Volume 5 / Issue 03 March 2017 `15 Annual Subscription `180

ETERNAL SOUND

No one is mine
Nor am I of anyone
I am just an empty Shell
I resonate like a conch
That is dry and dead but
captures the Sacred Sound.
Only in being bereft of all
that one values as Self
does this genderless life
echo the Eternal Sound

Grace & Blessings

 EDITORIAL

Dear Readers,

How to thrive in a rapidly changing world with highly demanding work

environments and increasingly volatile relationships and family situations?
In this months Lead Article, Sadhguru points at Conscious Bonding as
an essential basis for stability in life. He also discusses the status quo and
challenges in the context of modern society, and perhaps for the first time
reveals two fundamental ways of bonding with a Guru.

No Labels is an excerpt from a conversation with Sadhguru at the Jaipur

Literature Festival 2017, in which he gives a glimpse of his childhood, his view
on current politics and the public discussion, as well as the odds for common
people to get enlightened. In Tear Down the Walls, Sadhguru urges us in the
form of both prose and poetry not to block ourselves off from Grace, as many
people unfortunately, unconsciously do, according to his observations.

Also in this issue: Our Mahabharat series moves on to A New Beginning for the
Pandavas; a recap of recent Events in Pictures, and last but not least, a must-
try recipe: a deliciously satisfying Cheesy Mushroom Spinach Wrap. Enjoy!

The Editorial Team

Contact the Editorial Team:

IshaForest Flower,Isha Yoga Center, Velliangiri Foothills,IshanaVihar Post,Coimbatore 641114
forestflower@ishafoundation.org

For subscription inquiries, please contact our Subscription Office:

(044) 45011137, 96770 16700 subscriptions.FF@ishafoundation.org
To change your mailing address online, visit: www.ishafoundation.org/ForestFlower

2 | ISHA FOREST FLOWER March 2017

CONTENTS
LEAD ARTICLE MAHABHARAT

Conscious Bonding 07 A New Beginning for the Pandavas 04

IN CONVERSATION WITH THE MYSTIC

No Labels
Sanjoy Roy in Conversation with Sadhguru 4

LEAD ARTICLE
Conscious Bonding
Bonding for a Successful Life / Bonding in Modern Society / Bonding with the Guru 7

MAHABHARAT
Part 28: A New Beginning for the Pandavas 11

SADHGURU SPOT
Tear Down the Walls
Excerpted from Sadhguru Spot of 8 February 2017 13

NEWS & EVENTS

Sadhgurus Message on Receiving the Padma Vibhushan Award 14

News in Pictures: Sadhguru at the Jaipur Literature Festival / Sadhguru in Malaysia

& Singapore / Inner Engineering with Sadhguru in Mumbai 15

NEW RELEASES
The Beginning
An Excerpt from Sadhgurus New Book Adiyogi: The Source of Yoga 17

SHARING EXPERIENCES
Begging as Sadhana
A Shivanga Sadhaka Shares His Experience 19
UPCOMING PROGRAMS & EVENTS
Isha Yoga Program Highlights 20
ISHA RECIPE
Cheesy Mushroom Spinach Wrap 21

ZEN SPEAKS
Carrying a Woman across a River 23

March 2017 ISHA FOREST FLOWER | 3

 IN CONVERSATION
WITH THE MYSTIC

No Labels
Sanjoy Roy in Conversation with Sadhguru

This years Jaipur Literature Festival 2017 featured a session with Sadhguru, named after his bestseller
Inner Engineering: A Yogis Guide to Joy. The Chief Minister of Rajasthan, Vasundhara Raje opened the
session, highlighting the different areas in which the government has been seeking to make a difference
in the state, such as healthcare, digitalization, education for girls, and even spreading smiles. In the
following excerpt of the ensuing conversation with festival producer Sanjoy Roy, Sadhguru answers
questions on an array of topics from our political system to high heels to enlightenment. Enjoy!

The Pain of Ignorance friends experienced?

Sanjoy Roy: Sadhguru, in the book [Inner
Engineering: A Yogis Guide to Joy], you mentioned
about the initial moments when you were going
into meditative states can you tell us about that?
Sadhguru: In my schooldays, I had a bicycle, my
mother would pack lunch for me, and I had a
water bottle. So I was equipped for the day, and I
didnt realize why I should go and sit in school. So
I rode away somewhere, climbed on top of a tree
and I sat in a precariously high place, where the
branches were gently swaying. After some time, I
would go into an ecstatic state where I wouldnt be
conscious of my body; I would be just floating. It
would feel to me like I was up there for ten minutes,
but in no time, it was evening. When I saw from far
that children were returning from school, I knew it
was time for me to go home too.
Sadhguru: Initially, I thought everyone knew
everything and I was the only one who didnt know
anything. Then I realized they also didnt know,
but they were comfortable with their ignorance. I
knew the pain of ignorance thats the difference.
The pain of ignorance was tearing me apart it
wouldnt let me sleep, it wouldnt let me do anything
else. I just wanted to explore every possible
dimension. The moment you come to terms with
your ignorance, the moment you can live with your
ignorance, you are a lost case.
The moment you come to terms with your
ignorance, the moment you can live with your
ignorance, you are a lost case.

