Forest Flower August 2015

ISHA FOREST FLOWER | 3 August 2015

NEWS & EVENTSHighlights of the First International Day of YogaSixteen Years of Dhyanalinga

SPECIAL FEATUREHealth EssentialsSadhguru on Three Fundamental Aspects for Being Healthy

MAHABHARATPart 9: Ambas Plight

LIKES AND DISLIKES MAHABHARAT

6 11ISHA HATHA YOGAPart 20: Getting it RightPadahastasana Bhujangasana Dhanurasana

4

LEAD ARTICLELikes and DislikesSadhguru on a Starting a Liberating Process

6

ZEN SPEAKSEasier Known Than Done

ISHA RECIPEThis Month: Misal Pav

UPCOMING PROGRAMS AND EVENTS

9

11

CONTENTS

Sadhguru on a Starting a Liberating Process Part 9: Ambas Plight

23

21

15

19

20


NEWS & EVENTSHighlights of the First International Day of YogaSixteen Years of Dhyanalinga

SPECIAL FEATUREHealth EssentialsSadhguru on Three Fundamental Aspects for Being Healthy

MAHABHARATPart 9: Ambas Plight

LIKES AND DISLIKES MAHABHARAT

6 11ISHA HATHA YOGAPart 20: Getting it RightPadahastasana Bhujangasana Dhanurasana

4

LEAD ARTICLELikes and DislikesSadhguru on a Starting a Liberating Process

6

ZEN SPEAKSEasier Known Than Done

ISHA RECIPEThis Month: Misal Pav

UPCOMING PROGRAMS AND EVENTS

9

11

CONTENTS

Sadhguru on a Starting a Liberating Process Part 9: Ambas Plight

23

21

15

19

20

4 | ISHA FOREST FLOWER August 2015

if you bend forward, naturally, the energies will move upward, because the downward flow is arrested by the tightening of the muladhara.

If you keep the feet completely together or if you keep them apart, you will force the energies to move downward. That way, in this posture, you may stretch your lumbar spine, you may create muscular strength, but you move the energies downward. That way, instead of making life subtler and preparing for higher possibilities, you are making it gross. Most people will not take care of such things unless there is a teacher who corrects the geometry of the body in a meticulous way. This is why it is important to find a proper instructor if you want to learn hatha yoga.

BhujangasanaOne of the most common asanas is bhujangasana. Bhujanga means snake or cobra. When you want to raise your upper body like a cobra, one important thing is your toes and heels should be together, for the same purpose as mentioned earlier, so that the muladhara will tighten up and the energies will move upward, not downward.

Another aspect is that, if performed wrongly, a simple asana like this can cause injury to the spine. When raising the upper part of the body, though the hands are on the floor, you should not use the arms to push yourself up or support yourself. This is a snake posture a cobra does not have arms to support itself. If you use your hands or arms to push yourself up, not only could it damage your spine, the purpose of the asana is also not served.

Getting It RightPadahastasana BhujangasanaDhanurasana

PART 20

ISHA HATHA YOGA

In this article, Sadhguru discusses three common asanas and points out important details that many yoga practitioners may not be aware of.

Padahastasana

There are aspects of hatha yoga that millions of people in the world may be doing wrong. For example, when practicing something as simple as padahastasana, which is bending forward to bring your pada [feet] and hasta [hands] together, you must keep your feet in such a way that your heels are touching and your feet are forming a V.

This is important because when you bend forward and create this movement in the spine, there is a tendency for the energy to move. The question is which way it should move. In yoga, you are always trying to move your energies from lower dimensions of life or lower chakras to a higher possibility. Only if you keep the heels together, your muladhara [foundational energy at the root of the spine] will get tightened and will not allow downward movement of energy. Then,


if you bend forward, naturally, the energies will move upward, because the downward flow is arrested by the tightening of the muladhara.

If you keep the feet completely together or if you keep them apart, you will force the energies to move downward. That way, in this posture, you may stretch your lumbar spine, you may create muscular strength, but you move the energies downward. That way, instead of making life subtler and preparing for higher possibilities, you are making it gross. Most people will not take care of such things unless there is a teacher who corrects the geometry of the body in a meticulous way. This is why it is important to find a proper instructor if you want to learn hatha yoga.

BhujangasanaOne of the most common asanas is bhujangasana. Bhujanga means snake or cobra. When you want to raise your upper body like a cobra, one important thing is your toes and heels should be together, for the same purpose as mentioned earlier, so that the muladhara will tighten up and the energies will move upward, not downward.

Another aspect is that, if performed wrongly, a simple asana like this can cause injury to the spine. When raising the upper part of the body, though the hands are on the floor, you should not use the arms to push yourself up or support yourself. This is a snake posture a cobra does not have arms to support itself. If you use your hands or arms to push yourself up, not only could it damage your spine, the purpose of the asana is also not served.

Getting It RightGetting It RightPadahastasana BhujangasanaDhanurasana

PART 20

ISHA HATHA YOGA

In this article, Sadhguru discusses three common asanas and points out important details that many yoga practitioners may not be aware of.

Padahastasana

There are aspects of hatha yoga that millions of people in the world may be doing wrong. For example, when practicing something as simple as padahastasana, which is bending forward to bring your pada [feet] and hasta [hands] together, you must keep your feet in such a way that your heels are touching and your feet are forming a V.

This is important because when you bend forward and create this movement in the spine, there is a tendency for the energy to move. The question is which way it should move. In yoga, you are always trying to move your energies from lower dimensions of life or lower chakras to a higher possibility. Only if you keep the heels together, your muladhara [foundational energy at the root of the spine] will get tightened and will not allow downward movement of energy. Then,


The above mentioned asanas are part of the Yogasana program offered by Isha Hatha Yoga teachers. For dates and details of these and other Isha Hatha Yoga programs, visit www.ishahathayoga.com.

The Hatha Yoga Teacher Training program is an opportunity to be trained in classical hatha yoga devised by Sadhguru. Upcoming dates: 19 July to 13 December 2016 at the Isha Yoga Center in India. For more information, please send an email to [email protected].

Using the muscles along the spine to raise your upper body is what activates the energy. That is why the big toes should be together to lock the lower part of the body so that the energies do not move in the wrong direction. This is a subtle process. This is not about bending more than somebody else. This is about activating the energy and moving it towards your brain. The purpose is to enhance your perception. A cobra has an enormous sense of perception.

A Preparation for MeditationIf you want to become meditative, bhujangasana is an important posture. Meditation is not an act it is a quality. To acquire the quality of meditation, you need to cultivate your body, your mind, your emotions, and your energy to a certain level of maturity. Meditation is like the fragrance of a flower. The problem is people are only interested in the flower but not the plant. If you want flowers in your garden, you do not think about flowers. You think about the root, the manure, the water, and the sunlight. If instead you think about the flower, you will only have plastic flowers in your life, not real flowers. Bhujangasana is a simple way of cultivating these four dimensions of life in such a way that meditation flowers within you.

DhanurasanaBefore you do dhanurasana, there has to be substantial preparation. You must practice bhujangasana and shalabhasana for a period of time and prepare the system before you do dhanurasana, because dhanurasana involves a certain amount of force. If you want to apply this force, there are a few precautions to take. One thing is, your legs must be together. If you hold

them apart and pull, you may cause damage to the spine.

If you keep the legs entirely together, there is integrity to the posture, protection to the spine, and no danger of lumbar damage. Another thing is to clasp your hands. Clasping your hands also creates integrity in the physical structure of the body. Above all, it creates integrity in the energy structure of the body and causes it to function in an entirely different way. Just crossing your

hands or uncrossing your hands entirely changes the way the subtler aspects of the body function. So, the hands should be clasped and the legs should be completely together.

Another aspect is, when you do dhanurasana, you are on your belly. All the vital organs are in this region. Therefore, you have to pump up your belly and hold a certain amount of air there continuously. Your breath should be on the surface, and you push out and hold your belly like a balloon to protect the internal organs.


The above mentioned asanas are part of the Yogasana program offered by Isha Hatha Yoga teachers. For dates and details of these and other Isha Hatha Yoga programs, visit www.ishahathayoga.com.

The Hatha Yoga Teacher Training program is an opportunity to be trained in classical hatha yoga devised by Sadhguru. Upcoming dates: 19 July to 13 December 2016 at the Isha Yoga Center in India. For more information, please send an email to [email protected].

Using the muscles along the spine to raise your upper body is what activates the energy. That is why the big toes should be together to lock the lower part of the body so that the energies do not move in the wrong direction. This is a subtle process. This is not about bending more than somebody else. This is about activating the energy and moving it towards your brain. The purpose is to enhance your perception. A cobra has an enormous sense of perception.

