Synopsis: Intriguing people make these great prophecies about the world coming to an end, etcetera. Will the world come to an end in 2012?

Synopsis: Hi, my name is Poorti. I am in my final year of biotechnology and listening to your talk, I have many questions. But for now I will just want to ask one. From what I’ve studied, from what I’ve read, biotechnology is here today because of animals such as mice and microorganisms such as bacteria. But do you think that it is ethical to use these organisms, which help...

Synopsis: You talked about technology and we know that technology, of course, also raises aspirations. And I remember, we grew up at a time when we didn’t have phones, we didn't have televisions. We were very content with small things. We drove around in an ambassador car, we were lucky if we had a landline. And if we aspired for a telephone and we got a landline after three...

Synopsis: We’re all so bothered about the decay that we are seeing in the city. Everything is looking shabby, you know, we’re seeing debris all over the place, we’re seeing polluted lakes, we’re seeing a lot of problems in this city. And everything has to do with us. We can’t keep sort of asking the government to do everything. I mean, after all, if it’s Swachh Bharat...

Synopsis: It’s about designer babies, okay? Now if you think about it, the whole thought of a designer baby is scary. But if you think about saying, okay, I can actually make sure that the same case that I talked about. That, you know, you are in this moral quandary about giving birth to a child with a genetic defect. But yet you can have, you know, gene editing technology to...

Synopsis: Look, we actually embrace bio-technology when it comes to saving lives, when it comes to genetically engineered drugs which are saving cancer patients and many, many other types of patients who are suffering from debilitating diseases. And yet we have this huge activism against genetically modified crops, which is also saving lives, by the way. Because there is enough...

Synopsis: Lot of people go through moral dilemmas. Like you said, you know, don’t do this, you must do that. You have all these commandments. And sometimes I feel certain moral dilemmas are really, really very difficult moral dilemmas. For example, you know you talked about genetics. And if you think about today, young couples who have pregnancy tests and find out that the child...

Synopsis: So now I want to move on to another question which I thought I would ask you. It is really about morality and integrity. Okay? I mean it sounds very serious and profound. But the reason I ask you about that is, very often, you know, I feel that we use morality and integrity as interchangeable and yet to me they’re not. To me morality is something that is a social tenet....

Synopsis: You know, I want to raise a very important subject, which has always worried me a lot. And that is about the very, very serious gender-bias that we have in society, across the world but I want to focus on our own country. You know I just want to say that, let me tell you, as a woman, I’m very proud to be a woman in this country but, I think I know what this gender...

Synopsis: How do you basically cut through all the noise? How do you have this clarity of thought and words that we all listen to and suddenly feel that oh my god, it’s so simple. It’s such common sense, why didn’t we think of it this way? And my question to you, guruji, is how do you, you know, help us to cut through that noise? To gain that clarity and to find answers...

Synopsis: Sadhguru, I wanted to ask you about why do humans have the fear of death? So much. Either you’ve got fear of death or you glorify someone who dies. I mean look at the world, rockstars dying early becomes a virtue. You know, you become a star because of it. So what is it that makes us so uncomfortable and not at ease with death?

Synopsis: What is the contribution of an aghori to our society? To the human kind. What have they done for us? I mean, if you talk about science, I can say, yes those monkeys which have been used, ultimately have got some medicines, have got some certain things with which you can fight diseases. But what has an aghori given to the world? Which they should be proud of and we should...

Synopsis: My question is about asanas. It’s my point of view. I mean, maybe I’m completely wrong. But I feel there is too much greed in that, to learn from other animals. You know, why a snake is doing like this, why are you doing it like a dog, why are you doing it like a lion. Everything you want to learn from animals. Anybody has anything, I want to get the best of it....

Synopsis: Namaskaram Sadhguru, namaskaram Sabyasachi. I yet have to meet anyone I know who does not like your designs. But yet I would like to ask you, have you faced criticism? And what was that? And how did you handle it?

Synopsis: ...

Synopsis: Hello. Namaskaram. Hi, my name is Alex and I’m from Brazil. Sadhguru mentioned as a suggestion that everybody should have 10% of their wardrobe with handmade, organic clothes. So when we think about clothes, a lot of people open their wardrobes and say, I have nothing to wear. So, having that in mind, when we think about clothes, often it brings my mind to natural...

