CONTENTS

Lead Article A Sense of Wonder Sadhguru on a Fresh Approach to Life 4 Musings How to Make This Your Last Lifetime? Sadhguru on How to Create a Supportive Situation for Growth 7 Information Overrides All Else Sadhguru on the Thread That Runs from One Lifetime to the Next 9

Leela Series The path of the playful – part XLVI: Bhima and the Aghori 11

In Conversation with the Mystic Youth and Education in Sadhguru in Conversation with Actor Siddharth 13

News & Happenings Sadhguru at the Aditya Birla Financial Services Group 14

First 21-Day Isha Hata Program Concluded 15

Fourteen Years of Dhyanalinga 16 Isha Kriya Camp for Sanitation Workers 17

Sadhguru Spot The Human Calamity in Uttarakhand 18 Upcoming Programs and Events Isha Yoga – Program Highlights 20

Isha Recipes For Healthy Living Kofta Curry 21 Zen Speaks: A Water Buffalo through a Window 23

FOREST FLOWER August 2013 3 SADHGURU

A Sense of Wonder Sadhguru on a Fresh Approach to Life

The following is an excerpt from a talk by Sadhguru during a 3 ½ Sathsang for meditators at the iii, McMinnville, Tennessee, on 25 April 2013.

You should see how men in rural India squat. One thing is, if you are sitting out in nature, there are ants, bugs, ticks, snakes, and other crawling creatures. Any bite will get more serious when it goes beyond the limbs. Another thing is, he just sits and wonders about everything. I would like you to try this. Just sit outside at sunset and wonder. Forget about all these things they told you, that the Earth rotates and that is why the Sun disappears below the horizon, what the distance between the Earth and the Sun is and all that. They say it is 93 million miles to the Sun. This is just a number. Had they said it is just a few thousand miles to the Sun, still you could not have gone there; still you would have believed it. Whether it is a few million miles or a few thousand miles does not make any experiential life impact on you.

If you just sit there, wondering about everything, it becomes so apparent that something beyond you is functioning. Right now, with all these lights on, music playing

FOREST FLOWER August 2013 in your ears and the phone screen in front of you a conspiracy to bullshit you? I am not saying it is all the time, you think you are the universe. You so – suppose it is so. are moving away from reality and exploration – everything is set. If you simply sat there, who could Modern science exists only for the last few hundred not wonder what this is all about? Where does it years, but religion as you know it is at least 2000 come from? How does it happen? Even a half-brain years old. With the advent of science, what people would wonder about it. believed for over 1500 years suddenly sounded ridiculous. What is the guarantee for you that what When people wonder and wonder, when they strive you celebrate right now as science will not look to know, a few of them break through. Everyone ridiculous in a few hundred years? “Science has looks, but these two eyes show you only that produced technology; we can do so many things.” which is physical, and not even that just the way People who used to believe what you think is it is. These two eyes are largely functioning based ridiculous right now also did a lot of things. on the memory that you have gathered. If you wipe out your memory, your ability to see will be The Third Eye is significant because it is a thoughtless considerably reduced. Let’s say you go out on the eye, not glazed by the past. Only an eye that is not street, a thousand people are standing there and glazed by the past can perceive the present and among them, there is someone you know well; you conjure up the future without delusions. You can will see that one person’s face more clearly than the never grapple with the realities of existence with rest of the faces. That is because there is memory. these two eyes. It is because of this that when people looked and looked, and they saw these two eyes are To at least 30–40%, your vision depends on your insufficient, they strived inward to evolve another memory. In that sense, it is a cultivated vision. dimension of seeing. Thought and emotion are constantly playing through it. People say, and it is true, your eyes are Wherever that dimension evolved, tools were a window to your thoughts and emotions. If you created that led people to knowing. Wherever that want to size up people, you have to look into their dimension did not evolve, wherever only muscle eyes. If you hate them, you have to look into their evolved, force was the way. There, they insisted eyes. If you fall in love, you must look into their that you must believe what they say; to wonder was eyes. Especially if you think you are falling in love a crime. If you wonder, you will question. If you question, someone must have an answer. If someone with them, you definitely want to know what is asks a question and the other one doesn’t have an happening with the other person. You want to see answer, the questioner – though the question their thoughts and emotions, so you look into their is coming from ignorance – seems to be more eyes because to some extent, these are the windows intelligent than the one who cannot answer it. to their thoughts and emotions. A question is not knowledge – a question is an An eye that is not glazed by a sheath of memory, admittance of ignorance. But one who does not a thoughtless eye – simply able to look at things admit “I do not know” is unwilling to admit that he without memory – is what is being referred to as is ignorant, which establishes him in his ignorance. the “Third Eye.” People who look with these two One who questions is ignorant but he has the eyes alone become fearful of existence, because possibility of moving out of it. One who refuses whichever way they look, they cannot figure out a to acknowledge his ignorance is investing in his thing. I want you to try this – look as hard as you ignorance, and he will get a lot of dividend. want with these two eyes – you cannot figure out a thing. What you read in the science textbook is not Shankaran Pillai and his wife moved to the United the point. You still do not know whether it is true States and set up their home. His wife is excited or not. How do you know if the whole science is not about being in America. She wants to throw away

