Sunset view @ AdiYogi Statue (Copy)

Seven Surreal experiences at Isha Yoga Center

For weeks, we have been waiting for this day. Our day trip to Isha Yoga Center (Google Map directions) on foothills of Velliangiri mountains – also known as Kailash of the South. We had signed up for the Ashram visit program organized by Isha volunteers. 

After a hectic day’s work, both Chanchal and I met in Kormangala and proceeded to St John’s Medical College Bus Stop to board the bus to the ashram. Throughout the night journey, the bus was abuzz with enthusiastic Isha volunteers talking about their experiences, sharing stories, singing along, watching Sadhguru’s sermon videos, et all. It almost felt like the kind of euphoria one associates with juvenile boys and girls out on their first unsupervised excursion with moonshine to boot. Only that this group was just high on life.

Reaching Isha Yoga Center in the wee hours

Entry Gate_Isha Yoga Center
Entry Gate_Isha Yoga Center (This photograph was taken in the afternoon)

Early morning, by 5:00 a.m. we reached the gates of the ashram. Towering stone plinths and pillars with snake carvings welcomed us in. In the subtle darkness of the dawn, we were given our Ashram visit ID-cards, men and women of the group were asked to head to different sides of the ashram to get fresh, take a bath and carry out their morning yoga or kriya. We were asked to meet at 7:20 AM at the grand Nandi statue.

After freshening up and taking a shower, I was on my own. Exploring the place around our stay area. Mesmerized by the green cover, the bio-diversity and mooing of cattle from the ashram’s cattle farm, numerous trees in fruition and blossom. I just strayed here and there, looking at a tree, glancing at a flower, hearing the call of morning birds, smell of the earth drenched in the overnight dew, absorbing the view of the Velliangiri mountains.

The tree around had a gentle girth,
As raw mangoes and may flowers rejoiced their birth,
The call of the myna and the humble sparrow,
Pierced the clutter of life, like a cosmic arrow.

The day unfolded and was drenched in surreal experiences.

I learned one could also stay over at the ashram cottages. I will be back to do exactly that. Information on stay options and more.

1. The grand Nandi at the entrance to Dhyanalinga

Nandi and DhyanaLinga Entrance_Isha Yoga Center
Nandi and DhyanaLinga Entrance_Isha Yoga Center

The Nandi Bull, sits overlooking the entrance to Dhyanalinga. He just sits there, without anticipation or expectation, challenging our relationships with the supreme, by example contradicting everything organized religions have done to dictate and define one’s equation with the divine.

Nandi_Isha Yoga Center
Nandi_Isha Yoga Center

The majestic bull weighing well over 20 tons is made of small pieces of metal pieced together to form a hollow shell and then filled with carefully concocted mix of sesame seeds, turmeric, soil and certain other things.

Group photo @ Nandi_Isha Yoga Center
Group photo @ Nandi_Isha Yoga Center

2. Visiting the Linga Bhairavi Shrine

We queued up to enter the shrine of Linga Bhairavi. There were some rituals or perhaps an Aarti going on inside. At the entrance, on the ground, there is a sculpted figure of a lady in the astanga pranama with her left leg half folded over her right leg and her forehead to the ground in total submission.

I entered the shrine along with Chanchal. I paid my obeisance to the deity — the divine feminine. I did not feel a moving force or nor was I overwhelmed as most people around seemed to be. Around me, many people were teary eyed, visibly moved, overwhelmed and humbled. Since I did not experience any of that, I felt removed from everyone there who seemed to be absorbed in that movement. I did, however, notice and gleefully observed the beautiful sari motif that was painted on either side of the wall emerging from the deity — giving an illusion of a sari being worn by the deity herself.

I do humbly submit my wife’s experience in her own words, which was very different from mine.

Chanchal’s view: The day had started early and after my yoga and Shambhvi Kriya, I was ready for my day at the ashram. We were to start with the visit to Linga Bhairavi temple. This was the second time I was going to visit the temple. The moment we queued up to enter, I was filled with lot of emotions – memories from my last visit, love for the lady inside, excitement of meeting her again ~ all together with a hint of fear. Yes, fear! Fear before I take my leap of faith. I knew I would have no control on myself once I enter the shrine. My last experience had taught me that this is one place I give in totally and am overwhelmed to the core. This leads to an extremely emotional and devotional state which I have only experienced at this place. I am most vulnerable here and yet most safe. Tears just do not stop falling. I was also not sure how Bala is going to behave seeing me in that state.  

