There is bliss within you: Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev

Film actress Juhi Chawla, last Monday, interviewed spiritual master Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev in a public forum at Shanmukhananda Hall. Excerpts from the lively interaction:

Juhi Chawla: So Sadhguruji, what is love?

Sadhguru: Love is something that happens inside you. It's a sweetness of emotion. Love is really not about somebody else – though it may be inspired by somebody or something else. You may love your work, you may love your family, you may love your partner...but essentially the emotion is all happening inside you. There is bliss within you. So I say, why should it not happen by choice? When you regulate your mind you can feel this bliss all the time. On the other hand, if you depend on someone else, like a partner, you will without exception be disappointed.

Juhi: During the course of a day, we go through so many emotions...

Sadhguru: Emotions are a human possibility. A thought is a possibility. Yet, thoughts are a problem for 90 per cent of humanity because they invariably cause one to suffer when they turn nasty. People are suffering because they do not know how to keep their minds pleasant. The fact is that thoughts and emotions are generated within me and I ought to be able to keep them in my control. But when you're not conscious of the nature of your mind, then thoughts and emotions turn nasty. And the truth is that we can only be aware of the nature of the world when we're in a pleasant frame of mind. The latter comes through yoga.

Juhi: What do you think of modern women who are seeking self-identity in careers?

Sadhguru: There's nothing wrong in that – just as there's nothing wrong in being a housewife. Every woman should have the right to choose whatever makes her happy. But I have to say that raising children and devoting her full attention to them is what my mother did – and I couldn't have been what I am if it hadn't been for her.

Juhi: I'm concerned, like many other parents, about what the current films are exposing my children to.. I feel they're a bit extreme...

Sadhguru: Every generation goes one step further than the previous generation. Yet, what we're witnessing today far outstrips that – today children are exposed to communication and information that transcends borders and cultures and at a far greater pace than ever before. There's a huge information overload. Also, by the age of 18 many have multiple dating partners and relationships which leaves them world weary by the time they're 25-years-old. The fact is that, despite all this, they still have not touched the essence of life. And when they find themselves at a dead end they are likely to want to snuff out their lives. I do believe this is a suicidal trend.

Juhi: So, how should we live our days?

Sadhguru: If you observe, take some effort to pay attention to this piece of life – YOUR OWN life – something happens. A human being has endless possibilities and each is meant to bloom in his or her own unique way. Is it not a fantastic thing to wake up in the morning and find that you and your loved ones are all alive and well? Is there not overwhelming beauty in a tree, or for that matter in a ceiling...in everything. When you find the bliss within yourself...through yoga...then everything becomes beautiful.