May 2023

Travel Light Create a

Light
DAAJI

Footprint
Coherence
ROLLIN MCCRATY

Creating Space
ZACH BUSH

Wild Intelligence
ELIZABETH DENLEY

U REM
FL
ED
LD &

IES
CO

BABUJ
I

www.heartfulnessmagazine.com
LIVE
ONLINE
PROGRAM

Embark on a journey
of personal and organizational
discovery.

Heartful
Adizes Leadership
Learn to apply timeless leadership
principles in your personal and work life.
SPRING Voyage begins May 20, 2023
Registrations open April 28, 2023

Heartful Adizes Leaders continually refine vital skills and equip themselves
and others with practical tools to successfully deal with complex challenges.

Price of the program is... U-priced!

These courses are offered as a gift, trusting the generosity of participants to
support the development and sustenance of similar in-depth learning journeys.

Discover upcoming voyages at

Join us in this journey with a like-hearted
community seeking to lead to a better society!
mastering-change.org
 SUBSCRIBE TO CREATIVE TEAM

Heartfulness Editorial Team — Elizabeth Denley, Vanessa Patel,

Kashish Kalwani, Christine Prisland, Mamata Venkat

Magazine
Subramanyam, Pankhi Chauhan
Design, Art & Photography — Uma Maheswari G,
BullRun, Lakshmi Gaddam, Christian Macketanz,
Jasmee Mudgal, Fiona Neary, Ananya Patel, Rawpixel,
Adobe Stock, Virinaflora
Writers — Ichak Adizes, Babuji, Zach Bush, Daaji,
Kishore Debnath, Elizabeth Denley, Victor Kannan,
Stanislas Lajugie, Christian Macketanz, Mamata
Venkat, Rollin McCraty, Fiona Neary, Prasad
Veluthanar
Support Team — Balaji Iyer, Karthik Natarajan, Ashraful
Nobi, Jayakumar Parthasarathy, Nabhish Tyagi, Shankar
Vasudevan

ISSN 2455-7684

CONTRIBUTIONS
[email protected]

ADVERTISING
[email protected]

SUBSCRIPTIONS
Available in print and digital versions [email protected]
www.heartfulnessmagazine.com/subscriptions

Order copies online: single, 12-month EDITOR — Neeraj Kumar

subscription and 24-month subscription: PRINTED BY — Sunil Kumar
RK PRINT HOUSE, H.No.11-6-759,
subscriptions@ 3rd Floor, Anand Complex, Lakdikapul,
Hyderabad, Telangana, 500004, India.
heartfulnessmagazine.com
PUBLISHER — Sunil Kumar representing
Heartfulness Education Trust
Printed copies are also available 13-110, Kanha Shanti Vanam,
Kanha Village, Nandigama Mandal,
at selected stores, airports and
Ranga Reddy District, Telangana, 509325, India.
newsstands, and at Heartfulness
centers and ashrams.
Copyright © 2023 Heartfulness Education Trust.
All rights reserved.

heartfulnessmagazine.com/subscribe

H eart f u l n es s
 Travel Light
Dear readers,

This month, Heartfulness Magazine focuses on the simple adage, travel light. It is the basis of our
personal carefreeness, happy relationships, and a light footprint on the planet.

Our authors and artists explore some practices and lifestyle tips to support lightness. Daaji offers 2
practices, Mamata Venkat explores self-love, and Prasad Veluthanar shares an ayurvedic detox tea
recipe. Zach Bush looks at slowing down and deconstructing the ego, Kishore Debnath explores subtler
realms, Ichak Adizes discusses the qualities and attributes that leaders will need in the future, and
Stanislas Lajugie gives us 3 steps to cultivate happiness. Rollin McCraty presents heart coherence and
the HeartMath approach to research, and Victor Kannan speaks of the beauty of gentleness. Elizabeth
Denley describes the wild intelligence of the natural world, something we also share, Christian Macketanz
exhibits his art and an essay on creativity, and Fiona Neary introduces a fun exercise of self-discovery.

In the Wisdom Bridge series, Daaji shares his thoughts on how mothers can be supported in their role.
And we learn about Babuji’s remedies for colds and flu.

Happy reading,
The editors

May 2 02 3
6 H eart f u l n es s
 inside
self-care Spirituality and Abstraction
Kishore Debnath
The Science of Heart
Coherence

30 Rollin McCraty
Travel Light 52
Daaji Where Do People Find You?
Zach Bush
12
34 environment
You're On Your Own, Kid
Mamata Venkat Subramanyam
14 workplace Wild Intelligence
Elizabeth Denley
Cold and Flu 60
Babuji The Future is the Heart

18 Ichak Adizes

Ayurvedic Detox Tea

38 creativity
Prasad Veluthanar Create the Habit of Creativity and Art
Happiness Christian Macketanz
21
Stanislas Lajugie
70
42
inspiration A Fun Exercise
Fiona Neary
relationships 78
Happy Mothers Make
Happy Families Being Gentle Is Being Light
Daaji
24
Victor Kannan
what's up
48
82

May 2 02 3 7
 BABUJI DAAJI ROLLIN MCCRATY

Shri Ram Chandra of Daaji is the Heartfulness Rollin is a scientist,

Shahjahanpur, affectionately Guide. He is an innovator and psychophysiologist, executive
known as Babuji, was a researcher, equally at home in the vice president and director of
revolutionary spiritual scientist fields of spirituality, science, and research at HeartMath Institute,
and philosopher. He was the the evolution of consciousness. member of the Global Coherence
founder of the present-day He has taken our understanding Steering committee, and project
system of Raja Yoga meditation of human potential to a new coordinator of GCI’s Global
known as Heartfulness. level. Coherence Monitoring System.
He is a professor at Florida
Atlantic University.

ZACH BUSH CHRISTIAN ICHAK ADIZES

MACKETANZ
Zach is a multi-disciplinary Dr. Adizes is a leading
physician of internal medicine, Christian is Professor of Painting management expert. He has
endocrinology, and hospice at the Academy of Fine Arts, received 21 honorary doctorates
care, and founder of Farmer’s Dresden, Germany. He studied and is the author of 27 books
Footprint. He is also an educator painting with Maria Lassnig that have been translated into 36
and thought leader on the in Vienna, and lived in Rome languages. He is recognized as
microbiome, as it relates to and Berlin before taking up his one of the top 30 thought leaders
human health, soil health, food current post in Dresden. He is a of America.
systems and a regenerative future. Heartfulness trainer.

8 H eart f u l n es s
 contributors

STANISLAS LAJUGIE MAMATA VENKAT KISHORE DEBNATH

SUBRAMANYAM
Stanislas is a civil servant of Kishore is a software engineer
the Foreign Affairs Ministry of Mamata couples mental health whose work involves using
France. He has worked in many and meditation with her passion mathematical tools to create
countries and enjoys making for storytelling, using Instagram complex systems. He is
meditation fashionable wherever as a space to build community. passionate about extending those
he goes. He has developed Her 2016 TEDx presentation ideas to daily life, to enhance
a course on the science of has been viewed over 2.7 million quality of living and human
meditation for universities and times. She is currently a freelance efficiency. He finds meaning in
corporates. social media and content integrating ancient wisdom with
manager, and an editor and writer modern ideas.
for Heartfulness Magazine.

VICTOR KANNAN ELIZABETH DENLEY FIONA NEARY

Victor is a Director for Elizabeth is a writer, editor, Fiona studied Fine Arts and
Heartfulness Institute, USA, Heartfulness trainer, and Spanish at the University at
a practitioner of Heartfulness facilitator of interactive programs Albany in New York. She is
Meditation, and a trainer for in consciousness and personal a Heartfulness trainer and
more than 30 years. As a career development, bringing together a certified Yoga instructor.
CFO he combines the benefits the fields of science and Fiona is inspired by nature and
of meditation in everyday spirituality. She is the editor-in- is passionate about creating
management and responsibilities. chief of Heartfulness Magazine. introspective spaces to share with
He lives with his wife in Atlanta others through her landscape
and has a daughter. paintings, photography, music,
and conversation.

May 2 02 3 9
self-care
“Travel light” is the general advice of the
railway department to all train travelers,
with a view to offer greatest convenience
to fellow passengers. The same may
apply in the case of travelers on the path
of Realization.

BABUJI
 YES, YOU CAN DO IT!

Travel Light
DAAJI shares two simple practices to remove heaviness from
your system, become light and carefree, and reduce your
thought footprint in the world.

