Often, when we change our way of thinking and doing things in an attempt at self-improvement, all goes well for some time and we are happy that we have become a better person. But then we find ourselves reverting to our old habits. It happens occasionally at first, and we do not take it seriously. Then the slippages become more frequent and a time comes when we stop bothering about it. “It happens. It does not matter”, we tell ourselves, and the progress we had made is undone.

There can be several reasons for this. We may have a strong desire to change, and determination as well, but we may be ignorant of what the process of change entails, or do not have adequate attention on the self to sustain the transformation.

A farming analogy illustrates this point. We sow the best seed, but the land is barren, the seedling gets little sunshine, and we fail to water it regularly. It may grow into a scrawny tree and bear some fruit, but for how long?

We may decide to have only good, positive thoughts henceforth, but if we become depressed every time there are other kinds of thoughts, we will soon lose hope. Understanding that such tests are inevitable and learning from them enables us to take them in our stride and progress towards our goal. Otherwise, we will make a mountain out of a molehill. This causes us to lose balance — one day we are on cloud nine and the next day a mistake leaves us moping.

Instead of finding out what went wrong and taking steps to ensure that it does not recur, we pore over all the details of how we failed, the miserable feeling it brought, whether we will ever stop failing…. If we think in this way, what would be our state of mind? Brooding over sickness is not a cure for it; we need to take medicine to become healthy again. Similarly, we can learn from failure and move on.

Another mistake is to tell ourselves that “I am like this anyway” or ascribing our faults to society or the environment in which we grew up. Social conditioning can influence us if we allow it to, but disowning responsibility for the way we are is a sign of powerlessness and it reinforces our defects.

This is where spirituality comes in. When we know and accept the fact that we are souls, beings of purity and peace expressing ourselves through the physical medium of the body, we recognise that our flaws are acquired traits. We turn our attention inward to experience our peaceful and loving self. This facilitates recognition of our eternal connection with the Supreme Soul, the Father of all souls. Remembering Him, the Almighty, brings the soul the power to break free of its weaknesses and discover a life without sorrow.

B.K. Mruthyunjaya is Executive Secretary of the Brahma Kumaris.

The idea of women playing any role outside the home was strongly opposed in the community where I grew up. That was a long time ago and things have changed. But I did not wait for the change. I had the strong desire to work for the upliftment of humanity and that is what I set out to do.

The courage to do this came from being very clear about my spiritual identity. In point of fact, I am neither male nor female. I am a soul, the child of God, currently inside a female form. I was also very clear about my aim and concerned about how to be of more service to others.

The world has never looked to women for help in solving its problems. Instead, it has turned to those of great authority, to scholars and to the very wealthy. This has been the crucial mistake.

The mother’s role is to awaken the children with great love and prepare them for the rest of the day. She is their support. She nurtures. Generally, it is attachment to the home and children which prevents women from fulfilling their unlimited calling.

To go beyond that attachment is no small accomplishment. To go beyond the fear of what society will say is no less. My relationship with God gave me such internal power that I was not intimidated by social convention. The spirit was strong and so withstood all external pressures and influences.

At the heart of every human tradition lie three aspects: respect for the Sacred, the Divine, deep inner values and, thirdly, a guide or signpost for what human life is about and what we human beings should be doing in life.

In recent decades, business leaders and the media have held sway and influenced a wide spectrum of decision-makers in communities, right through to the grassroots level. What seems to be missing is the art of listening to the inner voice of conscience. The present state of world affairs suggests that the voice of conscience has become numb, if not silenced. If we don’t listen to a good friend once, twice, five times, the friend will eventually say, “OK, do as you wish. I won’t say any more.” I feel this is a reflection of what is going on inside each of us. The conscience has stopped speaking to us and, even when it does sometimes, we do not heed its signal because of public opinion, society, culture and history. Instead, we say, “Let’s just follow what others are doing and keep going.”

We are now at a time when enlightened people, people with an awakened conscience, are coming together. This trend gives great hope because, generally, it has always been a small, dedicated minority that has brought major changes in history. People are now increasingly saying: ‘it’s time to listen to our conscience.’

What happens when the conscience awakens? As I begin to listen to that quiet voice within, I begin to move away from narrow perspectives and my horizons widen. I clearly see humanity as one human family and respect planet Earth as our home. I look at the past and see what we have done, and I look towards the future and see what I need to do now to create the future of my choice.

