Volume 6 / Issue 02 Feb 2018

Creation
The swirling mist in the
valley, causes haze in me
like the Hashed-out mind
of a yogi. Haze not of hallucination
But like the haze of the Beginnings

Grace & Blessings

 EDITORIAL

Dear Readers,

With MahaShivRatri, the greatest event of the year in the Isha calendar, coming up
this month, we bring you Sadhguru answers to questions about Adiyogi – The Shiva,
who is the center of this festival, in the article “Adiyogi: The Ultimate Solution is
Dissolution.” In our Sharing Experiences section, read a moving account by priests
from Varanasi, who performed the “Saptarishi Arati” in front of Adiyogi – Source of
Yoga this winter solstice, and for the first time ever outside the Kashi Vishwanath
Temple!

In the final part of our Lead Article series on chakras, Sadhguru illuminates yet another
aspect that is beyond what our physical eyes can see, i.e. “The Formation of Chakras.”
Once the fundamental tools for this life in the form of our physical body and energy
system have formed, the question is, “How to Live the Best Life Possible”? In an
excerpt from the Sadhguru Spot, Sadhguru offers promising approach and a simple
method toward this goal. In our Mahabharat series, Sadhguru uses “Durvasa’s Visit”
as an example at what point enlightened beings choose to intervene in the course
of events, while essentially leaving the responsibility for one’s own life with each
individual.

Also in this issue, a flurry of event highlights of the past few weeks. And last but not
least, this month’s recipe is set to tempt you with a crunchy indulgence: “Nippattu
Thattai,” a traditional South Indian snack that may put your sense of moderation to
the test. Enjoy!

The Editorial Team

Contact the Editorial Team:

Isha Forest Flower, Isha Yoga Center, Velliangiri Foothills, IshanaVihar Post, Coimbatore – 641114
forestflower@ishafoundation.org

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be held liable for any consequences in the event of such claims not being honored by the advertisers.

2 | ISHA FOREST FLOWER February 2018

CONTENTS
LEAD ARTICLE MAHABHARAT

The Formation of Chakras 06 Part 39: Durvasa’s Visit – Averting

Fury and Curse 08
IN CONVERSATION WITH THE MYSTIC
Adiyogi 04
The Ultimate Solution is Dissolution

LEAD ARTICLE
The Formation of Chakras 06

MAHABHARAT
Durvasa’s Visit – Averting Fury and Curse 08

SADHGURU SPOT
How to Live the Best Life Possible 10

NEWS & EVENTS

Sadhguru in Jaipur / Sadhguru Delivers Keynote Speech at ICOMOS / Golf Fundraisers for Rural
Education / Sadhguru in Kolkata / Rally for Rivers Initiative Reaches the Northeast /
Sadhguru Addresses Global Landscapes Forum / BSF Empowered by Isha Yoga /
Sadhguru Inaugurates Mystic Kalinga 13

