Omarion: And I also saw you pull up on your
motorcycle. I was watching Will Smith's interview (Sadhguru
laughs) and I was just like, "Wow, this is cool." Sadhguru: Most people understand spirituality
as some kind of a disability. It's not a disability (Omarion laughs). It is the greatest empowerment. Omarion: How do you see dance fitting in this
spiritual space? Sadhguru: I think is a fundamental responsibility
because when you have the power to influence other people's lives, you must ensure that
the influence is very positive. We come from a culture where all our gods
dance. It's the exuberance of life finding expression,
is dance. Omarion: Well, thank you so much for your
time. It is a pleasure to be able to speak with
you. I've been spiritual for as long as I can remember,
and it is just also interesting to be able to speak to a spiritual guru like yourself. I found you like maybe a year and a half,
two years... Sadhguru: I never was lost; I never was lost! How could you find me (Both laugh)? Omarion: I stumbled across... across you on
YouTube, and I always... I always... I always thought you had a great personality
and, you know, that... that's something that's important for, you know, a young developing
spiritual person to be able to connect and communicate with an elder. So, I have a lot of respect for you, and I
just wanted to start by first saying that before I have some questions for you. How's your tour been going? Sadhguru: Tour went great, thirty-six days
we were on the road on a motorcycle. It was a fantastic journey. It's been a long time since I rode like this,
nearly 10,000 miles, 9477 miles on the road (Laughs) in thirty-six days. So, it's been a very long time since I rode
like this, and above all, meeting all the Native American nations, traveling to them,
meeting them. Well, it was a bit restric... restricted because
of the... the virus situation, but otherwise still we got to meet many people, and we are
in the process of, you know... The most important thing is, I want to make
sure they're visible in the world. Unfortunately, they've become invisible. It was a major culture at one time, but you
know, kind of disappeared. Omarion: Yeah
Sadhguru: We want to put them back on the map, kind of (Laughs). Omarion: Yeah. Yeah, that's amazing. So, what kind of motorcycle do you have? Sadhguru: This time around, I rode a... a
K1600 GT, it's a BMW. Omarion: Oh, okay. Sadhguru: It's a 1600 touring bike, but it's
a sport touring bike, so it's quite nimble. It's not like the big Harley's or Indians,
you know (Overlapping conversation). It’s not... It's not one heap of metal. It's properly designed like a sports bike,
but it's a touring bike. Omarion: So how did you find exploring the
Native American culture? Because, you know, in my culture, you know,
we always have a thing where it says, you know, you're Indian, some part of you, you're
Indian. So, you know, that culture is, like you said,
not so prevalent where, you know, there's so much information about the different cultures,
and the different... the variations of... of Native Americans. So how did you find that experience? Sadhguru: See, for most people in the world,
their idea of... their image of a Native American person is essentially from a wild West movie
– a bunch of young people on bare backed horses riding, hollering all the time and
shooting at anybody who comes their way. That's the kind of unfortunate image that
is there in most of the world, because they have seen these people only in the wild West
movies. But it was also eye-opening for me to realize
that there were over five hundred nations at one time in North America. Just in the United States, five hundred nations,
and many of them had well-developed cities. And by choice they lived as hunters, gatherers,
but there were cities, place like Cahokia on the Mississippi banks, east of Mississippi. Thousand years ago they had a population of
40,000 people. 40,000 people doesn't happen in one place,
unless there is substantial organization, administration, a whole system, all right? So, they did all that. To give you a perspective, that thousand years
ago in London City there were only 15,000 people. In Cahokia they were 40,000 people, that is
the level of thing that was there. And each one of these nations or tribes have
their own language, their own culture, their own spiritual process, their own type of rituals,
everything. So unfortunately, this is not known to people
because these are oral cultures, and it goes from generation to generation and there's
been such a massive dislocation in the last eight, ten generations maybe. In the last two hundred years, there's been
such a massive dislocation of their culture. So, most of it is gone, because it's not written
down, it's not preserved as it is done in every other culture. This is purely an oral culture. If an elder dies, and if the young people
don't pick it up, it's like 40,000... it is 40,000 years of history. Somewhere between twenty to 40,000 years ago,
they have been here since then. There is archaeological proof for that. So, this long a history is just lost. If one generation either dies of disease or
war or something else happens, or you know, whichever way it happens, which happened in
the last two hundred years, and a whole lot of it unfortunately has been lost. But still there are people who are committed
to keeping this alive and going. So, my effort is to make them visible. People should know there are people like this. Omarion: Right. Well, that's amazing. I... Sadhguru: There's been a phenomenal response
across the world. Particularly in India, people had not even
heard about these people, and now there is such a big awareness, and we are continuing
to release more and more content about that. Omarion: That's so cool, that's so cool. Yeah, like I was telling you, you know, I'm
from... where I'm from, in my culture, we always have had a type of respect and admiration
even though a lot of these customs and cultures are hidden, you know. We... We feel very much so, a part of it in a very
interesting way, you know, through my history. So, I thought that that was really interesting. And I also saw you pull up on your motorcycle. I was watching Will Smith's interview (Sadhguru
laughs) and I was just like, "Wow, this is cool." You know, a yogi, a guru that... I don't know, maybe people imagine that, you