The choice is not a difficult one. It is not even just a question of a better world. It is a question of survival. Yes, words and actions are essential, but the seed of change sits within the human heart and mind. Compassion awakens within the alert conscience; we begin to treat each other with dignity and respect. But respect and dignity do not begin in my interaction with you; they begin deep down within the core of my inner being. In sweet silence, I can hear my voice of conscience and also connect with the truth, love, purity and peace within the self, the spiritual being. It is when I experience these inner qualities that I learn to respect myself.

Spirituality means to understand the self as a spiritual being and acknowledge my values and my self-respect. Secondly, spirituality makes me aware of the presence of the Creator in my life. In meditation, I focus on the Divine using a direct connection free of intermediaries. This way I draw spiritual strength and power from the Divine, which I then use to transform myself and my behaviour.

Societies worldwide are facing a huge crisis of self-respect and this is the root cause of the environmental crisis. Respect for the self and others can only begin when I go inside and revisit my inner qualities and values and re-energise them through my connection with the Source of all power. That respect then naturally extends to all forms of life and the planet we share. In this state of sharing, we benefit personally, because through silence and an active conscience, we are able to transform ourselves and live our lives according to our values.

The major part of our work is consciousness-raising—seeking to change the awareness, vision and attitude of those in government, civil society and within our own organisation through dialogue, partnerships, UN and other national and international conferences and local initiatives. In doing so, we aim to bring greater clarity in decisions for the common good and an understanding of how to empower people to adapt and flourish in response to the environmental crisis through a deeper understanding of their core values and inner strengths.

www.eco.brahmakumaris.org

B.K. Jayanti is the director of the Brahma Kumaris’ services in Europe.

“Gunarahitam kamanarahitam

Pratikshanavardhamanam avichinnam

sukshmataram anubhavarupam.”

The word “gunarahitam” means to be free from the three types of love.

There are 3 types of love:

 1. Satvik love is unconditional love. I love you for what you are, not because of something you did for me. Not because you help me so much.

2. Rajasik love is the second type of love. I love you because you did this for me.

3. Tamasik love is the third type of love. Tamasik love is love because we have a common enemy.

The second category of love is “I love you because the way you are is simply lovable. What you did to me is not a matter of concern at all because you give me some pleasure, helped me, and care for me, I love you.” is Rajasik love. There is a string attached to Rajasik love.

The third type is love born from having a common enemy “I don’t like that person. Oh, you also do not like that person? Come we are friends, we love each other.” Loving because you hate somebody else is Tamasik love. Making friends to gain strength to hate is Tamasik love. Often, two people get together just because they have a common enemy. Their common goal is to eliminate or destroy something, so they get together. That bonding out of ignorance, out of dullness or destruction, is Tamasik love.

Divine love transcends all these three types of love. Gunrahitam kamanarahitam: There are no strings attached in that love. “If you love me, I will love you; if you do this thing to me, I will love you. If you are nice to me, then I will love you.” How about if I were not nice to you, would you still love me? No question. Do you see? These conditional strings are attached to your expression of feelings of love. This is kamanasahitam. Divine love is kamanarahitam— devoid of any strings, any desires, any conditions.

Pratikshamane vardamanam: Love grows moment to moment, it does not diminish. Often, in our relationships love seems to diminish. At least the intensity goes down a little, in all relationships.

When a child is very small, it cannot move away from his/her mother even for a few minutes. When they start becoming independent, then gradually, once in a while, children send Mother’s Day cards. You are more attached to your children than to your parents. Your whole attention, which was towards your parents when you were a child, gets diverted to your spouse after you get married. Then, after you have children, that same attention you had for your spouse gets diverted to your children.

There is a shift in all different types of love. But, divine love grows all the time, moment by moment. Pratikshanam vardamanam: Every moment it grows, it increases, never decreases. Avichinnam: There is no gap. It cannot be destroyed by anybody; it cannot be taken away from you. Sukshmataram: It is very delicate. To experience it you need to be very quiet. Love itself is so delicate. That is why when you feel love, you feel so delicate, so vulnerable. That is when you can get hurt. Hurt is part of love. When you love somebody, you feel so delicate, so vulnerable.

And a small simple gesture from them hurts you. When your loved one does not smile at you, finished! Your mood is off. Small gestures, insignificant things can hurt you—because the state of love is so delicate.

Sukshmataram: It is finer than the finest. It is said, “To know God, you need to be in love.” Why should you be in love to know God? Because love makes you very fine, refined, so delicate. In that delicate state of consciousness alone, can you be united with this whole Universe? Then you can say, “My father and I are one.” Unless you are in that state of love, you cannot say, “Aham Brahmasmi” — I am that. When can you say it? It’s when your consciousness becomes so refined. From the molecular state to the atomic level, to the sub-atomic level — only then, can you say, “There is only one field.”