Dear friends, Anger

How can we live lightly in an Anger need not be a negative

ever more complex world? It is emotional state, but very often
important we find answers, as we allow it to destroy peace. It
unless we do, we will not reduce can manifest as strong turbulence
our human footprint enough to in the mind and body, physical
allow our planet Earth to sustain. dysfunction, an explosion of
energy, aggression toward others,
To start somewhere, behind all and loss of sensitivity and
our pollution in the environment awareness. You will find a lot of
is human thought pollution. And wisdom about anger in the book,
anger and stress are two of the From Anger to Love.
most common emotional patterns
and compulsive habits that As a first step, whenever you
contribute to thought pollution. It are angry, take a few minutes to
is difficult to find balance, peace, release the turbulence and free
lightness, and contentment when yourself from the effects with this
we are undergoing the effects of simple Heartfulness method:
these emotions.

12
 S ELF- CARE

Guided Ocean of Peace this space deep within your heart

Cleaning and staying connected with it
throughout the day, will help to
Sit comfortably and close restore positivity and balance.
your eyes.
Imagine that you are in a
gentle ocean of peace. The Guided Meditation to Reduce
waves are soothing and Stress and Restore Positivity
blissful.
Sit in a relaxed position and
Have the firm thought that gently close your eyes.
you are immersed in this
ocean of peace, and the Make a subtle thought that
waves are removing all your the Source of Light in your
coverings. heart is attracting you from
within.
Do this for as long as you
can, but no more than 30 Rest your attention on that
minutes. Light in your heart.
If you find your awareness
drifting to other thoughts,
Stress
gently come back to the
idea of the Source of Light in
We all experience stress at one
your heart.
level or another. Our lives are a
continuous process of facing and Feel immersed in the
solving problems and challenges, Light and try to become
and sometimes it can become absorbed.
overwhelming. Prolonged Remain absorbed within this
uncontrollable distress can deep silence until you feel
negatively affect our well-being ready to come out.
leading to wear and tear on the
body. Lack of sleep, digestive
problems, mental worry, negative When you open your eyes carry on
thinking, loss of confidence and with your daily routine, continuing
depression are all attributed to to stay connected with the heart.
chronic stress. How to overcome
such feelings of helplessness and Meditation is much more effective
constant challenge? once you have been introduced
to the Heartfulness practices by a
Research indicates that the certified trainer. You can find and
real issue is in how your mind contact a trainer near you at www.
perceives and handles situations. heartspots.heartfulness.org.
Here is one technique that will
help you anchor your mind on the All the best,
higher plane of freedom. Accessing Daaji

May 2 02 3 13
 S ELF- CARE

You're On
Your Own, Kid
MAMATA VENKAT SUBRAMANYAM explains how heart-based meditative
practices have helped her turn feeling lonely into savoring alone time.

H
f you’re a Taylor Swift Swift songs. In general, music put me in states of self-isolation,
fan, a Swiftie, as I am can be cathartic, and artists like and I am guilty of being so reliant
unashamedly proud to be, Swift who are very lyric-driven on figures and concepts outside of
then you can relate to the feeling can provide us with camaraderie my own intuition that when those
of hearing her songs and knowing in those deep, dark moments external reliances aren’t steady or
she just gets it. The opening notes when we feel like no one else accessible, I lose my grounding.
of a song draw you in like a kid in can understand what we’re going I’m not sure how to function
a candy store, the lyrics hit and, through. In other words, those without them.
“BAM.” Sugar rush. Somebody, moments of loneliness.
something, is finally able to put These are very real understandings
words to the hodgepodge mess of I have often felt lonely throughout that have emerged over the last
feelings clouding up your brain. my thirty years of existence. I feel several months as I continue
And she does so to a tune that so grateful to be surrounded by to encourage myself to do the
becomes irrevocably tattooed into wonderful friends and family, but, inner work and really grow into
your synapses, rendering you a like many of us, I have experienced my individual. Through these
little annoyed, yes, but mostly (and that deep, longing sensation of realizations have come many
most importantly) seen. something missing. I can be in a truths, but as I listened to a new
room filled with people and still Swift song called, “You’re On Your
I have had many of these feel alone. My experiences with Own, Kid,” one truth became
revelatory moments with Taylor depression and anxiety have often glaringly visible.

May 2 02 3 15
SEL F -CAR E

The ending lyrics punched me the acquaintances, even enemies, thoughts, those illusions become
hardest: the only constant in our lives is our reality, and that reality often
ourselves. And the best way to leaves us feeling out of control
You’re on your own, kid combat feelings of loneliness is to and, yes, lonely.
Yeah, you can face this spend intentional time becoming
You’re on your own, kid friends with ourselves, the way we How do we avoid that illusion-
You always have been. would with anyone close to us. driven reality?
By consistently tuning into our
I realized that I didn’t know how There are several things I have heart and listening to it.
to be with myself. And in order to been doing recently to create this The more time we spend with our
create happiness, it was important inner friendship – journaling, inner intuition, the more we get to
that I learned how. reading more books, diving into know ourselves.
concepts that had peripherally The more we get to know
There are a number of piqued my interest – but it’s really ourselves, the stronger our
psychological reasons why I been meditation that has helped relationship with ourselves
struggle with being with myself. me the most in turning feeling becomes.
What I have come to understand lonely into enjoyment of alone And the stronger that relationship
now is that feelings of loneliness time. becomes, the less lonely we feel.
persist because I have not been
treating myself as a friend. I Heartfulness meditation is a really So yes, you’re on your own, kid.
haven’t engaged with myself lovely way to build that inner But it doesn’t have to be lonely.
with curiosity to understand friendship, because the focus is Here are three simple Heartfulness
my likes and dislikes, to feel out meditation on the energy of the techniques that you can adopt to
my interests, to do work beyond heart. Our hearts are our seats of strengthen your inner voice and, in
the surface to understood who I intuition; it’s where our inner voice turn, strengthen the relationship
truly was. I have become so used resides. That inner voice often you have with yourself so alone
to allowing others to dictate my becomes clouded by the illusions time can become more enjoyable:
direction that I don’t know how to of our thoughts, created by stress,
lead myself. anxiety, the expectations we set
for ourselves, the voices of other
The reality is this: while we are people, and other complexities.
surrounded by friends, family, When we don’t regulate those

Heartfulness meditation is a really lovely

way to build that inner friendship,
because the focus is meditation on the
energy of the heart.

16 H eart f u l n es s
 S ELF- CARE

RELAXATION MEDITATION CLEANING

What: A 5 to 7 minute guided What: A simple suggestion to What: An active technique

technique that releases tension and become absorbed in the light in of letting go of complexities,
relaxes each part of your body. your heart. impurities, and any negativities
that build up over time. This
When: This guided relaxation When: Ideally, first thing in the technique is beneficial for reducing
technique can be done right before morning for 10 to 30 minutes thoughts during meditation, for
you meditate, or in moments before you start your day. It can minimizing anxiety and stress,
when your body is feeling tense or also be done at any other time. and for eliminating those pesky
anxious. If you are having trouble thoughts that often plague us
sleeping, you can also lie down How: To meditate on the light in before we fall asleep (no more
and walk through this technique, the heart, try it with this guided counting sheep!).
relaxing each part of your body video.
until you feel yourself falling When: Cleaning is generally done
asleep. If you find your mind drifting at the end of the day’s work for 10
to other thoughts, treat them as to 30 minutes, as a way to release
How: Try it with this guided if they are clouds passing in the the mental and emotional weight
video. sky, witnessing them but simply of the day.
letting them pass. To learn how to
manage those thoughts, check out How: To try this cleaning
the next section, Cleaning. technique, follow the instructions
in the guided video.

Illustrations by LAKSHMI GADDAM

May 2 02 3 17
 Cold and Flu
Babuji’s Natural Remedies
During his lifetime, BABUJI Clove and honey together have There are certain plants that can
shared a wealth of knowledge been used for centuries as a be kept in every home to keep
to his associates about the natural cough and cold syrup, due the atmosphere clean. Two plants
simple natural remedies to their antiviral, antibacterial, in particular are very beneficial
that he learned and also and antioxidant properties. The – tulsi or holy basil (Ocimum
discovered during his life in syrup also helps to reduce the pain sanctum) and marwa or marjoram
northern India. This month we and swelling of a sore throat. In (Origanum marjorana). Growing
share one of his remedies for addition, the mixture is used to these two plants around children
the common cold. 1 heal mouth ulcers, and generally provides them with immunity
boost metabolism and immunity. against quite a few diseases.

Tulsi is also a time-honored Tulsi is also commonly taken as a

remedy for respiratory ailments. tea.

18 H eart f u l n es s
 S ELF- CARE

Clove and
Honey Syrup
INGREDIENTS

5 to 6 cloves (lavang).
1 tablespoon honey.

