Month: September 2022

when spirit meets science

The Warrior Within You

Haripriya Suraj

“Tap into the strength, resilience, and positive attitude of your younger self,” whispered my inner voice.

This was a message I received after a very intense meditation session this morning. It was an aha moment indeed.

I have been trying to work through a tricky situation for a few days now and was looking for clarity. I knocked on some doors to receive support. But for some reason, most of them didn’t open. Maybe the Universe wants me to figure this out on my own or maybe it will open some doors eventually.

But the message from my intuition was very clear. She said –

“You have been through much worse. Your life until the age of 22 was hell. Nothing worked for you for so many long years. Yet you persisted with a fierce determination. You poured your heart into your journal. You dabbled with the magic of crystals. You tossed your limiting beliefs into the raging fire of transformation. You boldly adopted new beliefs that shifted your reality in dramatic ways. You danced until your heart let out its sorrows and reverberated with joy. And you learned to love yourself so fiercely that the Universe was left with no choice but to bring you outcomes that matched your unstoppable energy. That’s the powerful spirit you had at a tender age! While you may be older now, the spirit of that invincible warrior within you is still alive. Connect to her for inspiration, guidance, and wisdom. And you will receive all you need and more.”

I was truly shaken up by this message. It wasn’t what I was expecting.

But I thought it contained profound truth.

If I could confront pitch darkness with zero life experience and minimal human support, I can certainly work wonders again, from the place I stand in today.

I just have to believe in myself – like my younger self so effortlessly did.

If you are struggling with something today, know that you also have it within you to find solutions.

You may not always receive the kind of support you expect. But when you trust with all your heart and do whatever best you can, the Universe will respond one way or the other.

Never lose hope. Stand tall and shine bright!

divine feminine divine masculine, womanhood

A Tribute To Older Women

Haripriya Suraj

This post is a tribute to the beautiful older women in our world.

Very often, society is more focused on the attractiveness of younger women. Older women are encouraged to do everything possible to look 25 at the age of 55.

I think older women are beautiful exactly as they are.

And by beautiful, I don’t mean physical attractiveness. I am referring to the whole persona – body, mind, heart, and soul.

The bodies of older women may not look 20-something. However, they carry in their bones much wisdom and strength gained through their younger years.

They may have reached menopause but it is after decades of bleeding, and for many – carrying children in their wombs, giving birth, and nurturing their offspring.

Their minds may be more stable and they may have a more well-rounded perspective on life.

Their hearts may have been wounded many times but they may have learnt to love fiercely anyway.

Think of an older woman you know whose presence uplifts your spirits.

We all know someone like that.

That warm fuzzy feeling you get when she’s around is the energy of her spirit shining through.

I read an inspiring account somewhere that said a woman ought to feel proud of every grey hair on her head, for they are ‘Strands Of Wisdom.’ I thought that’s a wonderful perspective indeed!

Being in my thirties, I personally look up to many women who are currently in their mid-fifties and up.

To me, some of them are living breathing embodiments of the Divine Mother.

I can see the wisdom they have earned over the years and the love they have to share.

My heart warms up when I connect to some of them. I can feel divine nurturing Mother Energy flowing from their heart to mine.  

What I am to my children, these women are to me.

I wish I could tell them how much of a positive difference their presence makes to me. But I haven’t received a suitable opportunity to do so yet.

I am certain the Universe will bring me an opportunity to express my truth and gratitude to these women one day.

womb healing

Moon Time – The Significance Of Menstruation

Haripriya Suraj

Menstruation – The time of the month that almost every second woman in today’s world sees as a pain.

A time that makes you want to retreat and not do much – provided you are in tune with your body.

Women in many indigenous cultures are said to have been so in tune with their bodies that they had no trouble retreating into a quiet space during menstruation and returning to the world of activity when their bleeding stopped.

They also saw a correlation between the menstrual cycle and the cycles of the moon. The average menstrual cycle lasts 28 days which is a similar span of time as a moon cycle (27 to 29.5 days).

