Daniel Newman: Since we are here at U of T,
we just want to let everybody know that one of the major topics that we considered when
coming up with questions and discussion topics is 'Mental health'. Which I'm sure everyone in here knows that
has been a very prevalent and a very growing topic, especially in the last few years. And especially if you're a U of T student,
I'm sure you know that the topic of 'Mental health' and to put it blunt even 'Suicide'
and such has been a very large topic, especially in the last few months. So, we have a lot of questions that are geared
around that as well. So once again, thank you so much for coming. We are very excited and honored and grateful
to be here, but to be here with all of you. So, do you guys want to get started (Applause)? Perfect, perfect. Thank you so much. Sadhguru chants Kalo Na Janati… Sadhguru: Good evening. Good evening everybody. I just decided to chant because he said "One
of the main issues is mental health." We need to understand this, as today slowly
people are beginning to understand for physical health, doctor is not the solution. How you eat, how you stand, how you sit, how
you breathe is the solution. Hello? Participants: Yes. Sadhguru: What do you do with yourself on
a daily basis. Similarly, for mental health also, what we're
doing with ourselves on a daily basis is the solution. And what we're doing with ourselves on a daily
basis is the source of the problem too. So, to start any activity in your daily life,
if you had a some… some sort of process to settle you and kind of put you in place
for that kind of activity that you're trying to perform, you would see, you would perform
your activity much more easily with least amount of friction. In the initial stages of mental ill health,
it is just a question of little bit of friction. When the friction happens continuously, something
breaks down. Once it's broken down, then fixing is a humongous
task. But ensuring there was not much friction is
a much easier thing to do. All of you young people, mental health is
the last thing that you should be concerned about at this stage in your life. But unfortunately, it's come visiting. No, it's not come visiting, it's been invited. So, keeping that in mind, let's… Daniel Newman: Thank you very much. So, the first question that I had from myself
is… Sadhguru: Hey, why are you copying questions? Daniel Newman: Sorry. Sadhguru: Why are you copying questions (Laughter)? I... Daniel Newman: I want to make sure I don't
mess this up. So… Sadhguru: Because I have usually seen people
copying answers but questions (Laughter)? Daniel Newman: So, the first question we had
was, nobody goes through life unscathed. Everybody has had a past experience with a
person or a situation that left a permanent scar on them, such that whenever we are reminded
of this, the sadness or loneliness or pain associated with the memory comes back, regardless
of how much time has passed. Is there truly a way for us to move on from
and let go of the things that have hurt us in the past such that they have no substantial
emotional effects on us? And if not, how can we heal ourselves from
this past pain? Sadhguru: When you say everybody, that's a
very sweeping statement (Laughter). It's not true with everybody. Unfortunately, a lot of people are getting
into that space. Fortunately, not everybody. I'm not in the group (Laughter). This doesn't mean that everything in my life
happens just the way I want it. No. Very few things happen the way I want it (Laughs). I want you to understand this – if you keep
the scope of your life very limited, let's say just your education or your profession
or your family, then maybe ninety percent of things happen your way, ten percent of
the things don't happen your way. But if you expand your activity globally,
then you will see only ten percent happens your way, ninety percent doesn't happen your
way. So, if you are the freaking kind, then you
will break yourself down. So, one thing we need to understand is that
if mentally, emotionally we are freaking out on something or the other… I want you to understand, there is no complexities
to this to make it very simple… You are freaking whenever things don't happen
the way you think they should happen. Hello, do you understand this? Your only problem with life is it's not happening
the way you think it should happen. Hello? That's all. If you… If it is not happening the way you think it
should happen, maybe it is happening somebody else's way and somebody else is happy (Laughs). Yes or no? And most of the people in the same breath,
they say, "They believe in God." So maybe it's happening his way (Laughter). So essentially, it's not happening the way
you think it should happen. But look at the way you're thinking, two years
ago how you're thinking, and today how you're thinking, is it the same? No. So, you are glad those things didn't happen
(Laughter). But it takes two years to realize that, that
I'm glad those things didn't happen. A whole lot of things don't happen. So, what! The important thing is, how profound and how
exuberant is your experience of life? Life is not that it must happen your way. If it happens your way, what does it mean? What is your way? Right now, what you know, from that you concoct
something which you call "This is my way," isn't it? Do you know everything in the universe? No. Whatever we may know, it is still very little,
isn't it so? Hello? Participants: Yes. Sadhguru: Whatever we may know, it is still
very, very little. From this we're expecting something should
happen. You must be glad something you do not know
happened. Something that you did not expect, happened. This means life is happening to you. My blessing usually for people is "let something
happen in your life that you could not dream of." That means your dream should not come true,
that's all I'm saying (Laughter). Something that you could not dream of that
must happen, that means you're living a fabulous life. But if something new happens that you did
not think of, you will freak. Don't do that. Don't do that. New things are happening. Something that you did not expect is happening
– you should ride on that. See there is only two ways, life has its waves. If you have leant to ride the wave… No, in Canada, you cannot ride it's too cold
(Laughter). Suppose you were in California, and you were
riding the waves, you're a wave rider. Your dream is a tsunami one day. Hello? Yes or no? If you're really good at riding the wave,
what are you looking for, the biggest wave possible? But if you never learned how to ride, then
you get crushed by the waves. Something wrong with the waves? No, you did not make yourself fit for life. That is what is wrong. Nothing wrong with life, it's happening. Are you fit for this world or not? This is happening all the time. You know, we are a volunteer organization
(Laughs). This is my lamentation. Okay, please listen to me a little bit (Laughter). Millions of volunteers, lots of things happening
around the world, big movements. But none of them are qualified for the job,
just whoever comes fills the space. I keep them up, keep them up, keep them up
with enthusiasm and inspiration endlessly. But they don't know what to do. They're enthusiastic. You know, enthusiasm without direction, how
much trouble it is to manage (Laughter). And you cannot fire them because they're volunteers
(Laughter). You didn't hire them to fire them, first of
all. So, this will be happening all the time, somebody
comes up to me and, "Sadhguru I can't work with this person, he is so terrible. She is horrible, she is that." I say, "See the world is full of such horrible
people only." If you think (Laughter), if you yeah, yeah… If you want to find something horrible, you
can find something horrible in everybody. Just in everybody, without exception. Yes or no? Participants: Yes Sadhguru: If you think what you're doing is
significant, you learn to work with such horrible people. If you think what you're doing is very significant. But if you want to work with ideal people,
you must go to heaven and today (Laughter). So, at this stage in your life, young people
don't produce a list of complaints about what's wrong; produce a list of solutions for me,
let me see… to your life and everybody's life around you. That will be a forward moment. If you invest on your problems, you will see
everything in the universe is a problem, believe me. Tell me one person here who is not a problem
in some way. If you encounter them the wrong way, each
one of them is a problem, isn't it? Hello? So, it is your skill in life that you approach
them, the solution end of them, not the problem end of them. Yes. If you go on hitting people on their problem
end you will have endless problems in your life, because everybody is capable of trouble,
everybody. Yes or no? Hello, have you found one person who will
not trouble if you touch them the wrong way? You found somebody like that (Laughter)? If you touch the trouble spot in them, everybody
is a problem, isn't it? So, you have to learn how to touch the solution
part of them, not the trouble part of them. This goes with situations, this goes with
people, this goes with every aspect of life. Participant: Thank you very much (Applause). Questioner: So Sadhguru, a lot of our students
take leadership roles at school, a lot of them are just good friends and are part of
