Volume 5 / Issue 02 February 2017 15 Annual Subscription `180

TENDERNESS

Tears of too much tenderness

Well up in my eyes
My bosom swells
Not with love nor compassion
But with tenderness
That links my being with all.

Too tender even to touch

Leave alone embrace

I need to coat myself

With a coat of bravado
Even to touch the breath of another
As to touch would be
To terminate my existence.
An embrace would erase
All that is perceived as me.

Tears of too much tenderness

Well up and my bosom swells.
Grace & Blessings
 EDITORIAL

Dear Readers,

With Mahashivaratri coming up on 24 February, all eyes are on Adiyogi this

month. In our Lead Article, Adiyogi and Yogeshwar Linga A Consecration for
Liberation, Sadhguru explains the intention and purpose of the 112-feet tall
face of Adiyogi, the role of geometry in his creation, and why the consecration of
the Yogeshwar Linga and the consecration of Adiyogi on Mahashivaratri will be
the most significant event in Isha since the Dhyanalinga consecration.

In the article Yoga Veera, Sadhguru describes the one-time chance to become
a stalwart of Adiyogi. This possibility is open only in the weeks leading up to the
Yogeshwar Linga consecration and includes a special Sadhana as well as the
opportunity to participate in making an event of such significance to humanity
as a whole happen. The musical lineup for Mahashivaratri and Yaksha has
been mostly confirmed by now. We can look forward to top artists, including
the immensely successful and much beloved Kailash Kher. You can find more
details in our Upcoming Programs & Events section.

Also in this issue: How to Get Rid of Bad Habits an excerpt from Sadhguru
Spot; On the Road to Ruin how Yudhishthira seals his fate and that of many
thousands of people too; Get me a lovely poem by an Isha meditator that sets
the mood for Mahashivaratri; News in Pictures; everything about the Yogeshwar
and Adiyogi consecration, Mahashivaratri and Yaksha; and a nutrient-rich,
traditional Green Gram Coconut Dessert. 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 February 2017

CONTENTS
LEAD ARTICLE MAHABHARAT

Adiyogi and Yogeshwar Linga 07 On the Road to Ruin 10

IN CONVERSATION WITH THE MYSTIC

From the Silver Screen to the Universe
Subhash Ghai in Conversation with Sadhguru 4

LEAD ARTICLE
Adiyogi and Yogeshwar Linga
A Consecration for Liberation 7

MUSINGS
Yoga Veera
Become a Stalwart of Adiyogi 9

MAHABHARAT
Part 27: On the Road to Ruin 10

SADHGURU SPOT
How to Get Rid of Bad Habits
Excerpted from Sadhguru Spot of 4 Jan 2017 12

NEWS & EVENTS

News in Pictures 14

SHARING EXPERIENCES
Get me
Poem by Isha Meditator 16

UPCOMING PROGRAMS & EVENTS

Mahashivaratri 2017 / Consecration of Adiyogi / Consecration of
Yogeshwar Linga / Yaksha / Mahashivaratri Sadhana 17
Isha Yoga Program Highlights 20

ISHA RECIPE
Green Gram Coconut Dessert 21

ZEN SPEAKS
Grasping Emptiness 23

February 2017 ISHA FOREST FLOWER | 3

 From the Silver Screen to the Universe
Subhash Ghai in Conversation with Sadhguru

In this excerpt of a conversation between Subhash Ghai and Sadhguru, the celebrated lm director,
producer, and screenwriter slips into the role of a good student who seeks the Masters insights
on Gurus, the way out, and where to nd Shiva. In keeping with his sphere of work, he also quizzes
Sadhguru about which lm heroine he had a crush on in his youth and what his favorite Hindi movie is.

Subhash Ghai: Sri Sadhguru, my hearty thanks
to you for giving this most honored opportunity
to be with you and to listen to you. I have been a
seeker since my childhood, and that is what made
me a storywriter, a screenwriter, and a lmmaker. I
observe people, the traditions, the values, and their
changes through the decades. Sri Sadhguruji, you
are a Guru I am a student. I would like to know,
how would you define a good student and a
good Guru?
Sadhguru: You have already claimed the mantle
of being a good student, so I am free to claim the
mantle of being a good Guru. I think its a deal.
[Laughter & applause] A good student will not look
for a good Guru because as a good student, you
learn from everything. Even if you meet a very bad
Guru, you will learn a lot from that. In a way, this
is what happened to me. When my longing came,
I sought. I met so many people who claimed to be
Gurus. But the only thing I learnt from them was
how a Guru should not be. [Laughter] And thats
not a small thing to learn.
Subhash Ghai: Yes, its a very big thing. Like, as
a director, I always tell my technicians what not
to do I never tell them what to do. [Both laugh]
Sadhguru: A good student will learn wherever he
goes, whomever he encounters, whatever situation
he meets. A good Guru is one who doesnt teach
you anything but makes you so thirsty that you
cant help learning. If people come to me thirsty,
I dont give them water I put salt in their mouth.
[Laughter] They get so thirsty they have to nd it.
If you show them something that is not yet in their
experience, the only choice they have is either to
believe or disbelieve what you say.
If you believe, you will not get any closer to reality.
If you disbelieve, you will not get any closer to
reality either. The only difference is that if you
believe me, you will have a positive story to tell. If
you disbelieve me, you will have a negative story
to tell. Above all, I think putting people into the
dilemma to either believe or disbelieve whatever I
say or do is obscene. You should not put people
into such a situation. If you are a seeker but not
intense enough, my work is to make you so intense
that it cannot be denied to you. Because truth is