SHARING EXPERIENCES
Saptarishi Arati at Adiyogi 16

UPCOMING PROGRAMS & EVENTS

Mahashivaratri and Yaksha 2018 18
Isha Program And Event Highlights 20

ISHA RECIPES
Nippattu Thattai (Crunchy Snack) 21

ZEN SPEAKS
If I Don’t Go to Hell, Who Will? 23

February 2018 ISHA FOREST FLOWER | 3

 IN CONVERSATION
WITH THE MYSTIC
The Ultimate Solution is Dissolution
In the following excerpts of their conversation, award-winning poet, writer, and co-author of Sadhguru’s
book Adiyogi: The Source of Yoga, Arundhathi Subramaniam, poses probing questions about Adiyogi
and his relevance, as well as solutions to individual and global issues of our times.
Why Adiyogi’s Time Is Now
Arundhathi Subramaniam: You say that Adiyogi
represents a reminder that truth is the only authority,
whereas so far, authority has masqueraded as
truth.
Sadhguru: Many people are asking me these
questions, “Sadhguru, why set up an Adiyogi
image, bring out an Adiyogi book, and all this now?”
When Adiyogi appeared over 15,000 years ago and
the Saptarishis1 asked, “How are we going to teach
the world?” Adiyogi said, “Your business is not to
teach. Your business is just to preserve the seed
that I am giving you. If you preserve the seed, when
the atmosphere is right and a drop of water falls on
it, it will anyway sprout and blossom.”
In many ways, we have come to this point, because
for the first time in the history of humanity, more
human beings can think for themselves than ever
before. Whether they are thinking straight or not
is questionable, but they are thinking something,
which was not so in the past. In earlier times,
your priest, your pandit, or your scripture thought
for you. Once you think for yourself, it has to be
logically correct – at least to your mind. If I throw
something at you that is not logically correct, you
cannot swallow it. That means you are slowly
becoming incapable of believing. Your belief is
only to a point of convenience. What most people
1
Seven disciples
4 | ISHA FOREST FLOWER
Adiyogi
think is devotion is just deception. They are trying
to make a convenient deal with God.
This is the appropriate time for Adiyogi – because
he does not demand belief. He asks you to explore
your life. To explore, you need tools. As human
beings, we are dominating this planet only because
of our ability to use tools, nothing else. Otherwise,
could you tame elephants or tigers? “Tyger, tyger,
burning bright2” is gone. Now we have to “Save the
tiger.” Only because of our ability to use tools, we
are dominating. Adiyogi does not demand belief,
worship, or following – he just gives you tools
to explore life. That is why he is so impersonal –
simply there, unmoved. This is not the silly game
of “I will break a coconut for you – what will you
do for me?” Or, “I will light three candles for you –
what will you do for me? I will give so much money
for you – what will you do for me?” With Adiyogi,
it is a different game. This is not a market place.
Here, the only true solution is dissolution.
Now that human logic has evolved to a certain place,
after 15,000 years of incubation, Adiyogi is coming
of age. You will see in the next couple of decades,
humanity will appreciate this like never before.
Because people did not have the intellect to grasp
it, because they wanted to believe something, the
South Indian calendar art made him into a chubby
looking man who sits there, and he is supposed to
bless you – though the culture always says that he
Refers to poem “The Tyger” by William Blake
2
February 2018
is the destroyer. That means he will dissolve you.
He will make you non-existent. A time has come
where human mind is ready to wonder, ready to
explore, ready to go through the adventure of not
knowing. When scientists are declaring, “We not
only do not know – we will not know,” I think the
world is ready to live not knowing.
Participant: The power of ignorance…
How to End Violence?
Arundhathi: A question from the audience: Why
is there so much violence and suffering in the
world? Why are the yogis not doing their bit? Why
is Adiyogi going to sleep when he is needed most?
Sadhguru: This reminds me when I was designing
Adiyogi’s face, I worked with a group of people,
and it took nearly two-and-a-half years to get the
face the way we wanted it. I did not express this to
people, but I wanted a face that is still but exuberant
and intoxicated at the same time. The most
exuberant dimension of life is stillness because it
is from the stillness of the space that everything
else has come. But we are so enamored with the
little activity of the atoms and the molecules and
things that we are missing the larger landscape
on which all this happens. We are talking about a
dimension which takes you beyond all this.
Let us say tomorrow morning, I will stop all the
violence on this planet. What will you do after that?
Will you live absolutely fulfilled, joyful, exuberant,
and fantastic? You will find new problems. No
violence has hit you yet, has it? The worst violence
that is happening on the planet is in your mind. You
are constantly stabbing yourself. You may have all
kinds of exotic names for this, like pain, misery,
depression, or panic attack. All that has happened
is your own intelligence has turned against you.
I want you to know this – once your intelligence
turns against you, no yogi, Adiyogi, or god can save
you.
What Happens When Enlightened
Ones Die?
Arundhathi: Another question from the audience:
What happens to enlightened beings when they
die?
Sadhguru: I don’t know what happened to the
others. As far as I am concerned, nothing will
happen, because even now I’m dead. Actually,
someone once almost gave me a certificate that I
am dead. They wanted to check the gamma waves
in my brain. They put some electrodes, and after
some time, they were hitting at my elbow with
some steel item. I thought okay, this may be some
experiment of theirs. Then they started hitting my
knees and my ankles – all the places that hurt the
most. I opened my eyes and asked, “What’s the
matter? Why am I being beaten up?” They said,
“Our machines are saying you are dead.” I said,
“That’s a great diagnosis you are making.” Then
they came up with the second opinion, “Or maybe
your brain is dead.” I said “No, no, no. You can give
me a certificate that I’m dead – I don’t mind that.
Braindead is a bad thing for me.”
So, everything will go on just fine. Don’t ever try to
build a logical bridge to a dimension that is beyond
physical nature. You cannot touch that which is
not physical with logic. If you try to build a logical
bridge to that which is beyond, you will only end up
in one more illusion of your own that you believe in.
This is why belief has become popular – because
you want to build a logical bridge to a dimension
that is beyond physical nature. That is what you
need to stop. Adiyogi will not let you build a bridge.
There is no other way – you will have to learn to fly.

If you look back on the history of humanity, we are

living in times with the least amount of the violence.
Of course, there is eminent violence with nuclear
bombs and the like, but day-to-day violence is way
lower than ever before. But there are aberrations in
human societies, and it would be great if that goes.
But if you cannot remove the violence in your mind,
how do you expect it to disappear from this planet?
What is happening in the world is just a larger
manifestation of what is happening in your mind.
Tell me the day when there is no anger in you, there
is no irritation in you, there is absolute blissfulness
in you. On that day, we will make it work. Till then,
as long as you are capable of violence in your mind,
someone will manifest it on the street.
February 2018 ISHA FOREST FLOWER | 5
 LEAD ARTICLE

The Formation of Chakras

In this article, Sadhguru writes about when and how chakras form after conception, and how culture
and traditions have ensured the best possible development of the child in the mother’s womb.
Questioner: Namaskaram, Sadhguru. When a baby
is formed in the mother’s womb, when and how do
the chakras start manifesting?
Sadhguru: Somewhere around the twelfth week,
only one chakra is formed, which is the muladhara.
Within the first twenty-eight to thirty weeks,
depending upon the developmental quality of the
fetus, the first five chakras up to vishuddhi are fully
established. The other two, agna and sahasrar, do
not establish to the same extent in every human
being. This is why the moment a child is born, the
first thing they do in this culture, after washing
the baby, they put a little bit of vibhuti between
the eyebrows. Just in case the agna is not yet
developed, we want the child to start focusing in
that direction.
You should not make judgments about people
based on this, but I would say in nearly thirty to
thirty-five percent of the newborn infants, the agna
may not be developed. The sahasrar generally
is not developed for most of them – that slowly
evolves. If you observe the way their eyeballs
move, you will know whether an infant’s agna is
established or not. Traditionally, just by looking
at the eyeball movement, people could say if the
infant would become a sage. A sage need not
necessarily mean someone who will go and sit in
the jungle or a cave. In some way, a sage or a seer
is someone who sees things that others do not
see. It could also be a visionary businessman, or a
visionary leader – someone who sees things more
clearly than others.
If we take care of certain things, we can
ensure that within the mother’s womb,
maximum development happens.