Sanjoy Roy: What was the first point where you At what point did I become conscious? That was
were actually aware that this may be a process when I was twenty-five. Until then, a cloud of a
that was somewhat different from what all your
4 | ISHA FOREST FLOWER March 2017
million questions followed me wherever I went.
There were many fantastic experiences within me
and incredible things happened around me, but
it still was not good enough to settle my super
skeptical mind.
How to Experience the Magic
Sanjoy Roy: In your book, you said that many of
us need to retune our antennas to receive a clear
image, a clear thought, which can help us to move
forward. Can you elaborate on that?
Sadhguru: If I just see the way someone is sitting,
I can tell what kind of troubles they will face in the
next ten to fifteen years. The geometry of your
form invites certain things you cant help it. In
this culture, we created a very intricate science of
how to sit, how to breathe, how to keep your body,
how to keep your mind. If you get the geometry
right, your perception will be enhanced. Only by
enhancing your perception can you truly enhance
your life the rest is all imagination. Imagination
Imagination is just recycling of your memory.
is just recycling of your memory.
There is a scientifically verifiable methodology as
to how to enhance your perception and unlock
your genius. I do not mean human genius in terms
of things like writing poems or creating paintings.
There is a fundamental intelligence within you that
allows this human system to function. If you look
at this human being that you are without emotional
attachment, not as myself but as a mechanism,
you will see it is the most sophisticated machine
on the planet. How could this be happening without
underlying intelligence? On an evolutionary scale,
the human mind is a relatively new happening.
Since you dont know how to use it optimally, it
creates some amount of static.
The entire system of yoga is about bringing yourself
to a certain level of ease. Once your system is at
ease, you will notice there is intelligence beyond
March 2017
your intellect functioning all the time. You are not
alive because of your intellect. If you look at our
situation we sit here on this round planet, which
is spinning at a certain speed, in this vast universe,
no one knows where it begins and where it
ends still we are enjoying the whole thing.
There is a deeper dimension of intelligence within
you, around you, everywhere. The human effort
and striving should be towards accessing this
dimension, which does not require you to travel
into space. What is in space is here too.
If you dont have your feet on the ground,
you are in some way a little contrary
to the process of life.
If you had a few drinks too many or did certain
drugs, you may suddenly struggle to walk. It takes
a certain attunement with the rest of the cosmos
for you to even walk on the planet. All this is not
happening out of your intellect it is happening
out of a deeper dimension of intelligence within
you. If you touch this dimension of intelligence,
you will move from superficial logic to the magic
of life. [Applause]
High Heels or Feet on the Ground
Sanjoy Roy: On a lighter note, talking about walking,
how many of you [addressing the audience] wear
high heels? Sadhguru, tell them what happens
when they wear high heels.
Sadhguru: He is intent on making me unpopular!
Youre a little closer to the sky. [Laughter &
applause] You know that at least in this country,
when somebody dies, people say he went away
from the earth. If you dont have your feet on the
ground, you are in some way a little contrary to the
process of life.
ISHA FOREST FLOWER | 5
A Word on Todays Politics
Questioner: Sadhguru, I just wanted to ask how
the current socio-political system affects you as a
yogi and a common man?
Sadhguru: We have moved into an age where we
can choose our political situation. We dont have
to endure a particular dispensation for too long,
but we have to give them four to five years time
to prove themselves or make a fool of themselves.
We have to give them a chance. The most beautiful
thing about democracy is that unlike in other
political systems of the past change of power
in democratic societies is happening without
bloodshed. Sometimes you get someone you like
as a leader, sometimes you get someone you dont
like. Once people are elected, you must support
them for the next four-and-a-half years. The
last six months before the next election, you can
campaign to get your favorite elected.
If you do not understand the value of democracy,
before every change of power, there will be
slaughter on the streets. So do not mess with the
democratic system. Stop projecting that this is the
worst time in human history. The level of comfort,
convenience, and everything else you have today,
no human society had ever had before. Still there
When it comes to external capabilities, we are
all differently capable. When it comes to inner
possibilities, all of us are equally capable.
are a lot of things to be done, but there will always
be things to be done. There are people who are
involved in activity, doing things. And there are
others who are activists this is a serious problem.
[Laughter & applause]
Enlightenment of the Common Man?
Questioner: Namaskaram, Sadhguru. Can
enlightenment be attained by a common man like
me or is it only for yogis like you?
6 | ISHA FOREST FLOWER
Sadhguru: The common man is a myth. There is
no common man. Within themselves, everyone is
a very special man or woman. If they want to get
some advantages, they will say Im a common
man. If you meet them when they are in a position
of power, you will see how special they are. Do
not generalize and label someone as aam admi
[Hindi expression for common man]. Every
human being is striving to be at his best or her
best. Even in times when people were still living in
caves, every one of them was unique.
This is our time on the planet. Before it is over,
the question is, will we strive and create what we
care for? To live like you are immortal is the most
ignorant way to exist. Remember, every day, over
a hundred fifty thousand people in the world dont
live to see the next morning. One day you too
wont wake up anymore. If you wake up tomorrow,
give yourself one big smile still alive! And if one
hundred fifty thousand people died, at least a
million people lost someone who is dear to them.
Check if these four, five people who really matter in
your life are alive. Is it not important your dear ones
are alive today? Give yourself another big smile.
Whenever you check the time, and you are still
alive, one more big smile. Your life is ticking away.
Will you make the best out of it, or will you go on
debating endlessly about one thing or the other?
Will we create what we really care for, or will we
shrug our shoulders and walk away? Again, dont
label yourself and others in terms of who is a yogi,
who is a common man, and so forth. You have
come here as a human being. In body and in the
way we shape our minds, each of us is unique.
But the fundamental potential of being human is
common to all of us. The possibility is the same for
every human being.
When it comes to external capabilities, we are
all differently capable. When it comes to inner
possibilities, all of us are equally capable. Will you
explore this possibility or not is the only question.
March 2017
 LEAD ARTICLE

Conscious Bonding
Bonding for a Successful Life / Bonding in Modern Society / Bonding with the Guru

Sustaining a human being requires more than just food, water, and air conscious bonding is also needed
to create anything significant in ones life. Unfortunately, Sadhguru explains, this aspect has been largely
neglected in modern society, where compulsive bonds quickly turn into bondages and entanglements.
In the last part of the article, Sadhguru discusses the possibility of conscious bonding with the Guru and
explains the difference between a bond of light and runanubandha.