A Preparation for MeditationIf you want to become meditative, bhujangasana is an important posture. Meditation is not an act it is a quality. To acquire the quality of meditation, you need to cultivate your body, your mind, your emotions, and your energy to a certain level of maturity. Meditation is like the fragrance of a flower. The problem is people are only interested in the flower but not the plant. If you want flowers in your garden, you do not think about flowers. You think about the root, the manure, the water, and the sunlight. If instead you think about the flower, you will only have plastic flowers in your life, not real flowers. Bhujangasana is a simple way of cultivating these four dimensions of life in such a way that meditation flowers within you.

DhanurasanaBefore you do dhanurasana, there has to be substantial preparation. You must practice bhujangasana and shalabhasana for a period of time and prepare the system before you do dhanurasana, because dhanurasana involves a certain amount of force. If you want to apply this force, there are a few precautions to take. One thing is, your legs must be together. If you hold

them apart and pull, you may cause damage to the spine.

If you keep the legs entirely together, there is integrity to the posture, protection to the spine, and no danger of lumbar damage. Another thing is to clasp your hands. Clasping your hands also creates integrity in the physical structure of the body. Above all, it creates integrity in the energy structure of the body and causes it to function in an entirely different way. Just crossing your

hands or uncrossing your hands entirely changes the way the subtler aspects of the body function. So, the hands should be clasped and the legs should be completely together.

Another aspect is, when you do dhanurasana, you are on your belly. All the vital organs are in this region. Therefore, you have to pump up your belly and hold a certain amount of air there continuously. Your breath should be on the surface, and you push out and hold your belly like a balloon to protect the internal organs.


Questioner: Sadhguru, do you have any suggestions on how to not just do our yoga practice in the morning and then again get caught up with things and people and situations as we go through our day, but to keep the spiritual process on all the time?

Sadhguru: So much has been written, said, and done in the name of spiritual process. It is not something that you have to import into your life from outside. It is something that you are. You are only exploring what is there. Having said that, what is it that does not allow you to explore and to know the nature of your being? It all depends on how entangled you are with the physical and psychological aspects of your life, as well as with your karmic content.

Your physical framework and your psychological framework depend on what kind of karmic content you have. How deeply you are entrenched in it depends on how deeply you are identified with it. The process of identifying yourself with something is built into your life and the social systems everywhere in the world, in many different ways. For example, when you were two years of age, you may not have been very sweet, but had your parents not believed that you were a sweetie, they could not have changed your diapers; they could not have taken the screaming and the sleepless nights.

The social systems train you to create strong likes and dislikes about so many things. Another example as a soldier, to go and fight a war, you must be revved up to dislike someone or something very strongly otherwise, you would not risk your life. When you think you are in love with someone, you exaggerate all the good qualities in them. When you hate someone, you exaggerate all the bad qualities in them or invent some. You as a person, not as a being are who you are only because of your likes and dislikes. It is your likes and dislikes that determine your personality and distinguish you as a person.

Starting today, just pick one of your likes and one of your dislikes and, over the course of the month,

LEAD ARTICLE

Likes and DislikesSadhguru on Starting a Liberating Process


Questioner: Sadhguru, do you have any suggestions on how to not just do our yoga practice in the morning and then again get caught up with things and people and situations as we go through our day, but to keep the spiritual process on all the time?

Sadhguru: So much has been written, said, and done in the name of spiritual process. It is not something that you have to import into your life from outside. It is something that you are. You are only exploring what is there. Having said that, what is it that does not allow you to explore and to know the nature of your being? It all depends on how entangled you are with the physical and psychological aspects of your life, as well as with your karmic content.

Your physical framework and your psychological framework depend on what kind of karmic content you have. How deeply you are entrenched in it depends on how deeply you are identified with it. The process of identifying yourself with something is built into your life and the social systems everywhere in the world, in many different ways. For example, when you were two years of age, you may not have been very sweet, but had your parents not believed that you were a sweetie, they could not have changed your diapers; they could not have taken the screaming and the sleepless nights.

The social systems train you to create strong likes and dislikes about so many things. Another example as a soldier, to go and fight a war, you must be revved up to dislike someone or something very strongly otherwise, you would not risk your life. When you think you are in love with someone, you exaggerate all the good qualities in them. When you hate someone, you exaggerate all the bad qualities in them or invent some. You as a person, not as a being are who you are only because of your likes and dislikes. It is your likes and dislikes that determine your personality and distinguish you as a person.

Starting today, just pick one of your likes and one of your dislikes and, over the course of the month,

LEAD ARTICLE

Likes and DislikesSadhguru on Starting a Liberating Process


consciously drop them. Repeat this process every month. Your likes and dislikes are the basis of the falsehood that you have created in the form of your personality. If you stop clinging to them, your personality will vanish you will become flexible and wonderful.

If you want to hold on to your personality, you cannot be spiritual. To be spiritual means there is no you and me there is only life. Life is throbbing in everything. The same life force is in a tree, a worm, an insect, a tiger, a man, or a woman. What kind of form it takes and what kind of behavioral patterns it has is on one level based on likes and dislikes.

There are fundamentals of life within you. It is in your DNA to always want to be something more than what you are right now. But your social training has taught you to always establish strong likes and dislikes. Whether you like or you dislike something, you are limiting yourself. Here and there maybe in a sathsang, a program, or while doing your practices you may break some limitations, but then you will establish them again.

In India, there is a tradition that if you go on a pilgrimage, you must leave one thing that you like. Now, I am not even asking you to leave anything. Just within yourself, delete one thing each from your list of likes and dislikes, in the sense that you neither like nor dislike them anymore. You do not have to leave them or avoid them that would in a way mean disliking them.

If you start disliking what you used to like or liking what you used to dislike, you only change the objects, but beyond that, nothing has really changed. Likewise, if you start disliking the person whom you once liked and liking another person, nothing has changed. You are just jumping from branch to branch like a monkey.

It is easy to dislike what you used to like. Love and hate are related. The people whom you hate are usually those whom you once loved, but at some point, love turned into hatred. You cannot

hate a random person on the street, unless you are bigoted based on religious beliefs, racial prejudices, or some such thing. But if you loved someone and they did something that you did not like, you can actively hate them.

I do not want you to convert a like into a dislike or vice versa I want you to drop them. It will take a whole lot of awareness to do that, but you have a months time. Just pick one like and one dislike, work on them, and by the end of the month, they must be dropped. Then pick one more like and one more dislike, and again drop them over the course of a month.

A person, a food item, a certain aspect of yourself it can be anything. What you need to drop is the idea of liking or disliking this someone or something. Let us say it is a food item whether you eat it or not is not the point. If someone happens to serve it to you, you eat it. Do not try to like what you dislike or dislike what you like you would create terrible havoc for yourself.

There is a beautiful story from Gautama Buddhas life. When people are given monkhood even in Isha, it is so many guidelines are provided. One simple thing is that you eat whatever appears on your plate without liking or disliking anything. You joyfully eat whatever it is, because you only eat for your nourishment, for no other reason. You neither seek any particular item, nor do you avoid anything.

Similarly, Gautama told his monks not to choose their food but to eat whatever people gave them, and not to eat non-vegetarian food. In India, if someone was on the spiritual path, seeking the ultimate within himself, the whole society used to support that. Distracting or disturbing him

If you want to hold on to your personality, you cannot be spiritual. To be spiritual means there is no you and me there is only life.


consciously drop them. Repeat this process every month. Your likes and dislikes are the basis of the falsehood that you have created in the form of your personality. If you stop clinging to them, your personality will vanish you will become flexible and wonderful.

If you want to hold on to your personality, you cannot be spiritual. To be spiritual means there is no you and me there is only life. Life is throbbing in everything. The same life force is in a tree, a worm, an insect, a tiger, a man, or a woman. What kind of form it takes and what kind of behavioral patterns it has is on one level based on likes and dislikes.

There are fundamentals of life within you. It is in your DNA to always want to be something more than what you are right now. But your social training has taught you to always establish strong likes and dislikes. Whether you like or you dislike something, you are limiting yourself. Here and there maybe in a sathsang, a program, or while doing your practices you may break some limitations, but then you will establish them again.

In India, there is a tradition that if you go on a pilgrimage, you must leave one thing that you like. Now, I am not even asking you to leave anything. Just within yourself, delete one thing each from your list of likes and dislikes, in the sense that you neither like nor dislike them anymore. You do not have to leave them or avoid them that would in a way mean disliking them.

If you start disliking what you used to like or liking what you used to dislike, you only change the objects, but beyond that, nothing has really changed. Likewise, if you start disliking the person whom you once liked and liking another person, nothing has changed. You are just jumping from branch to branch like a monkey.