METHOD
Tulsi Tea
Gently roast 5 to 6 cloves in a pan INGREDIENTS
for 2 minutes.
A few leaves of tulsi.
Powder the roasted cloves in a Knob of ginger.
mortar and pestle. 5 to 6 peppercorns.
1½ cups water.
Add a tablespoon of honey and
mix into a paste. METHOD

Take 2 to 3 times a day. Add washed fresh tulsi leaves,

the ginger (grated), and the
peppercorns to the water.

Bring to the boil on a medium

flame and turn the flame down to
let simmer for 10 minutes.

Strain the tea.

As it cools, add lemon juice and a

pinch of salt.

Drink warm.

1 Please note that these remedies are not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Please
seek the advice of your physician or qualified health provider. The remedies may be used to complement medical
treatment and support recovery.

May 2 02 3 19
 vr e d i c D eto
u

x Tea
Ay

DR. PRASAD VELUTHANAR

shares the recipe for a
simple ayurvedic detox
tea prepared entirely
with natural ingredients.

INGREDIENTS METHOD
1 liter boiling water 1. Place all ingredients in a French press.
1 to 2 tbsp finely sliced ginger 2. Let the mixture stand for 5 minutes before
1 tbsp finely sliced fresh turmeric, or plunging.
½ to 1 tsp turmeric powder 3. Refill the press one more time with boiling
1 to 2 tsp coriander seeds water.
1–2 tsp cumin seeds 4. Alternatively, simmer all ingredients together
1–2 tsp fennel seeds for 5 minutes in a saucepan.
1 to 2 teabags (or tbsps) green tea, 5. Strain before drinking.
mint tea, ginger tea, yerba 6. Try to drink a total of two liters a day.
A squeeze of lemon

Illustrations by JASMEE MUDGAL

May 2 02 3 21
 When we dig out the dirt from our
minds, spirits, and bodies, we create
space. In this space many new things
can be brought out of the potential
energy that lies within.

ZACH BUSH
 THE WISDOM BRIDGE SERIES

Happy Mothers Make

Happy Families
 INS P IRATION

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 the chapter on Principle 4: Happy Mothers Make Happy Families.

In China, despite warp speed Focusing on the Pregnant nurturing needed for an expectant
modernization, the age-old Mother’s Care mother during pregnancy.
practice of the sitting month
still flourishes. For one month While our elders may not have What’s special about this ancient
after birth, the mother stays at used the word "Epigenetics," they text is it focuses on physiology
home and follows a strict diet must have understood its influence as much as it does on the
and lifestyle that keeps her and on a person’s health. For example, environment surrounding the
the child healthy. In Columbia, in Caraka Samhita, an ancient expectant mother. The post-
something similar is practiced for Ayurvedic text, there is a section conception care as detailed in
a period of forty days. In Nigeria, called “Garbhini Vyakarana,” the texts offers prescriptions for
the first bath for the baby is given meaning the development of the diet (aahara), daily routine and
by the grandmother or an elderly embryo. It is the palm leaf version activities (vihara), and medicines
aunt. The ceremonial bath is a of What to Expect When You’re (aushada). Everything from
much-celebrated milestone. In Expecting. recommended foods for each
India, the expectant mother goes month, types of massages and
to her parents’ home where many In it, there is a verse that reads, exercises, air quality, sunlight,
practices like the ones shared “If a cup filled with oil right up to moonlight, aromas, and even
above are followed. Are these the brim is to be carried without music for the expectant mother are
practices mere cultural protocols spilling even a single drop, every described. What we would today
or do they have a greater step has to be taken with care.” call epigenetic influences are well
significance? This verse refers to the care and documented in the ancient text.

May 2 02 3 25
I N SP I RAT IO N

In Indian society, the tradition

of sending the expectant mother
to her parents’ home reflects
an understanding of epigenetic
influences. The custom is still
followed, but many do not
understand the significance behind
it. For the longest time Indian
society was agrarian, where the
men worked the fields, and the
women took care of everything
else. Raising the children, cooking,
cleaning, helping during the
harvest, and anything else that
needed to be done was handled
by the women. It was a lot of
work, and for a woman not to
support her family by doing
her share of the work made it
difficult. But pregnancy brings
on such an onslaught of physical
and emotional changes that it is
impossible to maintain the same
energy levels as before.

The wisdom behind sending

the expectant mother to her of the food she ate, the dietary acted as an immunity shield for
parents’ home was to ensure an supplements she would have, the mother.
environment free from any stress. her resting hours and some light
This way, the expectant mother household activities to keep her Even though I am referring to
could spend the time in the loving busy. The devotional prayers of Indian households, customs that
care of her family without having the elders created an atmosphere honor pregnancy and suggest
to worry about expectations from of piety and peace. Various rituals special care for the expectant
her in-laws, labor-intensive chores, and ceremonies punctuated the mother are pervasive across
or her own guilt in not being able pregnancy, the significance of cultures of the world. Earlier in
to help. which was to keep the mother- the chapter I shared examples
to-be in good spirits. Back then, from China, Columbia, and
In her parents’ home, her lifestyle families were large, and people Nigeria. Anthropologists have
was set up in such a way that both had many children. A house filled also studied these customs. For
the fetus and the mother were with the laughter of little children example, in her seminal work,
nurtured physically, mentally, and uplifted the spirits of the mother- Coming of Age in Samoa, the
spiritually. The mother’s daily to-be. The social support at home anthropologist Margaret Mead
routine was well planned in terms writes about the customs of the

26 H eart f u l n es s
 INS P IRATION

Samoans. She says that for months

before the birth of a child, the
father’s relatives bring gifts of
The wisdom behind sending the food to the prospective mother,
expectant mother to her parents’ who lives with her parents. The
mother’s relatives busy themselves
home was to ensure an environment making baby clothes and tiny baby
mats. The pregnant mother is
free from any stress. This way, the advised against any solitary work,
heavy work, and to avoid extreme
expectant mother could spend the heat and cold. At the time of birth,
the father’s mother or sister is
time in the loving care of her family. present to care for the newborn,
while the midwife and the relatives
care for the mother.

The physical, emotional and

spiritual health of the parents
affect their children. A 2018 study
by Child Trends, a leading research

May 2 02 3 27
I N SP I RAT IO N

organization in Washington DC, nations. Happy mothers make financial constraints and so on,
reported that “the parents’ health happy families. that need to be considered. The
is one of the strongest predictors central idea is the well-being of
of child’s health.” Their research Don’t Start Packing Your the mother-to-be – a safe, stress-
showed that parents’ health was Bags Yet! free environment where she feels
more strongly associated with the comfortable and supported.
child’s health than many other Before you start packing your
factors, including family income, bags and asking your relatives to If packing bags and heading out
family structure, parents’ level of get busy with their knit kits for to your parents’ home is a good
education, and the child’s sex, age the baby, hold on. There are other option, then by all means do it.
or race. Our elders intuited this factors, too, such as maternity But if for any reason, it’s not, then
knowledge and recognized that leave, medical facilities near see what best can be done to create
healthy mothers build healthy the parents’ home, sibling care, the right environment where you
are. This may mean getting help
from friends and family nearby.

In some scenarios, the parents-

to-be may need to evaluate their
career choices. When making
these decisions, prioritize the
expectant mother’s health and
happiness. See what works best for
her and then make plans.

Next month we will dive deeper

into the epigenetic effects and
explore the wisdom behind what
the baby knows even before she
lets out the first cry in the real
world.

Daily Dilemma:

Q: My wife is expecting.
How can I support her and
make sure she is happy and
healthy?

Daaji: Congratulations to you

both. Your support and presence
play an important role in the
well-being of the mother and the

28 H eart f u l n es s
 INS P IRATION

child. I suggest you start with

Meditate together,
5
Murphey, D. et al., 2018. The Health
getting your affairs in order. Make of Parents and Their Children: A
sure you have life insurance and a Two-Generational Inquiry, Child
read together, and
Trends, https://www.childtrends.org/
plan for financial savings. As the
publications/the-health-ofparents-
due date gets closer, arrange for
and-their-children-a-two-generation- send positive
domestic help. If you can be closer inquiry.
to elders who can support you, that suggestions to the
6
would be wonderful. Patel, K.D., 2022. The Wisdom Bridge:
Nine Principles to a Life that Echoes child coming to
in the Hearts of Your Loved Ones.
This is a special time. Use it
wisely to deepen your spiritual
Penguin, India your home.
togetherness. Meditate together, Illustrations by JASMEE MUDGAL
read together, and send positive
suggestions to the child coming to
your home.

From Chapter 7 of The Wisdom

Bridge.6

To be continued.

1
Lim, L., 2011. For Chinese
Moms, Birth Means 30 Days In
Pajamas, NPR, heard on All Things
Considered, July 20, https://www.
npr.org/2011/07/20/138536998/for-
chinese-moms-birth-means-30-days-
in-pajamas.

