A BEGINNER’S

GUIDE TO
HEARTFULNESS

HEARTFULNESS INSTITUTE DENMARK

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WELCOME
As someone who is new to Heartfulness relaxation and meditation, you may have had
a little experience of the Yogic-Transmission and its effectiveness. Perhaps you have
learnt a little about the different techniques used in this system? However, you may
still have some questions about the Heartfulness practice and would like a deeper
understanding regarding its various aspects.

This book aims to provide you with detailed explanation regarding the basic elements
of Heartfulness namely, Relaxation, Meditation, Rejuvenation and Inner Connection.
In the following chapters, we have included a basic introduction to each of the

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elements followed by some questions and answers. Links to audio material when
available, have been provided.

Each element of the Heartfulness practice serves a unique purpose. Each element will
help you relax, focus, reduce stress and change through this method of meditation.
New practitioners can take their time to slowly incorporate each element, one at a
time, into their daily routine at their own convenience. We recommend that you
experiment with the different elements in order to prove their effectiveness to
yourself, by way of practical experience. Heartfulness practice has been specifically
designed to aid the evolution of consciousness and each element of this practice
supports the others in a symbiotic manner. Heartfulness trainers are always available
to help explain the finer points of the techniques and clarify any questions that are not
covered here.

We also recommend that you to check out the book “The Heartfulness way” written by
Kamlesh D. Patel - the global guide for Heartfulness, and Joshua Pollock - a
Heartfulness trainer and practitioner. The book is written in a conversational style,
describes the philosophy behind this system in a simple and easy to read manner.
If you prefer video courses with practical sessions, please check out the Udemy course
called “Meditation and Evolution of Consciousness With Daaji”.

We wish you the best for your inner journey.

Yours sincerely,
Heartfulness Institute Denmark

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 HEARTFULNESS TECHNIQUES
At a glance

HEARTFULNESS
RECOMMENDATION DURATION BENEFIT
TECHNIQUE

A few minutes as you Destress/centering

Relaxation Anytime you like
need oneself

30 minutes to up to 1 For exploration and

At least once daily: hour. You can start with evolution of
Meditation Preferably at a fixed few minutes and consciousness leading
time in the mornings increase the duration to greater states of joy,
with time. peace, bliss and beyond.

Once daily: 30 minutes. You can Clearing day’s

Evening, after you have start with less and impressions caused as a
Rejuvenation
finished your day’s extend it up to 30 result of our thoughts
work minutes. and actions.

Connect with your Once daily: At bedtime, Preparing the sub-

10 to 15 minutes
inner Self just before sleeping consciousness for sleep

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 2

RELAXATION
Heartfulness Relaxation is for everyone, and can be done at any time of the day or
night. It is especially useful whenever you feel the need to get centered, to prepare
yourself for meditation, to destress in the middle of a hard day, or as a means to a
sound sleep.

When you want to relax, do it sitting up. Generally it will take between 5 and 7
minutes. If you wish to sleep, do it lying down, although it is not same as relaxation.

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RELAXATION TECHNIQUE:

Sit comfortably and close your eyes very softly and very gently.

Let’s begin with the toes. Wiggle your toes. Now feel them relax.
Relax your ankles and feet. Feel energy move up from the earth, up your feet to
your knees relaxing the legs. Relax your thighs.

The energy moves up your legs, relaxing them. Now, deeply relax your hips,
stomach and waist. Relax your back. From the top to the bottom the entire back
is relaxed.

Relax your chest and shoulders. Feel your shoulders simply melting away.
Relax your upper arms. Relax each muscle in your forearms and your hands right
up to your finger tips.

Relax the neck muscles. Move your awareness up to the face. Relax the jaws,
mouth, nose, eyes, earlobes, facial muscles and forehead, all the way to the top
of your head. Feel how your whole body is now completely relaxed.

Move your attention to your heart. As you rest there, gently have the idea that
Divine Light is illuminating your heart form within and is attracting or pulling
your attention inward.
Feel immersed in the love and light in your heart. Remain still and quiet, and
slowly become absorbed in yourself.
Remain absorbed within this deep silence for as long as you want, until you feel
ready to come out again.

You can listen to guided relaxation by downloading the sound files from Soundcloud:
https://soundcloud.com/heartfulness-denmark
or
you can download our free app called ‘Let’s Meditate’ on your smart phone. 

(Available on iPhone and Android devices)

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 Q&A

Do I need to do Relaxation every time before meditation?

It is not necessary to do relaxation every time before meditation. It could be useful in
the initial stages to help us slip quickly into meditation. Once we become familiar with
connecting with our heart (or centering ourselves in the heart), the need for relaxation
drops off.

Can I teach relaxation to my kids?

Yes, in fact our relaxation technique is very effective for children and they respond
very well to this and often then, teach the adults how to relax!

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 3

MEDITATION
Meditation is an opportunity to look into your-self which maybe challenging in the
beginning with many thoughts, however, with practice this process leads to deeper
states of awareness. In meditation, we think of one thing continuously being unmind-
ful of the distractions that might arise. It can be compared to the process of digging a
well. We go on digging until we find water. Initially some rocks and rubbish come
out, followed by some layers of rock, then sand, and finally water. In the process of

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meditation too, we find that many things come to the surface, before the essential
thing is found. Over time, a fervent, joyful practice of meditation regulates the mind,
so that it moves from a restless and turbulent state to stillness and one-pointed
attention.