families where problems do exist and they take the caretaker role a lot. So, what they've asked is, "How do you take
care of yourself when you are usually the one taking care of others?" Sadhguru: If you're interested in the well-being
of people around you, the first and foremost thing is you must keep yourself well. Otherwise, you will become a problem yourself. If you want to be a solution for a lot of
things, first thing is you're not the problem. Physically, mentally, in any sense, you are
not the problem, only then you can attend to things around you. Otherwise, with good intentions, you will
mess up the world. Believe me, good intentions have caused more
horrible things on the planet than bad intentions. People have very good intentions, but they
are a mess. The more they do, the more mess they will
cause. Most of the mess on the planet has happened
with good intentions. Right now, we are in an ecological mess. It's happened with good intention or bad intention? With good intention, isn't it? They thought they're doing a great thing. But in the end result is something else. So, like this, everything it is so, just your
good intentions will not do. It's very important before you touch somebody
else your hands are clean. That much you must take care that if you cannot
solve somebody's problem, what to do, it's all right. But you touching them should not become a
problem (Laughs). Participant: Thank you, thank you. Questioner: So, Sadhguru going back to what
you were saying that you need to be part of the solution and… and going back to what
Daniel was saying that mental health is such a problem here. At U of T we are constantly challenged by
new ideas by some of the greatest minds in the world. And in such a competitive environment, which
I sometimes describe as a roller coaster ride, we got on to knowingly or unknowingly. I find myself and a lot of people in the audience
would echo to this that I'm juggling between dealing with stress and finding internal happiness. I want to understand how do you live in the
moment? How do I cherish my victories or my failures
before I move on to the next… next task in life? Sadhguru: That's many questions in one (Laughter). That's a very typical Indian question (Laughter
& Applause). She left India only a year ago (Laughter). So, to address the basic aspect of your question,
which is how do you live in the moment? I'm asking you, please live somewhere else
and show me for once (Laughter). Can you? Can you live somewhere else? Then why such a question (Laughter)? Questioner: But you're mentally somewhere
else? Even if you're… Sadhguru: No, no mentally you're not somewhere
else. You're here and thinking about something. Questioner: Yeah. Sadhguru: So, you need to understand this. It took millions of years of evolution to
get you to this level of cerebral activity. Now you're suffering your cerebral activity. Somebody is teaching you, don't think about
yesterday, don't think about tomorrow, just be here in the moment. What they're telling you is, rewind the evolutionary
process, become like an earthworm. Yes, of course an earthworm is eco-friendly
creature, which human beings are not, unfortunately. But it took millions of years of evolutionary
work. I want you to just imagine, from a single-celled
amoeba to you, the most complex creature on this planet, taken enormous amount of work,
isn't it? You think it was all wrong? Hello? You think it was all wrong? So, the problem is just this, you have a very
sophisticated machine in the form of human mechanism. The simple question is, have you read the
user's manual (Laughter)? User's Manual? Participant: Oh, no. Sadhguru: No? How's that? When will you read it? When you're eighty years of age? I know it's a long way for you. But when will you read it? You must make up your mind. See, suppose you buy a phone, do you want
to read the user's manual within the first three days after you bought it or after three
years when you discarding the phone? When you want to read it? The very beginning, at the earliest possible
time, isn't it? So, right now the problem is just this. This is a very sophisticated machine; you
have made no effort to know this. Without knowing this, you want to live in
this and drive through the world in this so it's a disaster. All right. You want to know everything about the universe. You don't want to know anything about this.--****
So, you're paying the price. You know where galaxy number sixty-four is,
but you don't know where the hell you are. You are asking, "How can I be in the moment"
(Laughter/Applause)? Simply, information is very deceptive. Information is very deceptive. You have information about that galaxy, this
galaxy, you think, you know it. No, we don't know it. We just read it in the book, all right. But this is reality, existentially you're
true, isn't it? You must know everything about this because
this is you. You don't know that galaxy, that's another
matter – if you wish you can know. But you must know this because everything
that you experience, you experience through this, isn't it? Do you see me right now? Where? Right here. No, this light is falling upon me reflecting,
going through your lenses, inverted image in the retina, you know the whole story. Where do you see me right now? Within yourself? Where you hear me right now? Within yourself? Suppose suddenly I become blurry and hazy,
you think something wrong with me or with your vision (Laughter/Applause). So, right now, this is all the problem with
the world. Your vision is blurry and you think there's
something wrong with everything in the universe (Laughter). No, no, it's your question of your perception,
your ability to think, your ability to emote, your ability to hold your balance. This is yours. This is not the world's business. Hello? This is not the world's business. Somebody freaks there, you freak within yourself,
whose business is it? It's your business. If you do not take charge of this one, everything
in the universe is a problem just know this. Not one thing, everything and especially,
when you're a student in a university… Well, I was not much of a student, maybe you
are better students than me but… But when I was a student… Should I... Should I share uninspiring stories (Laughter)? It is not good for students (Laughter). So, when I went to the University… When I finished my school, I decided not to
go to the university and being an educated family... This is not like today that you can take a
year sabbatical – such things did not exist. You finish school, you must go to the university. This is a time in India, seventies, if you
miss out one year, that means maybe you will be on the street. That's only two options. Either you're well educated or you're on the
street, there is no in between other options. That's the mindset at least. So, I said, "I don't want to go to the university. I will educate myself." Because anyway, I didn't like what they were
saying in the school. So higher level of that in the university
I won't like. So, I said, "I'll educate myself," and you
won't believe… I thought people who supposed to be my friends,
my parents, my loved ones, everybody started looking at me (as if) I have done something,
some crime. It's like I've done something against them. I only said, "I'll educate myself." Suddenly, everything became different, suddenly
everybody is looking at me like I'm some strange creature who is not doing whatever he's supposed
to do. So, this one year I spent in the Mysore University
library. Every day library opens at 9:00 AM, I was
the first customer. It closes at 8:00 PM, I was the last one to
leave. I was a…why am I telling you all this (Laughter)! Participant: We're in the moment Sadhguru. Sadhguru: In the moment (Laughter/Applause). So, I was… I know these days, this generation can't eat
a full stomach. But I would normally eat two times of what
anybody eats. But I never put on weight, there was so much
activity. Every day I'm cycling forty, fifty kilometers,
I'm swimming, I'm climbing trees, I'm doing things. Whatever I eat, I'm always hungry. So, I'm a big eater. This one year you won't understand this unless
you know how voracious I was. One whole year I didn't eat lunch, which was
a huge achievement for me. I would stuff myself with as much breakfast
as possible (Laughter) and entire day in the library. Eight o'clock I come home and then eat. This may look funny today, because today I
have only one meal a day. At that time, it was such a big thing because
however big the breakfast is, by 10:30, eleven I am hungry. I remain hungry till 8:00 PM which was a huge
thing for me (Laughs). Today it's very simple for me to be without
food. So, I read all kinds of things, from Homer
to Kalidasa, to Popular Mechanics, to National Geographic, this that, all kinds of things. Nothing in particular, simply literature,
philosophy. Geography… Geography always fascinated me, it's a lot
about the world and the planet. One year went by like this. When the next academic year started coming,
drama started at home. You know, initially your father tries to put
his pressure, it doesn't work and then the final armor is mother… tears will come (Laughter). Then you don't know what to do. You have no… you have no weapons against
that one. So, I said, "Okay, I will join the college
but only if it's English literature." They said, "What will you do reading poetry? What will you do?" My father being a physician said, "You must… I've got the seat ready for you, get into
