This fascinating book is a comprehensive record of a series of informative and productive conversations between Mr. Kamlesh D. Patel and Joshua Pollock.These conversations are recorded in a very lucid and rational manner, and provided me with a holistic understanding of “The Heartfulness Way.”

I have meditated in the past, but I found this book extremely illuminating, fascinating, and it gave me much food for thought. I read the book from cover to cover and I wanted to read it from page to page, which is indeed an indication of a good read and speaks volumes of the authors, and the way in which the book has been written.

Mr. Kamlesh D. Patel is of Indian origin and Mr. Joshua Pollock is a renowned musician from America, which proves that the practice of meditation knows no boundaries and has appeal throughout the world.

The book has three parts and takes the reader step by step through a journey to attain a better understanding of “The Heartfulness Way.” To appreciate and benefit from the book, we need to read the book thoroughly and imbibe the contents.

The book also describes “yogic transmission,” which I found to be fruitful, as I am always reminded that the Bhagavad Gita states that yoga is the journey of the self, through the self, to the self.

I have noted down points and paragraphs which I have extracted from the book, and in order not to interfere with the message, I have to a certain extent, paraphrased and taken quotations from the book itself. I hope that the authors will not mind it, but I feel that by doing so, I will be amplifying the powerful messages and not contaminating the pearls of wisdom included therein.

I would begin by saying that mediation is a daily source of clarity, lightness, inspiration, and palpable inner joy. One can of course meditate at any time, and in between political and business meetings, I sometimes sit quietly and close my eyes to attain tranquility and recharge my batteries. This has indeed worked for me, as I believe that you have to be mentally in tune in order to fully participate in any important meeting. Having read the book, I now clearly understand that it is best to meditate daily, at a fixed time, and in the same place in order to achieve the best results. If we discipline ourselves, meditation would be second nature. Meditation
provides insight into realities of what is happening in one’s life, and one must therefore find time for it.

The best time to meditate, as I understood by reading the book, is before sunrise, but the time can be whatever suits the person. Through meditation, we can move from the complexity of mind to the simplicity of heart. Everything starts from the heart, and when the heart is at peace, the mind shall be at rest. The heart therefore regulates the mind.

The book, which consists of three parts, is crafted in a logical manner. Part 1 examines why Heartfulness, which includes the spirituality of Hearftulness and the demystification of meditation. Part 2 looks into the practise of Heartfulness via meditation, cleaning, and prayer. Part 3 examines the role of the guru.

In Part 1, I was very interested to read about the eight steps: yama (good conduct), niyama (regularity, observances), asana (posture), pranayama (breath), pratyahara (inner withdrawal), dharana (mental focus), dhyana (continued attention and samadhi (original condition, balance).

In the state of samadhi, we enter in a state of union with the Source. From the Source, we also draw subtle current of energy, and I learned that if we sit on something made from non-conductive material at the time of meditation, it helps us to preserve that energy.

It also helps to relax the parts of one’s body, from the toes to the head. The book contains explanations as to how to achieve this complete relaxation and how best to meditate. I have now understood that we must meditate regularly, until it becomes a habit. We will then feel that one’s day is not complete until one does meditate.

Let us now discuss cleaning, also known as inner hygiene, which is a core practice of Heartfulness. The purpose of cleaning is to free us from patterns of thinking, emotional activities and behavioral tendencies.

The book provides guidance as to how we can undertake cleaning. Notably, both meditation and cleaning should be undertaken in order to be beneficial to a person.

I was absolutely fascinated to learn about points A, B, C, and D in one’s chest. These four points determine the exact effect that our own emotional reactions have on us. The four points are closely connected with the heart, and the heart is responsible for all mental and emotional states.

The third element of Heartfulness is the practice of prayer. Prayer is spirituality’s beating heart. In fact, it is the inner cry of the heart.

As a Muslim, I am required to pray namaz and I was indeed enthralled to find that prayer is an essential part of the Heartfulness way. The book describes the desires that we aim to fulfill, which are of four specific varieties. In the yogic tradition, these four aims are known as artha, kama, dharma and moksha. These aims are also associated with points A, B, C and D, which we spoke about previously in the context of cleaning.

As someone who has been brought up to be compassionate and to care about humanity, I was very interested to read about compassion, generosity and care for others in the book.

The book also reflects my upbringing. As my mother taught me, you need to pray for others. I therefore agreed when the books states that we must have a giving heart and we must also have an open heart, and that this heart must be humble at all times. I would also like to quote what my august father always used to say to me: “be humble and exercise humility at all times.” He also used to say that when a tree bears fruit, its branches droop down and if you look at a scale, you will find that it is the heavier side that always comes down. I have also been brought up to believe that one must pray before going to bed and the book enforces this.

In Part 3, the role of the guru is elaborated upon. I am sorry to say I have met gurus that I do not believe are true gurus. I agree with the book when it states that a guru should not be seeking reverence. He should not be saying, “follow me.” His thinking at all times should be encouraging you to achieve more and seeing how much you can achieve.

Moreover, I also agree with the book when it mentions that we all must clear our minds, as when the mind is clear, the heart will reveal its secrets. In order for us to be calm, we need to be clean and we must maintain an inner attitude of prayerfulness and humility.

I will finish by saying that this was a fascinating and illuminating book and I have learned a lot by studying it. I will keep this book and read it from time to time. It was indeed a pleasure to read the book and I would certainly recommend others to do so.