Within few minutes, I was exactly in the state I was thinking about. Tears just did not stop falling from my eyes. I was extremely calm. There was a strange yet comfortable pressure between my eyebrows. The intensity of the pressure kept increasing and tears kept coming.

After the darshan and meditating there for a while, my tears stopped. Bala was around me throughout, quiet and calm.

We both knew words are useless at such places.

After tying the haldi thread on the pole within the temple, we all bowed down again to the Mother and came out all calm and blissful.

3. Energizing dips in Theerthakunds : Suryakund and Chandrakun

In line with ancient Indian practices, before entering into the Dhyanalinga, we were asked to take a dip in one of the ashram’s sacred water bodies. These are called TheerthaKunds — Suryakund for men and Chandra Kund for women. A dip in these sacred water bodies is known to heighten one’s receptivity to spiritual experience.

I entered the Suryakund, into the cold water body. It took me a while to feel comfortable with the cold water. It was a surreal experience, in that huge subterranean water body with a huge Sun symbol hanging from the super high ceiling. There were Lingas submerged in the water that one could touch. I spent about 10 minutes in there and walked out. I walked in with a lot of questions, walked out calm and for most part settled in my mind.

Curious, how Chanchal’s experience was in Chandrakund.

4. The deep meditative experience at Dhyanalinga

Alright, let me say it. Strong skepticism runs through my veins. In my day job, I take pride in my professional skepticism. Walking into the Dhyanalinga entry point, I was a bundle of questions and doubts about the whole experience. Entering into the Dhyanalinga after taking bath in the Suryakund, I was calm. So mixed feelings.

Group photo at DhyanaLinga Entrace_Isha Yoga Center
Group photo at DhyanaLinga Entrace_Isha Yoga Center
DhyanaLinga Entrace_Isha Yoga Center
DhyanaLinga Entrance_Isha Yoga Center

At the entrance, there is a stone pillar that has symbols of all major world religion carved on it. Clearly announcing that people of any faith, religion or otherwise are welcome. It is open to everyone, it is an inclusive space and not an exclusive one.

We were made to sit at the aangan or mitham of the sanctum for 15 minutes quietly without uttering a word. A sort of like a preparation for what was inside. In the waiting area, all I could feel and hear was my breathing. Then slowly, we were ushered into the Dhyanalinga meditative space. A huge circular space with a spherical dome and a towering Linga atop a coiled serpent at the center.

I sat there with others in yoga mudra, with eyes closed. I lost track of time. I felt deeply calm and the only realization was that my physical body needed work. I could feel the spasm in my weak upper back muscles – perhaps signalling to me that to experience this space in a deeper way, I need to work on my body first. Then comes everything else.

Despite my deep skepticism for anything that does not arise from my own experiences, I did have an experience. I felt balanced for hours and days to come.

5. AUMkar Chanting session

We were ushered into a hutment where two Isha Yoga teachers were waiting for us and there was a large television which played “AUM” chanting training video by Sadhguru. The journey from OM to AUM is perhaps one from ignorance to awareness. We have been trained from childhood to pronounce the sound as OM, not knowing what it meant except revere it as something divine.

I learned that it is AUM – AAAAAA–OOOOOOOO-MMMMMM. The primordial sound of the universe. The only three sounds that we can make without activating our tongue. So these three sounds are the building blocks of all sounds and vibrations. Every other sound is just adaption of AAAA, OOOO and MMMM. If you do not believe this, try it.

Coming to my experience, when I chanted these three sounds with my eyes closed in yoga mudra, I was able to observe within me the vibrations these sounds generated. It reverberated within me for many hours.