medical college you'll do well." I said no, doctor, no. Then he says, "Okay do engineering” (Laughter). I said, "This is not right. When I said no to doctor if you had told me
become a veterinary doctor, ayurvedic doctor, this doctor, witch doctor, something, I would
look at it. I say no to doctor, you say engineering." This is… this doesn't go well with me. So, I said, "No, literature or I'm going back
to the library" (Few laugh). So, they said, "Okay." So, I went there, joined the Mysore University. Teachers come with huge notes. Generally handwritten notes, and they're reading
it and ask everybody to write down. Entire class is writing… Those days it's fountain pens, they make noise
kar, kar, kar, kar, kar (Laughter), thirty, forty people writing kar, kar, kar, kar, just
irritates me. I said, "This is not it." See that notes whoever gave you that notes,
you give it to us, we will photocopy it and give it back to you (Laughter). We don't have to come, you don't have to come. So, but I have a billion questions – is
somebody going to answer damn questions that I have. I have a cloud of questions walking with me
wherever I go. Whoever I find, if I think this guy can answer,
I'll throw ten questions at him (Laughter). So, I want to ask somebody questions that
I have. But no, no they thought this questions are
too much trouble. Then I made a deal with them, that they will
give me my attendance, and I will stay out and not ask questions (Laughter). So, I generally parked myself in the university
garden, we had a huge garden. I planted myself under a tree. Then to my amazement, I found people started
coming to me – Education problems, money problems, boyfriend, girlfriend problems – all
kinds of problems. Then I discovered everybody had a problem. I was the only freako who didn't have a problem
(Laughter). I was trying to think up a problem for myself,
"What is my problem" (Laughter)? It's not that everything is going fantastic,
but I never saw them as problems, but everybody labels ordinary situations as problems. Simply situations… Some situations we know how to handle, some
situations we don't know how to handle. So, what the hell about it. But every situation they cannot handle they
give it a problem title. And that problem festers and multiplies in
their mind. So I just… people coming to me with all
kinds of problems. I heard variety of problems for these three
years, I spent in the garden. And I made a check… Once a month I went and checked if they are
keeping their end of the deal with the attendance. So, why I'm saying this to you is, we are
making a problem out of everything. See, never before materially physically, life
has been as good as it is today, hello? But this generation has become the most whining
generation ever on the planet (Laughter/ Applause)! Small things, big things, everything whining...
simply because they're taking such strong positions on everything. There is… Youth means you must be open you have not
taken any position in your life yet. Participants: Yes (Laughter/Applause). Sadhguru: The best thing about youth being
youthful is, you're not yet too conceited. You've not taken a position you don't belong
to this or that. You're open. That is the best part of being youthful. But today I see people have taken strong positions
about everything in the world. Once you take such positions, you will naturally
create huge problems in your mind. What for are you taking such positions, this
is a time to explore. This is a time to learn, this is a time to
come to a broader level of understanding and perception. This is not a time to take positions, I am
this or that. They've even you know, by the time they're
eighteen they belong to some political party. It should not be so. Till you get out and find your way in the
world, till then you must just soak up as much life as possible. Just see tomorrow, what really works and you
support that, what works for you and for everybody around you. Taking strong positions, the moment you take
strong positions, the openness of your mind is lost. Once your mind is not open, suffering is inevitable. How else it will be (Applause)? Daniel Newman: Thank you very much. So, the next question, the next topic that
this question sort of revolves around is love and relationships, which I know a lot of young
people, a lot of students… not even just young people, adults even (Laughter)! It's everyone, everyone at some point in their
life, hopefully. So, love is such like a universal topic. It's in movies, songs, it seems like such
a basic component of life yet, it's really hard for us to define it. It's really hard for us to truly know, when
we're in love to truly know if it's the right kind of love, if it actually is love. If it's just infatuation, if you feel really
strongly it must be love, because you can't get them out of your head. So, this can be and maybe that's just me as
a young person (Laughter). But yeah, so love can be a very, very big
topic. So, the question that we have from that we've
sourced from the U of T community is, what does it mean to love someone both unconditionally
and healthily? Sadhguru: Unconditionally? Hello? Does anybody know what’s unconditionally? Participant: ___ (Inaudible) Sadhguru: Oh (Laughter/Applause). There are always conditions. Are they reasonable conditions or unreasonable
conditions, that's the only way you can distinguish? But what is very reasonable for me, may be
unreasonable for you. What is very reasonable for you, may be unreasonable
for me; so, friction happens. The problem is this, that we are calling human
transactions as 'Love.' Human transactions are human transactions,
people come together for various needs. If you have to learn together, you form one
kind of group. Maybe two people will sit in the library and
study, they were only discussing the subject I mean to say. You also went to the library but (Laughter)… So, people may come together because they
have physical needs, people may come together because they have psychological needs. People may come together because they have
emotional needs, financial or social needs, all right, or maybe a combination of all those
things put together. So, these transactions everybody has to do. Various levels of life, different types of
transactions. So, what we're calling as 'love' is a certain
sweetness of emotion within you. Right now, your condition may be such you're
not able to trigger the sweetness of your emotion without the help of somebody. I'm not willing to point at anybody because
this will be misunderstood (Laughs). Without the help of another person, you are
not able to trigger the sweetness of your emotions. Now you think, only with this person my emotions
can be sweet. I'm asking you, whether it's love or hate,
anger or tranquility, whatever or whatever, pleasure or pain, even light or darkness,
does it happen within you or outside of you? Within you! What happens within you, if it needs an outside
push that means you are a low-tech machine, you know. In 1950's, if you owned a car, morning if
you have to start it means you need two people to help you (Laughter). Otherwise it won't start. But today all the cars, even in extreme cold,
self-start, isn't it? Isn't it time you upgrade your technology,
that if you sit here, you can sit here lovingly? Not because of her or him or him or her or
her. Just like that you can sit here lovingly. If there's somebody you can share, nobody
– you can sit here lovingly, what's stopping you? So, if you made yourself as a human being
with a joyful mind and a loving heart, then you will conduct transactions… various transactions
in a sensible, graceful manner. Those are called relationships. Love is one aspect which is within you. Relationship is a transaction, the other person
is involved, this is always a compromise. There's no perfect relationship anywhere. Yes or no? There is a give and take. If you are getting... running the relationship
fifty-one percent your way, you're doing great (Laughter). Sometimes the percentage tilts in their favor. You try to push it in your favor… transaction. But… But any transaction will sustain only if it's
beneficial for both the parties. Whether it's marketplace, friendship, marriage,
whatever. It will only sustain if it's beneficial for
both the parties, isn't it? So, you have to ensure even if the other person
is not competent to benefit or doesn't have the push to benefit, you must make sure the
person benefits, otherwise it will not sustain. Even if you're doing business, I'm telling
you, if you want continued customer-ship from somebody, you must make sure he benefits even
if he doesn't ask for it. Hello? Yes or no? Participants: Yes. Sadhguru: Then relationship will sustain. So, do not misunderstand these two things. I know it's.... because you're going by pop
culture of songs, music, Broadway and Hollywood. Leave that alone. You look at it from your perspective, human
emotion and human thought happens within you. If this happens the way you want it. Will you keep this very pleasant or unpleasant? Pleasant. If you keep it pleasant, you are naturally
loving, your emotions are sweet. If your emotions are sweet, will people want
to be with you? Of course, they want to be with you. Yes or no? Participant: Yes. Sadhguru: You don't have to do any circus
to have them. If you are a very wonderful human being, they
desperately want to be with you, isn't it? You don't have to do any tricks to have them
