▶ Sadhguru and Danny Hillis talk about the basis of suffering. – YouTube.
Please do click the link to view the video discussion that gives us a real understanding of why practicing The Isha Kriya is so valuable to us….to begin the end of suffering….to differentiate ourselves from limitations set by our own selves, family, society, religion….to be free to grow in all directions positively and progressively with clarity and peace. If you are not familiar with The Isha Kriya please do find links on the index on this blog or do see the links on the bottom of my website http://www.omlinkyoga.net
Thanks to Sadhguru and The Isha Foundation for providing us with so many amazing formats to support us in understanding why our daily practices are so valuable….please do share and thanks for taking the time to read Omlinkblog……Namaste
omlinkblog 
The conversation between Sadhguru and Danny Hillis serves to strengthen the link between the tenets of yoga and hard science. The “model” of the world that Hillis describes is the same external world to which we attach ourselves that John McAfee and Sadhguru describes. Where it departs from the strictly scientific is in the detaching and turning inward, which Hillis (as a man of science) apparently has a hard time digesting.
It seems that there is a popular misconception that yoga and meditation are somehow strange and mystical; however these ideas fit very neatly into a science- and logic-oriented worldview. Many of these ideas are extremely practical; I would even go as far as to call them common-sense.
I try to fit an Isha Kriya meditation in at night when I am winding down. Still, I continue to find the meditations extremely difficult. In trying to focus on the idea of denying the body and the mind I find myself even more mentally active and distracted. Or, conversely, I end up focusing on the words themselves rather than the thought—maybe that is the point? It is also difficult to find a comfortable position to sit in for nearly twenty minutes. I often end up getting frustrated and it breaks my trance. I have found that ambient music helps me to relax and concentrate, yet I wonder if this is itself an external crutch. Regardless, I will continue to try and hone my skills.
Well stated, do experiment to find the best fit for your home sitting using cushions, chair etc. Namaste
The idea of the mind and body being hindrances to our elevation as human beings, I find very interesting. I often find that I, myself, will be so afraid of going about doing the things I truly wish in my heart to do, or experience, out of this fear that something detrimental would happen, or that I would fail and never be able to recover from said failure. This fear has kept me stagnant in my progression as an individual. I feel, however, that this could be a bit of a dangerous means of going about life. It has been proven that the way we perceive the world is not at all the way it is in actuality, it is only due to evolution that our brains have done us the favor of changing the things we see in the outside world as objects that we can attach familiarity to, in order to understand the consequences that will come from our interactions with certain objects or organisms(“The Case Against Reality” Gefter.) So our natural instincts as human beings have been to keep our body safe in order to survive. However, I do understand that we as intelligent beings, at the same time must be able to, at times disregard the self, or not constrict ourselves and our abilities to our body. Also living in a society that punishes people based on the body it is dangerous to ignore the physical completely. I as an African American male do not feel safe, in the world I live in, moving throughout the world without recognizing that my skin color will be something that does make me a target, as is the same for women, women of color, LGBTQU+ people, and LGBTQU+ POC. We have to move throughout the world differently in order to survive. The main thing I can take away from this if anything is to not allow the stereotypes placed upon my body be what defines who I am. I agree it should not, however for my own survival I must acknowledge and understand the weight that comes with my physical appearance.
A well developed, honest and thoughtful essay, Namaste
Watching the video on Sadhguru and Danny Hillis was very interesting for me. They are obviously two men who operate in very different lifestyles and philosophies, however I thought it was interesting how there were few barriers of understanding between the two of them in their conversation. I think overall this brought a better understanding to the chanting of Isha Kriya for me. At first I felt a bit uneasy and skeptical of the words we were chanting. If I am not my mind or my body what am I? However now that I have heard an explanation from Sadhguru, I feel more comfortable with this aspect of the practice. To see the mind and the body as the only spheres which suffering occurs, it makes it more relaxing to try and escape those spheres through the Isha Kriya practice. The practice itself is now much easier for me, and I am less uncomfortable with it. I have been trying to practice in a stricter regimen (same time and place etc), but I’m finding it hard having a roommate and two other housemates. I don’t like to bother anyone and the chanting is a little troublesome with that. But overall the practice is relaxing and i typically do it mid day when my roommates are in class.