Meditation, understood properly, is a process to create a meditative state. Once this

meditative state is achieved, we find serenity, calmness and peace, we are able to
manifest the intrinsic goodness of our heart. Prolonging this meditative state
throughout the day and deepening it with regular practice, we are able to make peace,
calmness, and serenity a permanent part of our being. The intellect then becomes
more heart-based, guided by the heart’s intrinsic goodness.

MEDITATION TECHNIQUE:

✴ Gently close your eyes and relax. Take a couple of minutes to relax your body,
using the Heartfulness Relaxation, if needed.
✴ Turn your attention inwards and take a moment to observe yourself.
✴ Then, gently make a supposition that the Source of Light that is already within
your heart is attracting you from within. Do this in a gentle and natural way.
There is no need to concentrate.
✴ If you find your awareness drifting to other thoughts, gently come back to the idea
of the light in your heart.
✴ Feel immersed in the light in your heart, and try to become absorbed.
Remain absorbed within this deep silence for as long as you want, until you feel
ready to come out.

You can listen to guided meditation by downloading the sound files from
Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/heartfulness-denmark
or
you can download our free app called ‘Let’s Meditate’ on your smart phone. 

(Available on iPhone and Android devices)

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 Q&A

Why meditate on the Heart?

The heart is where our deepest feelings happen, where we feel profoundly moved,
where we discover our intuition and wisdom. It is through the heart that we connect to
our deepest Self and to others.

In all languages, there are so many beautiful ways we find the heart described: E.g.
people can say, “he is close to my heart”, “let’s have a heart to heart discussion”,
“she is such a kind-hearted person”, “I have put my heart into this”,” they left with a
heavy heart”. All refer to a deep state of feeling, an involvement of the person at the
deepest level. The heart is really the base of our response to situations.

There are other reasons to have the heart at the center of the meditation. Religions
and mystical traditions believe that the heart is the seat of the soul or of life. The heart
beats and sends blood to the entire body, which reaches all the cells. Hence, the effect
of meditation spreads throughout the system. Purifying the heart benefits the entire
organism, physically, emotionally and spiritually.

We know that in the inner realm, heart has an even higher function: that is to love.
"Love" emanates from the heart. The more we give of our Love, the more it grows. In
Heartfulness meditation, we give attention to the heart, thereby purifying it and
allowing it to have a space of it's own in our existence. We tune in to its presence and
start listening to it. By meditating on the heart, we discover that its true vocation is to
love, and we start experiencing this love. Heartfulness meditation thus enhances the
heart's capacity to Love. As the heart is constantly refined by daily meditation, we
experience this feeling of Love with growing intensity.

Our entire life is led by feelings and inspirations, and that is the role of the heart.
When we listen to those feelings and capture the inspiration that comes from within
the heart again and again, we can master our lives. The whole exercise of fine-tuning
the heart with the mind is through this meditation on the heart.

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REFLECTION EXERCISE
• What place in your life does your heart take?
• How are you aware of your heart’s response as you go through each day?

What is Divine Light or Source of Light?

In meditation we know that we have to try to gently hold one thought in our mind. As
we meditate day after day we realize that what we meditate on, has a great effect on
us. We absorb the qualities of the object of our meditation and manifest the nature or
condition of that object in our lives. Hence it is imperative to select the subtlest and
lightest object to focus on during meditation. However, higher consciousness is too
subtle for sensory perception.

The only way mystics and yogis over the centuries have been able to put that into
words is to use the word ‘light’, as light has no apparent material qualities – you can’t
touch it, or see it, or taste it or smell it or hear it. Meditating on an abstract idea or on
"nothingness" is however, rather difficult for the human mind to conceive of.
Therefore, in Heartfulness meditation, we are asked to gently bring our attention to
the Source of Light or Divine Light in the heart.

We aim to experience a finer and finer consciousness of light within our hearts which
has been described as “light without luminosity”. This light without luminosity
illuminates our consciousness from within and is so much easier to meditate on than
an abstract idea.

In Heartfulness meditation, we suggest the idea of "light in the heart" and unplug the
mind. Once this suggestion is made it is enough. With that one simple suggestion, the
subconscious mind is linked to the idea of the "light in the heart". Making this subtle
suggestion can be compared to switching on an electric bulb. Once we flick it on, we
have created the connection. There is no need to keep operating the switch anymore.
We do not require either thinking, recalling or repeating any specific words during the
meditation. We just keep observing our inner self and bring our attention to the
source of light in the heart, every time we find ourselves slipping into the spiral of
thoughts.

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We are not required to visualize light as sunlight, moonlight, or electric light for these
objects are still heavy compared to the ultra refinement of consciousness that we try to
attain in our meditation practice. Do not force your imagination to the extent that you
actually try to see its brightness. Just have the idea that there is Divine Light in your
heart. Assume that it is already present. Keep this suggestion as subtle as possible,
naturally and without force.

