– A Global Spiritual Guide
“Real transformation begins when we stop trying to change the world and start refining our own heart. As the inner world becomes peaceful, the outer world begins to reflect that peace effortlessly.”
Daaji guides millions on a journey of inner transformation through meditation, wisdom and the way of heart.
Spiritual guide and author of transformative works on meditation and consciousness
Global teacher inspiring millions through Heartfulness meditation practices
Advocate for inner transformation and the development of human potential
Expanded Heartfulness into a global movement inspiring millions across continents
Most spiritual traditions speak of an entity within us called the soul, life force, or Atman. However, scientists and philosophers have often questioned its existence. Yet, the insights of mystics and sages, initially doubted, are often recognized later as closer to the truth.Manifestation of the SoulAssuming that the soul exists, how does it manifest in human form? According to author and Heartfulness College professor, the attitude of parents at the moment of conception creates a certain vibratory level around them. This field attracts a soul matching that frequency. The soul is not brought by anyone; it is attracted to the matching vibratory level and fits in like a lock and key.The Soul's Role in Embryonic DevelopmentHuman life starts with the merging of a sperm and an egg, a biological process culminating in the birth of a baby. Where is the soul during this process? The soul hovers around the mother, and as the genetic process begins in the womb, it accelerates the division of cells. The first critical organ formed is the heart, which nourishes other developing organs.According to yogic science, along with the physical body, a spiritual body develops, creating a network of pathways for the life force to flow through, known as chakras. While most traditions recognize seven major chakras, the Heartfulness tradition speaks of many more points and sub-points.Entry of the SoulWhen the embryo is ready and the brain, including the Brahmarandhra chakra in the occipital area, is fully formed (within three months of development), the soul enters through this point. The soul does not enter earlier because the body must be fully formed, like plugging an incomplete electronic device into an electric current would cause malfunction.The Soul's Residence and Energy FlowOnce the soul enters the body, it resides in the heart, the seat of the soul. From the heart, it reaches out to all the chakras. The spiritual journey is characterized by an expansion of consciousness through the points or chakras. The heart is the central point from which energy flows to various chakras, similar to branches extending from a tree trunk.Energy flows from the heart to the Atma chakra and other chakras like the Agni chakra. In the Heartfulness tradition, cleaning these chakras and the paths between them ensures the energy flows without hindrance. This process is enhanced through Heartfulness meditation and heart chakra meditation, which are integral to maintaining a clear and efficient energy flow.Encouraging Personal ExplorationDaaji encourages personal exploration through Heartfulness meditation, which is offered for free worldwide. He emphasizes that life itself is an experience, proving there is something greater than this manifestation. Your life force is within you—try to experience it in more depth. Heart meditation practices can help deepen this understanding and connection, leading to a more profound spiritual journey.
You should not believe in spirituality or any religion blindly. You must experience it yourself. Like a scientist, you must dissect things mercilessly, questioning and doubting the existence of God. There is nothing wrong with this approach. Bridging science and spirituality is essential; we cannot isolate one for the sake of the other.Balancing Mundane and Spiritual LifeIn day-to-day life, focusing solely on material aspects like money and comfort is common. However, preparing our minds and venturing into the spiritual world and emotional well-being is crucial. This preparation helps us change our consciousness. Even if you don't believe in the spiritual world, you can still believe in consciousness and work on refining it.The Role of MeditationMeditation plays a significant role in shifting consciousness. Differences in consciousness can be observed in people who meditate and those who don't, especially when hooked up to an FMRI machine. As you dive deeper into meditation, the brain waves change, indicating a deeper state of consciousness. This experience is accessible to anyone interested in studying how meditation affects consciousness.The Journey of ConsciousnessReaching higher levels of consciousness is like being on a moving train. If the view remains the same, the train isn't moving. Similarly, if each meditation experience is the same, it indicates stagnation. Each meditation should take you to a more refined state of consciousness. At a certain level, even machines like FMRI cannot measure these changes; you must feel and experience them yourself.Experiencing Different Levels of Spiritual StatesWith each meditation, you might describe the experience using similar words like peace, love, or compassion. However, the quality of these experiences will differ, belonging to different spectrums or frequencies. This variation highlights the depth and richness of spiritual experiences.Gratitude for the Life ForceDoubting and questioning the existence of God is natural. Reflect on what keeps you going since birth. This life force within us, which some call divine presence, Godly presence, or soul (Atman in Hinduism), is not outside but within us. Have you ever closed your eyes and expressed gratitude to this life force? Recognizing and being grateful for this entity is crucial. Instead of searching for God outside, look within and acknowledge the life force that sustains us until our last breath.