They also believed that the moon has an impact on women’s menstrual cycles, and that if a woman is in sync with the moon, the pivotal points in her cycle coincide with the full and new moons. Some women may ovulate around the full moon. And if conception doesn’t happen, their uterine lining sheds, and they bleed around the new moon. And for others, it may be reversed – they ovulate around the new moon and bleed around the full moon.

For this reason, the menstrual cycle is often referred to as the ‘Moon Cycle’ and the days of bleeding are referred to as ‘Moon Time.’

I am not certain this ‘Moon Cycle’ theory would be validated by science.

However, I personally connect to it and I know a lot of other women do as well.

Ever since I began my ‘Womb Healing’ journey, I have observed some resonance between my menstrual cycles and the cycles of the moon.

I won’t say my cycles are perfectly in sync with the moon every single month. But very often, they are.

I like to believe I am connected to the moon through my cycles for I see the healing value it brings to me.

Now, this brings us another question to ponder.

Is the practice of retreating during menstruation possible in today’s faster-paced world?

It may be possible for some women. But for others, it may be harder.

Here’s why-  

  1. We are disconnected from the body – Being inactive is not always seen as a positive thing in today’s world. With more and more women taking on different roles in the outside world, long days packed with activity have become a normal part of life for many of us. So, any phenomenon that hinders the flow of activity is seen as a nuisance.
  2. Practical Constraints – Even those amongst us who recognise the value of taking time off every month may not always be able to implement it with ease. We may have full-time jobs that support us financially. So, taking days off every month may not be practically possible. Also, with families becoming more nuclear in nature, it may not be feasible for a woman to retreat completely during her moon time. Her presence may be required at least for some part of the day or even for most of the day if she has children that are dependent on her.

Let’s look at some simple ways in which we can address these challenges so we can come into greater harmony with our moon cycles in the modern era that we are a part of.

Connection to Body

Connecting to our body requires us to first drop the notion that inactivity is futile.

We all have Masculine and Feminine energies within us and we tap into each of them at different times. While the Masculine energy represents ‘doing,’ the Feminine represents ‘Being.’ In order to achieve wholeness, we must see and understand that there is value in doing and there is value in being.

As women, being in tune with our bodies and our cycles requires us to tap into our Feminine and to recognise the value in just ‘Being’ at times.

Retreating is a quality of being. Silence is a quality of being.

If we can just ‘be’ when required, we feel more energised when the time arrives for us to ‘do’ again – just like a good night’s sleep recharges us and equips us to take on a new day with tons of energy.

Imagine what would happen if you never allowed yourself to sleep.

Beyond a point, you would become unproductive and not be able to accomplish much.

So also with ‘Being’ and ‘Doing.’

When you learn to ‘Be,’ ironically, you also get to ‘Do’ so much more!

For women who menstruate, this time of the month provides an opportunity to connect to the Being state.

Your body is naturally low on energy when you bleed and calls out for you to take it easy. So, this is a great time to practice the art of ‘Being.’

This is the essence of connecting to your body – honouring the body’s messages and living in accordance with its needs.

Practical Constraints – The Art Of Doing Your Best

If you recognise the value of retreating during your moon time but cannot do it fully because of your life’s circumstances, don’t worry.

The solution is simple – just do your best.

Cannot take an entire day to be by yourself?

Take at least an hour, two hours, or whatever works best for you, depending on your unique life situation.

Slow down wherever you can.

Maybe the laundry can wait a day longer?

Maybe you can skip your morning walk for a couple of days and stay in bed longer?

Maybe you can prepare simple meals instead of the elaborate three-course meals you always cook?

If you have friends or family nearby, maybe you can ask them to watch over the kids for a couple of hours while you rest?

Maybe you can treat yourself to a relaxing massage at the local spa?

There are many ways in which you can just be, for some time of the day, no matter how busy your schedule may be.

A lot can be accomplished in as less as an hour – healing-wise. And you doing your best is sufficient.

Be easy on yourself, stay flexible, and go with the flow.

There are no hard and fast rules here.

Menstruation Is Dirty: Breaking The Myth

Many people have the belief that menstrual blood is dirty and that women are impure when they bleed. This is the reason some societies require women to be isolated during their Moon Time.