Bonding for a Successful Life she is at a certain level of competence, capability,

Of the many things that it takes to make human life
complete, of the many aspects that contribute to
making an individual human being who he or she
is, one aspect that is of great significance, though
grossly neglected by modern societies, is the
aspect of bonding. Consciously or unconsciously,
we in some way establish a bond with everything
that our five senses come in touch with not just
with the people around us but with the very land
that we walk upon, the air that we breathe with
just about anything that we see, hear, smell, taste,
or touch.
You cannot really see, hear, taste, or touch anything
unless you invest a certain amount of some
energy in it. This investment creates bonding. In
traditional terms, in Sanskrit language they call
this runanubandha. Runanubandha is a bond of
sustenance a bond that sustains a human being.
Sustaining a human being in such a way that he or
and activity requires not only food, air, and water,
but also bonding.
In the spiritual traditions, the prescription is clear.
Those who are only concerned about the inner
nature, not what they create or do not create, become
sanyasis. There are methods to consciously
dissolve the runanubandha or bonds. Sanyasis
break all bonds in life except one. Those who are
eager to create something need the right kind of
sustenance and bonding. Without runanubandha,
you dont have the necessary sustenance to go
far and build something big in life. People build
physical bonds, psychological bonds, emotional
bonds, energy bonds, social bonds, and financial
bonds. If you transcend the need for certain types
of bonds and establish a completely different level
of bonding, then your ability to create your life and
things around you will be greatly enhanced.

March 2017 ISHA FOREST FLOWER | 7

Conscious versus Compulsive Bonds
The moment it became apparent to me what I
needed to create in this life, I went to seek my old
bonds the same places and a whole lot of people
from the past. These bonds are very important if
you want to successfully create something that
is of true worth. Otherwise life will pass with
small things. Modern societies are suffering from
this situation, that there is no real bonding. They
physically bond with one person, emotionally with
another, psychologically with yet another, and it is
all one big mess.
Just to find a situation where all three or four
conditions for a simple, conscious bond are in place
is a big challenge in todays world. Therefore, bonds
do not work as sustenance but as entanglement.
The process of creating runanubandha can be
either fruitful or entangling and disastrous. If you
consciously seek and form a bond, you are aware
of its reason and purpose. If the bond is conscious,
whatever tamasha [theatrical entertainment] and
drama may happen here and there, you will not lose
the purpose of the bond. By contrast, if the bond is
based on compulsive needs, it will naturally turn
into deep entanglement over a period of time.
The process of creating runanubandha can be
either fruitful or entangling and disastrous.
Even if you earlier formed bonds with people due
to whatever compulsions you had at that time,
once you are on the spiritual path, it is good to
review these bonds and re-bond once again, but
this time consciously. Unless the runanubandha is
conscious, it will not provide sustenance.
One day, somewhere in a small town, Mrs. Cohan
walked into the newspapers office and said, My
husband passed away. I want everyone in town
to know so that they do not come and bother me,
so I want to place a little notice. They gave her
a sheet of paper and a pencil and said, Maam,
write what you want we will publish it. She just
wrote two words: Cohan dead. The Editor looked
8 | ISHA FOREST FLOWER
at this and said, No, maam. We need a minimum
of five words for us to be able to publish anything.
Please add a few words. She picked up the pencil
again, thought for some time, wrote something,
and handed the note back to him. It read, Cohan
dead, Cadillac for sale. They had spent their life
together!
Planetary Bonds
Compulsive bonding and conscious bonding
are two different dimensions. Spiritual paths are
structured to bring conscious bonding. Whether we
like it or not, knowingly or unknowingly, we have a
deep bond with Mother Earth. The way we behave,
it looks like most of humanity is not aware of that.
Everything we call ours from body to home to
property is entirely hers. We are only allowed to
use it for a limited period of time. We do not seem
to get it until she reclaims what is hers.
Similarly, in a way, a Guru is trying to make himself
like a planet, energy-wise, for those who want
to bond with a different dimension. When the
moment is right, he will dissolve the bond, which
is unlike any other bond that you may form. Even if
you consciously bond with someone or something
else, when the moment comes where you are
willing to dissolve, that someone or something else
will not be willing. When you bond with a Guru, it is
important to carry the bond to a point of fulfillment.
Without that, you will not get to create anything of
great significance in your life.
From Bond to Bondage
This runanubandha with the Guru has been
carefully nurtured on spiritual paths, particularly
in the East. Without this sense of runanubandha,
there is no strength in the human being. There are
Zen Masters who have likened themselves to a
white cloud. That means floating between the sky
and the earth. This is the way of sanyas you do
not want to be rooted in anything. The idea is to
only keep one conscious bond with the Guru and
nothing else, so that when the time comes, you can
dissolve that bond.
A bond should not turn into bondage. As you age, a
March 2017
whole lot of bonds become bond-ages the bond
has aged. But it doesnt have to be that way even
over a long period of time, you can still conduct
a bond consciously. If, in the course of time, they
gather some muck, you need to know how to clean
them up, rather than dragging them on with all
the muck, making them into bondage, or breaking
them prematurely.
When I say that runanubandha is important, it does
not mean that you should hook up with everyone
around you or fall in love with half a dozen people
today. This is not about fulfilling compulsive needs
of body, emotion, mind, or whatever other needs
you may have. There are methods with which we
When you bond with a Guru, it is important to
carry the bond to a point of fulfillment.
consciously establish runanubandha. A famous
situation would be when Jesus talked about eating
his flesh. He was talking about establishing a
conscious bond in such a way that the bond lasts,
whether he is there or not. It has become a living
force by itself, and definitely he was not talking
about cannibalism. It is only about making use
of whatever is there to make the tree grow big,
because the bigger the tree, the more people can sit
under it. Forming a conscious bond is like a banyan
tree dropping its roots to gather sustenance and
continue to grow bigger and bigger. Growth is not
for self-satisfaction it is a requirement. If you
notice something is good, you must make it grow.
If you see something is negative, you should not
make it grow, whether it is within you or around
you.
Become the Main Entrance
If life situations seem to be one big problem, it is
because you compulsively bonded with one thing,
so something else begins to look like a problem.
Once, Shankaran Pillai had a hardware shop. One
day, on the left side of his shop, another hardware
shop opened. That guy put up a huge sign saying
Best Deals. Shankaran Pillai was not bothered
March 2017
because he had an established bond with his
customers. A few weeks later, another shop
opened on the other side and put up a big sign
saying Lowest Prices. Shankaran Pillai got a little
concerned between Best Deals and Lowest
Prices, he could get lost. The next day, he put up a
big sign over the door of his shop: Main Entrance.
Becoming the Main Entrance is most important.
Some people may get the best deals, some may
get the lowest prices, but that is not the point. If
you are the main entrance, all wellbeing will come
to you.
Bonding in Modern Society
One of the biggest sources of suffering in modern
society is the lack of a kind of bonding that
generations before us enjoyed. The idea of family
has been reduced to a husband and wife living
together, especially in the West. In India, we are
also heading in this direction, but there are still
some remnants of traditional ways of living in
a joint family. I once stayed with a family of over
three hundred seventy members living together in
one huge residence. I was intrigued by how this
worked. A few women brought up the children.
Some people went out and did business, some
worked close by, some managed the house. It was
like a little ashram by itself. Can you imagine living
with your uncles, aunts, and the whole extended
family?
If you want to create something truly significant
in your life, a deep sense of bonding is needed. A
human being needs to be anchored to something in
order to grow. Otherwise, if you want to just float in
the sky, you should not touch the light, nor should
you touch anything that belongs to the earth. If you
try to hop around in between, it will cause a lot of
struggle. You are not made to be a grasshopper.
Previous generations did not suffer the kind of
struggles that people are going through today.
In earlier times, the struggle was mainly about
survival, food, and sustenance. Today, you can go
to a store and buy everything you need for the next
one year, if you have the cash, and do not have to
step out of your house for the next one year, which
has never been possible before.
If you wanted water, you had to walk. Of you wanted
ISHA FOREST FLOWER | 9
food, you had to hunt, gather, or grow it. Today, we
have organized human survival like never before,
but at what a cost both for our own lives and every
other life! We can buy anything we need, but we
cannot enjoy what we have created without a deep
sense of bonding. This needs to change.

