Ashram Newsletter

Feb
2019
 From the base of fighter planes in eastern India
to a fashion show for peace in chic New York…
from his alma mater in the 70s to the Under-25
Summit… from inspiring farmers to elevating
the cream-of-the-crop at Harvard University…
experience Sadhguru’s culture-crossing itinerary
through the chit-chats of Isha volunteers.

Here, for you, the second Isha Whispers…

Sadhguru in His Homeland
and More
This January, Bangalore
volunteers were lucky
enough to have Sadhguru
with them for three
back-to-back events in
Karnataka. The first event
was in Mysore on January
25th, where Sadhguru
unveiled the granite busts
of the Mahajana Education
Society Founders
‘Rajaseva’ awardees –
Ambale Subramanya Iyer
and Rattehalli Ramappa.
(Sadhguru studied in the
Mahajana school in the
70s!) District Minister
G.T. Devegowda also
presided at this event with
Sadhguru.
Experience the events as Nachal from Poorna Kumbham and
Bangalore relives those moments with us: showered him with
flowers. Sadhguru had
Our Deliciously Exciting Expedition barely managed to
brush off the fragrant
Begins … flowers, when they
showered him with
Another volunteer and I left Bangalore in
another set of flowers in
the late evening on the 24th and reached
the meeting venue. An
Mysore around 1 AM. Our host was a
enthusiastic onlooker
typical Mysorean - gentle, laid back and
took the opportunity to
so willing to help out. The next morning he
approach and remove
insisted we have breakfast before leaving:
the flowers, accidentally
yummy Sakkari Pongal and piping hot idlis
untying Sadhguru’s
with delicious sambar.
mala in the process!
We quickly managed to
Flowery Break retie it and hand it back
to him before anyone
We reached the event venue, Mahajana’s could notice.
College at 9 AM. The entire college
was prepped and excited to receive
Sadhguru. All the female students had
A Delightful Walk
dressed in bright silk sarees to celebrate
the day. They received Sadhguru with
Sadhguru was
supposed to unveil two
statues consecutively –
the plan was he would
go by car from the first
place to the next, as
his schedule is tight as
ever. But to everyone’s
surprise and utter
delight, he decided
to walk instead. The
event went longer than
planned. After a quick
lunch with his family,
Sadhguru was off to
Bangalore for another
meeting.
 A Playful Setting
on Republic Day

Following Sadhguru, all the volunteers rushed back to Bangalore for an "In
Conversation" event at the Padukone-Dravid Centre for Sports Excellence, in
Yelahanka the next morning, where Prakash Padukone was in conversation with
Sadhguru.

Thrilled to be in a sports academy, Sadhguru didn’t miss the chance to kick

a ball…after jumping into a football game with some junior children, he also
had a short game with Prakash Padukone. “Since we’ve all been hearing about
Sadhguru’s golf stints, it was very special to see him hitting the shuttle with
professional agility,” shared Abhinaya.
When they each love for sport, I am
a sport!” replied
met their fan! Sadhguru. “It’s
not necessary to
“This is also a sort
be a champion
of fan moment for
like you – not
me,” said Sadhguru,
everybody becomes
with a smile, as soon
a champion. But
as he opened the
you can be a sport
conversation. And,
in every little thing
it turned out that
that you do, or you
Prakash was also a
can be conceited
big fan of Sadhguru.
nonsense. Sport
means you are
True to his
wanting to win
passion, most of
but willing to lose.
Prakash’s questions
Being conceited
revolved around
means ‘No matter
sports – winning,
what I want to win.’
losing, training,
So being a sport is
competing…
very important. If
you are not a sport,
It is sometimes so
you really have
amazing to see how
no business here.
simply Sadhguru
I don’t mean the
answers normal
Academy, I mean in
day-to-day life
the world. Really!”
questions with so
laughed Sadhguru.
much clarity, and yet
It was here that
so lightly. In his first
Abhinaya had a
question, Prakash
poignant moment:
asked Sadhguru to
“Seeing him laughing
elaborate on his love
reminded me of what
for sports and the
I had once heard
importance of sports.
him say – ‘My jokes
“Oh! I have no
are my most serious
statements.’”
From the Playground to
a Business Symposium:
Sadhguru at TiECON-Hubli
Back to Nachal:
Jan 26, Karnataka: Just as the
conversation with Prakash
Padukone was about to begin,
I quickly made my way to the
airport to catch the noon flight
to Hubli for the TiECON event.
I somehow managed to board
the flight at the last minute.
Sadhguru’s arrival in Hubli was
a bit delayed, and as soon
as he arrived I could see how
well-known he was in Hubli
– the police, airport officials,
onlookers and everyone
wanted to speak to him, to
take a picture and receive his
grace. And Sadhguru allowed
and accepted all this with a
beautiful smile.
It was heartening to see
that TiECON organizers had
banners of Sadhguru’s picture
all the way from the airport to
the hotel. He went straight to
meet a few people over lunch.
I reached the TiECON venue
by 3 PM. The place was abuzz
with excitement. People were
coming in early to get the best
seats. The chairs were taken
up in no time. Additional
chairs were arranged and by
5:30 PM, those too had filled
up.
The organizers had taken
special measures to take care
of Sadhguru’s security. They
were so good at their job that
they didn’t allow even the
volunteer assigned to offer
Sadhguru the mala get near
him. We were asked to give
Sadhguru some water, but
getting past those security
men was no easy task!
The who’s-who of Hubli
were there for the event –
industrialists, their families
and friends were there to see
and hear Sadhguru. People
had even travelled from as far
as Goa to see him! Around
7,000 people attended this
first ever talk by Sadhguru in
Hubli. It was heart-warming to
hear Dr. Deshpande say,
“Let’s give him the heartiest welcome
he has ever received in the whole
world!”
The talk was received very well.
At the end, the TiECON members
took a picture with Sadhguru.
After finishing the day with
yet another dinner meeting,
Sadhguru departed for the Youth
and Truth event at IIT Kharagpur
scheduled for the following day.
We volunteers took a train
back to Bangalore. As I rested
my tired feet, the next day
I couldn’t help but wonder
how Sadhguru managed to
keep such a schedule, day in
and day out. Though we only
travelled and took care of a few
logistics, what a crazy, wonderful
whirlwind these two days were!
Sadhguru, on the other hand,
was in the limelight the entire
time – meeting, engaging, and
constantly talking to people from
all walks of life. I can’t imagine
what it takes to do this 365 days
a year! All I can do is bow down in
gratitude and devotion.
Youth and Truth Gloriously
Kicks Off Again in 2019

