Lucky7Strikes

Interesting experiences thanks for telling us, im wondering does Sadhguru present himself as more than human? ie someone above the same human struggles we all go through, does he present himself as a master ahead of being a human?

He makes cheesy jokes and puns all day. Hence Grandmaster's complaint about his unoriginality in jokes department! He laughs, eats, cries, and sings with you. But then shifts when he is transmitting energy or teaching something important. There's Jaggi the man, and the Guru. Jaggi isn't important, he says that so himself. You have to be with the Guru.

What do you mean? He doesn't go through the same nonsense people go through. The whole point of this is to go ahead of being a mediocre human and become the divine.

Don't continue with this bullshit. it just makes bunch of confusion out of half witted people who won't try an isha event when they sort of wanted to because of shit like this. It's a lot like Kunlun. All that babble on thetaobums, all conjecture and stupidity, really robbed people of the opportunity to go check it out for themselves and make their own conclusions. People have weak minds that easily sway minute to minute. The more babble like this is not conducive at all.

So when you write, Tibetan Ice, you better check your sources, at least read them or who they are by. You take responsibility for the causes it can have in the decisions of other people. It affects people, it's not just stating your own opinion when we are evaluating teachers on public forum. You or many of those critics have no experience with Sadhguru or what he teaches. If those criticisms had any firm backing at all, or if we were both students of Sadhguru (or ANY teacher under discussion on this forum) this would be a different discussion altogether. But what you picked out are just the opinions of half scared idiots. And something tells me you know all this, how weak your own arguments are.

Anyway, that's why I answered all those stupid criticisms. Have a good night!

Ok so now I went through all this nonsense. Lol filth, inhumanity! You clearly just skimmed all those criticisms and picked them together to give the illusion that they were worthwhile documentations. They're all just personal opinions. No official nothing offered. Just "internet people," as that last guy said, babbling. Just like people here babbled on and on about Max, don't you remember that?

Now I'm gonna get to the point of what I think of you. If you ever read any of what I wrote, which I doubt you will, please just read this. I've been writing 2 hours non stop to assuage your nonsense, just to say this. I am attacking you personally because your delusions about Sadhguru has actually nothing to do with Sadhguru. Anyone with a sensible mind can see from his videos that what he says is very grounded and reasoned.

You are a bliss chaser. You chase sensation rather than insight. It's your primary focus. It is my view that people like you usually have a very repressed and fragile ego you overcompensate by getting drunk on ecstasy. It is absolutely no different than being addicted to drugs because you are afraid to face your own true demons. Behind that smily face is a shivering intruder you are refusing to face. This is exactly what Max warned everyone when teaching Kunlun. Inevitably I've heard people have abused it.

"And you know, one has to overcome the attachment to bliss to go further. It is hard, I know, but I'm trying."

Well try harder! You see the whole thing about Sadhguru is he doesn't tolerate bullshit. He isn't like your Dhyan yogi, humble, nice, cuddly who babies you. He looks gentle but is ferocious! He will shake you and bake you over and over until you see your own nonsense, even if you die from it. That's the intensity he asks of you. And you will thank the hell out of him for saving you time.

And of course Sadhguru will have ex-disciples! His organizations been there 40 years and has hundreds of thousands of people! Hmm..what are the odds someone gets scared of pushing further, runs away, blames the guru! (Oh hey, you know Max says that too on his blog. You see they teach similar things, but you just don't like Sadhguru because he is about to pierce you right through!) And don't you think it's very weird that even though he says he studied under Sadhguru for year, none of his criticisms are personal anecdotes or observations but generic bullshit you can pick up from one of the guru gossip forums?

Look within yourself and see that something is vehemently rejecting Sadhguru because it's own validity is at stake. It's you own little personality, ego, and a whole crap load of delusion.

Report back the results? haha! see it as it is, this phenomenal achievement I just accomplished. Do I sound like someone hypnotized lost in bliss states and in denial

or awake?

Hoo RAY! I'm done!

Alright let's do a little more now!

The dhanyalinga's conception was all designed by Sadhguru. Auroville Earth helped with the technicals, physics and that sorts. They trained the volunteers how to work. There's no controversy in this, this guys' just making it look like one.

LOL..Rishi Prabhakar...this dude is younger than Sadhguru. And Sadhguru began teaching in mid, late twenties. So this guy must've been teaching when he was like 17 or 18...come on now, he even admits this is some shit from "internet people" who see similarities in teachings. And on this....

