The Himalayan chill Does remind you that you are mortal
When the chill touches your bones Burn we must either wood or the Bone.
Volume - 2 / Issue - 8 `15
To Kailash
Like the snows, I come and go Like the snows, I melt at your feet Like the snows, I adorn you I am your footwear and your crown Just trying to be as much to you As you are to me Will not only keep coming to you As long as my lungs can hold this life breath and my legs can hold up to the pressures exerted by the embrace of my Mother – Earth Don’t you mistake my southern origins for the arrogance of the ten-headed Lankan king With my sheer absence I will hold and transport you South of Vindhyas. As the ancient people of these gentle lands have longed for You for too long. Steadfast in devotion Their hearts throb with One single emotion for You, You and You
Grace & Blessings Registered with the Registrar of Newspapers for India under No. TNENG/2013/53333 Registered with Patrika Channel Egmore RMS under Registration No. TN/CH(C)/492/14 –16. 2nd of every month – August 2014
Annual Subscription `180 August 2014
Even after months of travelling, there has been no gearing down for Sadhguru. His frantic schedule of the past few weeks included a number of “In Conversation with the Mystic” sessions with prominent figures from various walks of life, a series of darshans with thousands of participants at the Isha Yoga Center, and Guru Pournami with the unveiling of the first Adiyogi sculpture – just to name the biggest highlights. Check out our News & Events section for more details. We hope you will like the new, at-a-glance format. The recent darshans at the Adiyogi Alayam brought us an abundance of interesting talks by Sadhguru. Spoiled for choice, we have selected some of the most insightful ones for this edition. Our Lead Article, in which Sadhguru discusses the “Boundless Ways” in which one can approach the Ultimate is one of them. Since its shortness belies its substantiality, we would like to particularly recommend the article “The Life Breath of Existence,” which targets the link between body and being. Whether you are at odds or enamored with yourself or somewhere in between, the article “How to Love Yourself?” is for you. Sadhguru not only busts common myths about our relationship with ourselves but also challenges the concepts of shame and guilt. The relationship between Linga Bhairavi and Dhyanalinga is subject of the article “Why Devi Touches Base.” Find out the deeper purpose behind the spectacle of sound, fire, and color that the Linga Bhairavi Procession and Maha Arati present. When Sadhguru chooses to leave his body, how will his physical absence impact those who have been initiated by him into a spiritual process? A question many of us may have pondered in silence. A participant of the Leela program addressed it, and we have Sadhguru’s answer in the article “Going for Good.” Kiran Bedi, the first and highest-ranking female officer of the Indian Police Service turned social activist, met with Sadhguru on 6 July 2014 for an “In Conversation with the Mystic” session. The article “Courage for Social Change” is the first excerpt of their heartfelt and constructive discussion. Enjoy the read!
The Editorial Team
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ISHA FOREST FLOWER
August 2014
Printed by: S. PRAKASH; at FINE DOTS, No.15, Boo Begum 3rd Street, Anna Salai, Chennai – 600 042. Editor: K. SEKAR.
Dear Readers,
Published by: B. RAJESH CHANDER on behalf of ISHA FOUNDATION Published from 117/50, Luz Church Road, Mylapore, Chennai – 600 004
Editorial
CONTENTS
Lead Article
Boundless Ways
Sadhguru on Different Approaches to the Ultimate
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Musings
The Life Breath of Existence
Sadhguru on the Link between Body and Being
How to Love Yourself?
Sadhguru on Shifting from Conscience to Consciousness
Why Devi Touches Base
Sadhguru on the Importance of the Linga Bhairavi Procession
6 7 9
In Conversation with the Mystic
Courage for Social Change
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Kiran Bedi in Conversation with Sadhguru
Leela Series The path of the playful – part LVIII:
Going for Good
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Isha Hata Yoga
Part 8: Flexibility Factors
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News & Events Kiran Bedi in Conversation with Sadhguru Dr. D. Veerendra Heggade in Conversation with Sadhguru Series of Darshans with Sadhguru at the Isha Yoga Center Fifteen Years of Dhyanalinga Dr. Devi Shetty in Conversation with Sadhguru
16 16 16 17 17
Sharing Experiences
A Fly Stuck in a Spider’s Web
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Poem by Isha Hata Yoga Teacher Trainee
Sadhguru Spot
Lifetimes have passed by… Excerpted from Sadhguru Spot of 9 July 2014
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Upcoming Programs and Events
Isha Yoga – Program Highlights
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Isha Recipes
This Month: Creamy Vegan Fruit Salad
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Zen Speaks
A Morning of the Moon and Wind August 2014
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SADHGURU
Boundless Ways
Sadhguru on Different Approaches to the Ultimate The following is an excerpt from a darshan with Sadhguru at the Isha Yoga Center, Coimbatore, India, on 24 June 2014, in which he explains the different aspects of the chant “Bhuta Bhuta Bhuteshwaraya” with which he had opened the session.