Dear friends, On this joyous day of Janmashtami, I would like to share with you some thoughts about consciousness and energy. According to Babuji, if energy is not utilized it will destroy itself in due course, while science says that energy can never be destroyed but can be transformed. Whether we understand it as destroyed or transformed, when we don’t use energy either by acquiring vidya or acquiring avidya, much worse can happen – stagnation of energy. That’s why it is not good to be a lazy person. People think that a lazy person is not doing anything bad, but stagnation is the worst thing you can do to yourself. Laziness also creates some level of samskaras, because grossness continues to accumulate. Those of you who have read James Allen’s book, As a Man Thinketh, will remember the following sequence: thoughts lead to actions, which lead to results, which lead to character, which lead to destiny. Yet, there is something before thoughts – samskaras. Samskaras color our thinking, adding filters to our awareness and perception. But before a samskara manifests as a thought, there is the possibility of us making an intention that changes the fixed pathway. In fact, this can happen at any stage, thus ultimately changing our destiny. Our Sahaj Marg practices are all based on the use of intention, which we know as sankalpa, and the intervention can happen at any stage. The entire universe is pulsating with energy. What we see as manifested matter is also condensed energy. The energy moving within an electron spins in a certain direction at a certain speed – the angle of that spin creates the negative charge. When the spin is in the opposite direction at a higher speed, a proton is created with a positive charge. The complex energy movement of the negative and positive spin within the nucleus creates a neutron, when the charges cancel each other out and weight is created. There are many other sub-subatomic particles, like quarks and hypothetical tachyons, and with this there are a great number of variations of energy movement. These are all energies combining in different proportions and creating this manifested universe. In a similar way, energy flowing through the mind, through the consciousness of an individual, creates a certain field, depending upon the filters in that consciousness. Energy passing through one field of consciousness manifests as hatred, whereas energy passing through another field of consciousness manifests as love. In between, there are so many possible qualities we can find, just as there are so many types of subatomic particles. For example, a certain consciousness will be kind, compassionate, and empathetic, another will be greedy and selfish, and yet another indifferent. These differences can be seen among individuals, and they can also be seen in the same individual at different times. For example, say you have lots of love for a person, but then a circumstance happens to change the way you feel. Your changed perception of the other person changes the flow of energy. As a result, your own chakras are affected, and your changed perception is then reinforced by thinking about the circumstances again and again. This shifting canvas of consciousness is the energy field we are talking about. Energy flowing through the mind, through the consciousness of an individual, also creates a certain field,depending upon the filters in that consciousness. Complexities are then further added when we interact, because we deceive each other so much. You may hate someone, and want to cheat them – that is your inner intention – but you keep on smiling. There is no coherence between your energy field and your outer field. Your looks are deceptive, so your energy field is distorted. The mismatch between your mind and brain creates complexities. Then, within your heart, feelings create complexities. And complexities can also exist between the conscious and subconscious mind, as often we are unaware of the subconscious. So, look after your intentions. An intention can change your thinking. And if you miss that opportunity and your samskaric pattern translates into thought, you still have the capacity to change your pattern of thinking before you take up any action. Sages and saints use prevention – they correct their intentions. Wise people correct their thinking. Practical people correct their actions. Cleaning can provide an intervention at all the stages. What is the role of the Master in this sequence? The Master impacts our consciousness if we allow it. If we resonate with him, then we are borrowing his consciousness so that we’re able to see through his vision rather than our limited vision. It is like a small boy perceiving the world through the eyes of his father – the child sees the world the way the father does when sitting on his shoulders. He may not become like his father in that moment, but he can still ask his father to carry him, to see the world like him. Similarly, the Master carries us. In this way, constant remembrance has various facets. It starts with meditation and retaining the condition. Then it expands to include thinking, “I’m doing everything for my Master.” Then the stage comes where we are absorbed within him while doing things. We are using different filters at those times. For the Master to have an effect, we have to reach that state where we can no longer tolerate our old way of being. The Master works uniformly on all of us, but the results vary. How is it that he is not able to create such a state in everybody? Because success is in the hands of the abhyasi, not in the hands of the Master. That’s why we practice, and that’s why we need a living guru. How can we surrender to a dead person, who cannot fight with us, irritate us, and challenge us to transform? With love and respect, Kamlesh This article can be found here: English Marathi Telugu Simplified-Chinese Traditional-Chinese