FOREST FLOWER August 2013 5 everything old and buy everything new. She is of creation, is most important; otherwise, life is trying to be American. How can you be a citizen of cyclical. There is nothing wrong with that; it is just the United States if you don’t shop at least twice a a trap. What’s wrong with a trap? Actually, traps are week? Even the government encourages everyone much safer. If you trap a coon or a coot, he is much to shop, because otherwise the economy will go safer than if he crosses the highway. The highway down. So she takes to this policy and wants to spend. is not the only thing that could kill him; there are Coming from a traditional Indian background, so many predators. If he steps out into the jungle, Shankaran Pillai wants to save. In India, we always he may not last the night. If you trap him and keep look at our savings; here you look at your credit him here, he is definitely safer. But give him all the rating. So Shankaran Pillai says, “No, this is not the food that he wants, still the first opportunity he gets, way to go. This is it; you cannot spend anymore. he wants to chew through your cage and get away, You have shopped enough.” She flared up and said, no matter if he puts himself to risk. The coots and “You don’t even have the courage of the bureaucrats the coons have this much intelligence – what’s the and the politicians.” problem with you?

Once you are infected by memory, you are a slave Only human beings with so-called evolved of karma. This is what karma means – that the past intelligence prefer the trap. This evolved intelligence is glazing your eyes. You cannot see the present the is like a womb that just aborts. There is no purpose way it is. It doesn’t matter how smart you think you to it. Human intelligence has been aborted by many are, once your eyes are glazed with memory, once things. One is rigid dogmas; another one is – in they are influenced by the past, when you conjure reaction to these dogmas – distrust about everything. up the future, you invariably become delusional. If you want to touch dimensions that are not yet in This delusion leads to what the sages called samsara. your experience, just sit and wonder. Samsara means your life has become cyclical. When you are going in circles, you are not going anywhere. Something goes on, but nothing purposeful.

The Third Eye, which is not a window to your thoughts and emotions but a window to the source

66 FOREST FLOWER August 2013 How to Make This Your Last Lifetime? Sadhguru on Creating a Supportive Situation for Growth

The following is an excerpt from a Q&A session with Now he got confused. From a frayed coat and worn Sadhguru during a 3 ½ Sathsang for meditators at out shoes to an Armani suit and a Ferrari. Not the iii, McMinnville, Tennessee, on 27 April 2013. knowing what to do, he went to his rabbi and said, “I went to my accountant; this is what he told Meditator: Sadhguru, you said that if we have a me. I went to my lawyer; this is what he told me. certain seeking within us, we do not necessarily I just don’t know how to go now.” The rabbi said, have to come to the . How far does your “Listen to me. There was a nice Catholic girl. Her connection with seekers like us go? And how to name was Mary. Mary was getting married and make sure that this is our last birth? her mother advised her that for the wedding night, she must buy a nighty that is all buttoned up, Sadhguru: So the question is, “Will you guarantee full sleeved, puffs on the shoulder, well below the my liberation?” ankle; because she must present herself as a good wife to her new husband. But her school time This brings me to a very nasty joke. A man got a friend came and gave her a red-colored negligee. 1 notice from the IRS that he has to come to the That means it is negligible; the kind of thing where office for some enquiry. IRS agents are trained to the neckline is below the navel. Mary got confused turn your brain inside out; it is like an inquisition. and came to me.” He was very nervous. He went to his accountant and asked, “What do you think, how should I go?” The The man said, “Why are you telling me about this accountant advised him, “Go to the Salvation Army Catholic girl? I have to go to the IRS; I am not counter, buy a really old suit that is frayed at the getting married.” “Just listen. So I told Mary, ‘It collar and crumpled, to make you look poor. Also doesn’t matter what the hell you wear; on day one, get a pair of old shoes with different colored laces. anyway you are going to get the works.’” So if you Don’t take your Mercedes; take a taxi; then walk up. go to the IRS, anyway you will get the works, no When they see you so poor, they will for sure know matter what you wear; whether you drive a Ferrari or you go there walking. that you are not a rich guy dodging taxes, and let you go.” He got the frayed suit. He got old shoes and Liberation does not require physical proximity; it changed the laces. He prepared everything. can be done in so many ways. Physical proximity is for constant guidance to go deeper. This does Still he was nervous. So he went to his lawyer and not mean I am sitting with the ashram residents said, “My accountant gave me this advice. Do you every day and guiding them to do this or that. think this is the appropriate way for me to go?” Why people live in a certain energy space is, The lawyer said, “If you listen to that guy, you are what they cannot get with their minds, they want finished. Get yourself the most expensive suit, and their epithelial cells to get. Right now, if I ask see that the brand, Armani or something, is visible. you what the temperature is, you will open your Rent a Ferrari; park it in style, and go there. Only phone and check. But your epithelial cells know money begets money, and if you show that you are what the temperature is and they are doing what is really well to do, the wealthiest are the ones who necessary for that; even just the surface cells may are freed from taxes. This is the way of the world. be a little more intelligent than you. The cells that Just do that.” are deeper down know too many things.