know, you don't have certain freedoms in life. Because being a yogi, and a spiritual person
is... is I don't want to say it is... is a job because obviously... (Sadhguru laughs) Sadhguru: No, most people... most people understand
spirituality as some kind of a disability. Omarion: Right (Sadhguru laughs)! Sadhguru: It's not a disability (Omarion laughs). It is the greatest empowerment that you can
ha... have in your life. Omarion: Yeah, I agree. Sadhguru: If it's a disability, I think it
should be banned. Omarion: Yeah. Sadhguru: Anything that disables a human being
should be taken away. Why are we talking against drugs, alcohol
all this, not because we're against pleasure? We're against disability – in some way it'll
bring disability, because human empowerment is in our abilities, enhancing our abilities,
not in disabling ourselves. So, if spirituality is a way of disabling
yourself, we must ban the damn thing (Both laugh). Omarion: Yeah, you know, it's interesting
that you say that because, you know, a lot of people here they view karma, you know,
as kind of a type of punishment system. And I want to know, you know, what... what
is really the nature of karma, if you can express that. Sadhguru: It's... it's uncanny that you're
asking this because coming February, Random House is publishing a book by me on karma. (Overlapping conversation) The title is "Karma"... Omarion: Wow, congratulations. Sadhguru: (Laughs) It is Yogi's Guide to Freedom. What is karma? See to put it... I will try to make it very concise; there
could be... When you kind of make it that brief, there
could be loopholes. If you see the loophole, ask a question, otherwise
it's fine. Omarion: Most definitely (Both laugh). Sadhguru: So, the simple thing is this... See, right now you are who you are, including
the shape, size, color of your body, everything is because of a certain memory carried within
you. Right now, suppose you or me start eating
dog's food or cow's food, the body won't get confused, because there is evolutionary memory
in this. You give it whatever you want, it only becomes
a human being. Isn't it? So, this is only because of information, memory
that is there across the system. Now, if you eat my food... If you eat my food, you'll get enslaved to
me, that's a different matter. Okay (Laughs), I'm a good cook. I'm just threatening you. (Overlapping conversation) (Both laugh). Omarion: With chilly (Both laugh)? Sadhguru: So, if you eat my kind of food,
you will not become an Indian, you will still remain an African-American person because
there is genetic memory in you, all right? Similarly, there is genetic memory, there
is karmic memory, there is conscious and unconscious memories, there is articulate and inarticulate
levels of memories. Like this, there are various levels of memories
stored within us. Right now, what you call as myself, even the
way you sit and stand is because of memory. People think all these things won't work. See when they're eighteen, they think they
don't want to have anything to do with their parents. You watch them when they're forty-five, fifty
they... you will walk like your father, you will sit and stand like your father, you even
begin to speak like him, you know. Because the genetic memory is inside playing
its own this thing. So, this... all this memory makes you who
you are. So now the question is, will you use all this
memory as a stepping stone for a new possibility or will you get trapped in this memory? If you get trapped in this memory, then we
say, "Ayyo karma." If you... If you stand upon this memory and reach out
for a new possibility, then we call this liberation or a liberating process. So, this choice everybody has. It is just that most people get trapped in
their memory, because they get identified with their memories. You know, right now, your identity or anybody's
identity is with their memory. Right now, I can say, "I'm an Indian." From where? It's in my memory. If you wipe out my memory, I don't know whether
I'm an Indian or what, isn't it? So, everything is in memory. If you identify with your memory, then you
get trapped in that memory. If you're not identified with it, if you're
conscious and you handle your memory consciously, then karma is a tremendous possibility. It is a stepping stone for higher possibilities
in life, because... only because of this vast amount of memory that we have gathered, right
from being an amoeba till being this complex, you know, sophisticated life that we are right
now, the memory is all there within the system. All this memory is a tremendous possibility
if we stand upon it like a stepping stone. But if you get trapped in it, then it'll put
through cycles of the same thing. So, in India, always it's like this. You know, like (Laughs) in the Indian villages,
if you meet somebody, they... they won't ask you, "How are you doing? Good morning," all this. They will just ask, "Saptingla?" This means, "Have you eaten?" because their
understanding is if you have eaten, you should not have any other problem. Because rest of the... the rest of the problems
are your making. So, if somebody has eaten well and sitting
there sa... with a sad face, then we say, "Ayyo karma." That means, their memories are tormenting
them, you know? Whether conscious memory or unconscious memory
or memories that you can figure out what they are, or you know, memories that you don't
know where they come from, but some memory is tormenting you right now, then we say,
"Ayyo karma," because karma has become a trap. What should have been a stepping stone has
become a trap, what should have been an empowerment has become, you know, kind of taking away
all the possibilities in your life. Omarion: Wow, that is a really, really great
example because I was doing some research, and I found that karma meant something different
in your culture, and thank you for explaining that. I think that a lot of people feel that, you
know, the old saying, you know, "You reap what you sow," and it's kind of that same
concept, but you definitely dive in to make clarity for me, because on my journey... on
my spiritual journey I've found that when I have experienced... experienced things that
I actually remember experiencing it, and it's almost like I told you so or you knew that
already kind of feeling, after I... You know, whether it be a performance or a
moment in a performance or dancing, because dancing is something very special to me and
