PRIVACY AND COOKIES POLICY

We will collect and process the following personal data from you:

Information you give us

This is information about you that you give us by filling in forms on our Website or by corresponding with us by phone, e-mail or otherwise. It includes information you provide when you register to use our Website, subscribe to our service, search for a product, place an order on our Website, participate in discussion boards or other social media functions on or via our Website, enter a competition, promotion or survey, submit a query, and when you report a problem with our Website.

The information you give us may include your name, address, e-mail address and phone number, financial and credit card information, personal description and photograph, login and password details.

Information we collect about you from your use of our Website:

We will automatically collect information from you each time you use our Website. This includes:

Technical information may include the Internet protocol (IP) address used to connect your computer to the Internet, your login information, browser type and version, time zone setting, browser plug-in types and versions, operating system and platform;

Information about your visit may include the full Uniform Resource Locators (URL), clickstream to, through and from our site (including date and time), products you viewed or searched for, page response times, download errors, length of visits to certain pages, page interaction information (such as scrolling, clicks, and mouse-overs), methods used to browse away from the page, and any phone number used to call our customer service number or social media handle used to connect with our customer service team.

Location data – we collect information through the Website as to your real-time location to provide location services where requested or agreed to by you in order to allow tagging, allow check-in, deliver content, advertising or other services such as event information that are dependent on knowing where you are. This information is/may also be collected in combination with an identifier associated with your device to enable us to recognize your mobile browser or device when you return to the site/App.

Delivery of location services will involve reference to one or more of the following: (a) the coordinates (latitude/longitude) of your location; (b) look-up of your country of location by reference to your IP address against public sources; and/or (c) your Identifier for Advertisers (IFA) code for your Apple device, or the Android ID for your Android device, or a similar device identifier.

See Cookies and other technologies for more information on the use of cookies and device identifiers on the Website.

Information we receive from other sources.

This is information we receive about you:

• If you use any of the other websites or apps we operate or the other services we provide.
• Where you use the meditation services of other Heartfulness organisations around the world
• From third parties we work closely with.

In this case we will have informed you when we collected that data if we intend to share your data internally and combine it with data collected on this site. We will also have told you for what purpose we will share and combine your data.

We will be combining the data we receive from other heartfulness organisations when you register for events online or in our meditation centres, when you make enquiries through email, website or other communication channels or when you volunteer with any of our affiliate organisations.

We are working closely with third parties (including, for example, sub-contractors in technical, payment and delivery services, advertising networks, analytics providers, and search information providers). We will notify you when we receive information about you from them and the purposes for which we intend to use that information.

Our Website uses cookies and/or other similar technologies such as pixel tags or web beacons to collect and store certain information. These typically involve pieces of information or code that a website transfers to or accesses from your computer hard drive or mobile device to store and receive information about you. Cookies and similar technologies enable you to be remembered when using that computer or device to interact with websites and online services and can be used to manage a range of features and content as well as storing searches and presenting personalised content.

Our Website uses cookies and similar technologies to distinguish you from other users of our Website. This helps us to provide you with a good experience when you browse our Website and also allows us to improve our Website.

Most web browsers automatically accept cookies and similar technologies, but if you prefer, you can change your browser to prevent that and your help screen or manual will tell you how to do this. We also give you information about how to disable cookies here. However, you may not be able to take full advantage of our website if you do so.

A number of cookies and similar technologies we use last only for the duration of your web or app session and expire when you close your browser/or exit the Website]. Others are used to remember you when you return to the Website and will last for longer.

We use these cookies and other technologies on the basis that they are necessary for the performance of a contract with you, or because using them is in our legitimate interests in improving our Website and engaging in a focused way which understand our users (where we have considered that these are not overridden by your rights).

We use cookies and/or other similar technologies, such as tracking GIFs, web beacons pixel codes either alone or in combination with each other to create a unique device ID.

We use the following types of cookies:[this is a standard list of e-commerce cookies but you should check and delete where appropriate]

Strictly necessary cookies. These are cookies that are required for the operation of our website and under our terms with you. They include, for example, cookies that enable you to log into secure areas of our website, use a shopping cart or make use of e-billing services.

Analytical/performance cookies. They allow us to recognize and count the number of visitors and to see how visitors move around our website when they are using it. This helps us for our legitimate interests of improving the way our website works, for example, by ensuring that users are finding what they are looking for easily.

Functionality cookies. These are used to recognize you when you return to our website. This enables us, subject to your choices and preferences, to personalize our content, greet you by name and remember your preferences (for example, your choice of language or region).

Disabling cookies

The effect of disabling cookies depends on which cookies you disable but, in general, the website may not operate properly if all cookies are switched off. If you only disable third party cookies, you will not be prevented from making purchases on our Website. If you disable all cookies, you will be unable to complete a purchase on our Website.