Try to ask for time from your roommates when its agreeable for all, you deserve to have the right to ask for 15 minutes privacy, at the minimal as a viable paying roomie! OM
Sadhguru states that when we identify with something we get consumed by it. For example when we identify with our bodies, we focus on self-preservation. When we say the words,”I am not my body, I am not my mind”, we are creating a separate from the two to stop get away from suffering. Watching the video of Sadhguru helped me understand the meaning behind the saying. It also introduced the idea that my body and mind can causes pain and once we remove the fear of pain, our pain will be gone.
I practiced Isha Kriya 3 times this week. I am learning how to fit Isha Kriya in my schedule. I practiced Isha Kyria before I went to bed, and I tired doing it before I writing a paper to see if it help clear my mind. I use the video just to refresh my memory on what to do.
-Saida
OM
After watching this video, I have a better understanding of why we chant the words during the Isha Kriya. When we first started practicing, I was not really sure of the meaning behind the words, but now I see that they are meant to guide us out of our body and away from the thoughts in our mind. I still cannot quite grasp the concept of not identifying with anything though. We are taught from the day we are born about our identity, our race, our religion, our nationality, our gender, etc. We are taught about pride in our identity, pride in our country, pride in our intelligence, etc. The Sadhguru seems to be saying that we must guide ourselves past our bodies, our minds and our identity. I understand that our bodies and minds are the ones that feel pain and if we can be outside of them, we will not feel pain, but eventually we have to come back, don’t we? At that point, we are back in our own identity and feeling any pain that may be present. Are we meant to work toward a constant state of being outside? Even the Sadhguru identified as being Indian, so he is still identifying also.
My Isha Kriya practice this week was not as frequent as I would have liked. I am still trying to find time in the morning because I think that it would be beneficial to start the day with meditation, but my mornings are hectic trying to get out of the house for work. I only seem to be able to find time at night to practice, and even then there are nights where I have things going on and have a hard time squeezing it in. I was even thinking of closing the door to my office at work and practicing during my lunch hour. Maybe I will try that next week. I didn’t practice at all over the weekend. Since we had a three-day weekend, I went to visit my daughter at college and it was quite a hectic time (but wonderful to see her), although in retrospect, she probably would have benefitted from the Isha Kriya also!
Well stated, and the IK practice is about embracing our many dimensions beyond the limits of our physicality and mental realm. We are much more than these two aspects and when we allow ourselves to explore our vastness we can move beyond identifying simplistically and merge with all of nature. Yoga means union with All, Namaste
I have actually been having a more difficult time with the Isha Kriya as of late. It was easier to feel like I was receiving its calming benefits when I didn’t have much going on academically or in my life personally, but as the semester revs up, so do my responsibilities. Finding time to practice the IK in my crazy schedule is frustrating and my mind can’t stop racing thinking about all the things I have to deal with when I’m supposed to be finding peace in not being of my mind. On days when I have less going on it’s more enjoyable, but on days like today, it is particularly daunting. I practice 5 times a week at whatever point in the day I can find the time, sometimes with or without the video depending on my level of focus vs distractions. Hoping to find more relaxation in this soon.
A suggestion would be to carve out a time you can regularly dedicate to your IK practice, as life will not permit it otherwise by chance. Your comments here could have been made into an essay if you reviewed the topics and added your impressions along with other relatable information as a contrast. Please do invest more time, OM
The video helped me gain a deeper understanding of the benefits of practicing Isha Kriya. I know that my first few times practicing was hard because my attention kept being diverted. This video makes me want to keep practicing in order to benefit myself. Though it is an assignment, it’s also a way to help me grow spiritually and physically.
Please invest more time developing your essays for full credit, OM
I found this video interesting due to the two totally different people coming together to share each others ideas. When Sadghuru opened up with explaining about how we shouldn’t identify with anything because then our mind with revolve around that one thing, i found that really insightful. Its so easy to act and be a certain way to fit in. I preformed my Isha Kriya four times over the week in my room at night time. It helps me calm down after the day and sleep. I enjoy using the video to have something to follow and i feel like it has helped me calm down a lot. I drive to school and usually I’m in a mad rush to get to class but lately I have noticed that I am a calmer driver.