At the gross level, you cannot say ‘one field’. Only at the subtle level, you can recognise the oneness in creation. 

Anubhavrupam: It is experiential, not intellectual analysis. It is a synthesis of the finest order. It is not like the cloud, which is there one day and disappears another day. Love comes with some conditions, with some feelings. People often fall in love and then get disillusioned.

Experiencing divine love brings you reality. But, it is so strange that only when people fall out of love, they say, “I got disillusioned.” When they become indifferent, they say they are disillusioned. That is small-mindedness, not love. Then, they really have not had a taste of divine love.

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar is a humanitarian leader, spiritual teacher and an ambassador of peace.

The greatest math formula one needs to master is one that we are not taught in our maths class in school. In primary school, we learn that one plus one is two. But in spirituality, we learn that one plus one equals one. We also learn that one alone does not equal one. One by itself means two. What does this mean? When we feel we are one, without any connection with God, it does not lead to being one or experiencing oneness with God. Instead, it leads to remaining two or having duality, which means we think we are one without God, which makes us two — ourselves and God — as separate. That duality keeps us from union with God. Our ego makes us think we are apart from God. True spirituality is in realising that one being ourselves and one being God together make one. Two become one when we lose our ego. Our ego also makes us think we are separate from all others. True spiritual development comes when we realise that we are all one.

Spirituality is a way of living in which we become closer and closer to each other. The more we develop spiritually, the more we find ourselves closer to God, which means shedding our ego. As the ego diminishes, we realise that we are all one. When we rise above the awareness of this world on our journey through meditation, we realise our unity. The same Light of God in us is in all other living forms, whether human or animal. We realise that none of us is superior to anyone else. We reach a state in which we recognise that all are important. We may all be different, but we are all equal in the eyes of God. As we become one with God, we look at others as God looks at everyone — that we are all one, we are all the same at the level of the soul, and we are all equal. When we achieve oneness with God, we automatically achieve unity with all life. We see that no one is high, and no one is low. We may have different talents and strengths, but all are equally important. We all have a role to play in this universe. No one is more important than another, as we are all equal in the eyes of God. We then recognise that God resides in all creation.

Meditation is the great equaliser as it helps us to see the oneness of all life. We recognise that someone who is a janitor, a clerk, or a cashier is just as important as someone who is head of a company. We know that the head of the company could not function without all the workers, whether highly paid or those paid the smallest amount. Similarly, all people are important no matter what their level of expertise in a job, how much they make, or their cultural or ethnic backgrounds. Living a life in which we have love and respect for all people is a godly life. This develops through spending more time in meditation. In meditation, we see ourselves as a soul, a part of God, and that all other people are also souls. We recognise that our true nature is light, love, and consciousness. Similarly, we find that others are also made of the same essence of Light, love, and consciousness.

When we achieve that spiritual awareness, we then begin to treat others with love and respect. As a result, our ego will decrease when we realise that at the level of soul, we are all equal. We will become nonviolent for we will treat others as members of our own family. We will become loving to all. We will serve all selflessly as we realise that we are serving God within each person. We will want to do unto others as we want others to do unto us. When someone needs help, we will feel what we would want if we were in their shoes. Thus, we realise the pain that others are going through. We would want to relieve their pain just as we want others to help us. As we develop these ethical qualities, we will become purified.hAs our ego becomes less, we will then become empty cups through which the love of God can radiate. We will go from being one individual feeling separate from God to being one with God. Then, one plus one will become one, rather than one alone separate from God, becoming two, as dual entities. When we lose duality, we become one with God. Then, we realise that there is only one and that one divided into many is truly one God, and that each of those entities is as important as the next. If each person attains this realisation, the world would become a much more peaceful and loving place.

When we realise that all human beings are part of our family, we love and serve each other and radiate love to all, then we are making an individual contribution to happiness, joy, and peace in this world. Let us spend daily time in meditation, for it will not only bring about our spiritual development but will spread peace throughout the world.

The author is the head of the Sawan Kirpal Ruhani Mission.

Yoga is a Sanskrit word that means “union or coming together”. Dating back more than 5000 years, it is a powerful practice that can create synergy between mind-body complexes. This synergy is important to maintain a healthy, happy life. Yoga postures or asanas are the most well-known aspect of yoga, but it also consists of breathing exercises, meditation and knowledge of ethical living practices, all these can help with mental and physical well-being.