Bhuta Bhuta Bhuteshwaraya Yoga Yoga Yogishwaraya
Kala Kala Kaleshwararaya
Shiva Shiva Sarveshwaraya
Shambho Shambho Mahadevaya Bhuteshwara The physical creation – all that we can see, hear, smell, taste, and touch – the very body, the planet, the universe, the cosmos – everything is just a play of five elements. Only with five ingredients, what a magnificent mischief called “creation”! Gaining mastery over these five elements, which are known as the pancha bhutas, is everything – your health, your wellbeing, your power in the world, and your ability to create what you want. Knowingly or unknowingly, consciously or unconsciously, individual people attain to some level of control or mastery over these different elements. How much control or mastery they have determines the nature of their body, the nature of their mind, the nature of what they do, how successfully ISHA FOREST FLOWER
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they do it, how far they can see – everything. With only five things, which you can count on one hand, how many things are being created! Creation could not be more compassionate. If there were five million ingredients, you would be lost. With this mind, there would have been no way we could have mastered five million things. Bhuta Bhuta Bhuteshwaraya means that one who has mastery over the pancha bhutas determines the destiny of his life, at least in the physical realm.
Yogishwara Being on the path of yoga means you have come to a phase in your life where you have felt the limitations of being physical; you have felt the need to go beyond the physical; you have felt restrained even by this vast cosmos. You are able to see that if you can be restrained by a small boundary, you can also be restrained by a huge boundary at some point. You do not have to crisscross the cosmos to experience this. Sitting here, you know if this boundary restrains you, if you crisscross the cosmos, that will also restrain you after some time – it is only a question of your ability to travel distances. Once your ability to travel distances is enhanced, any kind of boundary will be a restriction for you. Once you have understood and known this, once you have felt this longing that cannot be fulfilled by mastering physical creation – yoga. Yoga means to breach the barrier of physical creation. Your effort is not just to master the physicality of existence but to breach its boundary and touch a dimension that is not physical in nature. You want to unite that which is bound and that which is boundless. You want to dissolve the boundary into the boundless nature of existence. So, Yogishwaraya.
In English, we also used such an expression in the past – “he expired.” Like a drug or anything else, a human being also comes with an expiry date. Time is a special dimension of life – it does not fit into the other three dimensions. And of all the things in the universe, it is the most elusive stuff. You cannot pin it down, because it is not. It does not exist in any form of existence that you know. It is the most powerful dimension of creation, which holds the whole universe together. It is because of this that modern physics is clueless about how gravity functions, because there is no gravity. It is time which holds everything together. Gravity as we know it is just a small consequence of time. You may think you are going to so many places. No, as far as your body is concerned, it is going straight to the grave, without deviating for a moment. You can slow it down a bit, but it will not change direction, because death is gravity. As you are getting older, you will see, slowly, the earth is trying to suck you back. Life completes its turn. By the time you die, maybe you can have a grave on the moon, but that is also gravity. There is evidence that the Moon was once a part of the Earth. But do not deny the local farmers the manure that you can provide. Do not take it to the moon – may you be buried here. I am inviting all the old people to come to the ashram – nothing should go waste. I am not asking you to die, but you will any way die.
Shiva – Sarveshwara – Shambho
Kaleshwara Kala – time. No matter if you have mastered the five elements, you have become one with the boundless, or you know dissolution – as long as you are here, time is ticking away. Mastering time is a completely different dimension. Kala not just means time, it also means darkness. Time is darkness. Time cannot be light because light travels in time. Light is a slave of time. Light is a phenomenon that has a beginning August 2014
and an end. Time is not that kind of phenomenon. In the Hindu way of life, they have a very sophisticated understanding of time, as six different dimensions. One thing you have to know – as you sit here, your time is ticking away. The Tamil expression for death is very good – Kala maayitanga – “his time is up.”
Shiva means “that which is not; that which is dissolved.” That which is not is the basis of everything, and that is the boundless Sarveshwara. Shambho is just a key, a passage. If you can utter it in a way that your body will tear up, it will become a passage. If you want to master all these aspects and get there, it will take a long time. If you only want to take the passage, you can transcend these aspects not by mastery but by sneaking in.
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I have said this before – when I was a young boy, I had friends in the Mysore Zoo. Sunday morning meant I had my two rupees pocket money and would go to the fish market, deep inside where they had the half rotten fish. For two rupees, I sometimes got two, three kilograms of fish. I put them in a plastic bag and took them to the Mysore Zoo. I did not have any more money. The ticket at that time was one rupee; that is if you want to go straight. There was a barrier of about two feet. If you were willing to crawl, it was free. What’s my problem – I crawled. I spent the whole day there feeding all my friends with my rotten fish.
are easier ways. Those who are the crawling kind do not have to worry about mastering anything. Live as long as you live; when you die, you go and reach the ultimate. There is a certain beauty, an indescribable aesthetic in mastering even something simple. Kicking a ball for example, even a child can do. But when someone masters that, suddenly there is an aesthetic to it that makes half the world sit up and watch. If you want to know and enjoy mastery, there is work to do. But if you are willing to crawl, it is simply Shambho.
If you want to walk straight, it is a tough path – a whole lot of work. If you are willing to crawl, there
The Life Breath of Existence
Sadhguru on the Link between Body and Being The following is an excerpt from a darshan with Sadhguru at the Isha Yoga Center, Coimbatore, India, on 22 June 2014.