Synopsis: Namaskaram everyone. My name is Manasi. And my question is to Sabyasachi. And please forgive me if this is a politically incorrect question. So all of us, a lot of us, I’m sure, like unique clothing and clothing that we won’t be worried we’ll find somebody else wearing. But while your designs are great and I’m a big fan of them, the truth also is that they’re...

Synopsis: You know we’ve been talking, Sadhguru has a book that’s coming out in the US. And in the process of making that, you know, some of the conversations we’ve had have been about perceptions of yoga in the west. And I wondered what perceptions are of Indian design and fashion in the west? Is it still just the exotic element or is there more? Is it being taken more...

Synopsis: Given that the creative impulse also entails following a very individual imperative. And then making that meet market demands. How does one walk that very fine line?

Synopsis: I think we all know that in this country we’ve had quite a magnificent heritage of design. The visual arts, the plastic arts, the performing arts. And, somehow, modern India doesn’t seem to necessarily access a particular heritage with the ease that it ought to have been able to, for various historical reasons. How would you respond to that? And what do you think...

Synopsis: Is inefficiency beautiful? Can that be beautiful?

Synopsis: I thought I’ll just start with a very basic question. A simple question. It’s a question that I’m often asked at poetry readings, poetry workshops. Poetry being primarily what I practice. And the question is, what is a good poem? And the answer really is, if the poem is a form of verbal design, or verbal choreography, what is design? And is beauty implicit in that...

Synopsis: Sadhguru, you just mentioned that the world does not know anything about you. And that remains a fact. Even then, anybody from the world who comes in little contact with you can be so benefitted. So, when would you reveal? Or my question is, what does it take to become an Arjuna for the yogi of the highest order of our times. Our Krishna, for you to reveal.

Synopsis: Fundamentally, there is always a need. A need for so many things, even when you’re in your professional process. Or where you garner wealth, or income. And you keep going. There’s a need to constantly get more than what you have. There’s no satisfaction and a place to stop. Is there an end to need? 

Synopsis: Well that brings me to I think, I believe the mother of a virus that plagues a large part of humanity, is expectation. I have a simple theory that I try to expect less because then I feel that I’ll be disappointed less. And I feel that to curtail your expectations is possibly the toughest thing to do because we constantly expect. From relationships, from the work we...

Synopsis: What has always, Sadhguru, has also left me in wonderment at times, about the usage of two words, which I’m going to say to you right now. Terminology sometimes has a tendency of making you even receive an emotion from within. Two words being, ego and self-respect. Now these are two pillars of, what we believe, self-confidence. Which is unfounded, I believe. We always...

Synopsis: What I believe surrounds us all is urban angst. That seems to be the terminology that comes out of mental health solutions, etc. And that seems to be trampened in many parts of the world now, including now slowly penetrating in India. When people deal with mental health issues like depression and anxiety. And those kinds of people seek certain chemical imbalance issues...

Synopsis: Which is what you said, to draw from within. To find your solutions. Because the most exciting line that I read was that, you know, life can’t touch you, can’t scratch you. It can’t harm you. You create your own energy in your own life. You’re in this universe, you’ve been brought into this world and it’s in your control what you do with it. Life has nothing...

Synopsis: When you speak about suffering. Sadhguru, it is definitely something that I believe, that self-pity sometimes is like a luxury spa. It’s somewhere where your comfort lies. Self-pity is, I believe, the most indulgent emotion. And it gets you nowhere, but makes you feel really good for a certain period of time. What is your take on something like self-pity?

Synopsis: I was at a crossroad about 13 years ago. And my father was very critically ill. And at that juncture of my life, and before that, religion was organized in my life. It was what was taught to me. It was what I thought the right thing to do was. When he was in his last stage, there were things suggested to me. Which were, to me now, completely ridiculous. Including going...

Synopsis: I think we bottle it down to some spiritual inquiries, some religious ones. There’s always been a debate about these two terms. Religion, and then spirituality. There are people who feel like, I’m not religious, I’m spiritual. And I’m not quite sure they know the meaning of that. But they use it because sometimes terms are just thrown around. To those people,...

Transcript: In the era of democratisisation, of technology, innovation, smart phone, internet, social media, we are becoming more and more dependent on all of those tools. I am one of them. They are as important today as food, water, as breath, as air. I'm sorry for the question. Are we human beings becoming stupid? Are we slaves? Is this the modern life, modern life slavery for you? No, I don't see it that way....

