Stressed out? If you’re like most Americans, the answer is “yes.” But while the vast majority of us seek solace in activities that distract us from anxiety, the world’s oldest wisdom traditions tell us that the only way out is in.
In other words, the key to optimal well-being may be to sit with anxious sensations and actually feel them. From there, the question then becomes: Why am I stressed out in the first place? According to Sadhguru, founder of the Isha Foundation and one of the world’s leading authorities on yoga and meditation, it isn’t life’s situations that cause our stress; it’s our inability to cope with them.
When things are not working out the way we want them to, we often react with resistance, which causes feelings of stress—but what if we reacted differently? That’s exactly what Inner Engineering nudges us to do; to go inward to find peace and transcendence.
The inner landscape is a rich one indeed, and the good news is that navigating this sacred terrain doesn’t have to be complicated. The Isha Foundation’s world-renowned Inner Engineering program gently guides participants in the wonders of meditation. At its core, it provides the solutions and tools necessary to create the life you want; the life each one of us deserves. What Inner Engineering is really about is distilling the ancient yoga sciences into digestible, practical tools for managing our emotions, mind, body, and overall life energy.
To put it simply, the focus is on nurturing yourself—instead of pouring all your attention and energy into changing external situations so that they meet your expectations. So instead of engineering the world from the outside, Inner Engineering invites us within. Isha Foundation, which is a non-profit organization, offers a variety of courses that teach us how to do just that, empowering participants with tools for tapping into the magic of present-moment awareness. The overarching idea behind Inner Engineering is that nourishing the self has the power to ignite a spark in collective consciousness. What’s more, those who take part in these programs are also provided with valuable take-home activities so that these benefits can continue long after the course ends. This way, those tools for well-being will always be right at their fingertips.
The Inner Engineering program can be taken in a variety of ways, either online or in person in cities all over the U.S. and Canada. You can also opt for a retreat at the Isha Institute, which is made up of 1,400 acres on the spectacular Cumberland Plateau in Tennessee. Here you’ll learn the ancient techniques for creating inner well-being. Perhaps the most notable tidbit, especially for perpetually time-starved Westerners, is that Inner Engineering only requires 21 minutes per day. It’s also not a religious practice; it is completely independent of any doctrine, dogma or philosophy. On the contrary, it is a deeply human, built-in technology for embracing our own natural abilities and coping skills.
Sadhguru’s latest book, Inner Engineering: A Yogi’s Guide to Joy, sheds light on the endless ways in which humans can harness their inner power. To experience the book release live, visit MeetSadhguru.org for event details. If you live in or hear Seattle, come meet, mingle, and meditate with him on October 5 at Benaroya Hall at 7 p.m. For a glimpse of previous events, enjoy the following videos.