6 | ISHA FOREST FLOWER February 2018

In the first three months of a child’s life, we can
distinctly see to what extent the agna developed
in the mother’s womb – this will determine many
things. This does not mean that those whose agna
is not developed at birth cannot develop it in their
lifetime – they can
if they work on it. But they will need to do a little
more work than others. Both childbirth and death
are a big business today, so these things are
going away. Otherwise, in this culture, even before
conception, the woman is taken care of in a certain
way, in terms of how she should be, and what
things must happen. People go to certain types of
temples at that time, they are offered certain types
of foods, and they read certain scriptures.
What kind of atmosphere they should be in, who
they should or should not meet, what kind of colors
and forms they should or should not see – all
these things were taken care of. There were strict
prescriptions, from preconception to delivery. The
only other culture that has a similar kind of tradition
is the Jewish culture. They may be maintaining it
better today than the Indian people.
Our own lives, our economic matters, our
parties, our social nonsense have become so
important that we are not so interested in the
next generation.
Indians are too eager to drop their culture and
get westernized, so they don’t do all these
things anymore. With economic wellbeing, these
traditions may come back to some extent. If we
take care of certain things, we can ensure that
within the mother’s womb, maximum development
happens. Maximum development does not mean
maximum weight – this is not how it was judged.
When a child is born, the first thing that you watch
is how their eyeballs move. Are they confused,
focused, or is he able to see what is around him?
You will see certain infants have the look of an adult
in their eyes. One indicator is the steadiness of the
eyes, how a child observes and looks at things.
Another thing is how a child cries. By the way the
child cries in the beginning, immediately, hearing
the cry, intuitive people were able to say what this
child will become. Some cry out of confusion of
being in a new space, some cry in an angry way,
because they are disturbed by this nonsense of
birth. You can see the ways they cry are different.
Particularly the midwives, who have facilitated
many births, were able to tell. Your wife may
deliver, but without a skillful midwife, mother and
February 2018
child may not live.
If we took care of certain things for the mother,
the development of the child’s chakras within the
mother’s womb could be determined to some
extent. But today, our economic activity and social
activity are such that heavily pregnant women are
still going to office to work, still partying, eating,
drinking, and smoking. That way, it is entirely left
to nature – we don’t have a role in how the chakras
develop. But if we do the right things, there are
ways to work towards specific qualities. You could
compare it to growing a crop – the outcome is
never one hundred percent in your control. But if
you do all the right things, you will have a better
outcome.
The idea behind all this is that the child that we
produce must be of a better quality than we are.
But that care, that kind of involvement to make it
happen, is gone unfortunately, because our own
lives have become too important.
If the next generation becomes less than us
in some way, it is a crime against humanity.
Once, a very skinny, small built woman was
consulting us. Heavily pregnant, she came to work
with us, and I asked her, “When are you due?” She
said, “Probably tomorrow morning.” Then I said,
“What the hell are you doing here?” She said,
“No, this is my second child. Even last time, I was
working till two hours before I delivered.”
Our own lives, our economic matters, our parties,
our social nonsense have become so important that
we are not so interested in the next generation. We
are not responsible enough to think in terms of how
the next generation should be better than us, which
is very important. If the next generation becomes
less than us in some way, it is a crime against
humanity. You are supposed to push it forward, not
backwards. Maybe I should write a book on what
different things you can do to influence the child.
But then too many people may get pregnant – that
is a problem. I think I will write it towards the end of
my life. I do not want a population explosion when I
am here – no baby boom.
ISHA FOREST FLOWER | 7
 MAHABHARAT PART 39
SERIES
Mahabharat

Durvasa’s Visit –
Averting Fury and Curse
What has happened so far: The Pandavas are exiled in the forest for twelve plus one years. Surya Deva,
the sun god gives Draupadi the Akshaya Patra, a bowl that provides an abundant supply of food which
lasts every day until Draupadi herself eats, after she served food to everyone else.

Sage Durvasa came to Hastinapur. He was known
to be a very angry man. For the smallest things, he
would flare up and curse people. The Mahabharat
and even the Ramayan are full of his curses.
Wherever he went, if he was pleased, he would
bless them. He was the one who blessed Kunti
with the mantra [that enabled her to receive a son
from anyone she wished]. He was also the one who
cursed a series of people. Wherever sage Durvasa
went, everyone was on their toes to make sure that
he did not get angry.
When Duryodhana came to know that sage Durvasa
was on his way to Hastinapur, he went outside the
gates of the city to receive him, which was a very
unusual thing to do for Duryodhana. When he saw
Durvasa, Duryodhana prostrated, welcomed him,
brought him to the palace, and offered him the best
possible hospitality to keep him happy. By then,
Duryodhana had come to know about the Akshaya
Patra, a bowl that Draupadi had received from the
sun god. People kept coming to visit the Pandavas
in the forest, and because of this bowl, Draupadi
was able to feed them well. The fact that the
Pandavas were eating well and that they were even
entertaining guests made Duryodhana furious.
According to him, such things were not supposed
to happen in the forest exile. Things were going on
well for the Pandavas in the forest. Duryodhana
wanted to change that.
A few days into Durvasa’s stay with him,
Duryodhana suggested, “My brothers, Pandu’s
sons, are in the forest, because of some unfortunate
circumstances. As you have blessed me, they must
also receive your blessings. Please go and bless
my brothers.” Duryodhana sent his men to guide
Durvasa to the Pandavas’ camp in the forest.
He made sure Durvasa got delayed on the way.
Duryodhana had told Durvasa that he would make
arrangements at the camp for him and his people.
But actually, the Pandavas and Draupadi were not
informed about the impending visit. dfew hundred
Duryodhana wanted Durvasa and his entourage to
reach the camp after Draupadi had eaten her food,
so that she would have nothing to serve Durvasa
and he would get angry, which for sure would be a
disaster for her and her five husbands.
Durvasa and his disciples arrived at the Pandava
camp after Draupadi had eaten, late in the afternoon.
They were very hungry from walking all the way