1 Internal Revenue Service: U.S. government agency responsible for tax collection and tax law enforcement

FOREST FLOWER August 2013 7 People who live in such energy spaces are trying to society is structured based on the familiar. If there is mature into a situation where they don’t have to be anything unfamiliar, they want to shoot it. anxious about what will happen, because that is not the way to approach it. Even if the end is assured, In that context, living in a space that supports you don’t you want the journey to be beautiful and is good. But you do not necessarily have to go to a miraculous? If you want the journey to be magical, certain place; you can create such a space in your you have to be in a certain space that allows magic – home. You can be a little unreasonable. You can in terms of social structures, energy structures, and create a situation in your home that is not based on people around. Unfortunately, most places were not the familiar, where people need not be the way you created for something beyond the logical to happen. expect them to be. They can be whichever way, but If you do something which is not logical, you will you go about your way. If anyone in my home – have flashing lights and sirens in front of your house – either my parents or later on my wife and my this is generally the situation in today’s world. But daughter – had expected the familiar, they would if you go to places like Nepal, Bali, or Kashi, the have gone bonkers. I could be completely different whole space is geared for the magical. If you walk from moment to moment, from day to day. It is very in Bhaktapur, every two steps, there is a temple; difficult to live with a person who is wonderful at every two steps, there is a deity reminding you of one moment; next moment, you don’t even know something of the beyond. who the hell he is. But if they had tried to restrict the unfamiliar, I wouldn’t have been there – as Today, people are walking around there like tourists, simple as that. It is simply not possible for me to be but there was a time where for every step, there just one way. was a mantra; there was a certain kind of worship; there was a certain attitude. In India, inside a temple It is not that intentionally, you are being complex, apart from the main temple, there will be unreasonable. It is like the weather. It depends on ten other temples. When people go to the main what I am doing within myself on that day. It is deity – let’s say it is – they will be one way. not that I ever announce, “Today, I am in silence. Outside, there is Ganapati; they will be in a different Today, I am doing mantra. Today, I am preparing way. Their mantra is different; their attitude is for something. Today, I am working something up different; their emotions are different. When they within me.” There are days when I am extremely move on, there is Devi, and for her again, everything talkative; we talk, we discuss, we do things, we play, is different. It is incredible to see how these simple we dance, we sing. Next day, you may expect the people come and change from place to place, from same thing, but that is not going to happen. Not that god to god. How they approach them is so inbuilt I am trying to freak you out. If I am doing something into their systems that it simply happens. else within myself, I may not utter a word for the next three days. I may not look at you. I may not This malleability is needed within a human being. be interested in you. I may not even recognize your This is the reason why all these things were existence. Hats off to my wife who managed all this. created – so that you become a completely different Without that support, either I would have walked person from place to place. When you are able to out, or I should have given up what I was doing, consciously become a different person within a which was simply not possible. few minutes, when everything is changing within you for a particular purpose, when you can alter So create a home where the familiar is not the basis from this to that, from that to this, you become of your family. Create a home where people can be emotionally very stable. When your emotions are the way they want to be and it is not considered stable, you are always looking for the magical, the wrong. Just try and see. It’s a challenge. unfamiliar. Magical means unfamiliar. But now you are only looking for the logical, because the

8 FOREST FLOWER August 2013 Information Overrides All Else Sadhguru on the Thread That Runs from One Lifetime to the Next The following is an excerpt from a Q&A session with in small intricacies, but you know it’s generally the Sadhguru during a 3 ½ Sathsang for meditators at same thing. You would like to see what’s next. the iii, McMinnville, Tennessee, on 27 April 2013. To put it simply: you know you are alive right now Meditator: I’ve been hearing people say things like, and you are going to die one day. Essentially, the “I want this to be my last lifetime.” Can you explain body is something that you gathered. Though you the concept of lifetimes? have eaten food from American soil, you still look African. If I eat American food for 50 years, I will Sadhguru: This is an Indian problem. They have still look Indian. Why? all been around for 100,000 years. [Laughter] They talk about having lived for many lifetimes without Meditator: Genetics? having any experience of it. We are seeing if we can get them into the experience, because at least Sadhguru: That’s just a word. I want you to look at psychologically, they are a little prepared. Where do it in a more fundamental way. If I build a building you come from? from local material, it will look in a certain way. But if I build different human bodies with the same local Meditator: New York. material, they will still look Indian or African or Sadhguru: Do you want one more life in New York whatever else. By eating American soil, slowly, we City? If you live this life fully, would you like to should become like Native Americans, but we don’t. see what’s beyond it, or would you like to walk the If you live here for hundreds of years and don’t mix, New York streets once again? If you have lived a people who come out of you will still look the same. complete life, you have seen everything; there is Look at it mechanically. Why is it that if you put the nothing more to see. You can go on getting involved same material into different human bodies, each one of them will continue to look in a particular way?

FOREST FLOWER August 2013 9 It is a certain type of memory structure. Food and it is very obvious – we can see what kind of skin all other inputs may come from New York City, you have, what kind of nose you have and things but your skin, your nose, your eyes, and your like that. The other information is not so obvious, body are still African. There is a certain element but it is definitely there. Even in a just born child, of information in you before you are born. That you can see from one child to another, they carry information determines how you look, how you different information that makes them behave think, how you walk, how you move – everything. differently. Mothers who have more than one child Do you think there is only information that is clearly know their children don’t behave the same connected with the body, no other information? way, though the genetics are the same. If you go into a maternity hospital and look at the just born, each one of them behaves differently. The From the day they were born, even children of information is not just about the body; there is other the same parents display completely different information that goes beyond that. characteristics. Obviously, they are carrying information that is beyond what you transmitted in Don’t believe all this talk about lifetimes, but the form of body. Genetic information is being passed this much is very clear: you gathered your body on in the form of body, but the other information is from American soil, but the information is from way bigger than that. To realize that takes a little somewhere else. You build this kind of body more attention. To understand the nature of it, how because the information is overriding the material it is stacked up, what we can do with it, is a different that you gather. aspect altogether.

