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In Hinduism, there is a religious ritual of fasting on Ekadashi, which is the eleventh lunar day between the new moon and full moon. It is believed that if you fast on Ekadashi and then on Full Moon day, you will not have any illnesses. Since around 60 per cent of the human body is composed of water, the moon is bound to have an effect on the body as it has on tides during full moon nights. Fasting during this time is said to purify the body of accumulated toxins. This is also considered to be a good time for spiritual practices. https://www.followingsrisri.org/2021/06/What-Is-Ekadashi-Fasting-Significance.html

Desire is fine if you can control and regulate them to serve your needs. But if they are intensified into cravings and aversions, you might find yourself under their control against your will. All vices like hatred, lust, greed, gluttony are just manifestations of intense desires in the form of aversions and cravings, and all crimes or errors in conduct, are evolved from them. Also desire promises pleasure but all pleasure is followed by pain and misery in the long run, due to the factors of saturation and impermanence. The peace and joy of Buddha nature or emptiness is considered superior to such fluctuations of pleasures and pain prompted by desires.

Easy to do are things that are bad and harmful to oneself. But exceedingly difficult to do are things that are good and beneficial. ~ Buddha ( Dhammapada 163) Sin is easy to commit. ~ Ashoka If there is a right thing and a wrong thing, it takes longer for the right thing to be implemented, while the wrong thing will be implemented immediately. ~ Dada Bhagavan The nature of the mind is such it ignores all the good and holds on to the negative. ~ Sri Sri Ravi Shankar The mind naturally tends towards evil deeds. It is lethargic in doing good work. That is why I say that perseverance and tenacity are necessary for success in all works.~ Sri Sharada Devi The nature of the mind is to be easy-going and indolent. It loves to shirk responsibility and to get attached to the senses and their objects. A careless man gets attached to sense-pleasures and becomes weak and stupid. The mind of such a man gets impure and weak. ~ Swami Narayanananda

Hinduism has reincarnation as part of its doctrine as well as ancestor worship known as Shraadh. The understanding is that the rituals and worship in Shraadh provides spiritual merit to the souls of one's ancestors or parents who may be in astral dimensions, heavenly or hellish as per their life karma or actions. Those in the hellish astral dimensions will have their negative karma reduced by Shraadh while those in heavenly dimensions will be able to stay there more or even get to better dimensions or get a good birth the next time they reincarnate. The latter would reincarnate in ideal circumstances conducive to wisdom , noble company and enlightenment, thereby liberating themselves from the cycle of death and rebirth. This is what is explained in the Hindu scriptures. Paramahamsa Yogananda in his book, ' The autobiography of a Yogi' had also described the astral heavenly and hellish dimensions as explained by his resurrected master Sri Yukteshwar.

Sensei Sandeep Desai on the 70 % threshold in Taoism... https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/blogs/the-speaking-tree/the-70-threshold/ I found this interesting because medical science have also stated of a link between moderate exercise and longevity. I know of a couple of athletes who died of a heart attack while going through rigorous physical regimens. Working at 70 percent capacity can also bring conditions of creativity, enjoyment of work and performing work mindfully.

An ethical life purifies the mind. By living an ethical life, one progresses towards the realization of the Divine. ~ Sri Anandamayi Ma Behavior influences consciousness. Right behavior means right consciousness. ~ Taisen Deshimaru (Zen Buddhist master and founder of Association Zen Internationale) Behavior influences consciousness. Right behavior means right consciousness. Our attitude here and now influences the entire environment: our words, actions, ways of holding and moving ourselves, they all influence what happens around us and inside us. The actions of every instant, every day, must be right...Every gesture is important. How we eat, how we put on our clothes, how we wash ourselves, how we go to the toilet, how we put our things away, how we act with other people, family, wife, work - how we are: totally, in every single gesture. ~ Taisen Deshimaru