5
Jan 27, IIT Kharagpur: Just
a two hours’ drive from
the bustling metropolis of
Kolkata, the IIT Kharagpur
campus is strikingly serene,
aesthetic, and filled with
greenery. The 35th Youth
and Truth event brought
its own unique character,
adding a new flavor to
the nationwide movement.
Though situated in the
“leftist” belt of India,
students of IIT Kharagpur
received Sadhguru with
great openness and
enthusiasm.

Interestingly, the first nation, nothing, but he’s your

question by the student
panelist was, “Why don’t
you start your own political
party?” They wondered
why Sadhguru didn’t use
his popularity further for the
well-being of Indians.
Sadhguru’s reply was
simple:
“So there is no need for
one more political party. I
would say there should be
reduction of political parties
in the country to two, three
or four, not two hundred
parties. It’s just confusing
the people; they don’t even
know whom to vote for.
Because your chacha has
started a party, how can you
not vote for it? You don’t
know what is his ideology,
his policy, his vision for the
chacha. So if I start one, all the
millions of people who are in
some way drawn to me will not
know what is my vision, why
I wanted to start this political
party, just ‘Sadhguru, we will
vote him.’ I don’t want to bring
that nonsense.”
Another interesting question
came from a student of
architecture: “Does design
have the ability to heal and
improve the quality of life of
the people occupying the
structure?” As usual, Sadhguru
answered the question with
more questions, furthering
the discussion and taking it
to a whole other level of deep
reflection into what a society
needs. At the end of the talk,
Sadhguru was impressed by
the kind of questions that
students had raised.
An Unplanned Stop

No, it was not an Squadron IAF (the Flying where the plane would
emergency landing at an Bullets), Eastern Air land, distance from the
airforce station. It was Command. The station guest room, etc. Amused
yet another serendipitous conducts joint bilateral that Isha volunteers
moment – something exercises between the wanted to verify one of
that seems to be around Indian Air Force and the US the most trusted security
Sadhguru these days. Air Force as part of Cope protocols of the country,
India. the Air Force officers
Veena, one of our enquired about Sadhguru. 

Isha Yoga teachers, The permit to land was
requested permission speedily granted within At first, the AOC didn’t
to have Sadhguru’s the protocols of the Indian connect the name to
plane land at Air Force. Trained to never the face, though he
Kalaikunda Air Force leave any detail unplanned, mentioned that he might
Station. Kalaikunda Veena met with the Air have watched a few
Air Force Station, Officer Commanding (AOC), Youtube videos, but
near Kharagpur, West Air Cmde S. Antony, to wasn’t sure if we were
Bengal, used to be verify the entire course of talking about the same
the home of No. 18 Sadhguru's movements – person.

Veena shares:
I couldn’t even show him
a picture, as we were not
allowed to carry smart
phones inside the base.
However, later I got a joyful
call back, saying that yes, he
had seen some of Sadhguru’s
Youtube videos and they
would be most happy to
receive him at the Kalaikunda
Air Force Station.
At this point, I asked him,
“Sadhguru has a very
high regard for the armed
forces, is there anything the
foundation can do for your
station?” “It will be nice if
he could talk to us for some
time,” the AOC replied.
We made a few phone calls,
and I got the reply from
Sadhguru’s office, “Yes,
Sadhguru will be happy to
meet with them.” 