spiritual for me. And I wanted to know, how do you see dance
fitting in this spiritual space (Sadhguru laughs)? Sadhguru: Well, I've... I've... I've not... I'm sorry, I've not really seen you dancing,
but people told me you're a great dancer (Both laugh). Omarion: You got to check me out, man (Both
laugh). Sadhguru: I will, I will check you out. I heard that tomorrow you're releasing some
new album or something. I will check that out. (Overlapping conversation). Omarion: Yes sir. Out of The Kinection. Sadhguru: Mhmm? Omarion: Yeah. And it is... it is really, really cool. One of my biggest... Sadhguru: Ah, let me say that. No, you shouldn't say that yourself. I will watch it and tell you how cool it is
(Laughs). Omarion: Okay, okay, okay (Both laugh). Okay, well, yeah, I recently got to travel
to Michael Jackson's estate here in the valley, they call it The Hayvenhurst Jackson estate. And I thought it was so amazing because the
first concert that I ever went to as a child was a Michael Jackson concert, and I also
got to meet... shake his hand and he has influenced my life and (Overlapping conversation)... Sadhguru: Hey, you're supposed to shake a
leg with him, not a hand (Both laugh). Omarion: No, how about… You know what, he was shooting a video, I
didn't get the chance to shake a leg (Sadhguru laughs). But it was... it was a very profound experience
for me because I remembered... I remembered how much he's influenced my purpose
in being a musician. A lot of... a lot of people make music to
sell records, and I've done that, you know, I started at the precious age of fifteen,
that's when I put out my first album. I'll be thirty-six in actually like two weeks. So, my... my purpose and my meaning for sharing
and connecting with people all over the planet has continued to grow and change. And it was so cool for my album, The Kinection
to be able to go to the Hayvenhurst estate and, you know, speak about his influence. So, the album is a really meaningful album,
and that's what I want to continue to do as an artist is just continue to give people
the tool to be positive and feel good with music. And one of the questions that I have was,
a lot of composing music, singing, dancing and performing on stage is a spiritual thing. How can I tap into deeper dimen... dimensions
of that in my life? And… Sadhguru: Now you've piled up two questions,
one on top of another man. Omarion: Okay, okay, the one (Sadhguru laughs)
I'm sorry, _____ (Unclear) I got excited (Both laugh). Sadhguru: Now... See, Michael Jackson had the power to inspire
a whole generation of people. What he did was so unique and eye-catching
anywhere in the world. I'm telling you, in the remotest part of India,
in some village where there is no... nothing, they know Michael Jackson. I mean that's the level of inspiration, he
brought in a whole lot of youth dancing like him in India (Laughs)... Omarion: Yeah. Sadhguru: ...in imitation of him. So that was a powerful possibility, but I'm
sorry, if I say something that hurts anybody, but I feel his life could have been, you know,
he could have made this into… really transforming the world in some way. But unfortunately, I feel no proper guidance
around him, no proper advisors, and all commercial people, I think it went waste, because just
five days ago I was at the Elvis Presley's museum in Memphis. As a part of the journey when we were coming
back, we stopped at Memphis, also went to Martin Luther King's, you know, that place
where the assassination happened. So, when I was at Elvis' place also that's
what I thought – he also for two decades he dominated the music scene, inspired a whole
generation of people, but his own life became a total mess because there is no proper guidance,
there is no balance. There is genius, but there is no balance. So, this is a sad story that's happened to
a whole lot of great talent in the world, particularly in America, because people grow
up on all the wrong things at a very early age. When I say wrong things, there is chemical
influence, there is alcohol, there is all kinds of distractions, that we must understand
this always, that our intelligence, our competence, our genius, all these things are important. But for all of them to find expression in
the world, the most fundamental thing is balance. Now you're a dancer, you ask, "What is the
significance of dance?" Omarion: Yes. Sadhguru: You can be as good a dancer as you
are, but if there is no stable platform, you're not going to dance, isn't it? This is all life is – whatever our dance
is, whether we're going to dance on stage or in the office or wherever, in whichever
form our dance finds expression in the world – the most important thing is a stable platform
within ourselves, a balance. If this balance is missing, all talent, all
competence, all genius, all... you know, whatever exuberant things you have will go waste. So, both these personalities, one that you
mentioned, Michael Jackson, and also Elvis Presley are a classic example of this lack
of balance. When there is such a massive talent that you're
capable of influencing an entire generation, not in one country, across the world. When you have that, this could have been used
to really create a new generation of people, new sort of planet, actually. You can... You could do this; you had the power to do
that. It is just the lack of balance. So, I'm saying, Omarion, you better dance
your way, as well as you can. Whatever it is, maybe, it is not like everybody
can be a Michael Jackson or we don't have to imitate that, but a new possibility in
that sphere, because music and dance has such a significant influence on the youth. But bringing balance to yourself, and bringing
balance to everybody who gets in touch with you, these millions of youth who get in touch
with you, I think is a fundamental responsibility because when you have the power to influence
other people's lives, you must ensure that the influence is very positive, and it is
towards their well-being, never against their well-being. So, having said that, about... You asked about dance, what's the significance
of dance. Omarion: Whoo, come on now. Come on now. That's... That's the truth. I'm sorry, but I had to just... Balance – this is so important, this is
so important. Sadhguru: So, in terms of dance. See (Laughs), I must tell you this, we come
from a culture where all our gods dance. Everywhere else, God is a serious guy (Laughs),
