us to go deeper into communication on various levels?&nbsp;Dear Chinu bhai,Everything communicates. We only need to perceive those vibrations, sometimes spoken, often unspoken, and sometimes expressed via painting, sculpture, architecture, music, meditation, or deep silence. There is so much that is communicated all around us. The ultimate communication is where we communicate with the Self and try to find the meaning of life. Will life speak to us?The entire creation is filled with sound. It began with sound, runs with sound, and will end with sound into deep silence. We are enjoying the running of this creation. There is no need to explore the sound that was there at the moment of creation, or the sound that will exist when there is nothing once again. What matters now is to perceive the Eternal Sound, the Eternal Vibration, the soundless sound akin to that which prevailed before the creation.Let us venture into one aspect of daily living. We observe such things happening in front of us all the time. Men are generally surprised by the intuition of their mothers, sisters, and wives. The intuition of a lady cannot easily be undermined. In general, her feelings surpass the logical and limited approach of men. Perhaps that is why men are more prone to getting into trouble, since intuition unveils their lies. Intuition is like reading–not a book, but a face, feeling the emotion in a voice, or the emotion behind silence. These are also forms of communication. Someone sets the vibration, and another person perceives and responds.Once, a group of us were traveling in France between Augerans and Grenoble in four cars. Those of us in our car were discussing how suitable one man was as a potential husband for a woman. In another car was the man who was the subject of our discussion, and he was being teased with a lot of sweetness, as generally happens around such topics. Surprisingly, in both cars, the discussion centered around bringing these two people together as a lifelong couple. When we had our lunch break, we discovered that all of us had been discussing the same topic. It was brought to the fore, and they were engaged that very afternoon!Why am I sharing this? Multiple individuals can have the same intuition. Though rare, it is possible. Many scientific discoveries happen simultaneously by researchers who are unknown to one another, sometimes within the period of a single week.I often used to sense the end of meditation during individual sessions with a trainer. My inner voice and the outer voice of the trainer would coincide as if I were announcing the end of the meditation. Perhaps it is not intuition, but it happens due to the nature of the spiritual work. I am not the only person who has felt this. I have noticed that many people to whom I have given remote meditations write back indicating how long they were, what I did in the beginning, and how they ended!Thus, we see the unfolding of many styles of communication. Another level of communication is between yourself and your Spiritual Entity (S.E.). First, you have to have a corresponding S.E., and then you must have a channel established between the two. Third, the need for communication must arise and evoke a response.Another level of communication is between earthly souls and the personalities of the Brighter World. Such encounters are rare but not impossible.Sometimes, less evolved beings are guided through dreams. If the hints had been given in a waking state, they might have considered them to be pure imagination. When instructions are given in a dream by someone they revere or love immensely, they cannot resist them.The basic requirement for deep communication is purity and simplicity. When purity and simplicity become the hallmark of our existence, inner silence becomes automatic, providing total clarity in all situations. Silence of the heart, giving birth to the essence of silence, opens infinite possibilities for spiritual growth and evolution at an individual level. In the silence of the heart we develop faith. In the silence of the heart we receive Grace. In the heart of silence we can have the true&nbsp;darshan&nbsp;of the Lord. The heart of silence remains unadulterated and in direct connection with the Creator. Listening to this deepest silence offers us the most rewarding aspect of our practice, and it makes available all the answers we seek.Silence allows the voice of conscience to be heard under all circumstances. There will be moments in life when our wisdom is challenged. At times, we make just the right decision, while at other times the decision is not made appropriately. When we reflect on these instances, we see that it was when we did not listen to the heart that we went wrong. Interiorization deepens the silence, whereas exteriorization moves us away from the heart of silence, the Center, and we suffer and lose peace.How can we increase the depth of inner silence? We have to focus deeply on interiorization. Personal work upon ourselves, plus group meditations, and the multiple seminars we organize are geared toward this purpose. Sit motionless, reverentially, with all attention toward the heart of silence, meditate prayerfully, and see the effect. You will have to make some conscious efforts to disconnect yourself from those things that would otherwise pull you outward.In deep silence, we receive inspiration, where feelings come to the surface and express themselves as words. Inspired words, arising from the very center of our being, are charged and have their own life. Additionally, decisions made in consonance with the heart of silence will always be correct. The practices of yama, niyama, pratyahara, and dharana all fall into place in just the right manner with utter simplicity, and this is&nbsp;sahajata.Thus, by remaining deeply in touch with the heart of silence, or to put it simply, by remaining meditative while engaging in all activities, including communication, we can witness supreme civility and nobility in all facets of life. This is the real meaning of&nbsp;Yogaha karmasu kausalam, योगः कर्मसु कौशलम् (Yoga is excellence in action).With love and respect, Kamlesh

The ultimate communication

<h3 style="text-align:center;">YES, YOU CAN DO IT!</h3><h4 style="text-align:justify;">DAAJI shares some tips on how to improve your communication skills, to bring harmony and compassion to daily interactions with others in the workplace, in the family, and everyone you meet.</h4>&nbsp;Dear friends,I receive a lot of questions about communication: How to speak well? How to avoid conflicts, especially with loved ones? And how to become better communicators in the workplace?So far in this column, we have talked about ways to improve overall well-being through various simple exercises, such as using Heartfulness Meditation to raise our level of consciousness, Heartfulness Cleaning to rid ourselves of inner complexities and impurities, and Heartfulness Prayer to dissolve our individual identity. We have focused on when we do these spiritual practices and how they can help us every day.But what about the many waking hours each day we are communicating with other people? Our character is communicated in every little interaction. The quality of our communication affects the quality of our lives in so many ways.How can we make our way of communicating a way of becoming better human beings? Here are a few tips to become more effective and gracious communicators.<h4 style="text-align:justify;">Intend to Connect</h4>Connection means to be open, and stay in touch with what matters to others—and to yourself—in every moment.Aim for a respectful and compassionate quality of connection, so that everyone can express themselves, be heard, and understood. Trust that the connection is more important and more nourishing than being right or having your say.When another person feels you understand them, they are more likely to be open to understanding you. Willingness to understand involves generosity, respect, self-control, compassion and patience. Be “curious instead of furious” about how others are different from you.Give others the freedom to act and watch them blossom.<h4 style="text-align:justify;">Listen more than speak</h4>We have two ears and one mouth—a reminder of what is important!Listening is key. Often, we are only half listening, waiting for our chance to speak, wanting to make our point. When our attention is with our own thoughts, we are not listening.Listening means to enter into the world of the other person, to intend to understand them, even if we disagree with what they are saying.Be aware of how you are reacting to what the other person is saying. Are you attentive, neutral, open, in listening mode, or are you already reacting inside? The other person will feel what is going on inside you at the subconscious level.Listen well. What do you learn from others with active listening?&nbsp;<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:50%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/become_better_communicators2_06db4f9983.webp" alt="become-better-communicators2.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_become_better_communicators2_06db4f9983.webp 145w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/large_become_better_communicators2_06db4f9983.webp 450w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/become_better_communicators2_06db4f9983.webp 450w," sizes="100vw"></figure>&nbsp;<h4 style="text-align:justify;">Connection, understanding and harmony</h4>Everything within you is expressed through your body, your facial expressions, the tone of your voice, and the vibrations that emanate from you. All these are picked up by others. Are your words in harmony with these elements? To have connection, understanding and harmony in your relationships, you need to nourish those aspects deeply within yourself.First comes self-compassion. The more we feel compassion for ourselves, the more we feel it for others. People who are high in self-compassion are wise and emotionally resilient.Empathy is all about feeling, resonating, and responding to needs. Both the needs of others and your own needs.Ask yourself, “If I were in their situation, what would I want?” The natural capacity of “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you” is a helpful reminder when we find ourselves in a state of self-centeredness, of desire, and ego.The more joyful you are, the lighter and more inspiring your conversations and communications will be.<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">The more we feel compassion for ourselves, the more we feel it for others. People who are high in self-compassion are wise and emotionally resilient.</h4><hr>I hope these few tips, along with the practices of Heartfulness will bring more awareness, confidence, and joyfulness to your day-to-day connections with others.Wishing you all the best, DaajiFor further information on Heartful Communication go to:&nbsp; https://learning.heartfulness.org/courses/hc-english

Becoming better communicators

Definition of consciousness

<h4 style="text-align:justify;">On May 14, 2024, at the Institut du Monde Arabe in Paris, DAAJI was interviewed by GUILA CLARA KESSOUS, the UNESCO Artist for Peace, and Ambassador for Peace of the Universal Circle of Ambassadors of Peace (Geneva) about art.</h4><h4 style="text-align:justify;">Art is a way to express your deepest feelings</h4>GCK: What is your definition of art?DAAJI: It’s very difficult to define, but I would say to make the inexpressible expressible through visual graphics.For example, when we talk philosophically about animal man becoming human, and humans becoming humane, and the humane quality advancing to become divine or angelic, how can you express that visually? Someone else is in love and dancing away with songs that express their inner state, which otherwise would be difficult to put on paper. So art is a way to express your deepest feelings, which cannot otherwise be expressed in words. When words fail, art can help us to a certain extent. But after some level, it’s difficult; for example, how can you express states beyond bliss through art?GCK: So it’s a way to connect the intangible with the tangible.DAAJI: Yes.GCK: Can art help to connect with the power of oneself and the power of others, as in meditation?DAAJI: For the artist, art can become a creative thing for centering oneself. Sportspeople get absorbed in playing tennis or badminton or football, and are so happy because they are in the flow. A similar thing happens to a flautist or a violinist or an artist. And meditation is also a kind of a flow, but it is going inward. Artistic expression presents things outward. They are two different directions.I can go inward to express something outward, to a certain extent. Art can be a powerful tool, but it cannot match the state of meditation because the directions are different. In meditation, we are connected at the deepest level. If we join hands and make a big circle, we are connected through our hands, not through our hearts. Meditation takes us in, purifies the heart, and connects the hearts of individuals. This is my understanding so far.<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">In meditation, we are connected at the deepest level. If we join hands and make a big circle, we are connected through our hands, not through our hearts. Meditation takes us in, purifies the heart, and connects the hearts of individuals.&nbsp;</h4><hr>GCK: So art is a way to translate something intangible, something sacred, something divine.DAAJI: Well, to a certain extent the heart can help us express the beauty of Divinity. But how can you express the moment of creation, for example? You know, in physics, they talk about the Big Bang theory—there was a singularity, and from this singularity there was a burst of energy. And that energy was so powerful it ended up creating physical objects throughout the universe. How can you represent that moment on paper? Creation is a continuous process, a dynamic process. Once you have created an artwork, it becomes static. So, art has limitations. We would have to create multiple paintings, like a movie, the continuous depiction of the unfolding of creation.<h4 style="text-align:justify;">Unconditioning the heart</h4>To me, the heart can be utilized for many things. Heart should be unconditioned. For example, how do I describe beauty on paper? In a certain way. How does a mother describe beauty on paper? Differently from me. How do you describe beauty on paper? And someone else? We all attribute beauty based on our backgrounds and our conditioning.There are 700 to 800 people here, and when we look at each other we are constantly screening and filtering. The first thing that strikes us: this is a woman, this is a man. Next, we might describe the dress. People who are interested in watches will spot the type of watch you are wearing. Lovers of jewelry will observe the jewelry you are wearing. And a cobbler will look at your shoes, and judge the kind of person you are based on your shoes.We are in the business of reading hearts, so with closed eyes we look at hearts. The heart can be felt when we close our eyes; the heart can perceive things when we close our eyes; whereas we create art with open eyes.Whatever we do, however, the heart will give the right signal, and this signaling from the heart must be protected. If we don’t have an unbiased heart-mind, our feelings and perception will be wrong. The purer the heart, the better the signals it gives to represent something as it is.<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">Whatever we do, however, the heart will give the right signal, and this signaling from the heart must be protected. If we don’t have an unbiased heart-mind, our feelings and perception will be wrong. The purer the heart, the better the signals it gives to represent something as it is.</h4><hr>GCK: You are such a creative person. Would you consider yourself an artist?”DAAJI: Human beings are multifaceted personalities, and when we include the heart, the aspect of creativity is infinite. You can write a lovely book, paint, play music, sit quietly and listen to music like nobody else, sit quietly for days without being disturbed, without asking for anything, or you can sit under a tree and gaze at the stars at night. These are all aspects of your individuality.But we can also go beyond this individuality, which is after all an aspect of ego, because it limits us. Artists, flautists, and violinists are limited professions. When we become individuals without personas, without masks, and go deeper in our hearts, many things come out in the form of creativity.If I say, “I’m an artist,” it will not be the truth according to the traditional definition. An artist is one who expresses something on paper or canvas, or through music, and I can do none of that. Yet I do feel that I am an artist from inside; but I am not only an artist. The multifaceted quality God has given us means that we are all infinite; there is no limit to our creativity. Being an artist is a beautiful thing, as it represents creativity, but just to create in one way is limiting. All the great artists and composers were also limited. Opening the heart creates infinity in front of us. That is the role of meditation.GCK: What is your advice to the younger generations to go beyond, unleash this creativity, and allow ourselves to be multifaceted?DAAJI: If you wish to go beyond, the question is: Where will you go? What is beyond yourself? What is beyond your heart? What is beyond your mind? The Creator. You are just a drop of water. Imagine you are on the beach at the seaside. Water sprays on you, and some falls on your palm. What would be going through that water drop if it had consciousness? That I’m separated from my mother, the ocean.&nbsp;<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:50%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/expressing_the_inexpressible2_f3f0e9af4a.webp" alt="expressing-the-inexpressible2.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_expressing_the_inexpressible2_f3f0e9af4a.webp 145w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/large_expressing_the_inexpressible2_f3f0e9af4a.webp 400w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/expressing_the_inexpressible2_f3f0e9af4a.webp 400w," sizes="100vw"></figure><hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">If you wish to go beyond, the question is: Where will you go? What is beyond yourself? What is beyond your heart? What is beyond your mind? The Creator.</h4><hr>We are also droplets, separated from the ocean of consciousness. We are not aware that we are separate, but we do feel the pain of separation, and no one can ease this pain unless and until the drop falls back again into the ocean; until this lifeforce once again merges with the Ultimate. And this possibility exists for one and all. Solve this problem and all other problems in life disappear.Second, all beings without exception, be they human, bird, animal, or plant, seek happiness. No one seeks unhappiness, no one seeks misery. Can you remain happy under restless conditions, where there is violence, when you don't know what’s going to happen next? No. Though you have everything, because of the unpredictability, you will not have happiness. That means happiness requires absence of restlessness, which means harmony within and without. Can you be harmonious within without peace in your heart? Is peace possible without a contemplative mind? Is a contemplative mind possible without having a focused mind? And is a focused mind possible without exercising your mind? The only exercise to arrive at a focused mind is meditation. Now, you connect the dots.If you really want to be happy, in the true sense, meditate. Meditate on things you love; it need not just be God. Express yourself through art, make art your meditation and refer to the heart all the time, center your focus in the heart, and let the creativity flow outward.&nbsp;<img class="image_resized" style="width:50%;" src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/expressing_the_inexpressible3_447757619d.webp" alt="expressing-the-inexpressible3.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_expressing_the_inexpressible3_447757619d.webp 145w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/large_expressing_the_inexpressible3_447757619d.webp 600w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/expressing_the_inexpressible3_447757619d.webp 600w," sizes="100vw"><hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">If you really want to be happy, in the true sense, meditate.&nbsp; Meditate on things you love; it need not just be God.&nbsp; Express yourself through art, make art your meditation and&nbsp; refer to the heart all the time, center your focus in the heart, and&nbsp; let the creativity flow outward.</h4><hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">Illustrations by LAKSHMI GADDAM</h4><hr>

Expressing the inexpressible

<h2 style="text-align:center;">YES, YOU CAN DO IT!</h2><h4 style="text-align:justify;">DAAJI shares some simple mental practices that will help you accept your thoughts and emotions, and feel at peace with yourself. They are best done alone and all of them are great balancing exercises.</h4>Dear friends,There are many instances in our lives where we feel hurt by others. Perhaps they tell us off, point out deficiencies, or are angry for no apparent reason. At other times we go through feelings of grief and sadness upon losing a loved one. And in our day-to-day dealings with people at work there may be someone whose attitude is disturbing to our level of peacefulness. Sometimes we feel resentment if people don’t meet our expectations. All these situations can create such ripples in our minds that we are unable to let go of what that person did to us.Also, there are situations where we hurt others, sometimes knowingly and sometimes unknowingly, and we feel deep regret. If someone close to us has died we may feel such sadness that we did not say something important to them, but it is too late. These disturbing issues can leave heaviness and impressions in our hearts.How can we deal with these all-too-common human frailties? How can we come to a state of equanimity, feeling compassion and empathy for others, or compassion and empathy for ourselves. How can we prevent the thoughts and emotions from disturbing us and come to a sense of resolution and acceptance?Here are a few exercises that will help to bring a state of acceptance and of forgiveness, and allow you to find inner peace.<h4 style="text-align:justify;">Seeding positive thoughts toward someone who has hurt you</h4>Sit comfortably and close your eyes.Imagine the form of the person in front of you.Have the thought that, “This person is my friend and well-wisher.”Think that all negative thoughts the person has about you are going, and thoughts related to your welfare have been infused in them instead.Whenever you have the opportunity to go near the person, gently and subtly pay attention very indirectly to their face, without staring.When you breathe out, have the thought that particles of your love and affection are entering their heart.When you breathe in, have the thought that you are pulling all the negative thoughts they have about you from their heart and throwing them aside.Initially this task may seem difficult, and you may feel resistance, but if you are courageous it will become easy as you practice it.<h4 style="text-align:justify;">The empty chair technique for unresolved issues.</h4>This technique can help us to express our emotions in a safe space where we can communicate feelings of sadness, anger, or guilt. Perhaps it is with someone who has passed away, or someone with whom you have had an argument or hurt in some way, either knowingly or unknowingly. It is derived from the Gestalt Empty Chair technique. Do this somewhere where you will not feel disturbed.Put out two chairs facing each other.Sit in one of the chairs and imagine that the other person is sitting facing you, and listening to what you have to say. You may even speak to a part of yourself.Begin a conversation, explaining your thoughts and feelings, and whatever else you would like to say to that person. Feel free to be honest and authentic toward yourself and the other.When you feel that you have been able to express what was needed, move to the other chair and respond from the other person’s perspective. That is taking on their role.&nbsp;<img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/reset_part2_2_d866cc6d9d.webp" alt="reset-part2-2.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_reset_part2_2_d866cc6d9d.webp 145w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/large_reset_part2_2_d866cc6d9d.webp 800w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/reset_part2_2_d866cc6d9d.webp 800w," sizes="100vw">&nbsp;This simple exercise can be repeated until you feel a sense of connection, peace, and understanding from both sides.<h4 style="text-align:justify;">Journaling</h4>Every day, spend 15 minutes of quiet time with your journal. Only you will see this journal. Explore how you are feeling and draw or write your observations. Try to do this without over-thinking or judging, just let your feelings flow onto the page.&nbsp;<img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/reset_part2_3_aa0ade157f.webp" alt="reset-part2-3.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_reset_part2_3_aa0ade157f.webp 145w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/large_reset_part2_3_aa0ade157f.webp 800w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/reset_part2_3_aa0ade157f.webp 800w," sizes="100vw"><h4 style="text-align:justify;">&nbsp;</h4><h4 style="text-align:justify;">Self-acceptance</h4>Sit comfortably and relax. Close your eyes and rest in your heart for a few moments. Feel your heart’s natural acceptance and let it spread through you. Allow this state of acceptance to expand through your whole system.Have the conviction that deep within your heart there is a space that is free from fear and from resentment. Here you will experience total freedom, taking refuge in this space. A regular meditation practice will help you to feel free of your emotional limitations.<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">Have the conviction that deep within your heart there is a space that is free from fear and from resentment. Here you will experience total freedom, taking refuge in this space. A regular meditation practice will help you to feel free of your emotional limitations.</h4><hr>If you are experiencing deep depression or other extreme feelings, please contact a health practitioner.I wish you all well in your journey to deeper understanding of your higher self and purpose in this life,Daaji&nbsp;

Reset, part 2

<h2 style="text-align:center;">LETTERS TO FAMILY AND FRIENDS</h2>Dear Dad,Please speak to us about change.<hr>Dear Sahaj and Marg,One of the things that is eternal is change. You cannot avoid it. If it is toward the welfare of the universe, it will be evolutionary. Change demands adjustment. The faster the change, the faster the process of adjustment. Implementing change demands focus and rapidity. Be it a process or a personal matter related to a relationship, any such scenario demands energy input and effort. Whatever demands energy input is bound to be expensive, and eventually destabilizing. Stability is life. Modern life is constantly changing, so hardly anything repeats except constant adjustment, constant re-learning of the “new.” It drives us all toward instability. The next step is that we become protective as far as energy consumption is concerned. Entropy or attrition is a natural consequence.The greater the objective, the wider the gap between what is now and what is to be accomplished, so more effort and energy input is needed. Does that mean we should avoid change? No, not at all. If we avoid change, the next question arises: What about my evolution? If God, Infinity, is our goal, imagine the infinite input needed from our side! You can always say, “God, I have invested everything within my ambit. Now, I surrender and leave the matter in your hands.” Such a prayer must be genuine and from the heart.Change comes in many ways – physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual. In all these, there is one common thing, and that is a change of perspective and outlook on life. Ask yourself, “Has my outlook on life changed recently?” If not, consider yourself stuck. Either that or you have reached the final frontier where no further growth is possible!Change is difficult when it is against your desire. When you are in love, you will adjust and fulfill every little hint of your beloved without any resistance. In the absence of love, even things you like to do become a burden.So, what have I learned so far? Above all, whenever there is an inner calling, and a desperation that I must accomplish “this” no matter what, it surpasses all sorts of inducement for change. It is self-sustaining and arises out of a deep inner conviction. I hope you will invite changes in a sahaj [natural] manner.With lots of love, Dad

On change

<h2 style="text-align:center;">LETTERS TO FAMILY AND FRIENDS</h2>&nbsp;Dear Kamlesh bhai,In Heartfulness, you start with the last three steps of Ashtanga Yoga – dharana, dhyana, and samadhi. Why not start with the first two steps, yama and niyama, as in the traditional view?<hr>Dear Swamiji,Pranams. You have raised a very valid point, but after years of practical experience, I can say that my Guru’s guidance is absolutely practical. Let me try to explain why.The goal of yoga does not mean the absence of mind, intellect, ego, consciousness, and physical existence. The ultimate achievement does not deny their presence. The ultimate blossoming only shows us the beauty of all that is. There is a great shift in the understanding of the body, mind, intellect, ego, and consciousness; they are the vehicles that become finely tuned with the inner being we call the soul.Meditation (dhyana) is the pathway to ultimate nothingness. It helps us to refine the mind, intellect, ego, and consciousness. A person with a refined consciousness cannot harm themselves or others by any means. Right and wrong, good and bad, are easily discernible by such a mind. With sharpened discernment, a developed mind becomes the perfect vehicle.Having begun the eight-fold path of Ashtanga Yoga with dharana, dhyana, and samadhi, we can then appreciate the value and importance of yama and niyama. In contrast, if we begin with yama, it is like putting the cart before the horse.Please visit Kanha ashram and stay with us for as long as you wish.With salutations,&nbsp; Kamlesh

Why start with meditation instead of yama and niyama?

<h2 style="text-align:center;">YES, YOU CAN DO IT!</h2><h4 style="text-align:justify;">DAAJI shares some simple exercises that will help you get out of your thoughts and worry, and reconnect with your body and the world around you. They are fun and can be done alone or with friends and family. All of them are great stressbusters.</h4>&nbsp;Dear friends,As our lives seem to be more and more complicated, with feelings of being overwhelmed, of uncertainty and stress, our thoughts take on a life of their own. We can feel powerless with the bad news that surrounds us. We may be struggling with addictions of one sort or another, e.g. our phones, the Internet, food, and substances, or difficult situations in our family or work lives.Sometimes what can help is a little reset. Some simple practices to turn our minds from brooding over the seemingly endless thoughts that disturb our equanimity and abilities to thrive in daily life.Touch and movement are great ways to get out of your head and into your body. So here are a few simple reset exercises. You can do them by yourself or with friends and family. They bring joy, laughter, and a feeling of lightness that opens a different perspective on life. Please go at your own pace and be attentive to what your body is able to handle.<h4 style="text-align:justify;">Warm-up</h4>Stand with your feet apart, feet facing forward and slowly twist your body from one side to the other, swinging your arms. Do this a few times on each side. It will loosen your body and help you feel relaxed.&nbsp;<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:50%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/reset2_e5d92b6ca9.webp" alt="reset2.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_reset2_e5d92b6ca9.webp 145w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/large_reset2_e5d92b6ca9.webp 369w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/reset2_e5d92b6ca9.webp 369w," sizes="100vw"></figure><hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">Some simple practices to turn our minds from brooding over the seemingly endless thoughts that disturb our equanimity and abilities to thrive in daily life.</h4><hr><h4 style="text-align:justify;">Become like a child</h4>Walk on all four of your limbs like a cow. Crawl like a baby.&nbsp;<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:50%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/reset3_e902280bc0.webp" alt="reset3.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_reset3_e902280bc0.webp 145w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/large_reset3_e902280bc0.webp 493w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/reset3_e902280bc0.webp 493w," sizes="100vw"></figure>&nbsp;<h4 style="text-align:justify;">Jump!</h4>In a standing position feeling balanced on your feet,&nbsp; turn to face East and jump five times, turn to face North and jump five times,&nbsp; turn to face West and jump five times,&nbsp; turn to face South and jump five times.&nbsp; Repeat this whole sequence a few times.<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:25%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/reset4_0f3c9e7913.webp" alt="reset4.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/large_reset4_0f3c9e7913.webp 108w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/reset4_0f3c9e7913.webp 108w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_reset4_0f3c9e7913.webp 145w," sizes="100vw"></figure>&nbsp;<h4 style="text-align:justify;">Look up</h4>Go outside and look up the sky. Actively observe what you are seeing, such as treetops, birds, cloud formations, or chimney tops.Looking up squeezes the area at the base of your brain and has a balancing effect on your system. Going outside connects you with the world and expands your horizon.<h4 style="text-align:justify;">Walk backward</h4>Choose a place where you will not run into anything.&nbsp; Start slowly, taking five steps forward and five steps back.&nbsp; Increase the pace and distance as you gain more confidence.Researchers have found differences in neural activity when we walk backward. The prefrontal cortex, responsible for cognitive skills such as making decisions, is especially activated when reverse walking. It can also bring physical benefits to relieve back pain, etc.<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">Researchers have found differences in neural activity &nbsp;when we walk backward. The prefrontal cortex,&nbsp; responsible for cognitive skills such as making decisions,&nbsp; is especially activated when reverse walking.&nbsp; It can also bring physical benefits to relieve back pain, etc.</h4><hr>I hope these few exercises, along with the daily practices of Heartfulness <a href="https://heartfulness.org/magazine/emotional-intelligence-meditation-heart-centered-living" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Meditation and Cleaning</a>, will bring some peace and confidence to your heart and mind.Wishing you all the best, Daaji

Reset, part 1

Refined consciousness

<h2 style="text-align:center;">YES, YOU CAN DO IT!</h2><h4 style="text-align:justify;">At the Global Spirituality Mahotsav, DAAJI shares his vision for bringing about world peace through individual peace, through cooperative projects, and through staying together to dissolve differences and bring progress.</h4>The dream of Swami Vivekananda ji has been perceived by so many of us in this particular moment of bringing many paths and followers together. Now that we have come together, it is just the beginning. What do we do next? What is the purpose of this gathering? Our goal is very clear: to bring about harmony within each community through individual peace, so that we build the capacity for global peace.There is no magic wand that can change the level of peace and global harmony in one stroke. Lord Krishna could not attain it; none of us can attain it alone. First, we all have to work together, individually—one heart at a time. Next, all of us can take up some projects together, co-share those projects, implement those projects and successfully complete those projects across the globe.<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">When we work together,&nbsp; we will be able to dissolve our differences,&nbsp; and that will be the sign of progress.&nbsp; Working together is the next step to a mere beginning.&nbsp; A further step is to grow together.&nbsp; When we maintain these relationships&nbsp; of working together for longer and longer periods,&nbsp; we will see how the small step of coming together evolves.&nbsp;</h4><hr>When volunteers from Jainism, Buddhism, Sikhism, Islam, Christianity, Judaism, Hinduism, Transcendental Meditation, Brahma Kumaris, Heartfulness, and no tradition all work together, we will be able to understand each other’s minds, hearts, and emotions. When we work together, we will be able to dissolve our differences, and that will be the sign of progress. Working together is the next step to a mere beginning. A further step is to grow together. When we maintain these relationships of working together for longer and longer periods, we will see how the small step of coming together evolves. This is especially vital for our youth.When people of different faiths come together and do simple things like planting trees, going to villages to help children understand the importance of education, teaching farmers how to double their crop productivity, increasing the intuitive capabilities of little children—so many things can be achieved.This gathering is not just about exchanging philosophical ideas; it is mainly to come together as one to spread the message of love. Otherwise, such meetings will go on and on.Actually, when did we ever have such a meeting? I don’t recollect it ever happening like this in the recent era, and our grateful hearts go out to the Ministry of Culture for bringing so many groups together to promote brotherhood, love, and compassion toward each other.<h4>Activity</h4>Take up a local project in your community. Here are some examples, but please don’t be limited by these:<ul><li>Take up an ecological project, e.g. planting trees in an area that has been deforested; cleaning up a stream, river or lake; setting up recycling centers and compost facilities in local communities, and training people how to use them.</li><li>Take up an educational project, e.g. teaching Brighter Minds programs to disadvantaged children; collecting books and setting up a mobile library for children where story-time is offered; offering art, music, or dance classes.</li><li>Take up a health project, e.g. working with local groups to promote healthy eating, good hygiene, digital detox, sleep habits.</li></ul>Partner with other organizations that are also interested in the same projects, pool your resources, and work together for maximum benefit. There is no limit to what we can accomplish together.<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">When people of different faiths come together&nbsp; and do simple things like planting trees,&nbsp; going to villages to help children understand&nbsp; the importance of education,&nbsp; teaching farmers how to double their crop productivity,&nbsp; increasing the intuitive capabilities of little children— so many things can be achieved.</h4><hr><figure class="image image_resized" style="width:75%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/working_together2_c245ac45d4.webp" alt="working-together2.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_working_together2_c245ac45d4.webp 145w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/large_working_together2_c245ac45d4.webp 500w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/working_together2_c245ac45d4.webp 500w," sizes="100vw"></figure>

Working together

<h4 style="text-align:justify;">On the second day of the Global Spirituality Mahotsav, DAAJI spoke about the purpose of the gathering, why there are different religious practices in different faiths, how to nurture the soul, and how all people can come together for a better world.</h4>&nbsp;Lovers of God, to you all my heartfelt Pranams. I hope this will become a yearly tradition throughout the globe. Coming together is only the beginning. When we work together it will translate into progress, in the words of Henry Ford. When we join hands and grow, we will have to understand each other, and how to work together to fulfill a goal.Many ask me, “What is the purpose of this event?”&nbsp; I reply, “It is to come together for the moment, learn from each other, understand each other, know each other, and then roll out programs across the globe.” There will be volunteers from many organizations who can work together on specific projects.The United Nations SDGs are there, including pollution control of all kinds (soil, water, air), the education of women, equality, poverty eradication, etc. But fundamentally, they have not included the one thing that is the cause of all the other problems.A dear brother from France highlighted this need for meditation to regulate the mind so as to address all the SDGs. A mind that has transcended differences can discriminate, discerning right from wrong. An unregulated mind will always be tempted to do wrong. Why would a person with a sane, regulated mind think of polluting the air or polluting the water? It is not possible; hence the need for meditation. In brief, all the various types of pollution in the world are the product of mental pollution.In the traditions of India, we pluck Tulsi leaves. Is Tulsi a goddess? No, but we call her a goddess. Why? Because Tulsi has so many healing properties that no one should destroy her. Our ancestors called Tulsi a goddess so we wouldn’t destroy the plants, we would worship them. Isn’t it wonderful, respecting a little plant, worshipping it?Likewise, there are many other traditions, like breathing exercises, Pranayama. Do you think huffing and puffing will bring God toward you? Not at all. But when Pranayama is tied with religion, people do it. Pranayama is mainly to look after your koshas for your health and well-being.In Hinduism, we have a sattvic diet prescribed. Why? Because through a sattvic diet we nourish our physical body. Through mental activity, such as interacting with our elders, learning in colleges, universities, and schools, and now through Google matha [mother], we nourish our minds.How do we nourish the soul? The Adi-guru of Heartfulness, Shri Ram Chandra ji, also known as Lalaji Maharaj, showed us how to enrich our prana in order to enrich our souls. He said that it is through pranasya pranaha or pranahuti—prana of the subtlest order transmitted by a yogi of caliber. It awakens our dormant consciousness, and helps that consciousness to travel from the base to the human to the humane to the divine levels. This is the promise. It is not a false promise; it is a promise that can be experienced.In science we don’t have to believe. There are factual things—gravitation, the quantum field, the laws of genetics, chemical reactions, the laws of thermodynamics—where the fundamental laws stay the same. So it is in spirituality. The fundamental law that governs all is love. Then, we speak of “Ekam Brahmam dvitya naste,” meaning there is only one God. In the Quran it says “La ilaha illallah,” also meaning there is only one God. In the Christian tradition too there is only one God.Christ said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well.” Lord Krishna said, “Abandon all dharmas, surrender to me, I will save you from trials and tribulations.” In Buddhism it is “Buddham Saranam Gacchami,” meaning I go to the Buddha for refuge. When we listen to such statements and we don’t understand them, they seem superficially egotistic. But they are not. I must tell you, love means surrender.Here, I speak about surrender not in the form of defeat, but because I have won over myself. My ego is now sublimated, so “I” exists no more. Though art the only one, dear God.We can realize this state as a follower of any religion. If you are a Hindu, be the best Hindu you can be. If you are a Christian, be the best Christian. If you are a Muslim, be the best Muslim, and so on.<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">Pranasya pranaha or pranahuti—prana of the subtlest order—transmitted by a yogi of caliber awakens our dormant consciousness, and helps that consciousness to travel from the base to the human to the humane to the divine levels.</h4><hr>Will there be wars if you follow your own dharma perfectly? No, there cannot be. Religions are all faithful systems. Kofi Annan, former Director-General of the United Nations once said, “The problem is not with the faith, but with the faithful.” The faithful believe in their faith alone, and think they are superior to others. This is the problem. My Guruji Maharaj used to say that there is nothing wrong with thinking you are great, but always think the other person is greater.So with this little understanding, with peaceful hearts, let us all practice on a daily basis. When you do your Namaz, be receptive to the godly Grace. When you do your puja pat in front of your favorite deity, be receptive, be loving, open your heart. Whatever form of practice you are performing, do it with a receptive heart, not as a ritual, not out of fear, not out of temptation, not for begging, but with love for the sake of love.When we maintain this, we will change. Once we change, the world will change. And we will contribute much more this way.<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">Whatever form of practice you are performing, do it with a receptive heart, not as a ritual, not out of fear, not out of temptation, not for begging, but with love for the sake of love.&nbsp;</h4><hr><figure class="image image_resized" style="width:75%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/love_for_the_sake_of_love2_95eda68d70.webp" alt="love-for-the-sake-of-love2.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_love_for_the_sake_of_love2_95eda68d70.webp 145w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/large_love_for_the_sake_of_love2_95eda68d70.webp 600w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/love_for_the_sake_of_love2_95eda68d70.webp 600w," sizes="100vw"></figure><h4 style="text-align:center;">AI generated illustrations</h4><hr>

Love for the sake of love

Sat, rajas, and tamas

<h2 style="text-align:center;">YES, YOU CAN DO IT!</h2><h4 style="text-align:justify;">DAAJI shares his experience of the healing power of trees, and how a simple tree practice improved his health. He invites us all to try that same practice.</h4>Dear friends,In the early 20th century, the great sage, Ram Chandra of Fatehgarh (Lalaji), visited a village in the tribal area of Rawati in present-day Madhya Pradesh, India. He was greatly taken by the place, which reminded him of the ancient ashram of Kakabhushundi. Whoever entered that ashram experienced a sense of liberation.Lalaji liked the natural beauty and innocence of the village people. He wanted to stay there, and realize his dream of building an ashram like that of Kakabhushundi. He wrote, “Such places have a better capacity to absorb feelings and Transmission than people do, and can retain them for a longer period. As a result, whoever goes there cannot but be influenced. This is the reason why even today this place looks like Brindavan. Even if one looks at it from the traditional angle, one can do better sadhana here than in other places.”In 2007 I went looking for this village, now called Raoti. On reaching the railway station, I could see that there were hardly any trees for hundreds of hectares; they had been cut down. And as I reached the village, I noticed the stream had almost dried up. Yet on the banks were beautiful trees, including a huge banyan tree with a giant canopy. Perhaps Lalaji visited this very spot. I sat there and felt immensely benefited.Why are trees so special? First, they retain spiritual charge for a longer period than humans, because their consciousness is of a different quality. We have a very dynamic consciousness that gives us the potential to willfully evolve, but also of going in the opposite direction.By and large we do not know how to use what is given to us, and we tend to lose it. In addition, our constant activity of thoughts, emotions, and actions create thought pollution, changing the environment around us.Trees, on the other hand, retain spiritual charge as it is given, without creating disturbance. They are vibration banks that retain the divine charge of Transmission. So future generations also benefit from them holding spiritual charge. Trees do not go backwards in the field of evolution, but they also cannot evolve willfully. It is actually their lack of will that protects the charge once it is absorbed in them.Trees are also conduits for the flow of energy from the earth upward and from the cosmos downward. Through this flow, they sustain all the lifeforms around them by distributing their charge, for example, through fungal networks in the soil, and in all the lifeforms that live on and among their branches and leaves.<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">Trees retain spiritual charge as it is given,&nbsp; without creating disturbance. They are vibration banks that retain the divine charge of Transmission. So future generations also benefit from them holding spiritual charge.</h4><hr>Have you ever observed the branches and leaves of a large tree dancing in the breeze? You can feel the joyous expansiveness in their movements. Whereas when a branch is being cut, the feeling is of a totally different nature-constrictive and defensive. During different seasons, also, the energy flow will vary. In winter, the energy and nutrients flow down into the roots to regroup and remain dormant for some time, so that in spring they can rise up and the tree flourishes with new buds, new leaves, flowers, and eventually fruits for the production of seeds. In extreme heat also, trees conserve their energy remarkably, and only produce the bare essentials. Everything is about maintenance at that time.We have a lot to learn from being with trees. In fact, once when I was very sick, I was told by a healer from Europe, “Why don’t you sit with a prayer to a tree, asking the tree, ‘Will you exchange?’” Our relationship with trees is complementary. What is not good for us, like carbon dioxide, they can use, and vice versa. There is a healthy exchange. Trees and humans generally have a good relationship. We have to look after them.<h4 style="text-align:justify;">A simple tree practice</h4>So here is the simple practice that healer taught me. I invite you to try it also.After asking a tree for permission to sit, with a prayer, you may sit on the ground with your back against the trunk of the tree. Make sure the width of the trunk is narrower than your back.Whatever illness or disturbance you have in your system, offer it to the tree, saying, “Please take this away. Also, take whatever you need from me, and give me the strength to survive and heal myself.”I wish you all the best of <a href="https://heartfulness.org/magazine/the-science-of-sleep2" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">health and well-being</a>, Daaji<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:57.22%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/healing_power_of_trees2_f00d77b470.webp" alt="healing-power-of-trees2.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_healing_power_of_trees2_f00d77b470.webp 145w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/large_healing_power_of_trees2_f00d77b470.webp 600w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/healing_power_of_trees2_f00d77b470.webp 600w," sizes="100vw"></figure>&nbsp;