Bonding with the Guru

Questioner: Sadhguru, how can I consciously bond
with you as a Guru and make you and your energy
a living force in my life?

Sadhguru: First, you need to work on self-

improvement before I really bond with you,
because once I bond, I cannot suddenly drop you.
I do not pick up and drop people by convenience
or compulsion. Once I bond, it is forever. Self-
improvement does not mean you have to acquire
a certain competence. Self-improvement means
making yourself less of you. Anyway, a large
number of cells in your body are bacteria; the rest
is just earth should be easy to handle. How long
does it take? It can take you a lifetime, or you can
do it in a moment. If you do it now, we will bond
immediately.
It is not that there is no bond at all with you right
now. The moment we initiate you, there is a big
bond, but it is not runanubandha, because that is
trouble for me. It is a bond of light, not of blood.
With a bond of light, you can bond with millions of
people, which is beautiful. The more you bond, the
better it is for everything around you. This is what
we are always doing. The other kind of bond with
the Guru is one of flesh and blood, but not based
on sexuality, which is otherwise the usual means
through which people form a bond of flesh and
blood.
This is the context in which Jesus said Eat
my flesh. He was talking about establishing
runanubandha, a bond beyond light. Not that a
bond of light is not good enough it is just that
not everyone grasps its significance. They want
a grosser bond. The bond of light is beautiful it
lights up things. Enlightenment may happen, but
work will not happen. If you want to do something
significant in the world, you need a different kind
of bond. The honey is the goal of the bees, and the
honey is not in the money. Things that you earn and
possess create comfort and convenience that is
it. If you do not have something more than that,
your wealth, comfort, and convenience will mock
you one day you will not know why you exist. On
this spiritual path, a deep sense of bonding is most
important.