with you. So, relationship becomes easy. Whichever you… way you play, it works. You don't have to be unnecessarily conscious
– what to do, what not to do, how not to hurt that person –nothing. When you are a wonderful human being, when
your thought and… when your thought is joyful, your emotion is sweet and loving. You can conduct your relationships whichever
way you want and it'll work because they want it. All right? So, you must make yourself wanted. That's what I'm telling you (Laughter/Applause). Questioner: So, the next question we have
is about identity. It's a personal question that I've come up
with, but I think some of you might be able to relate. So, I'm a diaspora. I'm Canadian born, my family is from Tanzania,
but originally from Gujarat. So, I've always struggled to identify who
I am in the Canadian context. So, when I went to school and I had to eat
lunch, I would take my butter chicken and I would go sit on the side because I didn't
want my white friends to have to smell my food. But when I was with my family at mosque or
temple, I would all of a sudden have an Indian accent. So, I was always stuck between these two identities
constantly and these are things I did as a child six, seven, eight, nine. And now as an adult, I'm still trying to figure
out how to navigate in this space. So, my question for you is, as youth we have
the ability to adapt our identities to fit the social surroundings, we're in. How do we begin to understand our authentic
truths and act upon them in a world that expects us to change and be amiable in our environments? Sadhguru: See, in twenty-first century the
comfort of belonging to a specific community because… Especially, you come from India, in India,
people lived in adjacent homes for thousands of years actually, for millennia they've been
there in the same places. But this is one kind of community, this is
another, this is another, they cook differently. They're all together, everything, but they
still cook differently. They always get married among themselves. They've maintained this for thousands of years. I always look back and see, "How the hell
did they manage?" The cooking didn't get mixed up; you know
(Laughter)? How did they manage this? It's quite incredible they managed that. But that time is over, in many ways. We must preserve those individual cultures
because they are valuable because they evolved over thousands of years. Each one of them have their uniqueness and
beauty about them. But it b... it lost its value when you did
not understand what is a difference and what is a discriminatory process. See it's wonderful that each one of us are
different if… If there was one more person just like you
in your home, could you live there? I'm asking, hello (Laughter)? Aren't we glad everybody is different and
nobody is like us? So, whether it's… as individual person or
as a community or as a nation, we are all different and that's fantastic. But when we misunderstand differences as discriminatory
process, then it becomes ugly. When that ugliness comes, we want to demolish
all differences and make everybody into McDonald's (Laughter). Okay, because we think the evil is differences. Evil is not differences. The evil is in you thinking one is superior
to the other. Hmm? Instead of seeing 'This world is fantastic
only because we are so different.' If all of us (are) same, I won't have a conversation
with you if you are just like me (Laughter). Hello? (Laughs) If you were just the same
as me, why would I sit here and have a conversation with you? Only because you're different, you are worth
talking to, isn't it? So, differences are fine, we don't have to
suffer them. It's really wonderful that this small little
planet has thrown up so many varieties of people. Hmm? How many varieties of people? Leave the individuals, even as communities,
as nations, how many varieties of people – the way we eat, the way we talk, the way we do
things, the way we dress, everything is different and that's fantastic. We just have to educate the world that differences
are wonderful, discrimination is horrible. This distinction if we get, you can be who
the... whoever the hell you want, all right? See from generation to generation how your
parents were, they are also diaspora in Africa. They largely spoke Gujarati, they're desperately
trying to keep their culture, you know. Actually, people who come out of India in
fifties, sixties – they are more Indian than the Indian people (Laughter/Applause). Because India has changed dramatically since
then. But people who came out as one community and
living in Africa and UK, some other place – they are totally still dressing, talking,
eating like 1950's (Laughter) because they are living within that community. All this is not a problem. This is all wonderful, how human beings evolve,
adapt, do things – as long as we do not discriminate against each other. We don't think, "I'm superior to you. I'm better than you, you're less than me." This is the whole problem. So, you just have to learn one thing. Doesn't matter who comes in front of you… whoever, 'Never look up to anybody, never
look down on anybody.' This is all! You just bring this one in... one thing into
you, every difference is fine. No looking up, no looking down. Participant: Thank you (Applause). Questioner: Sadhguru, the next question is
something that we sourced from the audience and it's been a personal question as well. Sadhguru: Mhmm. Questioner: Which is that when we're on this
journey of life, we tend to set a lot of short-term goals and when we don't achieve them, we don't
know how to deal with failure. And that is something we all deal with a lot
at U of T in specific but... (Laughter) but in that moment when we can
look back and say, "Yeah, this is fine," but in that moment, how do we hold our ground
and how do we learn to see the bigger picture? Sadhguru: Oh! Should I tell you about my failures? Hello? No, you're not interested. Participants: Yes (Laughter). Sadhguru: I
have some fans who want to know about my failure (Laughter). Well, when I was ten, eleven, the only thing
that I had in my mind is I just want to go somewhere. I don't know where. So, those days if I got five rupees, five
rupees was lots of money. I bought a little bit of bread and disappeared
into the jungle. Just walked around, caught a bunch of snakes,
I observed everything from insects to worms to animals to everything. When I ran out of food and became difficult
after three, four, five days – came back. By then there was a lot of unnecessary excitement
in the town (Laughter). Police complaint, searching all over the place,
looking into the morgue (Laughter), all kinds of things. And then I came back and they were all…
this thing, but I'd left a note (Laughter). They just ignore my words and do everything
else. So, after a few times, they got used to that,
and I also grew up. So, I didn't know where but I just wanted
to go somewhere. All I knew was somehow the known situations
was kind of containing me. I just wanted to go somewhere. The moment I got a bicycle, I cycled across
South India. When I got a motorcycle I crisscrossed India
many times and I was stopped at the national borders. So, I decided the only thing is I do some
business, make some money, and right across the world. Where? I don't know, simply want to ride. So, I thought I'll get into business. So, I got in, became far more successful than
most people would imagine in a short span of time. So, one to another... I started half a dozen businesses, became
very successful everything. Then everybody was clapping their hands, except
me. They were all clapping their hands because
I was making more money than other people. I was getting little (Gestures), like that
because I got into this business because I wanted to ride away. But business after business I put one finger,
now both my hands were stuck in it, making money and everybody clapping hands, but I
was not clapping hands. I did not think it's a great thing. I think it's those five years which people
think are very successful for me – were the five years when I did not do what I really
wanted to do. But everybody else thought I was doing great. That's how world is, you must understand (Laughter). When you're doing great, they think you're
doing no good. When you think you're doing no good, they
all think you're doing great (Laughter). So, you must know whose interest is in their
hearts. So, then one afternoon it so happened, I burst
into an ecstatic state for no reason. Every cell in my body bursting, and then I
look at myself what is happening to me? Am I going off my rocker? Am I losing it? What's happening? But I know I don't want to lose what's happening
because it's too fantastic. If I simply sit here, I'm dripping ecstasy. Then I pay attention to it. What is it that's happening to me? Then I realize if I don't mess with my mind,
I'm just ecstatic. Even now, just see... it's just the cerebral
activity that you're not able to deal with, isn't it, which causes so much all this. If you know how to distance yourself from
that, this life will burst into ecstatic state. When you were a five-year-old girl, simply
jumping around. Simply because there was a... not much cerebral
activity; simply, life was a joy just to be alive, isn't it? Even now you will become like that if you
know when to keep your cerebral activity on, when to keep it off. When I realized, if you don't do anything,