4 | ISHA FOREST FLOWER February 2017

not hiding you are hiding from it. Truth is obvious
everywhere in the universe.
If your seeking becomes intense enough, knowing
is not far away, because what you are seeking is
within you. So how long does it take? If it takes
a lifetime for you to nd what is within you, of
course youre fooling yourself. If it was sitting
on Mount Everest and you didnt have the legs or
lungs to climb the top of the mountain thats
understandable. But if you dont nd what is within
you, obviously, youre on a con job. My work is to
get you out of this deception. My work is not to
dispense truth. Who am I to do that.
Subhash Ghai: Thats so true. On a lighter note,
being a lm man, which is your favorite Hindi
lm? They expect me to ask something like this.
[Laughter]
Sadhguru: Oh! Just recently, on a flight, I saw one.
It was about a man and a Bihari mountain the
title was Manjhi. I think it was very well done.
Subhash Ghai: Yes, thats a good one. And
furthermore lighter, Sadhguru, who is the lm
heroine you fell in love with in your youth?
[Laughter & applause]
Sadhguru: Me? No, there were enough girls around
in my town. I didnt have to look to Mumbai.
[Laughter & applause]
Subhash Ghai: When I was younger, my mother
used to go to Lord Shivas temple and I used to
accompany her. And she would tell me that Lord
Shiva belongs to the three lokas. Once, my father
brought a globe showing the geography of the
Earth, and I said to my mother, Youre talking
about the three worlds I turned the globe and
asked Do these Americans know Lord Shiva?
Is Lord Shiva territorial or universal? That question
still lies in me.
Sadhguru: Lets understand this in the right
context. The word Shi-va means that which
is not. That which is is physical creation.
1
Modern scientists say this vast universe has a
tremendous amount of energy, but it is none of the
measurable energies that we know.
February 2017
That which is not is that which is not physical.
That which is not, where can it be in India or
America? On this planet or in another galaxy? Its
everywhere. There is a dimensionless existence,
which we called appropriately Shi-va that
which is not. Modern scientists say that nearly
ninety-nine percent of the cosmos is empty. But
not that there is nothing there is something but it
is not some thing.
Our idea of something is we should be able to
perceive it through the ve senses. You can only
see what stops light. You cannot see anything that
does not stop light. Right now, there is air here,
which is most vital for your existence. But you dont
see the air unless you live in Delhi. [Laughter &
applause] If you look up in the sky, you see stars.
But stars are a small happening. The real thing is
the vast emptiness. This vast emptiness is what
we referred to as Shi-va that which is not.
Modern scientists say this vast universe has a
tremendous amount of energy, but it is none of the
measurable energies that we know. It is not like
electromagnetic waves, nuclear energy, electrical
energy, or microwaves, but there is no denying it
is tremendously powerful. In the yogic tradition,
we say Shi-va is that which is not. And we say
it is in the lap of Shi-va that creation happens. At
the same time, we also recognize Adiyogi as Shiva
because he perceived that which is not. You are
who you are because of what you perceive.
Then, at least in southern India, a large percentage
of the males are named after Shiva. We call that
man also Shiva because we know if he does the
right things, he can also realize that he is Shiva. So,
we will call the ultimate reality Shiva. We call the
one who realized that, the Adiyogi, as Shiva. And
we call one who has not realized that yet but has
the possibility as Shiva.
Subhash Ghai: Thank you very much for
enlightening us about the real meaning of Shiva.
Sadhguru: And for those of you who do not know,
on the twenty-fourth of February, we are unveiling a
face of Adiyogi that is hundred and twelve feet tall,
because Adiyogi offered one hundred and twelve
ways in which human beings can realize their
ultimate potential. We have created this iconic face
ISHA FOREST FLOWER | 5
as a way of honoring him and also as a reminder
that your wellbeing is not in looking up or looking
down but looking inward.
When we looked up in search of wellbeing, we
became hallucinatory. Then, with the advent of
science and technology, we started looking out
for our wellbeing. Once we started looking out in
pursuit of wellbeing, we began to rip the planet
apart. True wellbeing will happen to human beings
only when they turn inward. To bring this dimension
back into the world, for the next generation of
people particularly, we built this iconic face. And a
book is also ready now. The idea is to move people
inward. Not up, not out in. In is the only way out.
Subhash Ghai: Yes, Ive gone through your book.
Its an amazing, amazing book, and so much
enlightenment in it. The lines of your book that I
liked best were, Your joy, your misery, your love,
Adiyogi
The Source of Yoga
by Sadhguru with
Arundhathi Subramaniam
Shiva does not spell religion. Shiva means our ability to respond to the
phenomenon of life, to see that our life experience is our karma, or of
our making.
Pre-order on
6 | ISHA FOREST FLOWER
your agony, your bliss, lie in your hands. And
Some are suffering their failure, but ironically,
many are suffering the consequences of their
success. Some are suffering their limitation, but
many are suffering their freedom. Whats the way
out?
Sadhguru: In is the way out, because all human
experience is caused from within us. What
happens within you must happen your way, dont
you think? Right now, we are trying to x the world
to x yourself. Its not going to work like that. If you
x yourself, then we can create a world the way
we want it. But right now, we think by xing the
world, you are going to be all right. Its not going to
happen like that.
Subhash Ghai: Great enlightenment. Thank you
very much.
Sadhguru
February 2017
 LEAD ARTICLE
Adiyogi and Yogeshwar Linga
A Consecration for Liberation
Mahashivaratri has always been a grand
celebration for us at the Isha Yoga Center, but the
upcoming one on 24 February, with the consecration
of the hundred and twelve feet tall face of Adiyogi,
is going to stand out, literally. With just about four
weeks to go, he is rapidly taking shape, and already
