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January 2011 FOREST FLOWER
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Editorial
Dear Readers,
Great events passed with pomp and fervor in the last few weeks, thanks to the effort of thousands
of Isha volunteers. This months issue is packed with the accounts of three of this years most
exciting events in Isha: Yaksha, Mahashivarathri and the frst set of Sadhguruvudan Isha
Yoga, Sadhgurus mega programs. Eager to share every bit of these recent happenings with
you, we even had to suspend the Leela Series this month in order to create adequate space. We
promise to bring you more stories of Krishnas life as told by Sadhguru from the next issue onwards.
In its second year, Yaksha A Celestial Feast of Music and Dance once again more than lived
up to its name with a most exquisite line-up of artists. Through sublime amalgamations of sound
and visual impressions, each of the seven evening performances allowed us to immerse ourselves
into a uniquely different world of art and culture.
While vibrant musical and cultural performances guarantee a wakeful Mahashivarathri night,
they actually only played a support role in the event. The real focal point was certainly Shiva.
With this months main article, In All Seven Corners of the World, we bring you an excerpt of
Sadhgurus discourse in which he not only touches on the multiple dimensions of Shiva, but also
his seven disciples whom he sent out to spread his knowing in the world. With the mega programs
Sadhguruvudan Isha Yoga, Sadhguru brings their work to a completely new level of reach.
In the following pages, we offer you a multitude of impressions and perspectives on these exciting
events.
Last but not least, our pick of light summer recipes for this month to boost your vitality without
burdening your system: a Pasta Veggie Salad, Isha-style. Enjoy!
The Editorial Team
c/o Isha Yoga Center
English Publications
Semmedu P.O., Velliangiri Foothills, Coimbatore 641 114
forestfower@ishafoundation.org www.ishafoundation.org
Forest Flower
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CONTENTS
Zen Speaks
Kasyapa and the Flagpole
3
Pasta Veggie Salad
Isha Recipes - For Healthy Living
Main Article
In all Seven Corners of the World
4
Musings
News & Happenings
8
10
14
The Saptarishis Ambassadors of Shivas Knowing
Ultimate Freedom - Just an Idea?
Yaksha 2011
Mahashivarathri 2011
Sadhguruvudan Isha Yoga
Shekhar Kapur in Conversation with Sadhguru
Seven Days, Seven World-Class Performances
Resounding Stillness
Mega Programs with Sadhguru Tamil Nadu Attended by over 34,000!
17
21
22
23
Isha Yoga Program Highlights
Upcoming Programs & Events
April 2011 FOREST FLOWER
SADHGURU
hen we say Shiva, it means many things to many
people. It is the most multidimensional description
that you can describe one being with. Shiva is
described as an ascetic of the highest order, and as a
debaucher of the highest order too; as a yogi, the very
embodiment of awareness, but at the same time as
a drunkard. He is described as the Sundaramurthy,
the most beautiful one, and also as a hideous one. So
it goes on. He means many things to many people.
But for those who are on the spiritual path, the most
signifcant aspect of Shiva is that he is a yogi; not
just a yogi the yogi, the aadhi yogi or the frst yogi.
The signifcance of his life is that he was the frst one
to bring this dimension to humanity, that a human
being need not be contained in the defned limitations
of our species, that there is a way to go beyond these
limitations. That there is a way to be contained in
physicality but not to belong to it. That there is a way
to inhabit the body but never become the body. That
there is a way to use your mind in the highest possible
way but still never know the miseries of the mind.
The word yoga literally means union; that is when
an individual has the ability to unite himself with the
universal, when a limited entity of a human being is
able to enjoin with the limitlessness of the cosmos,
when a shred of creation can experience being the
Creator of the existence.
When we are able to unite an individual entity which
is of various types of bondages and boundaries with
that which is boundless and know the joy of having
both at the same time this is yoga. This dimension
was frst brought to humanity by this great being
that we refer to as Shiva. The word Shiva itself
literally means that which is not. That which is
not means that which does not exist emptiness,
nothingness. This idea of emptiness, nothingness, of
that which does not exist, should not be perceived as
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April 2011 FOREST FLOWER
In all Seven Corners of the World
The Saptarishis Ambassadors of Shivas Knowing
W
negative. If you look up into the sky on this darkest
night
1
of the month, your eyes will tell you it is
full of stars because that is how the human vision
is attuned towards creation. But if you really look
at it, you will see the galaxies are just small specks;
the real substance out there is nothingness. This
nothingness which is the womb of creation, this
nothingness which flls 99% of the cosmos, this we
refer to as Shiva the boundless non-existence.
We also refer to the aadhi yogi as Shiva because he
perceived this boundlessness. One who has perceived
the limitless nature of the existence is also limitless,
in the sense, the only way you could perceive the
boundless is to dissolve your own boundaries and
become boundless yourself. So we refer to both, the
limitless nothingness and the aadhi yogi, as Shiva.