-Emily Bockisch
Great that you are evolving into a calmer driver for your own safety. Please invest more time in your essay development, OM
Sadhgury doesn’t identify with the mind or the body. he said that as soon as you identify with something like a nationality, a flag, your body, your mind wraps around that and you begin to preserve it, and it is so wrapped around it that you are willing to share the body for the nations. You don’t have to change anything that you do, you have to change something inside of you, change yourself and that will make you be better. Who you are is distant from your mind and body, you won’t suffer if you are not a body or a mind. This is such an interesting idea but it made me realize that he is right and the only reason we are afraid of something is that we don’t want to suffer, but you can only suffer in a physical and emotional way, if you separate yourself from these, you will not suffer or be afraid.
This week I practice the IK four times at night. I did it at night because it always takes me time to get up in the mornings and I am afraid of relaxing too much and falling back to sleep, plus I’ve been sleeping more and better when I do it at night time. I still follow the video because that’s a way I time myself but the volume is very low, that way my voice overlaps it and it is not distracting. I have noticed that I am way more relaxed and I think more and also before I act, I feel less stressed out because the practice lets me but also because of the decisions that I’ve been making because of all the thinking and peace I’ve been feeling.
A well written essay, Namaste
After seeing this video it made me think about how I view the Isha Kriya and, it change a little bit. I feel like the video gave me a purer understanding of why we do it. Its mainly because of the spiritual part. They are playing a main role in reforming the distorted culture scientifically in ways that people cannot simply dismiss anymore. More and more proof frequently comes out proving that yoga serves the body and mind justice over time. The other key roles like Niyama and Yama are creating spaces for an individual’s spiritual growth. Most people perceive wrongly whenever the word “spiritual growth” is mentioned. The only way to understand the real meaning is to actually do it and get involved.
Glad you are gaining more understanding of the Isha Kriya process. With your home practice in time, you will experience a deeper understanding with regular practice. Namaste
It was really great to watch individuals with such different perspectives discuss the meaning of the Isha Kryia. Sadhguru states that if you identify with your body and mind, you become wrapped up in this label in the same way you may identify with your nationality or religion. This label has meaning in the world we’ve created for ourselves, which needs to be separated into objects and labels to exist. But the world we created is not entirely a true reality. Identity, in many ways, is a limitation. Having the space away from these identities, mainly the body and mind, during Isha Kryia ends the suffering these labels bring us. Or at least leads us to the end of suffering. We are not the body or the mind, we belong to the collective of humanity and the energy of the world around us.
OM
This video gave me a better understanding of what IK is actually meant to mean, for the simple fact that when I first started the practice of IK and the first time it was mentioned I just took it as a time to calm your body and focus on your breaths and inner self. But this video gave me a different mindset that I should have been using during the time of my practice of the IK. I also liked the ideas that were presented about not having to change who you are to just basically embrace it and focus on yourself and what you identify with and that will connect to everything else.
This week I practiced IK 4 times, I practiced in my dorm when my roommates weren’t there so I would not get distracted. I did the IK whenever the room was empty so it varied for the days that I did the IK practice. I continue to practice with the video so that I have the background noise and so I stay on track with timing along with also having the directions told to me. I notice that I still rush the breathing to go along with the sentences so that I focus.
Namaste
In the video, Sadhguru explained that separating from your identity and your body will help you to achieve an end to suffering. I liked the example that Sadhguru made of people in India identifying with their flag. How people would be proud to be on one side of the flag opposed to the other side hating the flag made the idea that Sadhguru was trying to convey more understandable. After watching the video, it makes sense to me why Danny Hills would have trouble digesting the idea of separating from body and mind. I had a similar experience when I first entered this hatha yoga class.
