FF September 2011

CONTENTSMain Article

Keep the Wheels Spinning4

Musings

6

3

Sadhguru on the Purpose of Sadhana

Speech is of the Society 20Insights by Sadhguru

The Greatest One of All

The Seat of Perception

Tuned for Success

The Meditative Bull

8

9

10

Sadhgurus Encounter with His Guru

Sadhguru on Spine and Brain

Sadhguru on How to Benefit from the Yantras

Shekhar Kapur in Conversation with Sadhguru

12Leela and Brahmacharya A Contradiction?

Leela Series

The path of the playful Part XXIV:Great Masters Fix-Alls? / Going beyond the Senses /

14

16

15

18

17

News & Happenings

Nutritious On-Campus Meals for Rural Students

Spiritual Gurus and Godmen Two Different Species

In Gratitude to the Master

Poolside, with a Mountain View

A New Spacious Theerthakund

Isha Vidhya Schools now with their Own Kitchens and Gardens

Sadhguru on NDTVs We The People

Sadhguru on NDTVs We The People

Excerpted from Sadhguru Spot, 3 August 2011

The Foundation Stone Ceremony

Sharing Experiences

Living Spaces Filled with Grace 19

September 2011FOREST FLOWER

SADHGURU

Q: Ive been doing my practices for three years and I havent had any great experiences or seen any changes in me. So, what should motivate me to continue doing the practices?

Sadhguru: You need to understand what a practice is. If you want to consciously move your hand, you can. If you want to move your mind somewhere, you can do that too, to some extent. Similarly, you can move your emotions. Now, can you move your energies? No. So we do the practices so that that part of your life begins to move too. If everything moves your body, your mind, your emotions but your energies dont move, you still dont go anywhere. The practice is to loosen that dimension of your life which is normally not in your hands. Your physical body is largely in your hands, but

still it is not moving the way you want it; it is doing its own things. Your mind could easily be taken into your hands, but it may also not be doing what you want right now; it may be doing a thousand other things. Your emotions can easily be focused and taken where you want, but that also may not be happening. But if you make up your mind, you can move your body, mind, and emotions. Every one of you is capable of that if you really make up your mind. But even if you make up your mind, you cannot move your energies; this is not in your grasp at all.

The sadhana is brought into your life so that that dimension of your life begins to move. If transformation is not happening, it means that you are not doing much about the other three

4 September 2011FOREST FLOWER

Keep the Wheels SpinningSadhguru on the Purpose of Sadhana

dimensions. Your body has not been disciplined, your mind has not been disciplined, your emotions have not been disciplined, but you are doing practices because you think it is some kind of a magic wand that will pay off for you. It will, but still It is like, right now, in some places in the ashram, there is a certain level of soggy soil. When you drive, one mistake and you will be stuck. Even if just one wheel is stuck and the other three wheels are spinning, still you cannot go anywhere. You are stuck badly enough. Sometimes, two are stuck, the other two are spinning you are not going anywhere. Sometimes, all three are stuck; if only one is spinning nothing! If all are stuck, that is a different matter. When all are stuck, you cannot call it a car anymore it is part of the earth; you are not going anywhere.

Life is just like that. If your journey has to be from one dimension to another, all the four have to move. On one or two wheels, you can still do your career, you can still manage your family, you can still be successful in the world, but if you want to move from one dimension to another, all the four have to move there is no other way, otherwise you wont go anywhere. So you may be doing your practices but neglecting the other aspects.

We have always told you this, but in a different way But the younger generation is slowly reducing their communication to five-word sentences. You must make a sentence only with five words, otherwise they will lose their focus. As people are becoming like this, I am also trying to make the teaching like this, because otherwise, it goes over peoples heads. [Laughs]

So I am giving you a formula kind of teaching. This is, every day in the morning, before you do your sadhana, you give yourself a crash course of Inner Engineering.

Remind yourself of five things:

All the rules in the existence are my rules.

My responsibility is limitless.

The way it is right now is the way it is.

Im not the body; Im not the mind.

Im a mother to the world.

If one dose a day is not enough, remind yourself every hour and do your sadhana. You will see it will work much better because now, the other three dimensions body, mind, and emotions are being taken care of. You have to remind yourself; otherwise, your thought, your emotion, your physicality keeps getting entangled with just about everything around you. If you are just trying to pump up your energies, it wont go anywhere because three wheels are stuck, one wheel is spinning, so it will not go. So every day, every hour, or why not every minute, remind yourself. It just takes ten seconds.

Just do this and do your sadhana; you will see, things will start moving. On the first day, when you were initiated, it worked; later on, why is not working? You are not setting the necessary conditions, thats all. Otherwise, as you practice, it should work better. Anything that you do should work better as you practice. If it does not work better, it is simply because you are not setting the needed conditions. So release the other three wheels; this wheel [the energies] will spin anyway. Still it may not move ahead because you may be in a deep ditch. It is okay, keep spinning. As long as your wheels are spinning, even if you are not moving, all you need is a nudge. When we feel you are ready to go, we may give you a nudge, and you will start moving. But if wheels are stuck, thats tough. Then you need much more than a nudge. So you must keep all the four wheels spinning.