This body is an accumulation of the food that you Spiritual process is interested in this information have eaten. If the food is grown in Tennessee and because if it has such an overriding power, you better eaten by you, you are in some way consuming the look at it. It has the power to override whatever Tennessee soil. This area used to be Cherokee land. atmosphere you live in. It may be overriding all The Cherokees lived here for thousands of years; your intentions. You are sitting here and trying to they ate from this land and looked a particular way. meditate, but it may be doing its own thing. It is. People who lived in Africa for many thousands If you do not look at how to in some way loosen of years looked a certain way. Before people this information, if you do not look at how to keep could travel, intermingle, and mix, people looked this information aside, if you do not look at how to distinctly different in different parts of the world. transcend this information, transformation is just It is an anthropological fact that the weather, the empty talk. It is not going to happen because this land, the atmosphere – everything shaped people information will override everything. Unless you in a particular way. Now, even if I shift from India distance yourself from that information, do what to Tennessee and eat as much Tennessee food as I you want, it keeps on making you do the same things want, I will still not resemble a Native American over and over again. In the yogic system, everything person. The information that I carry within me is that we do is towards cultivating a body, cultivating overriding the material. a mind, cultivating an emotional system that will slowly distance itself from this information. This information that overrides everything else here right now is not the memory that I have gathered in this lifetime, but the information that comes from before my birth. This is what we are referring to as karma. There is a huge volume of information. The information that you carry right now is not concerned with the physical body alone. There are other dimensions of information. With the physical,

1010 FOREST FLOWER August 2013 Youth and Education in India Sadhguru in Conversation with Actor Siddharth

In another edition of the “In Conversation with the Mystic” series, Sadhguru met with young actor Siddharth on 10 January 2013 in Hyderabad under the theme “Youth and Truth.” Here is the fifth part of their conversation.

Siddharth: You said something like, “If you are Siddharth: To take the discussion to a different out of rage, you are one of us.” At the same time subject, I’ve heard wonderful things about Isha you said, if the police fail to protect people, people Home School and I am looking forward to coming need to get a gun to protect themselves. If someone and seeing the school. Education is a very important is out of rage, how can he own a weapon that can concern for a lot of my friends and me, and we’ve potentially harm people? constantly been debating where the next revelation in education is going to happen in this country… Sadhguru: One basic test that is supposed to be required to get a weapon license in India is, you Sadhguru: The Home School is at the foothills of a must be psychologically balanced. When you are in mountain. rage, are you in psychological balance? No. When you get angry, you say, “I am mad.” That’s the Siddharth: I hope to have a revelation when I visit. correct expression – you are mad. If you are mad, But where do you see the next sea change or the next you shouldn’t have a gun. Only if you are calm and quantum leap or the next revelation that is required alert, and you will use it with absolute discretion, to take education in India, especially primary only when it’s absolutely necessary, then it’s all education, to a level that is more respectable and right for you to carry a gun. I am not saying you representative for the kind of country that we are? must carry a gun; there should be people to protect Sadhguru: If we want to educate 1.2 billion people, the society. If there are no people to protect the our idea of education has to change. Over 50% of society, people will have to protect themselves, one the population are below 30 years of age. Youth way or the other; whether you like it, whether you means humanity in the making. A country full of pass a law or not. youth means a nation in the making. If you do not The most important thing is to create sufficient skill India, you will kill India. Skilling India needs to mechanisms in the society so that people are happen urgently; not over the next hundred years, protected. If once in a way, somewhere something but in the next five to ten years. happens, you cannot blame the law. Things can Now, we pass laws without knowing the reality happen; you cannot police every human being in of the nation. Just one example – there are many, the country. But if it happens too often, we have many others too. We have a “Right to Education to look at what we have done wrong. You do not Bill,” which says child labor is banned; everyone have the right to livelihood; you do not have the goes to school from first to eighth standard. right to education – they exist only on paper; you do not have a right to food or comfort or whatever The reality is different. When they come to ninth – at least the right to life is a must for a human standard, at least 60% of them cannot even write being, isn’t it? a full sentence in the local language like Tamil or