It was difficult for me to do the Isha Kriya and learn the Yogi ideologies because I kept thinking of yoga as being an external benefit only. Now that I have been learning more about the ideologies and the reasons behind them, it is making sense to me why they are important and beneficial. The mentality behind “I am not the body, I am not even the mind” was easier to understand after the video because of how Sadhguru explained identity and how when you separate the intellect from the body, it can end suffering.
My Isha Kriya practices were focused mostly over the weekend – Friday, Saturday, Sunday – and I practiced once on Monday. I found that doing the IK in my bedroom or a room where I am alone and comfortable is the best for me. I am still finding it difficult to find time to do the IK other than on weekends or days when I don’t have many classes. I also will struggle to complete all of the practices for this upcoming week due to me becoming sick. Despite this, I will try to make IK a priority because it relaxes me and it will help for future yoga classes.
Well stated OM
Watching this video helped me connect two points in my thoughts that I otherwise would have kept separate. Being AFAB (assigned female at birth) being disconnected from my body has been a constant from a very early age, which is why when learning the practice of IK I found comfort in the phrase/chant “I am not this body”. Through watching this video I realized that something I always tagged as a negative thought or state of being could be used in an empowering way to guide me through the process of meditation and as such the path of self awareness. While these two points seem obvious when written down it was not until I watched this video that it all became something to be conscious about when doing my IK in the future.
Namaste
While watching this video my views of the IK has changed a little bit. This video made it more clear to me on why we are practicing the IK and how it works for the human soul. Watching this video made it clearer that even though I’ve been doing a lot of school work but I am a lot calmer than I usually am. So I thank this video for helping me understand the wave better.
Glad you found some clarity about the IK practice. Please do invest more time on your writing to earn your best grade OM
I found the conversation between Sadhguru and Danny Hillis very interesting. Although the two were very different, they were able to connect and understand each other. Sadhguru explained the root of suffering, which Hillis was perplexed about. Hills, like most of us, was accustomed to identifying with things. Today we identify with gender, age, ethnicity, sexual orientation, and skin color. We as humans prefer to put labels on things. As Hillis mentioned, we like to have an explanation for everything. We make scientific models to explain everything, focusing on the world. However, as Sadhguru points out, this urge to identify with something is the root of our suffering. When we identify with something, we “wrap” ourselves around it. We become fully dedicated. For instance, when we identify with a nation, we become willing to live and die for it. When we identify with the body, we strive to preserve it. However, humans focus too much on the outside and are distracted by identity. When we identify with something, pain is inevitable. When we identify with the body, we experience suffering because of fear of what might happen to the body. Mentally, we are afraid because we think that if something happens to our identity, it will ruin us. We think that what we identify with is who we are, when, in actuality, who we are is determined by how we affect others, and our emotions. Who we are is what we are willing to fight for and what we believe in; it is the amount of determination we have and the way we see life. Who we are is incapable of being fully described or categorized. However, the inability to describe who we are scares people, so we use identity to describe who we are. When our identity is chipped, we face suffering because we feel as though we have lost part of who we are. To end suffering, we must not be afraid of it. We must accept suffering, and only then will we realize what the cause of our suffering is. We can let go of attachment to the mind and body and be free from pain.
My apologies I thought I fully responded to the video
Isha Kriya is a form of yoga which relaxes and aids people in letting go of worldly identity. To start my day off well, I practice Isha Kriya early in the morning, right after my showers. It is very relaxing, and makes me feel much more ready to face the day. Also, if I do Isha Kriya in the morning before the rush of work and school begin, I do not have to worry about fitting it in later. I have been doing Isha Kriya every morning my bed. I already feel the mental and physical benefits. It was a bit awkward at first, but now I am much more comfortable. I have become more disciplined, and I find the experience grows more enjoyable each day. It helps me focus, and makes me feel at peace with the world. I can carry this feeling throughout the day, which relieves stress. Sometimes, if I have enough time, I will also do Isha Kriya at night on my bed. This makes for a good start and end to the day. Practicing at night instead of going on my phone is much better for my mind. Additionally, practicing is more relaxing and I find it easier to sleep. As I continue to practice, I hope to follow Sadhguru’s advice and let go of identity. I hope to find who I really am behind the worldly identities we assign. It will be a challenging journey, but I look forward to it.