Synopsis: I’m a Hindu by birth not by choice. Basically I’m an agnostic kind of person. So my question is, we all have been encountering a statement everywhere. Like on social media and in our day to day life that our religion is in danger. First of all, this question has been in my mind since my childhood, what is religion? And the other thing, how is it in danger? And is...

Synopsis: My question to you is, we see quite a generation gap between our generation and our parents’ generation. And it sometimes so happens that we want something out of our life and they don’t necessarily agree with it. And we end up in a conflict. And we sometimes even curb our desires just to see them happy. So how do we deal with that conflict?

Synopsis: How important is a man’s semen for physical, mental, and spiritual well-being? Can wasting our semen damage us spiritually?

Synopsis: Hi guruji. In recent days, I came across several contents about illuminati. Secret society, who are ruling our whole world using the media, finance network, and farm our politics. Even many leaders, gurujis, and priests are under their control.

Synopsis: So I had this belief, or in fact I was made to believe, this whole concept of one life, one partner. But now when I see or observe that the whole monogamous relationships do not seem to be existing anymore. The whole idea of it is gone. What do you think about it?

Synopsis: Sadhguru, we as students, stay away from home, from the familial, emotional comforts. In terms of our careers, we move out seeking greener pastures. In that, we seek company in opposite sex. Some people get into relationships which gradually progress to physical intimacy. Sadhguru, the question is, then why as generations, we cannot discuss it openly? Or is pre-marital...

Synopsis: Sadhguru, another very important concept, which is very important on this campus, is of feminism. And in one of your earlier videos, you have said that feminists are just desperately trying to be men. But still Sadhguru, what is your idea of feminism?

Synopsis: We want a little clarification on this. So Sadhguru, in one of your earlier videos, you have mentioned having those leftist orientations. You have been involved in putting posters. And you have been in that league of attending late night meetings, and putting posters and all that. But when we were interacting with the students on the campus, we found out that there is...

Synopsis: Sadhguru, we would like to ask this question further. Though it is a dangerous question to be asked on this campus. So when I entered this university, as a student I used to think why should anyone enter politics? Just to make my career and leave the university. So I had this careerist orientation in life. What do you think about, is studentship and politics a good mix?...

Synopsis: My question is, I am a student activist. I get multiple opportunities to represent my organization on various platforms, specially in media. And in doing so, I garner immense recognition. But, when I interact with the same students and youths, among which I have that recognition, they expect me to practice humility overtly. So why, for a woman in politics specially,...

Synopsis: Sadhguru, the next question is, you know JNU is a very, politically, vibrant campus. And it is impossible, or impractical, to be apolitical on this campus. One way or the other, we are labelled to a particular ideology. Right, left, centre. I’ll give you an example. When I came to this campus, I did not get my hostel immediately so a student activist came to me, he...

Synopsis: My last question is about our youth. Apparently the statistics say that every one hour, actually less than an hour, one person below 25 is committing suicide. Why is that? I mean there’s a time to die and you can utilize Mahasamadhi for that. But why die before 25?

Synopsis: These days, the common discussion which is going on is about the refugees. And we being celebrities, we get these questions asked. And this is the most conflicting question ever. Because as a nation, being a part of this country, and knowing so many of us don’t even have access to food, education, electricity. Absorbing more people into our population clearly isn’t...

Synopsis: I'm Rajput myself, and when the whole Padmavat episode took place, you know cutting one of my contemporary’s nose. I was embarrassed. And also when the rape took place in Kashmir, to be pointing out things. But criminals are not religions. Criminals cannot be associated with religions.

Synopsis: I personally feel that this whole dichotomy of what’s happening in today’s society and today’s world, that we are individuals and we need to be organized as well. But what we face everyday is something completely different. I mean, I’ll tell you, for me it’s very conflicting. Like I’m working on a martyr’s biopic, where there is a scene, the protagonist,...

Synopsis: But, we have such diversity in our country. There are different languages, traditions, religions, and food and all sorts of diversity which is beautiful. Like what you said about difference and discrimination. Differences are beautiful. You know, like how a man is different from a woman. And flowers are different, and so on and so forth. There is a difference which is...

Synopsis: The way society has also been handling things is not great. It’s not really the best thing. We can’t rely on a system like that. You mean, we’re largely being organized by society, but that’s not the most appropriate way. I mean, authority isn’t either. But, there’s a set of rules there. With society, more money you’ve got, you can literally get away with...

