Category: personal

This image shows the birth of a safe world form girls and women in a blog post by Haripriya Suraj in When Spirit Meets Science
healthy sexuality, personal, safe world, when spirit meets science, women's safety

Healthy Sexuality, Safe World

Haripriya Suraj

Becoming a mother to a little daughter last year made me very joyful. At the same time, it also brought in a tremendous amount of fear and paranoia. Being a woman myself, I have never been as concerned about my safety in this world as much as I feel for my daughter. These feelings of concern for my baby girl soon extended to include the entire female population.

Every time I picked up my daughter and saw the innocence in her eyes, it began to remind me of the atrocities that have been committed against the female, primary among them, being sexual abuse and assault. Old stories of sexual violence against women reported in the media began to haunt me day and night. I began to feel bitter and resentful and asked questions like-

  1. What kind of an ugly world are we living in?
  2. Is the female an object of pleasure to be used by a male?
  3. What kind of beastly people are the men who have abused and tortured women to satisfy their own primal urges?

Being on the spiritual path, I have always found solace in the philosophy that we create our own reality. However, applying the same philosophy after the arrival of my daughter, particularly to the issue of women’s safety, has been challenging. I still believe we create our own reality. But that doesn’t mean we should be blind to the darkness in the world. On the path of spiritual healing, when something begins to bother us more than it should, it is viewed as a sign that

Something related to the problem needs to be healed within our consciousness – meaning we need to view the situation from a higher perspective and make peace with it in body, mind and spirit.

OR

We have a practical role to play in doing something about the situation rather than waste time and energy in endless worry and anxiety.

While the former was my insight, the latter was shared by my husband Suraj. This was indeed an aha moment for me! I believe both these insights hold valid in my case. Often, we get so caught up in our own thinking, we fail to see problems from other perspectives. In such moments, our family and friends play the role of wisdom bearers and step in to show us the light.

The questions I am now asking have shifted to –

  1. Can I accept that good, bad and ugly coexist in the current world?
  2. How can I do my bit to make the world a safer place for women and also for men?
  3. Can I start by sensitising my own son and help him understand the meaning of healthy sexuality in age appropriate ways?
  4. How can I help create more awareness around matters of healthy sexuality and respectful partnerships between men and women?

While I often dream of a world that is beautiful and peaceful in all ways, I understand we also need to be practical and deal with the reality that is currently in front of us.

Rather than drowning in darkness, I now choose to bring in the Light in little ways and thereafter surrender my efforts to the Universe. I trust the world is becoming a safer place and that the future will certainly see the birth of a new paradigm where healthy, respectful and sacred partnerships are the norm.

This is a diwali image in a blog post on Diwali, spirituality and science by Haripriya Suraj
personal, Spirit, when spirit meets science

Happy Diwali : Choosing The Light

Haripriya Suraj

The much-awaited Festival of Lights, Diwali, is here!

I love Diwali for the fact that it brings in so much Light – LITERALLY!

The abundance of lamps lit everywhere invites feelings of warmth, love and togetherness.

Diwali reminds me of the constant inner work we do on the spiritual path to transform the darkness within our consciousness and to align with light. As more and more amongst us choose light, the more refined the collective consciousness becomes. As consciousness is elevated, the world becomes a more loving and peaceful place to live in.

In the field of science, every new discovery, invention, medical treatment and technological advancement that has made the world we live in today better and safer than the previous centuries is symbolic of light.

Both spirituality and science are double-edged swords. They can be used to heal and uplift or to destroy. Knowing how to apply their principles and harness their resources for the highest and greatest good of self and the world is key.

Light and darkness are present in every sphere of life. What we choose is up to us…

This Diwali, let us pledge to choose Light and to make the world a happier place to live in.

Wishing you and your dear ones a happy, prosperous and blessed Diwali!

This is an image showing healing in a post by Haripriya Suraj in the blog 'When Spirit Meets Science.'
energy medicine, personal, reiki

The Healing Energy Of Young Children

Haripriya Suraj

My little toddler is a bundle of energy and knows how to keep everyone on their toes! Her activity is not just restricted to the day but spills over to the nights too.