beginning to draw attention. Naturally, the question
arises why we are creating such a huge face of
Adiyogi, and if it is just for aesthetics. If you look at
the image of Adiyogi, denitely there is a geometric
aesthetic to it. There is no aesthetic appeal without
geometric perfection in anything, for that matter.
The Adiyogi face is not just for aesthetics it
has a geometric signicance. Next to Adiyogi,
there will be the Yogeshwar Linga, which we are
going to consecrate in the days leading up to
Mahashivaratri. Through the presence of the linga,
Adiyogi will become more powerful by the day.
Since he has the appropriate geometric features,
he will gather the most and best of this energy. If
you maintain a geometrically correct posture, you
too can gather the most and best. This is what
yoga is about.
This glorious face of Adiyogi will be an iconic
February 2017
presence to orient the world towards their
liberation. Adiyogi is a reminder for humanity to
shift from religion to responsibility. When it comes
to the outside world, we try to conduct everything
in a scientic manner, with as much understanding
as possible, using specic technologies and tools.
But when it comes to inner wellbeing, people think
it is all xed in heaven. This reflects in different
areas of our personal lives.
For a long time, people used to think that marriages
were made in heaven, or that the stars and planets
decide the course of a marriage. Only recently,
they have begun to realize that a relationship will
work only if you conduct it responsibly and behave
sensibly. Neither health nor peace nor joy is made
in heaven, but within you. If you approach it with
the right level of understanding, that is called
science. If you develop tools to deal with it, that is
called technology. We call this Inner Engineering.
Adiyogi is going to be an iconic face to represent
this science and technology for inner wellbeing.
We are also going to bring out a book on Adiyogi,
which describes the science that he offered and
its signicance. We want to make sure that in the
ISHA FOREST FLOWER | 7
next ten to fteen years time, the entire world will
move from looking up to looking inward for their
wellbeing. Inward is the only place where you can
x your wellbeing. I invite all of you in whatever
capacity you can to be part of this. We are equipped
like never before in the history of humanity to reach
out to a large part of the population, and teach
them how to turn inward and handle their wellbeing
from within, rather than depending on the outside
for support.
From 20 to 23 February, we will consecrate the
Yogeshwar Linga, and on Mahashivaratri the
Adiyogi face. We will energize the linga in such
a way that what was just a lump of material will
reverberate immensely, in a matter of three to four
days. We will set up processes for you to develop
the necessary sensitivity to clearly experience this.
You will distinctly see how a consecrated form can
change the whole atmosphere around it. Based on
this possibility, all deities in this culture were made
at one time.
There are thirty-three million gods and goddesses
in India because we understood the technology of
god-making. We created a form with geometric
perfection, energized it in a certain way, and
devised methods to access it. The formless energy
that we refer to as Shiva can manifest itself in many
ways. This reflects in the many different forms in
which Shiva is represented, such as Nataraja, a
dancer; Vaideeshwara, a doctor; Dakshinamurti, a
teacher; or Bhairava, a remover of fear. These are
all manifestations of the same energy.
In this culture, consecrations are done to serve
specic requirements. Adiyogi is here to liberate
you from disease, discomfort, and poverty above
all, from the very process of life and death. We will
consecrate Adiyogi as Yogeshwar, a perfect yogi.
Yogeshwar is essentially about liberation. That
is why we put him a little outside the Isha Yoga
Center. He will have the necessary space and
freedom to function whichever way he wants.
This consecration will be very different from
almost anything we have done before. Only
the Dhyanalinga consecration was similar in
nature, except that it was far more complex.
This consecration will be much simpler, but both
8 | ISHA FOREST FLOWER
Dhyanalinga and Yogeshwar are focused towards
liberation. Generally, most human beings, though
they seek liberation, are tending to get entangled
with something or the other. Their psychological
state and social conditioning are such that they
think only in binding themselves will they be safe.
We want to change this in the world.
It is not by bondage that you are safe. Only when
you are free are you safe. But for a fearful mind,
freedom may look very scary, because you do not
know what to hold on to. If you are not balanced,
you need to hold on to something. If you are in
perfect balance, you do not feel like holding on to
anything. Those who are agile are not holding the
walls as they walk only the inrm do. We want
to create a world that is full of life that is agile,
balanced, and stable. Once there is no need in you
to hold on to something and build bondage, your
natural aspiration will be liberation.
We are preparing for the future of the world. As
many old structures that we have thrived on till now
will collapse in the coming decades, the longing
for liberation will rise. Adiyogi and this Yogeshwar
Linga will be a very important tool for those who
are striving to liberate themselves. There are many
other methods, but this is an iconic presence that
people cannot miss the greatest face on the
planet. Greatest not in comparison to anything
else but because of the possibility that it opens up.
It is a fantastic gateway for those who are seeking
liberation. Liberation from anything that binds
you this will be the nature of the linga.
Adiyogis iconic presence will inspire millions
of people across the planet. We want to make
the hundred and twelve ways in which you can
reach your ultimate nature available to the
entire humanity. We will deliver them in the
simplest possible way, in todays terms, using
modern technology. If we successfully pull it off,
we will have a better world. If you participate in
the consecration, you will see live how a physical
object will become a living force. You must all
come and be part of this.
February 2017