And this next complaint: oh the techniques are similar! yes, of course they are similar. They are all based on practices thousands of years. Of course the language is similar...they all use same symbology of shiva, krishna, brahma, etc. If you want to learn about Sadhguru's life, let's get some statements from witnesses of his life and not some conjecture here. There are videos of his old devotees on how he began teaching. Go watch those. In fact go watch a lot of Isha videos before criticizing. You probably haven't watched a single one, and "watch" as in, actually viewed them with an open and a well reasoned mind, not one shrouded in fear. Which you are. You fear this man and what he says.

3) His wife's death. Ok, so the controversy here is 1, that he didn't call her father-in-law! lol, ridiculous. A spiritual seeker, the higher he attains, achieve equanimity regarding all life. Family is just a physical relationship and it no longer remains the center piece of one's identity...(and not even father, father-in-law...). And it's not as this says. His wife decided to leave bodily existence and dissolve all karmas a year ago and devoted all her practice to it. It was expected to happen. So when this being, who has transcended even the physical realm, leaves...the concern for Sadhguru, who like her has seen beyond, is to contact the father-in-law! lol. Come on, this is a perspective from ordinary people. You, as a practitioner, should see otherwise. As for burning the body, there's probably a reason for it, as I know most spiritual traditions do so. The second controversy is that he might have killed her. Ahem, that was what the father in law accused him of. And...what happened with the investigation? He got acquitted because there were many people there to see her death. This was a pretty easy answer.

4) Ok, the second paragraph by this guy...did you really read all these? Transimission and initiation into practices is important in allllll spiritual teachings. Don't you know Max doesn't teach RP unless it's transmitted too via himself or approved teachers (I keep bringing up Max because you love him)? And another complain is he...uh...questioned the knowledge of the questioner...and that somehow is ridiculing them? Lol. So he should bullshit and baby their nonsense filling up in their head? Come on! ...holy crap..look a this criticism: "He used to look at the soles of his feet & say, that to talk about things, which was not in one's experience was simply lying to oneself !"

Of course you are lying to yourself when you are babbling about shit you never experienced pretending to know them. Why's this guy so surprised about this obvious thing...??

5) Sigh...ok, let's see this next complaint: oh now he is complaining because sadhguru chose to find a way in which he could teach wider audiences out side of Coimbatore. He was originally going to stop teaching after the consecration of the Dhanyalinga, but due to such wide demand he changed his aim to a much more ambitious aim to spread the possibility of enlightenment all over the world. Transmission, I believe, can be done long distance and doesn't need to be limited to physical or mental binding when you go beyond those, and there's a full initiate teacher there too. But I doubt you, me nor this guy knows fully how initiation and transmission work beyond the body and energies...so this isn't even an issue.

So he thinks it's controversial that he writes lots of books and give lots of talks but says: "All this when he poeted once; "The gloriousness of the written word is but the excreta of the deluded mind" & "Silence is the only way".

This dude clearly isn't a serious practitioner if he doesn't understand that the words are there to guide the seeker into opening up beyond the mumble jumble of the mind. All this is so stupid, I can't believe I'm answering each one. But I will! In case some other idiot looks over your post and thinks they are anywhere close to being valid.

Next!!

6) Ok, first of all, that link he put there has nothing about all those accusations he put out. But what if he did drink coffee? Once you master your own energies you can turn any food into pure energy. Isha practitioners are told not to drink coffee, and you realize why if you have done some energy work. No brainer. He likes flying helicopters and driving cars. So what? From what I know he usually stays at houses that are offered for him. What's wrong with taking business class when he flies the world every other day? Have you travelled repeatedly on a plane for months on economy classes these days? Why feel the need to show the world oh how goody goody he is when faced with a much more practical option for his aging body? But take a look at all these activities! They're all outdoor, fun, engaging, healthy activities everyone does! I want to live like THAT, be free and also be able to enjoy what the world offers, not pretend like i'm some nobleman who has to show his virtue by being poor.

His criticism here is basically that he didn't do exactly as the buddha did. wow. Should Max be out there begging for alms too? All individuals are unique, hence enlightened masters also display unique tendencies. There's nothing harmful about any of these activities he does and even if they are harmful, if your judgment of teachers is based on morals, you complete miss the point of spirituality. Don't you know Krishna told Arjuna to go kill all of his family members when Arjuna wanted to be the good guy and go home? This guy should write a book on how evil Krishna is if he thinks drinking coffee is evil!