Excerpted from a talk by Sadhguru

5September 2011FOREST FLOWER

6Sadhgurus Encounter

The Greatest One of All

There have been many absolutely fabulous Gurus. Each one of them functioned in different ways. Their ways were so different that every time a Guru came, people compared him to the one that had been there before and they said, No, this is not how a Guru should be. He must be like that They had said the same thing about the Guru who had come before, because the previous one had not been like that one either. So what is the nature of a Guru? If he has his own nature, he is not a Guru. He has no nature of his own. He carefully constructs his personality, attitude and everything as he feels it will be most effective, and also depending on how he evolved. It has nothing to do with him being a person. The other day, somebody asked me, What kind of a person are you really? Really, I am not a person, because in different situations, I am a different kind of person. So are you acting all the time? No. I really make myself like that. You too make yourself in

a certain way, but you are doing it compulsively. I do it consciously, that is all the difference and that is a world of difference. When two people are together, what you experience as suppression or imposition by others is always their compulsion. What you call as personality is a certain limitation that you establish. You have to establish some framework, otherwise you cannot function.

This needs to be understood a Guru is not a person, it is a certain possibility. Let me talk about the greatest of all of them that is my Guru. [Applause] Now, what is this nonsense, you think your Guru is the greatest? Yes. Only because in my experience, I saw him as the greatest, I aspired for him. If I thought there was somebody better than him, I would have gone to that one.

My physical proximity with my Guru was just for a few minutes. He is that kind of a ruthless man that he waited for me to go through a


Brooding, squinting, staring

I could not hit the mark

He walks in like a wanton monarch

With a crooked stick, makes his mark

7lifetime of heartbreaking sadhana. I explored various possibilities and dimensions, went to any number of places, did absolutely intense sadhana, experienced various states of samadhis, acquired various capabilities, the kind of capabilities with which people today would easily set up a shop and make a big thing out of it. Almost two lifetimes I had spent in such intense spiritual pursuit and was almost there, but not quite there. So I explored various occult sciences, just to track down somebody who could push me across the final step. The journey took various directions; I sourced all kinds of people. When a sadhaka becomes so burningly intense, finding an appropriate Guru becomes a big problem. If you are lukewarm, you can find many. When you raise your pitch beyond a certain point, finding an appropriate one becomes rare.

So in this state, because of a certain understanding of and mastery over the system, knowing the process of creation within me on many levels, I decided to leave my body and do the search without the body. There are any number of beings like that who, because they could not find the necessary push when they were in the body, have left and searched because being without a body gives you a little more freedom to look around. So it was at such a point that my Guru entered my life and obviously, he came with his own game plan, and I got all that from him. He did not even care to touch me with his foot I always thought, Why didnt he at least use his foot? He used his stick. [Laughs] And in those few minutes maybe in my experience it was a few minutes, but maybe it was a long time everything that can happen to a human being happened to me.

The culture and the nature of my sadhana had exposed me to a certain dimension, a certain form which has been a gateway for millions of spiritual seekers that which is referred to as Shiva. Though the Ultimate had happened, there was still a trace of I dont know what to call it maybe discontent that this did not come in the form of Shiva. So on seeing that he [Sadhgurus Guru] took on this form and stood there in the traditional form of what we have known as Shiva, everything settled. And it was in these few moments that this fabulous, crafty man enslaved me for his project. [Laughs] And, if not for that project which he wanted to be fulfilled through me, my physical presence here would be out of question. Especially in that particular life I wondered, why didnt he do it himself? His capability, the legend around him, was so big. He could have manifested it in so many ways. Why didnt he do it himself? Maybe, when he could find a dumbo like me to do it, why should he do it himself? [Laughs]

I am sure his ability to do it was absolute. It took me two more lifetimes. In my enthusiasm to make it happen, in my longing to fulfill his vision and dream, I unnecessarily worked too hard in those two lifetimes. I could have just relaxed and waited for this moment and made it happen, but I could not rest for a moment, because I wanted to make it happen as soon as possible. When the [Dhyanalinga] consecration process was coming close, in many ways I clearly saw that my whole effort of two lifetimes had been wasteful, simply because he had set the time as to when the Dhyanalinga should happen. Now I clearly see that it was just timed right.

Excerpted from a talk by Sadhguru on Guru Pournima

What can the poor Guru do?

All I have done is do and do

After seeing all that is there to see

He comes to teach me how to Be.


8Q: Sadhguru, if people had a surgery or other medical procedures done on their back or brain, does that affect their kundalini and their spiritual sadhana?

Sadhguru: Fortunately, surgeons are not operating on the chakras, they are operating on the body. But spinal surgeries could affect people. We would always advise to strengthen your spine rather than going for surgeries and procedures. That region should not be touched except by those who are really aware of what is happening. In many cases, I have even spoken against massage therapy, chiropractic and all this, not because they are necessarily doing something wrong, it is just that if you want to expand your perception, your perception grows from your spine. Your spinal column is the basis of everything that you experience right now. If you want to transcend the limitations of who you are right now, this is the most important part of your body. You are not going for brain surgery unless something is seriously wrong, so there is no need to comment about that. Maybe you would go for hair transplantation [laughter], but you could avoid that. It would save a lot of time and give you extra time for sadhana if you dont have hair. [Laughs]

So when it comes to spinal procedures, unless something very serious has happened in an accident or an injury which cannot be fixed without a surgery, if there is just a little bit of pain, a little bit of a problem, these things can be fixed. It takes work to build it, but you can build it. The spine regenerates very well compared to any other part of your body. Thousands of people who had worn out discs have completely recovered from it by simply doing certain practices.