Questioner: Namaskaram, Sadhguru. What is the role of the breath in one’s spiritual growth? Sadhguru: In yogic terminology, the breath is referred to as koorma nadi. The koorma nadi is that which ties you as a being to this physical manifestation of a body. As you know, the body is an accumulation of what we have eaten, or in other words, it is just a piece of the planet, but right now, you perceive it as “you” because body and being are so well tied together. And it is the koorma nadi, the thread of koorma, which does that. If I take away your breath, you and your body will fall apart. The significance of the breath in a spiritual practice is that it gives you access to that point or that dimension where the physical and the non-physical are tied together – that is if you know the breath as koorma. Right now, you only know the sensations caused by the passage of air – that is not koorma. The koorma nadi is more than the air that you breathe – but without the air that you breathe, it will not 6
happen. The passage of the air is important, but koorma is not limited to that. It is the life breath of existence that you are inhaling and exhaling. If it is taken away, you and your body will not be capable of staying together. They will fall apart. Travelling with your koorma nadi is an effort to know that space where the physical and the nonphysical meet. That is the purpose of the Shambhavi Mahamudra – to be in the twilight zone where you are in the physical but touch a dimension beyond the physical. It would be very simple to leave the physical and go to the non-physical – a bullet in the head would do that, but that is not our aspiration. The aspiration of a human being is to be rooted in the physical but have a taste of that which is beyond. The breath is one of the easiest tools to approach the non-physical dimension. There are other ways too, but they would need much more care, instruction, guidance, and assistance. With the process of breath, it happens much more easily. That is why the breath is significant in a spiritual context.
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How to Love Yourself?
Sadhguru on Shifting from Conscience to Consciousness The following is an excerpt from a darshan with Sadhguru at the Isha Yoga Center, Coimbatore, India, on 23 June 2014.
Questioner: Sadhguru, Why is it that so many people struggle with liking themselves? And could you say something about shame and guilt? Sadhguru: “Liking themselves?” Someone else should like you. “I like myself” – what nonsense is this? These concepts and philosophies are floating around all over the world, particularly on the West Coast of America. When I recently went to California, I happened to attend a lecture at Stanford University where the speaker held the view, “You must be compassionate to yourself.” I said, “To like, to love, to be compassionate, you need two entities. If you create two entities within yourself, you are either schizophrenic or possessed. Either you need a psychiatrist or an exorcist.” An individual means “not further divisible.” If you made yourself in such a way that you have no friends, and you are not capable of being alone, you create two within yourself. Don’t play this game. Initially, it may be fun, but if it establishes itself, you will become sick. The line between sanity and insanity is very thin. If you keep pushing it, you will land on the other side, and you will not know where you are. It happened once – Shankaran Pillai called the psychiatric ward at the NIMHANS1 institute in Bangalore and said, “Is Mr. Pillai there in room number 21?” The receptionist said, “Wait, sir. I’ll check and let you know.” She checked and said, “No, he is not there.” “Oh my God, then it’s true that I have escaped!” Once you play this game of dividing yourself, you will not know where you are. You are an individual – who you are should never be divided. You must integrate yourself into an individual. Right from day one of the Isha Yoga program, this is what we have been trying to do – 1
to set you up as an individual, an undivided entity. “Whatever happens, whether good or bad – it’s me.” If you create two or more within you, you are unfixable. Only one is fixable. Only one can grow. Only one can transform. Only one can transcend. If there are two, they will go in two different directions. If there are four, they will go in four different directions, and so on. Do not try to like yourself. What is there to like about you? “Then should I dislike myself?” Why are you thinking on those terms? Where is the question of liking or disliking yourself? When you look at yourself as just a piece of life, there is neither a need to like nor dislike this most fundamental life within you. If you see, “This is only me and me alone,” you will keep this well. If there are two, doing makeup for both is difficult. With these ideas, “Love yourself. Believe in yourself. Be compassionate to yourself,” you are asking for sickness. And if you ask very strongly, you may get it. Do not ask for these things. It is vital to understand that you are an individual – you cannot divide yourself, or if you do, you are playing a psychological game with which you are asking for insanity to manifest itself. When you live with those kinds of people, it may seem normal, but if life situations push you, you will go crazy. If life situations are conducive, you can play these games and somehow get by, but nothing significant will happen in your life because unless you are an individual, you cannot transform; you cannot transcend. Your ideas of shame and guilt are a social phenomenon. What people feel guilty about in one society, they do not feel guilty about in another society. Shame and guilt are not natural. It is just that certain religions have made you feel guilty about everything. If you list out all the things they
National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences
August 2014
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consider as sin that you should feel guilty about, you must feel guilty about being alive, because your very birth is supposed to be a sin. All your life, you feel guilty. When you feel guilty, you pay your tribute. This is business, not spiritual process. It is a great entrepreneurial idea – eternal business – it runs forever. If you feel guilty of your very birth, there is no way to fix you. Always, you will feel guilty; always, you will confess; always, you will pay your tribute – always, the business is on. If certain religious teachings were not there, guilt and shame would not exist. If there was no room for guilt and shame, you would correct your actions. Guilt and shame gives you a lot of shadowy area in your life. You can do the same stupid things, feel guilty about it, wash your guilt away, do the same things again, endlessly. People who have been taught great levels of shame and guilt are the ones who commit too many things because there is always a way to fix the guilt, every week. Consciousness is one thing – conscience is another thing. Consciousness is the basis of life and existence. Spiritual process is about consciousness,
not conscience. Conscience is a socially set up mechanism, usually with a religious basis, which makes you feel guilty of this or that or everything in your life. When you feel guilty, you will become subservient in some way. You do not need a conscience – you need consciousness, because consciousness is inclusive. This inclusion fixes your actions. Not because you think something is wrong, you do not do it. You know that you would not like to do it to yourself, so you would not like to do it to someone else. You know it would not work for yourself, so you would not want to do it for someone else. That is all it is. Consciousness fixes you because of your inclusiveness. Conscience tries to fix you with guilt, fear, punishment, and shame. This is something that makes a human being feel like a wretch, and you cannot expect a human being to grow when he or she feels like a wretch. Instilling shame and guilt means there is no interest in the growth, transformation, and transcendence of human beings. There is only interest in keeping them on a leash. Guilt and shame come from social conscience, not from universal consciousness.