It is easy to dislike what you used to like. Love and hate are related. The people whom you hate are usually those whom you once loved, but at some point, love turned into hatred. You cannot

hate a random person on the street, unless you are bigoted based on religious beliefs, racial prejudices, or some such thing. But if you loved someone and they did something that you did not like, you can actively hate them.

I do not want you to convert a like into a dislike or vice versa I want you to drop them. It will take a whole lot of awareness to do that, but you have a months time. Just pick one like and one dislike, work on them, and by the end of the month, they must be dropped. Then pick one more like and one more dislike, and again drop them over the course of a month.

A person, a food item, a certain aspect of yourself it can be anything. What you need to drop is the idea of liking or disliking this someone or something. Let us say it is a food item whether you eat it or not is not the point. If someone happens to serve it to you, you eat it. Do not try to like what you dislike or dislike what you like you would create terrible havoc for yourself.

There is a beautiful story from Gautama Buddhas life. When people are given monkhood even in Isha, it is so many guidelines are provided. One simple thing is that you eat whatever appears on your plate without liking or disliking anything. You joyfully eat whatever it is, because you only eat for your nourishment, for no other reason. You neither seek any particular item, nor do you avoid anything.

Similarly, Gautama told his monks not to choose their food but to eat whatever people gave them, and not to eat non-vegetarian food. In India, if someone was on the spiritual path, seeking the ultimate within himself, the whole society used to support that. Distracting or disturbing him

If you want to hold on to your personality, you cannot be spiritual. To be spiritual means there is no you and me there is only life.


in any way was considered the most heinous of acts. Everyone knew that people who are on this kind of path eat only vegetarian foods, and no one would give them non-vegetarian food or anything of that sort.

One day, two of Gautamas monks went out to beg. It so happened, a crow accidentally dropped a piece of meat that it was carrying, and it landed in one of the monks bowl. Immediately, because people always see how not to transform themselves, they took it to Gautama, saying, You said we should not eat non-vegetarian food. At the same time, you said what comes into our bowl, we must eat. Today, a piece of meat has come into our bowl, because a crow dropped it. What to do.

Gautama looked at the piece of meat and the two monks. He saw it could have been very simple. Generally, if a crow accidentally drops something, you just have to wait a little, and the crow will come back and pick it up after all, it

is its food. But instead, they started a spiritual debate about it. Had he said that if someone puts meat into their bowl, they should not eat it and beg for vegetarian food instead, the monks would have started asking for whatever food they liked. Therefore, Gautama said, Eat it in front of me right now. All the monks were shocked. He told them to eat whatever came into their bowl because he thought long-term. How many more times in the next thousand years was it going to happen that a crow drops another piece of meat into a monks bowl?

If you want to take real steps on the spiritual path, this is what you need to do, because your likes and dislikes are the fundamentals of establishing your individuality. If you are hung up on your individuality, there is no question of universality. Therefore, by today evening, start this process of dropping your likes and dislikes, one by one. If you do that every month, within six months time, you will see a tremendous transformation in you.


in any way was considered the most heinous of acts. Everyone knew that people who are on this kind of path eat only vegetarian foods, and no one would give them non-vegetarian food or anything of that sort.

One day, two of Gautamas monks went out to beg. It so happened, a crow accidentally dropped a piece of meat that it was carrying, and it landed in one of the monks bowl. Immediately, because people always see how not to transform themselves, they took it to Gautama, saying, You said we should not eat non-vegetarian food. At the same time, you said what comes into our bowl, we must eat. Today, a piece of meat has come into our bowl, because a crow dropped it. What to do.

Gautama looked at the piece of meat and the two monks. He saw it could have been very simple. Generally, if a crow accidentally drops something, you just have to wait a little, and the crow will come back and pick it up after all, it

is its food. But instead, they started a spiritual debate about it. Had he said that if someone puts meat into their bowl, they should not eat it and beg for vegetarian food instead, the monks would have started asking for whatever food they liked. Therefore, Gautama said, Eat it in front of me right now. All the monks were shocked. He told them to eat whatever came into their bowl because he thought long-term. How many more times in the next thousand years was it going to happen that a crow drops another piece of meat into a monks bowl?

If you want to take real steps on the spiritual path, this is what you need to do, because your likes and dislikes are the fundamentals of establishing your individuality. If you are hung up on your individuality, there is no question of universality. Therefore, by today evening, start this process of dropping your likes and dislikes, one by one. If you do that every month, within six months time, you will see a tremendous transformation in you.


Five Sheaths of the Body

In yoga, we look at the human system as five sheaths or layers. Every aspect of the human system, including the mind, is seen as body, and yoga is a technology to transform it. These five layers of the body are called Annamaya Kosha, Manomaya Kosha, Pranamaya Kosha, Vignanamaya Kosha, and Anandamaya Kosha.

Anna means food. Your physical body or Annamaya Kosha is basically the food that you have eaten small or big is your choice, but it is a heap of food nonetheless. As there is a physical body that you have gathered from outside, there is a mental body. The mind is not in one particular part of the body every cell in the body has its own memory and intelligence. This mental body is known as Manomaya Kosha. The physical body is the hardware the mental body is the software.

Hardware and software cannot do much unless you plug them into quality power. The third layer of the body is called Pranamaya Kosha or energy body. Physical body, mental body, and energy body are all in the realm of physicality, but on different levels of subtlety. To use an analogy you can clearly see that a light bulb is physical. But the light it diffuses is also physical. And the electricity behind it is physical as well. Light bulb, light, and electricity: all are physical but differ in subtlety. Similarly, the physical body, the mental body, and the energy body all are physical but differ in subtlety.

The next layer of the body is a transitory body that is known as Vignanamaya Kosha. It facilitates the transition from the physical to the non-physical. It does not ascribe to any of the

physical qualities, but at the same time, it is not yet completely nonphysical either. The fifth layer is called Anandamaya Kosha, which in English translates as bliss body. This does not mean there is a bubble of bliss in you. We call it bliss body because in our experience, whenever we touch it, we become blissful. Bliss is not its nature bliss is what it causes for us. Anandamaya Kosha is a nonphysical dimension which is the source of everything that is physical.

If you bring the physical body, the mental body, and the energy body into proper alignment and balance, you will not have any physical or psychological ailments. I could show you hundreds and thousands of people who have come out of their health issues particularly chronic ailments and psychological problems simply by creating the necessary alignment within themselves. It is misalignment that causes all kinds of problems. When the body is at ease, there is no disease.

Only if you bring the rst three layers of the body into alignment, there will be a passage and a possibility of touching Anandamaya Kosha, where blissfulness becomes a natural state of being. Not blissful about something in particular simply blissful because that is the nature of life.

Essential Tips for Food, Activity, and RestTo create health for yourself, there are three fundamentals that you need to take care of food, activity, and rest.

FOODWhen it comes to food, one of the most important aspects that you must be conscious of is how quickly a certain type of food digests and becomes a part of yourself. If you eat something

Health Essentials

Sadhguru on Three Fundamental Aspects for Being Healthy

SPECIAL FEATURE


Five Sheaths of the Body

In yoga, we look at the human system as five sheaths or layers. Every aspect of the human system, including the mind, is seen as body, and yoga is a technology to transform it. These five layers of the body are called Annamaya Kosha, Manomaya Kosha, Pranamaya Kosha, Vignanamaya Kosha, and Anandamaya Kosha.

Anna means food. Your physical body or Annamaya Kosha is basically the food that you have eaten small or big is your choice, but it is a heap of food nonetheless. As there is a physical body that you have gathered from outside, there is a mental body. The mind is not in one particular part of the body every cell in the body has its own memory and intelligence. This mental body is known as Manomaya Kosha. The physical body is the hardware the mental body is the software.

Hardware and software cannot do much unless you plug them into quality power. The third layer of the body is called Pranamaya Kosha or energy body. Physical body, mental body, and energy body are all in the realm of physicality, but on different levels of subtlety. To use an analogy you can clearly see that a light bulb is physical. But the light it diffuses is also physical. And the electricity behind it is physical as well. Light bulb, light, and electricity: all are physical but differ in subtlety. Similarly, the physical body, the mental body, and the energy body all are physical but differ in subtlety.

The next layer of the body is a transitory body that is known as Vignanamaya Kosha. It facilitates the transition from the physical to the non-physical. It does not ascribe to any of the

physical qualities, but at the same time, it is not yet completely nonphysical either. The fifth layer is called Anandamaya Kosha, which in English translates as bliss body. This does not mean there is a bubble of bliss in you. We call it bliss body because in our experience, whenever we touch it, we become blissful. Bliss is not its nature bliss is what it causes for us. Anandamaya Kosha is a nonphysical dimension which is the source of everything that is physical.

