Forest Flower December 2011

December 2011 FOREST FLOWER
ZENSPEAKS
,

H
.
Main Article
A Love Afair with Life

Musings
Seven-Tiered Cities

Te Science of Aliveness

Leela Series
Te path of the playful part XXVII:

In Conversation with the Mystic
A Sense of Wonder

News & Happenings
Isha Samskriti

In Gratitude to Life

Down Under in High Spirits

A Symphony of Sound, Light, and Color

Indulgently Healthy

Sadhguru Spot

Upcoming Programs and Events

Isha Recipes - For Healthy Living

Zen Speaks
CONTENTS
3 December 2011 FOREST FLOWER
Sadhguru about Inspiration and the Spiritual Process 4

Sadhguru on the Human System and its Replicas 7

Herbs for Vitality 9

What is Dharma? 3 11

Anupam Kher in Conversation with Sadhguru 12

Applications open in December 14

Dussehra Celebrations at the Ashram 14

Sadhguru visits Australia 15

Diwali at Isha Yoga Center 16

Isha Lifes Mahamudra one of the Top Restaurants in Asia 17

Te Longing for the Infnite 18

Isha Yoga Program Highlights 20
Tis Month: Pakora Kulambu 21
Walking in the Rain 23
SADHGURU
A few weeks ago, I was in Singapore, addressing the
faculty of a premier management and administrative
training college. Because I was hopping from
engagement to engagement, just before entering the
place, I asked, Whats the talk about? What am I
supposed to speak? Tey said, Something about
leadership. And as I was rushing into the college, I
saw a banner with my picture which said, A talk on
leadership by an inspirational speaker from India.
So I just thought, what are the things which inspire
people to do something, and when and why do
people need inspiration? Only when you dont really
want to do something, you need to be inspired. If
you really want to do something, you dont need any
inspiration. Do you need to be inspired to go for
dinner? No, but some of you may need inspiration
to wake up in the morning for sadhana.
When people are highly inspired, they can do great
things or they can do absolutely stupid things.
Inspiration does not always come with wisdom.
If we want to create something very purposeful
and focused, then we need more sensible, focused
people; more of those who do not need to be
inspired by anybody but who clearly know, Tis is
what we want to do. If clarity of what we really want
to do is there in us, our ability to create what we
want is so much better than that of just an inspired
lot. A group of inspired people are good for short-
term activity. Long-term activity can only be done
by those people who really want to do it anyway.
Te diference between a materialistic person and a
spiritual person is just this: a materialistic person is
4
Sadhguru about Inspiration and the Spiritual Process
A Love Afair with Life
like a dog that has a bone hanging in front of it to
make it win the race. Looking at the bone in front,
the dog runs faster and faster, hoping to get the
bone, but this never happens.
Te market economy runs like this everybody
has a bone hanging in front of him. Teir tongues
are hanging out, but with some incentives, they
keep running. Of course there is always a threat
that if you dont run fast enough for what you are
paid for, you will be nailed. Tis is the fundamental
diference between running a corporation and
running a spiritual movement. In a corporation,
people are hired, a contraption is fxed to their collar,
and a bone is hung in front of them that keeps
them running. If they dont run fast enough, they
get nailed. Whereas a movement means, whatever
kinds of fools are with you, you have to take them
along. You cannot fre anybody; you cannot nail
anybody. You want everybody moving.
A materialistic person is constantly whipped by
external situations; the market forces will whip
him. A spiritual person does not need any external
whipping since he is doing what he really wants to
do. Te spiritual process is a far more intelligent way
to exist because it means you are in tune with the
intelligence of the Creator. Whatever you can think
up is in no way comparable to that intelligence
which is creating this body, to that intelligence
which is making a fower out of mud, which is
making mud into food, food into human body and
human body into mud again, which is making the
planets go round, and the galaxies function that
which is the very basis of creation. Whatever kind
of very smart thoughts you come up with, whatever
kind of equations you have produced in your head,
whatever kind of formulas you have invented, they
are all just desperate attempts to understand the
intelligence of that which is the source of creation.
What you think is science is just a desperate attempt
to understand the intelligence of the Creator. What
you call technology is just a measly imitation of the
technologies of life that already exist. So what you
think is human intelligence, the logical intelligence,
is not comparable to the intelligence which is the
basis of creation. If you are willing to become one
with that intelligence which is the source of creation,
then you are spiritual. Generally, materialistic life is
not in line with that intelligence. Is it wrong? Is it
wrong to eat food, to wear clothes, to have a building
to live in? Is it wrong to do this and that? Tat is not
the point. If you make the side dish of life into the
main dish, it is a foolish way to live; that is all. We
build a home, we wear clothes, we eat food, we do
everything because we want to live, and live totally.
We not only want to live, we want to know life in its
entirety. Not just the skin of life, we want to know
the soul of life.
If you are only eating the skin of life, it is an
unintelligent way to exist. If you think your existence
is exclusive, if you think you are an exclusive creation,
then this is what will happen: you will end up eating
only the skin of life, never the fruit. Spiritual process
is to eat the fruit of life, the juice of life, the core of
life. We not only want to taste it, we want to know
and experience it in its entirety, in its full depth and
breadth, in its utmost profoundness.
So spiritual process is not a divorce from life;
spiritual process is an irrevocable love afair with
life. Why is it needed? Simply because it is a more
intelligent way to exist. No human being would
consciously want to be a fool. Even one who fools
around does it to show how smart he is. But if you
think that you are an exclusive piece of creation,
if you think, feel, and experience life as if you are
alone in this existence, if your experience of life is
not of union but of divorce from the existence, then
your so-called intellect works against you.
It once happened, just afer the French revolution.
Te French had perfected the guillotine as a machine
to take of peoples heads. Because they had made
the machine, they had to use it as ofen as possible.
Wherever they saw a head, they felt like taking it of.
So one day, three men were brought for execution
a lawyer, a priest, and an engineer. Tey put the
lawyer down on the board with a hood over his
head and pulled up the blade it did not fall down.
Technology failure, you know. According to the law,
they had to kill him instantly; but now they had put
him through the torture of waiting there and it did
not happen, which meant tomorrow he might sue
them so they let him go. Tey put the priest on
the board and pulled, again nothing happened. Tey
5
6
thought this must be divine intervention and let him
go. Te engineer chose to go to the execution without
a hood. Lying down, he looked up and said, Hey, let
me tell you whats wrong with this. [Laughter]
Tis is how human intellect is working right now.
We are doing so-called brilliant things which are
going to destroy our life. How can you call these
things brilliant when they are taking away the very
earth on which we stand? You have heard of the
famous Panchatantra story where a woodcutter
is sitting on the other end of the branch, sawing it
of, not understanding that when he is successful,
he will fall. Tis is how our intelligence works right
now. In 2008, when I was at the World Economic
Forum, the recession had just hit the western part of
the world and people were in a depressed condition.
Tey asked me to conduct a session which was titled,
Recession and Depression. I saw all these people
who are worth billions of dollars looking very sad
because they were worth a few billions less than
what they were three months ago. I told them, See,
recession is bad enough, why depression?
I am not going to philosophize with you but I
want you to understand this: we have created an
economic structure on the planet which is such that,
if it does not work, you will be depressed. If it works,
we will be damned because of the way we have
