Daaji started his day in the early hours, around 4 am. He spent the quiet hours working on his upcoming book, immersed in thoughts and reflections. After a couple of hours, he returned to bed at 6:30 am for some rest. By 9 am, he was ready to start his day. After breakfast, he rested for a while on the large indoor swing, a familiar sight in traditional Gujarati homes, and was soon joined by his grandchildren. Their laughter filled the morning with joy as they played with their beloved&nbsp;dada&nbsp;(grandfather). &nbsp;

At 11:30 am, Daaji returned to the auditorium for another session with the Vice Chancellors of Agricultural Universities on the second day of their conference. Daaji conducted meditation for all present and later answered several questions posed by the attendees.&nbsp;&nbsp;Later, Daaji asked one of his guests whether he had seen the new Kanha Global School. They took a leisurely drive around it, as the school was closed for the day. During the drive, the guest shared an interesting idea, mentioning that he knew an artist who could carve the Deccan Plateau's massive rocks into beautiful animal sculptures. Daaji, always open to creativity and enhancing the environment with meaning, suggested that the artist visit Kanha to explore the possibilities. &nbsp;

After lunch, Daaji spent some time in his office and also met with functionaries.After a restful afternoon, Daaji went for a short walk, a routine he enjoys – connecting with nature and quiet introspection. At 7:30 pm, a few dinner guests arrived, and after sharing the meal, Daaji made his way to the meditation hall where he was to lead the virtual ‘Dil Se with Daaji’ program for the National Youth Seminar participants from Seattle, USA. Even across great distances, the thread of Heartfulness united them, as Daaji’s guidance and presence brought a sense of closeness and inspiration to all watching the program online. Daaji conducted a meditation session before leaving for home. &nbsp;

Daaji made his way to the meditation hall where he was to lead the virtual ‘Dil Se with Daaji’ program for the National Youth Seminar participants from Seattle, USA. Even across great distances, the thread of Heartfulness united them, as Daaji’s guidance and presence brought a sense of closeness and inspiration to all watching the program online.

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Daaji’s day was filled with meeting the vice-chancellors of the agriculture universities of India and a virtual session of the ‘Dil Se with Daaji’ program for the National Youth Seminar participants from Seattle, USA. 

Kanha Shanti Vanam 7th September 2024

Daaji returned to Kanha Shanti Vanam on the 5th, in good health, looking refreshed and energetic, despite the intense trip to Kolkata the past few days.&nbsp;In the morning Daaji had breakfast with a few guests and then went to his office. There Mr. Pasha Patel, a bamboo expert from Maharashtra, shared his experiences and vision for how the bamboo industry could benefit India, to which Daaji listened attentively, as he always does. Mr Patel had brought along bamboo-crafted items like a clock, a watch, spectacle frames, and even cups and pens. Mr Patel and Daaji discussed the role of this industry in environmental protection and combating climate change, a topic close to Daaji’s heart. &nbsp;

Later in the day, Daaji met with the Vice Chancellors of Agricultural Universities from across India in the conference hall. Collectively, they guide the future of India’s agricultural education and having heard much about Kanha, they had come to hear Daaji’s insights and be inspired. Daaji conducted a meditation session with them. As they sat together, the deep calm of the post meditative state created a shared sense of purpose and introspection.&nbsp;&nbsp;Daaji then visited most of the stalls that were present on the ground floor of the building before joining the VC’s for a group photo. After that, Daaji viewed the demo of the electric-powered tractor near the meditation hall. &nbsp;

In the evening, Daaji conducted meditation and later while distributing&nbsp;prasad to the family, he reminded everyone that even in the simplest acts, there is an opportunity for deep spiritual connection and gratitude.&nbsp;Daaji had dinner with a few guests and functionaries. The evening was a mix of conversations about work, service, and deeper spiritual purpose.&nbsp;Later, more Heartfulness practitioners arrived with their families to meet Daaji and he spent nearly an hour with them, offering wisdom, humor, and gentle guidance. Ever patient and attentive, Daaji made sure each person left feeling heard and uplifted.And yet another busy day drew to a close as Daaji retired for the night at 10 pm. &nbsp;

Daaji met with the Vice Chancellors of Agricultural Universities from across India in the conference hall. Collectively, they guide the future of India’s agricultural education and having heard much about Kanha, they had come to hear Daaji’s insights and be inspired. Daaji conducted a meditation session with them. As they sat together, the deep calm of the post meditative state created a shared sense of purpose and introspection.&nbsp;

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After Daaji’s intense trip to Kolkata, he is back at Kanha Shanti Vanam. The day was filled with meeting dignitaries, including the Vice Chancellors of Agricultural Universities from across India.

Kanha Shanti Vanam 6th September 2024

During all of Daaji’s travels, the meditation sessions conducted by him are telecast live on the Heartfulness YouTube channel. This enables practitioners around the globe to join at their convenience and meditate with Daaji from the comfort of their homes. On that particular morning, the condition, which prevailed after the meditation, was one of profound silence. When Daaji was requested to address the audience he began by saying with a smile, “What to say? After having such a satsangh [group meditation], silence draws you so much inside that it is difficult to speak!Daaji then shared some revealing insights into the times of Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu [a 15th-century Indian saint and spiritual leader who is said to have pioneered the Bhakti Movement in worship of Lord Krishna].“During the meditation I was drawn towards the days of Shri Chaitanya Mahaprahu and I was wondering how those days must have been during the time when he started the&nbsp;bhakti&nbsp;[pure devotion] movement. I had a glimpse of it; it was pure love radiating from hearts. And with the blessings of the Hierarchy I was immersed in that love for the Lord. It was a very gripping type of bhakti they had for the Lord—did they ask for anything in the way we make transactions with God? I don’t think so. And that is what made their bhakti pure and everlasting: the vibrations are still here in the air. And so we are able to dive into those moments, feel them; what is needed to do so is a simple heart with some level of purity within. Simplicity and purity will lead us toward true bhakti for which Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu stands tall—he stands taller among all the&nbsp;bhaktas&nbsp;[devotees] in the world.&nbsp;“We think that bhaktas like Meera gave up, sacrificed so much but all these are our observations based on who we are.&nbsp; Would a mother ever say, ‘I sacrificed all my time for my baby?’ It’s normal to be drenched in the love for the Lord, there is no sacrifice with it. If ever in your life you think that you are&nbsp;sacrificing half an hour in the morning [referring to morning meditation] and half an hour in the evening [referring to evening Cleaning], then you better not meditate at all. Each of these half hours prepares us for the rest of the day and each half hour everyday prepares us for life—a life that would eternally remain, with each breath, in absorbency, in constant remembrance, and in love of the Beloved.”

After the session Daaji went back to the Mayfair Hotel and took rest. Later in the day, Shri Sameer Anjaan met Daaji and joined him for the lunch along with a few more guests.In the evening, Daaji returned to the meditation hall to conduct yet another meditation session. He answered a few questions thereafter. Here are some insightful snippets from Daaji's answers.“In an organization there is a difference between its member, its associate, its disciple, and its devotee. According to Babuji Maharaj, ‘a real member of this [Heartfulness] organization is the one who has the highest goal in mind’ but that’s not enough. Are you doing something about it to attain that goal?”“Speaking for myself, when I do anything in remembrance of my Master, when I devote my work to my Master, I enjoy the most.”“There will be times in almost every practitioner’s journey when he/she won’t feel like meditating and lose interest in it. At such times, read the literature of the Mission, take individual sittings from preceptors, and attend group meditation sessions, that’s all. It will revive the joy of meditation. And then again there will be a slump. This happens when we move from one point [energy vortex/chakra in the spiritual anatomy] to another point. So a dry feeling or a slump means that a practitioner is ready to move to the next point.”Post the Q&amp;A session there was a soulful performance by Sniti Mishra, a trained Indian classical vocalist. The session was graced by the presence of Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia ji, the world-renowned flautist and his team. Daaji and Panditji sat in the audience, listening intently to Snitiji’s performance and occasionally exchanging a few words.&nbsp; The musical evening was further elevated by the exquisite renditions of Shri Santosh Sant, a student of Panditji and a&nbsp;renowned flautist in his own right.