She often wakes up around 3 a.m. and stays up and about till the break of dawn. This is the time when my energy is lowest and I can barely open my eyes, forget the possibility of playing with an energetic one-year-old!

My husband, being a surgeon, is more accustomed to erratic sleeping hours and most often steps in to do the night shifts with the little one. However, if he has surgery scheduled for early the next morning, I take over so he can get some quality sleep.

Recently, on one such night, my toddler was cranky when she woke up. She did not want to play but wanted to be held instead. I had barely had two hours of sleep and I spent the rest of the night holding her. This went on until 5:30 a.m. By this time, my eyes were heavy and I realised I couldn’t keep them open any longer. I put her back in her crib assuming she would be ready to go back to sleep too. However, she stood up and began sobbing. My heart melted, for it was apparent she was in some sort of distress. I lifted her out of the crib and put her beside me on my bed.

It was 6 a.m. already and I knew I just had some time left for a snooze. I was certain I would wake up feeling cranky and a bad day would follow.

As I drifted into slumber, I could feel my little angel’s warmth enveloping me. I am not sure how exactly to describe the experience but it almost felt like a Reiki session in progress. I felt a soft sweet energy flowing from her to me. The negative loop in my head soon stopped playing. And I fell into deep slumber.

I woke up 45 minutes later and saw my little daughter fast asleep beside me.

I knew something had shifted within me from having her beside me. I woke up feeling as recharged as I would be after my six hours of sleep. My worries about having a bad day had transformed into positive anticipation and I looked forward to the goodness the day could bring. And yes, I did have a great day!

I have no idea what the logic to this experience could be. But I personally feel some magic unfolded in those minutes. I was holding her for several hours prior and do so every single day, but those few minutes stood out in some way.

Young children are pure souls. Their energy is light and uncontaminated. I feel some of her purity rubbed off on me and healed my grumpiness.

I am grateful for the sweet energy young children bring into this world. I believe they are the closest representation of divine love and purity.

This is an image of Haripriya Suraj on When Spirit Meets Science
energy medicine, personal, when spirit meets science

Energy That Heals The Soul

Haripriya Suraj

Rolling hills, coffee plantations, sprawling paddy fields, orange and silver oak trees, crystal clear streams and varieties of birds and insects! My short holiday to Coorg – one of the most beautiful locations in our state – was a feast to the soul and senses.

My ‘sensing mode’ is always on and I automatically tune in to the energy of a given place. I see how the energy dynamics of different places can help enrich my growth and well-being.

So it was with Coorg. On the day of our departure from there, I spent some time in solitude, contemplating on and integrating the energy I had been surrounded by during the time spent there.

And here’s what came up-

Mama Earth is so beautiful. Those of us living in cities rarely have the privilege to experience Earth in all her glory. It felt wonderful to see acres and acres of lush green trees. The greenery was soothing to the eyes and healing to the soul.

The air was clean and pure and it felt refreshing to breathe.

While the sounds of crickets served as a gentle bedtime lullaby, waking up to the melody of a hundred birds chirping helped to welcome the day with joy and gratitude.

In today’s world, connecting with nature often means taking the support of science in some way. It requires an automobile to reach the wilderness. Once there, it also requires a solid roof over the head and some electricity and water to experience a decent stay. Science is a huge part of our lives now and I feel grateful for the many things it has made possible for the world. At the same time, I also believe we must be responsible and utilise resources mindfully.

Coming to the human interactions, the staff at the resort were Angels in disguise. They were gentle and kind and went about their duties with a smile. The logic to this is that they have been trained to serve in this manner. But unless one has some passion for this kind of work and also some innate skill, I personally feel they cannot thrive in the service industry. These souls are surrounded by all kinds of energies throughout the day – some guests are polite, some can be rude and others can be unreasonably demanding. It requires a certain spirit to continue to do one’s best under pressure and to stay sane along the way.