Read more on AUM chanting for the thirsty

6. The grand Adi Yogi and Yogeshwara Linga

Late afternoon, we started walking towards the Adi Yogi Statue and Yogeshwara Linga. The sun was beating down hard, the farther away from the Ashram we walked the more harsher the sun seemed. Just then we realized it was because of lack of tree line. Inside the ashram, it was a biodiversity sanctuary. Outside was just open field.

Yogeshwara Linga Shrine_Isha Yoga Center
Yogeshwara Linga Shrine_Isha Yoga Center

In about ten minutes or so, we reached the Adi Yogi Shiva statue. First, we paid obeisance to the Yogeshwar Linga and then walked up the stairs to take a closer look at the 112-feet Adiyogi Shiva statue. It is recognized as the “Largest Bust Sculpture” by Guinness World Records and was inaugurated by our Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Maha Shivaratri Day – 24, February 2017.

AdiYogi Statue@Isha Yoga Center Precinct
AdiYogi Statue@Isha Yoga Center Precinct

Just like the Nandi Bull at the entrance of Dhyanalinga, the larger than life AdiYogi statue is made of small pieces of metal melded together. For the longest I thought it was made of stone. Now knowing it is made of steel, somehow it feels different.

The Yogeshwara Linga has been consecrated without the Anahata (heart chakra) — representing an emotionless and totally inclusive Yogi.

Meditation in front of the AdiYogi Statue@Isha Yoga Center precinct
Meditation in front of the AdiYogi Statue@Isha Yoga Center precinct
Isha Volunteer_Chanting
Isha Volunteer_Chanting

Our entire group, did some group meditation and chanting in front of the statue and Yogeshwara Linga. I was of course busy between capturing my own thoughts and capturing vibrant moments.

7. Nutritious and satvik food at Biksha hall

Winding down our day at the Isha Yoga center with some some fulfilling and nutritious food served at the Biksha hall. On inquiring a bit, I got to know that on an average the Biksha Hall feeds over 2,000 people at every meal time.

When we entered, we learned we were supposed to be silent and not utter a word. In silence, we filled our plate with piping hot delicious looking food and sat down the floor to eat. Men and women were seated separately. Each morsel, after a tiring and yet energizing day seemed like a blessing. With gratitude and a lot of appreciation, we had our food. I must say, the food was delicious – certainly this alone can be a reason to visit the Isha Yoga Center.

Chanchal and I exchanged notes that how we made a good decision to spend our Sunday at Isha. We thoroughly enjoyed our experiences.

Now, I do want to leave you all with a few things to ponder on.

Anything that happens on a massive scale in our country brings an ecological scare. On visiting the AdiYogi Statue area, I have the same concern. I looked around at a vast stretch of flat land in front of me as I stood at the podium besides the Adiyogi statue.  

Empty fields near AdiYogi Statue
Empty fields near AdiYogi Statue
Open grounds around AdiYogi Statue area
Open grounds around AdiYogi Statue area
Open Fields enroute AdiYogi Statue area
Open Fields enroute AdiYogi Statue area

A ginormous parking lot, vast open and nearly barren fields, soaring tourism bringing over 20,000 people every weekend, general lack of civic sense in many of us is a collective scare. What is going to happen to this supposed green belt? How soon can we make the area green? What role can we play to make sure the delicate ecological balance is maintained and nurtured.

A Bullock pulling a cart with 10 People
A Bullock pulling a cart with 10 People

 

 

Some tips from a conscious mind (something I know everyone at Isha Yoga will welcome):

    1. Keep the precinct clean, do not throw garbage or plastic waste on the pathways.
    2. Keep commercialization at bay, avoid hyper development including hotels, motels and eateries.
    3. Keep planting trees, we need more green cover in this world.
    4. Keep animals, don’t exploit them. Walk instead. We actually witnessed one bullock pulling a cart that was long and big enough to seat over 10 people.
    5. Keep your mind curious, lest today’s awareness becomes tomorrow’s rigid belief.
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8 thoughts on “Seven Surreal experiences at Isha Yoga Center

  1. Thank you for sharing…

    Enjoyed the pics and the lovely write ups (which to me really helped a richer deeper understanding a sense of the essence of the place and my understanding would not have been the same without these helpful narrations)

    Some of my Aha moments after reading the blog post :

    Below is me sharing a bit (yes its a long verbose write up and yet its only a bit 🙂 ) of what personally the pondering , viewing and reading through this blog, pics , graphical representation, visual forms, led to for me ( my immediate and firstmost experience ) And whether Correct/Incorrect , its again simply only me sharing a bit of what understanding occurred and felt to me like as a message being pointed out / shared/ communicated by the symbolic/graphic/visual/written statue/forms/words n pics of this blog taken together) and experienced these as possibilities , certain ideas thoughts/ viewpoints/ occurences to ponder on , that maybe were the messages symbolically being pointed out /communicated by these spaces, forms .