If you bring the physical body, the mental body, and the energy body into proper alignment and balance, you will not have any physical or psychological ailments. I could show you hundreds and thousands of people who have come out of their health issues particularly chronic ailments and psychological problems simply by creating the necessary alignment within themselves. It is misalignment that causes all kinds of problems. When the body is at ease, there is no disease.

Only if you bring the rst three layers of the body into alignment, there will be a passage and a possibility of touching Anandamaya Kosha, where blissfulness becomes a natural state of being. Not blissful about something in particular simply blissful because that is the nature of life.

Essential Tips for Food, Activity, and RestTo create health for yourself, there are three fundamentals that you need to take care of food, activity, and rest.

FOODWhen it comes to food, one of the most important aspects that you must be conscious of is how quickly a certain type of food digests and becomes a part of yourself. If you eat something

Health Essentials

Sadhguru on Three Fundamental Aspects for Being Healthy

SPECIAL FEATURE


and it does not digest within three hours, it means you have eaten food that should either be avoided or reduced in quantity. If the food moves out of your stomach within three hours, it means that even if it is not the best food, it is still something your system is able to handle.

If you maintain a clear gap of five to six hours between one meal and the other without having anything in between, cleansing will happen on the cellular level. This cleansing on the cellular level is most important for a healthful life. If you are over 30 years of age, two good meals a day will suffice one in the morning and one in the evening.

There must be a minimum of three hours after the evening meal, before you go to bed. If this includes at least 20 to 30 minutes of light physical activity such as simple walking, or maybe dancing your system will largely be healthy. If you go to bed with food still inside the stomach, it generates a certain level of inertia in the system. Physiologically, this inertia is like an acceleration towards death. Death is ultimate inertia.

Another dimension is that if you go to bed with a full stomach, it puts pressure on other organs in the abdomen. This will also lead to various kinds of health issues. For that reason too, it is very important that before you go to bed, the food you have eaten has moved out of the stomach. As you sleep in different postures, the stomach should not put pressure on other organs at any point.

ACTIVITYWhen it comes to activity, one simple thing that we need to consider is that our body is capable of bending forward, bending backward, and twisting to both sides. This much activity must happen in some kind of form. Classical hatha yoga is the best way to do it, and a scientific one. If classical hatha yoga is not yet part of your life, you must somehow make sure that every day, you bend forward, backward, twist to both sides, and squat so that the spinal column is stretched. This is a must for everybody on a daily basis if you want to keep the entire system healthy particularly the neurological system, which will otherwise be an issue as one ages.

RESTThe volume of rest that an individual person needs is determined by various factors. One important factor is the type and the volume of food that you consume. You must experiment with different types of foods and see which ones make you feel heavy, and which ones leave you light and agile. If you make sure that at least 40% of your diet consists of fresh vegetables and fruits, there will be lightness in the body.

What the body needs is restfulness, not necessarily sleep. It is a misunderstanding to think that sleep is the only way to rest. Even as you sit or stand, you can either be in a state of restfulness, in a state of agitation, or in a state of inertia. If you are in a lively state of restfulness, every moment of your life, the volume of sleep you require will decrease.

This article is based on a talk by Sadhguru for the 5 Minutes for Health video that was created for the International Day of Yoga 2015. Check out this and other videos on isha.sadhguru.org/health!


and it does not digest within three hours, it means you have eaten food that should either be avoided or reduced in quantity. If the food moves out of your stomach within three hours, it means that even if it is not the best food, it is still something your system is able to handle.

If you maintain a clear gap of five to six hours between one meal and the other without having anything in between, cleansing will happen on the cellular level. This cleansing on the cellular level is most important for a healthful life. If you are over 30 years of age, two good meals a day will suffice one in the morning and one in the evening.

There must be a minimum of three hours after the evening meal, before you go to bed. If this includes at least 20 to 30 minutes of light physical activity such as simple walking, or maybe dancing your system will largely be healthy. If you go to bed with food still inside the stomach, it generates a certain level of inertia in the system. Physiologically, this inertia is like an acceleration towards death. Death is ultimate inertia.

Another dimension is that if you go to bed with a full stomach, it puts pressure on other organs in the abdomen. This will also lead to various kinds of health issues. For that reason too, it is very important that before you go to bed, the food you have eaten has moved out of the stomach. As you sleep in different postures, the stomach should not put pressure on other organs at any point.

ACTIVITYWhen it comes to activity, one simple thing that we need to consider is that our body is capable of bending forward, bending backward, and twisting to both sides. This much activity must happen in some kind of form. Classical hatha yoga is the best way to do it, and a scientific one. If classical hatha yoga is not yet part of your life, you must somehow make sure that every day, you bend forward, backward, twist to both sides, and squat so that the spinal column is stretched. This is a must for everybody on a daily basis if you want to keep the entire system healthy particularly the neurological system, which will otherwise be an issue as one ages.

RESTThe volume of rest that an individual person needs is determined by various factors. One important factor is the type and the volume of food that you consume. You must experiment with different types of foods and see which ones make you feel heavy, and which ones leave you light and agile. If you make sure that at least 40% of your diet consists of fresh vegetables and fruits, there will be lightness in the body.

What the body needs is restfulness, not necessarily sleep. It is a misunderstanding to think that sleep is the only way to rest. Even as you sit or stand, you can either be in a state of restfulness, in a state of agitation, or in a state of inertia. If you are in a lively state of restfulness, every moment of your life, the volume of sleep you require will decrease.

This article is based on a talk by Sadhguru for the 5 Minutes for Health video that was created for the International Day of Yoga 2015. Check out this and other videos on isha.sadhguru.org/health!


Shantanu had two children with Satyavati. The first one was known as Chitrangada; the second one was known as Vichitraveerya. Chitrangada, an arrogant young man, went out into the forest one day. There was a gandharva, a being with extraordinary skills, who came from elsewhere. He also had the same name Chitrangada. When this gandharva asked him who he was, the boy proudly said, I am Chitrangada. The gandharva laughed and said, How dare you call yourself Chitrangada? I am Chitrangada. This is my name. You are unfit to carry my name. You better change it. The young prince stood up and said, How dare you say this! My father has named me Chitrangada and this is my name. Lets fight it out! The gandharva insisted, There can be only one Chitrangada. They fought, and the boy was dead in an instant.

Now they only had one son left, Vichitraveerya. Vichitra means strange or queer; veerya means masculinity. So he is of a strange or queer masculinity. We do not know if he was a eunuch or very weak or homosexual, if he was incapable of getting a wife or unwilling to get a wife. At that time, getting a wife and having a child were most important. Being a king, he had to have sons, because otherwise, who would be next in line to the throne? When you go into battle, you may get killed any day. Therefore, taking a wife and having a son at the earliest possible age was essential, because otherwise, your whole empire could fall apart.

So Chitrangada was dead. Vichitraveerya was unwilling to take a wife. Bhishma was also unwilling to take a wife. The Kuru dynasty was at a standstill. There was no progeny. For his whole life, Bhishma remained the regent, taking care of everyone and everything, without ever being able to become the king. One day, the king of Kashi announced the swayamvara of his three daughters. Though the House of Kuru was the biggest and the most respected dynasty in the region, the king of Kashi did not send them an invitation, because he did not want his girls to get married to Vichitraveerya, about whose masculinity there were rumors.

Bhishma was inflamed with rage about this affront. He was committed to his country and to the Kuru dynasty above his own and anyone elses wellbeing. To correct this affront, he went to the swayamvara. At a swayamvara, young women were allowed to choose their own destiny. When it was time for a princess to marry, they would set up an event in which Kshatriyas who thought they were eligible could participate. The Kshatriyas were the warrior class of people.

The society was divided into four segments: the Brahmins, the priestly class, who were to take care of education and religion; the Kshatriyas, the warrior class, who were to rule and protect the nation; the Vaishyas, the class of traders, who were to trade, store, and distribute food

MahabharatMahabharatPART 9

Ambas Plight

MAHABHARAT SERIES


Shantanu had two children with Satyavati. The first one was known as Chitrangada; the second one was known as Vichitraveerya. Chitrangada, an arrogant young man, went out into the forest one day. There was a gandharva, a being with extraordinary skills, who came from elsewhere. He also had the same name Chitrangada. When this gandharva asked him who he was, the boy proudly said, I am Chitrangada. The gandharva laughed and said, How dare you call yourself Chitrangada? I am Chitrangada. This is my name. You are unfit to carry my name. You my name. You are unfit to carry my name. You mybetter change it. The young prince stood up and said, How dare you say this! My father has named me Chitrangada and this is my name. Lets fight it out! The gandharva insisted, There can be only one Chitrangada. They fought, and the boy was dead in an instant.