Being morally good, in the view of social norms, is not spirituality. It is the opposite actually to conform to virtues.

7) I don't get why this is even a criticism. That his practices are too intense? Well, they are...I mean you are trying to completely break your boundaries.

As for his comment on the Buddha, if he ever said that, it is very true. It's a mistake to think the Buddha attained because he sat for long time in meditation. Enlightenment came at the instant when he had declared that he'd rather die than leave the bodhi tree for enlightenment. When such burning intensity was there, it was instantaneous insight. Sadhguru wants that intensity out of everyone! And yes it will have negative consequences if you cherish your illusions, because they will be broken down!

And this is actually an awesome quote if it is true: "Sign up for the Inner Engineering, Doesn't work go do BSP, BSP lands one in hospital for 15 days, Do Hata Yoga; Hata yoga creates intense fever for 7 days, Doesn't work try shoonya, shoonya reduces one's mental alertness and reduces intelligence"

You better be ready to give up your life if you want the highest that a human can attain. Lol I love when Sadhguru says shit like this.

8)...ok...this is getting really silly. So you think he is a psychopath because he is attractive, charming, has the ability to change people, and active...give me a break. So what should he be like, dull, ineffective, repulsive...ah only then he is a true guru!

9) "These asses, swami's/maa’s have no brains to realize, that once they go past their youth and become useless to SJV and Isha they would simply be kicked out and left in the wilderness with no old age security and new asses would simply replace them."

What? One of the purposes of these ashrams is to do the exact opposite. To provide elderly people the opportunity to devote their lives to meditation and practice once they retire from old age. And every single volunteer I've met does their work with incredible joy! And I would too! Working hard? Why's that a problem. Should they work lazily? No one is forced to be there. Two meals is more than enough when you do the practices...Again...more nonsense...

10) There's nothing wrong with suicide. Death is the risk you take on this path. And it's only the death of the body anyway. If you want to criticize me for this view, we can talk about it in another thread specifically about suicide, ok? but if you don't have anything to say about it...Next!

11) Ok...the key word this guy is misunderstanding is: volunteers. People volunteer...no one tells the they have to stay. He doesn't give instances where people have been kicked off. Ok so some old lady over did her kiryas and injured herself and went to a hospital...that just shows you exactly that and nothing more. There are hundreds of thousands of people visiting the center. How is Sadhguru supposed to meet with each one one by one? But moreover, he doesn't need to. It's absolutely unnecessary for you to benefit from him.

He meets with media to spread Isha, politicians to open doors, businessmen for donations....it's all put together so that the center can thrive even when he is gone, especially the dhnyalinga. As for the unlimited responsibility teaching...this dud clearly just saw some catchphrase video. Unlimited responsibility doesn't mean you slave for 20 hours. It's to expand your awareness beyond the mere physical body. No one is paid, and it has been this way for 40 some years because Sadhguru wants everything in Isha to be done out of love. It's such a beautiful community, but this guy probably hasn't even been there.

Lol...volunteers have nothing to show for in the end! Should they get medals? Such superficial criticism. They do it out of tremendous love and yearning to share what they have with new participants. I was there. This guy is half blind. So trust me, ok?

LAST ONEEEE!!! YEAAAA!! You see this incredible ability I have to write pages and pages of awesome answers without break when you just copy paste? Yup, result of isha practices that improve mental capacity!

12) As for solidified mercury, there's an amazing video where he, I think, liquidifies it for the hmm, forgot the name of it, but the pool where you can go in and purify your energies they have there. it's all online, they tape everything.

wait, this is a strange paragraph:

"In the past he said emphatically that yoga can only be transmitted personally, in the physical presence of the guru and can not be taught by t.v., mail, online or in any other way. He said yoga is an energy transmission from the guru to the disciple and required that the guru and disciple be physically present with each other. Yet, the isha yoga classes were then taught by teachers, without sjv's presence, and, now they are taught by sjv's design. Quite a change from his previous admonishments."

First...um...he has teachers well advanced themselves to initiate new participants. So what's his complaint? there's a physical teacher there. Why does it have to be sadhguru for there to be a teacher? There are videos of simple meditation exercises out there, but the main ones are not taught to the public via video. A teacher should be there. But when we speak of true Yoga, we all know the importance of the guru who can take you beyond.