Synopsis: So, Sadhguru, talking about spirituality and like I questioned how practical is it in today’s world? Where as like the whole philosophy of spirituality. I know yoga is the ultimate union and everything that we do in yoga is supposed to make us inclusive. So it is supposed to make us inclusive of our environment, and then further expanding that, our country, our countrymen,...

Synopsis: When I first heard about you many years ago, I rolled my eyes and I muttered something about guru types. And until a few months ago, when my sister gave me your book, Inner Engineering, which happens to be a New York Times bestseller, it changed my perspective. And when I was working on this interaction, I came across a few interviews of yours. One of them being a senior...

Synopsis: What do you think of the proximity that religion and good work, or good faith have in our country? In the sense that, someone turns up at my parents’ place, for example, and he affiliates himself with a religious organization rather than just a normal, secular organization, or labour’s organization, my parents are more likely to give him money for charity if he belongs...

Synopsis: Sadhguru, you told about clarity. If you go from the literature of self-help, everyone talks about self-belief. But then after some period of time, that self-belief turns to ignorance. So how do we develop conscious self-belief through any process?

Synopsis: I have two clarifications from you, Sadhguru. First thing is, India, from time in memorial has been producing a lot of philosophers, social reformers like you. Then how can I evaluate you, that you don’t belong to the Ram Rahim category?

Synopsis: Sadhguru, right in those lines. You were talking about asking people to change the places in which they live. So how can we make them think about society? Many of the people are selfish, they think about themselves. How can we make them see that it is harming another person? How can we make them see that we have to do good for society?  

Synopsis: Almost 280 people lost their lives. Almost 3 million people were cut off from basic amenities. The heavy rainfall caused around 3 crore worth of damage. I’m not sure if Chennai or Tamil Nadu is prepared to face another situation in the near future. What needs to be done Sadhguru?  

Synopsis: So can you please share your insights on how business leaders should act on social welfare?  

Synopsis: I just want to ask, that there are goals that I want to achieve, and I also know that there are certain things I shouldn’t do that will hinder my progress. So I’m trying to find methods of accountability for myself where I can push myself and get that. As you said that we all are trying to win in some ways, but I’m not able to figure out methods of accountability...

Synopsis: I have a question. What do you think is more important to the youth, being right and staying with their point, or staying with the point, knowing that they’re wrong? But admitting that they’re wrong, they would be doubting themselves.  

Synopsis: Sadhguru, my question is, I have seen youngsters. They are addicted to drugs or alcohol. They smoke. And I have even heard one of my friends saying, if I recollect correctly, that even Lord Shiva used to consume substance. And they take it as an excuse. And they imitate it, saying that even Shiva used to do it, why should we not imitate it? So that excuse that few of...

Synopsis: Hello Sadhguru. I wanted to know, what is the one major difference you see between the youth of your time and the youth of this generation? What’s one major difference? And what’s one quality you would want of that youth to be imbibed in this generation?  

Synopsis: I wanted to ask you one thing. As young entertainers, as you know we all have youtube channels and there are millions of people following us. Do you think there’s some sort of responsibility on us? Like, how to go about it? Or we should just do what we like to do?  

Synopsis: My question is touching back to the point which you brought up about the belief. Can you tell a little bit more about what’s the difference between belief and faith?  

Synopsis: So when I was a medical student, I was a pastor of a church here at the time. And I would write my sermons on a hospital note paper. This was before EMRs. So I’m writing my sermon at the nurse’s station, and my attending physician came to me. And he said, “Dolittle, physicians are the priests of today.” And I said, “What? What do you mean?” I was offended....

Synopsis: I actually want to talk about being a prophet. Let’s go there. Because one of the things about being mindful of the inner life. So, I wouldn’t say you’re a prophet. I’m talking about the Judail Christian tradition of prophecy. So, in the Hebrew bible, in the old testament, there is the role of those who speak truth to power. Who speak out against injustice. Who...

Synopsis: So let’s talk about making soup. So this soup of life, if you will. You know, tonight, there is a nurse, or a physician, who has come home. And they told a family member that their loved one just died. Or they treated a child who’s undergoing chemotherapy. Or they’re in a clinic where they’re taking care of someone who doesn’t have enough insurance to cover...

Synopsis: I wonder if there was some final thought or mantra that you can leave our audience with, before they go home.  

Synopsis: So what do you think of organized religion?  

Synopsis: Are you worried about global leadership though? I mean, you say, we’re living in the best time in terms of survival and technology. But, if we look at the global phenomenons at the moment. Even if we look at what’s happening in this country, with Brexit, and identity politics and people feel like they need to belong to a certain type of thinking or group, on either...