Now they only had one son left, Vichitraveerya. Vichitra means strange or queer; veerya means masculinity. So he is of a strange or queer masculinity. We do not know if he was a eunuch or very weak or homosexual, if he was incapable of getting a wife or unwilling to get a wife. At that time, getting a wife and having a child were most important. Being a king, he had to have sons, because otherwise, who would be next in line to the throne? When you go into battle, you may get killed any day. Therefore, taking a wife and having a son at the earliest possible age was essential, because otherwise, your whole empire could fall apart.

So Chitrangada was dead. Vichitraveerya was unwilling to take a wife. Bhishma was also unwilling to take a wife. The Kuru dynasty was at a standstill. There was no progeny. For his whole life, Bhishma remained the regent, taking care of everyone and everything, without ever being able to become the king. One day, the king of Kashi announced the swayamvara of his three daughters. Though the House of Kuru was the biggest and the most respected dynasty in the region, the king of Kashi did not send them an invitation, because he did not want his girls to get married to Vichitraveerya, about whose masculinity there were rumors.

Bhishma was inflamed with rage about this affront. He was committed to his country and to the Kuru dynasty above his own and anyone elses wellbeing. To correct this affront, he went to the swayamvara. At a swayamvara, young women were allowed to choose their own destiny. When it was time for a princess to marry, they would set up an event in which Kshatriyas who thought they were eligible could participate. The Kshatriyas were the warrior class of people.

The society was divided into four segments: the Brahmins, the priestly class, who were to take care of education and religion; the Kshatriyas, the warrior class, who were to rule and protect the nation; the Vaishyas, the class of traders, who were to trade, store, and distribute food

MahabharatMahabharatMahabharatMahabharatMahabharatPART 9

Ambas Plight

MAHABHARAT SERIES


grains and other goods, and the Shudras, who were to do the menial jobs. This segmentation of society was done to ensure that the right kind of breeding and training would happen.

When there were no schools, no universities, no engineering colleges, no military academies, the only way to train was with your father. If your father was a carpenter, from an early age, you learned from him how to use a hammer and chisel. If your father was a king, you learned how to use a sword and bow. The next generation naturally picked up the profession of their

father. Largely, for the sake of preserving skills, they divided and sub-divided the society. It was not the discriminatory process that it later turned into. It was a beautiful way of preserving knowledge and skills so that they grew. How different communities should eat, how they should live, what they should do to nurture their skills and their traits all these things were set. A very complex society evolved out of this.

So now they were having a swayamvara where only kings and other members of the warrior class were allowed to participate. The young women could choose their husbands no one would intervene. The swayamvara was held for three sisters Amba, Ambika, and Ambalika, who were 18, 17, and 15 years old. Amba had already fallen in love with the king of Shalva,

whose name was Salva. The svayamvara was an opportunity for her to choose him as her husband. Since she was the oldest one, she was the first one to choose. A simple way of choosing at a svayamvara was that the girl takes a garland, looks at all the candidates, and garlands the man she chooses to become her husband. Amba went up to Salva and garlanded him.

Then Bhishma walked into the swayamvara. The other warriors who were there feared him because he was a great warrior. At the same time, they knew he had castrated himself and would never marry. So they taunted him, Why has the old man come here now? Is he looking for a bride? Does the House of Kuru not have a warrior who can take a bride? Is that the reason why he has come? Bhishma flew into a rage that his clan was being ridiculed. He decided to abduct all the three girls. A battle with the other warriors broke out, but Bhishma defeated all of them. Salva fought for his bride, but Bhishma defeated and humiliated him. Then he took the three girls by force and left.

Ambika and Ambalika were happy that a brave warrior had abducted them. Amba was in tears. On their journey to Hastinapur, which was the capital city of the Kuru kingdom, she told Bhishma, What have you done? I was in love with this man, and I have already garlanded him. He is my husband. You cannot take me by force. He said, I already did. What I take belongs to the Kurus. So she asked, Will you marry me? He said, Not me. You will marry Vichitraveerya. Vichitraveerya married Ambika and Ambalika, but refused Amba saying, She put the garland on someone else and gave him her heart, so I will not marry her.

Amba asked, What am I supposed to do now? Bhishma said, I am sorry. Go back to Salva. She happily went back. But when she came back, she got a shock. Salva said, I do not take charity from anyone. I lost the battle. The old beast defeated me, and now he is trying to give me charity in the form of a bride. I will not take you. Go back and marry Vichitraveerya. No, he


grains and other goods, and the Shudras, who were to do the menial jobs. This segmentation of society was done to ensure that the right kind of breeding and training would happen.

When there were no schools, no universities, no engineering colleges, no military academies, the only way to train was with your father. If your father was a carpenter, from an early age, you learned from him how to use a hammer and chisel. If your father was a king, you learned how to use a sword and bow. The next generation naturally picked up the profession of their

father. Largely, for the sake of preserving skills, they divided and sub-divided the society. It was not the discriminatory process that it later turned into. It was a beautiful way of preserving knowledge and skills so that they grew. How different communities should eat, how they should live, what they should do to nurture their skills and their traits all these things were set. A very complex society evolved out of this.

So now they were having a swayamvara where only kings and other members of the warrior class were allowed to participate. The young women could choose their husbands no one would intervene. The swayamvara was held for three sisters Amba, Ambika, and Ambalika, who were 18, 17, and 15 years old. Amba had already fallen in love with the king of Shalva,

whose name was Salva. The svayamvara was an opportunity for her to choose him as her husband. Since she was the oldest one, she was the first one to choose. A simple way of choosing at a svayamvara was that the girl takes a garland, looks at all the candidates, and garlands the man she chooses to become her husband. Amba went up to Salva and garlanded him.

Then Bhishma walked into the swayamvara. The other warriors who were there feared him because he was a great warrior. At the same time, they knew he had castrated himself and would never marry. So they taunted him, Why has the old man come here now? Is he looking for a bride? Does the House of Kuru not have a warrior who can take a bride? Is that the reason why he has come? Bhishma flew into a rage that his clan was being ridiculed. He decided to abduct all the three girls. A battle with the other warriors broke out, but Bhishma defeated all of them. Salva fought for his bride, but Bhishma defeated and humiliated him. Then he took the three girls by force and left.

Ambika and Ambalika were happy that a brave warrior had abducted them. Amba was in tears. On their journey to Hastinapur, which was the capital city of the Kuru kingdom, she told Bhishma, What have you done? I was in love with this man, and I have already garlanded him. He is my husband. You cannot take me by force. He said, I already did. What I take belongs to the Kurus. So she asked, Will you marry me? He said, Not me. You will marry Vichitraveerya. Vichitraveerya married Ambika and Ambalika, but refused Amba saying, She put the garland on someone else and gave him her heart, so I will not marry her.

Amba asked, What am I supposed to do now? Bhishma said, I am sorry. Go back to Salva. She happily went back. But when she came back, she got a shock. Salva said, I do not take charity from anyone. I lost the battle. The old beast defeated me, and now he is trying to give me charity in the form of a bride. I will not take you. Go back and marry Vichitraveerya. No, he


refused to marry me. Then marry Bhishma. I am not going to take you back, because I am not going to take charity.

Refused there too, she went back to Hastinapur. She pleaded with Bhishma, You have destroyed my life. You took away the man I love. You brought me here forcefully. The person whom I am supposed to marry here refuses to marry me. What is this nonsense? You must marry me. He said, My allegiance is to my nation. I have given my word that I will not marry, and thats all. Imagine, this was 5000 years ago a princess,

rejected everywhere. Her man did not take her back. She had no husband. She could not go back to her father. In absolute desolation, she walked away, not knowing where to go.

Amba moved from despair to desperation, from desperation to anger, from anger to rage, from rage to thirst for revenge. She went from place to place, saying, This man destroyed my life. Is there any warrior who is willing to take this mans life? No one was willing to have a fight with Bhishma because of his prowess as a warrior.

Another aspect is, when Bhishma took the vow never to marry and castrated himself, Shantanu said, For what you have done for me today, I will give you a blessing. I have done certain tapasya. I will make all the merit and energy that I generated through this sadhana into a blessing for you, so that in this life, you can choose the time of your death. No one else can decide when

you will die only you can. With this blessing on his side, and he being the kind of warrior that he was, no one was willing to take him on.

Amba went to the Himalayan region and practiced great austerities. She thought Kartikeya, the son of Shiva, who was a great warrior, would be one person who would be able to kill Bhishma. Sitting upon the snow-clad peaks, she went into a deep state of sadhana, and called for Kartikeya. Pleased with her austerity, he appeared. When she said, You must kill Bhishma, he replied, My time of killing is over.