Hi Lucky7

You know, I am not attacking you personally, and I see no reason to assess the messenger. Please do not turn this into some kind of personal attack. I'm evaluating this guru based on my experience and knowledge, and psychic impressions of my current research. And you know, one has to overcome the attachment to bliss to go further. It is hard, I know, but I'm trying.

 

Logic is often contradictory. For example, from Sadhguru's message about healing and from what you have said in this next quote, I hope you can see that it is inconsistent.

 

 

In this form of twisted logic, Is not the volunteer work that Isha is doing robbing people of the gift of suffering? Huh?

Do I really have to explain all this to you? Ok. But it's funny that this very small contradiction is all you could do as a reply to what I wrote. I'm guessing because most of what I wrote to your original criticism seem sound to you. Doesn't it? Lol.

Suffering the human form comes in many forms. The type of suffering from ignorance I was talking about was mainly self inflicted suffering from mental confusion (although physical suffering, very deep down is also self created due to the karmas of being born as a human and being subject to earthly laws). Sadhguru's work is to uplift India's poverty, medical needs, living conditions so that people can at least have their survival needs taken care of in order to delve into something beyond that. If you are bound to survival all the time, its very difficult to venture into or even think of something beyond that. You gotta eat first. Or in the case of education, from what I hear Sadhguru say, they don't teach intense yoga or anything to children. Just breathing techniques so they can have minor tools to improve concentration and what not. When Sadhguru says don't meddle with life, he's basically saying leave people to make their own choices and learn from it. Not feed them bliss pills so they lose their way completely.

But I like that you admit you chase bliss, not necessarily insight. Yes, it is difficult, but you will definitely suffer eventually. And as I said, it will be a great gift, like a whack on the head from a Zen master.

Now as for all these stupid accusations, let's go over them one by one. You are really wasting time with these examples because they are not any official investigation but opinions from forum members...on the internet. Are you familiar with how internet forum writers? Do you believe everything some guy on a couch and a computer decides to say about a subject? Come on man, you're better than this. Just because you selected what looks like a lot of examples doesn't mean much. But Since you are bringing up this colossal waste of time, I'll parry with you.

1) So as a source of criticism you select this guy called gurulover. Let's look back on his posts to see what documentation or proof he has on his claims that Sadhguru is a fraud. Oh wait, there isn't any.

Take a look at this beautiful paragraph:

"The bottom line on Isha is that it is a well-oiled money making machine. Artfully, Mr. Vasudev has arranged for a 501 © 3 charitable status for his U.S. entity, the Tennessee based Isha Foundation, Inc. I fail to see how running for-profit yoga courses is a charity. Oh, I forgot, Isha claims that it supports various charitable activities in India. If so, where are the public records or reports of the dollar amounts related to or given to these "charities?" I believe that very few, if any, monies from Isha actually find their way to these activities. I suspect that any charitable activities sponsored by Isha's Indian operation are principally supported by donors outside the Isha corporate structure."

So Sadhguru has applied for charitable status for his U.S. programs. This makes sense because he wants Isha to expand in the U.S. So you think he's trying to bypass the American government on this? Is that a sensible thing to do in the U.S.? You clearly haven't had to deal with the IRS. Isha is a officially non-profit organization, and why would you assume that the Indian government is fooled to thinking these are charities? Lol, this guy doesn't even believe these charities exist! Go on their site, see all the videos of the work their doing. And look at the language he uses! "I believe" "I suspect" he knows nothing but is making claims he only suspects of. BUT the most alarming thing you should've picked up on this guy is how much cruelly criticism he chooses to draw out of these baseless claims. He goes on and on! That says more about him than anything.

One more thing about this guy, he complains about how his methods don't work....lol, I assure you they do. Very very much so.

If you think Sadhguru makes millions to enjoy his fortune, I suggest you go check his schedule. Not just his program/teaching schedule, but see how much he spends time working and working to bring his vision of an enlightened world come true. He loves old school motorbikes and driving on rough terrain on cars other people borrow him. in 40 years of his activity there no evidence of any excessive use of wealth, if there was it would've exploded all over India where he is so popular. He loves hiking, playing frisbee, golf just like any one.