In terms of life, the spine is such an active place that very easily, you can rejuvenate and regenerate the cells that have been lost there. It is also very easy to do that in your brain. If people who are

suffering from dementia and the like do the right kind of things, they could regenerate that. There is substantial scientific evidence for this. Even in your life right now, how many neurons are active or present varies in a big way, depending on how you are using your mind. When you are a little down or intoxicated or depressed or whatever, the number may be much less. By doing the right kind of things, you can enhance this. Definitely, this would be a boon for every human being, it does not matter who he or she is. The world could do with a little more intelligence.

Henry Markram1 has done a phenomenal amount of research on the brain in the Blue Brain Project. This is the first time that the human brain has been fully mapped; that is, they are creating a virtual, electronic brain; they will have a simulated human brain with a keyboard attached. [Laughs] Right now your problem is, you got a brain, but you dont have the keyboard [laughter]; something works, something doesnt work. If you could have a full-fledged keyboard to your brain, if you could type out whatever you want, you would become a thousand times more capable than what you are because this brain is capable of such complexity of action. This brain is such a complex machinery; most people have never trained as to how to use it. It would take a certain level of dedication and focus to learn to use it. I think most people are only using a fraction of the capabilities of their computer. There are so many ways to use that machine, but not everybody knows how. The same thing with the brain everybodys brain is capable of many things, but this is not at your fingertips that is the problem.


The Seat of Perception

8

1 Director of the Blue Brain Project at the University of Lausanne, Switzerland. The Project is an attempt to create a synthetic brain by reverse-engineering the mammalian brain down to the molecular level

Sadhguru on Spine and Brain


9Q: Sadhguru, Ive had financial and health problems for some time. I got an Avighna Yantra, but my problems are still not solved. Am I doing something wrong? How do I receive the Grace of Devi?

Sadhguru: See, this must be understood the Devi is not going to work on your bank balance. [Laughter] The Devi works upon you, in such a way that you are in a conducive state, that you will be naturally successful. Success does not come because you wish for it. Success comes because you have the right kind of capability and attitude within yourself your body, your mind, everything is tuned for success. If you do not tune yourself for success, success will not come, even if you work hard 24 hours of the day. So the Devi is only tuning you for success. The Devi is not going to fill your coffers.

The following incident happened in Chennai: Every day, somebody travelled a very long distance to the Thiruvanmiyur Temple and begged, Shiva, all kinds of fools, you gave wealth to. [Laughter] Me nothing. Im so poor, do something. Just make sure I win one lottery. After that, Ill fix my life. This happened every day. One day, completely broken, he said, What is this? Youve been my Kula Deivam [family god]. Im wasting my life; my kula [larger family] are wasting our lives with you. You cannot even make me win one lottery?!! Shiva was in a patient mood that day, so he said, Please, at least buy a ticket. [Applause]

So you need to start doing something towards your wellbeing. You will definitely see, if you are connected with that energy, life will function better. You are tuned for success, but success is not assured. For nobody it is assured, I want you to know. Success means if I drive from here and have to successfully reach my destination, it does not matter how good a driver I am, I still have to drive with a certain sense and alertness. If I close my eyes and go, I will be in the Kala Bhairava pond. It does not matter who you

are. That is the nature of life you better get it. No, no every day I sit like this. [Sadhguru gestures as though placing his palms on the yantra] The whole day, Im sitting like this only. If you sit the whole day like this, definitely it will not come. [Laughter] You sit for some time, imbibing this energy, go out and do your life the best you can. You will see things will for sure work better. Success is essentially cutting through something. If you want to cut through something, the sharpness of your knife will determine how quickly and how easily you cut through it. This is just like that. How sharply your mind, your body, and your energies are focused determines how quickly they will cut through.

So the yantra is a place to sharpen your knife. You are sharpening your knife so that when you go out, it will easily slice through life. The yantra will not rain money for you but it will tune you for success. Success will come more effortlessly. I am sure many people are experiencing this. How many people have a yantra and feel it has been good for you? [Meditators raise their hands] Has it been good for you?

Participants: Yes.

Sadhguru: Some of them are telling miraculous stories. It all depends on how much you imbibe from it. So this does not mean the moment you have a yantra in your house, somebody will come and give you the raffle winnings even though you did not buy a ticket. The Divine will not do such things to you because that would make you an utter fool, isnt it so? When you go to the dining hall, please use your right hand and eat, okay? Devi, if your Grace is upon me, let the food go into my mouth. [Laughter] It doesnt work like that.