2
Sharma, P.V., 2000. Garbhini
Vyakarana, Caraka Samhita, 4 Vols.
Chaukhambha Orientalia, Delhi, India.

3
Jhala, M. and S. Shankar, 2018. Post
Conception Care Through Ayurveda,
International Ayurvedic Medical
Journal, ISSN: 2320 5091, http://
www.iamj.in/posts/2018/images/
upload/1800_1805.pdf.

4
Mead, M., 2016. Coming of Age
in Samoa: A Psychological Study
of Primitive Youth for Western
Civilisation. Mariner Books, Boston,
USA.

May 2 02 3 29
 Spirituality and Abstraction:
A Journey Beyond the Concrete
KISHORE DEBNATH explores how science, art, and spirituality all
take us beyond the physical world into subtler realms where we
must understand and describe phenomena through abstraction.

In a world that often demands Spirituality: The Subtle Spirituality is a

clear-cut answers and tangible Path to Perceiving
results, the concepts of spirituality Reality journey towards
and abstraction may seem elusive
and intangible. Yet, these ideas Spirituality is a journey towards the subtle aspects
offer a profound understanding of the subtle aspects of existence,
the true nature of reality. transcending the physical,
of existence,
and delving into the essence transcending the
As we delve deeper into the of life. As we progress on the
subtleties of life, we begin to spiritual journey, we develop physical, and
perceive reality more accurately, a heightened awareness of the
even if expressing these insights interconnectedness of all things, delving into the
proves challenging. Abstraction, often leading to experiences that
while seemingly vague, provides defy conventional explanations.
essence of life.
a more accurate representation of
physical phenomena than concrete Discussing spiritual experiences
objects alone. can be challenging because they
often extend beyond the limits
of language. Words cannot

30 H eart f u l n es s
 INS P IRATION

May 2 02 3 31
I N SP I RAT IO N

32 H eart f u l n es s
 INS P IRATION

adequately capture the essence of understanding, in turn, enables

these profound experiences, as they us to perceive the world more
are deeply personal and unique to accurately and holistically.
each individual. To overcome this
limitation, spiritual practitioners Similarly, abstraction fosters
may rely on metaphor, allegory,
By transcending the spiritual growth by challenging
and symbolism to convey their limits of the our reliance on concrete objects,
insights. In doing so, they and encouraging us to explore
embrace abstraction as a means to physical world, we the more subtle aspects of
communicate the ineffable nature existence. By transcending the
of reality. can develop a limits of the physical world, we
can develop a greater sense of
Abstraction: A Path to greater sense of interconnectedness, compassion,
Greater Accuracy and empathy – qualities that are
interconnectedness, essential for spiritual growth.
The purpose of abstraction compassion, and
is not to be vague, While spirituality and abstraction
but to create a new semantic level empathy – qualities may seem elusive, they offer
in which one can be a profound understanding of
absolutely precise. that are essential the true nature of reality. By
embracing the subtle aspects of
— Edsger W. Dijkstra,
for spiritual growth. existence, we perceive the world
Dutch Computer Scientist, more accurately and develop a
Turing Award Winner deeper connection with ourselves
and others. The interplay between
spirituality and abstraction
At first glance, abstraction may mathematical models to describe challenges our reliance on concrete
appear vague or ambiguous. the behavior of subatomic objects, encouraging us to explore
However, it is an essential tool particles, while artists employ the intangible and ineffable
for accurately representing abstraction to evoke emotions or aspects of life. As we continue
complex and multifaceted convey ideas that transcend the to develop our spiritual and
phenomena. Through abstraction, literal representation of objects. abstract understanding, we can
we can generalize and simplify foster a more compassionate and
concepts, enabling us to grasp the The Interplay of interconnected world.
underlying patterns and structures Spirituality and
that govern the physical world. Abstraction The best and most beautiful things
in the world
In both science and art, The relationship between cannot be seen or even touched –
abstraction allows us to spirituality and abstraction is one they must be felt with the heart.
understand phenomena that of mutual reinforcement. As we
may be too intricate or vast for delve deeper into spirituality, we —Helen Keller.
direct observation. For example, develop a greater appreciation for
theoretical physicists use abstract the abstract nature of reality. This Illustrations by JASMEE MUDGAL

May 2 02 3 33
 Where do
people find you?
This is how DR. ZACH BUSH deconstructs his sense of
self. It could just be the medicine you need, too.

34 H eart f u l n es s
 INS P IRATION

Where do people find you? be brought out of the potential A single sprout is all I need to
energy that lies within. witness and remember the simple,
I’ve been getting this question at yet profound, connection between
the end of every podcast. They are In the cosmos, everything leaps self and soil. We are each of the
looking to get mention of websites out of the void: this vacuum Earth and are here to be stewards
and social media connection of space which is filled with of her vital pursuit of regeneration.
points, and usually I answer the electromagnetic field that Deep within that exists peace if
appropriately, but recently the emanates from all the stars in the we can recognize our role, not
question hit me differently, and universe. The black hole absorbs as producers or consumers, but
I thought it was a metaphysical this massive energy and translates stewards of life, peace, health, and
inquiry. all that raw energy into matter connection.
which spirals out to create a new
So, where does one find galaxy. My life is the same. The So go dig a hole today and find
me? Where do I find me? more I empty myself, the more that part of you you’ve been
beauty is birthed into physical missing.
Initially I thought, “you want to form. And the more beauty there
find me, go dig a hole.” Once the is, the more love there is. In reverence,
confusion in the answer washed
away, I could see the layers of the I am a generative machine as I
response and just how accurate it dig that hole more completely.
is.
This is where I’m most at home.
Dig a hole and you will discover It’s where all the lessons I’ve https://zachbushmd.com/blog-
that by removing a shovel full of carried and learned from began, september-2022/
soil you create space; both literally and it is the ever-flowing source
and figuratively. When we dig out of inspiration and medicine for
the dirt from our minds, spirits, a busy mind. Go dig a hole – it’s
and bodies, we create space. In where I retreat to slow down and
this space many new things can deconstruct the ego.

May 2 02 3 35
 Workplace

Be a rainbow
in someone
else’s cloud.

MAYA ANGELOU
Image by BULLRUN
 JUST THINKING AND FEELING

The Future
Is the
Heart

38 H eart f u l n es s
 W OR KPLACE

DR. ICHAK ADIZES leads us through an evolutionary journey

from pre-human times up to today. He looks at what qualities
and attributes leaders have needed, and he predicts why, in
the future, it will be the heart.

I
n order to predict the future a nomadic society, and the best organize, hire, fire, budget and
of management, we need to hunter was the leader. Then we sell. Success in the industrial
predict the future. Then, in order settled and became an agricultural society was based on having both
to predict the future we must society. The person with the most muscles and brains. That's what
understand the past, whether it sheep, cows, or lambs was a leader. the colonialists, the Germans,
projects itself into the future or is The common denominator is the British, and the French of
there some discontinuity or major whoever was the strongest and the 19th century had and used:
disruption from the past into the had the most possessions was the administrative systems and
future. leader. This mindset gave birth to military strength.
early empire builders that tried to
Let’s take a look at the big picture expand their empires to be as big We are now at the beginning of a
of the past to see whether it as possible because bigness was new major transition in the history
predicts in any shape or form the considered greatness. of humanity. The information
future. society, where our brain is the
Then came the Industrial most important factor for success.
At the beginning, according to Revolution and the brain took Muscle is outsourced. Look at
Darwin, we were chimpanzees, the front place in determining Israel. No mineral resources. No
and the strongest chimpanzee leadership and success. The power. Sixty percent of the country
was a leader. Then we became industrial society needed to plan, is desert. And it is nevertheless

May 2 02 3 39
WOR K P L AC E

an economic powerhouse. What create a significant amount of

does it have? Brain power. The social and political unrest.
largest hotel in the world does not
own one hotel. It has a computer, What’s going to come after
information, and the capability to the brain? We already moved
manipulate information. That’s from muscle to brain. What is
I believe it should called an Airbnb. The largest the next step? What is the next
transportation company in the development?
be the heart, to be world does not own one car. It
has a computer, information, and I believe it should be the heart,
able to integrate, to capability to manage information to be able to integrate, to feel and
and it’s called Uber. What do share. It will be needed more than
feel and share. It Google, Amazon and Facebook ever because the rate of change
do if not accumulate data with the and the disparity in income,
will be needed education and capabilities between
capability to handle information
more than ever successfully? the haves and have-nots is going
to endanger a lot of businesses and
because the rate of Where do we go from here? a lot of countries. The one who’ll
know how to keep the country, the
change and the There is already the beginning company, and the family together
trend to replace the brain. will survive. The others will fall
disparity in income, Artificial intelligence and apart.
education and quantum computers are going to
replace the human brain. We will Integration should be the future
capabilities rely on them to make decisions driving force. And for that, we
for us. What are the repercussions need not only to think but also to
between the haves of this change? Those that know feel. That may explain the rise of
how to use quantum computing women to top leadership positions.
and have-nots is and artificial intelligence and how Integration is their modus vivendi
to capitalize on it are going to be and has been for generations with
going to endanger richer than those that don’t know integrating the family.
a lot of businesses how to do that. Those that know
how to digitize their company, use If we don’t develop the capability
and a lot of robotics and artificial intelligence to integrate and work with the
are going to dominate the market heart, if we continue working on
countries. and the rest are going to become developing power, such as nuclear
of marginal importance. The armaments, and developing our
result? There’s going to be even a brains with Artificial Intelligence
bigger disparity of income, which and Quantum Computing, our
already exists today between the future might be a repetition of the
haves and have-nots. That might past. It is called Nazi Germany.
The Nazis had culture, literature,