    Nandi in front of DhyanLinga
    ************************************
    A) Its possible to witness give Dhyan /attend to/ give attention to without anticipation or expectation while keeping the eyes open

    B) Its possible to to witness see and yet remain unchanged within ( tumeric, sesame, soil unchanged) Can remain still without any response , remaining removed away from and unmoved to whatever occuring in front of the eyes of attention / dhyan aka whatever is occuring (or non occuring ) in the inner “metaphysical” space chamber of dhyan/attention aka inside the DhyanLinga chamber .

    C) The dhyan linga sharir and the dhyan linga chamber, these terms n words maybe in a wider loosely defined way be understood to literally refer to to the “the one receiving (yoni) and the one giving (ling) attention(dhyan) in the womb space /chamber of awareness .

    D) The chamber itself is maybe a symbolical 3D representation of the “unseen with physical eyes” yet universal “metaphysical” chamber of dhyan /attention/awareness that is accessible and common and same to all. (That is its a common space irrespective of time , origin, person, place , age, caste, religion, education, background, color, nationality, gender , irrespective of whether ours or others etc etc )
    This “metaphysical dhyan chamber ” is the chamber wherein any alive sense ( whether individually or collectively or in groups ) can, may , has, and will experience anything .

    E) The experiencer who enter the dhyan /awareness chamber can be aware of, can/may attend to
    movement , stillness, sensations, emptiness, structurs , forms , thoughts , emotions, intellect, reason , silence etc etc …..Everything that can happen, is happening , happens , or has happened or will happen , is birthed and formed and experienced within this womb n chamber of Dhyan.

  2. My ponderings (that occured on reading through your blog )….continued…

    Adi Yogi Statue
    ******************

    F) The two pictures of the open fields and grounds (titled ” Open Fields Enroute – Open Grounds Around- the Adi Yogi Statue) and the text that mentions that the Statue has been made without the anahat heart chakra spoke to me that a colllected condensed complete 100% awareness (symbolised by the collected drop in the third eye place) that is pure awareness , ( No heart chakra -emotionless ) pure awareness that is awareness with no memories, no imaginations, no experiences : And that is simply the unlimited empty awareness with the ability to be aware and the ability to focus the awareness) can be standing in the this land of the hearts/fields/ emotions/plantations around )and yet know that it is seperate and not the field .

    This pure awareness and both of its abilities aka Ability to attend , Ability to focus , direct attention
    are limitless , unconditioned , untouched, formless and infinite (like the unchanging sky above this field ).

    G) The field around maybe be in whatever state: unplanted / fallow /empty (like the empty fields or empty air spaces near the statue ) or planted/full (as those fields /land further on that has different kinds of trees) and yet with the movement of (face n awareness eye directed upward ) this centred focussed fully 100% and upturned awareness ( expericing , attending to , knowing , seeing its expansive unchanging truth
    can remain unmoved , smiling , motionless irrespective of whether what is planted or not planted in the field irrespective of whether we plant(ed) it, or someone else plants(planted) something or not.
    Ever restful smiling and serene .

    H) In this manner, with this technique /method possible to physically , mentally , emotionally in a literal and/or metaphysical focus face beyond to a state wherein do not align with do not identify focus to the absence /presence of anything these fields of awareness : any physical, intellectual, emotional, /metaphysical objects , forms , cultivation (in the broadest sense of the word) , remain unaffected to the presence ( absence) of whatever possibly in these fields ( across time that is past, present, future).

