Moment of Calm
My Grandpa Is My Hero This story is a true account of a grandchild learning the virtue of forgiveness from his grandfather.
2017 Bulletin
“As I was growing up, I realised, my grandfather, although well-qualified was quite poor. I kept wondering why it might be so? One day, as I was working on the Moment of Calm project for my school I got my answer in a chance conversation with him. What I heard was truly inspiring. It was the time when my grandparents were settled in Chennai. With my grandfather in a good position in the Indian Railways, they had nothing to worry about; for the job offered stability and security. But destiny chose otherwise, my grandpa's sister who lived in Tirupur desired to entrepreneur her business of exports; of which she had no knowledge. She approached my grandfather to quit his well-paying government job to join the business. At first he refused. But her desire to make it big in the business was so great that she eventually got him to quit his job and join her. Moving to Tirupur, he gave his blood and sweat to the new enterprise and soon enough it grew to become one of the top export businesses in the city. Meanwhile, he never expected what was to befall on him. His sister, who had coaxed him to quit a stable job, had now learnt the tricks of the trade and instead of being grateful showed him the door. He was shocked.
Forgive! Fill Your Heart With Peace!
Emotionally close and committed couples forgive each other and enjoy a blissful relationship.
Penniless and jobless, he accepted this turn of events with grace and said nothing to her or to anybody in the family. Today, he has forgiven her and forgotten all that has passed. Although he might have less money in his pockets, he has tremendous peace in his heart. Truly my Grandpa is my hero.”
Flowers of peace cannot bloom on earth, when the hearts of nations are a volcano. Look within, and meditate on the atman, and you will know the way of Peace!
- Sadhu Vaswani
Thank you Supporters Unify, Brahma Kumaris, Les Cercles de Pardon, The Love Foundation, Midwest Training Institute, Choose Love Movement, Leonard Laskow & others.
There was a gardener who loved each tree, each plant, each little shrub in his garden so dearly that he would not cast away the dead leaves and the withered branches. He stored them all in his garden.
Research shows that couples who don’t forgive get competitive and focus on “being right” and winning arguments, rather than working together.
Gradually all the space in his small garden was taken up by the dead leaves and dry branches, and the beautiful garden wore the appearance of a garbage heap.
Life is too precious to be spent in such futile pursuits. The past is over and done with. It is gone with the wind! Therefore, I say to you, release it once and for all! Let it go! We must learn to forgive and forget. Forgiveness brings peace and joy into our life. It puts an end to the inner struggle that rages in the soul within, and teaches us to face life with tolerance, understanding and equanimity.
Are we not— so many of us— like this gardener? We go on storing grudges and bitterness, failures and frustrations, doubts and disappointments, which are better cast away and forgotten. And the beautiful garden of our life turns into a wasteland!
Join Us The Moment of Calm is a global initiative that aims at calming troubled hearts and agitated minds by using the power of forgiveness! Commemorating the birthday of Rev. Dada J.P. Vaswani, the Moment of Calm urges one and all to observe 2 minutes silence on August 2 at 2pm, to forgive, clear the heart of ill-feelings and experience the calmness within. You can participate from wherever you are. This honest en masse act of forgiving, we believe, will raise world consciousness and generate powerful vibrations that envelop the whole world with love and peace. Quoting Rev. Dada Vaswani the pioneer of the idea, "If we wish to achieve inner peace, there is only one way - release ourselves from anger and resentment, learn to let go of hatred, and practise forgiveness." Momentofcalm.org
Momentofcalm
Published by Sadhu Vaswani Mission, Pune, India | 020-26125679 | forgive@sadhuvaswani.org
Forgiveness is life-changing
- Dada J.P. Vaswani
If you’ve been holding onto a grudge for a long time, you know how it seeps into your thoughts and dominates your emotions. The grudge sits in you like a big, heavy lump of steel that refuses to move. But start to get serious about forgiveness and make peace your priority and your life will change. You’ll be more free, more open, and more available to enjoy yourself.
The persona of Dada Vaswani is the future link of our ancient tradition of saints. He has borne witness in his life of that spiritual journey through his deeds and his lovefilled messages. Whenever I meet him, the ambience is filled with contentment, humility and palpable power of love.
- Dr. Gail Brenner, Psychologist
(Extract from Hon. Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi’s address)
Hearts at peace will create World Peace. - J.P. Vaswani
Universities
True Story: Forgiveness is an Attribute of the Strong This is one of the memories that you call 'etched forever'. It was in the year 2016 that I had my National Swimming Trials at the Dr. SPM Swimming Complex, New Delhi.
The Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education of Standford University, USA, Greater Good Science Center of Berkeley University of California and the University of Mumbai supported the Moment of Calm and encouraged their students to forgive.
Excited and confident as I was, on the day of the Trials, I reached the stadium early and started with my warm ups. Time for the trials was soon approaching, I thought it would be best to get ready soon and went on to change into my costumes securely kept in the changing room. When I got there, to my utter horror, I found that my costume was missing! I searched for it fervently but to no avail. I was reduced to tears for I knew, without my costumes, I wouldn't be allowed to participate. The competition was over, and I lost my chance at it. Later, I heard that there was a girl who knew that I could possibly beat her in the competition; she chose the crooked path, stole my costume and ended up winning the trials.
Schools
Sports Academies
Few months passed by, I forgot about the incident and continued my practice. In the following year, during a State Level Meet, I met the girl who I believed to have sabotaged my chances in the changing room in a similar situation as mine. She was in dismay, because she couldn't find her costume. I don't know what made me do that, but I offered her my costume, knowing that it would mean disqualification for me. She broke down into tears and confessed what had happened the previous year. She apologised to me for hiding my costume just before the National Trials. My doubts were confirmed and I was so tempted to retaliate, but I reacted otherwise. In my school, I had participated in the Moment of Calm and I was taught that it is only the strong who can forgive. I accepted her apology and allowed her to use my costume. It cost me my championship but made me feel so good about myself.
PRO Tennis Academy and 1500 tennis players in Germany pledged to participate, recognising that mental well-being and physical fitness go hand-in-hand.
Resorts & Clubs
1,87,48,881 One Crore, Eighty Seven Lakhs, Forty Eight Thousand, Eight Hundred and Eighty One Forgiveness pledges from around the World Testimonials
Hospitals
Moment of Calm thoughts are inspiring. I start my day with it. When I was promoted to the post of a Principal, I faced so much negativity from my staff. The daily thoughts posted on Facebook, brought in the awareness that if I fostered hatred, it will harm me and also affect my students. To set a right precedent for them, I decided to let go and release my negative feelings. The environment became cordial.
Cheated of property worth Rs. 2 Crores (20 Million) by my brother, I was deeply hurt and severed all contacts with him! When I participated in the Moment of Calm forgiveness meditation on August 2, I realised that the grudge I held was giving me sleepless nights and adversely affecting my every living moment! I made a conscious choice to forgive him and let bygones be bygones. Now I am feeling light and free.
- School Principal, Pune
-A businessman from Delhi
It's a life-changing concept! Although, I am practising forgiveness with a selfish motive of wanting to unburden my heart of grudges, it helps me start each day on a white canvas. I feel so much lighter, chapter closed, no baggage to carry till the next day. Every morning, I have a fresh new start with positivity.
-Dean Academics, Reputed College
Comments It was a beautiful experience to share this moment with likeminded souls from three continents. Wonderful to know about others who value calmness and realise the healing potential of forgiveness. It was moving to meditate together around the world. The Energy was very still and deep.
-Lord Grace, Switzerland
Corporates