40 H eart f u l n es s
 W OR KPLACE

music, art, and power, but no heart. big bureaucracy in Brussels. The
Without heart, that will be the unification of Europe through
end of humanity. thousands of pages of regulations.
What we need is
I believe we should start working What we need is integration
integration through now in our education system, through the heart, through values,
training on developing integration through sensitivity to the human
the heart, through
capabilities, developing sensitivity, element, through caring for each
values, through and developing being human. other. If we don’t develop that, we
are doomed as a society. We are
sensitivity to the Integration can be done two ways: doomed as human beings.
mechanistically or organically.
human element, Mechanistically is through Just thinking and feeling,
manuals, through rules, through Dr. Ichak Kalderon Adizes
through caring for law, through the judicial system.
each other. That is to say, big bureaucracy. [email protected]
This solution suffocates countries, https://www.ichakadizes.com/post/
suffocates innovation, suffocates the-future-is-the-heart
the human spirit. That’s what
happened to Europe, with the Illustrations by VIRINAFLORA

May 2 02 3 41
 W OR KP LACE

Create the Habit of

Happiness
STANISLAS LAJUGIE explains how we can cultivate the habit of happiness, even
though our nervous system is wired for negativity. He gives us 3 simple steps
to cultivate a happier disposition.

40% Margin of Happiness • 5 0% of happiness comes from our genetic

baseline, i.e. how predisposed we are to
Sonja Lyubomirksy, Distinguished Professor, happiness. This is related to biological and
University of California, Riverside, defined personality traits which do not change much
happiness as “the experience of joy, contentment, through life. We cannot do much about them.
or positive well-being, combined with a sense that
one’s life is good, meaningful, and worthwhile.” • nly 10% comes from external factors, e.g.
O
our health, bank account, relationships,
She conducted a meta-analysis of over 200 studies new phone or tablet, new boss, etc. That
on the effects of happiness, and observed that surprisingly low percentage is due to the
happy people have stronger health, longer life, and phenomenon of habituation. We tend to
better careers; plus they are more creative, have revert to our happiness baseline, whether
stronger relationships, and even have healthier an important good or bad event happens to
cultures and communities. us. For instance, if you win the lottery, you
will tend to come back to the same level of
If happiness is so beneficial, she wondered why happiness after one year.
we are not excelling in it! In her article, “Pursuing
Happiness: The Architecture of Sustainable
Change,” she found that:

May 2 02 3 43
 W O RK P L AC E

• 4 0% comes from intentional activity, i.e. our

choices. Thus, the quality of our mindset is
responsible for 40% of our happiness. This is
actually where we can contribute to a happy
life.

While most people spend the majority of their

time improving their material life, which is
accountable for only 10% of happiness, we have
a 40% margin of happiness that is dependent on
our choices.

We cannot take happiness for granted! Happiness

is intentional, effortful, and trainable. How can
we develop this mindset and cultivate the habit of
happiness?

Learn to Take in the Good

Dr. Rick Hanson explains that the brain has the

natural tendency to retain negative experiences
and forget positive ones as a survival mechanism.
Therefore simple positive thinking strategies are
not the answer.

Whether or not we were Neuroplasticity is the ability of the brain to

change its structure and functioning due to its
lucky enough to have a activities. Positive neuroplasticity consists in
intentionally engaging in those activities that
positive joyful childhood, develop positive changes of the brain. In short, we
need to learn to take in the good!
we can all learn how to
bring about positive deep In his book, Hardwiring Happiness, Hanson
suggests 3 steps to ensure long-lasting
inner transformation. transformation and to learn to take in the good:

44 H eart f u l n es s
 W OR KP LACE

Pause: take distance from negative

information.

Focus: on positive experience and let in

positive feelings.

Absorb: savor the experience by feeling the

thoughts, emotions and sensations associated
with the positive experience.

The longer that experience is held in awareness,

and the more emotionally stimulating it is, the
more neurons wire-in those pathways. By letting
the moments spread across the emotional and
mind-body system, small shifts are created, and
over time this weaves positive experiences into the
fabric of the brain.

This is exactly what we are doing in the

Heartfulness practices. We meditate on the
heart, and this trains the brain to absorb positive
feelings and experiences associated with the heart
– love, compassion, care, kindness, appreciation,
harmony, patience, courage, and many more
qualities that support happiness.

We may only have a 40% margin of happiness, so

let’s take up that opportunity. We can cultivate
the habit of happiness.

We meditate on the heart, and this trains the brain

to absorb positive feelings and experiences
associated with the heart – love, compassion,
care, kindness, appreciation, harmony,
patience, courage, and many more
qualities that support happiness.

May 2 02 3 45
relationships
We are all neighbors.
Be kind. Be gentle.

CLEMANTINE WAMARIYA
VICTOR KANNAN explores the nature of gentleness, and why it brings
lightness in its wake.

48 H eart f u l n es s
 R ELAT IONSHIPS

T
he other day I was
wondering why the word
“gentle” is used often in
Heartfulness practices. “Please
close your eyes very gently and
very softly.” With these words
begins the guided Relaxation
practice. The guided Cleaning
says, “Gently brush the
impressions aside.” And many of
the other practices guide us to
gently do this and that.

Adopting gentleness prevents

scratches on the surface of action,
whether we are cleaning the floor
or a table, speaking with people, or
cooking and cleaning. Gentleness
in everything. Gentle people
seem to have mastered the art of
awareness, empathy, compassion,
and grace.

May 2 02 3 49
REL AT IO N SH I P S

Gentleness is not to be confused

with lack of strength. It is like the
strength of flexibility. Being gentle is
not to be confused with lack of
courage. It is like patience and
courage itself.

Gentleness is not to be confused with lack of “They say that at the last day there will be judgments,
strength. It is like the strength of flexibility. Being and that our dear Friend [God] will be in anger.
gentle is not to be confused with lack of courage. But from pure goodness only goodness emanates.
It is like patience and courage itself. Mahatma Be then without fear, for f inally
Gandhi says, “Be truthful, gentle, and fearless.” you will see that He is full of gentleness.”
Developing gentleness is an art of a skill in real
being. —Omar Khayyam

50 H eart f u l n es s
 R ELAT IONSHIPS

Life can be beautiful, but living is challenging. Gentle does not know hurry, it moves swiftly.
If we live consciously, we make a chosen destiny. Gentle does not rattle, it speaks clearly.
We can be strong or weak, we can be gentle. We Gentle does not fear or panic, it pauses.
may make mistakes, but we can become gentle by Gentle is not heavy, but light!
introspection. We may misspeak, which we can Be gentle is to travel light in the journey of life.
correct with gentleness. We can be gentle in our
movement, conversation, communication, and
consumption. Yes, consumption. Zero waste is Illustrations by ARATI SHEDDE
impractical. But gentleness in consumption will
minimize waste, save the planet, and feed the
hungry.

Life can be beautiful,

but living is challenging.
If we live consciously,
we make a chosen destiny.

May 2 02 3 51
52 H eart f u l n es s
 R ELAT IONSHIPS

The Science of
Heart Coherence
In December 2022, DR. ROLLIN McCRATY, Director of Research at the
HeartMath Institute, gave an online presentation at the international
Heartfulness conference, “An Integrative Approach to Health and
Well-being,” at Kanha Shanti Vanam. Here we share some highlights
from his talk.