you will become ecstatic. Then I thought, what's the big deal? I will make the whole world ecstatic. On that day, the world's population was 5.6
billion people, then I sat down and made an elaborate plan. How I will make the world ecstatic because
it's so simple. If they don't do anything, they will be ecstatic. I didn't think people are so invested in misery
that it will take lot of coaxing (Laughter). Then I made a plan in two and a half years'
time, I can very easily make the world ecstatic! I thought I'll execute this plan. Because you are a consulting business person,
I'm telling you (Laughter). I had everything clear cut, because this is
this simple. If I talk to them, why will they deny ecstasy? They will all go for it. Huh, thirty-eight years (Laughter/Applause). Hey, don't do this, you're clapping at my
failures (Laughter). So, people today say we have touched somewhere
between eight hundred to nine hundred million people, but that's not my idea of the world. Population has grown to 7.6 billion people. Now, I know I will die a failure, but I am
a blissful failure. Okay. Because, first is I learned how to fix myself,
before I do anything in the world. If you fix yourself, will you fix yourself
in a pleasant way or unpleasant way? Participant: Pleasant way. Sadhguru: Pleasant way. So, if you become joyful by your own nature,
then you do something in the world. Depending upon the times in which we exist,
we must understand this, never under… underestimate this. Depending upon the times in which we exist,
we do certain things, or world allows us to do certain things, isn't it? Today, you're in university, all of you here,
because this is twenty-first century. If this was twelfth century, ah... maybe you
would be fighting a war, maybe you would be plowing the land, maybe you would be doing
something else. So, you being a university is not your achievement,
it is the times. You have some role, you have a stake in it,
but it is the times which is allowing you to do this, isn't it? Historically, at what time we are born is
deciding most of what we do. So, do not make that a big affair. First and foremost thing is to grow this one
(Referring to oneself), this piece of life to its highest possibility. If you grow this one to a certain level of
capability, competence and well-being, this will do something in this world, according
to the times. Instead of that, what you're trying to do
is, you're trying to upgrade your activity without upgrading the machine. It is like you took an old beat up pickup
truck. I won't name the brand because they're just
across the Great Lakes (Laughter). You (Laughs)…You took one old beat up truck,
pickup truck you have, but you suddenly got a desire – you want to go into the Formula
One racing. You went! Now your four wheels will be going in four
different directions (Laughter). You want to get onto the track, at least buy
a standard Ferrari. Hello? If you have an upgraded machine, is your activity
naturally upgraded I'm asking you? But without upgrading the machine, if you
upgrade activity, upgraded activity is creating enormous suffering, isn't it? See those of you who are thinking it's very
hard to be in the university, I can take you back home and make you plough the land (Laughter/Applause). Very easy! You don't know what it is (Laughs). So, I'm not trying to make fun of things. But I want you to understand the privilege
of being in the times in which you are, where our survival process is better organized than
ever before in the history of humanity. Yes or no? Hmm? Yes or no? Participant: Yes. Sadhguru: Are you materially not living better
than your parents and grandparents? Participant: Yes. Sadhguru: Unless your father was a Maharaja
in India or something? You're common, so definitely, you're living
better than then, isn't it? Especially, all of you, young women who are
here, I want you to acknowledge this, that this is the best time to be a woman on this
planet. It never was this good (Cheers/Applause). Well, still there are issues which we have
to improve, no question about that. But isn't it better than ever before? Participant: Yes. Sadhguru: If we do not acknowledge what we
have, we will not create what we want – just know this (Applause). Questioner: Sadhguru while we're really enjoying
this conversation and I don't want to bring it to a pause, but I would like to open up
the floor to audience questions at this point. Questioner: Okay. My question is that why we do pooja or any
kind of ritual into our Hindu religion or those kind of thing? Sadhguru: Why does somebody do pooja? Questioner: Yeah. Sadhguru: Okay. Okay. Do you brush your teeth every day in the morning
(Laughter)? No, I'm just asking. You do? Why? Questioner: Obviously, for the cleanliness
and the breathing. Sadhguru: Oh. So, you understand that. There are many people for a long time in the
history of humanity, they never brushed their teeth. Yes or no? In previous generations of people, by the
time you're forty, forty-five, most people lost their teeth and it was perfectly normal. You're fifty and you still have all your teeth
– was a big surprise. Yes, it was, two generations ago. So, today everybody has their teeth intact
because everybody's taking care of those things. We are glad... because it's not only for their
well-being for our well-being also (Laughter). Similarly, I don't know what kind of pooja
you're talking about, I am not the pooja kind. So, I wouldn't make a very sweeping comment
on that. But generally, people evolved processes to
fix themselves in so many different ways. For teeth they had this, for their mind they
had one kind of thing, for their emotions they had another kind of thing. Like this they evolved processes. If for generation somebody is doing it, it
must have worked to some extent at least. Is it absolutely working? May be not. But is it worked in some way? Yes. Just because you brush your teeth does it
mean to say you will never go to the dentist? You still go. So, just because you do pooja does it mean
to say you will never get a problem? You still get, but a lot of things managed
by simple processes. Questioning it from outside thinking this
is ignorance, this is this, this is that – is not right because... like this… I'm not the pooja kind I can't defend that
because I don't do it myself. I must admit now, in my entire life, never
once in my life have I ever prayed, never prayed. I never did that because such a need never
arose within me that I need to pray for something. So, I'm not the right person. But I have seen certain rituals which are
powerful, which is making a huge difference for people. Oh, they should not be destroyed. They're very important because people brought
much well-being within themselves, around themselves by doing certain things. Right now, when I sit here, you might have
noticed that I'm doing a simple process with myself. Why is this? See to do different types of activity in our
lives, our energies need to be focused differently. Let's say... because you took the microphone,
let's say you want to sing. You will see singers, good… good ones, I'm
talking about those who have invested their life into music. You will see before they sing, they're (Gestures)
preparing, they have their own little ritual. Something of their own, each person might
have developed their own. Or if you're in India, they may have a traditional
ritual which they do before they sing. And this keeps his voice, his well-being more
than anything to sing. The maximum amount of your energy should be
in your throat. If it's in your hand at the time, it's not
going to help. To perform different types of activities beyond
certain level of competence, you need your energies focused. Why do you think one human being is able to
do a certain activity so well, another person just can't do it, simply because their energies
are focused that way, either naturally or by training? An athlete before he runs, he's doing his
own little ritual so that he doesn't get his cramps and this and that, that's his own ritual. If he doesn't do that ritual, can he not run? Maybe he will run. Maybe he will still run, but he knows, to
perform beyond a certain limit, certain amount of preparation definitely helps. So, like this people evolved different kinds
of rituals. There are very powerful ritualistic processes. The problem with the ritual is just this… The problem with the ritual is not the ritual
itself, the problem with the ritual is the integrity of the people who conduct these
rituals, which is a serious issue. Because integrity is the certain low in the
world generally, rituals can become very problematic because they have a certain power about them. There are two ways to bring well-being. See, we are on the yogic path, for us well-being
is all internally organized. We don't depend on any ritual, whatever. But is everybody capable of doing this – investing
their life for their internal growth, managing it well within… from within themselves? No. People need a ritual. Hundred people are sitting here, they are
not able to do things by themselves. So, you will do some common process for all
of them. Something that they cannot do by themselves,
you try to impact them in a certain way so that they benefit. If they could do everything internally, no
need for any ritual. I have no need for any ritual in my life. But is everybody like that? No. Initially, when I was young, I refused...