structured it. Right now, the Living Planet Report,
which is supposed to be reliable information, says,
If everyone on Earth consumed as much as the
average American, global society would need 4.5
Earths to achieve sustainability. But we have only
one planet.
So this is the way our intelligence is working. Tis
is a distortion from the intelligence of that which is
the source of creation within us and in everything.
Just in everything that you touch the food that you
eat, the air that you breathe, the earth that you walk
upon, and the very space in which we exist the
hand of the Creator is obvious for someone who
pays enough attention to it. So the biggest thing
that a human being can do is to be in tune with that
intelligence and ensure that he does not distort the
hand of the Creator. Within this, can I live my life?
Can I do what I want to do? You can do everything
that you wish to do and still not distort the hand
of the Creator if only you are in tune with it. If
you are not in tune with it, you become an exclusive
intelligence. Te creation does not make room for
that. Ten you have to create your own creation like
Vishwamitra
1
did. Viswamitra was an angry man,
so he was exclusive intelligence. With a little bit of
afection and love, you are a little inclusive; when
you are angry, you are exclusive. So he created his
own creation and you know what happened to
him. He and his party got stuck halfway, neither
here nor there, in Trishanku Swarg
2
.
So the purpose of yoga, the purpose of the spiritual
process, the purpose of everything that we are
doing is to ensure that we reduce the number of
Vishwamitras on the planet because they will get
stuck; they will neither be here nor there. If you
are here it is okay; if you are there it is okay; if you
are neither here nor there, that is a bad state; it is
a limbo. Initiation into a spiritual process means
to stir up that intelligence within you which is the
source of creation you allow it to function. Dont
use your own stupid brain. Tis does not mean I am
against the intellect. I am not. Today, there is a lot
of artifcial intelligence in the world. Te computers
are getting really smart, but no computer can ever
equal a human being. At some point in future, a
computer may be built to do just about everything
that a human being is doing right now but the
computer can never compete with human stupidity.
So we will always be incomparable. [Laughter]
Intellect is not the problem; the problem is that you
become an exclusive intelligence, not an inclusive
intelligence. Te word yoga means union; union
means inclusiveness, to become an inclusive
intelligence so that your intelligence does not in any
way distort the intelligence which is the source of
creation within you and in everything.
Excerpted from a talk by Sadhguru
1
A rishi of ancient times who performed a ritual to get the Devas to allow Trishanku, a king who wanted to ascend to heaven in his mortal body,
. entry into heaven. When the Devas refused, Vishwamitra got angry and used his yogic powers to create a new heaven for Trishanku, who got
. suspended upside down in his heaven.
2
A parallel heaven created by Vishwamitra for Trishanku; fgurative for a state where one is stuck in the middle, neither here nor there
7
Q: Sadhguru, you said that the city of Kashi
1
was
built in seven layers. What are these seven layers and
how can one use them for ones spiritual growth?
Sadhguru: A seven-tiered city is a very ambitious
project. One aspect of the challenge is to create
it; another aspect of the challenge is to maintain
it in such a way that it stays alive. Kashi is not the
only seven-tiered city. Tis [the human system] is
also a seven-tiered
2
city. Structures of a certain
reverberation [such as Kashi] were built as a kind
of replica of an evolved city [refers to the human
system]. In that sense, the Dhyanalinga is also a
seven-tiered city. So Kashi as a seven-tiered city was
created as a replication of this [the human system].
But that was a long, long time ago. Since then, all
kinds of absolutely rudimentary modifcations have
been done to the city and people who are living
there are not conscious. To maintain such a space,
you need thousands of people who are conscious of
this process and able to manage it. Tat is long gone.
Tere was a time when people in this country
believed that if you just enter this city, you would
be liberated, because it was such a powerful space.
But the very fundamentals of this city have been
disturbed. You cannot even recognize anymore what
was there earlier; it is just gone, wiped out. Just a few
remnants of what was originally built are lef. Above
all, the very heart of the city, Vishwanath
3
, has been
desecrated. Te temple was destroyed a long time
ago and we do not even know if todays linga is
the original one which was supposed to have been
consecrated by the Adi Yogi himself. If Shiva himself
consecrated it, we could defnitely recognize that. I
just did not spend enough time there to ascertain
whether this is the original linga or not. But it is not
in its original place that is for sure. Tese things
happened during invasions. Te frst thing they hit
is what is most precious to you.
So there is not much lef of the seven-tiered city
only the story. Rituals are still going on, but the real
thing is gone. If you wanted to create a seven-tiered
city today, it would take a lot. Not that it cannot be
done it is easier than creating a Dhyanalinga, but
it would take much more funding. And to later on
manage that city so that it would be like an energy
force, would take a lot of work. I dont think people
are willing to do that today. If we just loosen the grip
on the Dhyanalinga Temple, the next generation of
people will come and turn it into a market place.
Some of the best temples in the country have been
turned not just into market places many even
smell like toilets.
Building the necessary awareness, commitment, and
seeking within yourself, that when you see something
precious, you will preserve it, is not possible if your
own life is the most important thing. Only when you
hold something above your own life, only then you
can create something of that kind; otherwise, you
can only build a house and live in it, thats all. For
most people, building a house is already the biggest
dream in their lives. Tey have no dream to build
something larger than themselves.
All these great temples, for example Ajanta, or
Ellora
4
with the three-storied Kailash temple
5
,
took a minimum of 135 years to complete. At least
four generations of people worked on them. Four
generations of people worked to the same plan, not
changing the plan, striving to create that. But today,
in the name of being modern, we have just become
frivolous; the profoundness is gone. Te more I
look at the education system, the more I see it as the
Seven-tiered Cities
Sadhguru on the Human System and its Replicas
1
City at the banks of the Ganga in Uttar Pradesh, also known as Benares or Varanasi
2
Refers to the seven chakras or energy centers within the human system
3
Temple dedicated to Shiva; one of the twelve Jyotirlingas; commonly considered as one of the most sacred of Hindu temples
4
Ajanta and Ellora: Monumental cave temples in Maharashtra
5
Carved out of a single rock
8
main culprit. A kind of education that would bring a
sense of profoundness into a human being is simply
absent on the planet. Te way we are educating
people naturally moves them from profoundness to
profanity. Tis is a worldwide phenomenon because
we have chosen education as a way of earning a living.
If you want to eat, you should learn agriculture, not
education. Wouldnt that be a natural way to do it?
But today, education has become the tool to eat,
which we cannot suddenly reverse. We can take a
few people of of that, but not the whole mass.
Kashi was built for a common purpose, when
people had a certain level of inclusiveness. Tey ate
together, they lived together; a certain togetherness
was possible. As people get more and more
educated, they cannot live with anybody; they
cannot get along with anybody. Isnt this happening?
But if you come and sit in the Dhyanalinga Temple
for ffeen minutes, you can experience a seven-
tiered structure, so that hopefully, you will begin to
experience the seven-tiered structure here [within
your own system]. Te idea of building all that is so
that the experience happens here [within yourself].
When we are teaching you this simple process of
yoga, it is to build a seven-tiered city of your own.
Daily practice is a way of constructing a seven-tiered
city of your own. You will not get along in anybody
elses city, nor will you allow anybody else to enter