What Is Coherence? the parts of a system are working have spent many years looking
together. at the coherence within our
Most people have an intuitive bodies, especially between the
understanding of coherence, but A coherent system implies stability heart and brain. Socially, we can
in the scientific community it’s and energy efficiency. Another key define the coherence of a group,
a term and a concept used in concept of coherence is that in whether that’s a family, a work
every branch of science, from any system – whether it’s a human team, a leadership team, or even a
the macro to the micro scale. We being, or any other scale we want to community. I won’t have a lot of
use it to describe the behavior of look at – there’s a greater wholeness time to go into global coherence,
the parts of a complex system. than you can derive from the sum but I'll give you a teaser.
In a coherent system, those parts of the parts. This is why we chose
have to be communicating and to use this term in our research so The heart profoundly
talking to each other so there’s many years ago. affects brain function
connectedness. It’s inherent
to the concept of coherence, Our research focuses on three It probably isn’t a surprise to you
and it’s really a measure of the primary domains: personal, social, that the heart sends far more
harmonious order of how all and global. For the personal, we information to the brain than the

May 2 02 3 53
REL AT IO N SH I P S

brain sends to the heart, but it is

a big surprise for a lot of people
There are neural channels by which the in our medical communities in
the Western world. It is not a new
heart and brain communicate, but the finding – it has been known since
the late 1800s; in fact it’s basic
heart also communicates with the anatomy.

brain hormonally, energetically, through In the 1970s, there were some

major discoveries that really
the pressure waves it generates that
shifted the paradigm in the
affect every cell and synchronizes all field of psychophysiology. It
was discovered that the neural
the cells in the body. traffic that the heart sends to the
brain has profound effects on
brain function. Two terms were

54 H eart f u l n es s
 R ELAT IO NSHIPS

introduced back then. The first

is “cortical inhibition,” where the The activity of the heart has a lot to
cortex or higher parts of the brain
are inhibited when the heart is do with creating our emotional
sending certain types of messages.
The other term is “cortical experience. The brain is largely
facilitation,” which was introduced
to describe the global effects that
interpreting the message that’s being
the activity of the heart has on sent to it from the heart.
the brain. Since then, we have a
much deeper understanding of
the mechanisms and how this all
works.
hormonally, and energetically, All of the neural connections
The activity of the heart also through the pressure and coming down from the brain
has a lot to do with creating our electromagnetic waves it generates connect into the intrinsic cardiac
emotional experience. The brain that affects every cell and nervous system, the heart brain,
is largely interpreting the message synchronizes all the cells in the and then within the heart there are
that’s being sent to it from the body. another 40,000 to 50,000 sensory
heart, and I think that is why we neurons that are sensing things
intuitively and innately know Zeroing in on the primary neural like rhythm, pressure, and about
when we fall in love with someone. pathways, we have the vagus 80% of these neurons are sensing
We don’t say, “I love you with all nerves, which are the two nerves biochemistry.
of my brain,” right? We say, “I that travel up through the front
love you with all of my heart,” and of the body. They are the primary If you were going to put in a
there’s a deep physiological reason pathways of the parasympathetic system to detect what’s going on
for that. branch of the autonomic nervous in the blood, to monitor hormones,
system. They are very large neurotransmitters and so on, where
What they didn’t know back nerves, with thousands of neural would you put it? The heart makes
then was that the heart has its fibers, and 90% of those fibers are obvious sense, so that all of the
own intrinsic nervous system, carrying information from the information is fed into the heart
which has been nicknamed body to the brain. The majority brain, and then up to the brain in
“the heart brain” in the field of of those afferent or ascending different neural patterns.
neuralcardiology. The neural neural pathways are coming from
structures in the heart have now the heart and the cardiovascular The intrinsic cardiac nervous
been proven to have short-term system, far more than any other system can and does override the
memory, long-term memory, system in the body. There are neural signals coming down from
neuroplasticity, neurogenesis – all also ascending (afferent) neural the brain, and at a functional
of the functions of a functional pathways in the sympathetic level a heart has its own type of
brain. There are neural channels branch, so it’s a very complex two- intelligence. In fact, in the papers
by which the heart and brain way traffic between the heart and from the 70s and 80s, people were
communicate, so the heart also the brain. talking about the heart as though
communicates with the brain it had a mind of its own before

May 2 02 3 55
REL AT IO N SH I P S

they knew about the intrinsic

cardiac nervous system.

Heart rate variability

One of the tools that gives us

a window into the dynamic
communication between the heart
and brain, and the activity within
our autonomic nervous system,
is heart rate variability. At a high
level, we can measure the amount
of variability a person has, and it
reflects their health status, their
capacity to self-regulate, and self-
regulate thoughts, emotions, and
behaviors.

Our ability to adapt is directly

tied to our heart rate variability
(HRV ). Too little variability
reflects a deep depletion within
the nervous system. One of the
leading reasons for that is chronic
stress, and the second leading
cause is pathology, e.g. diabetes,
metabolic syndrome, etc. It also
reflects inadequate function of the
various levels of our self-regulatory
system.

So people who have behavioral

management issues such as anger
issues or panic attacks, often have
The intrinsic cardiac nervous
low HRV. The time intervals system can and does override the
between each consecutive pair
of heartbeats is always changing. neural signals coming down from
A small amount of variability
is not a condition we want to the brain, and at a functional level
see because it reflects system
depletion, and is highly predictive
a heart has its own type of
of future health problems. In fact,
intelligence.
low HRV for our age shows up
oftentimes several years before the

56 H eart f u l n es s
 R ELAT IONSHIPS

onset of cancer, diabetes, and so where the brain doesn’t work very same thing as relaxation. When
on, so it has a huge use in clinical well. we’re in a coherent state (and more
assessment. than 400 independent studies have
The graph on the right shows confirmed this), there are a broad
I want to go a little bit deeper. the same person after they used range of health benefits like lower
This graph is from a paper we a technique called heart-focused blood pressure, increased hormonal
published in the American Journal breathing (we’ve developed balance, faster recovery from
of Cardiology back in the mid various different techniques to heart disease and diabetes, better
90s that was the first to show that shift into that coherent rhythm). outcomes in education, and the list
the most reflective measure of our This rhythm naturally emerges goes on.
emotional state is the pattern of when people experience heartfelt
our heart rhythms, our heart rate feelings like appreciation, We can teach people how to shift
variability. So on the left side we gratitude, compassion, love. These into that state very quickly, and
can see a jagged, chaotic rhythm, types of emotions naturally shift we especially want to create those
which is the rhythm that we have us into what we now call coherent shifts in the moments when people
when we’re experiencing feelings rhythm and that’s associated with are in challenging situations and
like impatience, frustration, worry, cortical facilitation. want their mental faculties to work
or anxiety. If we get angry it's way well.
more chaotic. This quite literally There’s a lot going on in that
reflects a desynchronization in the coherent state within our To be continued.
neural activity in our higher brain body, and it is a measure of the To watch the full talk, go to
systems and within our nervous increasing synchronization in https://www.youtube.com/
system. This is actually the type our higher brain and within our watch?v=mm6MDe_ZwFc.

of a rhythm or pattern that’s been nervous system. It has a lot of

associated with cortical inhibition, benefits. Coherence is not the Illustrations by ANANYA PATEL

Heart Rhythm Coherence

Incoherence Coherence
frustation, irritation, impatience, worry appreciation, calm, patience, confidence

Inhibits brain function – impairs performance Facilitates brain function – promotes optimal performance

May 2 02 3 57
Environment
 If we surrendered to
earth’s intelligence
we could rise up
rooted, like trees.

RAINER MARIA
RILKE

Illustration by ANANYA PATEL

WILD
Intelligence
 ENV IR ON ME NT

ELIZABETH DENLEY is currently living in the Central Highlands

of Victoria in Australia, surrounded by natural forest. Why is
this experience of living so close to Nature worth sharing? It
has reawakened a more natural wild intelligence in her, the
wild intelligence she remembers from childhood, which offers
solutions to the current crises humanity faces.