Why Teacher’s Day? If there were no teachers in the world, all other professions would be extinct. It is similar to saying if there were no mothers, there would be no babies either. UNESCO declared 5th October to be World Teachers’ Day in 1994. Different countries celebrate it on different days. For example, In India, Teacher’s Day is celebrated on 5th September and Argentina celebrates it on 11th Sept. While the world anticipated and prepared for crises in environmental, economic, and political areas, something unexpected struck us – the COVID pandemic. All teachers and parents have undergone a lot of challenges and struggles in the past two years, as we are still not able to clearly see the schools reopen for our children, and the future remains uncertain in some ways. The problems may be local or national, but solutions always have to be individual to be permanent and global. And that is the work of the human heart. Teaching and learning is hard work, unless and until we realize it is the heart’s work. Most of us instinctively feel that the first teacher is the mother, and the first lesson is love. The first lesson of love is taught practically, by the mother giving her life and love to her baby. If we consciously feel this and are willing and open to enlarge it to the world, the problem is solved, not instantly but gradually. That needs patience and faith, so the role of teachers is crucial. The first lesson is love Teachers are the second parents, to further the work of mamas and papas. They nourish not the body but the mind, heart, and intellect. They teach life skills, professional skills, and most importantly, attitudes. They also do a ‘cleaning job’ of helping students to unlearn inappropriate concepts, attitudes, and behaviors. They teach the students to connect to the source of wisdom and creativity in their hearts and tap that essence. We all remember words of wisdom and quotes from great teachers like Buddha, Lord Krishna, Jesus Christ, Swami Vivekananda, and also from the modern wise teachers like Dr. Abdul Kalam, Savitribai Phule (first woman teacher in modern India), not to forget, more recent and popular teachers like Richard Feynman, Carl Sagan, Neil deGrasse Tyson, and so many more. Unconventional and out-of-the-box approaches are often successful for teachers. Even historically, Lord Krishna, Jesus Christ, Lord Rama, Shri Ram Chandra of Fatehgarh (Lalaji), the adiguru of Heartfulness tradition, have all employed different tactics and techniques to train and nurture their students. We know how Lord Krishna had to teach on the go, on the battlefield, and that too in just a few minutes, and motivate the greatest warrior of his times, Arjuna – to fight evil, and do his duty to restore ethics and harmony in society. Lord Krishna had to remove the confusion of duty with attachment or repulsion to relatives in the family. He had to remove the depression and emotional upsurge by his own will and wisdom, reveal subsequently the wisdom and skills hidden within Arjuna already, and enable him to win the war. Far away, much later, in Jerusalem, Lord Jesus taught great things to create a new dimension in feeling and thinking. But he too needed help from John the Baptist. Much earlier, there was the tradition of Lord Rama, hailed for ages in South East Asia as the ideal King. He too learned much wisdom and clarity from his teachers, sages Vasishta and Atri, and weaponry skills from rishi Vishwamitra to win the epic war with the large army of Ravana. In our everyday lives, the role of teaching is becoming more and more a work of the heart. It is not merely a cognitive process or communication of information and facts. While a teacher teaches all students alike, some pick up easily, quickly, some are distracted and unfocused. So, while teaching all of the students equally, the teacher also needs emotional support and stability to be successful in educating the children. If she cannot manage and regulate her emotions, if she loses her cool, gets angry, or upset, how will she help the students? Nowadays, the teaching medium is also not easy. Most of the complaints received are that the students do not switch on their cameras while attending online classes. So, the teacher cannot assess based on the students’ expression, nor does she know if the student is even present and attentive at the other end of the gadget or device. Now, what to say about examinations? And yet, today’s teachers have been creative in overcoming hurdles, like every dedicated peer prior to them in the previous generation, continuously excelled themselves, and continue doing their duty with a lot of love, and compassion, a lot of dedication, and sincerity, and I commend all of them, salute all of them, for the love in their hearts. Much earlier, there was the tradition of Lord Rama, hailed for ages in South East Asia as the ideal King. He too learned much wisdom and clarity from his teachers, sages Vasishta and Atri, and weaponry skills from rishi Vishwamitra to win the epic war with the large army of Ravana. The role of teaching is becoming more and more a work of the heart Being a successful teacher means that you can not only complete and be successful in your task, but also that your heart is also generous, as you are still sticking on to this profession for the love of children, and duty towards them. There is great hope for humanity, and these few great souls make a great contribution towards the future of humanity. If the human species is at the forefront of evolution and education today on this planet, it owes much to this mechanism of Guru-Shishya parampara (Teacher-Student tradition) – of transmission of knowledge and skills, love and compassion, the life energy of prana, and joy. There is also the gift of connection to the Source within because for everyone, the ultimate teacher is within. So, let us celebrate the best of the best people today – THE TEACHERS As the ancient Rig Veda hymn says, आनो भद्राः क्रतवो यन्तु विश्वत: | – ऋग्वेद – 1.89.1 āno bhadrāḥ kratavo yantu viśvato Let noble thoughts come to us from all directions. – Rig Veda 1.89.1