I relaxed into the gracious warmth offered by the staff and allowed myself to receive completely. I also consciously returned the same energy back to them in the form of smiles, appreciation and gratitude. They may have just been executing the job they were paid to do. But at the end of the day, everyone is human.

Warmth, love and human connection keep the world going.

This is an image of an energy portal in an article on energy portals by Haripriya Suraj in When Spirit Meets Science
personal, Spirit, when spirit meets science

Meditative Spaces Or Energy Portals?

Haripriya Suraj

Do you have a place that calls out to your heart and soul?

A place that leaves you feeling peaceful and refreshed when you visit?

It could be a place in nature or someplace else.

While any place in nature helps me feel wonderful, there is another unique space that I feel drawn to.

This is the Bangalore International Airport!

Logically speaking, this doesn’t make any sense! The airport is a concrete structure that has gigantic metallic machines flying in and out every minute. Yet I feel a sense of calm descend on me when I am there.

Very often, I visit the airport only to experience moments of peace and calm.

While there was no necessity to analyse my affinity for the airport, my own curiosity had me reflect on my feelings! And here is what came up –

The Bangalore airport is located way outside the city. The journey outside the hustle and bustle of the city certainly feels refreshing. But this could be so for any destination outside the city, isn’t it? What sets the airport apart from other destinations?

A visit to the airport almost guarantees that you will get to watch a few aircraft taking off and landing. Watching flights in motion brings me joy and peace. Is it possibly symbolic of embarking on journeys that promise growth or of soaring to new heights? May very well be so!

Finally, the airport and the airplanes possibly remind me of our larger connection to the Universe itself! An airplane is closest to what feels like a vehicle in which humans may venture out into space one day!

We may not have a physical vehicle for space travel yet (barring some complex spaceships for astronauts), but we can certainly try to journey into space through the realms of our consciousness. Imagine what it would feel like to be out there, on an adventure through space, among the millions of stars and planets! Watching a flight take off rekindles within me unexplained feelings of euphoria.

I personally believe we are multidimensional beings whose existence spans way beyond this Earth. We may not be conscious of this because we are in a physical human body. But when you look at the marvels of creation and at the power of your consciousness, it certainly feels plausible that our energy or consciousness has a far greater reach than we may believe possible in the current paradigm on Earth.

My husband Suraj gives this ‘airport fantasy’ of mine a humorous twist, saying the area surrounding the airport must be a ‘Portal’ through which my soul was dropped off on Earth! While I enjoy this humour, it has also struck a deeper chord within me.

I know it may sound far-fetched, but on a deeper level, the airport to me is actually like an ‘Energy Portal.’ Spending time there helps me journey to a different dimension of consciousness and to come back to ground reality feeling recharged and refreshed! It doesn’t have to make any logical sense and I choose to enjoy it for what it is.

I wonder if this article will inspire you to contemplate on your own ‘Energy Portals!’

energy medicine, modern medicine, personal, when spirit meets science

Hospitals : Dramatic & Deep Healing Energy Zones

Haripriya Suraj

Being a sensitive person, I take care to monitor the kind of content I read or watch and the kind of people I interact with.

I avoid sensational news and only stay updated with whatever is essential to know.

I also limit time spent with people who are into drama and gossip.

I have always been a sensitive person. However, becoming a Reiki practitioner seems to have made me even more sensitive. While the upside to this is that my experience of life has grown richer, the downside is that encountering even the slightest of negative energy in the outside world can take a toll if I am not cautious.

While I do have the choice to monitor the kind of energy I allow into my life, my husband Suraj does not.

Being a cancer surgeon, drama and negativity are routine for him.

Many people visiting hospitals are cranky. If it’s an illness like cancer, it’s even perfectly normal for someone to feel upset or angry about their diagnosis.

However, very often, people lose all sense of reasoning and control, and hospital staff, (primarily doctors and nurses) are at the receiving end of patients’ anger and frustration.