It is simply amazing to see
how quickly the forces move.
On the 25th evening when
the program was confirmed,
they showed us around the
venue, sought inputs on what
kind of stage and AV set up
we wanted, and by the 26th
evening they had made all
the arrangements for over
500 officers to attend the talk
by Sadhguru. Since we had
another Youth & Truth event
at IIT Kharagpur right before
the IAF event, we were not
able to go over to support
the IAF team with the setup.
But they did the stage set-
up using the photos from
previous events that we had
sent them.
On January 27th – the day
Sadhguru was arriving – a few
contingencies had developed
and I messaged the AOC at
4:30 AM saying that the IAF talk
program timing might need to
be preponed to 11AM from the
previously planned time of 3:30-
5:00 PM. “But I can confirm only
by 7:30 AM whether the plan has
changed or not,” I apologetically
told him. “No problems, Ma’am,
just let us know two hours in
advance, and we will arrange
everything,” he calmly replied. At
sharp 7:30 AM he called himself
to confirm the timings. Finally
the program happened at 3:30
PM, as planned.
 kills, not for his pleasure, but
“When I reached the base,”
recounted Maa Jayitri,
“everything was ready. A lady
Squadron leader inquired
eagerly if I was ok with the
flower decorations. It seemed
obvious they hadn’t done the
Isha kind of flower decorations
or aesthetics before, but
they were so gracious about
everything, and had gone out of
the way to arrange the ambience
as per our suggestions.”
On the same day a “Know
Your Forces” static display was
being organized at the station
for people to know their forces.
Sadhguru was taken around the
aircraft and briefed on various
aspects by the AOC.
Sadhguru spent nearly an hour
and a half answering questions
from the officers. One pertinent
question came from a fighter
plane pilot, “Do we create karma
when we kill the enemy?”
 If you
ensure that every act you do is
for the larger interest of people
and not for your own personal
pleasure, then you don’t have
to worry, Sadhguru assured
them. He also spoke about
the karma of the people of the
country: “We are also part of
the force. We may not fly an
aircraft, we may not bomb, but
we want you to bomb when it’s
necessary. So we are also part
of the karma, isn’t it? How are
we not? Our intent also is the
same. Because karma is by
intent, not by action. A butcher
chops something for you to
eat – it’s not his karma, it’s your
karma, isn’t it? So a soldier
for my well-being. So this is my
karma, it’s not just yours. I am
taking it on so don’t worry.”
Sadhguru delayed his
departure from Kharagpur by
another hour to address most
of their questions and also to
mingle with the pilots.
The AOC conveyed to Veena
that the program had been
extremely well-received by all
and they were glad that they
had the rare opportunity to
receive Sadhguru amongst
them. He said, “Sadhguru had
said some great things which
would be very valuable for us.”
------
From Kharagpur, Sadhguru
came back to the ashram. A
Darshan, a series of meetings
with various departments,
the inauguration of the
Isha-Agro natural farming
training workshop in Trichy,
and Sadhguru was back in
Bangalore for the Under-25-
Summit on Feb 2.
Over 3,000 Farmers Trained in
Natural Farming under
Isha Agro Movement
Feb 2, Trichy: “There is a danger
looming large, if we don’t make
agriculture a profitable business.
If a survey is taken up, it will
come to light that only 2-3% of
youth will be inclined to take
agriculture up as their profession.
If we don’t learn agriculture from
the farmers now, there will be
no one doing cultivation in the
country in the next 10 years,”
Sadhguru said to awaken
the country to the stark
and painful reality of India’s
agricultural future, to promote
farmer’s education and
training, and most importantly
to shed light on the need for
economic empowerment.

Sadhguru was speaking at

the inauguration ceremony
of a nine-day natural farming
training workshop for farmers
of Tamil Nadu. 3120 farmers
participated in this training led
by eminent farmer Subhash
Palekar, known for his zero-
budget natural farming.

The Isha Agro Movement

has been training farmers in
natural farming every month
for the past three years. To
date, over 7,000 farmers have
benefitted from the training.
Sadhguru Enthralls All at the
Largest Youth Festival of India
– The Under-25 Summit
Feb 2, Bengaluru: “This is a
Sadhguru is known to pay
great platform for people
attention to everything, and is
like us to talk to Sadhguru,”
always eager to learn. While
shared Youtuber Prajakta
Radhe shared Sadhguru’s
Koli of MostlySane. “I have
curiosity in the form of the
had this pleasure before, and
1,000 questions he asked
I remember the one hour that
about everything he visited in
I spent talking to you was the
Gujarat – from Somnath temple
calmest hour I have had in the
to robot-driven solar power
longest time. And I just didn’t
plants – this time a volunteer
know that you could feel like
from Bangalore shares a
that, you know, when you’re
glimpse of Sadhguru’s curiosity
talking to somebody.”
about banana chips. Here is
a beautiful sharing from the
She was referring to her
volunteers at the Under-25
first meeting with Sadhguru
event:
during the month long Y&T
campaign in September
“The plan was we would be
2018. This time she was
there to receive him, but the
joined by two more young
cab driver took a wrong turn
YouTubers - Nikhil Sharma
and we ended up circling the
(Mumbiker Nikhil) and
same place two times. We
Nikunj Lotia (Be YouNick)
reached the venue just as
in a conversation with
Sadhguru entered the green
Sadhguru at the Under-25
room. He had come straight
Summit 2019.
from a farmer's meet in Trichy,
and we knew he hadn’t eaten
Sadhguru answered all
anything since morning, so we
their questions with his
kept some refreshments for
typical mix of humor and
him ready. This little offering
profundity.
of mainly fruits and nuts also
included a plate of homemade
Be it on stage or off,
banana chips. The moment
Sadhguru looked at the chips,
he asked, “How do you make
these chips? Do you first slice
it, then dry and store it for
frying later?” he asked.

