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

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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
Shri Ram Chandra of
Shahjahanpur, affectionately
known as Babuji, was a
revolutionary spiritual scientist
and philosopher. He was the
founder of the present-day
system of Raja Yoga meditation
known as Heartfulness.
ZACH BUSH
Zach is a multi-disciplinary
physician of internal medicine,
endocrinology, and hospice
care, and founder of Farmer’s
Footprint. He is also an educator
and thought leader on the
microbiome, as it relates to
human health, soil health, food
systems and a regenerative future.
8 H eart f u l n es s
DAAJI
Daaji is the Heartfulness
Guide. He is an innovator and
researcher, equally at home in the
fields of spirituality, science, and
the evolution of consciousness.
He has taken our understanding
of human potential to a new
level.
CHRISTIAN
MACKETANZ
Christian is Professor of Painting
at the Academy of Fine Arts,
Dresden, Germany. He studied
painting with Maria Lassnig
in Vienna, and lived in Rome
and Berlin before taking up his
current post in Dresden. He is a
Heartfulness trainer.
ROLLIN MCCRATY
Rollin is a scientist,
psychophysiologist, executive
vice president and director of
research at HeartMath Institute,
member of the Global Coherence
Steering committee, and project
coordinator of GCI’s Global
Coherence Monitoring System.
He is a professor at Florida
Atlantic University.
ICHAK ADIZES
Dr. Adizes is a leading
management expert. He has
received 21 honorary doctorates
and is the author of 27 books
that have been translated into 36
languages. He is recognized as
one of the top 30 thought leaders
of America.

STANISLAS LAJUGIE
Stanislas is a civil servant of
the Foreign Affairs Ministry of
France. He has worked in many
countries and enjoys making
meditation fashionable wherever
he goes. He has developed
a course on the science of
meditation for universities and
corporates.
VICTOR KANNAN
Victor is a Director for
Heartfulness Institute, USA,
a practitioner of Heartfulness
Meditation, and a trainer for
more than 30 years. As a career
CFO he combines the benefits
of meditation in everyday
management and responsibilities.
He lives with his wife in Atlanta
and has a daughter.
contributors
MAMATA VENKAT
SUBRAMANYAM
Mamata couples mental health
and meditation with her passion
for storytelling, using Instagram
as a space to build community.
Her 2016 TEDx presentation
has been viewed over 2.7 million
times. She is currently a freelance
social media and content
manager, and an editor and writer
for Heartfulness Magazine.
ELIZABETH DENLEY
Elizabeth is a writer, editor,
Heartfulness trainer, and
facilitator of interactive programs
in consciousness and personal
development, bringing together
the fields of science and
spirituality. She is the editor-in-
chief of Heartfulness Magazine.
May 2 02 3
KISHORE DEBNATH
Kishore is a software engineer
whose work involves using
mathematical tools to create
complex systems. He is
passionate about extending those
ideas to daily life, to enhance
quality of living and human
efficiency. He finds meaning in
integrating ancient wisdom with
modern ideas.
FIONA NEARY
Fiona studied Fine Arts and
Spanish at the University at
Albany in New York. She is
a Heartfulness trainer and
a certified Yoga instructor.
Fiona is inspired by nature and
is passionate about creating
introspective spaces to share with
others through her landscape
paintings, photography, music,
and conversation.
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

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,
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.
12
YES, YOU CAN DO IT!
Anger
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,
From Anger to Love.
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:

Guided Ocean of Peace
Cleaning
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.
Stress
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
May 2 02 3
S ELF- CARE
this space deep within your heart
and staying connected with it
throughout the day, will help to
restore positivity and balance.
Guided Meditation to Reduce
Stress and Restore Positivity
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 www.
heartspots.heartfulness.org.
All the best,
Daaji
13

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
fan, a Swiftie, as I am
unashamedly proud to be,
then you can relate to the feeling
of hearing her songs and knowing
she just gets it. The opening notes
of a song draw you in like a kid in
a candy store, the lyrics hit and,
“BAM.” Sugar rush. Somebody,
something, is finally able to put
words to the hodgepodge mess of
feelings clouding up your brain.
And she does so to a tune that
becomes irrevocably tattooed into
your synapses, rendering you a
little annoyed, yes, but mostly (and
most importantly) seen.
I have had many of these
revelatory moments with Taylor
Swift songs. In general, music
can be cathartic, and artists like
Swift who are very lyric-driven
can provide us with camaraderie
in those deep, dark moments
when we feel like no one else
can understand what we’re going
through. In other words, those
moments of loneliness.
I have often felt lonely throughout
my thirty years of existence. I feel
so grateful to be surrounded by
wonderful friends and family, but,
like many of us, I have experienced
that deep, longing sensation of
something missing. I can be in a
room filled with people and still
feel alone. My experiences with
depression and anxiety have often
May 2 02 3
S ELF- CARE
put me in states of self-isolation,
and I am guilty of being so reliant
on figures and concepts outside of
my own intuition that when those
external reliances aren’t steady or
accessible, I lose my grounding.
I’m not sure how to function
without them.
These are very real understandings
that have emerged over the last
several months as I continue
to encourage myself to do the
inner work and really grow into
my individual. Through these
realizations have come many
truths, but as I listened to a new
Swift song called, “You’re On Your
Own, Kid,” one truth became
glaringly visible.
15
SEL F -CAR E