Dont disable yourself in the name of Divinity. Divinity is an enablement; Divinity is an empowerment. It is not a disability. Most people use the Divine as a way to disable themselves. Please do not use spirituality and Divinity to disable yourself. It is an opportunity to enable yourself, to empower yourself use it accordingly.


Tuned for Success

9

Sadhguru on How to Benefit from the Yantras


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Shekhar Kapur: Sadhguru, this is the biggest bull Ive ever seen. [Sadhguru laughs] Hes magnificent, hes aggressive, hes massive, and he looks ready for action, pointed straight at the Dhyanalinga Temple. Tell me about him.

Sadhguru: This is Shivas vehicle, his automobile, parked outside. Do you expect him to ride some mild scooter? He rides a mean machine. [Sadhguru laughs]

Shekhar Kapur: Right. [Laughs] And hes big Can I touch him?

Sadhguru: Yeah.

Shekhar Kapur: What is he made of? I can see this is metalis it steel?

Sadhguru: Yeah. He probably is the only bull in a temple that was made in this very unique way.

Small pieces [of metal], each one not more than six to nine inches in size, were put together [to form the surface]. Inside, it is filled with sesame seeds, turmeric, vibhuti the sacred ash, certain types of oils, some sand, and certain other types of soil. It took some 20 tons of material to fill it; then it was sealed, forever. The whole concoction has been prepared in a certain way. This makes the bull radiate a certain field of energy.

Shekhar Kapur: And if I walk around the bull, should I feel some kind of energy?

Sadhguru: You should.

Shekhar Kapur: And why a bull? I understand it is Shivas vehicle, and Dhyanalinga is about Shiva So he is waiting for Shiva to come out and saywhat? Tell me more about the Nandi.

The Meditative BullShekhar Kapur in Conversation with Sadhguru


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Sadhguru: He is not waiting for him to come out and say something. He is in waiting. The Nandi is a symbolism of eternal waiting, because waiting is considered the greatest virtue in this culture. One who knows how to simply sit and wait is naturally meditative. He is not expecting Shiva to come out tomorrow; he will wait forever. That quality is the essence of receptivity. The Nandi is Shivas closest accomplice because he is the essence of receptivity. Before you go into the temple, you must have the quality of the Nandi, to simply sit. You are not trying to go to heaven, you are not trying to get this or that you go inside and simply sit. So, just by sitting here, he is telling you, When you go into the temple, dont do your fanciful things. Dont ask for this or that. Just go and sit like me.

Shekhar Kapur: Oh, okay. And waiting and anticipation are two different things, I assume, right?

Sadhguru: He is not anticipating anything; he is not expecting anything; he is just waiting. Thats meditationjust sitting. Thats his message for you. Simply go inside and sit. Alert, not sleepy.

Shekhar Kapur: Thats incredible So, you are saying, that the bull is sitting in what we would call meditation?

Sadhguru: See, people have always misunderstood meditation as some kind of activity. No, its a quality. Thats a fundamental difference Why?

Because this is a meditative temple; this is not a temple of prayer. Prayer means you are trying to talk to God. You are trying to tell him your vows, your expectations, or whatever else. Meditation means you are willing to listen to God. You are willing to just listen to existence, to the Ultimate Nature of creation. You have nothing to say, you simply listen. That is the quality of the Nandi he just sits, alert. This is very important: he is alert. He is not sleepy, he is not sitting in a passive way; he is sitting, very active, no expectation, no anticipation, no looking forward to anything; full of alertness, full of life, but just sitting that is meditation. Just waiting. Not for anything in particular. If you just wait without doing your own thing, then the existence will do its thing. Meditation essentially means the individual person is not doing his own thing; he is just there. So, once you are simply there, you become aware of the larger dimension of the existence, which is always in action. You become aware that you are a part of it. Even now, you are a part of it. But becoming aware that Im a part of it is meditativeness. So, the Nandi is the symbolism of that. He just sits. Sitting here, he reminds everybody, You must sit like me.


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Q: Sadhguru, you told us that Krishnas Guru could not handle the situation when his son got kidnapped. Can you explain why even a great Master like him could not handle the situation?

Sadhguru: Those who stood out as truly great were not people who could handle everything in their lives. But they were people who, no matter what happened, maintained a certain balance and fulfilled the purpose of their lives. The circumstances that they faced were always far more extreme, difficult, and challenging compared to what the people that you call normal go through in their lives. But in spite of all that, they did not deviate from whatever they held as right within themselves. So it is that which makes them great, not that they were fix-alls and do-alls. There are no fix-alls and do-alls in the world, no matter who they are. Only an immature person will believe that he is a fix-all. One who is seasoned with life knows that many things may not happen the way you want them. Many things may turn against you. Things that you have worked for through your whole life may just collapse for some stupid reason.

It happened in Krishnas life people who had proclaimed that they would give their lives for him, suddenly turned around and spat at him. But this did not make him deviate from what he saw as the right thing to do with himself and life around him. It is this that makes a man great; not that he was a fix-all. There is no fix-all in the world. You thought I am a fix-all; is that why you are here? Im not a fix-all either. [Laughs] I am putting my 10 fingers in 20 different holes, trying to plug them. All the time, it is leaking somewhere. It is an eternal circus. [Laughs] But that doesnt break you; that doesnt subjugate you. It may kill you, but still it doesnt get you away from who you are. It may bring death to you, but it will not destroy you. Thats what makes a person great.