When I answered that it is

directly sliced into the frying
pan, “How is the salt added
then?” was his next question.
As I answered it, I marvelled
at the attention he gives to
everything. Nothing is too big
or too small for scrutiny.
Feb 5, Isha Yoga Center: Over
ninety-nine percent of the
whole cosmos is empty –
nothing. What makes you think
you are something?” Sadhguru No Empty Talking at the
expounded the deepest truths
of life in his usual witty tone and Russian Retreat
tenor to “Russian-speaking”
people against the backdrop
of a gentle water stream in the
ashram. The participants were
at the Yoga Center to attend an
Inner Engineering Retreat.

“Because there is this platform

of stillness which is ninety-
nine percent of the universe,
a little bit of physical dance
is happening – exuberance,”
he said to further make them
grasp that we are just a speck
of life dancing in emptiness. He
ended his talk with a profound
and inspiring message that
sadhana is the tool to know the
truth of life experientially.

One unexpected and interesting

episode happened as the
conversation came to a close.
Sadhguru asked, “What else
can I do with the Russians
and the Ukrainians?” Hearing
this, some participants said,
“Moldova.” Other sets of
participants said in a chorus,
“Kazakhstan”, “Uzbekistan,”
“Israel”, “Latvia”, “Siberia”
Soon, all the participants were
calling out their countries’
names. Amused, Sadhguru
remarked over their joyful
noises with his typical wit.
“Azerbaijan? Nobody? We like
Azerbaijan,” he said and burst
into laughter along with all
present there.

On the same day, Sadhguru left

for two back-to-back events in
Delhi.
No Time Out
for 2000 KV
Principals!
Feb 6, New Delhi: Isha Yoga
teachers have been training
the teachers of Kendriya
Vidyalaya (KV) to impart
Upa Yoga since the last
International Day of Yoga.
The joint commissioner, and
additional commissioner of KV
schools have completed IE
and are practicing Shambhavi.
So when the Education
Minister invited Sadhguru to
address the 2,000 heads of
KV schools across India who
had gathered to participate
in a national level Principals'
Conference, it was hard
to refuse even though the
event dates didn’t quite fit in
Sadhguru’s schedule.
Still, Sadhguru agreed to
squeeze out some time for
this event in a day that was
already filled with other
commitments. His main
message was that teachers
should focus on how to
provide that atmosphere to
unfold the genius of each
child. “Right now ninety
percent of the focus is how
to ram memory into their
heads,” he reminded them.
“All of you as educationists,
you are at a point where the
sooner we transform our
education system, the better
edge our children will have for
the future in the world. How
quickly we shift to machine
learning will determine where
India will be in another thirty
to forty years’ time.”
Some light-hearted
moments with Sadhguru:
After a brief talk, Sadhguru
opened the floor for a few
questions. A large number
of hands shot up, with
questions flowing in from
every corner of the hall.
“How should I be as a
teacher?” was essentially
the question asked in
varied contexts. Sadhguru
patiently answered each
question, despite the fact
that it was time to close the
Attempt Three: The compere went onstage
event.
and stood next to Sadhguru. Sadhguru
ignored her and continued the program.
Seeing that the audience
“Seeing this, I was in splits within myself,”
would not leave him,
said Kannan anna.
a volunteer, who was
accompanying Sadhguru,
Attempt Four: Not seeing any alternative,
decided to do something.
the compere simply announced that the
program had closed and started thanking
Attempt One: She gestured
Sadhguru. With a surprised “Oh!”
to Kannan anna to
Sadhguru turned back, did namaskaram
conclude the program
and got off his seat. But that still wasn’t
promptly. Kannan anna
the end...
gestured to the organizer,
who in turned gestured
Final Intervention: After getting off his
to his assistant. But
couch, Sadhguru addressed them for
neither the principals
another few minutes standing on the
nor Sadhguru paid any
stage – something that was somewhat
attention to their gestures!
unusual. The volunteers knew that if
The questions kept coming
he jumped offstage and mingled with
in, and Sadhguru kept on
the crowd, which seemed quite likely, it
answering them.
would be another 30 minutes gone. So,
a volunteer stood at the steps and gently
Attempt Two: She motioned
ushered Sadhguru backstage …
for Sounds of Isha to take
the side stage for the
“The depth of Sadhguru’s compassion
closing music, so Sadhguru
and love for those principals and his
would get the cue. But that
eagerness to change the education
didn’t work either – the
system in India was overwhelming,”
questions were ON, and
said Kannan anna before concluding his
so were the answers … of
delightful account of this event.
course, accompanied now
by the SOI crew sitting
mutely on the stage.
Feb 7, Greater Noida, Bennett
University: “The mega campaign
is a platform for embracing
the truths of life that make
us unique and yet let us be
a part of this cosmos,” the
university website published in
a blog titled “Youth and Truth
Campaign and Pre-Event Bustle
at Bennett University”. The
website went on to announce:
“An electrifying atmosphere has
been created where youngsters
are brewing with questions
to be answered by Sadhguru
- the man who has redefined
the way young people look at
themselves and has become an
icon of the youth.”