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

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

RELAXATION
What: A 5 to 7 minute guided
technique that releases tension and
relaxes each part of your body.
When: This guided relaxation
technique can be done right before
you meditate, or in moments
when your body is feeling tense or
anxious. If you are having trouble
sleeping, you can also lie down
and walk through this technique,
relaxing each part of your body
until you feel yourself falling
asleep.
How: Try it with this guided
video.
Illustrations by LAKSHMI GADDAM
MEDITATION
What: A simple suggestion to
become absorbed in the light in
your heart.
When: Ideally, first thing in the
morning for 10 to 30 minutes
before you start your day. It can
also be done at any other time.
How: To meditate on the light in
the heart, try it with this guided
video.
If you find your mind drifting
to other thoughts, treat them as
if they are clouds passing in the
sky, witnessing them but simply
letting them pass. To learn how to
manage those thoughts, check out
the next section, Cleaning.
May 2 02 3
S ELF- CARE
CLEANING
What: An active technique
of letting go of complexities,
impurities, and any negativities
that build up over time. This
technique is beneficial for reducing
thoughts during meditation, for
minimizing anxiety and stress,
and for eliminating those pesky
thoughts that often plague us
before we fall asleep (no more
counting sheep!).
When: Cleaning is generally done
at the end of the day’s work for 10
to 30 minutes, as a way to release
the mental and emotional weight
of the day.
How: To try this cleaning
technique, follow the instructions
in the guided video.
17
 Cold and Flu
Babuji’s Natural Remedies
During his lifetime, BABUJI
shared a wealth of knowledge
to his associates about the
simple natural remedies
that he learned and also
discovered during his life in
northern India. This month we
share one of his remedies for
the common cold. 1
18
Clove and honey together have
been used for centuries as a
natural cough and cold syrup, due
to their antiviral, antibacterial,
and antioxidant properties. The
syrup also helps to reduce the pain
and swelling of a sore throat. In
addition, the mixture is used to
heal mouth ulcers, and generally
boost metabolism and immunity.
Tulsi is also a time-honored
remedy for respiratory ailments.
H eart f u l n es s
There are certain plants that can
be kept in every home to keep
the atmosphere clean. Two plants
in particular are very beneficial
– tulsi or holy basil (Ocimum
sanctum) and marwa or marjoram
(Origanum marjorana). Growing
these two plants around children
provides them with immunity
against quite a few diseases.
Tulsi is also commonly taken as a
tea.
 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
1 liter boiling water
1 to 2 tbsp finely sliced ginger
1 tbsp finely sliced fresh turmeric, or
½ to 1 tsp turmeric powder
1 to 2 tsp coriander seeds
1–2 tsp cumin seeds
1–2 tsp fennel seeds
1 to 2 teabags (or tbsps) green tea,
mint tea, ginger tea, yerba
A squeeze of lemon
METHOD
1. Place all ingredients in a French press.
2. Let the mixture stand for 5 minutes before
plunging.
3. Refill the press one more time with boiling
water.
4. Alternatively, simmer all ingredients together
for 5 minutes in a saucepan.
5. Strain before drinking.
6. Try to drink a total of two liters a day.

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
modernization, the age-old
practice of the sitting month
still flourishes. For one month
after birth, the mother stays at
home and follows a strict diet
and lifestyle that keeps her and
the child healthy. In Columbia,
something similar is practiced for
a period of forty days. In Nigeria,
the first bath for the baby is given
by the grandmother or an elderly
aunt. The ceremonial bath is a
much-celebrated milestone. In
India, the expectant mother goes
to her parents’ home where many
practices like the ones shared
above are followed. Are these
practices mere cultural protocols
or do they have a greater
significance?
Focusing on the Pregnant
Mother’s Care
While our elders may not have
used the word "Epigenetics," they
must have understood its influence
on a person’s health. For example,
in Caraka Samhita, an ancient
Ayurvedic text, there is a section
called “Garbhini Vyakarana,”
meaning the development of the
embryo. It is the palm leaf version
of What to Expect When You’re
Expecting.
In it, there is a verse that reads,
“If a cup filled with oil right up to
the brim is to be carried without
spilling even a single drop, every
step has to be taken with care.”
This verse refers to the care and
nurturing needed for an expectant
mother during pregnancy.
What’s special about this ancient
text is it focuses on physiology
as much as it does on the
environment surrounding the
expectant mother. The post-
conception care as detailed in
the texts offers prescriptions for
diet (aahara), daily routine and
activities (vihara), and medicines
(aushada). Everything from
recommended foods for each
month, types of massages and
exercises, air quality, sunlight,
moonlight, aromas, and even
music for the expectant mother are
described. What we would today
call epigenetic influences are well
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
parents’ home was to ensure an
environment free from any stress.
This way, the expectant mother
could spend the time in the loving
care of her family without having
to worry about expectations from
her in-laws, labor-intensive chores,
or her own guilt in not being able
to help.
In her parents’ home, her lifestyle
was set up in such a way that both
the fetus and the mother were
nurtured physically, mentally, and
spiritually. The mother’s daily
routine was well planned in terms
of the food she ate, the dietary
supplements she would have,
her resting hours and some light
household activities to keep her
busy. The devotional prayers of
the elders created an atmosphere
of piety and peace. Various rituals
and ceremonies punctuated the
pregnancy, the significance of
which was to keep the mother-
to-be in good spirits. Back then,
families were large, and people
had many children. A house filled
with the laughter of little children
uplifted the spirits of the mother-
to-be. The social support at home
acted as an immunity shield for
the mother.
Even though I am referring to
Indian households, customs that
honor pregnancy and suggest
special care for the expectant
mother are pervasive across
cultures of the world. Earlier in
the chapter I shared examples
from China, Columbia, and
Nigeria. Anthropologists have
also studied these customs. For
example, in her seminal work,
Coming of Age in Samoa, the
anthropologist Margaret Mead
writes about the customs of the