The healing power of trees

<h2 style="text-align:center;">YES, YOU CAN DO IT!</h2><h4 style="text-align:justify;">DAAJI shares a simple way to open your heart and expand awareness of your connection with others and the world.</h4>Dear friends,You have consciousness, awareness, and free will. So, how can you use these gifts to evolve from being human to humane to divine?When we are born, we are not aware of differences and similarities; we simply accept. As we grow up, we start to identify and label ourselves and others according to color, culture, religious or spiritual leanings, gender, career, place in our culture and society, mental and physical health, and so on. There are so many labels and categories. We become attached to them and think they are real. As a result, we establish a whole suite of likes for some and dislikes for others, leading to prejudice and separation.In order to become humane, we need to reverse this construct and move toward a simpler awareness. This goes hand in hand with the expansion of our consciousness. And the result is that we become kinder, more empathetic, affectionate, and compassionate in a natural way. We move from judgment to tolerance, from separation to connection. We allow our small self to become absorbed into the higher Self. My spiritual guide described this advancement as moving “from animal man to human to divine.”We experience this as a result of meditative practices. The labels drop off. Instead of seeing differences, we begin to feel the divine spark that resides in us and every living being. We become aware that we do not live on our planet as visitors, we are part of it, part of nature. When we see images of the Earth from outer space, we cannot detect the differences that separate us: we see it as a whole, a beautiful blue jewel floating in space. There is no separation.Meditation takes us deeper into the conscious, subconscious, and superconscious parts of the mind, where we feel and experience the unity of all beings. In addition to the inner practices of Heartfulness, here are two simple exercises that will help you experience connection and unity:<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">Meditation takes us deeper&nbsp; into the conscious, subconscious,&nbsp; and superconscious parts of the mind,&nbsp; where we feel and experience&nbsp; the unity of all beings.</h4><hr><figure class="image image_resized" style="width:50%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/connect_with_others2_934057321e.webp" alt="connect-with-others2.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_connect_with_others2_934057321e.webp 145w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/large_connect_with_others2_934057321e.webp 500w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/connect_with_others2_934057321e.webp 500w," sizes="100vw"></figure>&nbsp;<h4 style="text-align:justify;">Experiencing connection and unity throughout the day</h4>The Sanskrit word “Namaste” literally means “I bow to you.” This first exercise uses the familiar Namaste greeting to bring inner awareness of connection with others and your environment. It allows love to radiate from your heart in a more conscious way.You may practice it alone or with others. You may prefer to say the equivalent word/s in your own language, or do the practice in silence. This activity is also a fun and profound group activity for children and/or adults in any workshop or seminar setting.The idea is to greet others with the word “Namaste” in order to honor and acknowledge the higher Self within them.Gently place your hands together in a prayerful position over your heart, with your eyes lowered, and your body slightly bowed. Let yourself dive into the higher Self, the pure essence within you. Then, let that essence radiate out to the higher Self of others. They will reciprocate. Now, expand this feeling to include your surroundings: the air particles, the birds, the trees, the flowers, everything around you.Allow this awareness to continue throughout your daily activities. Take the feeling of connection and unity wherever you go, with all who cross your path, to your city, country, the world.This simple gesture will open your heart to the pure essence of all beings. Whether practiced silently within your heart, or when you greet others, it will expand your awareness from human to humane to divine.<h4>An extension</h4>If you wish to take it further:Imagine a person you dislike—perhaps someone who has hurt you—standing in front of you. Have the thought that, “This person is my friend and well-wisher.”&nbsp;Allow the feelings of love and empathy you have created in the Namaste exercise to flow into that person as you breathe out. Have the thought that particles of your love and affection are entering their heart. Let the feeling manifest as forgiveness, empathy, and compassion.When you breathe in, have the thought that you are pulling all the negative thoughts they have about you from their heart and throwing them aside.I wish you all the best on your onward journey, Daaji&nbsp;

Connect with others

<h3 style="text-align:center;">LETTERS TO FAMILY AND FRIENDS</h3>&nbsp;<img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/who_is_a_seeker2_c3817bddce.webp" alt="who-is-a-seeker2.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_who_is_a_seeker2_c3817bddce.webp 145w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/large_who_is_a_seeker2_c3817bddce.webp 1000w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/who_is_a_seeker2_c3817bddce.webp 2000w," sizes="100vw"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/who_is_a_seeker3_2e5b9a3a48.webp" alt="who-is-a-seeker3.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_who_is_a_seeker3_2e5b9a3a48.webp 145w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/large_who_is_a_seeker3_2e5b9a3a48.webp 1000w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/who_is_a_seeker3_2e5b9a3a48.webp 2000w," sizes="100vw"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/who_is_a_seeker4_9e6c1eab0b.webp" alt="who-is-a-seeker4.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_who_is_a_seeker4_9e6c1eab0b.webp 145w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/large_who_is_a_seeker4_9e6c1eab0b.webp 1000w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/who_is_a_seeker4_9e6c1eab0b.webp 2000w," sizes="100vw">

Who is a seeker?

The nature of higher consciousness

<h2 style="text-align:center;">YES, YOU CAN DO IT!</h2><h4 style="text-align:justify;">DAAJI invites you to spend some time doing things for others. Whether it is volunteering, serving others, or cleaning up your local environment, every small act helps! Daaji also shares a simple night-time ritual that we can all do to make a difference.</h4>&nbsp;“I devote a portion of my time to helping others. It is good for my own health.” —Louise HayDear friends,Many people, both young and old, tell me how they are feeling helpless and hopeless with the constant news of disasters, wars, and the environmental impacts of human behavior on our beloved Earth. They are concerned and uncertain about the future. And, indeed, the news is disturbing.But the news doesn’t tell us everything. What about the stories of the many individuals, groups, and organizations around the world selflessly working to aid others less fortunate, cleaning up the environment, planting trees, and feeding others, bringing hope with acts of kindness, compassion, and love?The principle of seva (Sanskrit for selfless service) has endured forever. Seva in its subtle essence is not confined to external actions; it is a state of being, a way of life that embodies love in action, with no expectation of reward or recognition. It is an attitude that eventually becomes our nature. Selfless service and volunteering on an individual level are transformative; they contribute to our personal health and spiritual growth, as well as to collective upliftment.An experiment done with children aged 3 to 4 demonstrates that helping without any personal gain is inherent in the human psyche. An adult picks up a ball from the floor then drops it. Making a pretence of sadness, he picks it up again and drops it again. This pretense continues a few more times, until one of the children walks up to the adult, picks up the ball and places it in his hands. Simple!Volunteering and service directly feed our feelings of self-worth: they combat loneliness, bring us out of our isolation, open us up to new experiences, improve our self-confidence, and bring a sense of purpose and self-esteem, so we feel valued, which in turn protects us from stress and depression.<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">Selfless service and volunteering on an individual level are transformative; they contribute to our personal health and spiritual growth, as well as to collective upliftment.</h4><hr><figure class="image image_resized" style="width:60.84%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/make_a_difference2_fb0c2217ea.webp" alt="make-a-difference2.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_make_a_difference2_fb0c2217ea.webp 145w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/large_make_a_difference2_fb0c2217ea.webp 500w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/make_a_difference2_fb0c2217ea.webp 500w," sizes="100vw"></figure>&nbsp;<h4>What would you like to do?&nbsp;</h4>It is a question with a multitude of answers. Our lifestyles and responsibilities determine how much any of us can do, so it may be something very simple. For those with more time and energy, there are many roles in larger organizations that help the less fortunate and the environment.It may be as simple as visiting an elderly person who is lonely, volunteering at an animal rescue center or homeless shelter, working in a food bank, creating a vegetable garden in waste ground for others, reducing your use of plastics, cleaning up litter, doing small acts of kindness, or teaching others to relax and meditate. There are so many ways.Where do you see a need that resonates in your heart?<h4>The 9 p.m. prayer for humanity</h4>Another subtle and potent way of serving others is through prayer. A prayer that radiates from a sincere heart with a genuine desire to alleviate suffering and bring joy creates a remarkable vibration for change. I invite you to join our global movement by praying with thousands of others around the world at 9 p.m. local time for fifteen minutes. It creates a beautiful resonance in your heart, a softness, and a feeling of connectedness that expands to all.&nbsp;Everyone is being filled with love and devotion and real faith is growing stronger in them.Truth, righteousness, and faith are being established in the world.All kinds of distractions faced by our country and our planet&nbsp; are going away.May this entire Earth be engulfed with peace and with love.<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">When we take one step at a time, doing one positive thing each day, we will collectively bring joy, care, and hope to others through kind and selfless acts.</h4><hr>When we take one step at a time, doing one positive thing each day, we will collectively bring joy, care, and hope to others through kind and selfless acts. Every gesture, no matter how modest, will contribute to the collective welfare of humanity and our dear Mother Earth. We will not only uplift others; we will also experience profound personal growth and fulfillment.All the best, Daaji&nbsp;

Make a difference: volunteer and serve

<h2 style="text-align:center;">YES, YOU CAN DO IT!</h2><h4>DAAJI invites you to start the year with two simple grounding exercises that will bring you both focus and joy as 2024 dawns.</h4><h4 style="text-align:center;">“Life on Earth is about evolution.&nbsp; Every life is an evolution in developing wisdom, skills and attitudes.” —Daaji</h4>&nbsp;Dear friends,The New Year is a good time to pause, evaluate, and focus on the coming time. This is especially true if you are so caught up in busy-ness that you have lost track of where you are going, and even more so when you have experienced trauma or sudden change, a serious illness, a relationship ending, or a loss of someone close. To add to the mix, these days the events in the world bode a sense of helplessness, so it is easy to feel uncertain about the future.&nbsp;One thing that will ground you is a regular practice of meditation, which softens the heart and brings you closer to your higher being. There is no doubt there are big changes happening in the world, and a regular practice of meditation can help you see the bigger picture with a wider perspective.In addition, I invite you to try the following exercises that will bring focus and joy, and will enhance your abilities to both plan for your future and accept the unforeseen.<h4 style="text-align:justify;">Exercise 1: 5 priorities</h4>Sit somewhere comfortable where you will not be interrupted. Close your eyes and ask yourself what are the sticking points in your life right now, what would you like to focus on that will bring you peace and well-being. Allow your mind to be filled with wonder, daydream, and explore.&nbsp;When you are ready, with pen and paper in hand, prioritise five things, number one being the most important.For example, you may be concerned about the effect of social media in your life and want to limit it. Or you may want to repair a relationship with a friend, change careers, or make more effort to strengthen your marriage. Write whatever is uppermost in your mind that has been creating some anxiety or concern.Post the list where you are able to see it. Ponder how you are going to bring the first one about: what actions, what attitude, what changes you may need to make. Imagine how you are going to do it. For instance, if you want to limit phone use, see yourself turning your phone off and putting it somewhere out of the way. Then, think about what you will do with the time you have released for yourself. What would you enjoy doing that would make you feel more positive about your life?<h4 style="text-align:justify;">Exercise 2: Celebrate joy</h4>After (and it could be some time after) you have decided on your priorities, again relax and sit in a comfortable place reminiscing about the activities in your life that brought you joy. What brought you happiness; especially, what lit you up as a younger person? What are your memories of those joyful episodes? A friend told me she had been happy climbing trees in her childhood. Revisit these simple memories and remind yourself how to bring joy to everyday life.&nbsp;And if possible, do some of those activities again. For example, if watching birds brought you joy, go bird watching in your local park or even take a trip to a nature reserve. If you liked dancing as a child, put on some music and dance. It can be as simple as that. It’s all about rekindling joy.All the best, Daaji&nbsp;&nbsp;

Ground yourself

<h4>Dear Mr. Kamlesh Patel,&nbsp;</h4>How is it possible to gauge <a href="https://heartfulness.org/magazine/the-intention-revolution" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">spiritual progress</a>?&nbsp; What changes should I expect in my inner well-being as well as lifestyle?<hr><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/daaji_letter_4ec8adba7c.webp" alt="daaji-letter.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_daaji_letter_4ec8adba7c.webp 145w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/large_daaji_letter_4ec8adba7c.webp 1000w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/daaji_letter_4ec8adba7c.webp 1058w," sizes="100vw"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/daaji_letter2_ec2af8ee90.webp" alt="daaji-letter2.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_daaji_letter2_ec2af8ee90.webp 145w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/large_daaji_letter2_ec2af8ee90.webp 1000w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/daaji_letter2_ec2af8ee90.webp 1058w," sizes="100vw">

What is spirituality?

<h3 style="margin-left:0cm;text-align:center;">YES, YOU CAN DO IT!</h3><h4 style="margin-left:0cm;">As 2023 draws to a close, DAAJI invites you to take stock of the gifts the year has brought, and treat yourself to a simple gratitude practice to end the year.</h4> Dear friends,Over this past year, we have explored various exercises to improve our lives and to heal what needs to be healed. We’ve covered topics like meditation, dealing with thoughts, mental and physical well-being, anger and stress detox, imagining and setting intentions for personal change, being in the present, and acceptance.&nbsp;At year end, it’s time to take stock and feel gratitude for the gifts given and received. This exercise can point the way for our future to become better and better human beings.&nbsp;<h4>Journaling&nbsp;</h4>Keeping a journal is one effective way to take stock. You can look back and see how you have changed over the year. I heartily recommend it.There is so much to write about: your aspirations, observations of how you feel, narrating difficult situations. In the latter, you may find that getting the thoughts and feelings on paper allows your heart to come to acceptance and a way forward.&nbsp;On a spiritual path, keeping a daily journal of what you feel during your practice, any changes in your behavior, and insights is a way to look back and see how far you’ve come. The changes can be subtle, or seemingly instant, but journal writing encourages interest, which in turn designs your destiny.&nbsp;<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">At year end, it’s time to take stock&nbsp; and feel gratitude for the gifts given and received.&nbsp; This exercise can point the way&nbsp; for our future to become better and better human beings.</h4><hr><h4>The gratitude list</h4>Another way to take stock is to note the things for which you are grateful. It is an inspiring and heart-opening exercise, giving perspective and hope. Also, take the time to reflect on any changes you have noticed during the past months. It can chart your future with more positivity.&nbsp;<ul><li>Start by writing down 5 things for which you are grateful. If you discover more than 5, keep writing. They could be very small things, like a special smile from someone, a piece of music, or bigger life-changing happenings</li><li>What touched you the most during this past year? It could be either a happy occasion or a sad occasion. What have you learned from it?</li><li>What brought you the most joy?</li><li>Imagine your next year. What changes would you like to make? Keep it simple. And then set the intentions that will help you to realize your dreams.&nbsp;</li></ul>I wish you all the best in your onward journey, Daaji&nbsp;

Time to take stock

<h4>DAAJI’s latest book, Spiritual Anatomy: Meditation, Chakras, and the Journey to the Center, was released in the U.S. in October 2023, and will be released in other parts of the world in early 2024. It is already a bestseller. In this excerpt, we get a taste of the tips he offers to all spiritual seekers in his groundbreaking book. Here, he shares 3 important attitudes that will help us on our way.</h4>If you wish to realize your fullest human potential, to live from your heart, calm your mind, and expand your spiritual capacity, it’s not the hours you spend in meditation that matter most: It’s your attitude. &nbsp;Be it meditation, writing a letter, or even making a sandwich, the attitude with which we work shapes our inner being. In any task, what we do accounts for 5 percent, and the remaining 95 percent is the attitude with which we do it.You acquire your attitudes through your upbringing and life experiences. You also inherit some of your attitudes from your parents. You can also actively cultivate attitudes. How you think or feel about something or someone is guided by your attitude. Attitudes are so ingrained in you that you aren’t aware of how they shape your destiny. In fact, your life is an expression of your attitudes.Your active focus on cultivating beneficial attitudes helps to accelerate your progress in your spiritual journey. Think what happens when you are digging a well for water. You dig from the top and keep digging deeper (outside in), while the water under the earth is also gushing up to meet the surface (inside out). When it comes to your spiritual journey, the outside in is your cultivating attitudes, and the inside out is the meditation practice doing its work. The two work in tandem.What are some attitudes that we should cultivate? Why these attitudes specifically? There are three core attitudes that will serve you as you elevate your consciousness, which I call the mother tincture attitudes.<h4>THE MOTHER TINCTURE ATTITUDES</h4>In some forms of medicine, there is the idea of a mother tincture. It is the base formulation from which other medicines of varying potency are created. Some core attitudes are like the mother tincture, from which other attitudes emerge. If you can master these mother tinctures, they will lay a strong foundation for your inner development and support you in your day-to-day affairs.The three mother tincture attitudes are:• Sense of urgency • Humility • Liveliness<img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/the_secret_ingredient2_91efec613f.jpg" alt="the-secret-ingredient2.jpg" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_the_secret_ingredient2_91efec613f.jpg 115w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/small_the_secret_ingredient2_91efec613f.jpg 372w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/medium_the_secret_ingredient2_91efec613f.jpg 558w," sizes="100vw"><h4>Sense of Urgency</h4>In any endeavor, a sense of urgency is crucial. It is the first step to creating change. Without a sustained sense of urgency, efforts become lukewarm, and complacency sets in. In your spiritual journey, a sense of urgency helps you focus on your priorities in the present.Make a habit of asking yourself this question: “What’s the most important thing to do in this moment?” It will help you re-center and cultivate a sense of urgency toward your goal. As urgency increases, your eagerness to get to the goal also increases. Questions such as, “What am I here for?” “What do I need to do?” and “What is my goal?” become more frequent. Each time these questions surface in your mind, they leave a ripple of restlessness in your consciousness.But don’t worry – the restlessness I am writing about is nothing like you feel when you are late for a flight or your takeout is delayed. Neither is it the unhealthy restlessness that leads to anxiety or despair. This is spiritual restlessness. It propels you toward the soul’s true purpose: to grow and evolve. If you have been in love, recall the restlessness with which you waited for your lover. Amplify this many times, and you will get a whiff of the restlessness I talk about.The spiritual restlessness created in your meditation finds an ally in the sense of urgency you cultivate. Together, they help you stay focused on the goal. Alertness, initiative, and agility are natural outcomes of a sense of urgency.Now, be mindful that urgency is not desperation. Urgency is a positive driving force you create, but desperation is a knee-jerk reaction grounded in fear or scarcity. A sense of urgency helps you focus on making progress toward the goal daily, whereas desperation creates a flurry of activity that fatigues you.&nbsp;A sense of urgency helps you counter inner entropy and creates protection against a lukewarm approach to life.<img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/the_secret_ingredient3_e9599a38fd.jpg" alt="the-secret-ingredient3.jpg" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_the_secret_ingredient3_e9599a38fd.jpg 220w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/small_the_secret_ingredient3_e9599a38fd.jpg 500w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/medium_the_secret_ingredient3_e9599a38fd.jpg 750w," sizes="100vw"><h4>Humility</h4>Humility is the most sublimated state of ego. Humility is not flattery or servility. Instead, humility is a sign of great self-awareness, where you are aware of your smallness in front of a much bigger ideal. Such awareness gives you a feeling of insignificance that helps you grow. A humble person is respectful by nature and cultivates reverence in the hearts of others. Just as a tree laden with fruit bends naturally under the weight of its gifts, a human being bearing spiritual fruit becomes increasingly accessible to one and all.&nbsp;Humility attracts grace. When a low-pressure area is created in the atmosphere, the wind rushes in to fill the void. In the same way, when you create space within by sublimating the ego, you create a low-pressure area in the heart, which is then filled with grace. When there is humility within, grace descends automatically. And grace is a catalyst for inner progress.<img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/the_secret_ingredient4_0135c7c60a.jpg" alt="the-secret-ingredient4.jpg" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_the_secret_ingredient4_0135c7c60a.jpg 115w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/small_the_secret_ingredient4_0135c7c60a.jpg 372w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/medium_the_secret_ingredient4_0135c7c60a.jpg 558w," sizes="100vw"><h4>Liveliness</h4>Long-drawn faces, gloomy moods, and irritable behaviors stretch the journey. But a song in the heart, a smile on the lips, and a spring in the step make the journey livelier. Cultivate an attitude of liveliness.Become livelier, more cheerful. Carrying the baggage of sadness, sorrow, and unhappiness will not work. How long would you like to carry that sadness with you? Is sorrow that precious? Is it worth storing it in your beautiful heart and burdening it? Moreover, in almost all cases, the reason for sadness will always be another person, who is also God’s creation. To bring about transformation, be livelier. Throw away the deadwood that fixates you. Stay pliable in spirit. Emotional and mental flexibility come from the openness of the heart. A sad, heavy heart cannot stay open. Only a lively heart is open and flowing.<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">To bring about transformation, be livelier.&nbsp; Throw away the deadwood that fixates you.&nbsp; Stay pliable in spirit.&nbsp; Emotional and mental flexibility&nbsp; come from the openness of the heart.&nbsp;</h4><hr><a href="https://heartfulness.org/en/spiritual-anatomy/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://heartfulness.org/en/spiritual-anatomy/&nbsp;</a>Excerpted from Spiritual Anatomy by Kamlesh D. Patel. Copyright © 2023 by Kamlesh D. Patel. Reprinted with permission of Balance Publishing, an imprint of Hachette Book Group. All rights reserved.<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">Illustrations by YULIA VERESK</h4><hr>&nbsp;

The secret ingredient

<h3 style="text-align:center;">YES, YOU CAN DO IT!</h3><h4>DAAJI shares some simple practices to cultivate acceptance – of self and others. They will change your life as you are able to let go of the hurts, grudges, and guilt you hold and live life with contentment in the present.</h4>Dear friends,Our daily struggles are often the result of unmet expectations, plans gone awry, and feeling like we have no control of situations. How to foster a state of inner peace and accept whatever comes our way?When we learn the art of acceptance, it is the acceptance that makes life successful.&nbsp;Life is full of surprises, and navigating change is not always easy. It is better not to expect too much. When we are able to accept whatever life throws at us, we learn to constantly adapt to situations and the actions of ourselves and others without being disturbed. There is no perfect human being. We are colliding against each other with our imperfections! We accept some things with so much joy and have aversion to others. It is when our hearts become small that acceptance bids goodbye. We more easily accept people and their idiosyncrasies when they are our own. When they are not our own, it is a different matter. But connecting with our hearts and diving deep within brings a new perspective and allows us to accept and grow with empathy and compassion.Here are some simple practices to foster acceptance of ourselves and others:<h4>Self-acceptance</h4>Sit quietly and give yourself a hug, with feelings of cherishing the person you are. Rest quietly in this pose for a while. This can release feelings of anxiety, sadness, and persistent thoughts of difficult situations or hurt given or received.<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">Connecting with our hearts and diving deep within brings a new perspective and allows us to accept and grow with empathy and compassion.</h4><hr><h4>Let go</h4><ul><li>Sit in a comfortable position.</li><li>Gently close your eyes and bring your attention to your heart. Dive as deep as you can within your heart and rest there for a few moments.</li><li>Feel your heart’s ability to accept everything, and let that acceptance spread through you. Notice the vacuum that is created when you are able to accept.</li><li>Invoke the presence of the Divine, which will naturally flow into the vacuum.</li><li>Go deeper into that state of acceptance and allow the presence of the Divine to expand within you.</li><li>While deeply absorbed in the Divine, ask for forgiveness for any mistakes you may have committed, even unknowingly. Resolve not to repeat them again.</li><li>Stay in this state with total self-acceptance for a few minutes.</li></ul><h4>Acceptance of others – seeding positive thoughts&nbsp;</h4>Sometimes it is difficult to accept the behavior and actions of others. It disturbs our equanimity and causes distress. This exercise helps us to feel more accepting and understanding of them.<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:75%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/accept_yourself_and_others2_a802cc2c1c.jpg" alt="accept-yourself-and-others2.jpg" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_accept_yourself_and_others2_a802cc2c1c.jpg 245w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/small_accept_yourself_and_others2_a802cc2c1c.jpg 500w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/medium_accept_yourself_and_others2_a802cc2c1c.jpg 750w," sizes="100vw"></figure><ul><li>Sit comfortably and close your eyes.</li><li>Imagine the form of the person in front of you.</li><li>Have the thought that “this person is my friend and wishes well toward me.”</li><li>Think that all negative thoughts the person has about you are going, and thoughts related to your welfare have been infused in them instead.</li><li>When you breathe out, have the thought that particles of your love and affection are entering their heart.</li><li>When you breathe in, have the thought that you are pulling all the negative thoughts they have about you from their heart and throwing them aside.</li></ul>Initially you may feel resistance, but if you are courageous it will become easier as you do it.These practices are more effective once you have had three free Heartfulness meditation sessions with a certified trainer. You can find and contact a trainer near you at www.heartspots.heartfulness.org.&nbsp;I wish you all the best, &nbsp;Daaji&nbsp;

Accept yourself and others

<h4>DAAJI explains a simple way to bring the states of consciousness received in meditation into daily life, creating a state of inner remembrance, which eventually becomes constant remembrance.</h4>After we start a heart-based meditation practice, we soon begin to appreciate the benefits we experience from <a href="https://heartfulness.org/magazine/when-the-heart-speaks" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">daily practice</a>. We also start enjoying the condition of stillness and composure we experience after each meditation in the morning.Progressively, this condition starts to extend throughout the day. We remember the inner state more frequently, and with this undercurrent of stillness we are able to fulfil our world responsibilities effectively, with minimum emotional disturbance. In other words, we start becoming meditatively active – with an inner meditative state we are outwardly active. This is an important transition, because active meditation leads us to be meditatively active.&nbsp;It is often short-lived, though, as it is difficult to retain a meditative state in the midst of day-to-day activities. It recedes as the day goes on, we end up losing the state of remembrance, and we find it difficult to retrieve. What if we could extend this meditative state throughout the day?&nbsp; To reach the stage where it becomes permanent we need a method, and it is explained through the acronym AEIOU. It is a way of deeply absorbing the meditative state within us. This method is practiced after meditation for a few minutes. It can also be done at other times during the day for a few minutes, like switching between activities, so as to retrieve the meditative condition into our consciousness.<h4>How to practice AEIOU?</h4>A is Acquiring the condition. To do this, we study our condition closely right after meditation. For example, we may observe our breathing pattern, the quality and intensity of our thoughts and feelings, any activity or movement we experienced in the chakras during meditation, and any inspirations. We can contrast this with what we observed before meditation. Then we can appreciate what we have acquired.This leads to E, Enlivening the condition. We do this by enjoying the condition received. It is a special gift conferred on us, and gratitude intensifies the joy.This leads to I, Imbibing the condition. We do this by suggesting and feeling that the condition is percolating every cell of our physical body and every part of our subtle body. This way, we begin the process of digesting the condition.This leads to O, becoming One with the condition. We do this by suggesting that everything around us – the air particles, birds, trees, and so on – is filled with the same condition.This leads to U, Union with the condition. We do this by suggesting that we are dissolving in the condition and allowing the condition alone to exist.If we adopt this practice for a few precious minutes after meditation, ideally with eyes closed, we will deeply encode the condition into our consciousness. Our ability to retrieve and re-experience the condition during the day will be enhanced. Just as we are able to recall a fine joke and laugh over it, we will recall our meditative state and enjoy it all over again. We start mastering our condition and gaining a grip over it.&nbsp;Then, periodically pause for a few minutes during the day, and also practice AEIOU. Progressively, remembrance will become more and more frequent and eventually become Constant Remembrance.<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">We start becoming meditatively active &nbsp;– with an inner meditative state we are outwardly active.&nbsp;</h4><hr><h4><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/remembrance_made_simple2_bc5d38c455.webp" alt="remembrance-made-simple2.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_remembrance_made_simple2_bc5d38c455.webp 151w,https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/small_remembrance_made_simple2_bc5d38c455.webp 484w," sizes="100vw"> &nbsp;Neuroscientists agree</h4>There is also merit to AEIOU from a scientific perspective. Neuroscientific studies suggest that our ability to retrieve information from long-term memory (the part of our memory system that stores experiences) into working memory, is directly influenced by how effectively we encode the event into our long-term memory as soon as it occurs. In turn, the quality of encoding is enhanced when we truly connect to the feeling of the experience. That is exactly what we do through interiorizing and absorbing the experience after meditation.&nbsp; So as to better encode the new meditative state into the depths of our being, we also recommend writing a journal after meditation.<h4>The process of absorption</h4>AEIOU is a way of absorbing any state inward through the levels of being. It starts at the surface, with the mental level of thinking. We use the mental faculties of thinking, intelligence, and identification to understand. Then it moves deeper, to the level of feeling in the heart. As we go deeper still, we “become” that state; we move past feeling and experience to becoming. The next step is to “be” the state. This is where we develop Oneness or osmosis. Eventually, we are no longer aware that the state is there at all. We are so merged in it that it is no longer identifiable as a state. We have moved to non-being. These are the levels of the heart – thinking, feeling, becoming, being, and eventually non-being.<figure class="image"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/remembrance_made_simple3_d8dd66acca.webp" alt="remembrance-made-simple3.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_remembrance_made_simple3_d8dd66acca.webp 156w," sizes="100vw"></figure><hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">These are the levels of the heart – thinking, feeling, becoming, being, and eventually non-being.&nbsp;</h4><hr>At a practical level, this deep immersion in our inner state has a profound effect on our communication with ourselves. The inner chatter and especially the negative inner dialogue that most of us are prone to – self-criticism, self-blame, self-judgement, worry and so on – makes way for a silent inner communion with ourselves and inner joy. This in turn creates a vacuum in the heart attracting divine Grace, further amplifying our joy. A virtuous cycle is established.<h4>The effect on others</h4>This inner communion has a soothing effect on those around us. We start speaking in a calm and loving manner, with an intention to connect with others. Any intention to hurt others is gone, so non-violence becomes a part of our being. Our tone of voice is refined, as the weight of emotions reduces. Our inner communion reflects in our outer communication. People are automatically drawn to us and become more receptive to our ideas and suggestions.<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">Our communication evolves into communion.&nbsp; Our inner joy radiates, too.</h4><hr><figure class="image"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/remembrance_made_simple4_6b373be300.webp" alt="remembrance-made-simple4.webp" srcset="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/thumbnail_remembrance_made_simple4_6b373be300.webp 130w," sizes="100vw"></figure>Progressively, inner stillness speaks. Our ability to listen improves. Even when someone is aggressive or attempts to hurt us, we remain unphased. People start feeling safe with us. They experience a clarity, connection and even healing in their interactions with us, even though we don’t say much. Our communication evolves into communion. Our inner joy radiates, too.There is a beautiful story of Lord Buddha in this connection. Once a fearsome thief accosted the Buddha to harm him. On seeing the blissful composure of the Buddha, his own violence dissolved. The thief went on to become one of Lord Buddha’s most devoted disciples. Such is the power of inner stillness – it creates an echo in the Universe. Our world today is in dire need of this deep and transformative stillness.<h4>Mastering meditation</h4>Through AEIOU, we add depth and richness to meditation. We start the meditation by thinking that “The source of Light that is already present within my heart is attracting me from within.” Once we settle into the thought, we dive deeper into the feeling behind the thought – we want to experience the presence of the source of Light in the heart. As this feeling permeates our being, we become the Light, then we move to the state of being the Light, and eventually all of it disappears into nothingness, into non-being. That is why meditation is the mother of Constant Remembrance. When we meditate well, we will know how to absorb the spiritual state we have received and become one with it at the deepest level of our being.<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">AEIOU is not only a method to absorb and gain true mastery&nbsp; over the state gifted during meditation.&nbsp; It is also a way of taking our inner state to the next level. It helps us dive deeper through the levels,&nbsp; from thinking to feeling to becoming to being to non-being.&nbsp;</h4><hr>So AEIOU is not only a method to absorb and gain true mastery over the state gifted during meditation. It is also a way of taking our inner state to the next level. It helps us dive deeper through the levels, from thinking to feeling to becoming to being to non-being. In other words, it takes us from the surface to the Center. It enables our spiritual development and also has a positive effect on our interaction with the world.You can apply the process equally to the practice of remembrance. How deep is your remembrance? How can you evolve from thinking about the Divine to resonating with the inner essence, so that you eventually forget your very existence in the state of complete non-being?&nbsp;

