In the journey of the planet, or the planetary movement – winter solstice symbolises and represents, for the Northern hemisphere, a new beginning. A new possibility. Fresh lease of life. It’s like the planet is on a moult. Many creatures on this planet, particularly – when I think of any animal, the first thing I think of is a Cobra, I’m sorry! The Cobras moult, that means they – when they think it’s time, or when it is time – they leave a layer of their skin out. A fresh beginning. So coming of a new year, is like a moulting for the planet, and for all life.
This time of the year [winter solstice] is particularly relevant for the Northern hemisphere
This time of the year is particularly relevant for the Northern hemisphere, because life is going into a certain gear, which is full of harvest, full of flower, full of fruit. Lot of people think, a new year is coming means – they must do the silliest things possible. Yes! That’s how they welcome the new year. Because we have this idea – having fun means, you gotta do something silly. When will we change this idea – that we can do something very profound, and have fun. Is it not time that our idea of a party becomes something profound we do, and that’s our party. We learn to enjoy profound things, not necessarily silly things.
So the coming new year, do you have the courage to commit yourself to something which is larger than yourself? To make something happen in this world, which is bigger than you? That’s what being human means. Every other creature functions according to its instinct; lives and dies according to the natural laws. Being human means – we can transcend the so-called natural laws and make something happen, which is larger than ourselves. Because you cannot save this life, you can only expand this life. Because if you sit here also, it will die. If you walk also, it will die. If you create something fantastic, it will die. If you do something very profound, it will still die. If you do something silly also, you will die. Anyway, you cannot save it. Yes? You cannot save it, you can’t frame this life and keep it somewhere. This got to go. Only thing is, how? And this ‘how’, is the privilege of being human. No other creature has this how to expand their life. It’s all fixed. We have this how in our hands. How am I going to expand this life? This ‘how’ is in our hands. How beautiful, how profound, how magnificent, or how silly, how useless, how lethargic.
The quality of human life will only truly change, when we change within ourselves
So Sadhguru, are you preparing us for a new year resolution? I won’t do anything silly like that. The quality of human life will only truly change, when we change within ourselves. Otherwise we could be in the most beautiful place, feeling miserable. To create what you want within yourself, you got to bring yourself together. At least that we must be able to do. Yes? It’ll be good, if you can create something fantastic in the world, but at least something fantastic must happen within you, isn’t it? If something fantastic is happening here, how can the world stop you from creating something fantastic in the world? The world has no such power to stop you.
We need to understand this – without making something truly fantastic happening here [pointing to self], if you attempt to create something fantastic in the world, it could become tyrannical. It could become a disastrous process. So, without taking a resolution – just coming to your senses doesn’t need a resolution. Should we do an amendment to the constitution, that all Indians should be joyful to start with. It doesn’t need a law. It doesn’t need a declaration. It doesn’t need a constitution.
It’s time [new year] for your to moult. That is – to shed the old skin, and come up fresh and alive
It’s time for your to moult. That is – to shed the old skin, and come up fresh and alive. A crawly creature like a snake has this much wisdom. We could expect that much from you! In some way, why don’t you tear down your old nonsense. Let something new happen. When a snake, or a cockroach, or whatever else moults – they become very fragile for a period of time. It’s a big risk. Living in nature without skin for a few days, or weeks – it’s a big risk. Just a bunch of ants can get you, you know. They can take your life. So, it’s a huge risk that they take. But even these little creatures have this much wisdom – it is time, you take that risk with your life. You tear down something about you, which has hung on with you for a long time, but it’s no good. Tear it down in the next few days. Let’s see what life does to you. Let’s see what your Sadhguru does to you – please tear it down!
I have been waiting for a long time for this thick skin to go. Tear down that skin, let’s see what we can do. Want to see what we can do? Tear down your old skin, I’ll show you what we can do! I can make you drip with ecstasy, if you tear down your rubbish.