I myself grew up in an orthodox family that believed in this practice of isolation.

Ever since I moved out of my ancestral home, I don’t practise isolation during Moon Time.

I have never been able to resonate with the belief that menstrual blood is dirty or that women are impure when they bleed. To be sure, I checked with experts in science and medicine and they confirmed there is nothing dirty or impure about menstrual blood.

While everyone is free to believe as they choose and I respect the choice of anyone who isolates, I personally feel the notion that women must isolate because they are impure when they bleed is not very helpful. While this belief may prove to be harmless for some women, it can bring on feelings of shame and stigma for others.

sacred marriage, unconditional love, when spirit meets science

The Sacred Marriage

Haripriya Suraj

A Sacred Marriage (or equivalent romantic relationship) has varied definitions.

This is how I describe it-

  1. In a Sacred Marriage, both partners are in love with themselves before they fall in love with each other. Or, they learn to love themselves as they journey together. There is no question of one partner completing the other with their love. Both partners are whole and complete in themselves, and this whole and complete love is shared and enjoyed.
  2. The energy of ex-romantic partners (if any) is cleared, so it doesn’t interfere with the energy dynamics between the couple. When exes linger in the energy field, it blocks a couple from achieving their highest potential together. When old energy is cleared, the field is fertile for new possibilities to take birth.
  3. The primary focus of a Sacred Marriage remains on love. When love is first priority, differences don’t feel like a big deal anymore. Partners may even grow to love one another’s differences. They recognise the strength their differences bring to the relationship.
  4. The longer couples are together, the more each partner gets to see the good, bad, and ugly in the other partner. However, since love seals the relationship, the relationship remains alive even after the passing of the honeymoon phase- when we feel so intoxicated we notice only the good! It is possible to sustain that feeling of intoxication provided one is willing to vibrate at the higher frequency of unconditional love! I can’t explain how exactly this works but when you love unconditionally, the romance feels as alive as it did when you first met. It’s possibly just the power of love at work.
  5. Love becomes the foundation of sexual connection. Intimacy ceases to be a primal or mechanical activity to be checked off one’s to-do list. It evolves into a sacred platform to share and experience the depths of love with another soul.

Unconditional love – for self and for the other – is integral to the building of a Sacred Marriage.

Don’t let this list intimidate or discourage you! The purpose of sharing this is to put forth the perspective of love being the building block in a Sacred Marriage.

Don’t worry if your partner doesn’t understand this kind of stuff. Just do your part.

To be honest, though I am the energy healer here, it was my husband who demonstrated the true meaning of unconditional love to me. He didn’t worry if I would ever get it! He just loved for the sake of love.

Over years, I learnt from who he was and the capacity to love unconditionally was awakened within me too. So, all you have to do is work on yourself and not worry about whether your partner is working as hard as you or not.

Remember, your soul has picked a specific person to be your partner for a reason. Honour your soul’s choice without comparing yourself to other couples. You are exactly where you are meant to be. And when you do your inner work, the Universe pitches in to support you in every way possible.

If you resonate with this article, it means there is every possibility you have it in you to build a Sacred Marriage. Or you are already in one and you just have to recognise it.

I wish you love, joy, and peace!

P.S: This does not apply to relationships that are abusive in nature. No one must put up with abuse of any kind. Seek professional help if you are in a toxic relationship.

divine feminine divine masculine, womb healing

Womb Healing For Men

Haripriya Suraj

This article is dedicated to men and to the energy of the Divine Masculine.

Each of us has the Divine Feminine and Divine Masculine energies within us. However, by virtue of being male, many men are greater embodiments of the Divine Masculine, just as many women are greater embodiments of the Divine Feminine.

Steady, strong, logical, practical, action-oriented, energetic – these are some qualities of the Divine Masculine.

  1. While the Divine Feminine dares to weave big dreams, the Divine Masculine takes concrete action to bring those dreams to fruition in the real world.
  2. The magical intuition of the Divine Feminine is balanced by the sound reasoning of the Divine Masculine. Embracing only magic or logic can make one rigid and blind. When both elements come together, life comes into balance.
  3. At the level of human biology, the contribution of the Masculine is integral for new life to spring forth. Unless the egg is fertlised by the sperm, how can a zygote be formed? The zygote has both masculine and feminine components, though it eventually grows into either a male or female foetus.