to make any kind of even smallest ritual available to anybody, because I was young and little
cruel. I said, "You better work for your well-being. Why should I do anything for you?" But slowly, I see there are many, many people
who will never take that level of commitment to work for their own well-being. You have to do something to them. So now we do certain things, minimizing it,
keeping it at the minimum. But if people need something, we do something. But the basic focus is, the best thing is
your well-being comes from within you, because that way you're free. If your well-being comes from me, in some
way, you unnecessarily become leaning on me. We don't want this, but those who need a crutch,
shall we tell them, pull off the crutch and say, "Walk right now?" Shall we do that? That would be very cruel, isn't it? So, rituals are there. Ritual is not the problem, the integrity of
the people who conduct the ritual is a serious problem. That is what we need to attend to. Don't throw the baby with the bathwater. Bathwater has become dirty, but the baby needs
to be rescued (Laughs) (Applause). Questioner: Namaskaram Sadhguru. First, I like to start by saying that thank
you for everything that you have done. I've taken your Inner Engineering course a
while back and it has done amazing things to me. I always thought that in order to be spiritually
liberated, you need to find yourself a guru. And in the process of doing so I've travelled
to I guess Nepal and India looking for a guru. I've read an article that you published online
where you've said that if you… "How do you know when you find your guru,"
and you've mentioned that if you know… If you meet someone who almost threatens you
and you want to leave, but at the same time there's something that brings… that brings
you back to this person then you found your guru. Like, can you have multiple gurus? Or how do you know you're in the right path
that hey, this is working for me and I should be doing this (Laughter)? Sadhguru: Mhmm (Laughs). Isn't he... Isn't he asking this question to the wrong
person (Laughter)? See, first and foremost thing is when somebody
is saying something, okay, you listen to them. Don't believe them. You must listen carefully, but don't have
to believe. You must look at them carefully. Whatever they're talking – has it worked
for them? If it's worked for them, obviously they know
what they're talking, so you must stay. So, is this my ultimate guru? Is he going to take to the end? Let's see. Let's go one step at a time. You don't know what is ultimate, isn't it? If you (he) helps you with the present level
of your limitations, let's go to the next step and see what the hell he can do. If he does something meaningful, stay; otherwise
go. Hello? So, don't think in those terms. See every year I am trekking in Nepal and
Tibet. Here there is one Sherpa guiding me, he is
an illiterate fellow, all right? But on the mountain if there are two ways
and I want to go this way, he won't say, "Sadhguruji, please come like this" (Few laugh). He'll say, (Gestures) "Hmm," I just go that
way, (Gestures) "Hmm". He treats me like I'm his mule or something
(Laughter), but I just follow him, because there you better follow him. You understand? Because the simple thing is this. He knows the terrain; you don't know the terrain. The same goes here. If you think somebody knows the terrain, you
take instructions. If you think they don't know the terrain don't
stay there. Why are you wasting your time? Isn't it? So, a simple way to find out is that – I'm
saying something, you must look at me carefully – has it really worked for me first or am
I talking some scripture to you? If you think it's worked for me, you must
hang on. If you think it's not worked for me, you shouldn't
waste another moment with me (Applause). Questioner: So, I've been watching your videos
for quite some time. And you know, you've made an interesting comment
that you know, when you think of god, most people think of him as an old man sitting
up there with a big beard, you know passing judge... (Laughter /Applause) Sadhguru: You talking about me (Laughter)? Old, beard, sitting up here (Laughter). Tell me further (Laughter). Questioner: And so, my question was, I was
curious to understand what in your definition would be… would be god? Sadhguru: (Laughs)! See, the reason why in every culture people
have come up with their own concept of god… Every culture has a different concept of god,
but everybody has come up with some concept of god because they have no explanation for
creation. Isn't it? Hello? You came out of your mother's womb and looked
around, too much creation. You know you didn't do it. Then you looked up your mother, maybe she
did it. Well, she delivered you but she did not deliver
the planet, you know that. Then you looked at your father. No, not him (Laughter)! You looked at every other adult around you. Nobody looked like competent enough to make
all this happen, isn't it? Yes or no? Participants: Yes. Sadhguru: There's not one person here who
looks like he is competent to create this whole creation around us. So, the simplistic conclusion is, there is
a big man sitting up there. Uff, I fit the definitely... description (Laughter),
at least the western description I fit. In India I don't fit (Laughter). But now there is an argument, a big argument
in the United States churches "Is god a man or a woman?" The last election they tried to settle that
issue (Laughter). Didn't work that way (Laughs). So, your ideas of god are essentially cultural
in nature. You know, Idi Amin, you've heard of Idi Amin? You know, Uganda man? Hmm, not Tanzania but in Africa. Idi Amin declared, "God is black." I agree with him, hmm. I agree with him (Laughter) because if a white
man can have a white god, why can't a black man have a black god? So, this argument also is going on, particularly
in the US churches. They tried to settle that in the previous
election (Laughter /Applause). But in India we know god is brown (Laughter). Tch, we… especially Indians who live outside
of India, very proud of this because, you know, we know what god looks like, because
he himself visited India nine times (Laughter). You don't know this? Hello? Nine times he himself visited. To other places he sent his son, his messenger
(Laughter/Applause). Indians… Indians are very proud of this (Laughter),
to other places only messengers and sons went; to India he himself came. I keep reminding them, that is because god
wouldn't trust anybody else with Indians (Laughter). He wanted to do the job hands-on with Indians. So, he himself came, not once, nine times
(Laughter). And he failed (Laughter). Nine or ten times we can debate but failure
you cannot debate, isn't it? Obviously, he failed, what do you think (Laughs)? With the Indians… Participant: It's... It's a perspective that we can take. He maybe didn't do the best job, yeah, but
(Laughter) he was good. But he was good, he created you, me, all of...