26 H eart f u l n es s

The wisdom behind sending the
expectant mother to her parents’
home was to ensure an environment
free from any stress. This way, the
expectant mother could spend the
time in the loving care of her family.
May 2 02 3
INS P IRATION
Samoans. She says that for months
before the birth of a child, the
father’s relatives bring gifts of
food to the prospective mother,
who lives with her parents. The
mother’s relatives busy themselves
making baby clothes and tiny baby
mats. The pregnant mother is
advised against any solitary work,
heavy work, and to avoid extreme
heat and cold. At the time of birth,
the father’s mother or sister is
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
27
I N SP I RAT IO N
organization in Washington DC,
reported that “the parents’ health
is one of the strongest predictors
of child’s health.” Their research
showed that parents’ health was
more strongly associated with the
child’s health than many other
factors, including family income,
family structure, parents’ level of
education, and the child’s sex, age
or race. Our elders intuited this
knowledge and recognized that
healthy mothers build healthy
28
nations. Happy mothers make
happy families.
Don’t Start Packing Your
Bags Yet!
Before you start packing your
bags and asking your relatives to
get busy with their knit kits for
the baby, hold on. There are other
factors, too, such as maternity
leave, medical facilities near
the parents’ home, sibling care,
H eart f u l n es s
financial constraints and so on,
that need to be considered. The
central idea is the well-being of
the mother-to-be – a safe, stress-
free environment where she feels
comfortable and supported.
If packing bags and heading out
to your parents’ home is a good
option, then by all means do it.
But if for any reason, it’s not, then
see what best can be done to create
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
 INS P IRATION

child. I suggest you start with

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

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
results, the concepts of spirituality
and abstraction may seem elusive
and intangible. Yet, these ideas
offer a profound understanding of
the true nature of reality.
As we delve deeper into the
subtleties of life, we begin to
perceive reality more accurately,
even if expressing these insights
proves challenging. Abstraction,
while seemingly vague, provides
a more accurate representation of
physical phenomena than concrete
objects alone.
Path to Perceiving
Reality journey towards
Spirituality is a journey towards the subtle aspects
the subtle aspects of existence,
transcending the physical,
of existence,
and delving into the essence transcending the
of life. As we progress on the
spiritual journey, we develop physical, and
a heightened awareness of the
interconnectedness of all things, delving into the
often leading to experiences that
defy conventional explanations.
essence of life.
Discussing spiritual experiences
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

adequately capture the essence of
these profound experiences, as they
are deeply personal and unique to
each individual. To overcome this
limitation, spiritual practitioners
may rely on metaphor, allegory,
and symbolism to convey their
insights. In doing so, they
embrace abstraction as a means to
communicate the ineffable nature
of reality.
Abstraction: A Path to
Greater Accuracy
The purpose of abstraction
is not to be vague,
but to create a new semantic level
in which one can be
absolutely precise.
— Edsger W. Dijkstra,
Dutch Computer Scientist,
Turing Award Winner
At first glance, abstraction may
appear vague or ambiguous.
However, it is an essential tool
for accurately representing
complex and multifaceted
phenomena. Through abstraction,
we can generalize and simplify
concepts, enabling us to grasp the
underlying patterns and structures
that govern the physical world.
In both science and art,
abstraction allows us to
understand phenomena that
may be too intricate or vast for
direct observation. For example,
theoretical physicists use abstract
By transcending the
limits of the
physical world, we
can develop a
greater sense of
interconnectedness,
compassion, and
empathy – qualities
that are essential
for spiritual growth.
mathematical models to describe
the behavior of subatomic
particles, while artists employ
abstraction to evoke emotions or
convey ideas that transcend the
literal representation of objects.
The Interplay of
Spirituality and
Abstraction
The relationship between
spirituality and abstraction is one
of mutual reinforcement. As we
delve deeper into spirituality, we
develop a greater appreciation for
the abstract nature of reality. This
May 2 02 3
INS P IRATION
understanding, in turn, enables
us to perceive the world more
accurately and holistically.
Similarly, abstraction fosters
spiritual growth by challenging
our reliance on concrete objects,
and encouraging us to explore
the more subtle aspects of
existence. By transcending the
limits of the physical world, we
can develop a greater sense of
interconnectedness, compassion,
and empathy – qualities that are
essential for spiritual growth.
While spirituality and abstraction
may seem elusive, they offer
a profound understanding of
the true nature of reality. By
embracing the subtle aspects of
existence, we perceive the world
more accurately and develop a
deeper connection with ourselves
and others. The interplay between
spirituality and abstraction
challenges our reliance on concrete
objects, encouraging us to explore
the intangible and ineffable
aspects of life. As we continue
to develop our spiritual and
abstract understanding, we can
foster a more compassionate and
interconnected world.
The best and most beautiful things
in the world
cannot be seen or even touched –
they must be felt with the heart.
—Helen Keller.
Illustrations by JASMEE MUDGAL
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

