My dear friend Pravin gave me a booklet on which the cover lay a mischievous and bearded man. Sadhguru’s droll eyes direct slightly out of frame and the only worldly object perhaps tying him to this earth is a set of silver bands on his left ring finger.
In less than 100 pages he is able to paint a relevant doctrine to anyone who smells even the slightest bit spiritual. “Doctrine” may seem like I am insulting him, as he distinguishes his science-laden spirituality from philosophy. I am not. The reason why I say doctrine is because he is guiding those who live without yoga into a state of higher being. For those in ignorance, to ascend; requires a few key assumptions in faith. This is just like how mathematical proofs must begin with a base case or postulate accepted blindly in order to progress into a meaningful conclusion. With the right leader, a doctrine often has strategic and sweeping effects, whether formulated for imperialism or spiritual mania en masse:
“Whether you like it or not, I am only taking you towards your dissolution.”
It’s not a matter of choice. He imposes his sacred processes through which everyone in radius will erode.
In contrast, philosophy is something originating within the “psychological sphere of your life.” Spirituality by Sadhguru’s description cannot be perceived by the senses alone, and therefore cannot be described as philosophy. He speaks from a knowledge of the external to be followed and eventually explored by those willing to be led.
“Anything that can ever be done, either by man or by God, has been done in this land.”
-Mark Twain
With these pedantics out of the way, I’ll do my best below to summarize and deconstruct his interviews in a way that is forgiving and hopeful.
If you want to draw your own conclusions, you can skip to PT 3.
PT 1. Science and Spirituality
Most of this chapter addresses what types of behaviors or mental state appear to be spirituality.
He begins by dipping our toes in the parallel construction of science to technology (its application) as spirituality is to mental exploration.
In order for one’s perception to supersede the physical and psychological planes, two mental shifts must occur.
- A desire beyond survival to meet the Creator
- Development of perfect logic that holds water in modern times
Pay attention that none of these requisites have anything to do with psychological ease.
The way I now understand it, pleasantry or ‘peace of mind’ is a trojan horse for true connectedness with the universe; in all definitions.
Historically, a trojan horse is a secret plot to bring about the downfall of something.
In a computer context, a trojan horse seems harmless but is actually detrimental and malicious.
It’s a bait-and-switch. Just when you feel you’ve made headway, something you have deemed to be beneficial or even benign in fact has no correlation with your spiritual life at all. It may even make your journey worse and set you back.
Sadhguru’s most compelling case study is that of Anandamide. In the only religion in the world advocating for bliss rather than salvation: an Israeli scientist named the chemical compound after Anand pervasive in Indian culture – ecstasy. There is now scientific basis in the millions of cannabis receptors developed not for smoking pot but for generating one’s own blissfulness.
Lastly, he takes care to distinguish intellect from true progress. Many have read up to the second chapter of the Bhagavad Gita and declared themselves spiritual (29): yet he emphasizes that absorbing a book can only bring about inclination, not spirituality. To enter the next few dimensions… focus and rigor are required to make sacred a living reality.
PT 2. sacred space for self-transformation
It seems, according to the beginning of this chapter, recognizing the humanity of every person in a group is what separates an organization from a corporation. Chaos and some modicum of disorganization should be orchestrated to prevent stratification and settling. My favorite quote from the entire booklet as follows:
“Now only when people think and look and constantly worry about not knowing where they belong, their ability to imbibe what is offered to them is best.”
Discomfort is not always growth, but it is the environment most conducive to lasting change.
From here I present three turning points in one’s attitude.
A. You cannot “give up for Lent,” just as you cannot pick and choose in the “discriminatory process in your mind” (65) of renunciation.
B. Better to round up than to round down: living with the belief that “everything is sacred” (67) is a better frame of mind than absolute nonsense. Both can work, but this you must follow in order to live in the presence of others without going insane.
C. Be fully present with the struggles of your clan, without being emotionally stressed about it. This is where you can draw together the strings of family and friends anew, in a society that keeps aggrandizing the power of the individual.
pt 3. all QUOTES FROM THE BOOK with page numbers
As we live in an ever-quickening world, I think it’s safe to say that newer generations of human beings catch on faster with less information to begin with. I don’t want to dumb down the interest and depth of the content I present here…
So here’s all the header quotes found throughout the book. I think they all fit together nicely. You can browse at your own pace here like you’re wandering through a flower shop. Enjoy!
‘Confidence without clarity can be disastrous’ (21).
‘All kinds of people – anybody who had read the second chapter of the Bhagavad Gita – became ‘spiritual.’ You see them even today’ (27).
‘Yoga is not a therapy; it’s a discipline… a ladder to the divine’ (33).
‘There is nobody who is not practicing yoga’ (36).
‘If the Creator is within, who is the Creator?’ (38)
‘Just twenty-five minutes a day. In six months’ time, there’ll be phenomenal changes in your life’ (42).
‘If you only just sit here, I’ll have you completely drunk, intoxicated, but fully aware’ (44).
“‘Sadhguru’ means a dissolving agent, a catalyst to dissolve you faster” (61).
‘Renunciation does not mean giving up what is inconvenient for you’ (64).
‘We’re trying to create a situation here that many beings take lifetimes of sadhana to get to’ (69).
‘We are not looking for evolution. We are seeing how to mutate you from one dimension to another, quickly’ (73).
‘The very basis of your spiritual longing is just this. You want to experience everything as yourself’ (77).
pt 4. hotkey words, i.e. words that capture the process of yoga
Thank you Pravin for the explanations.
Sadhana: yoga-asanas (body postures), meditation, and breathing patterns.
Satsang: originating from satya + sang: truth + group = seekers of truth
-> “gatherings conducted to meet, sing, chant, share wisdom and experience, and provide service to the community.”
Ashram: a place declared sacred for devotees to practice yoga of any religion
Yoga: a state of union, i.e. expanding the boundary of individuality and feeling one with the universe as a way of life