Indeed, the electrifying

enthusiasm with which the
students of Bennett University
received Sadhguru was
exemplary. The event started
with a foot-tapping ‘Dooba
Dooba’ and ‘Na Ja Bewafa’
performance by renowned
playback singer Mohit Chauhan,
accompanied by Sounds of
Isha. Like other Y & T events,
Sadhguru joyfully addressed
a range of questions from
anxiety to parental disapproval
of tattoos, from heartbreak
to PUBG addiction to
discrimination.
New York’s Most Fashionable
Flock to Fashion for Peace
Feb 12-13, New York City: Just
before Valentine’s Day,
Sadhguru reached the Big
Apple for the closing of New
York Fashion Week! Billed
as Fashion for Peace, top
designers joined together to
display a stunning array of
120 distinct Indian fabrics.
Derived from small farmers
across India and master
craftsman alike, each textile
was carefully selected for its
unique weave, low carbon
footprint, and environmental
sustainability, revealing
the talent of a rare and
endangered species –
traditional weavers, whose
numbers are declining every
year.
In a packed, standing room only
session, with a line out the door
to see Sadhguru, New York's
finest listened to Sadhguru
speak about a return to clothing
made of natural fibers instead
of synthetic fiber. The unique
initiative caused a stir on the
catwalk, with live weavers
taking the stage for the
event!
UN Ambassador Inga
Rhonda King introduced
Sadhguru to an illustrious
audience of the most
creative people in art,
entertainment, and fashion.
The standing models were
draped in beautiful designs
and fabrics, and several were
so moved by Sadhguru's words
they forgot they were models!
They broke protocol and smiled
and clapped when Sadhguru
talked about leaving the
world better off than before.
The entire experience moved
the crowd so much so that
people stayed for an hour
after the event just to be
there. Some of the most
famous people in fashion,
who had other parties to
attend to that night, stood in
a long line to get a glimpse of
Sadhguru.
“It is estimated by 2025,
that 98% of the fiber on the
planet will be synthetic fiber,”
Sadhguru told The Hollywood
Reporter backstage. Here
is an excerpt from the story
they published on their online
portal vividly capturing the
moods and movements of
the event:
“He was an apostolic face who
inspired so many people across
the world to find peaceful
solutions to very violent
problems,” Sadhguru says
[about Mahatma Gandhi].
“One of those is textiles.
Because we want more and
more and big and bigger,
everything's become so
violent. Bringing back natural
fibers is a gentler and more
peaceful way of making our
clothing.”
Though she wasn’t one of
the designers showing, Donna
Karan wandered in to support
her Indian friend. “I’m not
supposed to be here, but I
met Sadhguru when he did
something for Urban Zen and
then I went down to India and
I went to his ashram, which is
unbelievable,” she says. “I fell
in love with his scarves and
he says to me, ‘If you come to
my ashram, I'll show you where
to get the scarves.' And the rest
is history. Fashion and a higher
consciousness — that’s what I’ve
been doing my whole life.”
Nearby, another fashion icon,
Kamali, was busy creating impromptu
silhouettes in pale gauze right on
several models. “I got inspired
by the fabric and decided that I
would just drape it on the spot.
So that's what I'm doing,” she
said. “Okay, so how much more
can I challenge my 73-year-old-
self?”
Joni Mitchell’s “Big Yellow Taxi”
swelled as the program started and
the crowd surged around Sadhguru
and the models on their cube
platforms in the looks from
Kamali, Hoffman, New York-
based designer Mimi Prober (who
incorporates antique textiles and
natural dyes into her designs)
and Indian fashion designer
Sabyasachi Mukherjee, who has
long championed sustainability
and crafts his own elaborate
fabrics — making headlines
recently for dressing Priyanka
Chopra in a couture lehenga
that took 3,720 hours and 110
embroiderers to make for her
Hindu wedding to Nick Jonas.
Singer Taylor Dane, slipping
through the crowd, says she shares
Sadhguru’s concern: “I have two
kids and we just did a trip to the
Amazon and it was the most
incredible thing — and what this
gentleman is speaking about and
where he’s coming from on all the
plastics out there — oh, my God.
I'm working with a bra company
and we are going to recreate the
way you look at them. So
many of the closest things
to your body are made
out of plastics. I hope I
can be a part of one of the
products that can help.”