yours, so better you have your own city. [Laughter]
Modern education has trained us to become
exclusive, not inclusive. Changing all this in the
world is a faraway thing. We have to work with
the current social structure. If you try to change
everything, you will end up with a world inside a
world. Too many spiritual leaders have committed
that blunder of trying to create a world of their own.
If you create a world of your own, you will breed
megalomania; you will start acting god-like and
funny things will happen; you wont even dress
normal. Because God is such an ancient idea, you
cannot dress contemporary, you know? [Laughter]
So Kashi is still a beautiful place for you to visit but
for sure not a place to seek a spiritual process. One
thing I like are the ghats [cremation grounds] at
least they will remind you that you will die. If you
go to Manikarnika Ghat or any other ghat, generally,
you will see at least fve, ten bodies burning, and it
is done very businesslike, without any ceremony
which puts you in the right perspective of who you
are. If you have grand ideas about yourself, it kind
of levels you down. You know, we have taken over
a crematorium in Coimbatore. Approximately fve
bodies a day are being cremated there. Instead of
you going all the way to Kashi, we could create a
place at the crematorium to do sadhana. You could
do sadhana in a place where the ultimate process for
your body is happening. You largely live as a body, so
the ultimate process for the body [cremation], is in
many ways for most people the ultimate process of
their lives. So a crematorium is a good place to spend
some time because if that one thing [your mortality]
is put in the right perspective, suddenly sense will
blossom within you. Right now, the spiritual thirst is
not deep enough in most people because somehow
they think their life is assured forever. In a way, you
know you will die, but from your experience, only
others die. Your name has never appeared in the
obituary column, so you think you dont die. So a
crematorium is a good place to do sadhana. You will
understand you are mortal. Ten you will learn to
seek something which is beyond physical existence.
8
9
Ayurveda is the science of aliveness. Ayur means
aliveness, being alive, to bring vitality to life not
to invite disease and then try to banish it from the
system. Afer all, this body is an accumulation of
this planet; it is a piece of this planet. But how you
gather it makes all the diference. Everything that
grows upon the planet is made from the same soil,
but diferent things that have come out of the earth
have diferent kinds of impacts.
For example, in India, goats milk is considered very
healthy and medicinal in quality because a goat eats
various plants of medicinal value and you may get
something out of it. So when people lack vitality,
they switch to goats milk because there are many
herbal medicines in it. A goat selectively eats what
it needs on a particular day in a particular quantum.
So even a goat knows then why is it such an issue
for human beings to know what they should eat and
what they should not eat? Because they are not using
their senses to eat what they should eat they are
trying to think it up. Once you start thinking things
up, you do not know what is true and what is not
true. Tis is the nature of your thought. If you start
thinking something about a particular person, afer
some time, you do not know what is true about this
and what is not true about it because your mind will
make you believe all kinds of things.
So Ayurveda means having the necessary sense to
recognize, out of the millions of things that come
out of this earth, that which has the right kind of
impact on you. Traditionally, an ayurvedic doctor
would always be located next to a forest or a place
like that. Looking at you, with your vibes within
him, he would go into the forest and choose what is
needed for you, bring these fresh herbs, prepare and
give them to you, and like a miracle, your problem
would be gone. Tis is not about the chemistry
of the plant it is about trying to match the life
process of the plant and yours in such a way that a
science of aliveness is created out of it. So, [for the
Isha Herbal products] we have identifed those herbs
which will bring you aliveness. Mind you, aliveness,
not stretching your life. If you do things to just
stretch your life, it will be torturous. If you try to
drag yourself forcefully through any situation, it is
always going to be a tortuous experience for you. So
especially if you try to stretch the whole life process
as such, it will be miserable. Unfortunately, this is
what is happening today: We are stretching peoples
lives to ninety, ninety-fve, hundred, but they do not
know why they are here. If you go into a geriatric
clinic, it is pathetic they dont know why they
even exist. If you stretch life, this is what happens.
If you generate aliveness, life will last as long as it
can last. When it has to go, it will go well. Stretching
life makes a human being lose all his dignity, all his
humanity; everything that he ever valued in his life,
he will lose towards the end of his life. People who
lived well are made to go in a most undignifed way,
simply because somebody is interested in stretching
their lives. I dont know the exact statistics, but
I think I read something that about 80% of the
pharmaceutical sales go to people who are over 65
years of age. We want to stretch their lives because it
is good for the business. What is good for business is
good for the economy; what is good for the economy
is good for the ruling party they all beneft from it;
but it does not beneft the value of human life.
So Ayurveda is not about stretching your life; it is
the science of aliveness. Tis body is like a chemical
soup. Only when the ingredients are right, the soup
is good. Ayurveda is about getting this chemical
soup right so that it pulsates with life; this is not
about stretching life. So these [frst fve Isha Herbal
products] are not really medicines. Earlier, people
who were cooking were aware what kind of food is
needed in a particular situation. If one of us children
was running a temperature or had a stomachache
or something else, my mother knew what to cook
9
Te Science of Aliveness
Herbs for Vitality
10
on that day. Todays mothers have no clue what to
cook in such a situation they can only run to the
doctor. When the child has a stomachache, they will
get an MRI done. So because there is nobody around
you who is aware enough to add the necessary
ingredients to your food, these [Isha Herbal] herbs
are brought to you in the form of a capsule that you
can pop. It is a natural product; its fundamental
quality is maintained; it is not chemically treated,
just desiccated, no other modifcations or additives.
Tese are not medicines. Tese are not necessarily
for the sick. Tese are for those who want to be
alive. If you lived in nature, many of these things
would have naturally been part of your diet and
it would have worked very well. But now that we get
our food from a superstore, not out of nature, these
things have to be added genuine herbs, which can
make a diference in ones aliveness. What you need
is aliveness if the body is alive enough, health will
be a natural manifestation. Isha Herbal is one step
towards this.
Isha Herbal, a range of natural products, was recently launched by Sadhguru and H. Ramesh (chairman of the
TSS Group of Companies) at the Isha Institute of Inner-sciences, Tennessee.
Te frst fve products launched are Turmeric, Licorice, Ashwagandha, Flax Seed, and Panax Ginseng herbs
that were specially selected to enhance ones aliveness, a prerequisite to enjoy health and wellbeing.
Isha Herbal is now available at the Isha Rejuvenation Center, the Isha Arogya Hospitals and Isha Arogya
Pharmacies (the frst of which has recently opened in Salem, Tamil Nadu), as well as online at IshaShoppe.com.
11
Q: Sadhguru, what does Krishna consider as
dharma? And when can killing be considered as
ones dharma?
Sadhguru: What is dharma? Many people brought
this question up in Krishnas life. When Draupadi
was supposed to get married, Krishna did
everything to see that she got married to the fve
[Pandava] brothers, and Draupadi questioned him,
Do you know what dharma is? Or when Krishna
told Bhima, Leave Hastinapur to Duryodhana. Lets
build a new city, Bhima said, You are a traitor. I
want to kill Duryodhana. You are telling me to
leave this kingdom to him and go and build another
kingdom somewhere else, from scratch? What do
you know about dharma? Similar questions came
from Arjuna and many others. People questioned