Why Devi Touches Base
Sadhguru on the Importance of the Linga Bhairavi Procession The following is an excerpt from a darshan with Sadhguru at the Isha Yoga Center, Coimbatore, India, on 23 June 2014.
Questioner: What is the significance of the Linga Bhairavi procession and Maha Arati that takes place every Pournami (full moon day) around Dhyanalinga? Sadhguru: Oh, she is just taking a walk. [Laughter] If you want to transmit a genuine, life-transforming spiritual process – not just talking spirituality, not scriptural stuff – you need a tower of energy. If you do not create that or access that which may be available to you in some other way, no life transmission will ever happen – only words. If the person who delivers it has a certain energy, it will go on for a certain period of time. The moment his body becomes feeble, the whole process will die. If you do not create what we traditionally refer to as moola sthana, a fundamental energy space that lasts for a long time, you cannot transmit a living spiritual process. To transmit a spiritual process just based on a physical body would be foolish because first of all, you can only do very little – otherwise, it will break. August 2014
And above all, no matter how you do things, the physical body does not remain stable forever – it has its ups and downs. It has to eat; it has to sleep; it has to do so many things. Here in Isha, Dhyanalinga is that tower of energy. I do not know how many of you experience it that way. One lady from the United States said, “All I see is one big black peanut.” Since this phenomenal tower of energy has to last very long, it has to be subtle. Anything that you make outwardly energetic, like Devi, will not last long, unless you maintain it every day. You must recharge her on a daily basis – otherwise, she will not live. That is why those who are around Devi need a lot more dedication and devotion to keep her going. People who take care of the Dhyanalinga temple only take care of the temple, the premises, and the people who come. They do not take care of Dhyanalinga in any sense, because he does not need any care. If no one takes care of him, he will still be the same. This is a completely different format. But with the Devi temple, it is not just the temple and the people – Devi herself is being taken care of on a
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daily basis. And if you do not take care of her well, she will go into a fit. I hope they will have the sense to see to it that she does not go into a fit. Devi exists by drawing sustenance from the main tower of energy – Dhyanalinga. That is why she is positioned the way she is. Everything else we create now, wherever we put it in the world, also draws sustenance from that. Dhyanalinga is a fullfledged life. Practically, there are difficulties, but in theory, if we want, we can build a body of flesh and bone for him, and make him come alive. When we explored these things in great detail about 20 years ago, during the Wholeness Program in 1994, people said, “Sadhguru, you must make him alive.” I said, “No,” because if you make him alive, then he will have to go for dinner; he will want to sleep. All the problems that you and I have, he will also have. As a life without a body, he has no physical issues, which is good. He is a full-fledged life – all the seven chakras, and more. Devi is only three-and-a-half chakras. She is half a life, but a vibrant half – you cannot miss it. You may not experience anything in
the Dhyanalinga because he is subtle. Devi is like a slap in your face – you cannot miss it. However, that kind of vibrance cannot stay for long unless it is recharged on a daily basis. Once a month, she comes out and makes direct contact with Dhyanalinga because her sustenance depends on that. Forever, the future generations who will be here must ensure she always comes to Dhyanalinga on full moon days and makes that contact. No matter if rain is pouring, there is a flood, or whatever else – she must still come. Whoever will be around must maintain that, because this is essential for her. Not that there are no other ways to stay in contact with Dhyanalinga – there are – but the procession is an important part. She has to constantly stay in touch with Dhyanalinga – otherwise, she will deplete. She likes to be strong, energetic, and beautiful – if you make her deplete, she will go into a fit. No one should be around when she goes into a fit.
Kalabhairava Shanti
An annual process conducted on the auspicious night of Mahalaya Amavasya for the wellbeing of ancestors and departed relatives Tuesday, 23 September 2014 In the presence of Linga Bhairavi Devi For details, please contact: Email:
[email protected] Mobile: +91 94864 94865, +91 94433 65631 Website: www.lingabhairavi.org Linga Bhairavi, Semmedu (P.O.), Coimbatore - 641114, Tamil Nadu
Courage for Social Change Kiran Bedi in Conversation with Sadhguru
In a recent edition of the “In Conversation with the Mystic” series, Sadhguru met with social activist and retired Indian Police Service officer Kiran Bedi for a session under the theme “Making of a Nation” on 6 June 2014 in Delhi. Here is the first excerpt of their conversation. Kiran Bedi: Sixty percent of India is in its villages – it’s panchayats, families, mahilamandals, and district administrations. If we look at Uttar Pradesh for example, a lot of wrong has happened there, unfortunately. Every time someone has violated a woman’s body, we only talk about the law – we don’t talk about the source; we don’t talk about the schooling; we don’t talk about the family; we don’t talk about the community where it’s come from. How long will we remain only reactionary? Aren’t prevention and response two sides of the same coin if we want a better society?
Marching on the streets for one day, lighting candles or whatever is not enough for prevention. Prevention is a lifelong commitment. That commitment has to be made.
Sadhguru: There is no question about that. At the same time, punishment can be done easily – prevention is a long-term project. The social commitment right now is short-span. When something horrible happens, people react, and tomorrow morning, everything goes on as before. If you want to get into prevention, it is a lifelong commitment to create a society of a certain kind.