very serious guy, but in India if a ma... if he doesn't dance, we won't treat him as
a god. All Indian gods, male and female, always dance
because if they can't dance, he can't be god (Both laugh). Because dance essentially means that life
is happening at a... See, dancing in a particular style is a different
matter. If you do not know this, my... my daughter
is a full, you know, full-time classical dancer, Indian classical dancer. I took her off education and put her into
this because it meant so much to us that, you know, what is dance is not just entertainment. Omarion: Yes. Sadhguru: So, if you're doing a particular
style of dance it's one thing, otherwise even a child will get up and dance when it feels
exuberant. It's the exuberance of life finding expression,
is dance. When body cannot keep quiet, it wants to do
something exuberant, it will dance. Well, you guys have... might have evolved
your own kind of styles, and I don't know, you slide on the... do you do all that, like
Michael Jackson was doing (Both laugh)? Those are all, you know, what do you say,
many methods of doing it. But essentially, it's the exuberance of the
physical self, that the best way the body can express itself is dance. The highest way the body can express itself
is dance actually, because that is the highest level of exuberance it finds. So, for this also you know balance is most
important. If you want to dance well, the most important
thing is balance. But most people dance only when they're drunk
(Both laugh). We have a nightlong festival once a year,
nearly a million people, last time 870,000 people attended this event. Omarion: Wow. Sadhguru: And it is telecast nationwide in
over hundred channels in India and all this. But full night from evening six to morning
six, no alcohol, no drug, none of these things are, you know, anywhere come near us, but
entire night the whole crowd will sing and dance, okay? Omarion: Wow (Sadhguru laughs), I have to
see this. I have to see this (Overlapping conversation)
Sadhguru: It's something you must come and see (Laughs). Omarion: Yes, I am, I am… Sadhguru: I'll ask them to send you some videos. (Laughs)
Omarion: Yes, I have to... I have to experience this. Wow, that's... that's amazing. Sadhguru: See, without the exuberance of... When your emotion becomes exuberant, maybe
you will sing. I'm not saying a practiced singer or a professional
singer. When emotion becomes exuberant, people want
to sing – even those who don't know anything to sing, they will also do something hmm,
hmm, hmm. You know, at least they will hum. When the physical self becomes very exuberant,
it naturally dances, that's how it should be. Well, styles of dancing and other things are
a different matter, there are culture in it, there is various aspects to it, but essentially
dance is an outpouring of one's life's exuberance – life energy is exuberant. So, we don't consider somebody divine or godly
unless their life energies are exuberant and overflowing (Laughs). Omarion: Right, wow, that is so cool. Wow. Thank you for that. That's... that's amazing. So, I want to... I want to ask about meditation. I find that meditation has really helped me
explore life and quiet, you know, the noise. And also "Om" being the first two letters
of my name, feeling connected to the "Om," it's really... it's really brought me a lot
of peace. I understand that this is an ancient practice. Sadhguru: Mhmm (Indication agreement). Omarion: And a lot of people think that they
don't have enough time to meditate, you know, because they have been busy schedules. But I have a busy schedule, so I always find
time to meditate. What is the importance of creative... creative
people bringing meditativeness into their daily lives, in your words? Sadhguru: See the English word meditation
causes lots of confusion because different people do different things and say it’s
meditation. If... If it's in Indian languages, for every aspect
there is a specific word describing that. Okay? So, we don't have that in English language,
so let's put it this way. Esse... Essentially if you become meditative… see,
this is what happens in various practices we teach – if you sit here, your body is
here (Gestures), your mind is there (Gestures), you are little away from it. That means there is a little space between
you and the body, there is a little space between you and the mind. There are only two kinds of sufferings and
disturbances in human life – physical suffering and mental suffering. Do you know any other kind of suffering? Omarion: No. Sadhguru: No, these are only two things. So, if there is a little space between you
and your body and you and your mind, once there is a space, this is the end of suffering. So once there is no fear of suffering, only
when there is no fear of suffering, will you walk your life full stride, otherwise every
step is a half a step because, "What will happen, what will happen?" is always holding
human beings back. If you have an assurance, "Whatever happens,
this is how I will be," if you have this assurance, you would walk your life full stride. So, if you want to explore anything fully,
in depth, if you want to touch profound dimensions of your life and in turn, profound dimensions
of activity or impactful activity that you create... See, because in our life, there are only two
things. When it comes to our experience, profoundness
of experience is what we're looking for. When it comes to activity, the impactfulness
of our activity is all we're looking for. There's really nothing else. You can say it in so many different ways,
but this is all it is – profoundness of experience, impactfulness of activity, that's
all there is to our lives. So, if activity has to be impactful, it's
very important our experience has to be profound. Otherwise it'll be just little... you know,
seasonal impacts may be there, flaky stuff, it'll come and go. That's not the point. If you really want to have impact over people,
the most important thing is your experience of life must be profound. At least in that one dimension, it must be
profound. Only then you can really cause impact. So, investing in that direction, is it waste
of time? It's a silly idea to think it's a waste of
time. Everybody must invest time to make the experience
of life very profound. If you want to make it profound in an unbridled
way, the fear of suffering should go. Fear of suffering will go only when the...