Going beyond the SensesQ: In the Bhagavat Gita, it says, Some make offerings to the gods, while still others offer themselves into the fire of the Brahman. Some offer their sense of hearing into the fire of the controlled mind, while others offer the other sense objects themselves into the fire of the senses.

Sadhguru: This is to bring about a distinction between performing rituals and a spiritual process. The Aryan tradition is ritualistic and the main ritual is always a homa, a fire into which various types of offerings are made in order to receive different types of benefits. Every kind of offering was done, from milk and ghee to gold and precious stones to animal sacrifice to human sacrifice. These rituals create a certain kind of benefit, but he [the author] is trying to emphasize the limitation of that. Whatever offerings you make, there are small benefits. But the real thing is that you do not offer mere things, you offer yourself to the Brahman. Brahman means that which is the basis of creation, the all-pervading, the non-existent. So if instead of offering things into the fire, you offer yourself to the boundless that is a higher way.

About offering objects to the senses... Now your eyes want to see something pleasant. This is offering things to the senses. Your ears want to hear something pleasant. This is offering something pleasant to the senses. Your tongue wants to taste something pleasant. This is offering things to the senses. You want what feels good on your body. These are the different ways in which a human being is trying to make his life pleasant. It does work to some extent. But after some time, it will frustrate you because slowly, you will realize it does not get you anywhere at all. People who depend upon offering things to their senses will never know pleasantness as a way of life. Only here and there, pleasantness will happen. Let me tell you a story When I was a child, we were living in Mysore. My father was an officer in the Railways, so we traveled all over the country. Every year, we had at least a month of travel with the family, but we always went only where the railway tracks go. India has extensive railways, so we traveled almost everywhere. But we had never

Leela Series The path of the playful

Part XXIV


Great Masters Fix-Alls?

13

gone to Ooty, which is just 85 kilometers from Mysore, because the train stops at Chamrajnagar; there is no track beyond that.

So when I was 11 years of age, I actually told my father, You think only those places wherever your Railways go, are worth going to. He got mad at me. [Laughs] So they were planning to go to Ooty because it is supposed to be a wonderful hill station and a most beautiful place. From Coimbatore, there is a beautiful narrow gauge train going up to Ooty; but there is no train from Mysore, so we drove up to Ooty. The guest house that we were to stay at was across the railway station. Maybe it is too much railway karma for my father. [Laughter] We were supposed to cross the railway station to reach the guest house.

When we came, there was a huge crowd on the railway tracks. I was not one of those children who would hold their daddys hand and walk. I was gone before they got off the car. I just went where the crowd was. Somebody had been run over by the train. People were saying, He committed suicide. When the train came, he just jumped and killed himself. So I thought, Oh, we came to Ooty because people had told us so much about how beautiful this place is. I was only 11, so I had really imagined some kind of paradise that I had not seen before. And the first moment I landed there, somebody committed suicide in paradise! Ooty is very pleasant on the senses, but even there, people commit suicide.

So how much ever you feed your senses, life remains very limited and incomplete. It does not matter how you try to please your senses, you will remain dissatisfied and unfulfilled. But if you burn the senses themselves through the fire of your mindthe mind can be interpreted here as awareness. If you burn the senses with your awareness, you go beyond the senses. We have always been talking about going beyond the senses, right from the introductory day. Only when your experiences rises beyond the sense perception, you are settled for good.

Leela and Brahmacharya A Contradiction? Q: Sadhguru, you mentioned that people questioned how Krishna could take brahmacharya when he had been so promiscuous with all these Gopis. Could you just explain?

Sadhguru: He was always a brahmachari. Brahmacharya means to be on the path of the Divine. No matter which culture or religion you come from, always they have told you, and your own intelligence tells you, if there is something called as divine, either it has to be everywhere or it is that which is not. Brahmacharya means you are on the path of inclusion. You are not yet there; you want to get there; you are practicing Brahmacharya. It is me and me, not you and me. You dont want to create the divide. If you approach the other as other, the divide gets manifested. In physical relationships, me and you get deeply manifested. It is because of that, that a brahmachari keeps away from that; because he wants to establish all-inclusiveness within himself.

Krishna was all-inclusiveness right from the beginning. When he opened his mouth as a child to show his mother that he was not eating mud [and she saw the whole universe in his mouth], already then, he was all-inclusive. When he danced with the Gopis, he was also all-inclusive. Because of his youthfulness and their youthfulness, certain things happened. But he never thought in terms of using them for his pleasure. Such things never occurred to him. So he said, I have always been a brahmachari. I have always been on the path. I just took a formal step now. Nothing is different with me now; only the situation has changed. So much legend has grown around Krishna as a ladies man. But all this happened before he was 16. After 16, he lived with absolute discipline. Wherever he went, women went mad about him, but he never made use of any woman for his pleasure. Not once. That is a brahmachari.