Sadhguru: They don’t think it’s wrong.
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In their own way, the media and everyone else are trying to churn up a certain level of emotion towards this, which on one level is good, but it also creates a bad image for the nation outside the country. Whatever ugly events have happened in UP – you see the comments of the leaders. That’s the mindset.
Kiran Bedi: They’ve been very awful.
Kiran Bedi: They have been saying, “Boys will be boys.” Sadhguru: No, they’re saying, “Boys will be beasts.” Kiran Bedi: And one of them said, “The beasts also sometimes make mistakes, so try and forgive them.”
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Sadhguru: As a nation, as a people, all of us should have the courage to address these questions within our minds and within our society, with our children. In earlier times, in this country, by the time a girl was 12, 13, she would be married. A boy would be married by the time he was 15, 16. But now the whole dynamics, education and things have changed. Girls are marrying over 18, 20 years of age; men are marrying over 25 years of age on an average, many of them later. We need to understand that there is a human physiology, there are hormonal forces working within a young person. The peak of hormonal activity is somewhere between 14 and 25. This is the time they are supposed to maintain their discipline and not look at the girls, and the girls not look at the boys – this is not going to work. Do we have the courage to go back to the old system? Not possible. Are we willing for premarital relationships? We have not decided on that. We have left society in confusion. Aberrations are happening because we are unwilling to address fundamental issues. Kiran Bedi: But it’s linked a lot with caste. Sadhguru: That is next. But is it not a fact that for every human being – if he knows something beyond, he may be beyond that, that’s different – but for a normal human being, somewhere between 14 and 25 is the peak of his hormonal drive. How do you expect him to be disciplined? For this generation, it is not going to work because they are on internet; they are seeing things, and they are exposed to the whole world. You have to make a decision now
whether you are going to change the fundamental texture of your society.
Kiran Bedi: Isn’t upbringing critical in this? Is giving birth to children your right? Is it not your responsibility to see that boys and girls are brought up equally, with a sense of responsibility? Sadhguru: That is a different aspect. What I am saying is there is an anomaly in this whole thing. We are not addressing the fundamental sexual drive in the society. Kiran Bedi: But that’s world-over. Sadhguru: No. In many other countries, they are free to do what they want when they are 18. Here, you are not because our mind cannot come to terms with that, because we believe in a certain way. I am not saying this is right or wrong. We are at a crossroads. At a crossroads is where people hit each other. This needs to be looked at with some courage to change, whichever way is best. Kiran Bedi: But in many of these rapes, particularly in the rural areas, it’s all power play. You never had a Dalit [Untouchable] attacking a Zamindar [laird] – it is always a Zamindar attacking a Dalit. So it’s a caste and power play. Sadhguru: Definitely, that is there. But that is because in the minds of the administration and the leadership in the area – whether it is the panchayat leadership, the district leadership, or the state leadership – these things are not fixed. Kiran Bedi: Yes, apparently.
Leela Series The path of the playful – Part LVIII
Going for Good The following is an excerpt from “Leela, the path of the playful,” a unique exploration with Sadhguru into the mystical realm of Krishna, which took place at the Isha Yoga Center in September 2005. Questioner: Sadhguru, you said enlightened beings prefer to be elsewhere. We are all on this bus journey with you as the driver. At some point, you may decide to hop off the bus. You have two types of passengers. Those who are focused on the destination – even if you put the bus on auto pilot, they should be okay. But you also have passengers who are focused on the driver – the destination doesn’t matter to them. What happens to them if you put it on auto pilot? In that context, there are the texts 23 to 27 in chapter 8 in the Bhagavad Gita, where Krishna talks about yogis who leave in darkness and yogis who leave in light, and some who come back and others who don’t. I just want to understand this. Sadhguru: People have gotten interested in the driver only because of the destination that he represents. If you have a dream about going to a certain destination, the man who drives the bus becomes a part of your dream. You may be thinking “Sadhguru” with tears in your eyes, but if I go to the next village, they are not even bothered who I am, because they are not interested in going anywhere. They have not even thought about it, so what I represent does not mean anything to them. Your interest is the destination, but the destination is abstract, while the driver is something that you can relate to. Therefore, in your understanding, the driver has become important. But actually, the important thing for you is the destination. The way the mind understands, knows, and perceives things August 2014
is like this: “If the driver is not there, will we really get to the destination?” You have no trust in the technology of auto-piloting. You think if it is put on auto pilot, it will not happen, which is not true. The question is, “When are you going to go – before me or after me?” Maybe I will outlive you – I have not made up my mind when to go. Does this mean I have an unbounded amount of time? Right now, no. If one wishes, one can earn that. But it needs a lot of hard work, just to drag on for a few more years, and I am not the kind to do that. Suppose I leave tomorrow, is your spiritual journey going to end? Definitely not. Instead of piloting it from outside, it could be piloted from inside. The initiations that you have gone through, whether it is shoonya or anything else, are not empty procedures or a bundle of instructions – they are a huge investment of life energy. If you keep it as a seed in your belly, you do not feel its presence. You have to create the necessary atmosphere for it to become a big tree, then there is no way you cannot feel its presence. The unfortunate reality for most masters in the past has been that the spiritual processes that they started gathered much more momentum after they left. The physical absence makes the other presence very powerful – it always greatly enhances the other dimension. If I went tomorrow, it would also be to your benefit, so there is no need to be concerned. But it will not happen tomorrow – sorry to disappoint you.