Remembrance made simple

<h4 style="text-align:justify;">DAAJI shares some simple guidance on how to integrate ourselves and refine ourselves to become the best we can be and improve our potential for success in all endeavours.&nbsp;</h4>Dear friends,The purpose of yoga is integration, starting with the integration of body, mind, and soul. So I have been reflecting on the Integration Quotient devised by Dr. Ichak Adizes, a leading management expert, to see how it applies to us as individuals. His quotient looks like this:<figure class="image"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/becoming_whole2_45655ef3a6.jpg"></figure>Our success as individuals is reflected in our ability to be integrated, whole. This manifests as things like peace of mind, happiness, balance and moderation, career growth, integrity, etc. What holds us back is internal disintegration, and this is reflected in inner turmoil, self-doubt, mistrust, and destructive tendencies.&nbsp;As a rule, energy is first directed toward resolving internal disintegration (the denominator), and only after that does leftover energy flow toward external integration (the numerator). For example, when we are ill or emotionally disturbed, we have little energy for innovation and creativity. When we reduce internal disintegration, energy is available for integration and success. Generally, the greater the value of the quotient, the better chance we have of being happy and healthy, while the smaller the value of the quotient, the greater the internal disintegration and the more disturbance there is.<h4 style="text-align:justify;">Character, behavior, and tendencies</h4>How can we better understand this from a behavioral perspective? The first two limbs of Ashtanga Yoga are Yama and Niyama. Yama means to remove unwanted character traits and tendencies, while Niyama means to cultivate noble character traits and tendencies.&nbsp;The five Yamas are:Ahimsa – the removal of violence, forceful tendencies and imposition, so that love remains. Satya – the removal of distortion so that truth and authenticity remain. Asteya – the removal of the habit of stealing from others so that a giving nature remains. Brahmacharya – the removal of sensory imbalances and excesses so that moderation remains. Aparigraha – the removal of possessiveness so that generosity remains.&nbsp;<figure class="image image-style-align-center"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/yama_ef310af519.jpg"></figure>By developing these Yamas, we reduce internal disintegration and the energy needed to maintain it. In fact, the adoption of the Yamas will naturally bring the denominator toward zero, meaning that just through this one limb our ability to become whole is limitless. While this is an astounding achievement, it is not all.We can also work on the numerator, by adopting the five Niyamas of:Shaucha – the cultivation of purity of body and mind. &nbsp; Santosha – the cultivation of contentment and inner happiness.&nbsp; Tapas – the cultivation of shining simplicity through self-discipline.&nbsp; Swadhyaya – the cultivation of self-awareness and continuous improvement through self-study. Ishwara Pranidhana – the cultivation of surrender to God.<figure class="image image-style-align-center"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/niyama_b2a41ea843.jpg"></figure>These Yamas and Niyamas can only really be practiced in our relationships with others in everyday life. They are not for ascetics who renounce society and worldly life.&nbsp;When we look at the Adizes Quotient in this light, we can replace the Niyamas in the numerator and the Yamas in the denominator. In other words, to reduce the denominator and increase the numerator for maximum integration, we can say:<img class="image-style-align-right" src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/success_yama_niyama_2e46088941.jpg"> &nbsp;<figure class="image image-style-align-center"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/becoming_whole3_0457cf9b78.jpg"></figure><h4 style="text-align:justify;">How to cultivate the Yamas and Niyamas?</h4>But then comes the challenging part. How to cultivate these Yamas and Niyamas? Let’s take the first Yama, non-violence. Is it easy to remove violence from every situation? Violence doesn’t just mean killing, it also means getting irritated by another person and snapping at them, or passively-aggressively ignoring a person when you don’t like them or they disagree with you. As we start to work on our behavior, we become skilled at subtler forms of violence, thinking that we have overcome it when really we are just more potent antagonists!<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">As we start to work on our behavior,&nbsp; we become skilled at subtler forms of violence,&nbsp; thinking that we have overcome it&nbsp; when really we are just more potent antagonists!</h4><hr>The second Yama, truthfulness, is a tricky one, because there are as many universes as there are people – we all have our own perception and awareness of truth. We don’t actually reach a stage of Absolute Truth until far along the spiritual journey, when all the colorings or layers are removed from view. This Yama is totally dependent on spiritual practice and the resulting expansion of awareness.&nbsp;With the third Yama, non-stealing, most of us would say, “I don’t steal,” but when we reflect we realize that it impacts many aspects of our lives. For example, our current environmental crisis, climate change, and the mass extinction of species are a result of our stealing from Mother Earth without restraint.&nbsp;Osho challenges us by saying that most of us are stealing most of the time. It may not be money, land, or possessions – we steal other people’s thoughts and words. He says that most of our knowledge and opinions are stolen.&nbsp;The first Guide of Heartfulness, Lalaji, says, “Taking more than what is rightful is also stealing. If we hoard something that is not useful in the present, but we keep it for the future, that is also stealing, because it may be useful and necessary to someone else when it is useless to us. Collecting for the future more than is necessary for the present is also stealing.”And Swami Vivekananda writes, “Receiving is just as bad as stealing, because when receiving gifts the mind is acted upon by the giver, destroying the independence of the mind of the receiver.”&nbsp;Major industries rely on this stealing mentality; for example the world of fashion relies on us wanting to look like someone else by wearing the same clothes or having the same hairstyle.&nbsp;But non-stealing is only the beginning. We can also move to the next level of this principle – generosity and a giving nature. For example, when we are empathetic, compassionate, loving, and when we give more than we receive, we will also be more helpful.The fourth Yama is moderation of the senses and sensual tendencies. Given that we interact with the world through our senses, it is involved in everything that we think, feel, and do. Brahmacharya is about purity of intention and conservation of energy. And sensuality is not only associated with sex. Our senses can be stimulated by food, clothes, drugs, digital technology, or any other pursuit that leads to desire-based indulgence. It refers to moderation in all areas of life. With spiritual practice, we may reach a stage where there is no longer any pull of the senses, and this is known as Uparati. As with everything in yoga, there is a stepwise progression, beginning with restraint and self-discipline and arriving at the effortless and joyful freedom of Uparati.<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">A person who has reached a high level of moderation&nbsp; has an extremely light footprint on the Earth,&nbsp; and does not disturb anything or anyone unnecessarily.&nbsp;</h4><hr>Moderation has a direct effect on our level of happiness, because the spectrum of happiness to sadness is within the sensory realm. Happiness is indirectly proportionate to the number of desires we have, and the intensity of those desires. Desires are created by the pull of the senses, and by how much we allow sensuality to remain unchecked. Yet, through Brahmacharya, the senses can become an ally instead of a hindrance.A person who has reached a high level of moderation has an extremely light footprint on the Earth, and does not disturb anything or anyone unnecessarily. Their tone of speech becomes moderate, as do their moods, relationships, way of eating, sleeping, walking, working, and playing. There is no need to talk about work-life balance or go on diets to promote healthy eating, and there is no addiction. Everything takes its rightful place.The fifth Yama is non-possessiveness, the principle of taking and using only what is needed. It involves self-restraint, and avoiding overindulgence, covetousness, and greed. Another definition is to give more than you receive. It is to live in the consciousness of abundance instead of scarcity. It means to be content with whatever the universe provides.&nbsp; These five Yamas are designed to remove internal disintegration, bringing the denominator of the Integration Quotient close to zero. For this, a regular spiritual practice is vital, and in particular the practice of Cleaning, which purifies the mind of all the subconscious programs that lead to internal disintegration. Turning to the numerator of the Integration Quotient, we come to the Niyamas. The first is cleanliness and purity. Purity is the essence of inner transformation. Inner purity leads to happiness, concentration, and mastery of the senses. The second Niyama is contentment and inner happiness. Contentment is complete and natural acceptance of whatever is happening. It is a first step to creating a neutral starting point in any situation from which to move forward, even when change is required.&nbsp; The remaining three Niyamas – refinement through self-discipline, <a href="https://heartfulness.org/magazine/becoming-whole" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">self-study</a>, and surrender to God – are known as Kriya Yoga or yoga in action. Having worked to change our thought patterns, the results now start to express in action.&nbsp;Self-discipline is the process of continuously refining ourselves to become the best we can be. It is our trajectory toward a simple life, an uncomplicated life, wrapped in love, starting with self-love and culminating in becoming love itself.<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">Self-discipline is the process of continuously refining&nbsp; ourselves to become the best we can be.&nbsp; It is our trajectory toward a simple life,&nbsp; an uncomplicated life, wrapped in love,&nbsp; starting with self-love and culminating in becoming love itself.</h4><hr>Self-study is the cornerstone of psychology. It is based on the wonder of exploring the inner universe. It is also the way to reach the Divine, implying that the Divine is within us. When we witness all the dimensions of our being, the work of the Yamas and Niyamas becomes effortless, because we see what needs to be removed and what needs to be cultivated. Our habits are gradually exposed, even those that are programmed deep within the subconscious. In self-study, we shine the light from our Center outward, illuminating every aspect of our character.&nbsp; With the last Niyama, surrender to God, we remain in constant osmosis with God. Whether we are awake or asleep, aware or unaware, active or passive, we remain in this state. In yoga the concept of surrender is very positive – we are held, protected, and supported like a newborn babe in her mother’s arms. It is a liberating, carefree state. When we offer all the fruits of our work to God, we are at peace. We take neither credit nor blame onto ourselves, as both are surrendered to God. When we have studied ourselves, purified ourselves, and refined ourselves, surrender is very simple. It is the ultimate quality, the culmination of the other qualities. The roots of enlightenment arise in absolute surrender.<figure class="image image-style-align-center"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/becoming_whole4_040219c71b.jpg"></figure><hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">The roots of enlightenment arise in absolute surrender.</h4><hr>The development of all these qualities is possible through Heartfulness meditative practices. You may even say it happens automatically when yogic Transmission is present, although efforts and interest are required. I hope you will try it for yourself and experience what unfolds. It is a sure method for individual and communal integration and evolution, bringing joy and purpose to life.With love and respect, Daaji

Becoming whole

<h4>DAAJI shares some simple practices that allow peace to manifest in daily life. The ripple effect as more of us do this is already building momentum.</h4>Peace. This most evocative word has many meanings. You may dream of world peace, the cessation or absence of war, and the freedom from civil disorder and dissension. But the feelings of hatred and violence all around create anxiety and it is easy to feel helpless. What to do in these situations that appear to be out of your control?&nbsp;In fact, you are not helpless. You can manifest and create peace within yourself and around you.Inner peace is a state of tranquility and harmony within the heart, which leads to acceptance, no matter what comes your way. And in creating peace with others in your relationships, you can reconcile differences and establish friendliness by connecting your heart with theirs. This radiates outward, creating a feeling of unity.<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">Inner peace is a state of tranquility and harmony within the heart, which leads to acceptance,&nbsp; no matter what comes your way.</h4><hr><h4>How to manifest peace?</h4>By using the power of intention, and practicing it every day with sincerity and feeling, you will create a new and peaceful reality for yourself. Here are three exercises that will help you manifest a state of equanimity and peace:<h4>1. The ocean of peace</h4>This practice removes emotional heaviness from your mind, bringing it back to its original peaceful state:Sit comfortably and close your eyes. Imagine that you are in a gentle ocean of peace. The waves are soothing and blissful. Have the firm thought that you are immersed in this ocean of peace, and the waves are removing all your coverings. Do this for as long as you can, but no more than thirty minutes.<figure class="image image_resized image-style-align-center" style="width:29.64%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/manifest_peace2_fa3aa313d0.jpg"></figure><h4>2. The tree pose</h4>This is one of the fundamental Hatha Yoga poses, a simple practice of balancing on one leg, which has many health benefits, including bringing you to a state of peace as well as relaxing your mind and body.Stand tall with your feet together in a relaxed and balanced pose. Take a few deep breaths. Bring your hands to the Namaste position at your center. Start by lifting one leg, bending the knee, and placing your foot on the side of the calf of your other leg. Then with practice, gradually place your bent leg higher up so that your foot reaches the knee.&nbsp; Focus on your breathing and remaining still as your mind and body relax.Note, it can be physically challenging for hips and ankles, so be aware of your body’s capabilities and only do what is comfortable for you. If you need to place your foot on the ankle of your other leg, that is also okay.<h4>3. Radiate peace with intentions</h4>I invite you to use any of these three intentions whenever you have a spare moment. Feel free to use your own words and create new peace intentions.<figure class="image image_resized image-style-align-center" style="width:27.68%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/manifest_peace3_5a83bd9467.jpg"></figure>&nbsp;&nbsp;<h4 style="text-align:center;">Intention 1</h4>Among all people in the world Let there be compassion Let there be kindness Let there be love Let there be peace&nbsp;<h4 style="text-align:center;">Intention 2</h4>Everything around you&nbsp;is absorbing peace,&nbsp; including&nbsp;the sky, the oceans, the trees,&nbsp; the people, the wildlife,&nbsp;the buildings –&nbsp; and everything&nbsp;is radiating peace.&nbsp;<h4 style="text-align:center;">Intention 3</h4>Everyone is becoming peaceful,&nbsp; nurturing correct thinking, right understanding,&nbsp;and&nbsp; integrity of purpose.&nbsp;“First, it is an intention. Then a behavior. Then a habit. Then a practice. Then a second nature. Then it is simply who you are.”—Brendon Burchard<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">By using the power of intention, and practicing it every day with sincerity and feeling you will create a new and peaceful reality for yourself.</h4><hr>

How to manifest peace

<h3 style="text-align:center;">THE WISDOM BRIDGE SERIES</h3><h4>In September 2022, DAAJI released his latest bestseller, The Wisdom Bridge, and throughout 2023 we are sharing highlights from the various chapters to give you a taste of the wisdom the book offers. This month the excerpt is from chapter 10 on Principle 5: Early Childhood Is the Foundation.</h4><h4>Relaxed Efforts Go a Long Way</h4>Saint Kabir wrote a couplet that goes like this:Dheere dheere re mana, dheere sub kucch hoye Mali seenche so ghara, ritu aaye phal hoye Slow down, dear mind, slow down. Everything happens in its own time.&nbsp; The gardener may pour a hundred buckets of water,&nbsp; but only when the season is right will the trees yield fruit.In a few words, Saint Kabir shares the wisdom behind doing things at the right time and waiting patiently for the results.Parents know about doing things at the right time. And even if they don’t, they can read about it and learn. But waiting for the results is an attitude one needs to develop. Especially in today’s world of FOMO (fear of missing out) and instant gratification, waiting can be a tough exercise.What do we mean by waiting? In its real sense, waiting means allowing a process that has begun to complete without interfering. Just as we sow a seed and then wait. We put the potatoes on to boil, and then we wait. We teach children good habits, and then we wait. We offer a prayer, and then we wait. If you analyze it, life is nothing but waiting interspersed with moments or bursts of activity. Waiting takes up a large part of our life and not activity. Waiting comes from the faith that actions done well will yield the right results. It is waiting that is the art.As parents, there is hardly anything more important to you than the well-being of your children. So, you do everything you can to help your children succeed. All the sleepless nights and ferrying your children from one activity to another is to prepare them for their life ahead.I commend the efforts parents put in these days in raising their children. I do have a suggestion. Once in a while, relax. Do less. You are already starved for time, don’t try to squeeze more into your day. Less is more. One advice new parents often get from parents with grown-up children is, “Spend as much time as you can with your little ones. It goes by too fast.” They are right.If you need to drop something to get more time with your child, then do it. If you both enjoy cuddling and poring over a book together more than the piano class or the taekwondo training, go ahead and do that. If you feel like taking the day off and going for a picnic with the children, then do that. Our fondest memories are usually of childhood. There is no need to rush children through their childhood. Don’t force your children to grow up fast. Your son is being clingy and wants to spend more time with you? Great, spend time with him. Your daughter doesn’t feel like reading the story book on her own? No problem, read it to her. Let them take their time.Each child is unique. Some learn math fast, while others create wonderful art. Some love helping in the kitchen, while others like to spend time running around the park. Children’s minds are like flower buds. Do not force them to bloom. Be patient, be present, and be loving.<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">Children’s minds are like flower buds.&nbsp; Do not force them to bloom. Be patient, be present, and be loving.</h4><hr>Patiently wait for your child to bloom, in the same way a flower blooms on its own. Children’s minds are like flower buds. They should not be forced open. Do not push them too much.<h4>Keep Listening</h4>Knowing what to do and what not to do equips you better on the parenting journey. Gaining knowledge is an important step. Most of us know a lot more about the global economy or the statistics of the last ball game than we know about the development cycles of a child. Educating ourselves on the best practices of parenting is helpful. This happens organically in a family with elders around. If that’s not the case, reading and learning about parenting is helpful. A group of parents getting together once every few months, specifically to share notes and ideas on parenting, will also help.What helps the most is listening to your child. Listening will teach many things that are otherwise lost in the noise of life. The tantrums of your child, the meltdowns, the loving hugs, the shyness, the mischief are all opportunities to listen to the unsaid feelings of your child’s heart. Keep listening with your eyes and ears, and your heart will speak its guidance more clearly.<figure class="image image-style-align-center"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/art_relaxed_efforts2_078d153b1e.jpg"></figure>While our life circumstances can be unique, a common factor that unites all parents is a perennial dearth of time. So, be kind to yourself. Learn to wait and understand that everything happens in its own sweet time. Enjoy the journey because the destination is a moving goal post.<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">Learn to wait and understand&nbsp; that everything happens in its own sweet time.&nbsp; Enjoy the journey because&nbsp; the destination is a moving goal post.</h4><hr><figure class="image image-style-align-center"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/art_relaxed_efforts3_e5ffc02399.jpg"></figure>Daily DilemmaQ: My child seems to lack confidence. She hesitates in asking the teacher about her doubts and even when I remind her, she doesn’t. What to do?Daaji: Some children are shy. It’s part of their make-up. Parents often remember their own so-called shortcomings and are over cautious about such tendencies in their children. Please introspect and see if that’s what is happening in your case. Also, positive suggestions and indirect advice work well over time. Be patient and keep me posted on how things come along.From Chapter 10 of&nbsp;The Wisdom Bridge.1&nbsp;To be continued.<hr>1Patel, K.D., 2022.&nbsp;The Wisdom Bridge: Nine Principles to a Life that Echoes in the Hearts of Your Loved Ones. Penguin, India.&nbsp;<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">Illustrations by ARATI SHEDDE</h4><hr>&nbsp;

The art of relaxed efforts

<h2 style="text-align:center;">YES, YOU CAN DO IT!</h2><h4>DAAJI shares 4 simple practices to tune into the present moment and bring about a joyful, contented lifestyle. Doing these regularly will create sustainable peace.</h4>Dear friends,Take a moment to review your day so far. Has your mind been busy with thoughts? Were they full of what to do next, or what has happened in the past? Were you rushing from one task to another, feeling overwhelmed? Did you spend hours scrolling on your phone? Were you multitasking while eating, unmindful of the food? Did you take time to breathe and feel your surroundings, aware of that moment of stillness, rejuvenation, joy and gratitude?As Thích Nhất Hạnh once said, “We are very good at preparing to live, but not very good at living. We know how to sacrifice ten years for a diploma, and we are willing to work very hard to get a job, a car, or a house, and so on. But we have difficulty remembering that we are alive in the present moment, the only moment there is for us to be alive.”For many of us, being aware in the present moment is a rare occurrence. So, how can we make it happen more frequently? It takes some effort, but once we practice, it becomes second nature to us.&nbsp;Here are a few short exercises to help you tune in to the present moment:&nbsp;<h4>Relax</h4>Turn off your phones and other distracting devices, and sit comfortably with eyes closed. Relax your body, from your toes to the top of your head, so that pain and tension melt away. The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rmwqL34FCjA">Heartfulness Relaxation</a> is an ideal method and it takes just a few minutes. You can also find it on the Heartfulness App, which is free to download on your phone or iPad.<h4>Breathe</h4>Left nostril breathing is a simple technique that activates your parasympathetic system. It brings clarity and calmness.<ul style="list-style-type:disc;"><li>Relax your body and mind</li><li>Close your right nostril with your right thumb</li><li>Slowly inhale through your left nostril and exhale through your left nostril, breathing deep into your abdomen.</li><li>Smile while you breathe</li><li>Repeat 9 more times</li></ul><hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">Relax your body, from your toes to the top of your head, so that pain and tension melt away.</h4><hr><h4>Eat with awareness</h4>If you eat at your work desk, grab a quick snack while rushing, or eat while texting on your phone, you probably do not really appreciate what you are eating. You’re also compromising your digestion by multitasking, as there is not enough blood available for proper digestion. Most traditional societies take time to pray or say grace at the beginning of a meal, allowing us to activate the current from the Source that is woven into the fabric of Nature, including every atom of the food that has been prepared for us.&nbsp;So, before eating, have the thought of being happy to eat in constant divine thought whatever you receive, and hold that subtle connection while eating.&nbsp;The subtle vibrations will filter down into the food and spread throughout your system. This promotes physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being.&nbsp;<figure class="image image-style-align-center image_resized" style="width:39.64%;"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/turn_into_present_moment2_b0f9ae90e3.jpg"></figure><hr>Before walking, clear your mind, focus on your heart,&nbsp; connect with your meditative state,&nbsp; and walk in that state.<hr><h4>Walk meditatively</h4>Before walking, clear your mind, focus on your heart, connect with your meditative state, and walk in that state.&nbsp;Then, spread that inner state to everything you come across, being aware that everything around you is absorbing peace – including the sky, the oceans, the trees, the people, the wildlife, the buildings – and everything is radiating peace. &nbsp;Awareness of the present moment creates a sense of being unlike any other. And over time, such a state of awareness cultivates peace. This in turn fosters an expansion of our minds and hearts, which enriches our thoughts and feelings, and enables us to live a life of contentment, compassion and joy.All the best, Daaji&nbsp;

Tune in to the present moment

Our next evolution

<h4>DAAJI speaks about the role of the heart in healing, and the important aspects of a healthy life. He explains the concept of total health and how we can attain it through yoga.</h4>The words “healing” and “health” are connected. We heal not just the body, but also the emotions that scar our hearts. You can remove the scars from your skin, but the scars in your heart are very difficult to remove. In Heartfulness, we all know that the removal and the healing of our samskaras, of our inner conditioning, are very difficult.For example, how to remove mis-understanding? What is behind the misunderstanding others, or understanding others correctly? Understanding happens only when we proceed with right thinking. And what precedes right thinking is right attitude. Do you really want to understand another person? Listen carefully. That’s where the heart comes into the picture. Our next evolution as human beings is all about this – whoever uses the heart will survive, and the rest will not. Nature works in a very different way, where the subtlest, the finest survive, and there is no way you will be able to survive in the future if you don’t use the heart.What is the role of the heart? Now, science also acknowledges it and there are some great books on this topic. One is The Heart’s Code by Paul Pearsall, and another is The HeartMath Solution by Doc Childre and Howard Martin. When you have a problem at an emotional level, because somebody misunderstands you, you will remember it all your life. But if you let go from the heart, if you forgive that person, you will have no problem. So we have to learn this art of using the heart, being empathetic and more forgiving. Then the evolution of consciousness will happen.Let’s take the example of sleep. Deep sleep is also a type of consciousness where Delta waves are measured. Now, if you don’t cultivate yama (the removal of unwanted tendencies) and niyama (the cultivation of noble habits), the first two limbs of yoga, you will destroy your inner hygiene. Would you go to a restaurant where there are a lot of flies and mosquitoes, where the kitchens are not hygienic and the person serving you puts his fingers in the water bottle and expects you to drink from it? You would avoid such places. Our inner hygiene is just as important, and it is hijacked by our weaknesses. Take the yama of asteya: if you try to steal something from someone, be it their money, their partner, or their ideas, you will not have inner hygiene. Also, if you cultivate the niyama of santosh, contentment, it will help to maintain your inner hygiene.Lacking inner hygiene, you will not be able to sleep. Lacking inner hygiene, you will not enter the state of samadhi. Lacking inner hygiene, you will not have viveka, buddhi, the discriminating faculty. And if you cannot discriminate, you cannot differentiate what is right from wrong, what is cause and effect, what is good and bad for yourself. These things will not work without inner hygiene.How to make your heart and mind conscient? It’s only through meditation. Close your eyes and start with reflection. If meditating on God is too far for you, begin with reflection and try to center yourself. The Sanskrit language has a beautiful word, swasthya, meaning health. But it’s not mere health. Swa-sthya means one who is settled within, in the higher self, in the soul, in the center of their being. Such individuals, despite a headache or fever, remain settled within themselves. They are not irritated or dejected, just because they are inconvenienced by fever or headache. They’re settled within. There can be tornadoes, hurricanes all around, but they remain centered. They’re safe.<figure class="image image-style-align-center"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/journey_total_health2_c9bae81878.jpg"></figure><hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">So we have to learn this art of using the heart, being empathetic and more forgiving.</h4><hr>Our attention is too much on the periphery, too much on the body. If you pay too much attention to your bodily health you’re sure to become sick, you somehow attract what you don’t like. People obsessed with physical health always attract diseases. AIMS has done research on sattvic, rajasic and tamasic gunas, and I would like to refer to it because these trigunas are fascinating subjects. Just as the three subatomic particles (proton, electron and neutron) constitute the entire universe, the three gunas are a spectrum in which consciousness plays out. Your consciousness will be filtered accordingly. For example, a person dominant in tamas is generally agitated, irritable, and angry; the consciousness of a person dominant in rajas generally gravitates towards what is pleasant, they love to relax. But each guna has a purpose; for example, if tamas is not activated at night, you won’t sleep.The right guna needs to be activated at the time required. If you say, “I’m so tired, and need to rest,” and you want to develop the sattvic guna at that moment, it will not work. It is also not something that you can order – it is either who you are or not. How can you instantly mutate from a sattvic state to a tamasic state, or tamasic to sattvic? It’s very challenging. That’s why yoga comes into the picture, where you can develop the mastery of switching gears. This switching gears has nothing to do with yama, niyama, asana, pranayama, etc.; it is all about shifting from one level of consciousness to another level of consciousness, and that can only happen when you have control over your heart and mind. Heartfulness goes beyond the mind. As long as we remain within the realms of mind, we’re bogged down by knowledge and logic. Knowledge is good, but it’s not enough. Take knowledge of God, for example. We may say, “God is there,” but this is superficial knowledge. Who told you so? “My mother told me so,” or “My father told me so,” or “My shastra speaks about it.”But when you do experience God, through spirituality, then it’s a different matter altogether. And is it enough to experience God once in a while? It’s like visiting a very rich friend and enjoying their hospitality for three months. You have the experience of what richness can offer, but would you then not wish to become rich yourself? And so we move from knowledge to a higher level of experience, and then to becoming. Becoming is also not the final stage, according to the yoga sastras. From becoming we move to a state of being, and being is also too much of a burden, so we move to a state of non-being. This is the journey of total health, where even bliss becomes a burden. We’re talking of freeing ourselves from disease. You may think that means having bliss, joy, and laughter, but bliss is also a kind of a disease according to yoga. We must transcend all these things. People have misunderstood two words, dhyana and meditation. According to the Oxford Dictionary, meditation is to focus your mind on one object. But God is not an object, and meditation is all about God. You have to transcend your mind. Let the mind be left behind, though the mind has a very special role to play.<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">It is all about shifting from one level of consciousness to another level of consciousness, and that can only happen when you have control over your heart and mind.</h4><hr><figure class="image image-style-align-center"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/journey_total_health3_c00c5f3964.jpg"></figure>The mind is not our enemy, it can be our best friend, but eventually it will not carry the burden of bliss. In our shastras, we often talk about sahasra dal kamal – the thousand-petaled lotus above the top of the head in the middle. Knowing the location will not help you, you have to experience it, but it is not the ultimate, it’s only where you feel the ultimate bliss, sat-chit-anand. Anand becomes too heavy for the <a href="https://heartfulness.org/magazine/expect-the-unexpected" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">spiritual system</a>. Dhyana takes us not only beyond the mind, but also beyond bliss.<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">Dhyana takes us not only beyond the mind, but also beyond bliss.</h4><hr><figure class="image image-style-align-center"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/journey_total_health4_6cd8123548.jpg"></figure>You renounce bliss. It’s easy to renounce what you don’t like, but renouncing sahasra dal kamal and going beyond is a different matter altogether. Heartfulness offers such a journey, from the heart chakra to the atma chakra to the fire, water, and air chakras, and many chakras are there beyond these in an experiential way.How would you measure the consciousness of a person who is in the turiya state? The turiya state is when you are in deep sleep state but are fully aware. Scientific measurements are there through EEG, and when you see the delta waves, you will conclude the person is in a deep sleep state. How will you know that the person is aware? You have to ask questions to that person. And then, the fifth level of consciousness is turiyatit, where a state of deep sleep with awareness remains even with open eyes. Turiya is where you attain the deep sleep state with awareness with closed eyes. In deep sleep you’re not aware at all. I hope, I wish, I pray that one day science will be able to measure this frontier instrumentally. Deep in my heart, I feel that it cannot be measured, but let’s see how science turns out.It will be wonderful if, instead of measuring through machines, one measures such possibilities through oneself. These are individualistic. Medicine, whether it is Ayurveda or allopathy or any other field of medicine, works on a large scale. If you give a pill for a headache, it should work on most human beings. But when you give a method in yoga, depending upon that individual’s mindset – whether it is rajoguna or tamoguna or satoguna – it changes from person to person.When we all meditate together with Transmission, we will never have the same experiences as each other; everyone will have a unique experience. And for one person, the same Transmission will not work in the same way at different times. Each moment is unique. Transmission plays a very specific role with our consciousness.<figure class="image image-style-align-center"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/journey_total_health5_20b2f28c64.jpg"></figure><hr>Excerpts from a talk given at the international Heartfulness conference, “An Integrative Approach to Health and Well-being,” at Kanha Shanti Vanam, December 2022. The full talk can be viewed at <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NURlOlwyEK8&amp;t=7248s" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NURlOlwyEK8&amp;t=7248s from 1:35:30</a>.<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">Illustrations by JASMEE MUDGAL</h4><hr>

The journey of total health

<h4 style="text-align:justify;">DAAJI dispels the myth that thoughts in meditation are bad, and helps us understand how to accept our thoughts in a constructive way, eventually leading to periods of thoughtlessness.</h4>Dear friends,One of the most common complaints we hear from newcomers to meditation is, “I’ll never be able to meditate well, as my mind is so busy with thoughts. How can I focus with such an active mind?”In fact, rarely does anyone start a meditation practice with a regulated mind, otherwise why would we need to learn to meditate? It’s like saying we need to know how to swim before we can get in the water to learn to swim – it takes practice! The outcome of regular meditation practice is a balanced, carefree, focused mind.<h3 style="margin-left:0;text-align:justify;">The natural function of the mind is to think</h3>The natural function of the mind is to think. Thinking is necessary to live and to make wise decisions. Thoughts are not the enemy. The best approach is to accept them. The mind is a powerful instrument and will not be subdued by force. If you try to use force to dispel thoughts or push them down, it will be counterproductive, for once that force is lifted, the disturbing thoughts will come back a thousandfold. When you fight with your thoughts, they become stronger.So, don’t try to avoid thoughts, during meditation or at other times. Simply remain unmindful of them, and do not harbor the expectation that “I must have a thoughtless state.” When you are watching a film, reading a book, or focusing on a particular task, are you disturbed by other thoughts? Usually not. But that doesn’t mean you don’t have them. You are not attentive to them because what’s happening at the time is taking your attention and interest.The same thing happens during meditation. When you are more interested in the light in your heart, other thoughts no longer bother you. Only if you give them attention do they draw power from you and remain, constantly nagging.Sometimes, you will experience really intense thoughts and emotions during meditation, and this can be unsettling. The reason this happens is that you repress these thoughts and feelings in the normal course of your days. You push them down into the recesses of your subconscious. But that doesn’t get rid of them, and they remain within you, coloring your experiences and shaping your behavior in subtle and not so subtle ways. During meditation, these thoughts rise to the surface, like air bubbles in a pot of boiling water.&nbsp;<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">When you are more interested&nbsp; in the light in your heart,&nbsp; other thoughts no longer bother you.&nbsp; Only if you give them attention&nbsp; do they draw power from you and remain, constantly nagging.</h4><hr>Rest assured, they are in the process of leaving, so try to pay them no heed. They have been inside you all along, even though you weren’t aware of their presence. You create space when you meditate and they start coming out. They are better out than in! During meditation you become aware of them.&nbsp;<h3 style="text-align:justify;">Thoughts come only to leave, so let them come and go&nbsp;</h3>So, simply let your thoughts flow, although that doesn’t mean you should indulge them. We often indulge both negative thoughts that worry us and good thoughts that impress us. It is never good because it reinforces them, creating more heaviness in our systems. If a thought does keep recurring, despite your best efforts, ask yourself, “What can I learn from this?” Otherwise, be unmindful of all thoughts during meditation, regardless of their nature.<figure class="image"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/dealing_with_thougths2_d82119f8fa.jpg"></figure>How? When you realize your attention has wandered, remind yourself that your thoughts are passing like clouds in the sky and gently return your attention to the light in your heart.Order can only be brought into the mind’s busy-ness in the subtlest manner.A time comes when you will enter a state of thoughtlessness during meditation. This will happen when you dive into the subtlest realms of consciousness.Through the complementary effects of the daily Heartfulness Meditation and Heartfulness Cleaning methods, you will bring the heart to a peaceful state and the mind to a restful one. Once this is achieved, you will naturally be able to regulate your thoughts. Try it and see for yourself.Meditation is much more effective once you have been introduced to the Heartfulness practices by a certified trainer. You can find and contact a trainer near you at <a href="http://www.heartspots.heartfulness.org" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">www.heartspots.heartfulness.org</a>.&nbsp;All the best,&nbsp; Daaji

Dealing with thoughts

<hr><h4>DAAJI explores the topic of destiny, including our own role in determining our future, as well as the roles other people, circumstances, and the environment play. He shares with us some practices and attitudes that help to make the most out of life.</h4><hr><h4>What determines our destiny?</h4>This is a fundamental question of existence. We all want to change our behavior so that our loved ones can resonate with us. And we also expect our loved ones to change their behavior so that we love them even more. Now, in order to understand human behavior, we first must understand how the conditioning of our behavior patterns came about. And also, can we break away from these patterns? Researchers study these things in a very limited way. For example, they study alcohol addiction, drug addiction, sex addiction, and other habits that become ingrained as the nervous system becomes hardwired.I would like to focus on the way we develop vrittis, the activities and tendencies of the mind, and how we develop our prakriti, our individual nature, based on these mental activities. It eventually becomes our hardcore genetic nature, which determines our future. We can say that we create our destiny according to the tendencies we develop.<h4>How do we create tendencies?</h4>The first thing that contributes to our conditioning is environment. For example, say you had a love affair, and you loved that person very much but you broke up. After some time, you meet them again. How do you behave? Do you start fighting with them, or do you say, “I’m sorry it ended like that”? Are you nice, or does your mind become volatile when it is triggered by seeing the other person?The second thing is memory, which plays a big role. There is cognitive memory, existential memory, and episodic memory, but deep down our experiences remain as emotional memory. And it is emotional memory that creates our behavior patterns. We learn to protect ourselves from allowing such episodes to affect us again in the future. For example, if a person was bitten by a dog in childhood, they will stay away from dogs when they are adults, even from little puppies.<h4>How do we change patterned behavior?</h4>In the Heartfulness Cleaning practice, we use our will to make a sankalpa that “All the impurities and complexities I have gathered during the day are leaving my system,” and it has a magical impact. By doing this for fifteen minutes in the evening, after the day’s work and before being with family members, we clear the slate. We are fresh, without the baggage left over from the day.Let me give you an analogy. When you come back from a two-hour workout at the gym, do you greet your partner and say, “Come my darling, let me hug you”? Your darling will say, “Please stay away from me until you have a shower.” Cleaning is required. Similarly, your inner hygiene is spoiled by your conscious and unconscious activities, and you also need to clean that.The next level is to prevent the creation of impurities in the first place. Cleaning is an after effect – you get dirty so you clean yourself. The next level is to prevent your psyche from being soiled by external things. You immunize your mental activity and your emotions. And how can you do that? By meditating. You become so balanced from inside that nothing can shake you.Behavioral change is much easier for a person who has a goal in mind. For a basketball player in the U.S., the goal is to become an NBA player. For a cricketer in India, the goal is to join the national team. Their behavior changes because they establish what we want in life. We all adjust our lifestyle to match the goals we aspire for, and the same is true for inner goals: a God-oriented person wishes to realize the Ultimate, while a scientific person wishes their consciousness to expand so they can experience its full potential.<hr><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/make_most_of_life2_f33a4d1df9.jpg"><hr>People who become alcoholics or drug addicts are hardwired to certain habits, which means flexibility is lost. Even when they wish to change these habits, the heart and brain will not easily support that change. It requires interest and enthusiasm toward a better goal, and the aspiration to achieve that goal. If they are feeling sad, some level of enthusiasm has to be there if they are not going to self-medicate by drinking and smoking. Instead of criticizing, family members can try to give positive feedback, “Yes, you can do it. You’re brave, you’re strong.” I think it takes so many people – friends and family members – to help any of us change our habits.So, as far as good habits are concerned, parents can help by sowing the seeds in their children from the moment of conception. As the first embryonic cells divide rapidly, becoming billions of cells, they are constantly exposed to the way parents behave, the way the magnetic field changes when parents are angry, having arguments, etc. These affect the inner structure. And if the child’s structure becomes used to anger, it adapts accordingly.We can never change what is hard-coded in our genetic structure, but we can bring about epigenetic changes and slowly help the genes to mutate. For example, children who practice Brighter Minds do a beautiful exercise that enhances coordination between the right brain and the left brain. Otherwise, we gradually lose this ability around the age of fifteen, when our creative abilities are compromised because of the procreative hormones that are released into our system.If a person lives in a rough neighborhood, where they are always afraid to walk through the streets, how well would they sleep at night? They would adjust, even though they are afraid, but their brain cells would adapt to that external violent atmosphere. Per contra, a person living in a peaceful environment will have brain cells adapted to a peaceful atmosphere, where there is less effort required, and therefore less entropy. For anything to remain stable, we need energy input. To maintain balance and stable behavior, effort is required.And why do we make efforts? Because we are interested in growth. Goals, aspirations, and lifestyle changes are all connected with growth and evolution.How to go about this? Again, the answer is the Heartfulness Cleaning method that changes our behavior from the root, from the subconscious level. What it requires is practice.<h3>Other factors</h3>Designing our own destiny is one thing, but other factors also have an impact onus reaching our destination. For example, Lord Jesus Christ did not choose to be crucified. That was not his goal. Other people did that to him. And Lord Rama and Mother Sita did not aspire to go into the forest. Was it written in their destinies that they both suffered so much? No, because no less a person than the Sapta Rishi, Vashishta Muni, gave the benediction for their marriage. He said, “This is the best couple, the best horoscope combination,” and yet they suffered greatly. It was one of King Dasharatha’s queens, Kaikeyi, who caused their miseries. Was it the destiny of millions of Jewish people to be killed so mercilessly at the behest of Hitler? No. Destinies can be changed and manipulated by many factors – other human beings, circumstances, and the environment. So, while we do have an important part to play in our destiny, it’s quite complex.<hr><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/make_most_of_life3_159e88fc24.jpg"><hr><hr><h4>It requires interest and enthusiasm&nbsp; toward a better goal, and&nbsp; the aspiration to achieve that goal.</h4><hr><hr>Also, what happens when we leave our destiny to God or our karmas? While our karmas do determine our destiny, this one-sided attitude is the reason why some people, including many Hindus, are weak and impotent in this world. They leave everything to God and don’t do anything for themselves. Instead, let’s do our part toward weaving our destiny in a masterful way.<h3>Discipline</h3>There is no magic wand for discipline. Otherwise one Jesus would have been enough, one Krishna would have been enough. Even during their lifetimes, they could not change people. Discipline is an individual phenomenon because we have the freedom to choose our own way of life. And often we choose the easy path, we prefer to go downhill, whereas to climb Everest takes time, and a level of organization, discipline, and effort. Even keeping our homes organized requires discipline and effort. For example, your children’s rooms become untidy if you don’t regularly arrange their books, toys, and clothes. Someone has to keep them tidy and clean.<hr><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/make_most_of_life4_b980b44955.jpg"><hr>Discipline is also necessary in the cosmos. Planets don’t deviate from their orbits, so what provides the energy input to keep them organized? If we say that it is gravitation, then the question arises, “What creates gravitation?” This leads to deeper and deeper questions.Personal discipline also requires energy input; and energy input means using willpower. Now, will power does not need to be forceful; it does not have to mean, “I must do this.” Will power is far more effective if our hearts cry out with joy and a desperate interest to achieve our goal. Then, energy input will happen.But so many things happen in life. Our lives are governed by people and things other than ourselves alone. So what is in our control? To be disciplined, have a goal, and try to achieve it.And please cultivate enthusiasm, because God doesn’t descend into sad hearts or hearts fuming with anger. God descends into hearts that are welcoming and joyful.<hr><hr>To watch the full talk, go to <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JXFxehPfrfc">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JXFxehPfrfc</a>.<hr><hr><h4>Illustrations by JASMEE MUDGAL</h4><hr>

How to make the most of life

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<h2 class="block-heading has-text-align-center">
 YES, YOU CAN DO IT!
</h2>

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<h4
 class="block-heading"
 id="h-daaji-shares-some-simple-practices-for-mental-and-physical-well-being"
>
 DAAJI
 shares some simple practices for mental and physical well-being.
</h4>

<hr class="vertical-space1" />


 There are times in our lives when we experience more stress, feel overwhelmed,
 and even out of touch with those around us. We may find it difficult to focus,
 and struggle to get out of our many thoughts. We may even be dealing with
 addictions of one sort or another.



 Here are a few easy and fun exercises that can help you rest your neural
 pathways and give your mind and body the opportunity to return to a more
 balanced state. This leads to better health, feels good, and improves your
 ability to cope with day-to-day situations.


<h3 class="block-heading">
 Breathing
</h3>


 Simple breathing practices help us in many ways. They oxygenate the body,
 balance the nervous system, and even provide a natural free “high.” Here are 2
 breathing exercises. Go at your own pace, and feel free to use either of them
 at any time.