To be continued


14

Nutritious On-Campus Meals for Rural Students

Isha Vidhya Schools now with their Own Kitchens and Gardens

Isha Vidhya turned the page to a new chapter in its existence, with the inauguration of a kitchen and kitchen garden on 1st July 2011 in each of the seven Isha Vidhya schools. The facilities were made possible thanks to the generous contribution of a donor from Dubai, and each school can now prepare the childrens noon meal within the school premises. This will make a world of difference for Isha Vidhya students, many of whom come from families that are financially challenged and where even the bare necessities of life are scarce.

Each kitchen is right now equipped for 800 students, and will be expanded in future to provide for up to 1500 students. The meals will be fortified with eight essential micronutrients to address the problem of malnutrition that is still so rampant in rural India. Whats more, once the kitchen garden matures, the children will be eating food grown right in their schools own backyard!

One of the residents of the Isha Yoga Center who visited the Isha Vidhya School in Santhegoundanpalayam, a small village some 12 km from the ashram, said,

For the past 6 years, wherever I had the chance, I have been talking about these schools, starting fundraising projects, events, encouraging people to donate and raise funds. Yet I had never been to any

of those schools. Only recently, I got the chance to go to this Isha Vidhya School.

The site that welcomed us was so beautiful; I was thoroughly absorbed in the wonderful school campus until we approached a line of little ones walking our way. The Namastes they gave us were so bright-eyed and lively simple yet filled with so much grace. And that did it. My eyes blurred with tears brimming over and then wherever I turned it only got blurrier. I was so overwhelmed. Seeing a teacher explaining patiently, seeing the bright playground, listening to the children repeating a sentence Everything I perceived in this place made me ache with a longing to do more, to reach out more, to get more people to SEE and feel what the few rupees or dollars they give have done for these children. The bright little eyes that Sadhguru spoke of in the Isha Vidhya video are here540 of them.

I met with the principal who is doing such a great job, thanked and congratulated him on his patience and all his efforts. His humble response was heart-warming: I was in Dubai for 25 years and when I came back, I decided to help. These children are now being given a chance that we never had. Another arrow through the heart.

The Namastes, the clean, light-filled classrooms, the teachers dedication, the principals words, the garden, the flowers, the neatly placed shoesthe library, and the bright, bright faces left me a bit shaken, melted and even more determined to reach out to them.


On 14th July 2011, the Guru Pournima day, people from far and wide came to honor Sadhguru and receive his Grace at Isha Yoga Center. The day began with the Devis Grace as more than 150 devotees from both within India and from overseas received their Linga Bhairavi and Linga Bhairavi Avighna Yantras in a special ceremony with Sadhguru. Bhairagini Maa Mariam shares: The ceremony began at 5:30 am with Guru Pooja in Sadhgurus Presence. The Ladies Sadhana Hall, where the ceremony took place, was magical with the yantras laid out and the participants seated in front of them. Sadhguru conducted the process to initiate them into the necessary practice and allowed them to come one by one and receive his Grace and blessings. He was in a state that is indescribable; completely unguarded, tender and gentle. One could feel the hall overflow with his energy. For the first time I saw, through him, a glimpse of the oneness of each being. It was a memorable day that I will always cherish.

The evening was enlivened with the Pournami Abhishekam at the Linga Bhairavi Temple and Maha Aarti in front of the Dhyanalinga Temple. People all over the world sat in silence from 6:20 pm to 6:40 pm, IST, to receive the Gurus Presence and Grace. At the Yoga Center, the charged silence was followed by beautiful chants dedicated to the Guru.

At 9 pm, brahmacharis and Samskriti children welcomed Sadhguru into the Spanda Hall with

chants and the beat of drums, and performed the traditional Pada Pooja, a ritual washing of the Gurus feet. Samskriti Children enchanted those present with an exquisite dance performance to Kana Vendamo, a Tamil song, written for the Nataraja1 deity in Chidambaram, where a devotee asks, Dont you want to have His darshan [refers to beholding the deity] while you are still alive? A group of ashram residents celebrated the occasion with a traditional diya dance, painting the darkness with rays of light from the lamps in their hands. A resident shares: When we were called out to perform, I held my Guru in my heart, I lost myself in the dance and it happened beautifully in my experience. A very rare opportunity to be with my Master and offer a dance on Guru Pournima.

Brahmacharis then offered sacred chants for their Guru. The day culminated in a celebratory dance, in true village-style, as a group of musicians from the Nilgiri Hills sang devotional bhajans dedicated to Sadhguru, the Dhyanalinga and Linga Bhairavi. As the vibrant tunes trailed off, silent joy and gratitude remained towards the one who brings us back in touch with our original nature.

In Gratitude to the MasterGuru Pournima at Isha Yoga Center

1 Shiva as the Cosmic Dancer

September 2011FOREST FLOWER 15

On 24th July 2011, Sadhguru was part of a popular TV show on NDTV, called We The People, where the topic of discussion was: Has spirituality turned into a profit industry? A question you may or may not have asked yourself, but a valid one nonetheless. The discussion was coordinated extremely well by host Barkha Dutt, who brought the audience and the panel together in a lively debate. It was all on an even keel with a mixture of opinions and observations that although devoid of euphemism were not dogmatic.