8 | ISHA FOREST FLOWER February 2018

from Hastinapur. Naturally, being a well-known
sage, he expected a certain level of hospitality.
The Pandavas welcomed him and said, “Please
have your ritual bath in the river and then please
come for food.” They did not know that Draupadi
had already eaten, which meant food would not
come again before the next day. Durvasa and his
disciples went to the river to have their ritual bath.
Then, Draupadi came to know about their arrival,
and she was in great distress. There was no point
asking anyone around, because there was no one
there who could provide food. And there was no
point bothering her husbands either. At the most,
they could have gone hunting, but Durvasa did not
eat meat.
She knew a curse from Durvasa would be disastrous
for them. Twelve years plus one year in exile was
already a big enough disaster. Durvasa may curse
you for a hundred years. She called out to Krishna,
“Oh Krishna, only you can save me! Do something.
I don’t want this sage to curse us now, when we are
already down.” Krishna had promised her earlier,
“Whenever you call, I will be there.” He appeared
and Draupadi told him her plight, “Durvasa is here
with his disciples. He is hungry. He will be back
from his bath any minute. I have nothing to offer.”
Krishna said, “Why only Durvasa? I’m also hungry.
Is there nothing at all?” Krishna asked. She said,
“Nothing.” Then he said, “Show me the bowl.”
At the time when the news of Durvasa’s arrival
reached her, Draupadi had just finished eating and
was yet to go and wash the bowl. There was one
tiny piece of a vegetable stuck to the bowl. Krishna
took it and put it in his mouth. Draupadi said, “What
are you doing, eating a leftover from me!” He closed
his eyes and said, “Oh, I’m so full.” She thought he
was mocking her – eating a small, leftover piece of
vegetable and saying he was full. She said, “Don’t
be so cruel. I’m already in great distress because
these people are waiting and I have nothing to
offer. And now you are doing this to me!” He said,
“No, Panchali – I’m really very full,” and he burped.
Down at the river, Durvasa and the people who
accompanied him had finished their bath. They
were supposed to come for lunch now, but they
all suddenly felt overfull. They said, “We can’t
eat. We don’t need food.” “You cannot refuse our
hospitality – please come.” The Pandava brothers
insisted, not knowing about the whole situation.
Now, this was a problem – when someone is
asking you to come for a meal, you cannot say
“no.” So they said, “We will come. You go – we will
follow you.” When the Pandavas went to the camp
to make some arrangements, they saw Krishna.
They said, “Krishna, when did you arrive?” He said,
“Draupadi invited me for lunch, so I came.” They
said, “Durvasa and his disciples have come. They
are also going to have lunch.” Krishna said, “Please
February 2018
bring them.” Nakula went to look for them, but no
one was there. They had all run away, because
their stomachs were so full, and they could not
have come and said they will not eat.
In many situations, when things were about to
really go off course, the Pandavas always got
help in some form, which was nothing short of
miraculous. When Krishna seemed to let everything
happen, and things were going to spill out of
control, course corrections were always done.
People made judgments, “Why all this? Could you
not have done something earlier? You could have
avoided the whole situation. You could have made
sure Durvasa lost his way, or something like that.”
But that is not how it works. You do not interfere
with anything and everything. You let it run its
course. Only when it is going beyond a certain
point, you pitch in. Repeatedly, therefore, Krishna
said, “I’m not here to continuously play the game
for everyone. Everyone should play their own
game. The only thing is that it should go where it
needs to go. If it doesn’t, some corrections will be
made here and there. But I cannot interfere with
your life at every point.”
This means that Grace does not mean you do not
have a life to live. It does not mean you do not have
to use your brains or your body. In fact, it means
you have to use it much more than ever before,
because you are working with a partner who is
of a different nature. When you have a partner
like that, you better work to the limit. Do not think
that because you have a good partner, you can sit
around – then he will not be your partner. It is so
even if your partner is a human being. If you have
a great partner, you will have to strive to do great
things – otherwise you won’t have a great partner.
This is the message that Krishna is constantly
giving to them: “Yes, I’m there, but you have to do
what you have to do.” In the name of devotion, in
the name of the Divine, people tend to become lazy,
lethargic, and do not explore the full potential of
who they are. So Krishna is constantly telling them,
“It is your complete involvement in every aspect
of life which is most important. I’m there but you
have to do what you have to do.” The very Gita is
just this. Arjuna is trying to throw up his hands and
say to Krishna, “Why should I do it? Anyway you’re
there – just fix it.” But Krishna said, “You have to do
what you have to do. Especially because I’m there,
you have to do more than you would normally do.”
ISHA FOREST FLOWER | 9
 SADHGURU
SPOT

How to Live the Best Life Possible

On this Spot, Sadhguru cautions that setting goals means depriving yourself of greater possibilities. If
you want to lead a truly successful life, there is a better way to approach it, he points out, and offers a
simple method towards this objective. He also explains why the mentality of “doing less, getting more”
not only means deceiving others but, above all, yourself.