In today’s world, we are witnessing the rise of the Divine Feminine. And this is much required, considering she didn’t have much scope to blossom for millennia.

However, in this eagerness to welcome the Feminine, we must not ignore the Masculine

Now let’s look at how men in particular can participate in the Womb Healing journey.

It’s simple. If you are a man, contemplate the health of your sacral chakra.  What wounds are you storing in there?

Unexpressed emotions? Dark memories? Heavy burdens? Sexual wounds? Unshed tears?

Make an effort to express, release and lighten any energetic loads you may be holding on to.

Give voice to your buried emotions and gently let them out of your system.

Make an effort to build a sacred relationship with your sexual energy so you may harness it for your highest and greatest good.

Allow yourself to be vulnerable when you work on healing yourself.

A lot of men are afraid that if they work on healing themselves, they may become whiny and overly expressive. And being this way doesn’t feel natural to them.

You are right. This is not natural to many of you. And you don’t have to turn into someone you are not.

Remember – you only have to give yourself permission to be vulnerable when you are working with aspects of you that have been suppressed and need healing. Once you have healed your wounds, you can go back to being your neutral and stoic selves, or whatever comes naturally to you.

You being who you are at your core is what makes you an embodiment of the Divine Masculine and an empowered partner to the Divine Feminine.

when spirit meets science, womb healing

Healing Through Reframing: Pregnancy

Haripriya Suraj

That early morning when I first saw the positive line on the pregnancy test kit, I was overjoyed.

I was like –

“Oh my God! Is this really true?”

And some months later, when I felt the first little kick, I was again like –

“Oh my God! The baby kicked!”

While a part of me was super happy about my pregnancy, a part of me was uncomfortable too.

I had been conditioned to believe by many women in my family that pregnancy and labour were among the most difficult and unpleasant experiences a woman could have.

It would be a lie to say that pregnancy is not uncomfortable.

However, discomfort is part of the process. It’s nature working its creative magic. Discomfort and pain are part of the game. When perspective shifts, the same discomfort doesn’t bother you much anymore.

When I began this journey of healing my womb, I rewired my negative conditioning, by going back in time and telling my pregnant self-

“I accept the discomfort – the fatigue, the nausea, the aches and pains, the urge to pee, the disturbed sleep that follows and everything else that makes pregnancy what it is. My body is working hard to create a miracle. And I support the process by being completely in tune with my body, resting when I need to, staying active when I can and just surrendering to the flow. I recognise the fact that my womb is partnering with the Universe so new life may spring forth and this is no small feat. I completely respect and honour the process. I see the magic in it and I choose to enjoy it!”

womb healing

Honouring Your Menarche: The Doorway To Womanhood

Haripriya Suraj

Menarche – the first milestone during the transition from girlhood to womanhood, the beginning of the reproductive years in a female.

Go back in time to the day when you had your first period.

How did you feel when you first saw your blood?

Did you have an idea of what was happening? Or were you completely in the dark?

How did your family respond to this milestone in your life?

And most importantly, how did you feel about it?

I grew up in an orthodox family that required women to be isolated during their period and to not come in contact with anything outside of their room. I had noticed my mother remained isolated in her room for three days each month. So, I had a vague idea that women had something to deal with for a few days every month. But what exactly that something was wasn’t very clear to me. And as a child, I didn’t think far ahead to imagine that one day I would experience that something too.

I remember feeling a bit shocked when I had my first period. I was a wee bit terrified too. I remember shedding tears as I realised my life would never be the same again. I possibly imagined I was taken over by an illness or something.

My mother told me this was something that happened to all women and that it was nothing to cry about.

My family was pretty comfortable with my new milestone. I remember my grandmother even did a small religious ritual to welcome it.

I discussed my menarche with my friends in school. I was surprised to know that they had all already gotten their first period months before me. But no one had ever spoken about it! I wondered why none of my friends had talked about this until I asked.