so many of us. Sadhguru: Yes, but coming hands-on, it's a
failure, isn't it? He could have sent somebody like everywhere
else (Laughter). So, our ideas of god are coming because we
have no explanation for creation. What you are referring to as god is essentially
that which is the source of creation, isn't it? Participants: Yes. Sadhguru: Because you are a human, you are
imagining it has to be a big human being. Suppose you were a buffalo; you would definitely
think it's a big buffalo. You heard of the big yak in Tibet, you've
not seen. I went hunting very big yak. I drove all over Tibet, took permissions and
drove off road everywhere to see the big yak because they told me, "The big yak from horn
to horn is six feet wide." I wanted to see this animal. "Oh my god, how would it be?" Then after driving everywhere, I realized
it's little got big in their heads (Laughter). He's little bigger than the domesticated yak,
but it got so big, they said it's six feet wide, the horns. Then I said I must see this. But there was no such animal anywhere in Tibet. So, if you are a buffalo, you would definitely
think god is a big buffalo, isn't it? So, our ideas of god are childish, but it
is a fact that you and me did not make this creation happen. That's a fact, isn't it? But you don't know how it happened. With all the exploration of science, we still
do not know how it exactly happened. Nobody knows, isn't it? You pay attention to a flower, to a leaf,
to an ant, to an insect. If you pay enough attention, each one of them
smacks of tremendous sense of intelligence, isn't it so? Hello? If you put filth to the root, it becomes a
flower. Fantastic or no? Look at you, look at you, just the soil that
you walk upon, look at you how you are sitting became such a sophisticated machine, isn't
it? So, whatever is the source of creation…Well
sappy people are saying, "God is love," desperate people are saying, "God is compassion." Other people are saying, now it's a in thing
in North America, "God is empathy." They... They've not been hit by life yet (Laughter). But if you pay enough attention to creation…
because it is the presence of creation which has given you the idea of god in your head,
isn't it? If there was no creation, you wouldn't think
there is a God. If you pay enough attention to every piece
of creation, what you will see is it’s intelligence, intelligence, intelligence – intelligence
beyond what you can contain in your brains. Yes or no? But nobody said, "God is intelligence," unfortunately. If we had said that, definitely we would be
populated with more intelligent human beings rather than the sappy ones. You know, we are… our center is in Tennessee. We have a large center there. When I was new there, I walk into this town,
which is a one-horse town literally, a small town. And I'm walking on the street and greeting
people, smiling at them, thinking they'll be happy to see a new face. But it's a different kind of setup. I'm just, I'm just at the right complexion,
a shade darker than this cannot be there in that town. I'm just on the edge. So, one big man… this wide, over six feet
tall, comes and stands close to me. He looks down at me and says "God loves us." Then I say, "The way you are, only God can
love you" (Laughter). Before this went inside and worked, I had
to go away (Laughter) because everybody is concocting their own ideas. Leave your ideas, pay attention to the creation. Tell me if this flower has to blossom, nobody
sprayed perfume to the roots, they put filth. Hello? They put manure. That manure became fragrance. This means, "Is there a tremendous amount
of intelligence functioning in this rose plant?" Hello? You ate a piece of bread and this became a
human being; is there a tremendous amount of intelligence beyond your brains functioning
within you? Participants: Yes. Sadhguru: So, this is the source of creation
right now for you. If you access even one drop of that intelligence,
you will live magically, instead of becoming hallucinatory. If you believe things that you don't see,
you will become hallucinatory. But if you access things which are not in
your access right now, your life will get tremendously enhanced. That's what you should look at. Right now, there is an intelligence here which
can turn a piece of bread into a human being. If I took a loaf of bread in my hands and
made it into a human being, who do you think I am? You would think, I'm the source of creation,
isn't it? Every one of you is doing this in your stomach,
of course, not in your hands. But no access! So, if you don't have something, it's okay. But if you have it and you don't access it,
this is a crime, isn't it? So, my entire life's work is just this, so
that you find access to the source of creation that also throbs within you. You are right now a piece of creation, that's
fine. But you are also the source of creation within
yourself. If you find access to that intelligence, you
live in a magical way. Other people will think you are superhuman. But this is not about being superhuman, this
is about realizing being human itself is super (Applause). Questioner: With respect to interpersonal
promises and intrapersonal promises, I feel there are two types of promises that we make
to others and to ourselves. How do we balance both of those, especially
considering that sometimes we have to keep the interpersonal promises at the cost of
your intrapersonal promises? Sadhguru: A promise is meaningful and valuable
only when you make it to somebody else. Because, you make a promise to somebody because
they don't know what the hell you're going to do with them. Hello? That's the reason why they demand a promise
from you, isn't it? Hello? You say, "I will give it to you." They'll say, "Promise" (Laughter)? Because you say one thing and you do another
thing (Laughs). So, promise is a meaningful thing only in
a relationship with somebody. With yourself, what is there to promise? What is there to promise? Promise is a transaction between two people. It is like signing an agreement. Tch, see we're making a business deal, we
sign a contract. Why are we signing it? So, that we don't go back on it. Right? Because today what we think is very nice,
tomorrow morning, I may have a different perspective. So, tomorrow morning if I have a different
perspective, I want to change the deal tomorrow morning. But I have signed, can't go back on it. So, promise is a verbal signature. I say, "I promise," that means I'm going to
do it. I've signed. Not held by some legal contract, but by my
own integrity, because I said so, I will do so. But when it comes to myself, what is there
to promise? This people may be using to deal with their
compulsive nature. 'I promise myself I will not drink before
seven o'clock in the evening (Laughter)! 7:45 PM. Don't make such promises because the only
way… the only and only way you can handle your compulsiveness is with consciousness,
just know this. There is simply no other way. Whatever commandments you have from elsewhere,
whatever promises you make to yourself, whatever vows your take, they will all make you freaky. You may stop one thing, something else will
happen when you forcefully make yourself do something within yourself. This… can I tell you a joke? Okay. Participants: Yes. Sadhguru: But this is a serious question (Laughs). It once happened, Shankaran Pillai offered
(Laughter)… you can't do that. He is not always funny. Sometimes he is serious (Laughter). Shankaran Pillai offered a ride for an office
colleague, a female office colleague, a young woman because she didn't have a ride that
day. So, he was driving her, then suddenly he became
like an octopus, that is, his limbs were all over her. She pushed him away and said, "You Idiot! I got into your car thinking you are a decent
fellow. What are you doing here?" He said, "I'm sorry, I quit smoking" (Laughter). Don't do things forcefully with yourself. The only way you can beat compulsive process
within you is by becoming more conscious. If there is darkness in this room, can all
of you together, with all the strength that you have, can you kick the darkness out of
this hall? Hello? No, if you just turn on the light, it's gone,
isn't it? Because you must understand, compulsiveness
is just absence of consciousness. Like darkness is just absence of light; compulsiveness
is just absence of consciousness. Instead of becoming conscious, you're trying
to play tricks with darkness. It's not going to work like that. If you compulsively, strongly stop one thing
by will, it will manifest itself in some other way and some other way. No, you must become conscious. How to become conscious, that's another part
(Applause). Questioner: Hi Sadhguru. How are you doing (Laughter)? So, my question is that we learned that we
are sophisticated machinery, and that we must learn how that sophisticated machinery works. But how do we approach that? How do we go about learning how this sophisticated
machinery works? Sadhguru: Unfortunately, we have created a
movement in the world, education being the core of it. There (are) many other aspects. Education is the core of it, where it's always
about conquering the world. Right from kindergarten, they're only asking,
"Who is number one, who is number two, who is number three, who is number last." It's always about being better than somebody. It's always about conquering something. See, conquest is one way of having things,
but inclusion and embrace is another way of having things. If you have somebody in your life that you
have conquered, "I have conquered him and he has to be here." Well, he will ensure that my life is miserable
moment to moment. Yes or no? Dhanya, can I trust you on that or no (Few
laugh)? Yes, you will. But, if I have included him and he is here
by choice, now, he will be a great asset to have around me. This is the choice you have. But unfortunately, the orientation of the
education... Education is a consequence of the general
attitude in the society. We have become a conquering mode. I think this is a fall-out from the imperial
way of existence that we've had for last three centuries. That we think we are powerful and we are good
