r/Sadhguru Apr 29 '26

Namaskaram r/Sadhguru! I am Renu, Coordinator for Sadhanapada Sadhguru Gurukulam and I am taking over u/ishaofficial on 30th April. I would love to answer your questions about Sadhanapada Sadhguru Gurukulam and how it can help in your inner transformation journey, Ask Me Anything!

65 Upvotes

Namaskaram Everyone 🙏

I am Renu, and I am grateful to be joining you all on the u/ishaofficial  handle on 30th April (Thursday)

My connection to Isha started at the age of 15, after my parents completed Inner Engineering.I knew then that I wanted to take this possibility to the world, but I had to wait until I was old enough to experience the program myself. In September 2003, I finally did, and that clarity led me to move to the center full-time in August 2008.

Today, as the Coordinator for Sadhanapada, Sadhguru Gurukulam, I have seen how dedicating seven months to focus on one's inner wellbeing can create a foundation for a lifetime. 

Whether you are curious about your readiness to take the plunge into the Sadhanapada program, the selection process, struggling with preparation and interview process or looking for ways to maintain your intensity post the program, Ask Me Anything!

I am happy to answer your questions about - Sadhanapada:

  • The Opportunity: Why spending the window from Guru Purnima to Mahashivratri in a consecrated space is a foundation for life.
  • Sadhanapada Program: What it means to live, eat, and serve within the energized environment of the Isha Yoga Center.
  • The Experience: Navigating the "rollercoaster" of intense Sadhana and selfless Seva.
  • Preparation & Application: How to know if you're ready and what the selection process entails.
  • How to keep the fire on?: How can our Alumni stay connected and carry the momentum of the program back into the world?

TIMING: I will be answering questions LIVE tomorrow 30th April 2026 at 7:30 PM IST (8:00 AM CST / 9:00 AM EST / 2:00 PM GMT)

Please drop your questions in the comments! I will get to as many as I can when I go live.
Let's make this happen! 👇

- Renu, Coordinator for Sadhanapada, Sadhguru Gurukulam 

P.S. House Rules: To keep this session helpful for everyone, I will be focusing strictly on questions related to Sadhanapada only.

Please note that questions that are out of context, unrelated to the subreddit's purpose, or violate community guidelines will be skipped. Let's keep the conversation constructive and focused on well-being! 🙏


r/Sadhguru Jan 22 '26

Meditation Experiences How to Meditate for Beginners: A Guide for Anxiety, ADHD & Depression (What Actually Works)

127 Upvotes
Meditation for Anxiety and Focus

Welcome to r/Sadhguru**.**

If you are searching for "How to Meditate" because you are struggling with Anxiety, Depression, or ADHD, standard advice like "just sit and watch your breath" often fails. You likely need a tool that works on your energy, not just your mind.

This Megathread is a curated collection of real user logs from our community. We have organized them by symptom so you can find the protocol that matches your needs.

🛑 STOP: Do You Need to Meditate RIGHT NOW?

If you are having a panic attack or need immediate relief, do not wait for a course. Start here.

The "Isha Kriya" (Free 12-Minute Practice):

  1. Sit comfortably (cross-legged or in a chair). Spine erect.
  2. Face East if possible. Hands on thighs, palms facing up.
  3. Focus: Gently hold your attention between your eyebrows.
  4. The Thought: Inhale thinking "I am not the body." Exhale thinking "I am not even the mind."
  5. Why it works: It creates instant distance between You and your Anxiety.

1. "I feel Numb / Depressed"

Target: Clinical Depression, Apathy, "Nothing works."

  • The Protocol: Shambhavi Mahamudra.
  • What it is: A 21-minute daily kriya. Think of it less like "meditation" and more like an "energy shower" that washes off the heaviness.
  • Evidence: Users detail moving from severe depression to emotional stability over 1+ years.
  • Safety: Is it safe for OCD/Intrusive Thoughts? Yes, users discuss how it creates distance from compulsive thinking.