Some of my friends had no celebration to mark this milestone in their lives, while some others had huge celebrations.

Some of my friends laughed at other friends whose families hosted grand celebrations to mark their menarche. I remember that in my ignorance, l had laughed along too.

Most people I knew didn’t believe this was a thing to celebrate. Many believed it was a private affair and not something that required announcement to the world.

My perspective now has shifted of course.

Celebration is not about making an announcement to the world. It is a way to honour the significant moments of life. And I do now believe menarche is one of them.

How much one wants to celebrate is a personal choice.

Some may want to host a gala with family and friends.

Some may want to have a quiet celebration with their immediate family.

Some others like my grandma may prefer to perform a private religious ritual.

Whatever works for each person is perfect.

Honour Your Menarche – Exercise

Place your palms on your womb space and close your eyes.

Go back in time to the day of your menarche.

Recall the sight of your first blood and be with it for a minute or two.

Tell yourself, “Welcome To Womanhood, Beloved Haripriya (use your own name). This moment in time is priceless, for it opens up a whole new connection to a hidden miracle within your body. A miracle that will help you rise to great heights. A miracle that will help you see and experience your highest potential. A miracle that can help you create beauty of varied kinds, including the gift of life. You are carrying a powerhouse within you. And this miraculous powerhouse is called ‘The Womb.’ Celebrate it. Enjoy it. Bless it!”

Do try this exercise no matter how old you may be. Remember we are all on this journey because we have wombs that need healing. Time is no constraint as far as healing is concerned. We have the power to go back and forth in time and rewire our connections to various events in our lives.

when spirit meets science, womb healing

A Visit To The Sacred Temple Of The Womb

Haripriya Suraj

You are walking through a lush green meadow.

The colours and scents of the flowers leave you mesmerized.

Birds chirp melodiously in unison.

The air feels fresh and pure.

Your heart tells you to stop and smell the flowers.

You take off your shoes, sit down and place your bare feet on the soft grass.

You take a deep breath in and enjoy the numerous sights, sounds and fragrances.

You suddenly feel a gentle tap on your shoulder.

You turn around and see an Angel Of Light standing behind you,

She flashes the sweetest smile at you.

Her smile warms your heart.

The Angel says to you, “ Dear One, You have stopped at a very significant milestone. Everyone who walks through this meadow pays a visit to the ‘Sacred Temple.’ Would you like to see the temple too?”

“Dear Angel, what is within the Sacred Temple?” you ask.

“The Sacred Temple holds within it golden keys to unlock one of the greatest mysteries of the Universe – the Womb. Spending time there rewires your consciousness and opens you up to a greater understanding of the Womb.”

“Wow!” you say, “How do I find my way to the Sacred Temple?”

“Come with me. I am pleased to lead the way,” says the Angel and flashes another warm smile at you.

The Angel lends a hand to help you up, and with her palm in yours, leads you along.

You walk past enormous oak trees and a pristine lake.

After a while, you see a glittering golden structure in the distance.

“Is that the temple?” you ask.

“Yes!” says the Angel, “Come on.”

You arrive at the doorway of the temple and see that it is garlanded with dazzling golden flowers.

The Angel, still holding your hand, leads you in.

You now find yourself in a corridor adorned with more of those pretty golden flowers.

You now reach the end of the corridor and find yourself at another doorway.

You spot a glittering golden key placed in a basket beside the door.

“What a beautiful key!” you say to the Angel.

‘Yes!” says the Angel, ‘Go on. Pick it up.”

You reach for the key and look at the Angel.

“Unlock the door,” she says, smiling.

“Oh my!” you say, feeling butterflies in your tummy.

“Don’t worry. The journey through this doorway will be one you will look back on very fondly,” says the Angel, “Go on. Unlock the door.”

“Thank you, Angel,” you say and open the door with much anticipation.

When you open the door, you are taken aback.

All you are able to see is a dark space.

After all the glitter and golden you got to enjoy until this point, you feel a bit disappointed that all you are able to see now is darkness!

Sensing your disappointment, the Angel says, “Oh, don’t you be fooled! This space is not what it seems to be on the surface – all empty, dark and cold. You are here to explore this space. So, explore it first and draw your conclusions later.”