“During the meditation I was drawn towards the days of Shri Chaitanya Mahaprahu and I was wondering how those days must have been during the time when he started the&nbsp;bhakti&nbsp;[pure devotion] movement. I had a glimpse of it; it was pure love radiating from hearts. And with the blessings of the Hierarchy I was immersed in that love for the Lord. It was a very gripping type of bhakti they had for the Lord—did they ask for anything in the way we make transactions with God? I don’t think so. And that is what made their bhakti pure and everlasting: the vibrations are still here in the air. And so we are able to dive into those moments, feel them; what is needed to do so is a simple heart with some level of purity within. Simplicity and purity will lead us toward true bhakti for which Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu stands tall—he stands taller among all the&nbsp;bhaktas&nbsp;[devotees] in the world.”

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Daaji began the day with a meditation session followed by a discussion on Bhakti. Daaji shared some revealing insights into the times of Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. In the evening, his meditation and Q&A session was followed by a soulful performance. 

Bhubaneswar 2nd September 2024

Daaji’s much awaited trip to Bhubaneswar to meet Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia ji, a world-renowned flute maestro, commenced on 1st September. He arrived at the Bhubaneswar airport at around 1.30 pm where many practitioners were eagerly waiting to receive Daaji. Much to everyone’s pleasant surprise, Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia ji, despite his age, had also arrived there to receive Daaji. This gesture was not only symbolic of Panditiji’s respect and affection for Daaji but also showed great humility on his part. As soon as Daaji reached the lounge where Panditji was waiting, Daaji held out his hands and greeted him with just as much respect and love, if not more. It was evident to all present that this exchange was more of a spiritual nature than of mere words and handshakes. Panditji accompanied Daaji to the Mayfair hotel where his stay was put up.&nbsp;Both Daaji and Panditji were welcomed with flowers and a&nbsp;tilak [a red vermillion mark applied to the forehead during an Indian welcome ceremony to symbolize blessings, respect, and goodwill] After lunch, before Panditji left, he invited Daaji to visit his gurukul late in the evening for a special musical program arranged by Panditji’s students.

Greater the receptivity of the heart, the greater the openness of the heart, and greater the perceptivity of the heart.All the practitioners gathered at the venue for the evening meditation were waiting eagerly for a glimpse of Daaji. Daaji was welcomed affectionately by a group of little children with smiling faces. After a small Indian traditional welcome with a&nbsp;tilak, he took his place in the hall. Daaji, always respectful of people’s faith and sentiments, kept the&nbsp;tilak on during the entire proceedings of the evening session. Many questions were posed to Daaji after the meditation session.&nbsp;&nbsp;Q: I do not know how to imagine the divine Light inside my heart. I am confused, please guide.Daaji: Many abhyasis even 10 years into their practice have this question. Meditation is about transcendence, going beyond thoughts, yet we begin with the thought of the divine Light is present in the heart: it’s an idea, a simple&nbsp;sankalpa&nbsp;[a sincere intention]. Pujya Babuji insists that we must not imagine its color or its form or quality, because that will limit our perception. If you imagine it’s blue, you will be limited to that blueness. So we have to let go of all our imaginations and instead have this feeling that ‘O Lord! Whatever it be, I am willing to experience it’; so no conditions. If you remain busy dissecting, analyzing, then it’s not meditation, it’s just mental jugglery.”&nbsp;Q: How can we adjust and manage in family life when our spouse does not support or actively opposes our spiritual practice? What to do when one spouse is meditating and the other opposes?&nbsp;&nbsp;Daaji:&nbsp;Well, one can only pray for such individuals. There are categories of spouses: Some say, “You do what you want to do, just don’t force me to do the same. I have no objection.” In reality, they have so many objections. A psychological study was done by our sister abhyasi from M S University, Vadodara, on the comparative happiness quotient of various categories of couples: 1) couples that meditate together; 2) couples that don’t meditate; and 3) couples where one meditates and the other doesn’t. It was concluded that category 1 was the happiest, category 2 was reasonably happy, and the least happy was category 3. Hence I say I can only pray for such couples [category 3], I know it is difficult to manage in such situations.”Just as the category 3 situation seemed like a lost cause, Daaji promptly gave the example of his first preceptor, Smt. Draupadi Agrawal from whom he took sittings when he was studying in Ahmedabad, and how she had managed just such a situation.&nbsp;“She used to struggle to meditate when she came to live with her in-laws after her marriage because they wouldn’t allow her to meditate. So she adapted to the situation and devised a way where she would not create cause for arguments with her new family. She would get up an hour earlier in the morning and lay in bed under her quilt pretending to be asleep but in actuality she would be meditating. In the evening, she would go to the washroom and throw some water around in pretense and do the Heartfulness Cleaning.“So if you have a will you will find a way, but don’t escalate the issue unnecessarily. You may not be able to meditate with eyes closed but you can remain&nbsp;meditative. Don’t create quarrels in the family. No one can take your heart away once you like something.”Daaji concluded the session and promised to take more questions the next day after meditation.

After the Q&amp;A session, Daaji visited the music gurukul [school] of Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasiaji who is a world-renowned flute maestro. This was a much-anticipated event since the stellar performance of Panditji at Kanha Shanti Vanam a few years ago, when Panditji had invited Revered Daaji to visit his Gurukul. Panditji had added that if Daaji could not make it, he would himself come to Kanha again. But out of his characteristic humility and respect for elders, Daaji did not want Panditji to be troubled by the difficulty of travel at his age, and so Daaji decided then that he would visit Panditji’s gurukul in Bhubaneswar. And that is how Bhubaneswar came to be on Daaji’s travel itinerary.&nbsp;A warm welcome later, the students of Panditji gave a splendid performance in honor of Daaji. Daaji has always cherished Indian classical music and often emphasizes the importance of introducing it to children, suggesting, "It would be wonderful if they could wake up to classical music each morning."He then announced his vision regarding creating music gurukuls in the Heartfulness ashrams at various locations in India and the US. Speaking to the students who gave the performance, he encouraged them to take up leadership for these gurukuls.“We already have ashrams, the structures and residential facilities are already there, we don’t have to build new ones. We are ready to roll! We have a presence in 160 countries under the auspices of Shri Ram Chandra Mission well known now as the Heartfulness way of meditation. I recommend the following places for you to consider—the Heartfulness ashrams of Raipur, Chhattisgarh; Hyderabad, Telangana; Panvel, Mumbai; Chennai; Delhi; Bengaluru; Kolkata; Lucknow; Varanasi; Indore; Jaipur; Ahmedabad; Vadodara; and 3 major ashrams in the US—Fremont, California; Richmond, Virginia; and Princeton, New Jersey. I am leaving this list with Panditji, so please confer with him. When you graduate, these places are waiting for you to take over. May God bless you.”Daaji and Panditji then proceeded for a group photo with the entire team, before heading to dinner with the guests. Daaji then left for the Mayfair hotel for some much-needed rest.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Q: I do not know how to imagine the divine Light inside my heart. I am confused, please guide.Daaji: Many abhyasis even 10 years into their practice have this question. Meditation is about transcendence, going beyond thoughts, yet we begin with the thought of the divine Light is present in the heart: it’s an idea, a simple&nbsp;sankalpa&nbsp;[a sincere intention]. Pujya Babuji insists that we must not imagine its color or its form or quality, because that will limit our perception. If you imagine it’s blue, you will be limited to that blueness. So we have to let go of all our imaginations and instead have this feeling that ‘O Lord! Whatever it be, I am willing to experience it’; so no conditions. If you remain busy dissecting, analyzing, then it’s not meditation, it’s just mental jugglery.”