Where do people find you?
I’ve been getting this question at
the end of every podcast. They are
looking to get mention of websites
and social media connection
points, and usually I answer
appropriately, but recently the
question hit me differently, and
I thought it was a metaphysical
inquiry.
So, where does one find
me? Where do I find me?
Initially I thought, “you want to
find me, go dig a hole.” Once the
confusion in the answer washed
away, I could see the layers of the
response and just how accurate it
is.
Dig a hole and you will discover
that by removing a shovel full of
soil you create space; both literally
and figuratively. 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.
In the cosmos, everything leaps
out of the void: this vacuum
of space which is filled with
the electromagnetic field that
emanates from all the stars in the
universe. The black hole absorbs
this massive energy and translates
all that raw energy into matter
which spirals out to create a new
galaxy. My life is the same. The
more I empty myself, the more
beauty is birthed into physical
form. And the more beauty there
is, the more love there is.
I am a generative machine as I
dig that hole more completely.
This is where I’m most at home.
It’s where all the lessons I’ve
carried and learned from began,
and it is the ever-flowing source
of inspiration and medicine for
a busy mind. Go dig a hole – it’s
where I retreat to slow down and
deconstruct the ego.
May 2 02 3
INS P IRATION
A single sprout is all I need to
witness and remember the simple,
yet profound, connection between
self and soil. We are each of the
Earth and are here to be stewards
of her vital pursuit of regeneration.
Deep within that exists peace if
we can recognize our role, not
as producers or consumers, but
stewards of life, peace, health, and
connection.
So go dig a hole today and find
that part of you you’ve been
missing.
In reverence,
https://zachbushmd.com/blog-
september-2022/
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
of management, we need to
predict the future. Then, in order
to predict the future we must
understand the past, whether it
projects itself into the future or is
there some discontinuity or major
disruption from the past into the
future.
Let’s take a look at the big picture
of the past to see whether it
predicts in any shape or form the
future.
At the beginning, according to
Darwin, we were chimpanzees,
and the strongest chimpanzee
was a leader. Then we became
a nomadic society, and the best
hunter was the leader. Then we
settled and became an agricultural
society. The person with the most
sheep, cows, or lambs was a leader.
The common denominator is
whoever was the strongest and
had the most possessions was the
leader. This mindset gave birth to
early empire builders that tried to
expand their empires to be as big
as possible because bigness was
considered greatness.
Then came the Industrial
Revolution and the brain took
the front place in determining
leadership and success. The
industrial society needed to plan,
organize, hire, fire, budget and
sell. Success in the industrial
society was based on having both
muscles and brains. That's what
the colonialists, the Germans,
the British, and the French of
the 19th century had and used:
administrative systems and
military strength.
We are now at the beginning of a
new major transition in the history
of humanity. The information
society, where our brain is the
most important factor for success.
Muscle is outsourced. Look at
Israel. No mineral resources. No
power. Sixty percent of the country
is desert. And it is nevertheless