FOREST FLOWER August 2013 11 Telugu; I’m not even talking about English. They This was the aspiration; this was education. In the cannot add up five plus four. At about 14 or 15 years education process, the boy also worked, which is of age, the only thing they got to do is wear pants not a wrong thing. unlike their father’s. They never went to the farm, nor did they learn carpentry or blacksmithing or Now we think all the farmers have to go to whatever else their father’s profession is. At age 15, Agricultural University. Are there enough they have no education; they have no physical body universities for all of them? Can they leave farming to go back to the farm. for three years and become great farmers after they get their degree? We have no practical sense We are producing millions of youth like this across about what is needed. What we need is skills, not the country, who have no skill, but they have the only education. In any society, only 15–20% of the attitude of the educated. They are looking for a people are actually suitable for academic pursuit. white-collar job, but they don’t have the skills. Even Others need skills to earn a living. The nation will out of those who passed twelfth standard, even after throb with economic prosperity only when there graduation, many are completely unemployable are skills. Today in India, you can find a nuclear because we are trying to educate a mass of 1.2 billion scientist, but you cannot find a carpenter, because people with the measly infrastructure that we have. the traditional skill transfer has been destroyed. Why can we not look at this? When a five-year-old boy went to the farm with his father, it was not child The idea of doing things in a more organized way labor alone; it was education. This is the way skills is perfectly fine. But just making an idea into a law were transferred. Or if the father was a carpenter, without knowing how to execute it is not going to the boy hung around his father’s carpentry shop and work. I’m not saying it’s a wrong idea – it’s a good learned carpentry. By the time he was 15, he had a idea gone bad. For a good idea to work, you must skill. give it legs so that it can walk. Now it is up there; everyone is aspiring for it; no one can touch it. What has happened now is, you destroyed the With the present infrastructure of education, even traditional system and you didn’t establish a modern in another 25 to 30 years, we are still not going to system to compensate for that. We are producing educate the whole mass. millions of youth without any skill. The way many of them even pass exams is, the teacher is reading It’s very important that some barefoot teachers are the answers and the students are writing them left loose who will go to the villages. Half a day, you down. That way, it doesn’t take much to get 35 or teach the child about farming; another half a day, he 40. A very meager kind of education. works with his father. That way, you will produce good farmers. Bring in some scientific knowledge Siddharth: How to change this systemic problem of about farming; improve the implements that are unnecessary higher education and lack of primary available – all this can be brought forth. But instead, education? you just send him to school; till ninth standard, every day, he’s a truant, escaping not school but Sadhguru: One billion people is a big number for home, farm, and work; just going and sitting in the any nation. You are not going to change the quality, school, not learning anything. All he gets to do is he the skill level, the sophistication, and other things wears pants; he feels superior to his father. He has overnight. We must have the patience to do that. the attitude of the educated without any education. These laws are passed according to Western values – This needs to change. What are you going to do “No child labor.” When a father took his son to the with a billion people with degrees? You need people farm, he didn’t treat him as a laborer. He wanted who know how to work the land; you need people him to learn everything, to become a master of what who know how to work with things and material. he is doing, so that the son will do better than him.

12 FOREST FLOWER August 2013 Leela Series The path of the playful – Part XLVI

Bhima and the Aghori The following is an excerpt from Leela, the path of the playful, a unique exploration with Sadhguru into the mystical realm of Krishna, which took place at the Isha Yoga Center in September 2005. What happened so far: Duryodhana was upset about losing at Draupadi’s Swayamvara and pondered on what to do next. When his wife Banumathi suggested asking Krishna, he flew into a rage and banned her from contacting or meeting Krishna ever again. Deeply distressed about this because she wanted to get Krishna’s blessings for her soon-to-be-born child, she asked her sister Jalandhara for help. Jalandhara arranged a secret meeting with Bhima to get access to Krishna.

Jalandhara told Bhima that Banumathi wanted said, “I don’t know who she is, but from the way she to meet Krishna, but Duryodhana had barred is dressed and her bearing, and the fact that there her from doing so. She was also quick to express is a maid with her, she must be someone from the that she [Jalandhara] appreciates the attention palace. That’s why I was following her.” that Bhima had been paying her. He softened up. She continued to say, “If you are there on my Bhima continued thrashing him. “What else do Swayamvara, I will only garland you and no one you know?” Fearing for his life, the man said, “Shakuni and Dhushasana are planning to kill else but you.” He melted completely and said, “I Bhishma, you, and Krishna. By next Amavasya, will do anything for you. I will meet Krishna all three of you will be dead.” Bhima thrashed and arrange this for you.” Jalandhara and her him a little more. “Details.” The man said, “Across maid came out. If people came to know that she, the river, there is a sage whose name is Maha a princess, had come to the gymnasium to meet Aghori.” Aghora is an extreme, occult system of a man in secrecy, her position would be ruined. yoga. “Shakuni and Dhushasana are sitting with Therefore, Bhima let them go first and walked Maha Aghori right now and are performing black at a distance behind them, along with a friend. magic to kill the three of you.” Then he noticed that a man was standing behind a Bhima took the spy along with him. They took a tree, and after Jalandhara and her maid had walked boat and crossed the river. They went to where by, giving a little time, this man followed them. Maha Aghori was and hid behind a tree. Shakuni Bhima immediately thought the princess was in and Dhushasana were sitting with Maha Aghori at a danger. Heroic as he was, he went and caught hold fire outside a little thatched-roof hut. Maha Aghori of the man and asked him who he was. The man did was about 75–80 years of age and totally naked, as not say anything until Bhima thrashed him. After most aghoris. While he was mumbling and chanting some thrashing and a few knocked-out teeth, he something, Dhushasana and Shakuni sat there finally admitted that he was a spy sent by Shakuni. captivated, with eyes wide open. Bhima listened Since Shakuni was a master of deception, Bhima was from behind the tree. Then the aghori asked, “So concerned about what his spy knew. He asked, “Do who are the people whom you want to eliminate?” you know whom you were following?” The man Dhushasana said, “First, we want Bhishma to go. He