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Let’s look at texts 23 to 27: “O best of the Bharata dynasty, I shall now explain to you the different times when yogis departing at death either return or not return. Those who know Brahman and pass away during fire, light, an auspicious time of day, the bright lunar fortnight, and the six months of sun’s northern solstice go to Brahman. The mystic who passes away during smoke or smoky night, the lunar dark fortnight and the sun’s six months southern solstice attains the lunar light and returns. According to the Vedas, there are two ways of leaving the world – one in light and one in darkness. When one passes away during light, one does not return; during darkness, one returns. Aware of these two parts, the devotee is never confused. Therefore, O Arjuna, at all times be steadfast in yoga.” Krishna tells Arjuna to be ready all the time. You may leave in daylight; you may leave in darkness; whichever way it happens – be ready. The northern and the southern movement of the sun in the Northern Hemisphere have some influence on a person’s life. You know, Bhishma waited for Uttarayana, the northward movement of the sun, to die. Generally, if we look at the history of people leaving consciously, a lot of them have left on the first full moon night after the southern solstice, which is called Thaipoosam in Tamil Nadu. That is also the day Vijji [Sadhguru’s wife] left, because nature’s forces provided an ideal situation. But not only she – many sages and siddhas, especially in Southern India, have left on that day, because it is most conducive. If you want to leave consciously, it is necessary to keep the stomach empty for at least 24 hours. With
food in the stomach, your ability to control your life energies is not the same. That is why we told you, you must do your sadhana on an empty stomach. Not only can it cause harm when done on a full stomach, but your ability to move your energy is best when the stomach is empty. Leaving a fourhour gap after a meal is the minimum, but a 12-hour gap between your last meal and your sadhana would be best. The effectiveness of the kriya would be greatly enhanced. When the planet shifts its position in relationship to the sun, especially in the Northern Hemisphere, the situation is more conducive for a person to leave the body. Bhishma waited for 58 days. Others did not consciously wait, but they waited for a conducive situation within themselves, and it often occurred on the first full moon after the southern solstice.
“According to the Vedas, there are two ways of leaving the world – one in light and one in darkness. When one passes away during light, one does not return; during darkness, one returns.” Light and darkness need not necessarily be in terms of day and night. Even if one is well-versed in yoga, if one leaves in a moment of unawareness, one returns; if one leaves in awareness, one does not return. Light and darkness may be a simplistic translation. It cannot refer to day and night because a lot of yogis choose morning 3:40 to 3:50, which is known as Brahma Muhurtam – it is dark at that time. He is talking about light and darkness in the sense of awareness and unawareness.
HATA YOGA
Part 8:
Flexibility Factors In this series, Sadhguru discusses various aspects that can significantly impact the quality of your yogic practice. Questioner: Namaskaram, Sadhguru. Does the amount of flexibility and the parts of the body that are flexible indicate something about the person’s mental state, their personality, or even their karmic structure? Sadhguru: That would be a very prejudiced way of looking at life. Let’s not get into judgments about people around you. That somebody is not able to bend or sit on the floor could have many reasons. It would be obnoxious and unnecessary to judge people like that. But to look at the question of flexibility in general – a muscle is useful only if it is flexible. Wherever the body wants 100% rigidity, it produced bones. Wherever it wants 75% rigidity, it produced tendons. Wherever it wants 50% rigidity, it produced cartilages. Wherever it wants total flexibility, it produced muscles. The body structure is made up of different levels of flexibility. If every part of the body was flexible, you would sit like a bean bag. Some parts of the body are rigid, some are semirigid, some are flexible – it is done in an intelligent manner. It should be kept the way the Creator intended it to be. A three-year-old child will be flexible enough to do any asana. You lost this flexibility because of disuse, because you are trying to save your body for the grave. You want to be August 2014
in a good shape when you go, but you are not in a good shape when you are here. If there is no injury, no damage of any kind to the muscles, and still they are tense and rigid, you are probably generating acids in your body. You can notice this – if on a particular day, you are in a mentally tense state, the next day, you will find it much harder to bend. If the acid level increases, the muscular structure tends to become rigid. Rigid muscles and rigid brains are no good. Only when your brain and your muscles are flexible, they are useful. Therefore, you should not generate acids. If you sit here joyfully, the body will not generate acids. However, if you are angry even for five minutes, the acid level in your blood will increase dramatically, to the extent that it is actually poisoning you, and it is this poison that makes the muscular structure rigid. Other than that, lack of flexibility may be cultural, because you are simply not used to sitting on the floor or using your body much. In any case, we cannot judge human beings by their flexibility in the sense, “Tell me which asana you cannot do and I tell you who you are.”
Excerpted from a talk by Sadhguru at the Isha Hata School of Yoga. For information about hata yoga programs, please visit www.ishahatayoga.com.
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News & Events
Kiran Bedi in Conversation with Sadhguru
On 6 June 2014, Sadhguru and Kiran Bedi met in Delhi for an “In Conversation with the Mystic” event under the theme “Making of a Nation.” Right after the change of government in India, when the expectations for change in the country are high, the meeting between the mystic and the social activist could not have been timed better. Both being known for their clarity, outspokenness, and thinking out of the box, a pragmatic and insightful discussion was guaranteed. We bring you a first excerpt of their stimulating conversation in this issue.