T
he stillness of the predawn first smile of the morning. The and their parents waddle and
is mystical. Stars start stump he leans against is alive, chat near the vegetable garden,
to fade as colors gently despite being all that’s left of a arriving early to hang around
emerge, the dawn erupting into grandmother tree that fell many for the daily avian restaurant to
a genesis of gratitude. Tangerine months ago during a massive start. After the chickens are fed,
peeps through the eastern storm. She continues to be fed the wild ducks take their turn,
canopy, kookaburras light the and cared for by her surrounding then currawongs and magpies,
world with their laughter, and siblings and offspring. crimson rosellas, and later in the
the various levels of awakening day the local gang of choughs
find their counterpoint. The consciousness of trees is and the many small birds that
so evident here. They move clean up the final remains
It rained during the night, so with the sun and respond to the of breakfast. Sometimes the
eucalypt fragrance is heady weather, to music, to human sulphur-crested cockatoos bring
in the cold air. The majestic emotions. They create beautiful cacophony with their larrikin
stringybark gums sing their atmospheres, just as they did antics.
morning serenade, with their for our ancestors when sacred
many shades of grey, green, groves were our first temples, The damp grassy earth molds
honey, apricot, and new reddish celebrating the joy of nature. to the soles of my feet like
leaves high above. These The biologist David Haskell well-worn shoes as I venture
sentinels are home to a myriad expresses it well: “To listen to out, the sounds, colors, smells,
of insects, birds and mammals trees, nature’s great connectors, tastes, and feelings familiar
in a vertical ecosystem that is to learn how to inhabit the and grounding. As a teenager,
connects Cosmos and Earth. relationships that give life its I travelled the world, searching
source, substance, and beauty.” for life’s treasure. As an adult, I
Outside the back window of the have lived a nomadic existence
cottage, a gray kangaroo leans The swamp wallabies in the across several continents while
against a big old tree stump orchard turn as the cottage door raising a family and working. As
scratching his shoulder, his opens, their velvety ears up and a mystic, I have travelled beyond
comical movements bringing the twitching. Six tiny ducklings the physical plane into realms

May 2 02 3 61
ENVI R O N M EN T

where place is inconsequential. predators, we readily joined the away whole communities in
And now the spiral of life has conversation. This forest retreat Australia, and we are stunned
brought me back to this country, is an opportunity to rekindle by the death of Perth schoolboy
a dear old friend, alive and that naturalness. Cassius Turvey in a racially-
welcoming. The earth, water, fueled murder. Humans can be
plants, animals, stars, people and The noise of a kookaburra brutal as well as sublime.
vibrations are woven into the alighting on the nearby fence
intimacy of kinship. The flow of wire draws my attention. His Familiar structures and
connection pulsates at all levels. eyes are fixated on something traditions are falling apart,
below, but it is the fence line and we swing between hope
The trees were my healers when that triggers thoughts about the and despair within the
I was a small child. Reaching crazy notions surrounding our space of a single day with
for that same healing, my breath ownership of land. Ownership tales of loneliness, anxiety,
tunes to the heartbeat of the entitles us to do whatever we depression, addiction, social
majestic sentinels that ring the want, not only with the land injustice, prejudice, fake news,
orchard, and my footsteps sync itself, but also with the living polarization, environmental
to their rhythm. Further down creatures and resources existing destruction, climate change,
the hill there is a natural grove, on it. In a worldview of kinship, and more Covid. The sheer
so I sit on the leaf litter against ownership of anything living – mythological scale of our crisis
a middle-sized trunk. The width including rivers, plants, animals demands optimism, a window
is just right – not too wide, not and the Earth – is slavery. of opportunity to do something
too narrow – so that the energy extraordinary. A sense of
gushing up through the roots Trees welcome us, water potential, a paradigm shift, as
and trunk into my back is the welcomes us, country welcomes chaos is reined in with new
correct dose. The gentle embrace us, giving and giving. We vision and energy.
binds like the gravity that binds depend upon them for our very
planets and stars, a soft force, existence, yet we continue to
a connecting force, a motherly pollute and rape them. I am not
force. against human progress, as long
The gentle
as we are not greedy, possessive, embrace binds like
Space and stillness are an or dominating. As small children
antidote to endless activity. we were in love and wonder with the gravity that
There is time to notice things. the world. Sitting here, that love
The photons awaken to their and wonder is rekindled. binds planets and
morning dance as the sun warms
the clear sky to blue. They The family in the main stars, a soft force,
have natural intelligence, wild homestead is stirring, and the
intelligence. So do the trees. radio news echoes across the
a connecting
So does the Earth. So do we. valley. COP27 is happening in force, a motherly
As children we used it without Egypt, the Russian-Ukraine
thinking, sensing changes in the war has taken another turn, the force.
weather and wildlife before they Yemeni war enters its eighth
happened. As ants announced year with refugees continuing to
the rain and birds announced flee for their lives, floods wash

62 H eart f u l n es s
 ENV IR ON ME NT

May 2 02 3 63
ENV I R O N M EN T

It is a story repeated throughout

human history. Physicists know
the story of entropy all too well
– the gradual unravelling leading
to collapse and disintegration
– and the same laws apply to
us. Then, out of the bones and
ashes something new emerges,
the phoenix rising.

Evolution is built upon long

periods of imperceptible change
punctuated by sudden quantum
leaps of rapid change. We
are quantum leaping, so our
thinking is shifting. Change
starts on the periphery, meeting
resistance at first, gaining
momentum slowly until it
moves mainstream. Disciplines
converge. The twentieth
century paved the way, with
an explosion of science and
technology, the contemplative
traditions, psychology, the
arts, sociology, philosophy, the
civil rights movements, the
peace movements, the feminist
movements, the social and
environmental movements, all
shifting our awareness. Each
contributed, each is a part of
the quantum leap from human-
centric to inclusiveness. Evolution is built upon long
In the 1930s, the anthropologist periods of imperceptible change
Robert Redfield proposed
three human worldviews – punctuated by sudden quantum
Indigenous, Eastern, and
Western. Each has its own
leaps of rapid change. We are
value. After Redfield came other quantum leaping, so our thinking
anthropologists who compared
those worldviews. Now is the is shifting.
time to integrate them so new

64 H eart f u l n es s
 ENV IR ON ME NT

solutions emerge. I want to

share a personal example of After awareness comes response –
this. I first listened to the poem
“Kulila” by Indigenous poet Ali listening to each other, integrating, so
Cobby Eckermann a couple of
years back, and it touched me the periphery can move into the
deeply. But at first I could not
accept that she asks for every
mainstream. Only then will we be able
little story to be retold over to move beyond human-centricity.
and over – of past massacres,
traumas, and sufferings. It made
me uncomfortable because I
believed retelling would recreate
trauma. But then I listened
to her poem again and felt
the vibrations in my cells and
psyche. Another dimension of
storytelling emerged.

It reminded me of a lifechanging
experience forty years earlier, at
the Shalako Ceremony in New
Mexico. Every year at the winter
solstice, the Zuni people come
together to tell and enact their
history from the beginning of
time to the present moment.
The shamans chant through
the night, and everyone in the
pueblo is present, from elders
to newborns, some enacting the
drama of the various characters
in costume, others listening,
witnessing. Everything is
voiced, everything is integrated.
Remembering is a moral
imperative to move out of the
shadows into the light. Kulila
shone light on that awareness.

We have a lot to learn from

each other. All three worldviews
agree that change starts with
awareness, and all three offer

May 2 02 3 65
EN V I RO N M EN T

66 H eart f u l n es s
 ENV IR ON ME NT

practices to expand awareness. a huge spring tide. Life takes a hijacked state we defend our
But awareness alone is not turn. It is not a conscious choice own interests and reinforce our
enough. After awareness but an evolutionary imperative. ideals. We cling to our limited
comes response – listening to It happens to us. Right now, we worldview because the prefrontal
each other, integrating, so the are in the middle of a global cortex of the brain can’t function
periphery can move into the collective inward shift. Initially well. We stop thinking wisely.
mainstream. Only then will we the changes may be hidden in We don’t know how to slow
be able to move beyond human- gestation, but then they manifest down.
centricity. It was such a leap for on the periphery, and then they
humans to transition from an move into the mainstream. Sitting here, the stringybarks are
Earth-centric solar system to a The rise of spiritual awareness, telling me the same thing: slow
Sun-centric solar system. Now sustainable technologies, climate down to think, slow down to be
it is time to transition from activism, kindness projects, and healthy and happy, slow down to
human-centric to inclusive. restorative justice movements love, slow down to awaken wild
are indications of this shift. intelligence.
Our current crises are no
surprise. We ignored the When we shine a light on our
universal laws that affect our stories, even when they are
personal lives, our communities, tragic, the heart begins to accept.
the solar system, the universe In that alchemy is the freedom Sitting here, the
itself, and the minutest particles of new possibilities and shifting
that make up atoms. We are all worldviews. Many things stringybarks are
made up of matter, energy and cannot be fixed or brought back
space. The outward and inward – cultures, languages, music, telling me the
flows of energy exist in our art, wisdom, plants, animals,
breathing, in the tides, and in ecosystems, and innocence – yet
same thing: slow
the day’s rhythms. The outward- the tide is turning and flowing down to think,
flowing current started with in a new direction.
the Big Bang and continues slow down to be
to expand into space. It brings The wheels of change turn
diversity, entropy, action, slowly, because we cling to old healthy and
complexity and restlessness. pre-programmed habits and
The inward-flowing current prejudices, even when they
happy, slow down
takes us back to the center of are no longer useful. And the
to love, slow down
time and space, to stability. It clinging is stronger when we are
is gravitational and connects stressed and anxious. Nowadays to awaken wild
everything in stillness, simplicity we accept stress as normal, the
and peace. Each moment in time signature of our modern urban intelligence.
is a dance between these two lifestyle. Try asking everyone in
currents, and both are needed your family to put their mobile
for balance. phones away for a week and you
will discover how addicted we
Sometimes the direction shifts are to stress. Scientists call it
dramatically, like the turning of the amygdala hijack, and in that Illustrations by ANANYA PATEL

May 2 02 3 67
 Beauty is about
an emerging
fullness, a greater
sense of grace and
elegance, a deeper
sense of depth,
and also a kind of
homecoming for the
enriched memory of
your unfolding life.

