Spiritual Magazine | Wellness Magazine

Focus, May 2020, VOLUME 5 / 30 Apr 2020
The coronation
CHARLES EISENSTEIN examines our current world in COVID-19 crisis, and looks at the questions we need to ask ourselves so that we can move forward into a new society. Here we offer excerpts from Charles’ essay. You can read the full story at https://charleseisenstein.org/essays/the-coronation/. For years, normality has been stretched nearly to its breaking point, a rope pulled tighter and tighter, waiting for a nip of the black swan’s beak to snap it in two. Now that the rope has snapped, do we tie its ends back together, or shall we undo its dangling braids still further, to see what we might weave from them? COVID-19 is showing us that when humanity is united in common cause, phenomenally rapid change is possible. None of the world’s problems are technically difficult to solve; they originate in human disagreement. In coherency, humanity’s creative powers are boundless. A few months ago, a proposal to halt commercial air travel would have seemed preposterous. Likewise for the radical changes we are making in our social behavior, economy, and the role of government in our lives. COVID demonstrates the power of our collective will when we agree on what is important. What else might we achieve in coherency? What do we want to achieve, and what world shall we create? That is always the next question when anyone awakens to their power. COVID-19 is showing us that when humanity is united in common cause, phenomenally rapid change is possible. COVID-19 is like a rehab intervention that breaks the addictive hold of normality. To interrupt a habit is to make it visible; it is to turn it from a compulsion to a choice. When the crisis subsides, we might have occasion to ask whether we want to return to normal, or whether there might be something we’ve…

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Focus, May 2020, VOLUME 5 / 30 Apr 2020
From emergency to emergence
DAAJI shares some thoughts and practical tips on how we can do our very best during the current coronavirus pandemic, in order to move from a state of emergency to a state of emergence. Our societies are undergoing rapid change right now, and despite the hardships and suffering all around, we are seeing many hopeful signs: The wealthy donating to the poor, governments supporting their citizens, families and neighbors sharing food and time with each other. We are finding time for humanness and for reevaluating priorities. Most of us are slowing down, remembering what it is like to appreciate the little things in life and value the sacred. Today, people are praying for the world who have never prayed in their lives before. It is a rare opportunity to pause, to slow down, and to witness ourselves. This pause also gives us the chance to ask: What do we need to change in our behavior, right now, in order to move forward? It is a rare opportunity to pause, to slow down, and to witness ourselves. This pause also gives us the chance to ask: What do we need to change in our behavior, right now, in order to move forward? Creating connection Because of corona, we are having to practice physical distancing, so how can we enrich our sense of connection without physical contact? Our basic instinct is to touch, so the lack of physical contact, or being separated from loved ones, can be very upsetting at first. But the best way to compensate for this lack is to develop a heart-toheart connection with others. The beauty of this heart-to-heart connection is that it works across any distance; we can send love to anyone anywhere anytime. And it can be so subtle, so intimate, and so tender, as it…

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May 2020, Thought in action, VOLUME 5 / 30 Apr 2020
Do what needs to be done and change
The guru of change management, DR ICHAK ADIZES, shares some thoughts on how to make the most of the current world crisis and prepare for the future – as individuals, families, companies, nationals and humanity as a whole. Humanity is facing a major challenge with the coronavirus crisis. It is estimated that millions of people might die worldwide. Beyond those who will die, scientists predict there will be many more millions of sick people who will not be productive for some time, until they recuperate. This prediction is based on the estimate that between 50 to 70% of the population will get sick, out of which 80% will have a mild flu-like sickness, 17% will be very sick and hospitalized but will recover, and only 3% will die. They will be those with compromised health and the old. One does not have to be a rocket scientist to realize that 20% of the population of any country going to hospital will lead to the collapse of the health delivery system, and it will be a challenge to bury or cremate 3% of the country’s population. But that’s not all. With 80% sick, 17% feeling like they will die any minute, and 3% actually dying, it will cause a major reduction in active customers and, thus, consumption. When people experience fear, they are not inclined to separate themselves from their cash. Furthermore, people sheltering at home to avoid getting sick will lead to a stoppage in factory production and delivery from logistics companies. As revenues shrink, companies are going to fire part of their workforce, and all these changes cumulatively will cause the health crisis to result in an economic crisis, heading to recession and predictably depression. Ah, not necessarily so, some might say. The government and the central bank will…

