Yesterday was the penultimate day and there were further Q&As through which Sadguru helped everyone understand the Law of Karma and most basic way of coming out of it. Now, over the years I have come to exactly the same conclusions that Sadguru presented through my own introspection and found that echo from very few sources. Most of the Gurus and Saints deal with Karma in a very frivolous and superficial manner. Most have no idea of what they are talking about anyways. Karma and Law of Karma is at the root of our existence. Unlike a lot of traditions which confuse Enlightenment with complete loss of Karma or Living as a quality with only the subtler or primordial part of existence; there is a fundamental series of action as a cause to an effect which leads to reaction (for many lifes). The breaking of this series is being free of the Karma. On drishtikone, we have talked about it many times before. Read more

Look at this picture. Its credits read: "A displaced Pakistani man plays with his baby in Chota Lahore camp at Swabi district, some 150 km northwest of Islamabad on May 21. AFP / Getty Images / Pedro Ugarte". For last two days, at Isha Yoga we have been discussing the important "Truth" of how the present "Moment" (comprising of microsecond or whatever) is inevitable. And this will never come again. And since what is going on is inevitable in that moment.. just in that moment.. not the next... for that next moment is open and had millions of possibilities. But what do we do? We spend our time in past or the future. We miss that we ARE in the present and that cannot be changed. We can work to change the next moment.. but the present has to be accepted. When you accept the present moment, then it follows that despite pain.. suffering would not be there. This picture below very aptly illustrates that point. Here is a family uprooted from their house and in terrible situation. But look at the child! The kid finds the side of the tent as enjoyable as a swing. The joy of the child lives in her present. She does not know the past or the future.. or at least doesn't seem to care. For her, her present moment carries the eternity which she is enjoying fully and completely! Read more

As I said earlier that I had started the "Inner Engineering" course after arguing with myself for 4 years on this action. I think now I was ready. As I am doing the course, I am realizing that for all the "unconventional streak" to Sadguru Jaggi's demeanour and behavior he follows the traditions of the Rishis of the Vedic times pretty seriously. I am just getting a glimpse at this moment of his spirit and soul.. but that is what it reveals to me. From what I have heard of him - I have a friend who was his neighbor when Sadguru was growing up in Tamil Nadu and who told me how he was so passionate about spirituality - it seems very clearly that he may have learnt/earned a lot of what he "gives" out on his own. Surely, he may have his Guru, but a lot has been learnt in this one life (when he was ready). That gave me a strange thought this morning. The Vedanta/Vedic way of life and the articulation of "Truth" can never die. Read more

Today I started the "Inner Engineering" course from IshaYoga in Houston. I still remember that it was 4 years back that one of my friends a Mallu Christian (and a professed Rush Limbaugh fan and hard-core Republican) had pushed me to do this after he had (which changed his life completely). I believe he went onto to do advanced level courses as well and he actually got to interact with Sadguru Jaggi (the Harley Davidson riding Guru) himself. My sister also did the course.. again with Sadguru's class and actually had an "out-of-body" experience. I have resisted because I have not been much of a "Guru" person. Having said that, I have been reading on Sadguru for last 4 years and found him to be spot on in most of what he says. Kavita, my friend, carries his interviews regularly on her web site KavitaChhibber.com. This course, has come my way at a time when I really was in need of connecting back to myself .. deep inside. Today was the first day and it looked very promising. I am sure the coming days will be very exciting as well. Tomorrow is another day and I am looking forward to more. Will give a review of the experience after I am done. Read more