Atlanta 7th June 2024

During the day, Daaji briefly met with Dr. Frederic Leeds and Barbara Leeds from Ohio. He also met Dilip Mehra and Kirti Mehra. Daaji was then presented with a beautifully framed photograph of all the Guides of Heartfulness. 

Daaji had a fairly quiet lunch. Someone provided an update about Bonita’s positive experience and reaction to the sitting and polarity from the previous evening. He briefly inquired about another practitioner’s new job and where he lived after he had shifted to the United States. Most of the lunch he remained in silence, eating quietly, and saying very few words.

In the afternoon, Daaji left for the National Gathering. On the car ride to the venue, he mostly listened to Indian classical instrumental songs. In between, he shared a name for the newborn daughter of practitioners Krutika and Raghav Ravindran.

Once he arrived at the venue, he went immediately to the meditation hall.

This was the momentous event that had brought together the Heartfulness community from across the nation – The North American Heartfulness Gathering in Atlanta at the Georgia Ballroom of Georgia World Congress Centre (GWCC). The gathering, held over a serene weekend, saw thousands of practitioners converge to deepen their spiritual practice and connect with like-minded individuals.

Daaji’s arrival was met with great enthusiasm and anticipation. His presence radiated a profound sense of peace, inspiration and joy. The event featured a series of meditation sessions, interactive workshops, and enlightening talks by Daaji, who shared invaluable insights on the essence of heart-based living and the transformative power of meditation.

In his discourses, Daaji emphasized the importance of inner transformation and the role of the heart in navigating life's challenges. He guided the attendees through practical techniques to integrate Heartfulness into their daily lives, fostering a sense of balance, compassion, and inner strength. His teachings resonated deeply with the diverse audience, leaving a lasting impact on their hearts and minds.

The gathering also provided an opportunity for participants to engage in heartfelt conversations, share experiences, and build a supportive community. The vibrant energy and collective spirit of the event created an atmosphere of unity and harmony, reflecting the core principles of Heartfulness.

After the meditation Daaji expressed his happiness that he felt meeting with practitioners here almost after 7 years. 

He said, “I am indebted to the great Master for increasing the membership of this great organization. I hope in the coming days and coming years it will only multiply.” Daaji also suggested that we have to move on with that spirit while intensifying our own personal practice.  He then shared an exercise for all to practice:

“I have only one suggestion for you as an exercise for tonight. Before you go to sleep, sit on your bedside, on your chair, or on the floor. Sit straight, with your attention towards your heart. Be grateful. Express your reverence and your love for everything that is, for which we are all abiding. Use those feelings of reverence in your heart and go to sleep in that mode. Remain connected with those feelings of reverence in your heart and the peaceful vibrations in your heart. Keep your attention there.

“Tomorrow evening, I'll show you another exercise, but for this evening, let’s all do that. You can write your experiences to me at daaji@heartfulness.org. I will be very happy to receive your feedback. Thank you.”

Later that day Daaji had various matters to attend to with the American Telugu Association (ATA) team. He attended the lighting of lamps [traditional Indian ceremony before commencing an important event], and gave a brief talk at the ATA convention as their guest of honor. Daaji also gave an interview at the GWCC ATA Main Hall with ATA president Madhu Bommineni. 

Here are some insightful points to ponder from Daaji’s talk:

• To prioritize anything, to give precedence to anything, I must have some understanding of what I want to achieve in this life. Without this understanding you will not find time to do anything. So, finding time is easier when you understand what you want in life. 
• Mahatma Gandhi used to say that it is precisely when you don’t have time that you should go inward and meditate, because when you meditate, you find out what is to be done, what is to be avoided. Thus you can save time by avoiding what is not worth doing. So meditation can help gain some level of clarity and because of this clarity we can make right decisions in life.