Earlier, in his quest for justice, Kartikeya had gone down south and had slaughtered everything that he saw as injustice. Then he came to the place which is now known as Subramanya in Karnataka. He washed his sword and said, Never again will this sword see blood. He gave up violence, went up the mountain that is today known as Kumara Parvata, and left his body.

When she called him, he appeared in this disembodied state and said, I have renounced violence. I cannot kill Bhishma. But looking at your plight and your devotion, I will give you a blessing. He gave her a garland of lotuses and said, Take this garland. Whoever wears this garland will kill Bhishma. He gave her a garland of lotus flowers that never withered.

With great hope in her heart and once again with a garland in her hands, she walked from town


refused to marry me. Then marry Bhishma. I am not going to take you back, because I am not going to take charity.

Refused there too, she went back to Hastinapur. She pleaded with Bhishma, You have destroyed my life. You took away the man I love. You brought me here forcefully. The person whom I am supposed to marry here refuses to marry me. What is this nonsense? You must marry me. He said, My allegiance is to my nation. I have given my word that I will not marry, and thats all. Imagine, this was 5000 years ago a princess,

rejected everywhere. Her man did not take her back. She had no husband. She could not go back to her father. In absolute desolation, she walked away, not knowing where to go.

Amba moved from despair to desperation, from desperation to anger, from anger to rage, from rage to thirst for revenge. She went from place to place, saying, This man destroyed my life. Is there any warrior who is willing to take this mans life? No one was willing to have a fight with Bhishma because of his prowess as a warrior.

Another aspect is, when Bhishma took the vow never to marry and castrated himself, Shantanu said, For what you have done for me today, I will give you a blessing. I have done certain tapasya. I will make all the merit and energy that I generated through this sadhana into a blessing for you, so that in this life, you can choose the time of your death. No one else can decide when

you will die only you can. With this blessing on his side, and he being the kind of warrior that he was, no one was willing to take him on.

Amba went to the Himalayan region and practiced great austerities. She thought Kartikeya, the son of Shiva, who was a great warrior, would be one person who would be able to kill Bhishma. Sitting upon the snow-clad peaks, she went into a deep state of sadhana, and called for Kartikeya. Pleased with her austerity, he appeared. When she said, You must kill Bhishma, he replied, My time of killing is over.

Earlier, in his quest for justice, Kartikeya had gone down south and had slaughtered everything that he saw as injustice. Then he came to the place which is now known as Subramanya in Karnataka. He washed his sword and said, Never again will this sword see blood. He gave up violence, went up the mountain that is today known as Kumara Parvata, and left his body.

When she called him, he appeared in this disembodied state and said, I have renounced violence. I cannot kill Bhishma. But looking at your plight and your devotion, I will give you a blessing. He gave her a garland of lotuses and said, Take this garland. Whoever wears this garland will kill Bhishma. He gave her a garland of lotus flowers that never withered.

With great hope in her heart and once again with a garland in her hands, she walked from town


to town, village to village, to find someone who is willing to wear this garland and kill Bhishma. No man wanted to even touch it. Then she went in search of Parashurama, who was Bhishmas teacher of arms, especially of archery. When she prostrated herself before him and expressed her plight, Parashurama said, Dont you worry. I will fix this for you.

Parashurama called Bhishma. Bhishma came and prostrated himself. Parashurama said, Enough of your vow and this nonsense. Just marry this woman. For the first time, Bhishma said, You are my Guru. If you ask me to cut off my own head, I will do it. But do not ask me to break my vow.

Throughout the story, you will see men who take a vow, and no matter what, they want to keep their word. These were times when people were striving to establish civilization. There were no written constitutions, no written penal codes. In such a situation, a mans word was the most important thing. When there is no formal law, a mans word is the only law. When someone gives his word, he will go to extraordinary lengths to keep it. If he breaks it, he will not be respected and considered as worthy of anything anymore.

So Bhishma said, For you, my Guru, if you want, I will cut off my head, but I cannot break my vow. Parashurama was not used to disobedience. He was super obedient. When his father asked him to cut off the heads of his three brothers and his mother, without a thought, he lopped off all the four heads. Pleased with his obedience, his father said, I will grant you a boon. What do you want? Parashurama said, I want you to bring my mother and my brothers back to life, and they got their lives back.

Since that was how he grew up, disobedience was one thing that Parashurama could not take. When he saw Bhishma was unwilling to obey, he went into a rage. He was a super angry man. Earlier, when the Kshatriyas had affronted his clan, he took a vow to kill every Kshatriya that he saw. They say he left five ponds of blood from

slaughtered Kshatriyas. Kshatriyas believed later on that by taking a dip in these ponds, they would become indomitable warriors.

Parashurama and Bhishma had a duel an extraordinary one. Parashurama had taught Bhishma everything that he knew. Both of them fought bitterly for days on end. They found no one could be the winner. Parashurama finally threw up his hands and told Amba, You have to find someone else to kill him.

Ambas journey with the garland continued, and she came to Drupadas court. Drupada was the king of Panchala, which was the second largest empire in Bharatvarsh. She asked him to take the garland and kill Bhishma. Drupada did not even want to touch it or come anywhere near Amba because by now, she had the reputation of walking like a ghost from village to village, town to town, thirsting for Bhishmas blood. When Drupada refused to see her, out of total frustration, she hung the garland that Kartikeya had given her on one of the columns in Drupadas palace and left. Drupada was so afraid of this garland that he did not let anyone touch it. Every day, they lit lamps and worshipped the garland, but otherwise, no one wanted to have anything to do with it.

Once again desolate and depressed, Amba went straight up to the Himalayas. She sat there in great austerity. Slowly, her beautiful body wilted down to skin and bones. She called for Shiva. Shiva himself appeared. She said, You must kill Bhishma. Shiva said, Is it not best if you get to kill Bhishma? Then you will enjoy the revenge even more! Suddenly, her eyes brightened. She said, How? I am a woman, and he is a great warrior. How can I kill him? He said, I will bless you that in your next life, you will kill him. Then Amba said, But in my next life, I will not remember all this, so I will not know the sweetness of revenge. Shiva said, Dont worry I will make sure that when the time comes, you will remember. You will know the sweetness of revenge for all that you have suffered. So she left her body. And she did come back.


to town, village to village, to find someone who is willing to wear this garland and kill Bhishma. No man wanted to even touch it. Then she went in search of Parashurama, who was Bhishmas teacher of arms, especially of archery. When she prostrated herself before him and expressed her plight, Parashurama said, Dont you worry. I will fix this for you.

Parashurama called Bhishma. Bhishma came and prostrated himself. Parashurama said, Enough of your vow and this nonsense. Just marry this woman. For the first time, Bhishma said, You are my Guru. If you ask me to cut off my own head, I will do it. But do not ask me to break my vow.

Throughout the story, you will see men who take a vow, and no matter what, they want to keep their word. These were times when people were striving to establish civilization. There were no written constitutions, no written penal codes. In such a situation, a mans word was the most important thing. When there is no formal law, a mans word is the only law. When someone gives his word, he will go to extraordinary lengths to keep it. If he breaks it, he will not be respected and considered as worthy of anything anymore.

So Bhishma said, For you, my Guru, if you want, I will cut off my head, but I cannot break my vow. Parashurama was not used to disobedience. He was super obedient. When his father asked him to cut off the heads of his three brothers and his mother, without a thought, he lopped off all the four heads. Pleased with his obedience, his father said, I will grant you a boon. What do you want? Parashurama said, I want you to bring my mother and my brothers back to life, and they got their lives back.

Since that was how he grew up, disobedience was one thing that Parashurama could not take. When he saw Bhishma was unwilling to obey, he went into a rage. He was a super angry man. Earlier, when the Kshatriyas had affronted his clan, he took a vow to kill every Kshatriya that he saw. They say he left five ponds of blood from he saw. They say he left five ponds of blood from

slaughtered Kshatriyas. Kshatriyas believed later on that by taking a dip in these ponds, they would become indomitable warriors.

Parashurama and Bhishma had a duel an extraordinary one. Parashurama had taught Bhishma everything that he knew. Both of them fought bitterly for days on end. They found no one could be the winner. Parashurama finally threw up his hands and told Amba, You have to find someone else to kill him.

Ambas journey with the garland continued, and she came to Drupadas court. Drupada was the king of Panchala, which was the second largest empire in Bharatvarsh. She asked him to take the garland and kill Bhishma. Drupada did not even want to touch it or come anywhere near Amba because by now, she had the reputation of walking like a ghost from village to village, town to town, thirsting for Bhishmas blood. When Drupada refused to see her, out of total frustration, she hung the garland that Kartikeya had given her on one of the columns in Drupadas palace and left. Drupada was so afraid of this garland that he did not let anyone touch it. Every day, they lit lamps and worshipped the garland, but otherwise, no one wanted to have anything to do with it.