The limited nature of the individual being is only a
stepping stone for knowing the unlimited nature of
the existence, or the limitlessness of that which is
not. When the aadhi yogi attained to his ultimate
possibility, many were drawn to him. Among these,
the most signifcant ones are those seven sages who
became the vessels to receive his knowing and to
transmit it to the rest of the world. These are the
celebrated sages who are known as the saptarishis
2
:
Agastya Muni, Atri, Angira, Bhrigu, Gautama
Maharishi, Kashyapa and Vashishta. They were
already well-versed in various arts and sciences, and
instrumental in crafting the civilizations, the science
and scientifc developments, and the healthcare
systems of those times.
Three of them have been very signifcant for
southern India. Of course Agastya Muni, who is the
father of the siddha vaidya
3
and rasa vaidya
4
, which
are the greatest contributions that he made. After
his realization, he came back to share his realization
with this part of the world.
Atri, who was married to Anusuya, played a
very important role in bringing peace when the
Kurukshetra war happened. When hundreds and
thousands of men were being killed ruthlessly
without any purpose because people could not
quench their anger and hatred, when a matchless
warrior called Dronacharya engaged in an
indiscriminate slaughter, it was Atri who went and
stopped him, who reminded him of his dharma.
And it was Atri who made Dronacharya withdraw
from the war and sit with his eyes closed till he
[Dronacharya] exited his body. So Atri stopped the
most brutal war that this land has ever seen.
Gautama When I say Gautama, a lot of people
will think we are talking about Gautama the
Buddha no. Gautama the Buddha was named after
one of the saptarishis. Thousands of years before
Gautama the Buddha came, the saptarishi Gautama
lived with his wife Ahalya and a few disciples in a
small hermitage in Triambakeshwar. One day it so
happened, a cow walked into his hut and ate up all
the rice that was stored there for the usage of the
hermitage. When he saw the cow had eaten up all
the rice, he tried to chase her away, being a little
anxious as to what to do for his tribe that lived with
him. When he was chasing the cow, she fell down
and died. He felt so heartbroken, so pained that he
caused the death of this cow as in India, one of the
greatest crimes that you can commit is killing a cow.
Why this is so is, the cow is the only animal which
has human emotions. In this land, people share
very intimate relationships with the cow. If you are
in distress, if you are pained by something, if you
are in grief, you will see, the cow will shed tears
for you. It has such a deep sense of empathy for a
human being. Because it has human emotions, here
in India for a long time, we have considered killing
a cow as murder.
So because Gautama felt he had committed a
murder and he wanted to absolve himself from
that, he called for Shiva and said, Why has this
happened? It was not my intention to kill this cow.
I was only chasing her away; but she died. Shiva
saw that this had been an unintentional act and said,
Because of the scarcity of rice that you have, you
got so excited about this cow eating up your rice.
Let me give you an instrument with which you can
grow as much rice as you want, and he had a river
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1
Refers to Shivarathri, the night before new moon
2
Literally seven seers/sages
3
Traditional Tamil medicine
4
Traditional science of rasa or mercury
April 2011 FOREST FLOWER
born in Triambakeshwar which came to be called
Gautami, and later on Godavari which feeds the
rice bowl of Andhra Pradesh and Orissa today.
The river Godavari was born for the purpose of
relieving Gautama of the sin of killing a cow; and
also to relieve the great sage of the scarcity of rice
which caused unnecessary anxiety in him. An
immense amount of rice or paddy is grown even
today in the Godavari delta.
So these were celebrated sages of their time; but
when they heard of Shivas ultimate realization,
they all beelined to Kailash. These sages who were
worshiped in their own times went as disciples
to Shiva and sat at his feet, wanting to know the
ultimate possibility. And over a period of time,
Shiva shared this possibility. He did not allow
them to go back to their homes but sent them
to different corners of the world. One he sent
to Central Asia, another to North Africa which
is presently known as Ethiopia or Egypt and
Middle East, another he sent to South America,
another to South West Asia, another stayed with
him, another came down to the lower part of
Himalayas, another came down south that was
Agastya Muni. Agastya is very important for us
because he walked this land. He has been upon
this mountain, and in many ways, we consider
him as the father of southern mysticism.
There are various forms of mystical processes on
the planet, but South Indian mysticism is very
unique and profound in its nature. I am not saying
this because I am born in South India. Probably
one reason is, this part of the world provided
a most conducive atmosphere for spiritual
teaching for thousands of years. The mystics who
came could explore anything and experiment
whichever way that they wanted without being
persecuted, a chance which unfortunately most
mystics have not had in other parts of the world.
This part of the world offered that conducive
atmosphere, so mysticism grew in an intricacy
and profoundness which is unmatched anywhere
else on the planet.
If closely observed, the manifestation and the
methods of Shivas knowing can be noticed
in civilizations as far away as South America.
