Vedic Threads | Self paced
The Heart & The Mind
This session explores the relationship between manas (mind) and hṛdaya (heart) through Ayurvedic, yogic, and bhakti perspectives. It presents the heart as the subtle seat of consciousness and the root of the mind, with the mind acting as a moving, sense-driven faculty. Through metaphors and teachings, the session highlights the importance of shifting from reactive thinking to witnessing awareness, allowing the mind to be guided by the deeper intelligence of the heart. Ultimately, it emphasizes inner integration—where clarity, love, and perception align—inviting a more conscious, centered way of experiencing life and responding to the world.
Guest Instructor
Neha Tiwari
Neha Tiwari is a language educator and scholar with a deep passion for linguistics, literature, and Indian knowledge systems. A graduate of IIT Kanpur, she has spent over a decade teaching languages such as Hindi, Urdu, Awadhi, Sanskrit, and Persian to a global audience. Her work bridges language learning with cultural and philosophical inquiry, reflecting her interest in both ancient and modern systems of knowledge. Through her teaching and continued studies, she fosters a nuanced understanding of language as a gateway to deeper intellectual and experiential exploration.
The Heart & The Mind
with Neha Tiwari
Topics Covered:
- Exploration of manas (mind) and hṛdaya (heart) in Indian wisdom traditions
- Understanding that mind and heart are sometimes interconnected, yet distinct in function
- Manas as a sensory, moving, attention-driven faculty that follows perception
- Hṛdaya as an inner, subtle space—a “cave” where deeper awareness and truth reside
- The root of the mind in the heart, with channels (nāḍīs) extending throughout the body
- Classical metaphors: chariot model from the Bhagavad Gita and insights from the Upaniṣads
- The idea of witness consciousness—choosing awareness over reactivity
- The relationship between hṛdaya, ṛtam (cosmic order), and love as a transformative force
Learning Objectives:
- Define manas (mind) and hṛdaya (heart) and understand their distinct roles
- Describe the relationship and interaction between heart and mind in experience
- Reflect on how awareness, attention, and inner perception shape one’s inner life
Session 2
Reflections & Integration with the Instructors
Topics Covered:
- Exploration of the relationship between mind and heart through a Sufi lens
- Understanding the heart as the center of love, truth, and divine connection
- The mind as something that must be “brought into” or rooted in the heart
- The process of “polishing the heart”—clearing emotional and mental impurities
- The role of longing (bhakti) as a force that refines and purifies the mind
- Insight that true knowing arises from the heart, not just intellectual thought
- The importance of breath and practice in connecting mind and heart
- Recognition that spiritual growth may involve struggle, surrender, and simplification of the mind
Learning Objectives:
- Reflect on the relationship between the mind and the heart from experiential and spiritual perspectives
- Understand the role of love, longing, and purification in integrating mind and heart
- Explore what it means to experience alignment between heart and mind in one’s own life
About Vedic Threads
Every Indian wisdom tradition carries within it a vast web of ideas, stories, and living knowledge. Vedic Threads is an invitation to explore that web — one theme at a time, in the company of lifelong practitioners and sincere seekers from around the world. Join hosts Drs. Ramkumar and Claudia Welch and Navneet Raman, and our distinguished guest instructors, for conversations that deepen your understanding of Ayurveda, yoga, and the traditions they emerge from.