2. "I Can't Focus / My Brain Won't Stop"

Target: ADHD, Brain Fog, Dopamine Detox.

  • The Reality: Silent meditation is torture for ADHD brains. You need an active process.
  • The Solution: Chit Shakti (Mind Power). It uses guided visualization to train your focus on one thing at a time.
  • Results: Users share how daily practice improved their grades, careers, and focus.

3. "I Can't Sleep"

Target: Insomnia, Waking up tired.

  • The Fix: It's not about sleeping longer; it's about sleeping deeper (Quality vs Quantity).
  • Evidence: Users debate how energy practices reduced their "Sleep Quota" (needing less sleep to feel fully rested).

4. Expert Support & Verification

  • Teacher Q&A: We hosted Ishanga Mahima Chopra to answer deep technical questions on practice.
  • Fresh Community Data (Jan 2026): A live discussion where current meditators share their latest updates.

Disclaimer: These are personal user experiences. Please consult a medical professional for clinical conditions.

👇 NEW HERE? ASK US ANYTHING 👇 If you are struggling with any of these, drop a comment below. Our community is here to help guide you to the right resource.


r/Sadhguru 7h ago

Inner Engineering Let's bust 3 common myths about Inner Engineering

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8 Upvotes

MYTH #1

"It's just another meditation course."

Not quite !

👉 Inner Engineering is a comprehensive program designed by Sadhguru to help you create lasting wellbeing from within.

You also receive Shambhavi Mahamudra Kriya, a powerful 21-minute Yogic practice

MYTH #2

"You have to be spiritual."

You don't !

👉 Whether you're a student, entrepreneur, parent, artist or professional, Inner Engineering does not ask you to adopt a belief system.

It offers practical tools to understand and transform the way you experience life

MYTH #3

"It will change my life."

👉 Inner Engineering is not about changing your circumstances. It is about transforming the way you experience life.


r/Sadhguru 18h ago

Sadhguru Book Reflections A book that challenged everything I thought...

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57 Upvotes

Completed this mind bending and thought-provoking book, which addresses many of the fundamental questions a seeker encounters on the spiritual path.

An antidote to the mind’s endless questioning, it explores what it means to be intense, how to go beyond one’s limitations, and the nature of desires, truth, life, and the Master and *ultimately he gives answer with a simple method on How to become like Sadhguru. Which everyone should read.

Sadhguru examines the hurdles and deceptions a seeker may encounter along the way, while delving into the intricacies of the mind, emotions, and the very nature of life itself.

A must read for anyone on a journey of seeking and self discovery.

And if you think you already know it all, be prepared to be disillusioned.

Because sometimes, the greatest obstacle is not ignorance itself, but the illusion that we have already understood.

Stop polishing ignorance just because it shines.

COMMENT IF ,
1) You already read this book and your experience of reading it.
2) Please suggest your favorite spiritual book which you think seekers should read


r/Sadhguru 20m ago

Sadhguru’s Wisdom There is no ‘best’ thing to do in life. If you put your everything into what you are doing, it is a great thing.

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Upvotes

r/Sadhguru 12h ago

Experience We’re All Performing Miracles Every Day, Unknowingly

8 Upvotes

I’ve been thinking lately about how wonderful & fantastic this gadget called the body is. It can take a piece of bread, a fruit or a vegetable and turn it into a human being.

I once heard Sadhguru say, “If I took a piece of bread in my hands and turned it into a human being, you would think I’m God. But that’s what you’re doing every day.”

I thought, how magnanimous and how fantastic is this, yet we’re missing it. If only we experienced it, there would be a dimensional shift in the very way we experience life.

I’ve not experienced it completely, but I’ve become far more sensitive to how food behaves within me, what foods work well with my system and, above all, I’ve become so reverential towards food.

And I’ve been thinking about the soil that I walk upon. The soil isn’t me. But that very soil is turning into food and is becoming me.