If you want to disable cookies on our site, you need to change your website browser settings to reject cookies. How you can do this will depend on the browser you use. Further details on how to disable cookies for the most popular browsers are set out below: –

For Microsoft Internet Explorer:
1. Choose the menu “tools” then “Internet Options”
2. Click on the “privacy” tab
3. Select the setting the appropriate setting

For Google Chrome:
1. Choose Settings> Advanced
2. Under “Privacy and security,” click “Content settings”.
3. Click “Cookies”

For Safari:
1. Choose Preferences > Privacy
2. Click on “Remove all Website Data”

For Mozilla Firefox:
1. Choose the menu “tools” then “Options”
2. Click on the icon “privacy”
3. Find the menu “cookie” and select the relevant options

For Opera 6.0 and further:
1. Choose the menu Files”> “Preferences”
2. Privacy

Where you have not set your permissions, we may also separately prompt you regarding our use of cookies on the Site.

We use information held about you in the following ways:

Information you give to us:

We will use this information to:

• Take steps in order to provide meditation services and anything else we agree to provide including:
  • administering your account with us;
  • providing meditation guidance and education
  • where you make a donation, verifying and carrying out the processing of payment you make, including through the Website;
• To assist our volunteer facilitators to contact you with information about us and our events taking place in your area by your chosen method of communication if you have given your consent to receiving information from us;
• To assist our volunteer facilitators, practitioners, trainers and event co-ordinators to administer, manage and organise events you have expressed an interest in attending;
• Ensure that:
  • content from our site is presented in the most effective manner for you and for your computer.
  • we provide you with the information, products and services that you request from us.

Information we collect about you from your use of our Website

We will use this information in our legitimate interests, where we have considered these are not overridden by your rights:

• To administer our Website and for internal operations, including troubleshooting, data analysis, testing, research, statistical and survey purposes.
• To keep our Website safe and secure.
• For measuring or understanding the effectiveness of advertising we serve to you and others, and to deliver relevant advertising to you.
• To improve our Website to ensure that content is presented in the most effective manner for you and for your computer.
• To allow you to participate in interactive features of our service, when you choose to do so.

Information we receive from other sources
We will combine this information with information you give to us and information we collect about you in our legitimate interests (where we have considered that these are not overridden by your rights). We will use this information and the combined information for the purposes set out above (depending on the types of information we receive).

Where permitted in our legitimate interest or with your prior consent where required by law, we will use your personal information to provide you with promotional update communications by email, post and telephone about our products and services.

You can object to further marketing at any time by checking and updating your contact details within your account, or selecting the “unsubscribe” link at the end of all our marketing and promotional update communications to you, or by sending us an email to webmaster@heartfulness.org

We hold your information for one of three reasons:

For the purposes of a contract with you, where we need information like your name and contact details so we can provide meditation sessions and guidance at your request;

For our legitimate interests, having considered any impact on your interests and rights, for instance in promoting our organisation and the Heartfulness mission, in requesting and processing donations to fund our activities, to learn from our participants, donors and volunteers so we can improve our Website, our meditation sessions and education and their general experience of Heartfulness; and

IRS publication 4221 discusses the amount of time charitable institutions must retain records: Exempt organizations must keep records as long as they may be needed to administer provisions of the Internal Revenue Code. Generally, this means you must keep records that support an item of income or deduction on a return until the period of limitations for that return runs out. The period of limitations is the period of time in which an organization can amend its return to claim a credit or refund, or the IRS can assess additional tax. The most common limitations period is three years after the date the return is due or filed, whichever is later.

We may give your information to:

• Our volunteer facilitators, practitioners, trainers and event co-ordinators worldwide for the administration, management and organisation of events;
• Other affiliate organisations around the world, the Heartfulness, Shri Ram Chandra Mission, Sahaj Marg Spirituality Foundation and Spiritual Hierarchy Publication Trust
• The affiliate organisations will use your information in accordance with this policy in the general operation, management and support of our activities and in its responsibility for the planning and strategy for the Heartfulness mission
• Healthfulness Institute, a Texas non-profit corporation, is a part of the Heartfulness worldwide organisation and takes responsibility for the IT, web hosting and related support and other services and it, and through it, its IT and technology suppliers will process your information for the purposes of this policy.
• Selected third parties

Our selected third parties may include:

• Organisations who process your personal data on our behalf and in accordance with our instructions and the Data Protection Law. This includes in supporting the services we offer through the Website in particular those providing website and data hosting services, providing fulfilment services, distributing any communications we send, supporting or updating marketing lists, facilitating feedback on our services and providing IT support services from time to time. These organisations (which may include third party suppliers, agents, sub-contractors and/or other companies in our group) will only use your information to the extent necessary to perform their support functions.
• Analytics and search engine providers that assist us in the improvement and optimisation of our site and subject to the cookie section of this policy (this will not identify you as an individual).
• Payment processing providers who provide secure payment processing services.