2) LOL. You are funny. Haven't you practiced Kunlun? Same shit. Why's he scared to dance to drum musics? lol. NLP? This guy has clearly never studied NLP but just know its a type of thing people do that hypnotizes other people. NLP is done by developing a mirror relationship between the speaker and listener. They mimic each other movements for a time and then verbal cuees. I assure you there was no mimicing Sadhguru's movements! Ha, although that would've been fun. This person clearly got scared of fully transcending the little personality he believes himself to be. Just scared shitless! There's a reason why you let go of your phones, and it's an easy one: so that you can put your whole efforts into the retreat and not think about outside worries that distract you. Don't you turn your phone off when you meditate?

Whoa, this is getting long. But you started it. Let's go to page 2!

He Makes love with Goddesses. He hangs out with Ghosts and parties with Demons. He hangs out in grave yards and eats corpses. Then he comes home and cares for his house...

Awesome. My kind of hero. Is Shiva the one who had to be convinced by other gods after enlightenment to teach because he was just going around too ecstatic? And they had to send Sahakti or Pavarti to him to find a way to persuade him?

From the picture and given his size it could be that Shiva just hitched a ride on a tiger and flattened the poor creature.

hahahhahahah

nice. poor baby tiger. shiva just squashed it.

YEAAAA KORRAAAA! GENERAL IROH IN DA HOUSE!

Nope, we only talked about motorbikes but I have seen him work, most impressive.

You from the same state and caste as him Lucky?

LOL.

HAHAHAH

I'm an asian -american who lives in Easter U.s....

that was a really funny question!

That's great that he just talked about motorbikes. Would've love to been there when he was teaching through just any topic. He said he used to just talk about motorbikes through a seven day retreat. Or butterflies.

Now it's a little more organized because there are so many people. But during short breaks, you see him play around.

I'd certainly recommend Sadhguru to anyone in the market for a Hindu-trappings chap. He's a Shiva-ite - lite sorta guy. Might be a bot Yang-ey for some, very llingyam oriented but talks a lot of sense . He was in the market quite a while before he started giving sanyas.

I like your way of seeing gurus and spirituality. Jokes, markets, yang-ey, chaps....lol.

Sadhguru has no religious affiliation because he never studied under anyone in this lifetime. He was enlightened in the last lifetime but returned only so that he could complete his guru's request of building the dhnyalinga. If you see the process on video, it's amazing how everything happened. He nearly died creating that temple.

You have all this calibrations you carry around. "Yangey, linam oriented, shiva-ite. You went to see Sadhguru but only saw his body, just piece of flesh and words coming out of his brain. You never let these judgmental thoughts down and simply sat in his presence. You never gave his teachings a chance because the whole time you were integrating whatever he was to whatever knowledge you think you have of teachers. Because you are very very afraid of something new, a chance to drop your nonsense you've accumulated from dead books and experience that which is real.

How can a cup already filled to the brim see anything clearly without judgment?

Thanks Lucky for your posts, I was quite unsure about Sadhguru, of course a lot of what he says makes sense but these days there are so many false gurus especially in India that I wouldnt have visited him even if I had the chance.

 

But since your recommendation I for one will take the opportunity should it arise.

Thank you! Thank you so much. I wasn't sure about him either. If people have seen my posts, I have been the most independent, judgmental prick regarding stuff like following teachers and being devotee. But upon given a true opening, I can't turn back. I want everyone on this forum to at least give it a shot.

I tend to have a lot of respect for your judgment, Lucky...but maybe you've been a bit blinded-by-the-light here.

This whole effort everyone is putting together here is to go beyond mere facts/numbers/assessments that are dependent on physical conditions and experience the truth of ones nature directly that isn't material. So sometimes facts don't matter as much when you are trying to get people to open up to something much greater. Of course this approach wouldn't work for people who obsess about factuality (is that a word? I'm inventing a lot of words today) since they need concrete structure to...eventually break down that very structure. If you are like that, best to go with Buddhism. But a lot of them turn into armchair Buddhists who can explain everything but know nothing (hint hint..me..lol)

Still not everyone's like that. People who understand what it takes on the path don't seek facts. They seek inherent truths and realizations right here and right now. Otherwise you are better off studying natural science.

Hi Lucky7Strikes

 

You know the danger of posting your precious experiences on a forum is that someone will come along and take the wind out of your sails. If that happens, then it shows that it was not permanent, and that is a good thing.

 

I found your post interesting but there is just too much bliss in it to calm this restless mind that craves equanimity. Some Buddhists say that the highs are really a form of suffering.. I concur.