There are two ways to address your life. One way
is to set goals and go for them. What kind of goals
will you set? Something that you are impressed
with in the world, something that you have not yet
done, something that is yet to be in your life. You
are trying to be like someone else or do something
that someone else is doing. Whatever goals
you arrive at, they are all in some way within the
limitations of what you already know, or maybe a
little exaggerated versions thereof. Is it not tragic
to spend a whole year trying to achieve what you
already know? My intention is things that you do
not know should happen to you. Things that you
have never imagined should enter your life. Only
then will your life be truly enriched. What is the
point of only doing things that you already know?
When it comes to financial or physical things that
you want to achieve, maybe if it matters to you,
you can set up such goals. Personally, I think even
that is a waste of life. Suppose you have a million
dollars and your goal is to have a billion dollars by
the end of the year. If it doesn’t happen, it’s a good
thing because you have lived in that hope. But if it
happens, let’s say in January itself, then what will
you do? You will want to make it ten billion dollars.
There was a time when you could be happy with
one dollar. Now for the same happiness, you need
a million dollars. That’s called inflation. That’s not
enhancement of life.
All that you do with life is create inflation. Inflation
is neither good for the economy nor for your life.
In physics, inflation means filling up something,
like you inflate the tires of a car with air. But in
economics, inflation means certain parameters go
out of control. Now you are consciously causing
inflation in your life – that is not an intelligent
way to go about it. By setting time-bound goals,
you may achieve a few things, but it will be of no
consequence to the life that you are.
Things that you have never imagined should
enter your life. Only then will your life be truly
enriched.
Instead of setting goals for the whole year, just set
this one thing: By the end of the day, you must be
a little more joyful, a little more enhanced, a little
better. This will not work as a goal – it is better
to look at it in retrospect. Tomorrow evening, just
check, “Am I a little better than yesterday?” Just
look at these twenty-four hours – it will make you
more conscious. This is not about you being joyful
or peaceful. This is about you being conscious of
as many aspects of your life as possible.

10 | ISHA FOREST FLOWER February 2018

You will do your best about whatever you are
conscious of. Most of the nonsense happens
because you are unconscious about so many
things. All we need to do is to become conscious
about everything – about our own nature, our
mental states, our emotional states, our life, our
physical situations, our financial situations, our
ecological situations. If you become conscious, you
will do your best. That’s all you need to do in life.
But right now, you believe that unless you create a
tension, you will not achieve anything. To get from
where you are to where your goal is, you create a
tension – it is like a rubber band effect. You try to
keep moving from one place to another. From one
level of social status to another. From one financial
status to another. From one educational status to
another. This is no different from how the caveman
was, how hunters and gatherers were – “gather as
much as you can.”
In those days, they piled up bones, feathers, and
the like. Now maybe you are thinking of stocks,
shares, and property. Maybe you are thinking of
conquering another nation. On a material level, it
looks different, but fundamentally, it is the same
rudimentary thought of accumulating things. All
this accumulation would make sense, had you
organized transport to take all these things with
you when you die. Having your own furniture
in Heaven or especially in Hell would be great.
Otherwise, who knows – maybe they will give you
this chair with a straight back that you don’t like,
so taking your own sofa with you would be great.
Anything that you gather, whether it is your
knowledge, your wealth, your relationships, or
whatever else, is only of value for the current
transactions. If you keep it active, it will facilitate a
few things for you. It has social consequence, but it
has no life consequence. Instead of setting goals,
it is best you find ways to nourish this life that you
are. If you are nourishing this life, you only have to
measure the growth. Suppose you plant a mango
tree. If you set the goal that by the end of 2018, it
must bear a thousand fruits, otherwise you will cut
it down, all that will happen is you will cut the tree.
The way to do it is to see how to nurture this tree
in the best possible way,and to do that. Don’t worry
about getting a thousand fruits. Whatever best can
come out will come out of it. If you nourish it in a
certain way, it may be more than you can imagine.
It is not good to set goals in any sphere of life,
because you will only be doing something that you
already know. Nothing completely new will happen
in your life. I think that’s a tragedy. Your dreams
coming true is no good. If what you could not
even dare to dream of becomes a reality – that’s
a fantastic life. Results will happen depending on
how well you handle the process of life, as well as
on the times and on where you are. Today you may
February 2018
put in a certain amount of effort, and you will earn
a million dollars. A thousand years ago, someone
ten times smarter than you put in a lot of effort,
but still he only earned a small amount. But this
comparison is not the point. The important thing is
that for the times he lived in, he yielded the best he
could. For the times you live in, are you yielding the
best you can? That is the question.
I know every management school is talking about
setting goals. But goals are not set for themselves
– they are set to drive other people. There are a lot
of people who will never do their best – they are
always under par. They are not conscious enough
to understand that as a human being, you must do
the best you can in your life. Otherwise, life will be
wasted. For such people, you have to set goals. If
you are a donkey, the less you do, the smarter you
are, because there are no other possibilities for
you beyond eating, reproducing, sleeping, hanging
around, and dying one day. Because there are no
possibilities, the less you do, the better. Too many
people have adopted this donkey philosophy.
They think if they do less and get more, they are
doing well. In reality, they are just stupid. They are
missing the whole possibility of life.
By the end of the day, you must be a little
more joyful, a little more enhanced, a little
better.
Human life really happens if you throw yourself
into everything. If you hold back, you will miss life.
If you do not give yourself totally to what you are
doing, you don’t deceive someone else –you only
deceive yourself of life. Once, bad times came upon
Shankaran Pillai. He was a construction laborer,
doing menial work to earn a living. He had to carry
twenty-five bricks on a board, take them up three
floors, put them there, come back down again,
and so on. But after some time, once the foreman
was gone, Shankaran Pillai started carrying the
same set of bricks up and down. People who were
working with him watched this and said, “Hey,
why are you bringing back the bricks?” “Well, the
foreman is not looking, right?” “But now you are
carrying the bricks both ways, you idiot! Otherwise,
at least coming down, you would not have had to
carry the load.”
This is what happens if you try to do less – simple
things will become burdensome in your life. People
are having so much trouble just going to the
office and doing nine-to-five work They are not
managing the company. They are not managing
the government. It’s just a chunk of work that
someone has given them, just for a living – how
ISHA FOREST FLOWER | 11
 complicated they are making that! From that, they
are getting high blood pressure and their heart is
breaking. You must see the scenes that happen
in families. Just two people living together – how
complicated! Little children – how much suffering
they cause! Only once in a way, they are a joy – the
rest of the time, people suffer them immensely.
…life works best when you throw yourself into
it, without bothering about what comes back.
Their work, their children, their spouses, their
homes, their jobs, their driving – people suffer
just about everything. This happens because they
are not conscious enough to understand that life
works best when you throw yourself into it, without
bothering about what comes back. Life happens
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12 | ISHA FOREST FLOWER
because of your involvement, not because of what
you get. What are you going to do with what you
get? The only sick pleasure you could have is if
you compare yourself with someone else who has
less than you. If you want to know and enjoy life, if
you want to explore the full potential of this life, the
only way is through absolute involvement. Let us
see what will come out of it. If it is winter, nothing
comes out of the earth. In springtime, with a little
effort, a lot comes out. The same goes with life.
The biggest mistake people make is to be goal-
oriented. If you set yourself the goal to get
enlightened by 2018, you will be totally messed up
by the end of the year. If you just do what you have
to do, life will naturally flower.
May the coming year bring the Best to you.
Blessings,
February 2018
 NEWS AND
Sadhguru in Jaipur EVENTS
Jaipur, 9 Dec: At the YPO South Asia Annual Meet
in Jaipur, around 400 CEOs from various countries
had the fortune to come in touch with Sadhguru’s
wisdom and grace.