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Daaji traveled to Bhubaneswar to meet Pandit Shri Hariprasad Chaurasia, the world-famous flute maestro who also shares a bond of friendship, mutual respect, and spiritual connection with Daaji. 

Bhubaneswar 1st September 2024

10th AugustDaaji reached Ahmedabad on the 10th evening. He arrived at the Heartfulness center in Adalaj at 5.45 pm and proceeded almost immediately to conduct meditation for all the practitioners waiting for him. He also spoke briefly to the audience thereafter in Gujarati.“Namaste, everyone. I don’t really wish to speak about anything in particular, but I have a couple of questions for you to reflect upon. Many of you may have read the book&nbsp;My Master. Those of you who have not yet read it, please raise your hands.”Since not everyone in the audience had read the book, Daaji said, “You must make some effort to know or at least have some desire to know the guide, the guru whom you are following. If you talk about progressing ahead without knowing, how is it going to be possible? So please read the book. There is no joy in putting forth those questions to you; if you are not even familiar with the book, what do I say about it? In my next visit, I will ask you the questions. Thank you.”

11&nbsp;AugustInterview with Editor-in-Chief,&nbsp;Jankalyan&nbsp;Magazine and Q&amp;A with audienceThe next morning, the audience that had gathered in the meditation hall included many Heartfulness practitioners from the surrounding villages of Ahmedabad who had been practicing for 3 years or less under the Village Connect Heartfulness program. After the meditation conducted by Daaji, some of the villagers shared their experiences with the Heartfulness meditation practice. Following this, Daaji was interviewed by Dr Harish Dwivedi, Editor-in-Chief of the&nbsp;Jankalyan magazine. This monthly magazine has been publishing philosophical, spiritual, and religious content in Gujarati for the past 74 years, enlightening readers in India and the Gujarati diaspora across the world. Daaji’s articles have been a regular feature in this magazine for the last three years. Here are some translated excerpts from the interview.&nbsp;Dr Dwivedi: I took my first sitting long back with a preceptor in Ahmedabad, the late Shri Dahyabhai Patel. Then I got busy with my profession, with job transfers and so on and lost touch. Many years later, when I took over the&nbsp;Jankalyan office, I came across a book titled&nbsp;Designing Destiny in Gujarati which had been a gift to the former Editor-in-Chief. I read it and was deeply impressed, finding it remarkable that all its principles aligned with those of Sahaj Marg. Inside, I found a scribbled phone number—it belonged to a preceptor in Ahmedabad, Smt. Tara Chauhan. I reached out to her, and since then, I have revived my practice. I wish to ask you, Daaji, which among all factors mentioned in the book, is the main one that leads to designing one’s destiny? Daaji:&nbsp;Let me put it this way. Where is our mind? Wherever your thoughts take you, that’s where the mind is. If your thoughts are with your mother, then your mind is with your mother. Where your thoughts take you, your mind follows. The breeze blowing through a garden carries the sweet fragrance of flowers, but if it passes over garbage, it carries a stench. Similarly our thoughts too can bring either sweetness or stench.&nbsp; As your goal is, so are your thoughts; as your thoughts are, so is your mind. So to truly design your destiny, you need to figure out where your interest lies. And when this interest is awakened it can truly transform your life and design your destiny. Suppose your interest is to make fast and easy money, your mind will work toward it, your thoughts will be of a similar nature, it will become your lifestyle, and eventually you will become a thief of great fame. So our goal determines our destiny.Dr Dwivedi: If anyone from the audience wishes to ask a question to Daaji, please come forward.Q: In this race, this competition of life, how can Heartfulness be of guidance?Daaji: Who are you competing with? There are all kinds of competitions in life. Every day, there are various competitions happening all the time with some or the other person. If you try and engage in each and every one, you will lose. Compete with yourself. Don’t compare yourself with others; there is no end to that. Today, you must be better than you were yesterday. Tomorrow, be better than you are today. Lord Krishna said, “Ego manifests in three major ways—self-respect, pride and arrogance. If you are a doctor and say, “I am a doctor,” that’s self-respect. If you say, “I am a good doctor and I will become a better doctor day by day,” that’s a matter of pride as long as you don’t compare yourself with others. But if you say, “There is no better doctor than I,” it becomes arrogance.Q: I am a vice principal and for 5 minutes or so before each class, I make the children do some meditation. But the teachers in my school warn me that this will make the children too calm and they will lose the spirit of competition. So, is it true that with meditation, the children will lose their desires and spirit of competition?Daaji: It’s true that the desire to compete diminishes. But they will begin to compete with themselves. They will begin to focus on how they can study better without comparing themselves to other students. They will connect to the source within and develop one-pointed attention and concentration, which automatically brings about cooperation with Nature. But yes, small children up to the age of 15 should not be made to meditate. Do Heartfulness Relaxation with them, in the morning before school starts and at the end before they go home. Also, teach the children that they must go home and at night hold their parents’ feet and do the Relaxation for them. They may begin by saying, “Energy is flowing from me to you.”Dr Dwivedi:&nbsp;Spiritual Anatomy explains numerous chakras. For the benefit of the layman who may not be well-versed in these concepts, could you highlight the one chakra that serves as the key to overall spiritual progress—much like the saying&nbsp;ek saadhe, badhu saadhe [by mastering one, everything is mastered]?Daaji:&nbsp;The Heart chakra. Our spiritual&nbsp;yatra&nbsp;[journey] begins in the heart chakra and ends in the heart chakra. The heart chakra is connected to all the other smaller and bigger chakras in the body. So, when we meditate on the heart, the&nbsp;pranahuti [transmission] that we receive with the guru’s grace, enters the heart. And from there, it spreads not only to all the other chakras, but also to all the cells of the body. Hence, meditating on the heart is a very profound and noble practice—Lord Krishna has said it, science says it, yoga treatises say it, and even your own experience says it. In the first sitting [mediation with a trainer] itself, you experience peace. What does that mean? So let’s meditate on the heart and progress ahead.At the end of the interview, Daaji shared his childhood memories of the&nbsp;Jankalyan magazine. He said, “Ever since I could read, perhaps by the time I was in the 3rd or 4th grade, I have been reading&nbsp;Jankalyan. It used to come regularly to our house in the village; it still does. My father used to read it aloud, with or without an audience! Who knows, maybe some of it would reach someone's ears and contribute to their well-being?!

Daaji stayed for four days at the Heartfulness center in Ahmedabad. During this time, he met with many guests and practitioners, including the Hon’ble Chief Minister of Gujarat, Shri Bhupendra Patel. On the morning of the 12th, Daaji welcomed the Chief Minister and his team. After a brief discussion, Daaji gave him an individual sitting. They then proceeded to plant tree saplings near the meditation hall.

After the Hon’ble Chief Minister took his leave, Daaji retired for some rest before gearing up for more meetings. In the late afternoon, Daaji met with young students from Silver Oak University. Later there was a meeting with a team from the Adani group in which discussions took place about many initiatives. After the meditation session in the evening, Daaji answered questions previously collected from the audience. Here are all the translated Q&amp;As.Q: What is the condition of a contemplative mind like, and how to develop it?Daaji: When we develop a meditative condition after each meditation, we pay attention to it, try to hold on to it as if we have just received a valuable gift. All conditions that occur during meditation are valuable. But we don’t contemplate on them; there is no need for contemplation on them. Just be one with it and let that condition carry you through the day. The mistake we make is holding on to it and going ahead through the day. Instead, let the condition hold you and take you further. Just make a suggestion that just like the guru is holding our hand and leading us forward, the spiritual condition too is taking us forward—it will expand automatically.If we just take a joyful interest in spirituality, everything will happen on its own, we won’t have to do anything except morning meditation, evening cleaning, and nighttime prayer.Q: By the expansion of my consciousness, how can I be of use to the Mission and the Master?&nbsp;&nbsp;Daaji: That depends on your capacity. When the consciousness expands, such a question won’t arise—the consciousness itself will guide you what to do and what not to do. Just change yourself, transform yourself; that is the biggest service you can render.Q: How can I know that my superconsciousness and subconsciousness are expanding?Daaji:&nbsp;You will know when it happens! In fact, it happens every day. Those who don’t meditate won’t know, because it happens very slowly. Those who meditate should know: if they don’t, it means they are not meditating properly. So, follow the protocol. Do as it is prescribed. Then if nothing happens, we can raise a complaint to Babuji, “I meditated, I did the cleaning and the prayer, but I am still the same. Why is it so?” But if we have not done it properly, then we will keep finding fault all our lives, “Should I have done that? Did I do it properly?” It will end up like an unfinished task. So if you do it, do it perfectly. If you can’t, leave it. It doesn’t work if you do it one day and skip it the next day.After the program in the meditation hall, Daaji met with Dr Hasmukh Adhia, IAS, (Retd.) Principal Advisor to the Chief Minister of Gujarat, and Dr K.L.N. Rao, Additional Director General of Police, Prisons &amp; Correctional Administration, Ahmedabad. Before dinner, Daaji also met with architects on the upcoming projects in the Heartfulness center in Ahmedabad.