There maybe some exagerations and mistranslations due to lack of proper knowledge of english. But you can still see that these weapons have similar effects to that of modern nuclear weapons. Infected foodstuffs, pottery breaking without any cause, hair and nails falling out, infertility in humans and animals are some of the similarities I am talking about. It is just some exaggerated stuff. In Buddhism as well you can see some exaggerations while praising the person of the Buddha or Bodhisattvas for creating impact. People record their activities and add their own statements to increase the impact. In the Ramayana, Indrajit is said to have wiped out millions of vanara soldiers with the Brahmastra in a single day. However , the story of Ramayana is known even now. Arjuna contained the weapon's destructive effects, but Ashwatthama directed the energy malevolently to an another target which was in turn contained by Krishna. The story of Ganesha getting an elephant head is part of the puranas which is mainly of metaphors . Wisdom is supposed to be distilled from them by properly interpreting them. The weapons of the Brahmastra is mentioned in both epics Ramayana and Mahabharatha, which have a logical narrative to a large extent. Battle formations and tactics and their corresponding counter-tactics are described in detail. Even now, chanting of mantras are considered to be important in increasing the efficacy of medicines prepared in Ayurveda and indigenous medical systems of India. And I have personally seen and read of people who have exhausted all that allopathy had to offer but found their cure and healing in Ayurveda. So it is possible such weapons based on mantras were there in the past, and knowledge of them deliberately wiped out due to the present age of Kali Yuga which is considered inauspicious due to the dominance of the guna of tamas. Even if these weapons and the epics are just tales of fiction as Atlantis is supposed to be, there still remains wisdom to be distilled from them to guide our turbulent present.

There are references to super-weapons in the Ramayana and Mahabharatha, with corresponding mantras . They were called astras, and they were mainly used by highly proficient warriors. https://www.gaia.com/article/evidence-nuclear-war-ancient-times The Brahmastra is mentioned in both the Ramayana and Mahabharatha. The destructive effects of this weapon is similar to that recorded by the use of nuclear weapons. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brahmastra An interesting fact recorded is that self-mastery and a good character was necessary in the proper use of these weapons. In the Mahabharatha, there is a confrontation between Arjuna and Ashwatthama , who were both the favorite disciple and son respectively of the martial arts teacher Drona . Ashwatthama used the Brahmastra offensively ignoring the regulations in its usage, while Arjuna used the same weapon to counter the widespread destruction and contain it. The sages Narada and Vyasa stopped the battle considering its dangerous repercussions and asked both warriors to withdraw the weapon. Arjuna , due to his self-mastery and virtuous behavior, was able to withdraw the weapon safely, while the character flawed Ashwatthama was not able to do so. Arjuna was praised by the sages for his self-restraint and prudence while Ashwatthama was criticised and rebuked for lack of the same. Ashwatthama was cursed by Krishna for breaching rules of proper conduct and morality in this regard by using such powerful weapons without self-regulation. Shivabalayogi, an enlightened sage of modern times had also cited this battle to show that such super-weapons were present in earlier times, and the dangers associated with their usage. https://www.shiva.org/SHIVABALAYOGI-HisWords_World_Conditions.htm It is said that there were other similar warfare techniques and technologies that were deliberately wiped out by martial arts teachers with the onset of the present Kali Yuga or Dark Ages, as they were probably apprehensive that such techniques and weapons might fall to the wrong hands creating peril for the whole world. The present Kali Yuga is the time when the guna of tamas will be at its peak, leading to lower states of consciousness and loss of values due to philosophies adhering to hedonism, materialism, atheism and nihilism. This had been prophesized in the past and consequently much of such destructive weapons had been deliberately lost with time. I would say that all this showcases the fact that destructive weapons the world has at present should be destroyed by the UN or there should be a hard body of regulations governing their usage as they are capable of wiping out entire countries and continents.