10 | ISHA FOREST FLOWER March 2017

 MAHABHARAT
SERIES
PART 28
Mahabharat
A New Beginning for
the Pandavas
What has happened so far: After a prolonged power struggle between the Kauravas and the Pandavas,
with Duryodhana repeatedly crafting plans to murder his five cousins, Krishna finally advised to split the
kingdom into two parts in order to finally establish peace between the two parties.
Out of his deep allegiance to the nation, Bhishma
wanted to avoid at any cost that the territory would
be broken up. He went to the elders of Hastinapur
and said, All of you must intervene, otherwise the
nation is going to be split into two. The elders
replied, When you took that stupid vow of lifelong
brahmacharya, you did not consult us. Now you are
turning to us? They all knew things were anyway
headed for partition and wanted him to bear the
pain of executing it.
The onus was on Bhishma to initiate the breakup of
the land that he loved. He finally told Dhritarashtra,
All right, split the country. Let the Pandavas have
one part and let the Kauravas rule in Hastinapur.
Dhritarashtra called the five Pandava brothers and
in the full assembly of the court, he declared he
will give them Kandavaprastha, which included the
ancient capital of the Kurus. Generations before,
Pururava, the son of Budha1 and the first of the
Chandravamsha dynasty, got cursed by the rishis,
following which the Kandavaprastha fell into ruin,
turned into a desert, and was abandoned. That was
the kind of gift Dhritarashtra bestowed upon the
Pandavas.
Yudhishthira, being who he was, dutifully accepted
it and was getting ready to leave with his brothers
and his wife. Krishna intervened and said, Now to
make it fair, half the gold, cattle, horses, and chariots
should be given to the Pandavas. And the mallas,
the blacksmiths, the goldsmiths, and whoever else
wants to go with them, let them go. No compulsion
God representing the planet Mercury
1
March 2017
to stay, no compulsion to go. Malla means wrestler.
The wrestlers were very important in those days.
If you wanted to train an army, you needed people
who work with them in the gymnasium. This was
an unexpected turn of events for the Kauravas,
that Krishna said all these people were free to go
with the Pandavas. Dhritarashtra and the Kauravas
were trying to make it look like a fair share. But in
reality, they kept the best part of the kingdom for
themselves and gave an abandoned, barren part to
the Pandavas.
Many believed that anyway, the Pandavas would
die in this cursed place. But Duryodhana did not
want to leave it to chance he had plans to do
them in. But first, the Kauravas had to part with
half of their gold, horses, and cattle. And a lot of
people decided to go with the Pandavas. The
convoy departed. After many days of walking and
a lot of people dying on the way, they eventually
reached Kandavaprastha. Until then, the five
brothers had been enthusiastic. But when they
saw how desolate the place was, their heart sank,
and Bhima flew into a rage. He said, I want to kill
Duryodhana and his brothers! How can they give
us such a place?
Bhima was the son of the wind he just flew
off. Realizing they had landed up in the middle of
nowhere, in the ruins of a cursed city, the other
brothers fell silent. In a tone that was unusual for
him, Krishna said, How could Bhishma sanction
this and your Gurus Drona and Kripacharya allow
this to happen! The people who have brought this
upon you are inviting death with their open arms.
ISHA FOREST FLOWER | 11
Its not far away. For the first time, it was no more
just Duryodhana he included Bhishma, Drona,
Kripacharya, Dhritarashtra, everyone in the curse.
Bhima
Born of the wind
A restless force to reckon with
Can be led by a mountain or a hill
a valley or a mole
Can make the oceans rise and roar
but cannot even lift a pebble
A loveable bubble
A life giving Breath
Sadhguru
Exhausted from the journey, the Pandavas and
their entourage lay down in the open desert to
sleep. Krishna waited for everyone to settle down,
then he walked around to feel the place. He raised
his head to the sky, and in a tongue that was older
than the sun, he called on Indra. With thunder and
lightning, Indra arrived. Krishna said, You have to
raise this city with your magic. Then we will rename
it as Indraprastha. This will be your city. It should
12 | ISHA FOREST FLOWER
be the most beautiful city the world has ever seen.
And the magic began.
Vishwakarma, the architect of Indra, was called
and ordered to raise the city. When everyone slept,
he spread his ethereal body like a blanket across
the city, and its walls, its towers, its palaces, its
courts, and its homes everything rose. The magic
of it was witnessed only by Indra and Krishna.
When everyone woke up in the morning, they found
themselves in a beautiful city. The news spread
like wildfire, that overnight, the Pandavas have
raised a city.
From that moment onwards, the Pandavas were
seen as godlike by the population. Already, there
were stories about them coming back from the
dead. People said, The Pandavas died, went
to devaloka, and transformed themselves into
gods. Then they came back to the Earth, and
now they raised the city overnight. Indraprastha
became the most beautiful city. Even today,
Indraprastha is the capital of India it is a part
of New Delhi. Indraprastha continued to be the
capital city of various dynasties. Even the invaders
who came from outside chose to rule from
Indraprastha. Until today, the corridors of power
are there, and Indraprastha lives on. Whether
it is still magical or not is a different question.
To be continued
March 2017
 SADHGURU SPOT

Tear Down the Walls

Excerpted from Sadhguru Spot of 8 February 2017

On this Spot, Sadhguru shares how painful it is for him to see people unknowingly shutting themselves
off from Grace and ultimately wasting their lives. He says, Walls of self-protection are also walls of
self-imprisonment. In his latest poem The Wall, he describes how assumptions can be deceiving and
deprive us of the experience of union with everything.

Travelling all over the world, I see too many people
walking around with bitter, depressed, or resentful
Walls of self-protection are also walls
of self-imprisonment.
new. There is safety in a dormant seed because
there is a shell. If you become a tender sprout, you
are vulnerable. If you are not willing to be vulnerable,
you are not willing to transform. Whatever does not
transform, whatever does not change, is as good
as dead. Anything alive is always changing.

Being on the spiritual path but building your own

faces. There are many problems in the world, but
every problem is a possibility. Only if you grab
each problem by its horns and see how to turn it
around will you unlock your genius. Only then will
you touch the inner dimensions of intelligence that
every human being holds. If the deepest dimension
of intelligence opens up, you are as good as the
Creator. You can do just about anything that can be
done within the laws of Nature.
silly attitudes and philosophies to seal yourself off
from the rest of existence means wasting your life.
Coming in touch with this Grace is an opportunity
of many lifetimes. It pains me to see people wasting
this possibility and their lives by building walls
against everything around them. Walls of self-
protection are also walls of self-imprisonment.
This is what this poem is about.

If you resist, there is no possibility of transformation Coming in touch with this Grace
and growth. A seed that does not sprout is a is an opportunity of many lifetimes.
wasted seed. To sprout means to be willing to shed
everything that you were and become something

March 2017 ISHA FOREST FLOWER | 13

 The Wall

A crickets call could

be a heart-rending
love song. The growl
of the Tiger could be
of loneliness rather
than ferociousness. The
howl of the winds may
bring fortune of rain
and not a trail of
destruction. A serpents
hiss not always venomous
Are you missing all calls
for Union and walling yourself
up against life.