Jaipur, 10 Dec: Nearly 2800 participants from

all walks of life and all age groups, including
corporates, IAS/IPS officers, politicians, students,
and housewives, joined the Mystic Eye evening
event to soak in the presence of Sadhguru.
Sadhguru complimented the “Pink City” and its
participants in a tweet: An exuberant group of
people at #MysticEye in Jaipur, one of India’s most
beautiful cities. –Sg

Sadhguru Delivers Keynote

Speech at ICOMOS Delhi, 12 Dec: Sadhguru was a keynote speaker
at the Inaugural Ceremony of the 19th ICOMOS
General Assembly and Scientific Symposium in
Delhi, where he enthralled the 1,500 delegates from
around the world with a whole new perspective on
India’s heritage, what needs to be protected, and
why. The International Council on Monuments and
Sites (ICOMOS) is responsible for the evaluation of
all nominations of cultural properties made to the
World Heritage List with the criteria laid down by the
World Heritage Committee. Stefan Simon, heritage
scientist and Director Global Cultural Heritage
Initiatives at Yale acknowledged Sadhguru’s
contribution and quoted him in the following
tweet: Honored to see @SadhguruJV lighting oil
lamp of wisdom at opening of #ICOMOSGA2017
in Delhi: “Fundamental aspect is to understand
the geometry of our existence. Whatever is not
geometrically aligned will cease to exist.”

Mumbai, 15 Dec / Kolkata 16 Dec: Two days of golf Golf Fundraisers for
for a good cause, to raise funds for Isha Vidhya
and offer disadvantaged rural students a quality Rural Education
education. At the Willingdon Golf Club in Mumbai
80 golfers geared up to tee off at the Isha Golf
Jaunt with Sadhguru, while 88 active participants
joined the initiative at the Royal Calcutta Golf Club
in Kolkata. The events saw the participation of pro
golfers, Bollywood actors, bureaucrats, business
leaders, cricketers, and others, all coming together
to enjoy the game and make a difference in the
lives of rural children. A couple of months earlier,
Sadhguru had stated in an interview with the Golf
Digest magazine: “When the entire population of
the world attains enlightenment, I’ll retire and play
golf every day.” It looks like retirement may not
happen any time soon.

February 2018 ISHA FOREST FLOWER | 13

 Sadhguru in Kolkata

Kolkata, 17 Dec: Apart from the Isha Vidhya Golf

Jaunt on the previous day, Sadhguru had another
three major events in Kolkata on his tightly packed
schedule: a 4 ½ hour Mystic Eye program, an
inauguration, and a keynote talk at the Lion’s
Club with local and international members in the
evening.

Rally for Rivers Initiative

Reaches the Northeast
Guwahati, 18 Dec: Sadhguru’s first visit to Assam,
and the Rally for Rivers is already flowing strong
in the land of the Brahmaputra: As the sixth state
in India, the government of Assam has signed
an MoU with Isha Foundation to revitalize the
rivers. Union Minister of State for Railways Rajen
Gohain, himself hailing from the state; Pramila
Rani Brahma, the Assamese Minister of Forest
and Environment, and other senior officials were
present on the occasion.

Sadhguru Addresses Global

Landscapes Forum
Bonn/Germany, 19 Dec: With literally no time for a
breather after the engagements in Assam, Sadhguru
flew straight to Germany, to speak on the very next
day at the plenary of the Global Landscape Forum
in Bonn. The Global Landscape Forum is a science-
led platform with outreach, events, and projects
designed to spark dialogue and follow-through
in addressing sustainable development goals
and multi-stakeholder problems facing our earth
and our communities. The forum is affiliated with
the World Bank, the United Nations Environment
Program, the German Federal Ministry for the
Environment, and the German Federal Ministry for
Economic Cooperation and Development.

Sadhguru and UN Environment Executive Director

Erik Solheim discussed the Rally for Rivers
campaign to save India’s rivers as an example
for global action. Erik Solheim expressed his
appreciation for the initiative with the following
words: “If we follow the Rally for Rivers lead and
stop deforestation and restore degraded lands

14 | ISHA FOREST FLOWER February 2018

globally, we can turn land use from a contributor of Portugal each year is neither acceptable nor
to climate change to a climate solution. The fact necessary.”
that we are still losing forests of an area the size

BSF Empowered by
Isha Yoga
Isha Yoga Center, Coimbatore: Members of the
Border Security Force (BSF) spent two weeks
exploring yoga at the Isha Yoga Center. A participant
shared: “When Sadhguru met our higher officials,
he suggested Isha Foundation can help with the
stress we are going through. In this, Sadhguru can
contribute a lot.”