Krishna, Do you really know what dharma is? I
will not go into the individual, detailed answers that
he gave, but in general, Krishna admitted, Even I
do not know what dharma is in terms of action right
now, because action is subject to situations. However
we judge it, we could be slightly of the mark when
it comes to the exterior. But when it comes to my
swadharma [ones own duty (in life)], how I should
be within me, I am 100% clear about that. No
intelligent human being is ever 100% clear about
how to act; he always weighs it. Whatever we do, our
very existence, our eating, living, and breathing here
is an injustice to some other life form, if you look at
it from their point of view.
So no action in the world is 100% right or 100%
wrong. You just have to consider the larger good
that you create with your actions and perform them
accordingly. So when it comes to external activity,
dharma is a judgment at that moment. Nobody can
fx what is right, what is wrong. When it comes to
action, only a fool or a fanatic is 100% clear. All the
others are constantly weighing. Tere is no other
way; the very nature of creation is such. Now you
are talking about killing. If you eat, you kill. If you
breathe, you kill. If you walk, you kill. So if you
dont want to do all that and you kill yourself, still
you kill. So what dharma will you follow? It is just
about how you are within yourself. If you are in a
state of all-inclusiveness, you will act according to
your intelligence, according to the situation. If you
are not in a state of inclusion, if you are in a state
of you versus me, then everything that you do is
wrong. You cannot do anything right because your
very existence is wrong, because you have made it
you and me.
Krishnas whole life was a demonstration of just this.
Tere was no you and me, it was me and me or you
and you. Whether he was with the gopis, or he was
acting as a statesman, or he was teaching the Gita,
the message was always the same, of inclusion. Once
there is only me and me, action is just a question
of situation and judgment. No action can be 100%
right or 100% wrong. But as Krishna always insisted,
and as I have been insisting all the time, about the
swadharma, how to be within yourself, you can have
100% clarity.
What is Dharma? 3
Leela Series
The path of the playful
Part XXVII
12
A Sense of Wonder
Sadhguru in Conversation with Anupam Kher
Anupam Kher: As a child, I had a great sense of
wonder about everything. I dont see that in todays
children.
Sadhguru: Because they replaced the wonder with
www. [Laughter & applause] Tey know the whole
universe before they are six.
Anupam Kher: Exactly they know everything.
Tey just have to search Google and all the
information comes up. But information does not
necessarily translate into knowledge. And they
always say, Tats the way I am! or Im bored.
And to be bad is being cool. If you say, I am a good
man, you are a boring man.
Sadhguru: Usually they are. [Laughter & applause]
People who claim that they are good people usually
are boring.
Anupam Kher: Tat is why the breaking news is
never about good things. Its only about disaster,
rape, swindling of money. We are marketing fear;
we are constantly made to feel that we are living in
a dangerous world. But back to my question how
does one in these times retain a certain amount of
innocence, a certain sense of wonder?
Sadhguru: See, wonder and innocence are two
diferent things. Wonder does not necessarily come
from innocence. For example, modern science has
done a phenomenal amount of exploration. Tey
have gone into all kinds of things that we would have
never thought possible. When you were a child, you
defnitely looked up at the sky, didnt you?
Anupam Kher: Absolutely.
Sadhguru: Did you ever count the stars?
Anupam Kher: I used to do that in Shimla.
Sadhguru: How far did you go?
Anupam Kher: Oh, I could not go beyond hundred
or two hundred.
Sadhguru: I used to sit down on the terrace, trying
to make segments of the sky and meticulously
counting. I went up to seventeen hundred, and then
you get all mixed up. What was there is not there
anymore, what was not there had come. Tat
itself was a wonder seventeen hundred just
blew my mind. Today scientists are telling you there
are over a hundred billion galaxies not stars, a
hundred billion galaxies. So as you explore, as you
know, the wonder will increase because you realize
the nature of the existence. Scientists are so freaked
out now; they dont know which direction to go
because wherever they look, it all looks deeper than
it ever was. Just on your facial skin, there are billions
of organisms right now. Do you know this? Dont
imagine them they are actually there. [Laughter]
But you cant see them thats good. As we look
closer at life, it just explodes into wonder.
13
A sense of wonder is gone not because of innocence
or lack of innocence, but because what we call
knowledge are stupid conclusions about life. Today,
people are carrying their attention defcit like a
qualifcation. Existence will yield to you only if
you pay attention to something. Anything in this
existence will yield to you only if you pay substantial
attention to it. But now, people have become such
that they cant pay attention to anything. In this
condition, there will be no wonder, only conclusions
in your head. Tere are only monologues going
on in your head; there is no perception. If there is
perception, all the noise in your head will just stop.
If you are looking at something absolutely beautiful
and engaging, everything stops. Why people enjoy
the cinema is just this: you switch of the lights and
they are focused on the flm for those ninety minutes
or whatever; their usual monologues are gone
something else is happening. Tey dont know what
is going to happen next, and that is what keeps their
attention. Te important thing is, their attention
is engaged continuously, which makes them feel
something has happened to them on that day, going
to the cinema hall. If you just keep the lights on, you
will see, cinema will not be efective. Or if somebody
is talking to them, it will not be efective. It is the
attention which is making the diference; not what is
playing on the screen. What is playing on the screen
is instrumental in grabbing their attention, but it is
the continuous attention that makes the experience
what it is. Tis is a rudimentary form of meditation
which is called dharana.
Anupam Kher: So how, in todays time, does one
retain that attention span?
Sadhguru: If I say yoga, it will be like I am promoting
it no. But everybody must do something about
himself. Every school should bring in a dimension
that requires a child to pay attention to something
continuously. It could be music; it could be dance.
You cannot do music or dance unless you pay
attention to it. But you can pass an examination
without attention. You know, we have an Isha Home
School, which is run in a very diferent way. One
day I went to their Assembly Hall, and these six, six-
and-a-half year old kids just kept moving around.
So I brought in this simple thing: every day in the
morning, everybody must do ffeen minutes of
Sa Ri Ga Ma Pa Dha Ni Sa singing. Afer just two
months, they were all sitting still. Tats all it takes.
If you make them walk in the forest in the darkness,
you will see that their ability to pay attention and their
sense of wonder will explode. If you just take them
into the jungle, make them walk for a night, without
torches, without cell phones, without anything, in a
protected atmosphere, you will see, within one night,
there will be a tremendous transformation in their
sense of wonder. But we are making them physically
incapable of these things. Just sitting in front of
the computer is making them physically incapable.
When something hurts physically, they will protest;
they will not do anything. Tis is something that
parents must take care of. Bringing up your child
does not mean just sending him to school so that
he gets marks and grades and all that nonsense. In
body and mind, your child should develop his full
capabilities. Tat is when success will manifest in his
life. Just marks will not manifest as success.
14
hot post-monsoon sun blazed down on the ashram on 6 October 2011, preparations were underway for the
culmination ceremony of the nine-day Navaratri celebration, better known as Dussehra.
Not unlike many other traditional festivals and celebrations of India, Dussehra is punctuated by pooja, performing
arts and prasadam. As volunteers were inaugurating the event with Ayudha pooja, one might have wondered why
laptops, vehicles, cooking vessels, tools, and other implements were placed on white cloth, garlanded, kumkum
1