<h4 class="block-heading">
 Abdominal Breathing
</h4>

<div class="block-image">
 <figure class="aligncenter size-full is-resized">
 <img
 class="has-img-center lazyloaded"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/breathing_movement2_92e0df77b9.jpg"
 />
 </figure>
</div>

<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<ul>
 <li>Sit in a comfortable position, on the floor or on a chair.</li>

 <li>Close your eyes.</li>

 <li>Observe your breathing, and inhale and exhale for 6 breaths.</li>

 <li>Keep your focus to your exhalation and slow it down each time.</li>

 <li>
 As you breathe, keep your righthand on your abdomen. As you exhale, gently
 draw your abdomen in. Repeat for 6 breaths.
 </li>
</ul>

<hr />

<h4 class="block-heading">
 Alternate Nostril Breathing
</h4>


 This exercise is especially helpful for easing anxiety and stress, to feel
 more grounded. It can improve brain function and is also very relaxing.


<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<figure class="block-image size-full">
 <img
 class="has-img-center lazyloaded"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/breathing_movement2b_0c02cef601.jpg"
 />
</figure>

<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<ul>
 <li>Keep your right thumb on your right nostril.</li>

 <li>Inhale through your left nostril.</li>

 <li>
 Gently close your left nostril with the ring finger and lift the thumb to
 open the right side.
 </li>

 <li>Slowly exhale through the right nostril.</li>

 <li>Inhale through the right again.</li>

 <li>Close the right nostril, open left and exhale left.</li>

 <li>This is one round.</li>

 <li>Repeat the same for 6 rounds.</li>
</ul>

<hr />

<h3 class="block-heading">
 Touch and Movement
</h3>


 Touch and movement are great ways to get out of your head and into your body.
 These exercises will help you feel better. Go at your own pace and use them at
 any time.



 To warm up, first stand with your feet apart and facing forward, knees
 slightly bent, and slowly twist your body from one side to the other, swinging
 your arms with you from side to side. Do this 10 times on each side. It will
 loosen your body and help you feel relaxed.


<h4 class="block-heading">
 Namaste
</h4>

<div class="block-image">
 <figure class="aligncenter size-full">
 <img
 class="has-img-center lazyloaded"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/breathing_movement3_b0fd42829d.jpg"
 />
 </figure>
</div>

<div class="block-image">
 <figure class="aligncenter size-full">
 <img
 class="has-img-center lazyloaded"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/breathing_movement4_e60e913adc.jpg"
 />
 </figure>
</div>

<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<ul>
 <li>Eyes open.</li>

 <li>
 Bring your palms together in front of your chest in the Namaste position.
 </li>

 <li>
 Breathe in. As you inhale, take your hands up toward the ceiling and above
 your head.
 </li>

 <li>Pause here for a second.</li>

 <li>Exhale and bring your hands down in front of your chest.</li>

 <li>Repeat 6 times.</li>
</ul>

<hr />

<h4 class="block-heading">
 The Heart Connector
</h4>

<div class="block-image">
 <figure class="aligncenter size-full">
 <img
 class="has-img-center lazyloaded"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/breathing_movement5_6903050b8d.jpg"
 />
 </figure>
</div>

<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<ul>
 <li>
 Bring your hands in front of you and join the tips of your middle fingers
 together, i.e. the longest fingers.
 </li>

 <li>
 Fold the index, ring fingers and little fingers together in your hands and
 allow their knuckles to touch each other.
 </li>

 <li>
 Allow the tip of the thumbs to touch each other and bring them downwards.
 </li>

 <li>Look at your index fingers and thumbs as they make a heart.</li>

 <li>The middle fingers are pointing upwards.</li>

 <li>Make a firm intention that you choose for yourself, using the 3 Ps.</li>

 <li>
 Bring this little heart toward your heart, the tip of the thumbs resting on
 your chest, then close your eyes and rest there.
 </li>
</ul>

<hr />

<h4 class="block-heading">
 Jump!
</h4>

<figure class="block-image size-full">
 <img
 class="has-img-center lazyloaded"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/breathing_movement6_1_ebd7a69773.jpg"
 />
</figure>

<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<ul>
 <li>Stand up, turn to face East and jump 5 times.</li>

 <li>Turn to face North and jump 5 times.</li>

 <li>Turn to face West and jump 5 times.</li>

 <li>Turn to face South and jump 5 times.</li>

 <li>Repeat this whole sequence at least 3 times.</li>
</ul>

<hr />

<h3 class="block-heading">
 Go outside and look up
</h3>

<div class="block-image">
 <figure class="aligncenter size-full">
 <img
 class="has-img-center lazyloaded"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/breathing_movement7_2_66f585501e.jpg"
 />
 </figure>
</div>

<hr class="vertical-space1" />


 Do something active like counting birds or chimney pots, looking at cloud
 formations, or enjoying the stars at night. Looking up squeezes the area at
 the base of your brain, and this has a balancing effect on your system.


Going outside connects you with the world and expands your horizon.

<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<hr />


 From the book, Yes, You Can Do It!, published by Heartfulness
 Education Trust in 2023.


<hr />

<hr class="vertical-space1" />

Breathing and moving

True yoga

<h4>YES, YOU CAN DO IT!</h4><h4>DAAJI shares two simple practices to remove heaviness from your system, become light and carefree, and reduce your thought footprint in the world.</h4>Dear friends,How can we live lightly in an ever more complex world? It is important we find answers, as unless we do, we will not reduce our human footprint enough to allow our planet Earth to sustain.To start somewhere, behind all our pollution in the environment is human thought pollution. And anger and stress are two of the most common emotional patterns and compulsive habits that contribute to thought pollution. It is difficult to find balance, peace, lightness, and contentment when we are undergoing the effects of these emotions.<h4>Anger</h4>Anger need not be a negative emotional state, but very often we allow it to destroy peace. It can manifest as strong turbulence in the mind and body, physical dysfunction, an explosion of energy, aggression toward others, and loss of sensitivity and awareness. You will find a lot of wisdom about anger in the book, <a href="https://www.amazon.in/Anger-Love-Kamlesh-D-Patel/dp/9392172435/ref=sr_1_3?crid=17Q5LDT8CWXYT&amp;keywords=From+Anger+to+Love&amp;qid=1680414536&amp;s=books&amp;sprefix=from+anger+to+lov%2Cstripbooks%2C907&amp;sr=1-3">From Anger to Love</a>.As a first step, whenever you are angry, take a few minutes to release the turbulence and free yourself from the effects with this simple Heartfulness method:<h4>Guided Ocean of Peace Cleaning</h4>Sit comfortably and close your eyes.Imagine that you are in a gentle ocean of peace. The waves are soothing and blissful.Have the firm thought that you are immersed in this ocean of peace, and the waves are removing all your coverings.Do this for as long as you can, but no more than 30 minutes.<h4>Stress</h4>We all experience stress at one level or another. Our lives are a continuous process of facing and solving problems and challenges, and sometimes it can become overwhelming. Prolonged uncontrollable distress can negatively affect our well-being leading to wear and tear on the body. Lack of sleep, digestive problems, mental worry, negative thinking, loss of confidence and depression are all attributed to chronic stress. How to overcome such feelings of helplessness and constant challenge?Research indicates that the real issue is in how your mind perceives and handles situations. Here is one technique that will help you anchor your mind on the higher plane of freedom. Accessing this space deep within your heart and staying connected with it throughout the day, will help to restore positivity and balance.<h4><a href="https://heartfulness.org/magazine/courage-from-relief-to-presence" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Guided Meditation</a> to Reduce Stress and Restore Positivity</h4>Sit in a relaxed position and gently close your eyes.Make a subtle thought that the Source of Light in your heart is attracting you from within.Rest your attention on that Light in your heart.If you find your awareness drifting to other thoughts, gently come back to the idea of the Source of Light in your heart.Feel immersed in the Light and try to become absorbed.Remain absorbed within this deep silence until you feel ready to come out.When you open your eyes carry on with your daily routine, continuing to stay connected with the heart.Meditation is much more effective once you have been introduced to the Heartfulness practices by a certified trainer. You can find and contact a trainer near you at <a href="http://www.heartspots.heartfulness.org">www.heartspots.heartfulness.org</a>.All the best,Daaji

Travel Light

<hr><h2>YES, YOU CAN DO IT!</h2><hr><h4>DAAJI introduces a new Heartfulness practice and shows us how to set up a daily routine that will create balance in our lives.</h4><hr><h4>What does a balanced life mean to you?</h4>How often do you find yourself feeling pulled in different directions, juggling many things at once? How do you balance them all? Does a balanced life mean giving equal importance to everything? And how would you do that in a life full of uncertainties? Though you may start your day with a routine mapped out, it is normal to be affected by the unexpected, by big and small personal and work issues, by the actions of others, by stress, ill health, environmental issues, and so on. All these create ripples in everyday life.<h4>How to bring about peace and balance?</h4>One way to bring balance is to establish a regular meditative practice, a routine that positively nurtures your mental, emotional, and physical well-being. Heart-based meditative practices will bring you centeredness, deeper understanding, and a more grounded perspective amidst the unpredictability and dilemmas of life.Your heart is your conscience. It is there to guide you at every moment. The roots of your emotions lie in your heart; and the condition of your heart determines your physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual states. When the heart is clear, so is the mind. When the heart is at peace, the mind is at rest, and you feel balanced.<hr><hr><h4>When the heart is clear, so is the mind.&nbsp; When the heart is at peace, the mind is at rest,&nbsp; and you feel balanced.</h4><hr><hr>In the first two editions this year, I introduced the Heartfulness Meditation and Cleaning practices. <a href="https://heartfulness.org/magazine/uniting-humanity" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Morning Meditation</a> relaxes the body and mind, allowing you to dive deeper into the superconscious and subconscious levels of your mind. You start to feel what is unfolding in your inner universe, your heart. Evening Cleaning removes the heaviness and complexities that accumulate during the day, clearing the way for lightness and positive change.Another core practice is the Heartfulness Prayer, usually done just before bed at night to wind down and prepare for a good night’s sleep.Prayer is communication. It can range from the superficial to the profound: a simple conversation, progressively deeper levels of communication, and eventually a state of communion. Prayer is a potent way to communicate with the divinity within yourself. Like all good communication, it brings connection. Prayer is also a way to establish a state of osmosis in that flow of connection.In the quietness of the evening, before sleep, the mind is open to learning from the day’s mistakes, which are often unintentional, vowing not to repeat them going forward. It is a wonderful opportunity for continuous improvement, to compassionately let go of whatever unfortunate things you may have done to others and to yourself, consciously or unconsciously. As you drift off to sleep, a deep inner connection is established throughout the night, and you will wake feeling well-rested and fresh the next morning.These three practices complement each other. During <a href="https://heartfulness.org/magazine/remembering-and-forgetting" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">morning Meditation</a>, you learn to be open and receptive, diving deep into your heart. The inner vacuum created during the evening Cleaning, combined with the yielding connected state during the Prayer, open the heart to intuition and solutions you may be seeking. This establishes balance in action –you can plan your way forward by resolving issues that caused the imbalance in the first place.A meditative practice won’t always prevent turmoil and challenges from happening, but it will make you stronger from within and more grounded, so that you view all the issues objectively, deal with them wisely without losing focus or stability, learn from them, and consequently emerge as a better version of yourself. This process itself is balance.<hr><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/balance_db4a360499.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-26T08:13:33.329Z" alt=""><hr><hr><h4>Heartfulness practices help you to go from dealing with life,&nbsp; to balancing it, to integrating the balanced state,&nbsp; and finally creating peace and joy within and all around you.</h4><hr><hr>And with ongoing practice, you will strengthen this balance, until it becomes so well integrated into your life that you are able to weather any storm life throws at you; much like a tree drawing sustenance through its roots, which are so deep in the ground that no storm can fell it. <a href="https://heartfulness.org/magazine/creating-a-new-world" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Heartfulness practices</a> help you to go from dealing with life, to balancing it, to integrating the balanced state, and finally creating peace and joy within and all around you.These practices are more effective once you have had three free meditation sessions with a certified trainer. You can find and contact a trainer near you at <a href="http://www.heartspots.heartfulness.org">www.heartspots.heartfulness.org</a>.I wish you all the best, Daaji

Daily practice creates balance

<hr><h2 style="text-align:center;">YES, YOU CAN DO IT!</h2><h4>DAAJI shares 3 simple heartful suggestions that will change your life and the lives of others. It's a good habit to cultivate and only requires that you become aware of your thoughts and feelings.</h4><hr>&nbsp;Thoughts live; they travel far. —Swami Vivekananda<hr>Humans are social beings. We are not meant to survive in isolation. When our inner growth expands to touch the hearts of others, and our material prosperity is shared with others, we all thrive. We are all connected through the heart, and deep down we are all united in the common wish to live a peaceful, love-filled, joyful, and prosperous life.You may already be contributing to society through charity or volunteer work, but not all of us can. So, I would like to share with you something we can all do for our fellow beings – 3 heartful suggestions. They bring immense benefit to us, to those around us, and to humanity at large.So, when you have a free moment, when you are quiet and there’s nothing else to do, practice these heartful suggestions. They have a ripple effect that spreads both outward and inward!<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">We are all connected through the heart,&nbsp; and deep down we are all united&nbsp; in the common wish to live a peaceful,&nbsp; love-filled, joyful, and prosperous life.</h4><hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">Suggestion 1</h4>Everything surrounding us, the air particles, the people, the birds, the trees…&nbsp; everything around us is deeply absorbed in Godly remembrance.&nbsp; All are in osmosis with the Source, and developing increased peacefulness and moderation.<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">Suggestion 2</h4>Everyone is developing correct thinking, right understanding, and an honest approach to life.&nbsp; They are attaining rightness in action and perfection in character.<hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">Suggestion 3</h4>Everyone is being filled with love and devotion and real faith is growing stronger in them.&nbsp; Truth and righteousness are getting established in the world.&nbsp; All kinds of distractions faced by our countries and our globe are going away.&nbsp; May this entire Earth be engulfed with peace, with love, with Divine Grace.<hr>Suggestions are more potent when they are offered from the heart rather than just from the intellect. So, first create a state of openheartedness within yourself, and then offer one of the suggestions. Try offering them at various times during the day, when you visit different places, and in different environments.Which one is your favorite?All the best, Daaji<hr>

Heartful suggestions

<h3>YES, YOU CAN DO IT!</h3><hr>Though most people these days are aware of the immense benefits and feeling of connectedness that result from a regular meditation practice, it is also easy to find excuses to avoid it: I’m too tired, I can always meditate tomorrow, I have no time, I woke up late, etc.A common reason to shy away from meditation is the feeling that “I’m not good at it.” We may have a preconception of a “good” meditator as someone who plunges deep into the peacefulness of their inner being every moment, who lives a life of instant acceptance and harmony, and who is untroubled by the ups and downs of daily life. The reality is that we are all living a life of change and growth, striving to become better and better, and the inner journey itself is full of changes.In Heartfulness, we meditate upon the Source of Light within our hearts. There is no need to see the light, as it is “light without luminosity.” We simply make a very subtle suggestion that it is there, and it is attracting us from within. That thought is just the springboard to experience, as we allow ourselves to explore the inner universe with the expansion of our consciousness.Here are four easy micro-habits that can help you make Heartfulness Meditation a part of your daily routine. Build it into your day, like brushing your teeth, drinking water, working out, and studying, so that it becomes embedded in your daily rhythm.<h4>1. Sit at the same time every day</h4>Regularity makes meditation easy. Just like your body adjusts to waking up at the same time each morning, meditating at the same time becomes a habit. The stillness of early morning, at the meeting point of night and day, is especially conducive to meditation, but regularity is critical, no matter what time you choose.<h4>2. Sit in the same place</h4>Choose a special place where you can <a href="https://heartfulness.org/magazine/what-is-your-ultimate-goal-in-life" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">meditate</a> without being distracted. It could be a special chair or a place on the floor. Sitting in that same spot every day creates an atmosphere of meditation, and when you sit there you will more easily slip into meditation.<h4>3. Sit in the same posture</h4>Find a comfortable position so your body is not disturbed. Best is with your back upright but not rigid, and either cross-legged on the floor or on a chair with your feet crossed.<h4>4. No distractions</h4>Turn off your phone and other devices so that you are not distracted. You have everything you need within you to meditate.You can listen to the guided Heartfulness Meditation at <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kfAZi_g309I">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kfAZi_g309I</a>, find it on the Heartfulness app, or read and follow the instructions below.<hr><img class="image_resized" style="width:525px !important;" src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/how_to_meditate2_a9aa662424.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-12T06:11:15.483Z"><hr><h4>Heartulness Meditation</h4>Sit comfortably. Gently close your eyes and relax.If needed, take a couple of minutes to relax your body by doing the Heartfulness Relaxation.Turn your attention inward and take a moment to observe yourself.Then, suppose that the source of light is already present within your heart, and it is attracting you from within.Gently relax into that feeling. If you find your awareness drifting to other thoughts, do not fight them. Treat them like passing clouds in the sky. Let them be, while simply reminding yourself that you are meditating on the source of light in your heart.Allow yourself to dive deeper, going beyond thoughts to feelings, becoming more and more centered within.Remain in this silence for as long as you want, until you feel ready to come out of meditation.Meditation is much more effective once you have been introduced to the Heartfulness practices by a certified trainer. You can find and contact a trainer near you at <a href="http://www.heartspots.heartfulness.org">www.heartspots.heartfulness.org</a>.All the best, Daaji

How to meditate

<h3>YES, YOU CAN DO IT!</h3><hr>What will help you to create new habits this New Year? The trick is to remove emotional burdens, stress, disturbing thoughts that linger from the past. These impressions have hardened into habits and tendencies that are obstacles to moving forward.Doing the <a href="https://heartfulness.org/magazine/heartfulness-cleaning-practice" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Heartfulness Cleaning practice</a> every evening will remove these impressions, clearing away old pathways and patterns of thinking, leaving you feeling lighter and more carefree within. This rejuvenating daily practice is most effective at the end of your workday.You can listen to the guided Cleaning at <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UrgqTUIu_Qs">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UrgqTUIu_Qs</a>, find it on the Heartfulness app, or read and follow the instructions below.Sit in a comfortable position with the intention to remove all the impressions accumulated during the day.Close your eyes and relax.Imagine all the complexities and impurities are leaving your entire system.Let them flow out from your back in the form of smoke, from the area between your tailbone (at the base of your spine) and the top of your head.Remain alert during the entire process without brooding over the thoughts and feelings that arise. Try to remain a witness to your thoughts.Gently accelerate this process with confidence and determination. If your attention drifts and other thoughts come to mind, gently bring your focus back to the cleaning.As the impressions are leaving from your back you will start to feel lighter.Continue this process for up to 20 to 25 minutes.When you feel light within, you can start the second part of the process:Feel a current of purity coming from the Source entering your system from the front. This current is flowing into your heart and throughout your system, saturating every particle.You have now returned to a more balanced state.Every particle of your body is emanating lightness, purity, and simplicity.Finish with the conviction that the cleaning has been completed effectively.Cleaning is much more effective once you have been introduced to the Heartfulness practices by a certified trainer. You can find and contact a trainer near you at <a href="http://www.heartspots.heartfulness.org">www.heartspots.heartfulness.org</a>.&nbsp;

How to let go of old habits

<h4
 id="h-daaji-explores-the-way-we-learn-and-discover-new-things-he-also-addresses-how-modern-day-research-fits-into-this-framework-and-how-scientists-can-refine-their-minds-so-that-they-are-superb-instruments-for-correct-thinking-and-right-understanding-in-the-pursuit-of-knowledge">
 DAAJI
 explores the way we learn and discover new things. He also addresses how
 modern-day research fits into this framework, and how scientists can refine
 their minds so that they are superb instruments for correct thinking and
 right understanding in the pursuit of knowledge.
</h4>

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 There is an ever-growing body of scientific research about contemplative
 practices, neuroscience, and epigenetics that includes many studies on the
 effects of meditation on well-being, happiness, and consciousness. This
 research is bringing awareness to people around the world about the benefits
 of meditation, encouraging everyone to make it a habit in their lives. The
 idea that transcending states of consciousness can improve human performance
 is now in the mainstream, especially when it comes to integrated healthcare
 solutions.



 We are seeing a growing integration of spirituality and science, where science
 is enriching spirituality, and spirituality is part of the base of science, so
 that we can improve ourselves at all levels of existence. Scientific research
 relies on the scientists’ abilities to observe, record, and analyze data, and
 then infer outcomes from those results, and this is one very valuable aspect
 of the process. Yet when we study the great scientific discoveries throughout
 history, we learn that scientists also use other complementary methods of
 inquiry, based on inspiration and direct perception. To develop this
 heightened level of awareness, spiritual practices help in many ways.



 Think of the organic chemist, Kekulé, who dreamed of a uroboros, a snake
 eating its own tail, which inspired him to propose the structure of the
 benzene ring. Einstein played the violin and daydreamed when he needed
 inspiration, the Archimedes Principle was discovered when Archimedes was
 relaxing in the bathtub, and Ramanujan’s mathematical genius was inspired in
 the temple of the Goddess Namagiri. He received knowledge by divine insight,
 but his colleagues at the Royal Society of Mathematics insisted he provide
 supporting mathematical proof, which he did, confirming what the divine
 insight had already shown him.



 When a scientist, an artist, or a mystic becomes so immersed in their subject
 that they effectively “live” it, insight comes in many ways, including via
 direct perception. When we become one with something, we understand it through
 the heart. We don’t need to think it. A special osmosis happens, in the same
 way as we automatically feel warm when sitting next to a fire.



 Actually, a lot of everyday learning happens this way; for example, children
 learn so much from parents and teachers naturally, lovingly, without a formal
 pedagogical process. In fact, most learning happens in the subconscious and
 superconscious realms of the mind, not in the conscious realm, which makes up
 such a narrow band of the full spectrum of consciousness.



 So, how can we cultivate this capacity to learn by osmosis and through direct
 perception? It happens when we relax and open the heart to our infinite
 potential through a daily spiritual practice. Direct perception emerges from a
 deeper awareness that is associated with the heart. In fact, we can say that
 scientific research is the rigorous validation of hypotheses that are often
 first known through other means like inspiration.


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<h4 class="has-text-align-center">
 The idea that transcending
 states of consciousness can improve human performance is now in the mainstream, especially when it comes to
 integrated healthcare solutions.
</h4>

<hr />

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<h4>
 Knowledge is
 continuously evolving
</h4>


 There will never be an end to knowledge. Many scientific theories of the past
 are no longer valid, and new discoveries are changing our understanding of the
 universe every day. Our learning is a continuous evolution.



 Knowledge demands inquiry. In science, the inquiry is observable and
 measurable. In meditation and spirituality, the inquiry is also often
 observable and repeatable, although not always measurable, but it goes far
 beyond rational awareness. Science is limited to objective knowledge, while
 spirituality takes us further into the great unknown. As our consciousness
 expands through meditation, more and more of that unknown becomes accessible
 through experience.



 Along this continuum, there is no clear-cut separation between objective and
 subjective. For example, we know from physics that the consciousness of the
 observer has an impact on the outcome of any experiment. And where does that
 impact come from? We know from spirituality that it comes from personal bias,
 from our belief systems, from the complexities that color our consciousness.


<h4>
 The mind as an
 instrument of perception
</h4>


 Our perception becomes accurate when our consciousness is pure. Impurities and
 complexities prevent us from perceiving clearly, so the purer our
 consciousness, the less bias we will have. That is the reason why the yogis of
 ancient India set about purifying their own consciousness before they tried to
 understand the world around them. They knew that the level of awareness from
 which they perceived the world determined the accuracy of their results. The
 same is true for us; the level of insight and the accuracy of observation
 depend upon the clarity of our perception. A pure mind is a beautiful
 instrument. It captures the essence of inquiry in all dimensions, both
 scientific and spiritual.


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<h4 class="has-text-align-center">
 The level of insight and
 the accuracy of observation depend upon the
 clarity of perception.
</h4>

<hr />


 When the mind is pure, and it is directed toward any topic, our awareness
 effortlessly focuses there. An unbiased non-judgmental approach arises from a
 still balanced mind. This applies to any type of knowledge, whether it is
 about space, gravity, atoms, viruses and bacteria, the arts, architecture, or
 music. It has its own beauty, and always begins with an inner question and
 some level of wonder.


<h4>
 Science as the
 dominant worldview
</h4>


 A few centuries ago, religion was the authority, and scientists had to
 convince religious leaders of their discoveries. For example, in the sixteenth
 century, the Catholic Church did not accept the findings of Copernicus and
 Galileo regarding the Earth moving around the Sun.



 Today, science is the authority, and we demand scientific proof of spiritual
 truths. For example, we want to measure the effects of prayer and meditation,
 and define the mind of God through scientific principles. While scientific
 research can show the physiological and psychological benefits of meditation,
 it cannot measure the more profound benefits.



 There is a famous statement of the physicist Stephen Hawking: “If we do
 discover a theory of everything … it would be the ultimate triumph of human
 reason – for then we would truly know the mind of God.” But how can we know
 God when God is beyond qualities, beyond matter, and beyond energy?


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 How can we know God when
 God is beyond qualities, beyond matter, and beyond energy?
</h4>

<hr />

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 <img decoding="async" width="600" height="849" alt="" class="mx-auto d-block lazyload has-img-center"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/why_should_scientists_meditate3_f79b4594a4.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-12T14:25:32.037Z" />
 </figure>
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 Think of Heisenberg’s uncertainty principle where the uncertainty of the
 position of an electron and the speed of its movement remains indeterminate.
 The moment we try to see the position of the electron, the very beam that sees
 the position changes the speed. If the beam were to be lighter than the
 electron, then perhaps position and speed could be determined simultaneously.



 The question arises, why would we want to measure them at the same time? What
 purpose would it serve? Maybe Heisenberg had some purpose behind establishing
 the same. In order to understand subtle, we have to become subtler. Heavier
 cannot understand subtle. God being the subtlest, how could we ever understand
 unless we were to surpass that ultimate subtlety?



 Science deals with the measurable, the definable; spirituality takes us into
 the invisible, the undefinable. So when we only apply conventional scientific
 methods to contemplative practices, we limit the results. Research results
 help us measure things like stress levels, happiness indices, compassion
 indices, gratitude indices, sleep benefits, and brainwave frequencies, etc.
 They show us that emotional intelligence, compassion, gratitude, and empathy
 increase our levels of serotonin, dopamine, endorphins, and oxytocin, and
 activate the ventral vagus nerve, bringing well-being. These are all important
 markers of benefits, but think about this: every mother goat or donkey has
 higher levels of oxytocin in her bloodstream when feeding her babies!


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 <figure>
 <img decoding="async" width="600" height="657" alt="" class="mx-auto d-block lazyload has-img-center"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/why_should_scientists_meditate4_00d47b4cf3.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-12T14:27:13.508Z" />
 </figure>
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<h4 class="has-text-align-center">
 The most authentic
 scientists are those who have mastered the senses
 and the mind, who perceive the world through the medium of pure
 consciousness.
</h4>

<hr />


 So while I am a big fan of research in the contemplative disciplines, it does
 not show us the full range of what spiritual practices do for us. It is just
 the beginning! For how can we describe what happens when we meditate at the
 deepest level of our consciousness and beyond, when we touch the realm of God,
 the realm of our true potential?



 Quantum physicists have shown us that science is subjective. Observation
 depends on the senses, and inference depends on the mind. So the most
 authentic scientists are those who have mastered the senses and the mind, and
 who can perceive the world through the medium of pure consciousness. And it is
 meditation that results in both depth and purity of consciousness. What can we
 learn from this? Scientists will become better scientists when they also
 meditate regularly, and their research findings will become more accurate.



 Over the years, I have learned to let spirituality and science remain in their
 own dimensions. They both have a part to play and the beauty happens when they
 complement each other, bringing correct thinking and right understanding.
 Nowhere is this more relevant than in the field of research.


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

<hr />

Why should scientists meditate?

<h4
 id="h-daaji-shares-the-yogic-practice-of-mudras-offering-a-few-examples-they-are-so-simple-and-practical-that-they-are-perfect-for-workplace-well-being-they-can-be-done-while-you-are-reading-an-email-in-a-meeting-or-listening-to-a-client-or-colleague">
 DAAJI shares
 the yogic practice of mudras, offering a few examples. They are so
 simple and practical that they are perfect for workplace well-being. They can
 be done while you are reading an email, in a meeting, or listening to a client
 or colleague.
</h4>

<hr class="vertical-space1" />


 Mudras offer a subtle but transformative healing practice. The Sanskrit word
 “mudra” means “gesture,” and mudras are gestures of the hand that can
 influence the vital energy&nbsp;known as&nbsp;prana,&nbsp;which circulates
 throughout the body. By forming a loop between the chosen fingers,&nbsp;each
 mudra influences the flow of energy in the body,
 restoring&nbsp;balance&nbsp;and&nbsp;good health.&nbsp;&nbsp;



 By folding, crossing, and stretching the fingers, and using the fingertips to
 form and hold the prescribed mudra positions, we create beneficial effects in
 different parts of the body. This is because several of our nerves terminate
 in our fingers and a significant amount of energy flows at the fingertips.
 When the fingertips touch each other, an electromagnetic circuit is created,
 and it triggers a distinct energy movement. This energy stimulates
 corresponding centers in the brain. The brain then triggers the concerned
 organs, and there is an effect felt in the body.



 When the mudras are held for some time, they can be used as a focused healing
 practice. Mudras favor the successful integration between the two sides of the
 brain, which is necessary for improving all brain processes including those
 for reading, writing, academic achievement, motor skill development, and all
 other higher-order cognitive processes.



 According to the theory, each finger corresponds to one of the five essential
 elements that make up the
 human&nbsp;system&nbsp;–&nbsp;fire,&nbsp;air,&nbsp;space,&nbsp;earth,&nbsp;and
 water.&nbsp;&nbsp;


The 5 fingers are each connected to one specific element:

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 <img decoding="async" width="700" height="647" alt="mudara2" class="has-img-center lazyload"
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 <figcaption> </figcaption>
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 Mudras can be introduced into our daily lives, and are easily practiced in the
 workplace to revitalize and rejuvenate the body and mind.


<h3 class="has-text-align-center">
 Rules of
 Mudra
</h3>

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 <figure>
 <img decoding="async" width="600" height="639" alt="mudra3" class="has-img-center lazyload"
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 </figure>
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<h5 class="has-text-align-center">
 When the tip of the thumb joins the tip of the other fingers, the
 respective elements is balanced.
</h5>

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 <figure>
 <img decoding="async" width="600" height="639" alt="mudra4" class="has-img-center lazyload"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/mudra4_22e0cc2299.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-11T13:09:26.873Z" />
 </figure>
</div>

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<h5 class="has-text-align-center">
 When the tip of any finger touches the base of the thumb, the strength
 of the respective elements is reduced.
</h5>

<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<hr />

<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<div class="block-image">
 <figure>
 <img decoding="async" width="600" height="639" alt="mudra5" class="has-img-center lazyload"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/mudra5_e16629a5dc.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-11T13:11:00.838Z" />
 </figure>
</div>

<h5 class="has-text-align-center">
 By touching the thumb at the base of the other fingers, the respective
 elements are increased in the body.
</h5>

<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<hr />

<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<div class="block-image">
 <figure>
 <img decoding="async" width="600" height="639" alt="mudra6" class="has-img-center lazyload"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/mudra6_c9dbfb24c7.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-11T13:12:14.414Z" />
 </figure>
</div>

<h5 class="has-text-align-center">
 Mudras with palms facing upwards will receive energy. Mudras with palms
 facing downward will keep you grounded.
</h5>

<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<hr />

Mudras@work

<h4
 id="h-daaji-share-some-simple-tips-on-eating-well-for-physical-mental-emotional-and-spiritual-health-these-ideas-also-can-solve-humanity-s-issues-of-food-security-the-environment-and-how-we-re-establish-our-relationship-with-planet-earth">
 DAAJI share
 some simple tips on eating well for
 physical, mental, emotional, and
 spiritual health. These ideas also can solve humanity’s issues of food
 security, the environment, and how we re-establish our relationship with
 planet Earth.
</h4>

<hr class="vertical-space1" />


 This century, we have finally woken up to the destruction of our environment
 and the inequality in the circumstances of people around the world. Nowhere
 has this been highlighted more than in our relationship with food. While many
 people suffer from malnourishment, others suffer from chronic lifestyle
 diseases associated with overeating or eating unhealthy foods. Food security
 has become a major issue, and according to the FAO, we waste roughly 1.4
 billion tons of food every year.



 The approach of yogis to food is shared by wise sages across all cultures and
 all eras. Their approach is the same for all resources. They give special
 regard to eating wisely, treading lightly on the Earth, and taking minimum
 input and giving maximum output. Morality is seen as care and conservation in
 the use of resources, including food, water, money, land, sexual energy,
 forests, the ocean etc.



 Food is a form of prana, a source of energy. The physical body is associated
 with the sheath known as the annamaya kosha, translated as “the food
 sheath,” but the effect of food percolates through all three bodies of the
 human system, not just the physical body. And when food is charged by prayer,
 food becomes a potent source of goodness.



 True happiness is a quality of the soul, emanating from the Center of our
 being, which radiates outward through the layers of our system, purifying the
 physical levels of existence. The current flows out from the Center, and also
 back to the Center. So when food is received with the right understanding and
 eaten with the correct attitude, it can nourish and support us at all levels
 back to the Center.



 Food is part of our energetic relationship with the environment, and a wise
 person will not disturb even one atom of this universe unless it is necessary,
 because of their respect for all life. Nothing is wasted. This creates the
 lightest human footprint, and a sacred attitude to living every moment of
 every day in tune with Nature.



 Thus, a wise person is happy to eat whatever food is available, without the
 need for exotic foods or foods chosen for their delectable taste. They are
 content with Nature’s bounty in whatever form it is available. This is
 explained beautifully in Babuji’s Principle 8, which you can read about in
 more detail in “<a href="https://www.heartfulnessmagazine.com/a-users-guide-to-living-part-9/">Happiness, Food, and
 Resources</a>.”


Principle 8 is:


 Be happy to eat in constant divine thought whatever you get, with due
 regard to honest and pious earnings.



 This attitude is lacking in most modern societies. In fact, fast food,
 processed foods, desire-based eating, and takeaway meals have taken us in the
 opposite direction.


<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<div class="block-image">
 <figure>
 <img decoding="async" width="600" height="720" alt="celebrating-food2" class="has-img-center lazyload"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/celebrating_food2_ab232ce76f.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-12T06:12:49.779Z" />
 </figure>
</div>

<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<h4>
 Food in daily
 life
</h4>


 Food is an important part the day for most of us. As well as contributing to
 our happiness and well-being, it provides an opportunity to share that
 happiness with others, through regular family meals, special events, and
 holidays like Christmas, Diwali, Eid, and Hannukah. Food is a way of bonding,
 and is much more than giving chemical nutrients to the body.



 Principle 8 asks us to “be happy to eat in constant divine thought.” In many
 cultures, this is done by praying or saying Grace before eating. This practice
 connects us with the Divine at the beginning of the meal, so that we will
 continue to hold that connection while we are eating. By doing so, we activate
 the divine current from the Center that is also present in every atom of the
 food we will eat. When the prana in the food comes into contact with our
 thought, the effect of those vibrations filters down into the food itself.
 When it enters our body, the vibrations spread throughout our system as the
 channels of prana open up, allowing the happiness with which the food is
 charged to enter, and the atoms of our body are purified. This benefits our
 overall well-being. Our expansion of consciousness is also accelerated, as the
 prana in the food is connected with the Center.



 It’s important to take care of where food has come from and how we pay for it.
 Even the purest food bought with dishonest earnings will carry a different
 vibration. When we consume food bought with wrong earnings, the vibrations
 become heavier and more complex, so wise people have always put a lot of value
 on honest and pious earnings.


<h4>
 Eating is
 sacred
</h4>


 This principle awakens us to the idea that even worldly activities like eating
 will either contribute to the purity of our system and expand our
 consciousness or take us in the other direction. Babuji describes it thus:



 Food should be cooked neatly and cleanly in a proper manner. That is the
 hygienic point, but if it is sattvik and is cooked in constant
 remembrance of God, its effect will be surprising. And if it is
 taken meditating all the while on God, it will cure all kinds of
 spiritual diseases and remove things which hinder our progress.


<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<div class="block-image">
 <figure>
 <img decoding="async" width="600" height="720" alt="celebrating-food4" class="has-img-center lazyload"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/celebrating_food4_5ea839beac.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-12T06:13:42.677Z" />
 </figure>
</div>

<hr class="vertical-space1" />


 Until the middle of last century, there was a scarcity of food, which is still
 the case today in many parts of the world. With the invention of processed
 food, scarcity was removed from the prosperous nations, but the result is that
 food has now become a major cause of disease. According to the WHO, close to
 40% of people in the world are overweight. The main causes are overeating,
 poor nutritional quality, and the way we eat. In conjunction with inadequate
 exercise and high stress, the result is ill-health.



 Emotional eating leads to overeating, as we compensate for feelings of lack
 and low self-esteem. We eat because of anxiety and stress. We unconsciously
 put on weight because of childhood trauma, to protect ourselves. These
 imbalances can be addressed through Principle8 in conjunction with the
 self-awareness and transformation that develops through meditative practices.


<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<div class="block-image">
 <figure>
 <img decoding="async" width="600" height="720" alt="celebrating-food3" class="has-img-center lazyload"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/celebrating_food3_017454dea9.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-12T06:14:26.683Z" />
 </figure>
</div>

<hr class="vertical-space1" />


 Many people adopt a plant-based diet after understanding how different types
 of food impact health, and because of the way animal farming is destroying the
 environment. Yogis add another perspective: Consciousness is present in the
 energy field of food, and animals have a different level of consciousness than
 plants.
 <a href="https://www.heartfulnessmagazine.com/the-evolution-of-consciousness-part-1/">The yogic science of the three
 bodies</a>
 of minerals, plants, animals, and humans helps us understand why it is
 beneficial to eat lighter sattvik foods for spiritual evolution.
 Animal foods are much heavier in vibration, so spiritual practitioners often
 choose to be vegetarian so that they maintain lightness in their system.