13 August&nbsp;Daaji’s day began busy as usual. In the morning, he met with many guests including Shri Rushikesh Ganeshbhai Patel, who holds Health and Family Welfare, Higher &amp; TechnicalEducation, Medical Education, Law &amp; Justice, and Parliamentary Affairs in the current Cabinet. A short discussion later, Daaji proceeded to conduct mediation. On his way, he was greeted by two monks from the Swaminarayan&nbsp;sampradya&nbsp;[sect]. Before starting meditation, Daaji gave a speech where he elaborated on various topics related to religion and spirituality. Below are some translated excerpts from his talk.<ul><li>Many people question me: What is the difference between religion and spirituality? Religion teaches us to have faith, preaches the concept of surrender, and gives us a belief system. In this belief, it says that God is omnipresent, omniscient, and almighty. Spirituality says, “Now experience God—and test whether God is really omnipresent, omniscient and almighty. In Vedic times, the rishis [sages], whenever they looked at the sky, the mountains, or rivers, they would bow down in respect, because they felt the Divinity in everything around them. Back then, there weren’t any temples. Temples came much later, around 2500 years after that. If you were to do carbon dating, you wouldn’t find any temples from those times, because they weren’t needed.&nbsp; Temples are merely symbolic of the fact that God exists.When we bow down in a temple, we do it with faith. But, deep inside, we still wonder if the Divinity is really there. We bow down, but we don’t experience. The truth is, the real experience of divinity comes only through meditation.&nbsp;&nbsp;</li><li>Arjuna says to Lord Krishna, “You have shown me your Vishwarupa (Universal Form), but I am terrified and overwhelmed by it. Please return to your friendly form.” Even great figures like Bhishma and Dronacharya saw this divine form, yet in spite of this, they didn’t fully comprehend that they were actually fighting against Lord Krishna, the Supreme One.</li><li>Hence, simply seeing something is of no benefit; it's like water flowing over rocks. Until one's heart melts, one can't truly feel or experience the presence of the Divine. If by seeing the true form [of God], we haven’t progressed, how are we going to move forward by just seeing His fake form?</li><li>Recently, DGP Vikasbhai talked about the generational gap in the police force. He mentioned that those who joined after 2010 belong to a new generation. It’s not that they are not good, but the gap in ideologies is quite large. Every batch, whether from the 70s, 80s, or 90s, has its own set of values, morals, and standards. In families too, we see this generational gap. The gap between me and my father was smaller, but now there's a wider gap between me and my children, and an even bigger one between me and my grandchildren. The more rapid transformation [of society and the world], the more the gap grows. As a result of this gap, there’s often instability, imbalance, and chaos in the family. We cannot accept that someone else’s opinion is different from ours, and this leads to arguments and our egos getting hurt.</li><li>But through meditation, the entire atmosphere can change. I’m not saying everyone in the family will suddenly start listening to you. Differences will still exist—in fact, it's healthy to have differences. However, when you begin to accept those differences, it can make a huge difference.</li><li>Meditation sensitizes us. Meditation makes us understand, by looking at situations and&nbsp; scenarios from all angles. Thus we start to develop a sense of discrimination.</li></ul>After the meditation session, Daaji and Shri Rushikesh Ganeshbhai Patel planted tree saplings on the ashram premises. Later, Daaji took a group photo with the team working on the reforestation of the Taranga Hills (located in the Aravalli mountain range) in Gujarat, as part of the Forests by Heartfulness initiative. This marked the end of Daaji’s trip within Gujarat, after which he departed for Hyderabad to return to Kanha Shanti Vanam.

“Where is our mind? Wherever your thoughts take you, that’s where the mind is. If your thoughts are with your mother, then your mind is with your mother. Where your thoughts take you, your mind follows. The breeze blowing through a garden carries the sweet fragrance of flowers, but if it passes over garbage, it carries a stench. Similarly our thoughts too can bring either sweetness or stench.&nbsp; As your goal is, so are your thoughts; as your thoughts are, so is your mind. So to truly design your destiny, you need to figure out where your interest lies. And when this interest is awakened it can truly transform your life and design your destiny. Suppose your interest is to make fast and easy money, your mind will work toward it, your thoughts will be of a similar nature, it will become your lifestyle, and eventually you will become a thief of great fame. So our goal determines our destiny.”

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Daaji reached Ahmedabad on the 10th evening. He arrived at the Heartfulness center in Adalaj at 5.45 pm and proceeded almost immediately to conduct meditation for all the practitioners waiting for him. He also spoke briefly to the audience thereafter in Gujarati.

Ahmedabad, Gujarat 10th and 13th August 2024

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A live journal of blessed activities in and around Kanha with Daaji