Hindi lyrics and English translation of this song: आत्मा ने हालतें परमात्मा जानी न थीं नाथ जब तक आपकी हमपर महरबानी न थी।। Soul has not known the longing of God Lord till your compassion touched my heart नाखुदा बन कर बचा ली आपने मेरी ये नांव जिसकी इस बहरे जहां में कुछ निगहबानी न थी।। Like an adept sailor you saved my sinking boat In the muck of the world with no refuge मैं तलाशे राहे हक में मुद्दतों हैरां फिरा आप जब रहबर बने तो कुछ परेशानी न थी।। I searched a right path for long bewildered With you as the guide, peaceful I am है समर्पित श्री चरणों में ये ह्रदय श्रद्धा प्रसून इससे बेहतर पास कोई चीज़ लासानी न थी।। my heart bloomed in faith I place at your feet A more fitting gift supreme I have none. This composition was prepared by Late Shri Rameshwar Prasad Mishra. This gentleman was Pujya Babuji Maharaj’s gurubhai (spiritual brother; both had the same guru). Some of you, who have read the book, ‘Reality at Dawn’, would know that it is dedicated to this same gentleman. A guru dedicating a book to his gurubhai, who had a very special relationship with Babuji. He was not only a gurubhai but was his disciple as well. After Pujya Lalaji’s passing, he was one of those first ones who accepted Babuji Maharaj as his Guru and the successor to Lalaji Maharaj. The bond of love between Babuji and him gets reflected in many of his works, many speeches, many of his writings, and compositions like this. Which guru would write a dedication to his gurubhai? It is unheard of in the history of spirituality, where a guru would dedicate a book to his shishya (disciple) or gurubhai. Let us all delve a little bit more into this bond between a guru and a disciple, where a guru is compelled to dedicate something to his gurubhai, and a disciple. It speaks volumes here, you see. All the time we have been seeing Babuji’s love for Lalaji Maharaj. It was unparalleled. He did not look at anyone else. Yet we see, on many occasions where he praises his gurubhai, Rameshwar Prasad Mishra. What is it that attracted Babuji towards him? Unflinching devotion, courage - unparalleled courage, unquestioned! So, this composition tells us a lot. Listen to it time and again. Samarpit Hriday (surrendered heart). Focus on that - Surrendered heart with Shraddha (total faith). Thank you.
When faced with certain situations in our lives, we usually need a lot of confidence to get through them, like an examination, or an interview, sometimes even for important meetings at work, etc. Life will always bring us unexpected changes and challenges that repeatedly test our resilience and adaptability. We need to develop the confidence that, ‘Yes, come what may, I am ready to face it’. Yes, come what may, I am ready to face it’ Sometimes we lack this much-needed confidence in ourselves. Why? The first thing that comes to my mind is - preparation. When we have put in our hundred percent and done the necessary preparation from our end, we feel confident. Did Arjuna feel a lack of confidence while facing his opponents and shooting his arrows? His arrows never missed their target. That was the kind of training and preparation he had put into perfecting the art of archery. The greater our preparation, the less anxious we feel, and confidence builds. Another thing which comes in the way of confidence is our focus on the result. We fear how the result is going to turn out and doubt our ability to meet the desired result. Our mind is now focused on: "What will happen? Will I be appreciated? What if the intended result is not achieved? How will I face failure and the undue baggage that comes along with it? Do I have the necessary capabilities?” When we find ourselves swimming in this mire of unregulated thoughts and feelings, our confidence takes a toll, and the result will appear to recede further and further away from us. So how to drop this idea of result? We have to focus on the present and do the best we can in this moment. Another reason for us to lose confidence is - others. When we start focusing on others, we compare. This has a direct impact on our confidence levels. Whenever someone outperforms us, our confidence dwindles, and when we are able to perform better our confidence increases. In the second scenario, even though our confidence does increase, it is only transitory. Because the moment someone else does better than us, our confidence again goes down. Everyone has a different journey, life situations, emotional baggage, conditioning, etc. Is it then fair to compare ourselves with others? If we look around, we are always going to find someone better than us. How then are we going to feel confident about ourselves? The best approach is to compare ourselves with our own previous version. When this is our reference for comparison, we are always going to feel motivated to do better and better. Even a little bit of progress will help us move forward with confidence, commitment, and enthusiasm. We go on becoming a better version of ourselves. The best approach is to compare ourselves with our own previous version. When this is our reference for comparison, we are always going to feel motivated to do better and better. Even a little bit of progress will help us move forward with confidence, commitment, and enthusiasm. We go on becoming a better version of ourselves. While we go on preparing ourselves, putting in the required effort, and steering clear from the anticipation of the result and comparison with others, how do we develop the confidence required to face the different curveballs that life throws at us? We must first connect with the self. When we are connected within, in harmony with ourselves, we find the confidence to make life decisions with clarity and conviction. Meditation is a beautiful tool to dive within and harness our inner potential, strength, and confidence. To a meditative mind, everything appears