Wonderful that you are practicing daily and realizing the benefits, OM
Well stated OM
As human beings, we all experience moments of pain, distress and/or more than anything a sense of psychological pain. We all come face to face with instances of discomfort and sometimes it may even feel like we’re undertaking trauma (as if we were suffering). Though, as absurd this possibly could sound, it doesn’t have to come to pass. As much as people are fearful and scared of change/the feeling of self-destruction, we have the proper answers, we just need to know how to accordingly utilize them.
During these past two nights, along with a practice I performed tonight, as much as it takes time to strike a feeling of relaxation/comfort within my inner-self, I feel I’m personally on the journey to loving myself much more. On the night of February 19th (10:00 PM), I practiced the Isha Kriya once again, with a much stronger structured understanding of the practice and how to perform it. That following day, on the night of February 20th (9:00 PM), my posture and experience in performing the Isha Kriya was formulated immensely greater, with an entirely different moment all together. As for the day after, on the night of February 21st (11:00 PM), my form and feelings of relaxation improved exceptionally, undergoing a sense of tranquility (especially that in the state of peace of mind).
Excellent…continue on your IK path for more benefits to blossom….OM
After watching this video I was able to develop an even deeper understanding of yoga. I never really knew what the purpose of chanting was but now I have learned that the importance is in the words being recited, it helps our body grasp a better understanding of the mind. Sadghuru touched upon on how we should not define ourselves with one thing because that can cause our mind to only focus on that particular thing and this ties with the idea of connecting our mind and body. We should invest time in many activities and interest to keep a open mind and a happy body. I have practiced the Ik 5 times this week and I do it at night right before bedtime to help myself become more in touch with my thoughts of the day. This allows me to think more about my actions and helps me know myself better. If I can evaluate my thoughts and have a chance to wind down I can become more self aware.
Namaste
I was surprised to see how agreeable these two men were in there understanding of self, despite coming from different worlds and different ways of thinking. Sadgury’s explanation of identity was very on point with the way people desire to be labeled and label others. Doing this we build an identity based on those labels and the belief systems that go along with them. Seeing any disagreement with those labels as an attack on your identity and therefore yourself. Confining us to only be able to move within the parameters of our identity in fear of losing ourselves (the concept of who we are that we have built in our minds).
I have performed the Isha Kriya 4 times this week. Setting aside more time to complete the Isha Kriya made it much easier for me to relax and feel the full effects of the meditation. I have realized that I need absolute solitude in order to complete them effectively. Any outside interaction with the outside world especially people prevents me from removing the idea of my self. I have realized the problem that was causing me discomfort in the position was not my back but my hips. Which makes more sense since I knew I know I have hip problems, it is actually one of the reasons I signed up for yoga. Fortunately, I am slowly getting more comfortable in the positions.
Glad that you are solving your concerns about being comfortable in your IK sitting. Namaste
I like how in the video the Sadhguru said that change does not need to happen around you but needs to happen inside of you. This was inspiring to me because for most of my life back in high school I tried to find my inner-self and hope that in that I’d find my happiness. And by finding who I thought I was I tried to please everyone and tried to change my environments and nothing was working. I did not understand at the time but by watching this video I know now that no matter what I did or who I tried to please I was never going to find what I wanted because I wasn’t putting myself and my conscious in a place where it was filled with strength, purity and, positivity.
I have seen improvements in my Isha Kriya practice. I do it before going to bed because that is when I don’t have to worry about people walking in and distracting me and it is the only alone time I have where I do not have to worry about studying or working. As I’ve said before in previous comments I do the practice on my own because the video for me is more distracting but I set myself to count the number of times I say the sayings so I won’t sit there for hours not even realizing how much time has past. I found myself having an easier time to sleep right after doing our practice. And also in the morning, I feel more motivated to get out of bed in the morning to start my day when before it seemed impossible too.