13 JuneA significant highlight of Daaji’s travels in Delhi and Uttar Pradesh was the inauguration of the Bharatiya Gyan Parampara Kendra (Centre of Indian Knowledge Systems—CIKS) at Galgotias University situated in Greater Noida. CIKS is envisioned to blend India’s ancient knowledge systems and spiritual wisdom with contemporary science, innovation, and AI. In alignment with the Ministry of Education’s vision of embedding India’s intellectual heritage into higher education, this initiative marked a thoughtful step toward preserving tradition while preparing institutions for the future.Daaji’s arrival at the university was met with ceremonial fanfare. NCC cadets lined a red carpet, standing in formation. The university’s chairman, his son, and the family received him warmly. The welcome was formal, yet personal.The first stop was the inauguration of the Heartfulness Lounge—the first of its kind within a university in India. The lounge was designed as a dedicated space for students to learn and practice Heartfulness meditation. Fully air-conditioned and thoughtfully furnished, it featured instructional videos, a curated selection of Heartfulness literature, and weekly sessions led by certified trainers. Daaji offered prasad and formally opened the space.On stage, Daaji was felicitated by the university’s Chancellor, Shri Sunil Galgotia, and the CEO, Dr. Dhruv Galgotia, before the unveiling of the CIKS plaque. Soon after, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between Heartfulness and Galgotias University, laying the foundation for collaborative research, educational programs, and outreach initiatives.In his inaugural address, Daaji highlighted how the essence of Indian knowledge lies not just in preservation but in integration—reviving the wisdom of the Vedas, Upanishads, and spiritual sciences while making them relevant to today’s students. He urged the younger generation to carry forward this legacy with scientific curiosity and experiential practice, particularly through meditation. His reflections beautifully emphasized that true knowledge must not remain confined to books but should transform minds, hearts, and ways of living—an echo of the very aim behind the new centre. Following the meditation session led by Daaji, a lively and engaging Q&amp;A unfolded. Here are a few excerpts from it.Q:&nbsp;My peers mock me, saying meditation is doing you no good, one can’t really focus during it, and tranquillity isn’t a real thing. I really want my loved ones to feel the peace I feel during meditation. How can I make them understand this? Daaji: Welcome to the world of struggles in life! If you try to convince others, it will always fail. Practice yourself; it’s for yourself. And once they start seeing change in you, the trajectory of your life, then they will be awed. My college mates in LM College of Pharmacy, Ahmedabad, also made fun of me back in 1976 when I started meditating, but soon enough, when my professors began to notice the change in us (a group of 25 who were meditating in college), they began to meditate—including my dean, who is now 99 years old. If one compares the students back then who weren’t meditating, and their families now versus the students who were meditating and their families now, you will notice a big difference.I recommend you read a book&nbsp;The Biology of Belief by Dr Bruce Lipton which teaches how our lifestyle impacts our inner environment, our genetic manifestations, and how life changes simply by thought. It is our ancient wisdom packaged in a new style!For example, Dr Lipton researched how the external environment changes the genetic manifestation of the embryo while in the mother’s womb. He noted that when an expectant mother lives under constant stress, her sympathetic nervous system activates, diverting blood from the abdomen, lungs, and brain to the limbs. The fetus experiences the same effect, leading to poor brain and digestive development. With reduced blood flow to the frontal cortex, thinking weakens while the primitive brain dominates, making the child reactive and prone to ADHD. In Indian tradition, pregnant women were often sent to their parents’ homes to stay happy and relaxed. This kept the parasympathetic system active, leading to calmer and more intelligent children.Q:&nbsp;How can Heartfulness app help us become mindful, emotionally resilient and socially attentive leaders in this modern world? Daaji: All three aspects of life you mentioned are to do with your awareness. When Lord Krishna says in the Bhagvad Gita, “yoga karmashu kaushalam,” i.e. if you take meditation seriously and attain a state of yoga, all your activities in that state of mind will attain perfection. Meditation and cleaning are the means, it is up to you how to use them.Q: Some scriptures highlight desires as good, some do the opposite. How do you align western philosophies of existentialism, nihilism with Indian philosophies? Daaji:&nbsp;Everyone says ‘don’t have desires.’ But how would you proceed in life then? If you wish to eat, you go to the canteen and eat. When you go home, and your mother has cooked something but you say you only want pizza, then something is wrong. Passion, which leads to desires, cannot ever be destroyed.&nbsp; You cannot have compassion without passion. Love, hate, likes, dislikes—all carry energy, and energy cannot be destroyed, only transformed. If a desire arises in the heart, what to do with it?—transform it, and make it better. So desires are not wrong; what matters is how and for what we use them. Similarly, the mind is not bad—we have to just train the mind, and the only mental gym we have is meditation. Ego too is not always negative. If it pushes you to improve, it is helpful; but if it makes you feel superior to others, it becomes arrogance. Ultimately, it depends on how we use our desires, mind, and ego—it’s about perspective.After the talk, Daaji joined the chairman’s family and a few visiting professors from Singapore for a private lunch. Later in the afternoon, Daaji traveled to the home of a long-time preceptor and abhyasi family in Noida. Later, though the schedule was originally set aside for writing and recovery, Daaji decided to visit the Noida Ashram, where a large group of abhyasis had gathered in the meditation hall. Daaji conducted a brief session there and spent time with the abhyasis before returning home.Dinner was followed by a few short meetings with dignitaries who had come to consult on upcoming projects. The day closed late, but on a note of progress—calm, deliberate, and forward-looking.

14 JuneThe morning began quietly. After some light refreshments, Daaji decided to head early to the meditation hall at the Noida Ashram. By the time he arrived, several hundred abhyasis (practitioners) were already seated, waiting in silence. He conducted meditation without delay. A short interaction with the abhyasis followed.Here are some excerpts:Q: Of late, I do not feel very connected to the Master. Earlier, there used to be a pull towards him, but now I do not feel it, and it worries me why I do not feel this closeness or nearness anymore? Daaji: (smiling) That is your problem! There are many obstacles that come on the way in the form of tests. You have to find your own solutions to surmount certain problems, and that is where the success lies. Think of a metaphor—what would happen if you don’t let the butterfly struggle to break out of its cocoon, or the bird hatch out its egg by itself, or if you forcefully open a flower bud before it blooms on its own? Similarly, don’t let any master forcefully open it for you—you have to allow your inner flower [to bloom] with the warmth of your love and devotion: that is your business. Q: Daaji, you have taken Heartfulness to such great heights with so much efficiency. Is it possible for an abhyasi, at a human level, to become like you? Daaji: This work can never be done without abhyasis. I believe Babuji Maharaj was unfortunate—he, as such a great personality was there, but you all were not there. So, without abhyasis, even the Masters cannot do anything. Even Lord Krishna, Lalaji Maharaj, and Swami Vivekanand would say that it is indeed very sad that in spite of there being so much power in him [Babuji Maharaj], people do not recognize him and benefit from his being there. So, you see, those who could spread his message are here, but were not there back then. So the credit goes to all our sisters and brothers. (…) Our job is to keep working for the mission, not for rewards: just keep working, that itself is the reward.

After the session, Daaji left the ashram to visit a nearby apartment complex where many of the Noida abhyasis reside. Over the years, this residential cluster had become a close-knit spiritual community, with nearly every flat occupied by practitioners. One apartment had been prepared for Daaji’s visit. He was welcomed warmly by the abhyasi sisters who had prepared a home-cooked breakfast. Over the meal, the conversation moved across a range of topics—personal, spiritual, and practical. Soon, more abhyasis came in, one by one, hoping for a few moments with Daaji. He listened patiently, offered guidance where needed, and made time for as many as he could.Before beginning this journey, Daaji had mentioned something simple and clear:&nbsp;“On this trip, I want to meet abhyasis, as many as possible. This time is for them—to listen, to meditate together, and to simply be present with one another.” That’s exactly how the day unfolded.From there, Daaji left for an interview for the Speaking Tree (Times of India Group), a special section (both in print and online), which is dedicated to spirituality, philosophy, and self-development. On YouTube, this interview was one of their “Connect with Antaha-Karan” [Connect with Inner Instrument] series.The Speaking tree team was eagerly waiting to meet Daaji. They had a very interesting interaction right before the interview began. One of the team members mentioned that she had a meditative practice.Daaji asked her, “How do you meditate?”She replied, “With Shiv mantra, Devi mantras, visualization, guided meditation; I am a Shiv bhakt (devotee).”Daaji continued, “So, let’s talk a little bit: what is meditation?”She answered, “Anything that has your concentration is meditation, according to me.”Daaji questioned again, “What is its Sanskrit word?”She said, “Dhyaan.”Daaji elaborated, “How do you split this word?After a short pause, Daaji continued, “Dhy + yaan. Dhy [pronounced as ‘dhee’] is repeated twice in the Gayatri mantra. What is this ‘dhy?’ Divine wisdom, Ultimate wisdom. Yaan means vehicle. So the vehicle which transports you to divine wisdom is dhyaan (meditation). When we chant, the mind is busy, it is occupied; it cannot be transported. A busy mind can never be transported, whether you are meditating on Krishna or Shiva or your boyfriend. So in order to transport the mind, we have to use this vehicle, and you also need to fuel this vehicle. So how do you fuel this vehicle? Any vehicle needs to be fueled, right? So here, the fuel for transporting the consciousness has to be subtler than what you are propelling. Whatever fuel needs to push the consciousness has to be subtler than the consciousness, or else it will be a shock. Anything that sustains us has to be subtler than what you want to sustain. For example, if you want to go to sleep. So what is more refined, subtler than the consciousness? It is the subtle energy we call ‘prana.’ Prana is what supports our consciousness. In the Kena Upanishad, the sage says that all the koshas need nourishment; so what can support your soul?”She replied, “Soul food.”Daaji explained, “And what is that soul food? It is called ‘pranasya prana’ and that is the invention of Heartfulness where the Guru, with his grace transmits this pranasya prana or pranahuti [yogic transmission], and that works as the fuel for the vehicle to transport your consciousness. And your awareness suddenly shifts as if from the third gear to the fifth.”Another team member posed a question to Daaji: So, for receiving this pranahuti, is ‘patrata’ (eligibility, worthiness) necessary?Daaji replied, “Not necessary: if it was, you would never evolve.’She asked again, “But nowadays, why do gurus insist on it, that if you are not worthy, then the ‘shaktipata’ (energy transfer from guru to disciple) will not happen?”Daaji’s reply was crystal clear. Even before she finished her question, he replied, “To escape the responsibility. You see, to escape this responsibility you can blame anyone at any time—‘you don’t deserve it’ or ‘you didn’t do what I told you to do’ or ‘you didn’t follow the protocol.’ It makes you feel guilty and with this guilt and heaviness, you can never progress. A Guru’s job should be to not to add to what is already existing in the form of heaviness. She asked, “What is pranahuti [yogic transmission] like?” Daaji smiled and said, “Experience it. Shall we begin meditation?Daaji then led the meditation for them, and a short discussion later, the interview began.It was one of the most amazing interviews where Daaji talked about his life experiences, whilst shedding light on many spiritual concepts. Daaji was very happy with the way the interview happened. Daaji asked all the team to come to Kanha so that more interviews could be planned. In the late evening, Daaji left for Mathura by road—a two-hour drive from Noida. The destination was significant: the ashram located near Krishna Janmabhoomi, [the birthplace of Lord Krishna].Stay tuned for more events from Daaji’s travels in Mathura and Iglas.