The following is an excerpt from a darshan with Sadhguru at the Isha Yoga Center on 24 December 2016.
Questioner: Namaskaram, Sadhguru. I have heard
there is a seva and sadhana that we can do before
the Adiyogi consecration, called Yoga Veera. Can
you tell us about this?
Sadhguru: Yes, whether you are a man or a woman,
you can take up this sadhana and be a Yoga Veera.
A Veera is someone who is valiant, one who has
an intense sense of involvement. You can become
a Yoga Veera for forty days, twenty-one days,
twelve days, seven days, or three days before the
consecration. For the period that you take up,
you must be at the Isha Yoga Center. You will be
initiated into a certain sadhana and become part of
making the consecration event happen.
Not everyone will be able to participate in the
consecration, simply because the hall is already
full. But as a Yoga Veera, you can be part of making
it happen, which is far bigger than witnessing it.
This will be an opportunity for you to go beyond
who you are and dissolve yourself into the process.
The next two months are going to be a powerful
time. This will be an once-in-a-lifetime happening.
If you wish to be part of it, become a Yoga Veera
and make this dimension of yoga happen to the
world.
When we say yoga, we are not referring to a
particular practice, to twisting and turning your
body. All kinds of models are becoming yoga
teachers. That has its own benet, but we are
not talking about that kind of yoga. Yoga means
to consciously obliterate the boundaries of your
individual existence, to become a stalwart of
February 2017
MUSINGS
Yoga Veera
Become a Stalwart of Adiyogi
Adiyogi so that the world moves from religion to
responsibility.
Right now, the biggest problem on the planet is this:
if small things go wrong in your life, you think it is
someone else who is responsible for your misery. If
big things go wrong in your life, you think it is God
who is responsible. You yourself do not seem to be
responsible for anything. In the coming decade, we
want to change this approach on a large scale. For
all the things that go wrong with you, it is you, not
someone else. To attend to the issues in the world,
one fundamental is that you are not an issue. If you
have to clean something, the rst thing is to make
sure your hands are clean. If you yourself are a big
issue and you plunge into the world, trying to solve
problems, the issues will only multiply.
If you want to take care of problems in the world,
the rst and foremost thing that you need to take
care of is that you are not a problem. To move the
world in this direction, we need Yoga Veeras. This
is an once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for you to take
this up and make it happen. We want to see that
the world moves in this direction not up, not out,
in. In is the only way out.
For more information,
please visit isha.sadhguru.org/yogaveera or
contact your local coordinator
ISHA FOREST FLOWER | 9