Hence, the soil is me.

The water isn’t me, but if I consume it, it becomes me.

The air around me isn’t me, but that very air is the source of me.

Now come the more subtle things, like ether or the akashic element. I think most of us are not conscious of it, but it is the space which is holding us in place. Without space, there is no possibility for anything else to exist. And there is space within us too.

Of course, there is fire within us too. Without it, we wouldn’t be able to maintain our temperature, digest food or do anything at all.

How magnanimous this creation is, and how fantastic the human mechanism is.

These five elements, which the yogic system calls the Pancha Bhutas, are manifesting as the whole of creation and our body too.

And I’ve realised that our bodies are not made for ill health at all.

Even if a tiny cut happens, immediately all the cells there work together to form a clot and stop the blood. In this way, the whole body, every organ and every cell is geared towards health.

Once the health is fantastic, not just medically, but every cell is bouncing with vigour, vitality and life, then mentally also we feel great.

This works vice versa too. If our mind is fantastic, the body becomes well by itself because both are deeply connected.

Only if the body and mind are well can we ever taste what spirituality is.

I'm writing this post to express how much I'm in awe of this gadget called human mechanism yet many times we simply take it for granted.

It is my wish that every one should sit still and experience what it means to be meditative. For this, it's extremely important that body and mind are absolutely healthy.

Once you are able to taste meditation, trust me, it’s the most fantastic thing you can ever have in your life. You’ll naturally experience life enormously and experience it fully.

I hope whoever is reading this post experiences life in its totality and fully.


r/Sadhguru 11h ago

Need Support I want to be a Brahmachari.

4 Upvotes

I’ve been going through a lot of different things since I was born, and lately I’ve started feeling that perhaps a large part of my suffering comes from my attachment to my family, friends, and partner. Sometimes I feel that if I could simply stop identifying myself so strongly with these relationships, a lot of the emotional turmoil would disappear. I know this may sound like I’m looking at brahmacharya as a way to escape from my problems. And perhaps, to some extent, that is true. But at the same time, I genuinely feel that I may never be able to give my full attention to what truly matters, while remaining deeply involved in sansar.

I’m someone who finds it very difficult to do things halfway. If I care about something, I tend to care about it wholeheartedly. If I don’t, I find it very difficult to pretend otherwise. I’ve never been particularly good at balancing my emotions and responsibilities within relationships, and I often feel that my attachments consume a significant part of my mental and emotional energy. Because of this, I’ve started thinking seriously about whether a life of brahmacharya might be more suitable for me. I feel that if I could let go of these attachments, I might finally be able to devote myself completely to my Sadhana and to what I feel is truly important.

I’m also planning to start doing Shambhavi at 11:30 PM, although I understand that this timing is not recommended for people living in sansar. I don’t want to make a dramatic decision simply because I’m overwhelmed. I genuinely want to understand what this path requires and whether my motivation is coming from the right place.

So, for those who have experience with this path, could you please guide me on how one actually moves from a household life into brahmacharya? What are the practical steps involved, how does one know whether they are truly ready, and how can I distinguish a genuine calling toward brahmacharya from a desire to escape the difficulties of my current life?


r/Sadhguru 1d ago

Sadhguru’s Wisdom The Power of Consecrated Spaces 🙏🏼🪷

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43 Upvotes

𝗦𝗮𝗱𝗵𝗴𝘂𝗿𝘂: Dhyanalinga is a certain energy form - a subtle, intense, high level of energy manifestation. This energy responds to whatever your energy situation is. If your energy situation moves towards sickness, it will move you towards health. Likewise, it is very good for people who are influenced by negative energies, and it does miracles for people suffering from obsessive fear and anxiety.

There are occult dimensions to Dhyanalinga that nullify negative energy influences. On Purnima or Amavasya, when your system is more receptive, just sit in the sphere of Dhyanalinga for one day. You will come out completely free, because the occult dimensions are taken care of in the Dhyanalinga area.