Whilst many in the forum agreed that religion and commerce have an age-old relationship, the discussion centered around vast sums of money that are given to some spiritual organizations by devotees, and how they should be accounted for. Some of the devotees on the panel openly claimed that their offerings to their gurus were done with a deep sense of belief and trust, and in the utmost faith that it would always be used for the right reasons. Some rationalists on the panel however suggested that a moral spiritual audit was required and that one should always question how the funds were being utilized, and ensure that all funds were properly accounted for. At this stage, Sadhguru was asked to comment on this issue, and he said: A devotee works with a different kind of logic which may not make sense to somebody who claims he is a rationalist. Your rationality can function on many different levels. A devotee has a very refined rationale.

As the show unfolded, the compere alluded to the fact that in recent times in India, there was an increasing debate whether these gurus are godmen or businessmen? Again Sadhguru, in his calm and eloquent manner, explained that it was important to firstly make a distinction between the two terms. He said, A spiritual Guru never claims to be a godman. The only reason why there is so much talk about God is just because most human beings have not realized the immensity of being human. And this is one of the fundamental purposes of a spiritual

Guru to make people realize the immensity and profoundness of what it means to be human.

Most present gave due credit to the many respectable spiritual organizations, acknowledging them as the forerunners of disaster management in the country, and the best organizational theorists, who have an immense sense of science and skill.

Many admitted to having an imagined notion of how the Guru ought to be. Sadhguru responded with an answer infused with a mixture of humor and utmost clarity, saying, If you want to understand spirituality as a certain disability, it is up to you. For me, spirituality is a tremendous empowerment, which every human being needs to have. People say, Oh he drives his own car, what kind of a Guru is he? Now Im asking, if I dont know how to drive, will I become a better Guru? Some believed that the more Spartan, the more godly the figure. To a remark by the shows host that there seem to be two sides, the Spartans and the ones who embrace life, one of the guest speakers responded, What matters is not what side you are on. What matters is your integrity.

Sadhguru then explicitly mentioned that in this day and age when spiritual organizations are under scrutiny, at times even unfairly so, it is of paramount importance to be accountable.

He also pointed out that not all spiritual organizations were involved in huge social projects and some were content catering to just the spiritual dimension. He reminded the forum that whilst most people gauge various spiritual organizations by the scale of their social projects like building of hospitals, schools and provision of food for the poor, the most fundamental factor is that spirituality is a tool for the empowerment of human beings, and that that should be at the core of any spiritual organization.

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Spiritual Gurus and Godmen Two Different Species Sadhguru on NDTVs We The People


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25th July 2011 marked yet another milestone for the Isha Construction team. Following the morning brunch, residents and volunteers of Isha Yoga Center made their way barefoot, through muddy paths etched with caterpillar tracks. They arrived at the construction area that now resembles an archaeological excavation site, but will soon host a massive Theerthakund.

The Theerthakund will stand adjacent to the Aadhi Yogi Alayam, a large meditation hall that is in the midst of construction opposite the Dhyanalinga Temple. Energized by three rasalingas, this spacious subterranean body of water will enhance ones receptivity to the energies of the Dhyanalinga. Taking a dip in this vibrant water can correct pranic imbalances and bring forth a tremendous sense of rejuvenation in both body and mind. The new Theerthakund will be solely for men, while the existing Theerthakund will be exclusively for women.

To honor the onset of this construction, Guru Pooja was performed. The cool winds danced as the song

of chants filled the air. After invoking the Grace of the Guru, and distribution of vibhuti and prasadam, everyone stood on the edge of the huge pit as a crane gently lowered the garland-adorned foundation stone. The applause that echoed was a preamble to the completion of this historic project.

A New Spacious Theerthakund for Temple Visitors The Foundation Stone Ceremony


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Excerpted from Sadhguru Spot, 3 August 2011

Poolside, with a Mountain View

The week has gone by in such a buzz that I hardly realized it was passing. Sathsangs, department meetings, and many interesting guests. In all that screamed by me, one little event stays with me for its cuteness.

We opened the swimming pool at the Isha Yoga Center to be used by the Isha Home School children and all the residents of the ashram. We structured the pool upon the third floor overlooking the mountains. A fabulous view. IHS children had a rap number for the occasion and the breathtaking mountain view could not be missed, unless.

It once happened that Shankaran Pillai checked into the Chitra Block the first floor, as he insisted that he needed a room with a view. The next day he complained bitterly about the room and when asked why, he complained that the mountains were blocking the view from his room.

These mountain peaks haunted me from my infancy; the cascade of Grace and knowing that they bear has so invigorated and intoxicated me and many. Cannot think of a better place to dwell. One must spend time with these mountains, know its many moods and meditations to appreciate what I am trying to articulate. Not just a mound of earth, but a mount of Grace. You should experience this.

Our little enterprise in Chennai called Isha Life1 has started attracting awards been judged the best wellness center. The coming week we are on the way to Kailash and Manasarovar, another mountain.

Love and Grace,

Visit http://blog.ishafoundation.org/sadhguru-spot/ to get weekly updates by the Master himself!

