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The Art of Turning Within

The Inner Sanctuary

Finding calm, meaning and balance within.

Psychology and timeless wisdom, side by side.

May all be happy. May all be well.

सर्वे भवन्तु सुखिनः । सर्वे सन्तु निरामयाः ॥

sarve bhavantu sukhinaḥ · sarve santu nirāmayāḥ

Traditional Śānti prayer

Self-awareness

Knowing yourself, honestly and kindly.

Knowing yourself, kindly

Self-awareness grows best in a climate of kindness, not criticism.

The gift of silence

Attention, rest and the space between thoughts.

Resilience

Bending, then rising.

Grit, not ego

Perseverance helps us grow. Ego makes us rigid. Knowing the difference is part of resilience.

Explore your resilience

A practice for this theme.

Emotional intelligence

Feel fully, respond wisely.

Understanding your emotions

Emotions are messengers. Learning their language is the heart of emotional intelligence.

Happiness & optimism

Joy that is real, hope that is grounded.

Realistic optimism

Hope that stays faithful to the facts.

The psychology of gratitude

Notice the good. Name it. Let it grow.

Explore your happiness

A practice for this theme.

Meaning & purpose

A reason that pulls you forward.

Meaning in ordinary days

Purpose is not only found in big decisions. It lives in how we spend our days.

Peaceful living

Calm, forgiveness and gentle routine.

The beauty of a daily ritual

A few quiet minutes, given meaning.

Forgiveness and peace of mind

Letting go of a grudge is a gift we give ourselves.

Take a 5-minute pause

A practice for this theme.

What research shows

Writing down a few things you are grateful for each week was linked to greater well-being and optimism.
Emmons & McCullough (2003), Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 84(2), 377–389
Structured meditation programmes showed moderate benefits for anxiety, low mood and pain.
Goyal et al. (2014), JAMA Internal Medicine 174(3), 357–368 · 47 trials
Performing a short ritual before a demanding task lowered anxiety and improved performance.
Brooks et al. (2016), Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes 137, 71–85
Personal rituals helped people regain a sense of control after loss.
Norton & Gino (2014), Journal of Experimental Psychology: General 143(1), 266–272

Peace is not purchased. It is practised.

The NIVARTHI way