----

And yet another

fashionably exciting
meeting was on the
agenda - Sadhguru had
a conversation with
Imran Amed, founder
and CEO of the famous
company “The Business
of Fashion” about the use
of natural textiles in the
fashion industry. Amed
began the talk by asking
Sadhguru, “What is it
that drives you?” With a
chuckle, Sadhguru replied,
“Oh, I am not driven by
anything. I’m self-driven.”
Elaborating on the disaster
of using single-use plastic,
Sadhguru explained
the need for bringing
economically and healthy
alternatives to fashion
boardrooms, on a big
scale.

In a beautiful and fun

way, Fashion for Peace
closed out New York
Fashion week with a
bang! The media and
social media coverage
has been non-stop with
famous supermodel
Christy Turlington recently
tweeting, "What a very
special #NYFW this
was! #FashionforPeace
#Sadhguru."

15
The Wolverine Chapter
in Michigan!
The very next day, Youth and
Truth hit the scene, this time
at the University of Michigan
– tickets sold out within hours
after Sadhguru’s talk at the
Ross School of Business was
announced on social media.
Open to all, professors,
visiting scholars, and students
from all over campus, from
engineering to art and
literature students, turned up
early, eager for the chance
to soak in the morning with a
mystic.
The event was organized in
just 10 days with students
from University of Michigan
Ross School demonstrating
a willingness to make it a
memorable event. Sadhguru
hadn’t been to Michigan since
2015, so meditators were
filled with gratitude to be in his
presence.
Here Singari, an Alumna of
Univeristy of Michigan whispers
her exciting moments:
When I heard Sadhguru was
going to be at my alma mater,
I immediately began washing
my old wolverine sweatshirt.
At 7:30 the next morning, my
friend Kama, who’d arrived
with her husband at the venue
early, called me and told me
to hurry up as the hall was
rapidly filling. I literally rolled
out of bed (pajama pants and
all), and drove to the campus.
But though I reached early, as
soon as I stepped in the doors
there was Sadhguru, avidly
discussing the glass and steel
design of the renovated building
with the moderating panel as
if he’d been strolling around
for hours. I ducked behind
the crowd of volunteers and
professors that had gathered
to listen, feeling rather frumpy
and unprepared – not unlike my
college days!
Ten minutes later I was
transported to the kind of
class that I wish I could have
attended at the university – after
a warm welcome from the Vice-
President of the business school,
Sadhguru addressed a medley
of questions from the panel and
audience with jokes and witty
remarks aplenty, revving up the
discussion with his timely humor
and cutting insight.
As a microphone placed inside
a cloth case with the university’s
maize and blue colors on it
was passed around the hall,
Sadhguru laughed openly at
the school’s creativity. In turn,
the audience cracked up when
Sadhguru shared that he’d never
bothered looking at his report
card as a child, thinking of it as
a transaction between his father
and the principal.
Switching gears, in response
to a student’s question on the
Pulwama terror attack that had
occurred just the day before
in Kashmir, Sadhguru
brought the situation
under the lens saying,
“In the making of a
nation, one important
thing is the sovereignty
of the nation because
the nation exists only
because of its borders.”
He continued, “Why I am
talking about a nation is,
for me a nation is not a
political entity, the nation
is not my nationalism.
For me, a nation is
the largest amount of
population you can
address right now.”
The final question of
the talk came from an
unexpected attendee – a
boy no older than nine
asked, his expression
earnest as he clutched
the microphone close,
“Why do people lie all
the time?”
Sadhguru beamed at the
boy’s confidence and
chuckled along with the
audience, and quipped,
“It’s not that people lie all
the time. You may be just
in some bad company,
right now,” sending
another wave of laughter
around the room. A
fitting question for the
first Youth and Truth talk
in the United States…
Youth and Truth
Wave Touches Harvard
…But certainly not the last Y&T!
On Feb 17, Sadhguru spoke at the
Harvard-India conference, organized
by the Harvard Kennedy School. As
a few hundred attendees sat in utter
silence, hanging on Sadhguru’s every
word, he inspired them, “You must
think of solving world’s problems rather
than just thinking of some fanciful
ambition…. Young people who are
going into business, you must think on
these terms, how to impact maximum
number of lives and where can we do
it?”
Arvind Benegal, a US volunteer, shares his
experience: “Though the ‘India At An
Inflection Point’ themed conference was
a joint effort of the Harvard Business
School and the Kennedy School, Isha
volunteers from Boston, New York, and
other parts of the country descended
on the renowned university campus to
support Sadhguru’s keynote session.
A few of us arrived at the venue the
morning before and had the chance
to meet with an eclectic group of
entrepreneurs, politicians, government
administrators, filmmakers, journalists,
and social outreach stalwarts.
“The keynote was at Littauer Hall, the largest
of the venues within the conference facility.
Just before the event was to start, I glanced
up at the gathering crowd and realized that
the hall was packed, all the way to the third
floor! Not a seat was left to spare.
“Sadhguru answered the students’
exploratory and provocative questions with
his usual devastating logic and wit, leaving
the audience riveted! When no one wanted
the session to end, Sadhguru made a final
appeal to all of the students, saying that they
were privileged to be one of several million to
have found themselves at the top university in
the country, and that they had the power and
capability to transform the world for the better.
“As Sadhguru stepped offstage, a throng of
well-wishers followed Sadhguru to the door
to the green room, where he spent some time
with other conference speakers one-on-one
before leaving the venue.
“The young cadre of organizers did a
phenomenal job putting the event together
with professional flair! For me, it was one more
opportunity to throw myself into activity and
soak in Sadhguru’s grace.”
Sadhguru in Dubai Again to
Discuss “A Possibility Beyond
Present Realities!”