clad, and surrounded by fruit and sweet khichri (a rice and dal dish). Traditionally, worshipping implements
is both an acknowledgement that the Divine is in everything, even in inanimate things, and an expression
of gratitude because these items facilitate our work in the world. Promptly following Ayudha pooja, the Isha
Samskriti children captivated us with chants and songs. Sounds of Isha is known to exhibit diferent types of
genres and soundscapes depending upon the team members and situation at hand. For this occasion, the band
along with a guest drummer from Chennai wooed the audience with songs about the Devi, Linga Bhairavi.
As the sun fnally began to set over the hills, the main performance was about to begin. On the occasion, the
dance teachers of Isha Samskriti had prepared three pieces of Bharatnatiyam, a classical form of Indian dance that
features vibrant story lines, evocative expressions, and undeniable agility.
As the evening merged into night, the darshan brought everyone together on a diferent level. Afer dinner, the
residents and guests gathered to participate in a traditional dance known as garbha. Te word garbha literally
means womb. Tis dance is an expression of devotion towards the feminine aspect of the Divine. It is symbolically
performed in a large circle, accompanied by lively music in six beats. Tis nights dance in devotion towards the
Devi surely lef an impression that merged with the countless memories that this sacred space holds.
Dussehra celebrations at the ashram
In Gratitude to Life
With close to eight months of experience behind them,
the Isha Kalachaara committee which organizes the
many celebrations at Isha Yoga Center, has made yet
another splendid attempt to revive the beauty of the
traditional Indian festival culture. While an unusually
At a time when modern education is merely geared towards inculcating information, Isha Samskriti is an
education system dedicated to a childs overall development, enabling them to realize their full potential
physically, mentally, and spiritually.
Under the guidance of Sadhguru, each aspect of the childrens lifestyle is carefully chosen to orient them towards
their inner nature. A unique blend of yogic practices, classical Indian arts such as Bharatanatyam and Carnatic
music, and martial arts such as Kalaripayattu, bring balance and stability to the childs body and mind. Te
children also study English and Sanskrit.
Children begin between the ages of six to eight and receive a life-oriented education until the age of 18. Te
children develop into dynamic, capable and dedicated human beings human beings whose presence will be a
blessing to the world.
Applications are open from 1 to 31 December 2011.
Contact: +91-94426 16138, isha.samskriti@ishafoundation.org
Preparing Children not for
the University but for the Universe
Isha Samskriti
Today, the most important work on the planet is to raise
human consciousness. Isha Samskriti is an endeavor to
allow children to fower into their ultimate possibility of
consciousness and capability.
Sadhguru
1