May 2 02 3 39
WOR K P L AC E
an economic powerhouse. What
does it have? Brain power. The
largest hotel in the world does not
own one hotel. It has a computer,
information, and the capability to
manipulate information. That’s
I believe it should called an Airbnb. The largest
transportation company in the
be the heart, to be world does not own one car. It
has a computer, information, and
able to integrate, to capability to manage information
and it’s called Uber. What do
feel and share. It Google, Amazon and Facebook
do if not accumulate data with the
will be needed
capability to handle information
more than ever successfully?
because the rate of Where do we go from here?
change and the There is already the beginning
trend to replace the brain.
disparity in income, Artificial intelligence and
education and quantum computers are going to
replace the human brain. We will
capabilities rely on them to make decisions
for us. What are the repercussions
between the haves of this change? Those that know
how to use quantum computing
and have-nots is and artificial intelligence and how
to capitalize on it are going to be
going to endanger richer than those that don’t know
a lot of businesses how to do that. Those that know
how to digitize their company, use
and a lot of robotics and artificial intelligence
are going to dominate the market
countries. and the rest are going to become
of marginal importance. The
result? There’s going to be even a
bigger disparity of income, which
already exists today between the
haves and have-nots. That might
40 H eart f u l n es s
create a significant amount of
social and political unrest.
What’s going to come after
the brain? We already moved
from muscle to brain. What is
the next step? What is the next
development?
I believe it should be the heart,
to be able to integrate, to feel and
share. It will be needed more than
ever because the rate of change
and the disparity in income,
education and capabilities between
the haves and have-nots is going
to endanger a lot of businesses and
a lot of countries. The one who’ll
know how to keep the country, the
company, and the family together
will survive. The others will fall
apart.
Integration should be the future
driving force. And for that, we
need not only to think but also to
feel. That may explain the rise of
women to top leadership positions.
Integration is their modus vivendi
and has been for generations with
integrating the family.
If we don’t develop the capability
to integrate and work with the
heart, if we continue working on
developing power, such as nuclear
armaments, and developing our
brains with Artificial Intelligence
and Quantum Computing, our
future might be a repetition of the
past. It is called Nazi Germany.
The Nazis had culture, literature,

music, art, and power, but no heart.
Without heart, that will be the
end of humanity.
What we need is
I believe we should start working
integration through now in our education system,
training on developing integration
the heart, through
capabilities, developing sensitivity,
values, through and developing being human.
sensitivity to the Integration can be done two ways:
mechanistically or organically.
human element, Mechanistically is through
manuals, through rules, through
through caring for law, through the judicial system.
each other. That is to say, big bureaucracy.
This solution suffocates countries,
suffocates innovation, suffocates
the human spirit. That’s what
happened to Europe, with the
May 2 02 3
W OR KPLACE
big bureaucracy in Brussels. The
unification of Europe through
thousands of pages of regulations.
What we need is integration
through the heart, through values,
through sensitivity to the human
element, through caring for each
other. If we don’t develop that, we
are doomed as a society. We are
doomed as human beings.
Just thinking and feeling,
Dr. Ichak Kalderon Adizes
ichak@adizes.com
https://www.ichakadizes.com/post/
the-future-is-the-heart
Illustrations by VIRINAFLORA
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

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

May 2 02 3 43
 W O RK P L AC E
Whether or not we were
lucky enough to have a
positive joyful childhood,
we can all learn how to
bring about positive deep
inner transformation.
44 H eart f u l n es s
• 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.
Neuroplasticity is the ability of the brain to
change its structure and functioning due to its
activities. Positive neuroplasticity consists in
intentionally engaging in those activities that
develop positive changes of the brain. In short, we
need to learn to take in the good!
In his book, Hardwiring Happiness, Hanson
suggests 3 steps to ensure long-lasting
transformation and to learn to take in the good:
 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
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. Mahatma
Gandhi says, “Be truthful, gentle, and fearless.”
Developing gentleness is an art of a skill in real
being.
“They say that at the last day there will be judgments,
and that our dear Friend [God] will be in anger.
But from pure goodness only goodness emanates.
Be then without fear, for f inally
you will see that He is full of gentleness.”
—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?
Most people have an intuitive
understanding of coherence, but
in the scientific community it’s
a term and a concept used in
every branch of science, from
the macro to the micro scale. We
use it to describe the behavior of
the parts of a complex system.
In a coherent system, those parts
have to be communicating and
talking to each other so there’s
connectedness. It’s inherent
to the concept of coherence,
and it’s really a measure of the
harmonious order of how all
the parts of a system are working
together.
A coherent system implies stability
and energy efficiency. Another key
concept of coherence is that in
any system – whether it’s a human
being, or any other scale we want to
look at – there’s a greater wholeness
than you can derive from the sum
of the parts. This is why we chose
to use this term in our research so
many years ago.
Our research focuses on three
primary domains: personal, social,
and global. For the personal, we
have spent many years looking
at the coherence within our
bodies, especially between the
heart and brain. Socially, we can
define the coherence of a group,
whether that’s a family, a work
team, a leadership team, or even a
community. I won’t have a lot of
time to go into global coherence,
but I'll give you a teaser.
The heart profoundly
affects brain function
It probably isn’t a surprise to you
that the heart sends far more
information to the brain than the