Yudhishthira was crowned as king, but out of his
urge to be good, he surrendered his power, and
once again created a situation that would lead to
confusion and conflict. In Tamil, there is a saying,
Nallavan venuma vallavan venuma? That means
Do you want a good man or a capable man? Maybe
you want a good man as your neighbor, but you
want a capable, competent man to run the nation. It
is not that Yudhishthira was incompetent or lacked
the necessary intelligence to rule the nation, but he
read too many scriptures and acquired too much
bookish goodness in him, which did not allow his
intelligence to function. Instead of doing what was
good for the people, he did what was good for his
conscience. That is why he continuously attracted
disaster. No matter how much people around him
worked to bring him into a good position, he turned
it into a disaster again not with any evil intention
but out of his urge to be good.
Yudhishthira
A good man
a good man
And a good man.
As tedious as
Only good can get.
But when life gets mean
You will want a good man.
10 | ISHA FOREST FLOWER
MAHABHARAT
SERIES
PART 27
Mahabharat
On the Road to Ruin
By trying to be good, Yudhishthira created a
situation where many people their lives, some lost
their lives. Duryodhana used this opportunity to
plot ways to get rid of the Pandavas. Since he came
to know that the Pandavas, who he had presumed
dead, had reemerged, there had been only one
thing on his mind nding a way to destroy the
ve brothers. He insisted on having a meeting with
Dhritarashtra in the presence of Karna. Inflamed
with rage, he said, I was born to be a king. I am not
going to take instructions from anyone. If you dont
let me do away with the Pandavas somehow, I will
commit suicide.
He continued by saying, Only because they have
the friendship of Drupada, they think they are strong.
Let us invest in buying over Drupada, no matter
what the cost. Once Drupada is on our side, there
will be no one to defend them, and we can openly
kill these ve guys. Karna pointed out that Krishna
was on the side of the Pandavas. And the Yadavas,
who were Krishnas men, were almost invincible in
battleeld. Karna reminded Duryodhana that at the
Swayamwara, Krishna himself, Satyaki, Uddhava,
and even ordinary warriors of the Yadava clan
could have hit the mark. It was just that Krishna
forbade them to enter the competition. Apart
from that, the fact that Drupadas daughter was
married to the Pandava brothers made it even
less likely that Drupada would accept a bribe from
their enemies.
Duryodhana dropped this plan, but he had
many others in store. He said, They are living
here in the palace we can easily poison their
food. Dhritarashtra and Karna did not respond.
Duryodhana saw that they did not appreciate this
February 2017
plan and moved on to the next one. We can hire
the most beautiful women in the country, seduce all
the ve Pandavas, and turn Draupadi against them.
There is nothing like breaking a home. If we ruin the
marriage, thats the end of them. The elders did
not buy in to this plan either. Then he said, If we
approach the sons of Madri, Nakula and Sahadeva,
alone, Im sure we can somehow corrupt them. If
we manage to turn these two against the other
three brothers, we can do them in. The elders did
not agree. Then he said, Krishna has a weakness
for women we can corrupt him that way. And I
know that before I married Bhanumati, he had a
soft spot for her. We could try something. He went
as far as planning to use his own wife as bait.
Then Dhritarashtra said, My son, your heart is
poisoned. This is not going to work. Let us think
of another solution. If we kill them, people may
start a revolt in Hastinapur. That will not be good
for us. He was not against killing them he was
only concerned about the feasibility. He added,
And remember, Drupada and the Panchalis have
defeated the Kuru army before. If they and the
Yadavas ght together against us, we stand no
chance. This is not the way to go. But Duryodhana
did not give up easily. He was determined to nd a
way to dispose of the Pandavas.
Then he met with the doyens of the Kuru court
Bhishma, Drona, Kripacharya, and Vidura. Bhishma
told him, Killing your cousins is the last thing that
should be on your mind. With the attempt to burn
the Pandavas alive in the wax palace, you have
already brought so much disrepute not only to
yourself but also to your father, the king, and the
whole Kuru dynasty. A man does not die when
his spirit leaves the body. A man dies when his
reputation is lost. But there is still a chance for you
to repair your reputation. Just allow Yudhishthira
to be the king. He is a fair man; he will not rub it in
on you in any way. You see what he did just now I
crowned him and he gave you equal status. He will
treat you as a brother. Learn to live as a brother.
This can be a turning point in your life. You have to
make the right decision now.
But not only at this point, whenever there was
an important decision to make, Duryodhana
compulsively took the wrong turn. No matter
how many of his advisors, friends, and elders
February 2017
suggested otherwise, he was hell-bent on taking
the wrong turn anyway. After Bhishma had given
his advice, Dronacharya added, The Pandavas are
not easy to defeat, even if you use foul play. I know
Arjuna I have trained him. He is as good as I. Even
blindfolded, he is able to shoot you dead. He has
that kind of capability and power within himself.
Leave it. Such attempts will invite death for you,
for your brothers, and probably for all of us.
Kripacharya voiced similar concerns. Vidura saw
there was no point trying to convince Duryodhana.
Instead, he tried to stir Dhritarashtras emotions.
Dhritarashtra, Vidura, and Pandu grew up together.
Vidura tried to evoke this connection and said,
Remember what a wonderful childhood we had!
How joyful we were. And how you loved Pandu. So
how can you do something to Pandus children?
Pandu will look down on you from heaven and
curse you and your children forever. Dhritarashtra
was visibly shaken. Vidura tried to further rake
up Dhritarashtras emotions for Pandu, but he
underestimated Dhritarashtras ability to put on
an act to conceal his deep attachment to his son.
Dhritarashtra said, Bhishma, Drona, Kripacharya,
Vidura we have the best counselors that a
king can ever have. What they suggest is for the
wellbeing of the Kuru dynasty. My son, you must
do the right thing.
As the king, he could have just told him what to do,
but he did not do that. He left it open. Duryodhana
got up and walked out of the meeting. To simply
leave while the king and the elders of the Kuru
court were sitting there was an unthinkable thing,
but that was what Duryodhana did. No matter
what, he wanted the Pandavas to die or leave for
good. But then Krishna stepped in. From then on,
Krishna assumed an active role in everything that
happened. He counselled them, saying, If they
cannot all live together here, it is only fair to give
the Pandavas half the kingdom. Let Duryodhana
and his brothers rule in Hastinapur, and let
Yudhishthira and his brothers take the other half
of the kingdom and make it their own.
To be continued
ISHA FOREST FLOWER | 11
 SADHGURU SPOT
How to Get Rid of Bad Habits