crystal clear, without any haze. One is able to develop the ability to discern and choose with wisdom. So, when we are aligned with our inner self, we get guidance from within and find the confidence to make important choices and decisions in life. When we are connected within, in harmony with ourselves, we find the confidence to make life decisions with clarity and conviction. Meditation is a beautiful tool to dive within and harness our inner potential, strength, and confidence. While this harmony within, helps us stride forward with confidence in ourselves, it is still, to some degree, imperfect. Why have we not attained complete confidence? Despite all our efforts, there is a human tendency to worry about the future. So how to handle this worry about the future? While it is normal and natural, we also need to be optimistic about the future. Whatever we can do, we do with dedication, sincerity, and commitment. If we drop all that is not in our control or scope of action, our baggage of worries will significantly reduce. When we are thus continually working and honing ourselves, our attention will move away from unwarranted thoughts and worries. As the famous saying goes, “Energy flows where attention goes”. When we do the best we can, with all our dedicated efforts, a sense of contentment dawns. We cannot ask for more. Of course, we can continue to better ourselves and that would be a never-ending journey that we patiently navigate. But in the present, in the now, we find absolute contentment. This acceptance of ourselves, our life situations, and our sustained efforts to better ourselves, leads to the seed of contentment. This seed grows into a tree and slowly and eventually there is infinite contentment that is present, along with our efforts to continue to better ourselves. When we do the best we can, with all our dedicated efforts, a sense of contentment dawns. We cannot ask for more. Of course, we can continue to better ourselves and that would be a never-ending journey that we patiently navigate. But in the present, in the now, we find absolute contentment. This acceptance of ourselves, our life situations, and our sustained efforts to better ourselves, leads to the seed of contentment. When this tree of contentment blooms one day into a forest of contentment, and our hearts carry this peace, tranquility, and joy with who we are and who we become, with no demands from anybody, including ourselves, we truly feel confident. There is absolute confidence in us, even without the awareness of it. We emulate confidence, that is birthed by our acceptance, contentment, and sustained as well as continuous efforts to become better and better. The secret I want to share today is how to accelerate this process of developing the seed of contentment in us. We should make our hearts purer and purer, getting rid of complexities and impurities. The Heartfulness system offers a method for this - the evening Rejuvenation process, or the Heartfulness Cleaning method. As you make your hearts and minds lighter and pure, everything becomes simple and joyful. Confidence is, but a by-product of a highly refined existence. Originally published on Speaking Tree: https://www.speakingtree.in/article/i-am-ready
Exclusive Inerview of Daaji by Health Care India magazine. Spiritual guide, guru and successor to a century-old lineage of spiritual masters, Kamlesh Patel, popularly called Daaji, is the guide of Heartfulness Meditation, propagating the Sahaj Marg system of Raja Yoga. With centres in over 120 countries, his major aim is to preach simple meditation techniques and effective tools for designing our destiny and expanding our consciousness. He believes that with meditation, we can discover our full potential. Sinduri Vuppala visits the sprawling 1400 acre spiritual retreat Kanha Shanti Vanam in Hyderabad and sits down for an exclusive tête-à-tête with the Master himself… Even before the opportunity to visit the Kanha Shanti Vanam and meet Daaji came along, I was always aware of Heartfulness and its existence. My mother-in-law and her family have been practitioners of these principles for over three decades and we always had people who shared the same interest come home. Their books and magazines come home every month but I always remained a spectator from the outside. I never bothered to analyse their concepts or indulge beyond basic knowledge. However, three weeks ago everything changed. The team confirmed a feature story with Daaji and the journalist in me took over. I instantly scouted the bookstores and picked up both his recent publications, The Heartfulness Way and Designing Destiny and read them overnight. While some topics are common knowledge, how Daaji explains them with his personal experience and knowledge is very captivating. He approaches every subject with scientific methodology – a practical approach that stems from his own experience and mastery in the field. He highlights how Heartfulness Meditation is different from regular meditations and introduces mystical concepts like yogic transmission. Known to be the hallmark of their technique, it is a unique method used by the guru to trigger a state of spiritual awakening. “In yogic transmission, we transmit the very essence of spirituality,” he shares. From concepts like Neuroscience to destiny and karma, the book is full of logical science that actually invokes a certain curiosity within us. I visited Daaji with that inquisitiveness but after meeting him, I think I’m convinced to try out meditation with transmission myself. Read on for his informative insights… The concept of Yogic transmission is what makes Heartfulness different from any other form of meditation. Can you explain the concept? Over the past few decades, meditation has acquired universal recognition for its numerous positive effects. Many methods of meditation are available but what makes Heartfulness unique is the addition of pranahuti, or yogic transmission. We