REFLECTION EXERCISE
How does your heart feel when you have the idea that the Source of Light is there in
your heart? Try to write something every day.

What is Yogic Transmission/Pranahuti?

Transmission means ‘to send across’. In a car, transmission is how the power is sent
from the engine to the axles through the gears. In a family, love is transmitted from
person to person, especially from a mother to her children. With the human voice,
sound is transmitted from one person to another in conversation.

In Heartfulness meditation, Yogic Transmission/Pranahuti is transmitted, whenever

you meditate with an experienced yogi practitioner who can offer this pranahuti
(Sanskrit for ‘offering of life force’) to others. It is the energy of the Ultimate Principle
or
Infinity, which comes from the Ultimate Source as an offering by the Guide or
Teacher. It is gentle, subtle and dynamic. It helps you meditate as it resonates directly
with the higher Self within your heart.
It is transmitted, just like any other form of energy is transmitted, such as sound or
heat, except that it is the subtlest, without any force or material character. It is food
for the soul, and is soothing for the heart. Just as we require nourishment for the
mind and body, the spirit too requires nourishment, and Yogic Transmission fulfills
that need. 

The effect of receiving transmission is that the heart feels inner warmth and love,
much as sunlight warms our faces even with our eyes closed. It results as an inner
transformation, expanding our consciousness. We have to experience Yogic

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Transmission in order to know its effect to the fullest has been described as that
which “Awakens the sleeping beauty in a human being”.

You may be able to feel the effect of yogic transmission or pranahuti like a very subtle
vibration, relaxation, warmth, joy, or a feeling of soaring and expansiveness. It brings
an inner sense of home and calm into each moment. Each person will have their own
way of experiencing their inner states, which will become more recognizable

as we become more familiar with meditating.

Initially some people do not feel anything much, and that is quite okay. Some notice
changes in their daily lives and their behavior. Often it is others around us who notice
changes in us!

REFLECTION EXERCISE
• During your daily meditation, invite the yogic transmission from the source to
gently enter into your heart. Note down what you feel after meditation.
• Do you notice anything different when you meditate with an experienced
practitioner?
• After the meditation is finished, are there any effects that you feel, either
immediately or perhaps even after the next day or two?

Place, Posture and Time for meditation

Does it matter where I sit for my Heartfulness Meditation practice?

As far as possible, we keep a separate place reserved for each different type of work
and activity, whether at home or at work. Hence, it is natural that when we are in a
particular place we have thoughts related to the nature of that place. Let us say, we
happen to walk into our study or sit down at our work-desk. What do we start thinking
of? Well, most probably, about our work, study or things related to that. Each specific
place becomes associated with a certain activity in our minds, and due to this
association a specific environment is created in that place.

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The power of thought is a very potent energy. The Buddha is supposed to have once
said – “With our Thoughts we make the world”. When we resolve to do something, the
connecting link between that thought and what we want to do intensifies. Depending
on the intensity we are able to apply our will and focus on that intention.
So when we have a special place for our meditation practice, we find, that just being
there revives a meditative state in our heart. We begin to feel motivated and supported
by the atmosphere there and this makes it easier and faster to go into deep meditation.
Of course, we may go ahead and sit wherever we want for meditation, but it helps
greatly if we sit at the same place, at the same time, in a steady posture, day after day
and as a result an atmosphere develops that is conducive to meditation.

Sit upright, in a comfortable position. There is no formal yoga position that is needed,
although it helps to sit with your legs crossed, either on the floor or a chair. The
inward turning of the body is then in sync with the inward turning of the mind. It is
not recommended to lie down, as it is just too relaxing and one can automatically fall
asleep. It you are finding any tension during meditation, just move your limbs to a
more comfortable position, so that you can be unmindful of your body.

Time
Try to fix the same time to meditate every day. Our systems are sensitive to daily
rhythms and routines, so if you meditate at the same time each day, your biological
clock will become used to it. It becomes part of your regular daily pattern in life. When
you meditate on the Source of Light in your heart first thing in the morning, the effect
can affect your whole day in a very positive way.
The ideal time to meditate is considered to be the time before sunrise or at dawn. This
is when the cool of the night and the heat of the day are in perfect balance. In fact it’s a
meeting point of the two. When we meditate at the time of Dawn, it is easier to feel
and replicate within ourselves the same stillness, during our meditation. If this is not
possible for you, then try to meditate at the same time each day, whatever it may be.

REFLECTION EXERCISE
• Fix a time for meditation and practice at that same time every day during the week.
See if you can integrate meditation into your daily routine.
• Fix a place for meditation and practice at the same place every day for a week. 

Observe if it’s getting easier to slip into meditation.

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How long should I meditate?

We need to observe with great sensitivity what is happening within us during

meditation. When we feel “content”, we may gently stop the process. It is very much
like when we eat. There is no precise answer for how much food to eat, we fill
ourselves till we feel pleasantly content or satisfied. Meditation is just as simple,
where we learn to sense the moment when the meditation ends. It may take different
lengths of time to reach that “filled up” feeling.