Excerpted from Sadhguru Spot of 4 Jan 2017
Especially at the beginning of a new year, one
question that frequently comes up is how to get rid
of bad habits. There is no such thing as good habits
and bad habits all habits are bad. Habit means
doing things unconsciously, automatically. For
example, there are basically two ways of brushing
your teeth. You can do it consciously, which means
you adapt the length of time and intensity to the
requirements of the moment. Thats how it should
be. Or you can do it according to a xed regimen,
that for three minutes, you have to wear out your
teeth. If you were conscious, you would eat and
sleep as necessary for the body on that day. In fact,
you would do everything as necessary. But now, a
lot of your day-to-day activities follow a habit or
prescription when you should wake up, when
you should go to bed, what you should eat, what
you should not eat. If everything is by prescription,
it is slavery whether it comes from your doctor
or a slave master. If you do not know what you
really need at any given moment, it is due to lack of
consciousness.
Classifying habits into good and bad ones is like
saying there is good unconsciousness and bad
unconsciousness. If you consider something a
good habit, it is like saying you are unconscious
in a nice way, which in a way means being dead
in a nice way. The fundamental difference between
being alive and being dead is being conscious
12 | ISHA FOREST FLOWER
versus being absolutely unconscious. Being
partially unconscious is being partially dead. Do
not establish any kind of habit. The fundamental
idea of withdrawing into retreats or coming to a
spiritual space is to nd a supportive atmosphere
where you can do everything consciously. You
somehow established habits to manage your day-
to-day life. When you come to a spiritual space, you
are supposed to pay attention to the requirements
of your body, your mind, your emotions, and your
energies. You need to consciously pay attention
to what this life naturally longs for. If you are
unconscious, its a crime against yourself. If you
are doing something that you think is spiritual
because of me, its a crime against me. You better
not do that.
If you want get rid of habits, do not think you
have to get rid of unconsciousness. The prex
un- suggests that something is non-existent.
Consciousness is. Un-consciousness is the
absence of consciousness. You cannot get rid
of something that does not exist. To use an
example suppose the room is dark. Trying to
expel the darkness would be an insane effort. To
get rid of darkness, you just have to light it up. If
you light it up, darkness is gone. Darkness is not
an existence by itself. It is the absence of light.
Similarly, unconsciousness is not an existence by
itself. It is just absence of consciousness. If you
February 2017
become conscious, you will not need to ght with
unconscious habits. You need to work on becoming
conscious. Being conscious is the essence of life.
You know that you are alive only because you are
reasonably conscious.
To become more conscious, you have to raise
the intensity of your energies. Thats what we
are working on. Your physical body has gathered
inertia thats why the hatha yoga in the morning.
Your mind has gotten into habitual patterns
thats why the Inner Engineering class aspects
and certain meditation practices. Your energies
have gotten into their own patterns thats
why sadhana. The idea is to break the cycles of
unconsciousness and become conscious. When
you become conscious, at least initially, it looks
like you are in unknown terrain it seems difcult.
When you do things habitually, it seems easier, but
there is no awareness, no growth.
When I went to conduct a program in the Coimbatore
prison for the rst time, almost twenty-ve years
ago, I observed that this set-up is something a
whole lot of people are seeking in their life. This is
a place where someone always opens and closes
the door for you; they turn the lights on and off
for you; food comes bang on time. This is what a
whole lot of people want in their life organization,
systems, and efciency. The only problem is that it
is forced upon you that is why people suffer it.
If you enter the prison, there is suffering in the air.
No matter in which prison I conducted a program,
not once have I stepped out of the place without
tears in my eyes because the amount of suffering
in the atmosphere is unbearable. What a human
being suffers most is not lack of comfort, wealth,
and other things it is lack of freedom.
Prison life is far simpler than going to work, getting
stuck in the trafc, and all these situations that
you face on a daily basis. As a prisoner, you are
a state guest. If you are looking for a thoroughly
organized life without surprises, this is it. If every
little thing that happens causes you stress and
tension and throws you off balance, prison life is
perfect. Everything is in order, no surprises. Even
the menu for the next seven days is displayed and
will be strictly followed they will serve nothing
more, nothing less. Everything is according to plan.
Those who are looking for an orderly, uneventful
February 2017
life, prison is the best place. But human beings
suffer immensely when there is no freedom. Habit
means you have created a little prison for yourself,
which you will eventually suffer. Initially, it looks
like efciency. After some time, it is imprisonment.
A prison is in many ways an epitome of efciency.
But efciency is not what this life is striving for.
This life is striving for the freedom to expand. When
this is taken away, ones face will become long and
joyless in spite of a perfectly organized life.
This reminds me of a conversation with a very
well-known management expert from the US,
who propounded his management principles that
were based on rigid processes. Everything was
xed down to the last detail in order to increase
efciency. It looked like a prison cell to me. To
give you another example there are manicured
gardens, which look perfect. And there are forests,
which look like chaos. But if you dont manage
the manicured garden for one month, it will be
ruined. Forests have been managing themselves
for millions of years. Obviously, forests are far
better organized and far more efcient. To take
this example further, enlightenment means you
transform from a manicured garden into a forest
that sustains itself without any outside support.
No one needs to water it, manure it, or trim it.
Everything happens within itself. It will sustain
itself because there is efciency of chaos.
We call something chaos because it doesnt
t into our logical framework that doesnt
mean that it is inefcient. Habit means you have
become a slave of your own logic, and after some
time, it becomes an automatic, unconscious
pattern. To get rid of habits, you have to become
conscious. If you become more conscious, there
will be no such thing as habits. You will do what
is right for you and the situation around you in
this particular moment. Intention does not bring
transformation only consciousness does.
Love & Grace,
ISHA FOREST FLOWER | 13
 NEWS & EVENTS Events in Pictures
Sadhguru at the Hindustan Times Leadership Summit in Delhi