Feb 20, Dubai: Sadhguru, invited by the organizers of

WION Global Summit, Dubai, addressed the global
decision-makers in a session, named "A Possibility
Beyond Present Realities,” facilitated by Riz Khan, a
well-known British broadcaster.

The summit was organised by WION TV, a news

channel dedicated to putting forth India's perspective
on emerging global issues in the world on a global
platform.
On the WION Summit dais
Sadhguru directly addressed
the escalated conflict between
India and Pakistan after the
recent terror attacks in Pulwama
where over 40 CRPF jawans
lost their lives. While totally
empathizing with the grieving
families, he emphasized the long
term solution lies in economic
prosperity of both the countries.
“I feel the region has to make
efforts to bring an economic
prosperity. I think if the rest of
the countries show economic
prosperity… I’m sure people
in Pakistan don’t aspire for
anything else – they also aspire
for their well-being. It is just that
certain forces in every nation
behave like they represent every
human being in that country,
but it is not true. You should
see the bonhomie that Indians
and Pakistanis have outside the
country. When they’re outside
that region, they do very well
with each other.”
Sheikh and Sadhguru Meet Again
This summit was initially dedicated to India-Pakistan
peace talks and global warming, but in view of
recent terror attacks, the agenda was redesigned,
and reshuffled. And because of this reshuffling, His
Excellency Sheikh Nahyan, Minister of Tolerance UAE
was invited to inaugurate the summit, instead of a high
ranking diplomat from Pakistan. So as destiny would
have it, here Sadhguru and Sheikh Nahyan met again
within a month…
Isha volunteers took an initiative and messaged Sheikh
Nahyan while he was in his helicopter heading for the
event, asking him if he would like to have some private
time with Sadhguru. “Of course, I would love to,”
replied the Sheikh from mid-air. So after his key note
speech, the volunteers ushered Sheikh to a private
room to meet Sadhguru.
A long, warm hug yet again reinforced this historical
mingling of Sheikh and Sadhguru. Before leaving the
room, a volunteer overheard the Sheikh saying to
Sadhguru, “Your wisdom just amazes me,” clasping his
hand all the while.