Synopsis: Are you saying that we are living in the best time in history?  

Synopsis: Then tell us, how do we get to a point of consciousness? How do we not take our impulse from smoking to something else?  

Synopsis: Do you think that technology is a good thing or a bad thing?  

Synopsis: You just said, the worst thing that can happen is if you live forever. But what if that death is, then imposed on you? So, I go back to what happened on Easter Sunday in Sri Lanka. And the attacks on various churches across Columbo, where 310 people were killed. I mean, what goes through your mind when you see this. Some would say, a level of evil inflicted on man by...

Synopsis: Pranam. Post-truth era. Are we living in a world of dishonesty? These days there are many confusing statements.   

Synopsis: We are all love deep inside. Then why do we have war guruji?  

Synopsis: Pranam Sadhguru. I’m Srinavas. Everybody is aware about the debate on tolerance and intolerance. The concept of intolerance is growing mostly among the public or the well-educated, that too from well known institutes. I never find the concept of tolerance and intolerance among the lot like BSF, who are suffering more toughness in life, more controversies, and more...

Synopsis: Sadhguru, as we all know, in our society, women are stepping up. They are becoming equal to men by working as well. However, our society is not accepting women. Nobody is accepting that women are doing the same amount of work as men. How do we change the mindset of men, parents, and everyone else in the society?  

Synopsis: I’ve done interviews for so many years in the media. And there’s always this need to have a confrontation. You know, to one up. You know, I'm going to one up the person I’m sitting with. Rather than the need to listen to what the next person is saying before you even respond. What advice can you give us, as to how we start to better relate and speak to each other,...

Synopsis: You said something that is very interesting. You said that it’s our responsibility to make the generation after us a bit better. And for me, as a young mother, it’s quite a concern. And I would like to ask you, Sadhguru, if you have three tips to give me, as a mum, on how to protect my children from disconnections of themselves, while living in society. What would...

Synopsis: With lots of respect, I’d like to ask. I loved your talk about the future of the feminine. At the very beginning you changed it, it wasn’t anything to do with the women. It was to do with the feminine. And you acknowledged the hardships women take in showing their masculine side. I would love to hear a little bit more about what you meant by the future of the feminine....

Synopsis: So, I’m bringing us back, for a moment, to family Sadhguru. And one of the things that is happening in Kenya, with much of our young society, is that we have a lot of single families. How many single parent families? How many people are aware of this happening in society today? Lot of women are left with the burden of bringing up children and struggling through. And...

Synopsis: I want to take it a little bit deeper. And you know what’s interesting, Sadhguru, is that in Kenya a lot of people do vote. Right? We have very high, interestingly enough, we have high voter turnouts. 75%. Which is possibly in the world is one of the highest. So the problem we still have, and I want your comment on this, please Sadhguru, is the fact that for us, the...

Synopsis: So I must talk about political leadership for a moment, if you will allow me. Can we? For a moment? Sadhguru, what’s wrong with our politicians? In so many of our countries, and I think in many ways India is similar to Kenya. Very vibrant countries, you know, alive. And brimming with opportunity. We know what we must do, and we just never seem to be doing what we know...

Synopsis: And looking at the society we’re living in, and the children that we’re bringing up. It’s so dynamic. If they’re looking for positive information out there, they will find what they’re looking for. If they’re looking for negative information, they’ll find it. It’s easily accessible in this highly digital world we’re living in. What are the key things...

Synopsis: My daughter is very close to her father. Do we have that in many families? Where the young lady can get anything from daddy, right? And my sons are very close to mommy. What happens in society that when they grow up, you would think that a man will always treasure and woman. And I think when families get it right, it doesn’t go wrong later. Where do we get it wrong?...

Synopsis: Back to the family. Ladies and gentlemen, if you look at much of our societies, in Africa, in Asia, and all over the world. There is a struggle, and it brings us back to feminine and masculine, as in a gender. And we do see the prevalence of gender violence. Something that we are dealing with a lot. For instance, even fighting ills such as female genital mutilation and...

Synopsis: So, let me start with a deep one. You know I always like to look at my background and my cultures. And in so many ways I think I embody two different cultures. My father’s from, his family is from Kashmir, my mother’s family is Kenyan, African. I grew up in a family where, for all the girls in the house who went through this you will understand, you say something...

Synopsis: You said you love machines. Okay, you like them. Have our lives been overtaken by gadgets?