When the Greeks came to India around 300 BC,
in the esoteric Shiva, they saw the refection of
their own god Dionysus, a mad rebel who was
surrounded by his own set of ganas who were
known as Satyrs. Like Shiva, he was also the Lord
of mountains, trees, bees, rivers, wine, dance
and theater. He too sought salvation through
ecstatic rituals. His mystery cults took the shape
of Orphism that went on to greatly infuence the
Christian rites of sacrament and communion.
The presence of the work of these seven sages
across the planet is visible even today. It has just
taken on many forms. It is amazing that even
today, in the temples of Greece, in the Baalbek
temples in Lebanon, in certain temples in Egypt,
you still see the yogic symbols Guru Pooja
stones of 16 corners which could not have come
from anywhere else except from the knowledge
that the aadhi yogi himself transmitted.
The ganas were constant company for Shiva.
They are described in the scriptures as distorted
and demented beings; they did not have a human
form; they were in some other form. They spoke
in a language which nobody understood a total
cacophony. And they had limbs without bones.
You know the story of Ganapathy, this slight
misinterpretation of chopping an elephants head
and putting it on the body of the young boy. It
was not an elephant head it was a head of a gana
who had limbs without bones. Even today, you
call him Ganapathy, not Gajapathy. Never ever
has he been known as Gajapathy
5
. He has always
been known as Ganapathy, that means the leader
of the ganas because Shiva lopped off the head of
the leader of the ganas and put it on the body of
this young boy.
These yakshas, ganas, gandharvas
6
rule the
legends of the East as beings who came from
elsewhere. So Shiva always kept company of
6
5
Gaja in Sanskrit means elephant
6
Different kinds of celestial beings
7
Literally Great God; one of the names of Shiva
April 2011 FOREST FLOWER
these beings who are not of human form. And
in their company many things happened one
thing was they did not ascribe to any social norms
because they did not even belong to the society
through which Shiva walked.
Why I am telling you this is he did everything that
would make him unft to be accepted by the world.
But still the world accepted him as Mahadeva
7
.
The iconographic proofs gathered in the British
anthropological museum say that Shiva in the
form of Rudra is the oldest god on the planet.
The iconography says it is over 12,000 years. He
was the god of the inhabitants of this Bharatvarsh
or the Indian subcontinent as it is known today.
When the Aryan invaders came over 8,000 years
ago, they had Indra as their god. They militarily
defeated the locals, politically dominated them,
enslaved them in many ways, but they took
the god of the defeated. Never before or never
after in the history of humanity such a thing has
happened. Invaders always impose their gods on
the invaded. But here, the invaders took the god
of the invaded. The victorious took the god of
the defeated because the essence of what he was
offering was so valuable; they could not ignore
him. The power and the possibility of what was
being offered were so potent that the victorious
took the god of the defeated. There can be no
better testimony to the methods and technologies
that he transmitted.
Excerpted from Sadhgurus talk on
Mahashivrathri 2011
7
Pancha Bhuta Aradhana
To have Mastery over the
fve elements is to have
mastery over body, life
and nature. The frst step
is to approach them with
reverence.
- Sadhguru
Experience the Pancha Bhuta Aradhana, a process ofered on Shivarathri days at the
Dhyanalinga Yogic Temple to purify the fve elements within the human system.
Contact:
Phone: 0422-2515426, 94878 95878 Email: pba@ishafoundation.org
April 2011 FOREST FLOWER
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Shekhar Kapur: Sadhguru, you said many times
that the highest goal is freedom. Freedom from
what?
Sadhguru: See, generally, before 1947 in this
country, if you said freedom, people only thought,
If the British go away, we are free. That was the
idea of freedom at that time. The British went away.
Now, are we free? Not really. Politically free yes.
But in no other way are we really free. So, freedom
may mean different things to different people,
depending upon the context of their individual
life at a certain moment. But leave the political,
economic and other aspects of freedom aside.
Do you see that essentially, as a human being, as
a piece of existence, we are living within certain
limitations? That you are a limited entity?
Shekhar Kapur: Yeah.
Sadhguru: Do you also see there is something
constantly longing within you to be a little more
than what you are?
Shekhar Kapur: Yeah.
Sadhguru: So, there is something within you which
cannot stand boundaries. Or, in other words, there
is something within you which wants to become
boundless. What can be boundless? A physical form
can be small or big, but never boundless. So, there
Ultimate Freedom - Just an Idea?
Shekhar Kapur in Conversation with Sadhguru
8
April 2011 FOREST FLOWER
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1
Hindu priest
March 2011 FOREST FLOWER
is something within you which is longing to touch a
dimension which is beyond the physical.
There is something within you which is longing
to be spiritual. Spiritual does not mean looking
up or looking down, or praying or going to the
temple. Spiritual essentially means you are in an
experience which is beyond the limitations of the
physical. That means you are in a boundless space.
