Kamlesh D. Patel affectionately known as Daaji, is spearheading a quiet spiritual revolution, known as the Heartfulness Movement, across the globe. He has inspired thousands of volunteer trainers in 130 countries who help seekers to strike a perfect balance between body, mind and soul. An entrepreneur running a successful pharmacy business in New York for over three decades, Daaji is the fourth in the line of the Raj Yoga Masters in the Heartfulness system that originated at the turn of the twentieth century. He speaks to Guardian 20 about his set of unique practices for self-development that leads to inner stillness.
Q. You have unleashed a quiet spiritual revolution in the country called the Heartfulness Movement. What is this path all about? What type of meditation do you offer?
A. The Heartfulness Movement actually began at the turn of the 20th century. It has grown organically and naturally, and, as you say, very quietly. So it is only now that people world over, are seeing the movement in a more mature form. Heartfulness is all about leading our lives with the heart. We have the mind also, and we may think in many directions, but ultimately the heart must choose, because it is always right. Heartfulness allows us to live according to the wisdom and guidance of the heart. Our heart and mind should be refined through a set of spiritual practices that have their roots in the ancient Indian traditions of Raja Yoga, or Yoga of the mind. The Heartfulness practices are heart-based, simple and free of charge. They have been distilled from the best of yogic meditative practices, and presented in a way that anyone from any background, walk of life and culture can follow. They are based on scientific practical experience, and are designed to purify the heart of all emotional complexities and impurities. They help us dive deep into the field of consciousness, connect to the inner essence of our existence, and find peace, stillness and contentment, while also aspiring to higher states of our potential. There are four basic practices, which complement each other. They are—relaxation, meditation, cleaning and prayer. These practices nourish us at every stage of our journey. There are also other supplementary practices.
Q. Tell us about your spiritual journey. We only have read about Gautama Buddha’s enlightenment. Describe your “eureka” moment.
A. It was 1976. I was barely 19. One of my college friends, who would watch me meditate, one day asked me why I was wasting my time meditating the way I was. He took me to meet a very humble woman in her forties, who asked, “Why do you want to meditate?” I said, “It’s my natural desire. I would also like to travel all over India, learning about life, like the great Swami Vivekananda.” She said, “My spiritual guide says that God is everywhere so why not look for him where you are?”
That first meditation session with this lady was the most amazing and profound experience I ever had in my life. I was completely transported. Her spiritual guide’s name was Ram Chandra, and after that first session with her I was longing to meet him. When I reached his home in Shahjahanpur, I found him to be a loving, simple, down-to-earth person. His whole being radiated love. He was silent for most of the time but the atmosphere around him was palpable. There was inner communion. That was the beginning of my journey with Heartfulness and my guide. Since then it has been a continuous evolution and unfolding of stage after stage of enlightenment. You see, enlightenment happens at every level of the spiritual journey, not just in one moment. And the journey is infinite; there is no end.
Q. Considering that there are several spiritual outfits active in and outside India, how is Heartfulness different from the others?
A. It is usually not helpful to compare systems and practices, so I will only speak about the specialties of Heartfulness. People must try it for themselves and decide if it is the right path for them. That is why we advocate a very scientific approach: Experience, observe, listen to your heart’s response, and decide.
One fascinating and unique aspect of Heartfulness is pranahuti, also known as yogic transmission. Transmission has been defined as “the utilisation of divine energy for the transformation of a human being.” Here we are not speaking of physical transformation. However, there is infinite scope for growth at the subtle level of our consciousness and beyond that. Transmission provides the nourishment for such unlimited growth.
In fact, to imagine transmission as “energy” is not really correct, as energy belongs to the manifest physical world. Transmission is from the un-manifest, the origin from which we have all emerged. The purpose of transmission is to uncover that same original, authentic state in each one of us that is at the centre of our being.
This subtle energy is transmitted from the heart of the yogic trainer into the heart of the practitioner. Transmission does not require any physical contact; instead it is activated by the subtlest thought power, sankalpa. Transmission can only be known through experience. So in Heartfulness we let people experience the effect of transmission directly, and observe whatever they feel.
Another specialty of Heartfulness is the de-conditioning practice of cleaning that we do at the end of the day. Cleaning removes the emotional heaviness and baggage from the past. We feel lighter and more carefree. Our karmic blueprint is erased layer-by-layer, and over time we become more flexible and accepting, as the patterns of the past are removed. The present can change and hence the future. We are able to design more of our destiny.
Q. Do you think people are turning to gurus more today than ever before? What is the reason?
A. People have always sought out wise teachers to nurture the soul as well as the mind and body. Inherently, we want to fulfill the purpose of human life at the physical, mental and emotional, and spiritual levels of existence. So I don’t think this is happening more now than before. Perhaps what has changed is that people are no longer happy with the old methods, as they are not relevant in today’s world, and they are not unifying humanity. Especially the younger generations are questioning the inheritance they have been left by the older generations demanding a make-believe approach.
People are searching for something that works; something that is simple, practical, and that can help them expand their consciousness and realise their potential in a healthy, balanced way. They want to be happy, find love, and purpose in life. Heartfulness appeals to many people because it is not dogmatic, it is experiential and scientific, it is free of charge, and its effects are palpable.
