Q: Thanks for joining us Dr. Veronique. We wish to know where your journey started, and how is it you’re here today?
Thank you for inviting me. To make it short, I started with Heartfulness Meditation, a modern form of Raja Yoga. I didn’t start with asana and pranayama but directly with meditation. It answered the need I had when young to understand myself better. That’s why I also became a doctor, to understand how we work.
Why Heartfulness? I was impressed with the people who were doing it. To be precise, they attracted me because they were joyful. I felt they were well established in their family, successful in their profession, fun and authentic. I could be who I wanted to be, and it was extremely relaxing. Maybe that’s the purpose of yoga, to feel relaxed. I wanted to know what made them like that, and made me feel that way in their presence? There was joy. Only much later I discovered that yoga is all about inner joy.
I didn’t stumble into yoga after a trauma or an event. I was having quite a nice life, but I did have a question from childhood onward: “Why are we here?” I would ask, “Why go to bed if I have to wake up in the morning?” I felt that deep search for the purpose of life.
By the age of 21, I had an apartment, I was studying to be a doctor, I had great relationships with friends, and I thought, “If this is life, then I’m done. It can’t just be this! What am I going to do for the rest of my life?” I needed to find something deeper. And when I met people who were meditating, I could see that they didn’t have the same insecurity.
This story is from the June 2022 edition of Heartfulness eMagazine.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the June 2022 edition of Heartfulness eMagazine.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
WHO SHOULD I BE?
SARA BUBBER brings us a story based on the famous Japanese tale \"The Stonecutter,\" followed by a fun coloring activity from the story.
Being Funny
BO JOHNSON is interviewed by SURAJ SEHGAL about being a stand-up comedian, the humanity behind humor, and the nerves around how it will be received. He also reminds us why we need humor more than ever before.
Salt: A Culinary Staple with a Rich History in India
SRAVAN BANDA is a Ph.D. scholar in Biophilia and Wetlands, and Commodore KAMLESH KUMAR is CMD of Hindustan Salts Ltd. Here, they share the history of one of the most important condiments we use in our food-salt!
Connecting with Life
VASCO GASPAR asks us to explore how we can become truly alive. Like Einstein, he invites us to remove the delusion of separateness and connect with the whole. He challenges us to move from \"ego to eco,\" and gives us the tools to manifest the world of the Heart.
A Note on Love
TEJESHWAR SINGH shares his perspective on the nature and nuances of love.
LIVING VOICE
MERETE NØRGAARD is in dialogue with EMILIE MOGENSEN. Through her company, Living Voice (www.livingvoice.dk), Merete works with leaders and communicators, helping them become better speakers, strengthen their voices, and achieve authentic leadership. Her book, The Magic of the Voice, is a guide to understanding the voice as an instrument and a muscle to be trained.
Faster and Shallower
DR. ICHAK ADIZES explores how the speed and depth of our activities impact the quality of the work we do and the lives we lead. What message do you take from his thoughts, and what do you feel?
HOW YOGA REGENERATES US
SAT BIR SINGH KHALSA is interviewed by VICTOR KANNAN about research and the applications of yoga in modern life. Dr. Khalsa has been an instructor of Kundalini Yoga since 1973, and conducted research on yoga since 2001 on insomnia, chronic stress, anxiety-related disorders, and in workplace and public school settings. He is medical editor of the Harvard Medical School Special Report, Introduction to Yoga, and chief editor of the medical textbook, The Principles and Practice of Yoga in Health Care.
The Secret to Change: TAKE IT MINUTE BY MINUTE
MAMATA SUBRAMANYAM reflects on her own processes of change, and realizes that there is an easier way to move forward-one that doesn't involve self-recrimination and instant gratification. She explores incremental change, minute by minute, embracing the messy process that goes with it, and sets herself a brighter vision for how to live her life.
A DIY Guide to Well-Being
ICHHA BHAN is a counselor and life coach with an interest in positive change, resilience, and transformation. By helping people connect with their authentic selves and unlock their potential, she is on a mission to empower and inspire others on their wellness journey.