May 2 02 3 53
REL AT IO N SH I P S
There are neural channels by which the
heart and brain communicate, but the
heart also communicates with the
brain hormonally, energetically, through
the pressure waves it generates that
affect every cell and synchronizes all
the cells in the body.
54 H eart f u l n es s
brain sends to the heart, but it is
a big surprise for a lot of people
in our medical communities in
the Western world. It is not a new
finding – it has been known since
the late 1800s; in fact it’s basic
anatomy.
In the 1970s, there were some
major discoveries that really
shifted the paradigm in the
field of psychophysiology. It
was discovered that the neural
traffic that the heart sends to the
brain has profound effects on
brain function. Two terms were

introduced back then. The first
is “cortical inhibition,” where the
cortex or higher parts of the brain
are inhibited when the heart is
sending certain types of messages.
The other term is “cortical
facilitation,” which was introduced
to describe the global effects that
the activity of the heart has on
the brain. Since then, we have a
much deeper understanding of
the mechanisms and how this all
works.
The activity of the heart also
has a lot to do with creating our
emotional experience. The brain
is largely interpreting the message
that’s being sent to it from the
heart, and I think that is why we
intuitively and innately know
when we fall in love with someone.
We don’t say, “I love you with all
of my brain,” right? We say, “I
love you with all of my heart,” and
there’s a deep physiological reason
for that.
What they didn’t know back
then was that the heart has its
own intrinsic nervous system,
which has been nicknamed
“the heart brain” in the field of
neuralcardiology. The neural
structures in the heart have now
been proven to have short-term
memory, long-term memory,
neuroplasticity, neurogenesis – all
of the functions of a functional
brain. There are neural channels
by which the heart and brain
communicate, so the heart also
communicates with the brain
The activity of the heart has a lot to
do with creating our emotional
experience. The brain is largely
interpreting the message that’s being
sent to it from the heart.
hormonally, and energetically,
through the pressure and
electromagnetic waves it generates
that affects every cell and
synchronizes all the cells in the
body.
Zeroing in on the primary neural
pathways, we have the vagus
nerves, which are the two nerves
that travel up through the front
of the body. They are the primary
pathways of the parasympathetic
branch of the autonomic nervous
system. They are very large
nerves, with thousands of neural
fibers, and 90% of those fibers are
carrying information from the
body to the brain. The majority
of those afferent or ascending
neural pathways are coming from
the heart and the cardiovascular
system, far more than any other
system in the body. There are
also ascending (afferent) neural
pathways in the sympathetic
branch, so it’s a very complex two-
way traffic between the heart and
the brain.
May 2 02 3
R ELAT IO NSHIPS
All of the neural connections
coming down from the brain
connect into the intrinsic cardiac
nervous system, the heart brain,
and then within the heart there are
another 40,000 to 50,000 sensory
neurons that are sensing things
like rhythm, pressure, and about
80% of these neurons are sensing
biochemistry.
If you were going to put in a
system to detect what’s going on
in the blood, to monitor hormones,
neurotransmitters and so on, where
would you put it? The heart makes
obvious sense, so that all of the
information is fed into the heart
brain, and then up to the brain in
different neural patterns.
The intrinsic cardiac nervous
system can and does override the
neural signals coming down from
the brain, and at a functional
level a heart has its own type of
intelligence. In fact, in the papers
from the 70s and 80s, people were
talking about the heart as though
it had a mind of its own before
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

onset of cancer, diabetes, and so
on, so it has a huge use in clinical
assessment.
I want to go a little bit deeper.
This graph is from a paper we
published in the American Journal
of Cardiology back in the mid
90s that was the first to show that
the most reflective measure of our
emotional state is the pattern of
our heart rhythms, our heart rate
variability. So on the left side we
can see a jagged, chaotic rhythm,
which is the rhythm that we have
when we’re experiencing feelings
like impatience, frustration, worry,
or anxiety. If we get angry it's way
more chaotic. This quite literally
reflects a desynchronization in the
neural activity in our higher brain
systems and within our nervous
system. This is actually the type
of a rhythm or pattern that’s been
associated with cortical inhibition,
Heart Rhythm Coherence
Incoherence
frustation, irritation, impatience, worry
Inhibits brain function – impairs performance
where the brain doesn’t work very
well.
The graph on the right shows
the same person after they used
a technique called heart-focused
breathing (we’ve developed
various different techniques to
shift into that coherent rhythm).
This rhythm naturally emerges
when people experience heartfelt
feelings like appreciation,
gratitude, compassion, love. These
types of emotions naturally shift
us into what we now call coherent
rhythm and that’s associated with
cortical facilitation.
There’s a lot going on in that
coherent state within our
body, and it is a measure of the
increasing synchronization in
our higher brain and within our
nervous system. It has a lot of
benefits. Coherence is not the
appreciation, calm, patience, confidence
Facilitates brain function – promotes optimal performance
May 2 02 3
R ELAT IONSHIPS
same thing as relaxation. When
we’re in a coherent state (and more
than 400 independent studies have
confirmed this), there are a broad
range of health benefits like lower
blood pressure, increased hormonal
balance, faster recovery from
heart disease and diabetes, better
outcomes in education, and the list
goes on.
We can teach people how to shift
into that state very quickly, and
we especially want to create those
shifts in the moments when people
are in challenging situations and
want their mental faculties to work
well.
To be continued.
To watch the full talk, go to
https://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=mm6MDe_ZwFc.
Illustrations by ANANYA PATEL
Coherence
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
is mystical. Stars start
to fade as colors gently
emerge, the dawn erupting into
a genesis of gratitude. Tangerine
peeps through the eastern
canopy, kookaburras light the
world with their laughter, and
the various levels of awakening
find their counterpoint.
It rained during the night, so
eucalypt fragrance is heady
in the cold air. The majestic
stringybark gums sing their
morning serenade, with their
many shades of grey, green,
honey, apricot, and new reddish
leaves high above. These
sentinels are home to a myriad
of insects, birds and mammals
in a vertical ecosystem that
connects Cosmos and Earth.
Outside the back window of the
cottage, a gray kangaroo leans
against a big old tree stump
scratching his shoulder, his
comical movements bringing the
first smile of the morning. The
stump he leans against is alive,
despite being all that’s left of a
grandmother tree that fell many
months ago during a massive
storm. She continues to be fed
and cared for by her surrounding
siblings and offspring.
The consciousness of trees is
so evident here. They move
with the sun and respond to the
weather, to music, to human
emotions. They create beautiful
atmospheres, just as they did
for our ancestors when sacred
groves were our first temples,
celebrating the joy of nature.
The biologist David Haskell
expresses it well: “To listen to
trees, nature’s great connectors,
is to learn how to inhabit the
relationships that give life its
source, substance, and beauty.”
The swamp wallabies in the
orchard turn as the cottage door
opens, their velvety ears up and
twitching. Six tiny ducklings
and their parents waddle and
chat near the vegetable garden,
arriving early to hang around
for the daily avian restaurant to
start. After the chickens are fed,
the wild ducks take their turn,
then currawongs and magpies,
crimson rosellas, and later in the
day the local gang of choughs
and the many small birds that
clean up the final remains
of breakfast. Sometimes the
sulphur-crested cockatoos bring
cacophony with their larrikin
antics.
The damp grassy earth molds
to the soles of my feet like
well-worn shoes as I venture
out, the sounds, colors, smells,
tastes, and feelings familiar
and grounding. As a teenager,
I travelled the world, searching
for life’s treasure. As an adult, I
have lived a nomadic existence
across several continents while
raising a family and working. As
a mystic, I have travelled beyond
the physical plane into realms