Sadhguru at the Hindustan Times Leadership Summit in New Delhi on 2 December 2016. In his talk under
the title of From Ambition to Vision, he urged leaders to shift to a more conscious, more inclusive, more
long-term approach to life.

Sadhguru in Lucknow

Sadhguru speaking at the Foundation Day celebrations of the Sanjay Gandhi Post Graduate Institute of
Medical Sciences in Lucknow. The event on 14 December 2016 included the launch of Sadhgurus book
Inner Engineering: A Yogis Guide to Joy. Much to the delight of the over 900-strong audience, Sadhguru
complimented the beauty of Lucknow, and said, The way Lucknow has shaped up, it is one of the best
[cities] in India.

Sadhguru offering Lucknow a Mystic Morning, an event organized by CII Young Indians on 15 December
2016.

14 | ISHA FOREST FLOWER February 2017

 Subhash Ghai in Conversation with the Mystic cum Book Launch in Mumbai

For the main India launch of Sadhgurus book Inner Engineering: A Yogis Guide to Joy, lm director
Subhash Ghai welcomed Sadhguru in Mumbai. The two shared the stage on 15 December for a witty and
inspiring conversation that spanned topics from lm to Sadhgurus book, from inner exploration to Shiva.
(For an excerpt of their conversation, please see page 4 and the following pages.)

Isha Vidhya Golf Jaunt in Mumbai

Golf enthusiasts came together to raise funds for the education of rural students at the Make a Life Isha
Vidhya Golf Jaunt on 16 December 2016 in Mumbai.

Twenty-One Thousand Initiated by Sadhguru during Tamil Program

The 18 December 2016 saw the historic event of Sadhguru initiating a total of 21,000 participants at a time
into Shambhavi Mahamudra. Around 4000 people took part in the Sadhguruvudan Isha Yoga program at
the Isha Yoga Center from 1718 December, while another 17,000 people participated through live telecast
in 64 centers across Tamil Nadu.

February 2017 ISHA FOREST FLOWER | 15

 SHARING
EXPERIENCES Poem by Isha Meditator

Get me
Come get me To the pit
on this night Of your blue throat
of nothingness Swallow me
When I can fall Not by bit
Into your tress And coat
Ride a sled My entirety
Over the sliver With your sound
Of the moon So that I awake
In your head Free
Spoon In the profound
Your lobe and As another You
Have me led So come
Get me

Pallavi Guptaa,
Isha Meditator, Mumbai

16 | ISHA FOREST FLOWER February 2017

Mahashivaratri 2017

Sadhguru invites you to the

Consecration of

The Source of Yoga

On Mahashivaratri
24 February 2017
Isha Yoga Center

Adiyogi predates all religion; in celebration of the universality of his methods,

this glorious face of 112 ft. height.
- Sadhguru
A Historic Event
Sadhguru invites you to be part of a moment in history as a unique statue of Adiyogi is consecrated at
Isha Yoga Center. A towering 112 feet high, this iconic statue represents the 112 ways one can attain
to ones ultimate nature. The consecration of this glorious form will take place on Mahashivaratri,
the night which has traditionally always celebrated the grace of the first yogi.

For seating passes: 83000 83111

February 2017 ISHA FOREST FLOWER | 17
 Performers of the Night

A Night of Nameless Ecstasies

24 February 2017
6 pm to 6 am
Kailash Kher Rajasthan Roots
with Kutle Khan
Featuring
Explosive Meditations
Discourse by Sadhguru
Tao Issaro
Maha Annadanam
Nrityarutya
Sounds of Isha

Live Webstream isha.sadhguru.org/MSR

It is my wish and my blessing that you make use of this Mahashivaratri night to enhance
your perception, to have a taste of a larger slice of life.
- Sadhguru

For seating passes: 83000 83111

Yaksha
An Exuberance of Music and Dance
21 - 23 February 2017
(preceding Mahashivaratri)
Isha Yoga Center

In an endeavor to preserve and promote the uniqueness, purity and diversity of the countrys
performing arts, Isha Foundation annually hosts Yaksha, a three-day festival of culture, music, and
dance with performances by renowned artistes.

22 FEB 23 FEB
21 FEB
Padmashri Smt. Bijayini Satpathy
Dr. Mysore Manjunath
Smt. Meenakshi Chitharanjan & Smt. Surupa Sen
& Mysore Nagaraj
Bharatanatyam Odissi Dance
Violin Duet

For more information: 83000 83111

18 | ISHA FOREST FLOWER February 2017
 Consecration of
Yogeshwar Linga
O how fortunate are we
To carry the Fire of the Adiyogi.

