Here’s my take on Sadhguru
“Doubt is good. It means you are searching for truth. Suspicion is a sickness - It means you already made a negative conclusion ” — Sadhguru
Disclaimer: If you don’t want to go through what went in my head, well move to the conclusion. Also please note these opinions are personal.
Well I was going through a rough patch in my life and I was looking for some solace, ways to fight my anxiety and be stronger with every passing day. Although I have a good support system of family and friends, still I can’t disturb them every time I have a breakdown, right? So I needed to make myself equipped. Anyways, someone suggested the Inner Engineering Program. Although I stay away from proclaimed gurus when I saw his videos, he seemed pretty logical, and with his perspective, I was able to see beyond my problems. So I did the program and well it was nice, and since it helped me, I wanted to help others so I started sharing his quotes and even I was looking forward to visiting Isha Foundation Centre in Coimbatore and maybe even volunteering there.
Anyways, one such fine day I got a text from a friend of mine with very critical views about Sadhguru on my status. And that was when to figure out his hatred against him I decided to explore ( Don’t judge for what is going to come, I was looking for some distraction anyways :P).
Well, he did compare him with Osho and there was this documentary on Netflix i.e. Wild, Wild Country and so that became my starting point. And after watching that, my thought was, If you are brainwashed into harming people and if your right and wrong are solely decided by a single individual in spite of you being an adult. Well for me that is a cult and that is what I feel the source of the plight of humanity is. Anyways that is a much deeper a topic for some other time.
Moving on to Sadhguru, now I started searching for him. Go through the references below and you will find he is pretty rich and quite materialistic as well. Anyways, he is a businessman and pretty smart when it comes to that, but that doesn’t concern me much if it ends up benefitting himself and society both.
His medical and scientific claims, well even I thought whatever he is saying is right in spite of being an engineer. He is extremely articulate and very convincing and I was pretty startled when I researched some of his claims and found it to be dubious. Check out the analysis by Dr. Todd Grande in the references for more details.
Well then I searched more, I always thought he was married and was in a deeply loving relationship, but while searching for his relationship I got to know his wife took Mahasamadhi, and now for me that is skeptical. She died at the age of 33 when her daughter was only 7. How can a mother leave her daughter and how can a husband that was so loving could let his wife go? In Hinduism, we all know Lord Shiva is considered to be the first Yogi and he has a family, he did not leave his family for gaining spirituality. Then I wonder, what made Vijji Leave, she was not even that accomplished as a Yogi that Mahasamadhi was even a possibility, and if it was then how come leaving a loving husband and this small child was more peaceful? In the end, I couldn’t find answers but by now I knew that when you are confused and shattered and you begin questioning your very sense of reality it’s tempting to follow someone and that’s when you have to be more careful and mindful.
Conclusion
Well, Sadhguru's view on life and happiness is good. He explains in a logical way that sticks with you at least for some time providing you with the necessary guidance needed. So take good things from his views but don’t be a full-blown follower of him, in fact never be that for anyone in life, always be mindful and aware. And considering social media and its targeting power I know how difficult it is, so to fight that you can follow what I do, visit different views, confuse the algorithm, and have critical friends :D.
Coming to the question of going to the Isha Foundation in search of solace, happiness, or for contributing to society. I would suggest not doing that if you are vulnerable and not aware of yourself fully because you can easily become a target of manipulation and whatnot. I have heard accounts of people leaving their families for Isha, and most of them were going through a lot in life. And some people instead of serving society, end up serving Isha. So going there you won’t find happiness, that is something you have to search within, and running away from problems is not the right approach, rather face it head on. And you can serve society on your own in numerous ways. In the end, Isha Foundation is worth visiting and if wanna serve there, do that when you are happy and strong and let that visit be an increment in your happiness rather than a source of it.
What to do about Rough Patches then you may ask? Well, my dear, that’s part of life and you will learn with time, that’s what growing up is all about. Every experience pushes you to be a better and stronger version of yourself. Adopt new habits, and keep yourself busy and entertained. Yoga and Meditation definitely should be adapted as part of life, it strengthens your mind and body. Also, I have noticed one thing, we tend to withdraw from people when we are suffering resulting in wrong choices. Don’t do that, rather pull your loved ones closer and have faith, this too shall pass :)