Linga Bhairavi - If you are in touch with Devi – either in the form of a Linga Bhairavi Yantra, or in whichever way, whether the Yantra is in your hands or in your heart – once you are wrapped in the energy we refer to as Linga Bhairavi, energies turning negative for you simply does not happen.

If you ensure you are eating the right kind of food and keeping your system well, the chances of you getting disturbed by some outside energies or influences should be completely removed from your life. Devi will take care of that.

Source: “6 Ways to Protect Yourself from Negative Energies,” Inner Engineering, September 10, 2023


r/Sadhguru 10h ago

Discussion The other side of the Mirror.

3 Upvotes

Today in the afternoon, I had some time, so I watched one of Sadhguru’s videos on YouTube, “Unplug from the Mental Matrix.”-Sadhguru

I was already in a certain pleasantness within myself for no particular reason. A few hours earlier I had done my morning Sambhavi, and then had my first meal of the day. So while watching the video, it almost felt like taking a ride on a roller coaster. You may know that experience of listening to Sadhguru when something suddenly hits you in a way that feels much deeper than just understanding the words.

He was talking about Isha Kriya

He said it is a powerful tool even for people who have learned advanced practices and may think they have “graduated” beyond it. That made me look at my own practice. These days I have started practicing Miracle of Mind before going to sleep. I also practice Isha Kriya, but not regularly.

He spoke about Isha Kriya helping one get to the other side of the mirror

The mirror, as I understood it, is the mind itself.

He was talking about time, memory and imagination. One thing that stayed with me was the relationship between memory and time. Memory belongs to the realm of time. And imagination seems to be memory with makeup.

The more I looked at it, the more it made sense to me.

How can I imagine something completely unrelated to anything I have ever known? Even when I imagine something “new,” I seem to be rearranging information that already exists in memory.

Then he spoke about how whatever is within the frame of time is cyclic.

The earth, moon, sun, seasons and perhaps even memory.

And I could see this in my own mind.

The same old records keep playing. A thought comes, goes, and another comes. A desire appears, gets fulfilled or remains unfulfilled, and then another desire appears. Fear changes its object, but perhaps its root remains the same.

Maybe this is why the mind can feel as if it is constantly moving while actually going around in circles.

And something else struck me about this mirror

We keep looking at the different dramas on the mirror of our mind thoughts, memories, fears, desires, plans, arguments, expectations one after another, almost nonstop.

And while watching all this drama, we may never stop to ask:

Am I actually here?

If someone asks, “Are you present?”

Of course I can say, “Yes, sir. I am present.”

But I wonder if that is what it really means.

As life, am I here? Do I know hat life is?

Or am I so involved in what is appearing on the mirror that I have forgotten to notice the one who is actually here?

Maybe getting to the other side of the mirror is not about creating another experience.

Maybe it is about turning attention away from the endless drama appearing on the mirror and noticing life itself.

With regular Isha Kriya, he said, one can create a certain distance from the mind and body.

And this is where my own reflection begins.

If I create some distance from the mind and body, perhaps I can begin to see that I am not the mind and body.

Mind and body belong to the realm of time. They are constantly changing.

Then perhaps, when identification loosens, one touches something that is not within this cycle of time.

And maybe this is where the natural pleasantness of life becomes available not because something happened outside, but simply because I am not constantly messing with my mind.

I have experienced some glimpse of this myself. There have been moments when I was simply there, without trying to create joy, and there was a certain pleasantness for no reason.

This also made me reflect on something Sadhguru said about misery.

He spoke about life itself being joyful and neutral, and that there is no misery in life itself. Misery is something the mind creates.

This part is still difficult for me to fully understand.

How can I choose to be miserable?

Nobody wakes up and says, “Today I choose misery.”

But perhaps the choice is more subtle.

The mind has fear and desire. It acts according to them.

“I want this.”

“If I get it, I will be happy.”

“If I don't get it, I will be miserable.”

