• April 2019, In the Field / 03 Apr 2019

    The Coop Cross Country FIS World Cup

    Over 300 cross country ski champions from over 20 countries, including the USA, Japan, Russia, Norway, Sweden, France, Switzerland and Italy, came to Cogne to take part in the Coop Cross Country FIS World Cup on the 16 and 17 of February. Heartfulness, a silver sponsor of the event, offered all athletes and staff the opportunity to experience the ‘Reach Your Peak’ challenge. Cross country skiing is known for its camaraderie, and the bonds and support shared by many of the athletes were clear to see. The people of Cogne also provided a wonderful and warm welcome to their beautiful valley. The lovely weather and sunny days reflected the joy of the athletes and the thousands of enthusiastic spectators who cheered their teams to success. Coverage of this high-profile event beamed around the world as the skiers put their hearts and souls into achieving their best. The Heartfulness presence was strong throughout the town, and included offering Relaxation sessions in hotels, a Heartfulness stand for general information, high profile banners throughout the course and a video for spectators on the large screen. All competitors received a copy of the Heartfulness magazine. Many Heartfulness volunteers gathered to provide a plethora of languages, which included English, Italian, French, German and Russian, making communication easy for as many nationalities as possible. This coming together of so many volunteers from different countries really symbolizes the international and inclusive spirit of Heartfulness. Although the link between meditation and sport may not be an obvious one, many top athletes and sportspeople are turning to meditation to help them stay calm and focused. A combination of increasing levels of competition, higher levels of public exposure, and rising distractions are putting extra stress on athletes. The organizers of the Cogne competition were delighted that the Heartfulness Institute was…

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  • April 2019, Focus / 02 Apr 2019

    The solution to the biggest problem in the world today

    NEALE DONALD WALSCH addresses the underlying cause of our global dysfunctions today and challenges us all to solve them, together, through one single decision. Are we ready for this? We – you and I – have a chance to solve the biggest problem in the world today. All we have to do is make a single decision. But so far we haven’t been able to make that decision, because the biggest problem in the world today is that most people don’t know what the biggest problem in the world today is. Now that’s remarkable, because this problem is so huge, it is causing all of the other problems, all of the ‘smaller’ problems, that we hear about every day. That includes global warming, planetary political upheaval, worldwide economic disparity, endless wars, and widespread individual frustration and dissatisfaction with the conditions of life. All of these predicaments are the fallout, the direct result, of one pervasive condition. That condition can be described in one word. Alienation. Human beings are alienated from each other. And we’re experiencing more alienation every day. Overnight we’ve found ourselves in bigger versions of an ‘Us Against Them’ world than most of us have ever encountered before. Nothing that’s gone wrong with the world is our fault. Nothing. We’re not responsible for any of it. Not a single piece of it. It’s all their doing. It’s those unwanted immigrants, those unsatisfied minorities, those unhappy women, those right-wing radicals, those left-wing nut jobs, those unacceptable gays, those uninformed students, those dumb conservatives, those empty-headed liberals, those unmotivated government assistance recipients. It’s those ‘others’ who just keep making things difficult. Not everyone feels this way, of course, but everyone can feel everyone who feels this way. So it’s affecting all of us. Each day it’s producing distressing headlines, angry…

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  • April 2019, Thought in action / 02 Apr 2019

    Why we need mutual trust and respect

    ICHAK K. ADIZES shares his views on the importance of symbiosis and synergy for the success of any system, be it organizational, social or individual. There is need for a culture of mutual trust and respect, a culture of cooperation and collaboration. I am talking about the introduction of synergy, where two plus three is not five but six. In the interaction of diverse entities, two being different from three, something new is created through cross pollination; it is a value that couldn’t have been created unless there was an interaction among diverse opinions or know-hows. For collaborative interaction to exist in diversity there must be mutual respect. This interaction must be based on perceived commonality of interests. If the diverse parties do not share interests, do not share in the value they have created, why would they constructively interact? It must be symbiotic. There is, however, a problem: Since over time, as conditions change, commonality of interests get threatened, so to endure mutual trust is required. But Mutual Trust and Respect (MT&R) seem to be internally incompatible. For mutual respect there must be disagreement, a byproduct of diversity. On the other hand, for mutual trust, we should be in agreement. How to resolve this catch-22? What should we agree on? On our common interest. And what can we disagree on? On what to do and how to create value for the benefit of us all. We should agree on what we are prone to disagree about (what are our common interests), and we can disagree on what we are prone to agree in order to avoid the pain imbedded in arguing (disagree on what and how to do). MT&R is the foundation of a true socio-democratic system. It is democratic, which means we learn from each other’s differences of…

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  • April 2019, Be inspired / 02 Apr 2019