Love & Grace,

News and Events

Sadhgurus Message
on Receiving the
Padma Vibhushan
Award
Sadhguru has been conferred the Padma Vibhushan by the Government of India in 2017, the highest
amongst the annual civilian awards, accorded for exceptional and distinguished service. In response,
Sadhguru gave the following statement:

This award is in recognition of over seven million volunteers of Isha worldwide,

involved in transmitting the science of inner wellbeing particularly the Tamil
people, who have executed large-scale projects in education, health and ecology.

I congratulate the Government of India for recognizing the unique offering of our volunteers, a
spectacular demonstration of selflessness and commitment to the larger wellbeing of humanity.

I bow to all of you as this is your award. May this be a further inspiration for all.

14 | ISHA FOREST FLOWER March 2017

Events in Pictures
Sadhguru at the Jaipur Literature Festival
The organizers of the Jaipur Literature Festival
invited Sadhguru to lead a conversation with
Sanjoy K. Rao, the producer of this and many
other highly acclaimed performing arts, visual
arts, and literary festivals across around
the world. The Chief Minister of Rajasathan,
Vasundhara Raje, gave the introductory remarks.
Other speakers included two of Indias most
popular poets and lyricists, Gulzar and Javed
Akhtar, as well as the renowned marketing expert
and writer Suhel Seth.
Meet, Mingle, & Meditate with Sadhguru in Malaysia
The Meet, Mingle, & Meditate event with
Sadhguru in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on
21 January 2017 attracted a record number of
participants. Six thousand people spent the
evening soaking up the insights and presence
of the Mystic a testimony that truly, people
around the world are beginning to realize that In
is the only way out.
March 2017
Coinciding with the height of the Jallikattu
controversy, where widespread protests against
the ban of the traditional bull taming sport
were sending shockwaves across Tamil Nadu,
the media beleaguered Sadhguru at a press
conference to give his view on the matter. He
had earlier summed up his stance in two tweets:
Jallikattu is a rural sport of valour. Valour is to a
man what beauty is to a woman. And If cruelty
to animals is of any concern to anyone, first stop
slaughter for export.
Sadhgurus book Inner Engineering: A Yogis
Guide to Joy was equally well received. All two
thousand copies sold out in no time. After the
event, everyone thronged around Sadhguru to
get their copies signed by him.
ISHA FOREST FLOWER | 15
Meet, Mingle, & Meditate with Sadhguru in Singapore
Over four thousand people gathered for the
interactive evening entitled Meet, Mingle,
& Meditate at Sadhgurus second stop in
Southeast Asia: Singapore, on 22 January 2017.
Inner Engineering with Sadhguru in Mumbai
Between 27 and 29 January 2017, the Sardar
Vallabhbhai Patel Indoor Stadium in Mumbai
was filled not with the loud cheers of sports fans
but with the primordial sounds of AUM.
16 | ISHA FOREST FLOWER
A great turnout considering the relatively small
size of this busy city state, reflecting the rich
diversity of its population.
During this Inner Engineering program, 2675
participants seized the opportunity to get initiated
into the powerful Shambhavi Mahamudra Kriya
by Sadhguru, and, as an added bonus, got to
address their burning questions to the Master.
March 2017
 NEW RELEASES
The Beginning
An Excerpt from Sadhgurus Book Adiyogi: The Source of Yoga
Over fifteen thousand years ago, in the upper
reaches of the Himalayas, where the snows
are perennial and the skies terrestrial, a being
appeared.
He was a being unlike anyone had ever seen nine
feet tall, ash-smeared, with flowing matted hair.
Sometimes he sat absolutely still. At other times,
he danced. His dancing was indescribable. Wild
and ecstatic, it seemed to breathe exuberance into
an entire universe. Planets and stars, rivers and
forests, mountains and oceans exploded into life
around him. When he was motionless, he seemed
to become the ageless silence at the heart of all
creation. He seemed to become life itself.
No one had ever seen anyone like him before. They
did not know who he was, where he came from,
what his origins were. People gathered in huge
numbers around him because his presence was
quite extraordinary. It was clear that while he was
on this planet, he was not of it. They waited, hoping
for a miracle.
Nothing happened.
Much of the time, he just sat still, completely
oblivious to what was going on around him. Except
for a few tears of rapture that fell from his eyes, he
March 2017
showed no signs of life at all.
A tremendous miracle was happening before
everyones eyes, but they missed it completely.
They could not see that his sitting still for days
and months on end was the real miracle. They
were expecting firecrackers. That did not happen.
Everyone left.
Only seven men hung on. They could not leave.
This mysterious being was no longer merely the
centre of their worlds. He seemed like the kernel
of the very universe, the key to all the mysteries of
existence.
When he finally opened his eyes, they pleaded
with him to share his experience with them. He
dismissed them.
This is not for people seeking entertainment. Go
away, he said. But they persevered.
Many long years later, unable to ignore their
unwavering commitment and radiant receptivity,
Adiyogi or the first yogi, as this being came to
be called relented. He directed his attention to
these seven thirsty seekers and began expounding
to them the nature of life.
It was on that full moon day the first full moon after
ISHA FOREST FLOWER | 17
the summer solstice that an entire exploration
of the mechanics of life unfolded on this planet. It
was on that day that Adiyogi became Adi Guru, the
first Guru. That day is celebrated to this moment
in the history of the Indian subcontinent as Guru
Poornima.
What makes this day so important?
It was on this day that the seed of liberation was
planted in the human consciousness. It was on this
day that it was declared for the first time in human
history that biology is not destiny, that it is possible
for a human being to evolve consciously. The finite
can turn infinite. The particular can turn universal.
Compulsion can turn into consciousness. It is
possible for a piece of creation to become one with
the source of creation. The human creature can
become a divine entity.
This insight did not give birth to faith. It instead
gave birth to science. A science that aimed at
making human beings the rulers of their own fate,
18 | ISHA FOREST FLOWER
the architects of their own destiny. Guru Poornima
predates religion. It happened before the idea
of religion even entered the human mind. The
journey did not demand belief in a prescribed set of
conclusions. The journey was about exploration
a fearless exploration of the profoundest depths of
human consciousness. The ultimate aim was not
God. The ultimate aim was liberation.
What Adiyogi transmitted to those seven
disciples were the fundamentals of a science
called yoga union a science of radical self-
transformation that continues to live on thousands
of years after that first exposition, a science that
continues to empower human beings to blossom
to their ultimate potential. The goal was mukti
freedom from a life of physical enslavement and
psychological bondage. The goal was life itself
roaring, unfettered life. Ecstatic, boundless, infinite
life.
And that freedom, Adiyogi declared, is within the
reach of every human being.
March 2017
 SHARING
EXPERIENCES
Begging as Sadhana
A Shivanga Sadhaka Shares His Experience
Inspired by a friend, one evening in Mumbai, Denish Makwana, as part of a sadhana, begs for alms in
front of a temple. At first, nothing much happens. He stands. He begs. He waits. And then something
unexpected begins to unfold.
When my friend Jatin first told me about the
Shivanga Sadhana, my initial reaction was, How
absurd it is for a bank manager to seek alms as
sadhana! But undeniably, the joy and enthusiasm
with which he shared his experience struck a
chord with me. And so this year, I registered for the
Shivanga Sadhana, and I found myself going out
for alms three days after. What I experienced truly
changed my perspective on this sacred tradition
and on those who follow it. Here is what happened:
I stood outside the Brahmadev Temple in Uttan,
north of Mumbai, head down, holding out my
begging bowl, with a great deal of anticipation
within me. At first nothing much happened. I
stood. I begged. I waited. And then, after nearly
thirty minutes, I received my first bhiksha, and
something begun to melt within me. Then another
man noticed me seeking bhiksha and inquired
about the purpose. Upon hearing of the sadhana,
he brought his friends to me. They all dropped
some money in my bowl. To my astonishment,
the first man touched my feet and asked me to
bless him. Tears started rolling down my face, and
somehow, I uttered, May Sadhgurus blessings be
with you! Then he said with folded hands, You
will get bhiksha from twenty-one people today.
Your Master will come to you.
At 9:30 p.m., the priest closed the temple, and he
too put something in my bowl. With this, I had
offerings from sixteen people... including a six-
March 2017
year-old girl, who had offered alms to me so far.
But then suddenly, a group of ladies came rushing
towards me and formed a line to give me bhiksha.
They bowed down and offered whatever they could
with utter devotion. I was overwhelmed. The last
woman in the queue asked, Why are you standing
here for bhiksha? I told her about my sadhana,
put on my shirt, and got ready to head back home.
But she enthusiastically requested me to wait for a
moment. A minute later, the woman returned with
five neighbors, who also came to offer bhiksha.
All this while, the priest stood there watching the
scene. As I was about to leave, he said, Please do
come here daily for alms!
This was the first time in my life that I had
experienced people offering me something so
gracefully, without even knowing my name. My
second time begging for alms, I found myself next
to a few street beggars near a temple in Borivali.
After standing for five hours that day, only three
persons offered me bhiksha. While many avoided
us, the experience was somehow even more
intense. The lightness of putting your ego aside, of
truly having nothing, if even for a few hours, has
left me much more inclusive and sensitive towards
all life around me. I was completely helpless and
completely taken care of at the same time by both
those who were generous and those who were not.
- Denish Makwana,
Business Development Manager, Mumbai
ISHA FOREST FLOWER | 19
 UPCOMING PROGRAMS AND EVENTS