Namaste
The video gave more of an insight for the chant “I am not the body. I am not the mind”. Sadhguru stated how when we identify with something – for example, nationality – our mind wraps around that thing. It becomes a part of us. We identify as that thing and so we identify with others who also identify that that thing. Having that as part of our identity keeps us “bound” to the world, and people do not always find that separating oneself from the mind and body – two things that we identify with – something that can be done. I do not personally find the idea of that separation to be intimidating, but I think of that moment of separation as something temporary. In the state that Isha Kriya brings me to, it is a state that I can leave and go back to my previous and constant state of identifying as my body and mind.
I practice the Isha Kriya every other day in a week. I do find it hard sometimes to break myself away from my other schoolwork, but I work myself down from that state of worrying before I begin the Isha Kriya process. I continue to use the video for the same reasons that I have stated before. I find that I can focus on the practice more if there is a different voice instructing me versus doing the practice in near silence with little distractions on my own. I still experience some headaches, but they are not as bad and do not last as long. I believe that it may have to do with the heat. I moved to a different part of my home where the heater is not as intense and I started doing the practice in lighter clothes, which helps. I would like to get into more of a schedule because I do the Isha Kriya at night, but at different times at different hours.
Namaste
In this video, Sadghuru talked with Danny Hillis about how, in order to become free from suffering, we must cast off our identification as the mind and the body. By doing this, we are able to worry less about the possibility of suffering and focus more on our unity with the world around and life as it is. Shedding the perception that we are our minds or bodies also may protect us from the dangers of identifying with something like nationality which may lead one to share that body for a nation, possibly dying in an attempt to preserve it. Yet, we are able to dispel such notions through a change of view and practice (exercises like the Isha Kriya help).
Over the last week, I have practiced the Isha Kriya four times; twice at night, once in the morning and in the afternoon. I have found that I am most focused during the afternoon and have the most patience for this meditative practice. The IK also seems to affect me the most during this time and serves as a midday break and reset. After I complete the IK, I feel more relaxed and at ease while still feeling energized and focused which is great. Also, doing the IK on a regular basis has made me gain the patience to maintain focus while doing it and reflect. I also think it makes all the difference to know what the two phrases in IK really mean and adds a level of clarity and calmness.
Namaste
This video was helpful because I didn’t really understand what was meant by I am not this body I am not even this mind so this will probably make Isha Kriya much more effective now that I have a little more understanding. At first I thought it makes sense to say I am not the body but I didn’t get the part about not being the mind because I didn’t really think there was anything other than the mind and body and I thought saying that you were nothing sounded negative but now I think saying I am no the mind is about clearing your thoughts so there are no distractions. From what I can tell Sadghuru was saying that it is good to be able to distance yourself from your mind and body so you don’t become to focused on them.
OM
I found Sadhguru’s interpretation of identifying oneself with a certain object or label very interesting. He says that the minute that we identify with something, our mind wraps itself around that in a way of self-preservation. Therefore, he does not identify with his body, mind, or intellect. However, I very much related to the scientist throughout the video in his difficulty to know how to put this separation of identity into practice in day-to-day life. How does one really separate from their identity and still feel comfortable with who they are?
Throughout my life, I have found peace in identifying with my mind or my body. By saying ‘this is who I am and what I am’, I have been able to find my place within these identities. I know that I am these labels and these things, and it has always comforted me to have something to hold onto. However, I think that Sadhguru’s point of view is eye-opening in a way because it takes the idea that our body and mind are arbitrary things. That identity can be limiting, it can stick us in a place where we are just this identity. I have felt it many times in which my identification with an identity like being apart of the LGBTQ+ community, I am placed into a box in my own and others’ minds and cannot seem to break out of it. I will have to contemplate more on what exact middle ground I am comfortable with where I am not stuck with my mind wrapped around one identity. Sadhguru’s comments have definitely opened my mind to the new possibilities of my identity.
(I forgot to include my comments about my Isha Kriya, so I decided to include them here)
This week I practiced Isha Kriya four times. It was difficult to fit in, but I have found by keeping the importance of it in the back of my mind has reminded me to do it. The first time I did it was the day that we had the huge snow storm. I did it a little earlier than usual – I usually do it right before bed – because I had just gotten back from driving in the snow and was feeling very stressed from the dangerousness of the roads. I found this particularly helpful to calm my anxiety and stress surrounding the situation and was also able to address it better for next time.