    Yogic psychology

    In this series of articles, DAAJI explains the fundamentals of yogic psychology, with its foundation in the original balanced state and the various mental modifications, some of which help us maintain balance and well-being, and some of which take us away from balance. DAAJI gives us guidance and solutions to create mental well-being through yogic practices. In this fourth article of the series, he explores the fifth vritti described in Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras: memory, known in Yoga as smriti. Part 4 – SMRITI THE YOGIC SCIENCE OF MEMORY So far we have explored the four vrittis of pramana, viparyaya, vikalpa and nidra. Now we will turn our attention to the fifth, smriti or memory. Try to imagine life without memory. How would you learn from mistakes? You would not remember how to do all the things that make up your daily routine, such as how to make breakfast, where to go to work etc., and you would not be able to build relationships with the people you cherish and love, because there would be no shared memories, and no fond nostalgia. Your chance of survival would be seriously compromised, because you would repeat dangerous things that put you at risk, such as swimming in a rip, eating a poisonous fruit, or putting your hand in fire. You would not be able to learn a profession or trade, because you would not remember things: how would a doctor be able to practice without remembering human anatomy or the diagnoses of diseases? There is no doubt that the fifth vritti, memory or smriti, has profound practicality and survival value. Even single celled organisms without brains or central nervous systems, like amoebae, are able to learn responses in experiments, exhibiting memory in consciousness. Memory is a primitive function of consciousness, fundamental to our existence…

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  • April 2019, Taste of life / 02 Apr 2019

    Cultural identity

    An Art Essay by the Joliet Mural Artists KATHLEEN SCARBORO is one of a school of artists who have developed the ‘Joliet style’ of mural painting in Joliet, Illinois, near Chicago. Here she shares their story, and the importance of public art in bringing a sense of cultural identity and community through environmental enhancement. Even a brief look at art history illustrates the vital link between artists and the societies they represent. We understand diverse civilizations by studying and enjoying the great works of art and architecture they created. It is a relatively recent phenomenon, primarily in western countries, that so many contemporary artists find themselves outside society, unable to assume their role as voices for the beliefs and aspirations of the populations to which they belong. All human beings, rich or poor, need aspirations to give meaning to their lives. The role of art is to take these aspirations from a latent impulse and translate them into physical form to be shared and used as a source of continued inspiration for all. Art has never appeared less necessary, and the artist has never been so alienated from society, but this unnatural situation is beginning to change. Starting in the 1960s, community-based public artists worked in cities to reunite artists and communities. For the Friends of Community Public Art (FCPA), in Joliet, Illinois, a not-for-profit association, the goal is to revive public art by renewing and revitalizing links among local artists, civic and political figures, and the people of the city. Local authorities support the association, as they see the need to invest in public art as a way to express the ideals of the community and enrich its environment. FCPA is dedicated to reflecting the entire community of Joliet, including its economic, ethnic and racial diversity. The organization’s founders…

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  • April 2019, Interview / 02 Apr 2019

    The power of self-compassion – part 2

    DR CHRIS GERMER is a clinical psychologist, meditation practitioner, author and teacher of mindfulness and compassion in psychotherapy and everyday life. He is the co-developer of the Mindful SelfCompassion training program. Here AMIR IMANI continues interviewing him during a webinar for mindfulness practitioners. Q: This practice of self-compassion never ceases to amaze me: how human it is. My own mindfulness or meditation journey started with one of my teachers in graduate school in Toronto walking us through this practice of loving kindness and self-compassion before starting the lecture. CG: Aha. Q: I remember those days when he would tell us, “On your way home, when you’re sitting in the metro subway, do this instead of just looking around. Get in touch with yourself and get in touch with the person in front of you. Give yourself some love, recognition, and offer them prayers, loving kindness and positive thoughts.” I remember because it was just the crack in the wall; an introduction. I was amazed how he was changing my city. The whole city had become a much softer place to live in. Citizens were warmer towards me, just because of this simple practice of returning to the heart and practicing with intention, practicing this as a skill. I was reading your book and you said, “Holding oneself in this bubble of kindness is the most difficult thing. It is even more difficult than holding someone else in that bubble.” I wonder why. Is this the degree of separation from ourselves? Is this the depth of forgetfulness of ourselves? Even coming back to ourselves and being kind, we feel weak. When we start the practice we feel, “Oh, this is not for me.” Why are we like that? CG: Well, that’s a profound question, for which there are so many different…

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THIS MONTH'S ISSUE

It changes everything
Thought in action
Focus
Be Inspired
Yogic psychology

Yogic psychology

in April 2019, Be inspired

In this series of articles, DAAJI explains the fundamentals of yogic psychology, with its foundation in the original balanced state and the various mental modifications, some of which help us...

Taste of Life
Cultural Identity

Cultural identity

in April 2019, Taste of life

An Art Essay by the Joliet Mural Artists KATHLEEN SCARBORO is one of a school of artists who have developed the ‘Joliet style’ of mural painting in Joliet, Illinois, near...

Interview

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