Red powder traditionally made of safron or dried turmeric and slaked lime, used in India in ritual ceremonies and for making marks on the
. forehead.
An Evening with the Mystic brought together the
vivacious spirit of Australia and the boundless
energy of Sadhgurus presence, making it a surreal
and insightful experience. A traditional, esoteric
Aussie didgeridoo performance, refecting the age-
old spiritual connection of the indigenous, set the
tone for the profound talk that followed.
However, whoever had come with the idea that
it would be a low-key, serious session was in for a
surprise. Sadhgurus cracking wit and humorous
disposition kept the audience in peals of laughter
while he provided strikingly logical insights into the
workings of life.
Questions that followed the talk covered a gamut
of subjects including karma, rebirth, empathy, and
love. Tough some of them were rather complex,
Sadhguru ensured the answers were delivered in
such a concise and comprehensible manner that
everyone got the take-home message.
A guided Isha Kriya meditation gave the audience a
glimpse of the profundity that being human implies.
Te packed auditorium and the thunderous applause
that followed the session spoke for itself Isha is
picking up big time in Australia. Te energy of the
volunteers was infectious, and a number of guests
wondered how an event of this scale was pulled of
with such aesthetic and clockwork precision.
Sadhguru shared some interesting observations of
his visit to Australia (excerpted from Sadhguru Spot
of 12 Oct 2011):
Here I am, down under in Melbourne, equal measure
of work and play I like it. [] My engagements did
not allow me to do much of a walkabout, but the
terrain, people, culture, and language as it is spoken
here give the place a very diferent feel from the rest
of the world.
Te talks were well attended and a small group of
volunteers did great in organizing the events that
defnitely had impact in this southern city of the
state of Victoria. []
South Indian culture and aborigines may have been
from the same stock; this thought is in circulation. It
is time to do some DNA or genetic studies to either
establish or dispel this. Te aborigine medicine and
spirituality defnitely seem to echo Southern India,
but this deserves a proper study.
Tis trip has been path-breaking for Isha in this
part of the world. []
Down Under in High Spirits
Sadhguru visits Australia
Sadhguru
Isha Yoga Center was in a festive and colorful
mood on Diwali (26 October 2011), with a deluge
of volunteers, families, and guests who came to the
foothills of Velliangiri for this festival of lights.
Diwali is celebrated with great exuberance across
India and takes its name from the tradition of lamp
lighting in the evening, a symbol of inner awakening.
Tere were plenty of activities to choose from as the
day progressed. Te festivities started at 8 a.m. with
the distribution of sweets to local villages. Tis was
accompanied by a mobile version of Sounds of Isha,
which brought their thumping drum beats from
village to village on an open lorry loaded with half a
dozen percussion enthusiasts and their instruments.
Visitors made their way to the Biksha Hall, which was
decorated for the occasion with beautiful rangolis
1