Q:&nbsp;How can Heartfulness app help us become mindful, emotionally resilient and socially attentive leaders in this modern world? Daaji: All three aspects of life you mentioned are to do with your awareness. When Lord Krishna says in the Bhagvad Gita, “yoga karmashu kaushalam,” i.e. if you take meditation seriously and attain a state of yoga, all your activities in that state of mind will attain perfection. Meditation and cleaning are the means, it is up to you how to use them.

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The significant highlights of Daaji’s travels in Delhi and Uttar Pradesh were the inauguration of the Bharatiya Gyan Parampara Kendra (Centre of Indian Knowledge Systems—CIKS) at Galgotias University situated in Greater Noida and his visit to Noida Ashram.

Noida, Uttar Pradesh, 13th and 14th June 2025

11 JuneDaaji arrived at the Delhi airport in the afternoon where a group of abhyasis were waiting inside the terminal to receive him. Daaji then drove to the Gurugram Ashram, where many abhyasis had lined up to welcome him. Upon reaching the cottage, Daaji offered prasad to Babuji Maharaj and asked someone to call all the children to collect prasad from him.After a short while he had a quiet lunch and took rest. By 5:30 p.m., despite the punishing Delhi heat, over 3,000 abhyasis had gathered in the hall awaiting Daaji to conduct satsangh. A short Q&amp;A session followed thereafter.&nbsp;Q:&nbsp;What defines success in life? Is it the satisfaction of thoughts and fulfilment of desires? &nbsp;Daaji: Success to me is a relative thing. It keeps changing its meaning at every stage of our life. As a child, when you were four years old, what did you understand about success? Lots of trophies, chocolates and toy cars! As we grow, our goals change.And because of this changing of goals, and depending upon how fast you attain those goals, whether they are academic or professional goals, you feel either that you are successful or that you are not successful. So in every little field there is some goal established but it keeps transcending; it keeps on evading us. Always, we either wish to maintain our position or achieve higher targets—there is no limit to this.Spiritual success is something else—the more you lose, the better you become. The more you lose, the greater the success within you. It’s a paradoxical understanding. So, we must be able to integrate the material world (where we seek more and more of ‘more and more’) and the spiritual realm (where we seek less and less of ‘less and less’ or we seek more and more of ‘less and less’).And when you are able to integrate these, only then you can confidently say when you're breathing your last, that ‘now I am able to leave this world contentedly.’ Because, when you are successful in the material world while you're alive, you will feel happy, but when that final moment [of death] comes, you will say ‘Sigh! I have not been able to do anything all my life.’So, success lies in integrating the spiritual and material life. Even though you may not be successful in the material life as much, and if the idea comes to your heart that ‘enough is enough,’ at that time, consider that you have succeeded to some extent.Q:&nbsp;Daaji, I have just got married. What is the best way to move ahead happily into this new phase of life? Daaji:&nbsp;Both of you must respect each other’s parents—you have to respect her parents and she must respect your parents. Let it be a competition! If even the idea of ‘parayaapan’ [that these are not ‘my parents,’ they are my spouse’s parents] creeps in, life will be a disaster. Don’t think that you have come to live at ‘someone else’s house.’ Babuji used to say that women do not respect men; they already fester the habit of ‘ghrina’ [strong dislike, hatred, aversion] hidden away in their hearts—they are not able to love their husbands, for whatever reasons. I would recommend you to read&nbsp;The Wisdom Bridge. Master it.Q: Daaji, when we practise intensely, a craving for higher levels of experience creeps in, rather unknowingly. This is also a form of desire, and I am unable to overcome it. Daaji: It’s good you have that awareness. My attitude while meditating must be: “God, I have no expectations. Whatever wish to bestow, bestow, if not, also ok—I am sitting to meditate with love in my heart.” That’s all. No expectation even from God—then see how it changes your meditation. And once this idea sinks into your heart in an authentic manner, your progress will accelerate.

12 JuneDaaji’s day began early with satsangh at 7:30 a.m. The meditation hall was already full when he entered. Daaji walked in quietly, took his seat, and the meditation began without announcement. The room settled even deeper.&nbsp; After the meditation, he returned to his residence where breakfast was served, and many abhyasis gathered around him. Also present among them were several dignitaries, including Dr Himanshu Gupta (IAS, Director CBSE); the Director of AIIMS Delhi; Dr Rahul Malhotra with the Heartfulness Research team; and a delegation from IIT Delhi.Over breakfast, the conversation focused on education, research, and well-being. Dr Malhotra shared findings on how Heartfulness meditation affects heart rate variability. The discussion moved toward introducing such practices to children early on — not just to support academic growth, but to build emotional strength and mental clarity. Daaji emphasized the importance of early inner development to help children grow into balanced and responsible individuals.In the evening, Daaji conducted satsangh at 5:30 p.m. Afterwards, he responded to a few questions and engaged briefly with those present before returning for dinner.Q: You have mentioned that anyone can change our destiny because of free will. Today also a plane crashed causing many casualties. What about such scenarios? &nbsp;Daaji: A family who lost their dear one in a car accident asked a similar question. This afternoon a flight from Ahmedabad to London crashed: among the casualties was a preceptor couple who lost their lives. And naturally, questions do arise—whose fault was it? Who decides such a destiny? Was it in our karma? Not everything is in our individual karmas. Sometimes, others can also influence our karmas—it’s a perpetual thing. Destiny is closely related to cause and effect. Our limited understanding says ‘I am the only one causing an effect on my life.’ But anyone can change your destiny.&nbsp; So we have to be very careful how we prepare our trajectory and that’s where meditation comes into the picture. Many times our heart says things as per our own destiny, but sometimes you decide against it, out of greed, perhaps. If we follow the heart, one life should be enough for liberation.At dinner, Daaji met with representatives from Galgotias University, as well as several officers from the Indian government. They had come to discuss how Heartfulness could be brought into higher education. The conversation went beyond theory — touching on implementation, student wellbeing, and values-based learning. Daaji shared his view that true education must cultivate ethics, purpose, and self-awareness — not just academic output.

13 JuneDaaji conducted morning satsang with the abhyasis at the Gurgaon Ashram and after breakfast he left for the Galgotias University, located about two hours away in Greater Noida.