When we start meditation, we sometimes take a few minutes to let go of distracting

thoughts. Even when we bring our focus back to the heart, we can get distracted once
again. So we are not always "meditating". The actual meditation happens when we are
able to gently bring our attention to the Divine Light in the heart, and feel the inner
condition created in the heart. So how much do we actually ‘meditate', even when we
sit for an hour?

However, it is quite possible, at first, we feel little of what is going on within us.
Restlessness in the body is felt as a signal to stop! That is why, in the beginning it does
help to meditate for a fixed period, for example thirty minutes. The mind and body
will then gradually get into the habit of being still. Once that is taken care of, we can
easily observe the inner condition and decide for our self whether we have meditated
for long enough. Then we go on increasing the amount of time we meditate bit by bit,
perhaps first for thirty minutes, then forty-five minutes, and then up to an hour.

It is best not to meditate for more than an hour at a time. The more we meditate with
regularity, and for longer periods of time at a stretch, our capacity to receive "yogic
transmission" increases. We may also meditate more than once during the day, if we
enjoy it. If we do meditate more than once, it is advisable to keep some time between
each meditation, and to make sure that we get some physical activity, in between each
session, like walking, to get the blood circulation going and oxygen flowing in the body
after a long meditation.

REFLECTION EXERCISE
• Observe how long have you “actually” been able to meditate.
• Observe if you are able to recognize the feeling of “contentment” during meditation.

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How do we deal with thoughts during meditation?

In our daily lives, we have to deal with multiple problems that often create stress, fear,
insecurity, distress, rivalry and so many unwanted disturbances in us. It seems almost
impossible to keep ourselves free from such things. In spite of our best efforts, this
modern day life-style can leave us, at times, with uncontrolled thoughts and a
disturbed mind. We can feel a profound need for peace and calm at such times. In
general, we try to control the mind using restraint and force, that doesn't work in the
long run. The mind only rebels further and with equal strength.

Sometimes in life we can experience a time when someone keeps bothering us no

matter how often we ask the person to leave us alone? We may even have tried
telling him or her to stop doing so and notice that they react and argue or find
further reason to bother us even more. In the end we perhaps discover that ignoring
them is the best manner to deal with them. They soon get the message and finally
give up and leave us alone.

It is similar with thoughts; if we pay attention to them we get involved with them and
cannot get rid of them. The trick is to gently detach our mind, ignore the thoughts and
bring back the focus, to the original idea we began our
meditation with - that of light within the heart.

It is quite natural for our minds, to flit away due to thoughts, when we start practicing
Heartfulness meditation. This is a transitory stage of meditation. With practice we
realize that we get better at finding inner tranquility. Another way to deal with
thoughts is to treat them as if they are someone else's thoughts and thus create a
distance between our self and these thoughts. We may even try, treating these
unwanted thoughts as if they are uninvited guests -ignoring them as far as possible.
Unwanted thoughts will then cease to trouble us.

Regular meditation will certainly make the mind peaceful. We also begin to develop a
better capacity to concentrate due to sustained meditation practice. And so the more
we practice, the more we find, that the simple act of meditating everyday results in a
calmer, sharper and focused mind.

Thoughts that arise in meditation often shift our focus from the heart. We could

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understand the process of not paying attention to thoughts better, if we consider these
thoughts as impressions. Each action in our lives leaves behind a trace - an
impression. Every thought and action performed with the feeling of “I”, or
consciousness of self, leaves a trail of subtle impressions in the heart that become the
seeds for future thoughts and actions.

When we pay attention to these thoughts they again lead to the formation of more
impressions. Repeated thoughts leading to actions further develop into habits. When
we meditate there is a dilution of our awareness. The thoughts or impressions that
have accumulated over years and solidified by repetition, find space to surface in our
awareness. They tend to drop away after a while as we start ignoring them while we
meditate and thus we gradually develop a condition of thoughtlessness. This is
experienced in brief intervals in the beginning of our practice.

When we practice meditation with increasing regularity and for longer periods of
time, thoughtlessness during meditation will grow on us leaving behind unrivaled
serenity.

REFLECTION EXERCISE
Practice Heartfulness meditation for a week and observe each day, how you are
dealing with your thoughts.

Do we see light when we meditate?

One may often experience darkness within during meditation. Light can appear as
darkness unless there is an object to reflect the light! Then we understand why we
often see or experience darkness during meditation. It is because in Heartfulness
meditation we have no solid or material object upon which to meditate. We meditate
only upon light in the heart, supposing light to be there. So the experience of darkness
is a correct one.

We can observe a similar phenomenon when sitting in a dark room. If there is a hole
somewhere like in a door or window, a beam of light comes in, but we don’t see the
light, we only see the floor where the light falls. If there are dust particles in the air, we

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see the illuminated particles that are in the beam of light. But we can never see light
itself. 


REFLECTION EXERCISE
Note down what you experience when you meditate with the supposition that there is
‘light in the heart’.

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 4

REJUVENATION
Heartfulness rejuvenation allows us to reset our systems at the end of the day and
improve the quality of our daily meditation. Daily hectic routine and activities give rise
to complexities and impurities which impact our heart, mind and eventually our
consciousness. So, it becomes necessary to cleanse these before they become
permanently embedded in our consciousness. The aim of this cleansing technique is to
establish simplicity and purity inside and feel rejuvenated. You will feel the difference
during the evening, when you sleep, and when you meditate the next morning.