can transmit sound, speech and many other things. In yogic transmission, we transmit the very essence of spirituality. Consciousness is measured in EEG. When a child is hooked on this prolapse, then the wave pattern will be very fast (Gamma waves 31-120 Hertz); for an adult it will be more normal in the waking state. When you’re about to go to sleep it will further reduce (Theta Waves 4-7 Hertz). The state of deep sleep is characterised by Delta waves 0.5-0.3 Hertz. In a scientific research experiment, they found that experienced meditators with more than 30,000 hours of meditation, experience delta waves, which yogis and monks crave for. But, with yogic transmission, even the first time meditators go into the Delta state within five minutes. You can use scientific experimentation to test the effects yourself. First, meditate without transmission, and then with yogic transmission. The test will allow you to compare the difference on your own. Is it humanly possible to experience that kind of a phenomenon? Yes, but you don’t have to believe in my ‘yes’; you can come and experience it yourself. About 99.9 percent of the people here, without an exception, can experience it. The best part is that you can experience it in the present, now or after 10 years of sadhana. You will feel something very profound in the first session of meditation itself. Is this applicable even for new age millennials who are hooked onto their gadgets with diminishing attention spans? When we transmit, I have seen even monkeys sit down and meditate. If they can do it, we can do it too. Back at the Ahmedabad ashram, we were always surrounded by monkeys. However, once we sat down as a group and started to meditate, the monkeys would also sit around the fence with their eyes closed. If a monkey’s mind can be meditative, why not that of humans? Unless an individual is bipolar, depressed or suffering extreme anxiety, everybody can meditate. In fact with mediation, we can control and straighten up the minds of those who are depressed or suffering from borderline anxiety within just three weeks. They almost become normal unless someone triggers the episode that earlier caused depression or anxiety. In your book, you mention how one can even change their destiny with meditation… We have many elements in Heartfulness. One is meditation with transmission and another is called cleaning – removing the cause of the effects we are going through in life. Everything has a cause – why are you here, it is a cause. Things that you will be doing next will have a cause; our happiness or sadness is also a cause of our actions in the past. Since our past is going to create so many things in our life, we think of how we can selectively erase those things. This is the process of cleaning. Whatever I create now, I want to be free and clear of my today’s karma so that I can create a fresh destiny again. That’s why in my book Designing Destiny I mention that we are no longer a slave of our past or karma. We can create a destiny out of free will for ourselves. While talking of karma and destiny, you also talk about genetic and epigenetic components…can you explain further…. When we transfer our genetic code to our offspring, there are many things that are fixed (physical appearances like hair, colour, height) but there is one epigenome portion in this transfer also that is flexible. This flexibility component is affected by our environment – the way we have been brought up, the environment we live in, our homes etc. External things can change. Suppose you’re living in a good neighbourhood, your mental development will be of a certain order, if you are living in a violent neighbourhood, development is of a different kind. Even if you are born to a great saint, your genetic pattern will not allow you to grow if the environment is not conducive. In epigenetics, we are not fixed by genetics. My father may be a farmer but my circumstance can make be better in the field of education. A lot of theory and research has gone into this by Dr Bruce Lipton, a pioneer in the field of epigenetics. When a pregnant woman is in a violent environment,her stress system and adrenalin are rushing, when she is stressed, the hormones, which get circulated in her blood stream, will pass through the placenta and go to the foetus. The baby also responds – blood rush is more in the limbs, but when there is more blood rush to the limbs it is at a cost. It is diverted from the vital organs. Children born to such mothers with stress will have compromised brain and digestive functions. The back portion of the brain will be more prominent than the frontal cortex. Cognitive abilities will be lesser. In children of happy mothers, cognitive skills will be better. In both the cases, parents may be intelligent but the environment and genetic expression will change the brain pattern. You also talk about simple daily practices that require a transformation like discipline, time, attitude, ego etc. Does refining our lifestyle enhance the entire experience of spirituality? Attitude plays a big role. I believe 95% of success is the attitude and the rest is only practice. Let me give you an example. In Afghanistan if they like a girl, they will come on horses and abduct her. They threaten her to marry them or behead her. In another scenario, you have a lover go down on his knees with roses to propose. The attitude makes a big difference. Even when we approach God, attitude matters. Are we going to ask him like a beggar or are we going to be receptive to him? What is a lover’s desire? Is it to be with the beloved or seek what the beloved can give. Love speaks louder than other things you can share with each other. A relationship with God is also similar to your relationship with your beloved. That’s why the principle of bhakti is so important in Hindu culture. Even a simple aspect like time is important. Let me tell you an old experiment conducted by Dr Ivan