1 Isha Life, Ishas premium fitness & spa center in Chennai, was recently awarded as Best Wellness Center by NDTV-Hindu. For more information on Isha Life, visit www.ishalife.com.


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I was invited to film the Linga Bhairavi Yantra home consecrations that Sadhguru is now offering. I was thrilled to be a part of the process, even though I would beviewing everything through the lens of a camera. I had a job to do, so I approached the day like any other production the aim was to cover as many aspects of the process as possible, while adhering to a tight schedule as there were so many homes to visit in one day, and remaining behind the scenes. What I did not expect was being swept off my feet into the Devis mothering arms and to be coddled in her lap like a child.

Each home afforded an opportunity to be with her in her Grace, love, and tenderness. While I was completely filled with her love, I was amazed to see how subtly different she appeared at each location.

Elaborate preparations were made in each home for the consecrations. Each host took great care in decorating for this unparalleled occasion with a myriad of garlands, rangolis, fragrant flowers, oil lamps, and incense. And, everywhere was a splash of red the Devis expressive color. Music and song vibrated through the rooms as meditators chanted and Sounds of Isha played. Bhairagini Maa performed an Abhishekam an offering of 11 items to the Devi and graced each room of the house with an Aarti a purifying blessing.

Sadhgurus arrival at each home was beautiful and touching. Upon entering, flower petals where

showered at his feet. He shared private time with each homeowner, making a formal introduction with Bhairavi. Sadhguru then blessed each guest with an offering and spent time in intimate conversation. Some homeowners welcomed his Presence with a Pada Pooja the traditional washing of our Masters feet.

As I videotaped these events, I was overwhelmed with a sense of devotion. At one point, the image in the camera lens blurred as my eyes filled with tears and I dropped to my knees. Sadhguru, this magnificent being, is offering us an opportunity to live in consecrated spaces.

Im hoping Devi will choose to Grace my space and yours.

Jennifer Wauson, Isha Volunteer, USA

Sadhguru and the Devi Grace Peoples Homes A Sharing

Living Spaces Filled with Grace


20 September 2011FOREST FLOWER

Speech is of the society. Words are of the mind. Sounds are of nature. The soundless is of the beyond.

Thus if one gets identified with ones own speech, that one will belong to the society. If one gets identified with ones words, that one will belong to the mind. If one gets identified with ones sounds, that one will belong to nature.

If one dissolves in the soundless silence, then to that one alone the realms of the beyond will yield to that one alone.

Speech is of the society...

Insightsby Sadhguru

SADHGURU

Program Highlights

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.

Date Program Place Contact

1 - 4 Sep 2011Inner Engineering

RetreatResidential Program

Isha Yoga Center,Coimbatore, India

0422-2515421 [email protected]

8 - 11 Sep 2011Bhava Spandana (Gents,

English / Hindi)Residential Program







10 Sep 11Sathsang

with SadhguruSingapore

+65-96660197 [email protected]

11 Sep 11Public Talk

with SadhguruuSingapore


14 - 18 July 2011Bhava Spandana (Ladies, English)

Residential Program




the peak of wellbeingLondon, UK

9650092102, 9650092103 [email protected]





25 Sep 11Pancha Bhuta

Aradhana Isha Yoga Center,Coimbatore, India

0422-2515426, 94878 95878 [email protected]

15 Sep - 3 Oct 2011 (Two travel plans)

Himalayan Dhyan Yatra Indian Himalayas 9488 111 777

[email protected]

Rescheduled:11 - 18 Feb 2012

Mahabharat Residential Program

conducted by Sadhguru


94449 02058 [email protected]

21September 2011FOREST FLOWER

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Isha RecipesFor Healthy Living

Quantity Ingredients

6 inch slice Ash gourd / winter melon100 g Yam 1 Drumstick1012 Green beans 2 medium Carrots Salt to taste1 teaspoon Red chili powder 2 teaspoons Tamarind water Fresh coconut 1 inch piece Ginger 1 teaspoon Cumin seeds 2 Red chilies 2 tablespoons Coconut oil 1 cup Yoghurt / curd teaspoon Mustard seeds 810 Curry leaves

AvIAL MIxEd vEgETAbLE

Method of preparation:

Peel ash gourd and yam and chop into 2 inch long pieces.

Trim the drumstick and green beans and chop both into 2 inch long pieces.

Scrape the carrots and cut them into 2 inch long pieces.

Place all the vegetables (except the yam) in a plate and sprinkle with salt and teaspoon red chili powder. Steam in the idli maker for 10 minutes.

Put the yam in a pan and pour just enough water so as to cover it. Add the tamarind water, little salt and remaining red chili powder. Cook on low heat till soft.

Grate the coconut and place in the jar of a mixer. Peel and chop the ginger and add. Also add the cumin seeds and red chilies and grind to a coarse mixture without using any water.

Place the yam and steamed vegetables in a deep serving bowl and add the ground paste, 1 tablespoons coconut oil and curd. Mix lightly.

Heat the remaining coconut oil in a pan and add the mustard seeds. As they begin to splutter add the curry leaves.

Pour this tempering on the vegetables and mix.

Serve.

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FF September 2011

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Transcript of FF September 2011