There is a long tradition of gurus advising us how to live and attracting high-profile followers, but somehow Sadhguru stands apart from these cult-like figures, who damaged the reputation of the genre with their scandals. Jagadish Vasudev, as he was born, is an altogether more authentic, approachable sage who has built a global following with his likeable manner as much as his well-considered advice.


Words Michel Cruz, Photography Courtesy of the Isha Foundation
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There is a long tradition of gurus advising us how to live and attracting high-profile followers, but somehow Sadhguru stands apart from these cult-like figures, who damaged the reputation of the genre with their scandals. Jagadish Vasudev, as he was born, is an altogether more authentic, approachable sage who has built a global following with his likeable manner as much as his well-considered advice.


Words Michel Cruz, Photography Courtesy of the Isha Foundation
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The founder of the Isha Foundation was not always a wise man sharing pearls of wisdom about how to be happy, healthy and generally a well-functioning human being. Born in 1957 in Mysore, India, he pursued a degree in English literature before setting himself up in business. At this stage, there was little to suggest that the young man would later be a guru, but clever he already was, as he chose a poultry business on the basis that it would leave him the greatest amount of free time while earning a decent living. His free hours were spent pondering life and writing poetry, but before long earthly matters took over again and he started a construction sector company with a friend.

This promising career came to a sudden end when, after a series of spiritual experiences, Jagadish Vasudev closed shop and set out to travel and teach the yoga that had become such an integral part of his life. It was during this period that he met his wife, Vijaya Kumari, with whom he had a child, and developed his style of yoga, known as Sahaja Sthiti Yoga, with a gradually growing number of students. The turnaround in his life had come after a series of experiences that opened up the spiritual being within him. Sitting on a rock, he suddenly became infused with a sense of oneness with the world, with every particle and element of the nature surrounding him and indeed the wholeness of everything. From this moment on, Jagadish was on the path to become Sadhguru.

Spiritual awakening opened up a desire for travel, and as he crossed India he came into contact with the sea of Indian lives, many subsisting from day to day. Practising yoga and living this life, a man already given to thought and introspection, he began to meditate and imbibe the knowledge that India has evolved over millennia. In essence, these volumes of thoughts pass on a tradition of physical, mental and above all spiritual wellness that is centred upon peace, equilibrium and feeling at one with the universe and all its creations. By its nature, this is a pacifist, sensory-intellectual way of being that is generally associated with Hinduism and Buddhism but also finds expression in earlier animist religions such as Shamanism.

Ways to Lead a Better Life

Sadhguru’s appeal lies both in the life advice he gives and the way he delivers it, for instead of pompousness there is a very approachable human figure who stands among us rather than above, and appears to speak from experience when he discusses life’s challenges and pleasures. His manner and his message, as well as a fresh approach to yoga, won him a growing following, and in 1993 he established the Isha Foundation near Coimbatore in Southern India. While it primarily offers yoga classes called Isha Yoga, Sadhguru has gone far beyond just being a yoga teacher – today, he is an international figure whose short videos and longer discussions are watched by tens of millions of people around the world.

He draws from ancient Hindu wisdom blended with his personal thoughts on today’s issues to offer a particularly digestible but nonetheless profound collection of guidance on many of life’s important factors. The topics covered range from the environment, healthy diets and physical well-being, to every aspect of how achieving inner peace and balance, and ultimately contentment, is the path to a fulfilled and productive life. Oneness with nature is a given in this, and Sadhguru has won admiration for the clarity with which he explains and answers a very broad variety of questions.

The modern day sage, who infuses his musings with a healthy dose of humility and humour, also steers into political, social and environmental issues, leading the fight to save soil and the food production and health that comes from it. Though it is an almost forgotten topic, the desertification of the world is one of the biggest problems facing us, and Sadhguru has addressed everyone from the UN to India’s own Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, as well as appearing on shows across the globe.

In addition to his online exposure, Sadhguru has also authored Inner Engineering: A Yogi’s Guide to Joy, and Karma, A Yogi’s Guide to Crafting Your Destiny. They further diffuse his teachings among an increasingly global public in an age when we need a helping hand to make sense of it all and keep our wits together. Everyone has their own sage, or not, but people like Sadhguru offer a very accessible, down to earth yet intelligent way to connect the dots and plot a path to individual contentment and happiness – something we’re all looking for.
Join Sadhguru in person at his first London event in four years, ‘Sadhguru in London, Meet, Mingle and Meditate’ on 18th June 2023 and discover your natural state of freedom and joy.

www.isha.sadhguru.org/uk/en

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