you have a little distance between you and body, between you and mind. For this there is a simple process, for yourself
and all your people, you can promote this – it's free of cost, it's available to everybody. It's called Isha Kriya – I-S-H-A Kriya. It's available… Omarion: Isha... Sadhguru: Isha Kriya. Omarion: I'm about to write this down. Go ahead. Sadhguru: Yeah, it's available for everyone. Right now, millions of people around the world
are practicing it. It's a simple process that everybody can do. Omarion: How do you spell it, I'm sorry? Sadhguru: I-S-H-A, Isha
Omarion: Okay. Sadhguru: Kriya. K-R-I-Y-A
Omarion: Okay. Yes, Isha Kriya. Sadhguru: This is a simple thing that you
can do to bring little distance between yourself and your instruments of work on this planet. The only way you can do anything in this world
is because you have a body and you... you have a mind. If you lose any one of them, you can't do
it, all right? People are trying to lose it every Saturday
evening. They think they're living, but actually they're
trying to lose their body and their mind (Omarion laughs). Yes. Omarion: Yes. Sadhguru: The reason... the reason why they're
trying to lose it is, five days of the week they've suffered their mind. Omarion: Hmm. Sadhguru: Two days they want to drown it in
alcohol and preserve it for future. Omarion: Hmm, wow. Sadhguru: If you were not suffering your mind,
you wouldn't want to intoxicate it, right? Omarion: Right. Yeah, that's true. Sadhguru: If you were really enjoying the
nature of your mind, would you want to slow it down, would you want to turn it off? Everybody is talking about turning off the
mind. Why is it such a torture? Because you've not learnt to use it. Because the nature of the mind is like this,
if I ask you, "Do you want a sharp mind or a blunt mind?" What is your choice? Omarion: Sharp. Sadhguru: Sharp. So, if you... If I give you a very sharp knife and if you
do not know how to hold it, if you hold... hold the blade side of it, the harder you
hold it, the more you will hurt, right? Omarion: Yeah. Sadhguru: So, because you don't know how to
handle it, you want to slow it down, you want to put it off, somebody wants to completely
destroy it, because you did not learn how to handle it. Because to bring a human being to this level
of cerebral capability, it took millions of years of evolution and now human beings are
suffering their evolution, unfortunately. They want to live like grasshoppers. Omarion: Oh, wow. Wow. Whoo! So, I'm definitely going to check out this,
and let me make sure I'm saying it right... Ishi... ka... ka
Sadhguru: Isha I-S-H-A, Isha I-S-H-A Omarion: Mhmm. Sadhguru: K-R-I-Y-A
Omarion: Okay, yeah. Thank you for that. Sadhguru: Because you're a Omarian, there's
also "Aum-arion. It is not to be said as "Om", it is "Aum". Omarion: Hmm. Sadhguru: It is just three sounds. If you… See, these are not such things that you just
make up. If you open your mouth and exhale, you will
do "aaa". If you partially close your mouth and exhale,
you will do "ooo". If you close your mouth and exhale, you will
do "mmm". If you combine these three in equal proportions,
you will do "aaauuummm". Omarion: Wow. Okay. Sadhguru: So, this is not something that we
made up, this is the basis of physical existence in this solar system. Now we've been saying this forever, for thousands
of years, but people were debating it. Now, you know... students from the University
of Sheffield measured the reverberations around the sun and they found the sun is constantly
throwing out reverberations which is Aum. Omarion: Wow, wow (Sadhguru laughs). That is amazing. Wow (Omarion laughs). Wow, thank you so much for this. I just have a few more questions. And one of my question was how do you think
that the young people can focus on their growth and well-being rather than, you know, these
momentary topics like, you know, birkin bags or buying material things? How can people focus... young people focus
on their well-being? Sadhguru: See, when we say young people, we're
trying to address them as a separate unit in the cultural milieu of a particular society. It will not work like that. Omarion: Okay. Sadhguru: Suddenly, you cannot say, "Young
people must fix themselves," when the older generation has not fixed themselves, all right
(Laughs)? Omarion: Okay (Laughs). Sadhguru: I'm saying (Both laugh), see whatever... See, it is like this. There... I'm... I'm just saying... this is an example; this
is not my opinion. For example, some time ago in this country,
there was prohibition, all right? Nobody drinks alcohol, that was the intention. For whatever reasons, they had done that. Now people started drinking and making illegal
stuff, moonshining and bootlegging. Omarion: Right. Sadhguru: You know I'm from... we're in Tennessee. This was the center of those things (Laughs)
quite a bit at one time. So then people started drinking, they made
it legal. They made it legal not because it's a good
thing, they made it legal because anyway the government could not control the production
and sale of alcohol, so they thought it's better to tax it and make money at least,
all right? So, they made it legal. Now everybody started smoking weed, now they
made it legal, not because they think it's a good thing, simply because they're not able
to control it. In every backyard they're growing it and they're
using it, so what is the point? Better make money out of it, at least. So how long do you think it'll take for us
to make cocaine legal, meth legal? It'll all happen. Omarion: Wow. Sadhguru: Yes, if it becomes widespread, everybody
is using it, if it becomes like that, government may make it legal because people in the government
also may be using it. They've admitted sometimes (Laughs), I'm saying. So essentially, if you... at that time it