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This technique is usually done in the afternoon. When your daily work is over, take
half an hour to ‘reset’ yourself. After greeting your dear ones, let them know that you
need 20 minutes quiet time by yourself to remove all the stress and heaviness from the
day, so that you will be better able to relax with them in the evening. This time is for
you, so switch off your phone.

REJUVENATION TECHNIQUE:
✴Sit in a comfortable position, as you do for meditation and close your eyes and
relax.Make a suggestion that all the complexities and impurities that you have
accumulated during the day are going out of your system from the back, from
top of your head to your tailbone, in the form of smoke or vapour.
✴Now accelerate the process and try to feel the complexities and impurities going
away. If your attention drifts, and you find yourself involved in other thoughts,
gently bring your attention back to the cleaning process. Continue with this
thought for 15 minutes.
✴When you feel very light, that means you are connected with the Source, and
from this Source descends the Sacred Current, which is entering your heart and
is helping you remove impressions from the back.
✴When complexities are gone, you are feeling simple. Impurities are gone and you
are feeling pure. The Sacred Current, through your heart is entering every cell of
your body. Finish with the conviction that the cleaning is completed effectively
and your whole body is completely purified and feeling sacred.

This is an active mental process. You are fully aware of what is happening and you let
go of everything. There is no need to remember the happenings of the day, just remove
them like you would remove dirt from your body when taking a shower, or while
cleaning the floor when sweeping a room.Try not to slip into meditation. If you do,
gently open your eyes and start the process again. Once you are confident with the
process, you can practice every day on your own for 20-30 minutes.

You can listen to guided cleaning by downloading the sound files from
Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/heartfulness-denmark
or
Listen to “Unwind” on the ‘Let’s Meditate’ app on your smart phone. 

(Available on iPhone and Android devices)

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 Q&A

What are impressions?

By the end of an active part of any day, you may feel tired and weighed down from the
impact of all that has unfolded during the day. Images and thoughts of things that
happened may keep repeating in your awareness. Have you ever wondered about this?
Why do some days feel heavier than others? What can you do to feel lighter and more
balanced again? This sense of being weighed down reflects how much you have be-
come involved in the day, whether positively or negatively. In other words,
responding with thoughts, words and actions has created ‘impressions’ in you, like
traces that hang around in your field of awareness as the day comes to a close.

Moreover, we see, hear, feel and understand things, which in turn will determine our
actions. As life unfolds, we develop likes and dislikes. Our likes lead us to having
desires. These desires motivate and guide our actions. On the other hand we can
develop aversion to anything that causes pain. We strive to avoid pain and that too
steers our actions. Each desire satisfied intensifies that particular like and each pain
averted or unfortunately experienced, intensifies that particular dislike. Each such
emotion or perception leaves a deep imprint in our inner being. These ‘impressions’
mold our
future behavior and actions. In this way, you may keep recreating and deepening the
same impressions, like tracks that become fixed into paths with constant use. This is
how we all create repeating patterns due to which our reactions become habitual and
rigid.

Therefore, impressions are just like "encoded programs" that run our behavior and
actions on an automatic pilot, generally devoid of conscious reasoning and thinking on
our part. They influence our responses to similar situations in the future. You may
find yourself pre-judging new situations according to past impressions and this can
prevent you seeing things clearly and objectively. It is difficult to be free of these
impressions even when we consciously want to do so. That is why we very often
observe, that when we wish to change certain aspects of our self, despite our best
efforts we just can't seem to do so. Each day brings more of such impressions.

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REFLECTION EXERCISE
• Observe how you feel in the evening, after you have finished the day’s work. Are
there any thoughts that keep repeating in your mind?
• Have you observed any behavioral pattern that you may have unconsciously created
as a result of your likes and dislikes?

Why do we need to do the rejuvenation process?

When we meditate, we are in a state, of heightened awareness. A field of receptivity is

created within us. The Yogic transmission that is received by our hearts, during
meditation, can be felt and perceived more easily by us, if we permit that space of
reception to be pure and unhindered. With each day's thoughts and actions, "traces"
or "impressions" are formed in our inner field.

The depth of each of these impressions is directly related to the intensity of our
attachment to that particular thought or activity. When we meditate, if our mind is
constantly pulled towards fresh thoughts or impressions left behind earlier, we keep
reinforcing them. Where focus goes, energy flows. It is hence counter-productive to
keep meditating on one's own established tendencies or thought flows.

Therefore, we need to clear out all complexities and impurities that accumulate as
impressions in the heart, during the evening cleaning activity. We use the power of
suggestion and will power to remove them, when they are still at the surface and have
not had time to settle deeper. The memory of the event is still present, but without the
aftermath of emotional reactions and justifications that may have arisen. Cleaning will
leave you fresh and light for the rest of the evening and also prevents you from
carrying today’s complexities over into tomorrow. Therefore when we meditate the
next morning, the light that we meditate upon, easily permeates the now clear and
pure space of our inner being. Thus it is very beneficial to experience the assistance
that the evening cleaning practice, can bring to our morning meditation.