Our societies have become degraded and full of complex issues that have led to epidemics of mental and physical illnesses. Stress is one of the major causes. Today medical professionals prescribe meditation along with medication to manage stress. It is much easier to manage stress when we are able to rest in the centre of our being in a way that brings stability and integration to our whole system. Meditation leads to resilience so that we can bounce back quickly from problems. But stress management is more of a side benefit of meditation than the main reason to meditate
People are looking for gurus and spirituality for so many reasons—to manage stress, feel peaceful, transform, find balance, feel happy and feel connected with something much bigger than themselves. Everyone is at a different stage of the journey, and every purpose or goal reflects the stage we are at.
Q. What is the percentage of seekers that approaches a spiritual master to discover the purpose of life?
A. Consciously, not so many—perhaps one in many thousands—as most come for other goals like peace of mind, managing stress, changing habits and behaviours etc. Unconsciously, perhaps everyone. Why else would we approach a guru of caliber unless deep down, somewhere in our subconscious, we recognise the potency of his presence?
Q. How do you identify a true seeker?
A. It is a difficult question to answer, because we are all a work in progress, undergoing continuous improvement. Every human being has divine potential, but not everyone is ready to uncover it and make use of it. Perhaps a good definition of a seeker is someone who has become authentic about their personal search. As a result, they have intense interest in their spiritual practice, and they want to follow their guru’s guidance. They are enthusiastic and inspired; they are disciplined in their practice; they make every effort to transform and transcend.
Q. What is your mechanism to make a true seeker understand the nuances of life and beyond? Is there a beyond at all? What it is like?
A. The mechanism that is used in Heartfulness is transmission, pranahuti. It comes from the source of all existence, and so it helps us to resonate with those higher states. The living guru is the conduit for that transmission, which is not limited to this physical world. And neither are we. Our physical body is only one dimension of our existence. Our subtle body, for example, travels in dreams and when we daydream, and whenever we think of someone who is far away. And our soul is associated with another realm again. Transmission helps us bridge these worlds, effortlessly and naturally. If I were to describe what is beyond to you, would you know if what I said is correct? It is better to experience these things for yourself by practicing Heartfulness.
Q. How do yoga and meditation help in addressing chronic mental and physical afflictions?
A. The Heartfulness cleaning process is instrumental in this, as it removes mental complexities and impurities from the system. As well, Heartfulness meditation regulates the mind so that scattered unregulated thinking moves to focused single-pointed thinking and then deepens into feeling. And Heartfulness prayer connects us with our centre, so that there is always an inner central pull towards divinity, and that is the best antidote to emotional entropy and scattered attention.
But a meditation practice is not a panacea that will fix all ailments. Meditation is not designed to cure diabetes or schizophrenia. Heartfulness is best used preventatively, because if consciousness is pure and the mind is well regulated, then it is less likely that chronic illness will arise. And the earlier we start, the more chance there is of averting problems. Of course, the cleaning practice offered under Heartfulness can alleviate many disorders, to our advantage and well-being.
Q. Tell us more about your partnership with Morarji Desai National Institute of Yoga?
A. The Morarji Desai National Institute of Yoga (MDNIY), functioning under the Ministry of AYUSH of the Government of India, and Heartfulness Education Trust, are now offering joint courses with double certification from the two organisations. Students who are interested in pursuing a career in Yoga can now become certified in the prestigious MDNIY curriculum in addition to the Heartfulness Yoga Teachers’ Training at Kanha Shanti Vanam, our international Heartfulness campus near Hyderabad, the only ashram to have been awarded a platinum green status by the Indian Green Building Council.
Q. Give us some information about the world-class AYUSH Wellness Centre that is taking shape at the headquarters in Kanha Shanti Vanam near Hyderabad.
A. On 11 November, Jalshakti Minister, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, and I laid the foundation stone for the AYUSH Wellness Centre. Kanha Shanti Vanam has been transforming into a wellness destination, into a beautiful ecosystem that nurtures body, mind and soul. The AYUSH Wellness Centre is an example of how we are drawing upon the wisdom of our ancient traditional systems, making them accessible to people from all walks of life, in order to promote wellness. The Centre will offer the naturopathic AYUSH traditions, as well as Heartfulness Polarity. The facility will be equipped with 540 beds, infrastructure for research and the storage of medicines, housing for specialists, teachers, doctors and nurses, and training facilities to impart AYUSH courses. The centre is projected to open in two years’ time.
Q. Can you give us more information on your collaboration with TerraBlue XT? What is the new device that has been launched to measure the meditative state?
A. Around two years back, we started doing scientific research trials together on Heartfulness meditators, and that research partnership has developed very effectively. Heartfulness and TerraBlue XT are soon to become research and go-to-market partners. The device is called Xaant, and it is an AI-powered wearable device that measures mental health states and guides users on a path to recovery. The medical version of Xaant is the world’s first diagnostic device for stress, anxiety and depression. Xaant for Heartfulness can be used to understand individual and group meditation sessions, achieve meditation goals and balance emotions in practitioners. It provides scores for calmness, recovery and stress, and includes remote viewing options.