When Suraj comes home from work, I can sense if he has encountered heavy energy in hospital. Further conversation throws light on the kind of human interactions that unfolded during the course of the day. And very often, these encounters are difficult and unpleasant.

While a few patients and caregivers are absolute angels, many are neutral and some are difficult. Not just ‘normal difficult,’ as in when someone is upset for a while and regains their sanity with time. It’s the kind of ‘difficult’ that is always difficult.

In energy healing circles, we refer to this difficult category as ‘people who suck your energy.’ They are the kind of people you may find talking down to staff in restaurants, not giving a damn about societal or civic decorum, or throwing their weight around to show everyone who’s boss; arrogant, haughty and disrespectful in short.

Imagine what may happen when such people receive a difficult diagnosis or need to undergo life-saving surgery? How would they deal with the crisis? How would they interact with the people who are put in charge of their recovery?

The details can be rather disturbing and messy.

While the medical profession is challenging on every level, I personally feel it also offers some great opportunities for growth. It trains you to become thick-skinned when required. It pushes you to do much more than what you may think is possible. It exposes you to all kinds of energy – good and bad, ugly and beautiful- and broadens your perspective on life. It teaches you how to be or how not to be with fellow humans. In a way, it is training for life itself.

I cannot speak for every doctor, for each person is different. But being part of the medical world has certainly made my kind and sensitive partner Suraj thick-skinned. While he relaxes into his softer side in the comfort of home, I feel proud that he knows how to transform into a ‘tough nut’ while at work!

This is an image of Haripriya Suraj in an article on Inner Child Healing in the blog When Spirit Meets Science
inner child, personal, reiki, self love, when spirit meets science

Bad Days: A Doorway To Healing

Haripriya Suraj

Have you ever had one of those days when a slight disruption in the morning sets off an explosive chain of negative happenings unfolding through the day?

Routines are shaken up unexpectedly, people you depend on don’t turn up when required most, gadgets malfunction mysteriously and you stub your toe to make things worse!

And we may then say we are having a ‘bad day.’

These bad days, while truly annoying on the surface, often offer hidden opportunities for growth and healing.

I believe these bad days are partly the result of the Law of Attraction at work.

In New Thought Circles, we believe we attract people, circumstances and situations we deeply resonate with, consciously or subconsciously.

In other words, our outer world is often a reflection of our inner world.

So, on days when it seems like everything’s going wrong, it may help to tune in to our inner world and check on what’s brewing there.

I recently had one of these days. I was frustrated and angry from the break of dawn.

I knew my reaction was disproportionate to what was actually unfolding in my reality.

When time did not heal my negative feelings and I continued to feel that way well into the afternoon, I realised I had to take matters into my own hands and work on healing myself.

I lit a few candles and meditated for a while. I then picked up my journal and began to write down everything that was bothering me.

I wrote and wrote until I reached a point where I couldn’t write further.

The final point in my writing revealed I was being anxious about my child for specific reasons.

When I delved even deeper, I discovered my anxiety was nothing to do with my child per se but more to do with my ‘inner child.’ I had been projecting my subconscious fears onto my child and this was causing me to feel frustrated and angry that day.

This is the point when we say we have touched the ‘root cause of an issue.’

As tears of joy and relief streamed down my face, I took the opportunity to connect to my own inner child, the little girl of nine or ten I was years ago, and comforted her.

I hugged her (represented by a soft toy) and told her she will be alright, and that she deserves the best that life has to offer.

I then tore into pieces the paper on which I had vented my feelings. This is symbolic of release and letting go of something you don’t need anymore.

I felt light as a feather after doing this Inner Child Work.

I felt wonderful that I got to be my own therapist that day and that I made the choice to set right that which was going wrong. This was the gift my ‘bad day’ offered to me.

It was a joy to connect baggage-free with my own children again!

This is an image on angels in healthcare in the work 'When Spirit Meets Science' by Haripriya Suraj & Suraj Manjunath
modern medicine, personal, when spirit meets science

Angels In Healthcare

Haripriya Suraj

It was a grim morning in early 2009.

The New Year did not begin on a happy note.