Date Program Place Contact

68 Mar Ameerpet, 85000 47000

Surya Shakti
2017 Hyderabad India hyderabad@ishayoga.org

Isha Yoga Center, 0422-2515464

612 Mar
Ayur Sampoorna Velliangiri Foothills, isharejuvenation@
2017
Coimbatore India ishafoundation.org

626 Mar Kukatpally, 85000 47000

Hatha Yoga
2017 Hyderabad India hyderabad@ishayoga.org

Isha Yoga Center,

912 Mar Inner Engineering 94890 45164 / 0422-2515300
Velliangiri Foothills,
2017 Retreat ieretreat@ishayoga.org
Coimbatore India

Isha Yoga Center, 0422-2515464

1317 Mar Ayur Rasayana
Velliangiri Foothills, isharejuvenation@
2017 Intensive
Coimbatore India ishafoundation.org

Isha Yoga Center,

1417 Mar Bhavana Spandana 83000 93555 / 0422-2515300
Velliangiri Foothills,
2017 (for ladies) iycprograms@ishayoga.org
Coimbatore India
Isha Yoga Center,
1619 Mar Inner Engineering 94890 45164 / 0422-2515300
Velliangiri Foothills,
2017 Retreat ieretreat@ishayoga.org
Coimbatore India
Isha Yoga Center, 0422-2515464
2226 Mar Diabetes Management
Velliangiri Foothills, isharejuvenation@
2017 Program
Coimbatore India ishafoundation.org
Isha Yoga Center,
2427 Mar 83000 93555 / 0422-2515300
Yogasanas Velliangiri Foothills,
2017 iycprograms@ishayoga.org
Coimbatore India
Isha Yoga Center, 0422-2515464
27 Mar
Yoga Marga Velliangiri Foothills, isharejuvenation@
16 Apr 2017
Coimbatore India ishafoundation.org
Isha Yoga Center,
30 Mar Inner Engineering 94890 45164 / 0422-2515300
Velliangiri Foothills,
2 Apr 2017 Retreat ieretreat@ishayoga.org
Coimbatore India
Isha Yoga Center,
30 Mar 83000 93555 / 0422-2515300
Angamardana Velliangiri Foothills,
2 Apr 2017 iycprograms@ishayoga.org
Coimbatore India
A Life-Transforming
12 Apr +44-7765567347
Weekend with ExCeL, London UK
2017 uk@innerengineering.com
Sadhguru

2930 Apr Inner Engineering with +1-813-413-1661

Tampa, FL USA
2017 Sadhguru tampa@ishausa.org

Current at the time of print, however subject to change. For full program schedules and updates, please visit our
website: www.ishafoundation.org.