We will disclose your personal information to third parties:

• If we merge with another organisation or are re-organised in order to sustain or further the Heartfulness mission and substantially all of its assets are acquired by a third party, in which case personal data held by us will also be transferred to the other organisation.
• If we are under a duty to disclose or share your personal data in order to comply with any legal obligation, or in order to enforce or apply our terms of supply terms and other agreements with you; or to protect the rights, property, or safety of Heartfulness India, our customers, or others. This includes exchanging information with other companies and organisations for the purposes of fraud protection and to prevent cybercrime.

The data that we collect from you may be transferred to, and stored at, a destination outside the European Economic Area (“EEA”) that may not be subject to equivalent Data Protection Law.

Where your information is transferred outside the EEA, we will take all steps reasonably necessary to ensure that your data is subject to appropriate safeguards, such as relying on a recognised legal adequacy mechanism, and that it is treated securely and in accordance with this privacy policy.

We may transfer your personal information outside the EEA:

• In order to store it.
• In order to enable us to provide the services and guidance you ask of us.This includes events, meditation sessions, processing of payment details, and the provision of support services.This includes transfer to our affiliate organisations worldwide as set out in the section “Who we share your information with”
• Where we are legally required to do so.
• In order to facilitate the operation of our group of businesses, where it is in our legitimate interests and we have concluded these are not overridden by your rights.

We may transfer your personal information to the following countries outside the EEA: India, USA.

Where we share your data with other Heartfulness entities outside the EEA, we have signed EU-approved standard contractual clauses with each of them to safeguard your information.

The Website may, from time to time, make chat rooms, message boards, news groups and/or other public forums available to its users. Any information that is disclosed in these areas becomes public information and you should exercise caution when using these and avoid posting any personal information.

Protecting the safety of children when they use the Internet is important to us.

The Website is intended for use only by persons who are at least [18] years of age.
By using the Website, you confirm to us that you meet this requirement. If you are under the age of 18, you confirm you have received permission from your parent or guardian before using this site/App or sending us personal information.

If you are under the age of [13] your parent or guardian must consent on your behalf where we ask for consent in relation to the use of your information.

Payment details you provide will be encrypted using secure sockets layer (SSL) technology before they are submitted to us over the internet. Payments made on the Website are made through our payment gateway providers, Instamojo, Ccavenue Authorize.net and Pay Pal. You will be providing credit or debit card information directly to payment gateway providers which operates a secure server to process payment details, encrypting your credit/debit card information and authorising payment. Information which you supply to payment gateway providers is not within our control and is subject to payment gateway providers own privacy policy and terms and conditions.

All information you provide to us is stored on our secure servers. Any payment transactions will be encrypted using SSL technology. Where we have given you (or where you have chosen) a password which enables you to access certain parts of our Website, you are responsible for keeping this password confidential. We ask you not to share a password with anyone.

Unfortunately, the transmission of information via the internet is not completely secure. Although we will do our best to protect your personal data, we cannot guarantee the security of your data transmitted to our Website; any transmission is at your own risk. Once we have received your information, we will use strict procedures and security features to try to prevent unauthorised access.

Our site may, from time to time, contain links to external sites. We are not responsible for the privacy policies or the content of such sites.

We retain personal data for for as long as you are a registered meditator, donor or volunteer with us in order to meet our contractual obligations to you in our legitimate interests for as long as is permitted under Data Protection Law for instance in order to comply with our legal obligations. We may also retain aggregate information beyond this time for research purposes and to help us develop and improve our services. You cannot be identified from aggregate information retained or used for these purposes.

• You have the right under certain circumstances:
  • to be provided with a copy of your personal data held by us;
  • to request the rectification or erasure of your personal data held by us;
  • to request that we restrict the processing of your personal data (while we verify or investigate your concerns with this information, for example);
  • to object to the further processing of your personal data, including the right to object to marketing (as mentioned in ‘Our promotional updates and communications’ section;
  • to request that your provided personal data be moved to a third party
• Your right to withdraw consent:
  Where the processing of your personal information by us is based on consent, you have the right to withdraw that consent without detriment at any time by contacting us. You can also change your marketing preferences at any time as described in ‘Our promotional updates and communications’ section;

You can also exercise the rights listed above at any time by contacting us at webmaster@sahajmarg.org.

For the purposes of European Economic Area data protection law, If your request or concern is not satisfactorily resolved by us, you may approach your local data protection authority, (see http://ec.europa.eu/justice/data-protection/bodies/authorities/index_en.html ).

Your data protection authority can provide further information about your rights and our obligations in relation to your personal data, as well as deal with any complaints that you have about our processing of your personal data.

Any changes we make to our privacy policy in future will be posted on this page and, in relation to substantive changes, will be notified to you by e-mail. This policy is effective from 25-May-2018.

Questions, comments and requests regarding this privacy policy are welcomed and should be addressed to:

Shri Ram Chandra Mission
585 Mowry Ave
Fremont, CA 94536
EIN # 23-7336143
webmaster@sahajmarg.org