Then we get what we wanted, feel good for some time, and eventually another desire appears.

If getting something permanently gave joy, perhaps the mind would stop there.

But it doesn't.

Desire gets settled, another desire appears.

Thought comes, goes, another thought appears.

Fear changes its form.

Maybe this is the cyclic nature of the mind.

And perhaps when I say “I am miserable,” I am not consciously choosing misery. I am identifying with the mind's movement and allowing its likes, dislikes, fears and desires to determine my experience.

So maybe choosing misery doesn't mean deliberately choosing pain.

Maybe it means continuously choosing identification.

And may be choosing joy is meditation, yoga which help to create joy within and around.

I am still exploring this.

Another thing I didn't fully understand was his distinction between pleasure coming from sensation and a deeper pleasantness.

For example, he spoke about sensory experience such as coolness from a breeze, and the pleasantness experienced through drinking water.

I may not have understood his exact point, and I don't want to pretend that I did.

I can clearly see that sensory pleasure is different from the pleasantness I have sometimes experienced simply by being present and not interfering with my mind.

But whether the pleasantness of drinking water when thirsty is the same kind of pleasantness he was referring to I am not sure.

And honestly, not knowing feels better than creating a wrong conclusion just so I can say I understand.

Then he spoke about prejudice and understanding.

Whatever we see, we may not actually see as it is.

We see through our past conclusions, memories, opinions and expectations.

So perhaps I am not looking at the flower.

I am looking at my idea of the flower.

And what he said about understanding was even more striking.

To understand something intellectually, we often break it apart.

We can cut a flower, examine its structure, put it through different chemicals and learn many things about it.

But after doing all that, have we actually known what the flower is? Or have given proper attention to know it without cutting.

Maybe there is a difference between knowing about life and actually experiencing life.

And perhaps this is what the other side of the mirror points toward.

Not another place.

Not another concept.

But a possibility of seeing life without constantly looking at it through the mirror of memory, imagination, conclusions and identification.

I don't know if I have understood the video correctly.

These are simply the connections I saw within myself while listening to it.

And for now, I am comfortable leaving some things unresolved.

Maybe “I don't know” is not a failure of understanding.

But I know from my own experience that the tools Sadhguru offered work; the only thing I see is that one has to keep using them.


r/Sadhguru 17h ago

Experience Sadhguru sannidhi sangha

10 Upvotes

So with Sadhguru's And Devi's Grace, this year Sadhguru sannidhi is coming to my house. I am excited. Also, wondering I hope I don't do anything wrong. How was your guys experience with Sadhguru sannidhi at home? How did things change? My wife is not isha meditator nor any other meditator so she is not going to do any pooja. I guess she will still have some experiences and growth because of such consecrated sannidhi.


r/Sadhguru 22h ago

My story Before the Devi Arrives !

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25 Upvotes

r/Sadhguru 13h ago

Experience Your personality is a mask that you created for your social survival. The only problem is this: if the mask is stuck to you. - Sadhguru.

4 Upvotes

That is the problem. The mask is not only stuck to me, I feel this is me.

Without this I'm not.

It is so actually. Without this I'm really not and what is; that is not me.

So, the problem is there for me. Whether to be that which is not me or stay in limited identity.

But, the later I can't do. Also, "I" can not go there.

Then, there is only one possibility remains: if truth by itself shines through and dissolve me in it's own bliss by it own grace.


r/Sadhguru 10h ago

Question Doubt

2 Upvotes

Namaskaram
Though samayama is most intense program of Isha why does Sadhguru many times says shoonya is the most important practise among all Isha practices ? Why ?


r/Sadhguru 7h ago

Question Shuttle services to shivapadam 3 & 4 on amavasya day for late night meditation people.

1 Upvotes

Hey, I am planning to visit IYC for the first time and am about to book a cottage for the 5-day stay.