This longing is always there in every human being.
Either you are approaching it in installments, or you
are consciously going for the Ultimate.
Shekhar Kapur: So why, in my mind, is the
Ultimate so blurred? Why cant I imagine it?
[Sadhguru laughs] The moment you talk about
something measurable, I can imagine it. But how do
I aspire for something that I am unable to imagine?
Sadhguru: That is why you should never aspire
for something that you are unable to imagine, that
you do not know. If you want to become free, you
should never think of freedom, because freedom is
just an idea which has no substance it does not
exist. So, when you want to become free, dont think
of freedom; only look at the ropes which bind you.
If you cut these ropes which bind you, there is some
sense of freedom. Then you realize, there is another
set of ropes that bind you; if you cut that, there is
freedom. But then you notice there is another set.
It does not matter how many sets of ropes bind
you, there must be a point where if you cut enough
of them, nothing binds you anymore, right? The
number may be big, but still, it cannot be infnite,
isnt it so?
Shekhar Kapur: Right.
Sadhguru: Only freedom can be infnite. Bondage
cannot be limitless. Only freedom can be limitless.
This is not just semantics and ideas. In terms of lifes
experience, dont waste your time talking about or
thinking about freedom or the Ultimate. The body
is a limitation; the mind is a limitation; emotions are
limitations but they are also possibilities. Look at
what binds you now, and see how to transcend this.
This is growth.
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Get the complete series of talks between Sadhguru and Shekhar Kapur on DVD:
My Conversations with the Mystic
April 2011 FOREST FLOWER
10
ome of the leading classical artists from all over
the country converged at the Isha Yoga Center to
take part in the seven-day Yaksha festival. Yaksha,
a prelude to the Mahashivarathri extravaganza,
celebrates the beauty, variety and depth of Indian
classical music and dance.
Performances were set to take place in front of
the Linga Bhairavi Temple, whose frontage was
beautifully decorated by 1008 warm fickering lamps,
fowers, and garlands. Due to surprise rains, however,
a few performances were quickly relocated to the
Spanda Hall. But by mid-Yaksha, the rains halted
and the remaining artists performed in the dazzling
setting of the Devis abode.
The Devi herself made her appearance every night:
each performance was followed by a Linga Bhairavi
procession during which the Utsavmurthy, a mobile
representation of the Devi, is carried in grand style to
the Dhyanalinga. The procession under the sound of
drums, trumpets and conches gloriously culminates
in the Maha Arti, a fre dance with chants through
which the Devi symbolically woos her love, Shiva.
Recapitulation of Yaksha 2011:
Day 1
Yaksha 2011 opened with a performance by Ustad
Shahid Parvez Khan, one of the fnest sitar players of
our times. With his virtuosity, his innovative style
and an almost childlike playfulness, he instantly
captured the audiences hearts and attention. The
festival could not have had a better opening than
with an artist who exuded the abundant joy that
classical music in its purest form can bring.
Day 2
Eminent Odissi dancer and choreographer, and
Padma Vibhushan
1
awardee Dr. Sonal Mansingh
took the stage on the second day of Yaksha.
Her performance at Isha Yoga Center made her
outstanding talent more than apparent. The
undisputed highlight of her program was an Odissi
dance that she had choreographed herself about the
nine faces of Shiva. The great dancers expressive
portrayals allowed even those unfamiliar with
this art form to comprehend the stories she told
through dance.
Yaksha 2011
Seven Days, Seven World-Class Performances
1
The second highest civilian award in India
2
The third highest civilian award in India
April 2011 FOREST FLOWER
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Day 3
The third day of Yaksha featured Shri T. V.
Sankaranarayanan, a great Carnatic vocalist and
recipient of the Padma Bhushan
2
. For two full
hours, Shri Sankaranarayanan, accompanied by
his son and daughter, cast a spell of Carnatic music
over all present. The audience awarded them with a
storm of applause.
Day 4
Begum Parveen Sultana, one of the foremost
classical vocalists in India, was center stage on
Day 4. With her pleasant disposition, she struck an
instant rapport with the audience. Her sweet and
full voice enthralled her listeners throughout her
varied Hindustani vocal recitals.
Day 5
Day 5 brought the eclectic duo of Anil Srinivasan,
a classically trained pianist, and Sikkil Gurucharan,
a well-known Carnatic vocalist. With an
extraordinary fusion of a classical piano and a free-
fowing classical South Indian voice, they have
created a new genre. Anil Srinivasan not only
revealed himself as an elegant performer, but also
enlightened the audience through insights and
musical examples to introduce both the compositions
and his instrument, the piano. The translations that
preceded every song conveyed the lyrical richness
of classical Tamil. Sikkil Gurucharan, unpretentious
as a person but expressive as an artist, mesmerized
with sensitive renditions and tonal perfection. The
duo was accompanied by B. S. Purushotham on the
Khanjira (South Indian tambourine).