 

I checked out about 20 of Sadhguru's youtube videos last night. He certainly does have a presence and is skilled at talking like he knows something that you don't, but won't tell you what it is...

Hello Tibetan Ice. Hmm, I'm a bit disappointed in your insights. You practice a lot of energy work, but...but but...I think you're a bit jealous as a bit of a bliss chaser yourself. Mhmm? lol, jk jk.

The facts of whatever jesus taught isn't important. Sadhguru often uses stories taken from varying traditions and cultures so the audience who were brought up from certain backgrounds can have a road and familiarity to approach what he is teaching. He uses all religious figures and stories to communicate a deeper truth. Facts are not important in these situations.

Second, as for your quote

In my interpretation of healing, healing is the eradication of the causes of the sickness, whether it be disease, karma or evil spirits. To be healed is to be rid of the cause of the sickness. To be rid of the cause is to not have it reappear later in a different form.

You miss the point of what Sadhguru is saying. All those reliefs are temporary. The reason why entities attach to them, or they are suffering in one way or another is because the deeper root of their suffering is not eradicated. The suffering is the ignorance that makes the man weak when facing the world, whether it be entities, bodily suffering or mental suffering. Ignorance of true nature of life makes each individual victims to their own prisons. So all the healing work or removing the effects of this deepest disease of ignorance is only a temporary relief. All the demons will begin to return if this root is not uprooted entirely. To guide a person into that endeavor is true healing.

Raising pranayma, kundalini, or dealing with entities are mere tools for you to reach into this source. If you dabble in these powerful practices for any other reason, you are merely abusing it for sensational pleasures. And since these pleasures are far greater than bodily pleasures, seekers can become seriously addicted, or become meglomaniacs (is that a word?), and make the path an even longer and arduous one than a regular man asking himself "who am I?" to the deepest of his core.

That's why energetic healing done without insight into the actual purpose of true "healing" (hint: awakening) as I said above is unfruitful. Sickness and suffering for an individual, when guided in the right way, is the greatest gift life can give him! All the bliss and kundalini will become serious distractions and he will waste away his entire life just enjoy meager energetic pleasures and never delving into the source of ignorance. Didn't you read Max's blog on his friend who was paralyzed who had attained the Golden Dragon body? Unlike any number of kunlun practitioner just enjoying bliss sensations, his friend was able to reach there through a deep contemplation of his limitations. That doesn't come without tremendous suffering fueling the fire. To heal someone's energies so that they can continue living their mediocre lives is to rob them of a great gift of suffering, that has the potential to quickly explode them into another dimension. You have to guide that into the deeper root.

Have you looked into Sadhguru's foundation? Isha is doing tremendous work in India, all with volunteers.

Guruism as you call it can be unfruitful if you become attached to the guru's body or mind. Don't you know the power of bhakti yoga? Haven't you read all the praises of Milarepa to Marpa? Or how about Ramakrishna towards his Devi? Do these stories have to be thousands of years old for you to believe in them? It has been marred by con artists in the modern age, but true devotion to the true Guru, who is both within you and within Sadhguru and me, is a beautiful thing. But it's just exploding out of Sadhguru. Tears of ecstasy and gratitude will consume you.

Sadhguru is intimidating. He will break you so that you will stop meddling with all the silliness and go straight to the source.

Trust someone who has met them both buddy Sadhguru and Osho are two chips off the same block.

Osho was an old scallywag, Sadhguru less so.

Sadhguru's gags are word for word Osho jokes as are many of his anecdotes. Nothing wrong in that at all. Osho lifted most of his stuff from Chuang t'zu. Sadhguru is the better motor cycle mechanic too, Osho preferred being chauffeured. Mate of mine who lives in California was his driver in the Rajneeshpuram days.

There is no new thing under the sun.

Wait a second....your judge of teachers is their selection of jokes? Similar jokes mean they're off the same block, different jokes mean their different? HAHA, that's a funny one in itself!

Ah, but Sadhguru is better at fixing bikes! Lol, so his mechanical scales give him an edge on guru points. Interesting.

There is no new thing under the sun? Hahahah, I guess jokes do have their limitations when it comes to variety. It's hard to find a really new joke when you've heard many variations being a fanboy.