Once again desolate and depressed, Amba went straight up to the Himalayas. She sat there in great austerity. Slowly, her beautiful body wilted down to skin and bones. She called for Shiva. Shiva himself appeared. She said, You must kill Bhishma. Shiva said, Is it not best if you get to kill Bhishma? Then you will enjoy the revenge even more! Suddenly, her eyes brightened. She said, How? I am a woman, and he is a great warrior. How can I kill him? He said, I will bless you that in your next life, you will kill him. Then Amba said, But in my next life, I will not remember all this, so I will not know the sweetness of revenge. Shiva said, Dont worry I will make sure that when the time comes, you will remember. You will know the sweetness of revenge for all that you have suffered. So she left her body. And she did come back.


NEWS & EVENTS

Highlights of the First International Day of Yoga

Since the United Nations declared the 21 June as International Day of Yoga in December last year, there has been no looking back. Millions of people observed the Yoga Day for the first time in 192 countries worldwide. Sadhguru and Isha Foundation have been actively involved in making this initiative the great success that it has become. So much has happened on and around this day in so many locations around the globe that it would be impossible to mention them all. Here we bring you some highlights of Sadhgurus and Ishas involvement and events.

Isha Lends Its Expertise to Organize the International Day of YogaFrom the conception stage, Isha Foundation worked with the Ministry of AYUSH (Department of Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy), Government of India, to plan, organize, and execute the first International Day of Yoga (IDY). As part of the Steering Committee, Isha was involved in planning and executing the IDY celebrations in India and abroad. As part of the Expert Committee, Isha contributed to the Common Yoga Protocol that was published by the Government of India, and also helped to create some of the video and print material for the event.

Yoga in Diplomacy, Business, and MediaIn the run-up to the first International Day of Yoga,

the Embassy of India, Washington DC, organized

a talk by Sadhguru on the Relevance of Yoga in Modern Life on 11 May 2015. The Confederation of Indian Industries (CII) conducted a pre-IDY event in Delhi with the Minister for Culture and Tourism, Dr. Mahesh Sharma, the former CCI President Ajay S. Shriram, and Sadhguru discussing the topic of Why Yoga. India Today also hosted a pre-IDY event, called Body Rocks, where India Today anchor Rahul Kanwal had a conversation with Sadhguru on Making the Body Rock for You.

Yoga with Sadhguru in Bengaluru and Chennai

On 20 June, Sadhguru lead a session for about 5000 people in Bengaluru. The event was inaugurated by the Chief Minister of Karnataka, Shri Siddaramaiah. On 21 June, Sadhguru also conducted a session in Chennai, where about


NEWS & EVENTS

Highlights of the First International Day of Yoga

Since the United Nations declared the 21 June as International Day of Yoga in December last year, there has been no looking back. Millions of people observed the Yoga Day for the first time in 192 countries worldwide. Sadhguru and Isha Foundation have been actively involved in making this initiative the great success that it has become. So much has happened on and around this day in so many locations around the globe that it would be impossible to mention them all. Here we bring you some highlights of Sadhgurus and Ishas involvement and events.

Isha Lends Its Expertise to Organize the International Day of YogaFrom the conception stage, Isha Foundation worked with the Ministry of AYUSH (Department of Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy), Government of India, to plan, organize, and execute the first International Day of Yoga (IDY). As part of the Steering Committee, Isha was involved in planning and executing the IDY celebrations in India and abroad. As part of the Expert Committee, Isha contributed to the Common Yoga Protocol that was published by the Government of India, and also helped to create some of the video and print material for the event.

Yoga in Diplomacy, Business, and MediaIn the run-up to the first International Day of Yoga,

the Embassy of India, Washington DC, organized

a talk by Sadhguru on the Relevance of Yoga in Modern Life on 11 May 2015. The Confederation of Indian Industries (CII) conducted a pre-IDY event in Delhi with the Minister for Culture and Tourism, Dr. Mahesh Sharma, the former CCI President Ajay S. Shriram, and Sadhguru discussing the topic of Why Yoga. India Today also hosted a pre-IDY event, called Body Rocks, where India Today anchor Rahul Kanwal had a conversation with Sadhguru on Making the Body Rock for You.

Yoga with Sadhguru in Bengaluru and Chennai

On 20 June, Sadhguru lead a session for about 5000 people in Bengaluru. The event was inaugurated by the Chief Minister of Karnataka, Shri Siddaramaiah. On 21 June, Sadhguru also conducted a session in Chennai, where about


25,000 people participated. The Union Minister for Urban Development, Venkaiah Naidu, inaugurated this event.

Yoga Session with the Prime MinisterWith almost 36,000 participants from 84 nations, the yoga event with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Rajpath on 21 June set a Guinness World Record for the largest yoga class and the largest number of nationalities to take part in a yoga class. Around 1200 Isha volunteers from the Isha Yoga Center participated in the event.

High on Yoga @ 35000 Feet

Isha Foundation tied up with SpiceJet for a unique initiative called High On Yoga @ 35000 Feet. On the International Day of Yoga, Upa-Yoga was taught to passengers on all SpiceJet flights. SpiceJet confirmed that they will be offering these practices on long-haul flights in the future as well.

Yoga at the House of LordsOn 23 June, Isha was invited by Lord Bilimoria to the House of Lords in London to take part in a session aimed at raising awareness of yoga in


25,000 people participated. The Union Minister for Urban Development, Venkaiah Naidu, inaugurated this event.

Yoga Session with the Prime MinisterWith almost 36,000 participants from 84 nations, the yoga event with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Rajpath on 21 June set a Guinness World Record for the largest yoga class and the largest number of nationalities to take part in a yoga class. Around 1200 Isha volunteers from the Isha Yoga Center participated in the event.

High on Yoga @ 35000 Feet

Isha Foundation tied up with SpiceJet for a unique initiative called High On Yoga @ 35000 Feet. On the International Day of Yoga, Upa-Yoga was taught to passengers on all SpiceJet flights. SpiceJet confirmed that they will be offering these practices on long-haul flights in the future as well.

Yoga at the House of LordsOn 23 June, Isha was invited by Lord Bilimoria to the House of Lords in London to take part in a session aimed at raising awareness of yoga in


the UK Parliament. UK volunteer George Khayat shares his experience: I had the privilege of watching some of the most politically important people in the United Kingdom listen attentively to a video of Sadhguru explaining the history of yoga, and what it really means to practice it. There was silence in the cool oak paneled room as the fifty men and women engaged in a Chit Shakti meditation. It was extraordinary to see everyone remove their shoes and embrace the simple yogic postures that they were guided through by the teacher. There was a willingness to try something new in the House of Lords. And if it can happen there, then why cant it happen across the whole country?

Yoga Demonstration in GenevaIsha Foundation also took part in organizing the largest yoga demonstration in Geneva, which saw enthusiastic participation from over 650 people, including ambassadors, permanent representatives, and other officials from various

UN bodies and other international organizations. Yoga enthusiasts, members of the local community, and Indians living in Geneva also joined the event.

Isha Samskriti at Sangeet Natak Academy, Delhi

Isha Samskriti students gave a spectacular performance at the Sangeet Natak Academy, Delhis art and culture hub, which featured a unique blend of Kalaripayattu, Bharatanatyam, and yoga. The students performed before guests of honor such as Minister of State for Culture

and Tourism Dr. Mahesh Sharma, acclaimed Bharatanatyam dancer Geetha Chandran, and Odissi danseuse Sonal Mansingh.

Sadhguru at International Conference on Yoga for Holistic Health, DelhiSadhguru gave the valedictory address at the International Conference on Yoga for Holistic Health, held in New Delhi on 21 June, and organized by the Ministry of AYUSH at the Vigyan Bhavan. Union Minister of Home Affairs Rajnath Singh was the chief guest of the conference.

Ishas Upa-Yoga in 100,000 Locations across the GlobeOn its own initiative, Isha Foundation trained 35,600 teachers to offer simple Upa-Yoga practices at 100,000 locations on six continents. The practices were also made widely available online, through websites, YouTube, social media, and apps.