Pavlov in which he rang a bell and served food to the dogs at the same time everyday. When one day he rang the bell and gave no food, the dogs went crazy barking and salivating. When the temple bells ring, how many of us salivate for God, dogs are better that way, they are better conditioned in a nicer way. Maintaining a specific timing can automatically arouse a certain feeling in our heart that I have to meditate. We have to establish a biological clock.When gym regulars don’t go to the gym for a day, they feel uneasy; we should all develop such a state within us that we truly miss when we don’t meditate. You have had such a vast experiential journey. Tell us one moment that is very close to your heart… My first sitting; it was a fantastic experience back in 1976 when I was 19 years old. One of my college friends saw me meditate and took me to a lady; he believed she could take me into a trance right away. I went just for the fun of it. We took a rickshaw from our hostel and went to her. She herself was surprised to see how young we were. She asked me why I wanted to meditate and I told her I wanted to become like Swami Vivekananda and wanted to become a sanyasi. Then she said that was the wrong way. God would never like such things. And that God was not lost that I go looking for him. She wanted me to remove the idea of becoming a sanyasi. She elaborated how God was no fool to create two sexes if one was enough and that marriage had a purpose. She told me that asceticism in the modern era would not work. In the very first sitting of meditation, I was zapped. It was one of the most wonderful experiences. I had no awareness and that’s where I saw Swami Vivekananda’s guru Ramakrishna Paramahansa with a golden glow. I could only see the head. That gave me a feeling that I am at the right place. I stopped searching after that. What, according to you are three most important rules that people must follow for a good life? Of course, meditation being the done thing… Lead a happy peaceful life and always follow your heart. Remain simple and pure; try to simplify things in life. You have authored two books; do you read a lot, which books do you draw inspiration from? My favourite is Swami Vivekanada and books by my Masters of course. They are quite a number. You must also read Sister Nivedita’s complete works, they are phenomenal. Her complete works and books by Rama Chandra are must read books for all spiritual seekers. You explain how the process of meditation is infinite. What do we want at the end of it all? What is the ultimate goal? The minimum should be peace of mind, without peace in the heart; you can only imagine the opposite – restlessness and frustration. Can you be happy under such circumstances? So now let’s look at it this way. One can be happier when exposed to peace. The question for us now is how to arrive at peace – the answer comes when you’re in harmony from within and outside. However, inner harmony is more important because external harmony is not in our hands. How can you arrive at inner harmony? Only when you have a contemplating mind… How can you contemplate? Only when you have focus! How can one have a focused mind? Only through meditation. Now you join the dots! Our original nature is not just happiness. Our original nature is bliss. That’s why they say the final state according to many yogic systems is– Sacchidānanda; to arrive at that state of truthfulness and bliss. But according to mythology, you can go beyond it and this is a state of consciousness that means something is also supporting that level of consciousness. Try to find out what is the source of Sacchidānanda and then you meditate. Over the years, spirituality has become highly commercial. People are sceptical about following a guru or a foundation… Luckily, you are at a place where everything is free. In our tradition, Brahma Vidya has no charges. No guru will ever charge you if he is true to himself. My guru was once asked – how much do you charge for this vidya, he retorted with a very profound question – do you think God is for sale? If God were for sale how much would you pay? In addition, if you could pay, why do you need God? Nevertheless, people out of their greed for a miracle invest a lot in such gurus. The miracle hunters, they never stop at anything. It becomes a vicious cycle and instead of getting brahma vidya you end up getting rakshasa vidya. What is your goal in life – for yourself and for the foundation? Personally I want to offer a guru dakshina to my guru. Through Heartfulness, I want every citizen in India and abroad to benefit from mediation and be happy. You talk about collective destiny in your book, can you elaborate further…. When one person meditates in a family and then others join, imagine the quality of life. It creates a very special divine charge in the house. When one person meditates and many come together, it continues to have an effect where one is reinforcing another. When a big mass of people come together to reach an egregore (vibrations created by a group) and that egregore is reached, it will trigger a sort of mutation. Heartfulness has gone technology savvy with an 'I want to meditate app'. I am the one who suggested it to my team. The idea came from Uber. Nowadays, Uber is a big blessing, if you are stuck somewhere you simply call Uber and a car comes to you. Over the years of my practice, when we want to meditate or seek help from a trainer, we often have to go to a specific place. Alternatively, if you have the urge to meditate at 2 am in the night or are in Africa in the morning who will you call? This app is a boon. Now you can meditate in the privacy and comfort of your home. All you have to do is press a button and seek help. Yogic transmission effective even on technology? Yes, but in order to generate more cooperation, person to person transmission is always better. However, once you take a few sittings, it will become the norm for you.