Sadhguru is a righteous dude, one of the good guys currently working the pro-guru circuit. He talks a lot of sense, charges what people can afford and does a lot of good work charity wise in his home state. He's ripped off most of his act from Osho but that's not to detract from any of it, the jokes are just as good now as back in the day and he's ditched the more offensive material.

Anyone in the market for a guru (and many seem to be) could do a lot worse than Sadhguru. Anyone UK based or Hindu-trappings-averse might try Tony Parsons another one of the good guys. Tony can be found is Google, don't buy any of his slender books though it's all free online if you look carefully.

Sadhguru is completely different than osho. I've read tons of osho books and the two don't compare besides that they both like to make jokes. Sadhguru is conducting things on a completely different dimension. Theres no communes, no rolls royces, no "guru of the rich" bullshit. He's been teaching 40 years and there's been absolutely no corruption and his family includes 100,000's of people. Don't sell yourself short by saying "he is a rip off of osho." This man is unique onto himself. The consecrations he is doing all over the world and the creation of living temples is something very few people could witness in the past. Now it's available online for unlimited number of people to see.

His life story is one of the most fascinating stories of todays teachers.

Tony Parsons only teaches a strong version of anatta, that there is no you. There's truth to that, but there much more beyond that. His teachings kind of stop short from taking the next leap of going beyond the physical dimension, it only opens up the possibility by seeing the unreality of the ego. But that's just the beginning, there are layers of beliefs underneath that too.

Just go see Sadhguru and attend one of his events with an open mind. If you are receptive enough it'll just blow you out of everything you think you know.

Glad to hear you had a good experience with him, he is a teacher i have always had a great deal of admiration for. May you continue to blossom on your path.

 

-My 2 cents, Peace

Thank you, Old Green.

Yes, I practice Shambhavi. But that is only a gateway. What Sadhguru offers is beyond just technique alone. You must be there with him! He'll blow you away!

Did you learn his sambahvi mahamudra technique, or whatever "inner engineering" stuff there is?

He has a booming spiritual marketplace complete with photos of himself that one can purchase for 50.00. Also soap and herbal products. Expensive online classes for 300.00 etc. Looks like another money pit!

Do you know what he does with the money? His efforts in India are tremendous! I have no problem giving money to Isha. No person reaps that money, it all goes for health clinics, schools, social initiatives...you can just get a glimpse of the stuff they are doing here http://www.ishafound...t-approach.isa.

Did you know that the entire center at Coimbatore was built by volunteers? No hired hand, except of course professional construction work, but brick by brick put down by volunteers. To the usual western mind, it almost makes no sense that such an effort can come from sheer selfless will alone. The videos of consecration of temples is beautiful. The whole retreat was organized and conducted with no hired hand at all, from kitchen staff to office work. The energy of the place (I went to the isha inner sciences in Tennessee) is off the charts.

Mindfulness is not about stopping thoughts. Stopping thoughts is like breaking your own arm. Your brain is an awesome organ and you need thoughts to understand the physical world, just as you need fingers to grab things.

Mindfulness is about just being with whatever that is in your experience without tying it down or possessing it as "mine" "me" "my" habits underneath it. So that when you are stepping on earth, and the teaching says to be mindful, you should see the blissfulness of just that sensation itself. How wonderful it is when you have just let it be on its own without maligning it.

This goes for thoughts to. Thoughts can be incredibly beautiful! Think about all that Zen poetry. Surely someone with no-thought can't write poetry.

My god.

What can I say. This man is not a man, but a presence. How incredible it was to just be in his presence! I see now why they say the Guru is everything. Who imagined, in an age like this, someone as ambitious and genuine could be alive? It is astounding. I felt truly blessed to have had the opportunity to be with him.

I am the last person on earth who I thought could become a devotee. Anyone who has seen my posts on this forum in the past years will know that. But I cried with such gratitude, that I could be in such a presence!

Isha as an organization is nothing like anything I have ever heard of. Everything made by volunteers, in an event at a scale of hundred, thousands, and in India, hundreds of thousands of people! But when you become part of it, you know why. You can't help but feel that this blessing needs to be shared. The possibility of the world being such a way brings me to tears.

Everyone on this forum, please, if you have the chance do not miss this opportunity to be with him or experience what he is creating on this planet. It's not often we are able to be in such a presence in perhaps lifetimes. If someone tomorrow gave me a billion dollars, I would not trade a single of my experiences for it. Isha and true spiritual awakening of other teachings will light the world on fire. I am certain of it, all the ignorance in the world won't stand for a single instant when seen in Truth.