was... let's say in two generations ago, after your eighteenth birthday, you had your first
drink. Omarion: Okay, yeah. Sadhguru: So, if your father had it at eighteen,
you thought you can have it at fifteen, your son thinks he can have it at twelve. Omarion: Wow. Sadhguru: All right? I'm saying, because this is the nature of
the next generation, they always want to be one step ahead. Omarion: Yeah. Sadhguru: If you... if your father was meditating,
he started at eighteen, you would look at him and see and say, at fifteen maybe you
want to meditate. Omarion: Yeah. Sadhguru: Your son wants to meditate when
he's twelve, maybe your grandson wants to meditate when he's a child because I see in
India, children are sitting like this (Gestures) and meditating. It's amazing, they're sitting like that for
long periods of time. I'm talking about four, five-year-old kids
because they see their parents doing this. Omarion: Yeah. Sadhguru: So, culture just cannot be focused
on one... one segment of the population. When you think the... the older generation
can do all this, younger generation will be one step ahead of you. They will not be behind you, for sure. Omarion: Yeah. Sadhguru: So, it is... it is not right to
say, "Younger generation must be fixed." Omarion: Yeah. Sadhguru: Younger generation is just following
in the footsteps of the older generation, but definitely they would like to overtake
them. You know, they'd like to pass them. They don't want to be behind them in their
shadows, so they are going ahead of them. If you drank at eighteen, I drank at twelve,
what is the big problem? You were proudly smoking and blowing it in
everybody's face in seventies and eighties. Now if your son comes smoking home at the
age of twelve, you fe... you’re shocked. Omarion: Right (Sadhguru laughs), right. Sadhguru: So, I'm saying the cultural change
needs to happen in a different way. Well, that is not a overnight thing, it's
a life... you know, it's a generational work we have to do. For example, people campaigned against smoking
continuously for twenty years. Today you see in United States, nobody is
blowing smoke in your face anymore. Otherwise, could you walk into any restaurant
or any place without being smoke-filled? But still in many parts of the world, it's
still the same thing. Everybody is smoking all the time, anywhere
and everywhere, all right. So, it took a twenty-year campaign to do that. Well, that campaign had legal, social, and
other, you know, elements to it, but I am talking about a constant campaign needed in
a society as what is it that'll enable us? What is it that enhances our life? And what is it that diminishes our life? Let me tell you this. Right now, in India also this whole thing
is picking up and you know, I... I was in Bangalore. These days, I'm being invited for these under
twenty-five conferences, because they think I'm under twenty-five (Both laugh). They think I'm under twenty-five, just disguised
like this, you know (Both laugh)? Omarion: I mean, well the skin is glowing,
you know, (Sadhguru laughs) I must say, so... Sadhguru: So, I was there and you know, like
about 15,000 people are there, all young people. And I can hear... I can feel the smell of marijuana out there. And they asked me, "Sadhguru you have so much
influence in the government. Why don't you make marijuana legal for us?" Omarion: Right. Sadhguru: I said, "Why not? Why just marijuana? Let's go all the way. Let's make cocaine legal, let's make meth
legal, let's... let's make LSD legal. Whatever, you name it, let's make everything
legal, one shot. Why go one at a time, because if we make marijuana
legal, marijuana people are happy, LSD people will be unhappy. They'll say, 'Why don't you make ours legal?' Let's make everything legal. So, what is the intention? You guys are all in the university, you want
to go to the university smoked up, is it?" I asked. They said, "Why not?" I said, "We'll do one thing. I will take you on a small plane ride, not
a big commercial airline, small plane, single engine plane. But the pilot comes and he's all smoked up. You want to fly with him?" They say, "Ah, ah," (Gestures) like this,
they can't decide. Then I say, "Okay, you're not getting it. You need a major surgery, but the surgeon
comes smoked up, you want the surgery?" They said "Oh, no!" So, you clearly understand, in some way your
faculties are impaired, all right, you clearly understand that. So, what makes you think you can smoke up
and go to the university? Should you be at your best or should you be
at any less? So, I want you to understand, when you smoke
up, you're not high, you're low. So, from now on, don't use this word "High." You say, "I smoke and I'm low." Let's see how long you want to be low. See, you're using all the wrong words. You get drunk and you say you're high, you're
drugged up and you say you're high. You're not high, you're low because all your
faculties have come down, isn't it? Omarion: Wow (Sadhguru laughs). Wow (Laughs). Sadhguru: Just the wrong interpretations in
the society. You think this is the way to be high. No, this is the way you become low. The moment you say, "Do you want to be low?" You can... Can you go and tell your friend, "Come, let's
go get low"? He'll say, "No." You say, "Let's get high." He's (Sounds like – saying?), "Yes." So how to get high? You cannot get high without enhancing human
faculties. Omarion: Right
Sadhguru: By depreciating human faculties, you do not get high. Absolutely, isn't it? Omarion: Wow. Ah, that's interesting. Yeah. Yeah, okay. Sadhguru: You got a... You got a bigger knot than me on me... on
your head man (Both laugh). Omarion: Yeah, you... (Overlapping conversation)
Sadhguru: You're throw... You're throwing your dreadlocks around on