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May 2020, Thought in action, VOLUME 5 / 30 Apr 2020
What lies beyond corona?
SANJAY SEHGAL, CEO of MSys Technologies, looks to the future. How are we preparing now for what is to come after the corona crisis passes? And what do we need to learn about ourselves in order to create a “new normal” that is a better future? BC and AD For many of us, life is now defined by BC and AD: Before Corona and After its Disappearance. And like most people I can’t wait for AD. Even as I write this, it hurts my heart to think how far we’ve come since the beginning of this year, and we haven’t even reached the midpoint yet! We are progressively realizing that power, beauty and money are worthless, and can’t buy what’s truly important. Maybe God is sending us a strong message that we are his guests, not his masters. As the lockdown stretches on, we’ve arrived at that trying period where the novelty of being confined at home has started to wear off. My days have begun to blur into each other, with the same routine (or lack of one), anxiously checking on the latest updates concerning the viral spread. But I’ve begun thinking about what fate lies ahead in the wake of this pandemic. It is a crucial time, I feel, to reflect on, “Where will we be in six months, a year, or a few years from now?” And there are two aspects to this – our lifestyle and the economy. In AD, there are numerous possible futures All of these futures depend upon how we respond to the pandemic and its economic aftermath. As the virus has spread its wings, it’s affected more than 175 countries, and, so far, has dented the global economy by an estimated $2 to 3 trillion. In my view, its effects will be…

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Be inspired, May 2020, VOLUME 5 / 28 Apr 2020
A user’s guide to living – part 5
DAAJI continues his series on everyday living, introducing the fourth universal principle of the User’s Guide – to live simply to be identical with Nature. Currently, the COVID-19 pandemic is forcing us to recalibrate our lifestyle, and for many of us that means simplifying our lives in ways that we could not have imagined even a few weeks ago. This fourth principle will help us to visualize our way forward and be creative in the ways we adapt to current circumstances. LEARNING TO SIMPLIFY LIFE The two wings of a bird Before moving to the fourth principle, let’s pause for a moment to see how far we have come. In the earlier articles of the User’s Guide, we explored Principles 1 to 3 about the spiritual practices of meditation and prayer, and the ultimate goal of existence. The remaining seven principles cover other aspects of daily life, relating to activities and interactions with others. Authentic progress includes both the worldly and the spiritual dimensions of existence, because they are not separate, and Babuji uses the analogy, “Spirituality and materiality are like the two wings of a bird. A bird cannot fly with one wing alone.” This statement of Babuji is often misinterpreted, according to the particular disposition of the reader. For example, some take it to mean that material success and spiritual success coexist, so that they can conveniently justify their material desires, pleasures and indulgences that are not in tune with spiritual progress. Some go to the other extreme, diving into spirituality in order to escape the human side of life, believing that their god or guru will somehow wave a magic wand and come to the rescue whenever there is a problem. It reminds me of one of Aesop’s fables about a man from Athens, who was going…

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THIS MONTH'S ISSUE

It changes everything

Open towards love

in It changes everything, May 2020, VOLUME 5

LLEWELLYN VAUGHAN-LEE explores love in the time of coronavirus, and how those of us with a spiritual practice can turn the results into action, bringing care and compassion into our...

A new vocation

Together is exactly what we need to be

Thought in action

Do what needs to be done and change

in May 2020, Thought in action, VOLUME 5

The guru of change management, DR ICHAK ADIZES, shares some thoughts on how to make the most of the current world crisis and prepare for the future – as individuals,...

What lies beyond corona?

Success is to have successful failures

Focus

The coronation

in Focus, May 2020, VOLUME 5

CHARLES EISENSTEIN examines our current world in COVID-19 crisis, and looks at the questions we need to ask ourselves so that we can move forward into a new society. Here...

From emergency to emergence

Poise under pressure

Be Inspired

A user’s guide to living – part 5

in Be inspired, May 2020, VOLUME 5

DAAJI continues his series on everyday living, introducing the fourth universal principle of the User’s Guide – to live simply to be identical with Nature. Currently, the COVID-19 pandemic is...

A user’s guide to living – part 4

Meditate … listen!

Taste of Life

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in May 2020, Taste of life, VOLUME 5

DR. V. RAMAKANTHA is a former Indian Forest Service officer and member of the Green Kanha Initiative at the Heartfulness Community’s Meditation Center at Kanha Shanti Vanam in India. Having...

The color of children

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in April 2020, Interview, VOLUME 5

In this exclusive interview, MICHEL LECLERCQ, the founder of DECATHLON, speaks with CHRISTINE MOLLE. DECATHLON is the world’s largest sporting goods retailer, and has over 1,400 sports shops in 47...