Daaji said, “Spiritual success is something else—the more you lose, the better you become. The more you lose, the greater the success within you. It’s a paradoxical understanding. So, we must be able to integrate the material world (where we seek more and more of ‘more and more’) and the spiritual realm (where we seek less and less of ‘less and less’ or we seek more and more of ‘less and less’).And when you are able to integrate these, only then you can confidently say when you're breathing your last, that ‘now I am able to leave this world contentedly.’ Because, when you are successful in the material world while you're alive, you will feel happy, but when that final moment [of death] comes, you will say ‘Sigh! I have not been able to do anything all my life.”

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Daaji’s Gurugram visit will be remembered as a beautiful opportunity where abhyasis could see him guide meditation sessions and share his pearls of wisdom. 

Gurugram, Haryana, 11th to 13th June 2025

20 AprilDaaji reached the Raipur ashram early in the evening. He conducted meditation at 6 pm, after which he retired for the day.

21 AprilIt is a short walk from the cottage in the ashram to the meditation hall, and as Daaji made his way to the hall to conduct the morning meditation, he was greeted by many abhyasis. After the meditation Daaji left for breakfast, and by the time he finished his meal, many abhyasis trickled in and the dining hall was soon filled with people.One sister asked Daaji what one should do when there is no support from the family and it becomes difficult to practise. In response, Daaji gave the example of his preceptor, Draupadi Devi Agarwal, from whom he had taken his very first sitting. He explained how she would pretend to be asleep early in the morning and meditate while lying under the quilt, and in the evening, under the pretext of going to the toilet, she would do her evening cleaning there. Daaji said matter-of-factly, “Jisko karna hai, usko kaun rokega? (If someone truly wants to do it, who can stop them?).”A young girl talked with Daaji about her studies abroad. Daaji asked her her age and if she was married. She responded by saying that she was only 26 and wanted to wait for some more time before she got married. Daaji smiled and said, “Tujhe jaldi nahi hai, lekin Nature ko jaldi hai! (You are not in a hurry, but Nature is.)”Daaji then asked all the members of the kitchen team for a group photo. After meeting with a few more abhyasis, Daaji left. In the evening he conducted meditation at 6 pm.

22 April 2025Around 10.30 am, Daaji met a few members of the Tukdoji Maharaj spiritual organization. Daaji spoke to them for a while and then conducted a meditation session.The evening program featured a visit by the Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh, Shri Vishnu Deo Sai, and an interview with Tarang Khurana, National Chairman of Young Indians (Yi)—an integral part of the Confederation of Indian Industry, established in 2002 as a pan-India platform to empower the youth in realizing the vision of a developed nation.Daaji welcomed the Chief Minister, and after a warm exchange of felicitations, they sat down for a tête-à-tête. Also present there was a group of Yi members. Daaji spoke about the various Heartfulness initiatives, followed by a Brighter Minds demonstration. Later, Daaji accompanied him to the meditation hall, where, before conducting meditation, he gave a brief explanation of how to meditate the Heartfulness way.After the meditation, Daaji presented books and gifts to the Chief Minister. The CM then took his leave from the meditation hall. Daaji remained there to continue with the scheduled interview with Tarang Khurana from Young Indians.Here are some excerpts from the interview.Q: Keeping in mind the awareness for climate consciousness and the need to take action toward it, what suggestions do you have for our youth to bring about these changes in their daily lives so we can leave a better world for our future progeny? &nbsp;Daaji: It is a great feeling to have the youth being exposed to Heartfulness which is a way of life guided by the heart. And whenever we are guided by the heart, we become extra sensitive to our conscience—should I do this or that? Should I invest money here or not? Whom to marry? Whenever you follow the mind, it tricks you into fulfilling your own selfish desires. Whenever you have gone against the heart and followed the mind, observe the consequences. To get clearer and clearer solutions from your heart, the lens of your heart must be clear too. The main thing we have to understand is ‘how do I get the right message from the heart?’ So firstly, create purity in the heart. We can sail through complicated situations in life, only when we follow the heart.There are no guide books to help navigate us through life. Osho’s story about a thief describes this very well. (Watch Daaji narrate the story in the link below)A presence of mind is required in every situation. And every situation in life throws a different kind of curve ball at us. Just like in cricket, if you are used to batting against only a certain kind of bowling, it would have been easy. But now and then there will be a different kind of bowling—with a different speed, with a spin, full toss and so on.&nbsp; So life throws different curve balls at us, but a meditative mind picks up the problems often before they arise. Meditation to me thus, is like vaccinating the mind against many situations.Q: Young people say, ‘Our time is now. Time for meditation will come later.’ How do we, as young people, come sooner to this side of spirituality and why is it important that we do this? &nbsp;Daaji:&nbsp;According to me, the spiritual journey should begin at the very moment of conception. Imagine for a moment that you are retired, 60 or 70 years old. Would you be able to meditate? Would you be able to sit—at already such a young age you have taken up chairs. Imagine yourself at 60+. Would you be able to sit properly, even in the chair, with your back erect? When you cannot even remember things, how will you remember the continuity of your spiritual experiences which are so refined? So I would not recommend you to postpone the most essential thing. Think about it in a scientific manner: a genetically pre-exposed spiritual man or spiritual woman and their respective progeny. If you become spiritualized at the age of 70, how can you transfer your genetic pre-exposure to your next generation? If you want to transmit your spiritual bent of mind to the future generation, you better be spiritual even before you get married.

23 AprilOn the day of his departure from Raipur, Daaji conducted meditation early in the morning and after breakfast he met with many abhyasis in his room, one group at a time. Amidst many fond farewells, each group had a photo taken with Daaji. He then left Raipur for Kanha at around 10 am.

One sister asked Daaji what one should do when there is no support from the family and it becomes difficult to practise. In response, Daaji gave the example of his preceptor, Draupadi Devi Agarwal, from whom he had taken his very first sitting. He explained how she would pretend to be asleep early in the morning and meditate while lying under the quilt, and in the evening, under the pretext of going to the toilet, she would do her evening cleaning there. Daaji said matter-of-factly, “Jisko karna hai, usko kaun rokega? (If someone truly wants to do it, who can stop them?).”

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In April 2025, Daaji visited the Raipur Ashram in Chhattisgarh and shared his profound philosophies with the abhyasis present there. 

Raipur, Chhattisgarh, 20th to 23rd April, 2025

&nbsp;29 MarchAfter his Delhi trip, Daaji arrived at Indore early in the morning. After a warm welcome at the airport Daaji went to the Marriott Hotel. Sadly, Daaji was very tired and developed severe back pain and was unable to be physically present to conduct the meditation for the abhyasis gathered in Indore. After some much needed rest Daaji left for Ujjain in the afternoon and arrived at the Ratnapriya Hotel and Resort. Daaji wanted to come for the evening meditation but could not come due to the back pain. Daaji spent the day resting due to the severity of his backache.

30 March Speech in Ujjain:&nbsp;Role of Attention in Maintaining our Spiritual Condition&nbsp;&nbsp;Daaji was not feeling well but he wanted to come and conduct the meditation. Apart from conducting the morning meditation at 9am, he also solemnised two weddings. He addressed the audience afterwards, saying that he was grateful for everyone’s prayers for his recovery and that he had recovered enough to finish the task at hand that day.He shared that that morning he was wondering about how his illness (vertigo) came about so suddenly. He said he had been advised not to make sudden movements with his neck while looking up, down or to the left and right, but due to just a little carelessness, he moved his neck sharply and the vertigo came back. “It was my mistake,” he said with great humility. Here are a few choice excerpts from his talk.Daaji continued, “But when I think about this from a spiritual angle, I remember what Babuji Maharaj told Chariji once. Babuji said that as one progresses on the spiritual path, one has to be just as careful and cautious while living life. Even the slightest carelessness, slightest slip, and we fall from whatever heights we have achieved. And we have to start all over again. For example, when we are walking, we have the freedom to walk anywhere; on a cycle, we can only ride on some terrain, we have slightly less freedom; in a car, we have even less freedom—we can only drive in certain lanes and we can’t drive on the wrong side of the road, etc. But in India, everything goes—they misuse the freedom and then cause accidents, harming not only themselves but other people as well.&nbsp;“Babuji further gave an example of a rocket heading into space—there is no scope for freedom of movement there at all. Even the astronauts have such limited movement in the spaceship. They cannot even stand up, drink, or eat as they wish. Everything is controlled—even the amount of their food and water intake!“Similarly, in spirituality, so much is revealed to us, but carelessness in our behaviour, our thinking, our attitude has a strong impact upon our inner condition. So we might think we have not done harm to anyone, stolen, or lied, then why does our spiritual condition get spoilt? Because we haven’t kept our condition in check.“Our carelessness at a physical, mental, and spiritual level is directly related to our freedom to act in a precise, correct way.”