April 2011 FOREST FLOWER
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1
Refers to the tradition of an offering to ones guru after a period of study or the completion of education
Day 6
The sweet tone of Pandit Ronu Majumdars bansuri
fute flled the air on Day 6 of the festival. The
maestros fute recital gradually built up intensity,
from the distinctive lightness and dulcet beauty
of the lower notes to an exuberant explosion of
sound. Members of the audience found themselves
enraptured by the perfect choice of pieces for this
occasion, and humbled by the artists devotion
and graciousness. As it has been said, If the fute is
likened to a temple, Pt. Ronu Majumdar would be
its foremost worshipper.
Day 7
Living legend Pandit Jasraj. the foremost exponent
of the Mewati Gharana of Hindustani classical
music, needs no further introduction. As Panditjis
voice reverberated at the foothills, hearts were flled
with gratitude and awe for such an appropriate
conclusion of this years Celestial Feast of Music and
Dance.
The Hindu covered Pandit Jasrajs breathtaking
performance at Yaksha 2011 in the following article
[excerpt]:
Aagya Baba? Pandit Jasraj asks Sadhguru Jaggi
Vasudev if he can start his performance. A little
ritual follows. His two young protgs arrange
themselves around him, and his musicians too.
Pandit Jasraj raises his arms and begins to sing.
It requires a certain arrogance to comment on
a personality such as Pandit Jasraj, especially so
when one is unschooled in classical music. But,
maybe that is why he is so great he can keep his
listeners riveted, be they connoisseurs or complete
greenhorns.
As Pandit ji builds up the tempo from the alaap, it is
as if he is playing with the notes. He gathers them
up, lets them loose, a note at a time, sometimes a
torrent, and then reins them in again. The sargams
dance and the fames of the oil lamps dance gleefully
along. It is breathtaking.
In the introduction to Pandit Jasraj we are told
that his vocal range extends across three and a
half octaves. Those in the know of classical music
acknowledge this with wonder, while the rest of
us can only marvel at the way his voice rises, dips,
thunders and soothes in turns.
April 2011 FOREST FLOWER
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Here is how Sadhguru summed up his
experience of Yaksha 2011 in general and
Pandit Jasrajs concert in particular:
These seven evenings of Yaksha have been so
exquisite. This is a form of music which is not for
entertainment but more an exploration of walking
you through creation, when possible to touch the
Creator. If there is anybody whom you can call the
very embodiment of this music, its him [Pandit
Jasraj]. I dont want to spoil the reverberations that
he has created by speaking about it. We wish to
acknowledge him for who he is. Its a tremendous
inspiration for our children who are on the path of
music and dance.
And above all, I would like to thank the audience.
In any concert, the audience is also a very important
part. Youve been such a fabulous audience for the
last one week. Thank you very much, everybody.
We look forward to what Yaksha 2012 will have in
store for us!
April 2011 FOREST FLOWER
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he seven-day Yaksha festival culminated in the
all-night long Mahashivarathri celebration. For
a staggering 12 hours from 6 pm Thursday until
6 am Friday morning the Mahashivarathri grounds
were fooded with music, dance and the blissful
Presence of Sadhguru. Millions tuned in worldwide
via telecast and webstreaming to be a part of the
event.
After Pancha Bhuta Aradhana and Guru Pooja at
the Dhyanalinga Temple, the celebrations were
kicked off on the festival grounds by Sounds of Isha
with a joyful array of tunes, which send a warm
welcome to all those arriving. There was a feeling of
anticipation in the air.
Karnataka Drummers
Mahashivarathri 2011
Resounding Stillness
April 2011 FOREST FLOWER
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By 6:45 in the evening, the music switched to the
turbulent drums and exciting tribal dancing of the
Karnataka Drummers. Moments later, Sadhguru
arrived, and the performers amped up the beat of
the drums to their utmost intensity, making all
hearts pound in unison. The crowds cheered with
excitement the night had offcially begun!
After Nirvana Shatakam chanting by the
Brahmacharis, Sadhguru welcomed everyone to the
festivities. He spoke of the spiritual signifcance of
this auspicious night for seekers, and how one can
make use of this upsurge of energy by keeping the
spine erect and remaining aware. Let this night
become a possibility of awakening, not just of
wakefulness, he urged the participants.
Wadali Brothers
The soulful renditions of the Wadali Brothers
ensued. As is the tradition in Suf music, the singers
sang freely as homage to the Divine, spreading a
deep sense of peace and harmony across the grounds.
Their concert culminated in Mast Kalandar, their
fnal piece, which got the crowds out of their seats,
dancing and clapping to the ecstatic heights of the
vocals and instruments.