Sadhguru explained what motivated him to make

this offering: “Why this effort to bring in yogic
dimensions into a security agency? Because for me,
my life is what it is only because of yoga. Those who
live for the nation, those who are willing to die for
the nation, must get the maximum empowerment.”
A participant: “One’s physical wellbeing, mental
wellbeing, and spiritual wellbeing all are looked
after. Whether it is the Upa-Yoga, Surya Kriya,
or Anga Mardana – everything is scientifically
developed. In human life, there is nothing better
than this.” Another participant: “Never was I able
to sit for such a long duration, that too so quietly.
Body agility has increased immensely. You’re
getting involved so deep into that, every moment
is an enjoyable experience for us.” Sadhguru: “We
want to make sure that the Border Security Force
is empowered with an inner strength which no
enemy expects from a soldier. We are very proud
and honored to have you here.”

Sadhguru Inaugurates
Mystic Kalinga
Bhubaneshwar, 22 Dec: Who better to inaugurate
the Mystic Kalinga/Kalinga Literary Festival than
a true Mystic. After a flying visit to Germany,
Sadhguru returned to India’s East – this time
Odisha. In the state capital, he inaugurated the
Mystic Kalinga, an international festival of poetry
and performance.

February 2018 ISHA FOREST FLOWER | 15

 SHARING
EXPERIENCES

The First Saptarishi Arati at Adiyogi

Kashi Vishwanath Priests Share their Experiences

This winter solstice, on 21 December 2017, eleven priests from Varanasi came to the Isha Yoga Center,
to perform the Saptarishi Arati for the first time ever outside the Kashi Vishwanath Temple. Over 4500
people personally experienced the arati to the Yogeshwar Linga, in front of Adiyogi and Sadhguru, while
another 300,000 witnessed the process through webstream. Below, the Kashi Vishwanath priests give a
touching account of their experience of Sadhguru, the Saptarishi Arati, and the ashram.

“The moment I saw Sadhguru, I was drawn to him

like an iron flake is to a magnet,” said Dineshji, who
is a double Ph.D. from Banaras Hindu University,
and a sought after priest in Kashi for consecration
of sacred spaces. “I felt I connected to Sadhguru in
a very profound way. I have met top gurus, saints,
and acharyas in the country, but never have I felt
this way with anybody else before.”

The effect of the meeting with Sadhguru was even

more dramatic on Dayanandji, who handles the
financial aspects of the Pooja. “I cried the whole
night after meeting Sadhguru that evening. I saw
Vishwanath within me when he touched my hand,”
he divulged.
Ramanandji, another priest from Varanasi, said,
“The way he was sitting for the Pooja on 21st,
it felt as though Shiva himself was sitting and
watching the Pooja being performed on him. I, too,
feel connected to Sadhguru  in some deep way.”
Dineshji, on the other hand, shared, “Sadhguru is
not what he seems. His presence is not limited to
his seat; I saw him everywhere during the Pooja.”
“We never felt that we were doing the Pooja outside
the Vishwanath temple; the experience of doing
this for Yogeshwar linga felt just the same,” they
all shared. “In fact, in Kashi, after the Pooja, we
usually feel exhausted. But here, the space is so

16 | ISHA FOREST FLOWER February 2018

vibrant that none of us could sleep until 5 a.m.,”
said Dineshji. Sadhguru about the Saptarishi Arati: 
After Adiyogi had transmitted yoga to
Ganeshji, Dineshji’s brother, too experienced the
the  Saptarishis  and they all had become fully
ashram space as a vortex of energy and was taken
enlightened, he sent them to different parts of the
in by its power the moment he stepped in. “We feel
world to spread this knowledge. Before they left,
a certain sensation in our spine every time we do
they expressed their anguish, “Now if we go away,
this process in Kashi, but I have been experiencing
probably we will never get to set our eyes upon
the same sensation since we entered the ashram,”
you again, physically. How can we have you with
he said. Ganeshji was walking barefoot in the
us when we need you?”  So Adiyogi gave them a
ashram because, in his words, “I don’t know what
simple process, which lives on to this day as the
is a temple and what is not a temple here. The
Saptarishi Arati, conducted by these priests, who
whole space is like a temple.” 
may not know the science behind it, but they stick
“This space has unsettled my life completely. All to the process.
this time, I never felt that I was missing something
I witnessed how they built stacks and stacks of
in my life. We may not be so well-to-do, but we live
energy, just like that.
in Kashi, and are close to Vishwanathji. But now I
am experiencing a huge longing within me to know
myself, to go beyond my limitations – something
that I am not able to contain anymore. I want to
volunteer here, and be part of this sacred ashram
and Sadhguru,” added Dineshji. 

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February 2018 ISHA FOREST FLOWER | 17

 UPCOMING PROGRAMS AND EVENTS

A Night with the Divine

13 February 2018
6 p.m. to 6 a.m. | Isha Yoga Center

Wisdom • Meditation • Bliss

With Sadhguru

“Mahashivaratri is of great significance for all those who aspire for the Ultimate.
May this night become an exuberant awakening for you.” - Sadhguru

This year, Sadhguru has opened up new opportunities for one to experience and become receptive
to the tremendous spiritual possibilities of this night.

Rudraksh Prasadam: Receive a rudraksh bead that has adorned Adiyogi for the last one year. This
can be kept in one’s shrine at home and worn on auspicious days.

Adiyogi Pradakshina: Be initiated into the process of pradakshina (circumambulation of a powerful

energy source) to imbibe the Grace of Adiyogi.

Bhairavi Maha Yatra: Be part of this vibrant and grand procession as the Linga Bhairavi Utsav
Murti journeys to the Adiyogi and graces the nightlong festival.