Dr. D. Veerendra Heggade in Conversation with Sadhguru Padma Bhushan Pattadhikari of Sri Kshetra Dharmasthala, Pujya Dr. D. Veerendra Heggade, joined Sadhguru for an “In Conversation With The Mystic” event on 14 June at the Isha Yoga Center. Their conversation centered on the spiritual, religious, and cultural ethos in a society. Explaining his duties as Pattadhikari, Dr. Heggade said, “I am supposed to mainly attend to Lord Manjunatha, but my duties are also to attend to humanity. We have education, medical, and many other initiatives.”
Series of Darshans with Sadhguru at the Isha Yoga Center Darshan means to behold an embodiment of limitlessness, Sadhguru says. Upon his eagerly awaited return from abroad, meditators from all over India gathered at the Isha Yoga Center to do just that. The series of evening darshans with Sadhguru, which was offered in Tamil from 18 to 20 June and in English from 21 to 24 June 2014, included meditations, discourses by Sadhguru, Q&A’s, and music by Sounds of Isha. On all evenings, the Adiyogi Alayam was packed with participants soaking in the Master’s Presence. With our articles “Boundless Ways,” “The Life Breath of Existence,” “Why Devi Touches Base,” and “How to Love Yourself,” we bring you highlights of Sadhguru’s darshan discourses and answers to meditators’ questions.
Fifteen Years of Dhyanalinga During the second last darshan of this series, Sadhguru remarked, “Tomorrow is fifteen years of Dhyanalinga! I never thought I would live to see it,” leaving those present a bit shocked by the idea of not having him around and relieved that he did not realize his original plan of leaving his body once his life’s mission, the Dhyanalinga consecration, was completed. The same was celebrated on 24 June 2014 with daylong, multi-religious chanting at Dhyanalinga by brahmacharis, ashram residents, Samskriti children, and guests. Throughout the day, the Dhyanalinga dome resounded with AUM Namah Shivaya, Muslim and Sufi songs, Christian hymns, Gurbani kirtans, and Buddhist chants.
Dr. Devi Shetty in Conversation with Sadhguru
On 28 June 2014, Sadhguru met with pioneering cardiac surgeon and philanthropist Dr. Devi Shetty in Bangalore to discuss the “Mechanics of Health.” Dr. Devi Shetty, Founder and Chairman of the Narayana Hrudayalaya, a chain of 23 multi-specialty hospitals with 6200 beds in Karnataka and Uttar Pradesh. He has been an advisor to the Karnataka government in their effort to launch the largest micro-health insurance program in the world. For his contributions towards providing affordable, high-quality healthcare, he has been awarded a Padma Bhushan by the President of India. Be sure not to miss the excerpts of their conversation in future editions of Isha Forest Flower. August 2014
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A fly stuck in a spider’s web, A web spun so intricately.
The seductive pitch of the creator in his song, Orchestrated so cleverly, And played so intensely. I had no chance of escaping. The harder I struggle, The tighter he holds on. Not a moment of respite, In this humbling ride he has me on. And it seems so tedious, so long. So far away is the land he promised me, But oh, so near, so very near. So pathetically insufficient I am, My pride, an ant overwhelmed by a bursting dam, Knocking me down in the dust of the hard earth, To realize my humanity. Lifting me up with his grace, To fulfill my divinity. Guided by his wisdom into my senses, And to seek beyond them. O my Guru! What have you done? This pain and ecstasy is too much for a weak heart to bear. O my precious Guru! Tonight, I shall dance with you. But when the night is over, When we have sailed across, When it is all over. I will take my rightful place, In your lap, And sleep the eternal rest, In your ultimate darkness.
– Swapnil Bhattacharya, Isha Hata Yoga Teacher Trainee, Delhi
Sadhguru Spot Musings from the Master
Lifetimes have passed by… 7 July 2014 Thai Airways His wish and my will Hardened into steely relentlessness A resolve that broke through the world’s obstacles and traps that were set and sustained by those of ignorance and those in the know. Knowing the fullness of fulfillment of purpose Feels like a full Moon is stuck in my Heart Oozing a cool glory of sheer existence. Tenderness of too much life leaves me trembling Thoughts and memories leave me in tears So many of You, Your struggles, Your joy, Your love, Your commitment and dedication. Above all Your longing to know. Could die of this too much tenderness But shall live for it. Lifetimes have passed by… Love & Grace
Program Highlights Date
Program
Place
Contact
2 Aug 2014
Nanmai Uruvam Ceremony with Sadhguru
Isha Yoga Center, Coimbatore – India
94425 04655 0422 - 2515378
[email protected]
2 Aug 2014
In Conversation with the Mystic Juhi Chawla with Sadhguru
Sion East, Mumbai – India
98197 46362
[email protected]
7–10 Aug 2014
Shoonya Intensive Residential Program
Isha Yoga Center, Coimbatore – India
0422 - 2515300
[email protected]
7–10 Aug 2014
Inner Engineering Retreat Isha Yoga Center, Residential Program Coimbatore – India
0422-2515421
[email protected]
12–15 Aug 2014
Bhava Spandana Ladies Residential Program
Isha Yoga Center, Coimbatore – India
98840 04475
[email protected]
16–19 Aug 2014
Bhava Spandana Gents Residential Program
Isha Yoga Center, Coimbatore – India
98840 04475
[email protected]
28–31 Aug 2014
6–9 Sep 2014
11–14 Sep 2014 19–22 Sep 2014 25–28 Sep 2014
Inner Engineering Retreat Isha Yoga Center, Residential Program Coimbatore – India Bhava Spandana Ladies Residential Program
Isha Yoga Center, Coimbatore – India
Inner Engineering Retreat Isha Yoga Center, Residential Program Coimbatore – India Hata Yoga Residential Program
Isha Yoga Center, Coimbatore – India
Inner Engineering Retreat Isha Yoga Center, Residential Program Coimbatore – India
7–9 Nov 2014
Inner Engineering with Sadhguru
Worli, Mumbai – India
27–30 Nov 2014
INSIGHT: The DNA of Success with Sadhguru
Isha Yoga Center, Coimbatore – India
0422 - 2515421
[email protected] 98840 04475
[email protected] 0422 - 2515421
[email protected] 98840 04475
[email protected] 0422 - 2515421
[email protected] 876755 2553, 87675 52554
[email protected] 83000 84888
[email protected]
These programs are conducted in English, unless indicated otherwise. Current at the time of print, however subject to change. For full program schedules and updates, please visit our website: www.ishafoundation.org. 20
ISHA FOREST FLOWER
August 2014
Isha Recipes
For Healthy Living
CREAMY VEGAN FRUIT SALAD (SERVES 5) INGREDIENTS 2 cups ripe papaya, peeled and cubed (Avoid overripe papaya as it will make the salad mushy; choose a ripe yet firm papaya.) 1 cup
fresh pineapple chunks
1 cup
sliced banana (Slices should be approx. 1/2 inch thick, not too thin; do not use overripe bananas.)