You smile at the Angel and know you can trust her words.

You take one step in. And then another.

And another…

And another…

And there you are – walking through absolute darkness, in surrender to the journey, open to any and all possibilities.

Welcome to the ‘WOMB!’

You are about to begin a journey of a lifetime.

This is an image of heart made with hands in a blog post on Celebrating Love by Haripriya Suraj in her blog When Spirit Meets Science
modern medicine, reiki

Primum Non Nocere – First Do No Harm

Haripriya Suraj

When Suraj and I were newly married, we met a Reiki practitioner friend of mine.

After engaging in small talk for a while, my friend began to talk to Suraj about Reiki.

She spoke of how Reiki had helped her in terms of physical wellness, personal development, synchronistic happenings and spiritual growth. Everything she shared seemed pleasant and plausible. Suraj listened earnestly to her.

Suddenly, the tone changed and she began to talk about how Reiki had helped her charge electronics, stop a hailstorm, and also clear traffic jams.

I noticed the expression on Suraj’s face changed for a split second. I knew this may have been a tad too much for a scientific person like him. However, he was polite and continued to listen with interest.

The conversation took an even crazier turn when my friend finally claimed that her Reiki teacher had cured hypertension, heart disease, and even cancer through Reiki.

At this point, I knew Suraj had much to say. However, for my sake, he probably just listened and didn’t get into an argument with her.

On our way back home, I said, “I guess everything my friend shared was a bit ‘too much’ for you.”

He was quiet for a few seconds, after which he said, “You see, the problem is not about something being ‘too much.’ What concerns me is the potential harm that can come out of claims that no one can verify.”

This was all new to me back then. So, I said, “Can you elaborate?”

“If Reiki is really able to charge devices and clear storms, is there harm to anyone?” he asked.

“No, there isn’t. I understand it may be hard to believe such stuff. I think what she meant was when you have a strong enough intention, miraculous things happen. Reiki is just an instrument to make something happen,” I explained.

“That’s alright. But my point is – this claim causes no harm to anyone. And if Reiki can perform such feats, good for the world,” he went on, “But the other stuff she said about her teacher curing hypertension, heart disease, and cancer is what I am concerned about. If there is even the slightest bit of untruth there, you do know it can end up causing harm right?”

“Can you elaborate again?” I asked.

“I constantly see cancer patients who try a hundred other therapies and finally land in the hospital with advanced disease. By the time they approach us, it’s too late for us to help. If the same people had come at an early stage, they could have easily been cured,” he said.

“Yes. I understand,” I said.

“Your friend started off sounding perfectly normal. And there was a sudden jump to a totally different wavelength that didn’t match what she said initially. Unless there is solid evidence to support medical claims, I don’t think they should be made. It has the potential to mislead another. You owe it to Reiki to talk about its true essence and beauty,” he said.

I listened quietly and contemplated his words.

“If her teacher claimed she could make an aircraft fly through Reiki and that there was no need for technology or for a pilot, would you board the aircraft?” he asked.

“No way!” I said.

“Because you clearly see the practical aspects of it – you recognise the dangers of allowing an aircraft to take off without solid evidence that Reiki can make it fly. Then why wouldn’t you question tall medical claims like these?” he asked.

Based on this conversation that happened way back in 2008, Suraj wrote in our co-authored book ‘When Spirit Meets Science’-

A very important guiding principle taught to all medical students is ‘Primum Non Nocere’ which in Latin means, ‘First, do no harm.’ It is wiser to do nothing than to do something which would make a sick person worse.

From this tenet of non-maleficience emerges the need for evidence.

If a doctor/healer offers something to a patient, he should be as certain as possible that it works. The downside of not being certain is that it often creates more harm than good. Even if a particular therapy does not cause direct harm to a patient, it may cause indirect harm by preventing him from taking therapy that would have been more effective.

When in doubt, the principle of ‘Primum Non Nocere’ acts as a guiding light.

It took me some years to to truly understand the essence of this principle. Now, I am able to see and honour it completely and I also apply it in my own Reiki practice.