20-23 February 2017

Isha Yoga Center,
Velliangiri Foothills,
Coimbatore

Participating in a consecration of this nature is a tremendously powerful process. If

you had to earn what is being offered here, without guidance, it would take lifetimes
of heart-breaking sadhana. Here it is radiating free. If you imbibe this, you must also
radiate and reverberate.
- Sadhguru

You are invited to be part of a life transforming process during which Sadhguru will consecrate a
unique linga that will be installed with the 112-foot statue of Adiyogi on Mahashivaratri.

A time to soak in a realm of spiritual possibilities.

A space to immerse yourself in a cascade of grace.
Come, participate in the creation of a doorway to liberation.

As a participant, you will not only have the opportunity to witness the process but also help with the
consecration preparation. To register, please contact your local coordinator.

Mahashivaratri Sadhana
The Mahashivaratri Sadhana is a preparation for Mahashivaratri a night of tremendous possibilities.
Anyone eight years of age and above can do the sadhana. The sadhana can be of varying duration. You
can do the sadhana for 40, 21, 14, 7 or 3 consecutive days leading up to Mahashivaratri, 24 February
2017. It includes chants, Shiva Namaskar, and the observance of certain guidelines. The culmination is
on Mahashivaratri optionally at the Isha Yoga Center, in your local center, or at home.

For more details, guidelines, and to learn Shiva Namaskar as well as the chants, please visit the Isha
Blog: isha.sadhguru.org/blog/

February 2017
Yaksha ISHA FOREST FLOWER | 19
 UPCOMING PROGRAMS AND EVENTS

Date Program Place Contact

610 Feb 98208 10458

Angamardana Juhu, Mumbai India
2017 mumbai@ishayoga.org

Isha Yoga Center, 0422-2515464

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

913 Feb 94890 45164 / 0422-2515300

Angamardana Mylapore, Chennai India
2017 ieretreat@ishayoga.org

1112 Feb 98505 27604

Surya Kriya Pune India
2017 pune@ishayoga.org

1112 Feb 99209 57080

Surya Kriya Juhu, Mumbai India
2017 mumbai@ishayoga.org

98505 27604
12 Feb 2017 Bhuta Shuddhi Pune India
pune@ishayoga.org

85000 47000
12 Feb 2017 Bhuta Shuddhi Hyderabad India
hyderabad@ishayoga.org

1216 Feb 85000 47000

Angamardana Hyderabad India
2017 hyderabad@ishayoga.org

1316 Feb Inner Engineering Isha Yoga Center, Velliangiri 94890 45164 / 0422-2515300
2017 Retreat Foothills, Coimbatore India ieretreat@ishayoga.org

Isha Yoga Center, 0422-2515464

1317 Feb Ayur Rasayana
Velliangiri Foothills, isharejuvenation@
2017 Intensive
Coimbatore India ishafoundation.org
Consecration of
Yogeshwar Linga Isha Yoga Center, Velliangiri
2024 Feb
and Consecration Foothills, Coimbatore India 83000 83111
2017
of Adiyogi on
Mahashivaratri

2123 Feb Isha Yoga Center, Velliangiri

Yaksha 83000 83111
2017 Foothills, Coimbatore India

Isha Yoga Center, Velliangiri

24 Feb 2017 Mahashivaratri 83000 83111
Foothills, Coimbatore India

83000 11000
26 Feb 2017 Bhuta Shuddhi Mylapore, Chennai India
chennai@ishayoga.org

A Life-Transforming
12 Apr +44-7765567347
Weekend with ExCeL, London UK
2017 uk@innerengineering.com
Sadhguru

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 February 2017

 ISHA RECIPE

GREEN GRAM COCONUT DESSERT

INGREDIENTS METHOD
150g split, skinless green gram (mung dal) 1. Soak the green gram for 2 to 3 hours.
Salt to taste 2. Add a little water and grind the green gram.
1 cup grated coconut 3. Add a few pinches of salt to the green gram
50g jaggery or cane sugar (or to taste) and mix.
2 cardamom pods 4. Steam the green gram.
2 tsps. ghee (or to taste) 5. Once the green gram is fully cooked, squish it
10 cashew halves gently with your hands, so that it forms small
(Serves 5 to 6)
clumps.
6. Then, while the green gram is still warm, add
the coconut, jaggery, cardamom, and ghee,
and mix well.
7. Roast the cashew halves and use as topping.

Note: Green gram is one of the easiest legumes to digest, especially in its skinless version. At the
same time, it is a good source of protein and rich in nutrients, including Thiamin, Niacin, Vitamin B6,
Pantothenic Acid, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus and Potassium. This powerful little bean is said to have
antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic, anti-hypertensive, and anti-tumor effects. Sprouted green
gram is particularly cooling for the system.
February 2017 ISHA FOREST FLOWER | 21
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 ZEN SPEAKS

Courtesy: 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,
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February 2017 ISHA FOREST FLOWER | 23

Registered with the Registrar of Newspapers for India under No. TNENG/2013/53333 WPP license no : TN/PMG (CCR)/WPP446/20172019
Registered with Patrika Channel Egmore RMS under Registration No. TN/CH(C)/492/1719. Published on 2nd of every month February 2017

sure Rocks.
Stillness of the rocks

within is no rock, but for

Still One. Stillness of the
are utmost comfort to the

24 | ISHA FOREST FLOWER February 2017