 Principle 8 is about how we earn, how that money is utilized to buy food, how
 the food is cooked, how it is eaten, and what we do after eating. Many of us
 pray before eating, but what happens during the meal, and after the meal? How
 do we assimilate the food? Just as meditation in the morning is the beginning
 of assimilating the meditative state for the day, so eating a meal is the
 beginning of assimilating the food given in that meal.


<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<hr />

<h4 class="has-text-align-center">
 While eating, try to remain
 connected with your Center to bring happiness to the meal.
</h4>

<hr />

<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<div class="block-image">
 <figure>
 <img decoding="async" width="600" height="720" alt="" class="has-img-center lazyload"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/celebrating_food5_8007848be9.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-12T06:15:14.134Z" />
 </figure>
</div>

<hr class="vertical-space1" />


 So here are some simple suggestions to incorporate into your daily routine:


<ol type="1">
 <li>
 Purchase your food with honest, pure earnings. If you grow your own food,
 send loving happy thoughts to the plants as they are growing.
 </li>
 <li>
 While preparing and cooking food, be conscious of the sanctity of the food,
 with loving, pure, and happy thoughts. The easiest away to do this is to
 connect with the Center of your being through your heart.
 </li>
 <li>
 While eating, try to remain connected with your Center to bring happiness to
 the meal.
 </li>
 <li>
 When you have finished eating, close your eyes for half a minute and remain
 connected with your Center. Truly be grateful from the bottom of your heart
 for the meal, and for all who served you. If you are in a restaurant be
 thankful to the chefs and the waiters. It is easy to give a tip, but it is
 rare to give such blessings from the heart. It will touch them at some
 level. It is a very powerful moment once you have finished eating in divine
 remembrance, grateful for everything that has happened.
 </li>
</ol>

With practice, you will discover that Principle 8 works on many levels.

<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<hr />

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

<hr />

Celebrating food

Fragrance of food

<h4>DAAJI explores the 5Cs of the heart, and describes how a meditative practice can support emotional wisdom and well-being.</h4><hr>Wise people from the most ancient times till today have valued the qualities of loving kindness, compassion, resilience in times of hardship and suffering, peace, and wisdom. In fact, these are all qualities associated with the heart.&nbsp;Most of us wish to improve our emotional well-being, along with our ability to communicate with others, develop healthy relationships and lasting friendships, share and support others in our communities, contribute to society at large, and overcome prejudice and judgments. These basic life skills are a gauge of our emotional and social <a href="https://heartfulness.org/magazine/when-the-heart-speaks" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">wisdom</a>, and they require heart. It is the heart that brings us this level of happiness.Our mental capacities also need refining, so that we better handle mental challenges, but science has shown us that this will only happen once we have reached some level of emotional balance where the brain can function in creative, problem-solving ways. We reach a state of integrated flow in which the mental functions are guided by the wisdom of the heart.Tragedy arises when we separate the heart and mind. For example, when a child is taught at school to a very high academic level, but has poor emotional and social skills, they can then use their mental abilities for all the wrong reasons, such as criminal activities. This happens when the mental is developed without the support of the emotional and social. When we read about the lives of people known for their great minds, like Ashtavakra, Patanjali, Plato, Aristotle, da Vinci, Newton, Swami Vivekananda, Ramanujan, Einstein, and Bohm, we find that they have paid attention to the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual aspects of living.&nbsp;<hr><hr><h4>These basic life skills are a gauge&nbsp; of our emotional and social wisdom,&nbsp; and they require heart.&nbsp; It is the heart that brings us&nbsp; this level of happiness.</h4><hr><hr>The foundation for mental, emotional, and social intelligence lies in the spiritual realm, and when we don’t nurture it, the other three cannot develop so well. Spiritual wisdom is a function of our level of awareness, our perception, and our responses, according to the degree of expansion of our consciousness. Is it closed, narrow, limited, and rigid, or is it open, expansive, unlimited, and flexible? The more open and expansive, the greater the spiritual intelligence.&nbsp;What determines whether it is narrow and rigid or expansive and flexible? Essentially there are two things:&nbsp;1. The first is the amount of mental and emotional baggage we are carrying from the past. The heaviness that accumulates creates filters that distort perception and limit the flexibility of our mental processes. We stay stuck in past repetitive patterns and associated emotions. When this heaviness is removed, then perception and mental processes are untethered from the past restrictions.&nbsp;2. The second is the focus of our attention. Are we only focused externally on material existence, or do we also give some time in our daily schedule to the inner world? Our emotions are inside us, our social skills are inside us. If we are only looking outside, how will we develop EQ and SoQ?&nbsp;The purpose of a spiritual practice is both – to remove mental and emotional baggage and also to take us to the Center of our being, the source of our spiritual intelligence, the soul. In yoga, we speak about the three bodies – the physical body, the subtle body, and the causal body or soul.<hr><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/emotional_wisdom2_three_bodies2_ab0a68ca51.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-11T11:27:57.260Z" alt="emotional-wisdom2-three-bodies2">&nbsp;<hr>In a spiritual practice, we work from the inside out, from the root cause of both the problems and the solutions. That means we work with consciousness.&nbsp;Heartfulness practices take us on an inner journey, and that journey starts in the heart. Here we develop the 5 Cs of Contentment, Calm, Compassion, Courage, and Clarity, which are the foundation of our mental, emotional, and social intelligence.<hr><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/emotional_wisdom3_5cs_2_1_6688bb232d.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-11T11:30:07.004Z" alt="emotional-wisdom3-5cs-2-1">&nbsp;<hr>The first step is to awaken an inner interest, otherwise why would we do these practices in the first place? What stimulates this inner interest? Generally, it is the need for self-care and self-improvement. We are not satisfied with our level of well-being. We feel the need to change, so we look for a method to help.&nbsp;The second step is to take up a <a href="https://heartfulness.org/magazine/a-lightningfast-tongue-and-the-art-of-camouflage" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">meditative practice</a>, and in Heartfulness the journey starts at Chakra 1 of the Heart, on the lower left side of the chest area. As the heaviness is removed from this chakra and our inner focus takes us deeper, the outcome is Contentment.How is this possible? With the letting go of past patterns in our consciousness, the layers of heaviness associated with desires, wishes, disappointments, shame, guilt, worry, resentment, etc. are removed layer by layer. We become balanced and content, light and carefree. We are able to release our expectations and demands. We are no longer slaves to our desires and wishes. This is the first step.The second step happens when the journey moves to Chakra 2 of the Heart, also known as the soul chakra, which is located at the lower right side of the chest. Here we explore a different inner world, leading us from restlessness and anxiety to peace. It is here that we master the art of Calm, as we explore the soul’s influence on our lives. Meditation moves us deeper into that realm where we feel connected with everything in the universe. We develop a strong sense of belonging and community, and we feel so peaceful.&nbsp;<hr><hr><h4>With the letting go of past patterns&nbsp; in our consciousness, the layers&nbsp; of heaviness associated with&nbsp; desires, wishes, disappointments, shame,&nbsp; guilt, worry, resentment, etc.&nbsp; are removed layer by layer.&nbsp; We become balanced and content,&nbsp; light and carefree.&nbsp;</h4><hr><hr><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/emotional_wisdom4_chakras_ffec5d008d.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-11T11:31:08.293Z" alt="emotional-wisdom4-chakras">&nbsp;<hr>Then the journey moves to Chakra 3 of the Heart, also known as the fire chakra, which is located at the upper left side of the chest. Here the inner work leads us from anger and hatred to love, from self-centered passion to Compassion. We learn to master the fiery emotions that propel us forward.&nbsp;At the fourth step, the journey moves to Chakra 4 of the Heart, also known as the water chakra, which is located at the upper right side of the chest. Here the inner work leads us from fear to Courage and resilience – the ability to bounce back no matter what life throws at us.&nbsp;The next step is the integration of these four stages. Because of the Contentment, Calm, Compassion, and Courage that have developed at Chakras 1 to 4, we move from confusion to Clarity at Chakra 5 of the Heart, also known as the air chakra, at the throat area. Our heart becomes our guiding helm, and we are able to listen to its wisdom.&nbsp;Now the intelligence of the Heart is active, and we develop confidence and trust in our abilities. Our creativity blossoms with the continuing expansion of our consciousness through this heart journey. The result is emotional wisdom, which is a boon in any life.<hr><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/emotional_wisdom5_700x466_b86b707f76.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-11T11:32:10.986Z" alt="emotional-wisdom5-700x466"><hr>

Emotional wisdom

<h4>DAAJI gives 3 simple ways to harness the power of water, using examples from Kanha Shanti Vanam. He also shares a vision for social and educational reform, so that we can maintain the purity of water on our planet Earth.</h4><hr><h4>Solution 1: Soak Pits, Canals, and Charcoal</h4>We started harvesting water and planting trees at Kanha Shanti Vanam toward the end of 2015. We didn’t have a lot of water, and so we weren’t doing very well until 2018, when we really learned how to store and preserve water. That’s when things got exciting.We started building soak pits across Kanha. At the bottom of these pits, we put about two feet of charcoal. Without the charcoal, the water rushing into the soak pits can remain dirty, and the underground water quality spoiled. With charcoal added, the water that percolates to the bottom of these pits is relatively pure.Charcoal is a magical thing. Most reverse osmosis (RO) filters use charcoal. Even the most expensive cars today – Mercedes, BMWs, Audis – use charcoal filters. Charcoal is also used in medicines because it absorbs everything, including toxins and pollutants. Ten grams of charcoal has the surface area of one acre of land, or 43,560 square feet – that’s a huge amount of exposed area that can be utilized to absorb pollutants.Once a pit is full, water flows into the next pit, and then into the next, and so on. All around these pits, there are plants and trees that absorb some of this water. Ultimately, the water end ups in ponds, and all of the six or seven ponds we have at Kanha are interconnected.You will be surprised to see some canals here filling with water from the outside roads, like the main road that connects us with the next village. The village water runs everywhere, undirected, so we have directed it into a canal. Across India, highways pass through villages. Those highways are full of water, especially during the monsoons. That water can benefit farmers if every farmer can build a small canal, starting at the highway, creating as many pits as they would like to have along the canal. They can then put charcoal in those pits to purify the water. To obtain charcoal, they need to burn their crop waste to 10%, and leave it in those pits. The farmers can use this pure water for themselves and their cattle.<h4>Solution 2: Irrigation from Mountainsides</h4>Another way to harvest water is to collect it from mountainsides during the monsoon rains. In southern India, the monsoons comes from the West, and so when we compare Tamil Nadu and Kerala, Kerala is much greener. In Kerala, you feel you’re really in “God’s Own Country.” It rains so much more as the clouds dump their rains on the West side of the mountains, the downside being flood problems and soil erosion. Fertile soil is washed away and ultimately ends up in the sea. In contrast, the East side of the mountains receive very little rainfall.I might have a solution. It’s not magic, but both states could benefit from it. We could create a water canal, with the top on the Kerala side, and the bottom on the Tamil Nadu side. At the base of the canal, we can create ponds – as many ponds as we need.<hr><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/power_of_water3a_fb7c7aadcf.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-11T12:18:36.417Z" alt="power-of-water3a"><hr><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/power_of_water2_1_e68bb099ab.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-11T12:19:35.661Z" alt="power-of-water2-1"><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/power_of_water2_2_d5fcd99baa.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-11T12:23:51.228Z" alt="power-of-water2-2"><hr><h4>Solution 3: Rain Guns</h4>We use rain guns at Kanha to help our rainforest survive during the hottest months of March, April, and May. These guns don’t need to be used a lot. Five minutes, three times a week, and they maintain our forests really well. The solutions are simple.<h4>Creating Awareness</h4>Until 1970, India had sufficient water. After the ’70s, the water tables started falling because free electricity meant people pumped water out of the ground indiscriminately. It hasn’t changed much since then. Now we need to find other ways to motivate people to get pure water for themselves, for their herds, and for their crops – water that is not from the ground.We need to let people know that the more they dig water from the ground, the more salts will come, and the more their soil will become saline and less productive. They will have to put more and more fertilizer. When the water is purer, everyone can survive well and with better crops.This issue is more about the role of a social and civil society, rather than water awareness. Take water pollution. What is the point of storing water if it’s going to be polluted? We are also worried about soil problems, but the main problem to be addressed is how to put a stop to the problem of water pollution.Why would an industrialist discharge waste into public waters? We all know it is greed – more money, more profit, ignorance. The same is true for air pollution. But what is behind this greed and ignorance? Yoga says all our activities are controlled by our mind. If we are not able to regulate our heart and mind, we are a burden on this planet.&nbsp;Our planet is victim to mad people who are ruling countries and have power in their hands in the form of money. Greed for gains has made them sacrifice the moral divine laws. They sacrifice all that is good. It is not that they don’t have a heart: they have a heart, but greed takes over. And all of us pay the price. By disregarding this creation, the nature that we see, we are disregarding the creator. And eventually, we will all pay the price for remaining witnesses. We have to take these matters into our hands.&nbsp;&nbsp;<hr><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/power_of_water4_516fea6813.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-11T12:25:02.983Z" alt="power-of-water4"><hr>Recently, I was with the Minister for Water in Jabalpur, and we were talking about water problems. He loves the Narmada River, and he said, “Daaji, the problem is created by the ashrams and temple people. Wherever I go, they dump their waste into the river.” I said, “You are a Minister, why don’t you do something?” He had no answer for that, because he also knows there are repercussions,&nbsp;so I offered him a solution.When I was running a chain of pharmacies in New York City, if a dog relieved itself on the pavement outside your store or somebody threw a Pepsi can, you were not responsible for it. But if a sanitation inspector saw that your pavement was not clean, he would give you a fine of a $100, no arguments. He would come with a camera, take a photo, and show you, saying, “This is in front of your store. It is your pavement. You are responsible for cleaning it.”So, I told the Minister, “Let’s do something like this,” but unfortunately, the more laws we create, the more avenues we create for corruption. That is the danger we are facing in our country: more laws, more inspectors; more inspectors earning more money from law-breaking citizens.&nbsp;&nbsp;<hr><hr><h4>Unless the mind and the heart are regulated,&nbsp; there is no solution.&nbsp; The inspiration must come from within that,&nbsp; “I must do something about my surroundings.”</h4><hr><hr>So, unless the mind and the heart are regulated, there is no solution. The inspiration must come from within that, “I must do something about my surroundings.” We are offering solutions for every little thing: for air pollution, one solution; for the water problem, another solution; but let’s go to the root of it. If we can solve the root problem, we can prevent many problems, and we can also solve many problems.&nbsp;Education begins very early. Let children learn all these things. Teach them how to segregate waste, how to process waste, and how to preserve water. I am reminded of a video of an “aware” monkey. Some of you might have seen it. In a village there was a running tap and nobody turned it off. But the monkey did!Let’s see what we can do together. We can bring a lot of farmers, a lot of villagers, a lot of village heads, to start with in our ashrams across India. Many such locations can be made use of. They are not only for yoga and meditation, but also for many social activities that can uplift our nation and our planet.<hr>

3 natural ways to harness the power of water

Open your heart

<h4
 id="h-this-article-is-an-excerpt-from-daaji-s-upcoming-book-the-wisdom-bridge-nine-principles-to-live-a-life-that-echoes-in-the-heart-of-your-loved-ones-it-is-being-published-by-penguin-india-and-will-be-released-later-this-month"
 >
 This article is an excerpt from
 DAAJI’s upcoming book,
 The Wisdom Bridge: Nine Principles to Live a Life that Echoes in
 the Heart of Your Loved Ones. It is being published by Penguin India, and will be released later
 this month.
 </h4>

 <hr class="vertical-space1" />

 
 If we plant a seed, it cannot jump thirty years and become a
 fruit-yielding tree. It must go through the stages one by one to reach
 maturity, and that is the process of growth. So, it’s inevitable that a
 tree’s life begins with a seed, then a sapling, then a young tree, then
 a mature fruit-bearing tree.
 

 
 In our life, youth is the journey toward maturity. It is a time of great
 promise and potential. When I spend time with young people, it gives me
 a window into their buoyant hearts. When I hear their problems, which
 some time ago were my problems too, it deepens our kinship. When I
 listen to their ideas, I feel energized. When I see them drowned in
 meditation, I witness a new humanity awakening. These young adults are
 the change agents in our world.
 

 
 As parents, elders, and teachers, it’s our duty to prepare children for
 young adulthood by laying strong moral and emotional foundations. From
 an early age, if we introduce good habits, then when they grow up they
 will have a well-tuned inner GPS guiding them. Throughout history,
 whenever young people were supported by the wisdom of elders, they went
 on to change the world in amazing ways. &nbsp;&nbsp;
 

 
 But supporting them is not an easy task. Their age is a heady mix of
 promise, inquisitiveness, defiance, and energy. Saying “This is how we
 do it” won’t work, because they push back on authority. Talking down to
 them or pandering to them doesn’t work. We have to meet as equals. Of
 course, it takes patience, empathy, authenticity, and a good bit of
 humor to connect.
 

 
 Once a group of 20-year-olds came to visit me at our meditation center
 in Kanha Shanti Vanam, India. Kanha is a sanctuary of peace, chiseled
 out of the arid lands of igneous rock and quartz of the Deccan plateau.
 Today, Kanha is home to thousands of trees that line the walkways
 leading to the world’s largest meditation hall. Picture this: A hundred
 thousand people from around the world meditating for the collective
 purpose of unity and peace. Kanha is the Garden of Eden of meditation.
 

 
 At the time these20-year-oldsvisited, the meditation hall was still
 being built. Several projects were underway and two thousand people were
 working every day at the site. The youngsters were here for volunteer
 work. When you sign up as a volunteer, whether you are laying bricks,
 planting trees, pulling cables, or sweeping floors, your heart becomes
 more open, aligns with the vision, and you care for what is being done.
 The work ethic and habits that you develop also serve you well in all
 aspects of your life.
 

 <hr class="vertical-space1" />

 <div class="block-image">
 <figure>
 <img
 alt="Our-Noble-Youth2"
 class="lazyload has-img-center"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/Our_Noble_Youth2_700x564_a1c94f6f11.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-12T07:13:43.630Z"
 />
 </figure>
 </div>

 <hr class="vertical-space1" />

 
 I gave them a fact-finding mission. I asked them to observe the work and
 then report back to me. When we got together a few days later, they
 pulled out a list, almost two pages long. They had identified problems
 related to shift hours, waste management, landscaping, worker safety,
 quality of materials, and many other things.
 

 
 Next, I gave them a couple of days to brainstorm solutions and present
 their ideas to the project team at Kanha. I also told them that I
 wouldn’t be attending that meeting. I preferred that they had a
 free-range discussion, and asked one of my associates to listen in. My
 associate told me that the meeting started well but quickly went off the
 rails.
 

 
 Here’s what happened that day. When the young volunteers presented their
 findings, the project team felt that they were calling their baby ugly.
 They also felt that the suggestions were half-baked and lacked proper
 context. The project team became defensive, and the young volunteers
 became aggressive. In the heat of the moment, neither team was mindful
 of the goal, which was how to make Kanha better.
 

 
 I knew this would happen. Over the years, I have seen how clashing egos
 squash enthusiasm. I wanted the project team to learn how to process
 feedback. I wanted them to grasp the proverbial wisdom of separating the
 wheat from the chaff. But, when emotions run high, we end up collecting
 chaff from the wheat. I also wanted the youngsters to learn how to offer
 feedback in a constructive way.
 

 <hr class="vertical-space1" />

 <div class="block-image">
 <figure>
 <img
 alt="Our-Noble-Youth3"
 class="lazyload has-img-center"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/Our_Noble_Youth3_562a6da877.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-12T07:14:17.918Z"
 />
 </figure>
 </div>

 <hr class="vertical-space1" />

 
 A few days later, when both teams had cooled off, I called them over to
 my place. I used my weapon of choice, which hasn’t failed me to date.
 Warm masala chai and some finger-licking Gujarati savories. The instant
 these weapons are fired even the mightiest meekly surrender to the
 onslaught of sips and dips. Soon the teams started chatting again. This
 time around, I asked them to keep the big picture in mind, and having
 said that, I left for a walk.
 

 
 I was later told that the conversation went well. This time, the
 youngsters understood the project team’s viewpoint. They had a better
 appreciation of the sleepless nights and grueling work involved. The
 project team, for their part, appreciated the energy of the youngsters.
 They understood that not only were they offering solutions, they would
 also work on implementing them. The meeting ended with a feeling of
 kinship and solidarity.
 

 
 There is an old engineer’s lament, “Between seeing the glass half full
 or half empty there is also the possibility of the glass being designed
 for twice the capacity.” When the energy of youth is supported by
 wisdom, new perspectives emerge. Young people are not wild horses to be
 tamed. They need to be inspired and enabled as a force for good.
 

 <hr class="vertical-space1" />

 <div class="block-image">
 <figure>
 <img
 alt="Our-Noble-Youth4"
 class="lazyload has-img-center"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/Our_Noble_Youth4_b6587a908d.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-12T07:14:50.556Z"
 />
 </figure>
 </div>

 <hr class="vertical-space1" />

 <hr />

 <h4 class="has-text-align-center">
 The biggest strength of youth is energy. Their energy is
 creative. There is no turning off the fire. There is no
 hibernating through this phase of life. When youthful
 energies are channeled in the right direction, such energy is
 creative energy.
 </h4>

 <hr />

 <hr class="vertical-space1" />

 
 The biggest strength of youth is energy. Their energy is creative. There
 is no turning off the fire. There is no hibernating through this phase
 of life. When youthful energies are channeled in the right direction,
 such energy is creative energy. The energy of youth is designed for a
 period of vigorous activity with aspiration. What is the aspiration that
 drives them? Can it be how to become gentle, how to become loving, and
 how to become wise?
 

 
 As an elder, I feel a responsibility to impart wisdom and surround our
 youth with wise people. Their wisdom will help today’s young people
 achieve their full potential and bring positive change in their families
 and communities.
 

 <hr class="vertical-space1" />

 <hr />

 <h4 class="has-text-align-center">Illustrations by PRAMITI RAMCHANDRA</h4>

 <hr />

Our noble youth

<h4
 id="h-august-15-2022-is-the-75th-anniversary-of-india-s-freedom-from-british-rule-while-india-s-freedom-fighters-are-honored-every-year-for-the-roles-they-played-in-bringing-this-about-here-daaji-shares-with-us-a-lesser-known-history-of-things-happening-behind-the-scenes-the-role-of-a-great-rishi-and-a-modern-day-spiritual-master-in-the-events-that-unfolded-from-december-1946-onward"
 >
 August 15, 2022, is the 75th anniversary of India’s
 freedom from British rule. While India’s freedom fighters are honored
 every year for the roles they played in bringing this about, here
 DAAJI shares
 with us a lesser known history of things happening behind the scenes;
 the role of a great rishi and a modern-day spiritual master in the
 events that unfolded from December 1946 onward.
 </h4>

 <hr class="vertical-space1" />

 
 The history of the independence of India from the British is filled with
 valor, courage, and the brotherhood of freedom fighters, who were
 willing to sacrifice their lives and worked tirelessly to bring about
 freedom from oppression. None is more revered around the world than
 Mahatma Gandhiji, who is still fondly known today as the father of
 modern India.
 

 
 But what was going on behind the scenes to support these intrepid
 freedom fighters? There are many hints in the diaries of Ram Chandra of
 Shahjahanpur, known to us as Babuji, the great Indian saint and
 spiritual Master who lived from 1899 to 1983. His record points to the
 roles of the great Rishi Agastya, Swami Vivekananda, and Babuji himself.
 

 
 In these diaries, we first learn of the pending upheaval in December
 1946, when Swami Vivekananda intercommunicates with Babuji from a higher
 world and gives him instructions about the work he must do to support
 the social and political changes that are to come. This may seem
 farfetched, but it is no different from many other stories we cherish
 about the sages of yore helping humanity in their struggles. It is part
 and parcel of the spiritual land that is India.
 

 
 In fact, it was the Rishi Agastya and Babuji together who did the work
 to finally overthrow British rule in August 1947, and it was Babuji who
 kept Gandhiji alive during his fast in January 1948, and who protected
 Nehru’s life in April 1948.
 

 
 In August 1947, Swami Vivekananda intercommunicated with Babuji,
 “Political change is necessary in India. Sage Agastya is already
 working. He will communicate the result to you.”
 

 
 On 13 January 1948, Swami Vivekananda’s message to Babuji was, “Gandhiji
 is on a fast. What for? To bring the condition of India to balance. He
 is doing his business, and you should do yours. Let us see who
 succeeds.”
 

 <hr class="vertical-space1" />

 <hr />

 <h4 class="has-text-align-center">
 “Do the duty assigned to you. Stick to your work without
 worrying for any happenings whatsoever. Really speaking,
 you are playing the true part of Nature in the field of
 politics. No change can be made unless one or another
 great soul, coming for the purpose, is attached to it. That is
 the law, applicable not only to India but to the whole
 world.”
 </h4>

 <hr />

 <hr class="vertical-space1" />

 
 On 30 January 1948, Babuji received an order for group meditation to be
 conducted for the peace of Gandhiji’s soul after his assassination. The
 soul of Gandhiji was present at the time.
 

 
 Then, on 31 January 1948, Babuji was assigned the duty to work for India
 as a whole. Swami Vivekananda told Babuji over the coming days, “Do the
 duty assigned to you. Stick to your work without worrying for any
 happenings whatsoever. Really speaking, you are playing the true part of
 Nature in the field of politics. No change can be made unless one or
 another great soul, coming for the purpose, is attached to it. That is
 the law, applicable not only to India but to the whole world.”
 

 
 A few days later, Swamiji paid tribute to the part Gandhiji played,
 “Dear ones, are you shocked at the death of Gandhiji? Naturally you
 should be. He was a great man, a politician, whom the world will
 remember for the work. However, you need now control and end your grief.
 Nobody can stop what is to happen. That is the law of Nature. India will
 not see such a great person in the field of politics in future. He was
 good at heart and had a noble ethos. He has played his part very well.
 

 
 “Gandhiji had the public force with him, and you have the divine force
 at your command.
 

 
 “Gandhiji and everyone may work for the improvement of the lot of the
 downtrodden, and also love them, but we need never forget the principles
 laid down by the age-worn wisdom and enunciated by Lord Krishna in the
 Bhagavad Gita.”
 

 
 These records help us to understand that world events are not always
 within our hands. We may believe that we are in control of politics and
 the destiny of nations, but the great Rishis of yore are still an active
 force, working with Nature to bring about balance.
 

 <hr class="vertical-space1" />

 <hr />

 <h4 class="has-text-align-center">
 Until we create harmony and unity within our nation, we are a far cry from freedom, even politically. We still have a long way to go, and it starts with each and every one of us.
 </h4>

 <hr />

 <hr class="vertical-space1" />

 
 Closer to home, there are other things to ponder. While India may have
 won political freedom in 1947, does it mean that her citizens are free?
 What about inner freedom? That still eludes most of us. And the same can
 be said for other countries and cultures that have been freed from
 colonial oppression.
 

 
 In the colonial era, it was easy to identify the enemy as the British.
 Today, the enemy may look like us, dress like us, and speak like us.
 Until we create harmony and unity within our nation, we are a far cry
 from freedom, even politically. We still have a long way to go, and it
 starts with each and every one of us.
 

 <hr class="vertical-space1" />

 <hr />

 
 The quotes and historical events in this article are taken from the
 diaries of Ram Chandra of Shahjahanpur (Babuji), and published as
 Whispers from The Brighter World, Vol. 4, 1946-1955. Heartfulness Education Trust, Kanha Shanti Vanam, India.
 

 <hr class="vertical-space1" />

 <div class="block-image">
 <figure>
 <img
 width="408"
 height="445"
 alt="the-role-of-great-rishi-saint2"
 class="lazyload has-img-center"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/the_role_of_great_rishi_saint2_b4fc19d53a.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-11T13:51:01.824Z"
 />
 </figure>
 </div>

 <hr class="vertical-space1" />

 <hr />

 <h4 class="has-text-align-center">Illustrations by PRAMITI RAMCHANDRA</h4>

 <hr />

The role of a great rishi and a saint in the freedom of India

<h4>
 DAAJI speaks of friendship and the important
 role it plays in our lives. He also shares a practice for removing enmity and making friends of our enemies.
 Finally, he shares 4 tips for becoming a better friend.
</h4>



<hr class="vertical-space1">



Who Is a True Friend?



The word “friend” comes from an Indo-European root meaning “to love. ”Friendship is about a shared experience of
 life, sometimes lasting decades, and in that friendship we bear witness to each other’s struggles, happiness, and
 journeys. Friendship has a special place in our relationships because it is not romantic, and so it is uncomplicated
 by the addition of any sensual intimacy or family ties. There is a purity that is not found even in familial love.
 In fact, Kahlil Gibran wrote in The Prophet, “Let there be no purpose in friendship save the deepening of
 the spirit.”&nbsp;



Making Friends of Enemies



The opposite of friendship is enmity, and here I will share with you a simple method for transforming enmity into
 friendship. As Abraham Lincoln once said, “I destroy my enemies when I make them my friends.” Friendship is not
 intended to be exclusive, to create discrete circles of friends, based on likes and dislikes among people. Instead,
 friendship can create ever-expanding circles of connection and support that grow into a vast network across all
 existence. To grow in friendship is to cut off the heads of enmity and separation, one by one, just as Hercules cut
 of the heads of the Hydra in the second of his twelve Labors. That is also a symbol for the heads of ego that we
 must behead in our journey toward the universal consciousness.



<hr class="vertical-space1">



<hr>



<h4 class="has-text-align-center">Friendship can create
 ever-expanding circles of connection and support that grow into a vast network across all
 existence.</h4>



<hr>



<hr class="vertical-space1">



So here is a method for transforming enmity into friendship. If there is a relationship that you need to mend, do the
 following:



Lalaji’s Method



Think of a person with whom you feel any disturbance, conflict,
 or fear, as your friend and well-wisher. Develop this practice diligently.



Sit alone, and meditate with the thought that, “This person is
 my friend and well-wisher.” Imagine their form in front of you and think that all evil or negative thoughts
 about you have gone out from them, and thoughts related to your welfare have been infused in them.



Whenever you have the opportunity to go near them, fix your eyes
 on their face. When you breathe, add the thought, while exhaling, that particles of your love and affection have
 entered into their heart. While inhaling, have the thought that you have pulled from their heart all the
 negative thoughts they have about you, and have thrown them aside.



Establish a cycle with the inhaling and exhaling of the breath.
 This is very beneficial, and within a few days the entire thing will take a turn like water, and you will be
 surprised what a miracle has taken place. By practicing this, your hate turns to love. Initially, it will be
 difficult and this task will look as heavy as a mountain, but for a person of courage everything is easy. There
 are no difficulties that cannot become easy.



<hr class="vertical-space1">




<figure><img decoding="async" width="700" height="742" alt="" class="lazyload has-img-center"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/how_to_Be_good_friend2_700x742_8e648277df.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-11T11:47:00.805Z">
</figure>




<hr class="vertical-space1">



How Does Friendship Ennoble Us?



True friendship is to understand and be understood; to accept and to be accepted. Friendship offers a mirror for our
 growth, letting us see ourselves through the eyes of another. During misfortune, friends are a refuge and a comfort.
 At other times, they uplift us, and keep us out of trouble. And it is in the little acts of friendship that the
 heart is renewed: in the silence of good company; in the longing of absence; in a touching card or letter; in the
 sharing of experience; and in the joy of meeting after a long time. Friendship is rekindled over and over again
 through forgiveness, understanding, and mercy. Without patience, acceptance, and mercy, all friendships would cease.




<hr class="vertical-space1">



<hr>



<h4 class="has-text-align-center">We are all expressions of the
 divine, and our souls are all woven into the universal being.</h4>



<hr>



<hr class="vertical-space1">



With old friends, we are able to let our guard down, and be authentic, even stupid, without worrying about the
 consequences. We are naturally humble in these circumstances. In fact, one of the qualities of good friendship is
 humility, because a humble person is looking for the best in everyone and thus invites a friendly response from the
 world. If we extend that to being friendly to all beings, it means we walk through the world in humility,
 encouraging the best in others, and accepting those faults that make them lesser. It is not that friendship doesn’t
 reveal the shadow side of ourselves and others, but we uplift and support each other rather than drag each other
 down.



<hr class="vertical-space1">




<figure><img decoding="async" width="700" height="742" alt="" class="lazyload has-img-center"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/how_to_Be_good_friend3_700x742_bda8ad4319.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-11T11:48:09.891Z">
</figure>




<hr class="vertical-space1">



Friendship is often underestimated, even in spiritual circles, where attachment to anyone other than God or the Guru
 is often undervalued. In some traditions, “The Friend” is one of the names for God. While that is a beautiful
 understanding, it is sometimes mistakenly used to infer that the only friendship that matters is God’s or the
 Guru’s.



I don’t agree with that view, because we are all expressions of the divine, and our souls are all woven into the
 universal being. As part of the whole, we are here to support, help, and love each other. True friendship enriches,
 ennobles, and endures, sometimes throughout a lifetime, sometimes after death. It is a state of belonging together,
 even when there is physical separation. Ultimately, as we become more god-like in our nature, we become a friend to
 all, just as God is a Friend to all.



Friendship means we make time for people, we value our connection with them, and we share and learn from each other.
 In fact, a person with no time for friends, because of overwork, ambition, and personal gain, leads a life of
 imbalance. The trick as we evolve is to have ever-expanding circles of friends, with the attitude, “May everything
 be my friend.” The bias of likes and dislikes becomes less and less important as those circles widen.



<hr class="vertical-space1">



<hr>



<h4 class="has-text-align-center">Friendship means we make
 time for people, we value our connection with them, and we share and learn from each other.
</h4>



<hr>



<hr class="vertical-space1">



Does it mean that we must hold onto all our old friendships, come what may, even when they are not beneficial? We may
 no longer want to spend time with a particular person whose influence is negative, but what would be the purpose of
 discarding that person from our hearts and excluding them, when one day the connection may bring that person also
 toward a nobler path?



As friends, we are there to witness each other’s journeys, to accompany each other, sometimes for the briefest
 moment, and other times for life after life. It is like getting onto a bus or a train and traveling together for
 some time, then getting off at different stops. We share part of the journey.



It is not a journey we can make alone, so I would ask you to take a moment to remember and honor all those friends
 past and present who have accompanied you, as I will also honor the friends past and present who have traveled with
 me.



<hr class="vertical-space1">



<figure><img decoding="async" width="700" alt="" class="lazyload has-img-center"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/how_to_Be_good_friend4_infographic_700x823_ca771a9d07.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-11T11:49:10.582Z">
</figure>




<hr class="vertical-space1">



<hr>



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



<hr>

How to be a good friend

<h4
 id="h-everyone-is-looking-for-guidance-to-navigate-the-uncertainty-and-challenges-that-we-collectively-face-in-today-s-world-sometimes-the-source-of-such-guidance-has-been-right-in-front-of-us-all-along-and-all-we-need-is-a-simple-reminder-that-the-answers-to-our-deepest-problems-are-within-our-grasp">
 Everyone is looking for guidance to navigate the uncertainty and challenges that we collectively face in
 today’s world. Sometimes the source of such guidance has been right in front of us all along, and all we need is
 a simple reminder that the answers to our deepest problems are within our grasp. 
</h4>



<h4
 id="h-daaji-shares-an-ancient-source-with-us-enlightening-us-on-four-simple-attitudes-that-keep-us-safe-in-all-storms">
 DAAJI shares an ancient source with us,
 enlightening us on four simple attitudes that keep us safe in all storms.
</h4>



<hr class="vertical-space1">








<figure><img decoding="async" width="603" height="852" alt=""
 class="lazyload has-img-center"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/four_attitudes_transform_life_forever2_578240f7c2.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-11T06:04:35.458Z">
</figure>




<hr class="vertical-space1">



In the 1st century BC, King Herod the Great built a palace in the Judaean desert near Jerusalem. A few
 years ago, scientists discovered 2000-year-old seeds at the ruins of the palace, and when they planted those seeds,
 seven date palms grew. During twenty centuries of excruciating desert climate, the life force within those seeds was
 preserved. There are some seeds that have survived even longer and are available to all of us, the ancient seeds
 of wisdom we find in the Yoga Sutras.



Thousands of years ago, the great spiritual scientist Patanjali taught his students about a way of life that could
 transform human existence. He showed them the path to infinity. Unfortunately, very little is known about who
 Patanjali was and what he did to achieve this knowledge. However, the 196 seeds of wisdom, the sutras he shared with
 his students, are with us today.



What is a sutra? It’s not a verse or hymn. Neither is it advice nor a mantra. A sutra is a coded word. Like a seed,
 it’s an open secret of nature that encapsulates immense wisdom and actionable guidance. One can spend an entire
 lifetime decoding and demystifying just one sutra. And here, Patanjali gave the world 196 of them! From his Yoga
 Sutras, I would like to share with you the transformative wisdom of one Sutra – number 33.



Why is Sutra 33 important? By cultivating the four attitudes recommended in this Sutra, we create an inner
 environment that calms the turbulence in our consciousness. By leading our lives by these attitudes, we cultivate
 correct thinking, right understanding, and an honest approach to our life. When such is
 the case, life is enlivened with authenticity.




Authenticity opens the doors to transformation. It gives us the capacity to accept more and more change. This change
 is no longer lukewarm and tepid. Instead, it’s a burning fire of transformation that creates the gleaming gold of a
 life well-led.



So here it goes, Sutra 33 from Patanjali for a transformative life:



<a>Maitr</a>ī-karuṇā-mudito-pekṣāṇāṁsukha-dukkha-puṇyapuṇyaviṣayāṇāṁbhāvanātaḥcitta-prasādanam




“The right inner environment is created by cultivating these four
 attitudes: friendliness toward the happy ones, compassion toward victims of misery, joy toward the
 virtuous, and indifference toward the non-virtuous.”



To understand the wisdom of these four attitudes, let’s start with a contrarian approach:



Attitude 1: Friendliness toward the happy
 ones



What happens when your friend is happy? Imagine that your friend buys a dazzling silver Mercedes and invites you over
 for a party. Or another friend throws an early retirement bash thanks to a successful business sale. How do you
 feel? Are you happy for them? Are you also a bit envious: “Why them and not me?”