How silly it was for us to argue about the differences of buddism and hinduism and taoism or whatever! All truth is one. I am beginning to see now. My life has been turned completely inside out. Thank you, thank you, thank you everyone on this forum, Max, Thay, Thusness and Xabir, and Sadhguru! And whoever I have learned and struggled with.

Blessings to all of you!

When Eastern traditions seem to target the individual, it's really targeting the personality and the beliefs of this character you've built as yourself throughout your lifetime. Having likes, dislikes, and a personality are all fine to play (and necessary to interact in the world) with until you begin to confuse them as your true boundaries.

A lot of unnecessary suffering happens because of this tendency to see oneself as the body and thoughts. The entire world will appear to be against you because you are now limited to a fragile and very conditioned being.

The mistranslation of Eastern teachings taken to the extreme substitute this false notion of body with, well, other material things. As in, "you are not the body...in fact "you" don't exist at all, but just materialistic interactions are happening you think is you." This self-negating principle is very much in line with modern materialistic science, and you are right, it degrades a human being into a choiceless and lifeless thing.

The right way is to bridge the Western celebration of individuality and Eastern teachings of universality. Only as someone unencumbered by identification with physical materials, personality and compulsions can be said to be a true individual who has the ability to make choices in life. The whole effort of spiritual discipline is to cut down these bindings so that you will realize a purer state of being, in other words a true individual free to live as he/she chooses.

If not from deep existential suffering, spirituality can be initially studied because of personal greed. Some people are drawn to spiritual practice because it adds to their identity, or it promises fantastical states like immortality, powers, altered states, etc. You are basically seeking to either enhance yourself or to make up for a deficiency, and at worst to feel superior to others you feel you should be superior to but are not.

It's all an ugly sentiment and quite a pathetic attempt of the ego to protect itself from its own insignificance. It's understandable because people place all their value and the little love they have in their identities...attached to thoughts, memories, the body, and innumerable silly things as "mine."

But I believe just beginning to study spirituality, of something beyond physical limitations, is worth whatever negative intentions one might have had in the beginning. Because when you start to really practice and study ancient teachings and energy work, they will all tell you that the only problem here is you, your personality, and all your stupid ideas about yourself. There's going to be a struggle for someone whose initial intentions were centered around achievements of the ego, because progress with energy work will be difficult when you are holding onto a false entity within the mind.

If the practice is genuine, it will melt you down and loosen your sense of selfhood, at which point attaining supernatural abilities or immortality begin to matter less and less. They might still be there as unconscious motivations, but practice will reveal clearly in depths of mediation that your inner being is becoming something beyond your current identity. It will begin to feel like you are dissolving into existence, and moreover what draws you deeper won't bliss or powers (even the most intense orgasmic bliss states won't matter much), but an inherent tendency of life energies within you trying to evolve and break beyond the physical. It becomes a natural and effortless purpose of life.

If anyone hasn't watched the tv series, I strongly recommend it. Its portrayal of Aang as the child like and unworldly spirit but with ties to the world was perfect. The entire list of characters was one of the best I've seen in any tv/movie medium. Fans of Daoism and Eastern culture will definitely be enthralled with how they presented Eastern history, images, and philosophy for children.

Also it's hella fun! .

1) You can't accept yourself. That's like trying to stomp on your right foot with your right foot. You can only see the things which you are not. Accepting the world "as it is" is a misunderstanding of wisdom teachings. Telling yourself "accept, accept, accept" isn't such a good way to lead your life and will lead to problems like apathy and desensitization. Acceptance means to see the falsity of the many boundaries between you and existence. Your mind can't accept things, it can only realize its own falsehoods so that your awareness can become more open and free.

2) Life, which you are, naturally wants to do stuff, to evolve, to observe, and most of all to expand. This is usually expressed in all the wrong ways via desire for power, sex, territory, and yes, to the mind this tendency becomes a "one more thing then I'll be fine" dialogue. The intentions are always good, but interpretations are mostly bad.

Instead of trying to diffuse this dialogue, try to find the underlying drive behind it. Whether you are directing life inwards into energetic states, or outwards into the material world, its basic liveness should never be denied under "acceptance" philosophies. In my opinion, it's much better to live a driven, intense, and expressive life of a criminal than as an oppressed "good" citizen at the office. You're doing life great injustice by trying to put it in a box.