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REFLECTION EXERCISE
• Observe if any thoughts that have been bothering you throughout the day, still
bother you after the evening cleaning.
• Observe if the cleaning process is helping you meditate better the next morning.

What is the difference between morning meditation and

evening rejuvenation?

Morning meditation is a passive process. You bring your attention to the heart in a
very gentle manner and wait and observe. The suggestion of the inner presence is
subtle and your will is only used to make sure that your attention does not drift with
your thoughts.

The evening cleaning is an active technique where you are fully engaged in the process
of cleaning your system of all the impurities that have accumulated during the day.
You have to be willing to remove them and stay active and present in the process. This
process uses the willpower of the mind to remove unwanted things. Remind
yourself of what you are doing and keep letting go of everything.

The will is like a muscle that needs practice to grow stronger. With practice, your
willpower will grow and you will be able to notice that you are more and more effective
in your evening cleaning.

REFLECTION EXERCISE
Compare the effectiveness of the process when you do your cleaning early in the
evening, when you are still energetic, and when you do it late at night, when you are
tired and your willpower is waning.

Different types of Rejuvenation


We recommend cleaning to be done at the end of a working day, when many of the
day’s events have happened and whatever trace impressions are left in your system

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can be removed. It is your main cleaning for the day, like a bath or shower is your
main wash for the day.

At other times, however, you may need to wash your face, hands or feet. Similarly, you
are welcome to do a five-minute or even a two-minute cleaning at any time during the
day, if something happens, that particularly disturbs your state of being. This
emergency cleaning is done using the same process as the evening cleaning, but it lasts
for around two-five minutes. It does not replace the evening cleaning which is still
done at the end of the day for 20-30 minutes.

Cleaning also happens in a group or individual meditation session with a trainer. In

fact, cleaning takes place during a significant part of any meditation conducted by a
trainer. This cleaning may be quite profound, removing older and deeper impressions.
Sometimes you may feel the effects, perhaps as emotions, memories, thoughts or
feelings arising, or even physical changes like heat or restlessness. It may sometimes
even be uncomfortable as old impressions surface.

However, it is recommended that you observe your condition after the meditation
session is over, you will generally feel lighter. It is wise to simply be happy that old
impressions have been removed rather than analyze too much.

REFLECTION EXERCISE
During the day, if there is anything that is bothering your peaceful condition of mind,
try doing the cleaning for about 5-10 minutes. Observe and note down if there is a
change in your condition afterwards.

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 5

CONNECT WITH YOUR

INNER SELF
The last basic element of the Heartfulness practice is connecting with the inner self.
This inner connection can be established when there is a vacuum created in our heart.
This vacuum can be triggered very easily by an intentional linking within, fostering a
meditative state throughout the day.

From the moment a person is born, the life force continues to drive the life until that
moment we call death. It hardly matters what we call that agency that gives us life, as

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long as we understand that there is a universal source that sustains life and it is inside
each of us. The soul, or the life force that animates all things, is inside ourselves. We
connect with this inner self to expand our attunement to the heart. When we address
and invoke the source from within, when we are inspired from within, it is the very
source inside that guides us all the time.

There are two ideal times to create this conscious connection. The first is just before
morning meditation, and the second is at bedtime just before sleeping.

What does it mean to have continuous connection with your

inner self?

We start the day with meditation and thereby set the tone and direction for the day.
When we meditate in the morning we create an inner connection within our heart and
achieve a high level of consciousness. However, this deep state of meditative
consciousness lasts only for a few seconds after meditation. As we get lost in our day
to day activities, we lose the subtle peaceful condition that we created during
meditation. We then do the cleaning at the end of our day’s work and remove the
impressions to clear our inner space, thereby regaining the peaceful condition. But
how do we make this meditative state last even longer?

We can make our meditative state be present within us even when we are not
meditating. It can accompany us while we are sleeping. So, by making use of sleep to
improve our consciousness, this connection continues in the subconscious and makes
it easier for us to meditate the next morning.

During morning meditation, we make the connection with our inner self, consciously
and when we go to sleep we bring this conscious connection to the subconscious.
Thus, by creating a cycle of constant connection with heart or our inner Self, we create
the
conditions that will nurture this inner connection with our heart and make it stronger.
Over time, with repetition and routine, we expand our capacity to attune ourselves to
our heart and the highest potential within us at all times.

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REFLECTION EXERCISE
Do you have any ritual/ routine that relaxes you, before you go to sleep every night?
How does it help you sleep better?

How do we bring the meditative consciousness to subconscious?

Rest your attention on the heart.


Feel the longing within the heart to be the highest that one can be.
Call upon this deepest Self for guidance. Try to go deeper within.

Scan through all the day’s activities. There may be situations where you feel you could
do better or react/respond in a better way. So, resolve in a gentle way to not repeat
and improve instead. Resolution is improvement.

Constant or continuous improvements make us a better version of ourselves. So we

remind ourselves of what to do and what to avoid. All the guidance that we need is
already present in our heart. Our heart is our guide. Thus, going to sleep in this
meditative mood, helps you carry the condition to your subconscious.