So your friend buys a new car and you are envious. The other friend makes money and your sleep is ruined. Because of
 social etiquette, you might not express these feelings openly, but they do cross your heart and sometimes they
 linger for some time.



Now, what happens when you are genuinely friendly toward those who are happy? What happens when you share in the joys
 of others? Try it and see for yourself. You will find that you genuinely partake in their happiness in some magical
 way. Your heart will expand, and you will grow as a human being. This is a matter of experience.



<hr class="vertical-space1">




<figure><img decoding="async" width="600" height="848" alt=""
 class="lazyload has-img-center"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/four_attitudes_transform_life_forever3_0f2e33c4bf.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-11T06:05:45.627Z">
</figure>



<hr class="vertical-space1">



<hr>



<h4 class="has-text-align-center">Authenticity opens the
 doors to transformation. It gives us the capacity to accept more and more change.</h4>



<hr>



<hr class="vertical-space1">



When the attitude of friendliness toward the happy ones becomes permanent, you may not be wealthy, but the wealthy
 enjoy your company; you may not be powerful, but the powerful are there for you; you may not be an emperor, but the
 entourage supports you. Most importantly, even if none of this happens, the seeds of happiness sown in the heart
 blossom into a forest of contentment.



<h4>Attitude 2: Compassion toward victims of
 misery</h4>



When a co-worker shares their health issues related to diabetes and hypertension, how do you react? Externally you
 may share your sympathy, but inside do you judge their lifestyle? “Oh, he eats unhealthy food,” “She never
 exercises,” “All that smoking, what else can you expect?” When someone is miserable, do you judge, or does their
 pain prick your heart? Does your heart miss a beat and ooze with compassion seeing the misery of others? When you
 judge others, you will regret it afterward. In your quiet time, perhaps when you reflect at bedtime or write a
 journal, you will berate yourself, “Why did I do such a thing?” Your inner poise is gone.



People going through problems don’t need much in terms of help. They need someone to listen and acknowledge that what
 they are going through must feel terrible. Listening with compassion and acknowledging their misery gives people the
 strength to work on a solution.



We do this with children all the time. A little girl falls while running, and grandparents lift the child, caressing
 her and applying the first aid of love and attention. In a few moments, she is running again. We may have grown up
 physically, but our emotional needs are the same. Compassion, attention, and care go a long way to heal the hurt of
 misery. So be generous with your compassion.&nbsp;



<h4>Attitude 3: Joy toward the virtuous
</h4>



How do you react when you see virtue in action? When you see someone efface themselves with humility, do you think of
 it as noble behavior or do you see it as weak? When you see acts of generosity, do you appreciate them or look for
 an ulterior motive? There is a general tendency to regard virtue with suspicion. Why is this so? It’s because a suspicious nature deceives us into that
 there must be something darker lurking beneath.



<hr class="vertical-space1">




<figure><img decoding="async" width="400" height="317" alt=""
 class="lazyload has-img-center"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/four_attitudes_transform_life_forever4_e096583834.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-11T06:07:21.500Z">
</figure>




<hr class="vertical-space1">



<hr>



<h4 class="has-text-align-center">The seeds of
 happiness sown in the heart
 blossom into a forest of contentment.</h4>



<hr>



<hr class="vertical-space1">



When we express joy toward the virtuous, we create a vacuum that is devoid of suspicion, comparison, and
 competitiveness. Into such a heart, grace descends naturally. It’s like building a low-pressure area where clouds
 collect and pour down rain. Through such downpours of grace, we cultivate such virtues ourselves, even without our
 making efforts to do so. So celebrate the virtuous around you with a heart full of joy.



<h4>Attitude 4: Indifference toward the
 non-virtuous</h4>



Energy flows where attention goes. Patanjali’s prescription for cultivating indifference might sound like he is
 asking us to look the other way in the face of evil, but what he is urging us to do is not to spend time and energy
 focusing on the evil in a person’s behavior, because what you pay attention to will grow. If you are a soldier
 fighting an enemy, let duty be your driving force, not hatred for the enemy. Once the seeds of hate land in your
 heart they will keep growing long after the enemy is gone.



<hr class="vertical-space1">



<hr>



<h4 class="has-text-align-center">When we express joy toward the
 virtuous, we create a vacuum that is devoid of suspicion, comparison, and competitiveness. Into such a
 heart, grace descends naturally.</h4>



<hr>



<hr class="vertical-space1">




<figure><img decoding="async" width="600" height="654" alt=""
 class="lazyload has-img-center"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/four_attitudes_transform_life_forever5_8da7203a1d.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-11T06:08:52.300Z">
</figure>




<hr class="vertical-space1">



It’s the same message Lord Jesus gave from the cross: “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do. ”It’s
 the same message Lord Rama gave when Ravana was breathing his last; he sent Lakshmana to gather words of wisdom from
 the learned Ravana. In all these examples, we learn that in the battle of good versus evil, love versus hate, right
 versus wrong, we do not become virtuous by condemning the other to judgment. Instead, we grow by nurturing goodness
 in the heart.



These attitudes have inspired me personally to act and transform. A simple way to start implementing them is to pick
 one. Then, before going to bed, offer a prayer, seeking help, guidance, and strength to implement that attitude in
 life. Do this for a few days, and please let me know about your experience.



<hr class="vertical-space1">



<hr>



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



<hr>

Four attitudes that will transform your life forever

<h4
 id="h-daaji-challenges-us-to-think-about-how-we-make-decisions-and-shows-us-how-a-regular-meditation-practice-can-lead-us-to-knowing-right-from-wrong-naturally-and-easily-by-listening-to-the-heart-and-allowing-it-to-guide-our-choices">
 DAAJI
 challenges us to think about how we make decisions, and shows us how a
 regular meditation practice can lead us to knowing right from wrong,
 naturally and easily, by listening to the heart and allowing it to guide
 our choices.
</h4>

<hr class="vertical-space1" />


 “Compound interest is the eighth wonder of the world. He who understands it
 earns it, he who doesn’t, pays it.” Sometimes, I think about this quote
 (often attributed to Einstein) in a different content: making good
 decisions.



 On average, we make hundreds of decisions every day. What to wear? What to
 eat? How to put aside half an hour to help a loved one in need? What to say
 to a disgruntled customer? Which stock to buy? When we make good decisions,
 they have a compounding positive effect on our lives, and when we don’t, we
 suffer the consequences.



 Often, we think it’s the big decisions that matter most. For example, whom
 to marry? Which career to choose? And so on. But decision-making is not a
 one-and-done deal. Decisions form a continuum, where many smaller decisions
 come before and after the bigger ones. When we steadily improve our batting
 average in making good decisions, the better we will be in achieving our
 goals.



 Meditation will help you improve your batting average. The more meditative
 your mind becomes, the better the decisions you will make. In 2011,
 researchers from Virginia Tech asked people to play the
 Ultimatum Game, which assessed the quality of
 decision-making1. They found that meditators consistently made
 better decisions and ended up with better outcomes than those in the control
 group. The meditators were more rational and reflective than those in the
 control group.


<hr class="vertical-space1" />


<img decoding="async" width="500" height="707" alt="" class="lazyload has-img-center"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/making_great_decisions2_f8d502bd0f.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-11T12:17:31.051Z" />


<hr class="vertical-space1" />


 So, why does meditation make us better decision makers? There are
 many reasons and here are three big ones you can validate yourself: 



 A Meditative Mind Escapes The Gravitational Pull
 of Desires



 To enjoy a panoramic view of the New York City skyline,would you prefer the
 first floor or the roof top of the Empire State Building? The rooftop offers
 you a 360-degree view. Rising above improves visibility. The same
 goes for decision-making. To make a good decision, you first need to rise
 above the noise of your likes and dislikes to get a clear view. Rising above
 helps you have a better perspective. But what generally happens? The pulls
 and pushes of desires and emotions create gravity that prevents you from
 rising, so you see things from a lower perspective, without the whole
 picture.



 Desire precedes any decision-making so it’s important to acknowledge it. We
 are all familiar with it. For example, one moment we want to realize God,
 and the next moment an alert from WhatsApp catches our attention. Before we
 know it, we are busy watching another kitten video and scavenging the
 kitchen for a snack, while God patiently waits. See how small decisions sway
 us away from grand goals?



 Meditation helps us rise above the noise and tap into the impulses of the
 heart that come from the deepest core of our being. But those impulses, no
 matter how pure, encounter many layers of consciousness as they surface. If
 those layers are filled with imprints of desires, then the heart’s impulse
 loses potency. Think of the gushing up of the mineral kimberlite from the
 core of the Earth. As it rises, cutting across layers of the Earth, if it’s
 blocked and loses speed it becomes graphite. If it moves unhindered, the
 same mineral becomes a diamond.



 Meditation clears the way for the impulses of the heart to surface
 unobstructed. When we listen to those impulses and act, the decisions we
 make are good for us.


<hr class="vertical-space1" />


<img decoding="async" width="500" height="707" alt="" class="lazyload has-img-center"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/making_great_decisions3_bcf46efd89.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-11T12:18:50.329Z" />


<hr class="vertical-space1" />


 A Meditative Mind Looks Beyond
 Bias



 In addition to desire, another factor in decision-making is bias. Our
 understanding and appreciation are based on our conditioning. Brain
 scientists like David Eagleman and others have done studies that demonstrate
 bias in people’s empathetic responses according to their group allegiance,
 such as their religion2. When bias colors our thinking, we don’t
 see things as they are. We see them as we wish them to be. Like the
 story of the blindfolded men trying to describe an elephant, we are all
 blinded by the many veils of our biases.



 Meditation removes the veils. It moves us from pre-judging to seeing things
 as they truly are, so that we can decide based on clear perception.


<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<hr />

<h4 class="text-center">
 Meditation clears the way for the impulses
 of the heart to surface unobstructed.
</h4>

<hr />

<hr class="vertical-space1" />


 A Meditative Mind Is a Discerning
 Mind



 It is well-known that when a person cannot make decisions and hesitates they
 feel restless. Sometimes you will see people who keep on postponing
 decisions, even with all the information at their fingertips. What happens?
 Peace eludes their mind. This inability to make decisions is due to alack of
 clarity and discernment (known in Yoga as Viveka). Once a person
 has lost that discernment, it is hard for them to maintain their humanity,
 because the mind is always confused or turbulent.



 One very important gift of a meditation practice is discernment. A
 meditative mind can quickly discern, “What is good for me? What is
 evolutionary for me? What is ennobling for me?” When such clarity exists,
 decisions are made faster, even with less information.


<hr class="vertical-space1" />


<img decoding="async" width="500" height="707" alt="" class="lazyload has-img-center"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/making_great_decisions4_7aa343c97b.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-11T12:19:47.688Z" />


<hr class="vertical-space1" />


 The Guidance of Wisdom



 While all meditative practices can improve decision making, Heartfulness
 offers something more. It helps you leapfrog to the correct decision without
 all the intermediary steps. As if moving at warp speed, you can look beyond
 desires, break through biases, and immediately tap into the intuitive
 guidance of the heart. The reason why the contemplative practices of
 Heartfulness equip you with decision-making superpower goes back to
 Maharishi Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra:


Hridaya chitta samvit


 Hridaya means heart, chitta means consciousness, and
 samvit means wisdom and understanding. When we meditate on the
 heart, it results in the understanding of the mind and consciousness. It is
 also a bridge that connects consciousness with the Source.



 When you meditate on the heart, it creates a hyperloop, a guidance system
 from within, so that decisions can come to you very fast. Early on, you may
 not feel confident in following these insights, but overtime, as you listen
 to the inner guidance, you will develop more confidence in the inner radar.
 Through meditation, you will be guided from within, especially about what
 not to do.


<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<hr />

<h4 class="text-center">
 When you meditate on the heart, it creates a
 hyperloop, a guidance
 system from within, so that decisions can come to you very
 fast.
</h4>

<hr />

<hr class="vertical-space1" />

Here is a simple exercise:


 First, think of a decision you made in your life that you
 felt was wrong
 or that you regret.



 Now, think of a decision that felt good and right.



 Reflect upon them. What do you discover?



 Are you able to see that when the heart guides you, and when your mind
 agrees with your heart, your decisions are correct? I hope you experience
 this for yourself.



 Coming back to the quote at the beginning of the article, one of my
 meditation trainers also used an example from finance. He would say, “In
 finance, we invest principal and we get interest. In meditation, we invest
 interest and become principled.” I pray that you will meditate with ever
 growing interest and make decisions that are ennobling and evolutionary.


<hr />

<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<h4 id="h-references">References</h4>


 1 Kirk, U. et al., 2011. Interoception Drives Increased Rational
 Decision-Making in Meditators Playing the Ultimatum Game,
 Frontiers in Neuroscience, Vol. 5, 49. Frontiers.



 2 Vaughn, D.A. et al., 2018. Empathic Neural Responses Predict Group
 Allegiance, Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, Vol. 12, 302.
 Frontiers.


<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<hr />

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

<hr />

<hr class="vertical-space1" />

Develop the habit of making great decisions

<h4>
 DAAJI explains how caring for
 Mother Earth begins with eliminating thought
 pollution from the mind and nurturing the attitudes of love and reverence.
 When love and reverence are there, will we intentionally hurt anyone or
 anything, especially our Mother Earth?
</h4>

<hr class="vertical-space1" />


 Here is a sobering fact: Homo sapiens (modern-day human beings) appeared on
 Earth around 130,000 years ago, whereas our planet is around 4.5 billion
 years old. This means we’ve been here for about 0.000028% of the Earth’s
 existence.



 Yet, in this remarkably short period, we’ve contributed to global warming
 that has heated the oceans by the equivalent of dropping one atomic bomb
 into the ocean every second for the past 150 years.1 Each second,
 one Hiroshima bomb dropped in the oceans.


How long will nature tolerate our transgressions?


 Cataclysms like tsunamis, wildfires, and hurricanes, don’t judge individuals
 and selectively punish. They are blunt and brutal. Reversing climate change
 is not an act of altruism towards the planet. It’s our only option
 for survival.



 You may have heard of the example of a frog in a bowl of heating water. The
 frog enjoys the warmth but doesn’t realize the water is getting warmer.
 Eventually, the water gets hot enough to kill the frog.



 But it’s not entirely true. In real life, when the water becomes too hot,
 the frog realizes the danger and jumps out of the bowl. The frog is wise
 enough and knows when to jump. We may not have the time to jump, and we have
 nowhere to jump.



 The story of Easter Island, famous for its monolithic stone sculptures, is a
 cautionary tale. Most ethnologists believe that Easter Island was once rich
 in vegetation and resources, but the tribes on the island plundered them.
 They cut down all the trees and fought over resources. The soil eroded into
 the seas, the birds left the island, and the fish moved to new waters.
 People kept fighting and most of them died of starvation. Easter Island is
 still there, but the human societies disappeared.


If my tone sounds alarmist, it is an alarming time.

<hr class="vertical-space1" />


<img decoding="async" width="700" height="567" alt="" class="lazyload has-img-center"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/The_Planet_before_after2_3e4f2382d0.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-11T07:01:14.947Z" />


<hr class="vertical-space1" />


 Not too long ago, I was reading an industry report that said that there are
 100 companies (including state-owned enterprises) that contribute to 70% of
 all the emissions globally. The simple solution, one would say, is to shut
 them down. But a simplistic solution to a complicated problem is usually
 wrong or idealistic.



 The economy, jobs, national security, and human rights are a web of knots
 woven into the climate challenge. You pull at one and others get squeezed
 too. So, we need comprehensive policymaking, cleaner technologies, reduced
 consumption, equitable allocation of resources, and a unified effort amongst
 nations. But all these steps take time. So, in the meanwhile, what can
 we do to help?



 As individuals, families, and communities, we play an important role in
 caring for Mother Earth. Society changes not because of policies or bills.
 Change happens because people change, behaviors change. When I say,
 enough, I will do something, then change begins.


<h4 id="h-start-with-the-self-the-principles-of-yama-and-mother-earth">
 Start with the Self: the Principles of Yama
 and Mother
 Earth
</h4>


 The problems of the environment underscore a much deeper problem facing
 humanity – that of thought pollution. When conflicting thoughts and
 emotions muddle our thinking, our minds become imbalanced, and confusion
 sets in. An unbalanced mind finds it hard to make wise decisions. For
 example, a doctor without balance may misdiagnose; an industrialist without
 balance may put short-term profit over the highest good. When our inner
 climate is polluted, we destroy the source that nourishes us.



 I grew up in a village near Surat in Gujarat, India. I have seen how the
 chemical industries in the region spewed effluents to a point where the
 groundwater became brown and fizzy like Soda. The smog from the factories
 was so persistent that wearing masks was the norm for most workers. Can you
 imagine a mindful, conscious industrialist allowing toxic effluents to be
 released into the water?



 Yoga offers us some solutions to fixing thought pollution. Maharishi
 Patanjali’s eightfold yoga system is a path to human perfection. On this
 path, we develop attitudes that ennoble us and benefit those around us,
 especially the planet.



 The beginning step of Yoga is Yama.
 The practice of Yama blesses us with four key attitudes.
 These
 are honesty, truthfulness, moderation, and
 non-possessiveness. Let’s look at these attitudes in pairs, starting with “honesty and
 truthfulness.”



<hr class="vertical-space1" />
 


<hr />

<h4 class="text-center">
 Society changes not because of policies or
 bills. Change
 happens because people change, behaviors change. When I say,
 enough, I will do something, then change begins.
</h4>


<hr />
 


<hr class="vertical-space1" />


<img decoding="async" width="700" height="354" alt="" class="lazyload has-img-center"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/The_Planet_before_after3_a23e719ee3.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-11T07:02:51.564Z" />


<hr class="vertical-space1" />


 When we are honest and truthful, will our conscience allow us to act
 irresponsibly? A company with honest and truthful leadership will not take
 shortcuts like fudging environmental tests or cutting corners with effluent
 treatment. The purity inside will not allow the hypocrisy of saying
 something and doing something else.



 Now, let’s look at the second pair of values, “moderation and
 non-possessiveness.”



 Moderation means balance of all senses and faculties; nothing more or less
 than needed for the purpose. Today, moderation is generally disturbed, and
 rampant over-consumption is the result. In a consumption-driven economy, the
 consumer decides what, how much, and when. Cultivating moderation will rein
 in over-consumption, conserve the planet’s resources, and help families save
 more money.



<hr class="vertical-space1" />
 


<hr />

<h4 class="text-center">
 Moderation means balance of all senses and
 faculties; nothing
 more or less than needed for the purpose.
</h4>


<hr />
 


<hr class="vertical-space1" />


 Lack of moderation also leads to hoarding, for example, when the wealthiest
 countries in the world hoard stockpiles of food and vaccines while entire
 continents go without. Individuals, communities, nations hoarding resources
 and monopolizing the gifts of Mother Earth will reduce only when
 non-possessiveness develops in hearts.



 A regular practice of meditation reins in thought pollution and creates an
 inner environment conducive to following Yama. We realize that the
 trees, the birds, and the fishes all have the same life force flowing
 through them, all droplets of the same ocean of life. The
 interconnectedness of existence helps us to develop love and
 reverence toward all creation. How can we hurt something we love? How can we
 disrespect something we revere? As a result, we imbibe non-violence, which
 is the fifth attitude of Yama. But the non-violence is of a higher
 order because now it’s not just about not hurting creation. Its about caring
 and nurturing it.&nbsp;


<hr class="vertical-space1" />


<img decoding="async" width="500" height="564" alt="" class="lazyload has-img-center"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/The_Planet_before_after4_d29250b906.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-11T07:04:30.956Z" />


<hr class="vertical-space1" />
 


<hr />

<h4 class="text-center">
 We realize that the trees, the birds, and
 the fishes all have
 the same life force flowing through them, 
 all droplets of the same ocean of life. The interconnectedness of
 existence helps us of develop love and reverence toward all
 creation.
</h4>


<hr />
 


<hr class="vertical-space1" />


 Our circle of conscience grows, and we care more and more. We mold our
 lifestyle to walk the Earth with a loving kindness. We consume less; the
 packaging waste from online orders pricks us; drinking from plastic water
 bottles pinches us. When such hearts assume leadership roles in companies,
 governments, and civic agencies, their decisions will reflect how much they
 care for the planet.


<h4>
 Green shoots of change
</h4>


 It takes only a generation to witness such a shift. Some of you may think
 this to be a pipedream, the optimistic musings of an old man. But consider
 what we have achieved in Kanha Shanti Vanam in a handful of years. We took
 an arid landscape chiseled out of the granite of the Deccan Plateau and
 transformed it into a lush ecological paradise. At Kanha, we preserve
 indigenous plants, offer workshops to upskill farmers, and operate cottage
 industries of oils, honey, and seeds. Our goal is to build a sustainable
 economy, offer jobs, and create a community that lives in harmony with
 nature.



 The project started with meditative minds coming together. When there was
 nothing on these lands, we first built a temporary structure so
 people could meditate. And from this inner activism came environmental
 change. Today, nestled in the leafy foliage of Kanha, is the world’s largest
 meditation hall. So, if the example of Easter Island scares you, let the
 example of Kanha inspire you.


<hr class="vertical-space1" />


<img decoding="async" width="500" height="670" alt="" class="lazyload has-img-center"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/The_Planet_before_after5_a7ca7561ec.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-11T07:05:58.525Z" />

<hr class="vertical-space1" />


 Similar to Kanha, across the world conscious communities are bringing
 together Indigenous knowledge, grass roots action, and the latest
 technologies to transform how we care for the Earth. Take the case of the
 Yugal Mangi Forest rangers in Outback Australia. For millennia, the
 Indigenous tribes have practiced patch burning, traditional “control
 burning” that creates greener pastures, diverse wildlife, and prevents
 large-scale wildfires. The rangers teamed up with Indigenous elders to
 develop a fire calendar that includes the latest maps, weather data, and
 traditional knowledge of the seasons. Similar initiatives are underway in
 the US, where the Indigenous tribes are training firefighters in the art of
 preventive fires.


<h4 id="h-where-to-begin">
 Where to begin?
</h4>


 As you think of your role in taking care of Mother Earth, begin from the
 heart. Let the goodness you create within become dynamic in your actions
 outside. Don’t underestimate the impact of your actions because big change
 comes from small steps.



<hr class="vertical-space1" />
 


<hr />

<h4 class="text-center">
 As you think of your role in taking care of
 Mother Earth,
 begin from the heart. Let the goodness you create within
 become dynamic 
 in your actions outside. Don’t underestimate the impact of
 your actions because big change comes from small steps.
</h4>


<hr />
 


<hr class="vertical-space1" />


<img decoding="async" width="700" height="462" alt="" class="lazyload has-img-center"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/The_Planet_before_after6_49e41a43d4.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-11T07:07:48.391Z" />


<hr class="vertical-space1" />


 I remember a few years ago in India, the monsoons arrived much later than
 expected. That summer was brutal, and we had thousands of small trees all
 over Kanha precariously hanging in the balance. There wasn’t enough water to
 go around, and it was only a matter of weeks before the saplings would die.
 So, visitors who came to meditate brought cans and bottles of water with
 them in their vehicles. They would drive to the farthest corners and water
 the saplings. Hundreds of visitors each day started bringing water with
 them. You may wonder, what can a few bottles of water do? Each small effort
 gave the plants the extra week or two they needed before the rains arrived.



 Keep taking small steps to become a better child of Mother Earth. She takes
 care of us, and we can do our bit in caring for her.



 Small Changes You Can Make


<ol type="1">
 <li>
 Reduce, reuse, recycle, rethink, recover – the 5
 Rs.
 For example,
 <ul>
 <li>
 Avoid impulse online buying. Keep adding items to your cart and order
 once or twice a month. You will save on packaging materials and
 emissions from the delivery.
 </li>
 <li>
 When you travel, invest in a good water bottle to carry with you. Try
 to reduce buying bottled water.
 </li>
 </ul>
 <ul>
 <li>
 Stick to short showers and turn off the lights when not needed. 
 </li>
 </ul>
 </li>
 <li>
 Teach children the idea of Yama early in
 life. 
 </li>
 <li>
 Meditate to free your mind of thought
 pollution.
 </li>
</ol>

<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<hr />


 1
 The Guardian, Damian Carrington Environment
 Editor: “Global
 warming of oceans equivalent to an atomic bomb per second.”
 https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/jan/07/global-warming-of-oceans-equivalent-to-an-atomic-bomb-per-second.


<hr class="vertical-space1" />

The planet was there before us and will be there after us

Seek within

<h4>
 This month,
 DAAJI recommends three happiness habits. He also
 shares wisdom from the Bhagavad
 Gita, and from modern writers, to inspire us with confidence and help us on
 our way toward lasting happiness.
</h4>

<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<div class="block-image">
 <figure>
 <img decoding="async" width="218" height="218" alt="" class="lazyload has-img-center"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/create_happiness_now1b_d41a43741e.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-10T10:55:51.959Z" />
 </figure>
</div>

<hr class="vertical-space1" />


 Santiago the shepherd boy is the main character in Paulo Coelho’s bestseller,
 The Alchemist. Santiago has a recurring dream of treasure, and when a
 gypsy fortune teller interprets this dream for him, he sets out for Egypt to
 find the treasure. On the way, he is robbed, does petty jobs, befriends an
 Englishman, loves an Arab girl, fails in love, finds a master, and finally
 reaches the pyramids and starts digging. That’s when Santiago realizes that
 the treasure he was seeking all along was not in Egypt, but back home in the
 ruined village church where he first had the dream.



 Santiago’s story strikes a chord in our hearts. Often, in the pursuit of our
 goals, we jump through hoops and lunge at mirages. Sometimes, along the way,
 we realize that what we truly seek is in fact within us.



 I had my Santiago moment in the summer of April 1981. Babuji, my guru, visited
 Ahmedabad for a few days. Hundreds of people from nearby towns and villages
 joined Babuji in meditation, and on the last day of his visit he shared a
 parting message, a couplet written in Urdu:



 “Raahein talab mein aise bekhabar ho gaye, manzil pe aake manzil ko
 dhoondhete hain.”



 “We are so preoccupied with the journey that, even after reaching the
 destination, unaware, we continue searching for it.”



 In those simple lines, Babuji reminded us that what we seek is already within
 us. Those words were so reassuring, and I was in such bliss, that if it had
 been my last day I would have gone dancing all the way up.



 But tell me, if my heart wasn’t craving, if I hadn’t struggled, would I have
 realized this wisdom? Would Santiago have realized his destiny without going
 on his quest? The quest is necessary. Struggles open the portals of
 understanding. Problems arise only when we get stuck with the journey and lose
 sight of the goal.



 Such deviations are known as curvature or whirlpools in spirituality. Social
 scientists also have a name for them:
 medium maximization. Becoming engrossed in the path and losing sight
 of the goal is medium maximization, and most of us experience it when we
 pursue happiness.


<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<h4 id="h-happiness-and-medium-maximization">
 Happiness and medium maximization
</h4>


 We all seek happiness, and there is a good reason why. Happiness does a world
 of good for us. At work, happy employees do better and earn more. At home,
 happy parents make for happy children. In a community, happy people volunteer
 more often. In sports, happy athletes perform better. And in spirituality,
 seekers fare better when they are happy and joyful, not miserable and
 groveling in guilt.



 Yet, happiness is so darned difficult to find. And that’s because we forget
 what we are seeking. Let me explain.



 Professor Raj Ranganath, author of
 If You’re So Smart, Why Aren’t You Happy?, asks something called the
 genie question. It goes like this. Imagine a genie offers you three wishes,
 anything you want. What would you ask for? Take some time to think about it.
 Over the years, thousands of people have answered this question and most
 answers boil down to three things: A great deal of money, fame, and amazing
 relationships.



 “If I have more money, I’ll be happy,” “If I am famous, I’ll be happy,” “If I
 find love, I’ll be happy.” Money, status, and relationships are all mediums
 for happiness, paths to happiness, but they are not the goal. Prof. Ranganath
 writes that rarely does anyone ask for happiness. Rarely does anyone say,
 “Genie, I need only one wish. Please give me happiness.”



 It is difficult to find happiness because we are busy pursuing other things,
 hoping they will bring happiness. A child seeks happiness in toys, a youth
 seeks happiness in friendships, a businessman seeks happiness in money, and a
 yogi seeks happiness in consciousness. In all cases, they are engrossed in the
 journey and missing the destination.



 Happiness is a quality of the soul. It’s a pure vibration that emanates from
 near the center of our being and radiates outwards. We find eternal happiness
 when we seek the mother tincture, the source itself, not by chasing the
 mediums to happiness. As human beings, we have the opportunity to seek that
 which ends all seeking.


<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<div class="block-image">
 <figure>
 <img decoding="async" width="534" height="576" alt="create-happiness-now2" class="lazyload has-img-center"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/create_happiness_now2_e6e5932035.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-10T10:56:33.047Z" />
 </figure>
</div>

<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<hr />

<h4 class="has-text-align-center">
 Happiness is a quality of the soul. It’s a pure
 vibration that
 emanates from near the center of our being and radiates outwards.
</h4>

<hr />

<hr class="vertical-space1" />


 Babuji once asked a young Danish meditator, “If you met God, what would you
 ask?” The Dane gave her answer and then flipped the question back to
 Babuji: “What would you ask for, Babuji?” He replied, “I would ask for
 the peace-giver himself, not for peace.” Peace-giver is the goal, peace
 is the medium.



 If happiness is your goal, seek happiness and not the mediums that you think
 will get you there. Happiness is the heir of peace and rest. What we call
 worry is the mind’s itch, which is a result of the ever-changing and
 never-ending nature of desire. So long as any desire is not fulfilled, it will
 keep disturbing the mind.



 Lord Krishna explained the same idea to Arjuna in the Bhagavad Gita. He showed
 Arjuna the domino effect of desire, and I would like to share those verses
 with you here.



 While contemplating the pleasures of the senses, one is attracted to them.



 From attraction arises desire, and from desire arises anger. (2.62)



 Anger leads to confusion of the mind, which results in loss of memory. When
 the memory is lost, the intellect is destroyed; and ruin of the
 intellect leads us to destruction. (2.63)



 But one who controls the mind, and is free from likes and dislikes, even
 while using the objects of the senses, attains the Grace of God. (2.64)



 There is no wisdom without harmony, and without harmony, there is no
 contemplation. Without contemplation there cannot be peace. How
 can there be happiness if one lacks peace of mind? (2.66)



 The mystery of all happiness lies in steadying and settling the activity of
 the mind.
 <a href="https://www.heartfulnessmagazine.com/you-deserve-bold-new-beginnings/">Contentment steadies the mind</a>,
 as we discovered last month. The foundation of inner peace is contentment.
 So, I am sharing three practices that help to cultivate deeper contentment and
 create happiness. These three practices can become your happiness habits.


<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<div class="block-image">
 <figure>
 <img decoding="async" width="534" height="576" alt="create_happiness_now3" class="lazyload has-img-center"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/create_happiness_now3_e757da2e41.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-10T10:57:25.087Z" />
 </figure>
</div>

<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<h4 id="h-three-happiness-habits-for-life">
 Three happiness habits for life
</h4>

<h5 id="h-give-to-be-happy">
 Give to be happy
</h5>


 I grew up in a village. One day, one of my uncles came to visit and stayed
 with us for a few days. The day he left, he slipped a hundred-rupee note into
 my shirt pocket. He didn’t say a word about it. A few days later, I discovered
 the money when I wore the shirt. In those days, getting a hundred rupees was
 like getting five thousand rupees today. I was a king overnight! I knew this
 was a silent act of kindness from my uncle. When I think about the incident, I
 see the power of giving anonymously. Many relatives gave me money while I was
 growing up, but even after fifty years, I still remember the money my uncle
 gave me.


Giving makes us happy. Giving anonymously has its own grace.


 Give your money. Give your time. Most importantly, give your love. Just as
 the muscles of the body need to be exercised, the qualities of the heart
 also need to be exercised. And you know what they say about exercise – it
 makes us happy.


<h5 id="h-cultivate-gratitude">
 Cultivate gratitude
</h5>


 A grateful heart is a happy heart. Gratitude is the moral memory of mankind,
 according to sociologist Georg Simmel. Feeling grateful helps us build better
 bonds with people. It makes us generous and increases overall satisfaction in
 life.



 In your journal, once or twice a week, write down what you are grateful
 for. If a work colleague helped you, write it down. If the barista made your
 coffee as you walked in, to save you time, write it down. 



 In the morning, right after you wake up, sit for a couple of minutes and
 send waves of love to God and to all those who surround you.


<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<div class="block-image">
 <figure>
 <img decoding="async" width="534" height="576" alt="create-happiness-now4" class="lazyload has-img-center"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/create_happiness_now4_d6429440af.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-10T10:58:11.781Z" />
 </figure>
</div>

<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<h5 id="h-live-in-the-present">
 Live in the present
</h5>


 I once saw a picture where little kids were performing on stage. The parents
 all had their phones out trying to record the show, not realizing they were
 missing the action. The caption on the picture said, “Don’t miss the moment.”



 We struggle to live in the present. The moment we try to live in the present,
 that moment is already gone. It has become the past. Even before we finish
 saying the word, the “present” has become the “past.” So, what does living in
 the present mean?



 The Gita inspires us to be like the tree that witnesses the ever-flowing water
 of the river in front of it, while it is eternally in the present moment. Lord
 Krishna reminds Arjuna that one who is in a
 <a href="https://www.heartfulnessmagazine.com/you-deserve-bold-new-beginnings/">Stithapragya</a>
 state lives in this state.



 Live in the present that always was, always is, and always will be with
 you. Live with the original Source that came with you, that is present with
 you.


<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<div class="block-image">
 <figure>
 <img decoding="async" width="534" height="576" alt="create-happiness-now5" class="lazyload has-img-center"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/create_happiness_now5_f1859d2f1e.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-10T10:59:00.703Z" />
 </figure>
</div>

<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<h4 id="h-before-you-go">
 Before you go
</h4>


 Nathaniel&nbsp;Hawthorne once famously said, “Happiness is a butterfly, which,
 when pursued, is always just beyond your grasp, but which, if you will sit
 down quietly, may alight upon you.”



 When you sit down quietly, with a humble heart yielding in love, a vacuum is
 created within and Mother Nature rushes to fill it. I pray that your practice
 allows you to experience such moments of grace, where peace and happiness
 become mile markers on the journey to a much grander destination.



 The Heartfulness way of meditation will grant you the gift of the nectar of
 Transmission from the heart of the Great Master to the meditative heart. Like
 a fine fragrance, it will make your life fulfilling.