A discourse by Sadhguru followed he spoke of
the many stories and legends of Shiva. This year,
Mahashivarathri fell on two days, 2 March and
3 March, so Sadhguru explained why Isha chose the
latter date:
This year, Shivarathri started yesterday at
midnight and will close at 4:00 am tomorrow. Those
who worship Shiva for boons, for wellbeing, for
health, choose the morning sandhya-kala. Those
who seek Ultimate Liberation, choose the evening
sandhya. Normally, we celebrate Mahashivrathri in
such a way that we have all the three sandhyas of
evening, midnight and morning. But this year, we
have only two sandhyas the evening is over, the
midnight is coming. We want to make best use of
this sandhya-kala, this period of transition, which is
most signifcant.
It was time for the midnight meditation. As Sadhguru
led all through a powerful process, the grounds
became still. Sadhguru requested everyone to let
the stillness within deepen through the chanting
of the resounding maha mantra AUM Namah
Shivaya. The silence in sound was broken by the
fre dance and pounding drums of the Pancha Bhuta
Aradhana Arati by the Brahmacharis. Enrapture
and abandon found its peak when Sadhguru chanted
Yogeeshwaraya Mahadevaya, which was then
picked up by Sounds of Isha who joined in with
vocals and instruments. Sadhguru then addressed
questions as they came in live from across the world
through the internet.
April 2011 FOREST FLOWER
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Next up was tabla virtuoso Bickram Ghosh along
with an exceptional band of percussionists. With an
energetic fusion of Hindustani and contemporary
western music, they created mesmerizing rhythm-
scapes, interspersed by humorous stories by
Bickram. At 3:30 am, world music pioneer Prem
Joshua and band set off some incredible blends of
music inspired by both Eastern and Western styles.
And of course, Sounds of Isha played the familiar
tunes that got everyone jumping and singing in
unison. By 5:45 am, the crowds refused to let the
night end and loudly chanted Sounds of Isha!
They got their way and Ishas own band played a
few encores, much to everyones delight.
Sadhguru then took the stage and closed the
festivities with Mahadeva chanting. The crowds
stood with folded hands, focused on the Master,
as if unable to let go of his Presence. When the
morning dawned, Sadhguru led everyone in the
powerful Shambho chant frst uttered loudly,
then resounding within as the crowd dispersed.
A meditator shared:
During the entire night, he took care to make sure
we all remained awake and alert to make use of the
special energy possibility that this night offers. He
danced and clapped with us, and playfully raised
our spirits and encouraged us throughout the night
to stay awake. As he walked down the ramp to be
closer and embrace all of us, we could only express
our tremendous gratitude with tears.
For many of us, the signifcance of Mahashivarathri
is beyond our own understanding and perception.
But just being in Sadhgurus Presence for this
evening, for 12 hours straight, our hearts could
not help but spill over with love and gratitude.
Despite what was happening on-stage, the magnetic
pull was Sadhguru himself. None of us could take
our eyes off him. Just being with him on this very
important night was such a beautiful and wonderful
opportunity.
April 2011 FOREST FLOWER
Bickram Ghosh
Prem Joshua
Sadhguruvudan Isha Yoga
Mega Programs with Sadhguru in Tamil Nadu Attended by over 34,000!
17
Ananda Alai, a Wave of Bliss, continues to
sweep Tamil Nadu at a heightened pace through
Sadhguruvudan Isha Yoga. These three-day Mega
Programs conducted by Sadhguru are a manifestation
of his wish that no one be left untouched by the
spiritual process. In this past month, the frst three
Mega Programs took place in Madurai, Trichy and
Chennai respectively. Altogether, over 34,000
participants attended the programs in these three
cities and were initiated into the ancient practice of
Shambhavi Maha Mudra.
In a darshan at the Isha Yoga Center before his
departure for the frst Mega Program in Madurai,
Sadhguru concluded by reminding us that this is the
frst time in history that such a powerful transmission
of hardcore spiritual process was happening on such
a massive scale. Those involved in the making of this
phenomenon are truly privileged.
April 2011 FOREST FLOWER
Madurai
Introducing a New Kriya
Over 10,000 people in Madurai, Tamil Nadu,
attended Sadhgurus three-day Isha Yoga program.
Sadhguru introduced a new practice called Isha
Kriya. With the intention to bring at least one
drop of spirituality into everybodys life, people
are encouraged to share this practice with as many
people as possible.
The participants sat comfortably under a massive
roof-like structure, forgetting the thousands around
them as they became completely engrossed in
Sadhgurus Presence.
A volunteer shares his experience:
On the frst day of the program, I was wondering
how the class atmosphere and ambience would
be maintained in a public ground with 10,000
participants. But I neednt have worried. Sadhgurus
Presence took care of it. It was clear that the
participants had soaked in every moment of the
class. I could see by the very way they walked,
talked and smiled that they had transformed over
the two-and-a-half days of the program. Just being
in that space and playing a part in the small way that
I could was a tremendous blessing.