REFLECTION EXERCISE:
Try to observe the effect of night time meditation/contemplation on your sleep. Note
down the effect in your diary the next morning.

Dynamize your sleep: A spiritual prayer to connect with your

inner Self

The main intention of adding this spiritual element to your night time routine is to
'feel' the meditative state before you sleep and the words in the 'prayer' just help
induce that state in you. Through this exercise, we give ourselves time to connect
again with our heart and to our inner, higher Self.

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Night time meditation
Sit in a comfortable position, close your eyes and relax.
With a feeling of open-heartedness, mentally repeat the words below slowly and
gently:

My Lord,
Thou are the real goal of human life,
We are yet but slaves of wishes putting bar to our advancement.
Thou art the only God and Power to bring us up to that stage.

Repeat the words again. Meditate for ten to fifteen minutes over its meaning and try to
become absorbed in it.

A continuous connection with our heart

The words in the night time meditation are addressed to the source of life within us,
our own divine spark. So often we get lost in our endless stream of desires, the
demands and challenges of each day, and we forget the connection to the life-force
within us.

Through this meditation and using these statements, we allow time for daily reflection
with our hearts, and to resolve to keep attending to our self-development. The feeling
of this meditation can have a resonance which continues within us even while we
sleep, giving us the opportunity of connecting with the innermost core of our hearts,
both day and night.

REFLECTION EXERCISE
Does the spiritual prayer helps you meditate better the next morning?

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 Q&A

What do the words of the spiritual prayer mean?

The words of spiritual prayer are to be mediated upon. They are not to be repeated like
a mantra or chant. We say them silently and inwardly, a few times to recall each
phrase, and then meditate on its meaning and the vibrations it carries.

The first line states, My Lord, Thou art the real goal of human life. These words
addressed to our inner Self, the Higher Self or Divinity itself, affirms the purpose of
our existence. Without a goal or direction there is no progressive movement possible.
If we do not have a defined goal it is very difficult to even measure growth! So once we
fix a goal, as that of achieving Self-Realization or Inner Mastery, we can then trace a
path to get there. Having a goal lends a sense of why we undertake all the efforts of
doing any spiritual activity, whatsoever. As the well-known saying goes - For the ship
that doesn't have a fixed destination, no wind is a "favorable" wind!

Now that we have affirmed our goal we can approach our situation at present by the
second phrase of the prayer that states: We are yet but slaves of wishes putting bar to
our advancement. This simple statement is a very beautiful and liberating expression.
By stating this, we recognize that by being slaves of our desires and wishes we are
responsible for our state. With responsibility comes the ability to accept why we are
where we are. This is very uplifting feeling, because once we are ready to accept that
we are indeed responsible for whatever happens to us, only then do we have the
possibility of changing it. So many are inclined to blame our life's difficulties on others
and external situations or events that happen to us. We battle with feelings of
injustice, frustrations, anger and hopelessness at times. But the moment we accept
that we are ourselves responsible for everything that happens to us, and decide that
we can simply change whatever needs to be changed, we can move ahead.How light
and joyful the spirit feels at such a declaration that we make with a sincere heart! We
develop profound humility and our hearts soften and open to the Divine presence.

The third line of the Heartfulness prayer implies that after leaving our self-imposed
shackles behind, we move on to the next step that states: Thou art the only God and

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Power to bring us up to that stage; this is a beautiful culmination of the prayer in a
state of inner surrender. As we lift our vision towards the Higher Self, we perceive the
presence of the Divine in our heart, humbly connect with it and acknowledge that it is
the only God and power that can take us to that stage of highest evolution that we aim
to achieve. We surrender ourselves to the uplifting currents of Divine love that makes
our hearts soar high. When we accept our self-imposed limitations and are ready to
lay off all that is blocking our advancement, we display a sincere willingness to rise up.
This in itself is enough to attract the Divine Grace towards us. The spiritual prayer
thus culminates in a deep reconnection with the Ultimate Source, delivering us into
folds of the higher vibrations that our hearts now open up to.

REFLECTION EXERCISE
Note down what you understood/ learnt/ realized by meditating on the meaning of
the spiritual prayer.

Should I “pray” only at bedtime?

Prayer is a connection to the Divine Source. We have free access to the Divine "Wi-Fi"
at all times. We do however need to switch on our end of the access, type in the code
and login with the Divine. Once we set the intention of prayer and settle down, it is
time to use the password. Our passwords are our true heart's feelings - humility, love
and our gratitude at being in the Divine presence. And so, the connection is
activated. Before we start praying, we need to be alert and manifest the intention to
pray. A heartfelt intention is required for payer, because as it was so well written by
Shakespeare, "My words fly up, my thoughts remain below, Words without thoughts
never to heaven go!"

So the intention that I am sincerely ready to pray sets the scene. Then we repeat
slowly and inwardly, the words of the prayer once, and allow for the meaning to settle
in our hearts and mind. We continue pondering and meditating on the meaning of the
words, stay there for a while, honor the wonderful Divine Presence in our hearts and
slipping into the mood of prayer. It is important not to rush such a process, we require
at least 10-15 minutes of going through the entire process with care. It is good to pray
at bedtime because it leads us into in a coherent state as we fall asleep.

