About Heartmind
Heartmind began as a not-for-profit social enterprise, which I (Hosshin) founded in 2008 to promote the values of mindfulness, compassion, and sustainable living. Over the years, I’ve led weekly yoga, qi gong, and meditation groups, hosted quarterly residential retreats, trained over 1,500 people in the Heartfulness for Well-Being course, and collaborated with organizations such as Chesterfield Borough Council, Derbyshire County Council, the Stroke Association, SPODA, Derbyshire Police Constabulary, and Derbyshire Benevolent Trust.
Although the registered company was dissolved in 2024, largely due to my decision to enter early retirement and a life of retreat, the informal sangha—Friends of Heartmind—continues in the spirit of mutual appreciation and support. The name Heartmind was chosen to reflect an innately compassionate consciousness, a concept deeply rooted in the ancient spiritual and mystical traditions of the world. This understanding aligns with modern scientific breakthroughs in holistic health and planetary ecology.
In Buddhism, there is the term Bodhicitta, which translates to “the awakening of the wisdom mind of compassion”—an intrinsic quality that can be realized through meditation and various spiritual practices. Neuroscience has increasingly shown that the mind is not limited to the brain but that the heart plays a significant, if not central, role in cognitive functions and behavior. Heartmind thus became the perfect expression of my core teaching principles.
It is often said that educating the mind without educating the heart is no education at all, and that kind hearts lead to loving outcomes. Heartmind’s mission is to help individuals rediscover their own innate, compassionate mind—awakening qualities of peace and joy through a blend of spiritual, mystical, and scientific understandings of the human experience. It also fosters wholeness in our relationship with the natural world, encouraging regenerative practices in organic food production, sustainable living, and ecological well-being.