Trichy
Large-Scale Transformation
Once again, over 10,000 participants flled the
premises for Sadhgurus second Mega Program
in Trichy, Tamil Nadu. The preparations made to
accommodate this massive crowd were tremendous.
Over 1,100 volunteers had been working tirelessly to
make this happen. For the nearly 4,500 participants
who came from districts outside Trichy, food and
accommodation were provided for all three days.
There were over 500 temporary toilets designed
and produced by Isha Fabrications and a huge tank
truck supplied 30,000 liters of water per day.
Volunteers were overwhelmed by the experience
of being a part of such a massive transformation. A
volunteer shares:
Even from the frst day, the commitment and
excitement the participants had for the three-day
program could be seen in the very way they moved.
During the initiation process, something happened
that I cannot put into words. And when I looked
at the participants afterwards, their eyes shone and
they had a new sense of wonder. They looked at
Sadhguru with childlike amazement. Their own
longing was beginning to bloom.
By the third day, I sensed such a deep sense of love
and devotion for Sadhguru. What had happened to
these 10,000 people in just a matter of three days
was too big to miss.
I hope that everyone has the opportunity to
somehow be a part of these programs as a participant
or volunteer. Just seeing this massive transformation
happen right in front of me was something I could
never have imagined.
Many participants shared, with tears in their eyes,
that they have never seen anyone like Sadhguru
before who could transform people like this within
just a few days.
A few personal sharings from participants and
volunteers:
18
April 2011 FOREST FLOWER
I never experienced anything like this in my
life, and I am a 70-year old woman with seven
daughters. Being with Sadhguru is something;
whenever he clapped
1
his hands, it was so
explosive, it just made me joyful.
I am a retired government employee and I
always thought that whatever I had to learn in
life was already done, but after coming to this
program, I feel there is so much more than what
I have experienced.
I am an MBA student and my body was so rigid
and I have had terrible back pain, but just after
being here for three days, I can already see a
change in my body and much of the pain has
lifted.
I am 65 years old and have been volunteering for
45 days, just taking care of as many activities as I
can. And I have come because my one true longing
is just to be with Sadhguru. I just wish to be in his
presence. That is why I have come.
Chennai
Entering a New Dimension of Life
The Chennai heat blazed outside while over 14,000
participants sat within the massive tent hosting
Sadhgurus frst Tamil program in the city after
13 years.
Sadhguru opened his discourse by narrating an
incident that occurred at the Trichy program. It
seems a police offcer there, who was impressed
by how smoothly the program went, asked him
how he would handle the Chennai crowd next
week, because they wouldnt be so easy to manage.
Sadhguru asked the Chennai participants, Shall
we prove him wrong? to be met with enthusiastic
applause. Even prior to this question, the Chennai
people had already proven the policeman wrong.
An astonished volunteer shared, Ive never seen
such a sight in Chennai before! Thousands of people
just waited patiently in the queues, standing in such
a disciplined way, not even one person jumping the
line to enter the venue. If only this could happen to
all in the city!
If the crowd was well-behaved, the credit goes
almost entirely to the dedication of the 2,000 Isha
volunteers who supported the program. A resident
of the Isha Yoga Center who had come to witness
the program was amazed at how meticulous the
volunteers were going about every aspect of the
program from setting up the stage to the fower
decoration of the dais. From setting chairs to
drawing kolams
2
. From organizing the extensive
dining arrangements to creating the nametags of
each participant.
Sadhgurus talk, as always, was anything but a
lecture. A generous sprinkling of stories and jokes
drew peals of laughter from the responsive crowd.
As the lively session drew to a close, the participants
learned a simple and powerful meditation from
Sadhguru and went home, eagerly awaiting the next
day.
The tight program schedule ensured that all the
sessions in the day were flled to the brim and
precisely timed. During the practice sessions,
participants learned the mechanics of the powerful
Shambhavi Maha Mudra kriya, while volunteers
19 April 2011 FOREST FLOWER
1
During meditation processes
2
Traditional South Indian drawing using rice powder
20
guided them. One volunteer shared, I was staggered
to see an endless sea of faces, eyes closed, sitting
without a movement, absolutely still and focused on
the practice.
There was a mixture of discourses and interactive
sessions with the participants as Sadhguru walked
on the ramp in the center of the hall, where he was
engulfed by the audience from all sides. Provoking
questions and razor-sharp logic helped participants
to break mental barriers, and paved the way to their
inner freedom.
Meanwhile, outside the program tent, thousands of
tireless volunteers were working around the clock.
Starting early in the morning, volunteers packed the
breakfast and lunch boxes for 16,000 people. Others
cleaned the numerous mobile toilets that were set up.
Some of their major challenges included organizing
the vehicle parking and supplying drinking water
for the participants.
The day ended in celebration. While fowers blessed
by Sadhguru were distributed to all, the booming
drums of Sounds of Isha drew the meditators to
their feet. The exuberant crowd danced and danced,
unwilling to leave, but looking forward to Sunday.
