MAY-Mandala
Body language
In the words of Rumi, “This Universe is not outside of you. Look inside yourself; everything that you want, you are already that.”
Our body is an amazing self-regulatory mechanism. Made of trillions of microbes and bacteria along with human cells, our body is constantly regenerating and replacing old cells with new ones to give us a whole new body within a year!
Now, one would ask why is it that we suffer from diseases that last for years? The answer is that the cells have a mind of their own and transfer the stored data to the next generation of new cells. When we do not let go of the illness in our minds, the new cells develop with the same information imprinted within them, leading to a continuation of the disease.
Our body is inherently wise and capable of healing itself. BodyTalk is a modality that reconnects us to our innate wisdom to facilitate healthy communication within the body systems.
“The BodyTalk System is a consciousness-based and constantly evolving healthcare system utilising medical facts and scientific research in combination with ancient wisdom and philosophy. The motto is ‘Communication, Synchronisation, and Balance,” says Homeira Franke, a certified BodyTalk practitioner and Access trainer. She further elaborates that the system recognises the body, not as a bundle of independently functioning parts but as a homogeneous mechanism, with each atom, cell, and organ in healthy communion with each other for optimum health and balance.
This practice combines the left brain (acquired knowledge) with right brain (intuition) to address the root cause of the illness. Dr John Veltheim, founder of the BodyTalk System, describes it as ‘the healthcare designed by your body.’
BodyTalk aims to stimulate the body’s own ability to heal itself by using various techniques. In it, the practitioner facilitates communication with the innate wisdom of the body by using neuromuscular biofeedback. Although BodyTalk doesn’t treat specific ailments, it does balance the overall system. This healing modality has shown significant clinical improvements in patients of arthritis, phobias, stress, back pain, emotional disorders, and other infections and disorders.
Listen to your body and help it heal.
End of an epoch
“Consider living to be a great adventure. Be interested in the possibilities of learning, doing, and accomplishing. Enthusiasm is evidence of your appreciation for life and living whereas apathy and disinterest indicate an inclination toward death,” said Roy Eugene Davis, a direct disciple of Paramhansa Yogananda who passed away on March 27, 2019 at the age of 88 in Georgia.
Roy was a mentor, teacher, and spiritual friend to many whom he guided towards the path of Self-realisation. He described life as the ultimate adventure that offers endless possibilities of learning, experiencing, and appreciating life in all its forms.
Born in the state of Ohio in 1931, Roy as a young boy used to visit the small country church with his mother. He was a keen reader and while exploring books on world religion and psychology, an 18-year old Roy stumbled upon Paramhansa Yogananda’s Autobiography of a Yogi, which became a turning point in his life. He sensed a deep spiritual connection with Yogananda and decided to meet him in Los Angeles. So deep was his calling that he hitchhiked to California in 1949 to meet his guru and was accepted for monastic discipleship training. After two years, in 1951, Roy Davis was ordained by Yogananda and was also appointed as the minister of Self-realisation Fellowship in 1952.
According to him, “Self-realisation can definitely be accomplished by every reasonably intelligent person who chooses to live a well-ordered life and nurture their spiritual growth.” He initiated the people in Kriya Yoga which according to him is a concentrated approach to self-discovery and continued to practice and teach the tradition for more than 60 years. Roy Eugene Davis was the founder of the Center for Spiritual Awareness and started publishing the Truth Journal Magazine in 1967 which has been publishing eversince for 44 years.
He believed that the spiritual path wasn’t a means to escape from the hassles of the world but a tool to live a fulfilling life in harmony with natural laws.
He authored various books including An EasyGguide to Meditation, How to Use Your Creative Imagination, The Simplicity of Spiritual Enlightenment, and The Eternal Way, of which some are published in 10 languages and in 11 countries.
Educating the heart
The purpose of education is to shape future generations to become better human beings and create a sustainable living environment. Good education produces brilliant minds and creative souls—humans who can make the world a happy place. But, is the world becoming a better place to live in? NO. Convenient, yes, but not better. The existing education system ensures an improved lifestyle and materialistic knowledge but not a happy life.
Emotional education—such as teaching children the value of compassion, self-regulation, self-awareness, an ethical outlook—and many more skills such as decision-making are overlooked, which has led to children growing up to be materialistic and self-centred adults.
SEE Learning (Social, Emotional and Ethical Learning) is a compassionate classroom programme launched with the idea of encouraging a sense of universal responsibility in the young through the education system. The Emory University, in partnership with The Dalai Lama Trust and the Vana Foundation of India, inaugurated the curriculum of the programme in a three-day event from April 4 to 6 in Delhi with the aim of creating a “compassionate and ethical world for all.”
HH The Dalai Lama said, “Education of the heart is important, and compassion is the key factor for a happy world.” The SEE Learning programme will play a significant role in shaping the adults of tomorrow by inculcating in them basic human values required to build a better world.
Emphasising on humanity, inner resilience, interdependence, and other ‘soft skills,’ this programme merges practical skills with personal and social skills for the best outcome.
The curriculum has been developed with the help of a team of experts who excel at psychology, education, neuroscience, and trauma-informed care. The global launch of the high school curriculum for 2020 saw distinguished personalities like Nobel Peace laureate Kailash Satyarthi, Deputy Chief Minister of Delhi, Manish Sisodia, Dr Daniel Goleman, Ms Linda Lantieri, and other esteemed facilitators. The SEE Learning programme is due to be translated into 14 languages.
Children are like saplings, which, if nurtured properly, can grow up to be huge trees giving sweet fruits and shade in the sun. It is our responsibility to create an environment that empowers and sensitises them to be compassionate and loving human beings.