JOHN
O’DONOHUE
 JUST THINKING AND FEELING

Creativity and Art

70 H eart f u l n es s
 CR EATIVITY

CHRISTIAN MACKETANZ
is an artist and Professor
of Painting at the
Academy of Fine Arts,
Dresden, Germany. He
shares his love of Nature
and creativity, and how
they both relate to
the spiritual aspect of
existence.

A
s a boy, I spent a lot
of time in nature in
my northern German
homeland. Whether with my
friends or alone with my dog,
I spent hours after school in
the forest or in the wide fields.
I always felt a deep connection
and a kind of equality or
oneness with the trees, plants,
animals, insects, and even the
air in which everything moved
– the wind and the rustling
leaves, the Earth – simply all the
phenomena of nature. When the
wind came, I could hear how it
first went from the East into the
pine forest, then into the mixed
forest, and then over me toward
the West into the leafless beech
forest, creating its own specific
sounds.

71
CR EAT I V I T Y

The wide sky and its colors

always filled me with a kind
of wanderlust that I was
later to identify as spiritual
homesickness. I never felt lonely
in Nature but instead found
comfort in it.

As a young student in Vienna, I

went by tram as often as possible
to the undeveloped nature at
the city limits, which calmed my
restless, agitated, and electrified
mind.

A little later, in my mid-20s,

after starting a heart-based
meditation practice, I lived for
two to three years in a farming
area 60 kilometers from Vienna.
I helped with the harvests, fed

72
 CR EATIVITY

the ducks, wild boars, and deer

daily, and lived with the natural
rhythms of Nature, as there
was little to no electricity in my
dwelling and studio. Whenever
the weather allowed, I meditated
outside under a tree.

By this time, my first exhibitions

were quite successful, and I
regularly delivered paintings
to the gallery in Vienna. But
otherwise, I had little to no
contact with the mechanisms
of the art market, and the
demands on young artists to
propagate and communicate
creative processes, artistic will,
and its ambitions. Instead, I
developed the understanding
and awareness that there is
only one real “creativity” in the
literal sense, and that is Mother
Nature.

Indeed, it is only here that real

creation takes place, at which
we can marvel and witness
with constant fascination and
admiration. What we call
creativity, or art par excellence,
seems to me to be more a play,
or perhaps an interpretation
of our world of experience and
knowledge. Perhaps a mixture of
both, interwoven in the web of
opposites and their references.
In this respect, it could perhaps
be considered a modest,
interpretive creativity.

73
CR EAT I V I T Y

74 H eart f u l n es s
 CR EATIVITY

I developed the understanding

and awareness that there is
only one real “creativity” in the
literal sense, and that is Mother
Nature.

May 2 02 3 75
CREAT I V I T Y

Immersion and surrendering to an interpretation of

our world of experience and its insights was what the
ancient Greeks called the “visitation of the daemon,”
the divinity, the inspiring force, and in ancient Rome,
the “company of a genius.” There is a kind of humility
in these formulations that reflects the hierarchy of
creative forces. The daemon was later demonized,
and the genius still later demoted to the artist’s ego.
And now we are again in search of our role in the
relationship with the creative force.

There is a beautiful story about a painter-monk in the

monastery of Kiev in the late 13th century. A duke
commissioned him to paint an icon of Holy Mother
Mary. Due to severe illness, he could not leave his cot
and even after several inquiries if the painting would
be finished in time, he was unable to get up. The night
before the arrival of the duke, a celestial light filled
the monk’s small cave and an angelic being began and
completed the icon. It is said that this is the most
beautiful and vivid image of Mother Mary.
 CR EATIVITY

Babuji, once said,

“The heart is the
playground of
Divinity.” So, it
seems that we
must dive deep into
the heart to join
and enjoy the
creative play of
Mother Nature.

Now, the question arises: who

painted the icon?

In my experience, the true answers

are often of stunning simplicity.
The great saint, Shri Ram
Chandra of Shahjahanpur, known
as Babuji, once said, “The heart is
the playground of Divinity.” So,
it seems that we must dive deep
into the heart to join and enjoy the
creative play of Mother Nature.

Artworks by CHRISTIAN
MACKETANZ

May 2 02 3 77
78 H eart f u l n es s
 CR EATIVITY

FIONA NEARY is passionate about creating introspective

spaces to share with others through painting, photography,
music, and conversation. She and her mother DEBORAH NEARY
have created a fun exercise for all of us. It is both creative
and enlightening.

May 2 02 3 79
CREAT I V I T Y

T
rees are foundational in friends, books, music, sports, ways
Nature. They grow from the you spend your free time.
smallest seed, but have the
potential to create an entire forest.
We, as humans also The fruits represent the result
Trees are structured to withstand have relationships of action – has acting on your
the strongest storms and the most creativity and talents resulted in
severe weather. Their roots keep and habits in our something wonderful? Have you
them steady in the ground, they created something new for the
grow trunks that carry water to lives that give us world to see? Have you started a
the treetops. Then in spring and new group or program?
summer, flowers and leaves color strong foundations
their branches, give protection Other parts of the tree – for
to the birds and nourishment to
to flourish and example, buds could represent new
our atmosphere. We, as humans grow as people. As hopes and dreams for the future,
also have relationships and habits thorns could be difficulties in life
in our lives that give us strong a metaphor, we or protection from harm.
foundations to flourish and grow
as people. As a metaphor, we can can compare My mother and I created these
compare ourselves to the parts of drawings as we were traveling
a tree.
ourselves to the and it was a breath of fresh air to
create amidst the travel stress. We
parts of a tree.
This is an exercise where you draw hoped to show the various ways
a tree that represents YOU! There the “tree of life” can be drawn,
are so many trees in the world. Do and the ways each of our lives are
you have a favorite? Are there any heritage, strong influences which all unique. Yours will probably be
you can see outside your window shaped your beliefs. completely different!
or in a local park? Maybe a tree
that exists far away... like the The trunk represents your life Draw for 20 to 30 minutes, or
Baobab in Africa, a tropical palm, today – what is your career? Your continue for however long you
or an alpine spruce. “chosen” family, the organizations wish. Feel free to share this
and communities in which you exercise with family and friends,
Don’t worry about drawing it belong. present them with your experience
correctly, express from the heart. and what you’ve learned during the
And then think about some things The branches represent places process! How did this feel to you?
in your life that have positively in your life that are stable and
shaped you... who, or what may be supportive – where you can jump Illustrations by FIONA AND
in your roots, your trunk, branches, and always know you will land DEBORAH NEARY
and leaves. safely, no matter how hard you fall.

The roots represent your history The leaves represent your passions,
– the family you come from, your hobbies, and other influences –

80 H eart f u l n es s
 CR EATIVITY

May 2 02 3 81
 Master the habit of meditation
The Heartfulness app offers daily
practices to awaken the potential for
a joyful existence. Download it at
heartfulnessapp.org

Heartfulness Yoga The Heartfulness Way

Teacher Training Course by Daaji
Learn to teach the eight limbs of #1 BESTSELLER
yoga. Merge the traditional art of Discover a special collection of
yoga with a modern professional meditations that awaken the
approach. depths of human potential and
heartfulness.org/yoga/ initiate a mystical inner journey.
heartfulnessway.com

Meditation Masterclass
In these 3 online masterclasses,
you will learn the practical
benefits of meditation and other
yogic practices. Masterclasses are
available online each day after you
sign up and accessible throughout
the day.
heartfulness.org/masterclass

Designing Destiny by Daaji

#1 BESTSELLER Find Your Community
How meditative practices lead to Find a trainer or meditation
changes in lifestyle, both personal center near you!
and in relationships, which lead heartfulness.org/en/
to greater freedom in designing connect-with-us/
our destiny.
designingdestiny.com

82 H eart f u l n es s
Learning,
The Heartfulness Way
Explore simple Heartfulness
practices through our
self-paced courses for
beginners and advanced
learners alike.
learning.heartfulness.org

HFNLife
HFNLife strives to bring products
to make your life simple and
convenient. We offer a set of
curated partners in apparel,
accessories, eye-care, home
staples, organic foods and more.
The affiliation of our partner
organizations with Heartfulness
Institute helps in financially
sustaining the programs which we
conduct in various places across
the world. hfnlife.com