I have chosen to do my Isha Kriya on my bed against the wall right before I go to bed most. I chose this time because, as I mentioned I am often unable to get to sleep when I need to. The IK has begun to make that process a little bit shorter by letting me slow my brain down and calm my mind for the night. I follow the video every time because it helps me to focus in with headphones and I do not have to check the time because the video does it for me. I have noticed the Isha Kriya very slowly bringing up anxieties and minor irritations I have. It has helped me to identify these, and hopefully address them so that they will no longer be an issue in my life. I know this will take a long time, but I am very happy that this is a start.
Great you now have the confidence to meet some aspects that you now know are holding you back from being your best self, in a short time you will realize your goal….and then life will say Aha! now here’s another challenge…go for it….you can tackle it just like you did before and keep growing like this….Stay on Your Path, OM
Wonderful that you are now receptive to exploring more about thinking outside the box about yourself in terms of limiting thinking about identifying with just your mind/body. You are a part of the entire Cosmos and more….the more you embrace how vast you energies are and that you are a small part of a greater universe this will open new vistas for you and others. Namaste
I believe that there are many types of people amongst us and many different methods/ways to helping them move closer to the divine energy that is within them. Whether they make things such as technological things, or help others to grow conscious of themselves. I think the balance that must be found is being able to bring people to an understanding that both can be used in unison to help us learn and grow closer to ourselves. For example I am currently watching a video about awareness and becoming closer to myself, and to me that is a nice balance, knowledge is so expansive and can be shared with so many people in the world, we should use this in our power to help consciousness to grow. When you identify with any particular object or concept we begin limiting ourselves immediately. It is hard for people to grasp the concept that we are truly empty and the energies of the world , of other people, and the energies we undergo ourselves are meant to pass through us with ease. It doesn’t matter how large or small the object or concept is that we grasp we still will circle it and become limited. The outside world is simply a model, and a reflection of our inner world. Yes, there properties are meant to be used but not help onto forever. If you are not willing to openly give at any moment, you are still clenching and your hands are not free, therefore your sense of being is not free, therefore you are not free entirely. It’s said that we do not need to try and change the things that are around us, rather we should attempt to do something different with what is within us. I feel this deeply because I am currently suffering from holding on to old ideas and methods that are only preventing me from moving at the speed and ease I should be moving at, and I am recognizing through this struggle that what I need to change is my own actions and understanding. And when I finally do this, it will physically fall into place and my physical actions will reflect this inner change. We will walk full stride when we become of the space that lies within the body and mind, this space is nothingness and we can choose to live in this space, not allowing anything to touch it, as in, not allowing ourselves to identify with objects, people, feelings. Rather we understand that they are only things that are passing before and are merely a part of the experience.
A well stated, honest essay…..I am sure you will find your answers emerge as you continue to explore the inner realms, OM
it is interesting that he says that all humans are half a step away from removing suffering. To me, that is the hardest step to take. because in a way (Maybe I’m not understanding this Fully) He is asking us to remove our selves from this “World” that we are Identifying with. we have to subtract our selves from our own social order. it is a hard step to take, but the benefits are very “kind” to our minds.
Please invest more time in writing your assignment to become an essay, follow the outline given in the assignment.
We build many a model around us, upon which we construct our self-perceived identity. Whether this model may be a way of being based on a nation, a gender, or any group of people who declare themselves influential enough to shape our lives, these models are almost guaranteed to occupy more space in our minds than consideration for our selves, something we have deemed “selfish.” To abandon these mob-manufactured notions of being is to not only achieve what we define as happiness, but to alleviate the suffering these ideas will surely harbor in our minds.
Namaste
I am so glad to see the concept of identity being addressed in this conversation between Danny Hillis and Sadhguru. Identity is a divisive concept that creates the in-group/out-group model, a pernicious model that only serves to perpetuate the idea that there is an “other.” Sadhguru mentions the problem with national identity: how we can be so proud to see our own flag raised but how seeing another flag inspires hatred and how the body is even willing to die for that concept of identity. It is a sorry state of affairs.