FOREST FLOWER August 2013 13 has always been standing in our way. Krishna also into a fury of energy, an energy that was crackling has to go, and then Bhima. He is their main strength. with tremendous sound and vibrance. Terrified, If we destroy him, we will break the Pandavas.” Dhushasana and Shakuni ran to the river, jumped into the water, and swam across. Bhima withdrew. Maha Aghori did a process to call in the Mother His job was done. He broke the spy’s neck because Goddess. Suddenly, a terrifying voice started to otherwise, he would have talked. speak and referred to Maha Aghori as “my child.” Maha Aghori said, ‘These people want Bhishma, the People who are on the Atharva marg [the path of son of Ganga, to be dead by next Amavasya.” The the occult] see, hear, smell, and taste things that you voice said, “Bhishma was given the boon to choose have never imagined. In terms of life, so much is the time of his death, so I cannot do anything about happening. These mountains here [Velliangiri] have him. What else?” He said, “Krishna Vasudeva must seen many siddhas, yogis, and seers. The energies go.” The Mother Goddess laughed and said, “He’s they left can never be killed; they are always on. divine. We cannot touch him.” Then they said, If you create the right situation, they will become “Bhima, the son of Pandu, should go.” The Mother full force. Otherwise, they are simply there. It was replied, “Do the necessary offering. We will see.” Krishna Dvaipayana in collaboration with Maha Atharvan who made the Atharva Veda a part of the Maha Aghori was about to conduct the next part of Vedas, saying that it is fit to be included. Though the ritual to have Bhima dead within one month’s people tend to misuse it, there is nothing wrong time. This definitely would have happened if things with the science itself. It’s the way you use it. You had been done right. But just at that moment, Bhima don’t have to ban the science because a few people pushed the thatched roof into the fire. The whole misused it. With that understanding, Krishna hut caught fire, Maha Aghori’s long beard and Dvaipayana or Vyasa [as he is also known], along hair too, and then his whole body. He simply sat with Parashara, made sure that the Atharva Veda there without uttering a sound. When his body was was given the same status as the other three Vedas, totally on fire, he just said, “Mother, I am coming.” which were already established as sacred books. No screams, no pain, nothing. Aghoris go through a whole lot of discipline. Maha Aghori, whom the To be continued… Mother Goddess treated as her own child, went

Sadhguru at the Aditya Birla Financial Services Group The Aditya Birla Financial Service Group (ABFSG) Pranav Sharma and Amit Vikram Sharma of the (which includes nine businesses and 16,000+ Aditya Birla Group recount their experience of the employees) celebrated its 5th Annual Day on event: 15 June. ABFSG had decided that its employees would benefit from a strong dose of spirituality Sadhguru kept the large audience on the edge of their to help them put life in the right perspective and seats with his riveting yet simple-to-understand invited Sadhguru to take a session at the event. talk. He busted the myth about work-life balance by explaining how everything we do is in fact just “life,” Three CEOs and the Investment Director of and we should learn to live it with full involvement ABFSG extended Sadhguru a warm welcome at the and intensity. What stood out loud and clear as a airport. Sadhguru’s session was attended by around central theme was to look inward. When he wound 600 people, mainly from the middle and senior down, people were left yearning for more. We feel management, and some other senior members of the blessed with his presence and grace. business conglomerate.

14 FOREST FLOWER August 2013 First 21-Day Isha Hata Yoga Program Concluded The first 21-day Isha Hata Yoga program, conducted ten years, disappeared as if by magic, telling me that within the powerful space of the Adiyogi Alayam there was much more to yield from this program. at the Isha Yoga Center, concluded on 1 June 2013. The 315 participants were initiated into several The gentleness of the teachers’ instructions helped practices including Bhuta , Surya Kriya, to open a great sense of willingness within me and Angamardana, Asanas, and Upayoga. Many of the changed my mindset from “I’ll do it only if I think participants shared that they were deeply touched I can” to “Let’s try everything.” I was able to break by the way the practices were taught and that they my limitations so easily that a feeling of joy has never knew that Hata Yoga is such a profound and blossomed from within. intense process. Through these 21 days, I became so receptive that Marie, one of the participants, describes how these this program is without any doubt the deepest 21 days brought about a dramatic improvement in experience I have had since I have been with Isha. her health and a shift in her experience of yoga: I am well aware of having received a wonderful gift and I am committed to explore it in depth. The symptoms of lupus, an auto-immune disease that results in severe joint inflammations and For more information about Isha Hata Yoga, extreme tiredness, which have tormented me for visit www.ishahatayoga.com Fourteen Years of Dhyanalinga Consecration Anniversary and Interfaith Deliberations