2 cups
ripe mango, peeled and cubed
1 cup
strawberries, sliced or cut into quarters (optional)
1 cup
lychees or seedless grapes (cut in half)
1/2 teaspoon
nutmeg powder
20
mint leaves cut into thin ribbons
FOR THE DRESSING: 1/2 cup thick coconut milk 1/2 cup cashew powder 1/2 tsp. lime juice 2 Tbsp. brown sugar OR palm sugar powder PREPARATION METHOD 1. Sprinkle the nutmeg powder over the banana slices. 2. Sprinkle the mint ribbons over the papaya, mango, strawberry, lychees and pineapple chunks and toss gently. Add banana slices to this mix. 3. Blend the dressing ingredients in a mixer, making sure there are no lumps of cashew powder. Set this aside and chill (do not freeze). 4. Drizzle the dressing over the fruit (Do not toss or mix the salad at this stage.). 5. Scoop the fruit salad into individual serving bowls, and garnish with a mint leaf or two before serving (optional).
NOTE: Increasing the percentage of fresh, raw, “live” food in your diet – such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, and sprouts – will raise your energy levels and reduce your need for sleep. Fruits are best eaten by themselves (not with or after a meal), or at least one hour before your meal. Fruits generally digest quickly, and their goodness is absorbed most efficiently when eaten on an empty stomach. August 2014
ISHA FOREST FLOWER
21
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Editorial Dear Readers, Even after months of travelling, there has been no gearing down for Sadhguru. His frantic schedule of the past few weeks included a number of “In Conversation with the Mystic” sessions with prominent figures from various walks of life, a series of darshans with thousands of participants at the Isha Yoga Center, and Guru Pournami with the unveiling of the first Adiyogi sculpture – just to name the biggest highlights. Check out our News & Events section for more details. We hope you will like the new, at-a-glance format. The recent darshans at the Adiyogi Alayam brought us an abundance of interesting talks by Sadhguru. Spoiled for choice, we have selected some of the most insightful ones for this edition. Our Lead Article, in which Sadhguru discusses the “Boundless Ways” in which one can approach the Ultimate is one of them. Since its shortness belies its substantiality, we would like to particularly recommend the article “The Life Breath of Existence,” which targets the link between body and being. Whether you are at odds or enamored with yourself or somewhere in between, the article “How to Love Yourself?” is for you. Sadhguru not only busts common myths about our relationship with ourselves but also challenges the concepts of shame and guilt. The relationship between Linga Bhairavi and Dhyanalinga is subject of the article “Why Devi Touches Base.” Find out the deeper purpose behind the spectacle of sound, fire, and color that the Linga Bhairavi Procession and Maha Arati present. When Sadhguru chooses to leave his body, how will his physical absence impact those who have been initiated by him into a spiritual process? A question many of us may have pondered in silence. A participant of the Leela program addressed it, and we have Sadhguru’s answer in the article “Going for Good.” Kiran Bedi, the first and highest-ranking female officer of the Indian Police Service turned social activist, met with Sadhguru on 6 July 2014 for an “In Conversation with the Mystic” session. The article “Courage for Social Change” is the first excerpt of their heartfelt and constructive discussion. Enjoy the read!
The Editorial Team
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ISHA FOREST FLOWER
August 2014
Isha Forest Flower c/o Isha Yoga Center, Semmedu P.O., Velliangiri Foothills, Coimbatore – 641114
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When the chill touches your bones Burn we must either wood or the Bone.
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The Himalayan chill Does remind you that you are mortal Grace & Blessings
With my sheer absence I will hold and transport you South of Vindhyas. As the ancient people of these gentle lands have longed for You for too long. Steadfast in devotion Their hearts throb with One single emotion for You, You and You
Don’t you mistake my southern origins for the arrogance of the ten-headed Lankan king
Will not only keep coming to you As long as my lungs can hold this life breath and my legs can hold up to the pressures exerted by the embrace of my Mother – Earth
Like the snows, I come and go Like the snows, I melt at your feet Like the snows, I adorn you I am your footwear and your crown Just trying to be as much to you As you are to me
To Kailash
Volume - 2 / Issue - 8 `15
Annual Subscription `180 August 2014