Until now, they had learned the Isha Kriya and the
individual aspects of Shambhavi Maha Mudra, but
had not yet experienced the initiation, which would
soon make the kriya a live process.
On the last day of the program, a brief yet
emotionally charged discourse by Sadhguru further
prepared everyone for the initiation into Shambhavi
Maha Mudra. Guru Pooja was performed as both
participants and volunteers paid their gratitude
to the great Masters of the past, who, out of their
compassion, had transmitted the invaluable gift of
yoga to humanity.
During the initiation, participants were swept into
new dimensions of experience. Sadhguru, Sounds
of Isha, the volunteers and organizers, all set the
necessary atmosphere for this process to happen in
the most powerful way. One could only be taken
aback by the sheer presence of thousands of people,
young and old, taking a step towards their Ultimate
Wellbeing.
The closing came too soon as hundreds of volunteers
excitedly rushed into the program tent. In the last
two days of intense activity, many of them had not
had the chance to even see the inside of the tent.
Now they took front row seats, as Sadhguru bowed
down to them for their unfailing dedication.
A volunteer described his experience of the day: It
passed off so joyfully. It was so easy to be the loving
and caring person I always wanted to be. I know
its only because of Sadhgurus presence. I hope this
feeling lasts even after this program.
The ending was nothing short of an explosion as
16,000 people (participants and volunteers), jumped
and danced in ecstasy. Sadhguru extracted a promise
from the participants that they must teach the Isha
Kriya to at least 10 other people. So it can only be
a matter of time before all of Chennai joins in this
celebration. Lets make it happen!
21
Program Highlights
These programs are conducted in English, unless indicated otherwise. Current at the time of print, however subject to
change. For full program schedules and updates, please visit our website www.ishafoundation.org.
Date Program Place Contact
10 - 12 May 2011
Hata Yoga
Residential Program
Isha Yoga Center,
Coimbatore, India
0422-2515300
programinfo@ishafoundation.org
14 - 17 May 2011
Shoonya Meditation
Residential Program
Isha Yoga Center,
Coimbatore, India
0422-2515300
programinfo@ishafoundation.org
19 - 22 May 2011
Inner Engineering
Retreat
Residential Program
Isha Yoga Center,
Coimbatore, India
0422-2515421
maa.karpoori@ishafoundation.org
19 - 22 May 2011
Bhava Spandana
(English / Hindi - Gents)
Residential Program
Isha Yoga Center,
Coimbatore, India
0422-2515300
programinfo@ishafoundation.org
24 - 27 May 2011
Guru Pooja Training
Residential Program
Isha Yoga Center,
Coimbatore, India
0422-2515300
programinfo@ishafoundation.org
26 - 29 May 2011
Inner Engineering
Retreat
Residential Program
Isha Yoga Center,
Coimbatore, India
0422-2515421
maa.karpoori@ishafoundation.org
28 May 2011
An Evening With
The Mystic
Conducted by Sadhguru
Toronto, ON,
Canada
+1-416-300-3010, 416-670-3002
toronto@ishafoundation.org
11 - 15 June 2011
The Inner Way
Residential Program con-
ducted by Sadhguru
Isha Yoga Center,
Coimbatore, India
For general program-related inquiries
(excluding registration, confrmation or
payment): 99449 31964
17 Jun - 1 Jul 2011 Himalayan Dhyan Yatra Indian Himalayas 9488 111 777
17 Sep - 1 Oct 2011 Himalayan Dhyan Yatra Indian Himalayas 9488 111 777
8 Jul - 26 Aug 2011
(In eleven 15-day
batches)
Kailash Manasarovar
Sojourn
Nepal, Tibet
9488 111 777
info@ishakailash.com
5 - 12 Dec 2011
Mahabharat
Residential Program
conducted by Sadhguru
Isha Yoga Center,
Coimbatore, India
94449 02058
mahabharat@ishafoundation.org
22
Isha Recipes
For Healthy Living
Ingredients:
100 g Tomatoes
100 g Yellow capsicum
100 g Cucumber
15 Black olives (pitted)
cup Broccoli (broken into forets)
cup Paneer (Indian fresh farmer cheese) pieces
100 g Cork-screw shaped pasta (Rotini)
10 leafs Mint (Pudina)
1 tablespoon Salt
1 tablespoon Lemon juice
1 teaspoon Pepper powder
3 tablespoons Olive oil
cup Coriander leaves (chopped)
PASTA VEGGIE SALAD
Method:
Boil the pasta, drain and cool it.
Chop the tomatoes, yellow capsicum, cucumber, black olives, broccoli and paneer into fne pieces.
Blend together the mint leaves, lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper as a dressing.
Toss the pasta, vegetables and dressing and garnish with chopped coriander.
Serve cold as a salad.
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