Article published on Deccan Herald on March 26, 2019 Emotional intelligence can hold your relationship in good stead while helping you tide over bad times Let harmony be a priority. Put harmony before being right. If you ask someone in their 20s what matters most to them in life, they will usually say, “My relationship and career.” Relationships and careers are the stabilisers in today’s world, bringing security, contentment and purpose in life. Yet, we don’t seem to be very good at the relationship part, because many people are isolated, lonely, dissatisfied with their partner, divorced, or simply struggling to nurture and sustain healthy long-term relationships. Read Full article Source: Deccan Herald
- Felicitation is in recognition of the exemplary work done by Heartfulness Foundation for the betterment of human life Hyderabad/Tirupati, October 21st , 2018: The prestigious Sri Venkateshwara University of Tirupati bestowed an honorary Doctorate on Sri Kamlesh D Patel, affectionately known as Daaji, the 4th global guide of Heartfulness. The felicitation will take place as a part of the 56th & 57th Convocation Day ceremony of the Sri Venkateshwara University on October 21st in the University campus. Daaji, who teaches Heartfulness Meditation from his personal experience as a devoted student of spirituality and his deep spirit of enquiry and respect for the world’s great spiritual traditions and scientific advancements, was bestowed with the honorary Doctorate certificate by Sri E S L Narasimhan, Governor of Telangana & Andhra Pradesh. Commenting on the felicitation, Daaji said, “heartfulness is a way of life. The many benefits of the practise can only be felt with experience. It has been a single-minded mission for all at heartfulness make the meditation practised available to Born in Gujarat in 1956, Daaji displayed an early interest in meditation and spirituality. He started Heartfulness Meditation at the age of nineteen, while studying to be a pharmacist, and soon after met Shri Ram Chandra (Babuji), the second Guide in the Heartfulness lineage and the founder of Shri Ram Chandra Mission. After graduating, Daaji moved to New York City, and steadily built a successful pharmacy business. In addition of being a successful entrepreneur, Daaji continued to pursue his passion for meditation; and in 2011 he was selected to lead the Heartfulness Foundation. Daaji now fulfils the many duties of a modern-day Guide, extending his support to seekers everywhere. He is especially supportive of today’s youth, guiding them with practical self-management tools and universal values. Students and faculty in over 2,500 schools, universities, and colleges are now benefiting from his dynamic self-development programs. It is the works and research of Daaji in the fields of spirituality and consciousness that has benefitted thousands of his followers; and the Sri Venkateshwara University is bestowing an honorary Doctorate for the positive impact he has created in the lives of people. About SRCM: Shri Ram Chandra Mission (SRCM) is a non-profit organisation which provides spiritual training to interested seekers from around the world, through Heartfulness meditation, which has its roots in the Sahaj Marg system. It offers a way for balanced living in a heart-based way. SRCM was founded in 1945 by Shri Ram Chandra of Shahajanpur, in honor of his spiritual teacher and guide, Shri Ram Chandra of Fatehgarh. With a presence in over 100 countries worldwide [SRCM Centers] and on every continent of the globe, it has its world headquarters in Chennai, India. About Heartfulness: Heartfulness is a system of Raja Yoga meditation founded at the turn of the 20th century. A century later, Heartfulness has been embraced globally by groups in civil society, government departments, schools, colleges and the corporate world. Discover more at www.heartfulness.org. In over 130 countries and supported by thousands of certified volunteer trainers, over a million people are practicing Heartfulness. This number continues to grow globally through hundreds of Heartfulness Centers worldwide. Kamesh D Patel, also known as Daaji is the fourth global guide of Heartfulness. For further Details Please contact Rajesh Gurram, Perfect Relations @ 98490-42184 or mailto: rajesh@perfectrelations.com
Interview published on Excellence Reporter on May 31, 2018 Excellence Reporter: Daaji, what is the meaning of life? Kamlesh D. Patel: There can be as many answers to this question as there are people, as we all have different individual goals and aspirations. But if we take a broad overview, we can easily see that life on Earth is an opportunity to evolve. If we then narrow it to human life, how do we evolve? Homo sapiens means ‘wise humane being’, so our human evolution is not about growing longer toes or stronger limbs, but about becoming wise, humane beings. And how does that happen? Through the evolution of our subtle body, the vibrational field that we know as the heart and mind. As the subtle body evolves, we develop an expanded consciousness, wisdom, intuition and higher perception, an insightful problem-solving mind, inspirational creativity, and selfless love and empathy. The evolution of the subtle body gives us the ability to design our own destiny, as we use our cognitive functions to choose our direction in life. But what guides those choices? The mind on its own does not have the ability to choose based on wisdom and conscience – the mind is in a sense amoral, as there is no guiding principle in the mind, only a number of mental functions that need to be guided. The guiding principle that underpins the working of the mind and determines our destiny is the heart, the source or centre of our existence. This heart is the same source or centre that exists for every being, including the universe itself, and at the level of the universe that guiding principle is often called God. When we uncover it and let it flourish within the heart, then life has some higher purpose and meaning. Read Full article Source: https://excellencereporter.com/2018/05/31/kamlesh-d-patel-the-meaning-of-life-the-heartfulness-way/
Interview of Daaji by Dr. Varun Soni. All parts of the Interview included.
Heartfulness Meditation Founder and Global Leader Kamlesh Deshbhai Patel with the Heartfulness movement leaders at the National Heartfulness Meditation Conference at Cobo Center in Detroit Michigan on June 4. Read full article at the following link. http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/arlington-heights/community/chi-ugc-article-national-meditation-conference-offers-heartfu-2016-06-20-story.html