Detaching from identity, the “other” that we see in the world around us as well as the group identities within our own nation, will bring down the boundaries between the in-group/out-group. Using identity as self-preservation, as Sadhguru puts it, does not serve us as a human community. As Hillis says, identity is arbitrary. That is true in that we are not our bodies. We are not our identities, we are something bigger – that is, we are together something more complete. Dare I say we are one.
Yet, on the individual level since we are not our identity and we are not our intellect, our consciousness is somewhere else. As Sadhguru says, when we remove ourselves from the body and mind, we free our selves from our sources of unpleasantness and if we do so, we can see that we have control. By taking control in this way, we let go and remove ourselves from a place where we experience unpleasantness. Having the ability to do so removes the fear of suffering for we are not the body and we are not the mind — we are not the aspects of the self that are capable of suffering. This freedom brings lightness because you then have the knowledge that you can free yourself of experience and just be.
I have been practicing the Isha Kriya at home before bed with the video as a guide. I try to do it every day but as I have written before, I have struggled with Tapas (and I felt guilt for that). Ever since I have identified my struggle with Tapas however, my dedication has gotten better. IK is a prescription, to put it in modern terms, but it must be taken as prescribed; it is up to the patient and the patient must have the drive to get better.
I choose night time because that is when I feel that I need it most and it helps calm me before sleep; it clears my head. At the end of the day, reinforcing the concept that I am not my mind and I am not my body has a powerful effect on my ability to peacefully transition to sleep. I didn’t realize until I watched this video that the IK removes fears that I have accumulated during the day. I don’t lie in bed wondering about all the possible things that can go wrong. I just am.
Excellent! OM
In this video “What is the nature of suffering”, the first thing that they speak about is identity. What do you identify with, if not the body and the mind? I liked how he explained that once you identify with something then everything revolves around that one identity. I really loved when he said that it’s not something different that he needs to change around him but within him. I think as human beings we get too caught up in the things around us rather than trying become self aware. Suffering is something that is of the mind and the body, so when we separate the idea that we are body and mind only, we also separate ourselves from suffering. In my own experience, this is why I believe I connect to something deeply spiritual.
If we remove ourselves from this idea, then we can know ourselves on a deeper and fuller level. If everyone was to practice this, it would remove so many borders and rid the world of so much hate.
Namaste
The most important premise of their discussion for me was that getting caught up in identity, in identifying ourselves and what things mean, is a form of suffering that we often overlook. The mind has a habit of exercising itself in a never-ending fashion as it drifts further and further away from the body. The disconnect between the mind and body at that point means that the mind can’t pay full attention to the body, and thus the body tires itself out by basically doing nothing. In performing the IK, we are trying to eliminate the distance between the mind, body and self in order to experience a moment in the present where we can heal.
At this point, I started practicing my IK 3-4 times per week, sticking with late at night. There is a serenity and solitude that I am able to achieve at night, so I find it most conducive. I was losing a lot of sleep at this point in the semester and notably remember that I fell asleep during one practice. What I notice about my practice is that I like to speak lower than the video and the class sessions, but my “ah’s” can be loud.
Namaste
Sadhguru explained how the brain wraps the concept of self-preservation when individuals identify themselves as something. People should not change what they are doing due to the suffering the limitations of identity. Once, the experience of who you are is a little distant from your body and your mind, Suffering ends here.
I believe our generation is trying to tie themselves to all various titles and labels that not necessarily represents them. These thoughts can be toxic, unhealthy, and suffering to the mental health of the brain. I am in the process of finding myself and trying to find my own identity, but it seems to be not working too well. Learning the message behind the Isha Kriya practice, it changed my perspective on identity, that identity should not be that important.
After watching the video I tried it once this week when my roommate is not home. I felt like it’s hard for me during the process since the mindset of identity is difficult to erase, but in my opinion the aftereffect makes me feel a little bit better than when I started. I would like to incorporate the Isha Kriya practice into my lifestyle since the message it is trying to convey is useful for me. I need to break away from the strict mindsets that people standardized.
You have set good intentions for yourself this semester keep your daily IK practice going to realize benefits, OM