the stage or what (Laughs)? Omarion: Of course. I'm like, "Hey!" Yes. In the... Okay, yeah. So... so what... What can young people in the music industry
do to create the kind of music and the kind of life that is... Oh, I'm sorry, I asked that question. I wanted to ask... (General conversation – not transcribed)
Okay, this is a question that I have. So, because the... the country is so divided,
now more than ever, and people are finding ways to constantly segregate and divide themselves. Some artists like Bob Marley and MJ talked
about the universal love in their music and their message, and you know, that music is
truly timeless. Can music really be a driving force to bring
about this universal love during these crazy times? And what do you think about that, because
that's definitely my intention is to, you know, remind people throughout this life experience
that I feel that, you know, isn't smooth sailing. You know, you have to come into the knowledge
of... of knowing what you want, and I feel like everyone is striving for some type of
happiness, but they don't know how to maintain it. How do you think that artists can connect
to this purpose? Sadhguru: See, there are various aspects to
this. One thing is initially, you asked this question
about how a musician can bring about this change. See, it's not necess... Don't even have a concept of a universal love
or something. Omarion: Okay. Sadhguru: Because if everybody on the street
start loving you, if the bugs in the tree start loving you, you'll have a little bit
of problem, all right? Omarion: Right. Sadhguru: What we want is that you're able
to accept and respect every other life and even inanimate things to have that regard
and respect for everything, because the soil that you walk upon, the water that you drink,
the air that you breathe, the food that you eat – this is what you are, all right? You have not seen any other force creating
you, these are the things which are making you happen. So similarly, every other life, to accept
them the way they are, and to have respect and regard for who they are and whatever they
are. They have different purposes, different sort
of people, you can't go and do lovey-dovey with everybody, all right? Omarion: Yeah. Sadhguru: But you can accept and respect them
for who they are. Tha... That is most important. So, in terms of music, I must tell you my
experience of music. I grew up in 60’s, early 70’s where it's
all rock and roll and like this. My parents were steeped in classical music. Indian classical music is something – I'll
ask Tina or Vinod to send something to you to listen, so that, you know, you just get
an idea of what I'm talking about. They're steeped in it, but you know we are
rock and roll. Why I'm saying this is, see the western music
the way it is... Now, you're in what, some rhythm, what? I like blues, but I... you... they said something
about your music. What is this? Omarion: R&B. Sadhguru: R&B, Rhythm and Blues, is it? Omarion: Yeah. Sadhguru: I'm a BB King fan, okay? Omarion: Okay (Both laugh). BB King. Sadhguru: And Magic Slim. (Laughs)
Omarion: I got to do some research on Magic Slim. (Both laugh)
Sadhguru: So right now, this rhythm the... When we were growing up, the rock and roll,
though it is quite violent in its expression, it gets your body moving. You know, you can't help it, your body rocks
with it. So, there are... there is a certain type of
music which moves your body, which does certain things to you, which brings out certain passions,
and certain ways of expression. I'm not trying to, you know, I'm not somebody
who judges anything in terms of moral values. I'm just saying, this is what it does. But it once happened, I was riding, you know,
it was the university in Mysore city. I was just riding on my motorcycle and going,
suddenly I heard some very powerful, strange kind of sound that I'd never heard. It kind of got me in the gut, literally in
the gut, you know, it just pulled me there. I went there, it was sma... small amphitheater. This amphitheater is a place where, you know,
all the steps, up and down, we ride our motorcycles up and down these steps, that's why we go
there. But today, some small concert is happening,
just about two hundred people or something like that is there and I see some instrument,
a strange instrument that I've never seen, some guy's playing and it just got me like
that. I sat on my motorcycle and listened with tears
welling up in my eyes. Then I che... later on I checked out, this
is a... a instrument called Rudra Veena, you know, you can look it up. It plays very slowly. It's not any rhythm or anything. Like if he, you know, if he strums it once,
he will wait for seconds dong, and they'll wait, wait, wait before the next one and the
next one. Like this it is, very slow. It just got me by the gut. Till then, I never was willing to listen to
classical music, but after this, not by choice, by compulsion (Laughs) I listened to classical
music. Now we, you know, I'm... I'm the source of conducting various classical
music festivals in India (Both laugh) because the impact it has on you is such that it makes
you go still. It doesn't make you move. You sta... You... you... If you sit there with your eyes close... with
your eyes closed and listen, it just makes your body still, it will not let you move. So, you can create music towards a meditative
purpose. I will ask them to send you a series of music,
you listen to it, and see how you can adapt it to your style of whatever. The basis of that, you know, it's not that
you have to play that kind of music… Omarion: Yeah, yeah. Sadhguru: But you can use that basis to bring
that. When people listen to you, yes, they need
to dance, yes ne... (they?) need to enjoy that. At the same time, they should also learn...