20 | ISHA FOREST FLOWER March 2017

 CHEESY
MUSHROOM
ISHA RECIPE
SPINACH WRAP
(Makes 2)

INGREDIENTS
Cheese sauce: Mushroom filling:
20 g butter 200 g button mushrooms
2 level Tbsps. plain flour 1 Tbsps. butter
300 ml cold milk Tbsp. rosemary
120 g Cheddar cheese (grated) 1 tsp. oregano
Pinch of ground nutmeg 1 tsp. Balsamic vinegar
Pinch of white (or black) pepper Salt and pepper to taste
Spinach filling: Wrap:
Two handfuls of fresh spinach 2 larger wheat chapatis (slightly dry
1 Tbsp. olive oil; 1 Tbsp. lemon juice yet bendable)

METHOD
Cheese Sauce:
1. Melt the butter in a saucepan on medium heat. While the butter is melting, add the flour and mix well
with a spoon for 1015 seconds. Now using a whisk, continue to stir for 12 minutes until the mixture
becomes paste-like in consistency and mustard yellow in color. (Do not let it become brown and nutty.)
Add 100 ml of milk and continue to stir with the whisk until the mix begins to thicken. Add another 100
ml of milk. Stir well with the whisk, making sure there are no lumps. As the mixture begins to thicken
again, add the last 100ml of milk, continuing to stir. Add a pinch of ground nutmeg and a pinch of white/
black pepper.
2. As the first bubbles begin to form and the sauce begins to boil, add the grated cheddar cheese and mix
well. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed.
3. Take the sauce off the flame and let it rest. It will thicken as it cools. The sauce should be thick,
smooth, and creamy.

Mushroom filling:
1. Cut the cleaned mushrooms into 1 cm thick slices.
2. Melt 1 Tbsp. butter in a non-stick pan on medium heat. Add the mushrooms. Mix well, coating all
the mushrooms in butter, and space them out evenly. Add rosemary, salt, and pepper. Continue stirring
gently as the mushrooms cook (5-8 minutes).
3. As the mushrooms begin to turn golden brown, add oregano and Tbsp. of butter. Let it cook for
another minute or until the mushrooms are completely golden brown. Taste and adjust the seasoning
as needed.
4. Drizzle the balsamic vinegar on the mushrooms before taking them out of the pan. Keep aside.

Spinach filling:
1. Tear the washed and dried spinach into bite-sized pieces. Toss with olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and
pepper to taste.

Wrap:
Pour some cheese sauce on the chapati. Add mushrooms and spinach. Roll into a wrap. Enjoy!
March 2017 ISHA FOREST FLOWER | 21
 SUBSCRIBE NOW!

Insightful Inspiring Informative

I would like to Subscribe for myself Renew my subscription Change the mailing address Subscribe as a gift

One year 12 issues (within India by regular mail) `180 Payment By Cheque
One year 12 issues (within India by courier) `480 `50 Extra

Mode of Payment: Cash Demand Draft Money Order Cheque

FF CODE (Forest Flower subscription No.):

Name*
Please complete in BLOCK LETTERS

Address*
SUBSCRIBER

City*

State* PIN*

Phone: (Mobile)*............................... (Home)*............................... (Work)*..........................

Email* .....................................................................................................................

Name*
Please complete in BLOCK LETTERS

* These fields are mandatory

Address*
SEND GIFT TO

City*

State* PIN*

Phone: (Mobile)*............................... (Home)*............................... (Work)*..........................

Email* .....................................................................................................................

Enclosed DD/Cheque/MO No. ............................................................. dated ...............................

drawn on ...................................................................... (bank), payable at Coimbatore for `...........

in favor of Isha Foundation.
For payments by cheque, please add `50/- to the subscription amount towards clearing charges.

Please mail the completed subscription form along with your payment to: ISHA FOREST FLOWER
Sowbhagya, First Floor; 30/5, 1st Cross Street; Raja Annamalaipuram; Chennai 600028
For further inquiries, please contact: & (044) 45011137, 96770 16700 8 subscriptions.FF@ishafoundation.org

Date: Subscriber Signature:

RECEIPT DETAILS (For Office Use Only)

Receipt No.:........................ Receipt Date:........................

Amount received:........................Received by:........................Remarks:........................

FOR ONLINE SUBSCRIPTIONS AND RENEWALS, visit www.ishafoundation.org/ForestFlower

22 | ISHA FOREST FLOWER March 2017

 ZEN SPEAKS

Published by: B. RAJESH CHANDER on behalf of ISHA FOUNDATION

Published from 117/50, Luz Church Road, Mylapore, Chennai 600 004, TAMILNADU

Printed by: S. PRAKASH; at FINE DOTS, No.15, Boo Begum 3rd Street,
Anna Salai, Chennai 600 002, Tamilnadu. Editor: K. SEKAR

March 2017 ISHA FOREST FLOWER | 23

Registered with the Registrar of Newspapers for India under No. TNENG/2013/53333 WPP license no : TN/PMG (CCR)/WPP- 446/2017 - 2019
Registered with Patrika Channel Egmore RMS under Registration No. TN/CH(C)/492/17 19. Published on 2nd of every month March 2017

The cool fire of consciousness

their source is fear or hate.
in offense or defense
Whether Fireballs fly
Its time has come.

24 | ISHA FOREST FLOWER March 2017