• Midnight Meditation • Maha Annadanam • Musical Performances

Daler Mehndi Sean Roldan & Special Guest Performance by

Friends Sonu Nigam

For seating passes: mahashivarathri@ishafoundation.org

Live Webstream: isha.sadhguru.org/MSR

83000 83111
18 | ISHA FOREST FLOWER February 2018
 YAKSHA
An Exuberance of Music and Dance
10-12 February 2018
(preceding Mahashivaratri)
Isha Yoga Center

In an endeavor to preserve and promote the uniqueness, purity and diversity of the
country’s performing arts, Isha Foundation annually hosts Yaksha, a three-day festival
of culture, music, and dance with performances by renowned artistes.

Featuring

10 February 11 February 12 February

Rakesh Chaurasia Vidushi Shruti Sadolikar Katkar Chitraveena N Ravikiran
Hindustani Flute Hindustani Vocal Carnatic Chitra Veena

SADHANA

The Mahashivaratri Sadhana is a preparation for Mahashivaratri – a night of tremendous

possibilities. Anyone eight years of age and above can do the sadhana. The sadhana can be of
varying durations. You can do the sadhana for 40, 21, 14, 7 or 3 consecutive days leading up to
Mahashivaratri, 13 February 2018. It includes chants, Shiva Namaskar, and the observance of certain
guidelines. The culmination is on Mahashivaratri – optionally at the Isha Yoga Center or at home.

For more details, guidelines, and to learn Shiva Namaskar as well as the chants,
please visit the website: isha.sadhguru.org/MSR

February 2018 ISHA FOREST FLOWER | 19

 Date Program Place Contact

Isha Rejuvenation,
0422-2515466
Isha Yoga Center,
4 Feb 2018 Holistic Cancer Clinic op.rejuvenation@
Velliangiri Foothills,
ishafoundation.org
Coimbatore – India

Joint and Musculoskeletal Isha Life Health Solutions

044-28885333 / 83000 45333
8 Feb 2018 Disorders Treatment (opp. Spencer Plaza),
programs@ishalife.org
Program Chennai – India

Isha Yoga Center,

13 Feb 2018 Mahashivaratri Velliangiri Foothills, 83000 83111
Coimbatore – India

Isha Rejuvenation,
0422-2515464
Isha Yoga Center,
16–18 Feb 2018 Ayur Rasayana isharejuvenation@
Velliangiri Foothills,
ishafoundation.org
Coimbatore – India

Isha Life Health Solutions

Diabetes Management 044-28885333 / 83000 45333
16–18 Feb 2018 (opp. Spencer Plaza),
Program programs@ishalife.org
Chennai – India

Isha Life Health Solutions

Pediatric Clinic 044-28885333 / 83000 45333
17, 18 Feb 2018 (opp. Spencer Plaza),
(including ADHD/Autism) programs@ishalife.org
Chennai – India

Isha Life Health Solutions

044-28885333 / 83000 45333
18 Feb 2018 Holistic Cancer Clinic (opp. Spencer Plaza),
programs@ishalife.org
Chennai – India

Joint and Musculoskeletal Isha Yoga Center, 0422-2515464

19–25 Feb 2018 Disorders Treatment Velliangiri Foothills, isharejuvenation@
Program Coimbatore – India ishafoundation.org

Isha Yoga Center,

83000 83111
20–27 Feb 2018 Samyama (Tamil) Velliangiri Foothills,
samyama@ishafoundation.org
Coimbatore – India
Isha Rejuvenation,
0422-2515464
26 Feb – 4 Mar Isha Yoga Center,
Ayur Sampoorna isharejuvenation@
2018 Velliangiri Foothills,
ishafoundation.org
Coimbatore – India
Isha Yoga Center,
94890 45164
22–25 Mar 2018 Inner Engineering Retreat Velliangiri Foothills,
ieretreat@ishafoundation.org
Coimbatore – India
Isha Institute of Inner-
7–14 Apr 2018 Samyama (English) sciences, McMinnville, TN samyama@ishausa.org
– USA

Current at the time of print, however subject to change. For full program schedules and updates, please visit our
website: www.ishayoga.org.

20 | ISHA FOREST FLOWER February 2018

 ISHA RECIPE

NIPPATTU THATTAI
(CRUNCHY SNACK)

INGREDIENTS METHOD
500 g rice flour 1. Chop roasted groundnuts, coriander leaves, and
curry leaves finely.
500 g wheat flour (maida)
50 g white sesame 2. Mix maida and rice flour, coriander, curry
leaves, groundnuts, sesame seeds, and salt to
6 dried red chilies
taste thoroughly without water.
½ cup vegetable oil
3. Heat butter and oil in kadai (or a deep, heavy
2 Tbsp. butter
pan), add chilies, and roast them well. Remove the
100 g roasted groundnuts chilies. When cool, crush the chilies, and add them
100 g coriander leaves to the mixture. 

5 sprigs of curry leaves 4. Add small quantities of water and knead the
dough to chapati consistency. Make lemon-size
Salt to taste balls, flatten them in your hand, and deep fry them
immediately before they dry, on medium heat, until
golden brown.

5. Remove and drain the excess oil with a paper

towel. Repeat this process with the rest of the
dough.

6. Once cool, store the thattais in an air tight

container.

February 2018 ISHA FOREST FLOWER | 21

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 ZEN SPEAKS

Courtesy: Zen Speaks

Courtesy Zen Speaks

Published by: B. RAJESH CHANDER on behalf of ISHA FOUNDATION

Published from 117/50, Luz Church Road, Mylapore, Chennai – 600 004, TAMILNADU

Printed by: S. PRAKASH; at FINE DOTS, No.15, Boo Begum 3rd Street,
Anna Salai, Chennai – 600 002, TAMILNADU. Editor: K. SEKAR

February 2018 ISHA FOREST FLOWER | 23

 February 2018

By defying the laws of Nature

If I walk upon water
How shall I ever swim....

February 2018