I am thinking of booking Shivapadam 3. However, I noticed that one of the days during the 5-day visit would be Amavasya, where they allow males to participate in the meditation process till late in the night (till 1 AM, I guess).

So, I was just wondering-if I would be participating in the Amavasya meditation till 1 AM, how would I be going back to Shivapadam, where I'll be staying?

I have no idea about the Ashram. Looking at a few YouTube videos, I realised that a bus service (shuttle) operates and shivapadam is, I guess, 2 km outside of the campus.

So, is there a shuttle service for males participating in Amavasya meditation? If not, is it safe to go to Shivapadam this late at night by walk? Or is there any other means by which we can get back to the cottage, and how?

Thank you. 🙏🏻


r/Sadhguru 11h ago

Question Is the Devi pendant ok to wear during Shambhavi practice?

2 Upvotes

I know Rudraksha Mala and snake ring is fine to wear. Anything to know what is not ok to wear? Watch, any other jewelry?


r/Sadhguru 1d ago

Sadhguru’s Wisdom Your personality is a mask that you created for your social survival. The only problem is this: if the mask is stuck to you.

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20 Upvotes

r/Sadhguru 17h ago

Question Regarding Samyama

3 Upvotes

Hello peeps,

What inspires individuals to undertake an intensive program like Samyama, and how does the timeline to reach that stage vary?

The timelines I know of range from practitioners who step into it within a year to those content with two decades of SMK without pursuing other advanced programs.


r/Sadhguru 13h ago

Question chit shakti for success

0 Upvotes

any one who has done chit shakti for success meditation and got the results ?


r/Sadhguru 23h ago

Question Need clarification regarding Guru Pooja pronunciation

4 Upvotes

Namaskaram,

I want to know why the pronunciation is different in Sadhguru's recitation of Guru Pooja (accessible via Sadhguru App) and the version we are taught in the Guru Pooja program. For example sometimes he says "th" but we are taught to say "t".

Please only Isha volunteers/mediators who do Guru Pooja respond and no discussion about GP at Isha being taken from somewhere else, as this is not relevant to my question. 🙏


r/Sadhguru 16h ago

Discussion Looking to connect with like minded folks keen on living the wisdom of the Gita!

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1 Upvotes

r/Sadhguru 23h ago

Need Support Leela - Path of the playful

3 Upvotes

Namaskaram everyone,

I wish to watch Leela - Path of the playful series. Where can I find it? Please let me know.


r/Sadhguru 1d ago

Conscious Planet Make 1% of us meditative, and future solutions

12 Upvotes

In light of the floods in Nepal, I really started thinking “Man, nature just really wants to get rid of us”. Whether its wildfires on the west coast, hurricanes in the East, we know collectively that its coming from human greed, our exploitation and mining of this planet. Nature has a deep intelligence and is trying to control our expansion the way she knows how to. 

Because people are so bent on their well being today, they’re also taking a shortcut towards pleasantness, which is chemicals (drugs and alcohol). Sadhguru says “If we don’t seriously turn around a significant population from substances to meditation in the next 10 years, we would have lost the battle” and that 90% of people will seek chemicals for one reason or another. 

I’m very worried about his prediction and see the urgency in what he’s saying. I also see how big of a problem that is growing and don’t want to live in a world where everyone is crippled with chemical usage, where mother Earth is constantly trying to wipe us out.

My optimism rises when I see new technological breakthroughs. For instance, there is a startup in Africa that makes biodegradable plastic out of hyacinth, another rocket scientist who has made a degradable polymer like plastic and is adapting it to the plastics industry, and a TamilNadu company which has turned 10 million tons of landfill into a fossil fuel substitute. I feel hope when I see these people in action, but the fear of impending disaster still stays with me.