Sadhguru
Addresses Emirati
Indians in an
Intimate Setting
Feb 19, Dubai: The day before the
WION summit talk, Sadhguru
was invited to address a group
of about 300 local Emirati
influencers on a golf course.
After a brief talk, Sadhguru also
conducted a powerful meditation
for the group. Incidentally –
something that rarely happens in
Dubai – it also rained during this
event.
All the participants interacted
very warmly with Sadhguru, and
had so many questions to ask.
“These people were of a very
high stature in Dubai, but it was
overwhelming to see how they
were touching his feet and vying
to have Sadhguru address them
personally. Most of them were
meeting Sadhguru for the first
time,” shared a volunteer.
Going Beyond the Conman
Another volunteer shared
another little story about
the transformation of Paras
Shahdadpuri – a former diplomat
with the Indian Ministry of
Foreign Affairs. Shahdadpuriji
had left his role with the Foreign
Service to start his own business
in Dubai years ago. When invited
by this volunteer for this talk,
he had shared his hesitation by
saying, “I really don’t believe
in these gurus, and think most
of them are conmen.” Since he
knew the volunteer very well,
he agreed to join this gathering
nonetheless.
Towards the end of the event,
after Mili, a Dubai volunteer,
shared her experience about
Isha Vidhya. Shahdadpuriji went
over to her and shared, “I had
tears in my eyes when you were
talking about Isha Vidhya, which
normally doesn’t happen to me.
There is definitely something of a
substance and value here!”
The next day at the WION
summit, Shahdadpuriji was
incidentally seated next to
Sadhguru. It was clear he
was touched by Sadhguru’s
presence, and stood with folded
hands every time he got to
talk to him. Later he shared, “I
have started to read the Inner
Engineering book. I would
have liked to have it signed
by Sadhguru, but didn’t wish
to waste his time for my self-
interest.”
“I feel blessed to witness the
magic of this enlightened
presence,” shared another
volunteer.
Missing Mosque remains
Missing!
Since the trip was so short yet
again the volunteers couldn't
take Sadhguru to this mosque in
Abu Dhabi, which he had wanted
to visit during his last visit.
Are you ready for
the 25th year of
Mahashivaratri
celebrations?
Prepare for powerful meditations
accompanied by dance and music,
a nightlong satsang with Sadhguru,
musical performances by eminent
artists, and bask in the enlightening
grace of Adiyogi on this darkest night
of the year.
Here are some special and stunning
highlights of this spiritual and cultural
extravaganza:
Bull Beauty Contest and More!
For the first time in preparation for
Mahashivaratri, 200 cows of 20
different varieties will be on display at party like no other!
the venue, including the Kangayam
Bulls, a famous variety of western
Tamil Nadu. (Fun Fact: The ashram’s
beloved Nandi statue is sculpted
after the very same type of bull!) In
addition to the 200, there will be 16
rare breeds of cow that have been
reared in-house Isha! Mix all these
magnificent creatures together in a
glorious festival and what do you
get? You may be in for a surprise –
there will be a bull beauty contest!
An Arts and Crafts Bazaar like the formally kicked off by Sadhguru.
ashram has never seen!
Next up on the lineup…
Hailing all the way from Rajasthan
and Gujarat, there will be 108
techniques of saree-tying styles on
display! The various weaves of
traditional Indian sarees will be
showcased during the much-awaited a volunteer, beaming with his
Yaksha festival, the three-day prelude divine smile.
of classical music and dance
leading up to Mahashivaratri.
Festival-goers will have the
opportunity to practice hands-on
saree tying for themselves.
Vendors bearing food from different
states of India, with unique regional
flavours, will be part of this
multifarious bazaar, along with a
special sit-down restaurant – our
own Maha Mudra from Chennai.
A short throw from this hot
spot of yummy treats will be a
mini-carnival! Get ready to try
your hand at a bucket-load of
traditional Indian games, and
don’t forget your competitive
spirit!
And yet...that isn’t all there is to
tell…tune in to discover the rest
of the excitement that awaits the
25th Isha Mahashivaratri and
prepare yourself for an exuberant
How will all this be
possible?
If you’re wondering how such
preparations can be underway when
ashram programs are still taking
place, and everything seems to be
going at a normal pace otherwise...
you haven’t understood the Isha way!
Five months before
Mahashivaratri preparations were
He asked full-time volunteers to
make sure that all arrangements
would be supportive for
attendees, including the water
stands, parking, food stalls,
toilets — every detail was looked
at.
“Mahashivaratri is a divine offering
of Divine by divine hands,” shares
As of now, 15,000 volunteers are
currently working throughout India
in Mahashivaratri preparation –
inviting devotees, informing
anyone and everyone, and
sourcing and preparing material,
people, and places for the
program.
For the last one month,
construction crews have
been ON, cleaning, levelling,
barricading, and preparing
stalls and parking for the
Mahashivaratri venue.
The sounds of drums and
chants, the chimes of anklet bells
in rehearsal for the night’s grand
dance can be heard late into the
night, an underlying beat to the
anticipation hanging in the air…
From the distance between the
seating arrangements to the
food stalls to the toilets, are the
ashram teams – trained over the
years by Sadhguru to organize
this nightlong festival – who
have been working tirelessly to
make sure everything tees off to
perfection.
More than 100 full-time volunteers
have already reached the phase
where if they get more than four
hours of sleep they feel they haven’t
done enough...
Biksha hall is ON all night, getting
ready to serve the volunteers
whose numbers are increasing
by the hour as the days draw
closer to March 4.
One week before the big night, 2,700
volunteers from all over India will be
in the ashram working full-time on
Mahashivaratri preparations...
In the Ashram
 Sakthivel anna, a volunteer
from Kavundampalayam
Finally, here is a center, is from a very humble
background. He sells
touching story sugarcane juice to make his
for you from livelihood, and obviously
struggles to meet his ends...
the volunteers
In the beginning of this
who are out Mahashivaratri season, I asked
to collect him whether he could ask
for some donations from his
annadanam customers, for which he told
that he would try.
donations across
India – shared Recently, he called me and
told that he has Rs. 5,000 with
by an Isha Yoga him as donation. Pleasantly
surprised to hear this, I asked
teacher: him how he could manage to
collect such a huge amount of
money from his customers.
He politely said that the
contribution is not from
his customers... for the
past 50 days, he has
taken Rs. 100 daily
from his sugarcane
juice sale proceeds and
saved the money to
donate for Annadanam.
Upon hearing this, my
eyes were filled with
tears… Later in the day,
he came to my house to
hand over the money, all
in the denominations of
10, 20, 50 and 100.
Just looking at these
cash denominations,
anyone can really
understand the hard
labor put behind it and
the kind of devotion
behind this act.
No words to express my
feelings. I was simply
broken to pieces by
the act of this great
person...