because all movement comes fo... from our stillness, all sound comes from silence. Without silence, there is no sound; without
stillness, there is no movement. If people do not know the power of stillness,
they will always be compulsive. So, all these things which taking youth down
right now is their compulsiveness, and their compulsiveness is encouraged and celebrated
by a whole lot of people. They think being compulsive is passionate
– it's not passion, it is just compulsive. So, the entire process of, you know, like
you come from a community, which has been in slavery at one time. What does slavery mean? Somebody compels you to do something that
you don't like to do. So, whether the compulsion happened from outside
or from within, me being happy or unhappy is decided by somebody else within me, is
this not slavery? Because what happens within me, if you can
decide, this is slavery, isn't it? When people decide what should happen around
us, that itself is horrible slavery. When what happens within you is determined
by just about anything around you, this is the worst kind of slavery. If you do not liberate populations from this
slavery, or in other words, if people do not understand human experience blossoms from
within us, not from around us. Unless they experience this, being joyful
by our own nature, being blissful by our own nature will not happen. Unless that happens, the fear of suffering
is what controls and rules the society. That is why everything else in the world,
the biggest investment in the world is the gun and the bomb and the works, because fear
is the basis of human controlled right now. Not our joy, not our sense, not our intelligence,
not our love, but fear is the basis. If this has to go, the most important thing
is our experience should not be determined by anything else. What happens happ... within me must happen
because of me, not because of something else. Omarion: Thank you so much Sadhguru and I
really, really appreciate speaking with you. I'm actually writing a book now as well, and
it is my experience, you know, in the... in the music industry, and also this spiritual
journey that I've embarked on. And it would just be an honor, you know, those
bits that you spoke about in reference to dance, and what that means, you know, to the
body and freeing the self, if I could get like, you know, a four word or a quote from
you, that would be... that would be... (Overlapping conversation)
Sadhguru: I'll do that, I'll do that for you and also, I'll ask them to send you the Karma
book because the first question you asked is about karma (Laughs). Omarion: Yes. Yes. Thank you so much. Sadhguru: And I will definitely see the...
what is that, tomorrow's launching is it? What do you call that? Is it a launch? Omarion: Oh, The Kinection? The music. Sadhguru: Yeah, is it...? You're releasing it tomorrow? Okay. Omarion: Yes. Sadhguru: So where does it go? It goes on YouTube, it goes where? Omarion: Yes so, it's going to... We're premiering the thing that I was telling
you about going to the estate tomorrow, and we're also releasing the album, so it'd be
everywhere, pretty much. Probably like late tonight. So yeah, it will be... it will be out tomorrow. I shot some videos; I directed some videos. Yeah. When you get a moment, I'll send you some
stuff, you know, that you can... you can check out, but... (Overlapping conversation)
Sadhguru: Please do that. I would like to see that. Omarion: Yeah, I will. I would... I started in a group, and I then became a
solo artist. And yeah, I would like to just share some
things with you, and keep in contact with you... Sadhguru: Yes. Omarion: …and you know, maybe you know,
when I get a moment and come fly out there and check out that... that ceremony... Sadhguru: You must come to... you must come
to Tennessee. We have a wonderful place out here. Omarion: Okay. Sadhguru: We're in Cumberland Plateau. Omarion: Okay. Sadhguru: It's a 4000... It's a 4000-acre property, beautiful forested
land. Omarion: Oh, wow. Sadhguru: Very nice. You must come. I'm here till end of December. Omarion: Okay. Yeah, I'm definitely going to... You know what? I have one more question, just one more question
(Sadhguru laughs). What do you... what do you think about Psilocybin and the
mushroom? Sadhguru: I'm sorry. What do I think about? Omarion: The mushroom? Sadhguru: Oh, in Tennessee, people, especially
women are re... reputed to use mushroom to, you know, end their spouse's life, at least
the joke goes... (Both laugh) At least the jokes... At least the jokes go like that (Both laugh). There are lots of mushroom here, you can come. Omarion: Okay. Sadhguru: But we won't... we won't give it
to you (Both laugh). Omarion: Thank you so much, Sadhguru. It is such a pleasure, and I hope to speak
with you again. Thank you so much. Sadhguru: Yes, we'll catch up. Please come be... be... by... Before end of December, if you come, I'll
see you here. Omarion: Okay, thank you so much. It is a pleasure talking to you. Can't wait to meet you. Sadhguru: Yeah. All the best for your tomorrow's release. Omarion: Thank you so much. All the best for... for the book as well. Sadhguru: Mhmm (Indication agreement). Thank you. Omarion: Thank you.