Later in the day Daaji left for Vikram University of Ujjain where he had been invited as the Guest of Honour for their 29th Convocation Ceremony. Many dignitaries including the Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, Shri Mohan Yadav, and the Governor of Madhya Pradesh, Shri Mangubhai C Patel were present at the ceremony. They met with Daaji before the ceremony began.Following the opening ceremony, Ph.D. and D.Litt. (Doctor of Letters) graduates were awarded their degree certificates and gold medals, receiving congratulations from the dignitaries on stage. This was followed by the formal exchange of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Shri Ram Chandra Mission and Vikram University. Daaji was then invited to address the gathering.

The day continued with more events, and later in the evening Daaji visited a factory where a small gathering had been organised. There he conducted meditation and answered a few questions from the audience.Q: Should we work on [getting rid of] our tendencies which pose as hindrances to our progress, or is this dependant on the grace of the Master? &nbsp;Daaji: You should do it. You only have to do it. In Babuji’s words, “There is a great difference between samskaras [impressions] and tendencies. When impressions are deepened by repeated actions it is akin to water dropping on earth and forming a stream and then into a river. Even if the river dries up, the river bed remains and if water falls again, the river come to life. So the river bed is like your tendencies. Babuji said, ‘Become like the living dead.’ Just like you wash and dress a corpse before burial or cremation: it will not resist you. It doesn’t mean you should be dead inside—you should be a witness to what’s happening. So you witness, but you do not react. If your wife or husband abuses you, it's okay, be happy—it is they who will get angry, why should you get irritated?It is this reaction that creates problems.

31 MarchDaaji joined all the abhyasis for breakfast on the open lawns of the hotel. He conducted meditation at 9 a.m. after which he left for Indore airport to take a flight back to Hyderabad.

Daaji said, “But when I think about this from a spiritual angle, I remember what Babuji Maharaj told Chariji once. Babuji said that as one progresses on the spiritual path, one has to be just as careful and cautious while living life. Even the slightest carelessness, slightest slip, and we fall from whatever heights we have achieved. And we have to start all over again. For example, when we are walking, we have the freedom to walk anywhere; on a cycle, we can only ride on some terrain, we have slightly less freedom; in a car, we have even less freedom—we can only drive in certain lanes and we can’t drive on the wrong side of the road, etc. But in India, everything goes—they misuse the freedom and then cause accidents, harming not only themselves but other people as well.

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Daaji’s Ujjain visit was a remarkable opportunity for all the abhyasis to get a glimpse of his profoundness in person and be a part of meditation sessions conducted by him. 

Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh, 29th to 31st March 2025

The following day began with Daaji offering yet another beautiful meditation session in the early morning. After a profound Heartfulness meditation session that was telecast live on the Heartfulness channel, Daaji invited Mr. Linguswamy to give a talk. His talk revolved around his experiences with the Heartfulness meditation practice and its transformative effect. He expressed his gratitude to Daaji referring to him as a ‘real hero.’&nbsp;This was followed by a heartwarming Q&amp;A session with Daaji. His words resonated deeply with the eager practitioners, leaving everyone inspired and deeply moved.&nbsp; &nbsp;

Later that evening, Daaji welcomed a group of practitioners from the Baduga tribal community of Ooty, a beautiful hill station nestled in the Nilgiri mountain range. Their hearts were deeply touched as Daaji interacted with them personally. His gentle words and affectionate demeanor created an unforgettable experience for the community members. He ended the meeting with a promise saying, “I will come soon to Ooty,” filling their hearts with even more joy! He then posed for a group photo with them.&nbsp;Many dignitaries had come to meet Daaji in Tiruppur: Mr. V. Sundararajan, Chairman of Sky Group of Companies and the Founder Secretary of Vanam Foundation, Palladam, Tiruppur District; the Founder Director of the Coconut Farmers Producer Company; and Mr. K. R. Nagarajan who is the Chairman of the Ramraj Cotton Group of Companies and Vice President of the World Community Service Center.&nbsp;Daaji met with Padma Shri Dr. A. Sakthivel, Chairman, Poppy's Group of Companies and Honorary, Founder President, Tiruppur Exporters Association (TEA); the President of Federation of Indian Exporters Organizations (FIEO); and Mr. N. Thirukkumaran Managing Director, Ess Tee Group of Companies and General Secretary, Tiruppur Exporters Association (TEA). Daaji also met with Mr. Kumar Duraiswamy who is the Managing Director, Eastern Global Clothings, the Joint Secretary of Tiruppur Exporters Association (TEA), and also the Project Director, 'Vanathukkul Tiruppur' - Initiatives of Green Tiruppur; and the Convenor, Tiruppur Stakeholders Forum (TSF).&nbsp;&nbsp;After a brief discussion with them on varied initiatives Daaji then asked for the Brighter Minds demonstration to be presented to all the guests.&nbsp; Later they all joined Daaji for the evening Heartfulness meditation session, after which he gave a talk that touched every heart present in the audience. Daaji expressed his joy saying, “My stay here at DJ Park has been very productive and I admire your sacrifice for coming here despite so many inconveniences. Returning home you will notice even greater changes that will unfold in your day-to-day lives because of these three meditation sessions. Tomorrow I will be returning back home but my heart will always remain here and I intend to come back hopefully on the 11th November.”&nbsp;Touching upon the topic of peace, Daaji reminisced about Babuji Maharaj’s letter to the United Nations dated July&nbsp;8, 1957 where Babuji emphasized that world peace cannot be possible until individual peace is granted. Daaji said, “And who can grant this individual peace? No one, but yourself. It’s an individual attitude: a person under turbulence can remain unshaken and a person without any sort of problems remains stressful and anxious. Our path, the Heartfulness way is a direct gift from the Divine because through this&nbsp;pranahuti or transmission all willing practitioners are able to experience a minimum level of peace.”Daaji threw light on the intricacies of how attaining liberation during this lifetime can take us to that state of non-duality whose inherent quality is peace. He also differentiated the peace that one attains before liberation at the Atma chakra [2nd point in the heart region] and the peace experienced beyond the 9th point.&nbsp; He said, “There is no solution in asking or praying for peace. Liberation is in our hands: no God or Guru can grant it if we are not deserving. So our only job is to become deserving individuals.”Daaji also gave simple solutions as to how one can become deserving individuals. He then went on to reveal, “something that most people have not understood in the very first chapter of&nbsp;Reality at Dawn.” Daaji divulged the true interpretation of Babuji Maharaj’s very profound statement –&nbsp;Where religion ends, spirituality begins; where spirituality ends, reality begins; where reality ends, bliss begins.&nbsp;By linking the intricate concepts of God, divine experiences, desires and transcendence, Daaji clarified the meaning of this statement.

Daaji threw light on the intricacies of how attaining liberation during this lifetime can take us to that state of non-duality whose inherent quality is peace. He also differentiated the peace that one attains before liberation at the Atma chakra [2nd point in the heart region] and the peace experienced beyond the 9th point.&nbsp; He said, “There is no solution in asking or praying for peace. Liberation is in our hands: no God or Guru can grant it if we are not deserving. So our only job is to become deserving individuals.”

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Daaji spent the day at Tiruppur, conducting meditation and question and answer sessions and meeting dignitaries. 

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