May 2 02 3 61
ENVI R O N M EN T
where place is inconsequential.
And now the spiral of life has
brought me back to this country,
a dear old friend, alive and
welcoming. The earth, water,
plants, animals, stars, people and
vibrations are woven into the
intimacy of kinship. The flow of
connection pulsates at all levels.
The trees were my healers when
I was a small child. Reaching
for that same healing, my breath
tunes to the heartbeat of the
majestic sentinels that ring the
orchard, and my footsteps sync
to their rhythm. Further down
the hill there is a natural grove,
so I sit on the leaf litter against
a middle-sized trunk. The width
is just right – not too wide, not
too narrow – so that the energy
gushing up through the roots
and trunk into my back is the
correct dose. The gentle embrace
binds like the gravity that binds
planets and stars, a soft force,
a connecting force, a motherly
force.
Space and stillness are an
antidote to endless activity.
There is time to notice things.
The photons awaken to their
morning dance as the sun warms
the clear sky to blue. They
have natural intelligence, wild
intelligence. So do the trees.
So does the Earth. So do we.
As children we used it without
thinking, sensing changes in the
weather and wildlife before they
happened. As ants announced
the rain and birds announced
62
predators, we readily joined the
conversation. This forest retreat
is an opportunity to rekindle
that naturalness.
The noise of a kookaburra
alighting on the nearby fence
wire draws my attention. His
eyes are fixated on something
below, but it is the fence line
that triggers thoughts about the
crazy notions surrounding our
ownership of land. Ownership
entitles us to do whatever we
want, not only with the land
itself, but also with the living
creatures and resources existing
on it. In a worldview of kinship,
ownership of anything living –
including rivers, plants, animals
and the Earth – is slavery.
Trees welcome us, water
welcomes us, country welcomes
us, giving and giving. We
depend upon them for our very
existence, yet we continue to
pollute and rape them. I am not
against human progress, as long
as we are not greedy, possessive,
or dominating. As small children
we were in love and wonder with
the world. Sitting here, that love
and wonder is rekindled.
The family in the main
homestead is stirring, and the
radio news echoes across the
valley. COP27 is happening in
Egypt, the Russian-Ukraine
war has taken another turn, the
Yemeni war enters its eighth
year with refugees continuing to
flee for their lives, floods wash
H eart f u l n es s
away whole communities in
Australia, and we are stunned
by the death of Perth schoolboy
Cassius Turvey in a racially-
fueled murder. Humans can be
brutal as well as sublime.
Familiar structures and
traditions are falling apart,
and we swing between hope
and despair within the
space of a single day with
tales of loneliness, anxiety,
depression, addiction, social
injustice, prejudice, fake news,
polarization, environmental
destruction, climate change,
and more Covid. The sheer
mythological scale of our crisis
demands optimism, a window
of opportunity to do something
extraordinary. A sense of
potential, a paradigm shift, as
chaos is reined in with new
vision and energy.
The gentle
embrace binds like
the gravity that
binds planets and
stars, a soft force,
a connecting
force, a motherly
force.
 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