We received the sad news that my pregnancy was in trouble. I had developed a pregnancy-induced life-threatening condition. While nothing could be done to save my baby, modern medicine had the means to save my life. I am eternally grateful to modern medicine for this gift of life.

Letting the baby go felt agonising in every sense of the word.

The process of labour was scary enough. If I had had a baby in my arms at the end of it, all that pain may have been worthwhile.

But going through the hardship of labour, knowing fully well the baby was not going to make it felt tormenting, to say the least.

I was also disturbed by the fact that a young and perfectly healthy woman like me had to encounter an unexpected obstacle within my body.

What made me even more miserable was the lack of empathy displayed by the healthcare staff when I went into labour.

While I was struggling in pain, I could hear the nurses in the adjacent room chatting and giggling away. Not one word of reassurance was uttered by the treating doctor or nurses. I felt it was extremely insensitive on their part. They were probably used to seeing labouring women every day and it may have been no big deal to them. But to the women going in there, experiencing that threshold of pain isn’t an everyday experience.

I fell into a deep sleep after delivering my angel baby.

I was woken up the next morning by a flurry of activity in the ward. The light came streaming in through the windows. When I opened my eyes, I felt a gentle presence beside me.

A young nurse with kind eyes was trying to communicate with me. She adjusted my blanket and stroked my forehead. She also told me in a very kind voice to forget about everything that happened the previous night.

From a psychological standpoint, I wouldn’t call that the best piece of advice, for how can one forget everything that happened.

We had lost our baby and I think it was perfectly normal to grieve.

But the fact that this nurse saw me as a human being and not just another patient in the ward touched my heart.

The fact that she cared enough and wanted to help ease my pain was good enough for me.

To this day, I remember her kind face peering down at me that morning.

Though I was in a semi-conscious state, her gesture left a deep impression on my soul.

Had she been in the ward when I went into labour, things may have been very different.

I wish her well and am grateful for the kindness she showed when I needed it most.

This article is dedicated to all the Angels in Healthcare who go that extra mile to make a positive difference in the lives of their patients.

This is an image in tan article on magic and Reiki by Haripriya Surajon When Spirit Meets Science
personal, reiki, Spirit

Year 2007 : Discovering The Magic Of Life

Haripriya Suraj

The year 2007 is very dear to my heart and soul.

It’s the landmark year of my lifetime.

The year started off on a deceptive note. It appeared that my already messy life was getting even messier.

Many things began to fall apart.

The significant aspects of life-love, relationships, career-took a beating.

I had to fight to be my authentic self so I could put to use the talents I was born with and pick a career of my choice.

I was in a dark place with a difficult past behind me and no signs of light ahead.

I found solace in confiding in a journal. It was my safe space that allowed me to share my woes and to center myself in peace, no matter what was happening.

In hindsight, I see the value journaling practice brought me.

Putting things down on paper seemed to help me process them. Insights and answers came to me.

I derived hope and strength from my journaling practice. And this kept me going despite all challenges.

While this is the logical aspect of it, the magical aspect was that I began to draw into my life people and situations that helped me get through those challenging times.

Professional counselors, life coaches, dance therapists and Reiki Teachers appeared in my life at various points along the year.

Each of them played a small yet significant role in helping me transform my thinking and life for the better. The most significant and final leap occurred soon after I trained in Reiki. Synchronicity took over. If I took one step, the Universe seemed to be taking three other steps to make things work for me, the biggest milestone of which was meeting my soul mate.

This unfolding of synchronistic events in the year 2007 reinforced my belief in the magical nature of existence.

I believe we attract much of what we resonate with or give our attention to – consciously or subconsciously.

The good news this brings is that we do have a lot of power to create our own reality.

Can you harness the magic of the Universe and get it to work in your favour?

Nothing lost in giving it a shot!

Take the first step so the Universe can take those second, third and fourth steps for you.

Explore, experiment and decide for yourself!

I trust this article gives you inspiration and hope, especially if you are in a dark place yourself. Love and Blessings!