at the entrance, and delicate strands of coconut and
mango leaves strung from the ceiling. Afer brunch,
ladies queued up at the Spanda Hall pavilion to
have their hands beautifed with Mehendi (intricate
patterns drawn with Henna paste). Joyful shouts and
cheers, music and songs flled the ashram grounds
during the afernoon games, in defance of the
rain. Towards the evening, volunteers and residents
gathered at the Nandi to adorn the Dhyanalinga
and Linga Bhairavi temples with hundreds of small
oil lamps. Te rain gave way to tranquil clouds that
refected the rays of the setting sun, a foretaste of
the glow that would soon surround the temple. Te
Tarana auditorium in Isha Home School was chosen
as the venue to house the evening darshan, which
concluded with Sadhgurus Diwali message on
video. Te stage then lit up with performances from
Isha Samskriti children, Kalari masters, as well as a
skit from ashram residents. Sounds of Isha topped
the evening of with an encore of drumming that
ignited the audience into exuberance and dance!
16
A Symphony of Sound, Light, and Color
Diwali at Isha Yoga Center
In the world around us, darkness is just absence of light. But in the inner dimension of the human being,
darkness is absence of clarity. Diwali is known as the Festival of Lights. It is also a celebration of clarity and
enlightenment. May this Diwali be not just a Festival of Lights, but also a celebration of taking a step towards
enlightenment. It is my wish and my blessing that you must have a cracker of a Diwali!
Sadhgurus Diwali Message:
1
Artful patterns, usually drawn on the ground with white and colored powder
17
Following the motto ftness for life, Isha Life in
Chennai ofers a ftness studio, angamardhana (a
set of energetic, traditional exercises), yoga, the
Shambhavi spa, a boutique, and the Mahamudra
restaurant all under one roof. Earlier this year,
NDTV Hindu acknowledged Isha Life as the Best
Wellness Center in Chennai. Now, Miele Guide,
a Singapore-based restaurant guide, has selected
Mahamudra as one of the top restaurants in Asia.
What distinguishes Mahamudra from other
restaurants is its unparalleled cuisine and ambience.
Te inspiration behind the concept of ofering light
and healthy food gourmet-style was none other than
Sadhguru, who provided the entire basic menu.
Many others contributed their ideas and experience
to translate this vision into reality.
Meena Tennaapan, who was instrumental in
developing and refning many of the Mahamudra
recipes, explains what makes them so deliciously
unique:
A very important part of any ftness initiative is
ftness through food. An attempt to make and serve
food that helps in keeping our body and mind healthy
and ft has resulted in this unique ofering, following
the broad guidelines set by Sadhguru. For example,
he had asked us to make Godhumai Tair Sadham
(a broken wheat dish with yoghurt) and based on
this idea, we developed wheat-based variations of
other traditional rice dishes. Initially, we were a little
skeptical if our guests would accept these healthy
alternatives, but we need not have worried our
preparations have not only been well received by
our guests, they have created such a stir that several
newspapers picked up the story.
Generally, the less nutritious white rice is predominant
in Indian cuisine today. We have brought in some
twists to the common ways of preparation, with an
emphasis on fresh herbs and spices, local vegetables,
healthy grains such as ragi (fnger millet) and kambu
(pearl millet), wheat, red rice, wild rice, and protein-
rich dal (pulses). With health being the ruling mantra,
salads are an essential part of our menu. Our salads
are rich and diferent, catering to the taste buds while
using only the freshest ingredients. For those who like
to sample a wide variety of dishes all at once, we ofer
the Wheat Tali @ Mahamudra.
What people really like about Mahamudra apart from
the food is its warm, friendly, and earthy ambience
it is a relaxing oasis in this busy city. And it seems we
are able to satisfy all age groups regularly, families
of three generations come here to celebrate together.
It is indeed fulflling to serve wholesome food and
very rewarding when appreciation fows in from all
quarters.
Indulgently Healthy
Isha Lifes Mahamudra one of the Top Restaurants in Asia
18
Musings from the Master
CHUK. Yes, just one more step away from being a
licensed pilot. With FAA test behind me, the only
thing that could not be fulflled is the 5-hour solo
cross-country due to time and weather constraints.
Te test, with only 4 days preparation time, I was
forced to do 1820 hour slog in trying to understand
technicalities of aerodynamics, heli-engineering,
navigation, aviation regulations, aviation
conventions and the lingo. Did well in spite of the
math involved. Something that I had not done even
in my school time. A record of sorts for the numbers
I got. Reaching toward 100 is a bit embarrassing as
all my life I have been closer to 0. Well, it is only this
time around that my life truly depends on what I
had to study and grasp.
Te Shambhavi initiation in New Jersey went of
very well with over 350 participants (big number
for USA). Te online Inner Engineering program
is a wonder; it is a better preparatory tool than the
live program. Te participants were a mixed and
a wonderful bunch. Tere are steps being taken to
pitch up the Inner Engineering Online program
through meditator-run companies. Now, anyone or
a group of people can form a company to promote
Inner Engineering Online and it is a lucrative
proposition for them, over and above the joy of
making it happen for a lot of people.
In New York for three days with a few talks and
mostly business meetings. If these meetings bear
fruit, the business end of Isha is ready to go big time.
Tese are being created as a sustainable solution
for the education projects in rural India. Unless we
educate rural masses in India, the nation cannot