Insightful article by Sadhguru on the cause of violence and its solution... https://isha.sadhguru.org/us/en/wisdom/article/violence-cause-solutions

Mathematics as in the numeral system, arithmetic and zero, trigonometry and decimal system, which the world knows today was developed in ancient India. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_mathematics This was studied by the Arabs later on who expanded on it, and was passed on to the Europeans in the tenth century A.D. There was opposition to the foreign mathematical system in Europe then , which delayed its widespread use by a couple of centuries. European scholars however in time noted its practicality and superiority over the roman numeral system and advocated its adoption. This lead to a quantum leap in the development of western science, technology and accounting.

https://www.news18.com/news/india/no-land-encroachment-intrusion-into-elephant-corridor-by-isha-yoga-centre-tn-govts-reply-on-rti-4544348.html https://thelogicalindian.com/trending/sadhguru-isha-yoga-center-32581 The claim that Sadhguru's center has encroached on any forest land is incorrect according to the government's own records that have been made public. Also Sadhguru and his volunteers have converted many acres of arid land into lush forests in India bringing about great ecological gains in the process benefiting India. Sadhguru has a world record in his name for planting saplings in his efforts for ecological preservation. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/over-8-lakh-trees-planted-in-one-day-in-tn/articleshow/2191748.cms On 17th October, 2006, 256,289 volunteers working on 6284 sites spread across Tamil Nadu planted a record number of 852,587 saplings in a single day. He has similarly worked and executed other nature related projects in India and around the world and has created awareness on them through his talks and discussion sessions.

With his dark looks and turban, Sadhguru does look unconventional. Swami Vivekananda in the nineteenth century had his turban pulled from behind him, while he was walking in a street in America. When Vivekananda asked the culprit for an explanation, the man was embarrassed and asked Vivekananda why he dressed that way ! A barber also refused to give his services to Vivekananda back then on account of his dark skin. On the backdrop of 9/11, many Sikhs were targetted and subjected to hate crimes on account of their turban. Sadhguru is however quite popular in Arab and Islamic countries though, and have posed with high ranking officials and people over there. Perhaps it is a cultural similarity and dissimilarity thing that is creating the philias and phobias !

When even one virtue becomes our nature, the mind becomes clean and tranquil. Then there is no need to practice meditation; we will automatically be meditating always. ~ Swami Satchidananda Wholesome virtuous behavior progressively leads to the foremost.~ Buddha AN 10.1 If you do right, irrespective of what the other does, it will slow down the (turbulent) mind. ~ Rajini Menon

Based on what I have read and learnt , I think these tips maybe helpful... Swami Vivekananda had an excellent memory which enabled him to memorize entire books word for word. He attributed his practice of celibacy and meditation for it. Aurobindo states about developing a phenomenal memory after practice of pranayama for a period of time, which similarly enabled him to memorize a lot of content very easily. Mata Amritanandamayi in her books had stated that a relaxed mind is a sponge in terms of memory and it becomes very easy to memorize with such a mind. A peaceful and tension-free environment at home is considered to be ideal for creating such a relaxed mind, and she attributed the memorizing of entire scriptures by children to such an environment. As per her, a tense mind restricts the memorizing potential. Cultivating an interest in the subject matter is essential for retainment, and an enlightened master attributed Krishna's vast memory in various matters to his interest in them.

If you are seeking answers to questions with a certain intensity, I would say the answer can come in the form of a teacher or a book. This depends upon your receptivity as well. The ego blocks grace and wisdom if the sufficient spade work in terms of self-purification by sadhana and practices are not done. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, former Indian president and the scientist who played a major role in India's space rocket programme, had in his autobiography talked about his dejection after not being selected as an air force pilot, and talking with Swami Sivananda in this regard. He credited Sivananda's counsel with recharging him and motivating him to pursue alternative career options which later turned out to be eventful. https://sundaysatsang.blogspot.com/2011/02/abdul-kalam-meets-swami-sivananda.html

You might find these sayings on Kundalini helpful... https://www.ramaquotes.com/html/kundalini.html Kundalini awakening without the necessary preparation behind it is bound to result in such issues you have mentioned. Daily meditation and a disciplined lifestyle and a good physical regimen are considered necessary to be strong enough to channel the awakened kundalini to higher states of consciousness. Without such traits , the kundalini energy can bring strong sexual stimuli leading to masturbation or sex so as to dissipate the heavy energy flow. While performing seva in an ashram for an extended period of time with meditation and good company around, I was able to channel the kundalini to higher states of nondual consciousness and unitary perception effortlessly for a period of time, which was very blissful and peaceful. Channeling Kundalini to higher states of consciousness can be very hard if you do not have the proper personal traits and environment around you, imho.

