Indian yoga and mystic Sadhguru, followed by celebrities, reveals how being happy means never failing.
Photo by Esra Bilgin/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images
Sadhguru, the yoga teacher turned social media celebrity with more than 8.6 million followers on Instagram, says his philosophy is to always feel “happy,” adding that adopting this mindset could change your feelings about needing of a luxurious lifestyle.
“If you misunderstand your lifestyle for a lifetime, you will always suffer because someone else will always have a better lifestyle than you, maybe, or a more exuberant or extravagant lifestyle, and you will always think that you are less than them. So life is important, lifestyle doesn’t matter,” the mystic told CNBC’s Dan Murphy.
He believes that too many people confuse the two, but that it’s important to realize that someone’s lifestyle can change at any time and the lifestyle we lead is often out of our control.
“It doesn’t matter what the lifestyle is. Life is the most precious thing you have, it’s the only thing you have,” he said. “Whether you wear fine clothes or rags, what does it matter if you’re cheerful.”
Separating happiness from luxury and wealth is one of the main teachings of the guru that he often repeats. Last year, he shared his thoughts on this message on social media, tweeting: “People are dedicated to their lifestyle, not their life. Once you dedicate yourself to your lifestyle, you become a slave to how much you earn.” .
Sadhguru’s philosophy of happiness and contentment also protects him again against failure, he told CNBC.
“I don’t have such a thing as failure in my life, ever. Because I don’t suffer at all. Some things we do well, some things we don’t do well, but I’m the same inside of me,” he said.
“I’m kind of happy all the time, so I’m fine.”
“How I am, within myself, is determined by me, not by what I am doing, not even by the result of what I am doing,” said Sadhguru.
Millions follow the teachings of Sadhguru
The 64-year-old, also known as Jagadish “Jaggi” Vasudev, began teaching yoga in India 40 years ago and has since amassed millions of followers around the world.
They come to him for guidance on spirituality, meditation, and the so-called “realm of mysticism.” This concept is linked to the ancient yogic idea of the “third eye” which represents greater perception and awareness beyond what is physically visible and a state of heightened consciousness.
His fans include celebrities such as actor Will Smith, who revealed that he has followed the guru for years as a result of his best-selling self-help book “Inner Engineering: A Yogi’s Guide to Joy,” and football star Tom Brady, whose podcast once introduced Sadhguru. . Both Smith and Brady have also appeared on Sadhguru’s social media and endorsed his work, including his books.
Sadhguru says that his teachings and philosophies are based solely on himself and his understanding of his “part of life”, but his followers often think he is talking about them. He believes this is because they are all built the same way.
“Fortunately, every part of life, and the entire universe in some way, is the same replica design. It just multiplies the complexity and sophistication, but it’s essentially the same design.”
In 1992, Sadhguru founded the Isha Foundation, which runs and supports spiritual, physical and mental wellness and environmental initiatives and centers around the world. He has no religious affiliation, in part because the guru associates religion with the search for meaning.
‘Nothing makes sense’
But under his philosophy, “there is no meaning to anything in the universe.” Those who seek meaning are not experiencing life, he believes.
“If you experience life for what it is, in a moment of joy, in a moment of love, in a moment of ecstatic experiences, you are not looking for meaning. Isn’t it only when you are depressed that you are looking for meanings?” when you’re unhappy you look for meaning,” Sadhguru told CNBC.
“So I’m never looking for meaning because I’m happy all the time,” she added, relating it to her approach to life.
Source: www.cnbc.com