The 14th anniversary of the Dhyanalinga consecration Interfaith Deliberations was celebrated on 23 June at the Isha Yoga Center, The celebrations included a session of Interfaith with thousands of people visiting Dhyanalinga. The Deliberations on the “Universality of Religions” multi-religious character of the celebrations not where eminent speakers from various faiths and only found expression through the offering of chants traditions addressed the gathering. The dignitaries from various faiths at Dhyanalinga; this year, for the included the Gyalwang Drukpa – Drukpa Order, first time, there was also a public conference with Ladakh; Fr. Dr. Dominic Emmanuel – Director and leading representatives of different religious and Spokesperson of Delhi Catholic Arch Diocese, New spiritual traditions themed “Interfaith Deliberations Delhi; Imam Umer Ahmed Ilyasi – President, All on the Universality of Religions.” Events of the day India Organization of Imams and Mosques; Illaya were webstreamed live. Pattam Thava Thiru Maruthachala Adigalar – Perur Adheenam, Perur; Thava Thiru Kumaraguru Para Offering of Chants Swamigal – Sri Kaumara Mutt, ; Swami Muktidananda – Mutt, Mysore; Geshe The daylong chanting at Dhyanalinga began at Ngawang Jugney – Sera Lachi Buddhist Monastery, 6 a.m. in the morning with Aum Namah Shivaya Bylakuppe; Swami Sivayogananda – Chinmaya by Isha Brahmacharis and concluded around 6 p.m. Mission, Madurai; Sister Rajeshwari – Brahma in the presence of Sadhguru with a Mahakali Pooja Kumaris; Harjeet Singh Wahan – Gurdwara Singh by Buddhist nuns, “Yogeshwaraya” chanting by Sabha, Coimbatore, and representatives from residents, and Guru Pooja. Throughout the day, the ISKCON. Dhyanalinga dome resounded with Gurbani kirtans, Buddhist chants, Muslim and Sufi songs, Christian The different speakers outlined the universality hymns, and Vedic chants. A grand procession of of religion and spirituality according to their Linga Bhairavi’s Utsav Murti and a Maha Arati understanding. About the Isha Yoga Center, in front of Dhyanalinga crowned the festivities. Gyalwang Drukpa said, “This place has an enormous Dhyanalinga remained open until 1 a.m. at night for energy to evoke inner blessing.” He went on to define devotees to meditate. spirituality: “To my understanding, spirituality

16 FOREST FLOWER August 2013 is nothing but energy. More specially, we can say this, we say he is in yoga,” Sadhguru said. He spoke spirituality is a balance of male and female energy.” of the importance of moving from dogma and Imam Umer Ahmed Ilyasi’s spokesperson quoted beliefs to experience. “The Divine should not be an the Imam as follows: “The Lord is not the Lord of aspiration; it should be your companion,” he said. Muslims or Hindus or Christians or Jains or Jews. The Lord is Divinity and Divinity belongs to all.” Harjeet Singh Wahan opened with the traditional Sikh greeting, “Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa, Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh,” which he interpreted as “We are all children of God, and we must greet God.” He recounted how his little grandson asked him, “You keep on telling me that there is only one God. Then why are there so many religions?”

Sadhguru rounded up the event with a pointed talk, saying that all our differences come only from our beliefs and opinions; in actuality, there are no differences. He mentioned that even modern science says that the universe is just one energy manifesting in different ways. “When one experientially sees

Isha Kriya Meditation Camps for Sanitation Workers Over 600 sanitation department workers participated had not experienced since childhood. At the end in a five-day Isha Kriya meditation camp from 25 to of the program, participants expressed how in just 29 June in Erode, organized by Isha Outreach upon those few days, Isha Kriya had already made a request of the Erode Corporation to help workers difference in their lives, and that they wanted to relax and improve work efficiency. continue the practice.

The Mayor of Erode, Mallika Paramsivam, and The Isha Outreach team had conducted a similar Corporation Commissioner, M. Vijayalakshmi, 10-day program for 3000 sanitation department inaugurated the event. After the daily meditation workers of the Coimbatore City Municipal sessions, everyone was encouraged to participate in Corporation in May. various kinds of games, which allowed for moments of carefreeness, joy, and elation that most of them

FOREST FLOWER August 2013 17 Sadhguru Spot Musings from the Master

The Human Calamity in Uttarakhand Excerpted from Sadhguru Spot of 3 July 2013

In Uttarakhand, people are yet to realize the blame this tragedy on any particular organization immensity of what has happened. At one time, or government because in one day, they received continuously every year, I was in the . 340mm of rain. In the local parlance they said, It has only been the last four to six years that I “Aasman gir gaya” – the sky fell on them, literally. have stopped my trips to this region, which is one Cloudbursts, landslips, these are all natural processes of the most fantastic parts of India. One thing is, in the mountain. It is a tragedy only because we are the Himalayas are the youngest mountains on the in the way; otherwise, it is just a natural process planet. If you have traveled in the Himalayas, you of the mountain growing. What is unstable has to will see, the mountain is almost like piled-up debris. come down and stabilize itself; this is a millions-of- Once you cut roads into it – the rivers themselves years’ process. So it is not a natural calamity, it is a are cutting enough – naturally, landslips keep natural process, but it is a human calamity. How to happening. I have probably not been there once avoid the human calamity is human business. without being stuck at some point in a landslip and walking miles to get across, in over 27 trips to this Above all, we need to understand that a successful region; this is a normal process of traveling in the nation is a successful enterprise too. What is our Himalayas. strength? What is limited in us? Has something not been taken care of? It is time we look at a nation Because the mountain is so fresh and fragile, like as an enterprise, and we need somebody who is naturally piled-up debris, it will fall off very easily enterprising enough and who will handle it as an unless it is very carefully handled. The Border enterprise to make it successful. The thing is, we get Roads Organisation has done a fantastic job in the lost in the history, tradition, and so many things. We last few years. All this said, you cannot squarely have to value those things, but we have to see them

18 FOREST FLOWERAugust 2013 as traditional strengths and traditional weaknesses. 70 dams across the Ganga. Even if a man is dying in You will only see this if success is the benchmark. this country, he wants two drops of Ganga water, Right now, success is not the benchmark. Somehow but we have to tell him now the two drops that he keeping it going for five years is the benchmark. So is taking in have gone through some 150 turbines we have to set this – success is a benchmark. before they fall into his mouth.