The Buddha attained Nirvana or enlightenment when he was 35 years old. It was his enlightenment that provided the basis of his teachings later on. He attained Parinirvana when he relinquished his body at age of 80. Much of what he taught predated from the earlier tradition but he also varied from it by his rejection of the Vedas and other theological differences. This created a lot of opposition to him from Brahminism during those times. Buddha lived 2500 years back in ancient India, and was also a sannyasin who took alms from householders . Sadhguru is a householder himself who attained enlightenment. I am not comparing Buddha with Sadhguru, but only underlining the fact that both broke with conventional methods and traditions in their times. 2500 years back, Indian society was very simple and uncomplicated. Buddha was able to deliver the flower sutra silently with a flower , but if he does the same in modern times, he would be accused of being cryptic. Sadhguru uses technology available in modern times for his purposes including instruction and does not despise them.

Arada Kalama and Udarka Ramaputra were teachers of Siddhartha who acknowledged his ability as a practitioner and asked him to lead their community alongside them but Siddhartha preferred to move on. This was before his enlightenment. They had not verified his enlightened state, and Uddaka Ramaputta had even died by then.

There are corrupt policemen having ties with the mafia, and who guns down innocent civilians too , which is quite common these days. And there are soldiers who fight for self-defence from aggressors, against soldiers alone and not civilians, abiding to their code of conduct. Napoleon and Marshal Bernodette were noted for their chivalry in this regard, and Bernodette's reputation for chivalry was a factor which enabled him to be king of Sweden and Norway later on by popular approval. Armies around the world have also assisted in natural disaster management and relief in their countries reducing loss of casualties and property in the process. I am against war myself, and modern wars are mostly manipulated by corporate interests and sale of military weapons and securing energy routes. There are pictures of his motorbikes and car, with powerful engines and systems, necessary for his long travels, and which he himself drives without a chauffeur. These are part of his genuine requirements and needs. Yeah, but have you noticed that he is not driving in perfectly smooth roads but in rugged terrain and that too with an old 16 year old car. I like these articles though and do keep posting such.

So are you saying that the policeman should not patrol as it is unethical, or that we should not kill harmful viruses or bacteria in the body as it is unethical ! Again, where are photographs of Sadhguru's fleet of cars and private jets and mansions ! I have not seen them . Also I stated that he was a successful businessman even before he ventured into spirituality. https://www.americanbazaaronline.com/2022/06/16/indias-billionaires-set-to-grow-by-80-over-next-decade-449955/ India at present is the fastest growing economy on earth, and is minting billionaires and milionaires in dollar terms with each passing day. With his kind of brains and critical insights in varied subjects as well as tireless energy, it is possible that Sadhguru could have been a billionaire himself if he stayed on as a businessman without venturing into spirituality. Much of his wealth is ploughed back into ecological conservation projects that I had mentioned and which he is passionate about.

All these are well and good in older times. But I would like to ask who is the lineage master who verified that the Buddha is fit to teach, notwithstanding his claims of enlightenment or Nirvana !

