Speaking Tree Website, TOI I July 18, 2014

New Delhi: The ways to overcome stress and practice spirituality in our daily lives were discussed in detail at the Speaking Tree Akasha event organized by Times Internet and speakingtree.in at the India Habitat Centre here on July 12 and 13.

The event brought together seekers and gurus, masters and life coaches who promoted spiritual health and well-being. It was inaugurated by liberal Islamic scholar Maulana Wahiduddin Khan, founder of Centre For Peace And Spirituality International, and Rabbi Ezekiel Isaac Malekar, priest and honourary secretary of Judah Hyam Synagogue in the capital.

Maulana Wahiduddin Khan, who spoke on Practising Spirituality in Daily Life said, "Everybody suffers from stress and tension, so some people invented the weekend holiday formula but that resulted in holiday stress." From his own experience, he discovered that happiness is an internal matter. "The Quran develops creative thinking, the basic formula for de-stressing," he said.

We can take lessons from nature?from living forms such as the honeybee. Just like a honeybee collects nectar from flowers and makes honey, we should extract wisdom from the situations we are in, no matter how difficult they are. "The Quran develops contemplation and self-thinking to help us do just that," he pointed out. Next on stage, Rabbi Malekar also cited the example of the honeybee, adding that Hindu scriptures similarly teach us to draw wisdom from our surroundings.

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The Rabbi spoke about Spirituality and the Principles of Judaism. He stressed on interfaith harmony and said that rather than rushing daily to place flowers at the feet of god, "fill your house with the fragrance of love; likewise, don't rush to temples to ask for forgiveness for our sins, but first forgive those who have sinned against us. And take care of the elderly. That is true spirituality," he reiterated.

Swami Nikhilananda, regional head of the Chinmaya Mission, New Delhi, shared several nuggets of wisdom from the Bhagwad Gita with the audience on the second day of the event. "When we read the Gita, it transforms our vision of life," he said. The world remains the same, but the way we look at the world changes," said the Swami, giving the example of Arjuna at the battlefield in the Mahabharata.

The talks were not the only draw. Several interesting workshops were also held by the life coaches and spiritual masters who had gathered there. From workshops on numerology to ones that combined radical new healing techniques such as ?rebirthing breathwork,' to aura and karma cleansing workshops and those on exotic concepts like meta-health, there was something for everyone. You could also stock up on organic medicines, crystals and other health aids from the several stalls at the venue.