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However, if we are too tired by the time we go to bed, it may be difficult not to fall
asleep in the middle of it all and thereby miss the essence of the prayer and being in
the condition that prayer creates in us. Therefore we may also consider praying, at
other times in the day, when we are fully alert.

REFLECTION EXERCISE
• Observe if you are able to stay awake during the night time prayer.
• Have you tried praying at other times during the day? What have been your 

observations regarding its effect on your meditative condition or general state of
mind?

Is there a universal impact of this simple invocation?

Prayer is like beautiful music sent out into the universe. The spiritual prayer naturally
creates a state of inner joy and peace. As we pray, we find ourselves grateful for all that
has been received during the day. We learn to let go of our grievances and experience
forgiveness and humility, as we face the vast divine presence invited in our hearts, by
prayer.

Our prayer affects the entire universe; we have been taught by our modern-day
life-style, to believe that we are all separate however; most spiritual traditions have
insisted that all of creation is “One”. Today, quantum science has begun to discover
the depth of the physical universe and come to the same conclusion as ancient
Wisdom, that we are indeed all one. The separation is an illusion; this is being proven
by repeated experiments in scientific studies around the world.

In essence, we are all, nothing else but energy vibrating at different frequencies that
manifests as "matter". As we understand and begin to embrace, this idea of the
"Oneness" of existence, we realize that our prayer does have an affect on everything
else. This is because we are an integrated, vibrating part of the whole. When we pray,
we send out waves of love from a serene heart that has a resonating effect, reaching
out to all. One heart that emanates love and peace by prayer spreads to the
collective consciousness. So as we pray, not only do we benefit by it but so does the
entire universe.

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 “You can find inside yourself all the answers by surrendering to this
powerful force that resides in you. Trust it; follow it with fervor, practice
assiduously, considering it as your true capital. You cannot escape its vigilance, no
matter what you do. You are accountable to it; don’t forget it. You stand before it
in all circumstances. It takes various names according to the beliefs, but it
remains true to form and will continue well beyond this existence - which is a short
stage in a longer process. It is not glorified by you satisfying your desires or inclina-
tions. This higher entity does not put up with the pettiness of this life, the real goal
of which is to align oneself as well as possible with it, by approaching its perfec-
tion. Each one manages to feel its presence. Sooner or later, it will prevail. On no ac-
count can it demean itself and stoop to the level of this world. Try to feel its pres-
ence in you, to let it grow and transform you, so that, little by little, you would be
nothing but as one with it.”

- Ram Chandra of Shahjahanpur, Founder of Heartfulness Meditation System

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 6

PRACTICAL INFO
In this section we have attempted to include a list of all the resources that you will find
useful as a new seeker. These include, finding the nearest heartfulness centers,
trainers, group meditation venues and all other online learning resources.

Individual and Group meditation sessions:

As a new seeker it is highly beneficial to take weekly meditation sessions with trainers.
This can be either group sessions or individual sessions. In such sessions trainers
support the seeker with yogic transmission thereby making their meditations deeper
and more profound. For those in remote locations, seekers may avail either the “Let’s
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meditate app” or make arrangements individually with trainers of their choice. Here it
is important to stress that all our trainers are volunteers and there are no fees involved
for the seeker for availing these services.

Useful Links:
Finding the nearest centers and trainers:
Denmark: www.heartfulnessmeditation.dk/kontakt
International: www.heartspots.heartfulness.org

Let’s meditate App:

iOS
Android

Recommended Book:
The Heartfulness Way: Available on Amazon

Online reading/learning resources:

Heartfulness online courses: www.learning.heartfulnessinstitute.dk
Heartfulness magazine: www.heartfulnessmagazine.com
Check articles by Kamlesh D.Patel, 4th spiritual guide of Heartfulness meditation
system by visiting: www.daaji.org

Websites:
Danish website: www.heartfulnessmeditation.dk
International website: www.en.heartfulness.org
Heartfulness Institute in Denmark: www.heartfulnessinstitute.dk
Vrads Sande International course center in Denmark: www.vradssande.dk

Social media links:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/HeartfulnessDanmark/
Instagram: www.instagram.com/heartfulness_dk/
Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/heartfulness-denmark
Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/user79623845

Contact Us:
email: denmark@heartfulness.org

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 FAQs:
• Are there any fees or charges for practicing Heartfulness?

Heartfulness practice, including sessions with trainers, is completely free of any cost
or fees. All that is required is joyful willingness for self-development. If you find
yourself benefiting by this system and would like to donate, you are very welcome to
do so via our Danish website.

• Is Heartfulness affiliated with any religion or political movement?


No. Heartfulness is open to people of any religion, political orientation, race, gender
and other persuasion. The only requirement is a willingness to practice.

• Do Heartfulness techniques require strenuous effort, special requirements, etc.?

Heartfulness techniques are simple and only require a joyful participation.
Heartfulness offers flexibility to proceed at your own pace, as per your own
convenience. You can practice these techniques in the comfort of your home. As you
feel the benefit and as your interest grows, a normalization of effort and habits will
set in naturally. As your mind is refined, so also will your thoughts and actions be
refined.

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