Back to Home         Bhavan's Periodicals   Bhavan's Dimdima (English)   Bhavan's Journal (English)   Navneet (Hindi)   Navneet-Samarpan(Gujarati)   Samvid (Sanskrit)   Bharatiya Vidya (Sanskrit)   Astrological Journal (Eng. & Guj.)       Glimpses From The Past   The best of Bhavan's Journal 1954 - 2003. It is a small sample of the Bhavan's Journal's half century of life in print. It gives but a runaway glimpse of the past.   Read on       A Wonder Magazine   It is read by the young and the old, the rich and the poor, men, women and children. It is bought because it speaks the spiritual language and represents the collective wisdom of centuries.   Read on       Advertise With Us   We have various options for advertising in Bhavan's Journal. For more details and Rate Card.   Click Here       Contact us	Bhavan's Journal Glimpses From The Past The best of Bhavan's Journal: 1954 - 2003 Back To  List of Articles Love is the Foundation of Human Existence Dalai Lama (Published in 2002 Annual Number) (...Contd) The expression of love is very important at the time of birth. Since the very first thing we do is suck milk from our mother’s breasts, we naturally feel close to her, and she must feel love for us in order to feed us properly; if she feels anger or resentment, her milk may not flow freely. Then, there is the critical period of brain development from the time of birth up to, at least, the age of three or four during which time loving physical contact is the single most important factor for the normal growth of the child. If the child is not held, hugged, cuddled or loved, his or her development will be impaired and the brain will not mature properly. Since a child cannot survive without the care of others, love is his or her most important nourishment. The happiness of childhood, the allaying of the child’s many fears and the healthy development of its self-confidence all depend directly upon love. Nowadays, many children grow up in unhappy homes. If they do not receive proper affection, they will rarely love their parents later on in life and, not infrequently, will find it hard to love others. This is very sad. As children grow older and enter school, their need for support must be met by their teachers. If a teacher not only imparts academic education but also assumes responsibility for preparing students for life, his or her pupils will feel trust and respect and, what has been taught will leave an indelible impression on their minds. Similarly, if one is sick and being treated in hospital by a doctor who evinces a warm human feeling, one feels at ease and the doctor’s desire to give the best possible care is itself curative, irrespective of the degree of his or her technical skill. Inevitably, patients’ feelings make a difference to the quality and completeness of their recovery. Even when we engage in ordinary conversation in everyday life, if someone speaks with human feelings, we enjoy listening and respond accordingly; the whole conversation becomes interesting, however unimportant the topic may be. On the other hand, if a person speaks coldly or harshly,we feel uneasy and wish for a quick end to the interaction. From the least to the most important event, the affection and respect of others is vital for our happiness. I recall meeting scientists in America who said that the rate of mental illness in their country was quite high - around 12 per cent of the population. It became clear during our discussion that the main cause of depression was not a lack of material necessities but a deprivation of the affection of others. I believe that no one is born free from the need for love. And this demonstrates that - although some modern schools of thought seek to do so - human beings cannot be defined as solely physical. No material object, however beautiful or valuable, can make us feel loved, because our deeper identity and true character lie in the subjective nature of the mind. Previous Page	Latest Issue     This issue is now available online. Read the entire magazine online TOTALLY FREE!   CLICK HERE   We add the Journal on 7th and 22nd of every month.       Subscribe To BJ   Read it. Collect it. &  Preserve it For future generations   Subscription Form       A Worthwhile Gift   Give Your Friends - Subscription to Bhavan's Journal as Special Gift.   Gift Subscription Form