Sadhguru Sri Brahma: An Acknowledgement and a Reminder

“It is by remembering the actions and experiences of yesterday that you can transform the actions of today and tomorrow – not by forgetting it.”

—Sadhguru

Those participating in consecration processes with Sadhguru at Isha Yoga Center and Isha Institute of Inner-sciences may have noticed a portrait of Sadhguru Sri Brahma always kept nearby. Below, a participant asks Sadhguru the purpose of displaying this particular portrait.

Q: I had couple of questions on the Adiyogi: Abode of Yoga consecration process that happened in September. I was curious to know if there was a reason Sadhguru Sri Brahma’s picture was there during the process.

Sadhguru: Memory is such a phenomenal thing. I wish you could remember more than you do. It is by remembering the actions and experiences of yesterday that you can transform the actions of today and tomorrow – not by forgetting it. Forgetting will lead to repetitiveness.

I always bring Sadhguru Sri Brahma whenever we are doing something significant like this. One reason is to acknowledge that person for what he was: a phenomenal being of immense power, but still he could not succeed in the mission that he set out for. He could not fulfill the mission for which he took birth, though he had enormous power and capabilities.

The reason was too much fire, not enough water too much firepower, but not enough stable waters, because he thought that is the way to do it. He thought he will burn his way through the world, but it did not work. However great you are, whatever great ideas you have, whatever you think you are doing, essentially in the end it is only the success of the actions that you perform which matters. Otherwise you are just one big explanation. Why did it not happen? You will always see that people who have a history of failure have a lot of explanations. People who have a history of success have nothing to say about it because explanations come because of failure. You want to explain how you failed. It is of no consequence.

A Controlled Flame

Sadhguru Sri Brahma is a reminder for me because I am also full of fire, but we always keep it in a controlled flame. We never let it flare in a big way. Making it flare in a big way makes you look supernatural, which he was. Everyone experienced him as a truly supernatural being because he did things which no human being is known to have done. But still, he failed what he set out to do. He creates drama of supernatural – that is not me. No drama, but whatever I have set out to do, I have not failed till now, and I will not fail ever because this is controlled. So he is just a reminder. One thing is to honor him for the powerful and magnificent man that he was. Another thing is to remind ourselves, especially when we are involved in these kinds of processes where you have to literally become an energy ball. It is very easy to catch fire, burn and do something supernatural. How would it be in the consecration if, suppose I became as large as the Adiyogi here. Oh! These 1,400 people would go back with memories and say things to everyone, and everyone would think they are nutcases, and scientists will come tomorrow and say, “Come on, prove it to us, do it again. Unless it is repeatable, it is not real.” That is the basis of scientific measurement – “Can you repeat it three times?” Otherwise it is not scientific it is not true.

There is always an urge in people to see something supernatural; their imagination is always longing for something special. But not allowing that special thing to happen is my work because if I flare up into something supernatural, it will happen, but the purpose for which we are there will not happen.

For me, the essence of life is in the success of our actions, not in the drama of our actions. So one reason we bring him is to acknowledge him for the powerful being that he was, and another reason is to remind ourselves there is no need for drama. You may like it, but that will take me somewhere else. Those who did drama with their energies, competent people, always died young because that is the nature of life.

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