“The Heartfulness Way is an invaluable addition to the vast body of literature on meditation. Its message is optimistic, pointing to the innate goodness that lies in each of our hearts, and showing us how to grow into our most authentic and best selves. As a mindfulness practitioner, I have long felt that the root of mindfulness is ‘heartfulness,’ so I am pleased to witness this concept taking hold, and I look forward to the day that everyone aspires toward ‘heartful’ living.”

“Since 2000 when, as Beavercreek Mayor, I officiated the grand opening of the Dayton Heartfulness/Natural Path Meditation Center, I have been a major supporter of this valuable community resource that provides free training in Heartfulness relaxation and meditation not just locally, but also globally! The local Heartfuness center now services hundreds, including many of our community’s first responders.

It is my hope that many more people can take advantage of this wonderful resource, and learn these simple yet powerful techniques through The Heartfulness Way.”

“It is the mind that demands explanation while the heart requires none. As the authors so profoundly and eloquently demonstrate in The Heartfulness Way, ‘heartfulness’ is our natural state. It is only when we are in this natural state that our eyes are open and we can perceive the true nature of reality without the need for explanation. It is in this state that we are truly free and capable of giving unconditional love to everything and everyone.”

In my many decades as a management consultant to governments and Fortune 500 companies alike, I have realized that the external success of any organization depends on its internal health and integration. Similarly, the external success of any individual depends on their own level of personal integration and wellness. When you’re too caught up in your own problems, you can’t achieve anything great! But how to achieve that crucial level of personal integration and wellness? I have personally found Heartfulness meditation to be a critical tool in this regard. Through it, the heart assumes an executive function, and all of our faculties become aligned with it. When all of our energies are aligned in their purpose and work in a single channel, we become focused and empowered. As a result, we become effective. And because we are guided by the heart, we also express a deep and natural morality in all that we do. The Heartfulness Way masterfully demonstrates how to achieve personal integration, and should be indispensable to anyone who is serious about self-development.

A deep and profound message shared in a way that is simple, beautiful and inspiring. As Leonardo da Vinci once said, “Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication” and this book has that quality. Recommended both for people that already walked a long way in the field of spirituality, as well as for those who are taking the first few steps on going “from the complexity of the mind to the simplicity of the Heart.

Kamlesh D. Patel’s work, The Heartfulness Way, will be of interest to anyone wanting to live their life focused upon, “What really matters”. While acknowledging that everything matters Kamlesh, affectionately addressed as ‘Daaji’, identifies what he believes matters most to seekers interested in their spiritual development and in living life to the fullest.

Through a process of question and answer with seeker Joshua Pollock, Daaji brilliantly addresses the tension that exists between our internal operating system that is ego driven and our internal operating system that is a manifestation of Divine Energy. These two orientations are presented as needing
to be in balance rather than seen as a binary choice. The implicit and underlying message of the book is that Harmony is possible. The peace and union we seek is within us and accessible with correct practice.

The Heartfulness Way assumes that we all practice and we all meditate. Using simple and easy to understand examples, Daaji illustrates movement through the typical stages of human development and what matters in each stage. He addresses how to orient oneself and how orientation impacts awareness. He
speaks to the importance of addressing with awareness and choice what appear as conflicts in our everyday lives. Union, cohesion, harmony and peace emerge from healthy orientation and resolution of choices. The body, mind and spirit, according to Daaji, is self-correcting when there is balance and connection to the Source.

This book is a must read for individuals interested in enriching their meditation
practice and their experience of living life.

“The Heartfulness Way is a work of art. Daaji beautifully captures the essence and power of spirituality. This authentic book will transform your life.”

“An elegant and eloquent introduction to a profound meditative practice”

“The Heartfulness Way represents a revolution in the field of spirituality. Spiritualism is a process of self-realization. Every individual being unique, they experience this in different ways. But all seekers can be benefited by The Heartfulness Way, including experienced meditators. A practical and inspirational guidebook, its clarion call is that personal experience is greater than any spiritual knowledge or belief can ever be. But this book goes much further than that! It provides a well-honed method for spiritual awakening. Moreover, it shows us how to receive yogic transmission, or pranahuti, which easily enables any seeker to experience states of being that were once thought to be reserved for great yogis and renunciates. Read it, try its practices, experience yogic transmission, and see for yourself!”

“Over twenty years ago, when I was introduced to the Heartfulness meditation practice, I could not have anticipated how much it would come to mean to me with each passing day. Nor could I have anticipated the harmony and purpose that I would find in my life as a result. Whether you are ardent practioner of meditation, just curious, or perhaps even skeptical, The Heartfulness Way is a must-read. Answers leap magically from its pages, making it simple to understand meditation and its purpose. To read this book is to be immersed in a symphony of revelations.”

The terms “yoga” and “spirituality” have a lot of mystery attached to them. In The Heartfulness Way, renowned yoga guru Kamlesh D. Patel, more popularly known as Daaji, demystifies the whole concept in layman’s terms. Daaji’s words are simple, lucid, and go straight to the point. Joshua Pollock, a Heartfulness practitioner and trainer, joins hands with Daaji in writing this groundbreaking book. Their dialogues recall those of Arjuna and Lord Krishna in the Bhagavad Gita, in which the guru satisfies the disciple’s spiritual hunger and quest for knowledge. I am sure that The Heartfulness Way signifies a new horizon in the field of yoga and spirituality.