A study of Heartfulness Based Spiritual Interventions and their impact on youth Behavioural Development
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.69980/ajpr.v28i4.433Keywords:
Heartfulness meditation, Youth Behaviour, Emotional Regulation, Kamlesh D. Patel (Daaji), Spiritual Practices, Cognitive DevelopmentAbstract
The behavioural development of youth in the modern era is increasingly influenced by complex psychological and socio-cultural dynamics. Amid rising concerns related to stress, aggression, emotional instability, and social disengagement, spiritual practices are gaining recognition for their transformative impact. This research examines the role of Heartfulness-based meditation—a heart-centered approach to self-development—in enhancing emotional regulation, cognitive clarity, and prosocial behaviour among youth. Rooted in the Raja Yoga tradition and promoted by Kamlesh D. Patel (Daaji), Heartfulness meditation emphasizes inner balance, mindfulness, and values-based living. By integrating Heartfulness practices into daily life and educational settings, the study reveals potential improvements in youth self-awareness, emotional intelligence, and interpersonal relationships. The findings underscore the importance of holistic approaches to youth development, offering a sustainable pathway to nurture responsible, compassionate, and mentally resilient individuals.
References
1. Arunachalam, K., & Chandran, K. S. (2021). Effects of Heartfulness meditation practices on control of Alzheimer's disease: A comprehensive review. Iranian Journal of Public Health, 50(12), 2427–2438. https://doi.org/10.18502/ijph.v50i12.7925
2. Gupta, P. K., Malhotra, N., Goel, P., Thimmapuram, J., & Krishna, P. (2023). Effect of Heartfulness meditation program on perceived stress and satisfaction with life of female students. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 14, Article 1214603. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1214603
3. Hoyt, L. T., Cohen, A. K., Dull, B., Castro, E. M., & Yazdani, N. (2021). “Constant stress has become the new normal”: Stress and anxiety inequalities among U.S. college students in the time of COVID-19. Journal of Adolescent Health, 68(2), 270–276. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2020.10.030
4. Kalaitzaki, A., Tsouvelas, G., & Koukouli, S. (2021). Social capital, social support and perceived stress in college students: The role of resilience and life satisfaction. Stress and Health, 37(3), 454–465. https://doi.org/10.1002/smi.3008
5. Kim, H. W., Hong, J. W., Nam, E. J., Kim, K. Y., Kim, J. H., & Kang, J. I. (2022). Medical students’ perceived stress and perceptions regarding clinical clerkship during the COVID-19 pandemic. PLOS ONE, 17(10), e0277059. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0277059
6. Pandya, S. P. (2021). Meditation program mitigates loneliness and promotes wellbeing, life satisfaction and contentment among retired older adults: A two-year follow-up study in four South Asian cities. Aging & Mental Health, 25(2), 286–298. https://doi.org/10.1080/13607863.2019.1691143
7. Parajuli, N., Shindhe, M., & Pradhan, B. (2023). Effect of Surya Namaskara (sun salutation) on mental health, self-control and mindfulness of adolescent school children. Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice, 50, 101691. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ctcp.2022.101691
8. Patel, K. D. (2022). Designing destiny: The Heartfulness way. Westland Publications.
9. Patel, K. D. (2023). Spiritual anatomy: Meditation, chakras, and the journey to the center. Balance.
10. Patel, K. D., & Misra, P. (2023). The wisdom bridge: Nine principles to a life that echoes in the hearts of your loved ones (Audiobook). Random House Audio.
11. Patel, K. D., & Pollock, J. (2018). The Heartfulness way: Heart-based meditations for spiritual transformation. Westland Publications Private Limited.
12. Patel, K. D., & Singh, A. (Trans.). (2023). Spiritual anatomy (Hindi edition): Dhyan, chakra aur kendra ki yatra.
13. Shinde, S., Pereira, B., & Khandeparkar, P. (2022). Acceptability and feasibility of the Heartfulness Way: A social-emotional learning program for school-going adolescents in India. Indian Journal of Psychiatry, 64(5), 489–498. https://doi.org/10.4103/indianjpsychiatry.indianjpsychiatry_293_22
14. Shinde, S., Pereira, B., & Khandeparkar, P. (2022). Acceptability and feasibility of the Heartfulness Way: A social-emotional learning program for school-going adolescents in India. Indian Journal of Psychiatry, 64(5), 489–498. https://doi.org/10.4103/indianjpsychiatry.indianjpsychiatry_293_22
15. Shrivastava, A., Singh, B. K., Krishna, D., Krishna, P., Singh, D., Singh, B., et al. (2023). Effect of Heartfulness meditation among long-term, short-term and non-meditators on prefrontal cortex activity of brain using machine learning classification: A cross-sectional study. Cureus, 15, e34977. https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.34977
16. Suleiman-Martos, N., Gomez-Urquiza, J. L., Aguayo-Estremera, R., Cañadas-De La Fuente, G. A., De La Fuente-Solana, E. I., & Albendín-García, L. (2020). The effect of mindfulness training on burnout syndrome in nursing: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 76(3), 1124–1140. https://doi.org/10.1111/jan.14318
17. Thimmapuram, J., Patel, K. D., Bhatt, D., Chauhan, A., Madhusudhan, D., Bhatt, K. K., Deshpande, S., Budhbhatti, U., & Joshi, C. (2024). Effect of a web-based Heartfulness program on the mental well-being, biomarkers, and gene expression profile of health care students: Randomized controlled trial. JMIR Bioinformatics and Biotechnology, 5, e65506. https://doi.org/10.2196/65506
18. Thimmapuram, J., Yommer, D., Tudor, L., Bell, T., Dumitrescu, C., & Davis, R. (2020). Heartfulness meditation improves sleep in chronic insomnia. Journal of Community Hospital Internal Medicine Perspectives, 10(1), 10–15. https://doi.org/10.1080/20009666.2019.1710948
19. Thorsén, F., Antonson, C., Palmér, K., Berg, R., Sundquist, J., & Sundquist, K. (2022). Associations between perceived stress and health outcomes in adolescents. Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health, 16, 75. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13034-022-00510-w
20. Tripska, K., Draessler, J., & Pokladnikova, J. (2022). Heart rate variability, perceived stress and willingness to seek counselling in undergraduate students. Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 160, 110972. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpsychores.2022.110972
21. Wilson, O. W., Holland, K. E., Elliott, L. D., Duffey, M., & Bopp, M. (2021). The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on US college students’ physical activity and mental health. Journal of Physical Activity and Health, 18(3), 272–278. https://doi.org/10.1123/jpah.2020-0325
22. Zhang, H., Yang, Y., Hao, X., Qin, Y., & Li, K. (2023). Effects of digital sleep interventions on sleep and psychological health during the COVID-19 pandemic: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Sleep Medicine, 110, 190–200. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sleep.2023.07.036
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 American Journal of Psychiatric Rehabilitation

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License permitting all use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the work is properly cited.