really move ahead. Tere is a serious lapse in this
area. Te numbers that are being projected do not
paint the real picture.
My brush with the art crowd in New York has been
interesting. In the next hour, I am spending some
time with one of the foremost artists in America. If
time allows, may paint a picture or two in the near
future.
Sadhguru Spot
The Longing for the Infinite
9 November 2011
Love and Blessings,
19
To live in the nourishing atmosphere of a consecrated
space is the dream of any spiritual seeker. We are
delighted to ofer this possibility for Isha meditators,
to reside in the sacred space of the Isha Yoga
Center and imbibe the Grace of Dhyanalinga. Our
upcoming residential facility, Shivapadam, will
provide comfortable individual cottages set against
the lush backdrop of the Velliangiri Mountains, also
known as the Kailash of the South.
Shivapadam is designed for those who wish to
spend a substantial amount of time in this powerful
space and focus on their sadhana. You can either
apply for lifetime use of a Shivapadam cottage and
stay throughout the year or whenever you wish, or
opt for time-share. Te time-share option will allow
you and your immediate family members to stay
in a Shivapadam cottage for 21 days in a year, for a
period of 12 years.
If you wish to make use of this opportunity, please
apply for accommodation in the category of your
choice. Available categories:
A rare opportunity to live under the Grace of the
Velliangiri Mountains
Shivapadam
A human being deserves to live in a consecrated space, a space that is charged with a certain energy
which will naturally push him upward not something that traps him into the ways of life but something
that constantly helps him to transcend.
For further information, contact us:
Email: shivapadam.isha@gmail.com
Phone: 09487895088, 09487895865, 0422-2515345
Sadhguru
COTTAGE AREA
Single room with attached bathroom 425 sq. f.
One bedroom, hall, attached bathroom and kitchenette 637 sq. f.
Two bedrooms, hall, two attached bathrooms and kitchenette 1183 sq. f.
Time-share of single room with attached bathroom 425 sq. f.
20
PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS
Tese 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.
DATE PROGRAM PLACE CONTACT
4 Dec 2011
10 Dec 2011
11 Dec 2011
11 Dec 2011
18 Dec 2011
18 Dec 2011
18 Dec 2011
Pre-Samyama Meet
Mumbai
Pune
Singapore
Delhi
Isha Yoga Center
Bangalore
Hyderabad
9820040609
9823055703
+65 97960992
9818646666
0422-2515300
9845425305
9553030111
16 - 18 Dec 2011
Inner Engineering
Conducted by Sadhguru
Mumbai, India
8080345000, mumbai@ishafoundation.org /
9881408561, pune@ishafoundation.org
20 - 22 Dec 2011
Hata Yoga
Residential program
Isha Yoga Center
Coimbatore, India
0422-2515300
programinfo@ishafoundation.org
23 Feb 2011
Pancha Bhuta Aradhana
Residential Program
Dhyanalinga Temple
Isha Yoga Center
Coimbatore, India
0422-2515426, 94878 95878
pba@ishafoundation.org
23 - 24 Dec 2011
Aadhi Yogi Aalayam
Consecration
Conducted by Sadhguru
Isha Yoga Center
Coimbatore, India
Tamil Nadu: 94425 04620;
North India: 98106 55004;
Central India: 98201 35722;
Karnataka: 99160 42295;
Andhra Pradesh: 94417 79681;
consecration.iyc@india.com
29 Dec - 1 Jan 2012
Inner Engineering Retreat
Residential Program
Isha Yoga Center
Coimbatore, India
0422-2515421
maa.karpoori@ishafoundation.org
11 - 18 Feb 2012
Mahabharat
Residential Program
conducted by Sadhguru
Isha Yoga Center
Coimbatore, India
94449 02058
mahabharat@ishafoundation.org
13-19 Feb 2012
Yaksha
A Celestial Feast of Music
and Dance
Isha Yoga Center
Coimbatore, India
0422-2515345
info@yaksha.info
20 Feb 2012
Mahashivarathri
Event with Sadhguru
Isha Yoga Center
Coimbatore, India
0422-2515345
mahashivarathri@ishafoundation.org
23 Feb - 1 Mar 2012
Samyama
Residential Program
conducted by Sadhguru
Isha Yoga Center
Coimbatore, India
94425 04681
samyama@ishafoundation.org
ISHA RECIPES
For Healthy Living
Quantity Ingredients
1 cup Split Bengal gram
(chana dal split black chickpeas without seed coat)
1 inch piece Ginger
1 small Carrot
7-8 sprigs Fresh coriander leaves
3 Red chilies
1 teaspoon Fennel seeds
To taste Salt
1 tablespoon Ghee
7-8 Curry leaves
3 tablespoons Vegetable oil
(Plus extra for frying)
8 medium Tomatoes
1 inch stick Cinnamon
1 Bay leaf
3-4 Cloves
2 cups Coconut milk
2 teaspoons Coriander powder
teaspoon Turmeric powder
1 tablespoon Red chili powder
3 tablespoons Cashew nut paste
PAKORA KULAMBU
Te Pakoras:
Soak the Bengal gram in 3 cups of water for 2 hours; drain in a colander. Peel and chop the ginger. Scrape
and grate the carrot. Chop the fresh coriander fne. Place the Bengal gram in a blender along with the
ginger, red chilies and fennel seeds and grind to a coarse paste. Add salt to taste, grated carrot, melted ghee,
half of the chopped fresh coriander and curry leaves; mix well. Divide into small portions and shape into
balls for the pakoras (fritters). Heat sufcient oil in a kadai (traditional cooking bowl), wok, or deep pan and
fry the pakoras till golden brown in color. Remove with a slotted spoon and keep aside.
Te Gravy:
Place the tomatoes in a pan with just enough water to cover them. Boil for 1 to 2 minutes and remove pan
from heat. Drain water. Cool tomatoes and remove the skin. Chop the tomatoes roughly and grind to a
paste. Heat 3 tablespoons of oil in a pan and add the cinnamon, bay leaf and cloves. Saut for a minute
and add the tomato paste. Saut till the raw smell disappears. Add the coconut milk, coriander powder,
turmeric powder and cook on low heat for 10 minutes. Do not allow it to come to a boil. Add the cashew
nut paste, mix well and cook for 5 minutes more. Add salt to taste and mix. Add the pakoras and boil for
3 minutes. Remove pan from heat.
Sprinkle the remaining chopped fresh coriander on the dish. Serve with chapati or fried rice.
Method of Preparation
22
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