practices to expand awareness.
But awareness alone is not
enough. After awareness
comes response – listening to
each other, integrating, so the
periphery can move into the
mainstream. Only then will we
be able to move beyond human-
centricity. It was such a leap for
humans to transition from an
Earth-centric solar system to a
Sun-centric solar system. Now
it is time to transition from
human-centric to inclusive.
Our current crises are no
surprise. We ignored the
universal laws that affect our
personal lives, our communities,
the solar system, the universe
itself, and the minutest particles
that make up atoms. We are all
made up of matter, energy and
space. The outward and inward
flows of energy exist in our
breathing, in the tides, and in
the day’s rhythms. The outward-
flowing current started with
the Big Bang and continues
to expand into space. It brings
diversity, entropy, action,
complexity and restlessness.
The inward-flowing current
takes us back to the center of
time and space, to stability. It
is gravitational and connects
everything in stillness, simplicity
and peace. Each moment in time
is a dance between these two
currents, and both are needed
for balance.
Sometimes the direction shifts
dramatically, like the turning of
ENV IR ON ME NT
a huge spring tide. Life takes a hijacked state we defend our
turn. It is not a conscious choice own interests and reinforce our
but an evolutionary imperative. ideals. We cling to our limited
It happens to us. Right now, we worldview because the prefrontal
are in the middle of a global cortex of the brain can’t function
collective inward shift. Initially well. We stop thinking wisely.
the changes may be hidden in We don’t know how to slow
gestation, but then they manifest down.
on the periphery, and then they
move into the mainstream. Sitting here, the stringybarks are
The rise of spiritual awareness, telling me the same thing: slow
sustainable technologies, climate down to think, slow down to be
activism, kindness projects, and healthy and happy, slow down to
restorative justice movements love, slow down to awaken wild
are indications of this shift. intelligence.
When we shine a light on our
stories, even when they are
tragic, the heart begins to accept.
In that alchemy is the freedom Sitting here, the
of new possibilities and shifting
worldviews. Many things stringybarks are
cannot be fixed or brought back
– cultures, languages, music, telling me the
art, wisdom, plants, animals,
ecosystems, and innocence – yet
same thing: slow
the tide is turning and flowing down to think,
in a new direction.
slow down to be
The wheels of change turn
slowly, because we cling to old healthy and
pre-programmed habits and
prejudices, even when they
happy, slow down
are no longer useful. And the
to love, slow down
clinging is stronger when we are
stressed and anxious. Nowadays to awaken wild
we accept stress as normal, the
signature of our modern urban intelligence.
lifestyle. Try asking everyone in
your family to put their mobile
phones away for a week and you
will discover how addicted we
are to stress. Scientists call it
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
Nature. They grow from the
smallest seed, but have the
potential to create an entire forest.
Trees are structured to withstand
the strongest storms and the most
severe weather. Their roots keep
them steady in the ground, they
grow trunks that carry water to
the treetops. Then in spring and
summer, flowers and leaves color
their branches, give protection
to the birds and nourishment to
our atmosphere. We, as humans
also have relationships and habits
in our lives that give us strong
foundations to flourish and grow
as people. As a metaphor, we can
compare ourselves to the parts of
a tree.
This is an exercise where you draw
a tree that represents YOU! There
are so many trees in the world. Do
you have a favorite? Are there any
you can see outside your window
or in a local park? Maybe a tree
that exists far away... like the
Baobab in Africa, a tropical palm,
or an alpine spruce.
Don’t worry about drawing it
correctly, express from the heart.
And then think about some things
in your life that have positively
shaped you... who, or what may be
in your roots, your trunk, branches,
and leaves.
The roots represent your history
– the family you come from, your
80
We, as humans also
have relationships
and habits in our
lives that give us
strong foundations
to flourish and
grow as people. As
a metaphor, we
can compare
ourselves to the
parts of a tree.
heritage, strong influences which
shaped your beliefs.
The trunk represents your life
today – what is your career? Your
“chosen” family, the organizations
and communities in which you
belong.
The branches represent places
in your life that are stable and
supportive – where you can jump
and always know you will land
safely, no matter how hard you fall.
The leaves represent your passions,
hobbies, and other influences –
H eart f u l n es s
friends, books, music, sports, ways
you spend your free time.
The fruits represent the result
of action – has acting on your
creativity and talents resulted in
something wonderful? Have you
created something new for the
world to see? Have you started a
new group or program?
Other parts of the tree – for
example, buds could represent new
hopes and dreams for the future,
thorns could be difficulties in life
or protection from harm.
My mother and I created these
drawings as we were traveling
and it was a breath of fresh air to
create amidst the travel stress. We
hoped to show the various ways
the “tree of life” can be drawn,
and the ways each of our lives are
all unique. Yours will probably be
completely different!
Draw for 20 to 30 minutes, or
continue for however long you
wish. Feel free to share this
exercise with family and friends,
present them with your experience
and what you’ve learned during the
process! How did this feel to you?
Illustrations by FIONA AND
DEBORAH NEARY
 CR EATIVITY

May 2 02 3 81
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