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Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev, Renowned Indian Yogi and Mystic

Nov 16, 2016 45m 40s 18 insights
Born and raised in India, Sadhguru says he spent his childhood and adolescence as a "super skeptic" who didn't grow up "with anything spiritual or religious." He spent his days crisscrossing the country on his motorcycle, he launched successful businesses, but then he had an experience in his 20s that changed the direction of his life forever. Sadhguru is now a world renowned yogi and mystic who talks about how ancient yogic practices can be relevant and helpful in contemporary times. He's the founder of the Isha Foundation and the author of "Inner Engineering: A Yogi's Guide to Joy."
Actionable Insights

1. Engage Inner Engineering Program

Commit 28-30 hours to the ‘Inner Engineering’ program (Shambhavi) to learn how to turn inward beyond body and mind, which can lead to ecstatic states.

2. Daily Inner Practice

After completing the 28-30 hour Inner Engineering program, dedicate 21 minutes daily to sitting with closed eyes to experience profound inner states and ecstasy.

3. Cultivate Inner Space

Create a space between yourself, your body (accumulated food), and your mind (accumulated impressions) to end suffering, as suffering only arises from identifying with these.

4. Practice “Not This” Awareness

Constantly remind yourself, ‘I am not this body, I am not this mind,’ to realize that your body is gathered planet and your mind is just exposure, leading to an ecstatic state.

5. Handle Life Consciously

Handle every aspect of your life consciously, including your thoughts and emotions, rather than reacting compulsively, as this is the fundamental significance of being human.

6. Adopt Non-Judgment

Never look up to anything or down on anything; instead, see everything just the way it is to avoid a prejudiced mind and navigate life effortlessly.

7. Master Your Inner State

Ensure your inner situation happens the way you want it, as your body and brain function best in a pleasant state, and stress makes you inefficient.

8. Understand Suffering’s Root

Recognize that all suffering (stress, anxiety, depression) stems from your own intelligence turning against you, rather than external situations.

9. Access Intelligence Beyond Memory

Strive to turn inward and access a dimension of intelligence beyond memory, as memory creates boundaries, and this boundless intelligence is key to limitless expansion and natural bliss.

10. Recognize Equal Inner Capability

Understand that all human beings are equally capable of inner transformation, as everyone is endowed with the same inner capacities, unlike external capabilities which vary.

11. Read Inner Engineering Book

Read the ‘Inner Engineering’ book to gain understanding about yourself and your problems, as this knowledge alone can provide significant relief.

12. Practice Yoga (Union)

Engage in yoga, not just asanas, but as a practice of union where you experience your connection to every particle in your body and the entire cosmos.

13. Cultivate Inclusive Consciousness

Develop an inclusive consciousness to experience the unity of life, which is essential to solve global problems, as resources and technology are already sufficient.

14. Shift Business Vision

For business leaders, shift from individual ambition to a larger vision of creating well-being, integrating this consciousness into the fundamental structure of business, beyond charity.

15. Understand Guru’s Role

Understand that the word ‘guru’ means a dispeller of darkness, and a Sadhguru offers direct knowledge of life from its origin to its ultimate, not scriptural or religious teachings.

16. Be Aware of Daily Choices

Be conscious of your daily routines and choices, such as shaving, and understand the motivations behind them rather than acting without awareness.

17. Support Meditation in America

Support the mission to promote meditation in the United States, as its adoption here can influence the entire world towards healthful, joyful, and responsible living.

18. Seek In-Person Instruction

Understand that Sadhguru’s specific meditation practices, like Shambhavi, are best learned through in-person instruction due to their nature.