What is this, Sadhguru? This is a very emotional, It is a certain human emotion which holds a nation ecological disaster and you are answering this way? together. Different nations have a different ethos. Yes, I am telling you this because now they will For India, Ganga, Himalayas, are very important pass some absurd ecological laws. That is not the binding factors. If you destroy them, you will have way to go about it. Emotional reactions to disasters great difficulty holding this diverse population that happen are not the answer. Already people are together as a nation after some time. People are talking on the news channels, “It must be declared already pulling in different directions. Gradually, an eco-sensitive zone; no pilgrim should be allowed. over a period of time, everybody starts thinking Why are all these people going there? Can’t they go separately, and one day, they will wonder, “Why to the local temple?” You will come out with absurd are we together?” It is not far away. When I say laws in reaction, and anyway after a few years, “not far away,” in the life of a nation, 50 years is nobody is going to follow those laws. Once all this not too much time. is forgotten, things will be back to normal. We have to look at ourselves as an enterprise and we want Do not look at this as one single tragedy or one to be a successful enterprise, not a flop. Managing incident that once the cameras are off, we will our land, our natural resources, and our human forget about and go about our business. We have to resources is very much a part of the enterprise. It is see India as an enterprise and we want a successful time we address it like that. enterprise on all levels. Love & Grace We need to understand the Himalayas and what the Himalayas have to offer. It is not the economic prospect of the Himalayas which is important for us. It is the spiritual dimension of it which has always been an inspiration for people. Your economics Visit: Sadhguru.org/spot for weekly updated you could do elsewhere; you do not have to build “Musings from the Master”

FOREST FLOWER August 2013 19 Program Highlights

Date Program Place Contact Inner Engineering Isha Yoga Center, 0422-2515421 1–4 Aug 2013 Retreat Coimbatore – India [email protected] Residential Program Andheri (West), 9930576725 7–13 Aug 2013 Inner Engineering – India [email protected] Vashi, 9920194750 7–13 Aug 2013 Inner Engineering Mumbai – India [email protected]

Jayalakshmipuram, 9743667878 7–13 Aug 2013 Inner Engineering Mysore – India [email protected]

New Delhi, 9818036205 7–13 Aug 2013 Inner Engineering Delhi – India [email protected]

Isha Yoga Center, 15–18 Aug 2013 Guru Pooja Training 0422-2515300 Coimbatore – India

Inner Engineering Isha Yoga Center, 0422-2515421 15–18 Aug 2013 Retreat Coimbatore – India [email protected] Residential Program

Hata Yoga Isha Yoga Center, 0422-2515421 26–28 Aug 2013 Residential Program Coimbatore – India [email protected]

Inner Engineering Isha Yoga Center, 0422-2515421 26–29 Aug 2013 Retreat Coimbatore – India [email protected] Residential Program

30 Aug – 2 Sep Bhava Spandana Isha Yoga Center, (Gents/English) 0422-2515300 2013 Coimbatore – India Residential Program

In the Lap of the Master Isha Yoga Center, 7–8 Sep 2013 Residential Program 0422-2515300 Coimbatore – India Conducted by Sadhguru

Sadhguruvudan Meenambakkam, 94449 22290, 97899 83260 13–15 Sep 2013 Isha Yoga (Tamil) Chennai – India [email protected] Conducted by Sadhguru INSIGHT – The DNA of Success Isha Yoga Center, 94430 09000 23–26 Nov 2013 Residential Program Coimbatore – India [email protected] with Sadhguru and Dr. Ram Charan

These programs are conducted in English, unless indicated otherwise. Current at the time of print, however subject to change. For full program schedules and updates, please visit our website: www.ishafoundation.org.

20 FOREST FLOWER August 2013 Isha Recipes For Healthy Living

Ko fta Curry

Ingredients 4 medium Tomatoes 1 tablespoon + to fry Sesame oil 2 teaspoons Pav bhaji masala ½ teaspoon Sugar Salt to taste 2 medium Potatoes ¼ cup Fresh mint leaves 2–3 sprigs Fresh coriander leaves

Preparation Method 1. Place the tomatoes in a pan and pour just enough water to cover them. Bring to a boil and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Drain off water; cool the tomatoes, remove the skin, and chop them. Place in the jar of a blender and blend to a smooth paste.

2. Heat 1 tablespoon of sesame oil in a pan.

3. Add the tomato puree and sauté till it thickens a little.

4. Add the pav bhaji masala powder, sugar, and salt. Sauté until the oil separates from the mixture. Add about 3/4 of a cup of water and bring to a boil.

5. Boil the potatoes separately, cool and peel them. Mash them well. Chop the fresh mint and add. Add the salt. Mix well and divide into small portions. Roll into balls.

6. Heat sufficient oil in a kadai or wok and deep fry the balls until golden brown. Remove with a slotted spoon. Put these koftas in the tomato gravy 5 minutes before serving.

7. Chop fresh coriander leaves and sprinkle on the dish.

8. Serve hot.

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