This youtube is in Hindi, a language I know. I went through the whole video, but could not find any reference to a fleet of expensive cars, private jets , mansions, expensive suits and jewellery. Reference is mostly about Sadhguru's motorbikes but he is a motorbiking enthusiast from his youth. His automobiles are used extensively for transportation purposes for his projects . He is a licensed pilot with a helicopter of his own which he uses for better time management and which corresponds to his needs and requirements. https://isha.sadhguru.org/in/en/sadhguru/man/sadhguru-flies-helicopter To put the record straight, Sadhguru was already a successful businessman in the construction industry and agriculture, before he ventured into spirituality. But even then he never flaunted his wealth or displayed egoism , and treated everyone as equals and with fraternal affection and readily appreciated the virtues of those who were not as well-off as he was. As an adventurer who rode motorbikes all over India and the world and even in jungles, he led mostly a spartan lifestyle and slept on the bare ground in many occasions wherever he found himself . Since his childhood he was also a nature activist who personally caught highly dangerous snakes like vipers, cobras and king cobras which had ventured into urban areas, and released them back in jungles, while grown men around him were frozen nerveless in terror. Sadhguru has a world record in his name for planting saplings in his efforts for ecological preservation. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/over-8-lakh-trees-planted-in-one-day-in-tn/articleshow/2191748.cms On 17th October, 2006, 256,289 volunteers working on 6284 sites spread across Tamil Nadu planted a record number of 852,587 saplings in a single day. He has similarly worked and executed other nature related projects in India and around the world and has created awareness on them through his talks and discussion sessions. I had found his talks on the subject very informative, and got an interesting insight that a certain mountainous region which he and his volunteers had turned into lush forests had also recorded a marked decrease in temperature levels. This takes a lot of significance considering the unprecedented heatwaves that is plaguing the world , with the 2021 Canada heatwave resulting in over 600 heat related deaths. The rich and powerful who are regulated by a good value system is obviously an asset to the world, and the Hindu scriptures also emphasize that the virtuous, charitable and yogic householder is superior the sannyasin or monk. Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism, had stated that earning a living though honest and fair means in remembrance of God, and performing charity with the same is the greatest austerity, and such a one does not have to perform any other rituals.

When Hitler unleashed his murderous forces around the world, he obviously had to be stopped. Even many German soldiers during WW 2 committed suicide as their orders to kill civilians conflicted with their moral conscience and code of conduct. In the context of a policeman, if he did not perform the duties of patrolling a violent street or neighborhood out of cowardice, it will result in higher crime rates and violence. It can also be the civil society's fault if the kid or his family is a victim of discrimination and hence lacks the rights to education or employment and so on.

Well, an enlightened master is considered auspicious and worthy of reverence in eastern philosophy. In the yoga vasistha, it is stated that satsang or company of an enlightened one is considered to be one of the four swiftest ways to enlightenment, the others being contentment, self-control and self-inquiry. Sadhguru has not set himself as a deity to worship but has focussed on creating mechanisms to serve people to unveil the Self or Buddha nature within themselves. He is indeed invited to intellectual forums throughout the world for his critical insights. With respect to your statement, I would say I wish you were actually correct, and too many people around the world indeed revered Sadhguru, as this would mean that his teachings would have made the necessary impact to create a better world and future. Imo, the world's present trajectory is headed towards certain disaster.

Yes, needs and greed/cravings are separate from each other. Gandhi himself had stated , " Earth has enough to satisfy every man's needs, but not every man's greed." Strong desires in the form of cravings and aversions are what creates this restlesness within the human psyche, which Sadhguru equates with violence. There are many who resort to crime to satisfy their cravings, even though their basic needs are met. Cravings obstructed, can lead to great stress and negativity, which also results in violence and disorder. Today I came across a saying of the Islamic saint and scholar Ali Ibn Talib... ' One who rushes madly after inordinate desire, runs the risk of encountering destruction and death.' Ali ibn Abi Talib But the society we live in is deeply conditioned by the advertising industry which imprints desires within us for products which we may not even need. The message such ads seemingly imparts is that having their product makes one a winner in life , with the rest being losers. Obviously such messages puts a lot of pressure in vulnerable, impressionable minds who measure their self-esteem with the acquisition of such products even if they do not necessarily need it. The sight of one who has a mansion, fleet of expensive cars,helicopters and private jets, and all the connotations of wealth and status in society, can create similar cravings in other people with adverse results. And since modern society worships its rich celebrities and icons rather than sages or saints, we are creating a potentially violent society in the process.