<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<hr />

<h4 class="has-text-align-center">lllustrations by JASMEE MUDGAL</h4>

<hr />

Create happiness now

<h4>Do you dream of becoming a positive force and a beacon of hope in your community? What does it take to become that person? The key lies within you. The first step is to prepare yourself – to create an inner state of contentment and steadiness – and this month DAAJI offers a very practical approach to doing just that.</h4><hr><h4>The value of steadiness</h4>Consider this: A sick man is cared for by two nurses, who serve him food and medicine and take care of all his comforts. One of them is anxious and upset about his illness while the other is composed and steady. Who do you think is able to serve him better?Many of you may agree that it is the steady, composed nurse. She may feel just as much for her patient, but those feelings are uncomplicated, without turbulent emotions. She radiates a calmness that is just what is needed under pressure in challenging situations, and this calmness helps others to also stay calm. Her inner steadiness and centeredness allow her to be clear about her duties and responsibilities.Whether you are a teacher, a homemaker, a musician, a parent, a soldier, or an activist, you will have certain responsibilities and duties that require you to make decisions and take action. When your mind is conflicted or confused, there is inner tension about what to do or say in any situation, whereas when your mind is centered in the heart and steady, you will be guided from within to choose the right way forward.A good example of this inner tension is the dilemma Arjuna faced five thousand years ago on the battlefield of Kurukshetra just before the Mahabharata war began. He was conflicted. On the one hand he felt a strong sense of responsibility toward his guru, his grandparents, and other family members and friends, who were his enemies on the battlefield. He didn’t want to fight them, and I think we can all relate to that sentiment. On the other hand, Lord Krishna was urging Arjuna to act according to a higher sense of duty – that of good over evil. He was there to encourage Arjuna to honor this higher duty to the universal laws.Because Arjuna’s mind was unsteady, his hand could not lift the bow. Lord Krishna supported him, not by talking about bravery and courage, but by revealing the secret of a steady mind anchored in the Self. In a classic one-two punch (Gita 2:55), he said, “Arjuna, transcend desires and be content in the Self. This will help you become one whose insight is steady.”It is not often that we are faced with an ethical dilemma of the magnitude Arjuna faced in the Bhagavad Gita, but in day-to-day life we are constantly making choices that require us to think about our duties and responsibilities. In fact, this sense of moral responsibility is at the fore of many people’s consciousness right now, as we adjust our lifestyle from “me to we” in order to solve far-reaching issues like loneliness, an international mental health pandemic, environmental destruction, climate change, and dwindling resources, social inequality and prejudice, the social crisis brought on by Covid, fake news and social polarization.<hr><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/Prepare_to_make_difference2_3dadb19df6.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-10T05:59:45.153Z" alt="Prepare_to_make_difference2"><hr><hr><h4>Develop contentment and transcend desire.</h4><hr><hr>How can we as individuals contribute to solutions? Well, every choice we make in our day-to-day lives contributes. Do we have a clear understanding of the consequences of our thoughts and actions? If we are to effectively honor both our social responsibilities and the higher sense of duty, we need access to that calm inner steadiness, which is known in Yoga as Sthitapragya. So, in the coming sections, I wish to share a practical approach to finding steadiness. But first, a deeper dive into what creates conflict and turmoil in the first place.<h4>Desires lead to dilemmas</h4>In the village of my childhood, we had many buffalos. Each buffalo was tethered to a particular pole overnight. At the end of the day, when the animals came back from grazing, each buffalo would go straight to its own pole. The minds of buffaloes know where to anchor themselves. In contrast, human minds are swayed by so many likes and dislikes that we sometimes miss the anchor. The chocolate gateau, the Swiss watch, those romantic getaways, the diamond necklace … the list of wants never ends. Within reason, it’s okay to cater to wishes, but when they get the better of us, things soon get out of hand.<hr><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/Prepare_to_make_difference3_a76c76b90a.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-10T06:01:11.534Z" alt=""><hr>Years ago, during my business days, a young man worked for me as a Pharmacy Intern. He had the unique ability to fill prescriptions with speed and competence, while also being adept at running the regular retail sales in the store. And he was hard working. These skills are the lifeline of a boutique pharmacy. So when an opportunity came to buy a new store, I invited him to become my partner.He was keen, but he didn’t have the money to invest, so I financed his share and got him started as an entrepreneur. I let him run the show, and over the next few years he generated a decent profit. But then something changed. The business started losing money. One day, I spoke to him, offering assistance. He said, “We don’t make money because insurance rules gouge us,” but the rules were the same for my other stores and they all made a profit. Something didn’t add up, but I didn’t push the matter.A few months later, in a very matter-of-fact way, he asked me to give him my share of the business. Perplexed, I asked him how he would manage a losing business after buying me out. He went silent on me. Later, I came to know that he had done a deal with the landlord to transfer the lease into his name. I was now in a fix. I sold him my share for cents on the dollar and cut my ties with him.The festering desire to own the store led my associate to a place where greed overshadowed all his decisions. When desire overwhelms the mind, the moral fabric is reduced to tatters. He had lost all sense of responsibility, even to himself.It is for this reason that cultures across the world espouse some form of restraint to vaccinate us against overwhelming desire. Fasting during Ramadan, Lent, and Ekadashi are just some examples of traditions that are designed to strengthen our moral fabric, and intermittent fasting and digital detoxing are modern-day scientific equivalents. But they are all only temporary fixes unless they lead to permanent habits of restraint. A better permanent solution is the one-two punch offered by Lord Krishna in the Gita: Develop contentment and transcend desire. We’ll explore both these ideas, starting with contentment.<h4>Contentment illuminates the way forward</h4>According to the dictionary, the word “contentment” means “a peaceful state of happiness and satisfaction.” So, ask yourself: “What makes me peaceful, happy, and satisfied?” Are you dependent on external things, and having your expectations met, or do you find contentment from within? An inner state of contentment in its true sense results from accepting the reality of what is over what we wish to happen; and when there are no wishes, the situation is very easy!In contentment we are centered; the mind does not wander here and there. We are anchored in the self. Contentment is a signature of a steady mind. When you shake a glass of water, the movement creates waves, but try shaking the water in the ocean. No matter how hard you try, the ocean stays its rhythm. A steady person is like that, clear and unwavering from the path of duty, and the conviction that arises within that steady state gives us the courage to do what is right.<hr><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/Prepare_to_make_difference4_270cb0a324.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-10T06:02:23.888Z" alt=""><hr><hr><h4>If you reflect on your own life, you will probably find that the times you are most content are also the times you are happiest. In contentment lies the potential for calmness, compassion, courage, and clarity.</h4><hr><hr>Positive social change comes from contented hearts and clear steady minds.Contentment also creates more contentment within. Seeds of contentment germinate and grow into a majestic forest of contentment. The nectar, the fragrance, and the flowers that blossom in this forest are peace, happiness, and tranquility. When we are contented, we make no demands. We impose upon no one. Wherever we are, we are happy. And science confirms that happiness leads to success, not the other way round. When we are contented, we spread joy wherever we go. We are givers rather than takers.If you reflect on your own life, you will probably find that the times you are most content are also the times you are happiest. In contentment lies the potential for calmness, compassion, courage, and clarity – the 5 Cs of the heart chakra – and it all starts with contentment.Contentment, combined with inner purity, allows us to let go of desires. And when we let go, our minds naturally focus on what is needed in any situation rather than being pulled by likes and dislikes. We no longer struggle with ethical dilemmas, as the heart guides and everything falls into place; we remain both dutiful and responsible in the right measure. Everything we need is within us. The inner lamp glows, illuminating the path ahead.<hr><hr><h4>When we are contented, we make no demands. We impose upon no one. Wherever we are, we are happy. And science confirms that happiness leads to success, not the other way round. When we are contented, we spread joy wherever we go.</h4><hr><hr><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/Prepare_to_make_difference5_0afb402504.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-10T06:03:41.518Z" alt=""><hr><h4>Getting there</h4>During his lifetime, Lord Krishna shared this knowledge many times, but he was often rebuked or insulted. On the battlefield, Arjuna’s honest plea for help meant he was receptive to the Lord’s message. An honest heart pleading for help always receives a response from the Divine, and the Heartfulness practices prepare our hearts to be receptive. Try them for yourself and you will discover the lightness and freedom that is possible within.<hr><hr><h4>Everything we need is within us. The inner lamp glows, illuminating the path ahead.</h4><hr><hr><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/Prepare_to_make_difference6_222c82b02c.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-10T06:04:40.657Z" alt=""><hr><hr><h4>Illustrations by JASMEE MUDGAL</h4><hr>

Prepare to make a difference

Positive social change

<h4
 id="h-most-resolutions-fail-because-they-aren-t-compelling-enough-this-year-choose-goals-that-keep-inspiring-you-one-treasure-trove-of-inspiration-is-the-bhagavad-gita-so-daaji-will-be-sharing-this-timeless-wisdom-and-offering-us-practical-tools-for-new-beginnings-to-move-forward">
 Most resolutions fail because they aren’t compelling enough. This year,
 choose goals that keep inspiring you. One treasure trove of inspiration is
 the Bhagavad Gita, so
 DAAJI will be
 sharing this timeless wisdom and offering us practical tools for new
 beginnings to move forward.
</h4>

<hr class="vertical-space1" />


 Life is a continuum of new beginnings strung together in time. The birth of a
 child, coming of age, and marriage are some examples of new beginnings that
 cultures across the world celebrate with joy. One new beginning that started
 during the time of the Romans and continues to be celebrated across the world
 is the New Year. The Romans celebrated the New Year by honoring Janus – he
 gives us the month’s name, January. Janus was the God of transitions. He
 represented the bridge between what was and what will be, the old and the new.
 For this reason, Janus is represented as the God with two faces, one facing
 the past and the other facing the future. While the traditions honoring Janus
 have ended, what endures is our enthusiasm for new beginnings.


<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<div class="block-image">
 <figure>
 <img decoding="async" width="566" height="800" alt="deserve-bold-beginings2" class="lazyload has-img-center"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/deserve_bold_beginings2_434039cd30.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-09T04:08:16.854Z" />
 </figure>
</div>

<hr class="vertical-space1" />


 Each year, come January, new memberships at the gym hit the roof. Losing
 weight, saving money, and quitting smoking are among the most popular
 resolutions. We hope the new year will give us the extra boost we need to
 become better. But by January 19, we hit what is called Quitter’s Day, the day
 when most people choose the face of Janus looking into the past. They quit.



 This January let’s change that. A world healing from a pandemic needs more
 resolve and less quitting. Our victories, no matter how small, spread hope and
 positivity.


<h4>
 How can you ensure success this time?
 
</h4>


 When researchers studied why people struggle to keep their resolutions, they
 found that most people either forget their resolutions or simply lose track of
 them. Test this for yourself. What was your resolution last year? And the year
 before? The chances are you have forgotten. Usually, you will forget something
 because it isn’t important enough. It doesn’t warrant your interest. So, this
 year, make resolutions that
 interest you deeply.



 Interest fuels resolve. Interest gives the impetus to act. When you are
 interested, you will set positive intentions and prioritize better. Take a
 moment to revisit your successes. You will find that interest ignites your
 efforts. And what happens when you lack interest? Do you try to make up for
 lost interest with willpower? Well, it doesn’t work. When there is no
 interest, the joy is gone, and self-improvement becomes a sandpapery affair.
 So, the key is to create interest.


<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<hr />

<h4 class="has-text-align-center">
 Interest fuels resolve. Interest gives the impetus to act.
 When you
 are interested, you will set positive intentions and prioritize
 better. Take a moment to revisit your successes. You will find that
 interest ignites your efforts.
</h4>

<hr />

<hr class="vertical-space1" />


 Choose something compelling. Choose something that captures your imagination.
 To lose weight or to save money, don’t wait for the New Year. You can start
 here and now. Save the New Year for something momentous, something vital. This
 New Year, think big and bold. Choose eternal over ephemeral.



 Often, I hear people chide themselves for being weak. They lack confidence and
 drown themselves in puddles of doubt. To them, I say, never forget that we are
 all powered from the same infinite Source. The life force that runs in our
 veins is the current of the Divine. We are all spiritual beings in biological
 garb. Interiorize this truth and shed your inhibitions. Take one step forward
 and see how the universe takes ten steps towards you.


<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<div class="block-image">
 <figure>
 <img decoding="async" width="566" height="800" alt="deserve-bold-beginings3" class="lazyload has-img-center"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/deserve_bold_beginings3_88629cfa92.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-09T04:09:09.184Z" />
 </figure>
</div>

<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<hr />

<h4 class="has-text-align-center">
 “Take up one idea. Make that one idea your life – think of it,
 dream
 of it, live on that idea. Let the brain, muscles, nerves, every part
 of your body, be full of that idea, and just leave every other idea
 alone. This is the way to success.” -Swami Vivekananda
</h4>

<hr />

<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<h4>
 To make a new beginning
 
</h4>


 Take inspiration from the charged words of Vivekananda: “Take up one idea.
 Make that one idea your life – think of it, dream of it, live on that idea.
 Let the brain, muscles, nerves, every part of your body, be full of that idea,
 and just leave every other idea alone. This is the way to success.”


<h4>
 For inspiration, look to the Gita
</h4>


 To succeed in new beginnings, visualize new goals for yourself. If you are
 looking for inspiration, one tried and tested source – rather a treasure trove
 of bold and thrilling goals – is the Bhagavad Gita, one of the world’s
 greatest spiritual texts. Gandhi, Emerson, Thoreau, Hermann Hesse, Aldous
 Huxley, Sri Aurobindo, and many others have found inspiration in the Gita.
 Written around five thousand years ago, its wisdom is no less relevant for us
 today than it was back then.



 The Bhagavad Gita is a record of the conversation between Arjuna and Lord
 Krishna on the battlefield of Kurukshetra. Arjuna is facing his enemies,
 including his grandfather, his guru, his relatives, and his associates. The
 Gita is a tale of the triumph of good over evil. It offers clarity in the face
 of dilemmas. It provides the wisdom needed to live a life of virtue.



 My rendezvous with the Gita started during my childhood. I grew up in a
 village in Gujarat, India. This was in the ’50s, and back then we did not have
 electricity. My chore at home was to help my mother with the lamps and get
 them ready by sundown. I remember one monsoon when I was nine years old, we
 would get together with our neighbors in the evening. After dinner, everyone
 would assemble in our courtyard. There, under the glow of the lamps, I would
 read aloud chapters from the Ramayana. For a few weeks we did this, and after
 the Ramayana we started with the Mahabharata. It was during this time that I
 was first introduced to the Gita.



 Since then, in school, college, and during adult life, the Gita has been
 present in my life as a source of meaning, inspiration, and clarity. I vividly
 remember striking gold when one of my associates recommended the talks of
 Vinoba Bhave on the Gita. I was moved by the profound depth, simplicity, and
 oozing devotion that his speeches carried. For anyone who wants to read the
 Gita, I recommend they start with Vinoba.


<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<hr />

<h4 class="has-text-align-center">
 Just like a seedling, a young plant, and a grown-up tree
 need the
 same water for nourishment, new beginnings always start with the mind,
 no matter what your goal is. The method for mastering the mind is
 meditation.
</h4>

<hr />

<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<div class="block-image">
 <figure>
 <img decoding="async" width="566" height="800" alt="deserve_bold_beginings4" class="lazyload has-img-center"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/deserve_bold_beginings4_374f4d244b.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-09T04:10:10.129Z" />
 </figure>
</div>

<hr class="vertical-space1" />

And for your new beginnings, here are some goals inspired by the Gita:

<h4>
 Develop a growth mindset
</h4>


 A few years ago, Carol Dweck wrote an excellent book called
 Mindset: Changing the Way You Think to Fulfill Your Potential. In
 short, a growth mindset is a belief that a person’s capacities and talents can
 be improved over time. Unlike a fixed mindset, which says you are born with a
 fixed capacity, the growth mindset says you can grow.



 In this light, in the Gita I see Lord Krishna sharing with Arjuna, “Look to
 your efforts. Focus on your efforts. Don’t worry about the fruit.” Isn’t this
 the essence of having a growth mindset? Isn’t this an excellent way to keep on
 improving and becoming better? When you focus on your efforts, you will
 compete with yourself and become a better version of yourself.



 Like this, there are many other bold goals in the Gita that you can take up as
 new beginnings. Some of them are contentment, humility, equanimity, and
 desire-free action. Each one of them is big enough and audacious enough to be
 worthy of a lifetime’s pursuit, and we will explore them during the year.


<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<hr />

<h4 class="has-text-align-center">
 This New Year, think big and bold. Choose eternal over ephemeral.
 
</h4>

<hr />

<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<h4>
 How to bring about change?
</h4>


 New beginnings start with the mind. Just like a seedling, a young plant, and a
 grown-up tree need the same water for nourishment, new beginnings always start
 with the mind, no matter what your goal is. The method for mastering the mind
 is meditation.



 In meditation, you will find answers to “How to develop contentment?”, “How to
 grow in humility?” and so on. The Heartfulness way is a very effective “how
 to” way, offering everyone access to the highest levels of consciousness.
 Having such a method, no goal is out of sight, and no new beginning is out of
 reach.



 There is no need to believe my words. Belief is the enemy of realization.
 Instead, inquire boldly and see the results of these simple practices for
 yourself. When Mother Nature is doling out diamonds, why settle for pennies?
 Why bring a teacup to drink the ocean? Be bold and humbly approach the Lord
 for what he has always said is your true inheritance, your rightful place in
 his heart.


Make this new beginning a journey of becoming.

<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<div class="block-image">
 <figure>
 <img decoding="async" width="566" height="800" alt="deserve_bold_beginings5" class="lazyload has-img-center"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/deserve_bold_beginings5_90f116fe47.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-09T04:11:24.560Z" />
 </figure>
</div>

<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<h4>
 A simple Heartfulness practice for new beginnings
</h4>

Before and during conversations with others:

Relax, bring your attention to your heart, and center yourself there.

Stay connected with your center as you speak.


 Observe the tone of your voice and let it flow evenly. Remove any rise and
 fall in pitch, sharpness, or roughness.


Attune your speech to the balanced condition of your heart.


 See if you can feel a relationship establishing with the original current
 within you.



 Over time, your speech will become soft and cultured, with a harmonious flow.
 It will naturally touch the hearts of others. If you practice this regularly,
 it will become a permanent habit.


<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<hr />

<h4 class="has-text-align-center">Illustrations by JAMSEE MUDGAL</h4>

<hr />

You deserve bold new beginnings

Creating a daily routine

<h4>DAAJI continues his series on refining habits, this month sharing his insights on the final Niyama known as Ishwar Pranidhan, which is often translated as “surrender to God.” What does it mean? How can we understand both God and surrender? And why is surrender to God the ultimate habit?</h4><hr><h3>The Art of Removing and Creating Habits – Part 11</h3><hr>Yoga in actionLet’s start by reminding ourselves of the three Niyamas that make up Kriya Yoga, the Yoga of action – tapas, swadhyaya and the third and final one, Ishwar pranidhan, the most mysterious and puzzling of all. Ishwar pranidhan is generally translated into English as “surrender to God,” or sometimes “God-awareness.” It is puzzling, not the least because God is such an elusive principle to most of us, and also because the idea of surrender often suggests the removal of personal freedom.Only in this last of the ten Yamas and Niyamas does Patanjali speaks of God – Ishwar. Up till now, the focus has been on self-awareness, self-improvement, behavior, and purifying consciousness. That has all been a preparation. Throughout this preparation, we have moved from self-centeredness and selfishness to selflessness, from “me to we.” Now we take the next step, from “we to Thou.” This is a significant shift in consciousness, a quantum leap into the realm of God where even “we” no longer exists.God is the great unknownYou may be wondering what God we are talking about here, because God has as many meanings as there are people. In Yoga, God is the great unknown, beyond qualities, beyond comprehension. Everything that is describable or definable has qualities, and while God is also present within the world of qualities, the quality-less state that is beyond definition is really the realm of God. There are other words that are also used for the same divine principle – the Source, the Ultimate, the Absolute.Remember the state of nirodha or complete stillness we spoke about earlier in this series? That cessation of mental activity in the mind, the ultimate state of Yoga, is also the key to God-awareness. Nirodha and Ishwar pranidhan are intertwined. The next question is: How to get there? The approach needed is the “surrender” part.The purpose of surrenderWhen we look at the idea of surrender from a worldly perspective, it can be quite distasteful, because it means to “submit to an authority,” or “to give in,” often with a sense of being forced to do so. The ego generally doesn’t respond well to that. We see this even in the best of relationships when we are asked to give in to the wishes of the other person. Who does this easily, willingly, and cheerfully? People who have fallen madly in love. They are very capable of surrender – they will do anything for the happiness of the other person. Generally it doesn’t last, however, as the ego eventually starts to make itself heard and the lover becomes aware of their own wishes. Most of us have to learn how to let go and give in, which is why family life is such a wonderful training ground for spirituality! It is through our relationships that we learn to accept and submit to the other.<hr><hr><h5>Most of us have to learn how to let go and give in, which is why family life is such a wonderful training ground for spirituality! It is through our relationships that we learn to accept and submit to the other.</h5><hr><hr><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/into_the_great_unknown_2_529576ae2e.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-07T06:02:59.462Z" alt="into-the-great-unknown-2"><hr>From the spiritual viewpoint, surrender has a very positive significance, just as it does when we are madly in love. Love is a powerful flame. When love is there, surrender does not require any force or coercion. It is something that happens to us; it is not a thought or an action in itself. “Surrender” in this context is not a verb, as it is in the English language. “I” cannot surrender. It happens to us without our active participation and knowledge. In fact, if a person thinks they have surrendered, it is a sure sign they haven’t!This beautiful state of acceptance, of being held, protected, and supported, is known as saranagati in Yoga. With it comes a carefree willingness to hand over the reins to that infinite “something” that is bigger than all of us. We belong to the whole, and we acknowledge that we are a small part of it. We choose to cooperate and go with the flow rather than seeing ourselves as separate, or needing to control and dictate terms.<hr><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/into_the_great_unknown_3_7febe54d91.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-07T06:04:04.419Z" alt="into-the-great-unknown-3"><hr>Saranagati is positive. It means to willingly search out those things that are favorable for our evolution, and to feel God in our hearts. Utmost faith is the foundation, and all our actions are done in the spirit of service to the greater good. We naturally feel insignificant (there is no need for false humility), we approach life with an attitude of continuous improvement, and we experience the sacred in all existence. It is liberating!When we offer all the fruits of our work to God, we are at peace. We take neither credit nor blame unto ourselves, because both credit and blame are surrendered to God.<hr><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/into_the_great_unknown_4_c5bc66880e.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-07T06:04:59.172Z" alt="into-the-great-unknown-4"><hr><hr><h5>Ishwar pranidhan is the ultimate habit.&nbsp; It requires us to rest in God-awareness in everything we feel, think,&nbsp; and do, in constant osmosis with God.&nbsp; The easiest way is through acceptance and surrender.&nbsp; Whether we are awake or asleep, aware or unaware,&nbsp; active or passive, we try to remain in this state,&nbsp; and this practice is known as constant remembrance in Heartfulness.</h5><hr><hr>This state can only be experienced when the ego is refined to such an extent that all that is left of it is a sense of identity without coloring, energy, or charge. How do we reach this stage? On our spiritual journey, when we journey through the Heart Region, we learn to master our emotions and desires. After this, we journey through the Mind Region, and it is here that the process of ego refinement really accelerates. As we move from one chakra to the next with the help of our Guide, gradually there is less and less of “me,” then less and less of “we,” until eventually only God is left. God’s presence is felt only in our absence. This is what the word pranidhan is all about. Nidhan means “an empty space,” or “annihilation,” and pra means “with intensity.” Pranidhan signifies “the void filled with intensity.” This is the realm of God.Ishwar pranidhan is the ultimate habit. It requires us to rest in God-awarenessin everything we feel, think, and do, in constant osmosis with God. The easiest way is through acceptance and surrender. Whether we are awake or asleep, aware or unaware, active or passive, we try to remain in this state, and this practice is known as constant remembrance in Heartfulness.<hr><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/into_the_great_unknown_5_7aabc8fb4d.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-07T06:05:47.525Z" alt="into-the-great-unknown-5"><hr>We meditate so that we learn to experience this state – meditation is the mother of constant remembrance. Once we learn to hold it, we are then free of the entanglements caused by all the mental and emotional complexities and impurities that otherwise distort our existence. We are free.How to engage with the great unknown?As P.Y. Deshpande points out in his book, The Authentic Yoga, there are two fundamental psychological urges in human beings. The first is a sense of wonder, which gives rise to the spirit of inquiry underpinning the sciences and philosophy. The second is a sense of worship or awe for that which lies beyond knowledge and comprehension, which is denoted by the word “God.” This sense leads to mystical experiences that are similar across all cultures and eras.The sense of wonder is more mental while the sense of worship is more feeling-based. They are not completely distinct, but they are certainly distinguishable. Together they make up our human psychology – mind and heart – and when they become polarized it results in a split. You could say that our modern societies, having separated science and religion, have developed split personalities, and this is known as polarization. The two are meant to be complementary and integrated.<hr><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/into_the_great_unknown_6_421d3c62d9.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-07T06:06:43.016Z" alt="into-the-great-unknown-6"><hr><hr><h5>Both wonder and worship are involved in Ishwar pranidhan. How is it possible to combine them? By meditating on the heart,&nbsp; so that we experience God directly within us.</h5><hr><hr>Both wonder and worship are involved in Ishwar pranidhan. How is it possible to combine them? By meditating on the heart, so that we experience God directly within us. God remains the great unknown, undefinable, quality-less, yet at the same time God is within our experience. Both inquiry and worship are unified in this act of meditation on the Divinity in the heart, where we experience the state of nirodha, the void of Samadhi, with the support of Transmission. We are in osmosis with God, and the result is perfect Samadhi.Surrender to God is the habit to eclipse all other habitsWhen we have studied ourselves, purified ourselves, and refined ourselves, surrender is very simple. In fact, true surrender is possible only when we have done all these things. It is the ultimate habit, the culmination of the other habits. At the same time, when we make an effort to cultivate this habit, all the others naturally start to fall into place. This is where Transmission has such an impact – it is the essence of pure love. It takes us directly to a state of surrendered awareness of God, even when we have not yet mastered all the other habits. The catch? It is then up to us to mold our behavior so that we are capable of holding that experience for longer and longer periods until eventually it becomes constant.<hr><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/into_the_great_unknown_7_be519f634e.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-07T06:08:36.005Z" alt="into-the-great-unknown-7"><hr><hr><h5>Like Jedi knights, we need to become worthy of surrendering to God.&nbsp; We cannot surrender by the will and effort of the ego. Instead, when we immerse ourselves in God through&nbsp; meditation with Transmission, and study ourselves&nbsp; so that we let go of unwanted habits and cultivate noble habits,&nbsp; eventually the ego dissolves into purity, its essence.&nbsp; We become that vast emptiness of the Ultimate.&nbsp; God-Realization and Self-Realization are one and the same thing.</h5><hr><hr>Like Jedi knights, we need to become worthy of surrendering to God. We cannot surrender by the will and effort of the ego. Instead, when we immerse ourselves in God through meditation with Transmission, and study ourselves so that we let go of unwanted habits and cultivate noble habits, eventually the ego dissolves into purity, its essence. We become that vast emptiness of the Ultimate. God-Realization and Self-Realization are one and the same thing.The great saint Kabir wrote beautiful poetry about this. In one poem he says,Narrow is the lane of love. Two will never fit. When I was, the Beloved was not. Now He is; I am not.Rumi also wrote about it, for example,If in thirst you drink water from a cup, you see God in it. Those who are not in love with God will see only their own faces in it.Both poets are describing the state of surrender where the “I” has disappeared. It seems so far away from our world that is in crisis because human beings are still so I-focused, where many have not even reached the state of we-consciousness of human brotherhood. Yet beyond the “we” is “Thou,” the beginning of the realm of God. This is where we embark upon the journey into the great unknown – before that, everything is preparation.There is a story about the Buddha that illustrates this very well. For many years he struggled to attain enlightenment through self-effort. He tried everything. He once said, “Who knows what sorts of austerity and penance were undergone by me in expectation of even a trace of the fragrance of the state of Nirvana. At long last, the state I had long cherished was achieved. How much time it took, and after how many days the desired goal was acquired! I practiced a lot, underwent so many troubles, fought against the rush of irrelevant thoughts, and cleaned off shrubs and bushes.”Ultimately, it was when he relaxed his efforts, when he surrendered, that he experienced enlightenment. His efforts were the preparation; he became the Buddha when he let go and surrendered: “It was then that the light of Realization came to my fortune. On arriving at it, all obstructions dropped off. Calmness then prevailed in the mind, and there was immense peace all over. To tell the truth, that is the fragrance of pure Nirvana.”If you explore the inner world of enlightened beings like the Buddha, you will find the void – infinite space and stillness. Babuji describes it as “more and more of less and less.” The roots of enlightenment arise from absolute surrender. Through letting go, through surrender, comes the realization of God. But that is not the end. Ultimately, when there is oneness, unity, and mergence, all the above simply dissolves.<hr>

Into the great unknown

<h4>DAAJI continues his series on refining habits, in the light of Patanjali’s Ashtanga Yoga and current scientific and yogic principles and practices. This month he shares his insights on the fourth Niyama, swadhyaya, which means self-study and self-awareness. It is one of the fundamental pillars of emotional intelligence.</h4><hr><h3>THE ART OF REMOVING AND CREATING HABITS – PART 10</h3><hr>I think self-awareness is probably the most important thing toward being a champion. —Billie Jean KingWho looks outside, dreams; who looks inside, awakes. —Carl Jung<hr><h3>Yoga in action</h3>Last month we explored the three Niyamas that make up Kriya Yoga, which means Yoga in action. In other words, how inner changes in our thoughts and feelings are expressed in our outer behavior. At the beginning of Part 2 of his Yoga Sutras, in the section on “practice,” Patanjali reminds us that:2.1: Tapah svādhyāyesvarapranidhānāni kriyā yogahAusterity, self-study, and God-awareness&nbsp; together constitute Yoga in action (Kriya Yoga).The second of the three Niyamas of Kriya Yoga is swadhyaya, meaning “self-study.”But Kriya Yoga is actually more about the inner awareness and choices that define our action in every moment. This awareness purifies our activities of any negative effects of ego, removing selfishness. It propels us away from a habitual way of living, driven by the past, to a life lived in the present.<h3>Swadhyaya</h3>Self-study requires us to turn out attention inward so that we can learn about ourselves. Now, that can be a daunting business when we don’t feel comfortable with what we see, but every culture has recognized the value of self-study so here we will try to solve the problem of how to face ourselves. Self-study has been the cornerstone of psychology from ancient times to the present day, in the East and the West, in mysticism, astrology, psychiatry, psychotherapy, yogic psychology, Mindfulness cognitive therapy, and many other fields. Modern scientific research also tells us that self-study and self-awareness go hand in hand with meditative practices. The two are synergistic. In Daniel Goleman’s book, Emotional Intelligence, he highlights the research showing us that meditation fosters emotional intelligence, of which selfawareness is one of the key pillars.<h3>How can you learn about yourself?</h3>Why do you need to look within to learn about yourself? Knowledge from external sources, for example, observing the world around you, reading books, watching and listening to digital media, and talking with other people like counselors and psychologists, will no doubt give you some selfinsight, but at best it is a mirror and a catalyst for self-awareness.The most direct ways to learn about yourself are:1. Meditation: Meditation with awareness = self-study.In meditation you will be able to notice the play of your vrittis, the movements and vibrations within the subtle body. You may know them as your thoughts, feelings, and emotions. As you witness them, gradually you will learn how they arise, what motivates them, where they lead, and many other things. When this is done without attachment or desire, you discover that these vrittis no longer generate turbulence or entanglement. They simply pass, and you are free from their hooks.Through meditation, you will dive into deeper dimensions of yourself, from the level of thinking to the level of feeling, and beyond. Self-study does not just stay at the surface level of your thoughts and emotions. You journey into layers of your being that you cannot access through conversation or a more analytic approach to self-discovery.After meditation, when you take the time to acquire, enliven, imbibe, and become one with the condition you have received, you will become unified with that state (AEIOU) and develop your abilities of self-study at all levels, not just the mental level. The condition will permeate every atom of your being so that you embody the effects of meditation fully, then it will be absorbed at subtler and subtler levels of your being.After this, when you write your experience in a journal, you will develop self-awareness to an even greater extent. Writing and expressing your experience in other ways like music, art, or dance, allow you to explore it and study it in different ways. You can revisit it and see patterns over time, which is difficult to do otherwise, because the mind is always adapting and changing. Your memories are not static; they evolve with new and added experience.2. Cleaning: When you practice Heartfulness Cleaning to purify your mind of all the turbulence, impurities, and complexities that distort your perception, your self-study will develop clarity.3. Continuous improvement: At bedtime, take a few minutes to go into your heart, with a prayerful attitude, and feel sincere regret for any wrongdoings, even if they were unintentional. Ask for forgiveness and resolve not to repeat them. Done sincerely, this simple practice clears your heart of any heaviness and removes guilt. The heart is the key to self-study! It allows you to observe yourself with self-compassion and self-acceptance.<hr><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/Discovering_the_Self2_adbab74c2d.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-06T04:49:03.904Z" alt="Discovering-the-Self"><hr><hr>After meditation, when you take the time to acquire,&nbsp; enliven, imbibe, and become one with the condition&nbsp; you have received, you will become unified&nbsp; with that state and develop your abilities&nbsp; of self-study at all levels, not just the mental level.&nbsp; The condition will permeate every atom&nbsp; of your being so that you embody&nbsp; the effects of meditation fully,&nbsp; then it will be absorbed at subtler&nbsp; and subtler levels of your being.<hr><hr><h3>What are the benefits of self-study?</h3>Patanjali tells us that2.44 SvāhyayādiṣṭadevatāsamprayogahSelf-study brings about an inner atm[osphere&nbsp; that is conducive to the divine presence,&nbsp; which is beneficial to our being.He is inferring that self-study creates the field in which we can experience the Divine. Going to church, to a mosque, or to a temple, performing rituals and hanging images of saints in our houses may all be great reminders, but without self-study we will not have the experience of the divine presence.Self-study is implied in the act of meditation, but many people meditate without self-study. They close their eyes and enjoy the experience, sometimes enjoying blissful states, and sometimes losing awareness altogether. Others are aware of their thoughts and feelings, but they remain entangled in them rather than letting them go and diving deeper. In fact, the art of meditation is not well understood by most meditators. Luckily for all of us, the simple awareness of how you feel before meditation and after meditation is a game changer. Study the difference arising out of your practice. Even to study the difference created by your practice, you will have to study yourself.Patanjali is saying that self-study is the way to reach the Divine, which implies that the Divine is within us. It is our innermost Center. As Babuji says, “God has hidden himself inside your hearts and exposed you. Hide yourselves and expose God! This is the real practice.” So, we go within and study ourselves from our most external states to the Center of our being. This involves layer upon layer of uncovering. In the process, everything external is a mirror of what we find within: How we relate to other people is a mirror; how we relate to Nature around us is a mirror. They are reflections of what is within us. In fact, as we journey deeper through the layers, every layer becomes a mirror for deeper layers. It is like those funfair mirrors loved by children, where two mirrors face each other, and they can see an infinite number of images of themselves disappearing into the distance.<hr><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/Discovering_the_Self3_1c2ebeecaf.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-06T04:51:47.029Z" alt="Discovering-the-Self"><hr>When we meditate, we have the most exquisite opportunity for self-study, because we dive beneath the surface. We start by turning our attention inward, watching our thoughts, letting them go, and then centering ourselves on one thought, through the processes of Pratyahara and Dharana. Then we meditate – Dhyana – and we go beyond the thinking realm to the feeling realm. We go behind our thoughts. Then we go deeper still, beyond feeling and experience, exploring the states of becoming – refining and transforming ourselves. Then we go still deeper, to where self-study takes us into the realm of pure existence and eventually non-existence, where we are no longer in the picture.The beauty of Patanjali’s sutra is that he simply tells us to study ourselves, nothing more. He doesn’t say, “You must change!” Coming face to face with yourself through self-study itself is enough to catalyze the process of transformation.<hr><hr> We go within and study ourselves from our most external states to the Center of our being. This involves layer upon layer of uncovering.<hr>Become aware of yourself: What happens when you are sad? What happens when you happy? All your moods are like different colors of the rainbow, different windows through which to look within. Maintaining that awareness is just like retaining the meditative state after meditation – one eye is always within even when the other is focused on the outside world. How do you behave when you are alone? With other people? At work? With your family? When you are going to sleep at night?<hr>When you witness all these dimensions of your being, the work of the Yamas and Niyamas will become effortless, because you will see what needs to be removed (Yamas) and what needs to be cultivated (Niyamas). Your habits are gradually exposed, even those that are programmed deep within the subconscious.<hr><hr>In self-study, you are shining the Light from the Center outward, illuminating every aspect of your character. Darkness disappears. All the qualities needed for evolution are contained within that Light, just as all the colors of the rainbow are contained within a beam of colorless light.<hr><hr>In self-study, you are shining the Light from the Center outward, illuminating every aspect of your character. Darkness disappears. All the qualities needed for evolution are contained within that Light, just as all the colors of the rainbow are contained within a beam of colorless light. You no longer need to recite mantras like:ॐ असतो मा सद्गमय । तमसो मा ज्यो तिर ्गमय । मतृ ्योर्मा अमतृ ं गमय । ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः ॥Om. Keep me not in Unreality, but make me go towards the Reality. Keep me not in Darkness, but make me go towards the Light. Keep me not in Mortality, but make me go towards the World. of Immortality, Om. Peace, Peace, Peace.Instead, what you seek becomes a reality.Self-study is based on wonder. The wonder of exploring the inner universe. Like a small child exploring a garden filled with flowers and butterflies, everything is inspiring and joyful. Selfstudy is not judgmental, but it is discerning – in fact it is dependent on Viveka, our capacity for discernment.Self-study naturally propels us toward continuous improvement. And while we may be journeying closer and closer to the Center, we still need to be aware of every aspect of our day-to-day behavior in the outside world and with other people. The gift of spiritual evolution does not mean we can forget about the very human aspects of living in the world.<hr><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/Discovering_the_Self4_d98e06d885.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-06T04:54:04.666Z" alt="Discovering-the-Self"><hr><hr>All aspects of our being – the physical, mental, emotional, social, and spiritual – are enhanced through self-study. It is up to us to use the practices we have been given for that purpose. And remember, the heart is central to self-study! Authentic self-inquiry is a magnificent tool once we have mastered the art of staying within the heart.<hr><hr>So, what is critical here? While we are on the journey, it is important to be aware, and this comes from expanding our consciousness in both directions along the spectrum into the subconscious and the superconscious. Our capacity for self-study expands as our awareness in the field of consciousness expands. This is the spiritual journey, and it is why spirituality is not just about God, but also about human transformation. God- Realization is no different from Self-Realization at the highest levels.As Patanjali says, we reach God through self-study. All aspects of our being – the physical, mental, emotional, social, and spiritual – are enhanced through self-study. It is up to us to use the practices we have been given for that purpose. And remember, the heart is central to self-study! Authentic self-inquiry is a magnificent tool once we have mastered the art of staying within the heart.<h3>Self-study eventually takes us beyond the self</h3>I have observed that whenever I am deeply connected with the Master everything happens naturally. For example, the heart becomes lighter, kinder, and melting. While I am aware of his presence within, mundane and unnecessary things simply wither away.Can you face yourself when there is cunningness in your heart and selfish intentions? When you lack purity and contentment? I believe with all my heart that unless you become simple and pure, your peep into yourself will remain colored.Self-study requires you to turn your attention inward so that you can learn about yourself with complete honesty. To me it means honestly feeling yourself, looking at your inner panorama. Honest self-study is the key. Can you look at yourself with all sincerity while craving certain desires? Can you make a rational decision when riding high on an uncontrollable ego?Some of you approach me and say, “Sir, please accept us, we surrender to you.” There are multiple problems here. First, you cannot make others surrender along with you; you can only speak for yourself. Second, have you looked at yourself, have you practiced swadhyaya before expressing yourself with such a prayer? When you look at yourself thoroughly, from all angles, and consciously unload whatever you want to be rid of, later you will realize that the very “self ” is the stumbling block. You realize the need to unload the burden of your ego. Rather, as you study yourself with love, the unloading of the ego and your desires will happen naturally.

Discovering the self

<h4
 id="h-daaji-continues-his-series-on-refining-habits-in-the-light-of-patanjali-s-ashtanga-yoga-and-current-scientific-and-yogic-principles-and-practices-last-month-he-explored-the-second-niyama-of-contentment-santosh-this-month-he-shares-his-insights-on-the-next-niyama-known-as-tapas-which-is-often-translated-as-austerity-but-which-has-a-much-more-interesting-and-exhilarating-meaning"
>
 DAAJI continues his series on refining habits, in the light of Patanjali’s
 Ashtanga Yoga and current scientific and yogic principles and practices.
 Last month, he explored the second Niyama of contentment,
 santosh. This month he shares his insights on the next
 Niyama, known as tapas, which is often translated as
 austerity, but which has a much more interesting and exhilarating
 meaning.
</h4>

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<h2 class="has-text-align-center">
 Shining Simplicity
</h2>

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 Simplicity is the final achievement. —Frédéric Chopin



 Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication. —Leonardo da Vinci


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<h4>
 Kriya Yoga – externalization
</h4>


 Let’s do a brief review of where we have traveled so far in refining our
 habits in the light of Patanjali’s Ashtanga Yoga. First, we explored the five
 Yamas – the giving up of unhelpful habits, including violence and
 aggression, falsity, hypocrisy and multiple personas, dishonesty, the pull of
 the senses toward unregulated desires, possessiveness, and greed. Next, we
 have explored the first two Niyamas – the filling of helpful
 qualities in the heart – purity and contentment. We have also seen how each
 successive habit has followed naturally from the previous one. They build upon
 each other in a cyclical way, like a positive feedback loop, creating a web of
 character changes that forms a firm foundation for our evolution.