Simple Practices Great ImpactRepresentative of the experiences that many Isha volunteers who have offered Upa-Yoga sessions in India and around the world have made, Dhivya, who was involved in conducting sessions in Bengaluru, summed up the immediate and visible impact these simple yoga practices have: The effect that a 90-minute module has on people is an advertisement for yoga like no other. Just a few simple practices and people come out genuinely touched, with not just a glimpse of something profound but a practice that they can sustain. To see the same experience across diverse age groups, academic backgrounds and social strata has in itself been a revelation. A validation for the universal nature of humanity and an underscore for the universal longing for more than the daily activity of life.


the UK Parliament. UK volunteer George Khayat shares his experience: I had the privilege of watching some of the most politically important people in the United Kingdom listen attentively to a video of Sadhguru explaining the history of yoga, and what it really means to practice it. There was silence in the cool oak paneled room as the fifty men and women engaged in a Chit Shakti meditation. It was extraordinary to see everyone remove their shoes and embrace the simple yogic postures that they were guided through by the teacher. There was a willingness to try something new in the House of Lords. And if it can happen there, then why cant it happen across the whole country?

Yoga Demonstration in GenevaIsha Foundation also took part in organizing the largest yoga demonstration in Geneva, which saw enthusiastic participation from over 650 people, including ambassadors, permanent representatives, and other officials from various

UN bodies and other international organizations. Yoga enthusiasts, members of the local community, and Indians living in Geneva also joined the event.

Isha Samskriti at Sangeet Natak Academy, Delhi

Isha Samskriti students gave a spectacular performance at the Sangeet Natak Academy, Delhis art and culture hub, which featured a unique blend of Kalaripayattu, Bharatanatyam, and yoga. The students performed before guests of honor such as Minister of State for Culture

and Tourism Dr. Mahesh Sharma, acclaimed Bharatanatyam dancer Geetha Chandran, and Odissi danseuse Sonal Mansingh.

Sadhguru at International Conference on Yoga for Holistic Health, DelhiSadhguru gave the valedictory address at the International Conference on Yoga for Holistic Health, held in New Delhi on 21 June, and organized by the Ministry of AYUSH at the Vigyan Bhavan. Union Minister of Home Affairs Rajnath Singh was the chief guest of the conference.

Ishas Upa-Yoga in 100,000 Locations across the GlobeOn its own initiative, Isha Foundation trained 35,600 teachers to offer simple Upa-Yoga practices at 100,000 locations on six continents. The practices were also made widely available online, through websites, YouTube, social media, and apps.

Simple Practices Great ImpactRepresentative of the experiences that many Isha volunteers who have offered Upa-Yoga sessions in India and around the world have made, Dhivya, who was involved in conducting sessions in Bengaluru, summed up the immediate and visible impact these simple yoga practices have: The effect that a 90-minute module has on people is an advertisement for yoga like no other. Just a few simple practices and people come out genuinely touched, with not just a glimpse of something profound but a practice that they can sustain. To see the same experience across diverse age groups, academic backgrounds and social strata has in itself been a revelation. A validation for the universal nature of humanity and an underscore for the universal longing for more than the daily activity of life.


Sadhgurus Message to Isha Volunteers after the International Day of Yoga

Namaskaram,

The first International Day of Yoga happened in a wonderful way through the efforts of so many of you. The volume and the quality of work all of you have established has set a new standard. You have brought Ishas unique benchmark quality to the world at large. The immense effort and love that has gone into this is closest to my heart.

35,600 teachers in 100,000 locations around the world even on board flights conducted Upa-Yoga classes for hundreds of thousands of people. Through your support, 25,000 people attended the Chennai program on June 21st.

Meanwhile, ashram volunteers worked day and night to create an online buzz. Ishas social media campaign touched at least 12 million people, the Namaskar video went viral with over 2.5 million views and the Yoga Tools mobile app has made the Upa-Yoga practices easily available to many more.

We also need to acknowledge the Government of India and the media who have played a huge role in creating awareness about this day. 192 countries celebrated the occasion and India made a double Guinness Record in Rajpath, with over 35,000 people of 84 nationalities doing yoga at a single event.

We have a lot to be proud of, but our work is not over until all the 7.2 billion people on the planet get a taste of yoga. Let us use this International Day of Yoga as a springboard to make this into a Yoga year. We have now entered Dakshinayana, the sadhana pada. Before the coming of the winter solstice, make it your sadhana to use the tools offered in the form of Upa-Yoga, and ensure at least 100 more people from your end are practicing them for their wellbeing. You have the privilege of being an active participant in raising human consciousness. May you know the joy of being a part of this.

Love & Blessings,


Sadhgurus Message to Isha Volunteers after the International Day of Yoga

Namaskaram,

The first International Day of Yoga happened in a wonderful way through the efforts of so many of you. The volume and the quality of work all of you have established has set a new standard. You have brought Ishas unique benchmark quality to the world at large. The immense effort and love that has gone into this is closest to my heart.

35,600 teachers in 100,000 locations around the world even on board flights conducted Upa-Yoga classes for hundreds of thousands of people. Through your support, 25,000 people attended the Chennai program on June 21st.

Meanwhile, ashram volunteers worked day and night to create an online buzz. Ishas social media campaign touched at least 12 million people, the Namaskar video went viral with over 2.5 million views and the Yoga Tools mobile app has made the Upa-Yoga practices easily available to many more.

We also need to acknowledge the Government of India and the media who have played a huge role in creating awareness about this day. 192 countries celebrated the occasion and India made a double Guinness Record in Rajpath, with over 35,000 people of 84 nationalities doing yoga at a single event.

We have a lot to be proud of, but our work is not over until all the 7.2 billion people on the planet get a taste of yoga. Let us use this International Day of Yoga as a springboard to make this into a Yoga year. We have now entered Dakshinayana, the sadhana pada. Before the coming of the winter solstice, make it your sadhana to use the tools offered in the form of Upa-Yoga, and ensure at least 100 more people from your end are practicing them for their wellbeing. You have the privilege of being an active participant in raising human consciousness. May you know the joy of being a part of this.

Love & Blessings,


Even the birds listening

In this timeless spaceAn eternal chant becomes

A melody so alive infectiousRiding this sound I couldnt help

Calling back memoriesFrom different times

Touching in deep hidden placesA birth

A river flowing Oh what a sweetnessA coming home

Drunk with a rhythm so old as timeWhirling and whirling into you

When even the birds cant escapeLet me become you

Alexander R., teacher trainee, Isha Yoga Center

Sixteen Years of Dhyanalinga

It has been 16 years now since Sadhguru completed the consecration of the Dhyanalinga (on 24 June 1999). On Sadhguru Spot of this day, he shared why the number 16 is of special significance: Today marks the 16th anniversary of the Dhyanalinga consecration. Sixteen is a significant number in the yogic culture. When Adiyogi transmitted his knowing, he explored and expounded 112 ways in which a human being can attain to his ultimate nature. But when he saw the time it would take for his seven disciples to grasp these 112 ways, he divided them into seven parts. Sixteen years ago, I never imagined I would still be around. I always planned to close my life by 42 or 43. Here I amdisappointing everybody.

This year again, the consecration celebrations at the Dhyanalinga reflected the all-inclusive nature of this unique consecrated space. For over 12 hours, the dome resounded with music and songs from a multitude of religious and non-religious traditions. Throughout the day, brahmacharis and sanyasis, ashram residents and guests made their offerings from Aum Namah Shivaya to Muslim chants, Christian hymns, Gurbani kirtans, Sufi songs, and Vedic chanting. The day culminated with a Guru Pooja at the Dhyanalinga, which is not only a powerful energy form but actually functions as a live Guru for all who are willing.

An Inner Engineering teacher trainee shared the profound impact these offerings of sound and song had on him in a poem:


Even the birds listening

In this timeless spaceAn eternal chant becomes

A melody so alive infectiousRiding this sound I couldnt help

Calling back memoriesFrom different times

Touching in deep hidden placesA birth

A river flowing Oh what a sweetnessA coming home

Drunk with a rhythm so old as timeWhirling and whirling into you

When even the birds cant escapeLet me become you

Alexander R., teacher trainee, Isha Yoga Center

Sixteen Years of Dhyanalinga

It has been 16 years now since Sadhguru completed the consecration of the Dhyanalinga (on 24 June 1999). On Sadhguru Spot of this day, he shared why the number 16 is of special significance: Today marks the 16th anniversary of the Dhyanalinga consecration. Sixteen is a significant number in the yogic culture. When Adiyogi transmitted his knowing, he explored and expounded 112 ways in which a human being can attain to his ultimate nature. But when he saw the time it would take for his seven disciples to grasp these 112 ways, he divided them into seven parts. Sixteen years ago, I never imagined I would still be around. I always planned to close my life by 42 or 43. Here I amdisappointing everybody.

This year again, the consecration celebrations at the Dhyanalinga reflected the all-inclusive nature of this unique consecrated space. For over 12 hours, the dome resounded with music and songs from a multitude of religious and non-religious traditions. Throughout the day, brahmacharis and

Forest Flower August 2015

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Transcript of Forest Flower August 2015