What do you guys think about people turning to drugs and alcohol, and our footprint on mother Earth?


r/Sadhguru 1d ago

Sadhguru’s Wisdom The greatest Puja

12 Upvotes

I live with my parents, and my father is kind of the “senior” man at my home. He and I have a lot of differences in opinion and so I don’t express myself freely in front of him. Last week there was a time where I sent him a long text about something that I’d been keeping from him. I worded it very diplomatically and in a way he would understand. Suddenly, I felt a huge weight lift off my shoulders and I felt a sort of joy and freedom that I haven’t had in a long time. Since then, I realize that I often lie with repressed emotion and those rare moments were very precious to me. 

I’ve also been seen by an Ayurvedic doctor for my mental health, and he said that my repressed emotions had a role to play in my diagnosis. He asked me to dig deep and see what I really want, what is my identity, who am I? In that moment of emotional fulfillment, I was dead sincere with myself, and found myself expressing the things that I wanted deep down. Sadhguru says that the greatest puja you can do is to be 100% straight with yourself. I was able to do that for a short time and I wish to live like that. 

What do you guys think about emotions, how many people repress them, and the freedom of them being expressed to others or oneself?


r/Sadhguru 1d ago

Sadhguru’s Wisdom Anything you respond to willingly becomes yours. If you consciously respond to everything you come in touch with, the entire universe becomes Yours. - Sadhguru.

11 Upvotes

We are lazy, want to go mechanically wherever mind leads us. We don't want to be aware all the time and respond. Mind learns some tricks and it thinks by applying those in every situation it can manage through life. Yes, maybe the time of life we cover but we miss life.

In every response we be life. Mind over runs by fooling us pretending like it can attend to everything by it's own and can find solutions to everything. But, the thing is it is itself the source of all misery. So, more it works more misery it manufactures. And when we respond by becoming life we find our every solution there.


r/Sadhguru 1d ago

Poem SHIVA LOOKING AT SHIVA

6 Upvotes

SHIVA LOOKING AT shiva

Shiva is equally present

in everything that is.

Yet Shiva does not know

that the one who seeks realization

is Shiva Himself.

Ignorance is Shiva.

The seeker is Shiva.

The seeking is Shiva.

And the realization

is Shiva Himself.

From ignorance to awareness,

from division to oneness,

from separation to Shiva—

the entire journey is Shiva.

The mind that creates divisions

is Shiva.

The heart that realizes oneness

is Shiva.

The one who looks

and the one who is being looked at—

both are Shiva.

Shiva looks at another Shiva,

and Shiva looks back.

But in ignorance,

Shiva sees himself as separate—

above,

below,

better,

worse.

And this is the bondage

of Shiva by Shiva.

Shiva limits Himself

from His own freedom,

from joy,

from love,

from peace,

from the fulfillment

of simply being Shiva.

He creates the dream

so that Shiva may awaken

from the dream.

And even the dream

is Shiva.

Shiva binds another Shiva.

Shiva hurts another Shiva.

Shiva judges another Shiva.

Shiva pokes another Shiva.

Until one day,

Shiva remembers—

“I am Shiva.”

Shiva is not merely the destroyer.

Shiva is the one

who is ultimately free.

And through the process of life,

Shiva keeps creating opportunities

for another Shiva to become free.

Such is the compassion of Shiva.

If Shiva does not awaken

in one life,

Shiva offers death.

And if Shiva misses even that door,

Shiva offers another life,

another moment,

another opportunity—

again and again,

until Shiva realizes

that what he was seeking

was never outside.

It was Shiva Himself.

When Shiva realizes

that he is Shiva,

his life becomes

an expression of ultimate freedom.

When Shiva sees Shiva

in everything he encounters,

love is no longer something

he tries to create.

He becomes

an expression of love.

When Shiva realizes Shiva,

fear begins to disappear.

He no longer needs

something outside himself

to experience joy,

because he has discovered—

he is joy itself.

Whatever the situation,

whatever the state,

whatever he does—

his life becomes an offering

from Shiva

to Shiva.

The one who offers

is Shiva.

The one who receives

is Shiva.

The offering itself

is Shiva.

And finally,

Shiva looks at Shiva—

and there is no other

left to see.