 Patanjali considers the remaining three Niyamas to be even more
 closely interrelated. They are tapas (austerity),
 swadhyaya (self-study), and Ishwar pranidhan (awareness of
 and surrender to God), and he defines them together as Kriya Yoga – Yoga in
 action. Having worked to change our thought patterns, the results must now
 express in our outer behavior, in action. Up until now, it has all been about
 inner change, mental and emotional well-being, but now Patanjali turns to
 action. At the beginning of Part 2 of his Yoga Sutras, the section on
 “practice,” Patanjali says:


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 2.1: Tapah svādhyāyesvarapranidhānāni kriyā yogah



 Austerity, self-study, and God-awareness together constitute Kriya Yoga
 (Yoga in action).



 2.2: Samādhi-bhāvanārthah, Kleśa-tanūkaranārthaśca



 It promotes meditation flowering into Samadhi and minimizes
 tensions.


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 We are now externalizing our thinking and feeling into action. Kriya Yoga is
 the action that arises out of Yoga, and it is made up of these three
 Niyamas. Just as Yoga is defined as citta-vritti-nirodha,
 the state in which “the ideational choice-making movement of the mind slows
 down and comes to a stop,” Kriya Yoga arises out of that inner still state,
 free of any turbulence.



 But Kriya Yoga is actually more about the inner awareness and choices that
 define our action in every moment. This awareness purifies our activities of
 any negative effects of ego, removing selfishness. It propels us away from a
 habitual way of living, driven by the past, to a life lived in the present.



 The second sutra above explains the results of Kriya Yoga: Through meditation
 (bhavana) we experience Samadhi, and at the same time the
 complexities of our tensions (klesas) are removed.


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 width="679"
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 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/Shining_Simplicity2_674b71f986.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-12T04:59:23.613Z"
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<h5 class="has-text-align-center">
 Kriya Yoga is the action that arises out of Yoga, and it arises out
 of that still inner state, free of any turbulence.
</h5>

<hr />

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 The advances in Heartfulness during the last 150 years have made this whole
 process much easier, because of yogic Transmission, also known as
 pranahuti, and because of the Cleaning process that removes the
 complexities from our system. With pranahuti, we experience the inner
 stillness of Samadhi during meditation, and this transforms us from
 the inside out. The three Niyamas of Kriya Yoga then arise naturally
 as external expressions of that inner state. In fact, all the
 Yamas and Niyamas are expressions of the inner state of
 stillness. All the habits and qualities are contained in seed form in
 pranahuti.



 At the time when Patanjali wrote the Yoga Sutras, however, the method was more
 laborious: Yogis practiced Kriya Yoga in order to promote Samadhi.
 Now, is one approach better than the other? The reality is that both must go
 on in parallel. Pranahuti makes it faster and simpler, because we
 start by experiencing the inner state of Samadhi in Heartfulness
 Meditation.



 Cleaning also makes it faster and simpler, because the complexities that block
 our awareness of the inner stillness are removed in an almost effortless way.
 But then, the onus is on us to make sure we absorb that inner state and let it
 radiate from every atom of our being, so that our actions are in sync.
 Otherwise, we lose the inner condition. Nature dictates that outer and inner
 must match, otherwise there is tension, and we slip back to the lower state
 due to entropy.


<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<hr />

<h5 class="has-text-align-center">
 Kriya Yoga is more about the inner awareness and choices that define
 our action in every moment. This awareness purifies our activities
 of any negative effects of ego, removing selfishness. It propels
 us away from a habitual way of living, driven by the past, to a life
 lived in the present.
</h5>

<hr />

<hr class="vertical-space1" />


 There is one very simple way to prevent this slipping or falling, and it is
 the most vital aspect of Yoga, love. Our feeling level of connection binds us
 and holds us to the Center, or more commonly to the Master who is connected
 with the Center. This is known as bhakti, the inner gravity that
 connects our orbit to him. While he is cradling us in this weak force of love,
 which can expand over vast distances like gravity, we have the possibility of
 working upon our character so that the Yamas and
 Niyamas become an integral part of our personality. This is one of
 the many reasons why a spiritual Master is so vital in the process of inner
 change. Without his support, our pre-programmed, subconscious, unwanted habits
 will keep pulling us back to lower levels time and time again. With his
 support, there is vitality, as inner gravity holds us to the Center.


<h4>
 Tapas
</h4>


 The first quality of Kriya Yoga is tapas, which is generally translated as
 “austerity,” so it is not the most popular of Niyamas! People much
 prefer “contentment.” The word austerity evokes images of tightening the belt
 when times are tough, downsizing and counting pennies, no indulgence, no fun,
 and even torture. But this is a very extreme and distorted view of tapas.



 Actually, rather than being anything to do with enforced hardship, tapas is a
 direct result of the previous Niyama, contentment. It is the process
 of simplifying and purifying our being into a shining state, radiating love
 and light. Instead of “austerity,” we can use the words “plainness” and
 “simplicity,” where “plain” means unembellished and original. The outcome of
 all yogic practice is this ultimate simplicity, and my teacher, Babuji,
 describes the approach in the following
 <a
 href="https://www.heartfulnessmagazine.com/a-users-guide-to-living-part-5/"
 target="_blank"
 rel="noreferrer noopener"
 >principle</a
 >, “Simplify your life so as to be identical with Nature.”



 Simplification and plainness are one aspect of tapas. The Sanskrit
 word tapas comes from the root, tap, meaning “to shine,” also meaning
 “heat” and “intensity.” Tapas is to be intensely, super-sensitively
 aware of everything, internally and externally, with the self-mastery to
 respond from a state of centeredness. Normally, when people perceive things in
 the outside world, their consciousness is enlivened and pulled outward. This
 creates vibrations in the subtle body, which hook onto similar vibrational
 patterns or cognates of memories from past experiences. As a result, they
 perceive the present situation in the light of those past experiences. It is
 like retrieving data from storage and using it to predict the present moment,
 which is done all the time in data modeling.



 Yogis do something very different. While resting in a state of inner
 stillness, drawing the senses inward through the yogic process of
 Pratyahara, they are not pulled outward by the movement of thought
 energies through the vrittis. Instead, they hold their energies
 within and remain in stillness, creating an intensity, a potential, and that
 intensity is also another aspect of tapas. It purifies consciousness in much
 the same way that fire purifies the dross from gold ore. It is associated with
 the fire element, and it is also associated with Pratyahara. And it
 is this centeredness that allows us to continuously maintain a beginner’s
 mind.


<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<div >
 <figure>
 <img
 width="679"
 height="562"
 alt=""
 class="has-img-center lazyload"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/Shining_Simplicity3_744eeb65b6.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-12T05:00:58.626Z"
 />
 </figure>
</div>

<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<hr />

<h5 class="has-text-align-center">
 Tapas is about self-purification and simplification. It is
 the process of continuously refining ourselves to become the best we
 can be. It is something sublime, something worth aspiring for as
 the greatest expression of human potential.
</h5>

<hr />

<hr class="vertical-space1" />


 So, tapas is not about austerity in the sense of self-harm or
 suffering imposed from outside forces, as many people have wrongly assumed
 throughout the centuries. It is about self-purification and simplification.
 The attitudinal shift, from something imposed and negative to something that
 evolves from within and is positive, comes with expanding consciousness
 through meditation. Tapas is the process of continuously refining ourselves to
 become the best we can be. As Chopin said, “Simplicity is the final
 achievement,” and da Vinci said, “Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.”
 It is something sublime, something worth aspiring for as the greatest
 expression of human potential.



 Tapas is our trajectory toward a simple life, an uncomplicated life,
 an austere life, with great awareness, great sensitivity, and great
 flexibility, constantly refined by purification and simplification. It is
 wrapped in love, starting with self-love, self-compassion, and self-awareness,
 and culminating in becoming love itself. In Heartfulness, it is not something
 to be practiced; it is the natural result of our meditative inner practices.
 We can say that these practices are our tapas, and the more intensity
 we bring to them, the more transformative they become. We shine, and the
 fragrance of Divinity radiates from every atom of our being, just as the wind
 is the conduit for the fragrance of sandalwood trees in the forest. I have
 spoken about this in the series
 <a
 href="https://www.heartfulnessmagazine.com/the-march-to-freedom-part-3/"
 target="_blank"
 rel="noreferrer noopener"
 >March to Freedom</a
 >, describing the state we arrive at when we reach chakra 10 of our inner
 journey. This is where the inner intensity of tapas really starts to manifest,
 once we have arrived at the realm of God, expressed so beautifully in the
 mystical love poetry of Radha, Rumi, Kabir, Rabi’a Basri and Meerabai. I wish
 that all of you will have the opportunity to experience this sublime state.


<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<hr />

<h5 class="has-text-align-center">
 Tapas is our trajectory toward a simple life, an
 uncomplicated life, an austere life, with great awareness, great
 sensitivity, and great flexibility, constantly refined by purification
 and simplification. It is wrapped in love, starting with self-love,
 self-compassion, and self-awareness, and culminating in becoming love
 itself.
</h5>

<hr />

<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<h4>
 How do we attain this state?
</h4>


 Along the way, what helps us to keep going until we reach this state?
 Awareness and attitude; essentially the awareness of the difference between
 needs and desires.



 What happens when we are forever complaining about the challenges we face in
 daily life – with family members, worldly worries, colleagues at work, and
 friends? Will we see the Divinity and the potential for growth in the problems
 life throws at us? Unlikely. And when we are busy judging others for their
 faults and mistakes, will we see the Divinity in them? Also unlikely. The
 attitudinal shift we are looking for is not to be pulled down into the
 entanglements of the worst of our shared humanity, but instead to rise up to
 the highest awareness of beauty, love and light. We are looking for an inner
 state of acceptance, without expectation, with a carefree, cheerful
 contentment.



 In ancient times, tapas was often thought to be hard, the result of arduous
 penance, both physical and mental, renouncing daily life and living in a
 forest, on top of a mountain, or in a remote ashram away from human society.
 When we look back throughout history, however, we can easily see that the most
 evolved mystics and yogis were often not those who ran away from everyday
 life. Many were immersed in the day-to-day dramas of family, work, and normal
 society. They refined themselves through these everyday lives. This holds true
 for both ancient and modern-day mystics alike. What is required is attitudinal
 shift. Today, we acknowledge this fact – that a more effective approach to
 purifying and potentializing the human system is to live within the structure
 of society, solving the challenges of family life, work, and social issues,
 with equanimity and poise.


<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<div>
 <figure>
 <img
 width="679"
 height="562"
 alt=""
 class="has-img-center lazyload"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/Shining_Simplicity4_87653e94c5.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-12T05:02:01.171Z"
 />
 </figure>
</div>

<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<hr />

<h5 class="has-text-align-center">
 Imagine now that your intensity is so heightened that you have
 360-degree awareness of everything that is happening both inside and
 outside you: The flows of energy throughout your system, the
 blockages in that flow, the tensions that accumulate with stress, the
 effect of circadian rhythms on your physiology, behavior, thoughts and
 feelings, the vibrations in the atmosphere around you, what is
 happening in others, etc.
</h5>

<hr />

<hr class="vertical-space1" />


 This is our training ground, and every day we are given ample opportunity to
 refine ourselves, rise higher, and let go of negative thoughts and emotions.
 Does it mean we are not discerning, unable to distinguish between what is
 right for us and what is wrong? Not at all! But it means we approach each
 situation and each person with the generosity of an awakened heart –
 contentment, calmness, compassion, courage, and clarity.


<h4>
 The effect of tapas
</h4>


 The effect of tapas has also been described by Patanjali in the Yoga
 Sutras when he says:


<hr class="vertical-space1" />


 2:43 Kayehdriyasiddhiraśuddhiksayāttapasah



 Austerity brings about mastery over the body and the senses through
 the elimination of impurities.


<hr class="vertical-space1" />


 This adds another dimension to our experience. Mastery over the body and the
 senses is another outcome of tapas. Remember the “intensity” that we explored
 earlier in the article? Imagine now that your intensity is so heightened that
 you have 360-degree awareness of everything that is happening both inside and
 outside you: The flows of energy throughout your system, the blockages in that
 flow, the tensions that accumulate with stress, the effect of circadian
 rhythms on your physiology, behavior, thoughts and feelings, the vibrations in
 the atmosphere around you, what is happening in others, etc. In reality, we
 know so little about the physiology and psychology of the human system, the
 three bodies – physical, subtle and causal – and the interplay among them, and
 the interplay with the outside world. Science may be discovering new
 information every day, but there is still so much to be uncovered by the great
 scientists.



 With the awareness that comes as a result of our tapas, with the
 removal of all the mental modifications that Patanjali describes, we are then
 able to perceive these directly. Also, as we journey through the chakras, from
 the Heart Region to the Mind Region to the Central Region, our human potential
 expands in ways we cannot possibly envision. This real purpose is the promise
 of Heartfulness, and of the shining simplicity of tapas we achieve
 through the practices, which results in the purity that Patanjali describes.
 It is an awe-inspiring journey and I wish that you will all experience it for
 yourselves.


<hr class="vertical-space1" />

The art of removing and creating habits - part 9

The art of removing and creating habits - part 8

<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<h4>
 DAAJI continues his series on refining habits, in
 the light of Patanjali’s
 Ashtanga Yoga and current scientific and yogic principles and practices.
 Last month, he explored the final Yama, the virtue of
 aparigraha, which means the removal of possessiveness, greed, and
 focus on material gain. This month he moves to the Niyamas – those
 positive habits that are worth cultivating in order to live a contented
 life, starting with the first Niyama of purity or
 shaucha.
</h4>

<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<h2 class="has-text-align-center">
 Purity
</h2>

<h4>
 Good and bad habits
</h4>


 By now, if you have been following this series and the practices that promote
 Yama, you may have already let go of many negative habits and
 tendencies, and cleared complexities from your system. Yama is the
 removal of all the “don’ts,” such as violence and dishonesty, and that is one
 aspect of working with habits. The other aspect is to cultivate the “dos,” the
 Niyamas, those positive habits that will take our lifestyle to
 another level.



 The Niyamas help us to intensify life itself and radiate goodness and
 beauty into the world around us – the fragrance of purity, simplicity,
 compassion and universal love. The Niyamas fill our hearts with noble
 qualities. They help us to refine ourselves toward subtler and subtler states,
 both inner and outer. They lead to a lifestyle that is in tune with Nature,
 and thus they are regenerative. And that is exactly what humanity and our
 planet need right now.



 In essence, Niyama is about cultivating positive habits so that both
 our minds and bodies are in sync with the highest universal principles. In
 Nature we see tremendous order, and the higher the goal the greater the order
 required.


What are those five positive habits that propel us forward?

<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<div>
 <figure>
 <img decoding="async" alt="" class="lazyload has-img-center"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/Niyama_700x329_a1ff7775a3.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-10T12:52:49.824Z" />
 </figure>
</div>

<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<hr />

<h5 class="has-text-align-center">
 The Niyamas fill our hearts with noble qualities.
 They help us to refine ourselves toward subtler
 and subtler states, both inner and outer.
 They lead to a lifestyle that is in tune with
 Nature, and thus they are regenerative.
 And that is exactly what humanity
 and our planet need right now.
</h5>

<hr />

<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<h4>
 Purity of body and mind
</h4>


 The first Niyama is shaucha, purity of body and mind, and it
 is a natural outcome of perfecting the Yamas. In fact, the
 Niyamas follow on naturally from the Yamas, as the removal
 of unwanted complexities and impurities leads to simplicity and purity. The
 instant you start thinking of any negative habit, like an angry reaction or
 hurting another person, you move to impurity; the instant you start thinking
 of coveting someone or something, you move to impurity.



 Many people today have a negative reaction to the idea of purity, probably due
 to its association with puritanism linked with rigidity, or perhaps because of
 other religious overtones, but in Yoga purity is not a moral concept, it is a
 science. It is the science of maintaining both the body and the mind in
 pristine condition, as you would do with your clothes, your car, and your
 home. We like our homes to be clean, just as we like to drink clean water and
 breathe clean air. We want purity in the outer environment, and yet we often
 allow garbage to accumulate in our inner environment. We happily accept the
 need to wash our hands or take a shower after returning home under the current
 Covid-19 pandemic. Leaving our shoes at the doorstep is another visionary move
 of the elders in India, as is not allowing sick people or strangers into our
 kitchens. Of course, it can go too far; even when another person is healthy,
 some orthodox religious people do not allow them to touch food if they are of
 a lower status.



 To my heart, purity is the essence of inner transformation. My own teacher,
 Babuji, gave a very important message in 1982, toward the end of his life, and
 in it he said that purity weaves our destiny with the Ultimate. That is a very
 profound statement, and highlights the importance of purity.



 Swami Vivekananda once said, “The sages have said that there are two sorts of
 purification – external and internal. The purification of the body by water,
 earth or other materials is the external purification, as bathing etc.
 Purification of the mind by truth, and by all the other virtues, is what is
 called internal purification. Both are necessary. It is not sufficient that a
 man should be internally pure and externally dirty. When both are not
 attainable the internal purity is the better, but no one will be a Yogi until
 he has both.1“


<h4>
 Happiness and mental well-being
</h4>


 What are the qualities that develop as a result of mental purity? In his Yoga
 Sutras, Patanjali defines four of them. The first is happiness – inner purity
 leads to happiness. How? When our consciousness is pure we can easily connect
 with the center of our being, the soul, where we find true inner happiness.
 The first Heartfulness Guide, Lalaji, wrote, “The causal body or the soul is
 the instrument of joy. Nay! It is joy itself, and cannot exist without bliss
 and happiness.”



 It is important to understand this: Happiness does not come from the body or
 the mind. It comes from the soul.



 When we meditate every morning, we connect with the center of our being
 through the heart, and this is aided by Transmission. Transmission nourishes
 the soul, just as food nourishes the physical body and problem-solving
 nourishes the mind. By nourishing the soul, Transmission promotes joy and
 happiness in our lives. And as we awaken to progressively deeper spiritual
 dimensions of existence, we experience subtler and subtler levels of joy and
 happiness. It is not that we stop caring for the body and mind, but we simply
 lose interest in their charms. Both body and mind are vehicles for our life
 here and for our evolution, but they no longer limit our existence.



 Our understanding of beauty also changes. Beauty becomes an outer expression
 of inner purity, not of skin color, the shape of a face or body, or the level
 of intelligence or thinking capacity. All prejudice drops off as a result. The
 soul is our common connection with the Divine. Everyone is beautiful when we
 look into their hearts, beyond the qualities and characteristics of their
 bodies and minds. When we view ourselves and others from this inner
 perspective, there can be no prejudice and no hatred. In fact, all the
 Yamas become automatic.



 Think about what this means: It is only through purity that we will attain
 real peace and harmony in this world. Until that time, people will continue to
 define themselves by their bodily characteristics, like skin color, sexual
 preference, and outer appearance, or by their mental and emotional
 characteristics, like mental health, intelligence, problem-solving ability,
 emotional maturity, belief systems, etc. They will remain boxed within their
 compartments and only see the differences between themselves and others.


<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<div>
 <figure>
 <img decoding="async" alt="" class="lazyload has-img-center"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/purity2_781a5964e3.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-10T12:54:53.952Z" />
 </figure>
</div>

<hr class="vertical-space1" />


 When people went to visit my Guide, Babuji, he didn’t look at their faces or
 their clothes, or anything external. He wasn’t interested in their level of
 education or their religion or their status. Instead, he looked into their
 hearts, and knew everything about them by the signature of their inner world.
 In the early ’70s, the first seekers from the West traveled to meet him in
 northern India, and many of them said that in his company they felt pure love.
 They were accepted for themselves, and it was such a liberating experience.
 His innocent lack of judgment, and his capacity to love and accept
 universally, were natural outcomes of his purity. Such a refreshing state of
 openness and love was untainted by pre-conditioned beliefs and thinking
 patterns. Of course, that does not mean we dress without consideration for the
 people with whom we interact. What we wear reflects our attitude toward
 others.


<h4>
 Concentration
</h4>


 Second, inner purity leads to concentration. This is a simple one to
 understand. When we are primarily focused on the body and/or the mind, all the
 processes of the body and mind draw our attention. The senses are active,
 thoughts distract us, and emotions control our moods and behavior. We may have
 a deluge of thoughts and feelings every time we close our eyes to meditate.
 When the field of our consciousness is not purified, we are burdened with all
 sorts of complexities, for example, worry, anxiety, restlessness, anger, fear,
 confusion, guilt, shame and grief, depression, excitement, and passion, just
 to name a few. When that same field of consciousness is purified, there is
 stillness, peace and contentment. We can then concentrate our attention
 easily, because nothing deviates us from what is in front of us. There is
 clarity instead of confusion.


<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<hr />

<h5 class="has-text-align-center">
 Inner purity leads to concentration. This is a simple one to understand. When we are primarily focused on the body and/or the mind, all the processes of the body and mind draw our attention.
</h5>

<hr />

<hr class="vertical-space1" />


 There is a story about Swami Vivekananda that demonstrates this very well. He
 once visited a famous Sanskrit scholar in the West, Professor Paul Deussen,
 who was famous for translating the ancient Vedic texts. A book arrived one
 day, and Vivekananda asked if he could read it. After a short time he returned
 it, and Deussen wondered how Vivekananda could have possibly read it given how
 long it was and how detailed were the contents. It took Deussen days to go
 through the book before he could ask Vivekananda questions about the contents,
 and every question he asked was answered perfectly. Deussen was
 dumbfounded, and asked Vivekananda, “How is it possible?” Vivekananda
 explained that when you study through the body, concentration is not possible.
 In contrast, when you are not bound by the body, your consciousness can soar,
 and it can be directly in contact with the book. Then, even half an hour is
 enough to imbibe the meaning. There are so many other stories about
 Vivekananda’s ability to “read” books in no time at all, including stories of
 him sleeping with a book under his pillow and being able to relay all the
 contents of the book the next morning.



 Here is another story about concentration, this time involving Babuji. In 1972
 he traveled to the West to meet the growing number of seekers from Europe and
 North America who were coming to him for guidance. In London, his hosts
 organized a meeting with a famous physicist of the day, who at first was a
 little dismissive of Babuji. How could such a simple uneducated person from
 India understand the world of physics?



 At one point they were discussing atoms, and after a silence Babuji described
 the structure of an atom in detail, including some of the smallest particles
 that scientists had not yet discovered. The physicist was astounded. How could
 Babuji know all this? Babuji’s answer was very simple: “I penetrated into
 matter and this is what I found.” Such a level of concentration and direct
 perception is only possible with a pure consciousness.


<h4>
 Mastery of the senses
</h4>


 Third, inner purity leads to mastery of the senses or Pratyahara, the
 fifth limb of Ashtanga Yoga. Every time we meditate, we prepare ourselves
 beforehand by turning our attention inward, away from the outer pull of the
 senses and into the heart. This process will only really be successful,
 however, when our hearts are pure. Otherwise we will remain distracted by the
 complexities and impurities arising in our field of consciousness as thoughts,
 feelings and outer distractions. When our focus is truly on the center of our
 being, the senses lose their potency. This mastery of the senses is the result
 of mental purity.


<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<div>
 <figure>
 <img decoding="async" alt="" class="lazyload has-img-center"
 src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/purity3_0be661d48a.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-10T12:56:20.571Z" />
 </figure>
</div>

<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<hr />

<h5 class="has-text-align-center">
 Every time we meditate, we prepare ourselves beforehand by turning our attention inward, away from the outer pull of the senses and into the heart. This process will only really be successful, however, when our hearts are pure.
</h5>

<hr />

<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<h4>
 Fitness for Self-Realization
</h4>


 Finally, Patanjali tells us that inner purity gives us the mental fitness for
 Self-Realization. The contentment, concentration, calmness, compassion,
 courage, clarity of purpose, and mastery of the senses that are awakened in
 our hearts through purity, prepare us for Self-Realization. Realization is not
 possible without such a preparation, which requires discipline and intense
 interest, as well as the support of a capable Guide.


<h4>
 How do we purify our consciousness?
</h4>


 The answer to this question is so simple: We remove all the impurities that
 have accumulated in our inner environment – in our consciousness. In earlier
 times, mystics and yogis attempted to do this through very difficult practices
 and penances. Thankfully, in the modern era, there has been astounding
 progress in the science of Yoga, and in the practices that are available to
 remove impurities from the field of consciousness. These impurities are known
 as samskaras. The simplest and most effective of these is the
 Heartfulness Cleaning practice. Cleaning is done every evening so as to remove
 the “mental and emotional dirt” that accumulates during the day, just as
 taking a bath removes dirt from the physical body. It is a practical method,
 so its effects can only be known through experience. I suggest you try it and
 see how it purifies and simplifies your state of mind. You will feel light,
 contented and carefree at the end of the day.


<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<hr />

<h5 class="has-text-align-center">
 As we become progressively purer and lighter as a result of our spiritual practices, we start to see changes in our outer lifestyle also.
</h5>

<hr />

<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<h4>
 The result: a better destiny
</h4>


 As we become progressively purer and lighter as a result of our spiritual
 practices, we start to see changes in our outer lifestyle also. The food we
 eat, the clothes we wear, and the habits we have will slowly adjust to our
 level of lightness. We do need to be aware of this process, however, and allow
 the changes to happen rather than staying stuck in outdated obsolete patterns
 of behavior. It is all about letting go of anything that no longer serves us.
 As a result of this inner purification, our character and lifestyle change,
 and thus our destiny changes. There is a complete transformation when purity
 permeates every level of our being from the inside out.


<h6>
 1 Swami Vivekananda, Raja Yoga, Chapter 8, “Raja Yoga in
 Brief.”
</h6>

<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<hr class="vertical-space1" />

<hr />

The art of removing and creating habits - part 7

<hr><h4>DAAJI continues his series on refining habits, in the light of Patanjali’s Ashtanga Yoga and current scientific and yogic principles and practices. Last month, he shone a light on the habit of moderation, brahmacharya, exploring the way our senses interface with our feelings and desires. This month, he focuses on the final Yama, the virtue of aparigraha, which means not being possessive, attached, greedy, or focused on material gain.</h4><hr><h3 style="text-align:center;">What do we really need?</h3><hr><h4>Minimalism and sustainability</h4>In the last few decades, there has been a growing movement away from indulgence and hedonism toward simplicity, minimalism and living a sustainable lifestyle, centered around the 5Rs of refuse, reduce, reuse, repurpose and recycle. We see this in building, architecture and interior design, for example, with the many TV and streaming programs showing us how to live in smaller homes made with recycled and natural materials. We have been wowed by Marie Kondo’s book, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up, and TV show, Tidying Up, challenging us to buy only those things that we need, and that bring us joy, and encouraging us to clean up our living spaces. And as a result of the obesity epidemic in the developed world, we see this trend also with food and diet. In general, we are moving toward “more and more of less and less” in the words of my first teacher, Babuji.This principle of taking and using only what we need has been followed by yogis since time immemorial, and it pertains to all areas of life. In Yoga it is known as aparigraha, and it is the fifth and final Yama.As we face the dangers of climate change, environmental destruction, mass extinction of species, and the vast inequality among people from different social and cultural walks of life, this Yama is truly the need of the hour.&nbsp;<h4>Aparigraha</h4>Aparigraha is the culmination of the other four Yamas – love, truthfulness, honesty and moderation. It is an important underlying principle in all cultures, as well as all religious and philosophical traditions, even though it is not always fashionable. Over the centuries, we find that many seekers have renounced material possessions to live the lives of medicants. And during the last 50 years, many people have chosen to live off the grid, to escape the rat race, to simplify their lifestyle, and to actively denounce the throw-away culture of modern urban life. While these choices can be seen as aspects of aparigraha, this Yama is not only about renouncing material acquisitiveness. It also means that even when we live in the world and have possessions, we are not so attached to them that we are affected by their presence or absence.&nbsp;The Sanskrit word aparigraha is made up of three components: a, a prefix meaning “non,” pari, meaning “on all sides,” and graha, meaning “to take, grab or seize.” It is the opposite of parigraha, which means to focus on gain and acquisition, and generally refers to material gain. Aparigraha means to rise above a “taking” attitude, and to accept what is truly needed at any stage of life. This involves self-restraint, avoiding overindulgence and covetousness, and removing the greed and <a href="https://heartfulness.org/magazine/life-lessons-from-a-dog-and-her-ball" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">possessiveness</a> that bring destruction in their wake. Another definition of this principle is to give more than you receive. It is to live in the consciousness of abundance instead of scarcity.And perhaps it is even more than that, because Swami Vivekananda once said that aparigraha means not to accept any gift from anybody, even when you are suffering terribly, because when you receive a gift from another person your heart becomes attached and beholden. You receive the vibrations of the person who has given. You lose your independence.This is an interesting perspective that is worthy of reflection. Does Swami Vivekananda mean that we should remain so aloof from one another? Let’s try to understand it further.&nbsp;<hr><hr><h5 style="text-align:center;">A natural etiquette of care emerges in our behavior because our thoughts and actions are no longer based on personal desires. We are no longer pulled by likes and dislikes for people, places or things. We simply live our life with devotion, developing an unattached state naturally and spontaneously. It is not that we are detached in a heartless way – instead we love everyone and everything, universally.&nbsp;</h5><hr><hr><h4>Possession versus belonging</h4>One way to approach this is to explore the emotional difference between belonging and possessing. Imagine the scenario in childhood of your mother cooking meals for you every day and serving you with so much love. The times when you went to a friend’s place for dinner, you were so thankful for the meal, but did you show a similar gratitude toward your own mother every day? Or imagine it is raining, and you find shelter under someone else’s roof. Again, you are thankful to the homeowner, but are you so grateful to your family members for the shelter your home provides every day? No, because you take them for granted. You have the sense that they are yours! You belong together. Belonging brings us closer; it is fundamentally different from the attitude of possession, which is transactional.So, going back to Swami Vivekananda’s statement, when there is love and belonging, there is no longer the transaction of giving and receiving, of possessing. What is mine is automatically yours. In fact, there is no longer any “mine” and “yours.”As a result, our sense of human duty to each other and all other forms of life develops naturally, because we put others first as the result of an inner generosity of the heart. A natural etiquette of care emerges in our behavior because our thoughts and actions are no longer based on personal desires. We are no longer pulled by likes and dislikes for people, places or things. We simply live our life with devotion, developing an unattached state naturally and spontaneously. It is not that we are detached in a heartless way – instead we love everyone and everything, universally.&nbsp;<hr><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/art_removing_creating_habits_part6_2_83aadc8e87.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-10T05:43:08.159Z" alt="art-removing-creating-habits-part6"><hr><h4>A story</h4>There are many great ancient kings whose lives can teach us a lot about aparigraha – one among them is Raja Janaka of India. It may be easier for a poor person to be unattached to wealth and possessions, but what about a wealthy king who has everything? Still today, these men are known for their wisdom and generosity of heart rather than for their wealth, even though their material success was staggering. There is a wonderful story about Raja Janaka that exemplifies this quality of aparigraha, which is so often misunderstood by those on the path of Yoga.&nbsp;A young seeker was instructed by his teacher to visit Raja Janaka to continue his spiritual training. The teacher said to the youth, “I renounced the world – I know nothing of worldly life – so you must go to a teacher who knows about the world if you want to continue to progress. The next step in your training will be with him.”The student was baffled. He thought, “If this Raja is so enlightened, why does he live in a palace surrounded by opulence and possessions? Surely he would have renounced all that if he is a serious spiritual seeker and no longer has any interest in possessions.”But because his teacher had insisted, he decided to be open-minded and travel to the palace of Videha.&nbsp;He arrived in the evening, and Raja Janaka invited him to the court. Everyone was having a good time, and there was a lot of overindulgence, so the seeker wanted to leave immediately, feeling quite disgusted with whatever he saw. Raja Janaka persuaded him to stay the night and leave the next morning, so that he could also speak with him one-on-one about why he had come.The young seeker was well cared for. He ate well, bathed and was ushered into a beautiful room with a grand bed and stunning views across the lake and the forests. He was tired and decided to turn in early, but when he lay on the bed he looked up and saw a sharp sword hanging by a thin thread just above his head. Needless to say, he didn’t sleep that night! He didn’t enjoy the bed, the room, or the view, as the sword took all his attention.The next morning, Raja Janaka asked, “Did you sleep well?” The youth answered with some frustration, “Your Highness, how could I sleep with that sword hanging above me all night?” The king smiled and asked, “You were in the most beautiful room with the most luxurious bed, and still you could not sleep?” “No, your Highness, because of that sword I was unaware of my surroundings. I have never been so afraid.” So the king replied, “Stay here a while with me. I may live in this grand palace, but the sword of death is above me every second of every day, and the thread holding it is thinner than the thread holding the sword above your bed. Any moment I may die. Would you like to learn how to live like that in the world?”The point Raja Janaka was trying to make is that when we are aware of the fragility and transient nature of this worldly life, we lose any sense of possessiveness, as death does not allow us to take anything with us in our onward journey. In fact, the very idea of possessiveness becomes ridiculous. Our attention is inward, not outward. No matter whether we are poor or wealthy, when we understand the natural cycles of birth, life, death, and our existence beyond the physical plane, we become free of possessiveness.<h4>The circle of life</h4>In his Yoga Sutras, the sage Patanjali explains it like this:2.39: Aparigraha-sthairye janma-kathanta sambodhahWhen established in non-possessiveness, the yogi understands and sees the truth of earthly life and rebirth.Looking inward, we become aware of the Center of our existence. Having let go of all possessiveness, in the resulting purity we also become aware of the nature of our past lives, our comings and goings from this mortal dimension. This spurs us on toward a higher goal, beyond the physical dimension – toward the ultimate goal of life.&nbsp;<hr><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/art_removing_creating_habits_part6_3_334b2aa7cf.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-10T05:47:39.950Z" alt="art-removing-creating-habits-part6"><hr><hr><h5 style="text-align:center;">Looking inward, we become aware of the Center of our existence. Having let go of all possessiveness, in the resulting purity we also become aware of the nature of our past lives, our comings and goings from this mortal dimension. This spurs us on toward a higher goal, beyond the physical dimension – toward the ultimate goal of life.&nbsp;</h5><hr><h4>How do we achieve this?</h4>We live in a world where marketing professionals and advertisers try to inflate our desires to look beautiful, wear the latest fashions, own a fabulous house and car, amass wealth, and have health, a successful career and a happy family life. FOMO (fear of missing out) is constantly pulling us outward in the belief that we need all this to be happy, otherwise we can easily see ourselves as failures. Social media intensifies this outward focus even further by posting photoshopped images and fake personas. In such a lifestyle there is little connection with the Center – everything is outward-focused instead of inward-focused. It is no wonder that people continue to grasp for more and more, hoping it will bring the happiness that will always be elusive through this outward quest for materiality, until eventually our attention turns to focus on the innermost.&nbsp;There are two aspects to how we achieve aparigraha: the first is to remove the existing attachments we have, and the second is to maintain the purity of an inward focus so as to continue to be free of the pull of possessiveness.&nbsp;By this, I don’t mean that we have to give up all our material possessions and attachments. Here we are talking about inner attitude. It is within us that the solution lies, not in the possessions themselves, no matter how much or how little we have. It is all about non-attached attachment. Otherwise we may become obsessive with pride at having no attachment to possessions. It is possible to become attached to non-attachment!<hr><h5 style="text-align:center;">By maintaining and enhancing the condition and attachment to the Center we experience in meditation every morning, throughout the day, we are vaccinated against the pull of desires. This is the ultimate spiritual protection we can keep alive through a regular daily practice.&nbsp;</h5><hr><hr><img src="https://cdn-prod-static.heartfulness.org/art_removing_creating_habits_part6_4_623773ca41.jpg?updated_at=2023-04-10T05:49:27.746Z" alt="art-removing-creating-habits-part6"><hr>Here are some of the Heartfulness practices that help us to transcend possessiveness and live in a state of constant belonging and aparigraha: &nbsp;Meditation: takes us inward to our Center, and trains the mind to ignore external stimuli.Cleaning: removes the underlying habitual attachments we have based on our likes and dislikes from the past and present. Done daily, the practice of cleaning continues to maintain our purity of consciousness.Prayer: connects us with the Center of all existence, and allows the flow of Grace to continuously move from the Center into our hearts.Point A Meditation: cultivates the feeling of belong to the same family. We develop the sense that everyone and everything are our brothers and sisters. This way, we remain in a constant state of “belonging.”&nbsp;Meditative state: by maintaining and enhancing the condition and attachment to the Center we experience in meditation every morning, throughout the day, we are vaccinated against the pull of desires. This is the ultimate spiritual protection we can keep alive through a regular daily practice.&nbsp;<hr><h5 style="text-align:center;">As we develop the attitude of belongingness, and let go of the attitude of possessiveness, the circumference of our giving will continue to expand, until eventually our hearts will become generators of generosity, giving to all who are in need.&nbsp;</h5><hr><h4>In summary</h4>Once we are able to remain in a state of aparigraha, we will no longer be buffeted by the ups and downs of the outside world, fame or fortune. We will be contented no matter what. We will have no need to beg, nor any need to flaunt our wealth and success. Everything will remain focused on the Center, which is beyond the material existence. We will be happy with whatever the universe provides.Does it mean that we should not strive to excel in this world? Not at all. Is it okay to earn to provide for our families and friends? Of course. As we develop the attitude of belongingness, and let go of the attitude of possessiveness, the circumference of our giving will continue to expand, until eventually our hearts will become generators of generosity, giving to all who are in need. It reminds me of the famous Quaker saying:“I expect to pass through this world but once. Any good, therefore, that I can do or any kindness I can show to any fellow creature, let me do it now. Let me not defer or neglect it for I shall not pass this way again.”<hr><hr><h4 style="text-align:center;">Article by KAMLESH PATEL (DAAJI)</h4><hr>