only when we have everybody at our feet. Well, with technology, with worldwide growth
of human aspiration, having everybody at your feet, times are over. Everybody needs to come to their senses. Having people at your feet, those times are
over. Because many things have changed in the last
one century, that you cannot conduct the world that way. But still we have not managed to change the
education system fundamentally. Here still you're struggling, "Who conquers
whom?" When you want to race with somebody or when
you think life is a race, all you want to do is get to the finish line fast, isn't it? Hello? Participants: Yes. Sadhguru: If entire life is a race, finish
line is death. Why don't you get there quick? Hello? Is that what you want? People are telling me that is also happening
in the universities unfortunately. That is also happening, most unfortunate. Why would a young person want to take his
own life? But such a thing is happening, I'm telling
you, in India in 2017, 18,600 students below eighteen years of age, committed suicide – below
eighteen. Out of this, 7400 students were below fifteen
years of age. Can you believe it? Twelve, thirteen, fourteen-year-old children
taking their own life! How? What... What is it? If thousands of children below fifteen years
of age want to commit suicide, don't we realize that we're doing something fundamentally wrong? Hello? Participants: Yes. Sadhguru: A child, a child of twelve, thirteen,
fourteen must be exuberant, full of life, excited about everything in the universe. But they want to kill themselves! And ninety-nine percent of the time, it's
because of the education system. The burden of the education system; because
not everybody is geared for being a conqueror. Many people feel distasteful when they have
to conquer something. Some people feel like this (Gesture). Other people… more sensitive people feel
horrible when they have to sit on somebody else's head. Hello? Yes or no? Participants: Yes. Sadhguru: But the only way to succeed is that
I must trample on you. It is distasteful for me, but if you don't
give me any other way, I may do it. But when I can't do it, I'll do something
else. This needs to be looked at. This is not an individual issue. This has become a global phenomenon. This is not in one place; this is not in one
university. Schools… I'm saying below eighteen years of age, below
fifteen years of age… When they want to take their own life, we
are doing something very fundamentally wrong in the society. The main problem is this, we want everybody
to be conquerors. Not everybody has a heart to be a conqueror. Not everybody wants to conquer anything. Hello? Everybody would want to explore, engage, understand,
but not everybody wants to conquer. But we have set the whole world in a conquest
mode. So, the only way is, all the sensitive people
will get trampled, the crudest lot will get to the top. Not a good way to structure this society in
this world. This needs to be addressed. The students, the youth of this world should
take it up, bring it to a debate. Instead of debating all kinds of things, “Should
we make marijuana legal or not, cocaine legal or not (Laughter)”...!? You must debate this that what form of education
do we want – not just at the university, it must start at the kindergarten. Is it about making you into a sensitive, intelligent
human being or is it about making you a fighter who kills everybody and stands there like
this over somebody's blood? If somebody falls down with bleeding injuries,
I can't do this. Hello? Can you? All of you? Suppose I smash you up in the face and you
fall down there bleeding, my heart will bleed, I can't do this, when you're down. Very few people can do that and they must
remain few. Hello? They should not run this world. Yes or no? Participants: Yes. Sadhguru: Their number should remain few,
they will always be there, but they must be few and they should not be the empowered population
of this world ever in future. In the past, it was so. Whoever had the biggest muscle, he was the
boss. Yes or no? Today, if you have big muscles, at the most
we'll put you at the security gate (Laughter/Applause). So, the world has changed. It's time we change the structures which make
people. Education is an important process because
nearly ninety percent of the human population is passing through that one sieve, isn't it? Hello? All… There are many other structures in a society. We may go there, we may not go there, but
nearly ninety percent of human population is going through this one sieve called education. This sieve should become a sensitive, very
humanistic sieve. This is... this should not be an imperial
sieve. This should not be a, you know, an Adolf Hitler
or Alexander the Great kind of sieve. Right now, we're trying to produce them. We're trying to produce them always. We're trying to produce tyrants who will enjoy
other people's failures, isn't it? Hello? Participants: Yes. Sadhguru: I want to be number one, means what? I enjoy all of you have failed. Why? Why have you brought this about? It's time the youth of this world stand up
and demand a more sensitive, humanistic education process for your own growth, well-being and
the well-being of the world because this world is yours tomorrow (Applause). Questioner: How do we counter balance the
power of social structures put on by popular culture? It feels like it sometimes holds youth in
ignorance and has them carry out a suede perception of self-worth, and can also lead people to
destructive behaviors like drugs and alcohol because it's so cool. This is the most common thing amongst us (Laughter),
young people – marijuana, alcohol, bad habits – it's pushed onto us from pop culture. What do we do? We can't avoid it. It's everywhere. How can we stay on our path and ascend? It's human to fail in these habits but it
does not feel right. It is impossible to escape. What do we do (Applause)? Sadhguru: Oh, I see it's a popular question
(Laughs). See, instead of looking at these things as
moral stuff, whether it's right or wrong, because never have we been able to really
decide what is right and what is wrong, isn't it? For thousands of years we have debated the
same things without being able to arrive at what is truly right and what is truly wrong. One generation thinks this is it, next generation
thinks that's trash. Yes or no? All the time. So, let's look at it this way, to enhance
your life, is it the goal… Is it the reason why you're in the university,
in some way you want to enhance your life, isn't it? Hello? Participants: Yes. Sadhguru: Well, somebody wants money, somebody
wants wealth, somebody wants knowledge, somebody wants relationships, somebody wants love. Why? Because you believe it'll enhance your life
in some way. Yes or no? Participants: Yes. Sadhguru: Enhancement of life. We are not looking for money, power, love,
anything. We are actually looking how this can be little
more than what it is right now, isn't it? So, if you want to be little more, is it important
that all your faculties are little more heightened than what it is right now? I'm just saying for simple ways of looking
at things. Suppose you could see better than the way
you're seeing right now, would your life be enhanced somewhat? Yes or no? If you could think better, see things better
mentally, would your life be enhanced? So, essentially enhancement of your faculties
is enhancement of life in many ways. This question is everywhere. Youth in India are asking me all the time,
"Sadhguru, you have influence in the government. Why don't do make marijuana legal for us?" I said, "Why marijuana? I'll make cocaine also legal (Laughter). You want meth, we'll make that also legal. What's the problem?" The problem is just this, so I asked them,
"See, let me take you, you know, I'm a licensed pilot. So not me, but we'll get another pilot for
you. On a small plane will take you on a nice ride
but the pilot comes smoked up. You want to fly?" No, they don't say, no. They say, "Ahh…" (Laughter) because they think by smoking,
they are flying (Laughter). Then I say, "Okay, you're not getting it. You need a major surgery. And the surgeon comes really smoked up. You want this surgery?" "Ohh, no." So, you understand it lowers your faculties. If you think by lowering your faculty you
will become better, then all the best. All the best, because you will need lot of
luck and a lot of blessings… because you will not live out of your own competence for
sure. Yes or no? Participants: Yes. Sadhguru: This is why I think everybody is
talking empathy, compassion because they don't want to live out of their own competence. They need other people's boost all the time. No, if you lower your faculties, your life
gets lowered or high? Participants: Lowered. Sadhguru: Lowered. So never use the word 'High' again (Laughter). You say, "I smoked and I'm low" (Applause). This is... This is not a moral issue for me, I have no
morality in me. But life should work, isn't it? Suppose my eyes become dim, do I live better? I'm asking. Hello? If my mind becomes dim, do I live better? Why do people think by lowering faculties
life gets high? No, it doesn't. It's just giving you an illusion like that
for which you will pay a price. At this stage in your life you must look for
those things which will heighten your faculties, not lower your faculties, isn't it? If you're interested, you come, I'll show
you… Look at my eyes, I'm always stoned (Laughter)! Yes, look at me. Never touched a substance, because the greatest
chemical factory on the planet is here (Gestures oneself). Hello? The question is only whether you are ecstatic
or anxious is determined by – are you a good manager of this one or are you a lousy
manager. That's all that is determining this. If you're a lousy manager, you are importing
chemicals from outside. If you're a good manager, you are conducting
this the way you want and blissed out all the time (Laughs). If you want to… There is a high when you can see better, hear
better, think better, visualize better, there is a tremendous high with life. I want you to know that high, not foggy high
(Laughs)! Thank you very much (Applause).