    And thus, fully aware, focussed to this truth remain present, calm, serene, smiling , unchanged, unconditioned awareness even admist this field
    irrespective of what planted / unplanted , activity(inactivity) ,crops feelings, thoughts, responses, emotions (heart) ideas, flows, processes , structures , crops , plants of being, thinking, feeling, or doing

  3. Thank you for sharing…

    Enjoyed the pics and the lovely write ups (which to me really helped a richer deeper understanding a sense of the essence of the place and my understanding would not have been the same without these helpful narrations)

    Some of my Aha moments after reading the blog post :

    Below is me sharing a bit (yes its a long verbose write up and yet its only a bit 🙂 ) of what personally the pondering , viewing and reading through this blog, pics , graphical representation, visual forms, led to for me ( my immediate and firstmost experience ) And whether Correct/Incorrect , its again simply only me sharing a bit of what understanding occurred and felt to me like as a message being pointed out / shared/ communicated by the symbolic/graphic/visual/written statue/forms/words n pics of this blog taken together) and experienced these as possibilities , certain ideas thoughts/ viewpoints/ occurences to ponder on , that maybe were the messages symbolically being pointed out /communicated by these spaces, forms .

    Nandi in front of DhyanLinga
    ************************************
    A) Its possible to witness give Dhyan /attend to/ give attention to without anticipation or expectation while keeping the eyes open

    B) Its possible to to witness see and yet remain unchanged within ( tumeric, sesame, soil unchanged) Can remain still without any response , remaining removed away from and unmoved to whatever occuring in front of the eyes of attention / dhyan aka whatever is occuring (or non occuring ) in the inner “metaphysical” space chamber of dhyan/attention aka inside the DhyanLinga chamber .

    C) The dhyan linga sharir and the dhyan linga chamber, these terms n words maybe in a wider loosely defined way be understood to literally refer to to the “the one receiving (yoni) and the one giving (ling) attention(dhyan) in the womb space /chamber of awareness .

    D) The chamber itself is maybe a symbolical 3D representation of the “unseen with physical eyes” yet universal “metaphysical” chamber of dhyan /attention/awareness that is accessible and common and same to all. (That is its a common space irrespective of time , origin, person, place , age, caste, religion, education, background, color, nationality, gender , irrespective of whether ours or others etc etc )
    This “metaphysical dhyan chamber ” is the chamber wherein any alive sense ( whether individually or collectively or in groups ) can, may , has, and will experience anything .

    E) The experiencer who enter the dhyan /awareness chamber can be aware of, can/may attend to
    movement , stillness, sensations, emptiness, structurs , forms , thoughts , emotions, intellect, reason , silence etc etc …..Everything that can happen, is happening , happens , or has happened or will happen , is birthed and formed and experienced within this womb n chamber of Dhyan.

  4. The ashram looks beautiful, but I am more concerned now that there has been immense interference with nature. Indians are known to be cruel to animals and women. But if trees are cut down and the forest lands of animals and tribals are encroached upon to build ashrams, then spirituality is completely dead in India. What remains is hogwash. Now I do not know much about Isha foundation, but from your photos that seems to be on forest land. If that is true how can Pashupati be happy with singing and chanting of greedy humans when His other non-human children are crying day in and out for basic survival necessities?

    1. You have not been to the place. In fact in that whole area, the ashram and a private betel nut plantation are the only forested areas there. Maps show that the place has been barren for decades. Now after Adiyogi has come up, Isha is planting trees along the sides of the road leading to Yogeshwar and the Adiyogi statue and they are growing well – just over 2 year old trees. Most of the trees on the hill are also newer ones planted by Isha.

    2. I echo the ecological conerns Anuja. I am curious if anyone who recently visited the ashram can throw some light on how things stand today. More greener, less greener? Other inputs and updates!

  5. A very well written article… I being part of the same group, experienced a unique presence of divine aura and vibe. .In the ashram. .. Each and every structure so carefully designed, moulded , consecrated.. Hats of Sadhguru and his team of volunteers …

    1. Glad you liked the write-up. I echo your views on the ascthetics and the energy around the ashram. Hopefully, more and more people will get to experience it and hopefully this blog will encourage more people to visit IshA Yoga Center.

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