In today’s world, if there is an omnipresent phenomenon that affects people from all nationalities, ages, gender, and races, it is stress. Stress has slowly become a part of the current human experience. Stress can be triggered by an unpleasant conversation with a coworker, an impending deadline, traffic, family pressures, worry about the future, or just by listening/reading the news. Chronic low-level stress is a way of life for most adults. Chronic stress keeps the sympathetic nervous system active and depresses the para-sympathetic nervous system. This imbalance creates a multitude of health problems like insomnia, high BP, cardiovascular issues, obesity, mood disorders, digestive disorders, and even cancer. According to a WHO report, these non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are responsible for 41 million deaths, which is 71% of all deaths globally. NCDs are difficult to manage/cure with just western medicine. More and more people are now turning towards the holistic techniques of well-being, and in those yoga is amongst the most popular. In 2015 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) found that 9.5% of the US adults, or 21 million used yoga as a complementary health approach. This number has grown since then as thousands of people are discovering the benefits of yoga each day.

Here are six ways in which yoga can change your life :

1. Yoga reduces stress: Yoga has been shown to increase Heart Rate Variability. Increased HRV is a sign of increased relaxation and reduced stress. Yoga has also been shown to reduce cortisol, the hormone indicator for stress. The components of stretching, deep breathing, and meditation relax the body and calm the mind. They bring one to the present moment and moderate the incessant flow of the thoughts that create stress. Pranayama and breathing techniques like Sudarshan Kriya have been shown to reduce stress significantly.

2. Yoga helps you sleep: With the constant pressure to manage responsibilities and to be “on” at all times, most of us have trouble sleeping. Many illnesses and health problems are associated with insomnia including cancer, chronic pain conditions such as arthritis and fibromyalgia, and depression. Several studies have been conducted on the impact of yoga on sleep, including at Harvard Medical School. Yoga has been shown to improve sleep, impacting the onset, duration, and quality of sleep. Simple techniques like savasana and yoga nidra are highly beneficial for sleep.

3. Yoga makes you look younger: A recent study published in JAMA Dermatology showed that practising face yoga postures for 20 weeks made women look three years younger. The good news is that yoga also makes you younger at a deeper level than your skin. Yoga has been shown to reduce inflammation and improve circulation. These reduce the ageing process in the body.

4. Yoga makes you happy: Yoga makes you happy, not just because you feel you did something good for yourself and feel calm and peaceful, but it also impacts the neurochemical pathways of happiness. Researchers at the Boston University Medical School found higher levels of the amino acid GABA in people after practising just one hour of yoga, and with regular practice as well. People who suffer from depression and anxiety have very low levels of these amino acids in their bodies. Yoga is also shown to release oxytocin — which is an essential hormone for social bonding and happiness. When oxytocin levels are high, one feels a greater sense of connection with others and us. A study in India showed yoga also increases levels of serotonin, the hormone responsible for feeling happy and regulating our mood. Yoga impacts our brain in wonderfully positive ways and makes us healthy and happy.

5. Yoga keeps you mentally and physically healthy: The amazing thing about yoga is that it is highly customisable. There are postures and breathing techniques specific to help with different conditions like diseases, pregnancy, and even increasing creativity and focus. A good yoga teacher can help you tailor your practice to focus on areas that are important to you. Current research has also found yoga to be an effective tool to reduce depression and anxiety. Yoga has also been shown to increase endurance for pain. Numerous studies have shown the benefits of yoga in managing NCDs like diabetes, obesity, BP, and even cancer. In an increasingly stressful world, yoga is an easy, effective and economically viable way to keep oneself healthy.

6. Yoga makes you smart and creative: Yoga has been shown to activate the vagus nerve. The vagus nerve is the longest cranial nerve in our body and is the command central for Para-sympathetic Nervous System. Stress and anxiety suppress vagus nerve activity. When the vagus nerve is not active we tend to react rather than respond and act from a fearful, fight, or flight state. We tend to make more mistakes and take rash decisions. Yoga activates the vagus nerve, thereby allowing us to access the parts of the brain responsible for creativity, higher cognition, and logical thinking. Yoga relaxes the body and the brain, allows us to take actions from a calm space, and brings forth the hidden talents in us.

A beautiful and effective combination of yoga postures, breathing exercises, and meditation can be found in the Art of Living Happiness Program. Taking a few minutes to practice these effective yet easy yoga techniques can truly transform your life.

The author is the Executive Director of Sri Sri Institute for Advanced Research (SSIAR) which is the research wing of the Art of Living.

Yoga postures or asanas are the most well-known aspect of yoga, but it also consists of breathing exercises, meditation and knowledge of ethical living practices—all these can help with mental and physical well-being.